My computer is conspiring against me.

Sometimes I think that computers are out to take over the world. Or maybe it's just mine. Have you ever noticed it is the people who are slightly techno phobic that have the most tech problems? I don't quite understand how it works. Why is it that even though I don't care much for technology; I prefer to read books over computer screens, I was perfectly happy with cassette tapes, heck, I was happy with LPs, I even like getting and sending real letters! But nooooo, I have a computer where most of my correspondence is by e-mail, I have to listen to CDs and my mp3 player, and even the library is talking about sending books out over the net.

Well, the ITunes thing finally stopped converting all my music over to something it could read sometime after 9:30 last night (from about 11:30 am), and lo and behold when I got up this morning the Windows media player could still figure out what the file is. Will wonders never cease. Of course, I haven't tried to reload my mp3 player yet. I'll probably end up with the thing channeling KISS or something. Of course, Kathy might like that better. I don't think she knows any KISS songs. The ones I have on my player are familiar to her, except when I'm mumbling them under my breath, then she can't figure out what the heck I'm singing, especially when I get lost in the middle of a song and I have to sing ninety miles an hour to catch up, heaven forbid that I should leave any words out.

I'm not sure exactly why my computer is trying to take over my life, it isn't that exciting of a life, after all. A friend of mine keeps wanting me to tidy up my desktop. He says I shouldn't have anything on there that I don't use fairly often. But I'm a packrat in everything. As soon as I take it off my desktop I know I'll need it. I know, I know, just because I take it off the desk top doesn't mean it's gone, but how will I know I need it if I have to go to the start menu to get it? Of course, maybe I'm a little obsessive. After all, I have Musicmatch Jukebox, Realplayer, RecordNow, Windows Media Player, and now ITunes and Quicktime Player. For pictures I've got Adobe Photoshop, HP ImageZone, HP Memories Disc Creator, PC Cam Center, ULead Photo Explorer 4.0 and 8.0, and of course, the shortcut to My Pictures. Ok, so I need to clear some of this stuff. But how do you decide what to kill? I guess I could get rid of the Easy Internet Signup icon since we already have SBC Yahoo and are reasonably happy. And do I really need the Adobe Reader icon on my desktop? After all, I don't think I ever do anything in it. For that matter, I guess I could wipe off some of the 6 internet connection icons I have on there. But I always use the SBC icon and the lady at tech support told me to use the bit E internet explorer icon if the SBC icon gave me anymore trouble, but I guess I don't really need the yahoo mail icon or the yahoo music icon and I definitely don't need the MSN icon since it signs on automatically and our daughter Laura doesn't even use that anymore which is why we got it. And do I really need two Yahoo site builder icons since I don't even have a Yahoo website? But if I get rid of those then sure enough Susan will want me to get one of those and we know how she gets when she is thwarted. She'll get those pointy sticks after me (told you I could get those comments back in! Ha!) But if I did clean up the desk top a little then you could see the wallpaper better. Right now I have a picture of the Muir forest that Kathy took the last time she went to San Francisco. I usually like to have a picture of her up there but then she gets shy on me and wants me to take it off. I'll fix her. I'll get a Jessica Simpson wallpaper and put that up there. Naw, with my luck and computer savvy I'd hit the wrong button and end up with Lisa Simpson.

Well, I started this so I could take a break from dusting, I was starting to sneeze. But I've blown about as much time as I can get away with.

Find your inner child today and give him or her a cookie.

Wayne