The Tale Of Diligent Dave & The Wily Fiber Optic Cable

/ Ally Bean
We were told that the switch from coaxial cable to fiber optic cable would happen on Wednesday from 8:00 a.m. to noon. Here’s what actually happened.

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This is my DIY standing desk arrangement. It’s a wonderful use for the 1966 50th Anniversary Edition of the World Book Encyclopedia.

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The following will please the optimists, inform the curious, disappoint the naysayers, and entertain the pre-amused…

At 3:00 p.m. on Tuesday we got a knock on the front door from a man who told us he was going to be digging a trench through the yard where the new cable would be buried. He did so without any fuss.

At 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday, only a half hour late, a man who I shall call Diligent Dave but Z-D refers to as That Kid, pulled into our driveway to start things rolling. Diligent Dave sat inside his truck for a while goofing around on a computer, wandered around our front yard a few times, then backed out of our driveway and drove up  & down our street many times.

At 9:30 a.m. Diligent Dave came to the front door and told us:

  1. there was something wrong, his computer indicated that the connection to the above ground fiber optic utility box on the street didn’t exist even though lines had been installed on this street earlier in the fall;
  2. he had called the department that installed the lines to have someone come out to find out what was wrong; and
  3. he could come inside the house and start running the cable line from the basement up to the home office while we waited to see IF the connection outside on the street really did exist.

At 11:00 a.m. a man, let’s call him Happy Henry, from the outside installation department came to the front door to talk with Diligent Dave. They chatted about what wasn’t happening.

At 11:30 a.m. two trucks, each driven by one man, arrived. After conferring with Happy Henry those two men pulled out a table and some tools. They went into the neighbor’s yard where they set up the table and started messing around with the above ground fiber optic utility box, hoping to find our house’s particular cable connection inside it.

At 12:15 p.m. a miracle occurred and voilà the “missing” outside fiber optic cable connection was found, meaning that all we needed now was for Diligent Dave to finish his job.

At 1:15 p.m. Diligent Dave succeeded in getting the cable line across the ceiling in the basement, up through the wall and into the home office… behind my desk.

At 1:20 p.m. Z-D and Diligent Dave carefully moved my desk with all the stuff on it [my desktop computer, Keyzia, included] away from the wall so that Diligent Dave could fiddle around near the baseboard and attach a small magical box to the wall.

At 1:30 p.m. our fiber optic cable connection happened.  Then under Diligent Dave’s watchful eye we started testing all our electronic gadgets [computers, phones, iPad, TVs] to confirm that the wifi, now connected to the fiber optic cable, was indeed working as advertised. It was.

At 1:45 p.m. after Z-D and Diligent Dave moved my desk back into place,  Diligent Dave left and there was joy in the land.

But, of course, there is more to the story, the After Party so to speak…

Once Diligent Dave left the house Zen-Den and I ducked out of the house to go to the grocery.  At 2:30 p.m. whilst in the midst of shopping in the grocery we received a phone call from a slightly frantic Diligent Dave who had left his tool bag in our basement and REALLY needed it to be able to do his next appointment at 3:00 p.m.

Thus we quickly bought our food, rushed home [a 10 minute drive] so we could retrieve Diligent Dave’s tool bag in our basement and hand it to him.  He was pleased, expressing thanks, telling us that his next job was only 8 minutes away so he’d be there to start it on time.

Unlike our job where he showed up a half hour late BUT who doesn’t like a touch of innocent irony to go along with their new scary fast fiber optic cable?

~ ~ • ~ ~

Questions of the daY

Regardless of the type of computer you use, do you have a sitting or standing desk? Or do you prefer to sit at a table? Or to plop your computer onto your lap?

Do you know how you get your internet connection in your home? Do you like it?

Considering that Zen-Den continues to refer to Diligent Dave as That Kid, do you believe, like I do, that Z-D the recently semi-retired is well on his way to becoming an old codger?

~ ~ • ~ ~

229 thoughts on “The Tale Of Diligent Dave & The Wily Fiber Optic Cable”

  1. Hi Ally – oh so pleased to read a story involving delivery/workmen with a happy ending! Because we all know how quickly things can go south. Diligent Dave seems an earnest fellow! I relate to the “kid” perspective. Everyone looks so young to me now! As for sit or stand at the computer, I’m impressed by your set-up. I’m a sitter at the kitchen table, and although I sometimes work on a couch with my laptop, I have to be careful because I often wind up with an aggravating nerve-pinch in the back of my head – weird, huh?

    One little story: we recently bought a dishwasher online from a big box store and arranged for delivery and installation. The day came and went with no dishwasher, yet the delivery guy posted on his log that he had indeed delivered and installed it! It took about a month before we had it delivered but they refused to install it even though we paid for the installation. All good now that it’s behind us. Will never buy an appliance from that store again.

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  2. You are lucky. Fiber optic is “supposed” to be the way to go and we don’t have it in our neighborhood. In fact, locally it’s only in the city downtown area where people live who can’t afford cable anyway. Our cable was recently upgraded and what a “tado!” They had to pull new cable from a box in a neighbor’s yard but our area is full of stone so they tried two different boxes before running it in the back, down a hill to the connection on a pole. “They” always say it will be faster. To be honest, I never notice a difference. All that took 6 weeks and an amazing array of different crews. As for chairs, I sit. I keep thinking I’d like to try one of those “back friendly” chairs where you kneel but I need someone to say they like them first.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Kate, fiber optic arrived here in October and it was impossible to miss that it was being installed. All our front yards were torn up and there were/still are spray painted lines on the street & driveways. IT WAS A BIG SHOW, the installation of those lines out near the street.

      Now that I’m on day 3 of my fiber optic experience I can say: 1) it is much faster than Spectrum cable; and 2) it was painless to have it installed in the sense that it happened inside the house in one day.

      I know of those kneeling chairs and they look awkward to me. I have a Steelcase Leap office chair which is super comfy, but I stand because it’s better for my health, I’m told. 🙄

      Liked by 1 person

  3. I use a laptop so I sit in a comfy chair with it sitting on a lap desk tray, we get our internet connection from Comcast Xfinity which is costly but stable, and welcome to the old codger club because they all look 18 to me now. Glad you’re up and running and applause on the creativity to make a standing desk.

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    • Judy, I wish I could get comfortable with a laptop, but I find them infuriating. Our cable connection with Spectrum cable started out reliable but in the last 6 months it’s gotten less so. I’m sure Diligent Dave is about 30 y.o. but Z-D kept referring to him as a kid, probably to bug me. Thanks for the compliment on my standing desk, I’m rather proud of myself for making it happen.

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  5. I think som codger-y (codgerishness??) is merited in this case.

    Your standing desk set up is fabulous and indeed makes good use of that lovely edition of encyclopedias. My parents had several shelves devoted to encyclopedias when I was a kid. It was just What Was Done, but now I am thinking… how was that managed? New information and facts and discoveries and incidents all the time… how often did a person replace her encyclopedias??? They are so expensive!

    I have a sit-down desk in my office, that I like. But I much prefer sitting on the oversized armchair in my bedroom with my laptop on my lap, as its namers intended. I also have a desk setup on my treadmill, which I like as well although typing is not without challenges. I should move down to the treadmill now, in fact.

    Very glad your internet is set up, despite the hiccups!

    Liked by 1 person

    • Suzanne, I saw the encyclopedias just languishing in our basement. They were from my mom’s house and I kept them all these years. I think they were updated yearly with a supplement, but I don’t have any of those. Looking at the encyclopedias I had an idea, and it worked.

      I’d like to have desk set-up on the treadmill, but I wonder if I’d ever be able to type while walking? I’m not the most coordinated human being.

      I’m pleased with our switch to fiber optics, if nothing else I got a fun blog post out of it. WHAT MORE COULD I ASK FOR?

      Liked by 1 person

  6. I love your standing desk. I picture the accumulated knowledge wafting up into your screen.

    I switch between sitting at a desk, sitting at a table and working with the laptop on a small cushion on my lap. I reserve standing for woodworking.

    I know how the internet connection got in here, because I had to pull the cable. Between the time of the original installation (20-some years ago) and the new cable they had to pull, the company changed their rules. Installers were now forbidden to crawl under any portion of the structure. The cable entered our basement under the back porch. The installer gave me 50′ of cable and said, “If I find one end out here and one in your basement, I’ll connect it.”

