Art, writing and cyberspace

I’ve been writing my art articles for almost eight years now but lately my computer and Internet connection have been ganging up on me.

This is the third week that my Internet provider hasn’t been providing very well.

The week before last, I sent in my article three times before the paper received it. Last week, I sent it with back up addresses and until I received a message back from the paper, I didn’t know if it got through or not.

After this past Friday everything to do with my Internet connection just isn’t anymore. It won’t recognize who I am or that I even have an account.

A few other things with my programs are also acting crazy. My son will be over in a few days and take the computer back home with him and see what he can retrieve. I am not a happy camper.

This past Christmas my son got mom and me an iPad and ever since it arrived my blood pressure has been at least 25 points higher. He tried to give us some starter information because the iPad doesn’t come with even basic instructions like how to turn it on and off.

Yes, I’m not exaggerating. This piece of expensive equipment didn’t come with any instructions except an approximate 6 by 4 card saying where some of the switches were, not how to use them, just their location.

I am used to working on a PC and this is very different. I ordered a book, you know, the “iPad For Seniors for Dummies.” I am still trying to read and understand this book.

Anyhow, with a lot of help from the AT&T Apple store I now am able to send and receive basic e-mail but I still don’t know how to save yet or send pictures from my old files or from my camera.

This article will be typed on the iPad by my wife, sent to my son who will convert the e-mail copy into Microsoft Word so the paper can use it.

Maybe next week, I will have something that is compatible with the paper, and maybe, just maybe, I will learn how to send pictures. But please don’t hold your breath.

It looks like we received the iPad just in time since our old Internet service company was bought out a few months ago and I didn’t think things could get any slower or worse. It looks like I was wrong.

But it’s a new year and I expect and pray things will get better. By the way, where I live, it is still in the dial-up only area.

Thank you for taking a look behind the scenes of getting an article to print besides creating and editing it.

This year I will be 70.

I don’t think I am a dummy but sometimes in the midst of all this ever-changing technology I feel like one.

Thank God for our kids and grandkids, without their help and guidance grandma and I would be completely lost.

Harry Croghan is an artist, photographer, writer and teacher. He can be reached at (740) 852-4906.