good news, finally?
I am tired of all the complaining. I am tired of the critisism of everything that exists and has ever existed. I am tired of bad news. I am tired of scams and wasted money. I am tired of bad news. I want to start a cable news channel, or at least a show, dedicated to good news. The Good News network will only talk about grea things that happen each day. Now, I don’t have any good news from today to share, but I have decided that I can immediately start by talking about some of the things I own that I LOVE. Mitchell started a post about brand name products one time that started to pick up steam, but I thought maybe we could make a better go of it here. So here goes:
I LOVE:
OS X: It has finally gotten to the point where I can say that everything I do in computing is better on my Mac. Sure, no software is perfect, but Apple’s attention to detail is impeccable. I don’t even have OS 9.anything installed anymore. That’s right, no classic mode, no dual boot, nothing. Every task I need to do from pixel people, to web development, to Flash, to photo editing, I do better on the Mac. Witold summed it up recently best when he told me that his father, living in Germany, has been running OS 9 for 3 years now on a Bondi Blue iMac, and has been frustrated everyday. He sat and thought about all the ways his computer could be better. Now he runs OS X on the same iMac (G3 400mhz) and thinks about how people smarter than him sat and really thought about this system. Maybe Wit can elaborate in a comment somewhere. Speaking of well thought out computing…
iTunes: has seriously changed the way I think about, organize, and purchase music. My entire musical life is now completely different, better, and more complete. The second I realize I am missing an album from a favorite artist, I can go and buy it, instantly. If I am missing a new single I like, I can buy it, (or download it (using great Gnutella software Acquisition)). Anyway, it’s awesome, and I expect Apple’s stock to jump 30% when it comes out for Windows in November I think… But, what would this wonderful collection of music be if I couldn’t carry it around with me on my next love…
30 GB iPod: This thing is lifestyle changing. I swear. If you don’t own one, you don’t really know. Think about though – it’s actually a little bit mind blowing. I carry around with me, at all times (in my pocket, in my car, on my bike, at the gym, at my desk at work, in my room at night, and on my computer) every song I have every liked in my whole life. Stop for a second and think about that. Every song you’ve ever liked with you at all times. I currently have about 15 GB of music which is only half of the capacity. I can’t even imagine filling this thing. If you love music, the iPod will seriously change the way you do things. Recently I saw a large sloppy guy on the subway. By sloppy, I mean he was pretty much unbathed, dressed sloppily, and messily over weight, like 350lbs or so. Anyway, he definitely loved his music. He had huge headphones on, like full DJ headphones, and was listening to a bulky Sony CD walkman, the rounded off, athletic model that is about 50 times bigger than it has to be so it contours to your hand while you jog. I never understood that, and this guy never, ever jogs. So, around his wrist he had a huge, canvas CD case, the kind from case logic that holds at least 50 CDs. He was standing there, and trying to balance, and trying to open the CD case and find a new CD. He got one, and rested it sort of on his belly, and opened his CD player and removed the old CD and replaced it with the new one, and you get the picture… I just pulled my iPod out of my pocket and switched to the most random song I could think of, “Dream Boy, Dream Girl” by Cynthia and Johnny O. And I smiled to myself.
Laptops with wireless internet: I love my Powerbook and I love OS X, but that isn’t the point here. I also have a Thinkpad, and was forced to use it for months when my Powerbook harddrive went bad. In any case, the point it that wireless laptopping changed the way I do computer stuff at home. My desk has become a storage facility for random computer parts, and the living room floor and a crumpled pillow have become my office. I surf the web and make pixel art all while never missing a word of the West Wing. I just lay on the floor and use a computer more like a channel surfed TV than ever before. DVD and VHS porn is a thing of the past. Running from room to room to catch the latest murder on The Shield is a thing of the past. Laptops have also made significant progress in the price to performance ratio that desktops have been accomplishing for years. You can seriously get a laptop capable of doing everything you need it to do (except maybe play the latest PC games) for a little more than a thousand bucks. That is not bad at all.
