The newest season of Doctor Who came to and end last night with the thirteenth episode ‘The Big Bang’.  While the episode was the continuation of the week prior, it really brought the entire season to a great close and wrapped up the story in a nice bow :)

While the season is still running in the United States, I will not go into any details of the episode.  This post is about the entire season as a whole and how well the new actors brought the story of the time lord to a new level.

Matt Smith, who had the honor of playing the eleventh incarnation of The Doctor, did a superb job.  I had my doubts when it was first announced that he would be taking the role.  I felt that his age would hinder him from really performing as this great character and following the in footsteps of the very talented David Tennant.  Smith was able to make the role his as he donned some very retro attire and he really brought the character to a new level and helped to add a new dimension to The Doctor.  It took some getting used to, but after a few episodes I started to enjoy Smith’s quirkiness and how he was able to command The Doctor’s presence in any situation.  Given the many dramatic moments from previous seasons that Tennant had powerful monologues, I wasn’t sure if Smith was going to be able to pull this off – I was wrong, he certainly did.

Karen Gillan, the fiery Scottish actress that took on the role of Amy Pond, was just a delight to watch.  Gillan light up the screen every week with her smile and attitude and gave The Doctor a challenge when it came time to sit still.  I wasn’t sure about Gillan at first either, but the chemistry between her and Smith certainly gave the show a new dynamic and had me coming back for more each week.  I hope that Gillan returns in the next season, but only time will tell.

Overall, the new season was amazing.  From the re-branding of the franchise to the inclusion of old enemies and friends, the 2010 season of Doctor Who was certainly one that I will remember.

I am really looking forward to Christmas for the special and can’t wait to see what is in store!

Cheers!

Well the ‘June 23rd Delivery’ was not a hoax, and I am happy to be the owner of a new Apple iPhone 4.  I wasn’t sure if it was going to come today, because FedEx had a backlog in their tracking system that prevented real-time updates.  This honestly doesn’t surprise me with all of the iPhone pre-orders being delivered.

I got my hands on the device this afternoon after going back to bed due to a horrible night’s sleep.  Thankfully I left the authorization form on the door for the FedEx driver, or I would be waiting until the 24th!

My first impressions are that "I LOVE THIS PHONE!"  Yeah, it is sleek & sexy and of course it is new.  Besides the black and steel exterior, the phone is fast (really fast) and all of the new features that Apple packed into the iOS are just amazing.  One of the best features is the camera.  I love taking photos and having a 5MP shooter is great.  The focus & flash are a welcomed addition and the video is great too.

I won’t go in-depth on this post, because I have only had my hands on the device for 12 hours.  But so far, I am glad that I decided to upgrade :)

Cheers!

Dear Apple Store Customer,

You recently received a Shipment Notification email from Apple advising you that your iPhone has shipped.

This email is to confirm that your delivery will occur on June 23rd. Although Apple and FedEx tracking information may currently indicate a later date, you can check the FedEx website the morning of the June 23rd to track your package to your doorstep.

In the event that you will not be available to accept delivery on June 23rd, it may be more convenient to use our pre-sign delivery option by visiting our Order Status website at http://www.apple.com/orderstatus.

Sincerely,

The Apple Store Team

A lot of buzz has been going around about this email and if it is an error on Apple’s part or if it is legit.  My thought is that Apple and AT&T want to take some of the pressure off of the servers on launch day and get the 600,000 pre-orders activated before the big rush.

At this point my iPhone has arrived in Newark, NJ.  So this whole ‘June 23rd delivery’ might very well be possible.

I guess we will see come tomorrow, all I can do is wait at this point :)

Cheers!

This journey started at 5:30 AM when I checked the Apple website and saw that pre-order was available, I immediately decided to get the small task out of the way before tackling my inbox.  Boy, that sure was a bad idea.  After four attempts to order, I gave up for time.

A few hours later I check back to see that the Apple online store was down.  I figured that they were working out the bugs and that this was a sign of hope.  I waited around and once the store was back up I proceeded to place my order.  Three attempts this time and no luck, it was back to my work I went.

At this point I decided I would wait until later in the day or tomorrow morning to order the phone.  I headed downtown for some meetings and stopped at the cafe for some lunch.  I decided that I would try again, hoping I would be successful.  Four more attempts later I still was unable to order the phone.  I was not going to make a reservation to pick-up my phone at an Apple store, because the closest one is two hours away.

