Tech Bubble

Exhibit A. Shortly before Christmas, I gave myself the unplanned gift of a new hard drive. Exactly the kind of expense one wants to take on at that time of year.

Alternatives, however, were grim. I could replace the laptop itself - current machine recently entered its seventh year of life, so this is not a terrible idea. However, at roughly three times the cost of replacing the hard drive, not exactly what I bargained for in mid-December.

Choice Number Two: I could do without a laptop until ready to make above replacement purchase. Mention of this alternative to other members of household provoked weeping. Actual tears and considerable hand-wringing over the doomed fate of a dozen Webkinz if they could not be "fed" and "played with" on a consistent basis.

Plus, you know, there's the whole blog thing.

Hence, new hard drive.

Exhibit B. Firstborn received shiny new mp3 player as early Christmas present from her Dad...thus causing existential crisis for shiny new iPod awaiting her under tree from Santa.

While helping her download initial round of tracks (mysteriously, our last act before hard drive melted down), made internal decision to redirect iPod to secondborn. A highly controversial choice for me - spurner of gadgets and protector of childhood innocence - yet knowledge of this child's single-minded interest in music that is bubbly and joyful somehow made it OK. Sort of. I don't know. Maybe I made a mistake...

Exhibit C. This is the point in time when my cell phone decided to never, ever let me finish a conversation. Twenty seconds in - buh bye! No amount of battery charging would do. Black screenitis. Terminal.

Mama got a brand new Muziq phone. So pretty. So capable. All mine.

Exhibit D. Upon the return of "like new" laptop - after lavishing restorative care on ailing and neglected Webkinz, of course - firstborn attempted to download additional round of tunes with my "help."

Error message. Second download attempt. Error message. Log on to Live Chat help, relay contents of error messages. Live Chat helper sends two links full of steps to take. Steps that involve changing settings, deleting files, pressing buttons.

You see where this is going, right?

Three mp3 players. One complete idiot pressing buttons. For two hours. No songs. Plus, probably reprogrammed my computer to blow up farm animals for all I know. Merry Christmas.

One good thing about the eventual apocalypse: it would bring a definitive end to dependency on technology.

I'm going to read a book now.