Who You Callin' "Tech Illiterate"??

I had a longer break from blogging than I intended. Why? Well…um…I guess I’m not as tech savvy as I thought I was.

 

See, my Microsoft Office subscription ran out in February. I needed to renew it. No problem. Bought a subscription card back in early January. Figured I was being a good Girl Scout and was all prepared well ahead of the expiration date. I was just waiting ‘til the last possible moment to add it so I wouldn’t “squander” the last days of the old subscription.

 

But here’s the problem. Vince had purchased Office 365 as a family plan. It was associated with his Microsoft user ID and password – and he had added me as a family member so I could have Office on my laptop as well. I didn’t know his user ID or password – and I didn’t want to use that anyway as it needed to be associated with MY user ID and password now.

 

Plus, I had purchased a Microsoft Office 365 as a Single plan since I didn’t need to add any other computers to my subscription.

 

So I (attempted) to follow the instructions. No luck. I entered the code and stuff was downloading or uploading or whatever loading. I was just assuming the magic would happen and I could get back on my Microsoft Word and start writing again.

 

Nope. I turned my computer off and on. And off and on again like a kid playing with a light switch. I Googled and YouTubed 'til I couldn't listen to one more person telling me how it was an "easy installation." 

 

By this point I could pretend to clearly explain to you all the other steps I took to fix what wasn’t working, but really I can’t. It would come out as Word Spaghetti. I have no clue what I did or how I did it and in what order I did it.

 

All I know is that nothing worked.

 

Every time I tried to get on my Blog document, my computer (metaphorically) smacked my fingers and said the software program had expired and I needed to pony up for another subscription.

 

This is when I’d screech at my computer, “I already bought it! I downloaded it! It’s there!!!” I might have even gestured a little bit. But I’m not confirming that – and Maggie Minx isn’t talkin’ either.

 

Yet despite my histrionics, the computer wasn’t swayed and didn’t seem to care one little bit. It didn’t even seem to mind my screeching, although I’m sure Maggie would have preferred I used my “indoor voice” as she has big ol’ sensitive ears.

 

So for my sanity – and my raw vocal chords – I had to walk away. But for good measure I gave my computer dirty looks every time I got a glimpse of it sitting calmly and quietly on my desk. Probably I even muttered a bad word or two under my breath.

 

I considered calling the Geek Squad, but that was going to be my last resort as I really hate computer techs mumbling “user error” (or worse) under their breath.

But when I couldn’t access any of the documents I needed to have my taxes prepared, I knew I had to figure out the problem.

 

So I stumbled around on the computer again and eventually got to a screen that asked for my subscription code. Shrugging my shoulders because I figured it couldn't hurt, I entered it once again. I worried it might say that the code had already been used and I’d be out some bucks unless I was able to find an actual human to talk to who could help – but I gave it a shot anyway.

 

I then shut my computer down, turned it back on and – lo and behold – I was able to access all my documents that had heretofore been held for ransom. (Cue the angels singing from on high.)

 

I was ecstatic! 

 

Well…except that suddenly all my documents were showing up with black backgrounds and white text. My poor old eyes were bugging out of my head – so I had to Google how to fix that weird glitch.

 

Once I remedied that problem, everything seemed to be well and good in Jane’s Domain.

 

Now I just need to catch up on all those blogs I was writing in my head.

 

I just hope they don’t come out as Word Spaghetti…