Awesome Autumn

APPLES
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Two weeks ago, Claire, her friend Kayla, and I, all went apple picking somewhere in Virginia. We had a blast, but we also had 28lbs of apples. One pie, several hours, and a bunch of jars later we know have oodles of Apple Butter and Apple Sauce. It's delicious.

From Awesome Autumn

It would be in your best interest to be nice to me. You might get some!

While picking apples, I tasted a sample of locally produced apple wine. Folks, let me tell you, this stuff is fantastic. It's from the Chateau O'Brien, and I highly recommend it.

PUMPKINS
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This year we had three pumpkins, but only two were carved. The third has been relegated to the role of General Halloween Decoration, since it decided to go rotten a day after purchase and not be a "team player."

Regardless, the other two turned out fantastic.

From Awesome Autumn

Auntie Ba has also been rather creative with the gords this year. Take a look. (1, 2)

APPLE
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When I was lookin' for a steady job, I promised myself that as soon as I got one -- regardless what kind of job -- I would do a few things. The first was to start playing the video game Okami. I haven't done this yet. The second is best said in pictures:

From Awesome Autumn

Folks, that's a brand new MacBook Pro you're lookin' at right thar. Atomsk has been a faithful retainer these past five years, but has started to fray around the edges. He'll be kept in reserve for the moment, supporting this beautiful unamed machine until it's time for him to be recycled.

ANN ARBOR
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Last week I traveled all the way back to Ann Arbor to attend the 99th Gargoyle Reunion. I had a great time. So great, in fact, that I managed to not take any pictures.

I spent most of my long weekend in the company of my best bud Kris, and the current GargStaff. They're a great bunch, and have already done great things -- as demonstrated in their website.

Dad and Julia also paid me a quick visit while I was in the area. It was so great to see them again.

I take it back, I do have one picture.

From MarsEdit Images

It's much more frightening in person.
Happy Halloween.

The End Of An Era

I have left the Student Pub Building, where I spent more time in college than any other single location, never to return as a student.

Tomorrow, I am moving away from Michigan. It will be my longest, most comprehensive move.

I have said goodbye to (some) childish things, and put many of them (read: junk) at the curb after cleaning out my room.

These may be huge, shocking developments in my life but none of them can hold a candle to this:



That, friends, is my Bondi Blue iBook being sent in for recycling. Purchased weeks after their release the blue book sported a ridiculously small 2gb drive and originally ran OS 8.6. It weighed 9.6 lbs, ran at a moderate 300mhz and had a whopping 64mb of RAM onboard. Though it was wireless-ready, it did not have the optional AirPort card built-in.

Godspeed, Bondi Blue iBook. Perhaps I will meet you again, refashioned into a better, functional, computer.

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Perhaps I am being overly harsh. I used it for years, and despite being dog-slow and woefully lacking in storage it still performed the duties I asked of it. Before recycling, I booted it up to remove any important data. After at least four years without power, it booted like a dream.

The laptop was not recycled with Apple's idiotic program, which would have required me to buy a new computer, but via Office Depot. I walked in, I put the ol' mac in a box, and am completely eco-guilt free. That's worth $5.

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I just got a rejection letter from the Georgetown Research News. This is particularly unfortunate, since it was the last publication that was on my radar.

Feel Free!

Ok, Ok. I relent.
If anyone wants to buy me a 32gb iPod Touch, I won't stop you.

Go Ahead and Shake Hands

Say hello to a pal of mine.



Thats right, folks. We all thought he was gone but ATOMSK LIVES.

...

Sort of...

On Craig's advice I pried this sucker open (which took the better part of two days and ruined a new set of screw-drivers) and carefully applied some magical fluid (distilled water) to the nasty looking parts of the motherboard. A good dry and a few prayers, and POOF Atomsk is running again!

He's still a little jittery. Im concerned about some cooling issues, and some odd smells but its pretty likely that these are all in my head. He's still a little weird with booting, too. After a few tries, he's at least booting when the battery is in. I also feel like he's running slow, and the screen has for sure taken some minor damage.

But all in all, he's running again! Once again, I delay the purchase of a new computer.

A few related thoughts to this whole ordeal:

1. I walked to the Ace Hardware on Stadium (about 3mi) to buy the screw-drivers and the water. When I asked them if they had a "Spudger," a non-static pry-tool used on electronics, they looked at me like I said something dirty.

