RandomFailure

Following on the previous entry, I’ve started to set the new computer up (which was insanely easy), and now I’m just messing around with the iPod, which is still charging at the moment.

Haven’t even hooked up the printer or installed any of the new software yet. Took a little while to get the cable modem working, but once that was solved, everything’s been going smoothly. Imported my previously ripped MP3s. Imported all my old mail (sadly, had to go through and manually delete all the stuff I thought I had already deleted). But the address book could not be imported, so that will need to be completed manually (apologies to anyone’s e-mail address that I mangle). The wireless keyboard is really cool and compact. The wireless optical mouse is taking some getting used to, but I think that’s more of a factor of the screen resolution than anything else.

As for the computer itself, it’s a lot heavier than it looks. The base is solid metal and quite heavy. I’m determined to hold off my inner geek and not open the computer unless it’s absolutely necessary. Which it shouldn’t be, since the Bluetooth (to run the wireless keyboard and mouse) is working and the additional RAM was installed direct. The sound from the down-firing speakers is good, and the volume controls on the keyboard is a big help, so I don’t wake the neighbors now.

Well, according to the FedEx Web site, my new computer was supposedly delivered to my apartment building this morning. I was tempted to zip home during lunch (which I’m wrapping up right now), but I knew that if I left, I wouldn’t come back to the office. I imagine I’ll be up rather late this evening playing around with the new computer. OK, maybe “playing” isn’t the correct term. More like setting up, installing software, and loading music onto the iPod.

Due to the illness of some guy I’ve never met (thanks, Ben!), I was racing as part of a team yesterday for the Parkway Run for children’s cancer research. I didn’t have my best race ever at 5K (about 19:30), but the team I was on won it’s division. The prize: lunch for five (there being five on a team, that’s nice and logical) at the Four Seasons. Sweet! Now all we have to do is coordinate the schedules of five people who work all over the city of Philadelphia. And if we really want to try to make things difficult, we’ll include the women’s team who won, also from the same running group. (That’s Philly Runners, in case you need to know.)

Thanks to the miracle of online package tracking, I’m able to follow the progress of my new computer as it slowly, very slowly, wends its way to me. According to today’s check of the FedEx Web site, my computer left Shanghai, China on September 23, and is due to arrive here in Philadelphia on October 11. That’s slow. Too slow for me. Maybe I should’ve sprung for the faster shipping.

Yes, the day I’ve been waiting over three weeks for has finally arrived. My new computer is supposed to be shipping out from Apple today. At least, that’s what their e-mail said. Depending on how long FedEx ground shipping takes (my guess is around a week), the computer could arrive just in time to cause me to be distracted during my outing next Friday night (not sure yet if it qualifies as a date, though).

Yesterday was the Philadelphia Distance Run. And what a great day for racing it was. Bright blue, sunny skies with temperature at race time in the mid-50′s with low humidity (OK, it was low for Philadelphia, which made it excellent running weather). Almost had a course change due to flooding caused by the remnants of Hurricane Ivan. But Mother Nature happily intervened, and we had the original course, with a short stretch (maybe a quarter mile) of a thin layer of mud on the road.

I was very pleased with my performance (1:31:40), which was a about a minute or so off my PR, but a good time nonetheless. Still short of that elusive 1:30:00 goal though. Maybe next year…

And I need to thank Russ and Sian for helping me through the first 9.5 miles or so (I hope I didn’t slow you down too much). The splits went like this:

Yes, I missed the Mile 1 and Mile 3 splits. Russ, if you have them, please let me know.

It’s that little search bar doo-hickey at the top of the page. Go ahead, you can look at it. The interesting thing about it is the “Next Blog” button. But don’t click on it yet! If you haven’t ignored my plea and are still here, it’s interesting because it’s a random jump to some other blog out there. Neat until I run across the ones that aren’t in English. Also sad in that after a few clicks this evening, I saw a blog with a template just like this one, but that’s what I get for using a default template.

OK. You’re free to roam the blogsphere now. Or is it blogosphere? Click away!

No, I’m not referring to the local baseball team. I could be referring to my own stupidity, without which the post would have been up some time ago, but I stupidly clicked the “close tab” area on my browser instead of the “Hide Preview” link on my composing window. Grrr!!!

Anyway, I really wanted to mention the Wireless Philadelphia initiative, which is intended to blanket Philadelphia with a WiFi network. The briefing provides you with the necessary PR-type fluff. I have two issues with this idea.

First, the network is to be “based upon the current WiFi 802.11b standards.” In case you don’t know, the “b” standard is the slower of the two standards currently available. The “g” standard provides faster access speeds, and can ratchet down to the lower speeds if needed. So already, this is off to a bad start.

Second, while this is intended to be a “public/private partnership,” the city could be enticing investment in the city’s piss-poor school system or recreational facilities, some of which were closed over the summer (mostly pools) so the city could meet its state-mandated balanced budget (the city almost went bankrupt in the early 1990′s and now has external budget oversight).

My take is that this is more BS, like the “Real World.” You know, take one small example, make it look really nice, and maybe nobody will notice the grit, grime, and corruption behind the scenes. (And for you big-time cynics, the Ron White Death Watch has begun. See this column from The Inquirer for more.)

See the picture first, then my caption.

The crowd is chanting “Four more years!” In case you can’t tell from the size of the picture (sorry, that’s all I could steal), Dubya’s holding up three fingers, and Laura is holding up five.

• I hope all of you in the Philadelphia area looked up at the sky at some point today, to appreciate the lovely blue hue. I call that color a “Colorado blue sky,” because the sky is that color almost every day in Colorado.
• Watched Joey on NBC last night. OK, but not as good as it could be, if they imported some of the Friends writing staff along with them.
• In speaking of TV, advance notice: the new season (season #3) of The Wire starts on HBO on September 19. If you haven’t yet checked this show out, do yourself a favor and watch it. It does require a time commitment on your part (i.e., you need to be willing to let the story unfold on you over the 12 episodes), but if it’s as good as the first two seasons, you will be well-rewarded with one of the best shows on TV.