Can We Hold on Through the Night?

Why must there be a morning after?

That was the original title of the song we now know by a different name.

It debuted in The Poseidon Adventure (sung by one woman and lip-synched by another) and then, when they realized they had a hit and decided to release it as a single, it was covered by a secretary and part-time folk singer who had never recorded anything before.

And I wouldn’t have known any of that except for there being a morning after my laptop marathon.

In the old days, five years ago, the software and cable to transfer files from one computer to another were included in the package when you bought a new computer. Not no more.

So forth I go to my local office-supply store to buy the software and presumed cable, pictured online in a box, only to discover that it’s a download-only format. No cable. No box. So back I go and order the software, confident that I will soon be transferring files.

Not so fast. The “shipping” date for this download is the next day.

Now, I have no idea why it takes a day for a national office-supply chain to send me a link for software when I can get a download link for anything else in less time than it takes to say so. But so it is. There being no choice, I settle down to wait.

The morning after, I check my inbox and there it is: My email with the download link. Hurray!

Not so fast. The email, yes, but the link, no. Sigh.

For what seems like the 17th time in two days, I dial a customer-service [sic] number.

As I wait on hold, my call being very important to them, I realize that it’s a good question: *Why* must there be a morning after?

I don’t know, but it appears there’s got to be.

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9 Responses to Can We Hold on Through the Night?

  1. Tom Watson says:

    Isabel
    Great song!

    I think there has to be a morning after. Otherwise, what’s the meaning of hope?
    I’m reminded of what Martin Luther said when asked what he would do if he was told the world would end tomorrow – in other words, no morning after – he said he would still plant his apple tree.
    Tom

  2. Thanks for the inspiration, Isabel. I have two such frustrating threads to which I have devoted so much time to no effect that I am in despair of “holding on,” although every so often I take another shot at solving the problem that even real humans tell me “will be fixed in a day or two.” Perhaps it’s time to try again.

    • Isabel Gibson says:

      Laurna – If we’d get a little indicator light showing how many more shots we had to take, we might be more motivated to try again. On the other hand, that would take *all* the sport out of it.

  3. Jim Taylor says:

    In your Proposal Land blog, you made reference to marketing being all lies. The “Your call is very important to us…” line strikes me as one of those. If my call was really important, maybe they should have enough staff to answer it.

    Jim T

    • Isabel Gibson says:

      Jim – To be clear, I made a reference to a point of view that some technical people hold that marketing is lying. 🙂 But yes, I’d agree with your logic.

  4. barbara carlson says:

    The only Morning After I’m thinking about these days is November 4th which won’t probably resolve anything at all.
    I know there is nothing I can DO about it, which is hard for me (and other organized people used to accomplishing things… I won’t say “controlling” but we types are needed nonetheless, IMHO).

    • Isabel Gibson says:

      Barbara – I’d distinguish between controlling and contributing. Although we rarely get to control outcomes, we almost always get to contribute. It’s just harder to see . . .

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