Because I hate to do things over and over, I printed him out a TON (seemingly a lifetime supply!) of CD labels a long time ago. In that time my son has crashed and burned the main computer that housed everything (EVERYTHING, including photos, various bits of writing, logos, and templates to various artistic projects I'd delved into, including the template for the CD labels.) It took me a long time to get over that, but I managed to move on and ended up with the bestest computer in the world -- a big-assed iMac. Love it.
So a simple task was therefore a huge project that I was in no mood for. I have a laptop that is old and slow and slow and slow, but it's where all of the photos that I needed for the labels are located. No big deal, right? So I managed to locate them and copy them to a zip drive, and then to the Mac. Things were going smoothly, it was still morning and all was moderately well in the world, considering my camera was broken. (I actually just picked it up and played with it again, hoping that perhaps it's healed itself. No go.)
Then I took the disk with the software on it for the labeling thing and loaded that on the Mac. It crashed when I tried to open if several minutes later. I deleted it and downloaded it again. Same result. I deleted it and downloaded it again. SAME RESULT. Apparently there was some kernel error. GRRRRR.
I then went to the website and downloaded the software directly from the site. But it would "time out," before it was completely downloaded. I rinsed and repeated this futile action a good half dozen times before I was thoroughly and completely disgusted and frustrated. Which is exactly how I'd started the morning with that stupid camera, so things were not improving. Which anyone knows who deals with technology of any kind, if you absolutely totally and completely need it to work, it will NOT.
And that's all there is to it.
I am not a quitter, no sirreeeee, so I took the disk and loaded it onto the laptop. Which, since the laptop is deadly slow, took instead of the two minutes to load on the Mac, a good 15 minutes to load up. At this point I'd chewed through all my fingernails and was now working on pulling out my hair. As I waited impatiently (meanwhile trying to get it to download to no avail on the Mac) Peter called to make sure I'd printed out the labels. I explained that there were some technical difficulties, which he cared not to listen to. He said that he'd be swinging by at 2:00 to get them. I repeated that thus far I'd not had any luck, and he said with a tinge of disgust to his voice that it wasn't the first time I'd done it.
No. I realize that. I didn't point out that HE was the one who used up the last one and then never said anything about it until THE VERY DAY he needed one. Geesh.
So, it loads up on the laptop and actually works, which makes no sense, but nonetheless, I proceed to design it. I can't recall exactly how I did it the first time, but I did my best. Then I went to print it and realized that of course the laptop has never been attached to THIS particular printer. So I connect it, and of course it wants the software. So I go through ALL the software I have, find the right disk, put that in the laptop, and what else do I discover, but ANOTHER disk with the software for the labeling program. I figure what the heck, and load that onto the Mac, and it works.
In the meanwhile, the printer software to load up on the laptop is taking forever. In fact, I managed to redo the entire label on the Mac before it was even five percent done. Then I left to let the software load completely, print it out, and then return to make changes on the Mac. Because, you see, it is that type of thing that needs micro-adjustments about ten times before it is perfect, and I wasn't even pleased with the end result, but Peter drove in the driveway.
And then he pointed out all the things wrong with the labels I managed to get printed out, and I said Yes, I realize that, but I have been working on this ALL DAY LONG. Something I had already done before, on a task that I'd put in the hours already.
But you see, no one ever understands any of it. Oh well.
Have I mentioned my camera is broken?
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH.
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