Caught between two eras of technology
Maybe I could be a landscaping “consultant”
The Front Page
Morning update
Friday, April 16, 2021
By Ken Tingley
I’ve always considered myself a “tweener” when it comes to technology, a child of two eras. It is not intuitive for for me the way it is for my son, but I’m not afraid of it, and I can eventually figure things out.
I grew up without computers, cable television or a microwave. It was a different world then and it’s hard to imagine how we were ever happy without those devices, but I don’t remember any real hardship.
My first computer experience came after college when I was hired as a sportswriter by the Ashland (Ky.) Daily Independent and computers were the new toy in the newsroom.
We all still had typewriters on our desks where we would madly peck away at the keys while recording our phone interviews. But we wrote our stories on the computers.
The ADI was an evening newspaper. What that meant for those of us in sports was we often had to work a split shift. We started at 7 a.m. to hit a 10 a.m. deadline to get the afternoon paper out. Then, we would cover a sporting event in the afternoon or evening, and return to the office to write the story.
I recall one of my first experiences was covering an American Legion doubleheader. I had never written on the computer before but had been given detailed instructions. I was all alone in the office afterward. I set up my file and started writing. I recall being told to periodically “save” the copy, but it was a complicated process - unlike today - that involved saving the file, closing out, and then opening it up again.
So, like any 22-year-old, I didn’t bother to save. Too much trouble.
As I was editing my story for the final time - it took about two hours to write - I pulled my legs out from underneath the desk so I could sit up straight and file the story. In the process, my feet had become tangled in the wires and I unplugged the computer.
The screen went dark.
I had lost the story.
It was after midnight and I had to start over.
Somewhere along our technology journey, we’ve all been there.
It is a terrible feeling, and unfortunately, it was not the last time I lost a story. Years later, when a colleague lost a story, I would tell them they will be surprised how much of the story they will remember. It was true. I knew from experience.
I had an unfortunate flashback this week.
I’ve been working on my latest book project by inserting the necessary footnotes, something I have not done since college. Over two days and about seven hours of extremely tedious work, I had covered a decade’s worth of footnotes.
When I finally finished, I decided to move the chapter into another file. I selected the entire chapter and then - you guessed it - deleted it instead of copied it.
“No,” I screamed out.
“No,” I screamed again. “I can’t believe I did that!”
It helps to talk to yourself in these times of crisis.
I frantically Googled “ways to un-delete selected copy,” without any luck.
Reality was setting in. I really felt like crying. I went in search of my wife without any luck. I threw a glass, then returned to the basement.
I opened up the story again. I searched Google again, this time using the keyword “undo” I found instructions for “undoing” what I had done.
I hit the “undo” button once, twice, three, four times and finally on the fifth try the deleted chapter - complete with footnotes - appeared.
Isn’t technology wonderful?
If we could just find a way to eliminate the operator error.
Landscaping future
My thoughts about my heightened skills in the area of landscaping from the other day left at least one reader impressed.
She asked if I would be willing to come up to their home and offer up some suggestions. I was quite flattered, but told them I really didn’t feel qualified, but if they insisted.
Another reader informed me you could indeed go to college and become a “landscape architect.” Apparently, Syracuse has a program.
Book cover chosen
It looks like we have a tentative cover chosen for my collection of columns. Thanks to my friend, and former colleague Rhonda Triller, it turned out well.
Shooting for a publication date at the end of July.
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