The Death of a Disco Dancer
May 26th, 2005What a day. And I wasn’t the one being interviewed by a major network’s morning show (name withheld at insistence of publisher’s lawyer).
I’ll let Heather talk about her day. God bless her for being “on” for 9 hours. But for me, the whole day was spent at work wondering if everything was ok (it was, but Heather was frazzled). Heather had unplugged the phone so Leta could sleep and she could be interviewed. I called the babysitter to see if she had heard from Heather and what the state of things were at home. Heather does not believe in having a cell phone, so I had to resort to a status report from the babysitter. God help us if there is a catastrophe. Yes, having a network TV crew in your house constitutes a catastrophe, but maybe not one in the biblical realm.
I arrived home from work early and was immediately in the hot seat. I had a mic wired up and was answering some intense questions. I don’t do TV so good. I tried to remember the advice that so many had given to Heather: Sit up straight. Talk in sound bites. Don’t swear. Don’t answer questions that make you uncomfortable. Anyone who has had more than 38 seconds of conversation with me knows that I don’t do “professional” well. I’m wordy and nervous talky and like to go off on tangents and use my hands. Plus, I look off into space as if I’m searching for just the right intellectual bullshit to spew. It’s embarassing.
Hopefully all of my stuff will end up on the editing room floor.
On top of the craziness of this day, Heather’s three-year old iBook decided, mid-interview and mid-over the shoulder camera shot, to die. The computer still works, but the video portion does not. Heather looked at me as though I had to pull every bit of tech ninja mastery to rescue her hard drive once the crew left or else I’d be missing one gonad. They were stoked because they’d get some shots on the auxilliary upstairs computer and thank God for that.
I’m copying the iBook’s hard drive as I write, via FireWire™. Pain. FYI, Heather has nearly 80,000 emails on her iBook. If she doesn’t reply to your email, BACK OFF. 80,000 people. 80k. On a three year old iBook.
I’m a little ripped on Pinot Noir (because after watching Sideways, somebody won’t buy Merlot any more) and wondering what our next iBook steps will be. I’m going to call Apple after this entry is published and see if we can’t qualify for the logic board swap program…
The TV crew were very nice, I have to say. Once we know if/when the piece will air, I’m sure there will be celebratory postings and more Pinot for all. And then we’ll feel ever so whorey and I’ll be super faggy about how I looked on camera and it will be an embarassment both to my psyche and to the the family. Chuck will lecture me about “owning” my maleness and not being a “pussy”. I’ll welcome this. o
May 26th, 2005 at 9:15 pm
Wow. Sounds like quite a day.
And I bypass the Merlot since watching Sideways, too.
May 26th, 2005 at 9:18 pm
You’d better hope your iBook doesn’t have a nick anywhere on it, or they could very well accuse you of dropping it. That’s what they did to me anyway, even though it was clearly demonstrating the problems described under the logic board exchange program. I have NOT had good iBook luck!
May 26th, 2005 at 9:19 pm
I’ve had nothing but bad luck with Apple support. Most recently I got stuck waiting for 3 weeks on a logic board replacement for my powerbook. It took 1 week to figure out what was wrong, 2 weeks to get a logic board ordered and 1 hour to replace it.
May 26th, 2005 at 9:22 pm
Go for the logic board swap. Mine did the same thing. It sucked, for all intents and purposes.
There ain’t nothin’ wrong with Merlot. But then again, I haven’t seen Sideways.
May 26th, 2005 at 9:58 pm
My iBook suffered the same fate, but I had no problems getting the logic board replaced. And there were celebrations all round when I found out it would get done for free - I was imagining an insanely expensive fix after fearlessly sailing past my warranty period.
Seen Sideways. Still on Merlot.
May 26th, 2005 at 10:07 pm
I love reading this blog as well as Heather’s, but please, don’t tell me you changed your drinking habits based on Sideways.
Please… I’m begging you.
May 26th, 2005 at 10:33 pm
Publisher. Network TV. Man, I’ve been smelling a Dooce book for a while, even though there’s been only oblique mentions. Good for both of you. Fingers crossed to see something more soon! Don’t forget the little people when you get all famous & rich and luxe life, but for god’s sake, if you let Leta start partying with Paris Hilton, I am so unbookmarking you. Besides. Chuck doesn’t fit in a purse.
