Kindle

8/25/2012

Kindle

I want to talk about the Kindle for a moment.  Please don't confuse this with kindling which is a whole different ballgame and likely will become a story for another day.

I have been an avid reader all my life.  My father read to me every night before bed from the Little Golden Books (remember those).  I think my favorite was The Pokey Puppy.  

Flash forward 60 years or so and my nightstand and every flat surface in my house was covered in books - some read and some waiting.  As a neat freak the piles (though always tidy) were upsetting and I seldom re-read a book - when I'm done I'm done.  

One day during Oprah (remember her?) she and Amazon were offering the Kindle for 24 hours at a discounted price and I looked at Jeff and said I want that.  Actually, I think it was more like I think I want that.  

We bought the first Kindle and it comes to you naked with nary a written word to read.  It's up to you to fill up the contents, which over the years and several upgrades I have done.  I now have about 15 pages of TOC of books I've yet to read.  I find on the Kindle that once I've read something I delete it.  I can always get it back from Amazon and it's tidier! 

Once I got in the groove of the Kindle, I began to give away or sell my books.  I only have a few shelves of actual books and most of them belong to Jeff.  I do have two books that I will never sell "The Ladies Club" and "The Stand".  Those two books will be with me until the end.

I love the convenience of the Kindle - I can download a book in seconds and if I don't happen to like it, no biggie, just switch to something else.  This is amazing technology to travel with - kind of like an entire library at your fingertips and weighing no more than ounces.

I do have a small confession to make.  Every now and again I buy a "real" book.  While I love the convenience of the Kindle and my ability to magnify the type to make it easier to read, I do miss holding a book in my hands.  I never buy hardbacks because that feels too much like a commitment to me.  I have on occasion left a paper book in a public place with a note that says "please enjoy reading this and pass it on".  Do the books get picked up or does a janitor toss them out?  I don't know for sure but just my act of trying to pay it forward is enough for me.  It's the thought that counts you know.

Any book that helps a child to form a habit of reading, to make reading one of his deep and continuing needs, is good for him.  Maya Angelou

Well it's Saturday folks.  Go finish up your chores and get outside and collect some Vitamin D and then perhaps you can curl up on the front porch and read something.

P

Followers

8/24/2012

Followers

People if you're keeping count (and I doubt that you are), I'm up to 12 followers!  I appreciate each and everyone of you and wanted to tell you.

At 5:30 yesterday morning when I rolled up to my computer to impart some pearls of wisdom onto the world - or at least the internet - I nearly fell out of my chair when I saw the number "12" instead of the usual "11".  I was thrilled and my entire day was made right at that very moment.

As I've explained before writing is lonely and sometimes even difficult  It is after all just me, a blank screen and some random thoughts in my head.  Some mornings I sit in front of the computer drinking my half-warmed up cup of coffee and wiling something, anything to come to the forefront of my brain. Some days I'm lucky I hit pay dirt immediately after sitting down - other days not so much.  Because of my early rise time I try and write my blog the night before so that I either (a) retrieve it; or (b) retype it.  My brain as well as my creativity tends to be a bit fresher in the middle of the day - ya think!

I won't "blog" (cute) on, just wanted to give my thanks to the people who give me a reason to continue to do what I do and at the ugly hour that I do it.  And, if you like what you read, feel free to tell someone - or me.  The more the merrier I think.

Here's a thought - you could always suggest a topic for a blog and then see what I come up with!  At that point we'd all be creative!

The human race has one really effective weapon, and that is laughter.  Mark Twain

By the way in case you've lost count and I know you haven't - it's Friday and we're only a mere 8 hours or so from coming home, kicking the shoes off and enjoying our days off.

P

Zippy Z

8/23/2012

Zippy Z

Jeff and I own a two seater BMW convertible - a "zippy z" kind of car.  This is an impractical vehicle, she's useless in the winter, pricey to maintain and yet even with the negatives an absolute hoot to drive.

When you get behind the wheel of the "z", you take on a completely new persona.  You can't even help yourself.  All of a sudden you take on the mental image of a racecar driver.  Jeff is particularly heavy footed in the "z" and I'm more of a wanna be.  Admittedly, it's fun to zip around corners faster than I would in my regular car and you can absolutely park it anywhere.

