~ because nothing lasts forever
Picture: Stock Photo, GoDaddy
I’m on my third laptop. And if I continue to walk the preventative path, I’ll soon be acquiring my fourth. Why? It’s designed that way. I was gifted my first laptop years ago when leaving North Carolina to return to Chicago. I replaced laptop #1 with laptop #2 while living in West Hollywood, California. Fast forward to the end of 2015 when as I was writing on laptop #2 here in New Orleans, it literally faded to black as I was typing. The frustration and disbelief ensued as I spent way too much money and precious time late at night hightailing it to FedEx Kinko’s and a hotel (FedEx Kinko’s server was down. Drama.) to finish typing and printing what I had started at home. I reached out to a friend, whose husband referred me to a great computer repair guy in Uptown. And then enlightenment came.
“I’m surprised it lasted this long. You’re actually really lucky,” he said. Huh? He explained to me that PCs are designed to function as long as the warranty. Anything beyond that is divine intervention (my words, not his). Oh. Cue light bulb. When I purchased my third laptop last year, my expectations were completely transformed. I knew going in that I was going to have a lovely, productive 12 months with this useful piece of technology. And after that, I need to start making other arrangements to avoid being caught off guard. How much easier my life, your life, our lives, would be if we understood and accepted the timeline of numerous situations we encounter. Now, I’m more relaxed when I make decisions and assess relationships.
It is interesting to point out however, I haven’t used my current laptop as much as my previous ones. Not that I’ve written less, au contraire. I really do believe my newfound understanding of this finite tool, actually buffered me from overusing it. Oh technology, you guru you. Are you paying heed to certain time specific areas in your life in order to be fully prepared ahead of time? I’d love to hear your thoughts on the matter. And no rush. Your warranty is unlimited here. Namaste y’all…