I am writing this from my new laptop – a MacBook. Lovely little piece of equipment – I have named her Lucy (as in “Lucy, I’m h-o-m-e”) with the hopes that we will enter into a long-term relationship of mutual respect and understanding.
We have a long way to go.
First of all, I’ve always been a ThinkPad person. All my earlier relationships have been with its different iterations. I knew what it was going to do before it did it – not needing to look at the keyboard, understanding the nuances of its prompts, able to keep multiple conversations ongoing without any need to cajole, plead or praise excessively. We knew each other. My files, saved pictures, ideas for future posts, etc resided in ‘my places’. We made space for each other and dare I say it, had that kind of intimate knowledge of each other reserved for only the closest of friends.
However, my ThinkPad was beginning to resist my ‘Good Morning’, refusing to awake until I re-booted multiple times. It was beginning to bristle at my demands and would arbitrarily just shut down while we were still talking (so to speak). It was becoming clear to me that we were tiring of each other – and we hammered out the details of our cyber-divorce. Right now she is upstairs, happily sleeping on a bookcase, thrilled to be rid of my furious banging and rants that I always directed at the screen.
Lucy is a laptop with a mind of her own – which I respect. I like independent thinkers. But she’s not even trying to be a pal. I can’t find the delete key (on this keyboard, ‘delete’ is really ‘backspace’), different applications keep bouncing up and down seeking my attention and don’t even ask me where my files are (though I know they’re here somewhere – I think this is a little passive-aggressive, but let’s not go there). To move the cursor down, I have to move my finger up on the mouse. It took me twenty minutes this morning just to figure out how to get the power cord extender to work. Clearly we are going to have to take this relationship very slowly. In fact, I am going to take her to a relationship specialist at Apple on Thursday – we have got to work on how we communicate with each other. Right now I’m making all the concessions in the name of maintaining a happy transition. She’s not doing a damn thing except sitting here pointing out my spelling mistakes and frankly, digging in her heels about what she will and will not do. Everyone insists how intuitive these MacBooks are – all I have to say to that is ‘ha’! She’s intuitive alright – she knows just how to make me feel like a nimnut.
I will rise to her challenge though – I am determined to make her my good friend, whether or not this is a relationship she would like to see move forward. We are going to learn how to talk with each other, remain open and available and delight in our journey. I will keep her clean and shiny and promise not to dribble coffee on her keys. She will show me where she has hidden my pictures, quotes, secrets and bad jokes that I never can remember. This is going to be a union made in techno-heaven. We are going to love each other with devotion. We will dammit. But first I need to find an instruction manual.
Waiting for the Karma Truck 
Oh, give Lucy a chance! She does things differently but oh so beautifully and when you understand her mind, you’ll have the best of friends 😉
I am going to give her a huge chance..I just never met a piece of technology that liked me from the outset..;-)
You will master the learning curve that comes with any new device. Mac’s are intuitive, user-friendly, brilliant, and quite full of themselves. Once you master your new laptop, I can send you a bunch of keyboard shortcuts that will facilitate your writing, make your fingers fly, your brain smile at your genius and affirm that purchasing this masterpiece of technology has made your life easier. Congrats on the new member of the family. I Love Lucy. Once you learn it, you will LOVE it and you will never go back to the “darkside” again 🙂 xxoxoxxox
Oh Jo, I hope you’re right..I appreciate your unfailing confidence in me. I really don’t deserve it – especially when it comes to technology!! 😉 xoxo
Different is good! Apple is cool, but rather closed to other points of view. Have fun navigating the learning curve.
I’m all for different – I’m also all for smarter (which I most assuredly am not).
Laughing….I know, in my heart, that this is the start of a beautiful friendship, M, but it sounds like Miss Lucy is going to play “hard to get” in these initial encounters. Try romancing her by humming a little Joni Mitchell….. “All I really, really want our love to do is to bring out the best in me and in you too.”. :-). Xox, l
I hadn’t thought of trying to woo her with song…that’s a good idea Lori – I’m going to try it. Of course if she automatically shuts herself down, I’ll just go stick my head in a book. 🙂 xoxo, m
Good luck, and if THAT doesn’t work, tell her Ricky will be home at 5, and he ain’t gonna be happy if she’s not being a good houseguest… 😉
Honestly? My hunch is that she wouldn’t care…she’s a defiant one. But we shall learn to love each other…we will..we will..we will..xoxo
I hope Lucy doesn’t pull the files away just as your about to kick the winning field goal.
Oh my gosh – me too!!! And you’ve got a point, I feel far more like Charlie Brown trying to kick the football than I do Desi Arnaz…
I prefer to follow Snoopy’s lead, stretch out enjoy the sun, and engage in naps, oops I mean meditative pursuits 🙂
Laughing…I’m ready for the nap..;)
You were clever to name her Lucy…there are soooooo many funny quips to use. Now, is your Lucy a redhead? I agree with Jo and Lori, et al…you will become the best of friends…you will be her Ethel. I have complete faith in you! Say hi to ‘Fred’ for me…xoxo
Don’t complicate this Rhoni – there can be no Fred or Desi right now. It’s me and Lucy..that’s all I can handle!! xox
Oh Mimi…gotcha. You can do this…you are one smart cookie! And Lucy will come to love you and your touch. xoxo
I hope so…she just enlarged the screen without my asking her too. What a sweetheart she is…so intuitive…Grrrr….xox
I have every confidence in you and Lucy finding and creating a beautiful relationship together. Like any good relationship worth it’s salt, there may be a few bumps, some communication styles to sort out, expectations to understand and at times, you may just need a little space from each other. Give her some time, she’ll be there for you!! 🙂 xoxo me
I’m showing her the love BonBon – I’m showing her the love. She’s not making it easy, but who ever said that the path to true love was ever smooth…;-) xoxo, m
Uh oh. Guess what The Family just ordered… I hope we can figure it out! Best of luck to you, Mimi. The world needs you to write, so you’d better get things under control.
