Separation (From My Laptop) Anxiety
I had to send my laptop off to the Computer Mother Ship, also known as the Best Buy computer repair center in Louisville, Kentucky.
The problem is the port where you plug in the power cord. It doesn’t charge. Actually, it’s been a problem for a couple of months, but I’ve been able to cope by jiggling the connector. This has required considerable dexterity on my part, especially if I am jiggling the cord while typing or eating cereal.
In general I don’t like spending time getting things replaced or repaired. This explains why, years ago, we had a television that for a long time had a big green “3” on the screen whenever we turned it on. Eventually you hardly noticed the “3”, and you could see around it enough to get the general idea of what was going on.
Also, I am extremely resistant to throwing away my shirts after they wear through at the elbow, which they do a lot. (I never thought I had especially sharp elbows, but who knows.) Why get rid of a shirt when it looks perfectly fine if you just roll the sleeves up?
This is not a case of frugality, it’s just that shopping (not including shopping for plants) and taking things to get them fixed feels like such a waste of time.
Anyhow, back to my laptop. Finally the port got tired of being jiggled with and refused to charge altogether. And so I took my computer to the store where it had been purchased – fortunately the warranty is still in effect.
It will take up to three weeks before my laptop is returned. I have to confess that I felt considerable unease about such a lengthy separation. It’s very odd that so much of my day involves interacting with a device that I lived without for the first four decades of my life.
However, so far I’ve been OK. Though this is mainly because Judy is pretty generous about letting me use her Mac. I should be able to continue writing posts, though it’s not the same as when I have a laptop of my very own.
How do you cope with separation from your laptop?
gardeninacity 
I hate anything going wrong with my computer..it is an old friend. Good luck during the separation.
Thanks!
Thanks.
We use our computers for everything nowadays, and it definitely feels strange to be unplugged. I really get annoyed when I can’t access my files etc. when I need them for a project. Having just recently gone through a miserable three weeks without my computer, I completely understand!
Actually, I got word I may be able to pick my laptop up today!
It is the most scary thing. It is almost as if I don’t exist without my pc, having an iPad to hand helps! Good luck.
Thanks!
oh, I couldn’t tell. never had to go without, ever since I got my first one way back when….
Lucky you!
I laughed aloud about your TV! I had problems with charging my laptop recently. I was breaking out in a cold sweat when they ran the checks to see what was wrong and I almost hugged the chap who ran the checks when I found out that all I had to do was purchase a ridiculously expensive new cable. Anything rather than be without my laptop! My sympathies to you… it’s going to be a long 3 weeks.
I was hoping that my problem was the cable, but no dice.
I love a break from the computer, but it dosn’t happen very often.
I’m not really having a break, since I’m sharing Judy’s. I am spending less time online, though, but can’t say I’m loving it.
I had to replace my charging cord a few weeks back but was lucky enough to take it to the Genius Bar at the Apple Store, get one, and get back home. When it doesn’t work, it’s like your best friend won’t talk to you. 🙂
Well said.
Luckily I haven’t had to be without my laptop for more than a week. I used my phone for email and just didn’t worry about it much. Seems I can keep myself busy. I did miss it though. I had a lot of catch up reading to do. I have forgotten the feedly account password so I can’t get on there with another device. ha.. I just had to suffer through. I hope your computer is back before they predict. Hang in there.
I’m picking it up this afternoon!
Isn’t it strange how dependent we’ve become on our computers?! Last week Time Warner Cable (the monopoly in these parts) went out for about eight hours: no computer, no home phone, no TV. I still take the hard copy of the paper, so that sufficed for half an hour!
Interesting and strange that your computer has landed at Best Buy in Louisville. I would have thought Chicago had service parts for everything.
We get the Sunday paper and read it online the rest of the time. I’m considering going back to daily delivery.
The real problem with a three week separation is that the laptop will come home and probably be already behind technically. It happens so fast these days.
