laptop running LL3.8 behaving unusually

[Artim]

I’m actually thinking maybe I shouldn’t update...any thoughts?

Omygosh, this is the one single issue I have with all Ubuntu-based distros.  I update selectively, avoiding anything that might bork my system.  Newbies don't know how to update selectively, and any distro aimed at newbies should offer a way to filter out potentially harmful ones.  Linux Mint does this with their updater, and [member=6629]ralphy[/member] has adapted that updater for Linux Lite users (clicky here to read about it).

To be fair:  Linux Lite lead developer [member=2]Jerry[/member] does NOT approve of this, it is NOT the official "proper" way to keep Linux Lite updated.

But it is the only way I will let my newbie clients update their copies of Linux Lite, and it has already saved them a great deal of trouble, including the crippling GRUB bug (Beta software in an update to a distro for newbies! Unforgivable) last year. 

I remain a fan and supporter (financially as well as otherwise) of Linux Lite.  But on this single point we disagree.  If it were me, I would go back to a previous restore point, then install the Mint-adapted updater from the link above, and rest easier knowing that dangerous updates can be selectively refused, even by a newbie who ordinarily would not know how.