My Ecco Gortex boots: These are seriously the best pair of shoes I have ever owned. Unfortunately, I can’t find them online for you to see, so I guess maybe they are not available anymore. Warm, dry, waterproof, cool (yes, warm and cool at the same time) and lighter than you can believe. For about $140, you really can’t go wrong with this perfect footwear. I also have a pair of walking shoes from Ecco, Ecco Receptors. They are also great shoes. I highly recommend this company.
My narrow profile Eddie Bauer backpack: This is one seriously well-thought-out pack. Some people might know that I am a backpack whore, but this pack has really kept me content for a few months now. Just the right size and shape, just the right amount of internal and external pockets, expandability, easy access pockets, more secure pockets, elastic mesh pockets, nearly waterproof, and really cool looking. I found it by accident on my last fishing trip, and it was really cheap and has proven to be a great purchase. Actually, I also got this great windbreaker(they don’t sell it anymore) there as well, and the combo purchase is one of the best I ever made. If my camera wasn’t broken and being repaired, I’d take a picture of it for you Which brings me to:
Pentax Optio S: Wow. What a friggin camera. I absolutely love it, despite its obvious delicate construction. This camera fits in a Altoids can, weighs less than my shitty cellphone, has a 3x optical zoom, 3.2 megapixels, and takes really good pictures. I love it. It’s been away being repaired for over a month, but I can’t complain because they are fixing it for free. But I miss the little bugger, and I miss taking pictures. I may break the Lomo out this week to get my photo fix. If I had to buy a new camera again today, I’d get the Optio S again. Great camera. Now only $326. What a value too!
Lomo LC-A: I have talked about this genius little point and shoot before, and there’s a section in my Photo area dedicated to it. There are some fanatical users out there with a site dedicated to it. I have a homepage there. Anyway, it takes great, styley pictures (especially in low-light environments), super saturated, especially after some creative photoshopping, very simple to use, sturdy (which is obviously important) and kind of cool. I highly recommend this camera. The link above is to the $170 Amazon version, but I got a real Russian version on eBay for about $80.
George Foreman Grill: This thing is totally legit (unlike the Perfect Pancake maker – “you flip…and they flop”). I can cook a piece of sea bass or striped bass or tuna, better on this plug-in grill than in any other device , pot or grill. I can cook a frozen Cosco chicken breast in 7 minutes, perfectly, without defrosting. Even steak comes great. Now I have a realy grill out back, but in the winter, or when you’re feeling lazy, or when you are out gas, you can’t beat George’s machine. If you don’t have a George Foreman, get one.
These Beech wood fiber Jersey Knit sheets from Bed, Bath and Beyond: are outrageous. They feel cooler and smoother than silk. They are comfortable, soft, durable, and all-around fantastic. Get these now. Please trust me on this. Thanks to Lori for the original recommendation – it changed my sleeping life. I love sleep. “That’s where I’m a Viking!”
Swiffer Dusters: These expensive little dustcloths and handles are unbelievable. Like magic, seriously. I HATE to dust, but these things literally suck the dust up from across the room. My house is finally clean, and it isn’t only because my new roommate, Jason, scrubbed the garbage pail tonight. (Yes, the garbage pail).
OK, that’s it for now. Buy these things. Seriously. You won’t be disappointed.
Tivo is like going from B&W TV to color, but on the downside it keeps you on the couch more. If you don’t have Tivo and you watch television, you’re a fool.
My Olympus 3040z digital camera has revolutionized by photography habits. Waiting and paying for a roll to be developed… who wants that?
Silk Chocolate Soy Milk is God’s gift to chocoholics who don’t want to be 300lbs.
I don’t own it, but I just signed up for Netflix and I’m digging it so far.
Barnes and Noble.
