BookGlutton: Get Beyond The Page With Social Reading

Maybe I’m biased towards writing-related topics because of my background and personal projects, but I also think good writing is one of the most important cornerstones of good business, and therefore useful in any line of web work. One of the best ways to improve any kind of writing is to read as much as possible. BookGlutton is a free (ad-supported) tool that can help you not only read more, but read better, in a context that emphasizes social interaction. Read More

 

Wednesday’s child is full of woe 3/4/2009

I had ONE hours sleep last night. I was up with heartburn.  I am cranky and groggy and still have heartburn.  We had a snowstorm on Monday which left us with over a foot of snow.  The commuter bus parking lot was a MESS yesterday–just a sheet of ice.  I managed to get parking and stumbled my way across the lot without falling.  Schools were cancelled yesterday so not as many people went to work.  Today, although the parking lot was cleared, they just pushed up the snow and ice around the perimeters of the lot thus blocking out at least 1/3 of the parking spots.  Since school was back in session today it was a mad scramble to get a parking spot.  I opted to take the less crowded bus with the slower bus drive (10 minutes later than my usual bus) so I could get in a nap in which I did.

We have this new guy on my usual morning bus.  He looks like the big black guy in the movie The Green Mile. He takes up two seats and at least once during the bus ride visits the nasty toilette facilities on the bus (consists of a commode and a sink that does not run water.  We get anteceptic towelletes instead. GROSS!).  Anyway, this guy is so huge that he literally parts the aisle as if he was Moses crossing the red sea.  Its very disconcerting when you are trying to sleep and get jostled by this guy at least twice during the ride. And they complain about my back pack! Then again, given his size and stature I’m sure he doesn’t get hassled a lot.  Other than that he seems like a nice enough person but I wouldn’t want to make him mad.

I have seen Lush quite a bit this week.  He was very lushy.  He smokes like a chain.  If I get heartburn I can’t imagine what kind of physical conditions his vices cause him!  Well groomed had to stand behind me in line for the bus home last week and actually SMILED at me. I’m over the moon.

I think the bus regulars have come to the conclusion I’m not going anywhere and I can’t be trained so they grudgingly accept me and my backpack.

 

Cell phone hell, 2/11/2009

Here is what I heard today on the Metro! I was sitting near one of the exit doors. Behind me in a big booming voice a woman was barking into her cell phone, “Ok you need to stop yelling in my ear!” apparently oblivious to the fact that she was yelling! Then the following (one sided) conversation ensued:

“A person can’t help who their best friend is! he’s my best friend and if you don’t like it you can go!”

“No you can’t!”

“He’s my best friend and you need to respect that!”

By this time the woman had passed me and was standing by the door. She was a tiny thing holding a cell phone in one hand and holding the hand of what looked to be a hapless two or three year old boy. The little boy squirmed and looked wide eyed around the metro car. He seemed to me to be embarrassed. I smiled at him. Then the doors opened and this woman exited the train with this parting shot:

“At least my best friend works and is a productive member of society, your best friend is in jail!”

With that she left dragging her bewildered little boy with her off the train!

Yesterday I must have been wearing a sign that said, “if you are three hundred pounds please sit next to me!”. Thats what happened on my commuter bus and the Metro! I’ve also realized I have becoming increasingly intolerant of cigarette smoke and people talking on their cell phones. You can’t escape cell phones anymore. Wherever I go I am bombarded by the cacophonous sound of people barking into their cell phones. On the street, on the metro, on the bus, in the grocary store, –its madding! I am saturated with the intimate and often times boring details of peoples lives and guess what?? I DON’T CARE!!! Thank goodness I have discovered NPR pod casts. I download This American Life, Old Time Radio, and other shows and broadcasts so I can put on my headphones and hear somone talking about something I actually care about.

Last week it was freezing cold. That coupled with freezing wind made my eyes sting and run. This week its down right balmy with temperatures in the 50s and 60s! My Mom used to say that this was pneumonia weather and make me wear a heavy winter coat even if it was 60 out. I am giving you this weather report in order to make an observation. We have had a huge increase in ridership. At first I thought it was because of the snow and cold weather but now I think its because of the lousy economy and people are saving on gas and the wear and tear on their cars.
People aren’t buying new cars. They are making due with what they already have.

And speaking of cars I wish some people would just take their gas guzzling SUVs and stick them up their dupas! I have an energy efficient economy sized car. When I am flanked by TWO SUVs in the parking lot its HELL getting out of the space!

This week both Jaunty and Well Groomed smiled at me! I glowed all day after that!

 

Kitten Cam!

The Live Kitten Feed Of Our Hopes And Dreams

 

Tom Tomorrow: There’s that melody again

 

Fridays I’m in love 1/23/2009

My commute seems to be back to its Pre-Inaugural hysteria level and is taking the usual hour forty minute round trip instead of the two hour ten minutes or two hour forty minute trip. Ridership on the commuter buses is definitely up though. I have to get to the parking lot at least 30 minutes before the last bus to get a parking space in the lot (I usually take an earlier bus anyway but this means I venture forth at my own peril if I dawdle or sleep through my alarm).

Well Groomed is taking an earlier bus in from Jaunty which is why I haven’t seen her the last couple of weeks. She is probably doing so to compensate for the buses running late. I wonder if she’ll go back to her old schedule? Yesterday I was on the same bus as Occupational Therapy Guy coming and going but the bus was so crowded I didn’t get a gander at his latest project. On the ride home last night some idiot cut off the bus and the bus driver slammed on the breaks in an effort to not rear end the car which caused the bus to lurch and I was flown into the back of the seat in front of me. Luckily no one was hurt. You have to wonder what these people are thinking when they cut off buses and trucks. Is it so important they save a few minutes that they put themselves and others in danger? The funny part is that when I see a car weaving and bobbing through traffic to get ahead of me, I usually end up right beside them or behind them at the next light so what time have they really saved?

The reviewing stands are still up along Pennsylvania Avenue and the Capital is still decked out in its Inaugural finery which gives the city a festive air. With the arrival of a new president and administration you can feel the pulse of the city is more charged. Now if they can only get rid of that stupid red school house with “No child left behind” sign ( written in a childish scrawl as if it was on a blackboard which makes it even more annoying) in front of the Dept. of Education building my happiness will be complete!

Yesterday some streets were closed when the new Prez visited the State Dept. to introduce his new madam secretary of awesome but it didn’t wrangle up traffic too much.

 

Peanut Butter Product Recalls

List of  Peanut Butter Product Recalls

 

A 360° view of history

Using Photosynth technology, CNN combined their photos with professional shots to create three-dimensional spaces. This requires a download but its well worth it!

 

Switch to Digital May Be Rocky

Technical Difficulties

Switch to Digital TV May Not Be as Smooth as Advertised

 

World media on Obama inauguration

Following Barack Obama’s inauguration as the 44th US president, commentary in the international media focused on his ability to carry out a mandate for change. Many expected any such change to be gradual.