All is Good...Now

What started out as my printer all of a sudden deciding not to print, became a 4-day challenge to make sure I could get everything working again without giving up. And what does this have to do with my lampwork art? If my mind is blocked with something else, I can't be creative, don't even want to step into the studio. Here's a brief (kind of) synopsis (maybe you can relate to parts) of what occurred:

Day One:
Printer quit working. Turned printer off. Turned printer on. Turned printer off, rebooted the main computer. Turned printer on. Printer doesn't work. Turned printer off. Turned printer on. Looked for software to reinstall printer drivers. Dropped box of software from top shelf of closet. Picked up all scattered software. Looked through box, 3 times, not just once. Can't find printer software. Looked in closet again. Pulled books out of shelves and cleared off floor of closet to find software. Didn't find software. Looked through CDs in desk for software. No printer software. Looked through CDs in desk for software again. No printer software. Have printer, no software, can't reload driver. Have to buy new printer. My time is worth more than cost of new printer. End of day one.

Day Two:
Go buy new printer. Store doesn't have one I want, has to call other stores to reserve one for me. Find printer in third store called. They're holding printer. Pick up printer from store about half hour from home. Will open box tomorrow and simply install new printer.

Day Three:
After 4 calls for tech support to install new Dish controller box for TV, get that working by noon. Open box with new printer. Nice printer. This will be easy. Get everything out of box. Open instruction book. All pictures and arrows, not too bad. Have to decide if I have a wireless LAN or wired LAN. One computer is wired to the router, one is wireless. Is that wired or wireless? Go through instructions. Put install CD in CD drive of main computer. CD drive in main computer doesn't work. Put CD in and take out 4 or 5 times. CD drive doesn't work. CD gets stuck. Have to pry the door open. Maybe I need to just check connections of CD drive. Take screws off of cover. Take cover off of computer. Wow, look at all the dust! Get vacuum out, vacuum and clean inside of computer. Check connections. Try CD again. CD drive doesn't work. Go downstairs to get old computer. Take CD drive out of there to put in Dell. Take screws off of cover of old computer. Take cover off of old computer. Check connections on main computer. Check connections on old computer. They look the same. Disconnect old computer CD drive. Unscrew and take out of old computer. This will be great. Just replace CD drive in main computer with old computer CD drive. It will fit, but can't get CD drive out of main computer. It's a Dell and they don't want you to! Decide I can just connect the CD drive on the outside of the computer until I get the software loaded. Where is the connection ribbon wire thingie? My puppy is chewing on it. Can't use that one! Have to use one in old computer. It's longer anyway. Connect ribbon wire thingie. This is going to work. Nope, computer doesn't recognize the CD drive. Put old computer back together. Put main computer back together. I'm tired and very, very frustrated. I have a new printer, I have software for new printer, but can't install new printer. Husband suggests just load printer on laptop. Will try that tomorrow. End of day three.

Day Four:
Have morning coffee. Walk the dogs. Check email on laptop. Go into office at 10:30 and stare at new printer and main computer. I'm not going to let them win. Load software into laptop. Follow instructions. Software is loading. After all loaded get message, needing network key. Network key? Where is the network key, or where is the last network key I have for my network? Find network key, about 64 characters long. Put in box. Doesn't fit in box. Try again. Ok, wrong network key. Try to install again. Still needs network key. I know I wrote it down somewhere, but it's not where it's supposed to be. Dog probably chewed it up, too! I'm in tears, but not giving up. Husband leaves for his blues band practice (http://www.knockkneedsally.com) . Good for him. Call ISP. Wait for agent. Can't understand agent. Ask her to slow down and speak in English. Spend 15 minutes with her. Go through processes she tells me to. She says not their problem and I need to call router manufacturer tech support. I call router manufacturer tech support. While on hold I decide to climb up in the closet and get the router box. Open router box. There's software for router with password and network key and passphrase on it. What is it doing in there? Stay on line because this may not work. Tech guy comes on line. Can't understand him. Ask him to slow down and speak plainly. Go through processes for finding network key for router. Makes changes as instructed. Now main computer locks up. Now laptop doesn't have connection. Reboot modem. Reboot router. Main computer still not working. Plug router directly into laptop. Still not working. After 20 minutes tech tells me he can't help me. I need to call ISP and get modem replaced. What?!? Call ISP. On hold for 10 minutes. Tech comes on line. Go through processes. Reboot router. Reset modem. Router is plugged into laptop. After 20 minutes get connection to laptop. Yeah. Tell tech not to hang up until I check main computer is able to connect. Plug router into main computer. Reboot main computer. Wait 5 minutes for computer to boot up. No connection on main computer. Tech sends me up to level 1 tech support. Spent 15 minutes with level 1 support. Still have no connection on main computer. He says can't help you, have a nice day. Remember, I still haven't gotten my new printer installed...anywhere. I take deep breath. Say I am in control and this will work. It's 3:00, husband is still at band practice. Start over and install new network. Match network on laptop and main computer. Back online on both computers. Read tech troubleshooting for printer. In tiny print on the 4th page I read it says this machine doesn't work with WPA networks, just WEP. What the heck is that? Check router setup page on computer. I set network to WEP. Remember router guy had me type in a new network key. I load printer software into laptop. Software is loading. Choose network for printer to work on. Type in new network key. Printer is communicating with laptop. It's 3:42 p.m. I laugh and cry. It's working! Print my first page. Yeah! Call my friend. Tell her my story. We laugh. 4:30 husband comes home from his blues band practice.(http://www.knockkneedsally.com) Husband asks if printer is hooked up? I say yes. He asks what I did to get it to work. I say you don't need do know, it's a good thing you were at band practice. DL Homola does not give up! All is good.

Before I forget, the bead I posted in my last post is only 1 1/2 inches long and about 3/4 inches wide. So, yes, those dots are tiny.

The rest of today I'm going to be in the studio, because I'd really rather be in the studio!