Saturday 7th February

We never learn.  And even if we do, to what lengths do we have to go to to protect ourselves?  We have gotten to a point where we simply cannot live without them.  Computers I mean.  And my laptop, crappy, grubby, old and a bit clunky is important to me.  There was a time when you went on holiday and no-one could ever reach you.  Now we all have mobile phones and e-mail and are on a piece of string, constantly being tugged by work, by friends and family.  The un-connected world has gone forever.  Besides, even though we have Syncplicity where all my files are constantly being updated in the clouds, and a hard drive with my photos’ and music on I cannot live without my laptop.

It is here after all dear reader where I communicate this wonderful blog with you every day from.  So imagine my horror when after having plugged my laptop in I noticed after about an hour that I was still on battery.  I checked I was plugged in, yes.  I checked the power was on, yes.  I swapped the lead with another socket and it worked.  Okay so the socket might be faulty.  Then it cut out again and I was on battery.  So, not the socket – oh no, not the lead I thought.

Because we have been here before at least twice, and you either pay about £100 for a Lenovo lead or get a multi-purpose lead with loads of connectors from PC world for about £60.  Besides the nearest PC world was a cab ride away.  I persevered and for a while I got the lead to connect, but it kept falling out and I bit the bullet and headed by cab to Clacton for a new lead.

In the cab I was telling the cabbie and he said it might be the kettle lead.  This is the first bit that goes from the plug into the voltage adaptor.  So at PC World I asked them to check.  And yes, it was the kettle lead.   £12.99 only.  Result.

But just why do we get so upset when our computer doesn’t work?  Surely we should welcome the fact that we cannot be reached?  Instead it causes major panic….