Monday, July 14, 2008

The Cartridge Family

Waiting For Your Handsome Prints?

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON


My study has always been filled with Hewlett-Packard products. I wrote my first novel, Vegemite Vindaloo (published by Penguin in 2006) on an HP desktop PC. When I had to get rid of the PC, I carefully put it back in its original carton and stacked it away in the garage.

There are two large desks in my study, each with an HP desktop. When I travel, I use a great Hewlett-Packard widescreen notebook. And two years ago, when I first tested the Hewlett-Packard PhotoSmart 8230 printer, I thought all my Christmases had come at once. It is a magnificent six-cartridge printer with magnificent capability.

The other day I was changing one of the cartridges and the camera was sitting a few feet away from me, so I had to pick it up and take a shot of the clip-down cartridges. As I prepared to write this post, I thought of a funny line. Like I do with most of my daft one-liners, I ran it past one of the Authorbloglets. He just gave me the standard response - the eye-roll and the fixed grin that loosely translates to "Can you try a bit harder, Dad?"

Nonetheless, I'll share the quip with you. If cartridges aren't functioning well, is it because they're a bit "off colour"?

Fess up. Did you just give me the eye-roll and the fixed grin? Did you?

(The Odd Shots concept came from Katney. Say "G'day" to her.)

15 comments:

Maggie May said...

Yes!

Louise said...

You might have to look a long time on your quest to find someone who DOESN'T give you the eye roll and fixed grin!

Pat - Arkansas said...

My children used to say that I had "eyes in the back of my head" and after reading this, I'm sure they have rolled all the way back there! But, yes; I did grin! And GROAN!

Sandi McBride said...

okay, eye rolling...and I am an expert at it, as Mac often makes jokes just as corny...
Sandi

imbeingheldhostage said...

I actually snickered (eye roll comes AFTER that) :-)

Anonymous said...

I like your photo of the print cartridges.

I read, with some interest, your fascination with HP. I have it myself, but only nowadays as I tried all the other printers from a $600.00 Epson that printed 19 inch wide pictures to a $99.00 desk top Canon.

Of all them I prefer the all-in-one HP for less than $100.00. You can do anything with it.

Sandpiper (Lin) said...

That's worth a few points! :)

Pam said...

*raises hand and confesses to eye rolling and grin* i love this photo. i really like how the colors look.

Katney said...

My new printer is an HP with multiple cartridges like that. Heaven helpe me I can't figure out where they are, so I hope that when the inkk runs out I can figure it out without breaking the thing.

Cath said...

Yup. Gotta be honest. But it's still a good 'un.
Great odd shot. I wish I could think that simple all the time! (And I don't mean YOU'RE simple! lol) You just have an eye for the obvious which I would simply overlook.

Love hp too.

Hilary said...

Always. :)

Your HP prints charming.

imac said...

Nice one David.

See my Odd Shot.

Jane Hards Photography said...

Your perspective on the odd shot is always unique, and wondefful narrative too.

Mima said...

You totally got an eyeball roll & grin at that one. Interesting angle on the cartridges, boy your printer must be huge!

Barbara said...

Yes they are off colour!!

My laptop is a HP, unfortunately I have had it for a while and it has Windows 98 and no USB port - but it still works!!