eyes at attention
I slept just over 15 hours in the past 20; the remainder being when I woke up, made dinner with a friend, and did homework that I should have done in the earlier part of that percentage. Those 15 hours are equivalent to how much I had slept during this week leading up to that purge. For some, 15 hours over 5 days is manageable, or maybe expected, but it took a toll on me. I really can’t explain why, but from 1am to 5am Friday morning, I tried to teach myself how to solder. I mean to say, I know why I was trying to teach myself how to solder, but I don’t know why I was trying to teach myself when I could have gone to the woodshop during hours and have them teach me. Perhaps, that was the final blow to any sleep regularity I may or may not have been pursuing.
But, now, I think I am doing alright. An iced latte, some pre-toasted bread, and a banana are waiting for me in the kitchen, waiting for me to stop blogging and do some real soldering in studio. But the joke’s on them, because my lapse of getting to studio actually prolongs their lives. And technically, the banana’s already dead, as are the wheat granules and the coffee beans. Hmm. In the company of the dead. But, they’re so tasty.
I took a pitstip into Cowgill yesterday morning to drop some items at my desk prior to getting to my early class. I noticed some coffee and cookies sitting in the lobby, the coffee waiting to be put into miniaturized 8-ounce cups. There was an older lady pouring herself a cup. I stopped behind her and waited as she delicately poured cream her cup. She turned, spotted me, tilted both her neck and head, then asked, “Ummmm [her eyes actually rolled as she said that]… are you a new student here for Orientation?” I explained no, very exhausted from my soldering episode only hours before, but politely didn’t mention that she was likely not a newly oriented student. She told me that I may not have any, but whatever that is left over around noon I am free to scour through. I was far too tired to get snotty or clever, so I thanked her and left.
I believe denying me a quick morning cup was what prodded me to get real sleep. And I did, not too long after that class. Yet, now I must off to studio.
Oh, oh yes. Guess who is the latest Apple Campus Rep at Virginia Tech.
July 15th, 2006 at 12:11 pm
You’re a campus rep now?! Welcome to the club!
July 15th, 2006 at 4:18 pm
Jeremiah - And I got some shirts, too! It has been super easy to sell Macs during Orientation; apart from a few question, they are basically selling themselves. We are showing Windows running via Parallels and people are just astounded. The best part is when we display a MacBook side-be-side with a Tablet PC; it’s like Ferrari versus Fisher Price.
July 16th, 2006 at 4:38 am
Parallels is amazing, especially at $49! I had a client of mine migrate to a MacBook Pro just this week. She is now running Microsoft Access natively.
The cool thing is that it actually runs faster in Parallels than it did on her old PC laptop! She couldn’t be more happier
I’m also keeping a close eye on CrossOver. If that really takes off, it would be the most awesome PC compatibility solution ever!
http://www.codeweavers.com/products/cxmac/
July 16th, 2006 at 9:34 am
I find it funny that someone who is so rabidly anti-corporate-establishment would so willingly submit to being a tool of one of those corporations. Apple may put out high-quality products that look cool, but they’re still playing the same game that Wal-mart, Starbucks, and all those other behemoths are.
July 16th, 2006 at 12:34 pm
Oh Ryan, how I love thee. And I’m glad you finally got some sleep. Oh yeah, you were in my dream last night…more on that later!
July 16th, 2006 at 10:32 pm
Kellan - I understand your point and I have considered it many times before. However, since my areas of interest for studies and future career are focused around product design/development/presentation, there is no stopping my admiration for Apple’s offering. The design is so unbelievably well-considered, nearly every human factor is always addressed (intuitive approach; visual aesthetic features; user interface considerations; just everything).
Anyways. Apple isn’t on the same boat as Starbucks or WalMart or Microsoft. Apple has a 5-7% marketshare in the industry. Starbucks has the coffee industry by the throat; WalMart, too; and no need to mention Microsoft. Apple is an underdog financially, if you could believe it. The coming-from-behind facet is often underestimated in the list of people’s reasons for loving Apple.
But your comment still makes me think about my coming to terms with The Corporation of Apple. It’s never-ending, but to keep myself from dwelling on it to infinity, I will go ahead and give in to the product design slave in me.
Britney - It has been quite some time since I have made a dream appearance. Sometimes it is a cameo, but others I just play a fill-in role. Let me in on that “more” soon, please.
July 17th, 2006 at 6:04 pm
I see. I guess I feel a similar ambivalence about Google. Their products and services are top-notch, but the whole taking-over-the-cyber-world thing is a little scary.