Insanely Great Jobs

Many, many people will write tributes to Steve Jobs today that will be better than mine, so I'm not going to compete with them. But I wanted to take just a minute to recognize his passing by recalling one of my most memorable Steve Jobs experiences, from January 2007, when the iPhone was first introduced to the world. I was at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, one of the coolest events I got to go to for work (I had a different job at the time), and rather than walk the convention floor looking at TV after TV, awesome new cell phones, and all kinds of other high tech gadgets, I was in the press room "watching" the live blog coverage of Steve's keynote.

Here's what I said about it back then:
But as cool as some of the products at CES were, none came close to the iPhone. I was in the press room on Tuesday when details first started to emerge about it, and as people were logging onto Engadget and other sites, you would hear about it all across the room. "Oh cool!" "Did you see that?" "Check this out." "Oh man, I so want one of those." "Oh wow." It was pretty exciting, as "you had to be there" kinds of things go. Microsoft might have used the tagline "Welcome to the Wow" to launch Windows Vista at CES, but the iPhone was the real Wow of the show — and it wasn't even there. (Apple has its own show, in San Francisco.) And of course, I totally want one.

Indeed. Despite everything else going on, the press room during that hour or so was the place to be. (I later learned that a future coworker, who I didn't know at the time, was there too.) The buzz in the room was palpable. I think everyone in there knew that with this keynote, Steve had essentially rendered everything at CES that year moot. Nothing in Vegas could compete with it. After that keynote, nobody cared about TVs or the suddenly lame cell phones on the show floor anymore.

But it wasn't just the iPhone itself that was exciting. It was Steve's confident, playful presentation of it. Steve Jobs' keynote speeches had a unique kind of power, whether you read the updates on Engadget or watched the video later that day (or listened to the remix). When Steve gave a keynote, you blocked off time on your calendar and were glued to your computer while it was happening. You hung on every word because the guy was such a great speaker and what he was talking about was always so cool. He knew how to captivate you, how to make you want something you didn't even realize you wanted. That's because Steve was a master showman and salesman. He loved the products he was introducing as much as you did, and that showed. That 2007 keynote was no exception. It was an instant classic. (It should be noted, by the way, in full disclosure, that it took me more than two years to actually get an iPhone. Talk about restraint.)

I'll miss the Steve Jobs keynotes, and I'll miss his new product introductions. I'm glad I got to experience that one in 2007, and will always remember it.

Oh, and one more thing ... As if the iPhone, iPad, iPod, Macintosh, iMac, Apple TV, MacBook Pro, and other devices weren't enough, Steve was also one of the founders of Pixar. Without him, we'd never have met Woody, Buzz, Nemo, Dory, the Incredibles, and so many other indelible characters. That alone would be significant. But Steve had Pixar and Apple. Wow. What a legacy.

For that day in 2007, and lots of great moviegoing experiences before and after, I just wanted to say, "Thank you, Steve Jobs." He was a true innovator. My life is better because of him and his creations.

Lost and Found

I got lost yesterday. Again.

My company had its annual summer outing at the Nashoba Valley Ski Area, and on my way home, I decided I didn't like the route the Google Maps app on my iPhone was suggesting (i.e., Route 2). So, I opted to go back home the same way I got to Westford: By driving past Walden Pond and through the 'burbs, by my office, and then onto 128 and the Pike (or up Trapelo Road, if there was traffic on the highways).

I thought I knew where I was going. I was wrong.

After I passed Walden Pond, I made a wrong turn or two and ended up God knows where. Frustrated, I kept refreshing the route on my app, thinking I knew where I was and in what direction I was headed, and each time, it told me I was headed in the wrong direction and the time it would take to get to my destination was longer. So, I decided finally to trust in my app, and follow the now-new route it suggested, which required me to turn around and back-track a bit.

Eventually, after driving through Concord, Wayland, Weston, and some other towns, after passing by a farm (cows!) and some stores and places I wouldn't mind returning to on purpose, I arrived in a most familiar place: the intersection of Main Street and South Street in Waltham. How I got there, I have no idea. But knowing exactly where I was at that point, I made the turn onto South Street, drove by my alma mater (Brandeis U), and headed for home. In the end, a drive that should have taken me just under an hour took me about 75 minutes. Not so bad. I wasn't in a rush to get home anyway.

