Thanksgiving was excellent :) We had about fifteen kids over, and the atmosphere was cozy and warm. Take a peak at some of our pictures.

Trying to clean up the site a bit; I've re-arranged the left bar, and plan on actually spending some time updating the content over the coming break. Of course, also on my list of things to do are:

• Create two new courses



• Revamp three existing courses



• Spend some time with FlashMX



• Get caught up on xhtml



• Paint the spare bedroom



• Read The Pile Of Books that is starting to take over our living room :D

In the over-amusing Sony Customer Services Bites My Ass saga, the "Fn" key fell off my laptop. And, of course, the poor material selected for the keys did little to withstand the perilous two foot drop to the floor; a piece actually chipped off upon impact! I quickly went to the Sony customer care site; after deciding if my computer was a "505 Series" or a "V505 Series", I was finally able to submit a request for a new key; the results:

Thank you for contacting Sony Direct Accessories and Parts Center (DAPC USA). The item number is 147775221. Your price is $82.12, plus shipping and local taxes. They are currently on backorder and we do not have an ETA time available.

Of course, not to be defeated, I quickly emailed my Executive Customer Care Rep, letting her know that there was no way I was paying $80 for a half inch piece of shitty plastic (which, of course, was backordered with no ETA available). The response was delightful:

Unfortunately a single key cannot be sent/replaced any longer. You have to send the entire unit in for the service center to replace the keyboard. If you would like I can send a box to you so you can send it in.

Scott Bedbury helped build the Starbucks and Nike brands that we know and love today; in his book "A New Brand World", he makes the statement that "Great brands understand the need to respect both the physical and emotional needs of consumers .. we seek experiences that make us think, that make us feel, that help us grow, and that enrich our lives in some way. Wherever possible, make your brand a part of that process" (105-106). It's curious that one of the most established brand leaders in America chooses to blatantly ignore the customers that drive the success of their brands; it's not that curious that, less than a month ago, Sony announced a 20,000 person layoff.

Happy Hallowweeennn ..

Ah, good times.