News and Reviews I woke up this morning and realized it was Thursday. I immediately started thinking of all the things I “Had” to do today and then realized it has been more than a few weeks since I took the time to post my “Thoughts for Thursday”. Make no mistake, I have had many Thoughts over the weeks, but either haven’t been able to find the time to share them or realized that some of my Thoughts don’t or shouldn’t be shared. My general aches and pains, what I ate for lunch, the hot weather, why my clothes appear to be shrinking, -not all of these need to be offered up for public consumption. So, I do everyone a favor and try to keep my opinions on a great many things to myself. That brings us directly to where my Thoughts settled for this post, but first a bit of Computer Greeks’ related news. Beginning tomorrow, we will update our Mask Policy to reflect the current advice of the CDC and the State of Illinois. Vaccinated Customers and Employees will not need to wear a mask in the store. If you have a mask you really, really like, didn’t brush your teeth today, and still want to wear one- you go right ahead. No worries. We will still be asking those who have not yet gotten the Vaccine to be considerate and wear a mask and that our customers still give space to others. I’ve really appreciated the increase in Personal Space and was never a great fan of Close Talkers. I can hear you fine from over here thanks anyway. We will not be performing antibody tests to confirm if someone were Vaccinated or not although there could be a short quiz with an essay section added at a later date. So, this is the Honor System and I trust everyone will behave accordingly. I could not imagine a person who has not been Vaccinated, that would choose to lie about it and not wear a mask when that could even remotely endanger someone else just for their own convenience. Ahem, Cough, Cough. Moving on… As I was saying, Having Opinions and Sharing Them. The modern era and the advent of the Internet has made our ability to share our thoughts and opinions easier than ever before. When I was a kid, you had to find a Stone Tablet and spend the better part of the day Chiseling your thoughts onto it. It was a huge time commitment and believe me, those things are heavy, so putting your thoughts onto a Tablet was something you really had to want. But today, you can pull out your phone and start Thumb-Typing away in no time so everyone can see your thoughts in near real-time- for better or for worse, with very little time spent considering your actions. When you have a small business, you are very sensitive to the thoughts and opinions that others share about you that we have come to call “Online Reviews”. Yelp, Google, Bing, Facebook, Angie’s List, BBB, and many more- offer the consumer a chance to share their experiences. Good, Bad, or Indifferent- you can tell anyone who wants to read your Review what you think. This is not a bad thing. Honest reviews are a great tool for anyone wanting to ensure that their Next Meal, Contractor, Doctor, Karaoke Session, Lambada Lesson, or Computer Repair Experience is the best it can be. I use Review Sites everyday to make choices both big and small and I love the ability to have the input from others to help make my decisions. But there are some serious issues here to note. Number 1- Who leaves reviews? Much of the time, you will find reviews tend toward Polar Opposite Opinions. You mostly get the 5 Star- “This is the Best Thing Ever”, and the 1 Star- “I would rather Live with My Mother-In-Law” Reviews. This trend goes to the fact that you need to be Motivated to leave a Review in the first place. You may not have to pull out the Old Stone Tablet these days, but it still takes a few minutes to jot down your thoughts on a site. This is the Best and everyone needs to know or this is the Worst and everyone needs to know are the primary reasons people post their Reviews to begin with. You will see some of the Middle Ground Reviews as well, many of those can be chalked up to people who simply like reviewing stuff. It is fun to be an amateur Food or Movie Critic and think that our opinions matter and are helping to guide the lives of others. I like to think that my “Thoughts for Thursday” are actually read by more than 6 people, but in reality, I know they don’t amount to much more than my own personal entertainment. I don’t think my wife even reads them- (Hi, Steph!) And that’s fine. I can still hold out hope that one day some Newspaper will read this and realize my untapped potential, offer me a column that will eventually become Syndicated Nationwide and I can be the next Dear Abby or Li’l Abner. Did he write a column? Maybe I’m thinking of someone else, anyway- Number 2- Taking time to Think First. The ease and speed at which we can share our Reviews online can sometimes be a problem. There is an old adage, “Slow to Anger, Quick to Forgive”. When we get mad we may say and do things that later on we regret. Happens all the time to me at the store and sadly, I have not always been the most patient and professional person that I would like to be over the last 25 years. There are stories that I could tell you of things I’ve said to people (who honestly started it and deserved to be told mean things but that doesn’t make it ok and I feel like I’m trying to get my mom not to ground me) that I won’t because while absolutely hilarious today, still makes me feel bad that I acted that way so many years ago. Leave a bad Review as a quick reaction to being really mad is understandable, but after a day or two to think about things, you might not feel the same way and may regret your “Choice of Words” as I have. Last week I called a florist to send an arrangement to a wake that was out of state. It was for the sister of the husband of the cousin of my wife, so a slightly indirect family member, but we still wanted them to know we sympathized and supported them during this time. We didn’t get notice of the date of the wake until the night before, so when I contacted the florist the next morning it was the day of and options were limited. They told me they could not do flowers in time, but that they could put together a plant that would be appropriate and delivered on time. I was glad they could get something on such short notice, but given the circumstance, no pictures of what they would send was available. (Their website didn’t have any pictures of arrangements at all- everything was order by phone). A few days after the wake, my wife’s cousin contacted her to thank us for thinking of them when they honestly didn’t even know we were aware of things. It was a nice to hear they had gotten things delivered in time, but then they sent my wife a picture of the arrangement. A plant like thing with a palm tree looking thing growing out of it. Interesting, I thought and not a big deal given the short time provided. Our issue was with the Tropical Bird in a Nest on top of the Tree Like Thing and the Giant Pink Bow that adorned the basket it came in. Holy $%!? It’s a Frickin’ Wake. What did people think we were trying to say? Sorry for your loss, but isn’t this Parrot in a Nest and the Pink Bow from a “Congratulations on your Baby Girl” going to cheer you up? What was the conversation at the florist after I hung up? “This idiot wants us to get something to a wake that’s later today.” “How about that leftover Baby Bow, the Plant from the Lobby, and the Parrot in a Nest from our Tropical Office Party last month?” “Perfect! They live out of state and won’t even be there.” I’m pretty sure that’s the way it went down, so now the question is what should I do about it? Leave pictures and a scathing Review to show them my displeasure? Many people might do just that, but I chose to call them and explain what happened and my confusion over their choice in Aviary Accessories and Pretty Pink Death Bows. I gave them a chance to hear from me (something every business really wants, especially if they’ve fallen short on expectations) and to tell me what they thought about it. They were polite and explained that they send something like this all the time to a wake and it wasn’t out of place. Now they are in North Carolina and told me that this was normal for “Here”, so maybe I’m just not clued in on the Culture or Traditions Down South? (North Carolina is still “South” even though it’s got “North” in the name, right?) Did I leave the negative review complete with pictures and my characteristic scathing sarcasm? No. I didn’t want to cause damage to a business for this level of an issue. It wasn’t that level of mad after giving it a few days and to be honest, it makes for a pretty funny story going forward. Number 3- Liars and Fakes. I got an email a couple of days ago that we had received two new reviews on Google that were both 1 Star. Two reviews, the Same Day, from two accounts that have never left another review of anything ever. So interesting. It causes me a great deal of upset when we receive a bad review for several reasons. Is this going to hurt the business? Did we fail to do our jobs properly? Did we not treat someone correctly? So I rush to read the review and see if we dropped the ball (or the computer) in some way only to find two 1 Star Reviews that are as Fake as most Instagram Pictures. 1- “Worse experience ever” 2- “Made pc worse then before I brought in to shop. Now a paper weight” Ok, as mentioned, same day and no other reviews ever. Check the names with our service records- no customer by these names ever. Both are grammatically hilarious. No punctuation, can’t tell “Worst” from “Worse” which is used in both Reviews, “Paperweight” is one word, doesn’t know “Than from “Then”. (Ok, now I feel like a grammar school English teacher- where’s my Red Pen?) What is the point of all of this? (Always a good question with any of my posts to be honest). Someone decided (Our competition most likely- not that we really have any competition- Bite It, Circuit City!) to try to hurt our business by leaving lies that someone deciding where to go for their Computer Needs- at 12222 S Harlem Ave in Palos Heights open from 10am to 6pm Monday to Saturday (see what I did there?) would believe. We do everything we can to try to earn your business and making our customers satisfied is our job, but sometimes we do come up short and when that happens, I want to know. I would prefer a phone call or to hear it in person rather than just reading about it on a review site- that gives me a chance to fix the problem, but sometimes people just want to vent, and I get that. I’ll still reply to the honest reviews asking to learn more or to have a chance to makes things right. Sometimes they reach out, sometimes not, but we do really try. It’s important even after all these years to work to be better. The Fake Ones are still the worst. (See, it’s not “Worse”). Those are the ones that really Grinds My Gears! (Wait, that was an old “Thoughts for Thursday” wasn’t it?) I want to reach through the internet and choke someone, but instead, all I can do is craft a clever and indignant reply that hopefully will let someone reading the Negative Lies understand the truth. So mad… So again, What is the Point of all this Uncle Steve? Well, I guess it’s I’m still pretty mad (about the fake 1 star reviews, not so much about the Pink Bow and Parrot), think before you post stuff that’s online forever, consider reviews when you read them and don’t just take them at face value, and in the end- think for yourself. Now, having said all that I’m going to do something that I have never done in 25 years and that’s ask any of you who were kind enough to make your way to the end of this really long and tedious post (like that’s new) to take a few minutes and leave us a 5 Star Review. (Why would I ask for a negative review, seriously?). Facebook- (Here we are) Google (Search for Computer Greeks- Click on Google Reviews under the listing and Write a Review) Yelp (Go to yelp.com search for Computer Greeks and Write a Review) I would greatly appreciate the time and it would help offset the Lying Liars and their Lying Liar Reviews. As always- Stay Well and Stay Safe, Uncle Steve

