Age advancement and other upgrades.

Since 2008, I had been using a Sony Vaio with Windows Vista OS. Over a year ago, Microsoft ended its “Extended Support”, prompting irritating daily popup reminders every time I wanted to use the computer.

To preserve a vintage feel to the Vaio, I was also using an out-of-date Chrome browser.

You can tell from the above screen grab that my desktop had sort of just let itself go. What once displayed various beautiful artwork as the desktop wallpaper had turned into a sad white block (an accidental wallpaper selection that I didn’t bother undoing) littered with a bunch of outdated programs (mostly tax software) and documents that were supposed to be only temporary.

At least the calculator was still functioning.

For those who calculated my age based on my birth year, which is posted on my “About Me” page, your calculations are now correct: I turned 35 on the 21st.

I received minimal birthday wishes. No cake. No festive duncecaps. No gift-wrapped presents. Just a lone partially inflated pink balloon which had been introduced into my place week earlier to aid me in a craft project and therefore was unrelated to my birthday.

I struggle to justify replacing things that are still useful. I practically let my t-shirts disintegrate before throwing them out (half of my shirts have unintentional armpit vents). All my bath towels have bleach damage. I eat off chipped dinnerware using mismatched secondhand utensils. Before every potential purchase, I ask myself, “Do I need or want this?”

In technology years, the Sony Vaio was older than me. T’was time. A year of penny-pinching meant I was able to pay for it up front. I now have an Asus VivoBook in my lap, ready to absorb years of entertaining rants.

Happy birthday, self!