shiny

I made quite the to-do about my broken iPod, so it only seems fair to mention that my shiny replacement iPod arrived late last week. I like to imagine it was packaged by the nice phone support agent who validated my indignation with being overly apologetic that they didn't replace it earlier. And I was nothing but cordial to him. It was not an apology forced by Overwrought Customer Syndrome.

Anyway, my (so far) functioning iPod is full of music. That makes me happy.

Promise Keeper

So last night, over IM, Sean and I were discussing my hateful cursing of Apple that is just a few inches below here.

Sean was highly entertained by the idea of me strapping a record player to my shorts. He took, um, some liberties with that statement in his envisioning such a thing. I told him that if made me some art work, I'd post it. Looking at the emailed attachments this morning, I immediately regretted it, but a promise is a promise. So here is the most embarrassing thing I've posted yet, courtesy Sean's twisted, but hilarious imagination.

Pop

Twenty minutes ago there was a small "pop" in a balloon over my head. The kind that show up in comics or cartoons to describe a level of quiet anger that screaming won't sufficiently describe.

I have a small, white, expensive, rectangular coaster that I want to throw at someone. And his name is Steve Jobs. And the rectangle is my piece of shit iPod that has died, again.

The same iPod that Apple refused to replace last time it died about 3 weeks ago. And the same one that broke 3 weeks before that. And 1 month before that. I have 60 GB of unusable hard drive space. I have no means of listening to music at the gym. You try running to Lynard Skynard and Fox News before you decide how very important that music is.

And I have an one-year warranty that is useful fire kindling, as far as I can tell.

My only means of recourse is a phone line direct to a center of people who decide replacements on a case-by-case basis. Well here is my case. This is my third iPod. I have never had problems with my other two. The hard drive is bad. FUCKING REPLACE IT.

Public displays of anger aren't my thing, but I've had it. I curse Apple. It's iPod. It's computers. I'll spare the tech support guys since, hey, I've got some friends there. However, engineers who think 5 button clicks to turn random on and off, and no simple way to queue albums on the iPod are good interface design are included in the curse.

I would rather strap a record player onto my shorts at the gym than use another iPod. Creative, and it's oversized mp3 player with too many buttons, will be the happy recipient of my money. Just as soon as I can afford to replace my $400, 6-month old 60 GB photo iPod.

And that day will be happy one. I want to run my iPod over and listen to it crunch under the wheels. Or better yet, I want to light it on fire and watch it explode.

Love is Stronger than Hate

I love my city. And that is particularly relevant today because earlier this week, I was hating my city. Last Sunday it was 108. 108! I should be in a sweater, enjoying cool air. I've been checking Expedia for magically cheap fares to places where the air is crisp and the leaves are the deep orange that I love.

The weather briefly broke into the balmy 70s on Thursday. But currently it is 87. Better than 100 for sure, but NOT FALL WEATHER!

And then there is the sudden appearance of horrific traffic. My usual 20 minute drive took me an hour and 20 minutes on Wed since I had to drive during real rush hour, which is still 30 more minutes than my previous rush hour commutes.

Yesterday, much to my bemusement, there were low-flying planes in the sky slowly crawling their way parallel to mopes flying advertising banners. These are the planes of my beach lounging, where they fly by the shoreline to advertise to tanning faces. Apparently, traffic on MoPac has become as still as beach goers.

Maybe our population has dramatically increased with hurricane evacuees moving into Austin. Maybe everyone is suddenly getting off work at exactly the same time. Maybe there is some construction in another part of town sending everyone west. I don't know the cause, but all the traffic on the roads is dreadful.

And then, just as I am ready to start daydreaming of moving, I am reminded about the charms of Austin.

At the Drafthouse last night, I saw Serenity - a nerd movie for Firefly fans that the Drafthouse has been heavily supporting. Then I went to Emo's to see local bands Voxtrot and Octopus Project.

This morning I headed to yoga with my favorite teacher, Jessica, to spend half my morning upside and challenged in new and old ways. I walked out of the studio lighter and more energized than I've felt all week.

And headed immediately to the Austin Farmer's Market, which I haven't been to in ages. They have broadened the items they sell to include more meats and prepared items, which is a good thing since the central Texas vegetable selection is slim right now, and fruits are unheard of.

I got sun-dried tomato & walnut pesto, garlic & dill goat cheese, cucumbers, tomatoes, arugula, eggs, German sausages - all local grown, raised and prepared without chemicals.

I just ate a leisurely lunch of my pickings - cheese & crackers, delicious cucumber and tomato salad (fresh vegetables really are all the difference) and a small bowl of pasta with the pesto. I leafed through my cookbooks to see what else I can prepare with these goodies. I am resisting strong urges to lock myself in the kitchen for the rest of the day and cook until I collapse.

But that is only because I want to take Amber to the Green Belt, or Town Lake, or the dog park, and go get my bike fixed. And I have another show at Emo's tonight, which will be preceded by an outing to Casino for arguably the best burger that exists.

I love my city.