I can do the basics with electronics, especially computers and laptops. I am horribly handicapped by the heavy-duty computer maintenance and have always been blessed with students or friends, nearby, who have attended to computer hardware needs.

Yesterday at The Park, my new Lenovo laptop became a screen of death: a black screen with only the white arrow cursor moveable. I asked a fellow staff member that I thought was a techie guru but it turned out he was not. Back at home, I emailed computer tech wizard Brian Gugala from north of Chicago and explained what I had researched but could not figure out where things were. Brian replied and carefully wrote out a detailed email to guide me.

I figured it was something beyond my capabilities and set the laptop aside. This morning, since I begin my shift at The Park at 1:00 PM, I had some time to blow leaves, and attend to some other household items, and when I walked into my study, there it was: my Lenovo laptop beckoning me to come over and do what Brian described. Posturing myself with newfound courage, I dove into the project at hand and within ten minutes, I had the problem solved and the laptop happily greeted me without a black screen!

First, I appreciate Brian’s assistance and “let me know if you need anything else.”

Second, I feel proud of myself for not giving in to fear of tackling a computer technical issue that involved removing the battery, etc.. Whew! I feel a bit more empowered by the effort.

President Franklin Roosevelt’s admonition about fear is a reminder of just how much and often we allow ourselves to allow the unknown or something that seems out of our realm to blast us back a few steps.

Make it a great day!