99 Days of Freedom

99 Days of Freedom, anyone? 

Of course, if you've been a regular visitor to this blog since the days back when I actually wrote about things other than gardening, you'll know that I've been "free" for much longer than 99 days.  (Well, free from the scourge of the FACEBOOK... Twitter newsfeeds, now that's another story...)

I doubt any of the FB users I know will participate in this 99-Days thing, to tell the truth.  I haven't even heard any of them commenting on the whole "controversial mood experiment" conducted by the creepy powers-that-be at FB.  If I were on FB, I'd probably have seen them forward (or whatever the proper terminology is) the story-- or "Like" it-- or comment on someone else's post to express their dismay-- and then I'd watch as they promptly forgot all about it and went back to their FBing as usual. 

...The thing is, I don't get the impression that people cared enough about the secretive "mood experiment" to do anything so drastic as quitting FB.  They find the site too rewarding, too ingrained a part of their daily lives.  Kind of like how I feel about my Twitter newsfeeds.  Every now and then I'll actually take a serious break from them, but it's rare.  Even if there are things I don't like about Twitter, it's part of my routine, and I find it useful and entertaining. 

Oh well...
I continue to wait for a true uprising against the tyranny of THE FACEBOOK... One day it will come... ;o)  (Probably only when/if FB is challenged by a snazzier, cooler, more invasive social network.  Of course, by then we may all be "cyborgs" with surgically implanted Google Glass-type do-dads...)

Three Things

1.  I have given up on the 52 Weeks of Happy project.  The remaining however-many weeks of the year will have to settle for Ho-Hum.  ;o)  Ok, ok.  But really-- what I learned from my attempt at 52WoH is that... having one more "assignment" / "obligation" does not make me happy.  Which sort of defeats the purpose of 52WoH.  Which is why I called it off.  (Now, if I could just call off some of the other things that make me Not Happy... like having to clean the bathrooms, for instance...)


2.  Project 365 is still on!  (Believe it or not.)  The photos are all taken, and I don't even think I've missed one (yet).  Many of them are still sitting in the camera, waiting.  ...Oops.  However, one of these days I will process and post them all.  I might even get back into the habit of uploading them in a (slightly more) timely manner. 


3.  Google Reader is going away forever!!!  (Welp, that's it.  It's official.  Google really is Evil.)  I, obviously (or else I wouldn't care one way or the other), am among the apparently dwindling number of loyal users. We have until July to make other arrangements.  The only good thing about this is that maybe it will make me finally get my messy collection of RSS feeds under control.  (Maybe.)  No, but seriously, if I haven't read a given blog in two or three years, I'll definitely at least consider unsubscribing from it. 

Actually, truth be told, I'm kind of looking forward to doing some spring cleaning in the ol' blogroll. Getting it back in hand.  Teaching it who's boss.  Taking it to task.  I'm definitely in "organize and purge" mode, around the house, lately (and goodness knows I need to be).  A little tidying up on the computer wouldn't hurt, either.  Selecting and familiarizing myself with another RSS reader, on the other hand... not looking forward to that. 

48/365 - Kindle

In May, it will be two years since I bought my Kindle, and I've never looked back.  I love that thing, and there's no question I read more now because of it.  (And to think-- for a long time I was one of those who almost resented the idea of an e-reader!)

"Hey, We Noticed You Looking At..."

Hey, Amazon.com! 

I noticed you noticed we were looking at cordless phones, and I thought you might be interested to know that we actually bought one from you... just a few days ago.  So, no, we are not currently planning to buy another cordless phone, even though this is the second time in two days you have e-mailed us about them. 

Sincerely,
Me

P.S. Some people might think it's kind of creepy if you e-mail them saying you "noticed" their shopping habits.  (I may or may not be one of them.)  Sure, they know that you're an online business and keep track of that kind of thing, but we tend not to think about it on a daily basis, and when it's blatantly pointed out to us, it feels weird, like some guy's been following us around while we shop, taking note of what brand of cereal and shampoo we buy. Alright, occasionally we find it useful, like when we can just click on one of the "recently viewed" objects on the home page, rather that having to search for it all over again.  However, this is not the first time you have suggested that I might be interested in something I have just purchased from you.  Food for thought. 

Just Another Luddite

"A Third of People Completely Lost Without Their Smartphones, Survey Says"

Well, that's something I never have to worry about, at least.  ;o)  (I already spend too much time plopped down in front of the computer.  Why would I want to develop a cell phone addiction, too?)

Though my (non-"smart", spartan, extremely rarely used) cell phone is capable of it, I have never even sent a text.  Ever.  

Of course, I'm also one of those weirdos who don't use Facebook.  (I've finally even gone so far as to start the "permanent deletion" process on my FB account.)  Blogging is better. :oP

ATM: The Job Killer

So that's why everyone's joking about ATMs today.

...Ok.  If it was a joke... Um, not amusing.  (Dear Sir:  Making jokes about the lack of jobs and the general craptastic-ness of the economy is probably not a good idea, at this point in time.)  If he was serious, what does he propose we do about the scourge of the job-thieving ATM?  Should we do away with everything that performs a service that once could only have been fulfilled by a person?  What's next?  Vending machines?  Automated car washes?  Oh, I bet those "self-checkout" things in grocery stores are high up on the list, too. 

