Daily Prompt 3/17/2016 | Technology Shelf Life

In response to The Daily Post’s Daily Prompt 3/17/2016 | Shelf

“Technology has the shelf life of a banana.” ~ Unknown

Everything has a shelf life. Everything. Technology, specifically expensive items it seems, such as computers, phones, cameras, etc., seem to have shorter self lives than most. Why is it that the more money we spend on computers and phones, the faster they become obsolete? It is infuriating, especially since these days you need to have a smart phone, or a tablet, or convenient access to the internet in your possession to even function in society, but not everyone can afford to run out and get these things the second society demands that you have them.

Recently, I have been having some problems with my computer. Long story short, it isn’t really my computer. Well, kind of. I guess? It is a 7 year old hand-me-down that I got from a good friend, over 3 years ago, that he gifted to me when my ex threw me out, keeping my computer. Unfortunately, like most things technology, it has quickly become outdated. I have been having a hard time running more than one or two programs at once, even internet browsers, and forget playing any game that isn’t a Flash game, or has very low graphics requirements. The kicker? The drivers on it are so old, that they don’t even make updates for them anymore.

Yesterday, as an anniversary gift, Kyle bought me the game Stardew Valley, which he knew I have been crazy anxious to get my hands on. I quickly installed it, and played it for a majority of the night with no issue. It is unbelievably fun and addicting, which I will write about later on, hopefully! Unfortunately, when I woke up this morning, the game refused to launch, and keeps getting stuck on an “Preparing to launch Stardew Valley…” screen. This has sent me into a downward spiral of updates, forum searches, and failed installations.

Currently, I am installing Windows updates that I have put off for far too long, which I only have myself to blame for. After over an hour of downloading, I am finally installing update 15… out of 114. It has been an hour and 45 minutes total thus far, and since this process is pretty taxing on my computer’s system, I am unable to do much else. A friend of mine offered to send me one of his spare graphics cards, which would be a huge upgrade for me, but who knows how long that could take. I’m hoping that updating Windows helps, and I am able to play the game again.

It worked PERFECTLY last night, you guys. I’m so sad. Ugh.

Kyle get off work at 2:30 today, so hopefully we can get out of the house to take my mind off of this. First world problems, am I right? I really need a new computer, I know that, but they are so flippin’ expensive! Anyone have one they’d like to donate? Haha.

Thanks for reading, friends! Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

Jan

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Dream Journal 2/25/16

Present day.

Kyle, Liam, and I were at an amusement park on a pier, similar t one I grew up by. All of the rides were being repainted bright green for St. Patrick’s Day, and there was a group of protesters shouting something about how St. Patrick’s Day is racist against certain individuals, or something like that. There were police all around them, and the protesters were getting rowdy and violent, reaching out to grab at families and people that were walking past. We rushed by them, and were walking toward a large arcade at the end of the pier.

I put Liam on my shoulders, and he pointed to one of the policemen and said, “Constable!” and I was so shocked that I almost dropped him, because that was his fist word ever besides “mama“. Kyle was laughing and I was nearly in tears, and Liam kept bouncing on my shoulders shouting, “Constable, constable!”

The arcade was getting painted when we went in, and the floors were covered in wet, green paint. We walked through the paint, along with the other pier-goers, tracking footprints everywhere, but no one seemed to mind. Kyle was trying to win a prize in the claw machine, and getting angry at it, while I took Liam over to play one of those Whack-A-Mole type games. He went nuts, and hit every single one of them.

An announcement came over the intercom that the arcade was closing, even though it was early in the afternoon, and people started to get upset. I took Liam outside, and we couldn’t find Kyle. The protesters had broken through the line of police in the distance, and were running around, destroying the buildings and rides. I put Liam back on my shoulders and started running toward the parking lot, but the protesters had lit all of the cars on fire. I started screaming for Kyle…

And then I woke up.