Ruby & Rachelle
In October 2000, Mark and I went to Comp USA in Kearny Mesa and I adopted Ruby. Since then she’s been with me through thick and thin, from California to New York and finally making her way with me to Chicago last year. I love her dearly. But 6 years is a long time, and in computer years she’s got to be about 96 years old and it’s starting to show. Slowness when trying to switch applications, not being able to handle Flash in a browser without having a nervous breakdown.. as long as 2 years ago when I talked Ted into buying the new SimCity and burning me a copy, Ruby refused to play that new fangled shit. These days we’ve got this relationship where we both love each other but I curse her out constantly for being so slow and not doing what I want and she’s hating on me for asking her to do things that she obvs can’t handle doing.
So the time has come. For a year or more I’ve been saying I should get a new computer. Then for the past 6 months I’ve said I’d buy a new computer when this change jar is full and I could cash it in and use it towards a new computer. Then for the past 3 weeks, with the jar full, I’ve procrastinated about what kind of computer I wanted. Finally, this weekend, I ordered a new iBook. I just got notice from Apple that it is with FedEx right now. I hope our network can handle me pressing refresh on the tracking screen every 2 minutes.
I’m really excited to get the iBook and to get a computer that’s going to actually work, and not at a 96-year-old granny pace, but still, I’m sad to let Ruby go.
Btw, how much change do you think is in this jar? I’ve got to cash it in like .. uh.. now, but am dreading lugging it somewhere. The bottom change doesn’t have quarters because it’s from New York and I needed them for laundry. The top change is full of quarters and even has a silver dollar on the top.
Other posts on Ruby:
» Insomnia
» Ruby & I Have a New Crush
» Say Hello To Ruby’s Baby Brother
» Ruby is 3!
» Backing Up Is Hard To Do
» Ruby’s on the Road to Recovery
» Ruby Needs Your Help
» Saturday Night: Great Music, Great Friends
» Sold Out Too Early
31 responses so far ↓
1 rachelle // Aug 17, 2005 at 7:08 am
The computer is in Shanghai, China right now according to FedEx tracking.
2 Chris // Aug 17, 2005 at 7:16 am
Tracking Apple stuff coming in from China is always a good bit of fun. However, what’s to become of Ruby now that there’s a new kid on the block?
3 Nan // Aug 17, 2005 at 8:04 am
I haven’t used my Gateway 2000 for 2 years now - it’s in the basement collecting dust. Talk about OLD! What’s the best way to dispose of an old computer and printer?
Someday I might be able to afford an ibook. Good for you for finally taking the plunge.
4 mom // Aug 17, 2005 at 8:45 am
$164.92 ?
5 David // Aug 17, 2005 at 9:15 am
I recently tracked my new Apple notebook from China. It’s pretty amazing to think you’ll probably have it by Friday. If it’s like mine, it won’t show much movement for a while, then suddenly it’ll appear in Anchorage and then hop its way over in short order.
6 jr // Aug 17, 2005 at 9:36 am
Be carefull where you lug the jar. Some banks are now charging for the labor of counting your money. Putting it into rolls doesn’t help as they need to unroll it to make sure you haven’t salted the rolls with slugs. So in some cases it worth less than you thought.
7 mum // Aug 17, 2005 at 10:03 am
Goodbye Ruby…
Hello Newby ! ! ~smile~
8 rachelle // Aug 17, 2005 at 10:11 am
i’ll probably just take it to a coinstar machine and pay the %. it’s the easiest way.
i dont know what’s going ot happen to ruby yet. i dont imagine there’s much of a market for 5 year old imacs.
9 tien // Aug 17, 2005 at 10:14 am
here in ny, they have commerce bank which does the change counting for free!! you should hold off and fly the money back to new york.
10 Mark Shewmaker // Aug 17, 2005 at 11:03 am
Good choice.
11 Kevin // Aug 17, 2005 at 11:27 am
BankOne doesn’t charge either … and Coinstar charges nine percent! No way should they get their paws on your well-saved bucks.
12 Edwin // Aug 17, 2005 at 11:38 am
$153.42 +/- $8.50
LMAO I have no clue
13 rachelle // Aug 17, 2005 at 11:44 am
the last update on the fedex tracking says
Aug 18, 2005 - 12:21 AM - Shipment exception - SHANGHAI CN - Delay beyond our control
Which doesnt sound good..
Also, the iBook I got is the 14″ with superdrive (can read and burn CDs and DVDs) .. and Dallas had me upgrade the RAM to a gig.. he got the funny feeling that somewhere down the line I’d ask him to upgrade it and he didn’t want to go through that trouble!
I didn’t get the extended AppleCare warranty, but I think when my year is up I can add it on if I want.
