Well I had a sh!t morning.
As you may know I am in the very early stages of pursuing my MBA online
. I have to take an Intro to MicroComputing class -- essentially how to use Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Access. No, I could not test out. Yes, I have used all of these programs and likely would not be where I am in my career if I was not able to use them. But whatever, the higher education system is broken IMHO and if this is a hoop I have to jump through to satisfy their requirements, so be it.
Even at home this class has been proving irksome. Again, I know the programs. I know how to use them. However, for the project assignments they use an auto-grader. And it only accepts Microsoft 2013 submissions. Mac only has a 2011 version. Most home PC users have the 2010 version. I finally found a PC with 2013 -- at a school, go figure. And so used that to submit my assignments. I advised my teacher that I was going to be traveling abroad for 3 weeks with work and might I be able to have the assignments opened to me so that I could submit them in advance while in the USA. No dice. The Excel 2011 on my Mac was close enough to PC 2013 so the Excel assignments I submitted only had minimal point reductions from the auto grader
. Whew. And I was getting 100% on all the tests so it was really just the project scores I was worrying about. No biggie.
But now we are on the Access chapter. Mac does not even have Access, regardless of version. And I am in Paris. I did some research and found a cyber cafe that has lots of computers available for rent. Lo and behold, they had Access 2013. I was elated!! Yes, elated to do MS Access homework. Never would I have expected that moment in my life. I paid for my 2 hours -- yes, I am in Paris and spending 2 hours at an internet cafe doing homework. What the hell is wrong with my priorities?
Anyway, I sit down in front of my PC. Thankfully the manager had given me a QWERTY keyboard because, yes, in Europe the keyboards are different than in America. Imagine what a challenge that would have been I thought to myself.
Then I opened the program. It was all in French. And, of course, it would be. I am in FRANCE! I thought, nyeah, that is okay I can figure it out. I know basically where all the editing buttons are located. But I quickly realized that my lack of French and the complexity of the assignment was far beyond what my memory would support
. I was screwed.
I spent about an hour trying to figure it out, even going into the program properties to try and change the language but apparently they did not have the Authorized User Passcode so could not change it. (Which also makes me think the software may have been pirated. But that is not the soap box I am standing upon today.)
There are 4 Access project assignments due this week and another 4 due next week while I am in India. And that is the final week of the course. Even though I have gotten 100% on all my exams I suspect I may bomb this course. And, with it being a pre-req, that means I will not be able to take other courses until I pass it. Which also may mean I have to take this damned class, again. Arrrgggggggghhhh!
As you can imagine, I left the cyber cafe in an immensely foul mood. But, I reminded myself that I was in Paris and that if I was in this situation it was because God had placed it in my path. So, I took out my camera, started taking some videos for the work project I am doing and found myself smiling as I walked along the Seine.
And now, I am sitting in the most primo spot at a lovely Parisian cafe on the Champs de Elysse. I am watching hordes of people stroll by, cars race up and down the street and have my favorite beer, Kronenburg 1664 in my hand. Okay, actually right now I am typing on my awesome travel keyboard. But the beer is within arm's reach.
Beer rules, Access drools.
From Internet Cafe to Sidewalk Cafe
Saturday, October 11, 2014
Paris, Île-de-France, France
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Comments

2025-02-07
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A Jean
2014-10-11
Well - Life!! Right you are - it is Paris after all.
Track down that valet guy!!!
catherine
2014-10-12
Wow! I'm trying to figure out my ipad!! Your pictures are really great and such a "I wish I were there quality".
Linda Schlotterbeck
2014-10-14
Funny, I fell in love with Kronenburg when I was in France. Still one of my favs if I can get it.