In November, my desktop started giving me trouble. I couldn’t tell if it wasn’t happy with the latest operating system upgrade, or if I was dealing with a corrupt file. My bluetooth was cycling on and off, which made me think it was a hardware issue, but I wanted to rule out software or file issues. Hours on call with various support agents led me to believe I was probably right, it was a hardware issue.
I drove it to the closest Apple Store and had them run a diagnosis. Yep, bad hard drive. My computer is about two years away from being vintage, such an odd term for something four years old. I had a choice, get a new computer or replace the hard drive.
I hate the amount of electronic waste necessitated by keeping on top of technology, but I’m also careful about my online hygiene and can’t afford a lot of down time. I am in the middle of a big project, and thought if I can get another year out of this machine, I’ll feel better about my carbon footprint and I could prepare financially. I had them plunk in a new hard drive.
After I got it home, I booted my machine up, then attached my external hard drive to reload my files. The thought that I should clean up my files before doing so crossed my mind, but like the messy drawer, who has time for that?
Nothing. The computer didn’t recognize my hard drive, so I tried some other drives. Nope, didn’t recognize them. I tried them on my laptop. My laptop recognized all but the main back-up drive. That’s when I heard the rattle. The USB connection had come loose. After some further research and a bit of emotional back-up from my spouse, I figured out how to open the case around the external drive to release the part that had become detached.
I decided soldering was not really in the cards for me. I did some more research and found a port that I could plug my hard drive into directly. But the writing is on the wall. I need a new computer.
This was kind of soul crushing work, which sounds a bit extreme. (Tech support was one of the main things that kept me from being a freelancer. That, and shipping. Look at me now.) I was frustrated by all the lag time between diagnosing calls, driving hours away to get repair help, and running into peripheral problems like inefficiencies created by moving between desktop, laptop, tablet, and phone. I have content to create, and the disruption to the roll I was on is hammering my psyche.
After weeks of mucking around, somehow the USB port failure and figuring that out gave me an immense sense of accomplishment and allowed me to relax a bit. Instead of just junking the computer, I worked the process to know what I was really dealing with. I feel really good about my decision. It wasn’t the most expedient, but it came with a certain amount of satisfaction. Computers are based on weaving technology, so you could replace the word “computer” with loom [hardware] or cloth [software] and come up with a similar story in your life.
My natural predisposition is to make do with what I’ve got. Our natural dispositions are not always the ones we need. We have to create other dispositions to do the things we want to, or have to, do. Generally speaking, we only have about three hours of fresh brain power a day. Being a product of my culture, productivity is deeply ingrained in me, which is not necessarily a good thing. Globally, the pandemic has revealed how much is sacrificed to be productive. I have a routine, which helps me maximize my specific predisposition—use those three hours well, and then move onto other tasks that don’t require that kind of quality brain power. However, life does not always allow us to work within our optimal flow, so when it is interrupted, tasks can get away from us quickly.
Personally, I have a tendency to ignore my body and brain fatigue by fueling them with adrenaline, caffeine, and chocolate, thinking a good hike will counteract the hype, but it doesn’t. It is not a sustainable way to live. My body tells me things my brain won’t accept. It helped me quit my job and dive into freelancing when it couldn’t endure hours of driving or standing in a film studio. It helped me step away from the loom when I thought I could just keep weaving and the cloth would be okay. It told me that one more hour at the computer was only going to lead to diminishing returns. The afternoon anxiety-fueled mental loop tells me I need to stop.
November is my birth month. I love that it comes at the end of the year during the grand season of reflection. This is what 55 looks like to me. I can do the things I really want or need to do, while the other stuff I can ignore, which is really not age-specific, but I somehow do this in a more age-specific way. I’m no longer procrastinating or lazy, I’m making a choice. Balance is prioritizing some things at the expense of other things.