Anyway, the ATM has been around for quite a while, so I would imagine that most ATM-related job casualties also came some time ago.  I certainly hope he's not suggesting that the Rise of the ATM has anything (meaningful) to do with the current abysmal employment stats.  (That would just be dumb.)

Things I Like About the Kindle

There are a few obvious things that you know you'll like about an e-reader, before you even hold it in your hands. 

There's the amazing portability of enough reading material to keep you busy for years (unless you read a lot more and a lot faster than I do).  You can carry a whole little library around with you (in this device that weighs less than some paperbacks!).  

Then there's the to ability to load something new from Amazon in seconds, when connected to a WiFi network.  (There's also a certain degree of ability to access other parts of the Internet, though it's definitely not what the WiFi Kindle was designed for-- and it shows.)  So far, I much prefer to shop on my regular computer than on the Kindle itself, but it's nice to know that I can get new reading material while on the go (as long as I can find a hotspot).

I knew that I would love all the easy access to free books.   (Technically, most of them have been free for years on-line, but I don't like reading off a computer screen for hours at a time.  Reading from the Kindle screen is nothing like reading from the computer monitor.  It's easier on your eyes, more portable, and more intimate, somehow, if you that makes any sense. (g)) There are many wonderful works in the public domain, and occasionally you'll find a more recent title available for free (as a promotion).  Some people complain about the lack of a live table of contents in some of the free classics, but personally, I tend not to skip from chapter to chapter very much, anyway.  Either I read from start to finish or I go directly to a favorite part (which is fairly easily estimated and jumped to, if you've read it enough to have a favorite part).  Of course, you can often get a version with the live table of contents for just a dollar or two, if it's important to you.  Most of the time, I think I'll be happy saving that dollar or two for something else.

So, those are some of the things I knew I'd like, but while using it these past few days, I've also already found myself appreciating a few other features that I hadn't really thought as much about before purchasing it...

First, no-hands reading.

This may be less of an issue if you typically read hardcovers (particularly those that are well-loved/beaten into submission), but often I find that when reading a book, I must keep at least one hand on it at all times, to hold it open to the right page.  If I want to eat while I read or just not have to hold the book open constantly, I must find something heavy enough to weigh down both sides of the book.  It can be difficult to position the makeshift weights so that they don't either slide off or block the text.

With the Kindle, of course, this is not an issue.  It's so lightweight that holding it up for hours is less likely to become tiring, but if you like (and I find that I often do), you can just set it down in front of you (or prop it up on something, to get a comfortable angle).  There are no pages trying to snap back shut.  You still have to press the button to the page, but until they figure out a way to let you control the e-reader with your mind, I guess we're stuck with that.  ;o) 

Second, dictionary look-up.

When I was young and full of aspirations-- when time seemed to stretch ahead of me in years long and many ;o)-- I was more likely to stop and look up an unfamiliar word when I came across one in a book.  These days, of course, that happens somewhat less often (thank goodness), but when it does, but I find myself less and less likely to bother looking it up.  I rely on context clues.  Educated guesses.  Call it laziness, if you will (though that's awfully judgmental of you, don't you think?).  In any case, I rarely bother to stop reading and flip through a dictionary (or run to the computer).  That's where the Kindle comes in, with its fancy built-in dictionaries and look-up system. 

I have to say, I'm impressed.  I've tried out the Kindle's default dictionary a few times already and found it very useful.  You just move the cursor to the front of the word you want defined, and up pops the definition.  Hit another button if you want to read more about it in the dictionary, and go back to your book with another single tap, when you're done.  It's so quick and painless, I think I'll be looking up unfamiliar words more often than ever!

Third, status bar (and "status dots").

When reading a non-digital book, I like to be able to tell at a glance approximately how much I've read.  It's just a useful thing to know, and it can be motivation to keep reading or save the last few pages, depending on your mood.  I hadn't really thought about the fact that when reading a digital copy of a book, you might not be able to gauge the length of a book so easily.

Fortunately, whoever designed the Kindle did consider that.  There are no page numbers on a Kindle, but at the bottom of every "page" (screen?), there's a thin, unobtrusive progress bar indicating how far you've read in that particular book-- and the numerical percentage of the book you've read (40%, for instance).  Another neat little feature is a tiny inverted triangle that marks where you were when you started reading in this particular "sitting". 

Something I think I'm less likely to use, but which is also potentially nice to know about is a row of "status dots" below each title in the Kindle's "table of contents"/home screen.  Under each title, there are a row of dots.  You can tell two things from these dots.  First, the length of the row varies in relation to the length of the work.  (I'm not sure how it's calculated, but you can tell at a glance whether it's a short story or a lengthy novel.)  Second, the dots become emboldened to indicate how far you have read in the work (which is how it works as a status bar). 