May 26th, 2005 at 10:40 pm
yeah, my iBook had to have the logic board replaced four times before Apple decided they’d give me a replacement iBook. They were pretty mean to me… or rather, the last guy I dealt with was. They really should just say OOOPS, we messed up, here, sorry!
May 26th, 2005 at 10:50 pm
You own it, John; that dog’s got some sense.
“If they order f#@$ing merlot, I AM LEAVING!”
May 26th, 2005 at 11:08 pm
The iBook logic board repair program is a cinch. I sent mine in and had it back in three days. Good as new. But it was still an old iBook. Still is, actually.
The best part about the logic board repair program are the parties you can throw once you get your iBook back. I had a party when I got mine back. We all danced and drank in celebration of my iBook’s health. I bet there is some dancing and/or drinking in your future if you send your iBook away soon.
May 26th, 2005 at 11:30 pm
it must be in the air
sideways was on our dvd last night and tonight was a Sanford 2001 Pinot Noir night…mmmmm, tasty…
no more merlot for me…but only because of the tannins
May 26th, 2005 at 11:41 pm
I read that Merlot sales have actually dropped precipitously since that movie came out.
I’ll be excited to see you guys on TV, so let us know if you’ll be on so we can watch it!
May 26th, 2005 at 11:48 pm
TV? What Show? Where? CAble? Local? News? West Coast feed? Can I see u in the Midwest (aka Chicago)? Best 2 u three (plus Chuck).
May 27th, 2005 at 2:02 am
our ibook’s logic board died 5 times. apple repaired it free every time and after the 5th they gave us a new (and also new model) ibook.
May 27th, 2005 at 2:56 am
Awwwww whatever show it is I won’t be able to see it, being in the UK
They better put it online or I’ll sulk…
May 27th, 2005 at 4:41 am
heh..
May 27th, 2005 at 5:49 am
My iBook has had two of said boards replaced - nicely done in fact - thank God for Firewire mode at these times. What a fucking day, for both of you. How’s Chuck?
May 27th, 2005 at 6:12 am
Just wanted to chime in with my GOOD iBook/Logic Board/Apple Support Story: Yeah, so my iBook freaked out, the video died, we copied hard drive via Fire Wire (a long process, yes, but I was too busy hyperventilating at the prospect of being without a laptop- a compact stylish link to the INTERNET- to notice or care), called Apple Support, was told to take to Apple Store, within one week of the incident, I had my iBook back in working order.
May 27th, 2005 at 6:14 am
I got SO JACKED UP off wine while watching that movie. Like I drank a whole big bottle, not a regulat aize bottle.
Which lead to a nice 4 am puking off the porch session. Good thing everyone ELSE was asleep. I was so drunk I swigged the last of the wine from the bottle…didn’t even know it….and put back the empty bottle.
Good times, good times. The whole morning TV thing is EXCITING!!!!(sing songy voice)
May 27th, 2005 at 6:59 am
It’s astounding that sales of a particular type of wine have dropped based on one line from a movie.
And I don’t think that one outburst was ever justified at any other point in the film. So sheeple started avoiding merlot and they don’t even know why.
Out-fucking-rageous.
May 27th, 2005 at 7:05 am
The only reason that guy doesnt drink Merlot is b/c his ex-wife gave him a v v fine bottle of Merlot as an anniversary gift, so hes traumatized off of it. Merlot sales have dropped by 30% over a line that has absolutely nothing to do w/ the quality of the wine. Everyone thinks they are wine experts now, pfft.
May 27th, 2005 at 7:08 am
can’t wait to see. I hope it’s the Today show.
My logic board died FOUR TIMES. I hope it’s a one and done thing for your ‘baby’. The “good news” is that I got a new (better) ibook when it died the 4th time.
May 27th, 2005 at 7:21 am
I’m voting for you guys to be interviewed on The Daily Show. Because Armstrong Family + Jon Stewart = awesome television moment.
May 27th, 2005 at 7:23 am
People. We still drink Merlot.
Ahhhh, sarcasm. Breathe. Breath with me, people. Breathe like your life depends on it.
May 27th, 2005 at 7:32 am
Um yeah, did you really need Sideways to turn you onto Pinot Noir and off of Merlot? I was so there, like, years ago…
Sorry, I couldn’t resist.