From Don:
Tuesday July 2, 2013
Both Alison and I rely heavily on our laptops to keep us connected with the rest of the world as we travel. Suddenly, and without warning my computer refused to start up this morning despite all my attempts to encourage it to do so. Alison immediately began sharing her computer with me and I went online to look for possible ways to wake up a sleeping MacBook. I kept finding the same solution suggested: reset the System Management Controller (SMC), but trying that multiple times didn’t get a peep out of my precious.
Having access to Alison’s computer gave me the basics of my electronic life, but the things I was used to having access to, like my iBank accounts, my Kindle murder mysteries and Formula 1 Live Timing were simply not available. In the bigger picture none of those things were really of any great import, and not having my own computer led me to looking for something, anything, to read, and to finding William Paul Young’s extraordinary book The Shack hidden away behind a stack of John Grisham and Robert Ludlum holiday potboilers. I then read The Shack twice in two days. So on balance I figured that I’d gained more than I’d lost, but I anticipated that I was probably going to have to wait until we were back in Vancouver to get my computer repaired, and that was still more than five weeks away.
So I was faced with the task of accepting the is-ness of the moment: of letting go of my attachment to having a computer at my command. It also meant that we had only one computer to rely on instead of two, and then Alison had difficulties getting her computer to charge that same night, and then had a problem getting it to restart. We were able to sort it out and get it charging again and eventually she was able to get it started, but it made us realize just how close to the edge we were. If anything went wrong with her computer and we couldn’t use it then we’d have to rely on Internet cafes, and that probably wouldn’t work for getting her blog posts done, or, more importantly, for doing necessary travel research and booking. So all we could do was take the best care possible of her computer and make sure that we backed it up every day.
Sunday July 7, 2013
I was looking forward to watching two back-to-back races live on TV: The German Formula 1 race beginning at 7:00 this morning and a mountain stage of the Tour de France beginning right after it, but it began raining torrentially hard last night and continued throwing it down all night. Soon after the rain began the satellite box stopped receiving a signal and only began working again this morning once the rain finally stopped at around 9:30, just in time for me to see a repeat of the winner crossing the line in today’s stage of the Tour.
After doing a lot more deep breathing and letting go, after realizing that I probably wasn’t going to see either of my races, I suddenly had a thought: I have an extended warranty on my computer, why don’t I try to find out if I can get online help from Apple? I’d never even thought about trying to do this before that moment, but I got on the Internet, found the Apple help page, and Skype phoned them. After I described the problem to the Genius at the other end of the line she suggested trying the SMC reset. I didn’t tell her that I’d already tried this and she wasn’t too encouraging about the possibility of it working, but I did what she told me, which was not any different from what I’d already tried a number of times on my own. This time a miracle happened: my computer started up quite happily on the first press after doing the reset and continued to work just fine, including doing a backup.
When the satellite TV signal began working again I was able to look at the on-screen guide and discovered that both races that I wanted to watch would be repeated later in the day, so I wouldn’t miss either of them.
So what do I think was really going on over the past few days? The only thing I can conclude is that The Mystery really wanted me to read The Shack and get the messages that I needed to get from reading it, and that there was no other way for The Mystery to get my nose out of my computer and into a printed book. In addition one of the clearest messages I got from The Shack was that I needed to do a lot more letting go of control and letting go of thinking that I have any control over what happens in my life, hence the failure of both my computer and the satellite feed, to propel me into doing a lot of deep breathing and letting go of my attachment to having things work the way I want them to. This nomadic journey was given life when I said a big YES to letting go of the life I had in Vancouver. At that time I kept letting go into whatever The Mystery had to offer or suggest. In the two years since then I’ve had no reason to stop trusting the guidance that I’ve continued to receive. It’s just that sometimes I seem to need clearer guidance to set me straight in my thinking once more. My computer refusing to start, the TV satellite feed going on the blink, the hiccup with Alison’s computer, coupled with being propelled into reading The Shack were all God’s two-by-fours: they served their purpose of getting my attention and reminding me that ultimately there is no control over what happens: you get what you get.
