I Love Technology.

I've always been somewhat resistant to any new technology. Whenever I hear about some new, wonderful, convenient (and always expensive) device designed to make me crave it even when I don't quite know why, I just cringe inside. Maybe I take after my Dad, he's always been the same way. He won't buy hardly anything brand new and he fixes things he's owned for years when they break. He has a radio that looks like it's from another time dimension because, literally, it is.

I noticed that the cringing trend began somewhere around the time that DVDs starting getting really popular. I had just recently gotten a 4 head VCR and just thought that was the shit. "Why do I need a DVD player? I own this awesome 4 head, did you hear me? 4 head VCR!" Plus, every movie I owned was already VHS, did I really need to buy DVDs, too?. I knew how to work the remote and I knew how to set the time and make it record shows. I felt complete. **Side note, it amazes me that some people refuse to master some of these skills even today when it comes to those old VCR's they still use for their kid's Barney tapes. Come on, people!

Eventually, we all know we moved to DVDs. How could we not? DVD players were $30 during the holidays, Netflix got popular while Blockbuster and Hollywood Video began removing all of the VHS tapes until only DVDs remained. You had no choice but to get with the new way things worked.

I've seen this automatic resistance happen again and again with me whether it's Internet speed ("I'm happy with my 56K, why would I need something that goes faster?") to TiVo ("I can just use my magnificent 4 head VCR to record!") to iPods ("Really, I don't mind carrying around 500 cds with me every where I go!") to just about anything that has come out new, different or improved.

I start out resisting almost every technological advance but sooner or later, I'll come across one of these new devices and inventions through friends, family or even strangers and get a chance to really see what it can do and maybe play with a few of the buttons myself. This seems to ALWAYS turn my frown upside down. Then within a few days, I have to get one of whatever it is for myself.

And we come to the whole point of this... I had always thought navigation systems were just, I don't know, dumb. Extra that just wasn't really necessary. Sure, for people who really needed to use them like truck drivers, etc., that was fine. For regular people like myself "Why not just get directions off the internet? Or read a map?" Until tonight when I had one in my vehicle trying it out. I have driven past the same streets every day for two years since I moved to this new city. The only time I ever saw or noticed any of the street names was tonight when the navigation system told me they were there. It showed me how to get home step by step. Not that I didn't already know, but you know what I mean. It demonstrated that if I was in some huge, big complicated city driving around with no idea where I was going that I could find my way by hearing "In 250 feet, right turn. Right turn in 250 feet. Gas station up ahead!" So, now that I've had the navigation system in the car for about an hour and now it's gone, something seems like it's missing. Guess I'll be at Best Buy within the next couple of days picking out my new, wonderful, convenient (and expensive) navigation device. I promise I won't play with it while I'm driving.

He makes up for the bad stuff he does by being so cute.

Isn't he cute?

And he's a celebrity, too. J put his picture up on a photo website and multiple people have said how cute he is. One person even said they wanted to take him home with them. I thought about it briefly, I do miss the times when I had furniture that didn't have the stuffing hanging out, but decided I would continue letting him live with me. Maybe next for him will be posing for calendars. The world needs a new face in Tuxedo cat modeling. And since he can't cash checks, I'll take care of that for him.

The Best Milkshake money can buy

If you haven't had a Chick-Fil-A milkshake yet (they are hand spun..mmm) you are truly missing out on one of the finest culinary masterpieces of this lifetime. It would be a shame for me to have never experienced the awesomeness of a perfect chocolate milkshake, or vanilla, or strawberry, or cookies and cream, or Mint Cookies and Cream. Luckily, I saw the big milkshake sign and being as swayed by advertising as I am, I had to stop in. Money buys me happiness in a big cup with whipped cream on top - all for less than $3.00. Shazam!

All aboard the Bruise Cruise

As a child, I used to love looking at clouds in the sky and saying "Look Mom! A Teddy Bear!! See it?? Right there" and she would say "Oh yeah, hmmm... Interes... damn it, where is my lighter?" while I would sit there proud of myself.

Imagine my delight when I got out of the shower this morning and just happened to notice my bruise (the one from my first spin class) and saw a shape not in the clouds, but on my very own leg! Mom has been a non smoker for a long time now, so she might even be interested in this one...




