Attention Deficit David

Wil in iphoto

Wil in iphoto, originally uploaded by davidjschloss.

iPhone makes self portraits tough

iPhone makes self portraits tough, originally uploaded by davidjschloss.

First iPhone shot

First iPhone shot, originally uploaded by davidjschloss.

iPhone unboxing photos

iPhone unboxing photos, originally uploaded by davidjschloss.

IMG_1354.JPG

The line begins

Yes, I'm that geeky/retarded/smart/bored. I'm waiting at the AT&T store at my local mall for an iPhone. I've been here since 7:30am. I'm the first person on line. However, a good 500 feet to my left 100 people are sitting and waiting for their phone at the Apple store. So at least I'm smart.

But I'm lonely, I have to pee, and Wil won't be here for a while to sit on line with me. Ugh.

Update

I left the AT&T line. The manager showed up at 9, and gave me shit for being outside his store (how dare I line up for a product!) and told me that management said there would be no lines until 4:30. Now, I'd already talked to the manager, and that was bullshit, so I told him to piss off and I went over to the Apple store line, where people are friendly and magical gnomes and elves dance among the clover.

Wil showed up, we're hanging out now. He's in his own private brand of hell, as everyone he used to work with at the store comes out to say hello to him and he's got to choke back a year ill will at having been let go so poorly from his position there.

But I have trailmix now.

Bang, crash, a lightning flash

I probably should have known I was in for trouble when I rolled up to Piermont. The skies were clear after the early PM thunderstorm, but then a couple came up and asked me some questions about the shop and riding in the area. My 'cross bike sat in the rack, blinking quietly from the half-dozen lights strapped to it.

We chatted about the heat and the time of day (and my lights) and then they made a comment about the thunderstorm. "I could use a bit more of that, to cool things off" I heard myself say, and then instantly regretted it.

As Glenn pulled up the lightning began to strike out in the river. The skies darkened. We waited for Gerry who never showed (smart or chicken, I don't know) and then headed out. Suddenly the skies went black.

"Which way?" I asked. Glenn surveyed the storm, and pointed at the heaviest, darkest, thickest clouds.

"That way."

By the time we hit Grandview it was so dark we needed our lights, yet it was still an hour before sunset. We could see the front of the squall line cutting across the river, could see the lightning striking in Nyack. By the time we hit the bridge, there was a downpour.

We rolled up the hill from under the bridge with a cascade of water pouring against us. The wind was strong enough it almost blew my bike over.

Through Nyack the rain got harder. Cars disappeared from the road and soon it was just us, rolling through town in what was easily the hardest rain I've ever been in. Glenn, lit up like a Christmas tree almost disappeared at one point, completely obscured by rain and the fog of my glasses.

As we passed my house I felt I hadn't had enough miles yet, and Glenn was hooping and hollering, really enjoying the rain. Truth be told, so was I.

It got even heavier as we rode down to the Hook, despite the seeming impossibility of rain being heavier than it had been. Lightning struck overhead.

Glenn suggested heading west, but I pointed out that that route would take us over the highest mountain in the area during a thunderstorm. There's stupid, and then there's stupid.

As we circled around and headed back toward Piermont the rain let up a bit, and so we extended my night by heading back toward his home, and I rode with him across the bike path bridge, leaving by Lowes.

Completely soaked, water pouring from my shoes with each pedal stroke I headed home in the dark, wet night, as the rain picked up again.

It's two hours later and I still feel wet, despite a hot shower and a warm bed. I might have gotten water somehow inside my skin.

I am away from my computer.

I am away from my computer., originally uploaded by davidjschloss.

Moonrise over Colorado

Moonrise over Colorado, originally uploaded by davidjschloss.

Ladybumpin'

Ladybumpin', originally uploaded by davidjschloss.

Good help is hard to find

I'm in Colorado Springs teaching at another photographic summit, and after flying across the country (diagonally...who the hell routes someone through Texas to go to Colorado from New York?) I got to my hotel and had a funny conversation with the woman at the desk. It's important to note that this transpired on a Saturday.

Me: I'd like to check in, I have a reservation.

Her: What's the name?

Me: Schloss.

Her: Can you spell that?

Me: S-c-h-l-o-s-s

There is a brief pause as she types furiously and makes a funny face.

Her: Can we try to spell that again?

At this point I'm thinking "I don't need to try again, I know I got it right the first time" but instead I just spell it to her again. More scrunched up faces. More clattering on the keyboard. Finally she gets a relieved look.

Her: Oh, I see, David, here it is, we have you staying for six nights.

Me: No, I'm checking out on Wednesday.

More faces, her hand raises and she says out loud "one, two three" as she counts out on her fingers. "So three nights."

Me: No, it's four nights.

She begins to count again, only this time she's counting days of the week. "Sunday, Monday Tuesday, that's three nights."

Me: But today is Saturday, so that's four nights.

Once more she counts "Sunday, Monday, Tuesday" and once more I add Saturday into the mix, with a sort of look on my face that might, if I got it right, say "let's throw caution to the wind here and pretend we both know how to count." She returns to her screen, works on the keyboard some more.

Her: "Oh, I see, the problem is that you are in the system as checking in tomorrow, which is Sunday. Are you arriving today?"

Me: "Yes, about five minutes ago in fact."