Not so oddly Rick, I know EXACTLY what you're talking about! It may have to do with the right vs. left brain thing, but I don't think so. Maybe its an "interest" sort of problem.

I spent the better part of my working life around cars. I read a ton of tech info and manuals and wiring diagrams, etc. Piece of cake. Although I love the net and the 'Cat (obviously)---I HATE computers. I can never understand the crap that everybody else does with ease. We just bought a new Nikon digital camera and since I enjoy photography, its no problem....really great piece of equipment. HOWEVER...The software to do all the neat album stuff is driving me nuts. I can't do hi-ho-diddly-shit with the stuff! (I'll send you a Christmas morning picture if I figure it out by then.) Same thing true with the kits for stands and such. I hate putting swing sets together, or any of that type of thing. Luckily Karen loves it and is good at it.....although when I talk about something on her car, she has no understanding of it at all. I don't even wear a digital watch because the damn things will tell you everything else BUT the time where I am! Karen bought me a great sailing watch...completely digital. After a few focked up starts in the Thistle regionals, I went back to my trusty Seiko chronograph.

That's what is so weird. I love to sail and race, so you'd think I could tear through the manual and put the watch to use. Instead, I think something in my head clicks on the digital/computer thing and sends some portion of my brain into la-la land. I read a lot about acoustics and designed and built a rather exotic (for a hammered dulcimer anyway) soundbox for my dulcimers, but 5 minutes after opening the box with the new microwave stand pieces and fittings, I was ready to throw the whole works in the trash! We had a thread awhile back about woods and glues and the like and I realized how much I'd learned about them, but don't even ask me to put up shelving in the pantry. Is this making any sense? I'll spend hours meticulously bending and fitting App. dulcimer sides, but I competely lose it over a microwave stand. The directions never make any sense to me and I think its because I really don't give a turkey about a friggin stand and it looks like another piece of boring shit to me. And this simpleass computer!!!! It takes stuff and does things with it, but I can never figure out from reading all the manuals WHAT it did or WHERE it took the stuff. I find it particularly perverse that most of the manuals are now on disc and I get pissed just trying to get the damn things up on the screen!!!

So does any of this ring any bells?

Spaw