Let me preface this story by reminding folks that I don’t do change well at all.
My new computer finally arrived on Tuesday. The one I had to order because I killed my last new computer (less than a year old) by dumping a Coke in it.
Last computer was red. I LOVED it. Loved the red. It looked perfect in my office. It made me smile when I saw it. Once I finally transferred everything over to it I could imagine the stories me and Big Red were going to write together. But now Big Red is dead. Well if not dead at least seriously injured to the point that I will never fully trust that he won’t fall apart on me again. So Big Red is now being repaired so hubby can have it as his "on his lap in the evenings in front of the tv" computer. Which means he will now have a red computer. I needed a new computer.
I forgot that I was a 50 year old woman and started acting like I was in high school again. I could not order another red computer could I? I had to have my own color. I needed to have a different one.
I didn’t want pink.
I didn’t want blue.
I didn’t want black.
The only other color was green.
And I thought my office is a garden office and filled with greens and yellows (and once, the perfect red computer) and so I could have a green computer. Green is the color of money. The color of growing things. The color of something new.
Hubby said are you sure you want that green because it’s not a normal green?
And I said yes. I said I loved green. Look at all the green in my office.
And hubby said, really, I think you should think about it because I don’t think it’s going to look like you think it’s going to look like.
(You can see where this is going, right?)
So I ordered the green computer.
And it came Tuesday.
And I fell apart over the stupid color because it looks like a radioactive computer with its florescent apple green shell. I do not like it Sam I am.
But I can’t send it back just for the color (and pay the 15% restocking fee and wait another month for them to build me a new one.) No, really, I can’t. (Because I checked and they don’t even offer this configuration anymore.) And no, they don’t make skins yet for this model since it’s a brand-new model and a different size. (Besides the skins are just giant stickers and would totally change the outside texture which is another issue for me because right now it has this nice spongey like cover on it.)
Yes I am grateful for a new computer. Really I am. I’m lucky to have it and I know that but sometimes I just astound myself with my ability to make the wrong choices about things that are going to end up bugging me. (We won’t even go into the goof that I made on the resolution of the laptop which means I now need a new monitor.) And yes, I’ll get used to it and will go on to write wonderful things with the radioactive little beast but right now I feel like an utter moron for even caring about something so stupid as what color the computer is.
On the plus side, the green is only on the back and I don’t see it when I’m typing. And on the other plus side I’ve figured out how to block it so that I don’t see it flashing Kryptonite warnings at me when I walk into my office. Still, I’ll know the green is there.
There is no moral to this story.
Well maybe one, don’t park your Coke too close to your laptop. Okay, and another one, not all shades of green are created equal. And then a third one, husbands are sometimes right.
And this week, mine gets a gold medal in putting up with me as I work my way through all this mess.
Well, that is so funny it has made my day I needed a little brightening up. Now all I have to do is think about your bright green computer. I am sure it will grow on you and you will wonder how you ever did without it. They say black is black and white is white but is it really. The same can also be said for green or any other colour for that matter. I don’t drink much coke so I don’t have to worry about that. Our computer actually had an egg thrown on it when my son threw one at his brother that was supposed to hit his head. He ducked and it got the computer instead. Luckily it did not cost me a new computer but it is quite funny also when you think of it.
-Anne McKenna
Oh my gosh! I know this isn’t funny to you, Susan, but, whoosh, what a good laugh to start my day! Your husband is such a sweetie. Did he even refrain from saying “I told you so”?
On a serious note, you’re so sensitive to colors and textures and environmental characteristics, I’m surprised that you ever order stuff online without at least checking it out in a bricks and mortar store. (Oops, that sounds judgmental, and I didn’t mean it that way. Just wondering if for big financial/time commitments, it might be worth finding a local store that stocks that shell at least, so you could check it out ahead of time. Because how frustrating to feel trapped with something that’s a big daily part of your work like that.
Hope your garden-y computer grows on you! Sorry–couldn’t resist.
Laura, yes, I’m really sensitive to colors and texture. When we go out to eat, Erik can tell if I will be able to eat something or not based texture.
I know you’re not being judgmental, just curious. It is odd that I am able to order so much online. Most of the time I do pretty well. This time I honesty thought I was ordering the exact same computer, just a different color. Turns out I messed up on so many levels. 🙂
And Erik could have caught them all for me but every so often I get a bug up my butt about being able to do things myself.
I’m sure I’ll figure something out.
I know what you mean. Randy’s so much more computer savvy than me. But sometimes I just want to do things for myself. And usually we both end up wishing I had asked him to do whatever it was, because I end up making more work for both of us. But honestly, it gets old feeling like I can’t do that stuff for myself!
Yeah, I hate feeling like I’m not quite grown up enough to do things on my own.
