Fuck.

So most of us got our laptops today. The other half will get them tomorrow. I'm very pleased with the way things have turned out, but I'd just like to go over things so I get them all right.

-Okay, before we get started, I just want to say that that video of that guy talking was the most painful thing I have experienced in a long time. A loooong time. His voice was monotonous, his face shiny and round, and he never looked away from the camera. And he basically rephrased the same things over and over again. Worst offense: adding "et cetera" to the end of incomplete lists. "Students will be able to use various graphics, charts, pictures, et cetera. And what else? Could I also use a sound clip? A movie? WHAT ELSE?! And he never paused for commas. Jerk.

-What is up with needing a parent and student to come on a Tuesday? A Tuesday? Guess what admins, in some cultures that's considered to be the FREAKING SECOND DAY OF THE WORK WEEK! I had to skip lunch today because my mom had to get my computer instead of earning money for food. Way to go Shorelineschools.

-Requiring each person to shell out 70 bucks. What. The. Hell. Some people can't even afford it. What do they do? They can get free lunch but not free computers that "aren't required?!" And then, to top it all off, Mr. Green asks if anyone wants to donate to help support another family. Fuck no, Mr. Green, you should have budgeted for this beforehand. (Even though Mr. Green is kind of not the villain here, just the one who got screwed).

-Having that stupid carrying case. I think he mentioned that part of the $70 cost was for the carrying case, which is "yours to keep." Well I've got news for you. I don't want a stupid carrying case for a laptop that isn't mine, especially if I have to PAY FOR IT!

And of course the cords don't fit in there, either.

-So I go up there to get my laptop, which was mercifully quick. Unmercifully, Chase gave it to me (ha! ha!). And then, before I can take it, that drill bitch takes my stickers and puts them on the laptop. I can put my own stickers on my own goddamn laptop, thank you very much. Please make the process more excruciatingly painful to watch. Please!

-The laptops have built in cameras. Not very conducive to learning, so "we got the manufacturer to disable them." Well, if you were able to talk to the manufacturer, why not tell them to NOT MANUFACTURE THE CAMERAS?! Not that it might save time, money, and effort, or anything.

-I finally get it and open it up. And what do I see? A battery charge at approximately 50%. 50%?!@ You sit me in a room with a mind-numbingly boring movie about shit that I already know, make me wait in line, make me PAY MONEY, and then you can't even give me a full battery charge?! WHAT THE FUCK?

-As I'm prowling around 'my' computer, testing out all its features, I'm trying to change the user settings. Christ, I'm not even sure if you can change the desktop on these things, they're so locked up. First thing I did was try to put a password on the Student Account. Nope, sorry, need an admin password! So what happens when the dick next to me decides to delete all my files when I get up to walk across the room? What happens when somebody decides to email themselves your essay off of your computer, and turns it in as theirs?

-Maintenance and troubleshooting. Techs:students. 2:1800. It's gonna be hell. I've heard that if you have a problem that "takes more than five minutes to fix," the solution is a clean wipe. Your hard drive, minus everything. Nevermind that students are encouraged to do all of their schoolwork (did I say encouraged? I meant required) on this thing. If there's a little problem, break out the digital Windex! Maybe they should give us a way to back up our information, hmm? But no, everyone loves spending an extra $30 on flash drives. Yay unnecessary spending!

-The keyboards are shit. You want me to type essays on flat little keys, and surf the net with that stupid square that substitutes for a mouse? Hmm, well, guess we'll all have to buckle down and get ourselves some keyboards and mice if we want to enjoy any success at all with these things. More out-of-pocket expenses?! 'Our intelligence at the time didn't indicate any need.'

-So we can't put them in our backpacks. No laptops in backpacks. That would destroy the laptops. Hurt them. Well what happens when you're carrying your laptop in the halls and some dude rushes past, spinning your little Macbook into a stone pillar? Luckily, that case is like kevlar (probably got a grant from Homeland Security). Problem is, we've got this little thing called force. D'oh! 'I knew that would come back to bite me in the butt someday!'

-Save paper, you say? WELL HOW MANY FUCKING TREES DID YOU CUT DOWN FOR ALL THOSE SIGN-UP FORMS AND CONTRACTS, HMM? HMM? Double standards make the world go 'round!

I think that about concludes my post for today. Be sure to tell me if I forgot something to bitch about, and I'll stick it in next time.

Fuck.

Same idea, different voicings... 

Doh....

Yeah so first of all, be sure to read my Wisconsin post. Then head over to http://j35t1ngdrumm3r.blogspot.com/ for the r0xxorx pics.

Not much really happened after Wisconsin; I basically stayed home and read and played Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door, which is a cool game. A Mario RPG. Anyway, I started jazz camp on the 7th. Man. I had no idea what was going on. Thank God I did it, because otherwise I would get raped come jazz band tryouts. So I'm kind of sick of playing the piano, since I've been doing it for like 4-7 hours per day, and my shoulders are really sore. I'm sick of jazz, kind of, but we get in there and play and it's great. I don't completely know what I'm doing, but it's fun, so hey. I went over to David's yesterday and we blasted through four levels of HALO 2. I think we're gonna do it. We're gonna beat HALO 2 on co-op Legendary!!

YAY!
So be sure to check out those pics. And everybody should come to my house sometime.

 

Fucking, fucking pwned.