Great piece. I'm reminded of a story I heard told by Edward Espe Brown, the Zen teacher and Tassajara cookbook guy. One day his Mac died and, though he hated leaving the Zen place and going to town, he had someone take him to an Apple store. The light and busyness almost made him flee, but then a young woman who worked there came over and asked if she could help him.
"I don't know," he said. "It's so bright and hectic here I'm kind of getting freaked out."
The Apple lady nodded sympathetically and asked, "Have you tried meditation?"
Re: The low chatter of monkeys in the trees of Technology Island.
"De plane! De plane!" I imagine Hervé Villechaize yelling as he races up the steepest staircase in San Francisco and, instead of a bell, he rings up your charger cord.
And, once again, Jack, your prose has rang my bell.
I feel your spot on-ness, planned obsolescence. My MacAir (laptop) died at 5 years old. I naively took it to the Genius Bar in Stonestown, thinking it was an easy fix. Nix. And the changing chord dilemma was another new learning experience. Luckily I have savvy adult sons who assist. Ironically my Whirlpool washer is 35 years old and just fine. 75 ain’t all it’s cracked up to be. ☮️
Great piece. I'm reminded of a story I heard told by Edward Espe Brown, the Zen teacher and Tassajara cookbook guy. One day his Mac died and, though he hated leaving the Zen place and going to town, he had someone take him to an Apple store. The light and busyness almost made him flee, but then a young woman who worked there came over and asked if she could help him.
"I don't know," he said. "It's so bright and hectic here I'm kind of getting freaked out."
The Apple lady nodded sympathetically and asked, "Have you tried meditation?"
Priceless!
“Scalding white” - each essay has your wonderfully accurate and originally descriptive turn of phrases.
Aww why thank you!
Liked your stuff back in the day when you were but a pup!
Re: The low chatter of monkeys in the trees of Technology Island.
"De plane! De plane!" I imagine Hervé Villechaize yelling as he races up the steepest staircase in San Francisco and, instead of a bell, he rings up your charger cord.
And, once again, Jack, your prose has rang my bell.
Thanks Edwin!
I feel your spot on-ness, planned obsolescence. My MacAir (laptop) died at 5 years old. I naively took it to the Genius Bar in Stonestown, thinking it was an easy fix. Nix. And the changing chord dilemma was another new learning experience. Luckily I have savvy adult sons who assist. Ironically my Whirlpool washer is 35 years old and just fine. 75 ain’t all it’s cracked up to be. ☮️