L’esprit de l’escalier

I need my MacBook next week. I may need to use it for extended periods of time without an outlet. Unfortunately, my battery was the original and was therefore 32 months old. So I bought a new one, calibrated it, and have gone from about 15 minutes on a charge to around 5 hours.

Then today at work, I noticed a funny smell at my desk. A burning, plastic smell. It was then that I noticed the brown, charred marks on the wire into the power supply brick. Needless to say, I unplugged it immediately.

Since AppleCare covers my laptop for about four more months, I knew they'd probably replace it. Unfortunately, it was Thursday at 3:30 in the afternoon, I need to leave on Monday, and UPS and FedEx don't deliver to my house or the office on Saturdays. Living and working out here in the sticks like we do, our nearest Apple Store is three hours away. So I had to buy a new power supply brick at BestBuy. I did consider Amazon with next-day shipping, but that would be cutting it close. It would probably get here by Friday but that wouldn't leave any room for error.

I did call Apple tonight and they're shipping me a new brick. It will take 5-7 days to arrive but at least I will have a spare. And I won't burn down the Courthouse.[1]

_____
1: I have often been heard to say that "the history of Bellefonte is a history of fires," but I'd rather not become a part of that narrative.

Posted for those with an interest: a press release from our local National Guard unit.

NEWS RELEASE
PENNSYLVANIA ARMY NATIONAL GUARD
COMPANY C, 2nd BATTALION 112th INFANTRY (STRYKER)
1081 EAST ZION ROAD
BELLEFONTE, PENNSYLVANIA 16823-2399

Pennsylvania Army National Guard in Bellefonte to March to War

On Wednesday, September 24, 2008 at 10:30am the Pennsylvania Army National Guard will be marching in Bellefonte from the Armory on Bishop Street to Allegheny Street down High Street and ending at Talleyrand Park. This march will recognize our soldiers prior to their deployment to Iraq. Join us in celebrating this monumental event as this is the first time since the Korean War that the Bellefonte National Guard unit as a whole has been mobilized for combat. Unit commander, Capt. Paolo A. Sica of Company C, 2nd Battalion, 112th Infantry (Stryker) invites everyone to attend.

"The 2-112th Infantry is part of the only Army National Guard Stryker Brigade Combat Team (the most technologically advanced units in the Army)," said Lt. Col. Samuel E. Hayes III, Battalion Commander. The Army National Guard has strong community ties to Bellefonte, and has marched to the train station for every major deployment since the Civil War. "This is an effort to honor all veterans, regardless of their branch or period of service, as well as those currently serving," said 1st Sgt. Michael Swartz, the senior Non-Commissioned Officer of the Unit.

These are the things that remind you that you live in a small town, when you know several of the people involved. It should be interesting to see.