In closing, I still like it. (g)

(Incidentally, I opted for the slightly cheaper "Kindle with special offers", and in my opinion, the ads and offers are completely unobtrusive.  They only show on the screen-saver and in a thin band at the bottom of the "home" screen-- never when you're actually in the middle of reading something.  I find them very easy to ignore-- if anything, kind of interesting to look at-- but then again, I'm not easily bothered by non-noisy and non-pop-up ads, in general.)

...Well, enough rambling about that for now, I guess.  :o)

E-Reader Convert?

Whatever could it be?

(Ha. As if I haven't been stalking the USPS delivery status page for the past few days...)

Yay! It's my Kindle!

For a long time (well, as long as they've been around), I wasn't sure how I'd feel about an e-reader. I certainly wasn't sure enough that I'd like one to put (what I considered to be) a lot of money into buying one. But then the prices went down some... and I had a small gift card to use (thanks to Amazon Associates)... so I finally gave in...

And I think it's love at first sight.

I can already tell that I'm going to do a lot more reading because of this little gadget.

It's pretty neat.

...Now I'm off to do some reading. :o)

Not a Gamer

On a whim, I just played a game of Pacman.  However, I have decided that once was enough.  I can't take the stress.

Seriously, though, computer games / video games stress me out.  Surely I'm not the only one...

I Just Don't GET IT

Five Random Things I've Never Really "Gotten":


#1:  "NKOTB" and "boy bands" in general
That's just not my style of music. Besides, I thought the NKOTB guys were gross (and wasn't shy about saying so, I'm afraid).  New Kids on the Block were big when I was in about the 5th and 6th grades.  I was one of (I think) only two girls in our class who didn't swoon over them.  (You'd be surprised how big a deal that sort of thing can be for girls at that age.  It certainly played a role in who I spent time with and how I related to my female classmates for years to come.)  I still haven't completely forgiven NKOTB for existing. ;o)


#2:  Waxing
Nope, just not worth it-- not by a long shot.  Give me a good old-fashioned razor instead.  (Maybe this is TMI.  Oh well.)  Many women say something silly like, "This is the price we pay for beauty.  Bring it on!" (followed by the sound of hair being ripped from follicles-- and a stifled scream)... to which I reply, "I'm beautiful enough as I am, thanks all the same."  (Well, as beautiful as I'm going to get, waxing or no waxing.) 


#3:  Sunbathing / Tanning Beds
I probably have my mother to thank for this.  (And no, I'm not being sarcastic.  Seriously, thanks, Mom.)  She taught us young that cigarettes and sunbathing (among other things) were Bad For You.  We used sunscreen at the beach-- so on and so forth.  Result: I've never been tempted in the least to sunbathe or use a tanning bed.

(Some might argue that this isn't much of a feat, since my natural skin tone isn't that light.  Maybe... But I never understood why people thought being pale was a bad thing.  In fact, I've sometimes felt that those who hold out milky arms and legs, bemoaning their lack of a tan, might actually be fishing for compliments on their perfectly creamy complexions.  *shrug*)


#4:  SPAM & Pop-Ups
No, I don't love the edible SPAM, either, but what I really meant was computer SPAM-- and those incredibly annoying pop-up ads that some sites still persist in having.  I know in theory that the reason they exist is that someone, somewhere is clicking and buying the junk in the ads, but I just don't get WHY anyone would do so.  WHO ARE THESE PEOPLE??


#5:  Disease/Death-Centric Novels
You know the ones I mean?  Novels in which the main character or his/her love interest (or his/her family member or close friend) has a very limited life expectancy-- and that's the whole point of the book, apparently.  For examples, look at practically anything Lurlene McDaniel has ever written.  With titles like Mother, Please Don't Die...  Don't Die, My Love...  If I Should Die Before I Wake...  She Died Too Young...  Sixteen and Dying...  and Why Did She Have to Die, how can you go wrong?

I recognize that there may be a need for this type of book... When an adolescent has to deal with serious disease or death in her own life, she may benefit from reading about similar situations and how characters deal with them.  One could even argue that reading such books gives those as yet untouched by tragedy a better sense of what her friends may go through.  ...But the thing is, most of the teen/pre-teen girls I knew who read those types of titles didn't seem to be doing it for therapeutic reasons or to gain greater empathy.  They just liked the melodrama.  I, on the other hand, did not.  Nor do I now.  This is one of the reasons I don't watch medical dramas-- and if I start reading a book, only to discover that it's going to focus on something so utterly depressing, my first instinct is to get rid of the horrible thing ASAP.

(One exception:  The Blue Castle, by L.M. Montgomery.  But that one doesn't really count, for reasons I can't go into without spoiling the whole book.)

Akinator, the Web Genius

A few years ago, I got a computerized 20 Questions game/toy in a game of Dirty Santa.  It's pretty amazing how that little thing (smaller than a baseball) can figure out what you're thinking of, just by asking a series of questions.  Of course, it's not always right, but it is often enough to be very impressive.

The other day, Kimberly commented on a web-based version of a similar "game".  For an hour or more, Donald and I took turns thinking of someone (living or dead, real or fictional), answering questions about him/her, and seeing if "Akinator, the Web Genius" could figure it out.  Most of the time, it could!  (It even knew such obscure characters as Dr. Snuggles and Captain Haddock.)