    Wait until ZD gets a kid for a doctor. I met my new doc last month, and I swear, he’s 14.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Dan, I’m loving your take on how I’m gaining knowledge via the World Books. Sadly it’s almost 60 year old knowledge, but I’ve never been the most with it person.

      You had to make the cable connection yourself! Oh that’s funny as heck, but I believe it. Our cables of all sorts come into the house on the side of the house that is on the side of a hill. We have a walkout basement so it’s easy for it to happen.

      I look forward to Z-D’s reaction to a new young doctor. I have no doubt he’ll mutter, then settle down. I take it you’ve adjusted to your new Doogie Howser M.D.

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  7. Sitting desk. My father was a pharmacist and stood 10 hours a day for years…he has more heart issues than sitters…I’m going to post about this theory of thought soon. I live in an apartment…everything is underground except for the cables that go floor to floor…

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  8. Z-D: welcome to old codgerdom. It’s not an age, it’s a state of mind.

    Sitting desk, for sure. With a cup of hot liquid. But I need a headset so I can pace properly (or fold laundry) when I am on the phone.

    I use Shakespeare (my fattest tome) to elevate my computer to the proper height for zoom calls. But Shakespeare has nothing on your complete encyclopedia set!

    Liked by 1 person

    • AutumnAshbough, you’re so right, codgerdom is a state of mind. And he’s got it nailed.

      I used to sit all the time when I was writing but now that I’ve embraced this standing idea, I really like it. I set a time to do the Pomodoro method, so I move around every 25 minutes, too. When I sat I’d ignore the timer.

      Shakespeare would be perfect for Zoom calls when I use my laptop. I’ll remember that. His works are lurking around here somewhere.

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  9. Well, that is great that it all worked out! I like “That Kid,” it has a nice ring to it. Maybe I am a codger too? I sometimes refer to “the youths” so the answer is probably yes. Well, let’s embrace it!

    I recently acquired a laptop, so now I can happily type away at the table, or maybe even the island. Generally I have always used our big desktop which is on a desk in the (finished, does that need to be included) basement. This “office space” is beside the “home gym” and the “gaming area” so it’s not conducive to quiet reflection, unless there is no one else home. I feel like I am on my feet enough, so I like sitting to type. I once tried to sit on one of those giant exercise balls and you know what, SOMETIMES JUST SITTING WITHOUT EXCESS WORK IS NICE.

    Rex is sitting at my feet right now, just thought you should know.

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    • Nicole, yes Z-D was saying That Kid with a positive spin to it, nothing negative. But his use of the term made me wonder about how quickly one changes after you retire.

      I have a laptop that I sometimes use at our kitchen island, too. I understand why your “office space” might not allow for a proper writing environment. I tried sitting on one of those exercise balls, too. It was not meant to be but did give me the opportunity to use all my swear words. Who can sit on those things, I ask rhetorically?

      I did need to know that Rex was with you. I love Rex, he has a big heart and is an excellent judge about which human to fawn over.

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  10. In terms of what I’ve experienced with cable companies yours was a remarkably simple service call Ally Bean. Congratulations on what I hope is improved technology.

    I sit with the laptop on my own lap. I had a desk when I moved in here but it was large and cumbersome so I chose to remove it. Tried to use my kitchen table but that hurts my neck and back. I did have standing computer access when I worked and liked that very much.

    Because I live in a building erected in 1959 (brick) I am thankful that we even have cable of any kind. I assume it’s not been updated, but I might be mistaken.

    Yes, I do think that ZD may be venturing into old codger territory. I would stay vigilant though for more extensive signs of a crusty curmudgeon transformation however.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Deb, I agree that all things considered the installation of this fiber optic cable went smoothly, enough. I really liked Diligent Dave, he made me smile with his calm “I’ve got this figured out” vibe– and his frantic phone call afterwards.

      I don’t do well sitting at a table while using my laptop either. I can sit at the kitchen island though and not feel the strain on my neck. Not sure why. Better lighting maybe?

      I shall be ever vigilant about Z-D drifting into crusty curmudgeon territory. Right now I see the old codger in him, which is fine, but that’s as far as it’s going to go. I won’t live with a curmudgeon.

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  11. I fashioned a similar standing desk in one of my previous work offices. I used old copies of literature anthologies that no one ever used or was going to use. I was glad they finally got some use, considering how expensive I know they were. Perhaps I wanted to make a visual point.

    I’m glad your Dave was diligent and that all ended well. I am glad for the Daves of the world, no matter their age, for knowing how to do necessary things that I find mysterious and boring. Our internet connection goes out more often than I’d like (just happened yesterday), but it’s usually brief. I can live with that, but my daughter has a hard time with it. I think she feels it is more of a necessity to have constant access than I do.

    As to your question about Z-D: Pretty sure that’s a yes. 🙂

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    • Rita, that was a wonderful use of literary anthologies, I applaud you on your ingenuity. I bet they made an inspiring visual impact.

      I agree about all the Daves in this world. I/we couldn’t have done what he did, and he was just one of those *nice guys* who do things effectively, calmly, with no angst. I wanted to celebrate him here.

      Our coaxial cable service had deteriorated over the last 6 months. I get your daughter’s point of view. With Z-D working full-time from home, even though he doesn’t now, it was a problem. Of course we find a solution after he retires!

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  12. Ah, the saga of Diligent Dave and company. This is a tale that is all too common in this day and age. Granted the names and locations change, but the saga continues.

    I have a big old clunky solid oak desk that I sit at as I contentedly tap away on my big new clunky desktop computer. Alas, my gently used laptop resides in an obscure niche in my office. On that rare occasion when I pull him out, I dust him off and set him on the kitchen table. Poor old thing, Gets an update or two and a back up to boot. Then its power down time and off to bed in his little niche. Faithful friend has never failed me.

    My internet connection enters the house through a tiny hole at the bottom of the wall. When I bought the house eons ago, there was an established DSL connection which I upgraded first to cable and later to optical.

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    • Johnny, Dave didn’t give up which is why I liked this man [not a kid]. I am not upset that it took longer than suggested, I had no illusions that it would happen that quickly. I am, after all, charmingly cynical.

      Your oak desk with your clunky desktop computer sounds charming to me. I prefer Kezia, my desktop computer, to my laptop who has no name– which I suppose tells you something. I do update it once in a while, but rarely type on it.

      I’m pleased so far with this new fiber optic cable, it is much faster than the Spectrum cable line which has been kind of spotty lately. It does make me smile to know that when we had this house built we put in 2 landline phone jacks in the office, so we’d be ahead of the curve. Don’t even use them now.

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  13. I’ve had a motorized adjustable desk (used more for art than for computing), and I’ve also built my own stand up option for a regular desk much like you did. I left them behind when I moved to another province. I try not to spend too much time at the computer these days, so sitting for a bit is fine with me…for now.

    My internet comes in through the cable lines, although I don’t subscribe to cable. I use a (much cheaper) company that uses the infrastructure provided by one of the 2 “big guys” that provide cable/internet in Canada. When I think of my provider, I picture a scruffy kid on a skateboard crouched down and hanging onto the bumper of a luxury car as it drives across the land, and it makes me smile.

    Deb

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    • Deb, I’ve looked online at those motorized adjustable desks and admit to being intrigued. However, I’m a frugal person and my stack of encyclopedias is working fine, so I probably won’t get one. Plus the truth of it is that I prefer standing to sitting. Always have.

      I didn’t know about your way of getting your cable connection. If that’s available here I’ve never heard of it. We go with Spectrum cable or the phone company that is now the fiber optic supplier. I love, love your visualization of how you get your service. It’s perfect, GO KID GO. I think our service might be the luxury car though.

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  14. I sit at my small desk in the corner near the front door, but I recently discovered a “walking pad” on the Internet and am considering asking Santa for one this year so that I may walk in between writing breaks. I do like the concept of a standing desk.

    I’m not sure how the Internet materializes in front of me. I simply write the words. (I have no business spending all day in front of a computer.)

    Since I was in my twenties, I’ve been calling anyone younger than me “kids,” therefore I’ve been a codger my entire life. Giving  Z-D a distant high five.

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    • Kari, I’ve been doing this standing desk dealio for over a year now. I feel better, with my legs and stomach more toned. Also I do the Pomodoro method, so every 25 minutes I’m reminded to move it, move it.