I opened the store in May of 1996. A bit of advanced math shows that 2021-1996 = 25, and no, I didn’t use a calculator thank you very much. I remember spending part of my 30th birthday setting up display racks and organizing inventory prior to opening. I was excited. I was terrified. I was an idiot who had no idea what he was getting himself into. It’s May, 1996 and I have been married for less than 5 years and have a daughter (Hi! Cora) who is 9 months old. My son (Hi! Sage) does not even exist yet, much like my sanity ever since opening. Stamps cost 32 cents, a gallon of gas is $1.23, and Bill Clinton is president. The Chicago Bulls were just beginning their 2nd 3-Peat and Tiger Woods made his professional golf debut (How did that work out by the way?) The Unabomber was finally arrested in Montana, DISH network begins service and Braveheart wins the Academy Award for Best Picture. The point of this trivia collection? This was a long ass time ago. Since then, I’ve moved the store twice- once, about 50 feet from the original location at 99th and Ridgeland in Chicago Ridge, and a second time to the Palos Heights store we’ve been at for the last 12 years. I have moved my family twice as well in that time, from my first apartment in Blue Island, to a townhome and then a house in Orland as my family grew. My “9 month old daughter” will be 26 in August, my son will turn 24 two days after that (it’s really convenient that way- you only need to have one party and they split a cake every year. My son was really born in November, but he doesn’t remember so we just moved it up to save some money). The Computer Landscape was dramatically different in 1996. 36 million Americans were using the “Web” at that time, all of them with those obnoxiously loud dial-up modems we loved so much. “Get off the Phone! I’m on the internet!” “But I need to make a call!” The Palm Pilot, the Web Cam, WebTV, the USB Port, Craigslist, and Windows 95 all showed up that year. So, what did the opening of “Computer Greeks’ look like? Well, it wasn’t called that at first, as I opened as a franchise of a now long defunct computer software resale store. They proved useless, so we left them behind much like Crystal Pepsi, The Betamax, and the Microsoft Zune. I had a larger store back then to provide enough room for all the Software we carried. For those of you who don’t remember, Software was all of the Games and Productivity Programs that used to come in big boxes you could hold and read about to see if you wanted to buy them. The stuff you just download now. Pretty much like Video Stores were, but for Computers. We carried some Computers and Hardware back then, but 95% of the store was Software. Today, I can fit our entire Software Inventory onto one rack, and most of it is old games I will never sell but can’t bring myself to get rid of. How things have changed. Now, we have wall to wall Desktops, Laptops, Parts, Cables, Printers, Monitors, Accessories, and spend all of our time either fixing or building or setting up systems. I wanted to play video games for a job and instead ended up having to do real work, often 7 days a week for very long days for 25 years. Great idea 1996 Steve! You dumbass. I often get asked what has changed the most over the last 25 years and really there are a few things that stand out. 1- High Speed Internet- We had Dial-Up internet service at the store for the first several years, even when our focus started to shift towards hardware and repairs. I can remember driving repairs to my home to work on there, because we couldn’t get faster internet at the store yet. Now everything is online and instant. Wonder where Blockbuster Video and Half of the Retail Businesses disappeared to? That would be because of High-Speed Internet. 2- Computer Prices- The average cost of a new computer in 1996? Over $3,000, and that’s in 1996 money. You’re talking around $5,000 in today’s dollars. That was like trying to buy a used car. If I told you back then fixing your computer would run $700, you weren’t happy, but it was a lot better than having to buy a new one. Today, spending $200 for a repair makes people think long and hard about just getting a new one instead. Disposable Computers. Amazing difference. 3- Me- In 1996 I was a kid. Yes, I was 30 and a functioning adult, but I didn’t have a clue. My dad had just passed away in January, and that was what prompted the desire to change my career path and open the store in the first place. It was a terrible risk to take and not a kind thing to ask my wife (Hi! Steph) with an infant at home to have to worry about on top of everything else. I was fortunate that the store did well enough to survive for all of these years and often through dumb luck rather than any credit I can take for it. My brothers (HI! Toby and Phillip) came to work with me shortly after we opened as did 3 of my cousins over the years, with one having made such terrible life choices that she’s been with me since she was 15 (Hi! Kelly). I’ve been very fortunate to have had everyone who worked so hard and still work so hard to bring us this far (Hi! Chad). 25 Years is a long time and without meaning to be a downer- it’s been difficult and taken a toll. Ups and downs and good and bad, the relationships that have suffered are my biggest regret. That’s another big change from 1996- sadly, one I never expected, but I told you I was an idiot. Think about where you were 25 years ago. Jobs you’ve had, family and friends that have changed, places you’ve lived. I’m sure my experiences aren’t anything unique in the grand scheme of things and in all honesty, I’m amazingly fortunate to not be sitting here talking about the business I opened long ago that closed after a year. And for all the things I would love to do differently, somehow keeping the lights on for a small family business in an industry that has changed as much as any ever has is still an accomplishment to be proud of. Thanks to everyone who worked for Computer Greeks (I think I got all of my shout outs in) and anyone who has passed through the doors over all these years. Without you, the customers we’ve had, no one would be here to read this tedious post. See- more regrets. Enough with the past. Here’s to the next 25 years but seriously, if I’m typing out a “Thoughts for Thursday” in the year 2046 when I’m 80 years old- something will have gone seriously wrong. Sincerely- Thank you all, Uncle Steve

Ok, I didn't expect to be joining all of you so soon after my recent "Thoughts for Thursday", but something came up. My venting on Thursday was very cathartic in improving my mood and what made it even better, was the wonderful Thank You Card a customer was kind enough to drop off for me at the store. I helped her and her son with the purchase of a Gaming PC and while I was just doing my job, I guess I was extra awesome that day and they wanted me to know. It meant a great deal to me. But then... an email showed up in my inbox. Forwarded to me and several others in a group email that someone, who obviously doesn't have a clue about me, thought I would find funny. I didn't. It was insulting and while I am sure others may not have felt the way I do, I do feel the way I do just the same. I will not name the sender- I hope they will see this and either reconsider some thoughts thy have or delete me from their contacts. Either is fine. Now normally I avoid being overtly political and as I've said on many occasions, I'm an idiot, so why should anyone listen to me anyway? But in this case, I'll make an exception. You don't have to agree with me by the way. I respect the opinions of others and in no way require my friends to think the way I do. So you can disagree with me, and we can still be friends. But there are some deal breakers as you will see. So, the following is a copy of said email, along with my comments as you read along. A warning- it is a bit long, but I would appreciate if you make the time to read and if you are so inclined, comment and share accordingly. The Email Begins: I didn't write this... but I could have. What I think you meant to say is "I don't have an original thought, so I copy and pasted something instead". There, I helped you out. As a man, I used to think I was pretty much just a regular guy, but I was born white, into a two-parent household which now, whether I like it or not, makes me “privileged”, a racist & responsible for slavery. Wow, so much to unpack in this epic opening paragraph! First off, by definition, the word “Privileged” means “Having special advantages”. So, if you were born male into a solid, stable, non-minority household, then “Privileged” would be an accurate description when compared say to a female, impoverished, minority born into a broken home. You won the genetic lottery- Congrats! Me too! Now then, as far as the circumstances of your birth making you a “Racist”? I’m pretty sure that would have to do entirely with your thoughts and actions and nothing at all about you being a white guy with two-parents. It’s always such fun when people play the victim after placing the target on their own back. I’m gonna guess that if people consider you a racist, it’s easier to think that you were branded that because of your lot in life and not the fact you might actually be a complete tool who is prejudiced against people based on their ethnicity, the actual definition of “Racist”. As far as being responsible for slavery, you feeling some guilt because you still have “Plantation Shutters” on your house? I am a fiscal and moral conservative, which by today’s standards, makes me a fascist because I plan, budget, earn and support myself. I’m thinking this entire email could have been avoided if you simply owned a dictionary. Then you could have looked up these words that you keep “branding” yourself instead of looking like a 2nd grader trying out their new “Word A Day” calendar without