= Such Stupid Things =

Hey team. I again feel lousy about the extended silences, but I've fallen deep into a computer-related malaise. My laptop is slowly dying, my computer at work has the processing power of an abacus, and my wireless router has apparently given up on life - despite Tommy putting it in the freezer for a half-hour, (I'm still not clear on that one). But in contrast to my declining computing ability, work has required a dramatic increase in time spent at a computer, crunching numbers and working on figures for a paper, etc. etc.

The unfortunate result is that my clicking finger has been bothering me, so I've been trying to reduce my recreational internet time. Both the reading and writing of blogs have suffered dearly.

I know, I know - it's horrifying. But I think it's only temporary. Experiments are a drain, but we're not far off from the thesis-writing stage of my graduate career, which means unfettered time spent at a computer, not doing things I should be doing. I expect this to mean a sharp uptick in my attention to this here website.

In light of this upcoming paradigm shift, I'm coming dangerously close to buying myself a new laptop. So if you have any advice about what to do and not do, I'd love to hear it. Recent cosmic alignments seem keen on convincing me into buying a Mac, but I'm still a frightened of change...