When I began my blogging hobby in November of 2017, I had several stories on the docket for sharing. Honoring my friend’s, Ed, one hundredth birthday and documenting the story of Ruth and my elopement topped the list. I was learning as I wrote and much of it was trial and error. There were a lot of errors. Proof reading your work is a greater challenge when you are dealing with “autocorrect”. The computer thinks it knows what you’re attempting to write and sometimes publishes its work instead of yours. Other times you simply make a mistake. Luckily, I have a couple of critics who help point out my unforced errors.
When I was teaching middle school I made a button to remind students to proof read their work. I wore it from time to time over my eight classroom years. It was a fun way to get them to think about what they were submitting. It sits on display in my office next to a picture of my three kids and helps me strive to do my best.
After writing about fifty stories, AKA twenty-five weeks, I discovered my program would read the story to me if I followed the correct series of right and left clicks with my mouse. It only does that when I use Microsoft Edge as my browser. If I use Chrome, the reading aloud option doesn’t work, or if it does, it doesn’t work for me.
My computer’s microphone went down last week. It took my read aloud option with it. My last post was made without the benefit of the read aloud assistant. When I attempted to have my computer repaired, my computer geek told me he’d have to send it out. Sending it out meant not having it for at least thirty days. Computer repair, like much of the world, has fallen victim to Covid-19.
When he told me the repair could cost as much as $500.00, I opted for a new computer. This is my first blog on my new ride. It’s presented a couple of challenges, but so far so good.
I’ve started the process of reviewing all two hundred and eighty-three stories to make corrections. As I proceed through the list I’ll do my best to clear things up. I’ve already learned that a total clean-up is impossible because the program won’t “save” some of the updates I’m trying to make. I’ll make the best of it.
While I’m at it, I plan to print all my pages and assemble them for posterity. If the world-wide-web fails, I’ll have a hard copy. I’m also making a long over due list of topics I’ve covered so you won’t have to read the same story over and over again. I like telling them, but you may not like reading them.
This will take several weeks and consume several reams of paper. Down the road on some rainy day, or as we enter our tenth month of Covid-19 hibernation, you may want to take a trip back to November 15, 2017 to get caught up on what you may have missed.