Want to give it a try?
Just ignore the stuff (ads that are sometimes disguised as part of the game with "play" buttons) on the top and right side.

Now I'm going to go see if Akinator knows some of the more obscure characters in my favorite novels...

In Which I React to News Tweets

"2045:  The Year 'Man Becomes Immortal'"
(It was also followed by link.  Assume the same of all of these.)

Um, yeah, sure.  Come on, people.  In the 1950s, some thought men would be flying to work on personal jet packs by the year 2000!  Do you really think a measly 35 years will lead us to immortality?  I can't believe that physical immortality is possible, ever.  Besides, what would become of the world if no-one ever died and children continued being born?  In addition to somehow achieving immortality, they'd also have to ramp up space travel, find other inhabitable planets, and somehow convince/force people to move there.

Next I click the link and read a little of it...

And, oh, this is about "the Singularity" (which I'll confess, I've never really completely understood-- something about humanity being linked with a computer so that the person's mind will "live" forever).  Basically, the article's about how computers are becoming faster and faster, to the point that (inevitably?) they will be capable of artificial human-level intelligence-- then super-human intelligence.  It's at this part of the story that I think, "Well, let's just hope they're wrong.  I'd like to still be alive, come 2045, but I don't really want to see that sort of thing, thanks all the same."  Call me medieval, but I just don't like the idea.  What?  Is that a common, narrow-minded, non-visionary response?  Meh, whatever.

Anyway, thinking about the Singularity depresses me.  So let's move on to another tweet...


"Update:  Bottom Implant Op Kills Hip-Hop Girl."

First, I'm sorry for the girl and the loss her friends and family have suffered.

But second, why in the world would anyone want a "bottom" implant???
I mean, unless your own, natural, God-given bottom has been damaged somehow and requires reconstructive surgery, why not just leave well enough alone?  Then again, I feel the same way about breast implants.  (The bottom still wins out for weirdness, though.) 


"Study Links Diet Soda to Heightened Stroke Risk."

Well, at least until next month, when they will discover that diet soda actually prevents strokes.

Seriously, though, I would say that I'm glad I find diet sodas gross and switched to drinking just plain tap water when I last swore off the old sugar water (which was over a year ago, by the way)... but then I'd be reminded that there are probably all kinds of crappy, life-threatening chemicals in my drinking water!


"Lib media reporting fake Palin interview-- as real..."

So what else is new?

Look, she's not perfect, but I do get a kick out of how passionately so many liberals dislike her-- which is demonstrated so well by their over-eagerness to pounce on anything negative about her, whether or not it happens to be true.


"Professor Surgically Embeds 'Third Eye' Camera in Head."

Yes, I remember reading about this guy before.  It was gross then, and it's gross now (in addition to possibly being a foreshadowing of the coming Age of the Cyborg). 


"Scientists build thinking cap; zaps brain to make more creative."

LOL!


"Get ready for higher food prices."

Yay.


...And on that happy note, goodbye!
(At least it's Thursday, the third-best day of the week.)

Grr.

It's unfortunate that some people on some sites (*cough*YOUTUBE*cough*) think that it's okay to "say" things that (I very sincerely hope) they'd never say to someone's face.  What's wrong with people?  *sigh*

It must be sad to be you, random stranger on the Internet...

Give Me the Creeps, Why Dontcha?

(Let me preface this by saying that I recognize that this article is in The Sun-- possibly not the very most reliable news source in existence.  ...That said, I've read about at least some of these inventions before, in other papers.)

"A ROBOT that can fall in love with its owner could put an end to millions of lonely hearts across the globe."

People of the world--  Why would you want to waste your time and affection on an inanimate object (in expectation of getting some positive feedback from said object-- completely different from taking interest in a collection of some sort)?  Chances are, there are people out there who will be your friends-- possibly even your boyfriend/girlfriend/husband/wife.  For goodness' sake, if you can't find another person to connect with for the time being, at least get a dog-- cat-- pet cockroach-- any other living thing that can genuinely benefit from your care and attention. 

These "love robot" stories are creepy, pathetic, and horrifying. 
I just- don't- get it.

Big Brother, Is That You?

From the Telegraph:
"Young will have to change names to escape 'cyber past' warns Google's Eric Schmidt"

"The private lives of young people are now so well documented on the internet that many will have to change their names on reaching adulthood, Google’s CEO has claimed." 

Well, that's debatable... 

"Mr Schmidt said he believed that every young person will one day be allowed to change their name to distance themselves from embarrasssing photographs and material stored on their friends' social media sites."

Or... they could endeavor not to expose themselves in that way... And why are we blaming the friends?  I thought that "young people" were generally posting embarrassing photos and material about themselves.  They hardly need their friends to help embarrass them.

(Also:  See?  I  knew there was a reason I don't like Facebook.  ...This has little-to-nothing to do with my personal reasons, but all the same...)

And then we get to the creepy part of the article:

The 55-year-old also predicted that in the future, Google will know so much about its users that the search engine will be able to help them plan their lives. 

...Plan my life?

Using profiles of its customers and tracking their locations through their smart phones, it will be able to provide live updates on their surroundings and inform them of tasks they need to do.

