Grinding the Gears

Whenever I shut
down my laptop, it is a very painful experience... one by one I watch a
series of programs die a painful death, as they refuse to shut down gracefully.
The error messages about "Windows Stations" that are closing are very useful,
but somehow the entire process (which sometimes involves clicking a few "End
Task" buttons, and maybe even selecting Shut Down all over again because half of
my system is still breathing) reminds me a lot of watching someone you love
learning to drive with your stick-shift sportscar. You try to smile and focus on
the end result, but each event, each horrible noise or lurching movement, forces
a wince out of you.

I really like both of the "people"
involved (my laptop and Windows XP), but watching the horrible process that
occurs when I turn my machine off is almost enough to make me stick with standby
only from this point on.