Apple Season: Macs for the Picking

OK, so this isn't an heirloom apple, but it is a Macintosh. Here's my new MacBook from Apple! I've had it for a week and am just loving it! This is the iBook series, which is cheaper than the PowerMacs, but this small laptop carries a lot of power and has both a CD and DVD burner. I had to get a new computer because my 3-year-old iMac desktop konked out again a couple of weeks ago when I tried to connect to the Internet. I had this same problem a month ago and after a temporary fix from Apple support, it looked like the problem was still there. So instead of dealing with my mysterious ethernet issues, I decided to just get a new computer.

(BTW, if you're shopping for Apple products in the Bay Area, save yourself some frustrations and avoid the Apple Store in Emeryville. It's smaller and they recently went with this format where they got rid of their cash registers. So now clerks roam the store with hand-held registers to check you out. What this means is that there's no line and people aren't given a number for service, so it's mass chaos as people try to find a clerk with a hand-held to try to buy something. I tried to buy my MacBook last week from the store and all the clerks were overwhelmed, and as I waited I asked a regular sales clerk some questions about the MacBook. He was so unenthusiastic about helping me that I just got tired and left the store. I ended up buying my MacBook at the San Francisco store where I got in and out in 5 minutes with my new laptop despite the fact the store is bigger and more crowded.)

Here I am this morning at the Bittersweet Cafe in Rockridge hanging out doing some photo retouching work on my new laptop. I had just finished shopping at Markethall for ingredients for a butternut squash soup I'm making for this coming week's recipe post. It was quiet when I arrived at about 11 a.m. but it quickly filled up as usual. As you can see, I'm already breaking the first rule about computers by having liquids nearby. It's nice being able to work outside instead of my studio apartment, especially on a nice day like today. Only downside is Bittersweet Cafe didn't have free wireless so I couldn't connect and do this post in real time. Oh well, can't have everything. OK, time to make my soup!