2. While checking out, I was accused of having brought the gallon of water in from another store. "Where did you get that?" the saleswoman asked.
"Aisle 11?" I suggested.
"Hm. We don't carry that water here..."
"Uh, its in Aisle 11...lots of it."
"Hmmmm."She was not amused with me. I'll bet she was glad when I scampered out of there.

3. While walking back from ACE, resplendent in my straw hat, Blues Brothers sunglasses and hawaiian shirt, I spied some young lads approaching rapidly by bicycle. When they got close the lead child called me a very rude name involving avian of the family Phasiandidae. The name-caller was about 10 or 11, short hair, skinny, and biked without an helmet in a bright yellow T-Shirt. His accomplice was pudgier, about the same age, and wore a plain white T-Shirt and a purple helmet. A reward is available for any information that leads to their capture.

4. When I called Craig and Julie in triumph, Julie asked if I was disappointed. I'll say maybe, maybe just a bit.

[EDIT: I also changed the Twitter thing. Does that work better for everyone?]

Farewell, Atomsk

Atomsk, my dearly beloved laptop purchased such a short while ago in large part from my loving parents, is (effectively) dead. When taken to the Apple Store, he was declared to be at DAMAGE TIER LEVEL 4. That's apparently bad. As in, DEFCON 4 THE SOVIETS HAVE GONE TO CONDITION RED bad. The man at the desk tells me it will run at least 1300 to repair him.

Though his data is still intact, I figure it is too late for him. I am exploring some options, but Im not too hopeful.

Right now, Im preparing for the worst.

The king is dead. We must prepare for succession.

THE MACBOOK
A solid choice. Small, cute, cheap and high-powered. However, it lacks any kind of decent graphics card and has an admitably small screen. Since I use my computer as a kind of entertainment center, this could be problematic.

THE MACBOOK PRO
Highpowered and wide (not thick), this is the heavy hitter of Apple's portables. A faster chip, larger screen and a nifty graphics card are its highpoints. But its price tag brushes past the WAY WAY TOO MUCH level.

THE IMAC
Best of both worlds, but stuck to the ground. A huge screen, a graphics card with more RAM and a hard drive the size of greate Milwaukee are just some of its dandy features which come at an equally dandy price. But its not exactly going to fit into my backpack.

PS.
I become E-FAMOUS! Try to find me on this page!

PPS.
As you can tell from these pictures, all the other bands were not nearly rocking hard enough. You ain't got time for gentle melodies if you rock so hard you have to wear a tamborine on your head! Go buy Mason Proper's album, or better yet see them live.

PPPS.
Also, get the new Wilco album. And see them live too.

The Lost RAM Saga

I just found a screw driver small enough to get the RAM access port open.

Low and behold. Kris was correct (no surprises there).

Holy RAM robbers, Batman! To the Apple Store!

I Am Upset With Apple

As many of you are no doubt aware, I have been having been difficulty with my computer as of late. It all began with my screen, which had taken to a kind of artistic streak whereby it would display completely insane mish-mash of insanity, the quality of which would give any "video artist" worth their skin a run for their money.

After a week of procrastination and frustration I finally dropped off the poor dear at the Apple Store. They declared that there was something very wrong with the video card, and told me that for $320 they would replace anything that was wrong with the sucker. It would take 7-10 days, during which time my computer would be shipped off to fashionable Texas to be worked on by a fat man named Paul - the kind of man who wears a polo shirt to work.

Three days later, I was told I could come pick up my laptop! I was overjoyed, to say the least! As I wafted in through the front of the 12 Oaks Mall Apple Store (there were no doors) I passed the new MacBooks which I had so recently been coveting with a slight feeling of disdain. My computer was allegedly as good as new and it was mine again.

I should have sensed that something was up when they booted the machine after informing me that the Logic Board had been replaced. During the boot cycle, the 'Oh Crap I Lost The Operating System' icon flashed for a few seconds before it booted normally. Curious.

The long and the short of this part of the story is that I took the sucker home and was tickled pink for about a day or two. However, I noticed that everything was running rather slowly. Oddly slowly. I didn't think much of it, but while checking for some unrelated information, I noticed that the computer had somehow convinced itself that there was only 256mb of RAM onboard.

'Huh,' I thought. "It was 1.25gb when I sent it off...'

I tried a few tricks, and roamed around the support section of Apple's website and finally called Kris - who is my number one lady in most concerns. She hypothesized that when my Logic Board was removed, that the RAM went with it and may have taken up permanent residence in Texas. This is bad.

Methinks another trip to the Apple Store is in store for myself and my computer machine o' tron.

UPDATE: Ok, now the sound doesn't work. I am officially upset.