At university I had my own printer. It was quite difficult to print from because there was no room next to it for my laptop and the cable was tiny, so I had to balance next to it holding the computer while it was printing. Still, it was useful for essays and other important documents. The trouble was that I rarely used it, so the ink just stopped working after a while, and was very expensive to replace. In the end I decided it wasn't worth it (the university printers would print a page for a few pence) and it went back home.
I've missed having a printer though, the world seems to expect that you'll have one these days, not having one is a bit like not having the internet - where have you been for the last few years? I seem to be continually needing to print things - CVs, applications, forms to fill in, timetables etc. There don't seem to be many printers available to the public either, except ones in professional print shops who expect a 30 page document to print and bind, not my slightly-pathetic-barely-two-page CV.
I also missed it during NaNoWriMo, when I wanted to be able to print my work as a reference. I can't edit anything I've written on the computer either, I need to sit down with various different coloured pens and highlighters and read it as I would read a book, but making changes and comments as I go. Then I can sit back down at the computer and type out the changes.
Now, finally, I have access to a printer again. Unfortunately, it comes with a personality.
It's James' printer and it hasn't been used in a while. Today we got it out and he attempted to print something while I dusted the printer (it needed it, badly). The printer did not like this. First it spent a few minutes clicking and screeching when we turned it on, and again when we put paper in. Its 'ink' light was flashing a furious red, but it didn't seem inclined to tell us which ink it had run out of. Instead, it clicked for a while and waited for us to open the ridiculously tight packaging around the replacement cartridge (we thought it was probably black it had run out of, we turned out to be right, thank goodness, since we don't have any neon yellow ink or whatever the other sodding colours are).
The section of the printer which holds the cartridges is exposed when you open the printer, but in order to change one you need to force it out into the larger space beside the 'slot' where it usually sits. Lurks. It was definitely lurking when we opened the printer, and refused to be coaxed out of hiding until we found the right button, at which point it shuffled obligingly into the open. The old cartridge was taken out, the new cartridge put in. Doesn't fit. Taken out again, some strange orange thing removed, put back. Fits. Cartridge holder retreats hastily back to its burrow.
We attempted to print again. James sent a two word document to the printer (didn't want to overwhelm the poor thing). The printer seemed gleeful about this and seized some paper. It printed for about a minute, going back and forth over the page. We couldn't work out what it was printing - a test sheet? We'd only told it to print one line.
One minute and much noise later it finally produced its masterpiece. Two words.
I think it'll need all week for a full page.
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