I get that there is a large amount of luxury in this life. My body, for the most part, works as it should, granted, it is slower, creakier, and requires more maintenance, which I can afford to give it. I have support to make this life work. Over the decades, I’ve worked towards a life where the things I like to do or can sustain me don’t require as much money as they do time. Taking time is a notion I often feel I can’t afford, but to ignore time is to pay a different kind of price.
I can’t go about life in the way I used to, and this is, for the most part, a good thing. Age allows me to recognize the moment I am in, without letting it cascade by me. I see it for what it is, a moment that will not happen again.
Heddles Up!
Liz
Beautiful post. Thanks for walking the talk, and sharing so generously.
I couldn’t agree more with you Liz! Except, perhaps, doing all that computer detective work😅-I would not have had the patience to work through that!!
Didn’t you have some wonderful quote about patience during the pause? It escapes me.
Liz, I loved this, and find similar reflections in my own life. Thank you for sharing so personal an annual review!
S Gail
Oh Liz, I am so sorry you are going through computer anxiety and hope you get everything sorted out soon. The age-thing creeps up invisibly and I (older than you) realize I can’t do the things I used to do with ease. You have tremendous courage and know-how to tackle hardware/software issues and I admire your tenacity. I was recently looking at weaving books on Amazon and realized I don’t need any of them because you are virtually at my fingertips. I agree with Janelle, your post is beautiful, thank you so much for sharing.
Love this, Liz. The myth that we can do it all, and are measured by productivity – it takes a while to learn (okay, practice learning) not to measure myself by others and to find my own rhythm. Thank you for sharing your reflections with us.
Hi Liz, great post! I can relate. As a new weaver at 62, I am really enjoying the process of “taking my time”!
Thanks for this insightful post.
Nancy
What a good post. I’m a new weaving at 65, so giving myself time to learn something new has been great fun, your generous sharing of knowledge has been a real gift.
I had to replace a hard drive in my macbook a few years ago, Fortunately, I live close enough to a repair place to have them do it. Then I found a lightly used one to replace it. Less of a carbon footprint and saves on money for those of us who don’t need the very latest and greatest.
Happy Birthday!
Liz, wonderful post, though not eye opening for this one at 69, but boy, I get it! Life seasons change and it’s critical we learn to bounce, jostle, re-adapt, and do and see things differently! I am envious though that you know your way around computers…..I have to call my children who are already busy as it is, whom at 41, 38 and 35 grew up with computers,…honestly, seemed already hard- wired for the computer world from birth, or drag my desk top to someone who can fix it….or spend way too long on the phone with the poor Apple guy who has to slow walk me through it! And yes, Fall is the best season for b’days from this Oct born who keeps on keeping on, regardless of what I have to face…….tenacious as a bulldog, if nothing else🤣
About 5 years ago I was having strange email problems with my Surface. It was finally diagnosed as a software problem. They would send me the disc I needed. Then I was to take in into a Microsoft store to be uploaded. It took so many days to communicate with them, it was decided as too complicated for me. I am glad I did. They went to load it and decided that my hard drive and other things were failing. I ended up buying a new laptop. I took the old one home for a backup. I found it took over 5 minutes to start and when I tried to wipe it clean it couldn’t do it. We damaged the hard drive and then took the computer for recycling.
I was glad that I had recognized that I had a serious problem long before the experts did.
I think other than love, time is the most precious thing.
Oh boy Liz, you hit the nail on the head in so many instances. Enjoy hearing your explanation of dealing with life and recognize so much of what you relate.
Your missive has made me feel so much better. Adding twenty five years begins to explain some of the daily road blocks I encounter.
Enjoy the holiday season. Time as you say for reflection and definitely slowing down.
Post is great – you have a wonderful ability to talk about yourself in ways that are not at all self-serving – but rather open and relatable. But what I really love is the picture! It is so joy filled.
p.s. at 74 I have learned to feel lucky for each day that comes and the continued good health I have to enjoy it. However, I don’t think I will ever get over the need to feel productive or useful.
All the best for the new year.