Well, yesterday I spent the day on the phone talking to the Tech people. Something had happened to my computer's battery and it wouldn't shut down and it overheated. Even after hitting the power button, the reset button, or one of the many thousands of buttons that sit upon the keyboard. T'any rate, the fan wouldn't shut down either...Naturally, I hit the panic button since that was the only button left to hit. Particularly since my keyboard was getting hotter and hotter.
Heck, I even went outside where, thankfully, I was able to set the laptop down, well, leaned it against the wall and the porch railing. It had cooled down and I brought it back inside and noticed this strange orange light on the front of my laptop. I'd hit the power button once again, even holding it since this had always worked before when I needed the computer to turn on. Nope, not a thing happened.
I tilted my head and listened. What I expected this to do, I'm not sure. It's just something that I'd been trained to do by one or t'other of my parents or grandparents. Heck one of my ancestors, coulda even been one of the many cousins who stroll through my life and yard at the most inopportune times which means mainly when one doesn't really need help.
However, this time it produced the white light meaning, I think, that my computer was turning on like it should. I went and filled my coffee cup as I was hoping to get the final 5000 words needed for completion of my NaNoWriMo word goal for the month.
I tilted my head and listened again cause my keyboard wasn't lit up, then noticed my screen wasn't filled with the picture that normally means I have to enter my pin. Hmmph. My eyes then went to the orange light at the front of the laptop. Nothing. My laptop had shut off. Did I not hold the button long enough?
Repeat all the above actions, 'cept this time I left my computer sitting outside for 10 or so minutes. Well, after the third, or was it the fiftieth time of hitting those buttons, I finally grabbed my phone. Although I used this with the greatest trepidation as I didn't want whatever what infecting my laptop to jump to my phone. Naturally this would be the greater disaster as I have fallen behind times in the matter of my phone which happens to still be an S7.
Luckily I was still able to Google the Support people. After following the ever helpful suggestion to take out my battery, I learned how to open the flap that covers the serial and other numbers that support people are always asking for when one is in the midst of the latest current crisis that gremlins dearly love to see when one is in the middle of shops being closed and one doesn't really want to call those Tech people. Did Murphy leave specific instructions for the gremlins today?
Well, I finally screwed up my courage, after imbibing another cup of Java, wishing for one of those Carmel Macchiatos, hot, whole milk that was in the nearest Mickey D's forty, yepper, FoRtY miles away, and called the support number listed.
Yes! They answered and was I ever so glad to hear that accented voice that means my problems would soon be solved. Well as soon as I could make myself understood and further to understand what I was being asked for. Yay. ONly had to ask once for the repeat of the instructions. Since I had the choice, I was in the middle of giving her the 10 or 11 digit number when she said she'd send me to Tech since I had Premium support good til 2021. Repeat everything to this Tech person who listened patiently as I explained what led to my pushing of the panic button and having to call Tech Support right in the midst of the changing of the shifts. (This was the only explanation I had for the girl's quick hand-off and I am not familiar with world time zones even though I have these posted on my computer. Oh! My laptop was not working so therefore I couldn't access the current Tech person's time zone since I haven't mastered the art of double screens on my phone precisely yet. That only happens when I least expect it. Oh, those gremlins must be laughing themselves silly now. Best thing that happened for them since the Co-vid hit.)
Yay. My computer shut off and I was telling the tech guy that I was half afraid to try turning it on like he was asking. Well, I finally turned it on. Yay. It turned on. He took over my computer, I happily watched his every move, hoping to learn his secret by osmosis or whatever process is prevalent when one is watching an expert at work. Cause this guy was an expert.
After talking to his supervisor and needing to check my email for the case stuff since they would be watching this for a couple days seeing's how they couldn't really find a reason why my computer overheated, I am happily back to having several windows open during my current book's progress to final draft status.