"You've Reached the Vaping Helpdesk..."

[tygertyger]

In the spirit of helpfulness I see all over this place, I sold my neighbor on the idea of vaping, and agreed to order the most basic of items for her to try. Yesterday, the last bit arrived, and we got her started. Well.... sort of.

She's a bit older and well... unfocused. It's hard to impart information to someone who won't stop talking after asking a question long enough to process the answer. She never wears her glasses so the finer points of anatomy (this is your coil, this is the fill hole, etc) are all but lost. I decided to keep it simple and ensure she had a full tank, knew how to actually vape, had the most basic charging safety info, and knew how to use the 5-click protection. Simple enough? You'd think so. And you'd be dead wrong.

She's always in a hurry, and when she came up to get her stuff and get started, I was given all of 5 minutes while she was practically hopping to get out of here and off to an engagement. Alrighty, we'll be quick. I grabbed my own identical setup, placed hers in her hands, and we had the briefest of tutorials, focusing on what I listed above, and off she went.

Later, when I'm just getting ready to log off of cvcn and put my son to bed, there's a knock at the door. A grave and nervous face greeted me with "It's not working." I stifled a sigh and said I'd be down to see her when the lad was abed. Twenty minutes later, I was knocking on her door. She met me with the defective equipment. I was already thinking I'd probably have to just give her one of my batteries to set things right. No need. I picked it up, and pressed the button. No lights, no vapey-vapey. I clicked 5 times, and the battery returned to life. (Didn't we go over this 6 times upstairs earlier? Yes, yes we did.) I handed it back to her and smiled. She apologized and we had a refresher course on exactly how 5-click protection is enabled and disabled.

This morning, as soon as the coffee finished, another knock. I answered and she places the PV on my kitchen counter and in a somewhat frustrated tone announces that "This thing never worked.... I went and bought smokes last night." I picked it up, disabled the 5-click protection (yes! again!!) and held the button while holding it near her ear so she heard the hiss. "Seems to be working fine" I announced.

"Oh!" she cried sheepishly and said, "But I never get a puff see?" and she proceeded to "click" (not hold, please note) the button, then draaaaaaaw. I minimized a sigh and reiterated (yes! again!) that you only draw when there's vapor, there's only vapor when the coil is hot, and the coil is only hot when the button is depressed.... "try again".....

Ok, this isn't kind, but I'll admit I got a strange amusement and satisfaction when she again drew, and got such a nice thick vape she coughed and sputtered in my kitchen. How's that for not working!?
------------------

I'm loving the equipment we have to use. I started vaping at a golden age in our history when it's still kind of new and groundbreaking, but there are myriad pretty much idiot-proof tools to utilize.

That is, until they bring on a better idiot *sigh*....

 

[MisterMike]

Egads. Maaaaaajor flashbacks to my many years of tech support. *shudder*

Me: Okay now click start.

Customer: Ok.

Me: Now right-click on "My Computer".

Customer: Hang on, slow down. What was that again? I'm so computer illiterate. *giggles*

Me: Do you see where it says, "My Computer"?

Customer: Yup. Okay, I clicked on it. What next?

Me: No, sir. I wanted you to right-click on it.

Customer: Uhh, it says "View, arrange icons, stuff like that."

Me: Just close that window. Then click start, and right-click where it says "My Computer".

Customer: Alright. I see "Program Files" and a bunch of other things.

Me: (in my head) It's a good thing breathing is instinctual. If there were instructions, you'd have asphyxiated long ago. (To customer) Sir, did you close the window like I asked?

Customer: Oh, I thought you wanted me to double-click on C.

Ad nauseam.

Who wants to start a pool on whether or not this neighbour will be back with a similar issue tonight?

Edit: My apologies if I'm coming off as mean-spirited. I know there are all sorts of skill and proficiency levels out there, but how hard is it to follow instructions? Repeated instructions, at that.

Oh, well. Just keep at it, it'll eventually stick. I'm glad, however, that your neighbour is persevering (hopefully) with it.

 

[tygertyger]

I can really appreciate your story Mike, as I used to work as a junior tech. I didn't have to do much user support, but enough to know that unless I got to hand-pick my users, my computer career might be terminated by a guilty verdict lol.

Fortunately, I've trained my Mom well. She's at the stage now where I can walk her through something over the phone blind (meaning, not at my computer) and she can even concisely and accurately describe what she's seeing onscreen to help jog my memory as to what to tell her to do next. Ahhhhh.... gotta love power-users.

