boy oh boy was i in the dark- horse and buggy- 2400 baud modem age. did some benchmark testing of my new laptop and the increase in speed and performance was so great i almost started crying.
now no matter how i go into it, something in me always gets me to the cheapest least expensive. so after my laptop started misbehaving so badly i could not tolerate it (i was in utah and vegas and had to struggle with it to back-up the pics and video from my phone) i was like ok that’s it. soon as i get back i’m getting a “good” laptop that will truly handle “HD” video editing because the video i shoot using my samsung galaxy 6 ain’t no joke. and having a day off after such a wonderful p-funk new year getaway gave me the opportunity to get a laptop in my hands to do “work” with on the train to work. i’ve had a taste in my mouth for a beefier computing rig anyways so i’ve been kinda doing the research. in between airplane rides and p-funkin’ i read reviews and studied processors and compared prices. i looked into what the amazons and the ebays and the Fry’s could do for me because in the back of my practical mind was the knowledge i didn’t necessarily need it immediately. i could live a day or two without one, maybe. so i shopped ads comparing prices knowing that most stores price match amazon! i also had to factor in the price of a rental car for one day. or i could catch the bus to best buy right down the street. but since i wanted to go to Fry’s (not on the bus) and the fact i didn’t have to be at work today until 1pm and that gave me the entire evening if i wanted to do sum’n last night. sooooo i wandered over to Enterprise to get me a car. first thing i said to the young manager wearing a dallas cowboy star on his lapel was “win a playoff game.” conversation ensued other people got involved going from the eagles to tom brady and the next thing you know im getting a car for $20 / day- walk in no reservation. my selling point was i’ll keep it under 100 miles.
so off to best buy i went and as soon as i walked in i see the refurbished / returned table of computers. i usain bolted right to them and found one that met the specs i would settle for for like $290 and it was a good brand (not that brand matters anymore). i believe i had talked myself into spending as much as $500 for a machine but lets be real, i don’t think i would have pulled the trigger like that. so pacing the store and talking to geeky sales boys with the boxed laptop under my arm, reassuring myself this is a good purchase knowing i can always bring it back. i run into another computer, new with the same specs different brand. this one was $269. i googled prices and then bam i’m out the door with it headed to Fry’s. Fry’s had a beefier computer with a solid state hd for $349 but the screen was only 14″ compared to the 15.6 that i an use to. i hit the burbank fry’s and they were out of them even though the website says different. i’m in such a good mood with really nothing else to do so i aski if the woodland hills store have’em? she said yes so i said book me one and its across the valley go to get that one.
i’ve done this before when i bought a laptop. i’ve purchased 2 of them and would keep the cheaper one if it does the job, taking the other back. so im home with both space heaters on dancing around just plain happy with new toys. i open the lenovo ($269) and set it up and its cool. i plug in my 2 terrabyte hard drive and access some of the p-funk video i shot. first thing i notice is that soon as i clicked on the video it launched and played without the hesitation im use to and there was no jerking or skipping while playing- even full screen!!! my jaw dropped to the floor! i was like hold up, really? had i gotten use to a performance quality that low? i mean yeah im cheap and can put up with a lot to save a nickel, but damn!!
so in the mean time i open the other box and get out the more beefier ($349) SSD drive computer and start to set it up. while doing so i load my video software (Cyberlink) on the $269 computer and pull up some p-funk from vegas video. i import it and it was fast and then i begin editing. first off the video played in the editor smoothly like i dont recall ever seeing. then i split the clip and cross faded the parts and play that back. in HD preview. it was sooooo smooth i got emotional. it worked sooooooooo good i didn’t even bother to finish setting up the $349 computer (it only had a 14″ screen anyways and the keyboard was small). i deleted all that i did on it and put it back in the box.
during this time in my happy mood i went live on facebook. and to give the people a little sum’n sum’n i played some p-funk video. (i got a clean clean copy of the nugs.tv webcast of the vegas show) and in my already emotionally sensitive happy state i was touched by mr garrett shider’s performance. the significance of it and the possibilities for the future of p-funk. mr thomas was not there so somebody had to do his parts. step in mr shider. on knee deep. having lived this stuff and knowing the history and having heard his father do it, i was at a loss for words. literally. i just sat in it and enjoyed the possibilities. i started calling him “the future” a long time ago but damn, to witness this? it was overwhelming…
