The Story of 12.doc

Summary

The author discusses their personal system for managing unfinished stories using a document named "12.doc" and their frustration with software changes caused by Norton antivirus updates.

Abstract

The author has a unique method of organizing their writing by saving all unfinished stories in a single document titled "12.doc". This document serves as a repository for their work-in-progress, ensuring that stories are not lost during power outages. The name "12" originated from a typo, but it has since become a significant part of the author's writing process. The document has grown to 222 pages, a number the author considers lucky. However, recent changes in how their computer saves new documents, due to a Norton-related system meltdown, have disrupted this system. The author is now forced to adapt and start writing new pieces directly in "12.doc", including dating each entry. This change is met with resistance, as the author prefers their established routine and is wary of inviting uncertainty into their life, especially when imposed by software like Norton. The author seeks recommendations for more reliable antivirus software and expresses their discontent with Norton's behavior on their computer.

Opinions

The author values their established routine for managing unfinished writing.
They express a preference for a clean, blank screen when starting a new story.
The author is frustrated with the automatic document naming and saving features imposed by their computer after a Norton-related issue.
They consider themselves too old for unexpected changes and disruptions, such as those caused by Norton.
There is a clear dislike for Norton software, as it has caused problems with the author's computer.
The author is open to suggestions for better antivirus software that would not interfere with their writing process.

Repository of Half-Finished Work

Created in Bing Creator by the Author

I have a document on my computer called 12. All my partially finished stories go into this document. Before my last computer meltdown, I could easily take those stories that might have spent nights as unnamed documents on my desktop and plunk them into 12. This is useful when we have thunderstorms and there is a possibility of having the power go out.

The name for that document came some years ago when I was clicking too quickly. It’s almost like my finger has a mind of its own sometimes. Either that, or I’m developing some sort of neurological thing. Word had helpfully suggested and named the document 12 which was the date on the partially finished piece I was working on. That’s how 12 came into existence. Other than it being December, it has become my repository of unfinished articles.

The Scroll I use to separate the pieces I write in 12.doc

It is now 222 pages long, which is a lucky number for me. Oh, happy day. Word behaved differently on my computer the other day after the latest Norton-inspired meltdown. Yes, those pieces I start with a lovely blank piece of paper are automatically named and saved as Document 1, Document 2, and so forth.

It is messy. I can no longer have a pretty clean piece of screen to write on. I prefer to keep it all as a blank piece of screen/paper while massaging a story to life. This might take hours, it might take all day, and in the days before the latest Norton meltdown, a partially written story might be an unnamed document for days on my computer screen until I had finished it.

This has been my system for a long time. At night, I put my mouse away and move my keyboard to the higher reaches of my desk. That way, if any of the cats want to lie on the desk, they don’t inadvertently alter or delete the documents. It’s worked for years.

So, because of the latest Norton meltdown, my computer has decided to be helpful. After an unnamed and unsaved document has sat idle on my computer screen, it is automatically named. I don’t like that. I am in charge, not my computer.

So, I am trying something new. I am starting to write a brand-new piece in 12. I think I will put a date at the top just because I can tell when I started writing.

I don’t like to change the way I do things. I’m pretty happy with mundane, ordinary steps to get things done. I’m almost too old to invite adventure, flings, and uncertainty into my life. Well, yeah, if it happens, I will grudgingly accept it. But it irks me no end when Norton, blasted Norton, takes it upon itself to screw up my computer.

Can you tell I don’t like Norton? Please let me know if you have suggestions for better-behaving software to protect a computer from viruses and malware.

Thanks for reading.