Wood Woods In USA: YOU WILL BE KILLED!!!!!

Darren is a very loyal man, when he loves something he stands by it, worships and preachers to the unconverted. Darren is not discouraged that the number of followers around the world is at record high's due to the company's own creative marketing and unlimited advertising funds, Darren has no problem donating his own time to spread the word... An Apple a Day keeps the Doctor away.
It's a typical Sunday night for the WoodWoods, as I type my blog entry on my special, "hand me down" Apple Powerbook, I occasionally have to stop, due to the request of "Hey! Check this out", or "Wow this is the coolest thing I have ever seen" as Darren bonds with his new Apple Macbook Pro.

Q. Could I also become a little Apple Geek, just like my hubby?
A. Quite Possibly, YES.

A tourist trip on Saturday to Apple San Francisco store..."To see the awesome patented glass staircase"
The stairs weren't all that to me but what was up the staircase was where it was at.... Workshop World. Who needs to find a volunteer job when I can sit all day in free tutorials and learn how to be an Apple Geek. In no time at all, I am going to become a blog, web, podcast, film director, singer, basically all round superstar (Yes this machine really can perform miracles). Keep an eye out on the new and improved blog, as I learn lots of new cool and very impressive tricks of the trade.

Darren and I had our fingers crossed today, hoping that we came out of it alive.
Earlier in the week, we had dinner with Darren's colleague Kim. We went to a great New Orleans themed restaurant called Nola's (Pics from website) in Palo Alto (pop 57,540). Palo Alto is the home to Stanford University. Discussing how this cute little neighbourhood with fairy lights, unique boutiques and gift stores would have to be explored in more depth, Kim stepped in with a word of warning. "If you come back, whatever you do, don't go into East Palo Alto". I asked how bad it could possibly be, what would be the ramifications of a simple wrong turn? Without hesitation, "You will be killed". The consequences were a little more severe than Darren and I expected, so we assumed we were happy to take the advice and avoid the neighbourhood. Lonely Planets feature on Palo Alto winds up with the caution, "East Palo Alto, on the east side of Hwy 101, is best avoided".

There comes a time in all bargain hunters life's when the question has to be asked, how important is one's life when there is a bargain at stake? This weekend has predominately been about setting ourselves up for our apartment move on Tuesday. Mattress from Dirt Cheap Mattresses, TV from Fry's, Sofa Bed thanks to Ebay, now we just needed a few extra matching items from IKEA.... Easy!!!!! Dum Dum De Dum.... Where in the South Bay would our IKEA be? (repeat echoey scary music) Dum Dum De Dum.... East Palo Alto!!!!!

Note to our dear mother's: close your eyes as you read this.
Yes we went there, we asked ourselves, How bad could it possibly be? It's IKEA, the Swedes are such a friendly bunch. Fear not.. I am writing this entry, so it couldn't have been too bad.

I was faced with a serious ethical question this evening, one that Reality TV editors must face on a continuous basis. There was a 'moment' this week when a light bulb went on in my head, not a life changing event but a light switched and something that puzzled me had now become very clear. This 'moment' was down on my list of blog inclusions, but the topic just didn't flow so I said to my Editor in Chief (aka Dazza Boy) I don't think I will include "Such and Such Moment" this week, and leave it for a later stage. I could see my editor was not impressed by my plan to mislead my readers. So my apologies for even thinking to deceive my loyal readership, all of whom I can name on a first and last name basis..

Well, the moment in question certainly did not require the build up of anticipation that you may now have, but I will share my moment of enlightenment with you nonetheless. On my frequent visits to Hob "Nob Hill", our local upmarket expensive supermarket I arrive at the checkout and after the customary greeting, I am always asked "Paper or Plastic?" I have always taken this question to be the American equivalent to 'Cash or Credit' and in the past noticed that I would receive the odd "what the" expression when I would reply cash thanks. It wasn't until I went with my guider and mentor (as well as Editor in Chief) and I questioned his response of Plastic when I knew we would be paying with 'paper' ...THAT MY FRIENDS WAS THE MOMENT' when the light switched on. It was all about the carry bag and absolutely nothing to do with the method of the payment.

I am sure I will be sharing many more of my clueless moments in the future... but the near future for me is all about two things.