More stuff my 3 year old broke

Today: nerdy stuff edition.

3. Internal power supply on a desktop computer: this one is truly impressive. I have an old PC hooked up to the television so we – ok, I – could watch web video on a real screen. After about a month of YouTube + Couch = Happy Daddy, I observed Thing 2 wandering over to my little Shuttle XPC box and fiddling with it. Hey, what could he do, I thought to myself. The next time I wanted to settle in to check out the latest episode of "Chad Vader: Day Shift Manager", my plans were dispatched faster than Darth cut off Luke Skywalker's hand – the Shuttle would not turn on. I took it apart, cleaned out the dust, reseated the video card, and did other nerdy things, but no luck.
Solution: buy a new power supply and keep the computer away from the kid (or the kid away from the computer – whatever works.)
(Update: I recently replaced the XPC's power supply and, wonder of wonders, miracle of miracles, it works. So yes. My 3 year old broke an internal computer component. Impressive.)

4. Die-cast metal Speed Racer car: Now, this was technically his toy, so it shouldn't count. But it does, and I'll tell you why. First of all, this car is really cool. Unlike most movie-related toys, this thing has some heft. It's made from metal, not plastic. It also probably qualifies as a "collectible", which in nerd-speak means that if you keep it in the original box, or at least in decent condition, someone nerdier than you might pay far too much money for it several years from now. Within days after receiving the car as a birthday present, Thing2 had removed one of the really cool rear fins from the back of the vehicle. (Yes. I know it’s a toy. Whatever.) I managed to glue it back on, but one day later it was gone again. Then a week after that, he broke the other fin. Both are long gone.
Solution: None. This is why Thing 2 can't have nice things. Also, I need to buy my own toys.

One more coming soon…

image: Amazon