however spunky and reticent she could be , she could also show a caring bubbly passion , particularly when she could shine as the star of the show ; normally , where computers , software or her odd tastes were the subject of discussion , all of which i suspected , would prove to be the case now -- she was brimming , threatening to spill her news before i had made the ungainly lump of steel and plastic my unfortunate seat for yet another evening .