The Wizard's Lesson in Humility

This past week our wireless network decided that it wouldn't allow the laptop to connect to the internet. It seems that it didn't recognize the security key. I have no idea why. One minute I was connected to the world; the next minute I was confined to the programs of the laptop. Even though Mr. Fixit and I were careful to write down any information that the set-up process suggested, we had no notes, or even a clue, as to the laptop's security key. After several days of frustration, I found the problem and corrected it. To be perfectly honest, I don't know exactly what the heck I did to correct the problem, but once again I was able to travel the internet highway on all three computers. I was so proud of myself; I truly believed that I deserved my self-proclaimed title of “Computer Wizard.” But as has been said, pride goeth before the fall.

Yesterday I found a movie that I wanted to record on the DVD recorder. The only problem was that I found it about 10 minutes into the movie. I checked the Directv program guide and found that instead of showing this feature eleventeen times during the month, there was only one other showing scheduled and it was for 11:30 pm to 1:20am last night. I asked Mr. Fixit if he could find the instruction book for the DVD recorder and set the timer to record it.

After about 45 minutes, he yells to me upstairs that he couldn't get it to work. Thinking pridefully of my success with the computer, I went down to lend a hand. After about an hour or so, we finally programmed the timer for 11:30. Success!

About 11:00 pm I put the satellite receiver on the right channel and put a blank DVD in the little disc drawer (that's a technical term). I noticed a strange entry on the digital thingy. It said "-2:00:00." Hmmm. Very curious. As Mr. Fixit and I waited for 11:30 to come and to see the little red “recording” light come on, I had a bad feeling. My precognition was working quite well; 11:30, 11:35--that little red light never came on!

As I admitted defeat and trudged upstairs to bed with my head hanging, I realized that my status as Wizard has not yet been earned. I know that I will only deserve that title when I master the DVD recorder. I'm a bit disheartened. I never learned how to set the clock on the old VCR.