Technical Difficulties -- Solved!

I've been thinking/talking about getting an iPad Mini for awhile now.  I don't really need one, as I need a real keyboard to write novels and blog and such.  But I want one.  (Yeah, I know: first-world problems.  Definitely.)
Well, apparently my MacBook laptop (yes, the one that had both the hard drive AND the external hard drive crash at the same time in late August of 2011) got jealous about this possible newcomer.  So last night the laptop went into a coma.  Seriously, I put it to sleep and it wouldn't wake up.  Period.
Fearing it had passed away peacefully in its sleep, I packed it up -- along with my new external hard drive -- and (after school today) took it to my favorite Simply Mac store (formerly MacDocs) on State Street.
And they were amazing.  Again.
The tech guy fixed it in about an hour, didn't charge me, AND gave me a free upgrade on some computer innards (I actually can't figure out what they are-- more memory?  They're labeled in GBs, so that's memory, isn't it???) that had been pulled out of a new computer when a customer upgraded.  Wow.
So OF COURSE I did my iPad shopping right then and there.  The tech guy was sales, too, and he actually LISTENED to what I wanted to do with an iPad instead of just pushing me to buy the most expensive model.  (As it is, I'm going with the middle version on everything.)  Then I picked out a case, a cord to connect my camera, and some apple-scented Apple cleaning spray (gotta love that).
The exact model I wanted wasn't available in white, so it's on order, and I don't pay for it until it comes in.  But tonight I'm happily typing on my blessedly functional laptop (which I really didn't want to replace) and pleased to know that I'm using some leftover birthday money to buy my Christmas present -- early.
Stay tuned.  Next week I'll no doubt be raving about my iPad.  :)