Another trip to NYC!!!

So I went to New York City (or "The City" as New Yorkers call it) with the music department. Which was pretty darn amazing I gotta say. We rode on this giant Anderson bus that had cushy seats and armrests and personal footrests and air conditioning. This was probably a good thing since the ride was nearly 10 hours. So there was lots of hanging around, listening to music, watching movies and just general merriment. And plenty of sleeping to go with it. Personally, I played about a bajillion games of Texas hold 'em on my Zune, which now features that and other addicting games. Another one is Hexic, which is also very fun online (although it features obnoxious noises that cannot be turned of and are currently interrupting Charlie Parker). But the point is, we eventually got there. Which as you all know is half the fun. Our first stop was Battery Park, where we spent a few seconds to meet up with a friend from camp who lives in the city and buy a knockoff purse or two. Dinner was at the movie equivalent of Hard Rock cafe, the fun was in and around times square, and the show was at radio city music hall. Really, the show was called "The Rockettes Christmas Spectacular". I really cannot think of a word to describe it. But afterwards one of the directors shouted some random street numbers as we left in all the hustle and bustle, and I managed to get to 51st and 6th (or whatever it was) with a group of friends that I happened to be with at the time. And what do you do once you get back to a hotel in New Jersey after a whole day of driving and watching musicals? HAVE A PIZZA PARTY!!! Indeed, in the city we truly rock and roll all night and party every day. Or maybe it was the other way around....

The next day was to full of doing stuff I cant even recall anything in a specific order. We had free breakfast. We went to 5th avenue. Shop windows on fifth avenue are like car shows of the fashion world, there is all sorts of nice expensive stuff that is fun to look at, but nobody is really going to buy or use it. Also, when its as cold as it was and you ever go to Starbucks, don't get a cold drink! The only thing i recognized on the menu was vanilla frappacinno. So I ordered one. I was chilled from the inside out, but it was totally worth it! We had hot dogs from a street vendor. HAIRSPRAY WAS AMAZING!!!! lots of excitement and energy there. And when we where outside the theatre after, Harvey Firestein (Edna) walked past our group. And I totally saw him in person (sans dress and fat suit)!! I speculated that if the extremely good-looking dude who played Link had just happened to leave the theatre at that time, half our group would have attacked and raped him. I mean they were swooning big time man! Anyways, I got a nice fedora, and ice cream later, and managed to get other people to donate some of their food. Unfortunately, I couldn't convince the guy in that one store to give me a tie for less than $25 (I only had $20!). I guess bartering is just for the creepy dudes outside. So it was very fun. And there was some fail. And food. And a really funny-smelling handbag. And lots of drunk people dressed as Santa. We truly can be amused by anything. After all, it is the music department.

Techno blip: Hold on, iPhone!

NOWIf you have read my earlier review of the iPhone when it first arrived September 25Th (Oh wait....that was Halo 3. Sorry), or whenever it was that the JesusPhone was released to upper-class America, you might remember what i have concluded about it. If you don't, I will tell you now. What i concluded was that the iPhone was a fabulous device that is nothing like anything coming before it, but was fabulously flawed at the same time. With it's obscene $499 price tag (we think that's what it was), and obscene monthly voice-and-data plan prices (maybe they are not that bad, but still not a lotta minutes for the money), the iPhone was unfortunately not going to be the savior of everyone. It's evident lack of a few things phones really should have, such as video with the camera [UPDATE: A new app lets you do just that. Barely.], and lack of things mobile 'net devices should have, like support for video streaming (other than YouTube), and third party-apps. Yes, APPle clearly did not live up to its name in this area (anybody else notice that? didn't think so). The release of Firmware 1.1.1. very audaciously shot down any app that a forward-thinking geek might have created to further improver his/her iPhone. And if they preferred T-Mobile to support this gadget, we really hope that they like bricks, too*. Given this, I ended up stamping the iPhone with a 6.5 out of 10 score (For your friends). BUT things have changes since then!

For those of you who know my original iPhone review already, this is the really
important part

Since my original review, Apple has not only reduced the cost of the great phone by $100, but also offered a $100 rebate to those who purchased them at the original price. And hell, they sure deserved it. On top of that, iSteve (with his pal iWoz**) has also allowed numerous third party apps on to the iPhone (and now the iTouch as well). Well....sort of. Apple has opened up to any application creators who wish to make something for their phone, and offered to approve it for download on their website. This is very difficult to explain. But in short, apps are now available, and more are coming. Still, the whatever-you-want, whenever-you-want other-party is still far out of sight from the iPhone. But this does not mean I should not update the review. And that is exactly what i am doing. For the reasons I have stated, the iPhone's Official rating has been officially raised from 6.5 to 8.0 out of 10. So here this:

The Apple iPhone:

8 out of 10

Super hot product

*Bricked- In the case of electronics,Rendered highly useless, much like a ceramic block.

**-If you noted that the nickname iWoz was listed as an official Wozniak nickname (after clicking the link to wikipedia), you must know that I honestly wrote that before reading the article. Funny nickname, though.

I'm Back Y'all!!!!!!!!
But since I did not have the computer for a few days, I will fill you in on some of the stuff that has happened. (Not Necessarily in order)

--I went to Melrose with my uncle and looked at all the crazy shops & People. There are a lot of crazy people! Most of them also have crazy hair, which was pretty amazing. And there where these great punk music and clothing shops, and shops that sold vintage t-shirts for $35. And we had food at this great little Mexican restaurant called Antonio's.
--I went to this place called The Grove and saw Ocean's Thirteen in this Huge theater. But first we had lunch at this fancy restaurant. The bathrooms where marked Femme and Homme (women and men in french). Inside all the paper towels where stacked neatly in a little basket, and there was mouthwash and a basket full of mints as well. WoW!!!
--Ate dinner at grandmother's house and chilled with the relatives.
--Went to the Gershwin theater in Westwood and saw George Gershwin Alone, a one-man show about the great composer. He acted, sang, played serious piano, and the show went on FOREVER. But still, it was good fun and very interesting. After that, there was this funky little Italian restaurant that we ate at. We met my mother there and one of her friends from Meadville that just happened to be in LA at the time. Don't ask how that came about.
--Visited with an old family friend and walked around "town" with her, had a good time.
--there was something else that I did, but I'm not really sure what it is.

--Ratio of hats came with to hats left with
2:3
New hat acquired!!!
D-Detroit
Sweatshirts acquired-1
souvenirs acquired-12 approx.
Places visited that do not exist in northwest PA- 15 Approx.
Home-cooked meals eaten-4
Plates of fried calamari eaten-3
Sushi Restaurants visited-2
Piers/boardwalks visited-3
trips to the 3rd st. Promenade-3
Calls made by Bluetooth from the car-4
Statistics that include the number three-3.....4,really......oh well

THANK YOU ALL FOR PAYING ATTENTION!!!!