Why I Won’t Condemn E-books

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Last week, I attended a conference. The conference was here in D.C., so I didn’t have to travel far (just a ride on the metro). But the schedule provided 1.5 hours for lunch. So what does any good booknerd do with that much free time?

Read. (Of course. Did you even have to guess?)

And I typically carry two books with me at all times. Especially when I’m at least 50% through one.

It’s like the Boy Scouts for booknerd’s. Always be prepared (to read). (Or for you booknerds, it’s like HHGTTG—always know where your towel (book) is.)

On Thursday, I failed to be prepared. Continue reading →

There’s a New Sam in Town

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Well, I did it. I broke down and bought a new laptop. I’m not completely giving up on my iMac George. George still has some ability left—it’s just he couldn’t hold a wifi signal. I’d be surfing along and all the signal would drop for no reason. Full bars, no interference. It would just drop.

I tried all sorts of remedies to fix George. But to no avail. (Although I did stop short of wiping and reinstalling his OS. That’s just too much right now.)

So since I still have George, I opted for a Chromebook.
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Friday Music Pick: The Record Company

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I was a teen/young adult in the 90s, so even today, I tend toward listening to that decade’s music. I mean, don’t we all tend to love the music from our youth? And really, who could blame me—Nirvana, Hole, Alice in Chains, Veruca Salt, Garbage, U2, Smashing Pumpkins, Stone Temple Pilots, Bush—I mean, the list goes on and on.

Then the 90s ended and new millennium came and, well, let’s just say, I wasn’t as enamored with the music that came out of the first decade of the new millennium. And because of iTunes and SiriusXM, I continued to listen to all my faves from the 90s (Lithium is the main channel on my XM line-up).

But I’m trying to expand and listen to more modern bands. And as we’ve migrated to the end of the second decade now, I’m slowly starting branch back out thanks to artists like LP, Lady Gaga, Adele, and others.

Which leads me to today’s pick: The Record Company.
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It’s an Alice-in-Wonderland Kind of Day

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Today wasn’t a day that I fell down the rabbit hole (although I have had days that felt like that). No, today was more like when Alice cried after taking the “Drink Me” bottle:

“Come, there’s no use in crying like that!” said Alice to herself, rather sharply; “I advise you to leave off this minute!” She generally gave herself very good advice, (though she very seldom followed it).

And like Alice, I gave myself good advice, then didn’t follow it.

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A Strange Place to Have This Conversation

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Like many urbanites, I live in an apartment in a medium-sized multi-unit building. My particular building has 7 floors and about 46 apartments per floor. This type of living necessitates certain adaptations. For instance, when you open the door to go out, you never know who also might be out in the hall and so one doesn’t tend to open the door when one isn’t dressed.

window view.jpg

View from my window (through the screen) of the South building.

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See, I’m Not Crazy. It’s Science.

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So a while back I wrote about naming inanimate objects with a brief mention of my pets’ names. Well, it should come as no surprise to you that I also talk to my pets. In fact, I have whole conversations with them. Or really, in the case of TeddyCat, more arguments.

Cats, as those of you who are owned by cats know, can be most argumentative and love a good debate.

And most pet owners, whether that pet is a dog, cat, bird, fish, reptile, horse, or whatever, will agree with me on the talking to them bit. We all do it.

Admit it, you talk to your pet too. Continue reading →