It occurred to me as I was driving that the situation I found myself in, aside from being all-too-regular, was a significant (and not exactly subtle) metaphor for my life — and maybe yours too.

In life, we often know what our destination is, and we think we know the best way to get there, no matter what anyone else is telling us. So we divert from a prescribed route, ignoring advice and guidance, and as a result, we get lost. Being lost can be a scary proposition for some because you're out of your comfort zone. But being lost gives you a new sense of perspective. It produces opportunities to see new places and things, ones you might not have experienced otherwise.

Getting lost on the way to a destination, while it can be frustrating, is not a bad thing. Yes, it may take longer to get there, but the experience can make you stronger and more confident, as you learn you can find your way, and can get there on your own.

Getting lost is humbling, because at some point you have to admit that you are wrong, and have to go back to where you came from (at least part of the way, anyway).

And it must be said: Not everyone gets to the same place in the same way. This is okay. There are multiple ways to get somewhere.

It's nice to know that help and guidance is always there, in the form of Google Maps or other resources (and people), but sometimes, if I find myself lost (due to my own wrong turns), I like to embrace it, and try to figure out my own way to the destination.

Thanks Again, Google Maps

Yesterday, with the temperature up in the lower 70s and the sun shining bright, I decided I had two options for how to spend my day: I could go for a long drive or I could go for a long walk. I decided to combine the two and head out to the outlets in Wrentham. I'd been there before — many times, in fact — but I never can seem to remember exactly how to get there. So I looked up directions using the Google Maps app on my iPhone and used the route it gave me.

Sure, I was skeptical when I was advised to go down Route 1 and take it all the way to 495 — instead of taking 95 to 495 — but given the nice weather, I decided to follow this unfamiliar route. After all, one of the last times I put my trust in Google Maps to get me somewhere, I really enjoyed seeing some new places.

Well, yesterday was no different. Sure, I'd driven down Route 1 before, but never starting all the way up in Dedham and never on a non-game or non-event day. Which means there was pretty much clear sailing through the 'burbs, and more significantly, no traffic in or out of Patriot Place yesterday. So when I had had enough of the outlets in Wrentham, I decided to take the longer way back and stop off in Foxborough at PP for the first time to walk around and see what there was to see. And it was an enjoyable place to spend some time on a non-game day. And then I stayed on Route 1 to go home, and decided to stop off at Legacy Place in Dedham — another nice place to spend an hour or so walking around.

All in all, mission accomplished. I had a nice drive, with the windows down and great music playing, and I got to walk around some nice areas and soak up the sun. Thanks again to Google Maps for getting me to my destinations and taking me there via a new route.

Life Was Good

Generally, I'm not a fan of New Year's Eve, but this year especially, I'm not looking forward to it at all. You see, unlike many people I know, and contrary to general trends in the economy, 2009 was a great year for me. Really and truly it was. So perhaps I jumped the gun when I called 2008 "The Year of Martin" because I enjoyed 2009 so much more.

Here are some of the reasons why.

2009 was the year I started a new job. And yes, I know you're not supposed to make your job the source of so much happiness, but I can't help it. I feel truly lucky to have a) found a new job, b) found this job, c) found a job at this company, and d) found a job with these people — ones who love argyle, golf, and cupcakes as much as I do. Every day I go to work happy, and every day I leave happy. I couldn't say that a year ago.

2009 was the year I started going to concerts again. There was a single week in April when I saw Flight of the Conchords, Lily Allen, and Bruce Springsteen (twice!). But I also saw Dave Matthews Band on night one and night two of their Fenway shows, Billy Joel and Elton John, Kelly Clarkson, Train, Joshua Radin, and yes, Bruce Springsteen for a third time.

2009 was the year I finally got an iPhone after two years of wanting one, and upgraded my TV, but more significantly, it was the year I finally got a new car after nearly 11 years with my old one. Another exciting acquisition: my Slanket.

