Humility? Humiliation? What's the Difference?

Just thought I’d share my most recent screw ups. Nobody died, this time—yeah, me!

Guess I needed a bit of a technology smack-down last week. I maintain three websites, I own three computers and use two more on a regular basis. I maintain the church’s network and desktop boxes. I used to think I knew what I was doing, until Tuesday last week.

I was working on my weekly sermon (two days early!) when my computer started chirping. First time, no big deal. Second time, I started paying attention. It sounded like my UPS alert, but I wasn’t sure. Third time, I started checking the computers around me that didn’t have a UPS, and I asked around to see whether anyone was having power fluctuations; everyone was good.

Fourth time, time to shut down. As it powered down, it started to squeal like Ned Beatty on a canoe trip. Then nothing. Tried to restart, nothing. I guessed that the fan on the power supply gave up the ghost. So I opened the box, took the power supply to my friendly neighborhood computer tech. He jammed a paper clip into the switch contacts, and the fan was fine (gotta learn how to do that!). I reinstalled it, and just for grins, I flipped the switch. The system came to life! So I powered down, put it back on my desk, hooked up my cables, flipped the switch… nothing.

Then I noticed that the monitor wasn’t on either. On a hunch, I crawled under my desk and looked at the UPS. No familiar little green light. Turned the switch off, then back on, and I heard the monitor power up. Poked the power button on the box, and it fired right up.

Guess I have to hone up on Occam’s Razor.

Then there was the trip to Toledo. Sandi and I went south for a wedding last Friday (Adam and Angie, yeah!). Since we didn’t have the kids with us, why not try Tony Packo’s before heading back? We found it before it opened for lunch on Saturday. Unfortunately, my diuretic kicked in, and I needed to find a restroom (TMI? So what. I’m paying for the bandwidth.) There was a gas station across the street, so we went in. Sandi bought a pack of gum to legitimize the use of the loo, and I did what had to be done. After washing my hands, I tried to exit the restroom and found that the doorknob would not turn.

That’s when I heard the clerk tell Sandi, “Oh yeah, the door’s broken. The last guy took 20 minutes to get out using his credit card. I guess I forgot to put the sign on the door.” You think?

I didn’t spend 20 minutes with my credit card, but it was clearly not going to work. I used my trusty Scout pocket knife (as I usually do to get into locked rooms at the church…), but THAT didn’t work either. With no help from the station attendants, one of the other patrons (who apparently had some expertise convincing locked doors to open with tools he happened to carry in his car…) finally got me out—in 15 minutes, a station record!

Anyway, Tony Packo’s, nice place. Good food. Thanks, Klinger!