I’m sure you’ve all experienced how small tasks sometimes become much more complicated and time-consuming than they should be. This morning, for example, I had to set up a new app on my laptop, in order to have a virtual appointment with with my longtime pain doctor at the U of U, Dr. Bow (not her real name, but she’s loved my bow ties for years). The U has re-vamped how they are conducting virtual doctor appointments, which requires me to use this new app. Installing an app can take only seconds, but for technical reasons I don’t care to fully understand, my laptop was having none of it. It would not download the new app, no matter what swear word I thought in my head.
I tried everything I could think of. I called tech support to aid my efforts. After I followed a few of his suggestions with no success, the tech finally gave up. I did not. I kept troubleshooting. Finally, after more than an hour, I tried the thing that rarely makes any sense, but often works: I turned off my laptop and let it just sit there for about ten minutes. I did the equivalent of unplugging it. And sure enough, after powering it up again, the very first time I re-tried downloading the app I needed, it worked. I don’t know why I resist unplugging a device as the very first fix of whatever problem it has, but I do. I could save myself plenty of time by just unplugging the offending gadget first, but it somehow feels like unplugging is admitting intellectual defeat. It’s like saying, “I’m too stoopid to figure out the actual problem and its accompanying solution.” I think that from now on I’m going to make a conscious effort to be stoopid about my technology problems: I’m going to unplug first, and ask questions later.
Anyhoo… I wore a black and silver, paisley Bow Tie o’ the Day for my virtual appointment. It popped out nicely from my multi-colored paisley-covered Shirt o’ the Day. Dr. Bow and her assistant both commented on how “alive” my shirt and bow tie looked together. When you’re dealing with doctors, hearing the word “alive” is always better than hearing its opposite.