Last night, I sat on the couch and flipped through the pages of my favorite stitch dictionaries and started reading a textbook on string theory on the tiny little portable computer … and I loved it. I got to chit-chat with the husband, play with the kitties, watch TV, and do some reading at the same time. It was like being a part of the family again! It was definitely nice not being stuck in the den away from the man and our furry babies who all spend the evenings in the living room. It was also nice to sit comfortably on the couch.

I opened the word processor and tried typing too. My first attempts were hilarious! Accuracy? Completely zero. A few minutes into it though, and I’d modified my typing style –seven finger typing– and had achieved accuracy and only a slight ding in my speed (as compared to a full-sized keyboard). It’ll take a while to sightlessly touch type on such a small keyboard, but with practice, I’m sure I’ll eventually be able to get back to full speed, full accuracy, and using all ten fingers.

This morning, I have been investigating where there are local free wireless points, and well … just about everywhere. Austin is very well covered with the free WiFi. I’ll probably be going on an away mission into downtown at some point so I can experience wireless internet. I also investigated free WiFi in my hometown and points between here and there. Amazingly, the best diner in Johnson City has free WiFi (as well as the best chicken fried steak and coffee), so I might stop in there on my way to see Mom, just because I can. See how freeing portable computing is? It might even make me rejoin the world of non-hermit humans. I’ll be able to be anti-social in public!

All-in-all, I can see that having some kind of portable computer in my life, whether a laptop or netbook, would be a good thing. I could totally get addicted to having one! Very, very handy.

Now I have to go turn off the sprinkler before I get a $500 ticket for watering after 10 am, and then I’m going to go sit on the couch with my needles, yarn and digital stitch dictionaries and do some knitting designing. Woot!