Ye Olde Computer Fading

Yes, those are tweezers and emery boards here for those times when I'm waiting for the slow computer to activate. 

Bli eyin haraa, to prevent the "evil eye," I must say that the computer PC I use is quite a few years old. I don't really remember when we got it, but some parts are much older than the tower which is the newest part. And I think we got that about six years ago. The mouse and keyboard are much, much older if I'm not mistaken, and a friend brought us this old boxy screen that had been dumped by someone who had bought a "fancy" screen, also at least about six years ago when our previous one needed to be replaced, or something like that.

I know that it looks disgusting, but the equipment wouldn't survive a soaping.

B"H, it seems that I'm pretty gentle with appliances, machinery and stuff lasts longer than for many others. I like to credit it to the fact that I don't clean them much. Cleaning, soap, water etc damage stuff. I don't take apart anything that is more complicated than my percolator or French Press. When cleaning for Passover, if a shelf doesn't easily slip out, it stays in. I don't need a screwdriver for cleaning. I don't use the screws as plates or forks.

But nothing lasts forever, and I keep getting these nasty notices on the screen, when it's working, that I don't have enough memory in my computer. Yes, for the modern world my computer is a sprightly dinosaur. What I've been doing is to go through the pictures and delete what seems unnecessary to save. That placates it for a bit until the nudge nudges again.

All of the keys on the keyboard are whole, bli eyin haraa, though the more frequently used ones, lie "e" and "t" are low like someone shrunk and short from osteoporosis.

For the past few weeks, or months already, the screen begins to convulse, like some minor epileptic fit. Even worse, periodically the screen goes black. I finally discovered that some well-placed taps or slaps can wake it up, but no doubt pretty soon it will just die and need to be replaced.

I guess the time has come to contact the neighbor who set this one up. He hasn't had to make a house call all the years since we've had it, so I should be happy, and I am. For many years we had a very nice computer maven named Bram, but he passed away and we were forced to find someone new. Nobody and nothing can live forever and that includes computers and the experts who care for them.

The really big problem as I remember is that the minute you replace one thing with even a slightly upgraded one, you suddenly have to upgrade, that means buy and replace lots of other parts to the computer. So, we're not talking just one small purchase/change. It's as if by doing a hip transplant you find your elbows, knees etc being switched, too.

PS I didn't plan this post as a "Baile Rochel," but it has the same rhythm, so I guess it is one.