ever reading the meaning. Let me give you a hint- Fascists were not despised because they were conservatives who knew how to plan, budget, and support themselves. “I hate that Hitler guy- he works too hard and always has money left over at the end of the month!” no one said ever. Dictionary Time! Fascism includes: belief in the rule of elites; contempt for electoral democracy; extreme militaristic nationalism. Again, no mention at all of being good with money or working hard. As far as your being a conservative, no one thinks Conservative=Fascist. You need to add a little something to the resume before you qualify as a “Fascist”. Like supporting the murder of millions of people based solely on their race or ethnicity, so try not to do that if you can. I went to high school and college and have always held a job. But I now find out that I am not here because I earned it, but because I was “advantaged”. My dad was a doctor. I went to a private high school. I had my college paid for by my parents. I was, by every definition of the word (here we go with the dictionary again), “Advantaged”. What I did with those advantages and where I completely failed, are entirely on me. But to ignore the fact that so many people do not have the opportunities that we both apparently had is to believe the world is fair place and everyone has an equal chance to succeed regardless of their social or economic circumstances. Don't be so naive. Or is Stupid a Better Word? I am heterosexual, which according to “gay" folks, now makes me a homophobe. I am not a Muslim, which now labels me as an infidel. There seems to be a theme here with this email. “I’m a part of the majority, (white, male, hetero, Christian) and now I’m being victimized because imaginary people who don’t think like I do are calling me names in my imaginary world where I place a target on myself and use words that don’t mean what I pretend they mean so I can make you feel sorry for me”. There is not a single “gay” folk (that reference is a bit telling by the way) who thinks you are a homophobe because you are a heterosexual. If they think you are a homophobe, it’s because you demonstrate a dislike or prejudice against “Gay” people. So don’t do that, OK? As far as not being a Muslim making you an “infidel”? I don’t think that is a concern. The fact you are an “imbecile” should be more of a worry for you. I believe in the US Constitution and the 2nd Amendment, which makes me a de facto member of the “vast NRA gun lobby”. Nope again. I believe in the Constitution and all of the Amendments. I also believe that it is a living breathing document that our Founding Fathers understood would need to grow and change with the country and the times. To ignore the needs for change and the will of the people to see those changes come to pass makes you a moron, not an NRA member. I am older than 80, making me a useless consumer who doesn’t understand Facebook, Instagram or Snapchat. This one is just off the rails nuts. You start with your age, follow up with a bizarre unrelated term, then finish with your difficulty with social media platforms? I’m 55, making me a transcendental dog groomer who doesn’t understand Quantum Physics, Downton Abbey, or Tik Tok. See, I can do it too. I think and I reason, and I doubt much of what the “main stream" media tells me, which makes me a "right-wing conspiracy nut”. I have my doubts on the first two claims based entirely on this one email alone. If you thought or reasoned, you would have understood that you are using words that don’t mean what I think you think they mean. You would have also realized that sending me this email was a terrible choice on your part. See, not very smart or reasonable at all. Also, let me correct that last part for you- I doubt much of what the “Liberal” mainstream (one word by the way) media tells me, which makes me a self-described for the purposes of making myself a targeted victim yet again, “right-wing conspiracy nut”. Where do you live that you have all of these “Gays”, Liberals, and Minorities standing outside your house calling you all of these names? Your neighbors must hate you. I am proud of my heritage and our inclusive American culture, making me a xenophobe. Xenophobe: a person having a dislike of or prejudice against people from other countries. I had to look it up because at first I thought it was the creepy creature from the movie Alien. Turns out that was a Xenomorph, my bad. It is also not a musical instrument. That was a “xylophone”, wrong again. Maybe you should have looked it up too or was it on your word a day calendar? I’m proud of my heritage “Greek” by the way, as well as Dutch, Scotch, English, and German. I’m also proud of my country. I also realize this country was formed by immigrants from all over the world and at the expense of the “Americans’ who actually occupied this land to begin with. To believe that because you were “Advantaged” by being an American Citizen, and now you want to close the door to other immigrants who would like to legally join you so you can maintain your “Inclusive” culture, is a joke. “I got here first, too late”. “You don’t look like me or think like me or act like me, so you don’t get to come into my country because this is America buddy!” America is the place that people who were mistreated because they didn’t look or think or act like the majority moved to for a better life, my friend. Don’t be so selfish. Unless your reason to not want immigrants to have an opportunity to come here is because you have a dislike or prejudice against them because they are from other countries? In which case you are a “xenophobe”. I believe in hard work, fair play, and fair compensation according to each individual’s merits, which today makes me an anti-socialist I’m getting exhausted repeating myself here, but I’ll try to keep going. This paragraph is an attempt to sound reasonable, but in reality masks what could be a very real failure on your part as a human being. I too believe in hard work, fair play, and achievement based on our merits. I also recognize that the world isn’t “fair”, and that so many people have less, suffer more, and through no fault of their own find themselves in need of help. As an Advantaged Christian, it is my desire and my obligation to try to help them. You realize, you don’t actually dislike Socialism? If you are 80 years old, you receive Social Security. See, it’s right there in the name. Maybe you missed it. What you don’t like is being “forced” to give tax money to the poor, the hungry, the homeless, the sick, and those in need that you don’t think deserve it. You don’t mind giving it to huge corporations apparently, but all of those others piss you off because their misfortunes are their own fault, so why should you have to help them? First off, I do not support any movement that puts you in charge of who gets what. No offense, but I think this one email puts into question your qualifications for the job. I would prefer someone who wasn’t a complete idiot if I had a choice. Again, no offense. And Second, I would rather error on the side of helping someone who might be taking advantage of the system rather than prolonging the suffering of others who didn’t receive the help they need. I believe our system guarantees freedom of effort - not freedom of outcome or subsidies which must make me a borderline sociopath. Huh? Did you write this after a head injury of some sort? Firstly, our system doesn’t guarantee anything if you’re a poor, disadvantaged, minority who has few prospects for a job or education and only someone who has never been the victim of inequality or prejudice would think it does. And second, I will gladly buy you a dictionary if you send me your address because you need one desperately. A “Sociopath” is someone with a personality disorder characterized by antisocial attitudes and a lack of a conscience. Just because you are an advantaged white male doesn’t mean you’re a sociopath. You can be a sociopath without being an advantaged white male, but that’s entirely up to you I suppose. I would suggest a different hobby, perhaps needlepoint. I believe in the defense and protection of America for and by all citizens, now making me a militant. Protect America from whom exactly? This is the key question here. Protect America from enemies, both foreign and domestic? I got your back there my man. From the tired, the poor, and the huddled masses yearning to breathe free? From those you don’t like because they’re not like you? Not so much in that case, compadre. And I am proud of our flag, what it stands for and the many who died to allow it to fly, so I stand and salute during our National Anthem - so I must be a racist. I am in indescribable awe of those who made the ultimate sacrifice to keep us safe and free. Free to protest injustice where they find it and how they choose, as long as it is in a peaceful manner. That is one of the reasons America is the country it is. I’d like to share with you one of my favorite quotes that seems to be on point here. "America isn't easy. America is advanced citizenship. You gotta want it bad, 'cause it's gonna put up a fight. It's gonna say "You want free speech? Let's see you acknowledge a man whose words make your blood boil, who's standing center stage and advocating at the top of his lungs that which you would spend a lifetime opposing at the top of yours. You want to claim this land as the land of the free? Then the symbol of your country can't just be a flag; the symbol also has to be one of its citizens exercising his right to burn that flag in protest. Show me that, defend that, celebrate that in your classrooms. Then, you can stand up and sing about the "land of the free"." See, you’re not a racist because you choose to stand and honor the flag during the National Anthem. But you could be a racist if you demonize those who exercise their rights as Americans not to. You get it now? Please help me come to terms with the new me because I'm just not sure who I am anymore! I’m starting to think after all of this we might know exactly who you are. Funny - it all took place over the last 8 or 10 years! And if all this nonsense wasn't enough to deal with, now I don't even know which restroom to use… and I gotta go more FREQUENTLY. Ha! A pee joke to finish off an entirely not funny email that seems to make light of a great many not funny things while you now get in another shot against the “trans” community to finish it off. But I’m sure that doesn’t make you anti anything. Just misunderstood is all, right? Let me give you one last tip if I can, other than the dictionary thing. You are free to think however you choose. This is America after all. But if you are going to think such questionable thoughts that might just give others an insight into the “who you are” that you don’t feel comfortable revealing? You might just want to keep them to yourself. IN GOD WE TRUST. I’m sure He will have a few words for you when the time comes. You just may not like what He has to say.

