Disappearing Problems

Plugging in...

Disappearing problems. Aren't they the kind we like to have? Yes, except that most people want to know why something happened, and how can they avoid it in the future. What about "curiosity killed the cat", or "don't ask, don't tell"? Inquiring minds want to know.

The disappearances aren't magic or a joke. It happens more times than the Tutor can count. (Maybe the Tutor should start counting). It happens in a class room, working one-on-one and over the telephone.

A client/student/person has a computer problem, doesn't matter what it is. The client/student/person flails around trying to find a solution. Sometimes they take days, some only hours, and some only minutes before they raise the "surrender" flag. If I walk over, or call the troubled client/student/person to discuss the issue, when they attempt to re-construct the problem with me, they can't.

[The twilight zone theme song should be hummed right about now.]

The problem has disappeared, won't reconstruct, is nowhere to be found. And the Tutor says each time "I believe you, but... it always behaves itself when I come over". The mere threat of the Tutor's presence seems to put the fear of something into the problem and it skeedaddles. How's that for the power of ONE, or maybe it should be the power of now (calling Eckhard Tolle)?

In reality, the problem is either intermittent and will return, or it's operator error and also will return until the Tutor can WATCH exactly what the client/student/person is doing to achieve their aggitated state.

ALWAYS REMEMBER: before calling for help - is it plugged in, is it operator error, and is it turned on?

Unplugged