iPod Touche

Well...I figured after I went off on how great Macs are that I should counter that with my latest experience in Macland.

I bought an iPod Touch a few weeks ago. It was a tough decision because they are pretty stinking expensive. I stood in front of the display counter at Target for well over 45 minutes debating both vocally and internally. I talked with my fiance. I called my roommate. I had a lengthy conversation with the electronics department guy. I asked a random lady who was looking for headphones and I would have asked her baby, but she seemed to be busy regurgitating.

I weighed the options (the cost, the size of space, the capabilities, the return policy)...and decided to pick between the Touch and the iPod Classic. I chose the 32gb iPod Touch.

Three weeks later I take it back. Why, you ask? It just didn't cut it for me. I guess I was looking for something more. Sure, there was some aesthetic appeal to it, but overall, it was a waste of money for me. (Touche Apple, you duped me into this one...luckily customer service wins over and I get a refund). So I went back to Target (because the electronics department guy assured me that I could).

I walked to the service department and met Pat. If you've been to Target, then you've seen him. He's always chipper and good at what he does. I've never been to Target when he wasn't there. I walked up and gave him my iPod.

"I'm sorry, we don't accept returns on Zunes"
"Well...it's an iPod," I replied.
"I'm kidding. You should have known when I called it a Zune."
"Yes, I suppose you are correct. You got me."

He then opens the box and when he does, I stand there distraught as the Touch plummets from the box onto the counter at rapid speed and descent. I think to myself, "You had better take it back now." He then proceeds to get on the radio to see what he needs to do with the iPod. As he turns to pirouette ( I suppose this is what he did, because I'm not sure why else he made that move, but it was definitely balletesque)...when he does turn, he slings to iPod out of its box again, this time falling all the way to the floor and sliding several feet from it's landing spot. I can only describe the awful sensation of hearing it slide across the floor as the same feeling I get when I think about someone tripping on asphalt and skinning his hands and knees from the fall. (I just got a shiver thinking about it).

All that to say...when I get another iPod, it will not be a touch. And if you are thinking about getting one, then I would suggest that you definitely not get an opened box one at Target. It's been dribbled across the customer service floor.

Mac Stuff

When I graduated college, my parents bought me a Mac Mini. I was hooked. I had dabbled in the world of Mac a time or two and fallen victim to the iPod craze 2 years before when I got my 3G 20gb black and white, but it was at this moment...when I had my very own Macintosh computer that I realized my love for the product.

I do a lot of video editing and it just makes things so simple, so the Mac and Me were just a natural fit...kind of like Alf and the Tanner family. (What a great show)

In recent months, I've really been exploring the Mac World for good programs. I consider myself to be pretty computer literate, however, I do not have the know how to write my own programs...so naturally I look for all the nice programs other people write in true Mac design and flavor.

This past fall, I came across MacHeist. It is this website where apparently a group of people got together and decided to run this advertisement deal where they group together a bunch of sweet programs for the Mac from a bunch of different companies and offer them for a ridiculously low price. This last go round I paid $49 for 13 programs that retailed at about $500. Pretty good if you ask me. With it, I was able to acquire:

Pixelmator - a photoshop-like program ( I like it better)
Cha Ching - pretty to look at and effecient banking program
1Password - to keep all the passwords safe...and remembered
Awaken - alarm clock that really uses the Mac's uniqueness
Snapz Pro X - records any movement on the screen...(think instructional videos)
...and a bunch of other programs that have been great and helpful.

The coolest part...and maybe the geekiest part...is that to get free programs and discounts on the already low price, you can complete missions where they send you sleuthing all over the internet solving this pretty intense puzzle...

All of that to say...you know...Mac's are great. I hope you have one. If you don't, I hope you want one. And if you are looking for some efficient programs for your Mac, then check this stuff out over at MacHeist. And if you decide you want to try out this ooey batch of goodness, then you should definitely use me as your referral. Shameless self promotion? (Maybe) Worth it? (Yes)

Onesie

For the longest time I've wanted a nice bathrobe. One resembling a soft towel wrapped in downy freshness. However, several months ago my desires changed to something a little different, in my opinion, something even better. It is also something that you've probably had at one time in your life. It's called a onesie.

Most people consider these only for infants, but I submit that they are not. People across the world, young and old, should have the privilege of wearing something so blissful. Basically what we are talking about here is something that covers you from neck to foot with no room for error. There are front pockets, a zipper for easy entrance, and a trap door just in case you need to do the unthinkable without removing these threads of warmy goodness.

