Getting My Money's Worth

Doesn't it seem that when one thing in the house needs replacing, something else goes at the same time? The new washer comes tomorrow. I'm so excited. But my computer mouse decided to die, too.

Computer mice are a very personal choice. I got one when I got this computer two years ago, but I don't like the Apple mouse for gaming. It just doesn't have the control I need. So I look at an actual "gaming" mouse, and it's got more buttons than a button factory. They are designed to be fully customizable with your game and the things you need to do in those games. This button makes you run. This button makes you walk. This button makes you attack. This button makes you cast this spell. This button lets you run sideways, and so on and so on. For some people in my guild, gaming without all the button controls feels naked. For me, it's just overwhelming.

I like Logitech products. I've had Logitech mice for a very, very long time. They are sturdy and last. I've had this mouse going on four years now. That is long enough to wear a divot in the right side of it where my little finger rests.

I didn't realize there was a divot until early this year. It's the place my little finger always came to rest on the mouse.

Another issue I have is cat hair. The optical function of the mouse on the underside of the Logitech mouse is small. Cat hair would get up into the mouse via this hole and I couldn't get it out. You can barely see the hole on the underside of the mouse in the above photo. Even a small tweezers wouldn't get up in there. I wonder, if I could have taken the mouse apart, would I have been able to clean it so it would still work. Some mice still have tiny screws holding them together. This one did not. To get inside it meant breaking the bottom from the top cover. Not worth it.

Finally, I had a devil of a time finding a corded mouse. 95% of the mice displayed for sale were wireless. I have line-of-sight issues with wireless mice given the set up of my computer desk. I needed a corded mouse. Plus, I have a cordless keyboard. I really don't want to deal with batteries from a wireless mouse. I had one 4 years ago, but it went through batteries like I eat chocolate. With a corded mouse, its power is from the computer, not batteries. I can be certain it will always work, unless it's filled with cat hair.

Fortunately, Best Buy had one style of corded mouse.

My old Logitech mouse is on the left and the new Insignia brand mouse is on the right. Cost me $8.95.

When I play World of Warcraft, I am a "two-handed gamer". I use the keyboard and the mouse. I don't need extra buttons. It would take me too long to get used to using them.

Right away, I noticed I was faster at moving. There was a bit of a learning curve in that the new mouse moved the game's camera angle around too fast until I figured out direction. The scrolling wheel, which I do use quite a bit, is a touch slow, but I've grown accustomed to it. All-in-all, not bad for a $10 mouse. And the optical part of the mouse, on the underside, is large enough to get a tweezers inside to remove any cat hair which might work its way up in there.

When you spend upwards of $40 for a piece of hardware, you want to have the feeling it's going to last. I think I got my money's worth out of the mouse to the left. Even if the new mouse only lasts a year or two, $10 is a great price.

Beverage:  Dr Pepper

Deb

Lifespan Ending

There are a lot of things in life that we don't really give any mind to until they fail. I've had two failures in the past 5 days.

My chair mat at work was the first to go.

Actually, it had been cracked for some time and I'd lost a few small pieces over the past winter. But, in May, it disintegrated. After getting the chair wheels hung up several times, I ordered a new one. Do you know how expensive these are? I was completely astounded. $100 and up for a chunk of heavy plastic. I was able to find one for much less under the "economy" label.

With big items like this, you take them to the hallway and put a "trash" sticker on them so the cleaning staff knows to dispose of them. Along the way, more pieces dropped off the center.

It left a debris trail from my office to the hallway.

I started working here in 2000, so I've been with this company for 13 years now. This chair mat predates me by at least 2 years, possibly more, but 2 is a good assumption. I have no idea what they paid for it back then, but whatever it was, we certainly got a good value out of it. I hope the new one holds up even half as long.

I didn't realize how much I had adapted (there's that word again) to the bumps and holes in the old one until I put this new one on the floor. That new plastic smell usually makes me cough and causes my allergies to flare up but I've been okay. I think my body has other things to worry about than my allergies.

Sunday, I decided waffles were in order.

I have a couple and then freeze the rest, two to a package. These make quick and filling suppers, lunches and, oh yes, breakfasts.

In order to make the batter, you beat the liquid ingredients together, mix the dry ingredients and then mix the dry into the liquid. A whisk is the perfect tool for this. I started mixing the liquid and the dry ingredients together and saw a piece of black in the batter. It took a bit of fishing to find it.

It's the center peg in the whisk and holds the tool together. I tried to stick it back in. It held for a few more minutes but then fell out again and with it came some small pieces of black plastic. This is falling apart.

I remember when I got this. It was summer and Carole and a bunch of her friends invited me to go see Over the Hedge, an animated feature about suburbia and wildlife. Robert Morris College was handing out free whisks to publicize their culinary arts program. It's been a great whisk, able to whip everything from egg whites to pancake batter. But, as with many things, there is a finite life span and it would appear I have reached it. I'm thinking I should look at spending money and buying a good whisk from Williams Sonoma or Crate and Barrel, not just frequenting the Target utensil aisle. I want my next whisk to last as long as this one did.

For the moment, it will be forks and wooden spoons. I'm kind of sad to see this go. Lightweight and easily manipulated, it was easy to mix ingredients using this. We rail about planned obsolescence in so much of what we buy. I didn't even think about how long the chair mat was under my chair or this whisk was in the utensil drawer. Occasionally, something comes along to remind me that some things will last for years and they are things we don't expect.

Beverage:  Lady Gray tea

Deb