Done.

Let me continue on what, for anyone but me, is an endlessly tedious topic: my computer repair! You see, I've finally made my decision, and will pay $244 to have this one repaired rather than replace it with a new one. The price includes shipping to Gateway, all labor and parts (a new motherboard.) Of course this is far more reasonable than shelling out $1000+ for a replacement notebook, although if I had found a new model that I simply loved I'd probably have bought it. But things have not changed so much in 2 years, and really, most of the available ones are bigger anyway (I like the 14 inch widescreen.) There was a time when 2 years meant your computer was obsolete, when things were moving at such a fast pace you could never keep up.

My biggest challenge will be missing it while it's "in hospital." Of course I will be able to check email and surf the web at work, and can even bring my work laptop home every night if I so wish. (We're encouraged to; in fact, it was only a year ago when they changed the policy from "you must bring it home every night.")

This is my key computer time - early in the morning, eating my breakfast, slowing easing into the new day.