      I don’t what a walking pad is. If you get one, you’ll write about it, yes? Maybe I need one and don’t know it.

      You have gracefully bridged the gap between being a kid and acknowledging others are kids. I admire your prescient codger-ness. I’ll let Z-D know you approve.

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  15. I enjoyed the non stressful installation story.

    I sit on an exercise ball at my desktop computer, happily rolling along. The laptop does laps between the kitchen table, the summer desk on the back porch, and the winter desk in the living room.

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    • Anne, it was a pleasant surprise when everything worked out for the installation without any real unresolved issues. There were up and down moments but Dave handled it well.

      You can sit on those exercise balls without falling off?!! I cannot do that, I tried. You never cease to impress. I like your laptop rotation, lets the poor dear see a bit of your house. 😉

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      • I had an exercise ball that was too big, so I loomed over the keyboard. When it burst slowly, I got a much smaller one and promptly fell off. Several months and a few pounds lighter, I tried again. Bam! Finally got a Goldilocks size. It was great until today when daughter Lise and I realized it had deflated a bit. She used the manual pump, and now my elbows are two inches above the keyboard. I’ll have to decide to deflate it or perch here until it smallerizes on its own.

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  16. Do I know how our internet connection gets into our home? Only the electrical engineer in the house knows for sure. I’d be living in a tech-free mud hut if not for him. Nope – no clue. Internet, cable TV, it’s all a mystery. When it works, I’m ever grateful and those times when tech fails me, I’m assume it’s punishment directly from God. Or somewhere. But cheers to you for an installation done…and done! 😉😉😉

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  17. I used to have a standing desk. It was a topper, like yours, but mine was not homemade. I really liked it, and enjoyed spending part of my time standing, and part of it sitting. I would generally do work that required my large screen standing, and meetings and such sitting down. Then in 2014, I was stricken by Rheumatoid arthritis, and I can no longer stand for long periods without inflammation in my feet. I can walk for miles, but standing still is painful. Also, my new job (not really new anymore, I’ve been there since 2016) requires TWO large monitors, so I can compare documents and bring things back and forth between them, so I don’t think it would work well anymore anyway. So, my current desk has two large monitors, and I sit. I do get up and walk around as much as possible during the day.

    In the evenings I often sit with my iPad on my lap. I am right now commenting from my iPad on my kitchen table.

    Our cable is fiber optic I guess (who knows really) and it is expensive. In the summer when it is hot, for some reason it tends to go out in the hottest part of the afternoon. Everyone has assured us that this cannot be caused by the heat, but it’s definitely predictable. It doesn’t STAY out, it just hiccups, but you lose your internet connection for a few minutes. Not such a problem for me, but when my husband was reporting traffic on strict deadlines, sometimes it was an issue. Generally I don’t love our cable, but it works well enough that in the early days of COVID, all three of us could work from home without too many issues (other than the very hot days I mentioned.)

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    • J, I like the sound of your current two screen set-up & why it is that way, but am sorry about the reason why you need to sit. Like you I try to walk at least once an hour, just moseying around the house. It does wonders for my brain, too.

      For us the availability of fiber optic cable is a news. That’s how it goes out in the ‘burbs, you know? I won’t have an opportunity to see if fiber optic goes wonky during hot spells until next summer, but will keep that possible issue in the back of my mind.

      I understand about things going wrong when someone is working at home. Z-D had lots of Zoom meetings when he was here all day during the pandemic– and our Spectrum cable at first did great, but seemed to decline the longer we were here together. Now, of course, we can finally get that which would have helped then. 🙄

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  18. We have a fiber optic connection here, but I have absolutely no idea what that means. It’s pretty fast and reliable. We have a big desk that has our printer on it, but not our computers. Roger and I use laptops all the time. I never put my computer directly on my lap though. I always put something between the laptop and my lap because I worry about all the crazy electronics that could be buzzing into my thighs. It’s fun being a lunatic!

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    • Robin, I’m hoping that our new connection will continue to be fast and RELIABLE. So far the fast part is a reality, it’s is trippy how quickly pages load.

      I’ve never gotten comfortable with laptops. Z-D uses one all the time, but for me they’re awkward. I am laughing at your sense of self-awareness. As they say, no matter what you’re going to be, be a good one, my lunatic friend.

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  19. I rarely move my laptop off my desk, much prefer to have a dedicated place to write. I live in a year old apartment building with no fiber optic underground or in the walls. Each apartment has our own wi-fi network plus a public one we can let our guests use. It’s been very fast and dependable. I’m surprised they are still doing underground fiber optics. In my old neighborhood my cable guy told me that’s being phased out and that’s what I used to have to get my TV, computer and phone.

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    • Jean, underground fiber optic cable is new here. They just ran the lines this past fall, so for this area we are cutting edge. I’m shaking my head over that idea, btw.

      I like having a designated place to write, too. Most of the time it’s in the home office as seen in the photo above. I’m glad your wi-fi network is going strong. It’s not quite as important as running water and heat/ac, but it is a nice modern amenity.

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  20. That whole day could have gone so wrong. I’m glad it didn’t and you’re hooked up.
    I have no idea how our internet comes into the house…our router, wi-fi? I have a desk that I sit at. It’s too big and I have been wanting to downsize it but am not quite sure what I do want so here I am in limbo.
    I like your creative standing desk!! I also like that your wires are minimal and all wrapped up and neat.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Deborah, yes I was dreading the change to fiber optics, worrying about what might go irreparably wrong. There were a few problems, but Diligent Dave handled them all.

      We used to have a big desk system in this home office. It had rectangular desks and hutch bookshelves and square corner tables and filing cabinets on wheels; you put the pieces together kind of like Legos to conform to your space and needs. My point is: the system was too big for this room, so I bought this one simple desk to replace the whole mess. Much nicer with less furniture, and makes for a great way to showcase my “standing desk.”

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  21. I am glad your new wiring is working and I hope it continues to work for as long as you need it!
    I sit at a desk that looks like a table that belonged to my Grandfather in his work office and was used by my Mother for her home office. Standing too much hurts my old lady back.
    Even tho your husband is semi-retired, I would probably still consider him a young whippersnapper. 🙂

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    • Ellen D, I like your blessing for our new cable. I want it to work for a long time because changes like this can be mildly stressful.

      How lovely that you have family table that has passed through the generations to you and you can use it a modern way with your computer. That is way cool.

      I’ll let Zen-Den know he’s a whippersnapper to you. He’s going to love that. Thanks for the smile.

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  22. I think we have fiber optic also, although I’m not sure what exactly that means. As long as it all hooks up to the internet tubes, I’m good.

    Now I wish I had taken a picture of the contraption I put together once to make a standing desk, which involved empty cardboard boxes and a few books. It worked for a while but it was a bit rickety and I didn’t like having to move everything if I wanted to sit down. I’ve looked at the motorized ones (both stand-alone and ones that sit on top of a regular desk) but haven’t gotten any further than that.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Janis, all I can tell you about fiber optic cable that it’s new to here and has made my computer one zippy little machine. Works for me.

      I’m sure your standing desk contraption was a delight to behold. I worry a bit about how rickety these encyclopedias might be, but I’ve doing this for over a year now and it seems to be okay.

      I’ve looked online at the electric adjustable desks with variable heights. In theory they sound good, but until I could see one in action I’m reluctant to spring for one. Especially when I have World Books keeping my computer afloat.

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    • ganga1996, I’m glad you enjoyed this tale. This guy did a great job of setting us up, despite a few hiccups, so I wanted to help him get to his next appointment on time. People are allowed to make mistakes… like leaving your work tools in our basement.

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  24. My computer is on a table that I can roll right up to my La-Z-Boy recliner. A pull out tray is big enough for my keyboard and mouse. Legs up – and I’m very comfortable!
    We have slower internet – line of sight that beams off a tower.

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    • Margy, what an amazing arrangement you have going on. I’ve never heard of or seen anything like that. I bet you’re very comfortable and the wait for your internet connection is of little concern. If, like me, you stand around waiting, internet speed becomes more important.

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  25. Well, that’s a good question. Upon investigating, it looks like Spectrum uses a hybrid of coaxial and fiber. Which really makes little sense to me. I sit at my desk for desktop and lounge in a chair with my iPad. My mom kept calling a neighbor, ‘That Kid’ and I finally asked if he was an adult. He owns a condo, so let’s hope so.

