“Genius is 1% talent and 99% hard work.” – Albert Einstein

I have overcome the atlas of evil that is the computer industry and now have a functioning computer. And it only took two solid days of patience, persistence, suffering, sighing, and spartan-level stoicism.

There was one and only the one very bad moment that had me contemplating surrender. It happened at the very beginning as I was sitting on my floor, under my computer desk determinedly not looking at all the dust and cat hair under there. I went to plug in my (old) monitor to my (new) computer and I found that the world had changed on me. Apparently computers no long want monitors that plug in with all those little pins. So passé. They now want monitors that come with smooth, sexy “HDMI” plugs.

I sat under that computer desk with the cat-hair dust bunnies and contemplated a few ways that I would inflict my revenge on humanity just as soon as I become Dictator of Earth. Then I stood up and went to closest Best Buy with my old monitor cable and an index card with the word “HDMI” written on it.

At Best Buy I overcame the urge to ask employees if they had ratted anyone out the the FBI lately. (Atlas of evil!) Instead I put on a big fake smile while handing over my old monitor cable and index card. “Do you know what this means, hun? Is there and adapter thingy I can buy?” I asked in a heavy Texas drawl.

Fifteen minutes, one consultation with a supervisor, and one abortive attempt to sell me something that only works with Apple computers later, I had what I needed.

Then I went back home and began the two-day long process of booting up the computer for the first time. Those two days (the weekend) were followed by a full day of avoiding the infernal machine altogether, aka Monday. But today I’m emotionally ready to sit in this chair, stare at this screen, and go through the thoroughly aggravating phase wherein I have to re-learn everything about my computer so I can actually use it.

I’ve spent a lot of this time knitting. I’m sure that went without saying. Good days mean knitting and stressful days that you spend muttering threats and curses at inanimate objects means lots and lots of knitting. Which I did. And I took pictures of said knitting with my camera.

Then I found that my (new) computer doesn’t have a slot for my (old) camera memory card. I bet you there is an adapter thingy I can buy. I bet you its down there at Best Buy. I bet you I walked past it at least twice trailing along behind that FBI informant Geek Squad person.

I’ll go back… tomorrow.

This hard working genius has had enough of computer stuff and needs to play with yarn for a while.