My current work project has required some long days as each sample can take unattended hours to test.  I came in at around 4 AM, did a sample, setup up a new one, and drove to Best Buy to have my car stereo repaired.  The person who took my keys looked more likely to jack car stereos than repair them but there appeared to be cameras about I needed to admire his consistency when asking me questions:

Agent: What’s the problem with the radio?
Me: A few things, for one it’s fugly.  Also, the iPod connector doesn’t seem to work.
Agent: What is?
Me: The install, I really suck at this.
Agent: You did this yourself?
Me: Yea, any professional should have probably just slit their wrists if that were the quality of their install.
Agent: What do you mean?
Me: Well, there were wires, of various colors that had words written on them like “To Brake Cable” and “To Battery” and not seeing directions on what to do with them, I bunched them up and rammed them behind the head unit.
Agent: Ok.  Let me look.
*Minutes later*
Agent: Sir, this make a while.

I promptly fell asleep in the waiting room and at some point I recall waking to a kid saying “he sounds like daddy”.

Agent: Sir, I believe I updated your install.  Here the video display now works when parked.  You can adjust the date, and the battery display info is now also available.
Me: What about the iPod connector?
Agent: I’m not sure, just in case I wrapped it with electrical tape.
Me: Is there a shock hazard or something?
Agent: No, the grey plastic looks ugly.

Thank you, tattoo, nose-ring, and beard-having scruffy Geek Squad Man, you’ve made Wanda sound grand.

 

My netbook has become my most common computer when I’m out.  The combination of reasonable speed, access to a proper office suite, and looooong battery life is wonderful when combined with ubiquitous wifi or my MiFi so I thought I’d get a case that could hold it, a book, and a notebook (sometimes I just want to scrawl out something).  I did some searching and found this.

USB bag? Awesome.

So apparently the bag either includes or uses a USB corded optical mouse.  Sweet.

I hate Black Friday.  It violates the sacred ideal of cooperation that applies to all non-cr4ck3r nerd (fuck (|24(|< 3|25).  It pits nerd vs. nerd in a pre-dawn bum rush.  Today, I arrived at Best Buy at 4 AM and saw few parking spots.  Frown.  I then saw the folks at the front of the line appeared not have shaved in a few days.  A nerd norm, but when I saw the same unshavenness 70 people back, I knew I would not get the unnecessarily discounted DVD player I sought.  Frown.  I went hope and bummed around on the internet and on eBay saw the DVD player I looked for being sold by USADVD4L3SS, and at a net price about the same as Best Buy.  Smile.