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    • Bijoux, we just got rid of Spectrum which was slow, something I’m realizing now that we have fiber optic. Most people sit at their desks so I realize I’m a one-off about my standing desk. I wouldn’t be surprised to find out that Dave aka That Kid owns a condo. He wasn’t a kid, no matter what Z-D said.

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  26. I love that your computer has a name! How did you arrive at Keyzia? And I see some opportunities for osmosis with the encyclopedias … who knows? 🙃

    What I do know is that I yearn for a time where I can tap a comm unit, and say, a la Star Trek, “computer, upgrade my comm speed”, and be certain that the job will be done, and, that as adorable as they sound, I’ll never see/meet Diligent Dave or That Kid 😁

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  27. Many workers and even doctors and professional people look like kids these days. With a 36- and 33-year-old they could easily be MY kids. I sit on my recliner with my laptop in my lap and the cat fighting for any extra space. I have whatever Comcast offers. I’m not sure what that is but it’s plenty fast enough for me.

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    • Margaret, good point, some of these young ones could be our children. I’m not good using laptops and we don’t have a recliner or a cat anymore BUT your approach to computing sounds lovely. Truthfully it’s not the speed that drove us to upgrade to fiber optic, but the reliability. Spectrum cable has difficult lately.

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  28. I’m jealous. Not so much about your amazing speed, but having an options other than suddenlink. Diligent Dave may be diligent but he seems a bit flighty. I wish you well and speedy downloads!

    Liked by 2 people

    • Zazzy, yes we noted his flightiness, too. I believe he gets away with it because he’s a problem-solver and very polite. And shows up, eventually. And knows what he’s doing once he get doing it. Good attributes for an employee in the job he does.

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  29. Love your names for these fellas! Congrats on all the right cabling — underground and above — being installed correctly. I am a sit-down computer user, but I always amazed by my HR officer who had a very fancy stand-up work station. He swore by it.

    We have Xfinity internet. I’ve given up understanding how their “gateway fiber” works. It runs off of some modem that connects to fiber that is wired for our condo community. What I liked about your story is that Diligent Dave waited after installation to make sure that all of your devices connected okay. That’s never happened for us. I’d say you got great service in spite of your grocery visit being rushed. And, yes, ZD has some pre-codger-like qualities. But so do I, so me thinks he’s quite normal. – Marty

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    • Marty, I like standing up and typing. I feel like my posture is better than when I’m sitting. But it’s not for everyone– especially for people who don’t have 1966 World Books!

      Yes Diligent Dave was VERY insistent that we check everything in the house to make sure it worked. He was a nice guy, a bit scattered with his tools, but overall worth helping out.

      Somehow it doesn’t surprise me to know that you’re a pre-codger, too. Maybe it comes complimentary for males along with gray hair.

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  31. LOL, gotta love a good story (especially when it has a happy ending). They just installed fiberoptic in our community – I’ll wait a year before I consider it. When we first moved in the signal on the cable was too strong (never heard that before) so Diligent Dave had to add a series of splitters to dumb down the signal (his terms not mine). I have an L-shaped desk, the laptop occupies the keyboard shelf. I like space. Having 4 monitors an iPad, 2 disk backup systems, 2 stacks of books all sitting on the desk it sorta limits my space. So I sit on the floor with the puppy or go to the coffee shop so I can have space.

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    • Danny, I wondered how this switch would go and it was smooth enough. We just got fiber optic around here this past fall, so we’re early adopters in this area. I’ve never heard of a cable connection being too strong. You have a lot of stuff on your desk, but the floor with a puppy sounds like fun. Just getting a different perspective on life, aren’t ‘ya?

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  32. I sit as I type but I’m sure my knees would have appreciated hearing about those standing desks long ago. I considered getting a new desk, especially now that I don’t need as much “stuff” around me since everything I do is on the computer as opposed to needing physical charts to do my work but so far I haven’t. I am glad you had such an “easy” time getting your new cable installed. Yes, fiberoptic is supposed to be the best and I’ve heard that our local cable company is going that way. It would be nice to get some of these cables underground so I can get a good view of the sunrise/sunsets without all the poles in the way. LOL curmudgeon – trust me, it doesn’t take long for that to happen!

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    • Janet, the thing about standing up to write is that my back doesn’t hurt from scrunching over the keyboard staring at the screen. My posture is better when I stand.

      All our cables and wires are underground here so no wires in the way. It’s one of the features of this subdivision and when I go elsewhere one of the first things I notice are the lines in view. It’s not awful, of course, just noticeable. I hope you get your buried lines soon.

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  33. Oh, I love this update. And especially that the picture of your desk includes your blog up on the screen. Nice touch!!

    Well, it wasn’t without stress but DD got it done. And how nice of you to help him be on time to the next one. I have to say that leaving his tool bag behind kinda makes Zen-D’s “the kid” nickname a little more realistic.

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  34. 1. Since I am retired, I plop my laptop onto my lap. My couch is my office.

    2. We have a cable internet connection. It is basically one step up from dial-up (remember that?) Reeeeeealllly sssssloooooow!

    3. I am answering your question with a question. When you first began dating Zen Den, could you ever have pictured him _______ years in the future, in the Old Codger stage? When I first started dating Bill, he had shoulder length hair, wore platform shoes, which were the style at the time, and worked in a record store. Now he has no hair, wears old running shoes, and doesn’t work at all. He has entered the Old Codger stage (as have I). He would definitely yell at kids to stay off our lawn (if there were any kids left in the neighborhood to yell at)!

    I like to think of myself as pre-amused.

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    • Laurie, laptop on your lap, got it. Makes sense on many levels.

      I remember dial-up distinctly. That sound is embedded in my brain to such a degree that the mere mention of it starts it going in my head. Like now.

      When we first started dating in college I could not have pictured Z-D in the old codger stage of life. He was… young and enthusiastic and so very funny. Now he’s still funny but a bit more caustic & jaded than he once was. I’m waiting for him to yell at the kids to get off the lawn, we have lots of kids in this neighborhood. It’s just a matter of time.

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    • Jan, oh good. I don’t want your cousin to come anywhere near here. Of course now that our fiber optic cable is installed, I might not care as much. The march toward codger-ness finds us all eventually, I suppose.

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  37. Maybe DD left his tool bag at the job previous to yours and that’s why he was late for you. Maybe DD is in denial about his tool bag phobia and leaves it all over the place, even in the public bathrooms and at the spa. It could be that his mom has to phone and remind him all the time. 😉

    We’re in Canada and have Shaw internet. It’s the fibre optic so it’s fast. I think that all of us, if we live long enough, become codger-ish. Some of us are probably more codger than ish, but most of us probably don’t have tool bag phobias either, so that’s something.

    In my office I have an electric stand-up desk, so it’s very versatile for meetings, interviews (and standing up to work). I also have a big sit-down desk which allows me to more efficiently and evenly spread a mess over two surfaces. 😉

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    • Lynette, oh I love, love, love your *insight* into why Diligent Dave behaves like he does. You seem to have him figured out.

      You’re lucky to have Shaw internet. This new connection here is amazingly fast. I didn’t realize how slow things were before, but this is so fast I’m almost frightened of it. Almost.

      I’ve seen the electric stand-up desks for sale online. They look nice, I can imagine how versatile they are. I’m glad you have plenty of room to spread out your mess. We all need that, two surfaces [heads] are better than one!

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  38. In my experience, one never knows how the workers will work, when they will show up, or what they will leave behind. I’ve gotten calls about missing tools after the guys leave too.

    I sit at my desktop in my off-the-beaten path study. Well, it isn’t far enough off the beaten path for my taste. There are double doors that close, but then this room becomes an inferno. I used to sit on a yoga ball while I was at my desktop, but Coach (the physical therapist) bought me a chair a few years ago and believes it is decent on my back. I think the ball was better, but the chair is more comfy. My laptop is at the kitchen island. I like both. If I’m at the island and it gets loud, I scoot to the study.

    My dad has a similar set up for his desktop. It is balanced on MANY books, but not so many that he stands up to work at it.

    Congrats on your super fast cable. We don’t have that and we don’t have dial in, praise the Lord, so we have whatever the other version is. Not exactly a very scientific response, but there you have it.

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    • Ernie, you’re right about never knowing who’ll show up when it comes to workers. This time we were fortunate, other times not so much.

