think twice

Finally! You've been saving for a laptop of your own now for months; today is the day that everything is going to become a reality. No more going to the library or bumming the family computer off Mom and Dad. You, with your own hard earned cash, are stepping into an investment of the grandest sort- technology. Before you get too carried away, have you given any thought to that extended warranty? With a high dollar item such as this, you may want to think twice.

Within these last few days, I have come to know how important such an investment is. This knowledge came to me as I first sat down to fulfill this very blog assignment and work on the final of our Op Ed, now due within a few short hours. My attempt was drastically cut short. Suddenly the color of my screen sucked itself into its center and popped away. Panic gradually grew as attempts to simply press the start button could not weild any life within my machine. The battery was removed, blown on, prayed for... still to no avail.

After a trip to a computer guru friend and an hour phone call with the help line, I began to see the grace in having my computer fail now, while still under its warranty. Had I not paid for the additional service, I would completely out of a computer and all of my technology stored within.

Though I'm going to be inconvieneced for about two weeks, it's much better than the alternative. To further arm yourself after your warranty expires, I highly suggest investing in an external hard drive. I now I have to deal with possibly loosing two years worth of papers, pictures, music, schedules and programs. GAH! At least I'm learning in my youth. Let my problem be a lesson to you- technology will eventually fail you; prepare against it.