When I lived in my co-op apartment, my bedroom window faced the central courtyard of the apartment complex. When people were outside in the courtyard doing anything -- having sex in the hot tub, smoking until 3 a.m., misquoting Darwin, etc -- I could hear them from my room. Most apartments in the complex had rooms with courtyard windows, actually, so I heard some of what was going on in the other apartments as well.
Directly across the courtyard from me was an apartment whose tenants I never met. I certainly felt like I knew one of them, though. I heard his voice drifting in through my window every few weeks or so.
"Fuck! No! Don't do this to me!" Slam bang crash bang crash slam slam slam! "Aauuuugh! Shit! MY PAPER!"
This is why I bought a new computer last night, with a speedy and capacious DVD burner that I can use to back up every single byte of data I own every single week for the next two semesters. When I do schoolwork, it will stay done.
Posted by dianna at September 14, 2005 09:22 AMYou couldn't tell from the title? Rats. Apparently my skillful reference to a commercial I've never seen was not skillful enough.
I got a nearly-bottom-of-the-line Dell laptop, which is still faster than my current Frankenstein and has 300% more warranty. I succumbed to laptopization, on the flimsy excuse that this way I can haul papers-in-progress out to the library and work on them there, where there's no couch around to seduce me into not working. And, you know, all the cool kids have them.
Couches, that is.
Posted by: Dianna at September 14, 2005 01:05 PMOh, and, if my student financial situation gets really desperate, I can make the laptop pay for itself by making home porno movies, turning them into DVDs with my spiffy new DVD burner, and selling them.
Posted by: Dianna at September 14, 2005 01:09 PMAlways an option.
Does your laptop have wireless internet? Because I found that really handy. Particularly since I lived in an apartment close enough to campus to leech off the University's wireless network. Although, of course, the flip side of that is that ready internet access from your laptop in the library makes distraction far easier, and can negate the positive value of your couch-less environs.
Posted by: Zach S. at September 14, 2005 01:21 PMThat's precisely why the solution that I have (or will have, by the end of the month, barring unforseen shipping complications) is perfect.
The laptop itself does not have wireless capability. Its built-in network interface is wired-only. But, I have an external wireless network card that I can conveniently leave at home if I need to be undistracted!
I'm pretty proud of this solution.
Posted by: Dianna at September 14, 2005 01:32 PMspeaking of you and the things that you make, i am holding your inner tube hostage until i get a pendant-type necklace from you made of spare parts. i will pay you for the spare parts. now bust a move or the inner tube gets it.
orrrr...i could just give you back your inner tube. your call.
Posted by: didofoot at September 14, 2005 01:58 PMOh god... my baby! My poor inner-tube baby! Don't hurt it! I'll do anything you want. I'll make you a pendant-type necklace. I will. Just don't touch my inner tube!
Really, don't touch it. It's full of lead and will make you have disfigured alien babies. There was a warning label on the box stating so. So just give me a bit to think of some necklace ideas, and lock the inner tube in a room by itself if you want, but don't touch it.
Posted by: Dianna at September 14, 2005 02:38 PMI like your wireless solution.
Now let's see if you have the same touch with technology purchases that I do. I bought a near-bottom-of-the-line Dell laptop a little over a year ago, the day before they discontinued the big clunky model that I purchased. Last week, I broke down and purchased an iPod mini, the day before Apple unveiled the nano. Curses.
At any rate, welcome to portability, dude.
Posted by: katie at September 14, 2005 07:56 PMThe day before? Good lord, woman, you do have a gift for technology.
Nano Schmano. You want more than 4 gigs of music anyway, right? Of course you do. The Nano would be no use to you. You are happy with your Mini?
Posted by: Dianna at September 15, 2005 10:57 AM