Well after getting home, around 8 PM, I decided to give it another try.  A friend of mine told me they sold out, so I wasn’t sure if it was worth it.  I crossed my fingers and went through the prompt screens that I had seen so many times during the day, it was actually working.

SUCCESS!  At 8:15 PM I had an order confirmation screen sitting in front of me confirming my order and making the journey seem worthwhile.

So after seven failed attempts and a lot of yelling, I have my iPhone ordered.  I just hope that it will show up on June 24, as my order confirmation indicated.

Anyone else go though hell to order their new toy? :)

A lot of things have happened since February, most of them good :)

• I am single again and happy about it.  Relationships are a pain in the ass and I just wasn’t committed to making it work.  Besides, girls are crazy.
• Aron and I have started recording regularly with Falling Flat.  Last week we had our second guest on the show and things are picking up.  I am glad that we got our asses in gear on this, I am having fun with the show.
• The restaurant is doing very well.  My involvement has primarily cut back to marketing, but with all that we do, that is plenty to keep me busy.
• Business is good, I am keeping very busy with the resort and more projects just keep coming my way.

Wow, a bulleted list…how tacky, heh.

I am very excited about the new iPhone 4 and plan on getting mine on the 24th.  I may just pre-order it tomorrow, need to see how that whole thing works and if I can avoid an Apple Store visit (I rather just deal with AT&T).

Ok, back to work.  More soon, I promise!

Cheers!

There is a lot in store over the next few months with contests and guests, so be sure to check out the new episode to know what’s going on!

You can find the new episode in iTunes and the Zune Marketplace, or just listen over on the website.

Cheers!

In January, Joseph & Joey (two very good friends of mine) opened a new restaurant in Downtown Elmira.  I have been working with them on their marketing and am there in the mornings to help out too.  It is a great time working with my friends and I am grateful for the experience in being able to flex my creative muscles and learn even more about the food service industry.

While I am not at the restaurant, I am keeping busy with freelance work.  While some clients are only on for the short-term, I have been lucky to pick up some long-term clients in the area.  I am still working with La Tourelle Resort & Spa in Ithaca, but I have found some local businesses that are taking advantage of my services.  With the Internet and social media being the place where everyone goes, it keeps me busy.

As far as my personal life, I am enjoying my relationship with Pam.  We just recently hit the three-month mark and I am happier than ever with her in my life.  I am looking forward to our relationship growing even more as time goes on.

I am hoping to starting recording with Aron again soon, we have not published an episode of Falling Flat since last June.  Many people have asked us what is going on with the show, and I feel bad that this is something that has fell through the cracks.

Well, that is all for now.  I hope to start posting regularly again, just need to find something to write about.  Maybe you should suggest something, eh?

Cheers!

The money was worth it, I am so thrilled with the applications and the fact that I can do so much more with this OS.

Now, it is time to get productive and more creative :)

Cheers!

Over the summer I helped some friends open up two new restaurants. It was a lot of work, but it certainly paid off (free food FTW). One of those restaurants has now been purchased by two of my friends and I have been handling the marketing for them. I also work there four – five days a week, that helps when marketing the product :)

The Downtown Expresso has been successful since opening in late July.  We have quite a following on Facebook and there is a lot of buzz around town about the little shop.  If you are ever in Elmira, then be sure to stop in!

In addition to all of the work with the Expresso, I have been keeping busy with the internet marketing for La Tourelle Resort & Spa.  With the busy summer & fall season winding down, there will be more work to try and drive room sales.  The resort is an amazing place and if you are ever in Ithaca, be sure to stay there, it is so worth it :)

Falling Flat has taken a break, though not officially.  After recording our first three-person episode back in June, Aron and I have just not found the time to sit down and record again.  We would make plans to record and then one of us would have something come up and it just got pushed aside.  I am hoping that we record again soon, I miss doing that weekly!

Well, that is all for now.  I have more work that I must get done, it never ends these days!

Cheers!

Back in April I talked about how I was taking a break from using Brightkite, well after this past weekend that all changed.  I find it easier to snap a photo on the iPhone and upload it Brightkite with a caption and let people comment on it.  The process is dead simple, easier than using twitpic and having the caption lost because clients do not pass it along.

So, with that being said, expect to see more activity from me on Brightkite.

Now I just wish that Apple would get around to approving the app changes so that the broken features are fixed – hurry up Apple!