Not! The old laptop has been dying a slow death for the last year or so, and I thought it best to order a new unit in advance of its demise. 

Not! The old laptop has been dying a slow death for the last year or so, and I thought it best to order a new unit in advance of its demise. And I did this knowing full well that this Saturday from hell would follow. As I write (on the old laptop) the shiny new laptop is trying to crank up (I guess), showing a message that says, “Update 65 percent complete - do not turn off the computer.” It’s only been ten minutes, what the hell. I wonder if this is as far as it will ever get?

Once again it is revealed to me that my entire business existence is so inextricably tied to a personal computer that I cannot function without one. Yes, I will get through today with a long “to-do” list for my IT guru, but tonight I will dream of the days when my business world was complete behind the wheel of my 1981 Caprice Classic. All I really needed to keep me going was a cup of hot coffee (purchased at a restaurant … most gas stations did not serve coffee that mere mortals could drink in those days), a Cross pen (had to have some bling), and my trusty faux-leather notepad folder.

No pager, no cell phone, no email, no fax - just me and the open road (except for the parts of I-95 and I-75 that were not completed until the ’90s). I love the new technologies and all the great things they have done, but when they consume large amounts of what would otherwise be quality time, my thoughts always drift back to the old days. (Not saying “good old days” because these days are really not so bad.)

Well, the dang thing finally started. So I must now discover all the great new things the new laptop will do, together with the many things it will do different from my old one. A day of this fun will either serve to keep my mind sharp or will frustrate it beyond recognition. Have a look at the December Editor’s Note (which must be written today) to see if you can detect how the attitude might have tainted my work.

OK. Here goes. Deep breaths… calm thoughts… we can do this…