I’ve tried. I’ve done my best. I’ve attempted to stay upbeat and positive and aside from the occasional mocking of people who refuse to understand time (“Computer Greeks Opens at 10am”- is secret code for “Computer Greeks Opens at 10am”) or don’t believe a locked door is really locked, so pulling on it multiple times makes complete sense, or think that wearing a mask is a Communist plot to subvert the very foundations of Liberty, I think I have done a reasonable job overall. But this Thursday morning I am not in a good mood. It’s too early, I’m too tired, and I’m four days into trying to eat better so I haven’t had a single chip or any candy or the Choc-Tacos that my wife decided to buy for Taco Tuesday that have been calling out to me for days, so be warned. Today, I’m focusing on the things that (to steal from the Simpsons) “Grind My Gears”. Big things, little things, weird things that probably only bother me are all you are going to get today, so if you stopped by hoping to be uplifted and inspired, you can reread one of my earlier posts or go watch Bob Ross paint something instead. Why is it that eating healthy is important, but you can get 2 burgers for $2 and a salad is $19.95? What’s with all the damn pillows on couches that are never used and just take up space making it harder to find a place to sit? Couch Decorations? The absurd number of Spam Calls I get on my Cell Phone! Makes me so mad I start to wish someone would just choke on a grape and then feel guilty for wanting a stranger to injure themselves. People! Family! Using too many Exclamation Points!!! Someone not knowing the difference between Their, They’re, and There! Needing a pen cap to line up with the writing on the pen! Being tired all day and then not being able to get to sleep at night! The guy who called the store Tuesday with a problem that he wanted fixed over the phone because the last time he had a problem someone helped him fix it over the phone so now that’s just the expectation and then telling me “He’s Very Unhappy” because I told him this couldn’t be fixed over the phone and he would need to bring it in and now he wants to return a computer he bought a year ago because it couldn’t be fixed over the phone! When you can find the sequel to a movie you want to watch but not the original! Needing a translator to decipher the sizes of Coffee at Starbucks! People who don’t eat the pieces at the bottom of a Pringles Can and set it out to be recycled! (My son knows exactly who I’m talking about). People who put dishes with food still on them in the sink without cleaning them off! (Guess Who?) The people working at my Subway- they couldn’t act any more irritated that you came into their store if they tried! Why? The Teletubbies! All of the Movies that are just remakes of Old Movies! Get an original thought people! Autocorrect on my phone! You think you know better than I do? Well join the club along with literally everyone else I know! People who are so negative! Allspice! You can’t actually be All Spices! My $170 a month water bill! Thanks a lot Illinois American Water! Sarcasm! All Bills! I deserve more free stuff! Entitled People! Getting Old! The kid who kicks the back of your seat on the plane! The phrase “I could care less”! Me too. “For all Intensive Purposes”, “Escape Goat”, “Hunger Pains”, “Biting My Time”- Wrong again! People using speaker on a phone call in public! Opening the cans of Crescent Rolls! It scares me! The wait time for a Doctor’s Appointment! Learn to Schedule Properly! Non-stick pans! Lies, all Lies! Covid-19! Having your kids get the Johnson and Johnson vaccine the day before they put it on hold because of people dying from Blood Clots! For Real! Wars! Dog Farts! Internet Ads! People with icons filling their entire computer desktop! People using the 10 items or less lane with way more than 10 items! PEOPLE WHO TEXT OR EMAIL IN ALL CAPS! Not replacing the toilet paper roll with 1 sheet on it! Having to wear glasses! They fog up with a mask constantly! Identity Theft! Car Alarms! No one cares! Slow Internet! Setting the TV Volume to an Odd Number! People who don't go to Computer Greeks located at 12222 S Harlem Ave in Palos Heights and Open Monday-Saturday from 10am to 6pm! The absurd number of Hallmark Movies that involve a girl getting amnesia in a car accident and then being taken in by the small town Doctor/Vet who apparently doesn’t need to run any tests on someone who obviously has severe head trauma! Malpractice Anyone? Lists of things that go on far longer than they should have! I will now allow you to go back to your regularly scheduled lives and I will do my best to ensure that my next “Thoughts for Thursday” are significantly less negative. But no promises… Stay Safe and Stay Well- Uncle Steve

Welcome to my first “Thoughts for Thursday” of the Spring and thanks for everyone’s patience as I try to get this out as often as I can find the time. Which is actually the focus of my thoughts today. “Find the Time”. What exactly does that mean. I’ve joked about needing an 8th day in the week, but with the exception of the Beatles song, I don’t think anyone has discovered that just yet. In fact, it was just a little more than a week ago that the government stole an entire hour from our lives with Daylight Savings Time. People still out here complaining about having to wear a mask, but how come there were no protests over that stolen hour? Do you know how much I could have gotten done in that hour? Ok, not much to be honest, but still… When you try to “Find the Time” it usually implies something you would like to do or that unexpectedly came up. Play a game with the family, watch a movie, eat a second dinner, take your computer in to be looked at to Computer Greeks, (located at 12222 S Harlem Ave in Palos Heights open Monday to Saturday from 10am to 6pm), or start an exercise program (ok, that one has been on my list for near 30 years- amazing, I still haven’t “Found the Time” for that one). Mentally, when trying to fit in something that wasn’t on the schedule, you wonder where you can “Steal” some time from. You begin to prioritize the “Have” to dos, from the “Want” to dos, from the “I know I was never going to get to these anyways” to dos. Usually, it is the Work Stuff that always demands our attention and seems to have the most consequences if we don’t take care of them. We don’t want to be a failure! So typically, we steal time from the “Want” to dos which can often be our relaxation, hobbies, families and general Me-Time. More and more I find myself simply giving up the “Want” to dos because I have more and more of the “Have” to dos that show up every day and I consider myself a responsible adult so that’s what you're “Supposed” to do, right? Wrong. Now, I’m not advocating ignoring responsibilities, I’m saying if you’re like me (I know, God Forbid!), you can’t always tell a “Have” to do from a “Want” to do. Need to go to the hospital? “Have” to do. Mortgage needs to be paid? “Have” to do. McDonalds has a buy one get one free Egg McMuffin? “Want” to do. (I know- that was almost a “Have”). Customer’s computer doesn’t turn on and they “Have” to get it repaired instantly? “Want” to do. Ok, let me clarify that last one if I can. My business and my work are very important to me. At times, too important. Our customers and their problems are priorities, but let’s be clear- “Their Problems” are not “My Problems”! See- that was important, so I used capital letters and “”s and and ! at the same time. It may be our job to solve those problems and we do it better than anyone, but that still doesn’t make them our problems. We can be completely sympathetic and do everything possible to take care of our customer’s issues, but when you haven’t backed up your computer ever despite having 10 years of tax returns and all of your precious family pictures on it and this morning, it not only didn’t turn on but strange smoke starting billowing out of it- this “emergency” is yours, not mine. I cannot tell you the number of times over the last 25 years I’ve worked until after midnight or come in at 5am to try to get someone’s problems resolved because I felt I “Have” to. I “Want” to when I’m able, but I most certainly don’t “Have” to. You know how I know these things at my age that I most certainly didn’t understand 10 or 20 years ago? Because I’ve seen what happens when the people with all of the “Have” to dos, suddenly “Can’t” to dos. My dad was a doctor. Without a doubt, the man with the greatest number or “Have” to dos I’ve ever known. Phone rings at 2am, you “Have” to go to work. Pager goes off (Ok, kids- a "pager" or “beeper” was this little box that doctors (and drug dealers) clipped to their belts in the days before cell phones so that during their son’s high school play, it would go “beep beep beep” in the middle of a performance to let them know what they “Have” to do while everyone in the place looked at me because they all knew exactly who that was), to tell you that what you “Want” to do isn’t going to work out this time. And yet, when that person gets sick and dies- the world somehow goes on just the same. When your brother and co-worker (another one of those with a huge number of “Have” to dos) decides that 49 is the perfect age to have not one, but two heart attacks in the span of a month, all of the “Have” to dos for the next 4 months will somehow be ok without him. These are just a few of the reasons I now know the difference between the “Have” to dos and the “Want” to dos, although I still need a reminder every now an then. If I drop tomorrow (I’m not planning on it, I’m just saying)- the world will continue. Yes, there will be tremendous wailing and mourning, but in the grand scheme, I’m not that important. All of my “Have” to dos will somehow get done or they won’t. At the end of the day, I’m going to be way more upset if I didn’t accomplish more of my “Want” to dos that are still on my list. To that end, I will now knock out a few of my “Have” to dos so that I can take time later today for the really important “Want” to dos, my wife, my kids, and myself. If I don’t get to those things, that will be the real failure. Stay Safe, Stay Well, and get to a couple of those “Want” to dos, ok? Uncle Steve

