When To Cry Over Spilt Milk

I do a lot of reckless things with my laptop. I carry it around with me. I bring it into the bathroom when the boys are bathing. I sit with it at the lunch table. I bring it outdoors when the boys are riding bikes. I prop the laptop on stools and paint cans when I paint rooms, so that I can watch movies or listen to music.

Today, as I sat at the lunch table, reading a book, my laptop got drenched in milk.

My laptop was not at the table with me. It was sitting on the counter, next to the phone, on, but sleeping and closed.

And as soon as it happened, I wanted to blame someone. But who?

Do I blame the cat, who was the one that knocked over the milk in the first place, the greedy little monster? After all, the kitchen counters are off limits to him. He didn't even care he spilled the milk, he just kept lapping it up, even as the boys were yelling at me to get my attention.

Do I blame Nate? He was the one that put his milk there, right next to this expensive equipment. And I remember telling him very specifically to finish his milk and then place his cup in the sink, neither of which he did.

Or, should I just blame myself? Because I know the cat jumps on the counter and knocks over milk cups. And I know that Nathan is a stubborn little boy who will place his dishes on the counter instead of walking the four extra feet to the sink any chance he gets. And I tempt fate every day with my computer. So why am I so surprised when something finally happens?

I was so upset when this happened because my computer stopped working. It just went dark and refused to turn back on. And I thought of how dependent I am on my laptop, for blogging, Facebook, email. I thought of everything stored on my computer - my photographs, my writing, my music. I haven't backed anything up in many months.

But I am lucky. I am married to a computer genius who was somehow able to get it going again. And suddenly I have it back, only now I am aware of the time I spend on it. And I swear this weekend I shall back everything up twice!