 ...Tracking our locations through our phones??  (Oh, lovely.  Yes, I know that "the authorities" already have this ability, but I'm not kooky enough to believe anyone's tracking my phone's movement on a daily basis.)

And "tasks we need to do"?  (According to whom?)

"We're trying to figure out what the future of search is," Mr Schmidt said. “One idea is that more and more searches are done on your behalf without you needing to type.

"I actually think most people don't want Google to answer their questions. They want Google to tell them what they should be doing next."

He suggested, as an example, that because Google would know “roughly who you are, roughly what you care about, roughly who your friends are”, it could remind users what groceries they needed to buy when passing a shop.

Um, 'scuse me while I take a moment to shudder involuntarily.   ...Ok, done.  --No, wait! Spoke too soon... ~~shiver~~ ...Ok, now I'm done.  (For now.  I'll recommence later in the day, when I realize that I'm once again feeding the beast-- er, I mean interacting via my social media sites. (g))

Where to begin?! 

Searches done on my behalf without me needing to type?  Yahoo! (Ooops, sorry 'bout that, Google-- no harm meant...)  You mean I can finally ditch this irritating keyboard once and for all?!  Yes!  I've been wondering when someone would take the drudgery out of the Internet.  All that typing!  

Hey!  Do you think that maybe someday Google will be able to formulate my blog entries for me, too?!   That'd be aweseome. (As they say.)

And as for this:  "I actually think most people don't want Google to answer their questions. They want Google to tell them what they should be doing next."

Yes, Almighty Google.  We bow down to thee.  Tell us what to do next!  We are but feeble-minded creatures incapable of self-direction.  Give us the perpetual guidance we crave!

...And I don't know about you, but the day I need Google to tell me what groceries I need (based on who my friends are, among other things) is the day I surrender all pretense of autonomy. 

Near the end of the article was one more little tidbit-- something the same man had apparently said last year, but which I don't recall hearing:  “If you have something that you don’t want anyone to know, maybe you shouldn't be doing it in the first place."

That's not even worthy of a response, is it?

Good grief, that guy has a gift for making your flesh crawl! 

It certainly makes you pause a moment and wonder about the future.

Chatting About Nothing in Particular

I woke early with a bad dream still echoing through my head, and I found I just couldn't get back to sleep.  (Don't you hate it when that happens?)  It's strange how latent worries and fears tend to rise to the surface when you lie awake in the middle of the night (or more often, early morning). Things that you can normally just push to the side are more presistent, and it seems impossible to clear your mind and let yourself drift off.  It is without doubt the most depressing time of day or night, so thank goodness most of us usually sleep right through it!

The downside of getting up a couple hours earlier than normal is that you catch yourself making lots more typos than usual!  Please excuse any that I may miss.

So, time for a little casual chit-chat, then.

- - - - - - -

I'm pretty sure the neighbor dogs moved in yesterday evening.  (That's because I saw them and-- just barely-- heard them barking.  So it's pretty good intel. (g))  You have to wonder what pets think when they are moved to a totally new location.  How long does it take before they consider the new place home?  Are they confused by the change, or do they simply accept it, because the rest of the "pack" is there? 

- - - - - - -

We walked over to my parents' house Monday afternoon/early evening.   (We were delivering one more T-post we'd found that they could use in their temporary fence for the dogs.)  I think it will be the last time I willingly walk until the seasons change.  That's partly because it's just too hot and/or humid this time of year to make walking pleasant.  (Donald may be crazy enough to go running in the summer, but I choose to get my exercise indoors!)  It's also because there are Things about in summer.

A few minutes after we arrived, Grandpa took his lawnmower (which happened to already be out) and started mowing the strip of land we'd just walked.  When he came back, he told us he'd just mowed over (i.e. killed) a water moccasin-- maybe 30 feet from where we'd been walking in some knee-high grass and weeds.

Ugh.  It's enough to make you shudder, think about what could have happened (pain, expense, infected wounds?--with quick access to a hospital, not likely death, thank goodness, but aren't those other things bad enough?), and resolve not to walk so much until later in the year!

I'm opposed to cottonmouths living in my general vicinity.  (And I guess I need to try the snake gun again so I'll be ready if one chooses to disregard that sentiment.  Sorry, snake-lovers, but I will be killing the venomous ones that venture onto our property, if I can manage it.)

- - - - - - -

My left hand still smells vaguely of vinegar this morning. 

No, it's not a new beauty/hand-softening regimen.  ;o)  No, I haven't started perfuming myself with vinegar, either.  (Good guess, though. (g))

What happened is this:  Yesterday afternoon, I cleaned and chopped a handful of fresh jalapeño peppers.  I did not wear gloves.  I briefly considered that option, but then I thought, "Nah, jalapeños aren't that hot.  It's not like these are habeneros."  As I worked-- and afterward-- I was fine, which only confirmed to me that jalapeños are not that bad. I washed my hands when I was done, of course, but didn't really give it a whole lot of thought.

