someday.

To iPad, or not to iPad -- that is the question.

My original Rev A white MacBook has served me well since 2006. It actually still works great. Using it, I can't really tell it's age. Now, that might be because I'm no longer in school and so what I use my computer for has greatly shifted. Whereas before I was staying up all night writing, stitching together presentations, and doing research; I find my current days of computer use to be mainly social networking, music, and general web surfing. I've never been one for pictures so that's a bit of a moot point.

However, needing something and wanting are 2 completely different things. Whereas I don't need a new computer, I really want one. A 15" Core i5 MacBook Pro to be exact. I really, friggin want a new computer. The pros to this are that I get a new computer. The cons are that I spend a lot of money on something I don't truly need. Plus, the free iPod touch program is over so I'd get nothing extra for it. Except those awesome Apple stickers. I love those stickers. Another pro; however, would be that I would wipe everything on my current Mac (that still works perfectly well), and ship it off to my cousin in El Salvador since they pretty much have nothing. On the flip side, a parcel like this would need to be hand delivered as you should not trust the mail service there. People will steal packages that do not belong to them, and a once $1,800 computer is no different. So, I guess that's also a con, cause I'd have to hand deliver it and I don't know if I'd ever go down there.

Now; with all this talk of needing versus wanting, money versus money, I've also thought of a second solution: Keep the machine I have, use it as a central media hub for my life, and then buy an iPad. iPad is delicious. With iPad I can surf, email and tweet all from the comfort of my couch / bed / wherever, without ever needing to lug around my computer. I like this solution. I wouldn't transfer my music to my iPad simply because I have an iPhone with iPod touch capabilities. That means a 32GB model would be perfect for my life. Maybe I've become so cushioned in my soft, jelly life, but the idea of disconnecting my 13" laptop, taking it downstairs, and sitting on the couch with it annoys me. It's portable but that portable. (For the record, I am aware that I sound completely ridiculous. My Mac is infinitely portable, but I'm just super lazy). The only downside to buying an iPad is that it's selfish of me because then my cousin doesn't get my perfectly capable computer. But in order for them to get what I have now, I'd have to resort to option a) buying a new computer. See the above paragraph for the issues with that.

So.... to iPad or not to iPad. That is the question with an infinite number of solutions.

find your love.

So I guess once school ended I kind of stopped blogging.

I have an eerie sensation that I'll be taking it up again really soon. Just not tonight.

In preparation, I updated my layout slightly.

alejandro.

An open letter to Lady Gaga,

What happened to you?? Clearly you're no longer the girl who drinks too much wine and just wants to dance. That's cool. For a while I thought you represented the second coming of aestheticism, and I couldn't have been more thrilled. Your music was fresh and inspired, your outfits completely useless (and therein, beautiful), and your personality had a cloud of mystery over it. Your art spoke for itself and you made it simply for the sake of creating your art. The fact that you stated your music was inspired by fashion was an honest statement and more reason to think that you created beautiful art for the sake of it being useless and beautiful. It had no strings attached and showcased fashion, art and the avant garde. However, in recent months you have taken it to the extreme and have successfully moved from aestheticism to that of decadence - represented by decay and over indulgence. Your art is no longer beautiful for it has become too dark. Too over the top. Too contrived. Not everything you do has to "top" the last thing you did - there is something to be said about frivolity and sugar coated sweet candy. You hit your stride somewhere between Paparazzi and Bad Romance. But, it was all downhill after that. Move past the shadow of over indulgent self decay and step back in to the light of art. Please.

As for Alejandro?? You're not Madonna. Stop trying.

airplanes.

I don't blog all that much anymore...

born free.

First, a warning that the following video contains scenes of graphic violence which may not be suitable for all viewers. And now, my opinion...

M.I.A. is awesome. So many people are apparently up in arms about her new music video Born Free because military police officers wearing American flag badges on their shoulders raid an unidentified city (skyline makes it look like L.A.) and round up roughly a dozen red-headed young men, delivering a severe beating to anyone that stands in their way, then the officers turn their weapons on the boys.

You never see the violence, and the 2 blood scenes are more special effects/movie magic than actual gore, but it perfectly demonstrates what happens when militant groups raid cities / homes / families. But that only ever happens in developing, disease ridden nations, right? No one should care about it, right? That is, until it happens to white Americans.

Sorry, everybody. Sure, you may be offended because it's "graphic" but you're more upset because it puts a white American face on it, rather than a third world nobody. It changes the setting from "far away" to home.

So to Maya -- I thank you. It's like you're the only one with the balls to put out there what actually happens during wars. What actually happens during raids and invasions. And what is actually happening out there, right now.

M.I.A, Born Free from ROMAIN-GAVRAS on Vimeo.