Don't Drink and Blog

Last night, something terrible happened. I had the brilliant idea that I would be efficient and try to get some blogging done while watching the Superbowl with my husband and his friend. Naturally, I opened a beer...to help get in the mood for this multitasking, if you will. My beer foamed over ever so slightly and poured onto the keyboard and trackpad of my MacBook. I blotted up the liquid as quickly as I could, but it was too late. The damage was done. Almost instantly, my keyboard stopped working. When I attempted to click on something, my screen thought I was right-clicking. When I attempted to scroll, my screen thought I was zooming. I turned the computer off, set it aside, and hoped for a better tomorrow.

My attempts to turn it on this morning were futile.

Fortunately, Mondays are my days off, so I was conveniently able to race to the nearest Apple store. My heart pounded throughout the entire drive. I had the same pit in my stomach that I have when I have to take my dog to the vet, the same sense of bargaining, "Please let it just be an ear infection; I'll do anything!" Upon my arrival at the Apple store, I was greeted by an odd little man who had a serious issue with eye contact (a serious issue of about ten inches). I explained my embarrassing predicament, and braced myself as he delivered my beloved computer's fate.

Apparently beer is corrosive, and even the smallest amount can cause death by liquid. He believed it was repairable, but the damage was over his head and he would need to ship it out to Apple's daunting repair depot. The folks at the depot would be able to give me a better idea about prognosis from there. Now, I'm a Southern girl, which means that my inherent tact prevents me from discussing finances. Let's just say that the cost of parts and labor was enough to make my jaw drop; however, it was still considerably less than the cost of a new computer. If my laptop was older, I might have opted to replace it instead. Since it was only two years old (that is, just old enough for the warranty to have expired), I decided that this was a necessary investment. I handed over my computer, and hung up one of my favorite quotes for good:

{via I Could Cry But I Don't Have Time}

I suppose Hemingway ruined many a draft with a draught beer...or twelve. He didn't have anything to short circuit, but on the other hand, he didn't have an external hard drive to back up every idea that had ever crossed his mind. I suppose my predicament isn't so bad. After all, it's only money.

Nonetheless, I'm unreasonably attached to my computer. I suppose all bloggers are. I told my husband that I would not be nearly this distraught if I'd somehow acquired a need for significant repair to my car. He then pointed out that my car doesn't mean as much to me as my computer does. (He knows me so well!) As I mourn the hopefully-temporary absence of my computer, I'm grateful that the internet is forever. I have a couple of posts saved as drafts, and I'm happy to use them over the next couple of weeks - it sure beats writing on my husband's HP as I am now (ugh).

Contrary to Hemingway's quote, I have officially banned food and drink while blogging. You might think this is a bit harsh, but actually, this isn't the first time I've killed a computer in this manner. In 2005, I knocked over a bottle of Gatorade while stretching after a workout. My computer was open, and the sticky pink plague completely drenched it. It's one thing to make the same mistake twice, but I'm sure as hell not making it again. Besides, I can't afford to.

Are any of you ridiculously attached to your computer? Or am I coming across as a little crazy right now?