Tuesday, August 17, 2010

I Am My Own Geek Squad


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We had some pretty impressive thunderstorms early this morning here on Cape Cod, along with some much needed soaking rains. Because it was so dark I slept in, well for me I slept in - 7:30 isn't exactly the crack of noon.

Tuesday is my Skype day with my daughter in Korea so I got myself into the shower, fed my meowing cats and sat down to sign on and wait to talk with Emma. Only one problem, no Internet connection. I rebooted, I plugged and unplugged my Linksys and modem under my desk, still no connection. At this point I picked up my phone - just as I thought, no dial tone. A curious situation because I'd just been watching Matt Lauer.

After making it through the maze of voicemail at Comcast I finally got Chuck. Chuck I realized thought I had mad tech skills because he was instructing me to do things in my creepy basement with the main modem that I didn't have a clue how to do. And, did I mention my basement seems creepy and I don't like my basement, or any basement?

Since my land line wasn't working and I was on my cell, I immediately lost my lifeline, Chuck, as I descended into the bowels of my home. I was equipped with the requested paperclip and flashlight and could not figure out what the hell he'd told me to do. I sill don't get how in 2010 a paperclip counts as a high-tech tool.

I called my friend Mary Lou who's much more tech-savvy than me. I'm betting a tree stump is more tech savvy than me. She told me what to look for and with the clock ticking on my Skype date I once again went into the cobwebby cellar. I unplugged and replugged, and stuck the end of a paperclip in a tiny hole. And then I ran the hell up the stairs.

I picked up my phone - a dial tone! I had done it! I ran up, signed on to Skype, and proceeded to check my e-mail. At the top of the inbox, an e-mail from Emma. "Sorry, can't Skype today, how about Thursday?"

Well, the morning wasn't a total waste, now I know how to fix a modem with a paperclip. Call me anytime, I am now officially Geek Girl.

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