We decided to postpone buying me a new machine, because I had a netbook (his name is Sam). My netbook was for bringing in to college and archives to take notes. My hands find it difficult to use pens for long periods, and a netbook is lighter than a laptop to carry. It was a perfect secondary machine.
But I was unemployed and Ireland's economy was flat-lining. We decided to put off buying me a new computer and put the money towards something more sensible. Like paying the gas bill or, y'know, buying food.
But my small computer, while fantastic, isn't able for the intensive use I was giving it. Over the past few months it's started to grumble and have hissy fits. He never signed up for full-time use, I was pushing him too hard and he was nearing breaking point. I still couldn't justify buying another computer.
But then my husband's laptop, which was as slow as bedamned after six years of constant use and a lot of bulky software, bit the dust. So we went off shopping yesterday for a new family computer. After ten minutes of me stroking a Sony Vaio and doing mental arithmetic to work out what we'd have to give up in order to buy one (hint: gas, food) we settled on a beautiful HP laptop. We called her Harriet.
I'm writing on her now, and it's a strange experience after a year on Sam. Harriet's screen is so much bigger and I keep pressing the wrong keys. At least I'm not worried about losing my work so much now. (Yes, I do back up. When I remember.) And Sam is happy to return to being an archival, portable machine.
