New machine

As a result of the computer-related fiasco of last week, I have now made, let's see, I guess just three, but it feels like more, trips to the Apple store, where the hiring criteria seem to be: are you male? are you white? are you thirty-five or under? These worker bees in navy blue T-shirts buzz around you, attending to you every need, and if you don't have any need, they'll help you manufacture one, so that suddenly a repair turns into a $600 purchase turns into an $850 one. (I so did NOT buy the cherry-colored iPod I coveted, just for the record.) Turns out that Old Faithful was completely fried, it would have cost my firstborn just to get it up and running again, and therefore (we're SO SORRY to inform you) it REALLY would be much more prudent to just BUY A NEW COMPUTER -- FROM US! So, tax refund, come to me quickly, because I have already shelled out a healthy piece of your bulk on a Mac Mini, plus 3 years of AppleCare.
It's sitting on my desk, right now, up and running and being used by ... my husband. I hear it's really fast and positively delightful in every way. :-)
Oh, and get this: they gave me back my old computer, and when I inquired as to whose responsibility it was, theirs or mine, to recycle the thing, the guy at the desk (just for the record, his T-shirt did NOT say "Genius") actually said the following to me: "Well, whenever I get rid of my old computers, I just throw them into the dumpster." OK mister, guess what? It looks like the next customer in your queue is ... Al Gore! And he has a little slideshow to show you! Take it away, Al!