However, after I was unable to copy last week’s Mad Men to the Powerbook so we could watch it, she capitulated and we looked at the budget. The Apple educational discount an free iPod Nano (to replace her first-gen iPod Mini) sealed the deal.

We carpooled from work to the Towson Mall Apple store and I tried to flag down one of the LightBlueShirts to make my purchase while she went off in search of pretty clothing things. What a mad house! Luckily, I was able to grab one guy and shouted “Dibs!”. (That doesn’t sounds very good, does it?) I had already printed out a list of what I wanted; Macbook Black with stock configuration with AppleCare, and a silver 8GB iPod Nano. I had my proof of student status printed and handed that to him too. I waited for almost a half-hour to get service and was out of there within five minutes once I was served.

I met back up with Mandie and we went off to dinner at Bahama Breeze. If there’s one of these near you, go.

During dinner, we talked about what any couple would; what’s the next DVD on the Netflix queue? We settled on “The Other Boleyn Girl” and “Match Point.” When I pointed out that both of these movies had Scarlett Johansson, she joked and asked, “So, is she your ‘one off’?” I thought about it and, while I wold say she’s in the running, I told her my “one off” would have to be Summer Glau. I joked and asked if hers was Nathan Fillion, to which she blushed and said either him or David Tennant. I agreed that I could also go for Billie Piper if Summer weren’t available.

So, that’s the true measure of a geek couple. We keep our “one offs” to the same Sci-Fi series. Heaven help us if there’s a Sci-Fi convention in Baltimore and those four show up.

Anyhow, I was having lunch with my Director this week, to discuss the status of a long-running project I’m leading as well as some “where do you want to go from here” stuff. Our usual lunch place is P.F. Chang’s because it’s close. I tell her I’m absolutely not interested in a job that has opened up in a sub-group of our group, which everyone seems to assume I’m destined for. Even though I’m working on a sub-committee related to it and the new supervisor of the group is chomping at the bit to have me. It would be a parallel move and I simply have no interest in the work or working for her.

Anyhow, as we wrap things up, the ubiquitous fortune cookies are delivered. I absentmindedly unwrap one and crack it open. Reading the slip of paper, I nearly choked.

New and rewarding opportunities will soon develop for you.

The last two times I got a similar fortune, I changed companies and made huge strides in my career.

Needless to say, I didn’t share my fortune. I took it back and taped it to my screen at work instead.

I’m actually posting this from Rocks State Park, waiting for a bug Taekwondo kids group to wrap up their exploration if the King and Queen’s Seat before I try to get some shots.

It feels good to be out in the Great Outdoors again. Can’t wait for my hiking stick/tripod to be delivered.

Here are my number one wishe for “smart” spell checking:

Slow Spacing Detection

I’m a fast and sloppy typist. I took typing (on a mechanical typewriter, no less) in high school. I know the proper form, but I tend to drag or overstrike. For example, I often seem to tag the first letter of my next work onto the end of the previous word. Something like “The quickb rown fox jumped over the lazyd og.” You, as a reader with what I’m assuming is more than ample intelligence can get what I mean there. Microsoft Word’s Spell checker is lazier than the darned dog. Here’s what I get when I hit the trusty F7 and accept the first suggested recommendations, “The quick rowan fox jumped over the lazy go.” How difficult would it be, honestly, for spell check to detect an unknown word and look to to the right or left to see if moving a space would correct it? I can’t be the only person who doest his. (There! I did it again!)

You would have thought Google would have figured this out.

A woman in Arkansas was given a state-issued motor vehicle tag with the letters “NGR” on it. She complained. CNN found out and made a big deal out of it.

Frankly, I don’t understand what’s so offensive about the abbreviation of No Gag Reflex, my former domain name. Perhaps she doesn’t like Ninjas and BBQ?

App store apps are so smooth to install and I have thoroughly enjoyed whipping out my “iSaber” while standing in the men’s room.

I am currently authoring this post using the new WordPress iPhone app, which is so much easier to use than the web interface in Safari. I can’t wait for a more fully functional audio recorder and podcasting app. Who knows? I may resurrect Thinking and Driving.

Everyone keeps asking me if I’m going to get an iPhone 3G. I can honestly say there’s very little reason why I would. For one thing, my iPhone is unlocked and I’m using it on T-Mobile. I think that would be very difficult to do any time soon with the iPhone 3G. Second, I use the data connection ever so rarely and for small needs, so there’s no real reason why I would need 3G speeds. And C, I’m still paying off the first iPhone.

iPhone 3G: Going Going Gone

I just got back from a week vaca’. . . .err. . . work conference in Las Vegas, Nevada.

To be honest, it was a lot of work. I got out to the strip once. Photos enclosed.

It was a good time. Far too long. I’m still recovering from the jet lag. Craps is fun, but only when you’re winning.

Beer pairings: Magic Hat #6 for the fruity compliment to the spinach and strawberry salad. To balance out the spiciness of the soup, a bottle of Pacifico Clara.

For dessert, Mandie baked some fresh peanut butter cookies. We just got a Kitchen-Aid stand mixer and have been baking like crazy lately.

More photos after the jump.