Lucky me, I don’t have to imagine it, that was my life. When my laptop was on my lap it was getting super hot and the fan was running loudly. I took it to the Apple store and they told me I needed a new battery and it would have to be sent away for replacement. The thought of not having my computer made me anxious. My computer is a part of my everyday life, I couldn’t imagine going days, or god forbid weeks, without it. 

In addition, there was the fear of losing data, photos, calendar events, documents, etc. They told me I probably would not lose anything but if I did, they were not responsible. Aggggghhhh. So I backed up my computer to two different external drives plus I bought a Photo Stick and backed the photos up on that too. Because I use Microsoft Office (word, excel, outlook) Apple said they’re not responsible for them so I spoke with Microsoft tech people to help me back up my outlook calendar because it wouldn’t back up on my external hard drives.

I sent it off to Apple, with lots of apprehension and then I prayed . . . . . . a lot. 

It’s amazing how much I depend on my computer and I was feeling lost and anxious without it. I shop, do banking, organize pictures, write blog posts, do graphic design work, plan vacations, read reviews, compare prices, download books, research, zoom, do fantasy football picks, keep calendar events, etc. all on my computer.

I realize some of these activities can be done using my phone but I treat my smartphone like a dumb phone. I only use it for making calls/texts, taking pictures, and reading books. I don’t generally search the internet, read emails or check social media sites from my phone because the screen is too small for me and I have the biggest iPhone, the 13+. In addition, I like using a full keyboard – yes I’m a luddite.  

I pulled out my old computer as my backup but it didn’t take long for me to remember why I got a new computer. I spent more time waiting for the colorful wheel to stop spinning than I did getting anything done. Next, I tried using my smartphone but there was so much I needed to do that was not possible on my phone, like writing this blog post.  

Fortunately, Apple was amazingly fast and efficient. I sent it out on a Tuesday and they sent me daily updates on the status and had it back to me Friday afternoon. Plus, all my data was saved!!  I was so relieved and happy to have my computer back. Now I’ve added having a good working computer to my daily gratitude practice.  

Do you think you’d be able to cope without your computer, or would you be as freaked out as I was?

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