Wow, folks, plenty of you are probably already so aware of this fact that you're gnawing off your own limbs in sheer boredom, but just in case you haven't noticed, there is nothing going on out there in Macville. Nada. Needless to say, this makes for one incredibly lame framework upon which to build an imposing tower of melodrama, and we, for one, aren't terribly pleased about it. Heck, if AtAT actually netted us enough cash to qualify as an "endeavor" instead of as a years-long partially-subsidized psychological study of the effects of extended periods of obsessive behavior and sleep deprivation, we'd go so far as to say that this disturbing lack of Mactivity is messing with our livelihood. Instead, we'll stretch it just a bit and say that this disturbing lack of Mactivity is messing with our flighty dilettantism. And we all know how painful that can be, right, kids?

We'd assume that the whole community is holding its breath until Uncle Steve struts his stuff onstage in Tokyo tomorrow morning (well, tonight, actually, allowing for the time difference), but after Apple went out of its way last month to tell the fans not to expect "any new CPUs at Macworld Tokyo," even the staunchest Mac optimists probably aren't looking forward to any earth-shattering news from Jobs-San. If Apple isn't going to announce any new Macs, there's absolutely nothing for any of us to get excited about, except for maybe the introduction of new or updated iApps, the long-awaited iPod revision, new flat-panel displays, word of a buyout by Disney, the revelation that Phil Schiller is really an elaborate Muppet... well, okay, never mind-- there's actually plenty of potential for a rip-roaring show full of thrills and spills.

And get this: despite Apple's attempts to downplay the product-intro significance of the imminent Stevenote, there's clearly something spiffy preparing for take-off, because faithful viewer David H. Dennis notes that Wired has "exclusive spy photos" of "a pair of large and mysteriously shrouded booths in Apple's display area." Said booths are reportedly "draped in thick black curtains" on all sides and even on top; they're being watched at all times by "a pair of uniformed guards" who are denying access to anyone without a "special Apple badge." Another guard stood watch over a "large metal box on wheels... with a prominent red sticker that said, 'Apple Booth: Secret.'" (Mmmmm, subtle.)

What's more, unsubstantiated reports have trickled in that Apple's own retail stores have been receiving shipments of something too secret to reveal to customers or even to the employees themselves. So it sure looks like we're going to be getting something new, product-wise, between Steve's sips of bottled water. As for what that "something" might be, your guess is as good as ours. Actually, come to think of it, your guess is probably better than ours; upon reading Wired's description of a "fluorescent glow" coming from behind those black curtains, you probably started thinking about something like a new Cinema Display, whereas our heads were dancing with visions of a line of Apple-branded glow-in-the-dark office supplies. But all we know for sure is that at least we'll have something to write about tomorrow.