Photo of the day, from Don: On the way up Mandalay Hill
All words and images by Alison Louise Armstrong unless otherwise noted.
© Alison Louise Armstrong and Adventures in Wonderland – a pilgrimage of the heart, 2010-2015.
Adventures in Wonderland 
Good to know you got your laptop back on track plus the bonus, finding something inspirational to read during the downtime. 😊
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Thanks for your comments. What I didn’t say, for sake of narrative flow, was that my computer refused to start again the next time I turned it off and I had to go through a much more detailed fix with the help of the smart folks at Apple before the problem was solved. I’m hoping that it continues working well until I’m back in Vancouver and can get it checked out at the Apple store there.
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I wonder, do you need to power it off completely or can you go on hibernate mode? I’m not familiar with Apple but on my computer there are several ways to put down the computer without shutting the system down completely. Well, I do hope it will behave itself until you can get it to the computer doctor…ha-ha. 😃
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Thanks for the thoughts. With my mac all I have to do is close the lid and it goes to sleep without shutting down completely, and that’s what i’ve been doing since it was fixed. I’ll have to shut it down completely when we fly to Oaxaca this coming weekend, so i’ll just have to hope that it behaves itself when I go to restart it. If it doesn’t I’ll be phoning the Geniuses once more!
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😃All the best, Don.
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A dear friend once taught me how, when my surrounding objects/things go awry, they are probably reflecting me (my emotions or thoughts or feelings) in that moment. Car overheated? Hmmm, yup, I was feeling pretty emotionally overheated at the time. Computer crashed? Oh, dang… yup I was feeling overwhelmed with data, or with processing, or with too much input, or perhaps poking my nose into the world’s business beyond what was healthy. While I work on the fixes, I get a chance to figure it all out. So Don, I enjoyed reading about your doing the same thing.
But still, dontcha just hate getting those two-by-fours upside the head!
The Shack. At first glance, I can understand why you’d see the purpose of your macbook two-by-four as getting you to read it. AND maybe it was also to point the rest of us toward it after reading your blog post. One question — is it as hard to read as it sounds (referring to the harshness of the events that came before the lessons)? I’ve always preferred authors who use the “good things happen because” explorations (eg Richard Bach) rather than the “bad things happen because” approach to receiving lessons.
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Hey Kate,
I don’t want to tempt fate (whatever that means) but these days after I realise that I’ve been smacked up the side of the head yet again I have a great appreciation that another wonderful opportunity to grow (?AWOG) is being offered.
With regard to The Shack, I was so engaged by the story that the awfulness of what happens in the life of the central figure did not put me off. But I have to say that I love stories that have a supernatural element, and this one has it in spades! Let me know what you think of it if you do decide to read it.
Big hugs as always, Don
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Deep breathing… I am so familiar with it as I am with your attachment to your Mac. My little Mac Air has been my faithful companion throughout my travels. And now as a hairline crack came up on my screen I am already mourning its possible demise. But it is a blessing that you see it as a blessing (redundancy intended) for it is in the little bleeps in life that we find so many good surprises.
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Hi Lidia,
Thanks for your comments. My commiserations on the potential demise of your MacBook AIr. Perhaps you can get the screen replaced? I’m finding that the more willing I am to look for the deeper meaning underlying whatever happens, the easier it becomes to accept whatever happens, or put another way: now when I’m handed lemons, after I stop crying I make lemonade! Don
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Ah, a VERY good way to look at it. I do like that you allow yourself the time to weep and then move on. 🙂
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Don:
This is a beautiful post. We learn this lesson over and over, don’t we? Even when we think we’ve already learned it. I guess when we REALLY get it, there will be no reason for us to be in this lifetime any more.
I read The Shack several years ago . Wonderful book, wonderful lessons.
Thanks for your honest self assessments, both of you. Kay
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Lovely to get your comments Kay. Once we’ve let go of all attachments to the things of this world then it’s probably time to move on anyway!
