End of an Era

Quiet.  Do you hear that sound?  The faint sound of taps.

It is a sad day my friends, an era has come to an end.

On Friday morning I went to work and fired up the old calculator, and it was acting funny.  So I changed the batteries.  The screen came up, but the buttons were non-responsive.  So I pulled the battery cover off and switched the batteries around.  Thinking, hoping, praying this would be "the fix".  Again the screen fired to life, and this time the 4 key worked.  Actually, it was like a bonus because hitting the "4" would result in "464646" coming up.  Neat trick, but pretty useless for work.

After many years of cheating death, the time had finally come to retire my trusty TI-85 calculator.   

You see this calculator has been by my side for nearly 20 years - I guess I got my $110 worth.  It was purchased in high school for use in calculus classes and physics.  At one point I had etched my initials into the back of the body; since back in the day everyone who was anyone in the sciences had this calculator.  I covered it with fuzzy Whinnie the Pooh stickers and Strawberry Shortcake.  Hey, I was unique.

My TI-85 traveled with me to Long Island for college and survived math classes I could only hope to comprehend again (Calc III and Differential Equations anyone??).  I covered the case with stickers from various engineering related groups and activities (Moles outings).

In 2000 my TI-85 moved to my work desk and became my trusty side-kick, able to convert fractional to metric values in the blink of an eye.

Over the years the stickers have worn and faded.  Over the years I have felt a little immature dragging my trusty sticker covered TI-85 into meetings with customers.  Over the years the screen has started to go.  Over the years the keys got a little sticky.  Over the years I learned to rely on my TI-85 being directly to the right of my keyboard.

I ordered and received my replacement TI-85 today, bought used off Amazon for $50 (since this version was discontinued in 1997) but in excellent condition.  Why get another TI-85 and not the newest and latest version?  Because I don't need all of the features the new ones offer, AND the news one don't offer the features I need.

My old TI-85 has become TT's newest toys... TT LOVES buttons.  Sigh, if only it made noise then it would be the perfect toddler gizmo.

Snack

A few weeks ago RR offered to make me an afternoon snack.  "To help you relax" he said.

He made me a hot chocolate in the Kuerig and dished out a bowl of chocolate peanut butter cup ice cream.  As he was topping the ice cream with brown sugar (gag) I interjected and had him remove as much brown sugar as he could.  He was a little upset about me "spying" on him while he cooked, but he bounced back quickly and ran out to the yard.

A few minutes later he had me close my eyes and he led me into the living-room, where he presented me with my snack complete with flowers in a cup of water and the mouse (so I could chose what I wanted to watch on Netflix).

I know he says he's never going to get married, but if he does he'll make some young lady very happy.