December 10, 2006 | Filed under: NYC, technology
I am in a deli. I am surrounded by jars of pickled vegetables, instant Nescafe and nuts-by-the-pound. Apparantly while I wasn’t looking all the neighborhood bodegas and 99 cent stores began offering internet access for cheap. I have the following options within two blocks of my apartment:
1. This deli. A favorite local Greek spot (currently owned by a pair of devastatingly handsome brothers from Bangladesh) sporting a fabulous selection of feta, olives and international beers. Pros: always smells like fresh Spanakopita, relatively quiet. Cons: uncomfortable chairs, computers reside next to the frozen foods…too cold. No printing.
2. The candy store. One part candy/cigarette/magazine store one part kitchen appliances outlet. This is one of those weird “Everything” stores that are so prevalent in NYC immigrant neighborhoods. You can grab a cup of coffee, pick up a toaster oven and buy a gift for your Mom here…as long as your Mom would appreciate a red rose floating in a snowglobe. Now with internet and color printing! This is a major upgrade for this place: they used to only send faxes. Pros: they do not have a 30 minute minimum like the other places and will allow you 5 minutes for 50 cents. Handy for the late-for-work email check. Cons: constantly busy and noisy because of the Lotto counter.
3. The CyberCenter. This was the first dedicated internet locatation in the neighborhood. There are about 30 computers there, each with a webcam and headphones. I haven’t owned a printer since college, so when I went back to nursing school I would email myself my papers and print them here. At $3 for 60 minutes I assumed they’d be out of business in a year, but they’re still going strong probably because they charge 50 cents a page to print. Pros: cheapest place in the area. Cons: After 3pm on weekdays it’s filled with teenaged boys playing online mano-y-mano videogames at volumes you simply wouldn’t believe (the boys, not the games). And they have these weird giant black pleather reclining chairs that are probably great for gaming but are completely shitty for typing. I can’t type at such an angle.
With my computer gone for 7-10 days, I’ll be spending a lot of time in these internet joints. I have had to make a sort of Computer Contingency Plan: I can check my email twice a day in the neighborhood and catch up on blogs and videoblogs at work so long as it isn’t busy and the MDs aren’t bugging me to use the unit’s only computer for MD-related stuff (they’re always claiming that they have work to do! Imagine!).
The bummer about my computer crashing isn’t just the disappearance of everything I was working on (I was enjoying a renewed videoblogging fervor and was working on 5 different videos at once; unheard of for me), the annoyance of having to reload 350 cds into iTunes, and tons of photo loss; what really scares me is the distinct possibility that Apple will discover or invent something wrong with the computer that puts me at fault–like finding remnants of bluberry pie filling in my optical drive, for example– thereby rendering my AppleCare warantee null and void. I can barely sleep because of this. I’ve been so incredibly careful with that computer, and I’ve been so good about backing up…until this month, of course. If AppleCare refuses to fix it, the bill will be upwards of $1400. Basically that translates into “buy a new one”.
That’s a lot of overtime. And it’s Christmas. I can’t spend that kind of money on myself at Christmas.
But without a computer, I’m not sure I know who I am anymore. Isn’t that terribly sad? That’s what has really been eating at me lately.
December 10, 2006
@ 7:38 pm
Nope, I don’t think it “terribly” sad….with so much of my life digital now, trust me, when I am without computers….I sorta go into withdrawl…so I feel ya…but buy a backup external hard drive and back up once a week, make it a routine…I did and it has saved me twice so far….now if I can just remember to always clean my lens on my video camera, I would be gold….(sigh)
December 11, 2006
@ 8:19 am
Terrible news…to be without a computer. Hang in there, MissB. I can’t wait to have you back at 100%.
xo
Cathy
December 11, 2006
@ 10:53 am
I am so sorry to hear of your recent loss.(that sounds like an obituary,Ha) I also am closely tied to my computer. If you look closely at my photo you can see the cannula that binds me. The internet is one of the only upsides to copd.
December 11, 2006
@ 2:46 pm
Oh man, I can feel the loss and I’m not kidding!
I am so attached digitally that when we were in Oregon for a family funeral last week, we stayed at a Red Lion so I could have wireless access instead of our farm that was only 30 miles away.
That’s hooked!
But have no fear, the Apple dudes are fair and they will fix your computer. I have had zero problems with them in the 13 years since I bought my very first Performa with the 5GB hard drive. and 33 megahertz speed with a 2400 baud dial up.
We were smokin’!
December 11, 2006
@ 5:19 pm
When I lost access to my blogging account for a week because of a stupid subscription glitch I almost crapped puppies. “What Shawn can’t update his blog?!?” I don’t even want to think of what that would be like and I’ve only had a decent computer for about a year now.
Leaveing to backup PC out of paranoia…
P.S. Good luck
December 11, 2006
@ 10:17 pm
I wish I will never have a computer problem anymore..
December 12, 2006
@ 12:07 am
If you have to go without a computer for a while, I imagine you might find there is something liberating about the whole experience…I am moving this weekend and have already started to prepare myself…as I will be without a net connect for a while…
December 12, 2006
@ 8:36 pm
I don’t think this is sad at all, but that might just be my bias.
For me, (and I suspect, possibly for you), this computer = a support system, an outlet, a source of feedback, a shoulder, a critic, a fellow intellect, a sense of security, a creative outlet we don’t have each and every working hour. Missing that can never be sad.
And you can spend that kind of money on yourself at Christmas. Who is more worth it?
December 18, 2006
@ 8:55 am
Ooooh. I feel your pain! When Rudy, my iBook died a few months ago, I was at a loss! Reduced to using a PC, which was an okay substitute, but I missed my Rudy.
Good news, I got a bargain for an iMac G5 barely used. 450. Holy schnickies! I hope the same good fortune is bestowed upon you! No computer=free time, but sad time.
Hang in there.