A Very Happy “Thoughts for Thursday” to All! It is amazing how fast a week goes by especially when you realize it was actually two weeks. The days seem to drag on but somehow, the weeks just fly by- very confusing times we live in. In case anyone has forgotten- Computer Greeks is located at 12222 S. Harlem Ave on the west side of the street with the pretty sign and the piles of snow I don’t feel like shoveling right next to the empty beer bottle that no one wants to pick up. We are open Monday to Saturday from 10am to 6pm if you want to come by to chat or buy something or just pick up that one beer bottle. Well, let’s see what thoughts I might have today… In Covid News: As much as I’ve really tried not to make my “Thoughts” overly much about the pandemic, it obviously is a huge part of what all of our “Thoughts” are on Thursdays and the other six days of the week as well. The good news- things are getting better! Infections are down, deaths are down, vaccines are up, it looks like we might actually be seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, thank God. Hopefully, it’s not another train. So, what should we be doing right now? Opening up at 100% capacity and removing all the mask mandates would not be my first answer. Good job Texas and Mississippi! They just announced vaccine supplies are ahead of schedule and there should be enough for all Americans by May! Two months ahead of their original goals. Fantastic! Keep up the good work for another few months and we can avoid going in the wrong direction. We’ve all lived with this insanity for a year, another couple of months isn’t the worst news we could hear, right? Yes? No? I’m an idiot? Ok, that’s not really a nice thing to say and isn’t really the point right now, but sure. Texas had over 8,000 new infections on Monday. That is with the mask mandate and limited business occupancy which by all accounts has been working. Now, you tell everyone you don’t need to wear a mask and you can fill up the bars and restaurants to capacity and what do you think is going to happen? If you said things will get worse, you could be smarter than a 5th grader, although I’m pretty sure the average 5th grader would have gotten that one correct as well. I know this is getting old and no one wants to continue any longer than necessary, but this would be the definition of premature. Someone posted that in their area, deaths went down from 2500 to 250 in the last month, so it’s time to open back up. I would ask the 250 what they think, but I haven’t heard back from any of them yet. Moving on to something (anything) in lighter news… An Alabama woman was charged with a felony after she stole a neighbor’s goat, painted the animal and posted pictures on social media. Seriously, so this is a crime now? When did that law get added? Sheesh. The California Medical Board is investigating after a plastic surgeon attended a livestreamed traffic court appearance while in the middle of surgery. Now multitasking is illegal? Damn, take me away, I’m guilty too. Three breweries began aging 185 gallons of artisanal beer on the ocean floor several months ago. They were shocked to discover that the barrels of brew had been stolen by a team of divers. Argentinian police have been notified and are searching for the lager larcenists. Lager Larcenists sounds like an Indy Rock Band. On a completely unrelated note, contact me if you could use a few gallons of a my new “Computer Greeks IPA”. It is a bit salty with a “Fishy” finish, but I think it will be a big hit. The University of Michigan Library was forced to close for two days after three venomous spiders were discovered in the basement. Show them where the copy of Charlotte’s Web is and they’ll be on their way. Canadian foodies have complained that their country’s supply of butter is much harder and less spreadable than it’s been in previous years. Dubbing the controversy “Buttergate,” scientists are linking the margarine mystery to increased presence of palmitic oils in the product. This is what Canadians have to worry about? We have Covid and Riots and Shootings and Car-Jackings and Unemployment and they have “Buttergate”? I may need to move soon. A wayward sheep found in a forest in Australia, got a hair cut to remove the 77 pounds of fleece he was carrying since he wandered off. I finally gave myself a “Pandemic Haircut” last week, so I know just how he feels. A man in Arizona was arrested for falsely reporting to police that he had been kidnapped in an attempt to get out of going to work. Again, I know just how he feels. Stay Safe and Stay Well! Until next week (who am I kidding- maybe 2 weeks, we’ll see how it goes) Uncle Steve

Well, it looks like another Thursday is here which means it’s time for my “Thoughts for Thursday” which really should be titled “Thoughts for Every Other Thursday or When I Actually Have Time or Thoughts That I Can Share When I Get a Chance”, but that title is a little too long for marketing purposes. So here it is just the same for the 4 of you out there who feel enough pity to read this and let me know that maybe I added a chuckle or two to your day- I do this for you! Just in case anyone thinks that these posts are some well thought out essay that I give great time and consideration to prior to spilling my brain’s contents out all over the internet, boy are you confused. I literally have no idea what I’m going to put down here until I actually sit down and start typing and it is at this exact moment that I begin glancing around looking for some Divine Inspiration that I might actually have a thought about. I’ve done this exact same thing so many times over and over again while nothing seems to change that it’s like I’m living this day on repeat- and there it is! February… Same Day Over and Over… Nothing seems to change… Groundhog Day it is! Ok, so I make an annual event at this time of year to watch the amazingly fantastic film, “Groundhog Day”, with the wonderful Bill Murray and the effervescent Andie MacDowell. I’m sure all of you have seen this film (It came out in 1993? Damn, I’m Old), and if not- go watch it now. I’ll wait until you’ve finished… … … Ok, Done? Awesome, you can thank me later. This is a really fun comedy that delivers laughs and a great message at the same time. But that’s just on the surface. When you watch the film a few dozen or so times, you can’t help but think about the dark, frightening story that lies below the humor. By the time the film ends, and (Spoiler Alert!), Phil (The Bill Murray Character not the Groundhog), has finally become the type of person he should have been all along, he has lived the same day over and over so many times that according to an early draft of the movie- 10,000 years have passed. 10,000 years! That is insane, incomprehensible, unfathomable, inscrutable, and many other words that could be read from a thesaurus. It’s February (Do you have to say that in your head as “Feb Broo Wary” when you spell it like I do?) 2021. The Covid Pandemic is not even 1 year old and I, like many of you, feel like every day is almost exactly the same at this point. Get up, get a mask, go to work (if you’re lucky to have a job still), go home, go to bed, get up, do it again. Maybe the highlight of the week is a trip to the grocery store if we don’t just order the food to be delivered so I don’t have to risk going out. Thanksgiving, Christmas, Birthdays, Valentine’s Day- all look pretty much the same as every other day right now, and boy is this getting old! I’ve often joked that my life looked a lot like quarantine before this all started (I’m much more of a “home body” than a “social butterfly”), but this is absurd even for me. I miss restaurants and movie theaters and mini-golf and bowling and walking through a store without getting angry over the people who wear their masks under their noses (seriously, it really isn’t that complicated people!). So, with not even a full year yet of living my “Covid Day” over and over again- I can’t even imagine what the same day would feel like after 10 years, or 100, or 1,000, or for the love of all that’s holy- 10,000 years. You’ve watched every TV show and movie known to man (thankfully, I have Hulu, Netflix, Disney+, and many others). You’ve read every book, eaten every food, played every game, met every person, and done everything possible to make this day different from all the others (with the exception of watching that live action “Cats” movie- not going to happen even with 10,000 years to work with). Yet somehow, Phil managed to eventually figure it out and work on doing what he could with what life offered him. He starts off as a complete jerk who treats others like Democrats treat Republicans and Republicans treat Democrats! (I wish that was a joke- Ha!) But as time goes on, he helps others when he can, he improves himself as a person, learns piano, reads books, earns the affection of the aforementioned Andie MacDowell, and still finds enjoyment in doing the same things every day. Every freakin’ day. 3,650,000 of them. If he could make it through that, I suppose I can manage for a while longer. I’ll look forward to better days ahead for all of us, but in the meantime, do what you can to help those around you who are struggling as well. Be Safe, Be Healthy, and Most Importantly, Be Kind. We may not have as many years to get this right as Phil did. As a bonus for any of you who actually read this nonsense all the way through- here is a list of movies like “Groundhog Day” that use the same- live the day over and over again plot, along with my ratings. 