As much as many of us love Amazon.com, if you step back a few years and remember most bookstores BEFORE Barnes and Noble became pervasive, you’ll remember that buying books was a boring and unappetizing activity. Barnes changed all that by creating huge bookstores with huge selections and creating environments that allowed you to actually get absorbed by the title that you wished to buy.
In my opinion, Amazon solves the problem of book buying before Barnes came along. Amazon has everything, but you can’t have a tactile experience the way you can at Barnes.
A lot of granola-crunchy types fault Barnes for creating doom for the independent booksellers, but in my opinion, books are a zero-maintenance item. Any moron can lease space, buy some bookshelves and sell books. Several mass retail chains had already slashed prices and essentially commoditized the book biz, but Barnes expanded at a time when they easilly could have done the same thing as the other discounters. But they created a great atmosphere. People actually go to Barnes and Noble as a dating activity now.
Amazon is for people who dislike shopping for books. Barnes is for people who love it.
One for the older folks:
All-Clad cookware. Very expensive pots and pans. Made in America. When you get engaged, be sure to put them on your wedding registry. These pots and pans transfer heat more efficiently than anything I have ever used before. They are superbly crafted and finished. They are heavy and bulky, but they will be passed-on to my kids (after I die) because they are constructed so well.
Also: Le Creuset cast iron cookware. If you ever watch The Cosby Show, look for it in the kitchen. It is cast iron, but painted with an incredible finish that just doesn’t come off. Fantastic for cooking sauces both in the oven and on the stove. Heats slowly, but very evenly. Retains heat very well. When you go back for seconds, the food will still be hot.
Also quite expensive, but if you are the kind of people who’ve decided to buy quality, even if it costs more, then there is no excuse to buy cheap pots and pans. If you like cooking, then you’ll really like this stuff.
I hate to admit this one, but as far as public assistance programs go, you really can’t beat the efficiency of the New York State Unemployment division’s system design for claming benefits.
Despite the fact that I once had to go in and do the “Vandalay Industries” bit, I’ve always had an absolutely positive experience. Signing up and claiming benefits is super-easy, and pretty much hassle-free (0,0,0,0,0, for those in-the-know). Keep in mind that we’re talking civil servants here, so they aren’t perfect, but with that in mind, I’m so damn thankful I don’t have to wait in those lines you’d see on 70’s shows like “Good Times”. Being poor has never been so easy to manage
Pez.
Orange flavor Pez.
Enough said.
Lord of the Rings extended dvds. The second comes out next month and I STILL haven’t seen everything on the first.
What every dvd claims to be.
Nerd-Hammer
My nerd hammer works brilliantly every time. It’s simply triggered by nerds, which are easily identifiable by statements about fantasy DVDs (see above), and consists of my hand automatically balling up into a devastating blunt weapon of mass destruction that can be released quickly and easily with catastrophic results (see Jon later this afternoon).
Didn’t you used to have a Dumb Hammer too? Or is that just the other hand?
IM REALLY UPSET THAT I DIDN’T REGISTER AS ONE OF CHRIS’S FAVORITE THINGS.
IM CRYING
Everything else good in life I posted before. I’m out of good things. Life sucks.
What is good in life?
Crush your enemies.
See them driven before you.
And to hear the lamentations of the women.
i’m so gald to hear that YOU have this topic….the first part of amelie made em think about this.
- just making the subway train
- double cross (on the streets)
- having EXACT change
- finding a head’s up penny
- dogs with curly tails
- cutting coupons
A writer friend of mine just told me a story today that made me love Apple even more. His iPod wasn’t mounting on his eMac, so he called in under his Apple Care plan and told them about it. They said they’d need to replace the firewire port and he’d have to be without his computer for a few days. When he told them he can’t, that he has a book due soon, etc. … they set up a time where an Apple Care rep is coming to his house to fix it on the spot. (I imagine a tech showing up in a black jumpsuit with a white Apple logo over his chest pocket.) I didn’t buy Apple Care, but in general, that company really couldn’t get things more right.