Today I was going to get up early, go do my laundry, sweep and mop my flat and maybe make a small grocery run.
I have done none of these things. In fact, all I have done today is play on my laptop; actually all I have done this weekend for the most part, is play with my laptop. But I am getting ahead of myself.
On Friday, I popped out of bed around 10.30am (I forced myself to sleep!) and slowly began to make myself ready for the Apple launch. I called Mahie and told I was off to line up like a freak at the Apple Store on Regent St.. I felt sad for her, because she’s knee deep in exam fever and couldn’t come. She said she’d lend me her camera so I could take pictures, so I passed by her before I went up to Regent St. I got there about 1pm, and the place was busy, but there wasn’t a queue.
I think I had pretty much decided to spend some money. I’ve been reading up on the Mac market, researching and researching for months about configurations, release dates… the works. I’ve become an obsessive reader of AppleInsider.com and Macrumors.com as well as my perennial favourites MacUser and MacWorld. (There’s a few great English Mac mags, iCreate and Mac Format available, but iCreate is seriously expensive at £7.99 and Mac Format appears to be missing in action.)
I asked a few questions, namely when they were going to open the doors. Nice guy, Ben G advised me a little on a few matters and off I went on a nice little ramble around the store.
I left around 3pm to go get something to eat (wolfed it down mostly) and then came back and milled by the door and noticed a few other lurkers. Around 4.15pm store security came outside and erected some barriers and we moved over to where they were. I managed to get there in the number three spot and there I remained all afternoon until 6 o’clock.
I chatted with the other hopeless, lifeless geeks in the line and had a good time. We made sarcastic replies whenever someone passed by and asked us why we were queueing. High on the list was kidney donation, admiration for the building across the street and free grape koolaid.
Promptly at 6, the doors opened and in we walked to the almost dizzying volume of all the Apple staff whooping and cheering. It was a little unnerving. When I recovered my wits, I grabbed the first one near and told him I wanted a laptop.
He was very helpful and calm, and in no time I was in the queue wrapped around the top floor.
By the time I got up to the register, my laptop was there, but the guy behind the counter was confused about my name. I can’t get vex about that anymore, I’m 31 and I know my name confuses people.
Anyway, I bought the laptop and got a big ass hard-drive (it’s kind of weird going from 10gb to almost 200gbs in no time flat.)
Once I had my stuff in nice sturdy snow white Apple bags, I went and joined Gareth and the Number 1, 2 and 4 in the screening area and took in a demonstration of Tiger… which is mind boggling. However I got impatient after about an hour or so and took my new kit home to play with. My pictures from the whole experience are live on my regular site, but they ain’t sexified…. I did a quick little export from iPhoto so it’s quite plain. Here the are…. enjoy! (I did!)
After a quick install of Tiger, then began the process of migrating and consolidation of years of MP3s, software, files, mail backups…. etc. etc…. I was in geek heaven. I went to sleep at 4am.
And every night since then has been like that.
Monilove came over on Saturday night and spent the night. We talked, laughed, had dinner and caught up. I burnt a couple of CDs for her to play on the train. I was up early and playing on the laptop, but then went back to sleep. Eventually we stirred and we watched a whole bunch of music videos and chatted again. It was really nice.
Until my fucking landlord came to collect the rent. The fucker charged my card £320 more than what I owed him, plus the late fees etc. from last month. Then flippantly told me he’d credit me so I’ll can pay less money less month. This time I know he just trying to squeeze me for every cent. All I can say is a good thing I ain’t no jamette, because I coulda cuss like a fish wife when he told me to ‘be quiet now or I’ll make another mistake.’
Chile…. ah as vex whole day over that.
I’ve been playing with all the cool shit the lap top give me access to. My Mp3 library is up to 30Gbs, I’ve been Skyping with UT (anybody wanna skype me jess let me know!) you know… lemme tell you, my favourite part is organising my music.
I’ve been downloading album art, rating stuff, playing around with export tools. I just love this little machine and my lovely iPod.
I figure even if I have to go back home if I run out of money and can’t find work, at least I’ll have a decent machine to work on.
So last night I went over to DJ Tillah Willah (aka rentaempress), and met her family here, and hung out with her friends. It was really nice. Sheldon Blackman was there to my surprise, and I bounced up a chick I hadn’t seen in 20 years and was in 1st form with at Combermere. We spent a goodly chunk of the evening chatting away and catching up.
Later, yet another friend came by and brought even more of my backup data that Tillah had at her house holding to for me. I also met some really nice people, and Sheldon sang two beautiful tunes, there was poetry recited, Tillah’s dad sang… it was just a lovely evening out… right down to the vegan accra and bake.
I didn’t get home until about 1.30am, because I missed the last train and only got as far as Oxford Circus before I had to go up ground and find a bus… and wait a long time for that fat-bottomed bitch I did. Anyway, once home I played on the laptop for another couple hours before collapsing in bed.
Today I slept until 11am, and have done nothing but play with the laptop. I’ve been slowly bringing it up to speed…
I’m going to have to tear myself away tomorrow and go back into a Windows infested world, so I reckon I am glutting myself. I’ts just been so long since I’ve had a brand new computer (about five years; the last one was second hand) and it’s been months since I’ve done any work on a Mac… it’s been blissful and I haven’t even begun to code on it yet… just playing with Tiger and getting used to new OS.
:sigh: I am such a geek.
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