The Life of Me

I do not have an Apple laptop. I don't have an iPhone. I didn't even have a cell phone until my 14th birthday. Guess what? I didn't die! Sure, I really wanted a phone for a few years before I got one, but I survived! Somehow, I managed it. (Although I honestly couldn't see how I had lived without a phone once I got one... They're quite handy!) I didn't have a Facebook until a month after I got my phone! I still don't have Instagram, Twitter, or any of the other "awesome" social media stuff.

I'm not saying those things are bad. I'd like to have an Instagram. A ton of my friends have it. I don't really care about Twitter... SnapChat? Nah. And Facebook's kind of fading out of popularity, so... I'll be okay without it, though. (The majority of my friends are family members--I have a HUGE family! Somewhere between 50-100 cousins--I'm serious--and 15 aunts and 15 uncles, give-or-take on both of those...) 

I do have an iPod, though. So I'm not completely Apple-less. It's a nano... I'm not sure what generation, but it's a newer one. And you know what I use it for? Road trips, when there's no wifi, so I can't use Spotify--great thing, Spotify! 

I bought my laptop myself... Woohoo for me. $193 for an Asus laptop and charger. I've seen some bad reviews on Asus stuff, but this thing's pretty great. It's the lightest laptop I've ever had (probably because all the laptops I've ever had were made in the 12th century or something, and because it has a small screen). It works pretty fast, and I love the chiclet keyboard style. The only bad things I've noticed so far are 1. FINGERPRINT MAGNET! (I've made a rule that NO ONE may touch it with greasy/wet/dirty/sweaty/etc. hands.) and 2. the keyboard isnt' backlit, which is pretty handy, and totally underrated. It's kind of dim in the room where I'm typing this, and if I can't quite find the punctuation marks, I have to lean forward. How exhausting!  (I know where all the letters are by heart.)

I really don't see the point in spending thousands of dollars for a laptop with a half-eaten apple on the front... Sure, Apple's pretty good-quality stuff, but I don't think it's worth it. Buying an Apple laptop is kind of like riding the Top-Thrill Dragster. I love that ride--so exciting!--but I only ever go on it if I'm at Cedar Point on a really empty day, where the wait-time is 15-30 minutes (and usually I go on days like that, so I get to ride it!) I would never wait 2 hours for a ride that lasts, what, 7 seconds? You guys go on ahead, I'll go ride Millennium Force. Long wait, but at least that ride's not over before I've taken a breath. And it's sooo fun! Or maybe I'll go to the Skyhawk--ridiculously short line for a fun, quick ride. (Skyhawk's no Maverick or anything, but it's enjoyable). 

So don't be embarrassed to show your friends your lame, off-brand, Android phone. (What's so bad about Android? People keep pitying me for having an Android... My phone works fine, thank you very much!) Don't worry about what your friend will think of you writing your school papers on your little Asus laptop that you bought with a weeks' worth of babysitting money while they sit there slaving away, trying to make $4000 to buy the newest Apple product. Unheardof tech rocks!

-Sue Donimm (written on her Asus-not-Apple laptop)