So I just got a new laptop from the university last week, and have started the process of moving all my files and software onto it.  My old laptop, which still works just fine, I left at my girlfriend’s place for the time being.

Yesterday I went over to her place for the night.  When I got there, I noticed with some chagrin that I had forgotten to bring the power cord for the new laptop.  This really bugs me, because I have a hard time working when I’m on ‘borrowed time’, so to speak.

“But wait!” I thought to myself, “Maybe the power cord for my old laptop will work with the new one!”

So I went over to the cabinet, moved aside the perfectly functional old laptop to get at its power cord, and found that it wasn’t compatible.  So I put the perfectly functional old laptop back in place, went to the couch and sulked that I wouldn’t be able to work very long on the computer that evening.

It took me a half-hour to realize that I had missed a pretty obvious solution.

*points at self* Ph.D. in physics, ladies and gentlemen!  *bows*