Gray Wolf Productions

Tag: human interest

Technology, Stress, and Backup Plans
OY OY OY
- My computer stopped working.
- The hard drive crashed.
- I have all my work on it.
- I am totally stressed out.
What do I do to survive all this stress?

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We now live in a high-tech culture.

Technology is part of our everyday lives.
- We use computers.
- We have Wi-Fi all over the place!
- We have iPads and tablets.
- We have iPhones and smart phones.
Many of us work online, bank and pay bills online, communicate online, and generally love the technology available to us.

That is until it does not work.

ISPs stop working, or work so slowly that they are useless.

Programs don’t do what we thought they should do.

And then there is the:

“OMG – my hard drive crashed!”

Any of the above issues, especially the last one, can lead to stress – so we have to figure out how to cope with that stress – preferably planning for it ahead of time.

Why? Because technology issues are a part of our lives.

Having had many hard drives crash over the years, you’d think I’d have learned to back up but I never did. I only made copies of some of my writings.

But the last time I bought a computer, I bought a Mac laptop. Laptops are more prone to issues because they can get dropped, they can get stolen and they can get things bumped into them, etc.

Especially if you have pets.

When I got the new computer, I actually bought a years worth of a backup plan called Crashplan. When you buy such a plan, it is with the hope that you never ever have to use it and see if it really works.

So when my “OMG the hard drive crashed” happened, I was sort of stress-ready.

Having read good things about Crashplan, a bulk of my stress was alleviated because I knew that all of what had been on my computer was somewhere up there in the “cloud.” [Fingers crossed.]

But a dead hard drive is still stressful. So to get more calmed down, I did some yoga and meditating. I also took my puppy on a few walks and talked to my son and a friend…. And vocalizing the stress helped.

It all came down to this…I kept telling myself that there really was nothing else for me to do…the worst-case scenario was that I’d have to start all that work all over again.

The ending?

I picked up the computer and started the restore process.

A few glitches and errors on my part and it was working – slowly [ISP issues] – but working.

Then many [many, many] hours later, the message was on my screen that my restore was done.

Everything was restored to where it had been…amazing technology!

All in the clouds……

That I was tired for a few days after this was a signal that I had been more stressed than I thought….so more yoga, more puppy walks, and more relaxing in the sun was called for….

Lessons learned…you need:
- back up plans
- yoga
- healthy eating
- great tech support
- great customer service
- patience
Thoughts? Comments?

Thank you…
06/17/2013
Earth Day: It Should Be Everyday

Earth Day!!

April 22nd!!

Why is it not every day?

Don’t get me wrong, I love that we have Earth Day.

At least it reminds people one day a year that we ought to be taking care of the one and only planet that we live on.

And I’m sure, if it were something we talked about most of the year then people go “oh yeah…can’t be bothered now, tell me later why we need to protect the earth.”

Oops – some do talk about our struggling planet most of the year and they are called names, and mocked, by people who just don’t believe that the planet might be in trouble.

I am reminded of the saying “take care of your body it’s the only one you have.”

Well – ditto planet Earth – until we can live on other planets,

it IS the only one we have!!

Comments? Thoughts? Thank you.

04/22/2013
Ozymandias and Yertle The Turtle

Every so often these 2 writings stick in my head. Now is one of those times. For me they have the same theme.

I am not sure when I first read Ozymandias – it may have been in grammar school or high school but I know it was way before college and it’s always resonated with me. As does Yertle the Turtle

Ozymandias

I met a traveler from an antique land
who said: “Two vast and trunkless legs of stone
stand in the desert. Near them, on the sand,
half sunk,a shattered visage lies, whose frown,
and wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command,
tell that its sculptor well those passions read
which yet survive, stamped on these lifeless things,
the hand that mocked them and the heart that fed.
and on the pedestal these words appear —
My name is Ozymandias, king of kings:
look at my works, ye mighty, and despair!”
Nothing besides remains. Round the decay
of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare
the lone and level sands stretch far away.’

by Percy Shelly

It’s that last couple of sentences about look at my works and despair. Yet nothing beside remains [except the legs and the sand]

It speaks to the futility of a lot of the grandiose ideas and projects that we do thinking we are more important than anyone else.

Projects that probably cost a lot in terms of money, human time, and human lives.

Then there is Yertle, which also has the same kind of theme running through it.

I’m Yertle the Turtle!
Oh, marvelous me!

For I am the ruler
of all that I see!…

That plain little turtle whose name was just Mack,
Decided he’d taken enough. And he had.
And that plain little lad got a bit mad.
And that plain little Mack did a plain little thing.
He burped! And his burp shook the throne of the king!

By Dr. Seuss

Yertle wants to rule everything he can see but Mack, the lowly turtle, burps and destroys the throne of the king.

Sand, burps, time and tide can wreak havoc on our egomaniacal plans. Be careful how you treat others and the environment. Karma!! Leave a legacy that helps future generations; not glorifies you????

Thoughts? Comments? Thank you.

04/17/2013
International Women’s Day

Every year on March 8, many countries celebrate international women’s day.

This is not a very well known or very celebrated day in the United States.

Why? Probably because it happens on March 8 – which can be a Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, or Sunday!

We have come to love our holidays only if they happen on a Monday so that we can have three-day weekends and where you were encouraged to go out and Buy! Buy! Buy!

Also, alas, we have little respect for women in the United States.

This was shown in the last election go round and even up to right now – with all of the legislation going on and being presented in both the Congress and in statehouses and legislatures curtailing women’s rights and bodies.

Yes, I know I was writing a book on the state of women in the United States. It just didn’t get done in the timeframe that I wanted it done so it’s sitting mulling around in my brain and computer – but will be done this year.

So women – even though you don’t really have an official day here in the United States – you can celebrate with your sisters around the world and try to make it a better place for women in every country – including the United States.

Comments? Thoughts? Thank you….

03/08/2013
World Food Day

It's World Food Day…

A day to think about what we eat and about those who don't have enough food.

Think about that "food" you eat.

You are probably eating chemicals!!

There is something we can all do about this..

We can eat better ourselves……

AND

We can be social entrepreneurs and help the world's malnourished children!

Comments?

10/16/2012
I Want A Boat Ride!

My cat loves boats and I was trying to capture an image of him looking at me from my neighbor's boat.

But something or someone was more interesting and he moved so fast the camera caught this shot and I got the idea for this image.

I'm still slow at creating images [it's easier to pen words] but I AM getting speedier and I do love making these!

Ideas for speediness? Comments? Thank you!

07/29/2012