Studio8 - Uniting the Arts

Two days ago, my laptop screen went completely dark. It still turns on and runs but no picture. I replaced the hard drive not very long ago but now, I am in the dark. The only way I can turn it off again is the power button.

Cecil has an older computer which we were hoping to replace first, when we could. It has a "crappy" possessor according to one of our techy friends and is very, very slow and you can't watch any videos on it because they pause or are jumpy.

It is uncomfortable for me to type on it as well. My joints don't like it much. My wrists are cocked at an uncomfortable angle, his chair hurts my back, the mouse freezes without warning and has to be unplugged and replugged and I am just used to using "my computer."

I love the laptop (it is a hand-me-down) but has all kinds of bells and whistles on it. Not sure what to do about it now. We could only afford a cheap replacement and I am not sure that is the way to go either. I like the portability of a laptop. I take it whenever I travel and do my journal on it. That is my therapy, my sanity. Writing it out...

Now I may go insane or something akin to that. Fortunately, right now I have a big show coming up that occupies my time and two more in December but after that? SooZ may be crazy this winter with no laptop.

Isn't it funny how dependent we become on this bit of technology? I used to write in my leather bound paper journal. I haven't touched that in a long, long while.

Cecil needs his computer now. We do a lot of business on our computers, he on this one, me on the laptop. I am bereft without mine, my bookmarks, my journal, my suppliers, yadda yadda...

What's a girl to do?

everyday, prices of puters are coming down. maybe there'll be an opportunity - even a new second-hand one as someone wants to upgrade.

meanwhile, i'm glad that life is offering other focus and perhaps leather-bound is not so bad (?) and damn, you're right. even a day off the puter and i have e-mails climbing up to the sky.

maybe you be back in comfortable laptop zone soon

I hear ya sooZ. I got a laptop too. Have had it almost two years now. It fits me exactly. Don't need anything more & (this is the scary part) don't need anything less. Now that I'm thinking about it, it occupies a good deal of my time. I've become a junkie 'bout it. Last night at work I was between one activity & the next when the thought occurred to me that I was about 8 miles or so from my 'puter. How weird is that ?
The paint program is my worst offense. It eats the hours like there's no tomorrow. It keeps me inside when I should be outside. From one co-dependent to another I hope a solution to your situation offers itself to ya soon.

Have you tried craigslist?

sometimes people get new computers and just want to get rid of their old ones cheap

Or look at the Goodwill store.

Many people want to recycle their perfectly good computers ... they don't even want to sell them.. they just want to get rid of them .. what do you DO with them? you can't throw them into the landfill! So... those are the people you're looking for...

quick search on google came up with this
http://www.recycles.org/computer/donation/free
(i just read that whole article and apparently it's addressed to 'special needs' ... I know you don't have any special needs.. but the concepts for finding the computers people are recycling are still good ones!)

I know a couple of people who use Freecycle and say its wonderful! You could try that
http://www.freecycle.org/

All the best!

I still have my 1999 computer clon, so it´s already an antique from the XX´s century!.... : it had several breakdowns and it´s very slow. Some months ago I tried to replace it with one that my brother gave to me when he bought a new one (newer and with more memory than mine) but in one week it had more problems than mine in ten years so I´ll keep using the 1999 model until it does the final plop!

Hope you enjoy the ciber-gap and find soon an alternative laptop for winter times, Soozen!

Indeed, computers are our friends! It's disconcerting to say the least when our friend suddenly changes, breaks down.
If I had another laptop, I would put it in the mail to you, but unfortunately I've only got one. Maybe there is someone out there with an extra, or some deal out there for computers. I could chip in a little cash????I think the government needs to make sure everyone has a computer!
I'm sending the utmost of quick resolve energy your way Sooz!
H

Thank you my friends for the words of support and all the ideas!

judih, I guess I should know by now that just putting it out there, my needs will be fulfilled and all will turn out as it should.

mingo, a computer "junkie" is an apt analogy. Maybe I needed some respite and just didn't realize it. I am getting a lot of stuff done in the studio and not worrying so much about "computer (read "paper) work."

Dor, I will look around at all those places, when the "big show" is over after this weekend.

Not much hope of finding one at Goodwill or any of the thrift shops here as we are one of the poorest cities (per capita) in the nation. Never seen a laptop and it is doubtful I would as the underpaid staff picks through the "good" stuff before it hits the shelves. (Or so they tell me.)

Maybe craigslist tho, I will check and I appreciate your ideas!

Arcadia, I know what you mean! Our old washing machine and dryer have been fixed a few times (nothing major wrong with them) and they keep on working. Things now have built in expiration so you will keep on replacing them, it seems. Nothing is built to last anymore and that used to be the pride of manufacturers. Not any more. (Got to keep the economy running, the money flowing and the heck with reliability!)

Yes H, my friend and partner laptop, has left me hangin'. The hussy! You are so very kind and thank you for the offer but I will surely manage, one way or 'tother.

And thank all of yous for your energies sent my way. I know that makes a big difference, it always has. That is why I always turn to my friends here when needs arise. Solutions come or support is offered and that means so very much to me. Keeps me out of the pits which is not a good place to be.

I might try calling my "computer guy" who runs his business out of his home. Maybe it will be a quick fix.

I have a son who is a computer wiz and would help, if he was closer (he lives in Austin, TX) but I hate to burden him right now. He just got a big promotion at the software company he works for and is now in charge of a huge area of the world and their interests. Noah is pretty stressed with the new responsibilities, I think. Just got back from the West Coast and now is in Brighton, England doing his thing there. Then he is probably going to South Korea where his company is based. Mom's laptop is the least of his problems, I am sure. I don't even want to ask...his plate is full.

A solution will come. I am glad I could vent and have this spot to do it. Muchas Gracias!!!

In the meantime you can always hook it up to a monitor and get your informantion off of it. But then you lose the portability but at least you can still access your data. Most laptops have a vga port in back. Or they used to. Well the older ones did, I am not sure aout the newer ones.

Good morn Jack. Thanks, we have considered that but don't have the correct cable at the moment. A trip maybe to Radio Shack next week?

At least if it is not fixable, I can DL all my stuff before it bites the dust with one of those gadgets that Kurt used (I have one around here.) But I think it will be fixable. I believe it will. I hope it will.