Wednesday, September 19, 2007

Apple-based goodness

Earlier this week I made my very first eBay sale. Not that I've set up an account or anything - I did it via Scanner Dave's page, because I only had one thing I wanted to sell: my very first Apple Mac.

Gosh, doesn't that sound like a super new gadget for kids? Sparky's first Mac. Someone call Steve Jobs!

Anyway, it was one of the first blue iBooks - y'know, they ones that were universally derided as looking like either a toilet seat or a handbag. I always thought they looked cool (otherwise I wouldn't have bought one, obviously), but then again I've always been ahead of the curve with this kind of thing. So I listed it the other week, and last Thursday I watched the final minutes of the auction up until it sold for the startlingly high figure of … 42 quid. Hmmm… Quite a good return on the initial cost of £1500 seven years ago, I think you'll agree. OK, don't say anything. Hell, it was never about the money anyway - I'd not used it in ages, so I was just glad to get rid of it, and £42 is better than a kick in the nuts I think you'll agree. Well, some of you, anyway. Maybe not the ladies in the audience, because the only nuts I hope you possess are of the dry-roasted KP variety.

So yeah, it sold, and on Monday some dude who looked like troll-based comedian Bill Bailey came to pick it up. And that's where I bid farew- Holy crap who the hell cares - the iPhone's coming out over here!

YAY!

OK, calm. But this is exciting. They're so sexy, and unlike everyone who's ever issued a restraining order against me, just begging to be touched. I really want one. But I am going to wait a while. It only seems like five minutes since I got my flip-top Kirk-stylee RAZR (which looks soooooooo oooooold now - damn you, constant march of technological progress!), so I shall bide my time. This despite the fact that I got a text from El Deanio today asking if I wanted to join him in queuing outside the Apple Store the day before it's launched. Which, incidently, is the day before my birthday.

*smiles expectantly*

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Well, looks like we've seen the last of our pitiful summer. It's feeling decidedly autumnal at the moment, and I've even started listening to Sufjan Stevens albums in the car, which is a clear sign that we're heading towards winter because they make me feel all cosy and wintery. That and the fact I'm wearing a fine-knit jumper and a jacket when I go out to lunch. Bloody weather. Oh, and I've even started wearing trackie bottoms when I go out running; doubtless my times will suffer, though - there's nothing quite like being chased by the police for public displays of nudity to get you running faster! Rawr!

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I went to see 'Disturbia' after work last night - y'know, the new thriller starring Shia LaBeouf. What the hell kind of name is Shia LaBeouf? Isn't that French for Shia the beef? Shia? Sheer? Thinly-sliced beef!? Good grief. Anyway, it was mildly diverting rather than out-and-out brilliant, mainly because - and this is spoiler free - you know the creepy dude next door is going to be a serial killer despite the fact that all the evidence goes against Thinly-sliced beef's accusations; he's a troubled teen, see, so no one believes him. And it would make a pretty shitty movie if it was just a pleasant old man rather than a psychopath. Although that would be *quite* the unexpected twist, huh?

A couple of things stood out though - I'd recommend that any actor who gets a job opposite Thinly-sliced beef keeps their distance, because that dude spits when he talks, and particularly when he's aggravated (which is often in this movie, because he's a troubled teen). The other thing was that I sat through the entire film thinking that his onscreen mum looked familiar. Turns out it's Carrie-Ann Moss from 'The Matrix.' Holy crap, one thing that's evident to me is that *someone* hasn't maintained their 'Matrix' exercise routine. She's swapped the rubber catsuit for baggy knitwear, and by god she looks old. And she certainly could've saved a lot of hassle toward the end if she'd dropped back into the old "whoa! I know kung-fu!" routine and woo-pah, woo-pah, woop-assed the bad guy rather than gotten banged on the head and fallen over. Seriously, she's only got herself to blame.

20 comments:

Inexplicable DeVice said...