True. I really don’t like having to update so often.
I don’t think I could be without my laptop for three weeks, but that’s because 50% of the time I spend on it is work-related. I teach 3 online classes, and only 1 traditional on-campus course. Plus all our banking, taxes . . . . yep. I always replace mine before it gets too old and slow. Now, if only I could get some $ credit from the college since I use it so much for work!
I also use my personal laptop a lot for work. It allows me to work from home much more than I would otherwise be able to.
I can identify: holes in elbows, check. Had a car once that I had to start with a screwdriver, another that would go about twenty miles before I had to stop and hit the carburator with a stick (stashed beneath the seat for that purpose). I started out with Macs, each one lasting ten plus years. As an economy (of the false variety) I switched to PC and things began to malfunction after the first year. I’m happily back in the Apple fold, where the malfunctions are only in my brain.
OK, you win the prize with that stick activated carburator.
Hang in there! Luckily, I’m married to a computer geek, so when something goes wrong, he can fix it pretty quickly. Otherwise, I’d be in exactly the same situation as you are in.
That is lucky!
Ha ha! You and I must be twins separated at birth. How do I know that? Your comment about shopping (except for plants)–that has to be a genetic trait. The three weeks will go by before you know it. Hopefully. 🙂
I should be able to pick up my laptop by Monday, so that’s good.
I suggest you take advantage of the free time and go plant shopping at your favorite nursery.
I would but there isn’t much yet that’s been put out for sale. I could go out and get a bunch of pansies, I guess.
I agree with Susie, we did not have internet for a while last year and after the first few days, I found it was heavenly and we got a life back. (I hate shopping too and throwing stuff away).
Honestly, I hope I’m not without my laptop for that long. Also, I still get to use Judy’s Mac at times (like right now).
Computers, great when they do their job, very ,very, very annoying when they don’t. I have heard books are quite a good diversion 🙂
Books? What a quaint idea.
Hello Jason, I couldn’t which is why if my main computer goes, I’ll move onto the laptop, or if things get really dire, the phone. Given I work in IT, there’s not a chance I’ll be caught with my pants down and not have some way of getting online.
I suppose that’s one advantage of working in IT.
Your old tv had me laughing, and I’m your soulmate re hating shopping, except for plants!
I rely on my computer far too much and yet lived happily without for most of my life. I’d hate to be without mine for three weeks, thank goodness you have Judy’s to share. xxx
Supposedly I can pick mine up tomorrow.
If it’s something simple I fix it myself but if not I’ve always just bought a new one. For what you pay for repairs you might as well and then keep the old one as a backup. I find it’s always a good idea to have 2 computers.
That makes sense. Luckily I bought an extended warranty which I very rarely do but this time it paid off.
I’m now curious – why there was a big green 3 on the screen of your old TV? As for doing without the computer/internet, if I’m feeling very tired, I can go for a week or two without either and not miss them, but after that I need the mental stimulation of them and start feeling very irritable. That said, a few years ago, I had two months without and only visited the public library once to use theirs. Anyway – good luck with getting it repaired.
We really had no idea where the 3 came from, or why it stayed. It’s a mystery.
I can understand your anxiety. I have been thinking of having mine looked at as there is one blog I followed I no longer can access (I can access if I use an other computer). But as for your TV, it seems it is not worth the bother.
Computers are always developing mysterious maladies, aren’t they?
LOL, Jason, I love the picture of the dog with separation anxiety. My first laptop had to be sent off for repairs several times. The separation was inconvenient, but at least I had a computer at work that I could use. With my second laptop, I bought the extended warranty where they would come to your house and fix it if it needed repair, and then never had any issues. These days, my laptop is my only computer. (I don’t even have a smart phone.) So I think if it needed repairs that would take weeks, I’d have to go out and buy a new one!
I’m amazed that I’m actually using my extended warranty. But yours might still be worth it, on the theory that it never rains when you remember your umbrella.
