Exhausting. Fun. Painful. Inspiring. Another Macworld Expo has given us thrills and insight, then used us up and left us crushed and void, like a tattered issue of Us Weekly being read by a bindle-toting hobo — a metaphor which was at best terrible, and at worst totally inappropriate. Let me try this again: it was a totally awesome Macworld. Without worrying about selling stuff (the booth was free, thanks Apple!) we relaxed a bit more and simply enjoyed talking with existing customers and fans, gathering feedback and ideas, introducing ourselves to new potential customers, and catching up with the micromunity of Mac businessness and friends (including new friends!) who we only get to see, at most, twice a year.

Through Wednesday, the bulk of the Panic crew — that'd be Dave, Wade, Will, Ian, Mike, Les, and Tim, but no Noby because he has a baby on the way! — shared shifts and worked the booth as a team. Everybody did a great job, and the "new guys" dove in with aplomb. Thursday and Friday marked a pleasant return to "back in the day" antics — it was just Steve and I, partying like it's 1999.

You already know what was announced, and what's new. So, for your amusement, here are my random notes and pictures, Behind the Expo.

The Name. It's all been said, and I'm positive we'll get used to it. It's interesting, though, that the word "Apple" isn't mentioned once on the MacBook Pro ad. Not once! Clearly, they're trying to build up Mac as a brand — does this relate to the number of people I hear in the mall unintentionally calling The Apple Store, "The iPod Store"? (That one always stings.)

Intel. It's here, and we're excited. And they shipped early! And there's more to come. This can only mean good things.

Equinux, Plasq, El Gato, et al. Mac developers are getting good. El Gato did an great revamp of their interface for EyeTV. Equinux is designing some really fantastic-looking user interfaces. And Plasq rocked socks on their first try with Comic Life. Nice to see hot things happening.

Tim-Tams. Speaking of Plasq, when some very nice Australians from a neighboring booth offer you famous Australian biscuits, and you love foreign snack food, and you've somehow never heard of them, and you happen to be really hungry, said biscuits officially become Best Of Show 2006. Delicious!

Rubber iMac Covers. Because my iMacs always get scratched when I carry them in my pocket. (We especially liked the white ones!)

New Apple Software Packaging. Last year's illustratiive boxes were totally gorgeous. Maybe they didn't sell? To quote Mr. Frank in regards to the new .Mac box: "It looks like the Internet threw up."

Eudora. It must be said publicly: Aaron, at Buy Olympia/Endicia, still, after all of these years, uses it. What a dinosaur! ;)

G5 Bling. Hooray to WiebeTech for the weird idea.

Eating, Drinking. It happens to us every time. And we love it. Then we hate it.

Jimmy Carter.

Leftover Pictures. From Bonus Resources to Choice, scary street matresses to scary street plush, donuts things to door #1 and door #2, and — of course! — a little fog.

And then, just like that, the show was over.

Ten seconds later, the carpet was totally gone from the floor. A few hours later, we were home.