      I never got the hang of sitting on one of those exercise balls, so I got a decent office chair, but then I got the idea to elevate my desktop computer so now I stand. My chair is just for brief downtime moments. I also use a laptop at the kitchen island, but I’m not a fan of laptops so I’m usually in the home study.

      This new fiber optic cable is fast which is great, but we’re hoping it’ll be more reliable than Spectrum. Only time will tell on that front. It sounds to me that you have the kind of cable we just gave up on.

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  40. Ally, only you could make the story of cable installation entertaining…which you absolutely did! As far as your questions: 1) I have a desk that goes up and down, so I can sit and then stand as the mood strikes. That said, at the moment I am sitting at the kitchen table, and I have been known to plop down on the couch with my laptop in my lap (that’s what they’re made for, right?) 2) We have fiber optic, and it made a huge difference, both in speed and reliability. 3) Diligent Dave is much more intriguing than That Kid, and yes, sadly (or maybe happily) Z-D is on his way to being an old codger…as I more and more frequently find the people around me. Not me, of course, somehow I’m as young and hip as ever (in my own mind anyway)!

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    • Christie, thanks for the compliment. I was apprehensive about how the switch to fiber optic would go, but it went better than I thought it would. I’m already seeing how much faster things are going so I’m pleased. Fingers crossed that this is more reliable than what we’ve been dealing with– which was spotty some days.

      I’ve seen the adjustable desks for sale online, but never in person. So far my World Book stack is doing just fine, but I can see the advantage to a real desk.

      Like you I remain young and hip, far from codgerdom– and I’ll be darned if Z-D is dragging me down that path with him. 😉

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  41. Ally, I’m glad you got internet service after an eventful day. Technician’s visits and appliance deliveries are some of the worst time wasters in my mind (waiting for arrival and no guarantee of good service). My internet comes in through the cable lines. I use a sit down desk and an ergonomic chair. I try to alternate positions throughout the day.

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    • Natalie, you said it. We just left cable TV lines for this newer fiber optic cable. While I’m glad Diligent Dave got us connected to our new cable, it was a long day– among many this week. I have a wonderful desk chair, but I like standing better, truth be known. I know it seems odd, but I’ve been doing it for a year now so it’s a habit, hopefully healthy.

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  42. Many thanks to Judy@NewEnglandGardenandThread for answering all of your questions for me. Ditto all. Just one thing to add: I really, really enjoy your marvelous sense of humor. Thanks so much for a blog that I smile my way through.

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    • Julia, thank you for the compliment. I try to keep things light here, while truthful too. This was on of those situations that I entered pre-amused and let it unfold in front of me. Which it did.

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      • See? Right there. The pre-amused reference was the first giggle in the post. No need to comment on this one because you’re probably still busy responding to the holiday peeve comments from a couple of hundred of your readers!

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  43. I sit @ a desk. Have one of those older towers. Our internet is bounced off some relay station to a dish on the side of the house, then via cable to the back of the computer. I really love our provider. Still just $45 a month for unlimited internet. You got a couple of great guys working @ your house getting things installed. Ah, the simple pleasures of life…people who show up when they’re supposed to, and get things done!

    Liked by 1 person

    • DM, you sound like you have a good deal going on and you can’t scoff at the price. I feel fortunate that we had the technicians we did. It was a long weird day, but in the end I’m pleased to be breezing along with our new fiber optic.

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  44. Glad to hear that Diligent Dave finally got the job done and that you are enjoying reliable internet. My only complaint about ours is that I wasn’t home when it was installed. So that nifty little box on the wall? Between The Husband and our Diligent Dave they decided that centering that nifty little box on the wall was the PERFECT spot for it. You know, rather than tucking it away in a corner or behind a piece of furniture.

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    • Gigi, I’m sorry about where they placed your little box. It does seem ill-advised. In our case Diligent Dave told us where he was going to put the box, behind my desk out of sight. I’m liking That Kid more and more now. Fingers crossed we have more reliable internet now, we got rid of Spectrum because it was dodgy and slow.

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      • These two were not interested in the aesthetics of interior decorating, that’s for sure. After I pointed it out to The Husband, he reflected. And then agreed, yeah maybe that wasn’t the best spot for that little box. Luckily, that little box isn’t in any of the main rooms; but still…

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  46. I always sit at my desk. After a full day of physical labor — walking up and down docks and crawling over boats — the last thing I want to do is stand up. I have a PC that suits me just fine. I really don’t like laptops. I have an iPad in a keyboard case that I use when I travel or am away from home for other reasons, and it’s close enough to a laptop to do what I need it to do.

    I’m not sure whether I have fiber optic or not. My apartment complex contracts as a unit with Xfinity, so we pay the internet bill as part of our monthly rent: $55/month for me. I’m sure those who have other gadgets and gizmos pay more. I was curious what speeds I’m getting now, so I ran a speed test. My download load speed came in at 447.16 Mbps, and upload at 9.47 Mbps. What that means in real life is that I can stream music, process photos, and work with email or files all at the same time, without a hitch. I despise Zoom-and-etc., but I had to give it a try and one point and it worked without a hitch — no lag at all. I’m a very happy camper! Out of curiosity, what kind of speeds are you getting with your new fiber optic?

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    • Linda, I understand why you sit when you compute I would too if I did the work you do. I don’t really like laptops either. I have one but rarely use it. If I have to be away from my desktop iMac I use an iPad with a keyboard. I’m also with you about Zoom. Don’t like it, looking at all those faces makes me queasy.

      With this new fiber optic cable we’re paying for 750 Mbps, although we could upgrade to 1,000 Mbps for a price. We don’t game nor with Z-D more or less retired now do we need the best Zoom call connections. I’m pleased with the speediness so far, but am really hoping for a more reliable service, which is the real reason behind this switch. We were using the TV cable company and it wasn’t reliable.

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    • Janet, good point about being adaptable. I have a comfortable desk chair and I can always unstack the World Books so if I want, or need, to sit while typing I can do that. I’ve been using my standing desk for over a year now and like it. It may look quirky and odd, but so am I! 🤓

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  48. I’m happy that the transition actually went rather smoothly for you! I have a stand-up desk along with an engineer’s tall desk chair. Sometimes I stand a lot, sometimes sit a lot, sometimes alternate a lot. Having options is a good thing!

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    • Eilene, I’m pleased/relieved that the switch happened without incident– well, any incident that made it a two day project. You have a proper standing desk! I like the idea of an engineer’s chair to go with it. My standing desk arrangement may be unorthodox, but I do prefer to stand while writing so it works for me. Plus the price is right.

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  49. With most things, I want to understand why and how they work, but I’m usually a bit over my pay grade regarding technology. All I need to know in that department is, does it work? I prefer sitting in a computer chair and working on my large desktop computer, but I also like to read off my laptop when I’m in bed. Typing on that device in bed is a pain, so I usually avoid that.

    Everyone needs a Diligent Dave in their life. Is he for sale? 🤣

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    • Pete, I’m not a fan of laptops. I have one, but find it awkward to use regardless of where I am, sitting or standing. I do best with my trusty old iMac sitting on top of my vintage encyclopedias. Plus I try to limit how much time I spend online blogging, so to keep my blogging efforts confined to the home study seems prudent.

      I agree that we all could use a few more Diligent Daves in our life. That Kid did great.

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  50. I sit at my desk at home, but in my most recent job working in an office I did have a standing desk attachment/option. Usually spent half the day standing, half sitting. Since I was/am always using two large monitors, I never have the laptop on my lap – use the laptop on the desk. Our internet connection is fairly robust courtesy of Comcast…whose world HQ is right down the road from us…it better be good! We’re happy with it overall. I wouldn’t know anything about someone being an old codger. I am certainly doing all I can to avoid that “title” for myself!🙂

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    • Bruce, I used to sit in front of my desktop computer but one day decided to try standing, hence my improvised desk situation. I’ve never seriously worked with two monitors and I’m sure that could change my approach here. We made the switch only because our Spectrum service has been ailing for about 6 months. It was robust years ago, but as more houses have been built and neighbors are using about a gazillion electronic devices inside their homes, something happened. I’m happy to read you’re intent on avoiding codger-ness. I’m with you, but there is this dude in this house who… 🤨

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  51. Hi, Ally – Here’s my answers to your Q of the D:
    I use a MacBookAir Laptop. I don’t have a desk so always balance my laptop in my lap regardless of where I am sitting (usually the couch near our fireplace or sitting up in bed — please do not tell my chiropractor!