12 Dates of Christmas- I love this film! One of my favorite holiday movies that I watch with my wonderful wife (Hi, Steph!) every year. Not to be missed. 4 Stars Christmas Every Day- It’s ok. Worth a watch, but not one of the best. 2 Stars Edge of Tomorrow (Live, Die, Repeat)- an awesome sci-fi film starring Tom Cruise (not my favorite guy, but try to ignore that)- Action, Aliens, Awesome! 3 Stars The Final Girls- A comedy/horror film. What’s not to like? Trapped in a horror film you’ve seen a hundred times! Lots of fun, a little juvenile in the humor but still a good watch. 2 ½ Stars Happy Death Day/Happy Death Day 2U- Another comedy/horror film that is so much fun that they made a sequel and may even be working on the 3rd. Smart and funny. Well worth the time. 3 Stars Palm Springs- A decent comedy with Andy Samburg on Hulu. Enjoyable! 2 ½ Stars Source Code- More Sci-fi goodness starring Jake Gyllenhaal in a very well done film that I’ve seen several times. 3 ½ Stars. Triangle- A somewhat confusing horror film that needs to be seen more than once to sort out what the heck is going on, but it is so good. 3 Stars A Map of Tiny Perfect Things- a new film that I just watched this week available on Amazon Prime- not bad, not great. A good romantic dramedy, perfect for family viewing. 2 ½ Stars Christmas Do-over- what’s with all the Christmas movies that use this plot? Jay Mohr, comedy, not terrible. 2 Stars Well, there you go. Maybe one of these will help make your today more entertaining that your yesterday’s tomorrow. Huh? I’m confused. I’ll leave you with a quote from one of my favorite movies that isn’t about living the same day over and over again: Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift. That is why they call it the Present. Uncle Steve

A belated happy 2021 to everyone! I know January is almost over already and this is the first time I’ve posted my glorious “Thoughts for Thursday” in far too long. In case anyone was worried about me, I’m doing fine- Thanks! I was just taking a well-deserved break from all things internet. As always, Computer Greeks is available for all of your Tech Needs- open Monday to Saturday from 10am to 6pm and located in beautiful downtown Palos Heights- some things never change, but let’s see if 2021 is off to a better start than 2020 left us… I spent the last 30 days disconnected from all News and Social Media outlets to try to decompress from the overload that 2020 created and this is really the first chance I have had to catch up on what’s been going on in the world. So, as I write this, I will venture onto the online world and post my real-time reactions to what I see. Now, when last I checked, President Trump was going to stay President even though a bunch of people voted and said they didn’t want him to. How did that work out? Googling “Peaceful Presidential Transfer”- 0 results. That’s weird. Searching “President Biden”... Trump is gone? Biden moved into the White House? The country has moved on and there’s a new administration and things are moving forward? Awesome- I was worried that the outgoing President might fight the legitimate election results- it’s great to see that everything transitioned over without any lies, fear mongering, or violence of any k… holy $h!X! Trump banned from Twitter! Capitol Riots! Insurrection! A Second Impeachment! You can’t be serious! It’s only been a month! This is a lot of exclamation points at the end of every sentence!!! Wow. Just, wow. Ok, this has to be the exception, right? They said 2021 was going to be different- I made it to the end of 2020 (barely) because they promised things would change when January rolled in. Alright, I’ll give 2021 a pass on this for now, but what’s going on with Covid- that must be all fixed, right? Let’s, see- Googling “Covid19 all better”... And no. Not all better? But they have a vaccine, 3 of them actually. They were approved back in December before I shut down for a month, so I was sure it would all be fixed by now. Not all fixed? 90 Million Cases Worldwide? Slow production issues? Limited availability? New mutated strains of the virus? The UK, South Africa, and Brazil Variants? What the he11? We didn’t have enough flavors of Covid- we needed more variety? How many question marks can I type before I need a new keyboard??? What the heck 2021? You blew that one too? There’s got to be some good news here- let’s see- Googling “2021 Top News Stories”… Indonesian Flight crashes after takeoff… Hong Kong protest lead to arrests… Stimulus payments delayed… Businesses shutting down… Tom Brady in the Super Bowl… Wait a minute. I searched 2021, but this is all old news! This all makes sense now. I’m not seeing new news (gnu news?), this is just outdated stories because I haven’t been online in so long. I probably just need to clear my cookies (a browser fix that only high-level IT people understand). Since I haven’t been online in over a month, my internet is probably just outdated because I haven’t been using it. Like when you shut off the water in your house- when you turn it back on, you get all of that black, sputtery water that has to work its way through the pipes before the good clean water shows up. That’s the problem. I need to let all of the black, sputtery internet clear out and then I’ll start seeing the nice clean internet with all of the good news and hope that 2021 was supposed to bring us. That must be it. I’ll leave my internet on all night and see what awesome uplifting news stories will be there in the morning, that should fix it, right? Please? Help? Anyone? I’m going back to bed. Wake me up when everything is all better. Stay Well and Stay Safe… Uncle Steve

I hope today finds everyone Happy and Healthy and in the midst of a Joyous Holiday Season. Happy Holidays! Merry Christmas! Happy Hanukkah! Seasons Greetings! Happy Kwanzaa! Take your pick. (My apologies if I missed any… Festivus?) As the year begins to wind down (3 weeks to go!), I still see us knee-deep in a pandemic that continues to post numbers that are staggering. So many sick and far too many who have passed from this that my mind can’t reconcile the loss. My aunt and uncle are currently ill and, after a brief hospitalization, are thankfully improving (Hi! D & D). Yesterday, for the first time, our country has reported over 3,000 deaths in a single day and yet I continue to hear people debate mask-wearing and whether the virus is even real. “The numbers are a lie”. “They had preexisting conditions”. “If a guy’s parachute didn’t open and he died when hitting the ground, if he had COVID-19, they would list that as the cause of death”. Ok. Sure. What number are you ok with then? What number of people dying from this are you good with? 2,500? 2,000? 