Old MacBooker Makes a Friend

​Thursday, January 30, 2025

Since my move here in the fall, my life in central coastal California is settling in nicely, with my three horses/unicorns boarded across the road from my rustic Old West style rental, which is known as The Coop (since the building started life as a large chicken coop). This comfortable one-bedroom building has everything a horse-loving writer could desire.

Readers familiar with my memoir Meant To Be: An Awakening Journey may recall that I communicate and collaborate with many mechanical angels, including my vehicles and electronic devices. To kick-start the next phase of my writing career on planet Earth, I recently attended an online "writers' bootcamp" to learn about the latest developments in the industry since I published Meant To Be in 2020. Additionally, I recently purchased a new computer of sorts at Apple Higuera Street in San Luis Obispo, a nearby college town locally known as "SLO." I had taken my out-of-warranty 2015 MacBook Pro in for service, because it had ceased to turn on after I accidentally spilled a great cup of French-pressed Private Reserve Royal Kona coffee on it. Oops!!! Something I had never done previously in our close, ten-year working relationship.

Victor and a second genius at the Genius Bar diligently worked on my laptop, trying many approaches without success. Finally, reluctantly admitting defeat, Victor officially pronounced it dead. But to our shock, the moment he did so, the senior computer suddenly sprang back to life!!! While it was still on life support with another computer at the bar, Victor informed me that the next step was for me to either take it to a data recovery service, or purchase a new computer from Apple, to which the precious data in its hard drive could be transferred.

Due to the advanced age of my resurrected MacBook and its need in recent years for a constant supply of power, I decided to buy a new iPad accessorized with a detachable case called an iPad Magic Keyboard. Paired up, the iPad and its magic case look very much like my laptop computer. But being a tablet, the versatile iPad can of course slip off on its own and do lots of other things, such as sit on a music stand and display backlit digital sheet music. This modern iPad will also function as an Apple Intelligence-conversant assistant to my MacBook, who now has agreed to go by the name of Old MacBooker. (I have yet to set up or name the iPad, since Old MacBooker is still perfectly functional. In fact, I typed this blog on Old Mac. Besides, in their smart white Apple packaging, the new iPad and the magic keyboard make charming additions to my curated collection of Gifts to Me 2025, displayed in sparkly Valentine's Day gift bags from Dollar Tree. On the floor, set under a Valentine's tree.)

Sadly, Hannah, my inkjet printer whom I purchased last winter just to do my taxes, has not been doing well with the ever-rising ascension energies of 2025. She was fine last year, but this winter she has been in an escalating state of bewilderment. Descriptions of ascension symptoms in printers are hard to find. Her case involves seeming loss of short-term memory function. This had progressed to the point of her choosing to print out one-page documents starting with the third paragraph. And after releasing a printed page, suddenly pulling it back in, creating a paper jam signalled by an angry red light. So in the best interests of all concerned, on Tuesday I took her to be recycled at Best Buy in the Madonna Road plaza in SLO, thanked her for her past service, and helped her to cross the Rainbow Bridge—to heaven for recycled electronics, and ultimately electrons.

After saying goodbye to Hannah, I decided to invest in a professional-quality, small-business-friendly multifunctional (and hopefully multi-dimensional) laser printer/copier/scanner with the same bloodlines as my chatty old colour laser printer friend, purchased years ago in Florida (described on p. 201 of Meant To Be: An Awakening Journey). Quite the saucy lady, the new printer is assertive, and has pointed out that she wishes to be known as Shadow 3301. Presumably because her product number ends in 3301sdw. Duly noted—Shadow it is!!!

Shadow 3301 is conservatively proportioned, sturdy and rather block-like in shape, and is finished in an attractive combination of mainly cream plastic with smart smokey grey accents. Yesterday I set her up in The Coop next to the horse lamp, with the authentic antique barn board wall providing her with an attractive contrasting backdrop. She is proudly perched in the open concept seating area, on her own wooden table. This table, the only one in the store, had been patiently waiting for Shadow to show up at Ross Dress For Less, a store located in the Madonna Plaza close to Best Buy. Considerately, and unbeknownst to me, the two of them decided to hook up on a Tuesday, so that I, as a senior shopper, could benefit from an extra 10% off the already-discounted price of the table. (Hmm... I think I should suggest that senior-friendly Tuesday policy to Best Buy, and to Apple Higuera Street- and for that matter, to Amazon.com. How about it, Jeff?)

Once I had set her up in her new home, Shadow 3301 was eager to strut her stuff. For her first collaborative task, from across the room she deftly caught a wireless communication pitched from Old MacBooker, and magically delivered a page with a greeting from her, printed in a snappy green font called Luminari. Very luminous! She then asked me to take a photo of her greeting, and send it in a text message to family members in Hawaii, who were the ones who had suggested retiring Hannah and adding a new laser printer to my family of mechanical angels. And it is done. AI-AI-O!!!!