10 Things That Rock This Week

1. After an ongoing feud with Steve Jobs (or more so, his crappy products) in my head, I’m the owner of a brand new FREE MacBook! You see, after two failed hard drives (a total of $500 in costs + $250 for Apple Care–so, you know, not really free per se), a cooling fan that won’t shut off, a piece of the battery that fell out the back, the lining chipping off, and the keys worn to the core–all this, after just one year and four months of ownership!–we finally returned to the Apple Store, yet again, to demand a new one. Actually, SVV did the demanding, and it wasn’t so much a demand as a calmly stated: “We got a lemon, and we’d like a new one.” And lo! They gave it to us! Easy as that. Tony at the Burlingame Apple Store rocks my little universe, and let me just tell you if you are the parent of a Mac and don’t invest in the Apple Care (it’s pricey, I know, I almost didn’t do it at first), YOU ARE CRAZY. That $250 could be the best investment you ever made.

2. I get to cover the world premiere of Milk in the Castro when I return from Central America! An evening with Sean Penn, James Franco, Emile Hirsch and Josh Brolin almost makes up for standing up both Matt Damon and Adrian Grenier this month (sigh, I know). (Side note to all Bay Area residents: Grenier is palling around town NOW, and Damon will be here on Oct. 23. You know, in case you felt like posing as me a pap.) While I hate working awards shows, hate working film festivals, and hate the incessant celeb stalking that my job often entails, I do love covering the premieres! And after doing tons of them in NYC (and even Dukes of Hazzard in TN!), it will be my first West Coast premiere to attend (I’ve done movie junkets and film festivals, but no worlds). Huzzah! Not only that, but this just in: The day before Milk, yours truly will be interviewing Jack Nicholson, Casey Affleck, Julia Roberts, Annette Bening, Warren Beatty, Tom Hanks, Billy Crystal, Danny Glover, Danny Devito and more at a Paul Newman tribute. Who wants to be my plus one for that?

3. The spiraling state of our economy. Um, yeah, not really—just checking to see if you’re paying attention!

4. The fact that I get to spend six weeks to the day without being apart from SVV. A definite first in the three years we’ve known each other.

5. A triple threat of press events tomorrow, at the W, InterContinental and the Haas-Lilienthal House, meaning my favorite pastime–schmoozing (oh, and spa treatments at the I-Spa!)! And a San Francisco-packed weekend of the Mill Valley Film Festival, Hardly Strictly Bluegrass, and the Castro Streer Fair (yay for gay rights!).

6. I *might* get to cover the CMAs while I’m home in Nashville in November. Fingers crossed!

7. For the first time in ages–travel guide aside (read: bane of my existence)–after tomorrow, my plate is quite empty workwise and it feels GOOD! Um, now I think I’ll go pitch some stories and reverse that effect. Sorry, I like money too much (call me vain, but my shopping addiction necessitates constant income).

8. All my favorite TV shows are back! How I Met Your Mother! Heroes! Brothers & Sisters! Gossip Girl! Tyrabot and her aspiring Top Models! Friday Night Lights (I have DirecTV and get to see it four months early–how ’bout them apples?)! I would say Grey’s Anatomy! Desperate Housewives! but honestly I haven’t determined how I feel about either…sophomore slumps are acceptable, but this far along…really, ABC?

9. My new cowboy boots. I’ve only pried them from my feet long enough to get some zzz’s…and even that was pushing it.

10. I may not have dug Grey’s this week, but did you hear Taylor Swift’s new single, White Horse? LOVE  it  and my Tennessee girl. All of her music, actually. Though, unfortunately, I can’t track down the single on iTunes, and the album doesn’t drop until Nov. 11. Sob.

See, Mercury in Retrograde DIDN’T get the best of me this time around! Maybe I’m not horrible luck after all? (Won’t count my chickens too soon.) What’s rocking your world these days?

*Ed. Note: I fear I’ve used up my weekly quota of exclamation points. I apologize if I’ve blinded you with enthusiasm.