Yesterday's knitting group was small and full of talent. See Sandy modeling her latest, which I last saw on the needles.
Then I got a text from Handsome Son, help required with payment shifting. Bonnie asked if I had any tips to pass on about planning. The usual one, assume things will not be simple and will take much longer than anticipated.
Handsome Son had hoped to polish off the three payment setups quickly once he got the info forwarded by me. I had to do the initial work because of being the owner. The HOA one went quickly, but after that the other two not so much.
Anyway, we reckoned without his printer suddenly not working, so one form needed in hard copy, couldn't happen. And another, web based destination kept giving error messages saying that account # was already in use. Well, yeah, that was the point, to get in!
In the end he came over after I got home from knitting, and my printer worked but needs ink. Then it would not work with his laptop. I ended up firing up my laptop I never use, finding the info in there, took a while, and ended up printing from there. and he got a very faint version to fill out. He did it anyway, both of us feeling the hell with them, let them struggle, too!
The last one, a website, was another issue, but finally let me in, not on my tablet, hinky, but on my phone. I was just at the point of getting in, new password, right screen to check, when my phone dropped the WiFi signal, a common problem with this phone.
Started all over again, with the tablet, this time got in, got to right screen, had Handsome Son do the rest.
After all this, he went out to bring us pizza,sausage and pepperoni, and ginger beer, which we richly deserved. It evidently takes two to get through lousy website design. Also printers can be counted in not to work at will.
On the good household news side, both he and I got the new smart utility meters installed yesterday with no, not a typo, trouble!
And I received the township safety code certificate, which was supposed to be in the mail weeks ago, for the condo, attesting to safe practices, smoke alarm, co alarm, chimney, all that, signed it and sent it with the other items.
So some things do work. But all this makes me wonder if a cabin in the woods would be desirable.
And today's poem is so good, in view of recent discussions on other blogs
Happy day, everyone! We got this, despite the times when we feel this has got us!
Yes, every little opportunity for Murphey's Law to work its tricks is certain to happen when doing on-line forms, changes, starts, stops, etc. Love the poem. Hugging myself right now, and sending one to you too!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad the poem landed well. I like it a lot.
DeleteThis is a good poem. We have been conditioned. So glad the two of you figured out how to conquer the poorly designed websites. This sounds like a frustrating day that really did deserve pizza and ginger beer!
ReplyDeleteThe problem is when websites can't understand changing the source of payment from one account to another. Evidently designers didn't think that might happen, duh. Anyone might change banks, for all kinds of reasons.
DeleteWe do overcomplicate things in this world, don't we. You both deserve that pizza and ginger beer, and a medal for persistence. Love the poem.
ReplyDeleteYes, some sort of award is called for. I'm glad you like the poem. She's a young Indian-brit poet.
DeleteYo seem to be over the hurdle wrt your planning.
ReplyDeleteGetting there.
Deleteyes, people don't mind who pays the bills as long as they get paid. husband tried to switch the account name from my sister to us for the wifi at her (now my) house. no can do. must cancel the account and then open a new one for the same address. don't want to do that, interrupt service, but they are happy for us to just pay the bill on her account. they don't care.
ReplyDeleteThis is true. We tend to assume payments must come from the named party, but it's not quite true. I've left my own utilities in handsome partner's name, 12 years now! If I wanted a name change they would insist on a new account and, get this, charge $250 for doing it. Nooooo.
DeleteComputer/printer/website issues can just drive me around the bend. Sounds like you and your son have the patience of Job! And what a great poem that is!
ReplyDeleteWe share the characteristic of refusing to give up. For better or worse!
DeleteThose sweaters are truly beautiful.
ReplyDeleteThat poem. "...their eyes carry countries that breathed life into history..."
Swoon. I want to write that down and give it to Maggie for when she's older.
Why, why, does technology end up making us feel inadequate and just plain stupid? It's not because we are. It's because the systems are poorly done. That's all there is to it.
Isn't she a wonderful poet? I want to read more of her now.
DeleteI don't feel inadequate with tech, just very annoyed. My son the computer guy points out it's the design, not the user. You can see what the designers didn't understand about the rl use of their site.
That poem gave me gooseflesh and teary eyes. Wow! HS sounds like a sweetheart. I mean he brought you pizza and GINGER BEER -- my favorite. I think I had it every day while we were in London. Glad you've made progress on the red tape and bad websites and processes.
ReplyDeleteHe's a good guy, yes. Fortunately, since he's my only relative.
