A Tragic Tale of a new Dell Laptop and Windows 10

Some bloggers rant. It's what they do. During my 13 years as an entertainment writer with a weekly music column I found that there are only so many superlatives you can use to say something is good. I could get reeeeeallllly creative when I wrote how bad something was. Rants are easy, but meaningful praise requires thought and insight from the writer. I would spend hours writing an in-depth review of a new  album (look it up you millennials) release after researching the artist, the studio, etc. 

Years ago I wrote a review of the much revered punk group The Ramones which appeared in my column. Tear sheets are sent to the record company and band management once the article is published. I can still remember it. In total it said, "The Ramones suck. They have no social redeeming value." Of all the good reviews I wrote with all that research and attention to detail over 13 years, I was never quoted. My Ramones review was included in the Ramone's full page ad in Rolling Stone magazine. And so it goes.


All the digression displayed above is to explain that even though I don't normally blog that way, this post is going to be a rant...just a R A N T!


The rant subjects are:


Windows 10

Dell Computers

Dell Tech Support

Microsoft Windows 10 Support


I list these to afford you the opportunity to exit the post and move on to more important things in life such as beekeeping, birdwatching or watching grass grow (hey, that's tough in winter).

We are a laptop family. I have 4 but run three. One holds my photography software. One is for music production and the third is for internet browsing, et al. There are two others belonging to the rest of the household. The important thing to take away is that all are PC and not Mac and none WERE Windows 10. 


Music production software and all its plugins use some serious RAM and my Toshiba was tweaked as far as it would go sooooo I went to Dell because you could design your own computer and see the prices as you tweaked. 


Gone. Packaged now. You get this and can add that for this much more. Ask if you can have an onboard item removed and replaced with something else or not at all and you are told that it's not possible since it's part of the package. Is this Dell?

It arrived and I put the programs on it and took it to my bedroom studio to give it a go and it couldn't find my sound card which is vital to recording anything. When I got that resolved I reattached my dual monitors and started to work. I was greeted with recordings that sounded like musicians were eating bowls of Rice Crispies during the session...with their mouths open! Snap, crackle, pop over everything.

Never happened with my Toshiba. My new rig was killing me. I did everything I knew how in order to correct the issue (this happens periodically with recording software drawing too much of the brain power of your computer and can be fixed with a few changes in settings). Nothing worked. Other freaky things were happening as well. Only having the Dell for a couple of weeks I decided to make use of their support. 


Dell Support for a brand new laptop:


I lost 7.5 hours of my life trying to communicate with three support techs sporting Anglo names but a limited grasp of the language and an inability to help with the problem other than to claim they could fix my laptop for me if I purchased a premium support package for $350. I had a tantrum. After 5 hours of chatting on the phone I asked for a supervisor who eventually told me my programs had altered the original Dell preloaded software settings and since it was software they needed me to buy the package. I told him (with great restraint) "When pigs can fly!" The fact that a lesser Toshiba could handle the programs with less ram memory, a slower processor and Windows 7 didn't seem to figure into the equasion. 5 hours of trying this and that and then you say you can fix it for $350!!?? This isn't the Dell of old. I need to call Michael.


On my own I discovered that there was a Windows Desktop Manager (WDM) grabbing more than 30% of the brainpower of the laptop with nothing else running. I had asked the third Dell person what it did and he never answered me. Wouldn't do it. I repeatedly asked why it was taking that much memory and he claimed I had a virus and corrupted files. Lord have mercy.       

After 90 minutes I cut the third Dell rep off and told him I didn't believe he had any idea what was wrong nor how to fix it. Time to chill. My sphincter level had finally reached 11. What's Michael Dell's phone number?


Windows Support for Windows 10:


Next morning I called Microsoft Support for Windows 10. If anyone can tell me what's going on with Windows 10 it has to be them, right? Patricia Ann E was very nice and told me not to worry she would help me with my issue. First thing she did was look for corrupted files and asked me about my security software. It hit me. They were all using the same online protocol to diagnose what ailed my computer. Their level of expertise was based on the same script! They are trying to clear their product of blame. She had the nerve to ask if I had any programs loaded on the laptop. I should have said, "Nope. I want this in mint condition so I can sell it as an antique in a few years! Here's your sign."

This was worse. She actually saw what was going on and I finally got her to say that Windows 10 shouldn't be doing that. While we were chatting and no programs running it went to 95% of CPU memory in use. "Doing what?" I asked. She hadn't a clue. I asked her what that WDM did and she sent me a link to read about it. I asked if she could give it to me in a nutshell and I did get a nutshell. It controls things on the desktop. 3D images and shadows under the icons among other things. I asked if we could disable some of that stuff and she said nope. 

Then she did it. She offered me a premium service package with 24-7 support as well as integrated Skype and XBox for only $189 a year. 

I had an out of body experience. I was streaking toward India as a giant bird of prey with talons at the ready following IP addresses to online support facilities. SNAP OUT OF IT!

