Apple Heaven

Eric knocked on the side door of the cabin a little after 6 AM, and Maya and I were on the road to Boston before 7. I wasn't sure Maya would want to leave her friends, but she was happy to watch the rest of 'Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire' and hardly noticed the intense traffic the last half of the trip. Eric had thankfully printed out instructions for me, so that we arrived at the Apple store just a few minutes late. I dropped Maya off at the entrance ('I am a big girl now, you can trust me!) with trepidation and found a parking spot a half block away. I was surprised that I was required to stay throughout the workshop, but was delighted to have my laptop and catch up with work and emails.

And be introduced to Apple Heaven. I believe most Apple stores are designed in the same fashion. The front of the store is composed of three tall panes of glass reaching up to the sky (three stories). The inside of the store is bright with sunshine streaming in. The atmosphere is calm and efficient with attentive employees and happy customers. There are computers on the first floor, iphones and accessories on the second, and the tutorials and lectures occur on the third. I am so impressed with the design of the store, so very conducive to wanting to buy every item available and more. The colours of blue and white; I wonder if research has demonstrated that those shades are effective in bringing in customers.Thankfully the product is excellent, and if the device has a glitch, it is replaced or repaired without hesitation. I think Eric has had several iterations of his iphone, each time returning to the store for a replacement. Mine has unfortunately worked perfectly all along and has not required replacement. I would love to have a new iphone, shiny and untouched. And I love visiting the Apple store; I have no problem spending the three hours there, checking out my email, my iphone, watching the children at their work.

Maya took a three hour music (garageband) workshop. I am expecting her to teach me all she has learned. I also discovered that there are free workshops daily for adults to learn about the iphone, iphoto, imovies, and everything else one can possibly need to know to use the iMac or Macbook. I would like to sign up for a workshop today but Maya wants desperately to join her friends on the beach in Woods Hole.

I finally heard from my daughter Tara, who has been having a wonderful summer in Italy and France, and asserting her independence by avoiding contact.. She is supposed to be working, but is really having a glorious vacation and loving it. She informed me that she has decided to work in Italy next year with a theatre troupe which travels throughout the country performing plays for children. Sounds perfect for her. She was never truly interested in Ecuador, and although she had explored some volunteer positions there, I was convinced that Ecuador was simply her choice because we were there, and Tara did not want to return to college next year. Her gig in Italy suits her better. It was more my fantasy that she would volunteer while she was in Ecuador and therein discover herself and grow from that. But theatre is her great love, and Italy is such a generous and vital place to be. The year will be exciting and nourishing and that not only will she have a wonderful year, she will also grow from the experience.