May I just scream for a moment

**2ndGenGranola** · 03-19-2010, 06:57 PM

AAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHhhhhhhhhhhhh!

My Dad, 88, lives in an apt just down the street. I have to "fix" his computer more than the 5 of ours combined. He has himself convinced that facebook is deleted off of his computer and he cannot reinstall it!! I keep telling him that it is not a program on his computer, it is on the internet. He doesn't believe me. He thinks I am messing with his head. If my brother introduces him to another piece of techno junk than leaves it for me to "fix" while he disappears for months.

There is going to be a little great grandson with his feelings hurt if he doesn't get a b'day message.

**mauimagic** · 03-19-2010, 06:59 PM

Scream all you want, this is the place to do it!!

Just repeat after me "I must be a saint!!" - cause I think you really are!!

**Libby** · 03-19-2010, 07:40 PM

Just grin and bear it - be glad you still have him around as a reason to scream. I feel your pain!

**krbshappy71** · 03-19-2010, 07:42 PM

My older brother does all the techy stuff for my parents. I play dumb. Which is really funny to pull off because they know I'm a tech at work. *snicker!!*

Scream all you want, the 0's and 1's can't hear you.

**Russ** · 03-19-2010, 07:47 PM

I completely understand. My MIL calls me every time she gets ANY kind of error message. :gaah:

**Gabe** · 03-19-2010, 08:06 PM

If your installing windows, install it with a limited account so that he can't add or remove programs.

Or better introduce him to linux.

Make facebook his homepage, or better farmville. Then you will never hear from him again.

**Charles C** · 03-19-2010, 09:36 PM

I was on facebook a couple of weeks and could see too much information that I didn't want to. Closed that thing down, then read about it on wiki, you have to remove all your friends or something like that, opened it up removed them, e-mailed and just told them I didn't want to see all that stuff, and closed it down guess it's sealed, I dunno. Farmerville, I have a garden down here, is that what your talking about, lot's of work

Hey I have a new grandsomething coming around the end of August, from the Son and Daughter In Law, that were married in Switzerland last year, they went toghether for 13 years, never had a kid, don't understand that at all, got married to his mother and they just kept a coming, til we had 5. But then he's a CEO and she's a PHD, could have something to do with it. OK we were the type that didn't really care. But it was a big surprise when I was 51 to have another Son, sure keeps me busy. Gardening, and he is into 5 sports, good thing I have help from thos 5 older ones. Me and that CEO stayed up til 3 AM last night putting breaks on my old 98 Taurus. Someone didn't change the back ones forever, or it would have been easy. Must have done something right if my rich son will work with me to to change the brakes. Then again, he's buying a 20,000 sq ft. building, and he needs me to get it watertight and keep it that way. I owned a roofing company for 29 years, used to have him up there working

My kids all had the latest gadgets because they worked for them, Wow it changes with this younger one, well I'm 65 and feeling better than I did at 55, think this kid helps. I think there aren't too many 88 years on the computer. I could learn about computers, but really I just use it to say anything, then go out an garden or fix something. Or run this Kid around, hey he will be 15 in June and can get a limited license. We are already working on a 70's something Trans Am that all the Kids drove at one time or the other, but were going to have to cut out and put on a lot of rusted panels, for it to look good. Wonder how that 4 barrel Holly will go over Now Days?

**2ndGenGranola** · 03-20-2010, 01:32 AM

Thanks all.

I finally got him on tonight -- at least for tonight, it will be the same thing again tomorrow. The kid got a birthday message.

I would love to make facebook his homepage. He has to have a link to his bank though. He pays bills online and checks his bank account. We have been trying to get him to do his banking the old fashioned way because every couple of weeks we have to go over his paperwork because he messes something up. He has no clue how to balance a bank book (Mom did all that) and checks his balance every night. I guess that is better than nothing.

I would love to get him on FarmVille or FarmTown. There are plenty of kids to keep him busy. His neighbors would love it too. My brother purposely did not move all his noisy hobbies here (saws for example) since he was living in an apartment. He went out and bought all new saws - in an APARTMENT! UGH! We have flat out told him saws and apartments don't mix but he is too stubborn.

**daughter of pearl** · 03-20-2010, 03:48 PM

I got so tired of "fixing" my dad's computer (he worked in computers back in the day when they were so big, they had their own room, so he thinks he knows what he's doing) after he randomly dumped the operating system or decided he didn't need something that was really necessary, that I offered to buy him a new computer.

He said thanks, but he enjoys the challenge of figuring out the one he has!

**Natalie's Nesters** · 03-20-2010, 06:40 PM

Just take a deep breath, this too shall pass. I would have fun with it and have him wearing a tinfoil hat just in case. But hey, that's just me,just smile and be thankful he can't read your mind!

**mnmarty03** · 03-20-2010, 07:35 PM

Can I just say that it sucks that you have to fix it for him all the time...

but I find it incredibly awesome that an EIGHTY-EIGHT year old is using Facebook.

**Pianolady** · 03-21-2010, 03:07 PM

LOL...this reminds me of things my dad used to say. He'd call me and say the "internet was down". He really thought the entire internet would go down. It took a couple years for us to convince him the internet was not down, he'd just lost his connection.

**katholc** · 03-21-2010, 10:46 PM

I understand, I refused to get my mother internet because she could not remember how to TURN ON the computer(as in which button to push) There were notes everywhere but it made no difference, but then again neither mom or dad could operate the satellite tv either.

**MaryCarney** · 03-23-2010, 09:21 PM

Originally Posted by katholc

I understand, I refused to get my mother internet because she could not remember how to TURN ON the computer(as in which button to push) There were notes everywhere but it made no difference, but then again neither mom or dad could operate the satellite tv either.

That is totally my dad!!! CANNOT remember how to turn it on, but has complete and total mastery of the remote control! Fortunately, my stepmom is ten years younger, and still uses a computer at work, and handles all that for him.

**Pemberleyan** · 03-23-2010, 09:48 PM

Well, I guess it's good that he's even using a computer ;-).

My siblings thought it was a great idea when someone wanted to give my mother a computer. I knew she wouldn't learn to use it! I tried to teach her to do it, but there was like a mental block, the same one she has with her VCR and DVD player, which she is rarely able to use successfully. I love her to pieces, though!