Kicking It on the internet

Elizabeth Youngman-Westphal

Special to The Village News

What I know about myself is that I have the patience of a toddler. When frustrated, it’s all I can do to keep from throwing myself on the floor kicking and screaming. Anyway, that is what I’d like to do but, mostly, I don’t.

The truth is I would not be able to get myself back up.

No. My husband would not be of any help. Why, because once I was on the floor, he’d collapse with laughter. The fact is I am more concerned for him smashing his noggin against a sharp corner than my fit.

This is all leading up to last week when I retrieved a voice mail advising me that some important documents were sent to my retired sbcglobal email account.

After I spent more than 30 minutes trying to access this stupid-head email account cycling through the redundant questions, my tolerance was exhausted.

My extreme annoyance had to chill before I could reach out to the Foundation for Senior Care computer tech lab.

Did you know these guys exist? Well, that’s why you read my column, to discover stuff you didn’t know, right?

I discovered this group of tech wizards through the Foundation for Senior Care about the time Microsoft 10 was introduced. Weeks later, I took a computer class from them, followed by a class on phones and one on uploading photos on “the cloud.” I know, whatever “the cloud” really is. Anyway, oh surprise, I downloaded Microsoft 11 on my own.

Just the same, my ability to surf through the intricacies of the internet is extremely limited. I mean really, none of this came with a printed manual.

Foundation for Senior Care is managed by director Patty Sargent. Among the long list of the foundation’s resources, there is a dedicated team of devoted sorcerers who volunteer their time to provide services to seniors for their electronics.

They do this every Friday from 1-3 p.m. and it’s free. You heard me correctly; it is a free service. Although, there is a Tip Jar.

Now you know what to do the next time your smart phone or computer goes haywire. Wander over on any given Friday to 1636 E. Mission Road. The techs set up in a room behind the former Lutheran church in the Fallbrook Regional Health District’s Health & Wellness Center building. (Take Stage Coach Lane, turn left onto East Mission and then right into the gated church lot.)

If you need to chat with someone, you can call 760-723-7570 to learn more. Easier still, before you need them, take a gander at their website: https://foundationforseniorcare.org.

The volunteers will help you with your fancy phone, photo gallery, computer, or the internet. If it is considered an electronic device, these folks can guide you through it. Trust me. They have all of the patience that I do not possess.

That is why my husband schlepped me over last Friday to seek help to recover that old yahoo SBC email account. But after 20 or so minutes, I was redirected to the AT&T store in Fallbrook. That’s when I knew for certain I was in deep doodoo.

As a satellite store, the Fallbrook employee referred me to a corporate AT&T store in Temecula or Vista. Still unable to drive, I chose to take the easy route and called.

But, before doing anything else, I reached out to Yahoo. Well, save your breath. They will not offer assistance.

I called the AT&T store in Vista. My internet helper was Ben who had vast experience with this issue. It all boiled down to the inimitable words of Tony Soprano “fo’get’about it.”

But. Wait. I have a brilliant solution. To open this locked account, all I may need to do is leak an anonymous alert to the FBI suggesting I have numerous private email exchanges with former President Donald Trump. Mission accomplished!

Elizabeth Youngman-Westphal can be reached at [email protected].