sad, sad day

i think my camera has officially bit the dust. i am quite sad about it, actually. it's been a great little helper for the past 14 months. why is it things like this aren't built to last much past the warranty? so, unfortunately i now need to buy a new camera. the timing couldn't be worse. oh how i would love to splurge for a nice slr camera. for now i'm sure i'll find a simple inexpensive point and shoot that will keep me content. perhaps next year when that breaks i'll make a real commitment to a real camera. until then, any tips or suggestions for a temporary replacement? (temporary = at least a year!)