My very expensive IPod

Last weekend, I decided that I would like to have an IPod.  Actually, I have thought about it many times before and talked myself out of it.  But, this time I did it.  I bought a 4th generation IPod.  Simple enought, it didn't really mean anything to me, until I got home.  I plugged it into my MacBook and nothing.  It just so happened that my computer was "too old".  At least, that is what the support people at Apple told me.  However, I learned that what they really meant to say is that my computer's operating system is out of date and will not support the new IPods.  So now what!  I have to buy a new operating system.  I have Tiger, and apparently there has been Leopard and now Snow Leopard operating systems since then.  You can't buy Leopard any more so I have to get Snow Leopard.  Sure, that means going up two systems and that is apparently tricky.  So I have to get a single user family pack.  Another $130.00 according to Apple.  A local computer store said I just have to buy the Snow leopard operating system, only $35.00.  Yippee!  He said it wouldn't be a problem.

However, I was advised to back up my system in case anything goes wrong.  I would be extremely upset if I lost all my pictures, not to mention my book that I am writing.  Yes, I am still working on it, ever so slowly.  Another computer store tells me that the best way to back up is to buy an external hard drive.  Really?  More money!  But it did make sense to me so that's what I decided to do.  They told me, when I bought it, that it was very simple to do.  Well, it's not that simple especially if you don't know your password for your computer.  When we set it up, 4 years ago, I guess I gave it a password but for the life of me, I couldn't remember it.  Alan, tried to help me back it up without the password; but it really wasn't going that well. 

Another phone call to Apple and now I have a new password.  With my luck, and lack of computer knowledge, I decided to phone support for the external hard drive and after about an hour, my computer files were backed up.  Now, it was time to install Snow Leopard.  I followed the instructions and sure enough, it began but said it could not complete the installation.  I phoned Apple again, they said, again, you need to buy the family pack.  Now, I'm really frustrated. 

Back to a computer store.  "No!", they say I do not need the family pack.  They can install it for me for $200.00.  My goodness, all I wanted was an IPod.  I'm not paying that.  Off, I went to another computer store.  When they said, they could install it for me for $50.00 and guarantee that everything would be working fine, I said," Go for it!"  Later that day, I picked up my computer.

This was 3 days after my initial purchase.  Now, I can finally charge my IPod.  A few lessons later from my grandson, Tyler, and I'm good to go.  This turned out to be a very expensive IPod; but apparently now my computer is good for another 4 years or at least until the battery dies.  So all's not lost.

In the meantime, I am enjoying my new IPod.