Remotely

At the end of last year I learned how to maintain a computer database for an organization I belong to.  After a small learning curve I think I'm doing a pretty good job.  When someone has an change they email me the information.  I update the database, then publish a report and email it to the woman who uploads it to the organization's web page.

Last week I got an email from my partner. She said she'll be traveling for a couple of weeks and won't be able to bring her computer.  Could I manage the website in her absence?

Um....sure. I think.

I don't have the web page software program installed on my computer, so over the weekend she gave me her laptop, along with the email address for the organization's business and all the the appropriate passwords.  I set up an auxiliary computer station on a shelf in the family room and made myself a note to check the organization's email a couple of times a day.

On Monday I got my first request.  I did the part I always do, but I couldn't figure out how to navigate hers. Even after clicking through all the folders on the software I wasn't sure how to proceed.  Thankfully, the man who had the job previously was available to help.  Last night he walked me through the steps using a remote control program.

 I called him after dinner, and he initialized the remote session from his end.  It's always a little creepy to watch someone use my computer remotely. The mouse moved around the page and words got selected and deleted, even though I'm wasn't doing it. Sometimes when we both tried to use the mouse at the same time the pointer arrow bounced around the page like a ball in a game of Pong.

In the 24 hours it took to set up the remote there wee three requests--the original one, plus two others that came in yesterday.  The remote session took almost an hour, but all the changes have been made.  I wish I could say I learned exactly how to do it, but it all moved too fast for me to take notes.  My web page partner told me that the requests come in a varying rates. Sometimes there will be several in a week and sometimes just a couple.

I'm hoping for the latter.

Five years ago today: Starring Me!