2009 was the year I started cooking again, and ate ... if not better, then at least more: there was a munchkin-eating contest, an all-you-can-eat chocolate buffet, and the Old Country Buffet. So much for my plans to lose weight.

2009 was the year I traveled a lot (at least for me). I went to Miami, Washington D.C., New York, and Chicago for work, but I also spent my own personal time in Florida and Chicago (plus two days in Michigan City, Indiana, for Fourth of July).

2009 was the year I got to sit on a jury and deliberate a case — and I actually enjoyed it.

2009 was the year I said goodbye to one of my favorite singers and hello to a brand-new president.

2009 was the year I got to interview John Stamos.

2009 was the year my niece, Abby, came to visit me in Boston three times: New Year's weekend, Labor Day weekend, and Christmas weekend. So what if she wasn't a fan of my Slanket; by the end of the year she was saying my name over and over and over.

In short, 2009 was the year I was happy.

And that's why, when the clock strikes midnight tonight, I'll be the one raising a glass not to the future but to the past. I think it's safe to say that by comparison, 2010 is going to suck. (Though I hope not.)

Happy New Year!

It Was a Beautiful Day

People often ask me, "Martin, if you don't like cold weather, why have you stayed in the Northeast your entire life?" And invariably, my answer is, "Because of days like today." There was a perfect blue cloudless sky, color-changed leaves everywhere, temperatures in the no-jacket-required range, and people out and about. All of it added up to a glorious day here in the Boston area. And it was especially great because yesterday was such a wet, gloomy day, so it made me appreciate today even more.

Specifically, I took a drive up Comm Ave., from the Star Market in Auburndale home to the Boston College area, and I passed so many picturesque sights that at many points, I thought about turning on the video camera feature of my iPhone and documenting the drive for posterity. If I wasn't behind the wheel, I surely would have done that. I almost wished every traffic light was red so I could stop more often to take in all there was to see along the way — sights like a giant yard sale going on in someone's driveway.

Instead of a video, you'll have to settle for these two pics I took near the intersection of Route 9 and Hammond St., in front of the new Star Market, and this appropriate quote from U2: "All the colors came out ... It was a beautiful day!" Glad I got out to enjoy it.

Listen Up

Tuesday was one of those big multimedia purchase days that I have every so often. The third season of 30 Rock was released on DVD, and David Gray, Mika, and Harry Connick Jr. all released new albums. When I was at Costco, I noticed that A.J. Jacobs had a new book out, so I grabbed that, and because I hadn't purchased it yet, I also picked up the third season of Brothers and Sisters on DVD. A mixed bag of music for sure, and maybe not your tastes, but I always enjoy new stuff from artists I like. (The David Gray album is particularly good. I'll let you know about the others when I hear more of them.)

Apparently, I'm going to have a few days like this in the next couple months because a bunch of my favorite singers and bands have new albums coming out, including Michael Bublé (October 9), Flight of the Conchords (October 20), the Swell Season (October 27), Train (October 27), Robbie Williams (November 10), Jamie Cullum (November 10), Jason Mraz (November 10), and John Mayer (November 17). There's also the Glee soundtrack (November 3), American Idol winner Kris Allen's debut (November 17), and others I'm sure I'll want when the times comes. (Hopefully, I'll be able to get a few on Jonny Ali's blog.)

Point is, I guess it's a good thing I got the 32GB iPhone after all, because I'm going to need all that memory to hold all the new music I plan to acquire between now and the end of the year. I'd better get my headphones ready now.

Oh, the Places I'll Go

There was an article recently in GQ about how we've all lost our ability to get lost, thanks to GPS and other tools that show us where we want to go. Well, ironically enough, in the month or so that I've had an iPhone, I think I've gotten more lost than I ever have, because rather than just rely on directions I'd printed out, now I check and re-check the Google Maps app, re-calculating my route when I think I've made a wrong turn, over and over — which, of course, only makes it worse. On multiple occasions, including a couple when I was in Chicago recently, my reliance on the iPhone (and my stupidity) has actually taken me out of my way and sent me in some random direction because I wasn't following the map correctly. The old me had a very good sense of direction. The new, post-iPhone me is so tied to his device that he doesn't think for himself anymore.