Many Blessings, Don and Alison
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Alison and Don, I want to thank you both for your introspective reflections in this and previous posts on the nomadic life. I’m generally a cynic and question many tenets of new age philosophy. I like to be in control and don’t take change very well – and normally live my life that way rather well. But I’ve read your musings with an open mind and it was seeds you planted that got me through a very recent and difficult time. A dear friend and my dog died (suddenly and unexpectedly of cancer) within three days of each other and a new (and perfect) puppy came into our life fairly soon after by a miraculous confluence of rare circumstances. During that time my grief triggered very negative and fearful thought patterns and I dealt with it by exercising your advice about examining the stories the mind makes up and the mind’s fear responses. And, letting go enough to allow the universe to unfold, and trust its unfolding. I believe that synchronicity and chaos co-exist as partners in a paradox of life (perhaps in different proportions for different people), but one has to have an open heart to be receptive to synchronicity when it occurs. Your thoughts reminded me to be open to the possibility. And I totally agree with you that you ‘get what you get’ – which means accepting the good and the bad, the joy and the sorrow, the endings and the beginnings.
Be well – Gayle
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Hi Gayle
Lovely to hear from you, but not the circumstances. I’m so sorry to hear about your friend, and your dog (who I remember well from our trip to SA together, and visits to your house – such a bouncy friendly guy). You must be heartbroken.
I’m so happy to hear our musings helped you through this difficult time. The mind sure can make up some powerful stories that don’t necessarily serve us.
I think I kind of agree about the chaos/synchronicity paradox. It seems to me the more I let go of attachment to any specific outcome, the more it falls on the side of synchronicity rather than chaos. And yes, open heartedness is important so you can receive the good that flows to you. And you get what you get!
I love that the universe provided you so promptly with a perfect new puppy. May you enjoy him/her to the fullest.
Hope to see you soon – we’ll be in town for a few days at the end of August – maybe we can have an FSU dinner.
Take care
Alison
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Hi Gayle and thank you for the feedback. When I was a child I never felt that anything I said or did had any influence on the world around me, and probably for that reason I love to hear that some of my words are now having a positive effect.
Like Alison, I was sorry to hear about the death of your friend and your dog, and delighted to hear that a perfect new puppy has come into your life. Blessings, Don
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Adding my hopes your computer continues to keep you connected to us in cyberspace, always in heart. 🙂
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Ah Paulette, you always say the sweetest things! 🙂 Don
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It’s amazing how just a few years ago, we functioned perfectly normally without laptops and smartphones, but now we can’t be separated from them! Glad things worked out in the end 🙂
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You’re so right Mimi, but then I think of all the wonderful people all over the world that I would probably never have come into contact with had it not been for the internet. 🙂
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There’s another message here as well Don on how dependent we have become on electronic communication. Yours is the second blog I read this morning addressing the issue. Two days ago I was in Tok, Alaska and had an iffy connection. It was impossible to do a blog and I became grouchy– to say the least. 12 years ago I traveled for a year without a cell phone and very limited internet connection. I survived just fine. 20 years ago when I did a six-month solo bike trip I was in communication with people I knew about once a month. No problem. In fact I loved it. So we become more and more connected and more and more frustrated when the connections don’t work. Is our connection freedom or a form of addiction? –Curt
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Great and thought-provoking comments Curt, and thank you for them. I think about the men who set off around the world in sailing ships and were away for two years at a time with no contact. And your own journeys where you had limited connections with friends back home. But now we have the technology that permits 24-hour a day connection all over the world. Is our connectivity a freedom or an addiction? It can be either or both. How would I ever have been able to meet all the amazingly wise and thoughtful people that I’ve connected with via the internet? That to me is a great gift. And then what about that fount of all knowledge: Google? I’d be lost without it. And for us nomads the internet is indispensable: I can book flights, hotel rooms, theatre tickets, etc., etc. online. Can I close my computer at the end of the day and go to bed with a peaceful mind? Then I’m not addicted to it. Cheers, Don
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I get the wonders… and yes, Google and I are well acquainted. I use it for travel, writing, general research, and genealogy. Like you, I am having a kick with the blog and the connections. But sometimes an alarm goes it off in the back of my mind… –Curt
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Great post, really grabbed my attention. Maybe because I was at a Genius bar yesterday after my daughter’s MacPro stopped working Friday night. I love your line: “It’s just that sometimes I seem to need clearer guidance to set me straight in my thinking once more.”
