The title of today’s blog says it all. That’s how I feel sometimes, including right now. About the time I think I have a good handle on something, some unforeseen and unexplainable problem shows up.
After a couple of years of experimenting, we launched our digital edition of the Gypsy Journal several issues back, and after a lesson from my friend Chris Guld from Geeks on Tour and a short learning curve, I managed to upload the digital issues to the web with no problems.
But yesterday, when I tried to upload the new issue, it wouldn’t go. The Ipswitch file transfer program kept asking me for the user name and password to our FTP site, and when I entered it, I got an error message telling me to re-enter the information again. I could log directly onto our FTP site with my user name and password, so I knew it was correct, but it just wouldn’t work using the file transfer program.
After hours of frustration, just about the time I was going to call Chris Guld and ask for help, the darn thing logged right on and worked just fine. I didn’t do anything different, and it was the same user name and password I’d been entering all along. Go figure.
I know that computers are wonderful tools, and I wouldn’t want to go back to the old days before we had great things like websites and internet access. I just wish the darned gremlins would stay out of them!
We got our bus conversion winterized Wednesday, and yesterday morning we dropped it off at the building where we’re going to store it this winter. Even though it is going to be inside, out of the winter weather, we drained the water heater and all of the lines and filled them with RV antifreeze, just in case of a power failure or something like that. We probably overdid it, since we had never winterized an RV before, but we wanted to be safe, rather than sorry.
We had hoped to have the bus sold by now, and have several people who are interested, but we’re just about out of time and don’t plan to hang around here much longer. One gentleman asked if we would delay our departure until November 1st, which is the earliest he can get here, and if he confirms he’s coming for sure, we’ll wait. But Elkhart Campground is closing in just a few days, so that’s about as long as we can stretch it.
Subscribers Greg and Jan White are parked behind us here at Elkhart Campground, and Greg has been helping me with a couple of last minute projects I wanted to get done on our motorhome before we hit the road for our winter travels. I sure appreciate your help, Greg!
We picked up the new issue of the Gypsy Journal at our printer yesterday, so the next few days will be a mad rush to get all of the envelopes stuffed and mailed out. As we were driving up to Michigan to get it and back, Miss Terry commented that we are very lucky. Even though we don’t like the cold weather, we get to see some spectacular fall colors, and then we can leave before the snow starts piling up.
Yeah, even with contrary computer programs and other little problems, I guess life is pretty good after all.
Thought For The Day – I believe in sharing the road with other drivers. They can have the part behind me.
Nick Russell
World-Famous, New York Times Best Selling Author, and All-Around Nice Guy!
Ya know Nick, that is just life. Sometimes I’d like a few weeks that run smoothly just to see how it would be. But, the freedom we have with a life on wheels brings so much joy and so many unexpected experiences that the rough spots tend to be forgotten. They are still annoying but pass quickly while we remember the good times forever. Hope you sell the bus Nov. 1. I’m watching the weather myself hoping to stick with my departure date of Nov. 6. I love the fall in NW Wyoming so chance snow each year but it is worth it. I truly don’t mind 12-18 inches of soft, beautiful snow falling while I’m in my trailer (silent beauty!) — as long as I can find a day to head out on a dry road!
Nick, listen to Terry.
Far too many concentrate on what is not the way they want it, and the happier people concentrate on what we have in our lives that is good. Thanksgiving comes every day wherever we are. The less than good are just speed bumps to slow us down to enjoy the good times!
We even need to have rain to enjoy a rainbow!
Hope to see you as you travel south.
Charles and Ethel
Nick, I used to say, “computers are dumb, they only know what you tell them.” Think about it, GIGO. But, now I’m beginning to re-think that. Maybe there are evil little gremlins living under our keyboards?
Oh well, just think of the step-ahead, step-back dance as part of the entertainment on your life cruise.
To fix your computer, try pouring Coke or coffee with cream and sugar on it. This will fix it permanently and will drown all of the gremlins.
When I was with Sperry Univac back in the 1980’s, we had a couple of customers try this and it worked very well. Their computer went straight to the dump.
Good luck on selling the bus.
My computer is my best enemy and my worst friend. Some days I cannot live with it or without it. Hmmmmmm, starting to sound a lot like a life partner.
Love the thought for the day! Oh, yea, love that a lot!
They aren’t gremlins. I used to think it was leprechauns, then poltergeist, but since I can’t spell those words, now I know it’s Kokopelli, the native American trickster. We invited him into our home a while back, and he found out computers.
Nick,
Several months ago in your blog there was a discussion of the monthly bill discount that AT&T and Verizon offer to people with past or present military service. I sought and was signed up for the 15% discount by both companies.
Today in my AT&T bill I noticed a $36.00 charge for “sponsorship fee”. I learned from the Company that this is the fee that AT&T has recently started charging to get the discount.
If you think about it, this would make a good Bad Nick story; at least I think I felt like B.N. must often feel! Imagine having to pay for your own discount for the first 6 months.
After my vigorous protest, and I think largely because I was never told about the fee when I signed up for the discount, they finally agreed to waive it. Anyone else who runs into this fee should be aware and not let AT&T steal your money with one more of their “fees”.