So! Today:
Breakfast at Bob Evans. Yum.
Grocery store (had 10 things on the list, still managed to buy a lot of stuff – how does this always happen?)
Sat at home, thought about White Dog’s power problem, saw that the Genius Bar had available appointments at 12 noon (which was about 75 minutes from when I discovered same). Ascertained that we had no other plans for the day (losers!), so then I claimed the 12 noon appointment and got White Dog packed up and ready to go. Gene came along, possibly to ensure I didn’t accidentally just buy a new MacBook. (tempting! but not really!)
We made it to Apple and I checked in at 11:50…actually, let’s sidebar for a moment. Apple calling their tech support the “Genius Bar” makes me cringe. Having to check in for my tech support appointment with a random Apple Droid makes me crazy. Checking in 10 minutes early only to hear “Yeahhh, we’re running about 10 minutes late, why don’t you go stand next to the Apple TV display and I’ll come get you” really makes me batshit crazy.
Not getting any help at all until nearly 12:30 nearly sent me over the frakking moon.
But, to pass the time, I had Gene’s help. We played a game called “Top 10 Funniest Ways to Clear Out an Apple Store on a Saturday Afternoon in Summer”.
Gene: “Bring Booper” (who, yes, is gassy)
Elaine: “Start a rumor that IKEA’s giving away flat pack furniture!”
Elaine: “Start a rumor that the Volkswagen dealership is having half price oil changes on Jettas”
Gene: “Maybe some kind of protest?”
Elaine: “Yes! Protesting Newt Gingrich at the Tiffany store” (I’ve heard something about Newt Gingrich and Tiffany but I’m not sure what it was about – surely it’s not Tiffany the 1980s pop star, right?)
Elaine: “Beck’s giving a free concert at the food court!”
Gene: “Free hackysacks for the first 50 in the door!”
Seriously, I love Apple (even though my next cell phone will almost certainly NOT be an iPhone). I love White Dog, I love the iPods (when did those get so crazy expensive?). We looked at the current model of MacBook (Un White Dog Nouveau) and it’s the same damn computer I bought 3 years ago. Why hasn’t the price gone down?
And I am just as uncomfortable at the Apple store on a Saturday (eeeek, hippies) as I am at Walmart on a Saturday (eeeeek, rednecks). I’m getting better though – the first time I stepped foot in the Apple store, I had to immediately leave. It felt like the entire store was humming (like when you’re in a casino and it’s all just dingdingdingdingdingding).
Endgame: White Dog’s fine. Improbably (or maybe not improbably), the issue was just the power cable I bought at Best Buy in January. Willie, my own personal Genius, replaced the cord for me gratis. And that’s a good thing; I am nowhere near ready (financially, etc) to replace White Dog. First, I have to convince Gene that once you go Mac you don’t go back.