For errand running, provided you're not a big shopper, this is the car to have.  Downside - no trunk space. Two bags of groceries and you're headed home or else sitting on top of the rolls of toilet paper.  A limited trunk space is a bonus for credit card usage - unless, like me, you just come home and order anything and everything on line!

You do not want to drive the "z" with the top up and windows closed.  It's a very small car and feels very confining if you do.  Nope, windows and top down is the only way to go.  There is something completely freeing about the wind blowing your hair (if you have any) every which way.  A ride through the country roads is enough to turn a blue day around.  Jeff and I have even driven it in the winter (pre-snow) with the top down and the heater on full blast - perfect.  I know that the cars we pass (because few pass us) think we're nuts but they have no idea how actually comfy we are and how much fun we are having.

Mythbusters did a show once on whether you will get wet if it rains and the top of your car is open.  Truth?  Provided it's not a deluge - and you don't stop - then you really don't get wet.  Hard to believe but you can outrun drops.  Of course traffic on 270 sometimes makes it near impossible to keep moving so after a while you admit defeat, pullover and put the top up.  Bummer.

We have on more than one occasion taken the car out in our spare time (ha) just to clear the cobwebs that build up in our heads.  By the time we get home, normally with an ice cream cone in hand, everything is better.

Once snow starts, the "z" is stored at the company warehouse for the remainder of the winter and Jeff then resumes driving the big truck aptly named "Blue Ox".  The ox isn't as much fun to drive but if you take that for a shopping trip - you never have to stop!

So put a "zippy z" car on your wish list - you'll never regret it!

Have a great Thursday.

P

Wishing

8/22/2012

Wishing

Do you wish?  You know like wish you were somewhere else? Somebody else?  Well I do and I do it often.

Like today, the chore upon waking this morning (remember at 5:00 - no coffee in the system yet) was to prepare a termination letter for one of our drivers who malfunctioned this week in a big way.  So nothing like starting the day writing about negatives.  Not very zen like at all.

Each Monday I wish it were Friday afternoon and the weekend was starting.  Then on Sunday I wish it was a three day weekend so that I had Monday off.  Of course if it was a three day weekend, then when I got to work on Tuesday I would still be wishing that it was Friday!

I wish I was taller, thinner, richer (just a bit I don't want to be greedy).  I wish I didn't have to work full time anymore and yet I know if I spent more time at home I'd be wishing that I could be at work with my friends!  I know, I know - some people are just never happy.

I wish I was just days away from a vacation to anywhere.  And when I do go on a great vacation I wish that the fun didn't have to stop (and it does) and that I didn't have to return to my "normal" life (and I do).

I know this all sounds like sour grapes this morning but if we're honest with ourselves, then I know all of us do this to some degree.  Look how honest I've been this morning.

What are you wishing for?

We can change our lives. We can do, have, and be exactly what we wish.”

Anthony Robbins

8/21/2012

Doctor's Offices

Last Friday Jeff and I spent most of the afternoon at the doctor's office.  We drove to Baltimore to go to Johns Hopkins where we have received excellent medical care for the past eight years.  The thing you need to know about an appointment at Hopkins is that you are committed to at least a half a day off from work, each time - every time.

Part of that time is the drive, you really need to allow 1.5 hours minimum to get there because traffic around this area is so iffy.  Rarely, have we ever "hit it on the head" with our arrival - we're always too early or running around to not be late.  

For Friday's appointment we were early which isn't much of a problem as they have cafes and a cafeteria where you can browse among the selection of not very healthy food options.  Luckily for us, Jeff can make a meal out of soup, which he loves and that's his first inclination.  Mine, of course, pulls me toward pizza or french fries neither of which are my friend.

The people watching at Hopkins or any big hospital for that matter is amazing.  Think of every medical show you've ever seen (real or fiction) and all the hospital players there are - interns, residents, nurses, xray technicians, surgeons and everyone in between.  Scores of people walk past you in white coats, scrubs or some other kind of uniform.  Unfortunately, my eye sight isn't good enough to be able to tell from 50 feet what is embroidered on the person's coat.  And just like in television land, everyone is in a hurry and they literally do scuttle around going wherever.

