Saturday, June 04, 2011

What It Means to Be "Vintage"....Or the Story of My Dying Laptop


(note this is not my real laptop...but what it aspires to be..)

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So my Laptop is dying....I need to come to grips with that. In 2005 in the midst of a Divorce I became the proud owner of this beautiful powerbook. It has been my friend through thick and thin. Filing Paperwork , searching for a home, searching for work, raising a Teenage Son....exploring the boundaries and challenges of being a single mom in Downtown Cleveland, while I got over my West Coast Homesickness and rediscovered my East Coast Roots..It helped me blog and document the Bush Years and the Obama Election....and so much more.... It has helped me research Jobs in NYC so I can try to get my son there for Film School. Due to the Economy his plan , his hopes and dreams are now 2 years off schedule..derailed...but I keep telling him to hold fast to his Dream, that we will get There. On this computer I wrote my Book and blogged and documented our History these past 6 years.

I almost lost my book this week, because the laptop is in self preservation mode....It's gone Cylon on me. For me tracking events and documenting our History the Bush Years and now these past two years has been cathartic, but also a real lesson that Real Journalism does matter and does indeed effect History. I don't care what anyone says Bloggers and now those on Twitter were indeed able to effect History by sharing Information and Facts in a Timely Manner. I am glad that this little 11 inch laptop did it's share.

I have mostly 2nd hand everything clothes, car , sewing machines....And this computer was the first NEW thing I ever owned all by myself.....I treasure that. I have treated it with love and respect....The Apple people commented on it's pure "Vintage Beauty"....

I am sorry I have not been here as much blogging for these past few months as I try to assess what to do next for my sick laptop. For me still living on the edge it is a huge decision. ( If anyone wants to help me with even a 10 dollar donation that would be wonderful and I would be grateful...and yes I hate to even mention it...but.... )

So please know that even though I am not here as much, I am trying to back up my files and save everything right now (including the book,Silent Fallout is finally coming out this summer) .....And hopefully soon I will be here blogging more again....
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The Book Cover....( let me know what you think folks....)

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JUNE UPDATE::::
So the laptop was fixed with the help of the Wonderful Geeks at Apple, it went off for repairs, and as a longtime customer they gave me a discount and it is repaired and I picked it up last night and it is working again. But I am grateful to all, because I did look at the newer models and will in the months to come keep saving for a refurbed newer model. The Book is back on track and still will be coming out this summer. thank you one and all for keeping my spirits up and helping me during a rough patch.

7 comments:

Fran said...

Sorry you are going through it. Lots of computer stores sell used restored computers, some w warranties. That might be an interim saving grace.
My son learned a heavy lesson about backing up important documents when his computer went belly up right around finals. Had to stay up all night a few nights in a row reconstructing 28 pages of important notes.
Not easy.

He had a moment of thinking about "going Walden" as I called it & giving up having a computer.

Did you just compare me to Thoreau? , he asked. I'll take it as a compliment, said he.


Computers such a lifeline in the 21st century.
Yes, many an activist uses them for good & positive change in the world.

I hope something decent comes your way & soon.

Enigma4ever said...

oh thanks fran....
I too have learned the lesson, and almost lost the book...
yikes...
anyways...I think a refurbed mac air or mac pro is where I am headed...and they are reasonable and under 2 years old...

I take really good care of 2nd hand things, so I am pretty sure that would work out...

a brand new computer is just too much I think,....

but thanks...and truly one can't change jobs or do much of anything without a computer at this rate...

( going walden..very funny...best to you and your son..)

D.K. Raed said...

oh no, so sorry to hear the old thing has finally almost wheezed itself off the grid.

I know you will search out a used mac and hope the transfer of data goes easily for you.

When my old thing finally died last yr, I lost some good stuff and had to pay a technie to transfer what he could (not much, most was too corrupted). Kinda of felt like losing an old friend.

(luv that old "vintage" pic)!

Enigma4ever said...

oh deb..so glad to see you redhead on this page....and thank you for understanding my laptopluv...gosh I hate to admit how sick this buddy is...I am saving and backing everything up on an external hard drive....( when it does not crash...) ( sending you an email...)

as long as I can make it until the end of this month....( have some job apps out and the book is being worked on with publisher....) so as long as I can baby it a few more weeks....

( oh do see the Video below-I thought of you...you would appreciate it...)

thanks again....

D.K. Raed said...

luv the book cover! had to enlarge, trying to see what the spider-webby looking things were on the title letters. can hardly wait!

your old mac sure got you through some rough times ... it bore the slings and arrows of your mighty effort to see Silent Fallout in print ... hope it gets a decent burial.

enigma4ever said...

oh thanks...I worked hard to make the Cover look just right...that is really a photo of the Town and the Bay the evil company polluted...and their "Lagoon"....about the laptop...I will keep it always...even if only just to honor it's hard work,...

sent U an email..hope it got thru....

many hugs...

Enigma4ever said...

Its now thurs. wed the lappy finally died. the apple docs will try to repair and then we will re-evaluate if I should move to refurb or what to do next...so sorry folks...so I won't be here as much