“Would you like to restart your PC now?” I growled at the pop-up on the screen. No, I would not… I was busy. I clicked a box that consigned the message to Hades, while asking it to remind me later. For three days, it did just that, each time picking the most inconvenient moment it could manage, and each time being banished to the Nether Regions with the click of a mouse.
The fourth time it reminded me, I knew I was going to have to give in… but not right then. I was deep in research, in thrall to words… and there was no way I was going to stop while a whole batch of probably unnecessary updates installed themselves, like it or not. I dismissed the thing and carried on writing until that queasy feeling made me glance at the clock. One a.m… Given that I rise pretty early and had to be at work by eight, I thought I should go to bed. Cleverly, or so I thought, I clicked on the option that said ‘update and shut down. The PC could install its nonsense while I slept. Perfect.
So engrossed was I by the work I had been doing the night before, that I woke even earlier than usual next morning, bright-eyed and raring to get back to the screen. I could see to the dog and still have a couple of hours to catch up with the blogosphere and write some more. I flicked on the PC then wandered through to the kitchen to make coffee and give the dog her morning cuddles and breakfast.
It was on my return that I realised the error in my perfect plans. Had I not been so sleepy, I might have realised sooner and asked the thing to ‘update and restart’ while I slept. Instead, I was faced with that dire blue screen and the cheerful message that ‘updates are 1% installed!’ This was going to take a while…
So much for my plans.
My initial reaction was one of annoyance. I have my habits on a morning and was not happy about being forced to change my plans. I could have stayed in bed! Except, I was wide awake anyway. I could use the laptop… but the files I needed were on the PC. Annoyance gave way to frustration…neither reaction a productive use of my time. I cuddled up with the dog, which is never a waste of time, and reviewed the situation.
While it is true that I work best early in the morning and late at night, those are not my only options. The weather was looking less than promising. How about, instead of writing, I did all the housework, such as it is, and took longer-than-usual walk with the dog instead? My furry friend agreed that this was a good plan…and one to be implemented without delay.
Continue reading at The Silent Eye
Sue Vincent's Daily Echo 
I did exactly the same thing on friday lol. Set it to update and shut down while I went to work. I came home to an hour and a half of waiting for updates to install. Lol
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We’ll knbow better next time…I hope 🙂
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I’d like to agree but I’m sure I’ll make the same mistake again lol
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Sadly, I’m pretty sure I will too 😉
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Pingback: ‘Updating your system…’ – The Militant Negro™
Thank you for sharing 🙂
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Reblogged this on anita dawes and jaye marie.
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Thanks, Jaye xxx
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You are so right Sue, we all strap ourselves to the treadmill and put on the blinkers and blithely ignore the changes around us . Sadly we can miss so much after all nothing should be set in stone! A moment of Kama I just sent this message only to find there was no signal for my phone! This is the second version 💜💜💜
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Such small ‘coincidences’ do a lot to remind us of what is going on 🙂
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Yes indeed 💜
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Reblogged this on Viv Drewa – The Owl Lady.
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Thanks for sharing, Viv xxx
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I had done this one time, and learned the hard way, too. It’s just so frustrating, especially when you want to get back to your writing.
Hugz to you and Ani! @v@ ❤
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It is…but it turned out to be a good thing in the end 😉 Hugs xxx
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Reblogged this on Die Erste Eslarner Zeitung – Aus und über Eslarn, sowie die bayerisch-tschechische Region!.
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Thank you 🙂
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Delay is my second name. 😉 Michael
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I can relate to that 😉
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;-))
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Ugh! These computers are so smart, and yet sometimes so dumb. 🙂 Well, I suppose it could be us, the operators, but I prefer to think the machine should now by now what to do. 🙂
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i am not in charity with ‘intelligent’ machines tonight, Jan… 😦
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I think computers live to break their human’s routines! 😀
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I’ll be havig much more to say on technology later today… 😦
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