I Miss
I never think to write about this when I am actually sitting in front of a computer at an internet cafe … but I really, really, REALLY miss having and using my own computer. I remarked to Sophie a few days ago how strange it seems for this piece of (to locals) high tech, alien to the point of being inaccessible, to be such an important part of my identity. But it just is. I see myself as a computer scientist. Certainly not in the sense of being a mathematician, of a deriver of efficient algorithms … but definitely in the sense of being an enthusiast with creative ability and intent. All the same, I miss the little things of having my computer too. Installing and upgrading software, removing unused packages to save space. Dicovering useful new programs and learning to use them. Playing with images, customizing my desktop to my perfection. Trying new Linux distributions, and considering how best to navigate the gray areas between Linux and Windows shared usage. Considering hardware upgrades. Backing up data. Documenting my difficulties and how I resolve them. Seemingly trivial tasks can be destressers and learning experiences in disguise.
I miss all of it very badly!!!