We spend hours and hours together, with all the benefits of companionship but without the demands of friendship. Some of you might notice that this last statement is a reference to Turkle's How Computers Change the Way We Think. If you were paying attention, you might've already guessed who Clyde is. If you have no clue, then you need to enter the twenty-first century (just joking... not really). Let me introduce you to Clyde. To everyone but me, he is nothing special. He's not the newest and coolest kid on the block. He's an old fart who's had his chance at fame and his fair share of gossip. Because he often can't run for more than six hours without stopping to recharge, he often relies on his IV to bring surges of energy into his life. His once smooth, white exterior has grayed and cracked with age. Personally, I think that adds character. His iSight isn't the clearest and his voice can't speak volumes, but I love him all the same.
Alright, enough with the puns. To me, he's not just a MacBook. He's not just polycarbonate and metal mechanically crafted in a factory somewhere in China. He may only have 2GB of RAM and a standard 2.4GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, but to me, he's more than that. He's been my best friend since we met almost three years ago. He keeps me entertained, and he even talks to me when I'm lonely. Okay, I admit it - I make him talk to me through his Terminal application. There's just something oddly satisfying hearing his monotonous computerized voice say "Bonnie, I love you".
Now, Clyde's a pretty smart guy, but sometimes, he gets confused with what I try to tell him to do. Most of the time, he's pretty good at communicating with me, but there are times when he grunts in confusion at an unrecognizable command I may give him. If I push a few wrong buttons, he'll pause temporarily to think. That's when he shows me his spinning beach ball of death as a warning that I'm going too fast. When he's at his worst, he'll stop in his tracks and ignore me all together. Thankfully, he's a pretty nice guy and doesn't do that often.
Some people think I'm crazy for naming my laptop and insisting on calling him Clyde every time I refer to him. I even refuse to call him an "it". I guess it's just because I'm so attached to him, that I personify him and treat him like I would to a human being - with respect and love. Sadly, I admit that sometimes I spend more time with Clyde than I would with my real-life family and friends. But they too, have their respective gadgets that they respect and love. I'm sure they're as attached to them as I am with Clyde.
Anyway, Clyde and I have decided that in the next few weeks, we will critically explore the depths of digital media and cyberspace since it has had such a big impact on our lives. I was born in the digital era, surrounded by technology and grew up with the Internet - an informative, dangerous and wonderful resource. Clyde was fashioned as a tool to help us human beings do spectacular and sometimes, even wicked things. Although Clyde is a pretty amazing guy, he cannot do it alone. He needs someone to steer him through the interwebs and interpret the meanings of the things he is able to present on his ambitious 13.3-inch screen. He will be my vessel and I will be the voyageur.
Until next time,
Bonnie and Clyde, ready to take on Cyberspace.
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