Tonight I made apple pie empanadas.  The dough recipe is here.  The filling recipe is here.   My past week’s work is here.  

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So woke up this morning @ the regular time: 6:45A, because it was new Apple iPhone 4 release day.  Took a shower.  Apple peeps should be glad I took a shower.  Normally, since I work from home, I don't take one until my 2nd break of the day.

Made it to the Apple store at North Star Mall @ 7:45A.  I parked in the back by the old Mervyn's and didn't realize I was at the wrong entrance until I walked in the mall.  So I trudged through the hoards of mall-walkers; around through that crazy bend in the middle of the mall; through the food court and finally to the other side of the mall where the Apple store is located. 

There was a gaggle of people in line already so I asked the security guard which line was for those who had reserved their iPhones?  He pointed to the shorter line which had about 30 peeps in it.  

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With the recent death of my 37 day old iPhone 3G S documented here, I was indeed in a small time funk.  Made my appointment at the Apple Genius Bar at the Apple Store @ North Star and was prepared to be disappointed.  I was instead pleasantly surprised.

The only thing that could have made my experience at the Apple store better was to have been served a pitcher of Mojitos.  From the concierge who checked me in, to Diego who handled my transaction, I was treated like I was the only one in the store when in fact the store was completely packed with patrons.  

Diego poked, prodded and pinpointed the problem: my 37 day old iPhone had a bum battery.  They gladly replaced my old phone with a spanking brand new phone.  No questions asked.  I was impressed and the whole transaction took less than ten minutes of my very important and busy schedule.  LOL. 

Although I did not receive that pitcher of Mojitos today, the fantastic service I did receive at the North Star Apple store was undeniably a refreshing treat. Kudos Apple Kudos.

New iPhone is quietly restoring my photos; music; memories; etc.

It is my sad duty to inform you that my new iPhone 3G S died today @ approximately 2P Central Time.

I was riding around with S doing nothing in particular. Had finished shopping @ HEB Central Market and asked if I could use the car charger as I had noticed earlier that the battery was getting low.  Plugged it in and Nada.  No familiar beep of the interface between phone and charger. Nothing.  I tried to turn it on but the screen was black.  Tried the familiar reset technique of holding the sleep and home buttons at the same time.  Not anything. Returned home and plugged it into my home computer.  Zilch. 

Drove to the North Star Apple Store after letting iPhone charge for an hour and headed to the Genius Bar.  Teenage Emo boy stopped me before I could get to the counter.  He said they were completely booked with appointments today but that I could set one for tomorrow.  I told him I needed to have my phone replaced today but he said there was nothing they could do without an appointment.  I think he could have offered to see if they had appointments at the La Cantera Apple store location. Zero.

S says I should be angry but I am only dead. Like my 37 day old iPhone 3G S.  Had the original iPhone for two years without one single incident or problem.  We shall see if Apple is able to resurrect or replace my iPhone tomorrow?  And it better not be for naught.