Juice and computer keyboards don't mix

I've been around computers basically since they appeared in schools and homes. One thing I've been constant about is don't get water on the cpu or the keyboard. I'm currently typing on a keyboard I am actually astonished to be using. I essentially poured orange juice all over it. Not a little. Not a sip. A whole glass of it. Yes, orange juice is sticky, but it also creates a very unique smell when applied to a keyboard (something south of rotting fruit). My guess is that I have a short time to write this post before the keyboard gets too sticky to use the keys anymore. Frankly, I'm amazed it even functions.

One time my wife spilled a single drop of water on this very same type of keyboard. There was a little pop... a fizzle... and a tiny spark. Wammo, no more keyboard. This silly thing took a whole glassful and is still going. Not sure why, but it won't last long. It's a pity, because this is one of the old Microsoft Ergonomic Elite keyboards that aren't made anymore. It has gotten dusty and dirty though; the casing has yellowed with age, and no amount of cleaning will bring back the luster of youth. I've written three books with it, so it has done well for me.

Rest in Peace

Amazing how tools become like dear cousins after a while. Despite them being hard to understand and a bit distant, they worm their way into our lives and stay there forever. I'll miss this old keyboard .. but, no I'm not burying it in the backyard.

I'll bury it in the front...

- M