feng_shui_house

I've been days sorting out stuff, and looking up info on taxes, trying to figure out the latest confusing stuff, and what is allowed as expenses, and how to figure them. The free program I used last year didn't have what I need, and the pay program won't work on this computer unless I update the computer- which I can't do because the computer can no longer connect to the app store.

So, recently I turned on the newer computer and spent a day charging the mouse & keyboard & updating it. I finally got most of the stuff organized and decided to use the newer computer to log into the tax program and get started.

The mouse tracking was SOOO SLOOOW. I went into the control for the mouse and increased the tracking speed & set it to left mouse button click.

And then the mouse could no longer click, or drag. It still moved the cursor, but that was it.

After I tried all the usual things (turn mouse on/off, turn computer on off, etc. etc.) I dug out the phone number for Apple. They tried, they really did, for an hour and a half and two different people. But without a mouse click, I couldn't turn control of the computer to them, or get an update. All I could do was mouse around and use the keyboard arrows and return button to get the computer to open a few controls that I couldn't control. I used the power button to turn off, restart. I used a keyboard mouse combination to force things to quit.

They even had me try other mice (I have 3 'magic mouse' - one is battery powered, the other two are the same- one works fine on the other computer but the same no click on the newer computer. I dragged out boxes with defunct Apple cables looking for a wired mouse. FOUND ONE-- and the computer put up a box saying the USB (which is HOW you wire a mouse) drew too much power.

At that point I was asking does Apple have some way I could send it to them for disposal because it's a BRICK. They suggested I take it to an Apple place, if it's only software, they might fix it for free. And I got him to email me the three closest to me.

NOT CLOSE at all. At this point I was seriously considering looking up tax preparation offices near one of the Apple stores so at least I could get more out of a $60 (one way) taxi ride....

And then I restarted the computer for about the tenth time today, and used the keyboard to get back to the mouse control and arrows to get to what I'd changed AND IT LET ME turn off the left click, and I THINK IT'S working.

OMG OMG OMG, I'm exhausted. I have to pack up the old cables and stick them back (if I knew which were any use, I'd throw them out). I WILL throw out the old mouse. It's not even good as a paperweight.

So much for starting the taxes today. *FLUMP* My throat is sore from all the talking. I think I'll just continue sorting through papers to throw out (I have a shredder I bought years ago and never used, maybe it'll work). On the newer computer (2020) I got as far as finding out how to put in a password for AO3 and deleting the old password for Flickr. I don't have the energy to go on any more with it today.

2 of my Amaryllis are trying to bloom. Maybe there's a ripe loquat on the tree...