1? “People die all the time.” “The flu kills people every year and you don’t hear about it like this.” “This is just another example of the media trying to control us and take away our rights!” “COVID-19 may take away our lives, but they’ll never take our freedom!” Ok, I might be mixing up my quotes a little here. My point, (before I digress into political arguments I desperately seek to avoid and that, as I’ve said before, I’m an idiot, so why would anyone listen to me?) is that what’s happening is “Bad”. Hopefully, we can all agree on that, right? People getting sick and dying is “Bad”. We cool on that point? If you want to debate the degree of “Bad” then that’s up to you I suppose. If only 1 person dies tomorrow instead of 3,000 today, it’s still “Bad”. Especially if that person is you or someone you love. The difference is until “Bad” hits close to home, it’s much easier to dismiss 3,000 faceless strangers dying with the cavalier, “People die every day” argument than when your family is devastated by this. I hope that no one has to deal with that kind of “Bad”, regardless of your current opinions. Like so many others, my business (Computer Greeks located at 12222 S Harlem Ave in lovely downtown Palos Heights, open Monday to Saturday from 10am to 6pm, here for all of your tech needs during the Holiday Season and year-round) has been hurt by the pandemic as well. We are more fortunate than many in that we are still here, but the emotional and financial stress of trying to stay open and operate during all of this has taken its toll. I’m not writing this to complain (Ok, I want to complain a little), I want to make the point that anyone who thinks I don’t understand what small businesses are dealing with over the course of this year can Megabyte me. I know exactly what it has been like and I still feel the same way I did all those months ago when I said I would rather do too much than too little. Stay home if you can, care about other people’s well-being, and wearing a mask isn’t too much to ask of someone. Somehow, these ideas are still argued as if they were a political debate about raising your taxes. I don’t get it. Maybe people don’t see it until it hits close to home? You get sick with COVID-19, but you get better, so the deaths are fake? Just another cold? I’m at a loss. A fellow business owner (a restaurant in town) has said that until someone walks in and dies in front of them, they aren’t going to follow any of the guidelines on mask wearing, social distancing, or anything else I suppose (food safety? underage drinking?) Nope. I don’t understand that type of person and I hope I never will. Now, I really didn’t want this week’s “Thoughts for Thursday” to be hijacked by the pandemic (too late, I know), and what I really wanted to bring up was… as I write this, I find myself thinking of another debate that tends to arise this time of year that has often been described as the “War on Christmas”. As customers are leaving my store, it is often with a heartfelt desire that I send them on their way with the Seasonal Greeting that will hopefully let them know I genuinely appreciate their patronage and wish them a wonderful holiday time. Unfortunately, I do not know upfront what specific holiday they may hold dear. So often, I may express a more broad sentiment such as “Happy Holidays”. See, it’s the go-to catch-all of well-wished phrases. I offered this up last week to a customer as they departed my store and apparently, I must not have spoken as clearly and succinctly as I had intended (all those years of diction and acting lessons wasted!) for when I said, “Happy Holidays”, what they heard was “I will not wish you a Merry Christmas because I am sanitizing the holiday season and soon it will be illegal to celebrate and be “Merry” and Christmas will only be written as X-Mas and eventually me and my Pagan followers (My Pagan Followers and I?) will destroy all that you hold dear!!!”. I do tend to mumble sometimes so maybe this was my fault? Not sure. Police officer pulls me over- “What’s the problem officer?” You were looking pretty “Merry” there when you drove by. “No No, I swear I was “Happy”, I would never be “Merry”, I promise. What’s my point? To be honest, I’m never sure that I have one, but maybe in this case it’s this: Some people seem to be wired to see and hear an offense or a slight or a threat where none exists. Happy Holidays = Christmas is Bad Wear a Mask = A Threat to Freedom People Are Dying from Covid-19 = The Media is Trying to Control Me Trix are for Kids = The Cereal Industry is Attempting to Disenfranchise Hard Working Adults Maybe, especially this time of year, we should be giving people the benefit of the doubt and try a little harder to beat back our inclinations of distrust and resentment that sometimes come far too easily. But then again, what do I know? To all you Whos down in Whoville, The Tall and the Small, Who love Christmas a lot or ones who don’t, not at all. I wish you this Season whichever you choose, A time of Joy and Wonder for Christians and Jews, As well as Muslims and Hindus and Buddhists and more Just one thing to note- when Computer Greeks isn’t open, Don’t Pull on My Door. Be Safe, Be Healthy, Be Happy, Uncle Steve

Today I offer my "Thoughts for Thanksgiving" Week for your consumption. The next 9 days are insane for those of us working in a retail store like I have located at: 12222 S. Harlem Ave in Palos Heights on the west side of the street with a phone number of (708)636-3473 open Monday - Saturday from 10am to 6pm with amazing people waiting to help you with all of your tech needs (In case some of you forgot). Not only do I await the upcoming "GorgeFest" that is Thanksgiving (or Misgivings as I previously referred to it), but this upcoming week also adds Black Friday and Small Business Saturday to the agenda- all nicely arranged one after another in an absurd 3 day stretch that couldn't be any more insane. On top of that, my wife's birthday is Saturday (Happy B-Day Steph!), so I get one more day to pay some extra attention to just for good measure. It's great that the "Shopping Season" is upon us, but could they maybe space things out a little bit for the love of Christmas? Thanksgiving is supposed to be a day for family, to reflect on all that we are grateful for, but let's be honest, it's more a frantic cooking frenzy with the aforementioned "GorgeFest" that follows, sprinkled with a delightful measure of Football and Napping just to break up the monotony of food. Now that does sound like fun, but it can also be a really stressful day with a ton of work and cleanup to make it all possible. Then you get to follow that up with the retail world's version of the Hunger Games called Black Friday that comes right after. Ok, it used to come right after, but then every retailer in existence wanted to get a head start on every other retailer so they decided to start on Thanksgiving instead of Friday. Black Thursday? ShopsGiving? Nothing says wonderful family holiday better than knocking a senior citizen to the ground to grab the last $39 65" Smart TV and no, I don't actually know where you can get a 65" Smart TV for $39 so don't message me! Once Thanksgiving has concluded and if you have managed to survive the madness of Black Friday without serious injury, we then get to wake up Saturday morning to the unique focus of Small Business Saturday. For those history buffs with us today, Small Business Saturday began November 27th, 2010 as an effort by American Express to bring focus to the Small Businesses that are often overlooked during the shopping frenzy. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the event and as a small business owner, is genuinely near and dear to my heart. In case you have not done your research on my personal life and history (don't Google me, you'll get a Virus), I have lived in this community my entire life. I grew up in Palos, went to school in Palos, did my shopping in Palos and was even honored to have served as the Palos Area Chamber President. Over all of these many decades (God I'm old), I have seen many of the small businesses that make up our community disappear. The places that I remember so fondly from my misspent youth are often long gone with only a few exceptions here and there. I used to buy comic books at Ben Franklin, got my first baseball cleats at Palos Sports, candy from Rini's, and so on. I understand that the world has changed greatly over the years and sometimes businesses are left behind. The advent of the internet and the convenience of online shopping has redrawn the landscape of retail and continues to change every day but as great as Amazon's next day delivery is (I really needed that Christmas Sweater for my daughter's dog and couldn't wait to see her in it- Hi, Bea!), we need to make sure we support the small businesses that make up an integral part our community at the same time. Often, when a business announces they are closing, people have commented to me what a great shame it is and how much they will be missed. My response is the same, "When was the last time you gave them a chance to earn your business?" "It's been several years", they would say. That's my point. When I was first introduced to Mayor Straz (Hi, Bob!) many years ago, it was after his State of the City address where he had noted what a good job the city had done adapting to the changes presented by the dwindling retail climate by filling the spaces with a number of banks and restaurants. I introduced myself as a small business owner who didn't want to become a bank or a restaurant. (I know, a Greek business owner that doesn't own a restaurant!- Don't be racist!) (No offense meant to the banks and restaurants by the way- love you guys). Small businesses just like mine have always depended on the support of their communities to continue to survive. We work harder than the "Big Businesses" and do more because we need to earn your business. This isn't just a job, it's a huge part of our lives and if Computer Greeks closes its doors it would end 25 years of my life and my hard work and my tears (so many tears, but then I'm a very sensitive soul you know). Covid has been terrible for everyone and businesses are closing every day. Communities are doing their best to make sure people are aware of the need to keep their local businesses in mind during this time and Small Business Saturday is a day that epitomizes that very concept. You don't "owe" Computer Greeks or any other small business your patronage. We need to earn that. But you do owe it to yourself and to your community to give all of us that opportunity, so be sure to Shop Small! Not just this Saturday, but whenever you can. Ok, thus ends my somewhat long winded Public Service Announcement. Thank you for your attention (the 3 of you who haven't gone looking for cat videos). You may now continue on with your daily lives. A Safe and Happy Thanksgiving, Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and My Wife's Birthday to Everyone! Uncle Steve

