Thursday, October 15, 2009

Ramblings from an addicted laptop user



When I was little,
ok,
I was
never
little (always cute though),
but when I was young, my grandmother had this shelf thing that she called a "what-not". It was a dark wood, rickety, multi-tiered piece that held antiques from a time long ago passed.
It always fascinated me, but we really were not supposed to touch it, or the things on it.

I did
.

I remember this sword brass hordorve set. Each sword had cloisonne adornment on its handles. All the swords propped regally in a miniature sword holder. Those tips were sharp-I know. I seriously doubt it ever speared food to be served at a party, but it held a royal place on the what-not.

I remember small porcelain pieces, little fragile items of not much use, but pretty to look at.

I remember a coffee grinder that came from Aunt Annie's farm

Speaking of Aunt Annie, I also remember my grandmother telling me about the woman, and how she tatted.

That tatting fascinated me.

Aunt Annie perfectly executed those bazillion tiny little stitches, into doilies, or other relatively useless, but pretty thing.

Maybe Aunt Annie had much time on her hands.

Perhaps she found joy in simple creation.

I would bet she baked bread, too, fresh every day.

It is quick and easy to go buy a doily (if you really have a yearning for a doily).

It is much less time consuming to go buy a tablecloth than to tat one.

Better yet, go sans-cloth (minimalistic is in these days),

or ditch the diningroom all together and eat out.

Bread can be bought for a buck fifty.

As I am rambling in a round about way, I admitting my addiction to my laptop.

I could be knitting.

I could be cleaning my toilet.

I could be making jam.

Instead, I am pounding on a laptop that connects me to the world.

I find I do not have time for such hand toiling. I prefer to tap keys with my time.

Sometime, or many times, I am frustrated to my addiction.

Hubby soduko's, and I computer, while we sit at opposite ends of the couch watching tv (usually reality tv shows, how ironic)

I am wondering if my reality should be off this computer.

Nah!


Tidbit for enlightenment:
A what-not is a piece of furniture derived from the French étagère, which was exceedingly popular in England in the first three-quarters of the 19th century. It usually consists of slender uprights or pillars, supporting a series of shelves for holding china, ornaments, trifles, or what not, hence the allusive name.





2 comments:

Ekanthapadhikan said...

I have no laptops and don't even intend to have one as of now 'coz maintaining it in my country is quite an expensive affair (not very expensive though). Besides I'm still not comfortable with the feather touch key pads of a laptop. I punch my words in as if I'm using an old world typewriter and I couldn't help myself out of that habit. But yes, I'm quite addicted to my P.C ever since I started blogging and can't think of a day when I'll have to be away from it. I can understand that frustration 'coz I me-self hate my new addiction.

lisa said...

I was much better off when we just had a desktop. It meant being in a different room by myself. With us both *hubby and i* having laptops, we typically sit on the couch with atleast me typing away while we watch tv. The desktop has not been used in probably 6 months except for printing out paypal postage labels for my ebay. Even on vacation, a huge group of us was continually attached to our various electronical equipment. Crazy!!