I’m one of the world’s biggest procrastinators. But this time, I think procrastination has bit me in the butt big time. As a freelance writer I depend on my laptop, scanner, fax, and printer. There are documents to print, pages to scan, and contracts to fax - work at home professionals know what I’m talking about. And because we rely so much on technology, we’ve got to keep the machines in our home office up-to-date.

I say all of this for one reason - my all-in-one printer/scanner/fax/copy machine died this week. Being in a serious jam doesn’t describe my situation. I’ve had this machine for more than six years, and considering how technology is constantly changing, I anticipated this day.

I’m mad at my trusty machine for obvious reasons - but I’m also upset with myself. The machine has been on its last leg since the beginning of the year. If I had dealt with this problem back in January, I wouldn’t be in this predicament. I had more than enough time to learn my options, make price comparisons, and plan the purchase. But like always, I kept putting off the inevitable, and my printer eventually said, “no more.”

Unfortunately, a basic and inexpensive printer doesn’t meet my needs. Aside from a four-in-one option, I need wireless capabilities.  As a planner, I hate sudden, spur-of-the moment purchases - especially when I have to dip into my “just in case stash.” Maybe this will teach me how to respect warning signs and deal with problems before they get out of hand.