But I digress.

This morning I had to drive out to Franklin, and rather than go the usual route that I'm used to going — Mass Pike to 495 — I decided once again to trust in the Google Maps app and go a totally different route, down 95 and on some side roads. The good news is that despite my skepticism that this would actually be an easy-to-follow route, not only did I get to Franklin quicker and more easily than had I taken the Pike, and not only did I only make one wrong turn on the way, but man, what a great drive it was! Until this morning, I had never been to Westwood, Millis, Medfield, or any of the other towns I traveled through, and on such a beautiful day, they were really nice. Sure, I didn't really get out and explore or anything (just cruised on down routes 109 and 115), but the drive made me want to get out and explore — and yes, get lost in — these towns. I really and truly enjoyed seeing somewhere new, and didn't even mind that I was stuck behind slow-moving cars both going there and coming home. This was a really nice area, and I'm already kind of looking forward to the next time I head on out there.

Point is, Google Maps isn't all bad. And if I stick to the directions and pay attention, who knows what other places it will take me to in the future.

iLove It

It's official: I'm in love. Oh, don't act so surprised. You had to see this coming. After all, a person doesn't wait three hours for something he's going to dislike. Yes, that's right, I love my new iPhone. I love how nice it looks. I love how fun it is. I love how convenient it is to check email on the go. I love the seemingly unlimited battery life (at least compared to my old lame-ass Motorola phone). I love being able to take spur-of-the-moment videos. I really love listening to and watching baseball games live, thanks to the MLB At Bat app. I love having more memory capacity than I know what to do with. I love checking Facebook whenever and wherever I am, and updating my status accordingly. I love most everything about the iPhone 3GS, and I'm baffled as to how I was able to live without an iPhone for so long. Just about the only thing I hate about the thing is how it's turning me very quickly into that guy — the one who stands there on a movie line or when he has nothing better to do and just plays or checks his messages or whatever. Wasn't I always able to amuse myself just fine before I had an iPhone, and didn't I mock people like that?

Jeez, you'd think the iPhone had just come out the way I've been going on about it the past few days. Yes, I know it's been around for two years and I'm for sure not the first person to get one. I'm late to the party, and it's not the first time. But so what if it took me a while? I love having an iPhone, so I'm going a bit overboard here. Don't mind me. I'm just a man in love.

2.5 Years and 3 Hours Later

I remember the first time I learned about the iPhone. It was January 2007 and I was in Las Vegas at the Consumer Electronics Show in the press room. Details about the new Apple device, which was not actually on display there in Vegas, spread like wildfire, and just like that, everything else at CES was rendered insignificant. But as much as I wanted an iPhone when they hit stores that summer, I knew I should wait for the second version.

Last summer, my family gave me an iPod Touch for my birthday, and I returned it because I wanted one of the new second generation iPhones, which had just hit stores. But then I heard that a higher-capacity version would be out around the holidays, so I decided to wait a little longer. Obviously, that rumor didn't come true, and at that point, I had waited long enough so I decided to wait six more months for the third-generation iPhone.

All year long I waited for news of the announcement. And as the Worldwide Developers Conference approached, reading the Unofficial Apple Weblog became a daily habit. I'd even go to various Apple stores to check some of the things I heard, but the salesfolks always kept mum. Suffice it to say, when it was announced two weeks ago that the iPhone 3GS would go on sale on June 19, I blocked that night on my calendar so I could go to the Apple Store and finally get my iPhone.

