What is it about computers? Or is it just me? Us, I should say -- me and my computer. It seems we are one; my fingers tap the keys even in my dreams at night while lines of stubborn code run behind my eyes. No kidding. Last night was like that. They say there's a fine line between art and madness. I wonder what the equation amounts to when you throw a personal computer into the mix and give it a 21" monitor and a room of its own. Although I'm not a true child of the digital age, my art is. It found life when I bought my first computer in 1992 (for ten times what we pay now for a desktop system!), and my creative cycle has been inextricably linked to pixels ever since. If it weren't for this, I like to think I would have the psychological strength to tear myself away and live without addictions like email and surfing. But to breathe is to create and to create I "need" the computer. Even on a fallow day I still manage to stumble right into this chair, eyes sucked into the monitor, hands flicking the keys; if I'm not at the computer blooming artistically, I'm on it looking for fertilizer.

Today was rare; I spent it with people. Oh yeah... and computers. I was supposed to be helping a friend learn some photoshop tricks and solve some printing issues, but I think I spent most of the time spellbound by his 17" Powerbook G4, trying to keep from drooling on the keyboard. Luckily, it was running OS X or I'd probably still be sitting there. I hate that new operating system (and I tend to limit my use of the word "hate"). I'm begging the Mac gods to inspire a new system before it comes time for me to upgrade my hardware. For all my love of things progressive and future-wise, I do not adapt well when someone completely rearranges how I'm used to working. This software was just way too much of an overhaul to be worth the bit of silicone graphics-ish eye candy. Not to mention you can crash it with a single keystroke. How to take a good kernel and totally screw it up. I have reasons why I like my Mac. Don't change them. This is my creative cycle you're messing with. Come the day when I'm forced to switch, a recovery period will definitely be in order. My clients will just have to understand. "I'm sorry ma'am, she's just had an OS X implant and her apple menu's been removed. It'll be about six weeks before swelling's gone down and she's able to get around again."