I love it that the Universe (Mystery – love that also!) provides what we need.
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Hi Kelly,
Thanks for the comments and the kind words. Having read your very thoughtful post of this date:
https://mail.google.com/mail/?shva=1#inbox/13fe29c9edd47c38
it seems that we are very much on the same wavelength. However I’d forgotten the concept that we set our intention for this lifetime before we’re born and that everyone we come into contact with has a gift for us, even if we don’t always appreciate that at the time. So thank you for those very timely reminders. Don
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Alison, what dates are you hear at the end of August? An SFU dinner would be wonderful. Simon doesn’t find my FS comments about new programs and such very interesting. I’ll give you theory that synchronicity is more like if one gives up attachment to outcomes – why not?
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We arrive Aug 30, leave Sept 5. There should be some new programs out by then at the senior B’s and early season comps. Don’t know if I’ll have had time to see any of them.
I think synchronicity is way more likely if one gives up attachment to outcome – then the energy is free to move. Also being willing to receive and an open heart as you mentioned are both pretty important too.
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Great post Don. I think we get too attached to “stuff” sometimes and it’s times like these that really ground us and remind us to take a step back. “Stuff” can cause so much stress, especially when you have too much of it! (Like I do…). I look forward to becoming more of a minimalist for this reason!
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Hi Lindsey,
You’re right: less IS more. The longer that Alison and I travel the truer that becomes.
We’re going to South America in September this year, so your posts about Lima will be helpful. I look forward to reading more of them.
Don
p.s. I love the title of your blog: Alison and I love to go flaneuring whenever we go to a new town or city. Some of our best experiences have come when we didn’t know where we were going.
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Hi Don, thank you! I find that flaneuring around seems to be one of lowest stress ways to enjoy a new place. South America is such a beautiful place. I hope to have the chance to explore more of it someday. I hope you guys enjoy your visit there. If you have any questions about Peru at any point, feel free to ask me. I wasn’t there long but am always happy to share my experiences and impressions of a place 🙂
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Thanks for the offer to ask you about Peru Lindsey: I’m sure that we’ll be contacting you once we get ourselves organised about where we want to go while we’re there. Don
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What a great tale of allowing ~ the very act of allowing, lead you to a very favorable end result. This was an awesome read. How naked we all feel when technology fails us nowadays. It’s amazing that you worked through those feelings with such grace. Not many could achieve that in a far away land, without the one thing that keeps us feeling connected, and on top of it all with the back-up displaying signs of problematic behavior.
I’m so happy this worked out so perfectly ~ when we are aware, the messages are so clearly displayed all around us. This was a great reminder of that!
~Andrea<3
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Hi Andrea,
My apologies for not replying sooner, but Alison and I received another one of The Mystery’s 2×4 clearly displayed messages two days ago (that will be the subject of my next This Nomadic Life post) and we’ve been dealing with the consequences of what happened since then.
Thank you for all your comments ❤ Don
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Love your voice in your writing, Don. And your thoughts and conclusions…do we ever actually learn any of this once and for all? Here’s a thought: buy an iPad, so the mystery will have to let you operate it to read books as well as doing the other stuff online!!! It would be cool if you could hook a keyboard up to your phone, eh?
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FROM DON: Thanks BF. I keep thinking about an iPad Pro instead of my now elderly (going on 5 years old), but much loved, Macbook Pro, to save weight on our travels. I could even get a keyboard to attach to it (see this very recent link for details: http://www.theverge.com/circuitbreaker/2016/7/14/12186930/razer-mechanical-keyboard-case-ipad-pro-price-release-date). I won’t need a keyboard for my iPhone: I’ll just wait until the WiFi chip that converts my thoughts (electrical brain impulses) into electronic signals that are relayed to my iPhone 10S has ben implanted in my cerebral cortex!
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Hahahaha!! I have an iPad with a keyboard, but the keyboard (and the iPad are a few years old) is small and it’s awkward for me to type on as I’m a regular typer and use all fingers. So I’m going to wait for that wifi chip too!!
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