A most Happy Halloween week to all of you kind enough to read my ramblings one more time- now with an extra dose of "Spooky". When 2020 began all these months ago, I took a look as I always do at the calendar to get an idea on what days the holidays fall. It's always nice to know when the big ones likes Christmas and New Year's will be so you can see if you can get a long weekend out of it perhaps or if maybe they've moved Thanksgiving to a different day of the week just for fun. (Did you know Thanksgiving in Canada is always on a Monday in October?- I have relatives there and I checked. Crazy Stuff). The one thing that immediately jumped out this year was that Halloween was on a Saturday! It's always hard to get into the perfect Halloween mood on a Tuesday or a Thursday. It just doesn't fit. I know many celebrate the weekend before or the Saturday after, but that doesn't work for me. The days before are too early and let's be honest, as soon as October 31st becomes November 1st- any thoughts of Spooky immediately change over to Festive Sleighrides and Decking of the proverbial Halls. But this year was going to be perfect! A Saturday for Halloween and what's more- a Full Moon on Halloween as well. The first time that's happened in 76 years (I checked again). Except for that one year that Halloween fell on Friday the 13th (Don't look that up, just trust me), this was going to be the best ever. And then something came along to screw it all up now didn't it? I won't even say the name or the number that we're all thinking. It shall now be referred to as "The Thing That Shall Not Be Named" or TTTSNBN for short. When the TTTSNBN hit our radar, sometime in February for me, I think like most everyone, I dismissed it as another one of those news stories that got blown out of proportion for the ratings. Then in March- they told us to stay home to make sure this wouldn't turn into a big problem. A few weeks should be good, they said. Nope Wear a mask, stay home whenever you can, close the store except for a few hours a day- it will get better. Not so much... The summer will fix it I was told with the warmer temps- I think summer is over, right? Is it all better? Getting pretty sick of this $#*?. As I work through my anger and resentment (I often have no shortage of those in a regular year)- we know that the TTTSNBN seems to be with us for the foreseeable future. We will all continue to deal with it as best we can even though the damn Spookiest thing that I can remember in my lifetime has undone my favorite Spooky Holiday with a Full Moon and probably perfect weather and the most awesomely spooky day in history that should have been the best ever... (Calming down now). So what can we do? Deal with it an move on I guess. I'll watch some scary movies and see if we can take my GranDog (Hi Bea!) for some safe Tricks and Treats and make the best of it like everyone else. Thanks a lot TTTSNBN! To be honest, it's getting harder and harder to make the best of it isn't it? Halloween isn't that big of a deal to many people, but the home stretch of the year brings us to the Big Holidays- and this isn't a game anymore. The TTTSNBN messed with Easter, Mother's Day, Father's Day, the 4th, Arbor Day, Decoration Day (it was a thing for real) and now Halloween. We have to figure out how to salvage Thanksgiving, Christmas, (Hanukkah and Kwanzaa too) and New Year's. I have found the answer and it is only two words long. Hallmark Channel. I have to admit, I have already watched several (even though it totally destroys my Spooky Vibe) of their buffet of sanitized holiday fare, and it is a balm for the soul. No problem that can't be solved, no lost love that can't be found again, no sad widower who buries their joy of the holidays can't find it again with the perfectly timed help of the town's new Teacher/Businesswoman/Nanny. The stories are literally perfect. They leave you feeling better than when you began and that's a real accomplishment right now. Don't discount a few hours of escapism when you need it most. I know they're cheesy, but that's a good thing too. Where else would you find so many people with Amnesia, Time-Travel, Adorable Children with Single Parents, the actual Sons and Daughters of Santa, people who own Christmas Tree Farms or Christmas Only Craft Shops, Candy Companies, the most elaborately decorated towns and homes, or people who support themselves by making Snowmen from Lint? And most importantly, business people who need to learn that there are more important things than business. It speaks to me. We have also learned to heed the cautionary tales that they tell- in my family, no one cleans the gutters because it is the surest way to become a Widow or Widower. I'm not joking here. Real life lessons. Plus, who doesn't think that Candace Cameron Bure, Danica McKellar, Lacey Chabert, and Autumn Resser are just the best ever. You have to love them in anything they do, seriously. (My wife likes this Andew Walker guy but I don't see it.) (We have also decided we no longer care for Alicia Witt. There I said it- change my mind if you think you can). If you know who I'm talking about- I'm sure you need no convincing and for the rest of you- give it a chance. The Hallmark Channel & Hallmark Movies and Mysteries are the best thing I've found to fight off the TTTSNBN Blues and we all need more of that. As a bonus- here is a link to the classic SNL spoof commercial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MSzytvDsPfo Chris Bearstick rocks! Now I promised an extra dose of Spooky in this post so here it is: 5 Days Until the Election!!! Ahhhhhh!!!!!! I hope that wasn't too much for some, but you were warned. Until I find the time to do this again- A Healthy and Safe Halloween to you all, Uncle Steve

Another Thursday is here on our delightful journey through a year like no other. Do you know there are only 14 more Thursdays left in the year, including the fabled Eves of both Christmas and New Year’s? Only 14… How does a year that had months that felt like they had 87 days in them seem to also fly by so quickly at the same time? Maybe it coincides with my entering the twilight chapter of life? When you get to my advanced years, everything takes longer than it used to (seriously, I need at least 30 minutes to get out of bed in the morning), but at the same time, the day is gone before you know it. By the time my morning coffee is finished, it’s nearly time for my 3:30pm dinner and then comes my reasonable 7:30pm bedtime. It is a miracle I get anything done in the few short hours of consciousness that I have, but I digress. In my last “Thoughts for Thursday”, I mentioned my love of Fall and concerns as to how this year would potentially screw that up big time. I’m working through my apprehension and today we announced our newest Seasonal Custom Computer Special- Our Pumpkin Spice PC. You can see the details in an earlier post from today and I can’t tell you how excited I am for this “Game Changing” offering. Get your pre-orders in before supplies run out. We only have like 7 pumpkins in stock and some of them look a little iffy already. I also hate scooping out the guts so if you guys aren’t going to order them, I’m not going to clean them. I may follow this up with a Thanksgiving PC special, but shoving all the computer parts up a Turkey’s Butt is proving a challenge, so we’ll have to see. I have decided to retire the Facebook “How to Wear Your Masks Properly” cover photo and try to add a more festive feel to the page. I have no problem with this, as long as no one out there thinks this means you don’t need to continue wearing for the time being. That is not the case. I’m as sick of it as anyone, but we will continue to Mask-Up and require it of our devoted customers for now. Don’t make me put the picture back up, ok? I need some variety. We are also maintaining our current store schedule- Monday-Saturday: 10am to 6pm; Closed Sundays. It seems to work reasonably well with our customer’s availability and schedule as well as my aforementioned 7:30pm bedtime. In the upcoming days/weeks- I will be putting together more posts that are actually relevant to the business itself (shocking, I know). With actual offerings that you may want to consider for upgrading or replacing your tech, back-up and security services, and even Microsoft Office specials that people have been asking about. I’ll see what I can squeeze in between dinner and bedtime. I need to wrap this up for today, we just took an order for a PSPC (Pumkin Spice PC), so I guess I have to start carving and scooping. No one else wants to do it and they keep pointing out it was my stupid idea so whatever. Every great innovator was mocked at some point. No one appreciates true geniusness. Stay Healthy, Stay Safe— Uncle Steve