It Must Be Monday
The green gun in the monitor on the kids’ computer has developed a mind of its own. So I’m unexpectedly in the market for a new LCD flat panel. They don’t care what kind I get so long as it “looks sweet”. I hate unexpected expenses. They use the computer so much I need to get the new one before the current one dies completely so I can’t really shop around. Plus all of their software is on their computer and it would be a big PIA to reinstall it so that they could use ours. Computers are great except when they are broken.
Ordinarily, I would get the new equipment for California Girl and myself but our current monitor is too big and heavy to fit on their desk. So they get the new component. I just hope I don’t find out what the liquid in liquid crystal displays (LCDs) looks like. They are old enough to take care of things and usually do but accidents do happen.
They use the computer for almost everything imaginable. The Boy keeps a record of his card collection electronically. And all of his athletic records. For The Girl it’s almost like a telephone. Except for instant messaging* if you can communicate with someone using a computer, she does it. We have always had computers around so it’s just normal to them; but I am still amazed by how much they use technology.
*She is NOT getting IM no matter how much she whines. She lost her IM privileges before she even got them by setting up a “secret” IM account. I track their online activities pretty closely so it was only a secret for a few hours.
Comments
Comment from Chickie
Time April 25, 2006 at 1:34 pm
It’s good that you know what they do online. Not enough parents do.
Comment from Midwestern City Boy
Time April 25, 2006 at 8:33 pm
Monkey: The Girl may NEVER get IM. She whines about it occasionally and then I remind her of the incident and the stops whining.
Chickie: I watch what they do online more than that know. Unless the cross the line then they find out about it. It’s great to be technical.
Comment from Kelly
Time April 25, 2006 at 9:23 pm
Yeah..I have a hard drive out right now..I know that feeling! Luckily I had a spare I could swap in until and I can see what’s wrong.
Good job on the IM….and tracking your kids. I need to do a better job of that..
Comment from PadawanLou
Time April 25, 2006 at 11:37 pm
I wouldn’t worry about the teenagers taking care of the PC stuff. I (am a computer geek for 40+ years and )have a 15 year old son. He gets very nervous when I point to a Computer Science class issue on his 17+ inch LCD… he takes good care of it and has had it without/incident for 2+ years.
Love your blog!
Comment from Steve
Time April 25, 2006 at 11:44 pm
Check out Phillips (formerly Magnavox) LCD monitors. Can’t beat the price and the quality is very nice. Frankly I don’t see any difference between my Sony LCD and my wife’s Phillips. The Sony costs a lot more because it’s a SONY!
Comment from Midwestern City Boy
Time April 26, 2006 at 1:17 am
PadawanLou: The kids are usually good with technology, especially by themselves, but sometimes they horse around with each other. That’s what I worry about. I get them nice things and expect them to take care of them and generally they do. LCDs just seem fragile to me. I’m still going to get them one but frankly, I’d be concerned about having one myself. And thanks for the compliment on the blog.
Steve: I will certainly do that. This was unexpected so I’m not as informed as I would like to be. I’m trying do all of the research as quickly as possible. The old monitor is hanging in but just barely.
Comment from Monkey
Time April 25, 2006 at 1:42 am
i have to laugh…GB lost her rights to a cell phone before she even got it too…we were going to get one for her when she turned 14…but she got caught texting during class…we told her we would wait a year and think about it again…lol
peace…