The Wine, The Cheese

This past Friday night, my favorite photo-maker and I gathered our friends for a very lovely, very tasty wine and cheese party. Not your typical late-90s yuppie ego-pumping suave-showing type of party. More like an early-70s gourmand festival, featuring more cheese, meats, nuts, chutneys, mustards, olives, and breads than anyone should be allowed to eat in one evening. We would like to thank Trader Joe's and Whole Foods for making us look like we know much more about cheese and the requisite accompaniments than we actually do.

I must say that now, however, we have been schooled. Fromager d'affinois? Ah, yes. A member of the Brie family, best with strong reds, dry whites, or champagne. You are impressed, no?

We set out a piquant comte, a nutty Leerdammer, the aforementioned fromager d'affinois, a danish blue, and a tame manchego. And of course, as I am a serious organization addict, I made little signs to stick in the cheeses. A good time, I believe, was had by all.

For the first time in a long time, the turntable was dusted off and put to use. I had forgotten how much I love vinyl. Especially when it comes to jazz, blues, folk and classic country. So last night I went vinyl shopping. It has been a long time. Came home with some Art Blakey, some Hank Mobley, some Sonny Rollins, and a collection of classic Bollywood tunes. Nothing like sitting around on a Sunday afternoon with some old records.

I'm back in black.

Ah, yes. Black is the new black. You have no idea what a techno-giant I feel like, having actually written my own code changes to create this new look. I feel very sexy in it.

My boss called an 8 a.m. meeting today (ouch!) to announce my resignation, effective in August. What a way to start the day. And I didn't quite wake up until about 11, when I went home to grab an early lunch and a nap for 15 minutes. Maybe it was more like 30. Who knows?

Anyway, it's official and all cats are out of bags. I am leaving my job.

Oh, the joy.

Mothers...

So after swooping back into the digi-world with that last post more than a week ago, and after much going on about how I was back for some admittedly inconsistent posting, my beautiful computer died. It just said, "click." That was it. Black screen. Dead.

After a bit of frantic searching on another computer to discern what home remedies could be performed, and finding none, my favorite photo-maker and I each took turns pressing and holding the power button, hoping. Then we would give it a rest. And then more pressing. Still nothing.

Of course, I had not backed up any files whatsoever. Who needs to back up files? This is Mac!

Right.

So I brought it in to the "genius bar" at my local Apple store. The "genius" (read: skinny kid who needed a shave) told me that my logic board had passed on. A logic board is also a "mother board" for all you non-Mac people out there. It is the computer. It does everything. My computer needed a new one.

And since she (the computer) was still under Apple's lovely warranty, she was taken care of for free. Which was a relief worth about $800.

Despite this story, Macs are better. And more interesting. And better looking. All the cool people have one. Ask your mom to buy you one.

I'll be backing up my files this weekend. Very exciting news. Aren't you glad you read this?

Happy trails.