Saturday 11 August 2007

Disconnect

I feel completely disconnected. Not because I have been away for most of this week, first on Vancouver Island and then in Washington, and not because I've been off work for three weeks, but because the cable to my laptop has broken.

It had been a bit dodgy for a long while, but finally it has given up. Kevin has ascertained that although it is no more than two and a half years old, the part can no longer be obtained. I'm now hoping for an engineering miracle involving equipment that we don't have around the house and a more sensitive soldering iron. Or soddering iron as they call it around these parts.

So I have no computer, although it would be fair to say that there are three other internet connected ones around the house. But that's not the point. The laptop, your own personal notebook, is like an electronic handbag, so suddenly being without your own is like suddenly having to manage with someone else's bag.

On my computer is everything I use on a daily basis. It's connected all the time, when I'm at home,I pretty much get e-mail from any of three accounts as they come in. I have my photos and the software for them, my writing, all my passwords, my bookmarks, my banking, my trillian (instant message manager). Now, even checking e-mail is a chore. I have to go into webmail for each of them, it takes forever to load them up, and of course, this is Kevin's laptop, so although he makes a great deal of effort to ensure I can use it when I need it, obviously he needs to use it too. I feel it unreasonable to sit and do my crosswords when I am taking time from his use of his own notebook.

And yes, I'm totally aware of how pathetic that all sounds. Spoilt even. I'd stamp my foot and scream and scream like Violet Elizabeth, but I know it wouldn't have much effect.

And of course, I know it's awfully untrendy of me, not to mention both ungrateful and ungracious, but I do hate mac! Yes, yes, everyone says it's just a case of getting used to a different system, but I've tried and tried and I just don't like any of it. There's nothing, apart from the literal weight of the machine, that I like about the mac.

Anyway, enough moaning, I have just two more days with my family, and I'm going to savour every minute.
THEN I'll get back to whingeing.

6 comments:

Sleepy said...

What lap top is it? My HP one gave up the ghost the day after the guarantee ran out. I have cables for it.

Karemay said...

What a lovely photo of Kevin with Holly and Edward. I know you will enjoy the last couple of days of your holiday with the family.

Crisp-e said...

lol! I do feel your anger! I managed to launch my HP printer across the classroom just before the end of term. Up to that point, it was intermittently printing and I was quite simply sick to death with it. Then, one morning it just died, no warning, so I kicked it into shape! It felt sooo good! N.B. no pupils were present to witness this!

P.S. Mac's rule; far superior machines! You have been brainwashed by Microsoft!!!! hahahaha ;)

Anonymous said...

Too bad about the cable. Being without does suck. I've got to say I like PCs more too - partly because I know them better, partly because I can get into DOS when I really need to fix something. For a good laugh, read One thing PC users can do that Mac users can't.

Schneewittchen said...

Sleepy - It's a Pavilion ZV6004EA. It has an elliptical connector to the laptop with three holes, 18.5 volts. Ta.

Karen - it has been an absolutely magical three weeks with them.

Crisp-e - I swear that all school printers are rejects, I can't ever remember having one that worked more than intermittently.

Gail - Thanks for the link :)

Crisp-e said...

lol! Gail: The link was very funny :)