Dr. Frankenstein’s laptop

I’m looking at a lovely 22 inch monitor which doesn’t fit on my humble workstation. I can say it lends a little support to calling this room “the command center,” but it’s also created a bit of overcrowding. A high tech, dual-screen situation? you ask. No. Not at all. The monitor is connected via HDMI cable to my laptop, which has no useable screen at all. As a result, it’s no longer a laptop—not unless I want to carry the monitor around with me. And since I can’t fit the screen on top of the former-laptop’s keyboard and have to keep the aforementioned screenless device open, I had to buy a wireless keyboard and mouse too. So, my configuration is now what I think of Dr. Frankenstein’s laptop.

How did I come to this?

I’m writing a blog about it in part because it’s my blog’s fault. Allow me to explain.

I woke up yesterday somewhat motivated to write something—anything. And I haven’t been motivated this way for some weeks. I have continued to work on at least one of my novels-in-progress but only in so much as I’m reading a printed draft and making notes. It’s been slow going and I have not stuck to my 10 minute-a-day routine. (More on that later.) So, I woke up motivated to do something productive—to “make words” as I call it. That phrase came from a National Novel Writer’s Month endurance event when I didn’t know what I was going to write, but knew I had to keep up with word count goals.

The first order of business is to open the laptop. Well, after fixing a fresh cup of coffee… The laptop isn’t in on it’s usual stand in the command center. That’s right, the Mrs. used it yesterday to do some online shopping for our upcoming trip. It must be in the living room. Under a blanket on the couch? Nope. On the shelf under the coffee table? Not there either. Under my wife? No. She’s a sound sleeper who can repose in just about any configuration and in any circumstance, but not to sleeping on a sturdy laptop levels. I look in the command center again. No luck. Back to the living room.

It’s on the floor under the coffee table. Okay… Glad to have solved the mystery, I return it to it’s usual place. And when it powers up, it’s immediately apparent it has suffered an injury—a serious one. The screen in a nightmare of flickering colors, blinking lines, and blank white corners. Writing is going to have to wait. There’s no “making words” to be done, motivated or not. I’m also not going to be working on the online course I was determined to be productive with or paying bills.

Now what?

Amazon, can you help me? Sure. Lots of portable laptop monitors. But I want to be productive today. Target? Best Buy? I’m not entirely sure what I want. I only know I don’t want to spend much. I just spoiled myself with an electronics purchase a couple weeks ago and have the balance of our Alaska vacation to pay off. So, off to the store with frustration in one pocket and doubt I’ll find what I need without breaking the bank in the other.

I didn’t check the outputs on my laptop. That becomes immediately apparent when flipping display-model monitors upside down on store shelves. So, I buy an adapter just in case. It’s nearly half the cost of the monitor itself. Have I mentioned it’s over an hour round-trip to get to anything resembling civilization? Okay, there’s a Walmart in town, but that’s it.

Once home, I unbox and eagerly inspect inputs and outputs. No adapter needed! I asked about the return policy before I left. I’ll get that money back, minus the gas I use to make the round trip a second time.

All hooked up. Now, does the laptop actually work? I power it up. I have to press on points all over the screen to see anything, but I manage to navigate to what looks like display options and move the display to the new monitor. Success. And it’s shiny!

So, it’s time to write, right?

At this point, I could get back in the saddle, find that motivation, and getting cracking. However, I find it’s gone and not to be extracted. I know. The word of the year is “determined,” but that hasn’t been working for me this month. I have not exactly abandoned the spirit, but allowed distractions and excuses to slow the flow. It’s also gray and rainy and the plague I’ve been suffering from has filled my sinuses like a puffer fish. I’m fairly certain it’s equally poisonous.

PlayStation on. Word-making abandoned. There’s always tomorrow. Both my father and a friend suggest I can get back on it tomorrow. I agree and set my sights on being productive come morning. Here it is… but not before a couple cups of coffee and a little tidying of the room. That’s another goal I’ve been neglecting.

The wrap-up

Now, I’d like to end this blog with a bit of pithy wisdom. I’d like to tie it up with a reflection on determination, overcoming obstacles, weathering disappointment, etc.. But this isn’t that kind of blog. In fact, this is an “I said I’d write something today” blog. I don’t regret not having returned to the command center yesterday. I knew my limits. Maybe that’s the procrastinator speaking. The lesson, if there is one, is that there is indeed always tomorrow.

There. That’s over 900 words that didn’t exist yesterday. And there might be more to come. Back to one of the works-in-progress? Another blog? One about the word of the year, my flirting with a career change, or maybe education and the standardized testing season that starts for my fourth graders tomorrow? Then again, maybe a trip to return this adapter with fingers crossed there are no more misadventures to write about?

Stay tuned.

Any misadventures to share or occasions where the fates conspired to keep you from fulfilling your dose of motivation? I’d love to hear from you.

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