How Are You Wired
We
all have individual hang-ups, fears, or ties that bind us. Some involve family
members and others are nothing more than a mishmash of computer wires that keep
you sitting in the same old chair holding you captive to a cluttered desk.
As I
sit in a dark corner of my bedroom tapping out stories on my laptop, inevitably
one of my children will telephone. No matter how short the conversation,
eventually I’ll hear, “Mom why don’t you go wireless? You could be sitting
outside on the porch-swing writing your articles. The router is not expensive
and it’s easy to setup.”
So
after years of hounding, my little darlings have me convinced that my life will
be fabulous just by going wireless.
Excitedly I zip over to Walmart and purchase a Wireless-G Broadband
Router with Speed Booster by Linksys. The sales clerk assures me that I need to
have maximum wireless range and speed so I can use my laptop anywhere in the
house or yard. My mind races, maybe I’ll get reception over by the creek. Wow,
now that would be totally awesome!
Back
at home, I unpack the goods. According to the setup instructions, it’s an easy
one-two-three process. Insert CD. Connect
wires. Disconnect wires. Restart your computer and the newly programmed
wireless connection will magically work.
Well,
needless to say, it’s not quite that simple. After the third try, I’m so irritated
I turn off the stupid computer and go to bed.
After
tossing and turning all night, I get up early grab the phone and punch in my
oldest sons’ number. No answer. (No doubt, he’s avoiding my call.) After leaving a ticked-off message, I call my
middle son. Cory answers. When I tell him my problem, he confesses that the
first time he setup his apartment’s wireless connection it took longer to
figure out than he expected. Cory asks me if I called the tech-support phone
number that came with the wireless remote system. I stubbornly replied. “Why
would I call a stranger when I can call you kids?”
Over
the phone Cory and I slowly go step-by-step installing my wireless system. As
we connect to the Linksys wireless routers website, I shout. “Okay Cory, I got
this far last night, but there are so many blanks, I have no idea what to put
in the empty spaces!” Unruffled Cory
says, “When you’re doing a singular home setup you don’t fill in those boxes,”
and he swiftly directs me to security setup. (How was I to know that?) Minutes
later I’m up and running. What a thrill. I giggle and holler through the house.
“I’m wireless, thank you-thank you.”
The
first couple of weeks I haul my laptop into the kitchen, living room and yes,
even into the bathroom. I work on the front porch or prop myself up in bed. I check
e-mail, tweet on Twitter, and connect with friends on Facebook. However, I did
encounter a problem. I never feel any inspiration to work.
Therefore, as I construct this article, my computer rests on top of a
dusty-paper-strewn desk whilst I perch on a grubby pink office chair in a dark corner
of my bedroom. Then again, I’m wireless!
