time for an upgrade!

the faithful Dell

for those who are wondering why the last few posts took so long to, well, post...it's because our faithful old dell (aka - "jill") finally gave out on us. despite much coaxing, praying and, yes, cursing, the poor old PC finally succumbed to old age, and quite possibly, a faulty video card -- the autopsy reports were inconclusive. she was a faithful computer, surviving not only the move to ohio, but the move from my parents' house to our house on brewster before that, and she never complained. she was well traveled and faithful, serving my parents for approximately 3 years before taking up residence with us, and dutifully acting as our primary computer for nearly 6 years. yes, in computer years she was *ancient.*

there were no signs of her impending doom, and i like to think she went peacefully. i finished surfing the web one night, we went to sleep and the poor PC never really woke up the next morning. her monitor had become completely useless. blind to her inner workings, we vainly tried to keep her on life support. initially with a new monitor, and then through various other techniques -- but it was all futile, she was gone.

do not cry for her, though, she is well remembered through her contribution to our new computer. we saved her hard drive, and she lives on in the documents, pictures and other media safely stored within it. by now she has probably completed her trip to the recycling yard courtesy of apple computers. my mother and i took her in to the shipping center together (it was only fitting that her two owners where there to say goodbye). so she will continue to be useful in other ways...way to go, jill!

maddie sue helps me with "jill"

and now, i would like to introduce you to the newest member of our family, who is going to have take the place of poor 'ol jill.....introducing, the 27" iMac!

iMac has been a wonderful addition to our little family here, arriving shortly after jill's departure. mac settled right in in no time at all (about 15 minutes of set up before we were cruising online together, oh joy!), but that's not to say there haven't been difficulties in the transition. i've had to learn how to upload and organize photos again, and re-load picasa in order to complete my lengthier blog posts (and thank goodness that they have picasa for mac's now!). i've had to figure out how to edit pictures (which was actually quite fun...and fairly easy to do), and how to work a slightly different version of excel for our budget, word for our documents, and transition my iTunes collection to a new computer. it wasn't always easy, and there has been more than one, "this is an iMac for goodnesssake! it's supposed to be EASIER" (or "faster," "more simple," etc.) comments made to my supportive (and already mac-saavy hubby). fortunately, though, my new computer is patient and slowly i am easing into a comfortable, and hopefully lengthy, relationship with the iMac.

rest in peace, old Dell PC. welcome, new iMac!