Fortunately I have never had to be offline for longer than a day or two… living with an IT specialist helps! 😉 Hope your withdrawal symptoms don’t get too bad. Just think of all that extra time you now have. You could go shopping for some new shirts! 😉
I picked it up today – only had to be without it for one week.
I’m fortunate in having an iPad as well as a laptop so there is a backup but I don’t like blogging on the iPad so I am sure I would start to freak out. I did laugh about the large no 3, we had a TV that had pink and green lines on it and like you we stopped noticing them until the Tv made a strange noise and gave up. I’m sure you will survive, you might given find others things to do rather than go on line
I don’t like blogging on the ipad either. Typing on it is too hard.
As someone who is currently ignoring the frequent messages popping up telling me there a problem with my graphics card causing the browser to need to be restarted I wish you a successful repair. Three weeks will fly passed. I agree that you should just make for the nurseries if you get twitchy.
Thanks. It was successfully repaired, and it only took a week.
My laptop has the exact same problem. It will still run the computer as long as I can keep the light lit (shows it getting power), but the battery is kaput and I can watch the power drain when the cord need a jiggle. It is old by tech standards. I bought it in 2009, so will be replacing it, not repairing it. I ordered a new laptop last year, then cancelled it. I am one to run the thing to death and probably will. Only problem, I can’t take it when traveling. That is what prompts replacing it.
That is pretty old by laptop standards. I bought mine less than two years ago. Sounds like for you a new one is the way to go.
You should see the cord to my charger for my Mac laptop…it is covered in black electrical tape as it was shredding. Actually the tape needs to be replaced as it is slowly unraveling so I certainly understand. 😀
Wow, when the electrical tape is unraveling you have reached a whole new level.
I really think I’m pushing it. 😀
I have more than one device (iPad, iPhone) so I could suffer through, but it’d be hard. Sounds like you’ll have to fill the void by visiting more nurseries.
I went through a mini-withdrawal with my laptop recently. Windows began acting very strangely in February but I remained in denial because, after all, 95% of the stuff that I use still worked. But two weeks ago it suddenly refused to “see” the modem and hence, no internet access (!!RED ALERT!!) So I faced the fact that I’d have to reinstall Windows. After saving all (I thought) of my files amidst a cascading series of new sorry-this-doesn’t-work glitches, I spent almost a week reinstalling Windows and my plethora of programs — only to find that (a) I’d forgotten to save all my genealogy data from Family Tree Maker (10 yrs of work down the drain) and (b) I had no CD for my beloved Microsoft Office 2003. So a week’s delay waiting for a $100+ copy ordered from Amazon. In all, 1 week without internet and 2 weeks without Word or Excel which I use constantly. Can you say “twitchy”?? LOL
Oh, that sounds very upsetting! Losing all those personal files must have been heartbreaking.
I understand you anxiety! I only took my Chromebook along with me on our recent trip. It works fine for Internet access, but it doesn’t handle files and editing very well. So funny about the image on your TV and the worn spots on your shirts. It took us forever to replace our TV. Our 20-something kids were teasing us for having the same TV as shown in their baby and toddler videos. But I say, if it still works, let’s use it as long as we can!
For the longest time Judy and I had a hand-me-down black-and-white TV that originally belonged to her father.
Just went through the same issue with our son’s computer. They fixed the problem quickly and inexpensively–but then said it would be three weeks before it arrived from Louisville. Maybe they were going to hand carry it. It arrived two days later.
Mine actually took just one week to be returned. I wonder if they always tell people to expect a long turnaround in order to set a low bar.
I don’t cope well….even when on vacation with family, I was borrowing theirs to use. And I had to update mine after 4 years of no updates….what anxiety, but it went OK except for the pictures…Apple changed their photo app and now I have to import 40,000 photos when I have time…right! Hope you get yours back soon!
Lucky for me the separation only lasted one week.