My appointment was to discuss hearing aid options and in that department you have to use a kiosk to enter yourself in.  I was better at it this time but last time I was so confused about what to press and when to scan.  This in-animated object may be the wave of the future and gosh I hope not.  Don't they need to keep the people employed who copy your insurance card and ask for your birth date and address?  

Waiting rooms are another mecca for people watching.  There are people dressed up and some barely dressed.  What I did notice was that seems like today everybody has the cell phone clutch in common.  As soon as you are through admitting, everybody grabs their cell phone and immediately begin pushing buttons.  In my case, I'm trying to catch up with my ever growing Word with Friends games.  Oh and in case you're interested I get trounced regularly - I just can't seem to find (in my mind anyway) the high scoring words!  Adding an "s" or an "ed" to a word really isn't going to get you to first place - if you care.

Once inside the inner circle, your appointment moves along quickly particularly if you tell the doctor that you're not ready RIGHT this minute to buy hearing aids.  By the way, if you folks are thinking about hearing aids the going price ranges from $2800 to $6000 for two.  My insurance company kicks in a generous $400.  I at least now have my information, saw the actual hearing aids and put on a trial pair which were so small you wouldn't know they were there.  My hearing loss is mild and the cost is so high that for the moment I'm just going to either (a) sound silly when I respond to a question I didn't really hear; or (b) spend a lot of time saying huh or what around the office!  Either way, they love me.

The only equipment lack in the modern hospital?  Somebody to meet you at the entrance with a handshake!  ~Martin H. Fischer

Oh one more piece of unwanted (likely) trivia - today is National Spumoni Day

 Happy Tuesday people.  P

Weekend

8/20/12

Weekend

If you noticed, then you saw that I wasn't "here" yesterday.  Nope.  I had a weekend of being Grandma which definitely slows down my writing ability among other things.  Benjamin et al came on Saturday to spend the weekend so that Jeff and Scott could help Andy move a generator he just bought from Craigslist.  "Jennies" (or at least whole house Jennies") are huge, heavy burdensome beasties and while it doesn't a village to move one - it does take a family!

My job on Saturday was to prepare dinner for a number of folks and time yet to be known.  A cook's challenge no doubt.  I made spaghetti (lots) and had it ready at the normal dinner time which in our house is 6:00. Saturday night we ate in shifts - those that were at the house at 6:00 ate first; followed by the second wave an hour later.  Mom's spaghetti was a huge hit and was just as well received as "tovers" (leftovers to the rest of you) on Sunday - again in shifts.

Sunday after lunch Stacey and I took Benjamin to an art studio at Rio.  There you can do ceramics, mosaics, glass fusing or acrylic painting.  We opted for acrylic painting because that doesn't have to be re fired and is instant gratification - after you finish the painting.

I picked out a sensible and small trinket box of which I have no particular need; but, give me enough time and I'll think of something.  Benjamin on the other hand chose a two piece Cinderella-type princess.  He actually started on the bottom of the dress nicely - pink then a bit of red which combined with purple and yellow ends up being a murky hard-to-describe brown color.  Stacey did the top portion of the princess and as always did a beautiful job.  Benjamin's skirt became the "skirt of many colors" and that's just about where his interest began to lag.  Luckily, the owner of the store popped popcorn and Stacey gave him the cellphone and while the ladies painted, Benjamin snacked and played games.

There is a reason I don't paint often - I'm just not very good at it.  My little box was painted bright green with yellow stumpy feet and an orange top with a purple knob.  I know it sounds dreadful but it actually turned out well (color wise).  I painted the feet yellow which I thought would be a nice contrast to the green but then I got the yellow on part of the green and when I went back to green to fix it managed to get that on the yellow.  So I did the next best thing - I sort of "swirled" the two colors until I came up with a unique yellow/green set of feet.

I had the same problem with the top.  The orange was magnificent and yet when I went to paint the top purple, managed to get purple on orange and vice versa.  At some point, you just have to leave it alone.  This was just a box - four squares - nothing intricate.  I used a big brush and it should have been child's play and would have taken no time at all to finish except for having to go back to repaint what I'd already done!  The end result after being sprayed with acrylic and sprinkled with a light amount of glitter is really pretty cute.  