Let's cut to the chase. After work on Friday night, after getting shut out at the Chestnut Hill store (because I didn't pre-order my phone in time) and learning via phone that I'd be no more successful at the Cambridgeside Galleria, I headed down to the Apple Store on Boylston St., where I was told they had an almost unlimited supply of phones. I got there at 6:50 p.m. and got in line outside the store. Lindsay, one of the friendly and enthusiastic greeters, came by with water, granola bars, and candy for us, and then she hung around to answer any questions we had. People on the street, a surprising number of clueless ones, would stop to ask what the line was for. And then, at 7:20, I went in ... and got in another, longer line. Thankfully, I stood behind a guy who already had an iPhone (he was there to get one with his girlfriend), and after telling me about some cool apps that I should get, he gave me a tip on creating my own ringtones for free. Other greeters passed out more water, granola bars, and candy, and hung around to answer questions. Despite the wait, spirits were high all around.

Finally, at 9:05, a salesperson named Elias came over to help me. They say the S in the iPhone 3GS stands for speed, but clearly that speed did not apply to those of us waiting in line. Why did it take so long? Well, it's mostly because Apple's customer service is so good — and I say that without any hint of irony or sarcasm. Elias, like all the other salespeople were doing with other customers, worked with me one-on-one, answering all my questions, showing me any accessories I wanted to see, and walking me through the entire purchasing process. He did this enthusiastically and intelligently, without pressuring me to buy things I didn't need. How he was able to do this with such a positive, patient attitude after working all day I just don't know. But suffice it to say, I was impressed.

After my sale was final, Elias took me upstairs, where a "genius" named Lee helped me activate my phone, set it up, and get it working. Again, he did so with a smile and patience, and didn't make me feel silly for asking some basic things. Whoever is training these Apple retail folks is doing a damned good job. It made the fact that when I finally left the store, I hardly noticed that it was three hours after I had arrived.

Of course, the point of the story is this: The wait is over and I now have an iPhone! Woo hoo! I'm very excited, even if that makes me sound geeky. And so far, it was totally worth it. My iPhone is so fast and cool and I love it. I've already loaded the thing up with music, videos, and a few apps. More of each to come. Woo hoo! Kudos to Apple for creating such a cool-ass device, and for having such great people in the store selling it.

On Message

Kudos to the sales guy at the Apple Store in Natick on Saturday who, when I asked him about the release of the iPhone OS version 3, told me the standard line that he hadn't heard anything about it and "You'll probably know before we know" ... even though it had been announced a couple weeks ago and will be out in June, I believe. When I replied that I thought it was already public knowledge, another sales guy corrected him and verified that I was right. But oh, those Apple folks. Always on message.

Nice Jobs

What is it about Steve Jobs that makes his annual Macworld keynote address so damned engaging? I spent an hour and a half Tuesday night — after American Idol, of course — watching the video of his presentation while reading along with Engadget's running commentary. And I'll tell you, it was really fun. Yes, that's in spite of that fact that Steve didn't even announce anything nearly as exciting as the iPhone, like he did last year. (And I still have last year's keynote saved as a podcast in my iTunes.) But the point is, it's a keynote address, one that runs an hour and a half long, and it's about technology stuff, and it's very self-congratulatory. That's not supposed to be exciting. But believe me when I tell you it's really cool. If you love your iPod or your MacBook or your iMac (like I do), or you want one, I recommend watching. I doubt Steve will be remixed this year. Still, the real thing is pretty great.

Look — iSmoke!

If you watch The Late Show with David Letterman then you know his game "Will It Float?" Well, this weekend, Matt introduced me to the Web site Will It Blend.com, which is just like it sounds: a guy puts things in a blender to see if they will blend. His most recent attempt? An iPhone. He's also tried to blend Transformers, a tiki torch, a plunger, and many more. It's pretty juvenile, but it's also really amusing — especially the guy's goofy grin. Watch the iPhone video for yourself below and try not to get hooked waiting to see what he'll try to blend next.

The Day After

Since I was in the vicinity of an Apple Store today, I decided to stop in at the Burlington Mall and see the iPhone for myself. Big mistake. Huge. Not because the lines were so long or because the crowds were so off-putting, or even because the store had run out of them. None of that was the case. No, it was a mistake because I've been hearing the buzz on the thing since CES and had read so many rapturous reviews and articles over the past week, and now that I actually had one in my hands and was having such a good time playing with it, all I could say was instead of simply wanting one, now I really wanted one.