It wasn't until later, when Donald arrived home and we were talking, that I began to notice a slight burning on the fingertips-- under the nails-- of my left hand.  (The right remained unscathed.  I'm sure this is because I held the knife in my right hand and used mostly my left to handle the peppers.)  The burning was very slight-- so much so that I absentmindedly used a fingertip to scratch an eyelid.  Instantly I realized that that had been a mistake, and I went to rinse off my eye immediately.*

Burning my eye confirmed my suspicion that this had something to do with the peppers, so I googled it and ended up reading a thread of all sorts of humorous and horrifying stories of jalapeño-based misery.  Some people didn't realize their hands were "contaminated" until after they'd gone to the bathroom, for instance.  One man didn't feel it himself, but his wife certainly did (. . .later that night).  Then there was the woman whose hands burned so badly-- just from jalapeños!-- that she went to an emergency clinic in search of relief.

Reading all that (and how it was so frequently a delayed reaction) made me a little afraid that this was only the beginning-- and by this time, the burning had increased somewhat-- so I tried a couple of the possible remedies I'd read about.  First, I soaked my fingertips in vinegar**.  Later, I took a piece of aloe vera plant and squished as much as I could of the gel under my nails.  Both provided temporary relief, but at least some of the stinging came back.  If it had been worse, I would've tried tomato sauce/paste next, but it just wasn't that bad, so I was able to ignore it.

Throughout the evening, I would periodically feel a slight flare-up of discomfort-- usually when I was using my left hand-- putting pressure on it by picking something up.  Even this morning, as I type, I occasionally feel a very mild tingle in the tip of a finger.  Just enough to remind me of yesterday and why I will never again risk worse burning by chopping peppers gloveless.

It seems that (as with most things) some people are more susceptible to small amounts of capsaicin than are others.  (Thus the man who didn't feel it but whose wife did-- and the number of people who wrote that they never feel it on their hands, but if they touch an eye or their mouth, they burn just as much as the next person.)  In any case, I think I'll take some precautions next time.  Some people wrote that latex gloves don't work, but that rubber gloves do.  I'll probably try rubber gloves next time, just to be on the safe side. . .

(Looking back into my dimmest memory, I think Mom may have warned me about the peppers when she passed them along to me. . . I guess I wasn't paying enough attention.  Shame on me!)

*At that point, it was impossible not to remember the story of how poor little Tonya had been playing with some ornamental peppers (unbeknownst to the adults).  I don't remember all the details, but I think that somehow her fingers started burning, so she put them in her mouth.  That made her mouth start to burn, so she started crying, which led to-- as you've probably guessed-- her putting her hands to her eyes and burning them, too!  Ouch!

**I read this morning that vinegar (like water) is ineffective at removing capsaicin.  (So my fingers are all vinegary for no good reason?  How rude!)  On the other hand, they list vegetable oil and Vaseline as being possibly useful.  Then again, this is Wikipedia I'm citing here, so, um, take it or leave it, pretty much.

- - - - - - -

I mentioned exercising indoors, before.  My current favorite indoor exercises (because I have more time to waste this morning) are all Wii-based.  (There's something both satisfying and amusing about using video games to be more physically active!)

Number one on the list is Gold Gym's Cardio Workout.  If you enjoy the boxing elements in other games (Wii Fit, EA Sports Active), you might want to give this one a look.  If on the other hand you hate the boxing elements, avoid this one like the plague, because that's pretty much all it is.  (g)  I liked the boxing, and I haven't been disappointed in this "game".  Just as EA Sports Active's boxing takes Wii Fit's version to the next level, so too does Cardio Workout.

Here are some points of interest about the game:

• Though the game info says it works with the balance board, that's a bit misleading.  Only a couple of exercises use the balance board-- none of the actual workouts do.  Instead, you stand at a slight angle to the TV and are prompted to keep up a rhythm of shifting your balance from one foot to the other.  This helps keep your heartrate up.  At first, I found it kind of awkward-- partly because I thought you were supposed to be stepping each time.  You're not (unless they specifically tell you to do so).  You just shift your balance from the front foot to the back foot and vice versa, at a decent pace. If you're doing this to get a workout, you really need to try to keep up with the balance shifting.  I'm sure it makes a huge difference in how much work it is.
• For most of the workouts (or at least the ones I'm familiar with-- because I haven't tried them all, yet), you're "just standing there".  They don't ask you to do any kicks or steps-- just shift your balance and throw punches.  As you work your way up in difficulty, they add in "ducking" (like quick squats) and "weaving", and later on, they do incorporate quick steps to the side or forward and backward.  For someone like me, though, even the ones with just ducking are a pretty good workout. (The first couple times I did those, I could definitely tell the next day that I'd been working those specific muscles.  Now, the fact that I don't feel sore the next day tells me that I've made some progress.)
• If you're like me, you'll probably have a little problem getting some of the punches to register.  There are (I think) three different types of punches.  Jab and cross ("1,2") are the easiest-- just straightforward punches like the ones used in Wii Fit.  Then there are hooks (left and right) and uppercuts (again, left and right).  Try not to despair if you find yourself shouting at the TV, "I did it!  I made that punch!  Why aren't you giving me credit, you miserable piece of--?!" -- Ahem.  As I was saying, don't give up if you have trouble getting punches to "count".  It does get easier with practice. 
• The music. . . One of the parts of the game I haven't been thrilled with is the music selection.  They have a fair number of songs to choose from, but they're mostly very. . . video-gamey.  It's probably hard for game designers to find music that everyone will like, but still. . . There's always the option to turn down the music and play your own instead.  I just wonder if the beat/rhythm of the music you play might throw you off.  Maybe the ones included in the game all have the same beat.  (I haven't paid that much attention to them, honestly.)
• You earn points for every workout you do, based in part on how well you do.  (You get a bonus if you have a "perfect" workout-- no missed moves-- which makes it even more annoying when the Wii doesn't register one of your punches. (g))  The game keeps up with your points not only so you can track your progress, but also so you can "go shopping".  Punches/points translate into "gold", which you use to purchase new clothes for your mii.  I think that part of the game is a little bit pointless, but I guess it might be more of a motivator for other people.  Some might be motivated just by the desire to earn enough gold to buy every single item possible.  Personally, I'd be more interested if there were new songs or workouts for sale in the shop. . . You do earn/unlock new music, workouts, instructors, and-- get this-- clothing for your instructors, just by putting in the time/punches.  (Periodically you'll get a notice that you've unlocked something new.)  So you can change not only your own mii's clothes, but also those of your instructor.  There are several instructors from which to choose, by the way.  I think they have different voices and say slightly different things during workouts, but it's not something I've given a lot of thought.  (g)