    Our internet come from cable via Rogers. I’d rate myself as ‘neutral’ about their service.
    I honestly do not know what I would do without internet connection in our home…and I hope to never find out.

    I’m with ZD on the last one. Most service workers, employees these days are kids. I swear the last WalkIn Clinic Dr that I saw was 12. Seriously!

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    • Donna, your secret about where and how you use your laptop is safe with me. I won’t tell your chiropractor… who could be a child for all you know. 😉

      I was neutral about our coaxial cable connection until it began to be unreliable. I’m not in need of the speed with now have the fiber optic cable, but am hoping, fingers crossed, that it is reliable. I remember when we first connected to the Internet with dial-up. Considering we no longer have a landline, cables are the only way for us to stay connected.

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  52. “They chatted about what wasn’t happening.”😆

    I’m currently in the market for a new work desk, so I’ve been perusing the comments with interest. Pretty sure typing on a treadmill won’t work for me, unless I’m okay with it being the last thing I type. The other options are all interesting possibilities though.

    I don’t think we have fiber optic here…? I guess not being sure means I don’t really know HOW our computers get their special sauce. But I’m glad that Diligent but Slightly Forgetful Dave got you squared away, and all is working well!

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    • An Audience of One, I looked online at the adjustable height desks, but have never seen one in person. In theory they sound great, but I remember a Nurse Practitioner in our Doc’s office talking about the one they used and how she didn’t like it because when you typed quickly on it, it wobbled. 🤷‍♀️

      I only became aware of fiber optic this fall when the outdoor crew lead by Happy Henry started tearing up our front yard to run cables up and down the street just in case anyone wanted to switch to fiber optic. He came to the door, he explained, we were intrigued.

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      • They used to have adjustable stand up desks when I worked in an office. I didn’t have one, but the people that did loved them. They could have been wobbly too though, who knows. And the aesthetics wouldn’t be nearly the same as the setup you have. 😃

        As to HH tearing up yards, just in case? Sounds like a pretty smart guy. A tad brazen maybe, but certainly innovative in terms of a strategy. 😆

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  54. Workers are the same the world over. We had a Aussie workman leave his toolbag here too, only we were the ones who had to ring him and tell him he had left his bag! He was terribly flustered when he got here and who knows how late he was to the next booking.
    I love your diy set up. I now use a standing desk a la Ikea. I had been tossing up whether to get one for a while and semi-retirement meant I was sitting a lot more than when I was working more hours. My hips started seizing up and then I pulled something nasty in my back, all from weakened muscled caused by sitting for long periods. It was not good. My physio says we have to move just keep on moving as we get older. It is an absolute must for our health. So I have a standard desk and also a height adjustable desk to use. I love the ability to adjust the height a smidgen up or down to reach the iptimal height and get it just right.
    I recently tried the pomodoro method. It is surprisingly productive. Mind you, the end result of my writing, pomodirily, is usually something completely different to what I intended to write about!
    As for the internet connection, Australia is far behind some third world countries. We are lucky to have fiber to the node (or our house) and only because this is a new estate. Most houses don’t – our old house relied on a crappy copper telephone network that failed each time it rained. No possibility of an upgrade either. The fibre cable here goes to a modem box in the garage and then Wi-Fi distributes connection to each room in the house.

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    • Amanda, I am smiling about your workman leaving his toolbag behind. There you go, human nature is universal. Z-D the old codger was amazed That Kid left his tools behind, he kept saying aren’t those tools expensive? Like I’d know! 🙄

      I like the health advice to just keep moving. I didn’t know about Ikea’s standing desks. I suppose I could look into getting one, but my stack of World Books seems to be doing the trick, albeit it may look odd. Or maybe it looks creative & frugal!

      I started using the Pomodoro method a few years ago when a blogger mentioned it to me. She suggested that it might keep me focused on my writing– and encourage me to move it, move it. With Alexa in the room it’s a breeze to get her to do the timer part, then I just have to obey.

      We only got fiber optic here about a month ago. I didn’t know it isn’t ubiquitous in Australia, figuring this part of the US was probably very much behind the times [because we usually are]. I like how speedy this new cable is, but we got it for reliability more than speed. Time will tell if we made a good decision to switch.

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  55. I sit in front of tables when at the computer. My knees are really bad and I can’t stand on them for long,

    We have fiber optic that runs into a tower on our property, and coaxial cable that carries the signal back and forth that runs through the backyard and into the house. I have a wi-fi modem and router (one unit) and all our electronic stuff is hooked up to wi-fi.

    I retired in 2014, when I was 58, and became an old codger (I prefer old fart) shortly after my stroke. ZD is, indeed, well on his way to bcoming an old codger.

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    • John, I understand why you wouldn’t want to stand in front of your computer. My knees are okay, but my ankles sometimes have something to say about it. Yet I continue on with my standing.

      Your internet service arrangement sounds good. As long as it works reliably and gives your gadgets enough power to go, then it’s wonderful.

      I’ll let Z-D know that your preferred term is old fart. He needs to keep his options open when it comes to describing himself going forward. I call him a codger, but he goes with curmudgeon.

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  56. a) love your desk and the cool use of the obsolete encyclopedias! Our desk sucks and gives me neck pain. I occasionally stand and it works so so.
    b) we have rural internet that is a satellite. Only option we have. They are pretty good about servicing etc but maybe not as good as Diligent Dave and crew.
    c) retirement doesn’t make one a codger. One can be that at 40 and still have 25 years left to work! It’s a mind set.

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    • Bernie, thank you, I like my creative use of the World Books. I saw them on the shelves in the basement doing nothing, then thought I wonder if I could turn them into a sturdy enough book stack to lift my desktop computer up. And the answer is yes!

      I’ve never had a satellite connection for internet service, but as long as it works you sound like you’re golden. Everything is buried around here, so as long as no one digs without having the utility protection service [a company] come out and put little flags in your yard to show you where the buried lines are, we’re good.

      I agree about the mindset involved in old codger-ness. I’m not embracing it!

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  58. My desktop computer I use at a normal level, but my “chair” has a rolling base that will hold an exercise ball. I love this and find it very comfortable.

    My husband uses a standing desk (IKEA) for his desktop and LOVES it. He does have a Topo Ergonomic pad that goes beneath his feet which is very cool. It has contours so when he stands he can move his feet into different positions. They call it the “Not-Flat” Standing Mat. It’s really useful.

    I use my laptop primarily at the dining room table, but have a treadmill desk attachment which I am trying to use more frequently again. It’s just a board with velcro straps that attaches to the handles of my treadmill. It works so well…when I take the time to use it.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Elisabeth, I’ve seen those exercise ball bases for sale but never test rolled one. I’m fascinated by them, but now that I’ve committed to standing while I write I might not need one.

      On the other hand I’ve been thinking about getting a mat to stand on, but not done anything more than think about it. Thanks for the deets, I’ll look into it. I like the sound of the one your husband has.

      I have a treadmill but will admit that when I use it, I watch TV. I’m not sure I could manage reading and writing whilst walking on it to nowhere. But it does have an appeal to it, to be productive while being healthy.

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  59. First: I’m pleased to know this tale has a happy ending; In the end, That (late for you) Kid knew what he was doing.
    I have a laptop that is 85% at my desk, 10% on our kitchen island, and 5% on my lap.

    We have Comcast internet buried underground from the street to our house, and I can’t tell you how often it’s been cut by lawn maintenance or my irrigation guys. Wait, did you ask that? No, that’s just me venting.

    Anyhoo, I hope you love your speedy internet service now!

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    • Suz, everything about the switch worked out and unfolded without real angst. That Kid had it going on in his own way.

      I don’t do well with laptops but I love how portable they are. I’m a complicated woman.

      All our lines, cables, and who knows what else are buried around here. That’s one of the best things about this subdivision, nothing obstructing your view of nature. Our landscapers seem to spare the cables, but give them the opportunity to slash an electric line, they take it.

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    • Crystal, thanks. Years ago I saved them from my parent’s house, then never did much with them. Now they are useful, so go figure? It sounds like your parents have the Bicentennial set which sound snazzy.

