My football team looks like my football team again. This is reassuring after the first two preseason games and the team of aliens standing in for my team.

Cash, let him stew and get angry and you get out. I used to have the same issues with my Hub, until I figured out that we had such fundamentally different styles of approaching problems and troubleshooting, that it was either leave him be or kill him.

That's what I'm going to do, Barb.

He's just so tech-inept that it makes me crazy. He's a great guy but he gets mad when things don't work right EVERY SINGLE time. The actuary in him makes him averse to the kind of hunt & peck trouble shooting that I do.

He basically sits and bitches about (computer/television/cable/phone) to me and I get antsy and want to do something about it. We just go round and round until I can fix it when he's not around.

He's just so tech-inept that it makes me crazy.

Oh, urk-- that must be so frustrating. With mine, he's actually more tech-savvy than I am, but used to be a very A, B, C, following directions sort of guy whereas I'm much more instinctive. He's actually relaxed a lot in the past few years and is far more comfortable with following his instincts.

I still don't want to troubleshoot with him, but at least he gets less frustrated.

I've finally realized that Hubby's biggest stumbling block is that he doesn't know how to describe his problem in a different fashion. He can't restate to make sure I know what's he talking about, so when I ask a clarifying question, all he can do is repeat what he just said and get frustrated that he's not getting it across and I'm not following what he said.

We've got sound but the tuner input is wrong and I can't trouble shoot with DH here because I'll strangle him.

That was another thing I did while they were gone today. They had been pulling out the tv and switching the input every time they wanted to watch a DVD. They bowed in awe and applauded the magic that now they are able to push a button on the remote to go back and forth. It wasn't that they don't have the skills, they just didn't bother to wire properly.

I think they should give me breakfast in bed. Also, they are all gone again so I am playing on my laptop and watching recorded tv while I sip my wine in peace. Bliss.

all he can do is repeat what he just said and get frustrated that he's not getting it across and I'm not following what he said.

Ha! Or the other variation of repeating it a dozen different ways despite the fact that I got it the first time. I just don't agree.

Wine good.

That was another thing I did while they were gone today. They had been pulling out the tv and switching the input every time they wanted to watch a DVD. They bowed in awe and applauded the magic that now they are able to push a button on the remote to go back and forth. It wasn't that they don't have the skills, they just didn't bother to wire properly.

Our Tivo/Cable/Tape Player combo only works because Laura was our house guest when we had it installed.

::bows in awe::

She's very thinky! And full of problem solving skills as you might imagine a small business owner who specializes in Teh Tech would be.

Also, she's hot. What can I say.

Hi all. Just got back from Maine. Skipped a zillion or so messages.

Maine was fun. Spent time on the beach, walked out to an island (at low tide, there's a sandbar we can walk on. There's still one little bit of water that we need to cross. Usually, we can wade it, but we decided to try crossing at a different point this time, to see if it was shorter, and it was deeper than we expected and we ended up having to swim part of it.)

A new store opened in Kennebunkport. I can't figure out what the guiding principle of this store is, other than "we sell cool stuff," but it's really fun. Among the things I found that I wanted to buy were Sigg water bottles, DVDs of The Umbrellas of Cherbourg and A Summer Place, and a Diana camera.

David, I thought of you today while I was organizing the media. I dusted the albums that are sad and lonely and neglected on the bottom shelves. So many musical soundtracks and classic jazz. I tried the turntable and it had power, but apparently isn't hooked into the sound. Didn't get to that yet, but it needs to happen. Not surprisingly, the boys mock my vinyl collection.

Also, you and JZ need to get another device in the mix so I will feel obligated to head to SF to set ya up.

Hi Hil! Mmmm, Maine. Glad that fun was had. Vacations good.