Speaking of housecleaning… The draft for this one was part of another post.
Mark the date: November 14, 2007.

Nearly epic. Don’t know that there’s a hero.

Too absurd not to be funny.

So despite what it may look like, this is not a rant. I went on smiling most of the time.

A simple cable, weighing 37g (72g in box). Paid 26,33$ CAD ($27.35 USD), thanks to a 10$ rebate. And it was probably the most complicated purchase in my life.
The Apple Store (U.S.) – Apple iPod Dock Connector to FireWire Cable

[That’s the extent of that draft. Going from memory, now…]

The first thing to happen was that the iPod I was using (had bought it refurb’ed for my wife, a year and half before) had to be restored. Problem was that, to be restored, an iPod needs to be plugged to a wall outlet. The desktop I was using didn’t allow for the “USB cable half-way through” trick to work. I had an iPod power adapter but it was for FireWire (because it came with my older iPod). So I decided to get a FireWire Dock connector.

Saw the item selling for $5 at Apple’s online store but I don’t like to mail-order things, especially not something as inexpensive as that.

Went to Micro Boutique (walking distance from my place, at the time). It was a Sunday in late September or early October, IIRC. I was told that this item was in the warehouse and that I could come and pick it up the following morning. No need to put a hold on it, they had the part. It would cost $10, but that was still ok.

Was teaching that following morning, ended up going a few days later. They didn’t have the part but could order it and it would get there soon. They’d call me once it’s in.

They did call me, after a couple of weeks. The part was in. I went to the store to be told that they hadn’t received the part, that I could order it again. It was becoming a bit absurd, but I did order the part. They then called me again, a week or so later to tell me the part was there. I went back to the store and they couldn’t locate the actual part! I was told that they would call me again. Which they did do, a couple of days later, and this time, they had the actual part. After weeks and five visits.

Again, this wasn’t meant as a rant. I laughed most of the time. 🙂