Computers are Frustrating Machines!!!!!!!!!!!!

In the grand scheme of life, there are several goals I am striving to achieve in my lifetime. A couple I have my doubts of reaching but one task at hand, today, here and now, within reach is driving me nuts. Just when I think I've got a good handle on it, yeikes! something else stands in my way. This isn't for everyone. Some of my friends will think this is so boring. Those who know me well wouldn't be surprised but would most likely run away in the opposite direction. I don't have any friends to interact with on this either, even hubby is in the dark and for the most part, I'd rather he stay out of it. I know I have written recently how wonderful he is, but there are dark sides of our relationship - disagreements on how some things should be handled, dealt with, done, ended, stopped. Computers is a very huge sore spot between us - he has his and I have mine - he is absolutely positively not permitted to touch my computers. He puts a curse on my stuff. We have different ideas, so to be safe no, nadda, nil.

Ok, so you've probably come to the conclusion it is a computer related thing, yes, that's correct! For ever and ever, I have wanted to achieve organizing my photos in some type of filing system on one computer. Seems simple enough but I have blotched it up so many times - I didn't need Bob's help either. DON'T say it - no, I am not asking for his help.......no way!

So now I have this new laptop, I've gathered all my memory cards and sticks and back ups and copied everything important from my other HP tower which still has Vista - I am going to install Windows 7 on it and want to get all my important data and photos off it just in case - they do recommend that in the instructions. I have recognized my "doo-doo" mistakes throughout the years and realized that I have copied numerous photo over and over numerous times, so I have umpteen duplicated copies of MANY photos.

Unfortunately to my huge disappointment I discover this computer has at least three different photo programs and the one that pops up to show the photos from my memory card is horrible - its installed HP programs. I've tried everything to find where I can change the default without any luck - they do this on purpose, I think, to keep us crazy. Oh, my Holy Mother of God, Our Father, who art in Heaven, please help me!!! Nothin is simple! Then I found my Canon camera CD with a photo program on it and installed it, thinking it should be the best, wrong! holy cow, it was so complicated, even I couldn't figure it out - it was my best guess the program was for advanced photographers which I am not. I just want a simple, but good photo program that will help me catalog my photos appropriately. I have discovered a way to open my photos at last in the program I want but it is time consuming and I know it should be easier than this.

At this point, I have decided to take the time and attempt to sort out the duplicated photos and delete then copy every photo onto the portable media drive I have which holds 350 gigs and that's a lot of photos.

I remember the days when we put our photos in Family albums - remember the day of Kodak 200 speed film, and then came CDs, oh yes, I have loads of them too but at least I have photos from the CDs. Today we have the opportunity to save our photos on the Internet, but in my opinion not everything is safe on some Internet technical storage format somewhere out there in the universe. I do like Picasa - a Google storage format, but with the insecurity of our economical market and the possibility that Google could be sold, I don't want to trust anyone with my photos or any priceless information.

I have to find a hiding place for all my little digital memory thingies, a place I won't forget where I've put them. The advantage of the Portable media Drive is that it has a carrying case plus fits into the HP tower computer for backing up data, with connectors for all computers for back up too.

We've put selling the house on the back burner for now. Bob's cancer treatments are finished and he has a check up which will tell us where he stands with that. Getting knee surgery is next on the list, but I will wait for Bob to get his done. I'm going no where with a diet - too much stress and worry. The kids will be home in June and maybe then we'll know what we'll do about the house situation. We are looking on the realtor.com website on the Internet for homes everyday and until something jumps out and knocks us out, we're here for the duration and I'll be at this computer trying to straighten out the mess I've gotten my photos into.

If anyone out there in Blogville has a suggestion for a good photo program for cataloging --- please, help!!!!

God bless you all. Take good care, keep warm and keep safe.