Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Ahhhhhhhh... Finally! New Computer!

Last Wednesday night, near tears of frustration, I called my sister. "I've had enough... I can't take it any longer... do you want to help me go shopping for a new computer?"

My computer is really outdated... it was a chore to use it. I didn't get on it unless I had to. I could only do so much before everything was at a crawl, I could only have a couple programs running at a time, and I kept getting messages that I didn't have enough memory... etc. Sometimes I would try to open a program and nothing would happen... it didn't even have enough memory left to pop up a message. PURE TORTURE! I would end up having to walk away saying, "That's it, I've had enough for today." I really wasn't accomplishing anything worthwhile.

We decided to go Friday morning... I had already researched different computers and prices. Thought I had found "the one" at Sam's Club when I stumbled across this one at Wal-Mart. It was a $100 more but twice as good in some ways. Really well worth the extra money.

I checked Wal-Mart online for the stores that had them in stock. The computer I wanted was at a store about 45 minutes away... we rushed over, but they were out. She said two of them had just walked out. We came to find out they 'walked out the garden center'... they were stolen... about 10 minutes before we got there. The associate called two other area stores that showed them in stock. The one store was a half hour away. We called and explained we were on our way and could they hold one for us... they had one left and wouldn't hold it. Buttheads! So we rushed over, Laura dropped me off at the door and I ran in while she and the kids parked the van. I grabbed that thing and hoisted it onto my cart... it was MINE!

Initially I planned on getting one with at least 4 GB of RAM... I knew it takes at least 3 GB to run Windows Vista. **I dread having to get Windows Vista** Hard drive space is not my problem... I have an external hard drive that I keep all my stuff on in case my computer dies. So the 80 GB on my computer was fine... I needed speed and memory. I found an affordable one at Sam's with 6 GB RAM (expandable to 8 GB), Intel Pentium Dual-Core Processor, 500 GB Hard Drive, 128 MB graphics memory, 24" widescreen flat panel monitor. I thought 6 GB RAM... oh yeah! I always bought lower priced setups that end up quickly becoming outdated. I wanted to be ahead of the game this time... even if it was just a little bit.

Then I found this gem! 7 GB RAM (expandable to 16 GB), AMD Phenom Quad-Core Processor, 750 GB Hard Drive, 256 MB graphics memory, 23" widescreen flat panel monitor and Windows Vista 64-bit (instead of the 32-bit). It was like Christmas!!!! Whoohoo!

The computer I was replacing I bought in 2004 and was an 80 GB hard drive, 256 MB RAM, Celeron Processor, 17" box monitor. Don't know what the graphics memory was. It was better than my first computer... which I bought in 1998. That one was only a 2GB Hard Drive and 32 MB RAM! *LOL* I have flash drives with more space and speed! *LMAO* I look at my 2 GB flash drive and think... this is my first computer and it's no bigger than a pack of gum.... Wow, so much has changed so quickly.

So I have spent the last few days switching over and setting up my new computer. One of the down sides is that with Windows Vista 64-bit a lot of my older programs are no longer compatible. *whaaa* Some I've had for 10 years and I know how to use them. That means I'm gonna have to find new ones and really take the time to learn them. Ugh! But overall I am soooo satisfied with my new computer... I did a good job. Used to be when McAfee updated it would shut me down for about an hour and a half to 2 hours. Now the only way I know it's updated is a slight hesitation for a few seconds as a message pops up stating an update and install has been completed. My email pops up in a blink of an eye, webpages turn in seconds instead of minutes, downloads are like hiccups, I'm flippin' around the internet doing things I haven't been able to do for quite awhile. Life is good again! *LOL*

Now... if only getting a job was that easy! I've been laid off for 5 months now. People like me get caught in a catch-22. Not enough open positions in the type of work I do... when something does pop up there is a lot of competition with so many out of work right now. You think you'll settle for anything that will pay some bills, but some companies won't hire you because they see what you've done in the past and how much you were making... they know if and when something better comes along you'll take it and they don't want to invest the time and money if you're not going to stay.

Oh well... I just keep plugging away. It's in God's hands and there must be a reason... I just won't understand until it happens. Then it will be one of those 'a-ha' moments. An, "Okay, now I get it!" type of situation.

2 comments:

Beth in NC said...

Oh, your computer sounds wonderful! I'm glad you found it!!!

I pray a door opens for a job really soon. I have several friends in your same situation.

Love,
Beth

Michelle said...

Thank you, Beth. I am confident that I will find something... and it will be worthy of the wait.

I look forward to seeing you around cyberspace... now that I'm more able.