Computers...

Okay, just spent an enormously huge amount of time online looking at laptops. My eyes are blurred, my head is full. I am so open to some suggestions here.

I use my computer for:

• work stuff which includes adobe pagemaker, media shout, email, wireless networking, wireless printing. Both programs I need use large files including pictures, graphics. I'd like to have photoshop, too which really eats up memory/processor speed.
• Surfing the web: gotta check my blogs, print coupons, upload photos, occasionally watch TV or movies
• Photo editing: just beginning to play with this but I know I'll do more and more as time goes by.
• Video editing: well not so much editing as storing. I'd also love to be able to grab stuff off of my old VHS tapes.

My poor little computer (the one I actually own not this wonderful one my mom loaned me) just cannot keep up and my mom's getting itchy for hers back (who can blame her?!) so I'm in the market.

I need:

• lots and lots of hard drive space for video, pictures, bulletin files, media shout files
• lots of processor speed: I am such a multi-tasker; I need my computer to keep up!
• to be able to burn DVDs and CDs. At this point I don't care so much about Blu-ray, although that could change, I suppose.
• Firewire port
• at least 2 USB ports, hopefully more
• WiFi
• Ethernet
• decent battery life
• camera card reader
• A PC. I'm just too old to be learning a Mac.

I don't particularly need:

• something thin or lightweight. I take my computer to work a couple of days a week. I don't mind if it's a little heavy or bulky. It just needs to hold up to being dragged around a bit.
• Fancy colors
• Screen size is not an issue -- big... small... whatever

I need help!!!! I know a lot of you out there have laptops. What do you love/hate about yours? What kind is it? How old is it? What do you wish you'd gotten? What are you having trouble with? If you'd rather email than leave a comment, I welcome it!