broken laptop blues

image from here

 =     :-(







Guys, I miss blogging. I have so much I want to share with you- from Salted-Caramel Kahlua Brownies to Watermelon Basil cocktails, to the desk I just refinished, to the chair slip cover I am finally getting a start on.

But... a few weeks ago my laptop stopped working. First a pop up notified me that the battery had "reached the end of its life" and yes, in the same message it notified me that replacing the battery was not covered by my warranty. So, I went online in hopes of finding a cheap alternative to replace the battery.

I was in luck and found one on amazon, which came quickly and saved the day. Sort of. Then I had trouble getting the laptop to recognize that it was plugged in and should charge. Madness ensued as I tried wiggling the cord to get it just right to charge, which actually worked for a while (and left me doing weird things like leaving my laptop propped up on pillows to keep just the right angle that allowed it to charge) and then eventually it wouldn't recognize the charger at all. I noticed that the cord where it goes into the laptop base had started the fray, with silver wire-y bits showing. So I decided to buy a new charger (cheap off of ebay) to see if that was the problem. But it's been about a week and the new charger has not yet arrived. So I have been computer-less.

I managed to post about the portobello burgers from my office, but believe me it's not ideal. And that combined with the school work I have to do make not having a computer at home a royal pain!

Of course any time something like this happens, it makes me evaluate how dependent I am on computers. I feel like I have lost a limb. People send me emails, and while I used to respond nearly instantly, I now may not be reachable for a few days at a time. I have trouble falling asleep at night because my old routine was so closely tied in to my ability to check all my emails, read a few blogs or news articles, or even watch a show on hulu until I was sleepy enough to go to bed.

There are friends I can only contact via the computer, for example one of my friends who lives in Australia. I could email her, or instant message, or even talk via skype, but I can't afford what my phone bill would look like from just calling her.

My calendar is online, and without it I forget my commitments- what day do I have to go to the optometrist to get my eyes dilated?

Well I suppose the only feeling that is worse is if my phone is missing or broken- how will I wake up without my trusty alarm, how will I be reached when I am home and don't have a land line?

The anxiety of not being constantly connected is so huge. I have always said that I have no need for a smart phone, I sit at a computer often enough to check my emails, and other wise people can call or text me to reach me, but not having a computer at home the last few days has me second guessing. If I had a smart phone I could check my email, update my blog, and check the weather even when my laptop is down, right?

I have been caught in the rain twice now unprepared, all because I couldn't check the weather report online before leaving the house!

What about you guys- do you feel like you're missing a limb or part of your brain if your computer or phone aren't working? I wish I was less reliant, but the truth is my life revolves around this technology- without it I feel adrift and confused!