Maybe you’ve heard that Apple is making some sort of announcement today. Rumor suggests (and I sincerely hope) the announcement will be about the iPod line.
Currently the Apple store is down, which makes me think new product is going up (and we will know what that product is very soon).
The thing I love about Apple is that more often than not when new product is announced, I can go to the Apple store and buy it same day. That means that after a long day of hard work at RD2, my run tonight might be extra gratifying as I listen to The New Pornographers, Deerhoof, and The Go! Team on the latest portable music device.
We started the RD2 Christmas music listening yesterday. The general feeling is that, cynics be damned, six days out (five now) is fair game for a little community Christmas spirit-bringing through music.
I, personally, quite enjoy some good holiday music. Notice the word choice: good holiday music. Sappy songs about saving up to buy your poor mother shoes need not apply.
Great Christmas albums I’ve been listening to this season:
Recommendations? I have no doubt there are strong opinions out there.
Former President of Texas A&M University, Dr. Robert M. Gates was sworn in as US Secretary of Defense this morning.
Bob Gates handed diplomas to Texas A&M grads (including my roommate Lauren) for the last time this weekend, and was sworn in as Secretary of Defense this morning. I’m starting a new job today, too. Granted, I spend very little of my time dealing with Peace in the Middle East (I’ll mostly answer the phone today until a project comes up), but it’s an exciting day nonetheless.
While at A&M, Dr. Gates had a golf cart that he used to navigate campus, complete with horns sawed off on the front and maroon A&M fuzzy dice hanging from the rear-view mirror. We had seen him eating in the basement of the MSC (the student union on campus) often, usually with a student or two. About a year ago, my friend Lisa and I left Dr. Gates a note on his golf cart asking if he would have lunch with us sometime. It was a semester later that Lisa got the call on her cell phone from his secretary, regretting that Dr. Gates would not have time to eat lunch, but asking us to come into his office for a “courtesy visit.” We rode the elevator up to Gates’ office - which takes up the entire 10th floor of Rudder Tower (the second tallest building on campus, the tallest A&M bonfire was only one foot shy of its 11 stories) - not knowing what to expect. We found Dr. Gates to be incredibly down to earth. The meeting was very relaxed, we just talked about things going on in our lives. At the time, I was amazed that the former director of the CIA was so interested in my study abroad in France or Lisa’s involvement in a program encouraging 8th graders in the Valley to consider college as an option. It was a great experience.
Good luck on your first day of work, Dr. Gates… mine is going very well.
The world lost a truly original talent yesterday. I thought it would be nice to remember him at his very best in Young Frankenstien.
May he rest in peace.
I took a trip to the Mac store today to pick up something for RD2. It’s like stepping into another world. You know what I might just miss most about my Mac here at RD2 when I head back to school in a few weeks? My Dashboard.
Less like bookmarks and more like toys, widgets continue to fascinate me. Whether aesthetic or functional, I can’t help but get a kick out of them. I did have to restrain myself from installing a crossword or sudoku puzzle, for fear that my actual work might suffer, but I love my hula girl (she dances on mouse-over).
I’m sure this is all very old hat for long-time Mac users, but I will remind you that I am not (exactly) among such users, so indulge me.
Dashboard Top 50 from Apple.com
Man, it’s hot today.