. . . Wow, I rambled a lot about that game!  (And there's still so much more I could say.  But don't worry-- I won't.)  The other two I've been using lately I'll just mention briefly.

Dance Dance Revolution: Disney Grooves.  We chose this one because it came with two dance mats, so we could play simultaneously.  I've seen some complain that the routines aren't sufficiently difficult.  To them, I stick out my tongue, because they must be in much better physical condition than I am.  It's difficult enough, trust me, and I'm just playing on the "Difficult" level-- not "Expert".  It's certainly enough to give you a little exercise.  I think I have to "dance" longer than I have to "box" to get the same kind of results-- at least it feels longer-- but it's nice for a little of a change. 

Wii Fit (Free Step).  I haven't used this one as much as the other two, but I think that's going to change.  This is nice for a lower impact workout, and I like that I can be watching whatever I want on TV (or listening to my own music) while I do it, yet I still get credit in the game for exercising.  (g)  I know it's not much different than if I just went for a walk around the house (or, well, outside-- but that's just crazy-talk), but I'm more likely to do it if I'm getting points for it, so in a way there is a difference.  Also, because it's "just walking", I think it will be easy to talk myself into doing it, even on days I don't really feel like exercising.  (That's the plan, anyway.)

- - - - - - -

 Well, time to go start the day for real!  :o)

All the Tweets That're Fit to Print!

In this age of Twitter and Facebook, instant feedback is king.  Even for the more reluctant (such as myself), it is fascinating (not to mention addictive) to see what people around the world are thinking and saying right now.  (Unfortunately, this knowledge often doesn't do much for your faith in humanity, but that's another matter entirely.)

As always, people are jostling to keep up with the times.  No-one wants to be left behind.  This carries over into the business world, too.  Which is fine.  It's just one more way to keep in touch with customers and let everyone know what you do and how well you do it. 

And then there's the local news. 

I don't know if this is happening everywhere, but I suspect it's a widespread phenomenon.  At least one of our local news channels makes a habit of incorporating into their stories the tweets and Facebook comments of random people who respond to the channel's own tweets and Facebook writings.  This inclusion would seem to indicate that the news writers think these comments are newsworthy.  You might be surprised how rarely this is the case (or then again, maybe you wouldn't be).  Instead, what you get is a telegraphic version of the old "sound off" columns in your average small-town newspaper.  It's pointless.  It's not even news!

Here's a good example of what I'm talking about. There's a story about a benefit concert that's going to take place soon.  The tickets were available for free, and apparently they disappeared within ten minutes of becoming available (only to pop up later for sale on eBay, etc.). 

Part of the story went as follows:

Shortly after posting that the tickets were gone on [news channel]'s Facebook page, several viewers vented their frustrations.

[Random Local Male] commented: "grrrrrrrr I wanted tickets." 

[Random Local Female] added: "Many of us southerners who waited for hours online only to miss out on tickets are extremely pissed...."

Wow, that's some earth-shattering news, right there.  I 'specially liked the "grrrrrrrr" part.  ;o) Why not just write that people were upset that they didn't get a chance at a ticket, only to find them snapped up by people who intend to profit by them?  (Is it even necessary to say that much?  It seems fairly obvious.)

I don't know why this is so particularly irritating to me.  It's not that much different from the silly polls they've been doing for years.  I suppose it's not even worse than when they go out and interview people at random, trying to get "reaction" to this or that story.  But for whatever reason, it just elicits my very best eye roll.

"Finding skeletons is such fun!"