DeleteBeautiful sweaters! I feel so SMART!😂. Went in your archives to last December. I know what day is your birthday. Your age, plus the day, will give you 100! Re the tech stuff. For some reason, many years ago, I put our online banking account in my husband's name. He never touched the computer. Now, every time I get online to look at balance, activity, etc., I'm still greeted with, "Hello, W*****. Then, I am told I need to be sure account details are updated. There is NO WAY to substitute my name for his. So. I took a death certificate to the bank. Explained situation to young man. Scary that all of my bills are paid automatically. If that should get blocked! His advice? Leave it alone! Account number must be changed if I alter the online greeting. He says better to cross that bridge when I am forced to. So much for trying to prevent a problem! This is exactly the same situation Ellen encountered. I wonder what is "smart" about your new meters? Are they like our water meters, wherein we can monitor our daily usage?
ReplyDeleteYes, as you see in my reply to Ellen, I do the same with my long deceased husband's name on the utilities. Sometimes you do better to leave things alone.
DeleteI don't know what the meters do yet, except they're read remotely. I should go out and look.
I love that you are part of a sweater club. That's so fun. Pretty too!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteWe make whatever we make! It happened to feature sweaters this week. They're talented knitters.
DeleteThat's so fun!
DeleteApparently all this technology was supposed to make it easier for us
ReplyDeleteI pine for the days when you went into an office and someone did it all behind a counter
Oh yes a log cabin far far away from everything and everyone is looking more and more desirable
The tech may be easier for someone but it's not the customer.
DeleteI am enchanted by the pattern on Sandy's sweater. And by the knitting. The leaf is very reminiscent of a hosta leaf. When my loom is ready for another warping, I will be weaving a similar leaf pattern.
ReplyDeleteOpinion is divided on the leaf id. One person thought philodendron, one said botanically improbable, I think morning glory. It's a beautiful design, whatever it is.
DeleteHubby used to work in banking IT. He used to go to the end user (the teller - remember them?) and ask them what they needed. He was unique in this. Most people assume what the end user needs based on limited to no experience.
ReplyDeleteWe have smart meters here and I think they let you see what your power usage is. Or something. And remote reading.
Another lovely poem and so true. Even in this day and age of supposed enlightenment we are still brainwashed.
It's rarely that an IT person even thinks about what people need from them. It's more like they design what they want and expect the user to conform.
DeleteCase in point: I can't register for programs through my township's website because one of their registering questions lists approved cell plan phone providers, and mine isn't listed. So the whole app is voided. I have to go through one of their admins instead. All they need do is add Tracfone. Likewise its impossible to change your email address. There's no provision for it.
ReplyDeleteThose are beautiful sweaters!
A cabin in the woods may not be the dream you think it is. Varmits to contend with and what not.
HP printer is the best brand I've used. I still miss the first one I owned that printed out volumes of copes and needed ink only twice a year.
The cabin in the woods is an old joke! I agree about hp. Both ours are hp, both well over 20 years old. Mineis still going strong and about to belong to HS.
DeleteI see what you mean that the day got complicated! Sheesh!
ReplyDeleteI took a left turn from my nonprofit work to work at a tech company. Had an anthropologist's perspective, which made it quite fun. Was given the opportunity to help re-design a user interface. As you point out, the original interface was designed by an engineer. I went to the users, like sparklingmerlot's hubby did, and asked what they needed. Then I went to the engineer and told him what they needed. He was quite surprised at some of the suggestions they made, though they seemed like common sense to me (like being able to change an email address, for chrissake!). The next iteration turned it from a LOATHED tool to one that actually made the users' lives easier. I remain quite proud of that accomplishment.
I too love that leafy sweater. My vote: pothos.
Chris from Boise
I certainly wish more people like you were hired into IT. And when you think of the agita avoided, you should be proud! Heck, you may have saved lives.
DeleteLove the poem. It sounds like the conversation when the grand girls are here.
ReplyDeleteIt really resonates. I'm glad your ggs are growing up enlightened.
DeleteI love both those sweaters - I've knit a lot of leaf-patterned socks, but a sweater, wow! And those greeny-blues and pockets. Just two excellent sweaters!
ReplyDeleteThere are really talented knitters in this group.
DeleteWonderful poem. And such talented craftspeople in your group
ReplyDeleteThe poem is a keeper.
DeleteDealing with online forms has to be the worst, even with working printers and various other bits of equipment cooperating. Trying to reach a real live person is a whole 'nother level of frustration. Good thing you have knitting group to calm your soul.
ReplyDeleteI always end up muttering it shouldn't be this hard!
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