Talking Points

So, my work computer has decided that it no longer wants to recharge. This is problematic given the amount of work I have to do over this weekend, which is really not that easy to do through a Citrix connection with my home computer. Ugh. It seems as though the battery will take a change but the power adapter is kind of kaput. I love that it keeps telling me that the output from the a/c adapter is too low for the computer. It's the adapter that came *with* the computer! Whatever. Another reason to be a Mac user.

What else?

Can someone tell me why Aperture 3 is $199 at the Apple Store but $79 through the App Store? I guess I should just be happy that the technogeeks at the Apple Store are the ones who told me about the price difference!

In other news, the parents are now iPhone users. How cool is that? This is quite an upgrade from the pay as you go phone my mom had been using (which was as close to an analog cell phone as you could find in 2011...)

Ah, I remember the days of the analog cell phone. I loved my Nokia Charlie's Angels phone. ;) but I think I love even more the fact that I can order and pay for my dinner at Chipotle all on my iPhone.

Speaking of Chipotle, the other night I did place an order for pick up from my phone.... Then when I get to my local Chipotle, I was a little bit early so I waited as they got my meal ready... In the middle of which the section of the shopping center where the restaurant is lost power. A little bit of panic actually ensued. There was a really long line for food, so the place had a lot of people in it and once the power cut out the vents stopped working but the (I assume gas powered) griddles remained operational so the place did start to fill up with fajita smoke. The manager quickly got his employees to open all of the doors in order to get some cross ventilation going on. They ushered everyone out and decided to close! Luckily, they gave my my stuff and since I had paid online I was free to go with my burrito bowl. A bit of adventure in North Brunswick.

In further news, I did just return from a car trip to Georgia.

Yes, a car trip to Georgia.

My Dad's driver's license had expired (back in August...!?!?) and given that it was a Commercial Driver's License he was unable to renew it online. And, to add insult to injury, he obviously couldn't board a plane to go back home to renew it... And without it he was running into problems with estate administration in his role as executor. So my mom and dad rented a minivan and we drove from NJ to Atlanta, spent two days and then drove back.

My mom was most impressed with our rented Town and Country van which included Sirius Satellite radio and automatic side doors and an automatic hatchback. I will say it was pretty cool that the doors would open by themselves at the touch of a button. And Miss B. Really enjoyed being able to open and close her door all by herself just by hitting the little button. We were also kind of mesmerized with the stow and go compartments.

The drive down was fun, but unfortunately, the drive back up was through the rain both days... And there are just way too many tractor trailer trucks on I-81 these days. And let's not even discuss the nasty roadside food options. Double ugh. On the first night of our drive we actually ate at a place called Fatz. I don't think I need to elaborate.

Not much else is new. What have you been up to?