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www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Thursday, June 30, 2016 | 22 After eight years, that trusty laptop owes him nothing That's M Life y father owned a pair of beige pants to which he was in nitely and, some would say, irrationally attached. For about 25 years, he slid into those slacks nearly every day to work around the house -- gardening, tinkering, painting and puttering. Alas, when those overworked, frayed, paintsplattered and grass-stained `puttering pants' nally fell apart, he expressed (often and indignantly) his huge disappointment in the shamefully shoddy trousers and their obvious suspect durability. I mean, come on, only 25 years? "Pops," we'd say, when he got on a rant, which tended to lead to him threatening to return the pants for a refund, should the store still exist, "those pants gave you 25 good years. They don't owe you anything...." Ah, like father, like son.... A few years ago, my trusty laptop computer, proudly purchased in the spring of 2008, started Guest Contributor Andy Juniper having what an earnest computer technician ominously called `issues'. Little things like freezing, even on the warmest of days, and shutting down just when I really needed it to, well, not shut down. You know, mid-sentence deep into a document that was due for delivery. Well, that year my generous, kindhearted kids -- concerned that my computer was about to crash completely, and that I'd lose everything, including my mind -- broke the bank and bought me a newfangled laptop. Which I appreciatively left in the box for a year. Or two. Until my daughter's computer went kaput and she sheepishly asked if she could, you know, take my underutilized laptop out of its dusty box and actually use it. Sure. Honestly, I really didn't need a new laptop. I was quite content with my trusty computer, which by then had started having new `issues'. Battery/charging issues, and lackof-brightness issues, and issues wherein the keyboard keys had to be pushed down with superhuman strength, each document typed a workout for the carpal-tunneled hands, wrists, arms. Are you sure you don't want the new laptop, my daughter asked, before taking it and calling it her own? I told her it would be a dark day in Computer Land before I'd give up on my trusty computer. Well, the other day around lunchtime, the left side of my laptop went... dark (darkness at noon). Leaving me with no alternative but to buy a new computer (or, wait: maybe I could just produce half documents, leaving the left side of my thoughts blank).... Ah, Junipers. I'd like to say we're just ridiculously loyal to things we love, but really we're just ridiculously opposed to change. Any change. At all. We'll walk around in pants that are literally falling apart, we'll stay loyal to a laptop that is crippling our poor hands, rather than change into an unfamiliar, new pair of pants or, heaven help us, a new computer to replace an old, shamefully shoddy, not-at-all durable laptop. I mean, come on, only eight years? -- Andy Juniper can be contacted at ajjuniper@ gmail.com, found on Facebook.com, or followed on Twitter at www.twitter .com/thesportjesters. What are you What are you Crowdfunding is: Crowdfunding is: Bringing my ideas Bringing my ideas to life. to life. crowdfunding for? crowdfunding for? fuellocal.com is an online platform to raise money through crowdfunding: an opportunity fuellocal.com is an online platform to raise moneyfor a collection of through crowdfunding: opportunity for a collection of of a cause. individuals to an make donations in support individuals to make donations in support of a cause. Create your fundraising campaign or help fund local Create your fundraising campaign or help fund local initiatives at fuellocal.com initiatives at fuellocal.com Leaky Basement? Call Us! · Crack k Injection nje Repair Specialist · Wise Dry Interior Drain Systems · Lifetime Fully Transferrable Warranty · Masonry/Parging Repairs Start your campaign now! Start your campaign now! .com Call Us... 905-510-9739 .com Professional, Cost E ective Solutions for Wet wayne@wisecracks.com Basements w w w. H a l t o n Wi s e C ra c k s. co m 2376 Parkhaven Blvd, Oakville 2376 Parkhaven Blvd, Oakville · 905-257-5880 905-257-5880 maximekitchens.ca maximekitchens.ca R0063759717