Dad on the other hand, love him as I do.... I find myself gently suggesting he put Mom on the line *giggles*

As for the neighbor..... that is why I feel safe posting here. I simply don't have the time to help her navigate these forums or figure out Youtube or heaven forbid!!-- the cvcn live broadcasts. And I have great confidence that without my assistance she won't find them on her own. Don't get me wrong --- lovely woman.... volunteers, has a huge and generous heart..... but definitely not computer or electronics inclined.

 

[Cobber]

funny when I was trying the patch the only help I had was a buddy said "you should stick it to your temple"

I love this community

 

[DuaneNeveu]

You can lead a horse to e-juice, but you can't make him vape.

 

[iheartpoco]

You are so nice to do this for her!! She sounds like my grandma with...almost everything invented in the last 10 years...LOL. I love her so much, and that's part of the reason why.

 

[tygertyger]

You are so nice to do this for her!! She sounds like my grandma with...almost everything invented in the last 10 years...LOL. I love her so much, and that's part of the reason why.

Gawwrsh.... you're too sweet. If I was really soooo nice, I wouldn't be as frustrated as I am.... but I guess I do want her to succeed, so I've resolved to suck it up and keep helping as much as I reasonably can.... but I'm also going to be hooking her up with the number of a local guy who sells from his home and might be another good resource for her.... both for supplies and support. I don't wanna hog all the fun

 

[Qcaj]

Part of me misses the days of tech supporting mom. Now she's running Ubuntu

On the other hand, I'm so glad I never have to back to the days of "You broke the computer! It was fine until you did something to it."

You're a good person, Tyger.

 

[chagrin]

Oh man. I hope she's not the type of person that will give up on the idea and then blame you.

I feel pretty bad and I think I've become pretty jaded, but after years of unpaid tech support for tons of people, I make pretty snap judgement about whether people are going to understand or not.

I could teach my grandpa to vape in about 20 minutes and he'd probably learn more than me in a week, but other people I know .. I'm not even going to try to get them to switch unless they show A LOT of interest. I got stuck explaining things every other day or being blamed when electronics don't work waay too many times, to ever try to convince anyone to use something now.

 

[Eddie.Willers]

Thing is, you can explain a thing (vaping, the internet, celphones) til you're blue in the face to someone, but if they're not interested then they won't take it in.

As P.J.O'Rourke said, they start exhibiting symptoms of 'MEGO' (My Eyes Glaze Over).

 

[GIMike]

I've been doing tech support for several years now, and yes, it goes get tiring. Luckily I'm now in a business support environment, and I don't see the noobs as much, so it's not as bad. But yeah, I've had the same experience with trying to teach vaping. My problem was, when I went to check on the person I was trying to help, they used it till the battery went dead, put it on a shelf, and continued to smoke. So when I taught them about the charger, and how to properly use it, I checked back a week later, and the battery had leaked out overnight due to being hooked up to a computer USB port (I know I mentioned many times not to use a computer port), and being left on there for way too long. You win some, you lose many many more....

 

[SoUnique]

Sure sounds like you're talking about my experience with my Mom.

I got her all set up with a kit & juice when I went to visit her in the spring, she seemed to be doing really well with it, enjoying it too. I even got her to charge the battery on her own. She's pushing 80, but I figured if she did it once she could do it again. Wrong.

I called her a couple days after I got home to see how it was going, SIGH, "It worked for a bit but now it's broke" Of course the first thing I asked was if she recharger the battery. " Well I did when you were here"

What it boiled down to was if I was there to charge her batts & help it was all good, but if she had to do it, it was to much work.

I'm going back to see her at Christmas, I'll see if she wants to give it another shot. If not the kit will go to my nephew if he wants it.

You know I thought I really had her sold on it when I told her she could do some stealth vaping at the bingo hall

 

[Stucco Jedi]

You are all better people then me. I am way to jaded from being in construction for so long. Yes the bubble goes right between the lines to make it level.

Duct tape can't fix stupid but sure can muffle the sound!!!!



NO this is not a pipe bomb!!!!!!!

 

[tygertyger]

You're a good person, Tyger.

thanks qc! *blush*

Oh man. I hope she's not the type of person that will give up on the idea and then blame you.

I don't think so, but I'm prepared for that possibility. I have some gently used gear I may give her (that's the *plan*) but I'm holding back until i see that it will get good use.... otherwise, I'll keep it for another convert! But after seeing how "whole hog" I've gone and how well it's working for me, her arguments would be very thin at best.