Dear friend, I don’t know about the world needing me to write, but I thank you for that vote of confidence. And just think, when yours arrives, we will already be one with our counseling sessions, so you can just call me!! 🙂
Dear friend,
You have a gift of thoughtful wisdom and a beautiful way with words. You are kids, caring, honest, and thoughtful.
The world does, in fact, need you to write.
Best,
Christine
Thank you Christine..thank you..Your words touch me exactly where they would resonate the most – in my heart. I’m humbled and I’m beyond grateful. Hugs, m
I love that I included a nice, freudian typo (“kids” rather than “kind”), and that you were touched in spite of it.
You know now what I spend my time thinking about…
Laughing….I caught that, and it took me a minute to figure out what you meant, but I got it…
All relationships take work but I believe you are both up to the task. Hopefully one day you feel that sense of being a better person just Lucy is in your life. Ah young technological love. 😉
Laughing..I hope she’s reading these comments and thinking long and hard about how she’s approaching this friendship…;-) Technological love…it’s harder than the person-to-person kind!!
I know it girl! Loved the post. Definitely made me giggle.
You will grow to love Lucy. Just like Desi.
Easy for you to say…you and Ethel already have a gorgeous relationship.
Wll give it a few weeks, and if things are better by then, I know a Thinkpad that will be clamoring for a little attention.
Oh sweetheart, you know I don’t give on anything that easily..Lucy and I are gonna besties..as soon as we go through Apple’s couples’ therapy.
Humm… I was thinking about getting a Mac as I do like my iPad but maybe I will wait to see how your relationship develops. 🙂
Go for it Tina – we can be novices together!!! And perhaps we will end up being so awesome and adept that others will seek us out for techno-relationship guidance! 🙂
you know, my lucy and i had similar issues in the beginning…but those apple therapists are fantastic at zeroing in on the problem and helping all parties come to a comfortable resolution. good luck and may you and lucy live happily ever after….
Thanks Sus..I can only hope to have half as good a relationship with my Lucy as you have with yours…;-)
I’ve been in a hot & heavy affair with MAC for almost a year now. He is always surprising me with his many talents, the relationship never gets dull.
That’s good…to have a relationship that always surprises..long may the honeymoon continue!
You will come to love that MacBook. The keyboard keys have just the right loft – typing is a breeze. The delete key is a combination of hitting both the fn and the delete (backspace) key at the same time. The jumping apps can be eliminated by clicking the Apple at the upper left of your screen, click dock and turn off the genie effect. To add apps to your dock click “Go” on the pull down menu in the finder – select Applications – drag the icon for any that you want on the dock right onto the dock – this makes an alias (shortcut) on your dock. It’s al pretty intuitive as you get into it – congrats – Once you go Mac, you never go back:)
You are a rock star!! Thank you so much! I have no doubt that we are making slow progress – but I sure appreciate your pointers prior to our Thursday morning Apple therapy session!! Thank you!
No problem. I’ve been working on Macs since about 1992 – let me know if I can help.
🙂 I appreciate it!
What a coincidence. I made the turn from Thinkbook to MacBook about 1 month ago. Haven’t looked book. Good luck to you Mimi
Haven’t looked ‘book’? Very funny.
Once you’re past the initial growing pains, I guarantee you and Lucy will have a beautiful relationship.
🙂 We’re working on it!
yeesh! This another reminder why I will never go Apple! PCs all the way for me! I understand PC thinking. I have never figured out macs. I hated them when I had to used them for my first Masters and seeing my wifey scream at her new mac over the last few months – plus this post – reminds me why I will never go there!
Oh now come on – let’s be a little supportive of my new relationship. I’m not saying it’s going to be easy – but she’s already shown me where my stuff is…;-)
It’s just cats and dogs, that’s what I say… 😉
You are so funny! Love your sense of humor. All the best. 🙂 I have no doubt you will be a pro in no time.
I hope so! I learn something new every day – whether I want to or not! 😉
🙂
There is quite an ongoing debate in our family of the ‘Mac’ versus ‘other where the Mac users claim how easy it all is. Your battle with the Mac this morning made me smile.
We’re getting there..but it’s going to take a lot of counseling sessions with the Apple therapist..;-)
It sounds like a wise decsion to schedule an appointment with a relationship counselor. When my laptop re-joins the the great computer in the sky, my next computer is likely to be from the same company as you just got yours, and I anticipate I will experience something very similar as you are now. Good luck to all four of us!
Russ
You’ll probably eclipse my ability as soon as you find the ‘on’ button. Btw, I nominated your for the Blog of 2012 award – please check out the post ‘Have I Said Thank You Lately’…