IWSG – Jan 2023 – Clean Your Refrigerator Day
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Every month, a specific question is offered, which may prompt you to share advice, insight, a personal experience or a story. Include your answer to the question in your IWSG post or let it inspire your post if you struggle with something to say.
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The awesome co-hosts for the January 4 posting of the IWSG are Jemima Pett, Debs Carey, Kim Lajevardi, Sarah Foster, Natalie Aguirre, and T. Powell Coltrin!
January 4 question – Do you have a word of the year? Is there one word that sums up what you need to work on or change in the coming year? For instance, in 2021 my word of the year was Finish. I was determined to finish my first draft by the end of the year. In 2022, my word of the year is Ease. I want to get my process, systems, finances, and routines where life flows with ease and less chaos. What is your word for 2023? Why?
In answer to this month’s question:
Optimism.
2023 snuck up on me. Here I sit drawing a blank, feeling a bit glum. I want to inspire not whine… maybe you should grab some cheese.
Tired Computer
My 2012 MacBook is wearing out. In computer years, 2012 is old. Why? Because Apple has this relentless need to make the MacOS obsolete every year. They call it progress. They haven’t heard the old adage: If it’s not broken, leave it alone.
Last week, I was compelled to install Mojave. The result: now my Macbook runs poorly, and I don’t dare go back to High Sierra, or who knows what will happen. And yet, Apple keeps demanding I install Catalina if I want the new plugins and drivers to work.
When was the last time you heard that a 10-year-old car had to be ditched because new tires would not fit, or the lifetime guarantee replacement on pistons ended? Or shifting into reverse was no longer an option?
I know I’m missing the point of this month’s question. All I can think about is my poor Macbook. If I could upgrade I could solve so many problems. But alas, my computer is too old.
I can’t select photos in the photo app. My spellcheck can’t spell. Right in the middle of typing a sentence, my cursor jumps up a few lines or goes back ten digits and types like it’s some crazed zombie cursor. The messenger app blinks, making it impossible to read messages. Apple Store suddenly will not accept my credit card. And every other day I’m denied permission to make changes to my computer.
Since the Millennium:
- 2001 – Cheetah
- 2001 – Puma
- 2002 – Jaguar
- 2003 – Panther
- 2005 – Tiger (My first)
- 2007 – Leopard
- 2009 – Snow Leopard – 10.6
- 2011 – Lion – 10.7
- 2012 – Mountain Lion – 10.8
- 2013 – Mavericks – 10.9
- 2014 – Yosemite – 10.10
- 2015 – El Capitan – 10.11
- 2016 – Sierra – 10.12
- 2017 – High Sierra – 10.13
- 2018 – Mojave – 10.14
- 2019 – Catalina – 10.15
- 2020 – Big Sur – 11
- 2021 – Monterey – 12
- 2022 – Ventura – 13
In computer years, Dear Husband is a Dinosaur/Cheetah, yet you don’t see me rushing out to find a new model.
I’ll eventually be dragged to the local computer store kicking and screaming; what choice do I have? Not until May! Please! Computers are very expensive in Mexico. Extremadamente caro!
On an optimistic note, I did find a local tech guy who fixed the sidebar on the right. (I had done an upgrade that magically made the sidebar contents vanish.) And a technician from South Africa gave Kiss of the Assassin its own unique page.
Last week my fridge quit again. This will be the 6th time in 3 years. We lost the food, the repairman brought me a temporary replacement, and now the food is freezing. If you’re laughing, that’s okay. I’ve been opening the door more often. and it seems to help.
Today is “Clean Your Fridge Day.” I think I’ll start with cake and ice cream.
What’s big and white and can’t climb a tree? A refrigerator.
If the refrigerator had an Instagram, what would be on his story? “Just chilling at home.”
Why was the ketchup in the refrigerator embarrassed? He saw the salad dressing! Thank you thank you…
HAPPY 4th NEW DAY, EVERYONE!!!
Comments 28
I hate, hate, hate that Apple forces OS upgrades so frequently! Apple hardware is usually awesome–it runs forever–but what good does that do if the OS won’t work? And really, if I pay two grand for a laptop, I expect to use it for at least 8 years. So now I pay $800 and get Windows laptops. *sigh*
I love your word of the year. I’m trying to be more optimistic, especially about my writing, and stamp out all the negative self-talk. So far it seems to be working, but the year is young.
Oh, and here’s one more joke for you:
Q. How can you tell if an elephant has been in your refrigerator?
A. Footprints in the butter.
My husband has a 2015 Macbook and my Gen Z son thinks its ancient!
Have a wonderful 2023!
I am speechless after reading this blog! LOL..Enjoyed it immensely. Oops, I shouldn’t say that because you are dealing with real problems. Hope your refrigerator is working now.
Can you order a new laptop thru amazon.ca and have it mailed to you? The cost of shipping would probably buy another half of a computer. There’s always pen and paper. Hang in there. You can do it.
Oh boy, you’re spot on with computers. Doesn’t take long for them to become ‘old’. Frustrating getting all your data cloned. And as Australia has a hot Christmas, it’s always a worry thinking about all that food in fridges and freezers potentially going to waste if there’s a malfunction. Ugh. I feel for you with the fridge clean out.
Happy 2023. Stay optimistic!
Oh no! Is it bad that I don’t even know which operating system my old Mac is running on? I guess I won’t be updating any time soon! I hope you get your fridge and Mac issues sorted out!
Optimism is a great word for the year!
Hope you have a Happy New Year!