I was very nice to Patricia after that. I asked if she was saying I have a glitchy operating system on a brand new laptop and in order for Microsoft to make good on their crappy Windows 10 OS I had to pay...MORE!? Backpeddling as fast as she could she said I didn't have to buy it, but it would take care of the type of problem I was having. What??? You haven't even told me what problem I'm having!!! I know what problem I have now and that's a WINDOWS 10 LAPTOP! 


She wanted to try one more thing. She created a Test user account and hit the button to switch to it. It took 25 minutes for it to load and when it did the CPU load was even higher with the WDM still exceeding 30%. She had no clue what to do next. She said let me log you in and disable the Test user account. When she hit the button the computer went black with a spinning cursor for 25 minutes, I had to unplug the monitors and open the laptop to manually bring it back to life. When it reloaded she was gone, but the Test User log-in remained. I plan to keep it as a reminder of the fine support service I received from both manufacturers.


I had a hunch and checked the CPU load. It was 2%. The monitors running via USB caused the video card to draw the extra brainpower robbing where and when it was needed. The music production software ran smoothly and the other quirks that showed up are gone. No more Rice Crispies!

All the support techs knew I was running the monitors (as I did on the Toshiba) but failed to check if that might be causing the problem. I could have doubled the cost of my laptop if I had purchased both service agreements and they would still be like the blind men and the elephant trying to figure out what the issue was.


Well, that's my rant. The moral of the story is buy a Mac (If you can afford it and don't mind not right clicking your mouse) or find a Windows 7 laptop and cherish it. 


Next time out, how about a nice trip to Siena Italy?

Theater, Art and a Rock 'n Roll Heart

Took a break. Doing a theater piece and time wasn't on my side. I can now let the lines, blocking and cues drift away making room in my brain for other things to take hold. I had the feeling as one memorizes a script something else in memory gets pushed out. This particular time I wasn't required to do but three small character roles but balance must be maintained and I must let go of what was held in the cerebral library for the past couple of months. I'm kidding, of course. Can you imagine putting
the "Scottish Play" to memory only to let it go once the final curtain falls? Imagine having to memorize it again when you are cast somewhere else or during another season. Personal experience dicates that certain lines stick and certain actions can trigger even more to resurface. I'm one who requires a spacial reference. I am there when I say...whatever or I reach for the cup and I exclaim...something.
Acting is an odd sort of self deprecation where you hide behind a faux personality by endeavoring to bring to life a character who only exists in the two dimensions as print on a page. Amazing, no? Scary? YES. You would think this should be left to highly trained experts. But that's not the case.
Those with ability and training face the same judgement by an audience along with their less talented or untrained fellows and put themselves out there and up there without a net. Gotta love the craft, the art and the risk. The stuff of junkies...that first laugh earned or early applause. Intoxicating.
When I direct I usually start off reminding the cast if experienced (and preaching if not) that acting isn't like putting on a coat. You have to respect that there is much work to be done...and I don't mean simple memorization of lines, lyrics, blocking, melody and harmony. The worst thing that can be
said about a performace by an actor
is that you didn't believe anything the character said or did. An actor has to be able to interpret the human
condition and communicate it faithfully to their audience. That
requires talent well trained. I don't
mean to suggest natural ability and
talent can't take the stage and make it work. Happens every day in what
we know as Community Theater.
And I say, God Bless it! (Oops...sorry for the Dickensian blerb. We only closed a couple of days ago. I'm sure it will pass soon.)
There are some great people toiling in less than ideal conditions as volunteers for the simple love of the theater arts. It's a hell of a committment. Depending on where you get cast you could have anywhere from 6 to 8 weeks rehearsal and a 9 to 18 to ??? performance run. Combined that's a minimum of 9 weeks and a maximum of  ??? Community theaters are non profit and provide fertile ground for youngsters finishing high school or entering college to get a taste of the responsibilities that go hand in hand when "doing a show." I've shared the stage with folks that made the decision to pursue a career in the theater with some having made it to Broadway or have performed in national touring comapnies, Others have been in films and on TV. Trust me, There's no jealousy, just simple pride. In America we celebrate the self made man (or woman though not as much as we should). It's a tale of rejection and humiliation with little or no guarantees of any meaningful return on investment.  It takes guts to keep putting yourself out there. Enjoy being rejected for being not tall enough/too tall, not blonde/or blonde but wrong color blonde/ and on and on. I made a decision many years ago to make my love of theater an avocation. I chose not to follow through and move to New York. I for one, wasn't willing to give up everything to follow that dream and I have no regrets. Ya gotta love those who make a go of it...even if they wind up working construction or waiting tables while they get to live in one of the greatest cities in the world.
I sort of went on this mini rant with the knowledge that it might only be relevant to a minority of people out there in blog-o-land, but it was fueled in part seeing the Oval office commit to the need for the arts to remain and be supported in our schools. We do. I'm concerned we are failing to provide a meaningful education to our young. One day all this (sweeping arms wide while standing on a mountain top) will be theirs and if they can't see the beauty or understand the heart of humanity who will be left to lead the nation forward into the next milennium? I saw a quote supposedly attibuted to Winston Churchill (look him up if you don't know who that is). During WWII he alledgedly was asked if he wanted to divert moneys being used fund the arts in schools to the war effort and he said "Then what are we fighting for." Even if he didn't say it it rings true. Years ago I had a professor who reminded us that sometimes the only thing left of a culture destroyed in war after being trampled on by occupating armies were the plays that were memorized and performed in cellars and any space large enough to hold a gathering. I never forgot that. It's hard for us to imagine something similar happening here, but I visited the countries where it happened and saw theater done with such committment that I was in awe.  We are lucky to be free and have the opportunities we have. Keep the arts alive and we will continue to grow as a people.

