Sticks and stones can break my bones...
but whips and chains excite me.

Actually, General Grant says ...but Jah-Jah never leaves us alone, which is true, but I thought this might be funnier. In any event, greetings from da Kat unda da Kangol cap! I've been meandering a bit this past week about life in general, and have come to the conclusion that I need to be occupied. Sitting around doing nothing only rottens my brain...

Other than that, some more thoughts for the week that I'll share...

The new iPods, after extensive observations (a.k.a., frequent trips to J & R), will get a 9 out of 10 from me. While Apple kept the original formula of simplicity and elegance intact, they did add in some cool new features. The backlit screen now has a touch of blue (yay!), and even the buttons (which are even lighter than feather touch controls) light up! The docking feature reminiscent of PDA's is quite impressive. And though slightly taller, the iPods make up for it in thickness. Did I mention that it actually includes a remote that works!?!?
As with the old iPods, the new ones can store names, addresses, numbers, even notes! A nice addition to those features are two new games, solitaire and parachute, more classics added to bricks. There is even a way to record on to the iPod (if only but for a few seconds; I'll post up the info for that later); and the new iPods play mp3, wma, aiff, and AAC files; which are most commonly found now from iTunes music store downloads, and allow an iPod to have more than 7500 songs on the 30GB hard drive.
So, what's not to like about the new iPods?? Well, the price is still too high; though when I take into effect that I'm now paying $2 instead of $1.50 to use public transportation one-way, $500 for 30GB of music ain't that bad. Despite the fact that there is a way to record onto the iPod, the feature doesn't, yet should, come in standard. While Apple, or Belkin, has plans to release a battery pack for the new models (you see, someone's been reading my blogspot, someone's been reading my blogspot...), there are still no plans for a radio. The new buttons are great, but can take a while to get used to; and that's putting it mildly. And what's worse, the expected battery life has dropped to 8 hours; so everyday, I'll be charging this thing (when I get it, of course.)
Bottom Line: The new iPods are worth the investment, as they've always been; either as a second one (with the old iPods used as backups), or as a first time iPoder, becoming a part of 21st century popular culture. Once you get past the small stuff, you'll be rocking away too!
Pros: Simple and elegant design; much thinner than older models; light-up buttons; extra games; more diverse in terms of music formats; better remote control.
Cons: New controls can be quite cumbersome at times; still no standard line in recording; no radio; less battery power.
Grade: 9 out of 10.

Ah, the unveiling of the new iPods at the SoHo store was fantastic! Even though I wasn't there at 6PM on the dot, I got to meet new friends, and together we ooed and aahed at everything we saw. There was a live DJ, and even a musical performance by a Long Island group named Glassjaw, which I thought was very cool. But waiting outside the store was just like waiting for Coldplay tickets; we hid from the rain, ran from the rain, reminisced about our iPod experiences, consoled the pissed off people who bought their old iPods weeks (and days) prior to the announcement of the new models, and we chilled together within the time frame of about 30 minutes. I even met a guy who works for Techknowsphere, who could've very well helped Tavie with her iBook screen and ethernet port problem. Talk about iPoders of the city, unite!!!, this was even better. But one highlight of that night: someone's girlfriend was waiting for her man so she can get inside the Apple Store and see what's up. The problem: he's inside already, and she has to wait on the incredibly-long-ass-line to get inside. Attempting to phone the guy to let him know of the situation, I tried to call her attention. She looked so sweet as I gave her permission to look like we were together and cut in line. As to why I did that (and I was asked that question), I gave three reasons. First, it was the gentleman-thing to do. Second, she was very cute. And most importantly...
She had an umbrella. A very crucial element in keeping dry en route to the festivities.

As I attempt to draw this computer discussion to a close, I must say two more things. First, my current 10GB iPod turns five months old next week; it's alive and kicking still, with 1666 songs, and 1.7GB of space left. I intend on getting a new mini-audio system so I can connect the iPod for the total musical experience; the experience you can only get at home, of course. Anyone who knows a good brand for mini-audio system can drop a line; all feedback is appreciated.
Second, I must commend Apple for its new iTunes Music Service. This can only get 9 out of 10 from me though, because while I enjoy the fact I can download any song $1 a piece, and the fact there is an extensive library to choose from, I still am confronted with a very typical problem: acquiring songs not available in their library. Songs from Dan Siegel, Everette Harp, and Jennifer Warnes, to name a new artists, are still hard to come by. So I hope that in time, that problem can be corrected. Other than that, the only thing Apple is getting from me is two more dollars, for David Benoit's The Key To You, and David Sanborn's Lesley Ann.

Moving along, I B'ed the Intermediate Macroeconomics exam last Tuesday, and all's well in da crib. But no time to rest; while Veesha is enjoying summer break now, I take 2 finals in one day, and 3 in another day. Imagine it; 3 final exams, back to back to back. But not to worry, there's a storm brewing; God's sending some more blessings down my way...
While I'm on the subject, I may as well address my feelings toward Vee's current situation. I must say that I do agree with taking some time off, especially if you're stressed out. Though I've never went through this problem myself, I know that it is beneficial. It can also be harmful if you don't know your way back into the swing of things; but for someone like Vee, I never see that being a problem. But for now, just take care of you, and as Sizzla says,live right.

Nice to finally hear from Mikey once more, whose comments of "keep runnin man, the marathon's almost over" were very encouraging. As to his circumstances (which are typical of dormitories and roommates), it's kinda hard to decide. I for one might ask them about it, just to see their reaction; let them know that I'm on the lookout, and catch them in the act should they be responsible. I know someone who went through a similar circumstance; and he ended up moving out of the dorm completely because of it. I guess that's one major flaw in being in a dorm. All I can really say is, put them in God's hands; as he deals with them if they're in fact responsible, you should be cautious with your stuff.

I'll post some more a little bit later. Right now, I'm sobbing over the death of a possible relationship, while still trying to finish my accounting homework...