I detest built in obsolescence and it seems to affect everything. You have my deepest sympathy in your fridge and computer dilemmas. Because I’m doing the video recording and editing of our church’s worship services and reliability is a necessity, I finally gave up coping with an old laptop and slow internet service two years ago and invested in upgrades. My wallet still hasn’t recuperated. I’m running the Catalina OS and refuse to obey the pesky notices that keep begging me to let them update.
Your OPTIMISM is a good word. For some reason I haven’t found the right one for 2023 yet. Maybe HOPEFUL would be a good choice. I could sure use a good dose of hope about now.
Blessings to you in this New Year, Joylene. Best of luck cleaning out that fridge. 🙂
We just got a new fridge, and I’m pretty sure Jack loves it. Every time he opens the door, his face lights up.
Happy 2023. Hope your computer and fridge woes get resolved.
Author
Haha
That sucks about the Macbook. At least it’s semi-functioning, so maybe you can eek out a bit more use of it. Over the holiday break, my son tipped over his cup and fried the laptop he was using (my husband’s old laptop with a slower-than-dirt hard drive and a shot battery that required to remain plugged in). We’d already been building him a desktop as a Christmas surprise (thus we’re a PC family since my husband likes to Frankenstein our machines), but my husband was disappointed he wasn’t getting his laptop back.
It’s like your fridge and Macbook combined to equal my son’s predicament. He lost his games for a few days because the spill happened before Christmas. Not as bad as you losing your food though!
I loved your post Joylene. I chuckled and laughed. But I’m so sorry for all your tech troubles. Optimism is a good word to go with, I guess.
What a lot of bs to have to deal with! It’s called planned obsolescence, which is extremely annoying. I hope you get a dream computer. Here’s to 2023 being much less stressful and filled with all good things that are writerly.
Optimism. Yes, I can definitely buy into that word.
It’s awesome that you found a South African technician to assist.
Hope your computer troubles have been resolved, Joylene.
All the best for 2023!
Love your post .Made me chuckle. And I feel your pain. I live in Mexico on the Caribbean coast and things breaks= down often. I’ve learned to keep extra water pumps on hand. The weather here, while gorgeous, is brutal on everything. I always buy my Macs and iPhones in the U.S. and thank goodness they can withstand humidity.
Oh, Joylene, I hear your Mac pain. I’ve been through every one of those updates. I’m going to be in Honolulu in a few days, and I’ll be hoofing it back and forth to the Apple store for classes and help. The iPhone is almost as bad. I admire your choice of “optimism.” If we didn’t have optimism, we’d never survive the frustrations technology throws at us. Life too. I’m sorry about your fridge. The fridge is the appliance I most hate to stop working. Here’s a fridge funny: I was upset when my freezer stopped working, but it’s all just water under the fridge now. May 2023 treat you kindly, my friend! Sending you a big hug!
Wow, girlfriend, the fact you’re still cracking jokes and talking about optimism speaks volumes. Well done under such duress. And, you’re not alone, Microsoft does the same thing, it’s constantly upgrading and suggesting I do this, that, and the other thing – all of which I resist, of course.
Happy New Year! And good luck with everything!!
Good luck with the optimism! I’m terrible at it 🙂
Unfortunately, I can relate to the woes of the forced Apple upgrades. They are a little too big for their britches and forget that there are people on the other side of the keyboard.
In spite of your challenges, you still chose Optimism. That really shows your underlying character and fortitude. Just remember, you are bigger than your computer, and I have found that threatening to turn mine into a doormat sometimes makes things magically work.
How do you know if an elephant has been in your refrigerator? The peanut butter has footprints.
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LOL
Optimism. Yes, I could use a lot of that, Joylene. Especially where computers are concerned. [Whispers] I don’t know what I’d do if my computer died. Shssh! Don’t say the “d” word near my computer. I don’t understand it [computers]. I just want to be able to type and save things on it. Nuts! Maybe I’m the dinosaur, Joylene. All best to you in 2023!
You’ve said it so well. Apple does everything it can to make money and cause the consumer grief. At last, the UK has told them they can’t change the peripheral connectors each year. Not sure what the US is going to do, but I’m keeping your work, optimism, in mind and hoping for the best. Happy New Year.
I hate that. I definitely believe that what’s not broken should be left alone. That can apply to so many things when people try to improve something.
I hope you find many reasons this year to be optimistic.
I’m sorry about your computer and your fridge. Is it the same fridge that keeps dying? Might be time for a new one although they are SO expensive now.
A huge sigh at tech issues. And how I wish that ‘if it isn’t broken, don’t fix it’ was a widely observed mantra. Good luck with the fridge issues. And here’s to a productive year.
When I clean a fridge. I start with ice cream and soda as well. Why not. Stop. think over a float. and build up some nerve over what may be waiting inside that box.
2023 can only get better. 🙂
Anna from elements of emaginette
I so empathise with your Mac pain. I have been having a total meltdown with tech over the past two weeks and am still not quite out the other side. It is such a frustration, especially when we’ve become so dependant upon it. I hope you find lots of lovely cake & ice cream in your fridge to compensate. All the best for a great 2023!
Debs posting today from Fiction Can Be Fun
Also found at Debs Despatches
Oh my dear friend, I so feel you pain and frustration.
I have faith with your creative problem solving abilities you will survive. Just as you found a guy in South Africa and another tech near your home in Bucerias, I have faith more solutions are on the way.
I so admire your sense of humor and ability to end your post with laughter.
Lynn La Vita @ https://la-vita.us/
All in the name of progress… Hate updates that are too much for an older computer.
I have a PC and upgrades to a new one are just because I want something faster. My wife still works on one that is many years old without a problem.
Computer problems can be very frustrating. I hope yours lasts till May like you want. I’m always worried what I’d do if my computer died. I’m so dependent on it. And good luck cleaning your fridge today. Hoping you have a good 2023!