The Course of Tech Love Never Does Run Smooth

I love technology but it doesn't always love me back. And I don't always have the best luck with the devices I invite to share my life.
Take cameras. I have owned at least 6 digital cameras since the kids were born. The most reliable has been a small video/digital camera I paid 60.00 for about 10 years ago.
The pictures are only 2 mega pixels and the flash doesn't work any more but in good lighting I can just turn it on point and shoot. Unfortunately I didn't take it on my trip last spring.
I left it at home because I had a new camera for the trip, a small tax return splurge. Not very expensive but the nicest one I had ever had. There were 2 things I didn't like though: it was so tiny I confused with my cell phone when I reached in my purse, and the built in rechargeable battery. Knowing how tech tends to not work for me I really prefer the security of being able to walk into any drug store on the planet and a buy package of AA batteries. The clerk assured me that once charged the battery would last a week at least, and since it was the only one in my price range, I bought it, took it home and charged it.
We left on Thursday night. The battery died Saturday afternoon in the middle of Petersburg battlefield. I left it on the charger all night and nothing. It wouldn't even turn on while on the charger. The rest of the trip was photographed on my cell phone...which also died a month later. I got the pictures printed though.
Recently my much loved Nook died, and rather than just replace it I decided to upgrade to a Nook Color partly because my laptop had died (another tech nightmare) and I was tired of having to do all my Internet business on my cellphone. So it arrived in the mail and I plugged it in, and nothing. I plug in the charger from the daughter's nook and it at least turned on, though it wouldn't charge as the cords aren't really compatible. I call tech support. They say they will send a new charger and outlet, each of which will come in its own box. Anyone need a small shipping box? I have had three arrive in the last week.
So 3-5 more business days and my cables arrive, I plug it in and lo, it works as advertised. I must in fairness add that the customer service at Barnes and Noble is great. And there's a happy ending to the camera story too, for when I took it back to the store there was a lovely Cannon on sale, larger and using AA batteries. And we have been quite happy together.
But I do seem to jump more hoops than the average person where tech issues are concerned, I haven't even mentioned all the things I own that work but only if you know the right way to jiggle it or smack it to make it work.
Sometimes I think that in a past life I really offended someone with a pocket protector.