Thursday, December 28, 2006

Neophytism, Demonstrated

Want to know the real story behind the name of my blog? Well, this Christmas holiday serves as a perfect example. Since two holidays hit at once for the kiddo, we go all out. We bought her this little gadget, and now I'm as confused as Scott Bakula's character on Quantum Leap. Amber enthusiastically plugged it into our computer, and downloaded EVERYTHING - without reading the directions first. I was called for assistance and was about to knock myself over the head trying to find the "delete" button. After figuring out that you have to open freakin' iTunes to use the delete function (and not only that - there is NO MENU CHOICE for delete in the iTunes software) and PRESS THE DELETE KEY on the keyboard to get rid of songs after YOU CHECK THE TITLE IN THE ITUNES WINDOW...well, let's just say that the eggnog got a beating so that I felt better in the end.
I had admonished the child repeatedly not to use the Santa Gift to upload content to YouTube that might put our family on Web Junk. My words were in vain. We didn't even start Christmas morning with the equipment (SD card or MiniDV tapes) to make the thing work. Luckily, I read the manual and was able to confiscate the camera (over protests from the offspring that she had used this type of camera ALL THE TIME in her media class this summer and KNEW ALL ABOUT IT and would you just PLEASE GIVE IT TO ME NOW and the stomping and oh-my-goodness-my-mother-is-an-idiot rantings) long enough to come up with a brilliant idea: use the SD card from her digital camera to at least shoot something until WalMart was open again. After the interruptions of a day at work on Tuesday, a birthday party involving 7 of her closest friends (and one boyfriend), and the curse of a vexing snot-monster inside my head that zapped my energy, I haven't yet figured out how to upload moving images onto our computer. The child is spending the night with a good friend, and left me with the SD card, videocamera and iPod, yet I only know how to upload photos and videos using her regular camera. Guess what gadget her father let her take to the friend's house? He was thinking clearly - but now, I haven't the energy to upload the software required to transfer video from the videocamera.

Sigh.

15 comments:

Pamela said...

ME2

I haven't figured out the audio or video part of my little digital camera... but I've accidentally done a little and don't remember how I did it.

when all else fails read the instructions. Well, I was doing that. Set them down. The hubby threw them away because he thought they were the ones in Spanish.

He kept the spanish directions

Desert Songbird said...

Aw, Tigg, I'm electronically challenged myself; that's why I married a computer geek!

Seriously, I am not the videographer in our family, hubby is, so I can't help you there.

I can tell you this, though; for sorting, manipulating, and enhancing digital photos, you might want to try Google's Picasa. It's free and works really well. That of course is after you upload your camera software to get the photos into the computer...

Sigh.

Anonymous said...

Tiff, I have a Degree in computing, have worked in IT for over 16 years and have been recording music for over 20. iPod Nano, no problem.... wrong!!! The iTunes software is the most non-intuitive program I have had the misfortune to use.

MDW gave me a Nano for my birthday and it look me all that night and half then next morning to figure out how to make it work.

Don't feel bad.

Anonymous said...

I spent 3 hours of my evening last night with my 13 year old son trying to upload songs onto his iPod. Normally I am electronics savvy however this time I'm at a loss. It's not as easy as it once was.

Anonymous said...

The Blessing & the Curse,
When I can figure this stuff out, I just stick to the basics. My digital camera does all this stuff that I really don't want it to do, I just want to take some pictures. While downloading some pic's I found that I had inadvertantly videoed myself, talking to myself, about how the hell to make the thing work. I laugh so hard when I watch it I almost cry.
Have a Happy & healthy New year, and don't forget to put new battries in your butt!
Whiterabbit

Anonymous said...

at 5 and 3 my children have already figured out how to work electronic and digital equipment that took me weeks to master.

I fear the Christmas presents I will have to be buying in 10 years!! For now - I won't complainn about Strawberry Shortcake dolls and hotwheel tracks.

Kila said...

I would be of no help, but my 9 yr old could probably figure it out, LOL. I knew there was a reason I had children.

M@ said...

"stomping and oh-my-goodness-my-mother-is-an-idiot rantings"

My buddy tells me there's something about dropping a kid that knocks 15 points off of a woman's IQ.

Mothers are SO stupit. You should have seen MY mother trying to figure out HER new camera. By reducing file size, she thought she was making the print-out size smaller.

What a frickin' retard.

James Burnett said...

Don't feel bad. The only recording devices I've figured out are the ones on my cell phone.

In case you don't post again before Sunday night, have a Happy New Year! And good luck with the gadgets in '07.

mist1 said...

I haven't figured out all of my gadgets. Everyone asks me for tech advice. I just make stuff up.

Dan said...

You Luddite!

Didn't you know you have to hook up the C-Y-B cable to the S-video port when the SIM card with the firewire port is installed in the Johnson rod.

Hmmmm ... you caught me when I got to the Johnson rod part, didn't you?

Anonymous said...

So are you going to send us links to the YouTube videos? ;)

Hope you had a great weekend.

Dan said...

It's me again! ;)

Happy New Year! With love, Dan

Shauna said...

LOL! ! ! Sorry, I know EXACTLY what you are going through! ! !

Happy New Year!

Tiggerlane said...

And as an update - the kiddo figured out the iPod/iTunes situation - thankfully!

Happy New Year to all - and thanks for making me feel like I'm not too much of an idiot!