I Have a Mouse in My Hand and I'm Not Afraid to Use it!

I sit right now doing something I have never done before. I am simultaneously working on two computers. Yes, I am blogging right now on this one. And there is another computer right here, on the same desk, on which I am doing computery things. I know that's not really a word, but I am multitasking in this way because I have taken on a new role in our household. I am now the official Chief Technology Officer. I gave myself this job when I decided that it was time that a second computer in the house have internet capabilities. Sounded like a good idea a week ago. Get the kids' computer internet-able so my laptop wouldn't be exposed to the hazards of two boys, so my external hard drive wouldn't be haphazardly thrown to the floor again and my hubbie and I wouldn't have to volley for internet time. Like I said, that all sounds good. Right?

So with some encouragement from a techie friend, I trot down to BestBuy and acquire my very own wireless PCI adapter. Oh sorry, did I fall into my techie jargon? I apologize to you non-techies, that's just a card that makes your computer talk to your modem without the encumbrance of all those annoying cords. (Foreshadowing...a little bit of knowledge only makes you dangerous...) So I install the software and the card with no problems. I download the most recent Mozilla Firefox browser. I setup shortcuts on the desktop to my kids' fave and only parentally-approved websites. I upgrade our virus protection. In less time than it takes me to decide what to cook for dinner, I get all this done and the kids are happily playing on Lego.com. It really looks like I know what I am doing and have earned my new CTO title.

Then, it starts...the error messages. Actually, the one error message but it comes repeatedly. It slows down the computer's processing. It is annoying. So I run another full virus scan, just in case. But all is clear. (As an aside, all of this techie talk should be very impressive to the reader. I am NOT, repeat NOT a technical person. But it is amazing what you can do and learn by simply reading and being a bit brave with your computer.)

Anyway back the suspense, I Google and I now know what wuauclt.exe means (I won't bore you with those details, but it has to do with the operating system...WINDOWS!!!!) Guess what? Now I get to uninstall my new wireless adapter. The kids cry when their new internet privileges are put on hiatus. I upgrade to the most recent operating system (WINDOWS!!!!) (This is in CAPS to show you that I have been yelling my frustration at WINDOWS for the last several days). I reinstall my wireless...and I still get the mean error message. I call tech support. The wireless people point their fingers at the Windows people. And I can't even get through to talk to the Windows people to know where their fingers are (ahem).

Out of desparation, I perform a full system restoration back to one full week prior to my appointment as CTO. This means, all that I have installed (and uninstalled and reinstalled) is wiped away clean as if the old CTO were still at the helm. This fixes the error message issue but now I am back to square one with no internet on this second computer. Arrgggh!! So I do what all good executive level management would do. I delegate the problem. I email all of this info to the old CTO (aka my husband) who actually happens to do this kind of thing for a living. Problem should be fixed by evening and I can happily write my next blog post on either one of our internet-able computers I so choose. I think I am going to like this new CTO job afterall.