~ star trek connections ~
I doubt that I will induce the sensation of surprise into any of my readers when I assert that I am not exactly technically savvy. Sure, I am not a complete ignoramous, but I have found that my interest in understanding how technical dealies work is directly related to my need to know. For example, I have actively sought to understand some of the basic functions of my bicycles in order that I might be able to perform some basic bicycle maintenance when they are not functioning at optimal levels. Most recently, I spent several hours trying to learn all about the derailleurs in order that I might adjust the shifting independently from a mechanic. On the other hand, when it comes to, say, computers, I have not had much of a need to understand how they work. Suffice it to say that I operate two computers in my life: my personal computer and my work computer. Aside from the recent disaster with my laptop becoming an alcoholic, I have not had any hardware difficulties with it. And with regards to my work computer...I would probably be fired if I was caught trying to fix its hardware myself. Which all implies that my NEED to understand how computers function is virtually non-existent.
Which brings me to those individuals who have an active personal interest in understanding how stuff works. I remember, way back when I was a kid going to school, and in science class we had to learn about how electricity is conducted through a variety of dealiebobs. And there would be the display board with a battery at one end and a lightbulb at the other end, and a variety of circuitry dealies in between, and our task was to figure out how to connect it together to make the light bulb light up. And wow, I cannot even begin to explain how absolutely BORING I found that activity But I distinctly remember that there were a few members of my class who seemed to find that activity interesting, and they went about it with a certain level of enthusiasm, as though it were a cool mind teaser puzzle that they had to figure out, while I stood back being bored out of my mind.
This other sort of individual, who has an interest in understanding how stuff works, is the sort of person who I entrusted with the care of my alcoholic laptop. In the past several days, I have had quite a number of interactions with him. And I have come to think of him as a bit of a dweeb. I have found his interpersonal communication skills somewhat awkward, to say the least, if not a bit odd. For example, yesterday when I telephoned him to inquire about the status of the computer, we were talking along, when all of a sudden, he shouts out, "I HAVE TO GO NOW, BYE!" click. I wasn't sure if he had a bathroom emergency or if another human being had entered the room and he couldn't handle more than one life form entity, or I have no idea. But it was several hours later when he called me back and acted like we hadn't even talked that day, repeating all of the same information he had said in the earlier conversation.
Then again, I'm not sure what he must have thought of me. During the process of reinstalling my operating system, he felt that I would benefit from having a bit more memory. As we were discussing this, he indicated that he did not have the memory in stock right at that moment and that it would take a few days to get it in. As I am in the middle of a whole big load of graduate school, I am kind of needing to have my computer. So, I suggested that he tell me exactly what kind of memory it is, and I would go buy it and deliver it to him to install. I gathered from the way that he SLOWLY repeated all of the specifications that he did not have much confidence in my ability to select the correct product. After I delivered the memory dealie to him, he said that he woud call me that afternoon when the computer was ready to be picked up.
It was several hours later, almost time for me to leave work for the day, and he had not called me. So I called him and asked how the computer was doing. As a tangent, I should mention that in my panic of spilling beer all over my computer, I completely forgot that I had left a disc of Star Trek: the Next Generation in it. So it came as a surprise when he said to me over the phone, "Your computer is working quite well. I'm actually enjoying watching your episodes of Star Trek at the moment, quite refreshing compared to some of the stuff I find on people's computers." And it was after that connection over Star Trek, that we had our first normal interaction. When I went to pick up the computer, he was telling me all about how he used to watch it when he lived in New York. I asked him about New York, and he described living on the Lower West Side. We talked about Deep Space Nine and the original Star Trek. ...
So, all in all, I may or may not have been able to fix my computer myself, but I am glad that I did not try and that I paid someone with expertise on laptop hardware to fix it for me. His verbal communication skills were not able to articulate to me how much the operation would ultimately cost me, so I have spent these past several days wondering how much I would be spending on his expertise. I felt that it would be reasonable to assume that it would be cheaper than buying a new laptop. And I was pleasantly surprised when he presented me with the final bill and it was roughly half of my absolute highest reasonable expectations.