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  61. I should use a stand-up desk as I am at a computer for about 11 hours a day and sit too much. I did use another laptop to make a stand-up desk, similar to what you have done here Ally and that worked for nighttime, when I was reading the news or reading/commenting on blog posts, but not really for work. Had I known I’d be at this work-from-home gig as long as I have (since 2011), I would have invested in proper furniture and a desk chair, but I work from the kitchen as it is the biggest, most-open space and plug space is at a premium. A friend of mine in North Carolina recently got fiber optic internet when she got a card that this type of internet was coming to their neighborhood. She jumped at the chance to use it and she’s retired, but her husband works from home in a computer-related field so was happy to get it. I have had Comcast internet since right after Y2K. I waited to buy my first PC until after 01/01/00.

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    • Linda, I like standing more than sitting so I was destined to eventually create this DIY version of a stand-up desk, especially after I saw the World Books languishing in the basement. I understand why you didn’t buy furniture, not knowing you’d be at your job for as long as you have been.

      The fiber optic that we just got would have been helpful for Z-D when he was working from home every day, but now that he’s semi-retired it’s all for our own amusement. We got our first PC in the early 90s so we held our breath and crossed our fingers to see what was going to happen with Y2K… and doesn’t that seem like eons ago?

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      • I have my laptop elevated about a foot on the kitchen table and use a wireless keyboard and wired mouse on the table and I’ve done that for about five years. I got frozen shoulder from the way I was sitting, so this corrected it without PT/pain gels/patches. It works well, but the plasma screen distorts pictures and makes them too dark, so I have to raise up to see them. I liked the set-up in my room, which was really DIY and similar to yours.

        I had heard before that fiber optics was very quick. I have a fast load with Comcast, but now they have increased speed levels, mostly for gamers, so my speed is not considered “super fast” anymore.

        Yes it does seem like eons ago. All the worries for naught. Were you using Windows for that PC – I know you like Macs now.

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        • I went to this elevated configuration when my lower back hurt from sitting too long. Like you I found relief without going to the doctor or PT. Aren’t we the ones!

          There is a faster version of fiber optic cable, but we went with the slower one because we don’t game and it was less expensive.

          At Y2K we had a Gateway PC that came in a cow box & used Windows. It wasn’t until the early 2000s that we got our first Apple computer– and have never looked back.

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          • Yes, no meds or PT for us Ally! My mom had frozen shoulder many years ago and I took her to the PT appointments 3X a week and we got the special heating pad for at home and it didn’t help, so I wasn’t going to make that mistake. This set-up works for me too. Doctors will go out of business because of us. 🙂

            My first PC was a Gateway and I remember the cow box. I had it until I did a Service Pack 2 update and it crashed so badly that Geek Squad came in and could not get it up and running. I didn’t blame Gateway, just Windows/Microsoft with their updates.

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              • One day I will “go Mac” because Windows’ endless versions and updates just make no sense to me either. Our former R-governor (Rick Snyder) was one of the top execs at Gateway before becoming governor, thus his moniker of “self-proclaimed nerd” (though he wore a few more monikers before his tenure ended as a result of poor choices for the people of Flint, MI for their water crisis).

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  62. I have had a Diligent Dave who had to come out when my internet connection was spotty. He also spotted a problem and called someone to check the cable. So I’m glad you had such a great experience. I’m especially glad to see that some people still have pride in their work!

    I have a laptop, but I keep it on my desk. I have a lot of Zoom meetings, so I keep it in one place. I’d love to have a standing desk. I might see about getting one.

    I’m used to people calling me Ma’am now. Last winter, I was out shoveling snow around my car. A young man ran up to me and asked me if I needed help. I guess he was afraid I would keel over! 😄

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    • L. Marie, You’re right, it’s good to see someone take pride in what they do. Diligent Dave may have seemed like a kid to Z-D, but he got it done– and was pleasant in the process.

      Your use of your laptop mirrors how Z-D used/uses his. When he was working from home he was doing endless Zoom calls, so his laptop stayed in one spot where he’d look good and the room background was nice.

      I get lots of “Ma’am” now too. Funny and rather sweet that a young man wanted to help you. My late mother said that one of the best things to happen to her was her hair going white. Suddenly everyone wanted to help her carry things– and she let them. 😉

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  63. Newly-installed fiber optic here, compliments of the city of Fort Collins (via con Dios, Xfinity…may you never darken my door again) and, thus far, it’s a wonderful thing. And I am busily stacking my World Book Encyclopedias as we speak…sheer genius!

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    • Lies Jack Kerouac told Me, we’ve only had this new fiber optic cable a few days, but it puts Spectrum to shame. I saw the World Books in the basement on a shelf collecting dust and had a thought, a la Grinch “a wonderful, awful idea,” that happened to work.

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  65. Pingback: RIP, paddle – A Silly Place

  66. Wow, that was complicated! I don’t know if I have fiber optic or not, but I do know that my internet service is much slower than I’d like. My question is, if computers are supposed to make our lives simpler, why don’t they actually do that??? LOL!

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    • Ann, I’d like to know the answer to your question, too. I’ve learned to accept the existence [intrusion?] of machines in every facet of my life, but it has not made my life simpler. Quite the opposite. I do know that this fiber optic connection is faster than our previous one. Sometimes it’s almost too fast.

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  67. Oh, I’m so behind on reading and commenting on my favorite blogs like yours, Ally Bean!

    OMG. A couple of weeks ago, I was interviewing (not for a job but for other reasons related to his job) this kid on online — he looked like he was in junior high school! His job title was some Engineering Intern of some sort so I expected him to be young, a college-aged kid. During the interview, I found out his job became a permanent full time, no longer an intern, “after I finished my Masters Program”, he said. You know how you just can’t help yourself (or sometimes they say you start to lose your filters as you get older)? That was me and I blurted out, “Oh, but you look so young; I thought you were in high school!” I had enough wits to keep from adding the “junior” so he won’t be too offended, in case he’s one of those kids who don’t want to look young! LOL Anyway, all that to say yes, I can totally relate to Z-D!

    When I’m working, I sit at my desk maybe 75% of the time. I also bring my laptop to the formal dining room talbe where I have more room to spread out if needed. In the spring/summer, I like to sit at the breafast nook or stand by the kitchen island and watch and listen to the birds in the backyard. They have so much to say to each other! My blog-reading time is on the couch, with my laptop on my lap.

    I like what you did with the encyclopedia. I will have to remember that next time I want to stand and need to raise my screen!

    I just know we get ours through cable. Is fiber optic different from cable? Is it a different provider from your old cable/internet provider? As you can see, I know nothing about these things.

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    • M, first off thank you for telling me I’m one of your fave bloggers. That means a lot.

      Second, I’m laughing myself silly with your story of the interview. I went and told Z-D and he’s laughing too, in allegiance to you. When I told him you didn’t add “jumior” to the high school reference he said “way to be discreet.” You two, peas in a pod.

      You’re versatile about how you use your laptop. There’s a lesson in that. I tend to put a computer somewhere then always go there.

      I’m not sure, but I believe that cable is coaxial and fiber optic is something different. In our case we ditched Spectrum, the cable company, for this new group with fiber optic that is part of the phone company.

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  68. Ally, I like the names of your “characters” and what an excellent use for the world book encyclopedia! I only have a laptop and either sit at the dining room table, or at my desk in the den (a small 1870 side table I rescued from the farm and restored) or it’s on my lap while watching tv. I can’t imagine standing while typing. My cable setup is horrible as the Cogego sub-contractor guy (not sure what to call him?) threaded it through the basement near a window and hung the modem in mid-air one the wall near the fusebox, so if I have to reset it at the back, I can’t even see, it’s so dark in the corner and so awkward to reach. I find all people look like kids these days, so Zen-Den is not alone.

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    • Joni, the characters in this story were capable, albeit young-looking. I had no idea what to expect with the installation. Our modem is in the home study near the magic little box on the wall. Your setup does sound lousy. I wonder why the installer guy didn’t thread your cable up to the first floor? Even our now banished coaxial cable made it to the first floor.

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      • Now that you mention it, I seem to recall that that he couldn’t find where the cable services were on the first floor, so he put the modem in the laundry room in the basement near where all the other lines come in. Previous to bundling with Cogeco (phone/cable TV/fibre internet) I had internet with Bell phone service which hooked into the phone lines. He was a sub-contractor from Cogeco and they get paid by the job, (so I was told by my neighbour) so he wasn’t here very long. I have an upstairs too, but the modem signal does seem to work okay despite having to go up two floors. PS. There are spiders down in the laundry room.