I intentionally left photography, painting, sculpture and music out of this post. If you read my earlier renderings you will understand. Enough said.
Oh! One more thing. The Rock 'n Roll heart refers to all the geezers who pick up their guitar and play. Just like yesterday. We can cover this another time, but ask yourself. Are you getting tired of seeing 75 year olds in tight pants with long hair and wrinkled skin gyrate to their hit songs that were recorded before your father was born? Think it over. We can chat it up next time.

The Blog's New Suit.

Hope you like the new look. I'm not sure I do. Might have to come up with my own design and I don't speak the language. Enought gabbing. How about a Yuletide Lion? I snapped one a couple of years ago. He's a stately looking fellow, who along with his brothers protects the little concrete bridge in  the park he shares with Selene (whom you've already met in the header). It's a beautiful, quiet place to walk the trails and get close to nature. No punch line. It's an oasis in the surrounding desert of urban sprawl.

The statue of Selene graces one of the ponds in the park near the Jame River. She sits quietly in contemplation while those who stumble upon her floating above still waters take their lives in their hands to see her up close. The passing traffic can't see you and vice versa, as you stand gazing  upon her serenity. Cars leaving the park that direction have their vision obscured by bushes and must watch the opposite direction as they merge onto the road out. I felt the unwelcome breeze of passing cars while taking her picture. But she's worth it.

How about a Yuletide Lion? I snapped one a couple of years ago. He's a stately looking fellow, who along with his brothers protects the little concrete bridge in  the park he shares with Selene (whom you've already met). It's a beautiful, quiet place to walk the trails and get close to nature. No punch line. It's an oasis in the surrounding desert of urban sprawl.

   All gussied up with no place to go. And no one who'll  play ball .
                                                                                            Ba! Humbug!                                                                                                                                                 

Reflections of fall in one of the ponds near the James River

Osprey on the hunt crossing from the James to Lake Maury and back.

A little preening before a bit of beak fishing under the osprey's watchful eyes. 

Tuscany and a little Pisa on the side

The beautiful Tuscan countryside from high up in San Gimignano, home of the World Champion gelato maker Sergio Dondoli's Gelateria di Piazza. A little more about that in another piece, but the real story is the ride of the trip. 

If you visit Tuscany you want to go a little out of the way and visit that leaning tower in that famous town of...you guessed it, Pisa. We arrived at Pisa after 4pm and in October the sun goes down earlier than in summer so things were getting dark and photo ops were on about to go dark!





















 So I hurried to the area where everyone was trying to get that perfect shot of you holding the tower from falling the rest of the way and gaved it the old college try. Not so much. It looks like the young lady in the phot is trying to use her super powers to will the tower upright, however as you guessed her photo-buddy was angling for the exact...spot. Looks kinda nuts doesn't it.

Anyway, too exhausted to wander much further afield for photos we quick marched back to where we'd eventually reboard our tram and had a coffee while waiting for the ride back to our tour bus. I did pass up an opportunity to buy a Rolex from a vendor with a box of them for a very good price mainly because 1-I had to use the WC and knew I needed to hold on until I bought something at the cafe in order to have access and 2-a sucker I'm not. I was a little disappointed no one tried to sell me a selfie stick.

I recorded bits of video on our trip and my favorite clip happened as we were completing a long days tour of Tuscany. The tour was great, if not exhausting and we looked forward to our ride back to Firenza and a relaxing evening. Instead of heading to the tour bus our little 2 car tram train went on a cooks tour of Pisa. During the summer months it would have been a sweet little jaunt...in daylight. This time of year (late October) it was getting dark and all we could see were well lit storefronts through the opaque plastic windows around us. Any important buildings, churches or fountains we passed were dark, smeary blobs in the twilight. After approximately 10  minutes into the ride what started as a few titters eventually gave way to hysterical laughter as we were tossed about the cars like like rag dolls (I exagerate) on the world's bumpiest tour of the apparent rough streets of downtown Pisa. My battery was almost done, but I had to try and capture at least a part of that amusement park thrill ride. Our lovely guide who rode in the vehicle pulling our two little cars was totally unaware of the jostling and bouncing we were doing as she undauntedly pointed out sites we couldn't really see in the dark through frosted plastic windows and jostled eyeballs. It certainly woke us up for the ride back to Firenza. What happened after we got back is another story. (We can't be lost.)

(Apparently the file is too large for the blog so here is the video address for YouTube. I wasted time trying to load it here. Enjoy.

https://youtu.be/kQ3IKcRTUAw