Frustrated

This picture says a lot, doesn't it? And yes, you could say I'm very frustrated right now, and very annoyed too. Why? Well, do you have a day or what? LOL!

Once a time, long ago

Let me start at the beginning, which started in 2016. At that point, I had to admit that the iMac that I've enjoyed turning on every day since 2008 was no longer keeping up with the times. I could live with this, after all, a new iMac is not something I could just buy in a hurry. So with some tweaks in my thinking mainly, the iMac could do with a little while longer.

The light went out

Unfortunately, in 2017, the lights went out for good for my beloved iMac. Now it was a matter of buying what we could buy, and that wasn't much in 2017. We were financially ruined, but no PC was not an option either. I had just discovered blogging and of course, wanted to continue with it. In addition, I photographed daily and those photos also have to be edited. So there had to be a PC.

Limitations

After a lot of searching, we found a refurbished PC that met my requirements with a 21.5-inch monitor, and that was the maximum size for a monitor I could buy. A bigger one didn't fit in my PC cabinet.

Keep on dreaming

That refurbished PC already cost me a lot of headaches in 2019 and I eventually bought another one later in 2019, which was a bit of an upgrade in the beginning of the course. But not as much as I would have liked, and certainly not a new iMac, which was and still is my dream.

Fast forward to the end of 2022 (NOW).

The PC I bought in 2019 is simply not fast enough to handle the RAW files from my camera in a nice way. And the monitor, which had always done its job well all these years, began to falter. For the past month or so I have had to switch the monitor off and on again on average 10 to 15 times when I start up my PC. Previously I just don't see any images on the screen. The monitor displays for about 3 seconds, then goes black again. Only after I turned it off and on again (about 10 to 15 times) was it good and I was able to work on my PC again. That's very annoying to say the least, but with the wish in my head that I want to buy an iMac next year, I thought… Okay, let's mess around with this for a while¨.

And I still keep dreaming

Unfortunately! My monitor decided otherwise. Since yesterday evening it just wasn't possible to get it to work anymore. Sigh! Of course, I don't have the funds to buy an iMac today... and even if I did have those funds, I'd have another problem with that.

We have a little disagreement

My partner! He thinks the idea of ​​me buying an iMac is the worst idea ever. He thinks it's the worst investment I could ever make and I have to discuss that vigorously. I think it's an excellent investment, since the previous iMac I've had for so many years has given me great pleasure, and I've never had any problems with it. Except in the end ... but that was old age and the technology that was obsolete of course.

Why I want an iMac again so badly

I have seriously never had a Windows PC for more than 3 or 4 years before I decided that it was nothing more. With Windows you also messed with your PC a lot more, you have to be much more aware of security. I just have more with iMacs than with Windows PCs.

Yes, I know ...

Of course, I am well aware that there are plenty of Windows PCs that are perfectly capable of doing what I ask of a PC. It's not that I'm an extremely heavy PC user. Other than using Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom, and some Krita, I don't even do that much heavy stuff with the PC. Yes, I'd love to do a bit more in video editing too, but that's been gone since my iMac's gone. Both Windows PCs I've had since then are not suitable for that. I've tried but have been waiting way too long...it doesn't work, so I've given up on that for now. Even while using Krita, this PC is already having quite a bit of trouble.

I have to be fair, price does matter

Of course, I also know that these PCs had a very different price tag than an iMac. And if I were to buy a Windows PC of the same price tag, the performance would certainly be a lot better, and smoother. That's a fact. But it also remains a fact that in my opinion, an iMac offers better standard security in the operating system than windows does. Especially now I think that is becoming increasingly important.

Online security

Yes, I pay close attention, and no I don´t download illegal things. No, I don't click on unfamiliar links… yet online security has become increasingly important as our lives become more and more online. And that security is better built into the operating system with an iMac, that's a fact.

Trying to convince my partner

The frustration I feel now is very twofold. Now I no longer have a monitor, which limits my activities. My laptop is nice for some browsing, but not for serious work. So I need a monitor ... Only I think it's a shame to buy an expensive monitor now, and then I want to buy an iMac next year. I would like to do that NOW. But unfortunately, I don't have the funds for an iMac right now, and I won´t do that when my partner doesn´t agree at all.

Saving up, and more frustration

It will take me a while to get the funds together, and I´m afraid it will also take a while to convince my partner.

Was it not enough yet?

Then there is the frustration of my workplace. A PC cabinet may look neater in the living room, but in the end, it is a small corner that gives you a lot of restrictions. I want to change that, but that will also lead to a discussion with my partner.

Oh right, I have dogs too

For me it's work, he just sees it as my hobby, and it doesn't take that much if it's up to him. I have no other space down here where I could sit down, and making an office upstairs for this is not an option. The dogs are not used to being home alone anymore, and I don't want to leave them alone downstairs all day when I'm just home...

Conclusion

So frustrations on several levels ... but it all comes back to one thing in the end! I don't have a good workspace right now, and no good PC... and worse, just no working monitor right now. I'm afraid I'll have to live with all the other stuff for now... but still, have to spend money on a monitor very unwillingly.