Most days, I have a love/hate relationship with technology. When it's working I love it! I love surfing the web, designing websites, and organizing my oh-so-crazy life to the minute. When it's not... well, that's another story.

But when my laptop started crashing last week, I wasn't angry. I was heartbroken. It seems silly, from one perspective, to be so attached to a piece of technology. From another perspective, that little guy has been my life and my lifeline for over two years. Which is a lot longer than my previous three laptops.

First, there was the adorable IBM 701c butterfly that I got my sophomore year of college. [see the cute photo on the right of it's sliding keyboard] This was so cute (and light, at the time) and it lasted me through the end of my sophomore year. Back then, computer technology was developing so fast you couldn't even try to keep up with it. So, when my junior year began I got the first of two Gateways... they were less-than-impressive. Suffice it to say that I really ordered them because they had a cow patterned box. For a while I went back to a desktop, but since I like to write in Starbucks, that made working on my novel a little difficult.

So, in January 2005, I finally ponied up and got the first computer that I bought and paid for all on my own. [there it is, on the left] I had done my research, narrowed down the choices, and had even decided that I could wait a while... until I went to Office Depot and my number one choice was ON SALE. My Sony VGN S260P (which weighs in at just under 4 pounds) was still on the pricey side of notebook computers, but it's the best money I've every spent. I do everything on the computer (from writing the book that I finally sold to posting my BuzzBlogs to making my reservations for the RWA national conference). Barring one blip (a motherboard issue that Sony extended the warranty for and had it fixed and back to me in under a week) this latest is the only problem I've had with this computer. Little or no crashing. Totally reliable. And light enough to carry in my purse (in a tote, at the very least).

So, while I'm going through computer withdrawal, I know that when my baby comes back to me he'll be better than ever. That our relationship is built to last. And that, when the time comes that he should pass, I'll be looking for another Sony to take his place.

Hugs,
TLC
[who was in no way compensated by Sony, but will consider all offers]
Growing Up Godly, Summer 2008
Dutton Children's Books

what I'm reading ... One For The Money by Janet Evanovich
(I know, I'm decades behind the times)