November 17, 2005
Dear Everyone:
This is the first Letter that I’m composing on my new computer. Last weekend I decided that it was time to “get off my rusty-dusty” and clear out the old tower and set up the new laptop.
I spent Saturday moving files from the hard drive to CDs and then copying them to the laptop. Once I was sure that everything came over OK, I deleted them from the old machine. I also uninstalled a bunch of applications like AOL, TurboTax and the like. However, some computer games, like Bejeweled and Puzzle Inlay, which I had bought from MSN, I left for the new owner.
I also included all the User Guides, books, CDs and a flock of diskettes (the new laptop doesn’t have a diskette drive) which I had erased. In the end, I had two diskettes, one with the backup tax file from 1996 and one from 1998. I was actually considering sacrificing another CD to copy them to the new machine when I realized: “1996, 1998? Who cares! The IRS isn’t going to be asking for them.” So I tossed ‘em.
On Sunday, I started taking everything apart, wiping about six inches of dust off most everything. I had debated whether or not to keep the flat screen monitor and the printer. I’m a little uncomfortable with the balances in my credit accounts and so I’m economizing where I can. But when I got the laptop actually situated on the computer cart shelf, it was almost the exact right height for the screen. (Ergonomically speaking, the top of the screen should just about even with your forehead.) When I put the laptop over the port replicator, it was perfect.
(A port replicator is a device that let’s you connect the laptop to other peripherals like the printer, the Palm Pilot, speakers and other things. When you want to take the laptop with you, you just disconnect it from the replicator and everything stays right where it is until you come back and plug the laptop back in.)
As for the printer, I was in an office warehouse store and happened to find myself looking at printers. I found one that was a color printer AND a copier AND a scanner. It was the copier part that really caught my attention. How many times have I had something ready to mail off, but had to wait until the next day when I could copy it at work first? When I realized the whole thing cost less than $80, I decided my credit card could stand one more hit.
So the printer and the flat screen monitor would go with the computer. I got everything into two boxes that I had held for just this purpose. By Sunday night, everything was parked next to the front door, ready to be picked up.
As for the new owner, I had offered to donate the computer to the local high school. They did not exactly leap at the chance to take on a three-year-old computer. So the son of a friend and former co-worker “volunteered” to adopt it. When I saw her at lunch on Monday (we have a standing appointment to get together for lunch on the second Monday of every month), I asked, “When do you want to come pick up the computer?”
That happened Tuesday. Apparently, she put it all together last night. Her son was thrilled. Now he doesn’t have to fight for time on her computer. And she’s thrilled that she now has exclusive use of her computer. She was also thrilled when he asked if she had any Thank You notes as he wanted to write one to me. When I got back to my desk after a meeting this afternoon, there was a lovely card waiting on my desk.
In other news…
We all know that “Jeannie” is completely addicted to eBay, the online auction service. Her first obsession was Wedgwood china. She spent many happy hours (and untold dollars) finding obscure pieces to bid on. The next kick was cameo brooches and pins. She became the world’s leading expert on cameos, which reached their height during the Napoleonic Era.
Now it’s vintage rhinestone costume jewelry. She has dozens of jewelry boxes filled with various pieces, some of which make up a complete collection. I once loaned her my label maker so she could identify what was in each box. She liked it so well that she announced that she would not be returning it to me. I bought another one.
Occasionally, she would decide that this piece or
that was not worthy of her collection anymore.
So she would take it to this upscale second-hand store in
Well one of her pieces, a brooch which she had bought about five years ago for $15 sold this week. For $400. A tidy profit.
And who spent $400 on a vintage rhinestone brooch,
sold by a worthy organization?
The Right Honorable Senator
Barbara Boxer
of
Now “Jeannie” has to check every news article about Boxer to see if she’s wearing the brooch.
Wait, is that my tax dollars at work?
No Letter next week. I’m taking some much-needed time off. Everyone have a safe and Happy Thanksgiving.
Love, as always,
Pete
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