Technology migraine!

Alaska is less than 2 weeks away, so today we needed to pick up some final items.  Number 1 was water bottles that we could take on the plane.  Susan, aka Sarge, suggested the Polar bottles that are insulated and keep water colder longer.  Unfortunately, none of the guys at the store could find them....how little they know their stock.  Just beyond the checkout, I spotted a display of them.  Russ returned the off-brand not what we really wanted ones to the camping area, and I got 2 polar bottles.  Check that off the list.
Number 2 was a new memory card for the cameras.  Ha!  It was like looking for a needle on the floor of my sewing room.  His camera requires a compact flash card.  These are now considered high end for professional use, and only one type available at very high dollar.  The sales guy said to try  ebay and find an old one.   Strike one....on to my camera, which used an xD card.  2G, or 4G.....my present one is 64 M.  I quickly realize the 4 year old camera is considered very outdated.  Too bad, I know how to use mine.
Number 3 was an external hard drive for backup on my computer.  We have had enough computer problems lately and I did not want to be gone and come back to nothing left.  Luckily there was another customer looking at them and I started talking to him.  Goldmine!  He was a computer geek that installs big systems.  He kindly answered my dumb questions, gave me directions, and picked out what I needed.  OK, check that off the list.  Done and headed for home.
My camera card is a dud....the camera recognizes it, but is unable to format it.  So we will have to return it and try again.  Strike 2.
Then I decided to try ebay for the other card, and there was an old one for $1!  I bid, and bidded again.  Outbid....strike 3.  But, looking further, we found a compact flash card for about 1/4 the store price there.  So that did get ordered, and I sure hope it works.  Maybe that was just strike 2 1/2.
I am feeling very old today....technology has exploded, and my mind is having a problem keeping up.  And now Russ is trying to connect the Wii to the internet.  I think I will go press the jewel box quilt top....with a plain old iron that you don't have to program to make it work.