June 12, 2004

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  Technology.

  
  

  Is it really designed to make our lives easier?

  
  

  My computer died the other day. It had been threatening for quite a while. doing funky things at odd times. The monitor was on its way out. The CD-Rom bit the dust about 3 weeks ago. My keyboard was shot — the O stuck and the spacebar skipped.

  
  

  It was about time.

  
  

  When it happened, it was late at night and I was just about to start on a new Xanga entry. The monitor went dark, so I thought it was just playing its usual games, so I turned it off and on, to no avail. Then I rebooted the computer, which made all its usual noises, and still nothing on the screen. Fortunately I had an old 15″ monitor, from the second computer I owned (this was my third) so I hailed that up from the basement and plugged it in. The monitor worked, but the computer didn’t. It started up but when it got to windows it turned to gibberish. And reinstalling windows was out of the question (broken CD-Rom, remember?)

  
  

  So I figured the monitor and the computer both happened to die at the same time. Perhaps they had some sort of electronic suicide pact.

  
  

  So out I went the next day, shopping for computers. Damn! And I really hoped my next investment was going to be in a laptop, but replacing the desktop with a much better new machine seemed more logical for what I do on it. Laptop will have to wait, until I can pay off the new desktop.

  
  

  Anyway, I found one that was perfect at Best Buy, more than I expected to spend, but that was okay. However, it was out of stock. So I picked out another one with less features but nearly $200 cheaper. I couldn’t buy it then, because I had spoken to Bernie about opening a store charge and taking advantage of their “no interest” policy for however many months they offered it. That would halp a bit with making it more affordable on my limited funds, but he needed to get the account in his name, because thanks to the store I used to have being a business failure, my credit rating is shit. We needed to get a new stove, had planned to do that this weekend (because the kitchen floor is getting done on Wednesday) so I was hoping for them along the way too, and found what I wanted at Best Buy.

  
  

  I had gone to a few places, but not to Circuit City, when I decided to call it a day and go home. Yesterday Bernie had off, since he is a nonessential federal government employee (mailman) so we went out to buy my new computer. But first I wanted to check at Circuit City just in case I found something better there. I saw the exact same computer I had planned on buying at Best Buy for the exact same price. And a couple of other potential choices, which I was waiting to ask a salesman for more info on, when I spied, on the lower shelf, two “open box” computers, at radically reduced prices – and one of them was the machine of my dreams, the same one that was out of stock at Best Buy.

  
  

  Woo hoo! I got the one I wanted, and a battery backup/voltage regulator/surge supressor thingie for just about what I was planning on spending on the lesser model!

  
  

  My nephew the computer geek (acebathound on Xanga) buys reconditioned and open box stuff all the time, so I knew it was not a bad choice. It has the same warranty as an unopened one. Like he said, it probably was returned by someone who couldn’t afford it and changed their mind. Circuit City has a 14 day return policy, and they do a complete check on everything that comes back, so it was virtually as good as new.

  
  

  I didn’t buy a monitor, because I wanted to be absolutely sure that mine was completely dead and it wasn’t just the computer. Well, it worked for a few minutes then died again. So here I am with this tiny old monitor, getting eyestrain. I think I am going to go back out and get the 17″ LCD monitor I have been drooling over, and be done with computer shopping until I can get my laptop. The sale ends today, so I have to do it later on when Bernie gets home from work.

  
  

  I still have a lot to do to get the new computer set up the way I like it, and still need to install some software and hook up my scanner, but at least I can now take care of my eBay customers (who I am sure thought I deserted them) And visit all my Xangabuddies, too.

  
  

  

  
  

  I have a lot of other stuff to do, as well. I need to drag myself away from my new toy and work in the yard to get it in shape for the company coming on tuesday night. I got another truckload of mulch on thursday — have to spread that, and work on the flowerbeds by the door. Still have 2 bamboo plants to put in and some soil and mulch to finish the bamboo grove, and some daylilies to plant along the fence next to it. And I am sure that since it rained thurdsday night and yesterday, the lawn will need mowing again.

  
  

  And of course there is housework, too. Cleaning and laundry. And the hallway I started to paint — I have a base coat on, but need to do the faux finish part. Our new stove (yes, we bought that yesterday, too) is coming tomorrow and the kitchen and bathroom floors are going to be installed wednesday so I have to get ready for that.

  
  

  Phew.

  
  

  Makes me tired just thinking about it.

  
  

  

  
  

  Well, I hope you have a wonderful weekend, whatver you are doing!

  
  

  

  
  

   

  • 11:17 am
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