It's a testament to the salesfolk — or at least the one I spoke with — that they're not jaded or tired of answering the same questions. In fact, it seemed like many were just as jazzed about the thing as I was. And they're all so well trained. Even my citing of the iPhone's one biggest flaw — the AT&T service — didn't trip my guy up. And though I'd read a bunch about the device and had come to my own conclusions about when I might buy one, he stayed on-message, which was that this is the single best gadget out there right now and look at all the cool things it can do. Not that I needed to be sold on it, but he certainly made it harder to walk away.

(What was nice to learn, I suppose, was that Apple Store employees get no discounts or special treatment in getting the phones, which sorta confirms this L.A. Times story. For example, the salesguy I chatted with hadn't yet secured his own iPhone and said if there were any left, he'd get one tonight. He also told me that his co-workers had to wait on line like the rest of the customers yesterday, or had to wait till those who had been on line got theirs. How democratic.)

I thought I could wait until v2.0 to buy an iPhone. Hell, I thought it was too expensive an investment. But now, after playing with one in the store, and seeing how cool it actually is, I'm finding the iPhone much harder to resist. Dammit!!!

Welcome to the Wow

Just when I had adjusted to the three-hour time difference, I'm back from Vegas and very tired. Overall, it was a good trip, as I've already said: productive and cost-effective as far as my work objectives go, and fun as far as everything else goes. Here are some "reporter's notebook"-style things I thought I'd mention:

* According to the Consumer Electronics Association, this was the largest CES ever, with 1.8 million square feet of exhibit space and more than 140,000 attendees from across the globe. That's huge.

* Among the notable products I saw was: a cell phone that can broadcast live TV, a stereo attachment that makes MP3s sound better than CDs (and it actually works really well), a player that will work with both Blu-Ray and HD-DVD discs, a cell phone you can drop from six feet that won't break, a $1,200 high-end remote control (that's right, twelve-hundred dollars for a remote control), a zero-gravity massage chair, and much more. But as cool as some of the products at CES were, none came close to the iPhone. I was in the press room on Tuesday when details first started to emerge about it, and as people were logging onto Engadget and other sites, you would hear about it all across the room. "Oh cool!" "Did you see that?" "Check this out." "Oh man, I so want one of those." "Oh wow." It was pretty exciting, as "you had to be there" kinds of things go. Microsoft might have used the tagline "Welcome to the Wow" to launch Windows Vista at CES, but the iPhone was the real Wow of the show — and it wasn't even there. (Apple has its own show, in San Francisco.) And of course, I totally want one. (Then again, not everyone likes it.)

* It's amazing what suckers we all are for a big TV. Sharp's 108-incher put people into an almost-orgasmic state. Hordes would stand around and take pictures of the thing as if it was a celebrity or something. I mean, there was a model standing next to it too, but she got almost no attention. Still, there were so many TVs at CES that it kind of got a little boring and redundant, and eventually they all began to look alike because picture quality aside, they're basically just black rectangles. That said, you could stand there and stare at the clips from Ice Age, or the colorful promotional shots, or whatever was being shown, forever. And generally, the picture quality was impressive. (I hear you asking: So how much does a 108-inch LCD TV cost? Price is TBD, but if Panasonic's 103-inch plasma TV costs $70,000, then take your best guess.)

* 3 Doors Down did an acoustic set Tuesday afternoon on the ESPNHD stage. It was pretty cool. "Let Me Go" and "Be Like That" were particularly great.

* The more things change, the more they stay the same. Rhapsody has had the same basic booth for at least four years now: there's a fake game show host and a game show where three people answer music-related trivia questions. The other two times I went to CES I jumped at the chance to play, and I beat my opponents handily. Well, the game changed slightly this year, but it was basically the same. And suffice it to say, when I got my chance to play Tuesday afternoon, I kicked ass and took names once again. The other two didn't have a chance. Another change this year? Better prizes. No more messenger bags or blankets. Instead, I won a camcorder. I suppose I could have asked to trade for an MP3 player, but alas, I didn't want to be lame like that.

