Tattoos and Computers

When the new super sleek MacBook was announced yesterday, my first second and eighteenth reaction was to get one. It's small, it's good looking, it's a fast Mac, and it's relatively inexpensive. I even went out to the Applestore to look at it. I proudly announced my intention to purchase.

But in the cold light of the next day, I need to realize: It's just a computer, and yes it's small, yes it's fast, but I am NOT taxing my current machines at all - there has been no moment in the past year when I've smacked ANY of my machines and said "Dang it, if only you were faster, if only you were smaller". If anything, I must say that the new machine is so fast, it could replace ALL of my other computers at no performance penalty.... but not really at any performance GAIN either.

I need to take the same rigor with technology purchases as I do with Tattoos. If you really want a tattoo, draw it on your arm in a sharpie. If after a week you still think that's a good idea, go ahead and tattoo it. For me, no image or concept has been cool enough for me to keep it on for a week, much less a full day.

So for computers (and other techy things) I make the following pledge: I will declare my intent/interest in an item and write it down, make my best case for it, sell both myself AND my wife on the concept. And then wait for 7 days before acting on it. And if after those 7 days, the need is still so start, so brilliantly clear, then yes, I can do it.

In all honesty, it only took 12 hours for my completely undeniable need for the Macbook to pass. Every time I see a Dave Smith Evolver keyboard (a synth with MANY blue lights and a biiiig sound) it takes me a good 4 hours after fully convincing myself this will change my life before the Evolver has passed into "just cool" territory.

What I am concerned about, however, is whether the economy can handle this newly frugal Jimmy. Whether Apple and a host of software vendors can in fact keep their doors OPEN without my continual early adoption...?

I am sure that sometime, somehow, there will be an item that I need SO badly that I still REALLY need it a week later.