It's a Chicken!



I like my marshmallow peeps stale.

What is up with 24?

I have been a big 24 fan since the first season. Every year I would ask myself "how is it that this show just keeps getting better?" I recognized the "Power of Bauer" (I always thought that phrase was lame). Now, this season comes along and I think it starts out amazing with him in the prison and all. Then it got really boring. And it stayed really boring. Even Chloe with her scrunched up face wasn't doing anything for me. I had some hope this past Monday when things seemed to be getting good. Then the good stuff was over and the boring stuff looks like it's back next week when the plot line again picks up one of my least favorite characters. I've never minded that Jack's days in terms of time wasn't possible - "when does he find time to use the bathroom?" and all the crap people who don't watch the show say. But I do mind when the writing starts getting lazy and everything is guessable. If I can guess what's going to happen, shouldn't I be able to get paid for being a writer on the show? I have no formal training, but really, why not me if I get the same ideas? What's supposed to set the average viewer apart from the big production is that we are able to suspend reality for a little while and go along for the ride and be surprised by a couple of turns that we take along the way. So far, this season amounts to driving on auto pilot but I still have faith in the "Power"... for now.

The Second Spin

I went to my second spin class last night. I wasn't able to go last Thursday or Saturday as planned... it was probably a good thing since I still couldn't walk. Last night went much better. I could do most of it without stopping too much. I didn't fall down off the bike when I was done. And I realized how much I miss the song "All Fired Up" by Pat Benatar.

Just up in the gym, working on my fitness...

I'm having a blast with my new Mac

I got a new Mac (so far, my favorite present since my 5th grade Christmas when my dad got me Nintendo) and I am on this thing non-stop. There just seems to be so much stuff to do and play with. Everything is so different than what I'm used to so it makes the Internet and all kinds of programs seem more fun. I'm addicted.

The one thing that seems to offer me the most entertainment is the Photo Booth where you can do all kinds of funny manipulations to yourself. It's not like it's hilarious or anything, but it is a good time to see your forehead really big or your mouth really small. I also use the program in normal mode in the mornings when I put my make up on, it doubles as a mirror. I like things that have multiple functions.



This is one of the not funny ones.

Sunday Drives

I like taking pictures while riding in the passenger seat on a long boring drive. Usually, I take pictures of my boyfriend which really seems to distract and annoy him. Eventually, I'll turn my attention to my side of the window and just starting snapping away at anything and everything. It's nice because my camera barks like a dog every time I take a picture so it's like I'm getting nature and wildlife all in one car ride. Most of the time, all the pictures suck but that's not really the point. I like having blurry records of moments in time I normally would have tuned out and ignored.

The Office is my favorite show right now

I can't get enough. I'm catching up on the first season and parts of the second season that I missed. I love this show. At first I absolutely hated it. I only would watch it sometimes just because it was on after My Name is Earl. I always liked Dwight but didn't care much about any of the rest of it. Now. I. Love. It.

Please just let Jim and Pam get together already! Get Angela pregnant by Dwight and make that the big "problem" for a while.

Spin Class anyone?

So, my first spin class kicked my ass. I went Tuesday night and I am still in pain on Friday night. I can walk up stairs now without whining but going down stairs still sucks. I can sit down without too much problem but getting up still sucks. As for bending down? Forget it. I didn't know how out of shape I was and it's quite depressing. Those little seats aren't very comfortable either on those certain parts where it's not good to feel uncomfortable. I had a good time though. Things were upbeat, the music was alright and I had my two best friends on the bikes on either side of me.

But the worst part of the class on Tuesday? Not knowing I would have no control over my legs (they were like overdone linguine noodles) once I was done and falling off the bike and hurting myself. Ouch.



It's blacker today. Notice the circles imprinted from the pedal. Lovely!

Spin Class tomorrow as planned? I'm still debating...

Let me think of something to say.

I opened this account this morning after talking to a friend of mine who also just opened one. On my drive home from work tonight I wondered what I could possibly web log about. But I guess everyone wonders about that when they decide to start one.

I'm opinionated, but I don't get nasty about it. I'm a pretty good critic. I like silly stuff. Maybe things could get interesting, maybe not. It doesn't really matter though, does it?