Vintage 2005
Talking with friends last night about the sexy new MacBook Air, I realized that I must have had my current laptop for nearly five years. A look back at my iPhoto archives confirmed that indeed, next week will be my trusty (and somewhat crusty) little iBook G4's 5th birthday!
Me and my new toy on the Embarcadero, November 5th 2005
The iBook was an early Christmas present from my then-boyfriend. I came out to California for the first time to visit him during my senior year fall break in November 2005. I was pretty surprised when we walked into the Apple store in downtown San Francisco and he turned and said we were there to get something for me-- I hadn't ever pined for any of Apple's slick products. But, he graduated a year before me and had just started to collect his first paychecks, so he was feeling generous and insisted.
I now know the iBook was as much for my boyfriend as for me: He's a die-hard Mac person, and I learned later that it killed him to be dating a girl with a virus-ridden clunker of a PC. Turns out he winced every time I sat down at the 3-year-old HP that didn't work unless it was plugged into the wall (which I'll admit did kind of defeat the purpose of having a laptop.)
Me and the old PC in my dorm room, September 2005. I still don't think it was *so* bad!
I guess nobody ever told him about not trying to change someone you love, but I became a Mac fan, and the boyfriend and I ended up getting married-- so it all worked out for the best!
It's kind of funny that Apple has rolled out dozens of gorgeous new gadgets since Fall 2005, and I still just have this one. But my iBook still works like a charm and I've had practically zero problems with it-- the only maintenance I've had to perform is installing additional memory.
I suppose what I take away from this whole trip down memory lane is that there's something nice about sticking with something as long as it will stick with you, you know?
Me and my new toy on the Embarcadero, November 5th 2005
The iBook was an early Christmas present from my then-boyfriend. I came out to California for the first time to visit him during my senior year fall break in November 2005. I was pretty surprised when we walked into the Apple store in downtown San Francisco and he turned and said we were there to get something for me-- I hadn't ever pined for any of Apple's slick products. But, he graduated a year before me and had just started to collect his first paychecks, so he was feeling generous and insisted.
I now know the iBook was as much for my boyfriend as for me: He's a die-hard Mac person, and I learned later that it killed him to be dating a girl with a virus-ridden clunker of a PC. Turns out he winced every time I sat down at the 3-year-old HP that didn't work unless it was plugged into the wall (which I'll admit did kind of defeat the purpose of having a laptop.)
Me and the old PC in my dorm room, September 2005. I still don't think it was *so* bad!
I guess nobody ever told him about not trying to change someone you love, but I became a Mac fan, and the boyfriend and I ended up getting married-- so it all worked out for the best!
It's kind of funny that Apple has rolled out dozens of gorgeous new gadgets since Fall 2005, and I still just have this one. But my iBook still works like a charm and I've had practically zero problems with it-- the only maintenance I've had to perform is installing additional memory.
I suppose what I take away from this whole trip down memory lane is that there's something nice about sticking with something as long as it will stick with you, you know?
On linking in, and out
"The artifacts of our past accomplishments can become so engrossing in digital form that it can be harder to notice all we don't know and all we haven't done. While technology has generally been the engine that propels us into unknowable changes, it might now lull us into hypnotic complacency."
-from a NYT Magazine article by Jaron Lanier (also recommended: his book "You Are Not a Gadget")
I've been putting off adding my new venture to my LinkedIn profile. It might be because Ookoo Media is still in its initial stages, but that doesn't quite make sense-- I've been working on it since May, and have finished products for very satisfied clients. And I can't pretend that I forgot about my LinkedIn profile after I quit my job.
Lanier's comment made me realize I may be neglecting to update LinkedIn because what I'm doing now is a relatively big departure from the other things on my resume. I'm nervous about how my foray into "unknowable changes" might be received by my existing "network."
Now that I've put it in writing, it sounds ridiculous, but then again so many of the fears that hold us back actually are.
Your golden gated cities
I have to admit: When the weather is finally nice in San Francisco, it's pretty difficult to have a case of the Mondays.
If you can swing it in the next couple days of this heat wave, you should really head to the western part of the city-- it's nice to be at an SF beach without needing to bundle up.
N.B.: All the photos below were taken after 3:30pm, so even you breadwinners out there can take in these sights on a weekday if you're able to duck out of work a couple hours early one day (go on, do it!) Weekdays are the best because the beaches and trails are so much quieter.
China Beach (and my toes-- Essie Chinchilly, in case you were curious)
Land's End coastal trail
French 75 at the Cliff House
Feeling artsy post-cocktail
If you can swing it in the next couple days of this heat wave, you should really head to the western part of the city-- it's nice to be at an SF beach without needing to bundle up.
N.B.: All the photos below were taken after 3:30pm, so even you breadwinners out there can take in these sights on a weekday if you're able to duck out of work a couple hours early one day (go on, do it!) Weekdays are the best because the beaches and trails are so much quieter.
China Beach (and my toes-- Essie Chinchilly, in case you were curious)
Land's End coastal trail
French 75 at the Cliff House
Feeling artsy post-cocktail
Funny people
Elle: "Do you think you can keep all this [writing, acting, stand-up, rapping] up?"
Donald Glover: "It's the same as asking, Do you think you'll live forever? No. But I'm going to try! Also, I'm working on a device that will make me live forever."
Just discovered Donald Glover in the October issue of Elle Magazine and kind of love what I've found.