* One of the weirdest things about Vegas is that people don't cover their mouths when they cough there. I thought it was just the foreigners, but it seemed like no one was doing it. So gross. No wonder Airborne was giving out free samples at the show.

* Yahoo! gave out free Cold Stone Creamery ice cream in its Big Scoop tent. Yum. I had it twice. Yum yum. And while Krispy Kreme was also in the house (or at least in the convention center), I resisted. But by far, the best food I had all week was at the really slick Warner Brothers press event to launch Total HD, a new kind of DVD that has Blu-Ray content on one side and HD-DVD on the other. There was some freshly-sliced steak that I just kept going back for, and with the steak sauce ... Man-o-man was that good.

* Sometimes it's nice to be a member of the media. Wednesday afternoon I got a free massage at the new Qua spa at Caesars Palace. I had what they call the Raindrop Therapy massage, and without being all TMI, let me just say I haven't felt that good in a long, long time. Then that night, I was taken to dinner at Bradley Ogden, also at Caesars. And while my meal was good, it was the buttered, salted rolls that I really loved. I just couldn't figure out why they were so small, and why the waitress would only give me one at a time.

* Best thing I saw all week: two Elvis impersonators in full costume hanging out together at CVS on the Strip buying bottles of water. If I could have done it without being caught, I would have taken a picture. It was that funny. Only in Vegas ...

* I ended the week up $85 from playing about six hours of blackjack at New York New York. Go me. Sure, one night I was up $120 and another I was up $75 and didn't walk away, but a winner is a winner is a winner, and I played three nights, and each night I walked away up. I might actually be good at this game, and not just in Connecticut.

* Yes, I took more pictures of the Bellagio fountains and of Paris. What? You stand there and try not to capture how cool they are. At least I stood at different places every night so the pictures I took didn't all look alike. I may not be the world's wildest single male when I go to Vegas, but I certainly enjoy myself on my own terms. Each time I go back I challenge myself to take the best possible picture of the fountains. Don't think I did it this time, so I guess I'll have to go back and try again.

Anyway, there's more to tell, but I'll cut it off there. If you want to see more pictures of the show and Vegas in general, here's a link to my album. Otherwise, I'm done talking about it on here. Now it's back to work, back to life, back to reality. Oh well.

What a Show

You're not going to believe it's me saying this, but if I don't see another TV for a month, it will be too soon. After three days of CES, I've certainly seen enough of them. Plasmas, LCDs, 1080p full HD, etc etc etc. Each one bigger and blacker. LG has a 102-incher, Panasonic has a 103-incher, and Sharp has a 108-incher. Clearly, size matters. I've also seen a lot of cell phones, cameras, mp3 players, iPod accessories, camcorders, blah blah blah ... after three days of speaking to PR people and asking about availability and pricing, it's all blending together (good thing I've taken plenty of notes). And of course, nothing I've seen has been as cool as Apple's iPhone, which is not here because Apple doesn't do CES. Still, yesterday in the press room, it was all anyone was talking about.

Exhaustion aside, it's been a great show. And outside the Convention Center I've had fun too. Two minor (very minor) celeb sightings: Jackie "The Joke Man" Martling and I rode the monorail together yesterday morning (no, we didn't trade jokes), and Richard Greico (from 21 Jump Street) walked by me last night at the Bellagio, still looking stuck in the '80s. Went to a cool, very slick press conference/event for Warner Brothers last night where they announced their Total HD discs (and gave everyone a Superman t-shirt. Cool). I'm up $60 after about four hours total of blackjack at New York New York. I've got a suitcase full of stuff, some I'm keeping and some I'm giving away. The weather's been perfect — temps in the mid-60s with clear blue skies — and I haven't worn a jacket once.

So, it's been a good and productive and fun and overwhelming trip — but not painful like the last time I was here (and thank God for that). Still, despite lacking any backaches, I'm looking forward to my free massage this afternoon at the new Qua spa at Caesars Palace. More on that — and the trip in general — when I'm back in Boston. Right now I'm just trying to stay awake.