I’ve had my fabulous new iMac since April. I’ve enjoyed learning how to use lots of new little “improvements” and additions that were added since I bought my last Mac back in 2004. But somewhere there ought to be a list of these changes you must read and certifiably understand before you’re turned loose on a new machine.
Last week an editor of the Chicken Soup books sent me proofs of two stories I’d submitted to “approve” them for inclusion the “O Canada” edition coming out in October. I read them over, and discovered that neither one of my stories had an ending on it! The stories just stopped at the end of a random sentence, without any obvious conclusion or closure.
I emailed my concern to the editor, who then assured me the stories were complete. She sent me copies of what I’d submitted, pasted into the text of another email. But neither one matched what I’d received to approve! Over the course of one whole morning, we exchanged 12 emails (six exchanges for each of the two stories) trying to figure this out.
The “problem” was with me. The original stories to approve were sent to me in a PDF file. The story appeared in the text at the bottom of my email. Or at least the first page of it did.
There was no indication that this PDF had more to it, and it was only by chance that I double-clicked directly on the text. Acrobat Reader immediately opened when I did so, and lo and behold! there were my complete stories. What I had deemed “missing” was merely continued on page two of the documents.
Until that moment, I’d not received any multiple-page PDF files since buying my new computer. I wish I had. Then maybe my face would not have turned quite so scarlet while I typed out an explanation to my very patient editor.
Live and learn, and apologize profusely, that’s my new credo!