Technology Excess

I am not an excessive person by any means.  I love that I own one pair of jeans, that I have less than 20 hangers in my closet. I own a few pair of shoes and as much as I would very much like to go out and buy a new funky style of foot decor, I do not, because I hate being excessive.  My husband is rather different.  While I have a small hanging box organizer for my socks, t-shirts, pants, etc., he reigns over our entire dresser with shirts popping out of the drawers.  His closet is full of clothes (granted he works and I am at home...a bit of a difference) and when he runs to the store to 'pick something up' for me, he comes home with 4 bags of 'stuff.'

My husband is also a technology nerd.  He is a talented technology nerd.  His livelihood depends on the growth and magnitude of technology.  With this passion comes his responsibility to equip his wife with the latest and greatest technological asset.... regardless if I need it or not.  Sometimes it is really great, but others, I look at him quizzically, as if to ask, "Really?"

Gifts throughout the years -- not in any order

1. PenCam:  One of the first usb recordable devices - it took audio and video and was able to play back on computer (way cool) and it was as small as a pen.  I used it to dictate notes

2. Palm Smart Phone -- when they were like 600.00.  It was one of the first of it's kind.  All i wanted was  something that would help me keep a running calendar.  This was his solution. The young male sale clerk even said to me, "Lady, you don't deserve this phone."  I think he was trying to say that if i wanted a calendar, the Hallmark store was just down the block.

 As with all his gifts, I have to really take time to learn how to use them properly and take advantage of the provided hardware.   I suppose this is good, as I have truly received quite the education and can man my own troubleshooting at times.

3. Tablet PC: This computer's monitor flipped over and down and with a stylus, I was able to write notes on it as if it were paper and then convert the notes to text  email them to another person.  He bought me this when I began my Master's classes. Again, I taught myself everything there was to know about this computer.  It was beyond cool.

4. Netbook: Small and easy travel computer.  He bought this for me for Mother's Day so that I had it when we went on our vacation to Europe that summer.

5. Speaking of Mother's Day - one of my first gifts (before perry was even born) was a top of the line breast pump.  I thought this was comical - and curious as I opened up this inaugural gift.

6. New Toshiba Computer - this was after a few years with the Tablet. I think i probably complained about this or that and he decided it was time for a new computer

7. Camera - really nice one because I was showing an interest in photography and he knew we would be using it in Europe as well.  There have been many cameras throughout the years that have been wrapped and given as gifts.

8. IPAD --- because who doesn't need an IPAD.  I certainly did not.  But now I have one and truth be told, the 2 year old uses it the most.  Presently, the 10 year old has it in her bed as she is playing a hidden picture game.  I use it rarely - basically for Words With Friends and Pandora

9. A large computer monitor so that I could have two screens - one on my lap top and the other next to the lap top...this worked very well when doing research and writing papers as my work could go from one screen to the next....this was a birthday gift.  Very large box.  This is now at the Twins Organization -- recycled to another user.

10. Flat Screen monitor -- far sleeker than the big screen one.  This was also very cool and slick and I used it many times simultaneously with my lap top monitor.  I have since donated it to Joy and her family as we also got her a family computer to work with the kids.

11. My latest acquisition is a MacBook Air.  A very lightweight laptop.  I opened this up on Christmas morning, bewildered - as for the day before, John had bought me a new computer battery as my PC laptop died quickly after becoming unplugged.  He has since told me that one of the kids will use it down in the newly built family office that he is still trying to finish.

I know there are others - but this gives you the general idea.  So, if i sit here and count the active computers that I have at my disposal - I count 4.  This is wrong!

1. Netbook:  Will be used in the office for one of the kids
2. PC Laptop: Again, will be used for the kids (although, they have their very own computer as well)
3. Ipad: continue Words with Friends and try to find other great uses for it --- but it is a great tool to bring for the kids
4. Mac - i am in the process of converting all documents from PC to this new computer. It has very nice keyboard.

Maybe I should drop hints that I really like socks.  These are cheaper, take up less space and there is nothing to learn from them.  Now I will be a Mac user and there is much to learn on this. ..... again.

Thanks for listening.