I've been using this laptop since I got it more than 4 years ago. It was not my first laptop in my life, but it was definitely my first purchase of my own laptop using my own money. It is a very old model, non DVD-readable and it doesn't have an internal CD-burner. I had to get an external CD-burner few years ago. When I first relocated, I couldn't connect it to the internet due to the cable incompatibility. The only solution was to get an external ethernet card or a USB allowing the cable to be pluged in. Can you believe that I had to go through many computer shops to get that special USB because the market for this USB is very low here. I had to describe real hard of what I was actually looking for when I talked to the salesperson.

Guess what happened again? It wasn't kicking all of a sudden last year. My adaptor was burned! Should I get a new laptop instead? I talked to the IT guy at work and he promised to look for a new adaptor for me. It took him close to a month to ship in a new adaptor. My laptop is back kicking!

Although it is kicking all right now, it is really just doing all right. There is something wrong with the internet cable that I can't move it around too much, or else you would probably find me disappearing from the internet world for a while. I'm not kidding. The laptop has to be locked at a particular position, if not it can't be connected to the internet cable. Great, I can't even lie down on my bed surfing. I can't carry it everywhere for work purpose. On top of that, I don't use it to do too much fancy stuff; only basic surfing i.e emailing, chatting, listening to online music, watch some shows and general work stuff.

Now should I really get a new one? It's been more than four years. But no, I still want to hold on to it for a while until it is totally dead *touch wood*.

I'm not being attached to it. Neither am I being too stingy and harsh to myself that I am not willing to spend on getting a newer laptop so that it'll make my life easier. Well, I don't mean to have a more luxurious life since I do use the laptop for work purpose. I just don't want to get rid of my laptop for a better one since this is the first laptop that I saved for 2 months from my first job when I was working in Country C. I was so proud of my purchase at that time until I referred it as my "boyfriend". Few years later, I am still proud of it and hence I'm still using it.

My cell phone is more than three years old now. It is also the first cell phone I purchased using my own money. Previously my parents bought me two phones before. Again, this current cell phone is an old phone, without any features i.e. camera, MMS transfer, bluetooth whatsoever. But I'm very proud of it. I could sign up a plan here and get the newest model. Why would I want to do so if it is still working very well?

Sure probably I'm just not so into gadgets. Or maybe I'm just a little thrifty. But those are not really the reason. I was not like this last time. I mean I did not feel the same before I used my own money to buy things for myself. For the first laptop in my life that my parents bought for me during college, it is still lying around at my parents' house. When I left Country B, I passed it to my sister happily and was looking forward to my upcoming purchase. For the first two cell phones my parents got me, one during college and one prior to my relocation to my job, I wasn't that proud of them. They were the newest models at that time. But I wasn't that proud of them at all. Sure, I was excited when I had the first one. I was showing off to my friends. But that's just like a kid who just got a new toy. After awhile, the kid will get bored of it and starting to look for new toy.

From my many little experiences, I truly believe that we tend to cherish things that we work and sweat hard for. That's right; the actual reason that I still hold on to my laptop, cell phone and other stuff that I bought using my own money is because I cherish them and I know the money doesn't come that easily to the pocket. I don't mean I worked like a slave for money. But because these things weren't given to you too easily as gifts or whatever, you worked for them and naturally you cherish them more. That's just a funny thinking of human-being.

I remember when I was in Grade 4, my classmates were bringing a few English children story books to school. The Enid Blyton series. I wasn't into reading at that time. Well, not English book at least. But you know kids get jealous easily. They'll go home and ask for the same things of what their friends have. I did the same too. I went home and told my dad that the sisters in my class were reading the Enid Blyton series. Dad who obviously wanted to give us the best immediately drove my mom and I to a departmental store. We went to the book department. I became very greedy when I found out the store was selling one set of Enid Blyton's, which was 50 books. My dad being the most wonderful dad on earth fulfilled my spoilt request. He bought the entire set. 50 books altogether! Later on, he still bought several more to add into the collection. All those books are now sitting at the bookshelves of my parents. The last time I took a look at them, the pages have already turned yellow. How many had I read? Shameful to admit, I only read about 10 of them. Bad right? I know, I know.

When in school, there was a table tennis heat. Again, being a spoilt brat, I went home and told my mom that I wanted to learn table tennis. My mom bought a brand new table tennis table home after seeking approval from my dad. How many times I had used it? Not even once. Many years ago, my parents used it for other purpose; they used it as a temporary table for displaying food when we were holding parties at home.

Although I still have the bad conscience about being such a spoilt brat and seeing those things I got as presents from my parents and others that I never appreciate and cherish, I do not feel more than that. Sure I've learned from those that I should never be like this, but I won't have much feeling if anyone wants to get rid of them. But it takes million-folds more for me to just get rid of the stuff I bought using my own effort. It's not the stuff that I feel reluctant to get rid of. But it's more of the fact that you know you worked hard for it and you just don't want to toss it away easily when something seems better appear. I look at my old laptop, my old cell phone; memories about how did I come to own them. Those memories make me want to cherish them more.

My Travel Companion was telling me that his car is about 16 years old. His mother was even suggesting him to get a new one. But he is reluctant to do so. He told me he had to work extra jobs during college to pay up the mortgage. I told him, "Hey, I'm very proud of you!" I was even telling my family about this. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder? No, I'm really proud of him. Having the same experience, I knew exactly how he felt when he described about his car. You worked for it and therefore you cherish it more because you know it did not come easily. I'm very glad that he and I share the same page.

This concept also leads me to think about how much do we cherish about people surrounding us. Why are there so many breakups or divorces? Why a sweet healthy relationship becomes bitter later? Why lovers become enemies? Why buddies become enemies and not talk to each other ever since? Is it because we do not realize it actually takes a lot of links to form that relationship with this person and thus taking him/her for granted? Come on, out of that zillions out there, how did you come to know this person? I'm sure many do not wish to be in such outcome. Something serious must have happened that led to such situation. But before things became irreversible, before two person went apart, if only we realize that it actually has taken a lot of links (the connections) to make two person together, things might have gotten a lot better. Do you give up a relationship because of a small fight? Do you ditch this person for someone prettier, better, richer or whatever? Do you get upset seeing this person's flaws that you initially thought were great? Or do you no longer tolerate a not-so-perfect partner? Do you take him/her for granted now? Probably there are certain situations that may disallow us to salvage our relationship (any type). But at least if we start thinking about how much link it has taken to get to know this person but not Stranger A, B or C and how hard it is to establish and maintain the relationship; we'll cherish this person more and thus the relationship. Realizing this, both will try their best to work on it. Even if things do not work out later despite all the effort, at least both won't leave angrily and upset.

I cherish the stuff I am having and definitely the people surrounding me now. I know they did not come that easily. Great, my 4-year-old digicam's kaput after my recent trip with my Travel Companion. Should I toss it and get a new one? What?! Definitely not. This digicam also did not come that easily. Do you know how I bought that during my first job too? All right, I'll spare you the details until the next bedtime story. Heh.

♥ every page of my imagination