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Oh Computer, how I have missed you!
See, I don't really know anything about computers, despite their omnipresence in my life. I didn't even own one until I went to college, and even then it was basically a typewriter with a capture-the-flag game. When I needed online access, I went to the library or the labs (and since I worked in the art library, I sometimes got paid to read fic. I miss those days). But then I hit grad school, and got this shiny machine with all sorts of bells and whistles. As far as I'm concerned, it works because when I hit the power button, a fat little hamster inside starts running as fast as his tiny legs will go. When it doesn't work, I'm stuck, because it's not like I can fix it.
So early last week, it decided it didn't want to work very well. I mean, it wasn't like I hit power and nothing happened, but all of a sudden it was crashing constantly and saying I had no memory (which shouldn't be the case) and running slooooooowly. Obviously I didn't know what's wrong, so I couldn't do much. Yesterday my computery neighbor and I spent some time poking at stuff (well, she poked, I asked "What does that mean? Does that do something? Is that bad?" until she sent me away), but even now my computer is still kind of half-witted. The poor hamster is hobbling along with two sprained ankles, some bruised ribs and a concussion. My sister and my practically-brother-in-law are coming here for the First Seder tomorrow, and they're both computery types (she's a geologist, he's a tech teacher, which is more computers than "make an ice scraper" these days). With any luck they'll be able to do something and heal the hamster.
But. Between last Monday and yesterday (also Monday), there were seven days. Seven looooong days. With no computer! Ack! Seriously, I had no idea how addicted I was. I figured, well, okay, I've got email, Ebay, LJ, my Yahoo groups (all but the smallest of which I read at the archive site), Salon, my various fic sites and occasional other web excursions. That's no much to go without. I'll be fine.
It was a very long week. The first day was fine. I had to go shopping for Passover, which involves four hours of driving round-trip (remember the "no comic shops where I live" problem? That pretty much goes for other Jews, too. Two hours to a grocery where I can get anything other than matzah). I was too busy to miss it. But after that, the week seemed endless. All I could think was "What's happening with my Ebay auctions?" (I won the Jane Austen cookbook after several years of hunting- yay! I lost the Nero Wolfe lot- boo!), "What if P's on IM and I miss her, and then she gets hit by a bus and I never get to talk to her again?" (okay, probably not likely), "How many pages of posts on EntSTSlash am I going to have to wade through?" (five, but there was some good fic so I'm not complaining).
It was illuminating though, because I had very little idea just how computer-addicted I was. I blame television. Not like that- I blame television for not being good enough and making me watch more. A whole week free, and I could only find six hours of TV to watch, and I only had that much because CSI and Without a Trace (Everybody Wants Nicky and The Martin and Danny Show) had extra eps this week. Other than that, I had a smidge of Canadian comedy and a show on CBC about modern-day cowgirls. I know it's just a fad and I should be patient, but can reality TV go away already?
Anyway, I need to go make chicken soup so I can bribe the P-BIL, and with luck soon I'll have a healthy hamster. Um, computer. Drug of choice. Whatever.
See, I don't really know anything about computers, despite their omnipresence in my life. I didn't even own one until I went to college, and even then it was basically a typewriter with a capture-the-flag game. When I needed online access, I went to the library or the labs (and since I worked in the art library, I sometimes got paid to read fic. I miss those days). But then I hit grad school, and got this shiny machine with all sorts of bells and whistles. As far as I'm concerned, it works because when I hit the power button, a fat little hamster inside starts running as fast as his tiny legs will go. When it doesn't work, I'm stuck, because it's not like I can fix it.
So early last week, it decided it didn't want to work very well. I mean, it wasn't like I hit power and nothing happened, but all of a sudden it was crashing constantly and saying I had no memory (which shouldn't be the case) and running slooooooowly. Obviously I didn't know what's wrong, so I couldn't do much. Yesterday my computery neighbor and I spent some time poking at stuff (well, she poked, I asked "What does that mean? Does that do something? Is that bad?" until she sent me away), but even now my computer is still kind of half-witted. The poor hamster is hobbling along with two sprained ankles, some bruised ribs and a concussion. My sister and my practically-brother-in-law are coming here for the First Seder tomorrow, and they're both computery types (she's a geologist, he's a tech teacher, which is more computers than "make an ice scraper" these days). With any luck they'll be able to do something and heal the hamster.
But. Between last Monday and yesterday (also Monday), there were seven days. Seven looooong days. With no computer! Ack! Seriously, I had no idea how addicted I was. I figured, well, okay, I've got email, Ebay, LJ, my Yahoo groups (all but the smallest of which I read at the archive site), Salon, my various fic sites and occasional other web excursions. That's no much to go without. I'll be fine.
It was a very long week. The first day was fine. I had to go shopping for Passover, which involves four hours of driving round-trip (remember the "no comic shops where I live" problem? That pretty much goes for other Jews, too. Two hours to a grocery where I can get anything other than matzah). I was too busy to miss it. But after that, the week seemed endless. All I could think was "What's happening with my Ebay auctions?" (I won the Jane Austen cookbook after several years of hunting- yay! I lost the Nero Wolfe lot- boo!), "What if P's on IM and I miss her, and then she gets hit by a bus and I never get to talk to her again?" (okay, probably not likely), "How many pages of posts on EntSTSlash am I going to have to wade through?" (five, but there was some good fic so I'm not complaining).
It was illuminating though, because I had very little idea just how computer-addicted I was. I blame television. Not like that- I blame television for not being good enough and making me watch more. A whole week free, and I could only find six hours of TV to watch, and I only had that much because CSI and Without a Trace (Everybody Wants Nicky and The Martin and Danny Show) had extra eps this week. Other than that, I had a smidge of Canadian comedy and a show on CBC about modern-day cowgirls. I know it's just a fad and I should be patient, but can reality TV go away already?
Anyway, I need to go make chicken soup so I can bribe the P-BIL, and with luck soon I'll have a healthy hamster. Um, computer. Drug of choice. Whatever.
