Well, you know you have dependency issues when you go apply for a public library card just so you can access the internet. But that’s what I did yesterday and as I speak, I am sitting in a terminal at the local branch of the Plano Public Library. Why? That’s what I want to know. Why, after replacing my computer’s hard drive only three weeks ago, did my computer start crashing again? And why did it have to happen only minutes after I launched this new blog? It isn’t the same problem, though. I think the hard drive is working just fine, but something else, hardware-related is causing the current problem. The issue seemed beyond my abilities, so I decided to take my laptop to the pros at CompUSA. They have a flat fee for diagnosing any and all problems, software or hardware. I dropped it off Monday morning and they said they would figure it out in 24-48 hrs. As of now, about 27 hours have passed and I haven’t recieved any calls. So, obviously I am unable to live my life in any state of normalcy without the internet, resulting in my now second appointment with this library teminal this afternoon.

I feel a little out of place though, due to the fact that everybody else here is using these technological facilities to accomplish research and execute academia. As for me, I’m mainly catching up on emails, reading blogs, and scanning job postings. I’ve been feeling guilty about announcing a more frequent posting schedule on my blog and immediately breaking that promise, so I’ve decided to take the time this afternoon to make this post, just in case anybody notices.

The main thing bothering me today is not the thought of having to repair my computer for the second time in one month, but more so the idea that maybe my computer is beyond repair. In my mind, software issues are repairable and only certain hardware components are replaceable. I’ve already made a replacement and the tech that I spoke with made it clear to me that the problem is most likely something that can’t just be swapped out like a hard drive. It will probably require some actual surgery. My main fear is three-fold: First, the problem may be repaired, but it will be costly, too costly to justify. Second, the problem may be repaired, but only by sending it to the manufacturer and again, probably too costly to do. Third, that it will be beyond repair. All of these leave me with few options: No computer, steal computer, or buy computer. None of these options seem easy to do, but I will pray to the Trinity’s intern of technology and hope that I will get through this with more money in my pocket than out.