This morning, a blog I read linked to The Local, which bills itself as "Sweden's News in English". (I've been to the site before-- but I haven't been a regular reader for quite some time.) I read the linked article and was about to navigate away from the page when something near the top caught my eye:

"A body is discovered, followed by two skeletons." True, the quote's attributed to "The Swedish Book Blog", which clears up the mystery pretty quickly, but in juxtaposition with that happy, smiling face (a photo of the journalist/book blogger, I assume), the grisly quotation just struck me as bizarre and amusing.

I thought this was probably just a fluke-- but after refreshing the page and getting new "headline quotations", I began to think that they do this kind of thing on purpose. (Not necessarily always by pairing creepy quotations with smiling photos, however. Sometimes they just choose an eye-grabbingly odd line for the quotation.)

Next up, there was a surgical masked statue announcing, "Hello. My name is Peter and I have had the swine flu."


(Um. Dude? You might want to pull the mask up so that it covers your nose, too. . . Just a thought.)

Then there's this gem:

"How many insects do you need to make a hamburger?"

(. . . Remind me to skip the burgers, next time I'm in Sweden.)

And here's one more dose of the absurd:

"Ladies, send me some pictures of your shaved heads."

I had to click that one just to see what in the world that was all about. Apparently, the female shaven head is some sort of new trendy look, and the columnist is seeking more photos of women who have shaven their heads for fashion. . . . No, seriously.

Ah, the Internet. You never know what you'll find next!

Pointless Babble

Only three rounds of pointless babble this time.

- - - - - - -

1. Does Twitter have a monopoly on "pointless babble"? I think not.

I'm now following The Drudge Report on Twitter-- by far the most prolific entity on my list. One of their tweets the other day was a link to a story about how one study (with a sample of a measly 2,000 tweets, however) determined that 40 percent of tweets are "pointless babble". (Their example of "pointless babble" was something like "I'm eating a sandwich now", by the way.)

Measly sample size aside, I'd say the findings are accurate-- if anything, they may be a little low-- but remarkably unsurprising. Haven't people known all along that Twitter is designed for pointless babble? Or at least that's what I tell myself, since babbling is just about all I do on Twitter-- usually pointlessly.

After reading something like that-- and honestly, even before reading the article-- I think twice before tweeting. This may be difficult to believe, for those of you who either "follow" me on Twitter or read my tweets right here on this blog and see my snoozy observations on weather, how tired I am, or what Trixie happens to be doing at the moment, but I've actually been holding back my most boring tweets. I frequently stop myself in mid-tweet. "Nah. That's just too boring to bother people with" Or-- "I don't want it to sound like all I ever do is grumble, so... (backspace backspace backspace)"...

I wonder how many Twitter users feel this pressure to be interesting-- to stay upbeat (or cool and dark, depending on the personality)-- to censor themselves when they begin to feel that they've been doing too much babbling. (Note that I only insinuated that I feel the pressure to be interesting and upbeat-- not that I actually achieve a high level of interest and cheeriness. Just wanted to make sure that was clear. (g))

As someone who only tweets "on the side" and really prefers a blog for the long haul, my next thought naturally is of the blog. I may curb my tongue (fingers?) on Twitter, but my blog is at least 40% pointless babble, too. I'm going to try to forget I ever thought about that, though, and just keep on blogging away, one tedious entry at a time. The good thing about my blog is that there's no fluctuating "follower" count to avoid noticing every time I log on.

- - - - - - -

2. Trixie may not be destined for print, after all. (Oops.)

I may have spoken too soon about Trixie being in the I Has a Hotdog book. The last e-mail we got on the subject indicated that there's still some chance of the photo not making the cut. (Though they did sound encouraging.) I guess we'll just have to wait and see.

No, this doesn't really matter-- only I'll feel silly for having mentioned it at all, if it doesn't pan out. And it would be fun to see one of our dogs in a Real Book.

- - - - - - -

3. "Island Flyover" is fun.

My current favorite thing on the Wii is the Resort's "Island Flyover" game. It's not a very structured, competitive game, which is probably a big part of why I like it right now. Just between the two three however-many of us there are, I can sometimes be a little too competitive. (No comment necessary, Donald :oP) A non-competitive solo game is a nice break from losing to the meanie computer for the nth time in a row at ping pong table tennis.

For those who don't know, in this game you fly a little plane around the island resort looking for (marked) points of interest and/or popping balloons by shooting them or flying into them. I like games with a little of a treasure hunt in them, and this one is also something where you can just sit back and enjoy the view, too-- particularly once you unlock the sunset and night-time options.

- - - - - - -

The End.

Repper

I'm probably the last person in the world to hear about Repper (or at least the last person who might potentially be interested in it), but just in case I'm not, I highly recommend it, if you want to quickly and easily create a seamless tiled background image.

It's web-based. You don't have to download or install anything to use it. You don't even have to register. You just go to the web page, click "Start Tool Now", and play around until you get something you like. You can use their photos (one of which automatically pops up when you start the tool) or upload your own photo or other image. Move and/or resize the "sampler" square to repeat different parts of the picture. When you get a pattern you like, save it. (There's a brief "how to" video on the home page, if you need help.)

I found this tool when I decided to finally make my own background for my Twitter page. Not only is it simple and fast, but it's also quite a bit of fun.