You may recall an episode of Family Guy where Peter goes to the store to buy a new suit and finds a Onesie hanging on the rack instead. He then proceeds to tell the salesman to write down any number on a sheet of paper and Peter will pay that price for that onesie.

I feel the same way.

Now, I submit to you my dream come true.

McGee and Me

I was watching TV with my roommate today and when scrolling through the channels, it just so happened that McGee and Me was on the Trinity Broadcasting Network.

"Sweet," I said to myself. I don't make it a habit of watching TBN, but that sparked my interest, so we parked it there for awhile. My roommate had never experienced the pure genius that is McGee and Me.
"What's it about," he asked?
"Um, well there this kid and he does stuff..." I thought some more, "and he talks to a cartoon character named Magee."
"Oh," he responded. "Sounds awesome."

I brushed off his sarcasm and we watched the last few minutes of an episode called, The Big Lie. In those few minutes, we successfully witnessed a slow motion running scene, a token Native American, and the essential "Feel Good Moment" of the episode. Seeing as how the whole McGee and Me series was the video of choice in my church growing up, it took me back to the good old days of butter cookies and juice boxes. We'd always pop one of those videos in and and watch it whenever the teacher really had nothing else to teach us. Not that our teachers were lazy, but sometimes convenience wins over.

For those that don't know, here's the tagline for McGee and Me:

Welcome to the world of Nicholas, a completely normal kid who finds himself in some not-so-normal situations. Fortunately, Nicholas and his cartoon buddy, McGee, always seem to learn a valuable lesson from their adventures.

Valuable lessons...I do love those. And as far as normal goes...not so sure about how a kid that talks to an imaginary cartoon character ranks on the normal scale...I'd say not very high.

Out of curiousity, I looked around to see what the actor that played Nick in the series was up to. Here's what the McGee and Me website had to say:

The concept of Now and Then pictures make laugh...and second guess, too. So I did a little search for Joe Dammann and his Friendster profile came up the first thing...looks like he doesn't do kids' christian programming anymore, but prefers teaching his niece dirty words.

Mountainsmith

A few years ago I was awakened to the concept of an all-purpose bag. It was my former roommate, the one and only Altmix (now Mr. Altmix), that opened my eyes to this dreamworld. He used to carry this bag (or one like it...I think it was a Tour) with him everywhere and it was so appealing due to the nature of it's simplicity, yet efficiency. The idea that you could have a bag that held everything in an organized manner, looked nice, and was heavenly in the ways of comfort was foreign to me, but that was soon to change. I wanted a Mountainsmith bag, too.

So I surveyed the options and decided on the one that would suit me best, the Cairn II. It was unobtrusive, had plenty of storage space with two large compartments, it had a hydration pack, two inside smaller pouches for pens and coins and such, it had a place for an mp3 player, two pouches for Nalgene like bottles, a place to strap a jacket to the bag, and a hide-away rain jacket for the bag itself. In every situation, this was the bag for me.

I am a youth minister, which means that I usually have a lot of crap that I need to keep with me...books, computer, birth certificates, consent forms, extra water, beenie weenies, firecrackers, music, entertainment, bibles...the works. This bag was perfect in every way. And I used to for everything. If you saw me, more than likely I had this pack with me. It weathered through many a storms due to it's impeccable workmanship and multipurpose use...

The reason I bring this up is because it was stolen back at the beginning of February when my car was broken into. Thus, I have been two months without my bag of many treasures. However, I do have a praise. Today in the mail, I received a new Mountainsmith Cairn II bag from our good friends at MooseJaw. It was hard to track down and I had to get a new color because they don't sell the Cairn II anymore, but nonetheless, I look forward to many memories with my new bag.

May my old Cairn II rest in peace...or pieces...whichever the case may be.

Going to the Restroom

I started substitute teaching again on Tuesday. It's a long term sub, so I'll be there for about 6 weeks while this lady deals with all of her baby shenanigans...apparently, once you have a baby, you are allowed to be lazy for 42 days...I should have a baby...

In the mean time, while I was getting to know the class on Tuesday, one of the students looks at me and says...

"Mr. Bearden, I can go to the baphroom?"
"The what?" I respond.
"The baphroom."
"Can you spell that for me?"
"B-A-F-F-R-O-O-M."
"Well," I nodded, "then absolutely yes, you may go to the bathroom."