On Ash Wednesday snow had covered the roadways pretty deep and were slippery so I was working from home which meant I was doomed to work on my laptop. Just so you know, my laptop and do not get along. Despite purchasing a new one two years ago thinking my past issues with a non cooperative laptop would improve with a newer model I was sorely disappointed when things were the same if not worse because now I was using Windows 10...one of the banes of my computering skills.
I use a computer all day at work, I am the designated techy at work which just means I lightly work on them, if something major goes wrong I have to call for help. But the point is I should know how to do this stuff. But when it comes to a laptop I don't. I don't understand why me and laptops don't get along.
Anyway, my husband rolled his eyes as I sat at my laptop in the kitchen and tried to upload a blog for my column. Frustrated I pounded on the keys and started to snarl when I suddenly remembered that not fifteen minutes earlier I had been thinking what I could do for Lent this year and being calm was something I had wanted to work on. Well that wasn't working so far, ten hours into Lent and I was already losing my calm over my computer. I looked at my husband and said "I know exactly what I need to work on for Lent this year. I'm going to get along with my laptop. I'm going to carry it with me wherever I go so I get used to working on it and being calm when working on it. Maybe I just don't spend enough time working on it to understand it." Yes, seriously this is what I told my hubs of 38 years. My husband, loving partner that he is actually snorted, "Sorry, I don't mean any disrespect by saying this but won't that be like Jacob Marley carrying his chains he forged in life?"
I stopped and looked at him. Yeow, that is true. My chains would be laptops, tablets and my smart phone which I struggle to text on because my fingers are big and always cold so it can't 'feel' their touch and type correct messages! If I didn't look, out my love/hate relationship with technology was going to follow me if not push me to the grave.
So now, I realized, I really need to work on this for Lent. I thought Ash Wednesday was bad enough fasting all day. I used to wait up until midnight just to put a frozen pizza in the oven and eat a slice before going to bed. Yes, sad but true. The last few years I'm way too tired to wait up that long and while my hubs who always was amused that I would do the pizza thing suggested I could set an alarm to get up and eat. did I mention he has an unusual sense of humor, I never did that.
But now I sit at that very laptop typing this blog. Was I going to let this chain of technology beat me? No, I'm going to do it. I'm going to be calm with my technology if for no other reason than to prove to I can do this. The other thing I'm really bad at is yelling at other drives while in my car...I thought that should be a Lent thing too but I'll leave that for another blog!
So how was I going to remember to not scream and loose my patience with my techy stuff? I mean you can wear rosary bracelets or bands that help you 'see' and remember you're working on changing your life every day. My laptop is too small to cover in post-it notes before I'd scream I cannot see what I'm typing because of them. those annoying little pop up ads that I can't figure out how to turn off might work but then I would just be annoyed with them like I am with the ads or reminders.
No, this was going to take some thinking and doing....I looked on the internet for images that might help. Yikes, there were images of Jacob Marley in Christmas ornaments, who in the world would put that on their tree???? And a couple of statues of Jacob Marley with his chains choking him....a pendant...go figure...even a bracelet with a lock and key dangling from it. Honestly I started to get a little creeped out. Maybe a nice little chain bracelet or necklace from the hobby store would be enough of a reminder... and it could hang on my purse... nope, I put my purse away at work and at home so it would never work as a reminder in front of my face. But I also didn't want something I was wearing that I had to explain to other people. Oh Lisa, nice chain there...what's it mean? Oh just something I'm going for Lent, wearing the chains I've forged in my life of computers and laptops... hahahah...
Yeah, no, I need to think of something else.
I printed out copies of the quote from "A Christmas Carol" and let them on my desk at work and at home where my laptop sits. I am praying I can do this because I think it's really important this Lent to be calm. The whole world needs to be more calm and peaceful. Like the song, "Let There Be Peace on Earth" I need to let it begin with me. So here goes... Day 1 of Lent...check.