I'm glad I'd already seen Transformers before reading this. I'd never be able to take it seriously if I'd known his name was Thinly-sliced Beef. Ha!

iPhones? Aren't they out of fashion already?

I can say that as I have a new phone!!

Tim said...

I should amend his wikipedia page to reflect his true name…

You. Got. A. New. Phone?! Has it got a longer flex than the last one? How quickly can you dial a number with that rotary thing?

Viva la technological revolution!

Miss Smuggersham said...

I was looking at my lady razor yesterday thinking the same thing.

As for the iPhone, I am going to wait until the market is flooded with cheap knock offs.

Miss Smuggersham said...

Oh, and er, yay! It's your birthday soon!

You'd better be sending out invites again - and this time we can cut and paste photos into your party!

Tara said...

So...when is your birthday again? I need to make you a cyber cake for my blog!

You had me cracking up with the Shia Le Beef thing, and I was still at work, so I was laughing in my office...out loud..and all by myself. Good times. Anyway, did you ever see "Constantine"? Shia Le Beef was in that movie, he was Keanu's assistant.

Tim said...

T-Bird - I think there already are loads of cheap-o knock-offs. Failing that, just draw on on a piece of card and glue it to your phone, then walk around saying "gosh, I do *love* my iPhone - it's awesome!"

Tara - It's still a ways away from my birthday - it's the day after the iPhone launch here (which is November 9th)!

God, I remember The Beef in Constantine!!!!! I'd completely forgotten!

Dinah said...

Shia means "thank god" in some language, so his name means "Thank god for the beef!" (I read that in one of those celeb mags).

Tim, you were exactly what I thought of when I saw the UK iPhone was being released!

$42 (or pounds, because I can't find a pound sign) is better than a kick in the nuts, but $41 is not. That's just they way it is.

Tim said...

We should have t-shirts made up that say "Thank god for the beef!"

Isn't it exciting about the iPhone!? Well, for us Britlanders anyway. I hope I'll be able to hold out until March before picking one up. What's the betting I cave and get one sooner?!

$41 would just be an insult. Mainly because of the current exchange rate. Woo-pah!

Miss Smuggersham said...

Why, now that you mention it, my iphone *is* awesome!

Tim said...

I'd expect nothing less, T-Bird!

WillowC said...

Did you know Bill Bailey lives on the walk from the offices to the bus station? I used to see him every few days, walking an unusually woolly small dog. He's quite tall.

Tim said...

Yes, I spotted him just the other day, struggling to load some stuff into the roof-box of his big 4x4!

Miss Smuggersham said...

BILL BAILEY?? Can you get a stalkerish iphone picture of him to post. I love Bill Bailey. Pleeeeaaaase get a picture of him!

Tim said...

REALLY!? He looks like Gollum!

Inexplicable DeVice said...

YOU! (still ranting from Monday's post) That gumby who I moaned about a couple of days ago – him who lumped past my desk and bellowed HELLO – has got a ‘special’ chair. It’s got a head rest. I mean, why? In case he pulls himself in to his desk too quickly and suffers whiplash?

And YOU! Guy sitting next to me. SHUT. UP. Aaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhh!!!

Inexplicable DeVice said...

P.S. OK, so my new phone isn't exactly 'new'. It's my sister's old one. One of those flowery, swirly NOKIA ones. But, it works, has a camera and loads of crap on it that I don't want. Yay!

Tim said...

You're ranting quite a lot. Maybe you need some prozac or something?

CALM!

As for your phone - that sounds awesome! Welcome to 2002!

Miss Smuggersham said...

I didn't mean I want to shag Bill Bailey. He's funny and I associate him Simon Pegg, who is actually very shaggable.

So can you? Get a photo of him, I mean. Not shag him. Well, you could if you wanted to, but you'd have to blog about it.

missyandchrissy said...

i second the t-shirt idea!

Tim said...

T-shirts for all!