Life is grand, getting grander

What a fabulous week off.

Emily and I went the staycation route and nailed down a 2-night stay at the Hilton Phoenix Tapatio Cliffs Resort, which is near an area I used to frequent as a teenager. Driving through those hills gave me so many flashbacks. Even moving around the resort reminded me that decades ago, my aunt and uncle would bring their family to the valley and stay at Tapatio Cliffs. I remember being 13 years old when they visited the first time, and I misread the situation pretty badly, thinking that my mom said they were moving to Phoenix, not staying for a time.

That must have played out pretty confusingly to my poor cousin Brady, who had to endure the hubris and temerity befitting a 13-year-old when I gave him the '411' on all things to expect in Phoenix. I wish I could scrub my memory of all cringe-worthy moments, but alas.

Side note: Have you ever randomly noticed the auto-correct on your phone taking a sudden and abrupt nap? It does to me, and I think it does this to show me how badly I actually type on a phone. "See idiot? You do need me."

Other things: I am looking for backpack recommendations. I love color and function. Something with plenty of pockets, zippers, hidden compartments, etc. I am a huge fan of The North Face when it comes to function. While I’m not entirely against Amazon brands, I’ve found their durability to be lacking at times.

We also took a stroll into Chandler Fashion Center, so while in Rome, we did as the Romans do and popped into the Apple Store to look at the new MacBook Neo. I wish I could give you an actual review of the hardware, but lacking the actual hands-on experience, I can only tell you the following:

1. The trackpad feels neat. Like, retro clicky fun.
2. Indigo is the color to get.
3. I am not surprised at the build quality.

I also had the thought that entry-level Apple products MUST come in cute colors to maintain the illusion of separation in the product lines. Otherwise, folks would walk into any store selling MacBooks and wonder just what the hell Apple is thinking. These colors demarcate these Neos into their own little world; basic, functional, non-premium.

But the rub is that these MacBooks ARE premium-feeling, responsive, and justifiably purchase-worthy. I repeat what I said a few days ago: Apple will sell a crap-ton of these.

P.S.: If you ever stay at Hilton Phoenix Tapatio Cliffs Resort, prepare for a hike whenever you leave your room. It's quite literally built straight into North Mountain in Phoenix, and simply walking to the gym or the pool provides you with ample cardiovascular motivation to eat straight and fly right.

Thanks for visiting. Coming soon: A Friday the 13th surprise...