Confession: I’ve Never Owned A Computer

I’m typing this post on a craptastic Dell circa 1990 (probably) courtesy of my generous dad.

Good ‘ole dad provided me a beater computer back in college, too.

See a trend here?

All that matters, I suppose, is that both computers that he’s given to me have always powered up and gotten the job done…albeit very slowly.

There is one other computer in my life…Lloyd’s iMac.  SO dreamy!  Those things are amazing!  I was always a PC until I met Lloyd…he turned me to a Mac!  Of course, Lloyd always reminds me that it’s his and he can use it just whenever he wants – including when I’m using it.  😉

So, I’m starting to get fed up with not really having a computer of my own and the general crappiness of my dad’s hand-me-down computers (sorry, Dad).

I want my own, dammit!

I really want one of these:

Oooooo, Ahhhhh

But, I just can’t justify over a grand for a computer right now.  (Some day we’ll be together MacBook.)

So, as a reward for suffering through the death of my social life (AKA The CPA Exam), after I pass, I’m going to buy myself a new laptop.

That’s where you readers come in.  Which brand do you like? What should I look for? Or look out for? I’d like to spend less than $500 – is that possible?

I can’t believe that I might actually become a computer owner at the ripe old age of 26!

My Dream Destination Spots

Weekend Trip:

• New Orleans
• Seattle
• Boston
• Great Lakes
• Niagra Falls
• Denver

Vacation:

• Miami
• New York City
• San Fransisco
• Ocracoke Island
• Mexico
• Greece
• Italy
• Paris
• Canada (not sure where?)
• Fiji
• St. Tropez
• The Caribbean
• Japan
• Hawaii

Lloyd and I normally take a week long vacation every year.  I’m sure we’ll go somewhere next year as well, but today we were talking about saving some extra dough and going on 2 additional weekend trips to places we’ve never been.  That would make 3 vacations next year!  Yay!

I’m ashamed to admit that I never really thought much of Canada until I started blogging.  There are SO many Canadian bloggers!  You all have intrigued me and now I really wanna visit!  Canadians: where should I go, eh?  (Aw, my first “eh”.)

I’m a beach girl.  I’m one of those people that hates wasting vacation on places other than beaches….but I really wanna see places like NYC and Boston, so I guess I better suck it up for those places.

Where have I been?

• Texas (everywhere – my family is all over that state)
• Chicago
• Los Angeles/San Diego
• Washington, D.C. (where every American should go at least once)
• Las Vegas
• Raleigh/Wilmington, North Carolina
• Orlando/Cocoa Beach, Florida
• Yellowstone Park, Wyoming
• Madrid/Valencia, Spain (studied abroad)
• Ibiza, Spain (Wow)
• random places all over Kansas & Missouri

What are your dream vacations?  Where are places that you’ve been that you thought were amazing?

Taking A Walk Down Dream Lane…

Lately, Lloyd and I have been spending our evenings taking walks and drives through our dream neighborhoods in Kansas City.

We’re still a good 2 years off from buying a house (we still have to get engaged, married, and all that jazz before we can buy a house) but one of our favorite pastimes is daydreaming about our perfect house.

We have the vicinity pretty much narrowed down, but here are some other things that we want in our perfect house:

• Basement: We want a basement for a couple reasons.  First, houses with basements have better resale values in the Midwest than those without basements (hi there, welcome to Tornado Alley).  Second, we want to make a home gym in our house.  We are both very passionate about fitness and would probably go crazy if we couldn’t work out.  We’ve both always really wanted our own home gym and plan to go for it when we buy our own place.
• Pool: In the neighborhood, not the backyard.  I love the pool, I love the sun, I love the summer.  I wanna pool!
• Updated Kitchen: No more crappy apartment kitchens! Like this…

[Source]

• Spanish Tile: Oh Spanish Tile, how you taunt me.  I love, love, loooove the look of Spanish Tile.  So mysterious, drug dealer-ish, and southwestern-looking.  Not that I want people to think I’m a drug dealer or anything…I just love the whole look that is exudes.  However, that shiz is expensive.   It might have to wait until our second or third house.  But just for grins, here is a fantasy picture of a house that I love:
  

• 2 (maybe 3) Car Garage: I despise walking out into the snow during the winter.  Actually, I despise the winter all together.
• Close to the Interstate: I have road rage.  It’s worse on the city streets.
• Trees!: Which means, a little older neighborhood.  Also, must have two trees sort of close together so I can put up a hammock.  I’ve dreamt of a hammock all my life and I want one when I finally have a house!
• Concrete Patio: So I don’t burn the place down!  Which brings me to my next requirement…
• Big Backyard: We’re both big time dog lovers and can’t wait until we can get a little pooch to run around our backyard.
• Fattie Whirlpool Bathtub: I haven’t taken a luxurious bubble bath in years.  Apartment tubs kinda gross me out.  I’m hoping my new home’s tub is super clean and luxurious so I can take some darn baths!  (Editor’s Note:  I DO take showers.)
• Attic Fan: Is this just a Midwest thing?  If you don’t know what an attic fan is, you are missing out!   Check out the details here.  I love attic fans and they seriously cool the heck out of your house without having the air conditioning on.  Unfortunately, I think they are becoming extinct.  Sad face.

Too much to ask?  I hope not.  You may have noticed that I don’t really have a preference on size.  I’d prefer a smaller house even – cheaper utilities and less space to clean. 😉

Now…on to that whole saving $40,000 thing…