I opted to buy a replacement LCD and digitizer for my iPhone. Though the disassembly was a little tricky, it went just fine (this video was pretty helpful), and the phone is working again like a champ.
Also working like a champ is my new computer – it’s not particularly revolutionary in design compared to my old one, but the screen is a fair bit bigger (15″ vs. 12″) and it’s a ton faster.
New lappy made short work of posting Italy pics – check ’em out here. I will go back and edit out the dust spots (note to self: clean camera sensor before vacation), but otherwise, the photos are all up.
posted April 25, 2009 – 4:35 pm
I’m actually pretty happy getting back to “normal” life after Drew and my Italian vacation. As previously mentioned, I’ve been traveling up a storm, and the prospect of not having to go anywhere on a plane for months is quite exciting.
The trip was pretty great, though. We spent a few days in Venice before heading to Rimini for Paganello, then relaxed in Cinque Terre for another few days before making our way home. Our timing couldn’t have been much better, as we missed the Easter rush in Venice and the weekend crowds in Cinque Terre, while still getting a great feel for both. And Paganello – 1600 frisbee players taking over an Italian beach resort town for a long weekend – was pretty amazing, too.
Select Italy cheers (among many):
And the jeers (thankfully, not too many):
- water damage to my phone during said rainstorm
- the “Inter-city” trains in Italy, which apparently require a special kind of ticket that costs €15 more than usual, but they don’t tell you this at the station, and then charge you that plus an €8 penalty on the train
- the Holiday Inn Express Malpensa, which, in spite of being at Malpensa, is a giant pain in the ass to get to and not worth the money. €20 for a 1km cab ride? Absurd!
- the 7th floor food court at the Rinascente Department Store in Milan – way overrated and overpriced
No pictures yet, but check back soon. In the meantime, you can check out this sweet video I took of a dachshund, digging in the sand on the sidelines one day at Paganello.
I’m not quite sure yet how best to deal with my crippled phone (buy a new phone? or just a new screen?), but in the meantime, I’ve ordered a new computer. It’s been a bit over 4 years, and though my little 12″ Powerbook has treated me quite well, it’s time to retire it (perhaps it’ll become an interface to the robot arm). One of the big bonuses to upgrading is that I can now use Picasa for the Mac!
posted April 18, 2009 – 5:13 pm
I just finished sewing stripes on two togas – costumes for the “Ancient Rome”-themed party at Paganello. In about 14 hours, I’ll be on a plane headed for Italy, where I’ll spend the next two weeks. The itinerary is: Venice, Bologna, Rimini (for Paga), and finally a few days recuperating from the tournament in Cinque Terre. I’ve been pretty busy at work the past few weeks, so it was really only Friday afternoon that I realized how soon I was leaving, and started to get excited. Now, I can’t wait!
And to recap a bit of what’s been going on lately: this year’s Pi(e) Party was a great time, and certainly the largest yet. Knowing it was growing, I rented a great loft space on Capitol Hill, which worked out perfectly. It held everyone just fine, and there were no neighbors to bother when we were dancing up a storm ’til 2 AM. Some (only mildly debaucherous) photos are up here (thanks Rif and Anna for the inspiration for the photo booth).
My most recent China trip was fun (highlight: visiting the Shenzhen Electronics Market), but felt more like work than the previous ones had. Not such a bad thing since it is, after all, work. I did tack on a quick weekend visit with Becky in Hawaii, which was good fun (and a nice way to break up the long flight home). There are a few photos (mostly from a long layover in Tokyo) here.
After all the China trips, and now Italy, you’d think I’d be getting tired of traveling… and you’d be right. I’m pretty excited that I have no plans to be on an airplane again for several months once I get back from Europe. And, since I’m (mostly) opting out of competitive ultimate this summer, I’m really looking forward to exploring more around the Northwest – hiking, camping, biking, etc – as well as taking advantage of a great time of year in Seattle and staying home for a change. Happy spring, looking towards summer!
posted April 4, 2009 – 10:32 pm