February 28, 2020
Dear Everyone:
Last Friday, my printer decided to lose its mind.
I was expecting this. The
printer was just over two years old, and that’s how long a printer
should be expected to last.
The timing, however, could have been better.
Friday is when I tend to use the printer a lot, what with the
Weekly Letter and all.
I picked up a new printer on my way home from a luncheon that Friday.
As long as I was replacing the printer, I decided that this was a
good time to rethink the way my computer and printer were set up.
My living room has a built-in set of shelves in one corner of the room.
These were originally intended to hold the sound system, with
maybe a few books tossed in for good measure.
On the original floor plan it was designated as the “media
alcove”. There was even a
hole drilled through the top shelf to allow the wires for speakers to
pass through. Remember this
place was built in 1988 when stereos were king and a home computer was a
Sci-Fi myth.
The main computer sat on one shelf, surrounded by various possible
accessories; extra cords, a collection of USB “thumb” drives, and
assorted accoutrements long since forgotten about.
The printer sat on the shelf below the computer.
Originally, this was so a cable could connect the two.
Later, as home Wi-Fi got more reliable, that was no longer
necessary. But that was how
it was set up and why mess with it?
There was one big reason to “mess with it”.
Whenever I needed to open the printer up, to replace ink
cartridges, or to clear a paper jam, the cover could not open entirely
because of the shelf above it.
So I would hold the cover with one hand and try to accomplish the
task at hand with the other.
This could prove tiresome.
Now was the “perfect” time to rethink the whole thing.
I had temporarily placed the new printer on a separate little
table while transferring operations from the old printer to the new.
The little table seemed to handle the “rocking” that an inkjet
printer inevitably causes.
And it was certainly convenient, being right next to my chair.
At this point, I decided to throw caution to the winds and started
moving various pieces of furniture, especially two extra-large
“overstuffed” chairs. (Note
to self: Those chairs have
been around for over ten years.
Might want to look into replacing them, too.)
I shoved the two chairs away from the walls and patio door, then
considered what could go where.
Ultimately, the whole computer entourage shifted to the far
corner. One big chair moved
more-or-less back to where it was before.
The other chair shifted down to in front of the ”media alcove”,
neatly blocking any access to those shelves.
For now.
It's all a Work In Progress.
In the meantime, my newest computer arrived at the front door the other
day.
I know what you’re thinking:
“Again?!!!”
Yes, again. The average
computer, like the printers, is designed to last about two years.
Sebastian, my main computer, is just past that.
And he’s been slowing down noticeably lately.
So I ordered a new one, even before finding out that the printer
needed replacing also.
What with everything else going on, Olivia, the new computer which will
be replacing Sebastian, had been sitting patiently on top of my Project
Box, which I use to drag things to and from the Senior Center on Crafts
Workshop Tuesdays and the Library on Needle Arts Saturdays.
Olivia’s initial setup is complete; but transferring everything
from Sebastian will take some time, so it will probably be next week
before the whole thing takes place.
In the meantime, the new setup with the computer is proving to be quite
satisfactory. For once, I
can shift my chair back without slamming it into the wall.
I can be looking at the large monitor and only have to turn my
head a little to the left to see the TV.
As an added bonus, I can now use the wall on my right to hold many, many
Post-It Notes to remind me of various things that need doing.
Or I can use removable tape to fasten whole pages to the wall if
that works better.
Like life in general, it’s all a Work In Progress.
Love, as always,
Pete
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