Disposable computers at our house

There are so many things for me to discuss today, but I am on borrowed time. BECAUSE I'm on borrowed time, I am going to go completely blank and have nothing to say--until this computer boots me that is. Stupid Murphy and his laws...

So my ridiculously cheap conveniently inexpensive laptop that we bought last year to replace the other ridiculously cheap conveniently inexpensive laptop has not allowed us to use the wireless feature in months. We finally had to break down and bing it in to have the Geek Squad look at it. After waiting in line for no fewer than hirty-five minutes (in which time three people told me that someone would be with me in a few minutes. Not a "sec--" a few minutes. The way they said it indicated that even they didn't think that it would happen in a timely manner. They were right.

Of course, when they finally did honor my turn (evidently I look like I will be more trouble than an eighty-year-old man with a Kindle issue and a fifty-year-old woman with a camera. Noted.), the seven-year-old waiting on me was very nice (if not condescending) and even tried to hide the fact that he was rolling his eyes at my blatant ignorance of anything and everything techy. (It's a word. Now.) He warned me that if I send the computer off without backing up everything that is on it, I run the risk of losing everything. For one hundred dollars, they could back everything up FOR me. ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS. The computer was barely over TWO hundred--why on earth would I pay a hundred dollars for them to do something that I can do myself? What's that now? Oh--because I DIDN'T do it myself?! Yeah, THAT'S a good reason, but I still didn't do it. Now stupid Murphy and his stupid laws are going to visit I'm sure, but at least his visits aren't a surprise anymore.

Let's talk for a minute about disposable computers. We seem to be in the market for disposable computers. I cannot even COUNT how many different computers we have had since we first got married (almost THIRTEEN years ago. Yes, they had computers then...).In fact, when we moved from Virginia to Montana, we gave away a Commodore and an APPLE (No--not an I-anything and not even a MACINTOSH--an APPLE computer and an INK-JET printer. You remember that printer from when you were in your mother's womb, right? It sounded like fingernails on a chalkboard every time the ink hit the paper. I am hearing it in my head right now, yet I cannot begin to describe the sound on paper. We also had DELL that was our first great bargain (the Commodore and Apple were given to us) computer and lasted MAYBE two years.

I remember the five-year-old who waited on me at Circuit City that last time I went to Circuit City. We were also havng trouble with our camcorder. Yes--CAMCORDER. It had little DVDs and was "...the direction all video recorders were taking..." though after a year it was crap. When I asked him about both items, the toddler gave his best, "You are obviously an ancient idiot, so I'm going to say this slowly so that you'll understand..." look and told me , "That was last year's model--we don't even sell the PARTS to help you anymore."

Me: "So what do I do?"

Toddler: "Well, Ma'am, there's nothing you can do."

Me: "So what do I do?"

Toddler: "Ummm...buy a new camera?"

Me: "So let me get this straight...you talk my husband into buying a THOUSAND DOLLAR camera that only works for a YEAR?"

Toddler: "Well, technology is always changing and upgrading so whatever you buy now will be obsolete in a few months..."

Me: "Do you even KNOW what that means? You're nine..."

Anyway, he did nothing to help me with that OR the computer, and we gave all of our business to Best Buy.  ALL of our business...the three other things that we bought we got from Best Buy.

So last year (or was it two years ago? I don't know and you don't care!) we needed to get a new laptop--it COULD BE because someone let the children use the other one, but it was slightly broken from the start--missing a screw (like the rest of the family). When my husband ventured out to get one I told him that we should save and get a good one--instead of treating laptops and computers like disposable items. From all of the research I've done (drinking wine and surfing the net), people seem to be quite pleased with their Macs and they seem to last a LONG time. I understand that I would have to sell a kidney to get one, but at this point, it seems worth it. If you consider all the money we waste when we dispose of computers after a year or two...we could have had two Macs and an IPad by now!

My time is flashing on the screen, so whether I want to or not, I have to sign out. This is awesome. Really. I love having my time limited almost as much as I love driving across town to use the computer. Fun times. I guess I will "see" you whenever I have a chance to drive over here sans children again. What is your opinion on the whole computer debacle? Do you like yours? What do you like or dislike about it?