14 Richard // Aug 17, 2005 at 12:26 pm
That looks like about a half gallon so I’d say $114.17. Subract 8.9%, so $104.00.
By the way, Coinstar allows you to waive the counting fee if you turn your change into a giftcard. (www.coinstar.com)
15 Mike W. // Aug 17, 2005 at 2:00 pm
My Blueberry 333mhz buddy has been with me for about six years as well. With a 40GB drive, 320 MB of memory and Panther, it does me justice but has very little tolerance for DivX video. Other than that, I’ve been lucky, I guess.
Best wishes to you and your “whitey.” Sorry, that all I could think of at the time.
16 Neil // Aug 17, 2005 at 4:17 pm
I say you keep your old faithful. Just in case that day comes when you sit / stand on your new pride and joy and you need a backup plan
17 Mr. Smith // Aug 17, 2005 at 8:52 pm
Most banks will only count your change if you have an account with them. Go to the Coinstar. What you miss in money, you’ll gain in convenience.
It’s a shame you two are breaking up since you looked so cute together. Hopefully, you can still stay friends.
18 rachelle // Aug 17, 2005 at 10:12 pm
update: the tracking now shows that my ibook is in Anchorage, AK
19 W // Aug 18, 2005 at 7:08 am
djya gedit yet? djya gedit yet? djya gedit yet? djya gedit yet? djya gedit yet? djya gedit yet?!!!
20 Brita // Aug 18, 2005 at 10:25 am
My guess is that you’ve got approximately $38.00 in that jar.
Make sure you don’t have any foreign objects in there before you put it through coinstar. My little brother used to boobie-trap his coin jar with sewing pins to deter us from stealing his change. It never worked
21 Kevin // Aug 18, 2005 at 11:57 am
grrr … don’t give Coinstar any of your money! Why should they freeload at the last second?
22 Benjy // Aug 18, 2005 at 12:17 pm
I’m going to guess $87.34…
23 Nan // Aug 18, 2005 at 1:27 pm
Will you let us know how much is in the jar when you “do” bring it in? Since I’m coming down this weekend, we can bring it somewhere if you’d rather not “walk” it somewhere. Not sure what’s open on a Saturday afternoon. We bring our coins to a machine, well Josh does, so I’m guessing it’s like Coinstar that you’re talking about ‘cuz they keep some of it. But who the hell gets to a bank these days? Too bad we couldn’t exchange our coins online somehow? Have someone come pick them up at your front door, etc.
24 Joel // Aug 18, 2005 at 2:28 pm
first of all - congrats on the upgrade (sorry Ruby!). New toys are always exciting :). Second - funny you should mention the whole change jar thing. I’ve been filling up a giant, oversized, plastic coke bottle with every single piece of change that comes into my possesion. I’ve been saving for the past year with hopes that it will put a huge dent in the price of a new HDTV set.
Great minds think alike.
And I’ll guess $172.45 for your change jar. Probably on the high side but I’m being optimistic for you.
25 Crissy // Aug 18, 2005 at 2:55 pm
Definitely get the AppleCare Protection Plan eventually, since iBooks seem to have more problems than desktop Macs. I think you only get 3 months of phone support, otherwise. Something like that, anyway.
Congratulations on your new purchase!
BTW, they have Oberweis in NY, too?
26 rachelle // Aug 18, 2005 at 2:59 pm
they don’t have oberweis in ny
27 Crissy // Aug 18, 2005 at 6:12 pm
Oh, I guess I misinterpreted your comment about how the bottom change doesn’t have quarters b/c it’s from NY as meaning that the whole bottom came with you from NY. I’m a little slow today. It’s the Hawai`i equivalent of Friday b/c we have a state holiday (Admissions Day) tomorrow, so that’s my excuse. ;o)
28 anonymous // Aug 18, 2005 at 6:39 pm
Donate Ruby to charity. The pluses are you helping someone in need and you get a tax deduction. =)
http://www.recycles.org/forms/donate.htm
29 rachelle // Aug 19, 2005 at 9:20 am
overnight the fedex site was updated.. computer in indianapolis and now it says it’s in chicago! wonder if i’ll get it today!
30 David // Aug 19, 2005 at 9:29 am
You should get it today, especially if you got it shipped to your office. Of course, if it’s like my office, it’ll take as long for it to get from the receiving department one floor down as it did to get to Chicago from Alaska.
Woo! Congratulations!
31 rachelleb.com // Aug 22, 2005 at 6:49 am
The Change Jar Update
Coinstar, Wicker Park, Chicago Nancy came down on Saturday morning. We spent most of the day on Michigan Avenue shopping (I got my first birthday gift! and a few other things I needed) but before we went downtown I…
Leave a Comment