OK Computer

[freckles_and_doubt]

I have bought myself a new computer! This was achieved by the simple expedient of printing out the system specs for Dragon Age 2, Fable III and Skyrim (these last are a bit speculative as it's only out at the end of the year), and waving them at the nice Korean lady in the computer shop with an instruction to put together something which would run all of the above. Which she did, muttering things under her breath about "another two gig of RAM, then", and what have you. I connected it all up last night, with only one minor problem with the fact that monitor and printer connections have morphed into new, sexier shapes since I last bought anything. Fortunately the EL had the relevant adaptor, and I am now pursuing the pleasures of Dragon Age on my very own machine. Wheee! Also, crash, boom, thud, powee, zot, and the unmistakeable glug of healing potions going down.

It is, I have to add, a very weird thing to realise that the only reason I haven't done this earlier is quite simply force of habit. I'm not used to thinking of myself as being The Kind Of Person Who Has A Nice New Gaming Computer. That's always been the EL's department: he has the new computer, I buy minimal stuff at the bottom end of the range owing to financial constraints, and I play spanky games (note: not in any dodgy sense) on his computer when he's not around. Except, actually, in practical terms there is absolutely no bloody reason at all why I can't acquire the spanky machine for myself. I have the disposable income these days. I'm just not used to believing that I have. Clearly fifteen years of impecunious grad student existence, plus a nasty couple of years of financial strain owing to a terminally ill father, have beaten into my head the sad mantra of "you can't have nice things". I'm forced to be grateful to Loot for gradually indoctrinating me into the possibility of buying Cool Stuff just because, one book or CD or DVD at a time. Or occasionally five at once. I have a very low saving throw versus Acquire Cultural Product. Possibly I have transmogrified the standard girly-issue gene for Low Saving Throw Versus Shoes.

It is also a truth universally acknowledged that swearing at traffic in order to arrive at work at 8.30 on a Monday to listen to a string of panicking students who haven't read the notice on your door suddenly makes a lot more sense when you realise you're doing it to finance your habits of cultural acquisition. And thus does Western Capitalism make monkeys of us all. The kind with our fists stuck in the calabash. Bother.

I should also add that it is an index of the love I have for my friends that I only assembled the computer last night, owing to the presence of a braai-type celebration thingy for starmadeshadow, currently in town, with the Usual Suspects, during the rest of the day. It was lovely, and entirely worth the delayed techno-gratification. I forget how much I enjoy large crowds of nice people, not to mention the small herd of girl-children who apparently spent the afternoon jumping on my bed. It had suspicious pock-marks in it, like elephant footprints in the custard.

Comments

YAY

[(Anonymous)]

I'm so ridiculously excited for YOUR new computer because I spent the entire night last night assembling MY new awesome computer. It's brilliant, and has made me a giddy geek for the entire day (despite Monday's best attempts to make it bad). Everything is so new and shiny! Who needs shoes? Pssshhh. Yay.

[stacey chamberlain (from livejournal.com)]

I've tried posting this twice, so forgive me if you get millions of comments about my over-excitedness. YAY for new computer! I spent all of last night assembling mine too, and today it charms me with its shiny contours and fastness. Brilliant.

[extemporanea.livejournal.com]

I saw your tweet about it, and had synchronous sympathetic techno-glee on your behalf. A fast computer is a lovesome thing, God wot. I shall continue to think of you as I gloat over mine :>.

[wolverine-nun.livejournal.com]

Hmm, interesting that someone else has comment problems. So did I. This is the 2nd try :)

The girls had their feet washed on two occasions before jumping on your bed, so hopefully the elephant footprints were the only sign of visitors and there was no actual dirt.

Thanks for hosting, we had a lovely time.

[extemporanea.livejournal.com]

No worries, no dirty marks, just a whole lot of little dents. It was incredibly cute and made me giggle a lot :>. I also had a lovely time, thank you for coming!

[extemporanea.livejournal.com]

and, p.s., I think LJ is still screwy because of the Russian DDoS attacks. Annoying when Russian politics interferes with one's legitimate blogging activities. Sigh.

[starmadeshadow.livejournal.com]

Thank you for hosting a wonderful braai - it was just heavenly. I truly appreciate you postponing your computer assembly :-)

[extemporanea.livejournal.com]

It was totally worth postponing the Dragon Age, I simply played until after midnight instead :>. Thank you for visiting Cape Town and giving us an excuse!

[strawberryfrog.livejournal.com]

Tangentially related, would you like to eat somewhere with me next week, when I am in CT?

[extemporanea.livejournal.com]

Hooray, Frog-dinner! would love to. I think I'm free next week except for Wednesday and Friday evenings. I am also chalking ritual pentagrams on the soles of my feet to ensure that you aren't trapped in London by sudden, unseasonal snow. Or sandstorms. Or zombie plagues.

[strawberryfrog.livejournal.com]

I am free Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday so Tuesday it is.

London isn't prone to many plagues at this time of year. I'll deal with them in turn:

sudden, unseasonal snow: this ooks unlikely; though there was snow at Easter a couple of years ago, it has warmed right up now and will likely be > 15c this weekend.
sandstorms: these hardly ever happen here. Sandworms neither.
zombie plagues: these are distressingly common in London, but there is very effective containment system, commonly known as "the tube"
zombie banks: Long term, it's very likely, but these tend to happen in September and October mostly. We should be OK.
strikes: I took the precaution of not flying BA, but SAA
lack of in-flight entertainment on SAA: Also common, but I have a kindle and 2 Lauren Beukes novels to read.