Wednesday Miscellanea

Dear James, Daniel and Emily

Just a few thoughts for the day, and a story.

Health

Wow, what a difference the past couple of weeks have been.  With the weather warming up, and the time change, I have been so much more energetic in the evenings.  The days of finishing dinner and then collapsing on the couch are over for this guy!  Last night for example I went out and spent 20 minutes moving the pavers from the front to a neater stacking in the back yard.  It is so nice to feel that energy in the evenings now.  And it keeps the normal chores and yard projects from stacking up till the weekend when they get overwhelming. 

iPhone

So on Sunday I had my phone in my back pocket while I was working on building the new wheelbarrow.  And after I took it out the LCD screen appeared to have died.  Not good.  No visible damage, it just wouldn't come on.  And after a little tersting and research I discovered that it was just the screen, I could call the phone and sync it to back it up.  So Monday I went to the Mac store, where they directed me to the AT&T store, where they told me the service guy wouldn't be in until Tuesday.  Meanwhile my research started giving me visions of 200$ repair bills, and other nightmare scenarios. 

So yesterday I went and saw the service guy, who told me to talk to the account guys to see what they could do.  Who then directed me to the Apple store.  Where I went, and boy am I glad I did.  It was a great experience!  The 'Genius' was professional, efficient, and best of all just swapped out my phone for a replacement free of charge!  So I am back with music at my desk and working iPhone again.  Restored and synched it from backup when I got home and all is good.  And I learned my lesson that, despite what my fave tech writer says, I do need a case to protect my phone, because with the improving weather etc I will not have pockets for the phone all the time.

Politics

Kind of a nice break from the craziness leading up to Health Care.  Financial Reform is next, and just like HCR the bill that is out there is not enough, but it's better than nothing.  And unlike HCR, the Republicans will look like real cazie to oppose it and have a much harder time framing it as government takeover when the unemployment rate sits at 10%.  Real hard to oppose anything that makes it harder for banks in the wake of what we saw 2 years ago.  But we will see what happens.  Politics in the era of Twitter and the 24x7 news cycle is an ever changing landscape, with no end to things to get upset about and/or get riled up about.