Wow, talk about thread drift! But in this case...THANK YOU Terry. That's exactly what was happening with my Sony Mini-disc. I thought I was going nuts. Tried to erase a disc...followed instructions..Nuttin'....did it a few more times...Nuttin'...Gave it to Heather...same result...all of a sudden, it worked! Drives you crazy trying to think of the ONE small detail you must have left out the other twenty times. Now that I know it may be the machine, I can calm down.
Misophist...I hear ya!

So, back to the thread. In some ways the Net has helped me a lot with my problem. Because of the many points of view available, I've been able to acquire an interest in certain areas that I'd simply never bothered with before. For example....it's hard to contemplate fixing something on your own car, if you haven't a clue how a combustable engine works..or why. Looking at a site that makes that kind of thing interesting (or even like a mystery) really piques the interest, and presto..the absorption of information improves dramatically. By the year 2050 I'll be able to read a Tax form without it "swimming" before my eyes!

Rick