Reality Me

Noah spars

…because my desk is clean(er).

So would you beat someone with a chair for an ibook?

Jesse Sandler said he was one of the people pushing forward, using a folding chair he had brought with him to beat back people who tried to cut in front of him.

“I took my chair here and I threw it over my shoulder and I went, ‘Bam,'” the 20-year-old said nonchalantly, his eyes glued to the screen of his new iBook, as he tapped away on the keyboard at a testing station.

“They were getting in front of me and I was there a lot earlier than them, so I thought that it was just,” he said.

Umm.. You know that thing about 2 wrongs don’t you?

Ah! Some stress be gone. I cannot believe how unproductive clutter makes me. Just being around me hinders my work. Then the cleanup of the clutter is an act of procrastination. But once it is gone, I can focus again!

“There are things that I have done which I cannot change.
I will move on and live with them all the same.” -DM

"Don’t put it down. Put it away." -DM

9 year old boy to mother: “Mom, Dad doesn’t really work? He just fixes people’s computers sometimes right?”

Well now… I guess that sums it up!

Say Uncle has a post regarding pay phones that prompted the following memories and comment from me:

Several weeks ago my wife and I went to a restaurant to meet her parents and both assumed the other had brought their cell phone. The inlaws were late so we wanted to call and see if the plans had changed but didn’t know what to do. I pondered asking to borrow a cell phone. Finally I took a chance and discovered a pay phone near the bathrooms. I inserted my money–no I don’t remember how much but I think it was $.50–and suddenly was sucked back in time. The influx of thoughts was overwhelming!

How many rings before voicemail kicks in and takes my money? Remember the old collect call trick where you’d use a code name to jingle the folks to let them know you were ok? You know, the one where the operator says, “will you accept a call from Mr. I. M. Fine?” and they say “no” to avoid the charges but can now rest easy? The thrill at checking the coin return and finding change. The digust at finding moist, chewed gum. The scare of a prick of a need (ala pre-Internet urban legends). That smell! Holding the phone close to your ear and mouth but dare not touching it. Remember dialing numbers without using the dial or buttons? Anyone carry a pocket tone generator? Remember the secret combination of digits that would let you dial anywhere in the world for free? Remember the fear of the FBI dropping down on you? The unusual feeling of being tied down by the leash of the cord which is always positioned between two busy restroom doors.

One voicemail and a second call later reveals the inlaws to be in the parking lot and then we see them walking into the restaurant with cell phone to ear. Life is normal again.

A big special thanks to Tim for helping me clear up my stereotypical views of Australians and Kiwis. I will definitely bring some hobbits should I ever visit.

I read the article completely and could not come up with a more elegant summary than Ray Kurzweil.

Business 2.0, September 2005

A trail of hidden clues suggests Google is building its own Internet using WiFi blanketing major cities and might be looking to let everyone connect for free.

Maybe I need some calisthenics. I feel like I’ve been hit by a truck. I’d like to take a full day, or better a week, and devote it to jump starting a physical fitness program for myself. Instead I’ll force myself to take several juggling breaks where I’ll juggle with my exercise balls–3 tennis balls filled with lead shot and wrapped in electrical tape.

…because I made cup cakes.

…because I got off my duff.

…because the sun is shining.

In a belated tribute to Douglas Adams, over 1,500 dolphins have recently gathered off the coast of Pembrokeshire. Echt has the picture.

I am not certain that I can live up to Michael’s challenge this week.

1. Go to Google’s Language Tools.
2. enter the following line into the translate textbox:
   Susan Hughes’s mom is nice and cool
3. Translate from English to Spanish
4. Copy the translated text, and translate it back from Spanish to English

With apologies to Susan. Thought you might enjoy a little Internet fame.