My very first computer, the one I wrote my dissertation on, was a Mac LC II. It had a funky angled hard drive. During my first semester at UR I knocked over a can of diet coke and flew directly down the disk slot. It sizzled and cracked and in the blink of an eye was gone. The replacement never matched my old pal (even though it was newer, faster and prettier), so I feel your pain.
It may seem like a trivial thing to folks, but when you live with something every day, color is important. I’m sorry it wasn’t what you hoped for.
Thanks for sharing your story, Tricia. It helps. I’m sure I’ll figure a way out to live with it but sometimes I amaze myself at the ways I can find to complicate my life.
Personally, I love the radioactive green – I have it for both my phone and my mp3 player.
Is it close to that color?
I had that phone for a while, I loved the color too :0)
Yep. That’s the color. It’s not quite the “garden green” I was going for.
Ah – no, that doesn’t really fit a garden theme at all. Maybe you could get/make a pretty case for it that would fit in with the room’s decor? Then when you walk in, you see beautiful cloth, and when you start writing, you don’t really see the back of it, so you’re good to go.
Or maybe the green will grow on you. =)
Sending hugs, Susan! I can be made miserable by these things, too. And somehow knowing that in the big scheme of things it doesn’t matter only makes me feel worse (because I feel so silly for caring so much). The good thing is that sometimes the “bad” choice grows on me. And I figure I learn more that way than by always playing it safe.
Thanks for understanding. It really DOES help to know some people “get” what it is all about. And yes, you nailed it exactly! It makes me feel worse for caring so much!
not so random commenter
you know, they say genuises choose green :0)
Re: not so random commenter
Well I like that A LOT! Thanks.
Sam I am
I say – “I do not like this, Sam I am” also when there’s something I don’t like.
looks like you are making some adjustments to the color.
What about leaving it open with a dust cover on your keyboard
and in front of it – so you don’t see the green cover when you enter the room– put copies of your books – so it is more like your book garden, the seeds turned into books and now you & the green computer are creating your next books!
I spilled milk into my laptop & I cried while it died.
Re: Sam I am
That’s sorta where I was going with it. I have a botanical print that sits on stand that I had elsewhere and I tried it in front of it and I think it will work. But oh, man, the pain.
I picked gold for the color of my new car. Well, it’s not new. It’s a 1999 and it has 157,000 miles on it. It also has a beige interior. I liked this color combo for, oh, maybe a month. I picked it because, well, I never had a gold car before even though I by far prefer RED or BLACK or possibly blue if it comes down to the wire.
Then I realized how much I HATE GOLD CARS. And how much I HATE BEIGE INTERIORS. It just hit me all at once. It’s a very nice car, great mileage, low maintenance, minimal repairs over the years–but I’ve been driving around for the past 10 years in a car I HATE BECAUSE OF THE FRICKING COLOR!
I don’t know what to tell you. It seems trivial to NOT like something as wonderful as a brand new ultra-cool laptop–but as someone who is also VERY sensitive to colors, I totally understand and I know I’d react the same way. (((((HUGS)))))
Thank you SO MUCH for understanding. I totally get where you’re coming from with the car thing too. 10 years is a long time to have to put up with a car you hate. **hugs** right back at ya!
but really…
…and nice sleek WHITE iMac with a rainbow screen saver would have solved this whole problem.
Re: but really…
LOL. I wondered who would be the one to bring that up. My son keeps pushing me toward a Mac.
I hear you about the color. I’m that way, too. When we rented, it was a torment to have to put up with what I considered to be utterly hideous combinations. I wouldn’t even go into one room because the color was so bilious. It’s funny how one shade can make all the difference. So sorry!
It is amazing how much difference the right color makes. When we were renting we had a pink bathroom that made me want to puke every morning. We finally asked the landlord if we could paint it white and he said. Wow, it made mornings that much better.
Oh, dear. Is it bad that I laughed? Color is very important and when you’re working on something of said color that annoys you, well, it can be rather irritating. But…I love how you’ve added humor so it doesn’t create brain suck.
Green is the color of money. Apple green is the color of freshness and is rather cool–I have to say it since it’s the color of my daughter’s room and she practically revolted.
But, RED looks great with Apple Green. If you get a red Sharpie pen or red paint pen, I bet you could add a cool stencil design so your laptop will look inspiring.
I love that you laughed because I so seldom am able to write humor.
Thanks for the ideas here and the note on FB. I stink as an artist but you did give me an idea. I’ll try Sharpies on the old one when it comes back (same material) then maybe I can get an artist friend to help me out.
I should probably specify a bright red–like fire engine or candy red.
I can see that. I actually think it would be a great canvas for an artist to do a gardeny kind of drawing on.