Jul 11
To laptop or not to laptop?
Cats: Uncategorized|That is the question - at the cottage.
Ditto to dishwasher, the blackberry and the TV?
Do you or don’t you - at the cottage.
Are modern conveniences interlopers that bring work and stress to a place that should be free of those things?
Or are they things that give you freedom to be at the cottage?
Where do people stand on this?
July 11th, 2008 at 3:21 pm
I would have my laptop surgically implanted, if that were possible.
July 11th, 2008 at 3:59 pm
Well, I don’t have a cottage (or a “little wooden hut” as I just heard described by a one of my British friends), so I don’t have to make the choice.
But it is coming with my to Spain next week. For school purposes only. Honest.
July 11th, 2008 at 4:16 pm
Laptop - about to leave it as we speak (of course, it can now be totally replaced by an iPhone)
Dishwasher - Needed to keep us in clean G T (hmm G T covers both the drink and you guys) glasses (clean doesn’t matter so much after the first few of course, and if mixed right the booze kills everything anyway…)
Blackberry - sadly needed, or at least some cellular connection - makes it easier to call (or be called) when on the road and a booze run is needed
TV - At present sadly yes, but I’d limit it to Pay-per-view Wimbelton and British Open if possible
So… Glasses, booze, dishwasher, phone, friends, possibly mix and snacks - it’s all covered
July 11th, 2008 at 9:58 pm
I love reading your column because I get to see that cute photo of you when I do.
July 12th, 2008 at 2:41 am
I say take it all with you! Actually, I can live without the dishwasher because who wants to cook anyway? But the ability to watch the Olympics is a definite must, and they would have to pry the laptop from my cold dead fingers.
And only chumps sit on towels.
July 12th, 2008 at 1:40 pm
taking the laptop with us is a must. We have a long drive and the kids can watch movies on the laptop. And we can download our digital pictures and use the trip planner, etc.
As far as the dishwasher, I’m with barbara - who want’s to cook!
July 12th, 2008 at 7:31 pm
Honk! I’m with all youse guys.
Especially Patrick (if that IS your real name? I thought you were BSUWG?!)
How the f&ck did we live before the internet? I wish I could get my iPod implanted into my hand. Not for the music so much but for the podcasts and browsing. Ugh. I hate myself sometimes for loving it so much.
I say yes to all mod cons. What am I trying to prove by making my own sheets and chopping wood and all that crap?! That’s what the pioneers were for, those suckers!
By the way, GT, when I come in August, will I have to do any work? Because about all I want to do is enjoy a coma, either on the couch or on the beach, I’m adaptable.
July 14th, 2008 at 12:39 am
“Should a watch be worn at the cottage?”
That’s what cell phones are for.
“What about supplemental heating”
If it gets cold enough…
“painting the pine walls”
Nah.
“or replacing lumpy beds?”
If you are blue collar and you need your back for a living, I’d say yes.
“And then there’s the perennial question: do you have Thai food at the cottage?”
Hopefully there’s a decent Thai or Chinese restaurant within twenty miles, otherwise, some will have to be dropped in via parachute.
July 14th, 2008 at 6:03 pm
re: the laptop….Do they have a high speed connection at said cottage?
I tend to bring things like that, otherwiae I have to talk to people or something like that.
July 14th, 2008 at 11:49 pm
Patrick, me too, sadly
Allison, yes little wooden hut and beach house is another Brit term for cottage
TagBagger, hope you had a good wk/end with all your modcons. And yes, GT GnT, G and T
dr. Monkey, blush blush, I always thought that pic made me look like a boy
July 14th, 2008 at 11:52 pm
Barbara, pry the laptop from your cold dead fingers? Never!
Espanya, yes Patrick is the same as Blowin’ shit up with gas. Not sure why he signs in this way on GT. I love the name of his blog.
Cormac, I’ll take the parachute delivery
Chance, yuck, talking to people, euwwwww!
July 15th, 2008 at 9:49 am
Cottage, yes to the laptop.
Vacation, no.
July 16th, 2008 at 10:20 am
The cottage is more than anything a state of mind …. eat whenever, sleep whenever … do what you want whenever! Part of that is making the what and whenever as easy as possible (AEAP). I love to cook at the cottage … and I love it more WITH the dishwasher! Laptop … duh … easy comms means more time at cottage. TV … people it is Olympic year, never mind all the rest as stated (Wimbledon, British Open etc… and PPV on the rainy days).
So let’s get over the details. Take what you need to enter that cottage state of mind …. make life easy peasy with whatever you need.
Anyone know where I can hire a TRhai chef and a butler?
July 16th, 2008 at 4:49 pm
Do you have a Roomba robotic vacuum yet? It is on par with a dishwasher for enhancing ones freedom.
Alternately, I guess you can just leave your shoes on.
July 17th, 2008 at 5:28 pm
Deepti, Yep, that works
Tonardo, cottage is state of mind. it’s funny how people establish their own ideas of what a cottage and then argue when you have another concept
Dick, i gotta get oneof these roomba hoovers
July 19th, 2008 at 10:30 pm
Three words: Honor Your Flow.
And screw what anybody else has to say about it.