Computers....gotta love em.....and a thank you.

I have spent so many hours and hours in front of a computer monitor that I see it in my sleep. My workplace is putting something new into effect....using PDF files. Now, I'm a long-time word processor user...first it was WordPerfect and for the past 10 years its been Word. With all that use, you become proficient and settle into a comfy little niche. Then they put something new in front of your face.

Does anyone know anything about PDF files that could help us understand them more. To me its like a graphic image on the paper that you cannot edit without special software. The special software will be coming to us in the next few months when everything else is all in place. The one thing bad about employers is that when they implement something new, they expect you to be all versed on it and able to perform within say......15 minutes. My co-worker and I are trying to get a head start on it all. She knows just about everything at work but she's not the best when it comes to computers if its something that ventures out of the normal range of just typing. That's where I come in. I know a bit more about computers and will work on something forever in order to master it. She leaves it to me to figure it out and then teach her....at least when it comes to computing.

I've never had to use PDF files before and am puzzled by them. You can incorporate them in Word but you have to hold your breath and say a couple prayers first for patience. This is what I've been working on for the past week or so. I think we finally have it mastered and I'm sure we've gone about it the most difficult way....but at least its done. I can't say that it looks well incorporated within a Word document.....I'm not totally pleased with it but for the time being, it will have to do. If anyone has worked with these files and can give me some hints, it would be appreciated.

Is it any wonder that I had an eye doctor's appointment in the middle of all this. The exam turned out pretty well and my eyes haven't changed much at all. I wear contact lenses and love them. I've been wearing contacts since 1961 and can't rave about them enough. They had to dilate my eyes while there and I spent the next 8 hours with hampered vision. I hate that feeling. Of course when I got home, a box was waiting for me and it was my new printer. My old workhorse finally gave it up after 12 years of VERY dedicated work for me. I naturally stuck with the same company and was fortunate that they were having a wonderful sale. I got this printer for almost half off the regular price. I was anxious to unpack everything and get it up and running but I couldn't see well enough and had to postpone it. That is what I'm going to tackle today. I just hope and pray everything thats supposed to be in the box really IS in the box. You know how that goes. I did notice right off the bat that the instruction manual is not included in the box. Apparently if you desire such a thing, you have to download and print it off yourself (only 218 pages). What's up with that? I guess its a ploy to get you to use more ink. I'm not going to print it off unless I can't find what I want by looking at it online....in its PDF file format.

I will end this post by relaying a message from my daughter to all of you who had such kind and encouraging comments for her. She said that during the first night of her class in Drug and Alcohol Abuse she felt your presence there with her. She, of course, had to be tested before entering the class and her test was, of course, negative. She tried to get something positive out of the class even though it really didn't pertain to her as she does not partake of alcohol or non-prescribed drugs. Afterward she sat in her car in the parking lot and cried. Tears of relief that one session of one class out of three was finished and prayed for strength to manage the rest of the sessions. The instructor had informed the class that "passing" this particular class could take as long as 9 months...if you continued to be in denial about your problem. She worried....how to deal with this. She doesn't have the problem but they surely will interpret that as DENIAL of her problem....how can she fake it and pretend to have the problem and then pretend to be getting better. It made her head hurt to think of it. The following week, she went through the same process for this same class and, again, felt the strength coming from all of you. Within 3 days, she received a letter (divine intervention?) stating that she would no longer have to take this class and they would be transferring her into another class, which is Anger Management. Someone is finally paying attention and recognized that she did not belong there. So, she will take the Anger Management and attempt to come away with something positive out of it. There isn't a person anywhere that can't take a few tips on how to manage your anger every now and then. She sends a sincere thank you to all of you. We can get through this. We WILL get through this. Bless you all.