Give the Change Back

Change. Webster defines it thusly, “to make the form, nature, content, future course, etc., of (something) different from what it is or from what it would be if left alone.”



I like the last part of that definition, “…what it would be if left alone.” What is so wrong with leaving things alone? Change is not always good or necessary. For some time now I have been complaining expressing my view, that progress, sometimes, moves in the wrong direction.


Now don’t get me wrong, I like anything that improves my daily life and allows me to be more productive. What irritates me to no end is when some fool behind a desk highly compensated engineer suddenly decides that to keep his/her job and remain an integral component of corporate America they must change something to prove their worth.


Allow me to rant endlessly elaborate. Software upgrades. How many times have you turned on your computer only to be stopped dead in your tracks by some ginormous notification box informing that “A new version is ready for download?” But I was quite fond of the current version and don’t want to change it. More than that, your mind starts to wonder, the very instant you click “Do not install,” if you made the right decision. Maybe this upgrade really was needed, or worse yet, maybe this really made the program better. Ever walk by a slot machine in Vegas and decide not to play it only to have some  fool person sit down and win immediately? After a day or so you finally comply and install the new version, for better or worse, because after all, resistance is futile.


Some change you have a choice in, most you do not. Passwords. Every six weeks my company’s website mandates we change our password. I cannot tell you how I loathe this. For sixteen years I have been asked to change my password every month and a half. I have pretty much run out of creative passwords or things I can remember. There was a period when I used profanity for my logon. That worked well and I was always so smug as I typed in some profane six to twelve letter word or phrase. It was great until one day my system had a glitch and I had to have my I.T. rep remote in. Imagine my pleasure informing her of my password, which sadly for both of us, was particularly obscene that month. Suffice it to say I have since gone back to more sedate and prosaic choices. Resistance is futile.


Facebook recently changed their page. I have yet to hear from anyone who appreciates all the hard work involved in this endeavor. Why is it when something works and everyone is comfortable, unknown minions invade and screw things up royally for the rest of us? I was not asked if I would like a change. Funny thing is, they changed the page a few months ago, and everyone hated it then, but we got used to it. I guess that is the key, we bitch and moan then slowly the roar of the disgruntled becomes a sad moan of ennui as we realize higher powers are at work here and, again, resistance is futile.


Sometimes change comes from known sources, people we trust and deal with on a daily even hourly basis. Regardless of familiarity, the result is frequently the same as if a stranger made the change for you.


For years I have waged an interminable battle at home with my partner. You see the battle with change is everlasting and all encompassing.


There is a hook we installed next to the shower for my towel. I like this hook, truth be told I was the one who put it there. My bath towel, one of the humongous bath sheets, as they call them, hangs nicely there. I can even reach over the door and grab it before I get out of the shower. I often forget to move the towel from the towel rack, which is ever so conveniently placed across the bathroom, to the shower in the morning. Is there anything worse than getting out of the shower only to realize you have no towel to dry yourself with? I abhor padding through the room soaking wet to get my damn towel which should be left on the hook anyway. But therein lies the eternal rub, someone doesn’t like the towel being left on the hook and always moves it back to the stupid towel rack across the room. You see change is not possible when someone else is in control, or is more anal retentive then you. Resistance is futile.


Lastly, my laptop has reappeared after months of being used by aforementioned partner at work. He was finally thankfully provided a computer and was able to return my laptop to its rightful home. Course no good deed shall go unpunished. The whole system was loaded with software and programs I had no desire to retain or use. With the fervor of a mad dog I deleted and uninstalled program after program. There truly is no greater joy then clicking on the “Uninstall” radial. At last, my laptop was clean and fresh and running like it once was. Filled with hope and ready to begin working I clicked on Microsoft Office and up came this version I had never seen before. What? This is not Office 2003! No, without my knowledge I have been upgraded to Office 2007. Never one to mince words, I hate it. I cannot find the tools I need from the taskbar, I don’t like how it looks and frankly just want my old 2003 version back, you know, the one I have used for the last 7 years? After informing my partner of my displeasure with said program and asking if I could remove it, his response, “No, get used to it. We’re keeping it.” Change once again wins, and I lose. Resistance is futile.