My Laptop Can Eat Your Laptop...

Several weeks ago, I decided that it was time to upgrade to a new laptop. With the recent addition of Office 2007 to my cache of software goodies, my little Dell could no longer keep up. I asked my all-knowing computer guru brother-in-law for a little direction on what to look for. With his advice in hand, I dove into the search for a new love.

I become quite attached to my laptops. I spend much time up to my eyeballs in the accounting and marketing and other doldrum-inducing tedium of my business. Then there are the blogs...and the nonstop emails...and the games...and the photo editing...yes, yes, I become quite close with my laptop. Knowing what I wanted in the down and dirty guts of a new laptop, I really didn't care what it looked like, what size it was or any other "cosmetic" issues. Last Friday, I finally found what I needed. Imagine my surprise to see that the refurbished laptop I picked out was even red. Yippee! I went ahead and placed my order.

Fast forward through the weekend...the daydreams of me and my new laptop sitting outside this summer...me and my new laptop hanging out on the couch together...I drooled at thoughts of a quick start-up, smooth software transitions, and multi-tasking.

Monday morning I heard a shuffling at the door. The dogs went crazy. I peeked out the front window and saw a DHL delivery man jogging to his van across the street. Could it be? My laptop had arrived already?

I sprinted down the stairs and threw open the front door. (Okay, it was really more of a slow, methodical stride, both hands securely bracing my descent down the stairs...more about that later....but the feeling was still there.) There it was. I brought it inside and ripped open the box.

Huh. Interesting. I was certain that the white box on top held the actual laptop. That thing packed below it must be a case or something. Weird. It took me a minute to realize that the case thing was the laptap. It was HUGE! MAMMOTH! There are no words to describe the unimagineable size of this thing! Why hadn't I taken a moment to look at the specs?? Good grief! Can I even lift it out of the box without throwing out my back? I spent the next 20 minutes laughing... laughing at myself...laughing at this monstrosity sitting before me on the ottoman...it was one of those great gutteral laughs that comes from deep inside. I needed that.



I don't think Rit really believed me when I tried to explain the size of this new thing over the phone. When she finally came home that afternoon and saw this thing perched on the couch, she just sat and stared..in awe. Then she said, "I thought they were making laptops smaller these days." We played around with it a little bit...trading off holding it as it does tend to cut off the circulation to one's lower extremities.

I will be sad to say goodbye to my old Dell. We've had some good times together...and I could lift it with one hand. But it is moving on to a nice home with my good friend's teenage son. Who knows what wild times lie in its future. But, I do love this new monster. It's fast and convenient and it never breaks a sweat.

Right now it's cooking a roast and vacuuming the living room, all while checking my email.