You know someone with the answers y
ou need.
by Andy Scheer
My son owns a T-shirt that says, “No, I will not fix your computer.”
Fortunately, he doesn’t hold me to that. Working as programmer for a computer company, he’s a logical choice to ask when a new technical challenge arises.
I’m grateful he’s a good teacher. His explanations of how to solve or prevent problems—plus him looking over my shoulder as he shows me to click there—means I less often need to call on his services.
When that need arises, my wife and I try to pair the request with an invitation for him and his wife to come to dinner—accompanied by their favorite crescent rolls with an extra dozen to take home.
[cryout-pullquote align=”left|center|right” textalign=”left|center|right” width=”33%”]Fortunately, the information exchange can go both ways.[/cryout-pullquote] Fortunately, the information exchange can go both ways. My wife and I are often their first go-to resource in matters of cooking, sewing, and home and car maintenance.
As a veteran editor, I’m not surprised to get writing-related questions from people I’ve met. Unless I’m on a tight deadline, it’s usually no trouble to answer. But if those people ask me computer questions, I’m easily stumped if they’re running programs with which I’m not familiar.
So I often ask if they have teens in the house—or nearby grandchildren or teens from their church. I suspect a fair amount of tech support is available for the price of a couple dozen home-baked cookies. Or better yet, for showing them how to bake their own.