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        • As long as your system works it’s a good one. Newer houses come all pre-wired for all kinds of cables now, but anything built before 2000 doesn’t. Or so I was told a few years ago by a realtor who knew things. Spiders you say? Aren’t you lucky!

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  69. I absolutely ❤ your desk, but am also in awe of how you re-worked it as a standing desk. How wonderful of Diligent Dave to calmly move it in order to get his job done. Over here in the UK, they're more likely to stand around drinking the coffee/tea you've made them, and watch while you (as in me, with my bad back) does the moving (and later, the moving back). I want a Diligent Dave to do my next wi-fi install.

    Z-D is not alone. I'm often heard asking "how old is he…. 12?" about any number of apparent grown-ups. Although if they do any moving or carrying, I just love 'em regardless of their apparent youth. Does this make me shallow? 😀

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    • Deb, a few other people have mentioned that their installers wouldn’t touch a thing, go out for their way to help like Diligent Dave did. It might be a regional thing. As much as I sometimes mutter about how conservative this region is, the flip side is all those nuns and strict parents taught the kids, now grown-ups, to be helpful. Brownie points in heaven, I suppose.

      Z-D entertained me with his insistence on saying That Kid, rather than using the man’s name. I thought Diligent Dave looked about 30 y.o. but then I’m not a self-proclaimed old codger. Although I do admit that the nurses in the doctor’s office look like their 16 y.o.

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  70. I love when, after being late for you, they stress the importance of being on time for the next one. That aside, sounds like everything worked out in the end! That is a wonderful use for the encyclopedia… wherever did the family one go, I am now wondering.
    I like the idea of a desk that you can move up or down depending on your whim. Having just put tile flooring everywhere, I cannot imagine standing for any length of time without having a comfort mat – my knees are screaming at the thought.
    We are lucky to have “Fibe” in our neighbourhood.
    I got mad at Bell – my Internet provider and switched to Videotron (only in Quebec) and am now regretting that choice. Unfortunately, V’s internet is way faster than B’s so, I hesitate.
    As for calling him a kid, I totally get it. We’re there now, aren’t we? Where no matter who is doing what for us, they seem to be too young!

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    • Dale, yes the quiet irony didn’t escape me, although I think it did for Diligent Dave. No matter considering we got our cable with a minimum of difficulty. And I got a good blog story out of it.

      I kept the encyclopedias from my parents house when my mother moved out and sold it. I had no reason other than I like how they look. Then I saw them in the basement and decided to give this configuration a whirl. It worked, although I have ordered an anti-fatigue mat to stand on. My knees are okay, but my ankles are howling.

      I agree that almost everyone is beginning to look too young to me. I’m not quite to Z-D’s level of codger-ness, but I sense it’s coming.

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      • I would have, as well, to be honest. And yes, in the grand scheme of things, there are worse things!

        I’m seriously wondering where ours went. Hmmm. I love the look of a set of encyclopedias! And talk about a stylish use! Yeah, rough on the knees and feet.

        I don’t think I’m there yet, either. I’m just at the “dang, to be starting out again stage”.

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  71. Regardless of the type of computer you use, do you have a sitting or standing desk? Or do you prefer to sit at a table? Or to plop your computer onto your lap?
    I work from home and have a standing desk, an ergo pad for standing, and a hard stool (to prevent long moments of sitting) that sits perfectly on the standing pad so I can sit when I need a different position from standing. I move it back and forth often. I have foot support for my dangling feet whilst I sit. The only thing I could complain about is the lack of desk space to store all the papers I’m inclined to keep just in case or the numerous works in progress that my job entails. Where are all of your post-it notes? 😉

    Do you know how you get your internet connection in your home? Do you like it?
    Yes, for the most part, I like our hardwired connection and occasional wi-fi connection. Both work well. We have the same connection company that we’ve had for 30 years. I’m sure Mr. would be able to install/tweak as needed. I rely on him and his expertise to do the Diligent Dave/That Kid kind of stuff – he’s like Zen-Den, not impressed for the most part with those that are delayed or confused about what they’ve been hired to do.

    Considering that Zen-Den continues to refer to Diligent Dave as That Kid, do you believe, like I do, that Z-D the recently semi-retired is well on his way to becoming an old codger?
    It’s an earned right 😉

    PS – glad it’s all working now and that you’re back in business in that incredibly creative workspace!!

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    • Shelley, Elisabeth in a comment above suggested a brand of anti-fatigue mat that her husband likes and I’ve ordered one– mat, not husband. Your set-up sounds perfect to me. I think it’s the ability to have a variety of ways to engage with your computer screen that makes our lives easier.

      As for post-it notes I use the sticky ones in the computer or I scribble notes on that homemade pad of paper you see to the right on the desk. I re-purpose any piece of paper that has a clean white side by tearing it in half, then clipping the sheets together with a kitchen clip. Waste not, want not.

      You’re right that it is an earned right for Z-D to refer to Diligent Dave as That Kid. He wasn’t saying it a mean way, just in an old guy way that he has come to embrace in his short time as a semi-retiree. 🙄

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  72. 1. Of course *I* have a sitting desk. I saw the picture of your standing desk and thought, “Ah, wouldn’t that be nice?”
    2. I don’t know what we have, but your story rang true. I remember a chord coming into the house and a hole being made NEXT TO my desk. Behind it, meaning the desk would need to be moved, would be problematic. This desk is a BEAST!
    3. Z-D being an old codger sounds likely, but it depends on the age of The Kid. Was he in his early twenties or early thirties? Twenties–logical nickname. Thirties–definitely getting codgerish. 😛

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    • Betsy, I like standing and typing at my DIY desk. A few commenters have mentioned they have a proper adjustable height desk, but I’m sticking with mine.

      My desk isn’t all that heavy so moving it wasn’t impossible, I just feared for my computer on top the World Books. If you have a beast desk, yep– that’d be a problem.

      That Kid was maybe 30 y.o. He was wearing a rag wool stocking cap pulled up to a point over his head so it did lend to him looking like a child ready to go outside and play in the snow. Just saying, no disrespect intended about his fashion choices.

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  75. What an eventful day lol I love that you documented it hour by hour almost haha! Also, so nice of you guys to rush home to help Diligent Dave get to his next appt on time LOL…

    I like writing at a desk for sure (which is usually my dining room table). The odd time I will have my laptop on my lap desk and try to balance everything the tray.

    LOVE the mention of the encyclopedias lol.. I have found memories of being in grade school and lugging home (each of my sisters) a case of free encyclopedias. LOL

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    • Jenn, Diligent Dave was a character, in a good way. We were happy to help him become reunited with his tools, but the irony of his statement about not being late, made me laugh.

      I understand about how difficult it can be to balance a laptop on your lap. I’ve never excelled at that.

      My mother was a teacher and the encyclopedias are from my parent’s house. I latched onto the World Books years ago for no reason other than I thought they were pretty. Now they’re useful.

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  76. Setting up your fiber optic cable aka wifi seemed quite the effort, many heads to work it out. But good that they seemed to know what they were doing and all fixed in the end. Rushing for groceries never is pleasant but you were lovely to get home so Diligent Dave got his bag.

    I have a sit table. It’s just my preference. Not a huge fan of having a laptop or tablet on my lap as they can overheat. I live in metropolitan Australia, and these days setting up an internet connection involves speaking to the internet place to get the admin set up. Then they give you a modem and you set it up yourself at home – which is not too hard to set up provided the instructions make sense 😄

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    • Mabel, when we used coaxial cable the set up process was like yours because the cable from the street was already attached to the house. In spite of their instructions it was relatively ezpz to get it going.

      HOWEVER fiber optic just arrived here, meaning someone had to run one of their cables from the street to the house, then run the cable through the inside of the house to the room where you wanted it. This is, of course, how I came to meet Diligent Dave.

      I prefer my desktop computer for the reason you mention about the downside of laptops. We all find ways to make our computers work for us… eventually.

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      • It is funny how when there are upgrades to the cable it just sends the home internet into a bit of a manual upgrade at times. Over here the cables do get upgraded now and then and sometimes we have to put up with no wifi for a bit.

        Yes, we make our computers work for us until it really is time for an upgrade once in a blue moon 😄

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