Thing is, you can explain a thing (vaping, the internet, celphones) til you're blue in the face to someone, but if they're not interested then they won't take it in.

the interest is there.... the teachability isn't. 5 seconds after telling her to HOLD the button while drawing, she's clicking it and wondering why there's no vapour. I just want to grab her face in my hands, go eyeball to eyeball and say "Tell the voices to take lunch.... and FOCUS!"

But yeah, I've had the same experience with trying to teach vaping. My problem was, when I went to check on the person I was trying to help, they used it till the battery went dead, put it on a shelf, and continued to smoke. So when I taught them about the charger, and how to properly use it, I checked back a week later, and the battery had leaked out overnight due to being hooked up to a computer USB port (I know I mentioned many times not to use a computer port), and being left on there for way too long. You win some, you lose many many more....

Brutal! lol..... But I think I put the fear into her when I talked about the possible dangers of lithium ion batteries and charging from a laptop. Stressed that my son and I *do* live upstairs from her, and if she starts a fire, I will be very very upset!!! The look in her eye made me wonder if she'll run an extension cord to the picnic table outside, take her laptop out there, and charge there! hahahaha.... if she decides to continue, I'll insist she needs a wall wart (she only has the USB cable for now).

 

[BrianCig]

tygertyger,

Just keep one thing in mind. It is very simple. By your actions no matter how much she might not listen or drive you crazy you could be saving her life in the end.

I have found when dealing with new users to vaping and all their questions as long as I remember I could be saving thier life I can make it through all the dumb questions\mistakes they have.

They might not view it that way but if you view it that way then you can sleep at night knowing you have done everything you could do that is possible to help another person even if they don't know they need help.

Of course with some you will simply fail and they will continue to smoke and that isn't your fault if you have given it your best.

 

[tygertyger]

Thanks all, for your advice and encouragement.

So far so good. The knock came mid-morning today, and I rose from my chair to answer it. I permitted myself one little sigh before I shook it off, found a smile, and set my mind to find the humor in it and simply reiterate the necessary information once again.

But wonder of wonders! She informed me it's working great for her now that she's embraced the fact she has to HOLD the button to puff. Today's questions centered around changing out juice in her tank that she's tired of, and nicotine content/throat hit questions! All things I was happy to address as new information. Mind you, as soon as I started to answer, she got that glazed look in her eye and started fidgeting and looking at the door, but Rome wasn't built in a day. I'm just happy she's enjoying it, though I wish she'd taken my advice on juices early on....

She insisted on juices at 24mg, even though by her own admission, she's a smoker that never inhaled!! (How is that possible? lol) I really tried to talk her into a lower level but as I was using primarily 24 at the time, she insisted on having whatever I was using. Later, I traded her my bottle of 18 for one of her 24s, but she still has 30mls of watermelon and 30mls of pina colada at 24!! I'm just really hoping she doesn't want to try to sell them to me as those are two flavors I'm NOT keen on! (icky! ptui! lol) I'd grab some VG and dilute them for her, but that'll also dilute the flavor.... any advice? I guess another option is if she's sure she likes the flavors, order them again in 0mg and mix for a resulting 12....

 

[shades]

maybe give her a cheat sheet and type a bunch of stuff up

 

[tygertyger]

maybe give her a cheat sheet and type a bunch of stuff up

You read my mind.... started it yesterday and still working on it.... just tweaking and editing lots to stay concise. In Dad's side of family, we joke that if you ask us what time it is, we tell you how to build a clock! I'm resisting including all the information *I* find riveting, and trying to leave only the bare bones necessities, with a few bonus tips thrown in.

 

[RollandOfGilead]

Then you`re gonna hear `But I`m not wearing my glasses` or `knock knock...what do you mean by....`

I had a three hour phone call from an older lady trying to walk her through downloading a damn ringtone to her cell phone when I worked Tech Support for at&t. *shudder*

 

[shades]

! I'm resisting including all the information *I* find riveting, and trying to leave only the bare bones necessities, with a few bonus tips thrown in.

The most difficult aspects of writing any technical document is writing it correctly for the intended audience and not to make assumptions that because it is as second nature as breathing to you doesn't mean a novice well have any clue. Walking the lunatic fringe between too much and no useful information is a hard path to walk.

Just keep the audiences understanding paramount to your attempt and you should do fairly well.

For me there is another aspect that I find difficult but can easily be summed up with a picture