"No pain, no gain"

My computer has been slow as molasses lately. Unable to play HD videos notwithstanding, had I held my breath for the simplest executions to happen, I'd be dead by now.

Windows Task Manager (Ctrl/Alt/Del simultaneously) showed that I had up to 108 processes running, and the CPU usage was an unyielding 100%. I called a computer store and was told I had a virus.

I ran the computer through Avast, AVG and Avira (the top 3 free anti-virus programs), and they did find some undesirables, which they removed. But the computer was as slow as before. They also found a couple that they could not remove. I then ran Malwarebytes (top-rated free anti-malware program), and it found quite a few, and had them removed. Then I ran the SUPER Anti-spyware, and more showed up, and removed. And then, I used RegClean Pro to fix all registry errors. But the computer was slow as before, CPU usage still maxing out at 100%. I called the store again, and they said that it would cost me 150 or more to fix it.

I checked other computers and found that their CPU usage fluctuated between 10-50%, but their number of processes were only between 60-80, compared to my 95-108. Windows Task Manager also showed the specific processes being run. I went through them one by one and closed those I thought were unnecessary. A couple of times, when I removed a process, the computer crashed, and I had to reboot. But by trial and error, I reduced the number down to below 80, and, voila! the CPU usage went down from 100% to 20-50%, and computer regained it's previous speed. HD videos grace the screen again.

So what is the moral of this story?

1. The computer problem was a pain in the butt, and cost me significant time.

2. The fix-it-myself approach was trial and error, amounting to pain on pain, and time plus time.

3. But I learned a lot about computers through the painful process.

4. The problem was solved - without expenditure.

5. I gained a sense of satisfaction in myself.

But the point I really want to make is this: The computer situation can be a microcosm of the LIFE situation. When something goes wrong with ones life, it could be agonizing, and one might wish that it didn't happen. But without it happening, one would not gain new knowledge about life, nor experience the satisfaction of success. A painless life is a stagnant life where the advance of the soul is concerned.

And it comes full circle to what we've been saying for eons: No pain, no gain.


Anthony Marr, Founder and President
Heal Our Planet Earth (HOPE)
Global Anti-Hunting Coalition (GAHC)
Anthony-Marr@HOPE-CARE.org
www.HOPE-CARE.org
www.facebook.com/Anthony.Marr.001
www.facebook.com/Global_Anti-Hunting_Coalition
www.facebook.com/Anthony.MarrII
www.youtube.com/AnthonyMarr
www.HomoSapiensSaveYourEarth.blogspot.com
www.DearHomoSapiens.blogspot.com
www.AnthonyMarr13.wordpress.com