After almost four years of dogged service, it's time to retire my old laptop. Not such a big deal you say? Maybe - but I was one of those kids who had a hard time getting rid of stuffed animals because I didn't want to hurt their feelings. I'm having the same issue with my old pal here.
Yes, it's ridiculously slow no matter what we do to it. Yes, the D key has worn off, the Q doesn't work unless you jam at it, the mouse has completely worn through and the powercord connection is so touchy that if you bump it, you may not be able to get it to power up again. Ever. There are cookie crumbs from 2007 trapped between the keys. It weighs eight pounds and my shoulder hurts when I have to take it somewhere. It is time. I realize that.
My new laptop is pristine, lightening fast, weighs just four pounds and has fancy new Windows 7. I do like it a lot. I powered it up and downloaded all of my mail in under a minute, vs the 27 minutes it took me yesterday on my old one. It's cool.
But I still have the other laptop open next to me. Why? Because we've been through so much together. This was my very first laptop. The one that wrote all of my beginning not-for-human-eyes stories. It was the one that came to the conference in Kansas City with me where I met Agent E. I wrote Dirty Little Secrets and the first ten chapters of the new book on that old workhorse. I've researched everything from compulsive hoarding to Tudor England on it. I've gotten thousands of emails this baby - both the "no thanks, not for us" emails as well as the ones full of "yes, they'll take it" great news. When I got that laptop, almost nobody was Facebooking, Tweeting or even blogging. I've written 506 blog posts on it. Seeing it neglected makes me a bit sad.
I know I'll learn to love this new laptop. But I'm not getting rid of the old one. I'm going to tuck it away as a reminder of how far we've come together.
Happy 2010 and may all your laptops be fast!
On this date: In 1863, Lincoln delivered the Emancipation Proclamation.
1 comment:
The new laptop looks gorgeous but I know what you mean about not wanting to get rid of the old one. I have had my laptop for almost 4 years now and it's a clunker compared to all the sleek new ones. I think I might have to retire it soon too. =[
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