The Other Kind Of Cable

I can just never seem to upgrade anything without some sort of complication involving missing components, multiple trips to various stores and, in the worst case scenario, several calls to the nice people in tech. support.  As an added bonus for anyone who has to deal with me during these events,  I become ever more shrill as things progress along the path of insanity.

Frankly, you'd think that my divorce from my PC and subsequent marriage to a Mac would have been more fraught with this kind of drama.  And yet it wasn't.  It was a pretty smooth transition.  I fought changing platforms for a long time.  However, with the Maine Learning Technology Initiative pretty much walking hand in hand with the makers of The Big Red Fruit, it really just made sense to go ahead and switch over to the computer that was most compatible with the one I use in my classroom.  

And the MacBook Pro is pretty darned sweet.  It's all shiny.  I am easily swayed by shiny things...

On the downside, though, the new computer was not on speaking terms with my printer.  It tried.  But there was no way it was going to work.  The printer had Mac issues.  I had somehow managed to purchase one of the few printers made by this company with no available drivers for making the lines of communication happen with a Mac.  I did what I do best in these situations.  I ignored the problem.  Printing is overrated anyway.  Plus, I knew it was going to be a drama.  It always is...

A year later, I am now ready to replace the printer.  I vowed two things.  First, that I would have a list of everything I needed to make this thing work without 75 trips back to the store.  Secondly, that I would not purchase another printer from the people who hate my Mac.  

Long story short:  After searching several stores for the printer I wanted, I finally gave up and accepted that the universe wants me to have a printer from the Mac Haters.  At least this time I bought one that was compatible.  And, happiest of days, I wouldn't need to worry about a cable since I already had one for the old printer.

I even remembered to buy paper.

Would it surprise you to know that I have eight thousand USB cables?  I buy them all the time.  I am always in need of a USB cable.  They hide on me.  Or they overeat and suddenly don't fit the things they are supposed to fit.  Sometimes, they get skinny and fall out of the port.  I have USB cables a-plenty.  I could carpet the land in USB cables and still have enough left over to fashion a lovely headdress for myself.

Would it further surprise you to know that not one of those cables will fit the new printer?  I thought not.

I bought another one this morning.  It is of the "universal" variety and has enough options to fit anything that might require cabling.  There is no way I could miss with this beauty.  

Would it surprise you to know that the universal USB cable does not fit into the recessed port due to its multiple USB-ing abilities?  You really shouldn't be shocked by that.  It didn't surprise me even the tiniest bit.  The universality of the Can't Possibly Fail USB cable renders it too huge to connect in that tiny space.

  I'm used to this sort of thing by now.  It's just my process.

Meanwhile, I didn't really have the time to get all stressed about the whole thing.  The Absurdly Gi-normous Kitty, perhaps sensing that I needed a diversion from all this cabling, decided that today was a good day to renew his attempts at making friends with the Big, Fluffy Kitty.  Essentially, this means that he stalks and tortures her until the whole thing devolves into a hissing, snarling event with much chasing about the manse.  The BFK will tolerate Baby Brother.  But that's about it.  Mommy needed to intervene.  

I called a halt to the whole thing, by bringing out the vacuum cleaner.  Frankly, after all that capering about by the furry ones, a little carpet restoration was needed.  The combatants took the hint and raced off to their separate nooks to hide from the scary appliance.

The BFK emerged first and took her revenge by snagging the AGK's favorite napping spot.

The AGK, upon venturing out of hiding, was momentarily flummoxed by this turn of events.  He quickly realized, however, that the windows were open to the unseasonably warm November breezes.  He decided that the window seat was an acceptable substitute.

With order restored and no working printer available for my use, I used the time to get some sleeves on the "dishcloth."  I had time on my hands thanks to the contrary nature of USB cables and the pattern seemed to indicate that the "dishcloth" needed sleeves.

Although one has to wonder in these weather conditions if sleeves are really required.  A tank-style dishcloth might make more sense...

With the a movie on the printerless laptop, I had the perfect conditions for sitting and knitting.  And tinking.  The "simple" patterning at the yoke has gone about fifteen different kinds of wrong and I have set it aside for the time being.  Hopefully, it will opt to behave itself after a little time out in the knitting basket.  The issues have ranged from miscounted stitches to my forgetting to account for a decrease after the first tinking.  I have only one possible explanation for this sort of ongoing calamity.

The "dishcloth" has been talking to the USB cords...

SA