[Note: this blog post was originally published on RetroMacCast by Robert Kenyon and is reposted here with his permission.]
Earlier this month, I started firing up my Apple IIGS as a little diversion. It was nice to see that it booted first time and was nicely silent and fast thanks to my CFFA (Compact Flash expansion card). It was nice to have it boot because some of my last Apple II Plus memories revolve around whether or not it was going to boot today. (Loose socketed chips are a nightmare!)
The day after, A2Unplugged popped up with a new episode — I think it was the year end/upcoming year episode he does every year with people from the Apple II community. This got me thinking about all the stuff that has gone on over the last few years since I got back into this hobby, and just how much neat stuff and new people and new products are being created to keep our old machines going.
Then I hear about the new Java VM for the Apple II. I too ask “Why” and think why would I put java on a 2 when the darn class files are larger than RAM? And then it hits me… Because I Can.
I get a tweet from @KansasFest announcing registration is open — and it’s cheaper if you sign up now by like $60…
The weekend rolls around. Another Saturday night and somehow I ended up out on eBay. Yeah, a mistake. Two “instant buys” and four pending bids later, and I have programming books, a IIc, a broken IIGS, TWO full GS systems, and an apple wrench in danger of being shipped to my house. What the heck was I thinking?
This morning at 3 a.m., I pull out the phone and look for airline tickets to Kansas City in July. Crap. They’re cheap enough — under $300.
Today I asked KansasFest.org what time I should fly in on July 20th and when should I fly out on July 25th, if I were crazy enough to go.
I even told the ex that I’d be out of town that week (so she doesn’t ship me the kid that week). I asked first, so I win, right?
Darn it, I may have just run out of excuses. It looks like I’ll have to go to KansasFest 2010.