As Benjamin had lost interest in the princess I took over and tried to cover the brown with red and pink.  I managed to cover it but not well in all areas.  Between Stacey and I we managed to finish the princess with the top half (hers) looking better than the bottom half (mine); but again sprayed with acrylic and sprinkled with glitter - she looks pretty good.

We took Benjamin to Target to get him a backpack for starting "big boy" preschool next month.  I was able to pick out a lovely backpack that lights up when you walk - and, it of course, turned out to be a bit pricey!  We wandered the toy aisle as grandmothers and grandchildren are wont to do - and Benjamin was in a complete panic because he couldn't find anything!  Let me clarify - he couldn't find anything under forty dollars.  I told him that Pop-Pop would probably not think a $40.00+ toy was a necessary expense even on a rainy day.  We settled on a small Lego set and a Scooby-Doo movie.  By the way, the movie was terrible even by my standards; but Benjamin seemed to like it.  I sent the movie home with him last night and told Stacey and Andy that they didn't need to return it to my house anytime soon.

Stacey and Andy went out for dinner with Scott and his wife and Jeff and I stayed home and babysat.  The three of us "watched" more or less the movie while we also piled cars, trucks and planes inside an old race track leftover toy from my boys.  The race track if it was in perfect condition and with all its pieces would sell for hundreds of dollars on Ebay - and since it doesn't it provides enough entertainment for another generation who doesn't yet notice the missing pieces.

After the good-byes which are never easy for Benjamin and myself, although we did better last night, Jeff and I returned to the really quiet house, tidied up a bit, popped popcorn and retired to the sofa to watch a bit of tv before declaring ourselves exhausted.

Even after a pretty good night's rest still pretty tired this morning so hopefully nothing major will be necessary at work today.  Who knows if it's quiet perhaps I can even leave work early and sneak in a nap!  Here's hoping.

Have a great Monday.

What children need most are the essentials that grandparents provide in abundance.  They give unconditional love, kindness, patience, humor, comfort, lessons in life.  And, most importantly, cookies.  ~Rudolph Giuliani

P

Blog

8/18/2012

Blog

If you're reading this then you're reading a blog - mine as opposed to someone else's.  And thanks for that.  Curious I went out to the Internet which as turned into the know all and see all Wizard of our time. Old encyclopedias (that weighed a ton) are now selling for pennies in junk shops or are being used to fuel a fire in the winter time.

I turned to Wikipedia and he coughed up 18 (can you believe it) pages about blogs.  Who knew there was so much to say about blogging.  Simply stated, Wiki says "discussion or information site consisting of discrete entries (posts) displayed in reverse chronological order."  Concise, to the point and expertly defines a blog.

There are 156 million public blogs in existence which creates tremendous odds against your own (or mine) personal blog going viral.  I know that for the followers of my blog it was my initial reach out to some friends and then word of mouth and I thank you for that.  Wiki does suggest that there should be a Blogger's Code of Conduct with the number one suggestion to take responsibility for what you write.  That makes good sense to me but perhaps other folks need reminding.

The only person(s) who I throw under the bus on a regular basis if Jeff or myself.  Jeff is used to this for he's bee my "fall guy" for 37 years and knows that my writing is all in fun.  I don't want my blog to be mean or hurtful and I'm proud that I've accomplished that.

I know that most blogs are about a specific subject, i.e., knitting for instance.  Whereas, my blog is all over the place - it's just a place where I put down random bits of writing every day.  Writing that hopefully people enjoy reading at least most of the time.  I know that I'm not an expert on any one thing and consider myself more of a jack-of-all-trades person.

I keep by my computer an ever evolving list of possible future blogs.  While it may look easy it sometimes is actually quite difficult to come up with something fresh every day.  So when some niggle hits my brain, I jot it down before I forget.  The other important piece of this is to cross it off the list when you've written about it!  Otherwise, you might be doing a "rerun" blog and you know how we all feel about reruns.  They used to be the ban of our television watching during the summer of our youth. 

Quote of the day: Your blog is your unedited version of yourself by Lorelle.

Happy Saturday.  P