All life is interesting

In Sickness and In Health

2009-05-21T20:32:00.004-04:00

So, it appears my blog and I are not married as I have been sick for the last week and in feeling awful, have ignored my precious blog! Although, I shall not divorce you, blog, as I am back and have had an interesting day to report. As I tend to attract strange people and events for reasons beyond me... here is a rendition of what happened early today:

It was around 2pm on the first truly hot day of the year in Boston. A young professional (that would be me) goes out to mail a letter (yes, snail mail!) and encounters a crazed homeless man who proceeds to spit on her, the spit hitting her on the arm. (I figured I'd spare you and get right to the point.) This alone is disturbing, but more disturbing is the fact that she recognized him from an incident almost exactly a year ago when he was harassing a teenage girl, getting in her face and crazily saying extremely inappropriate/dirty things that will not be repeated.

So, I went to the nearby police (or security for a local tourist destination -- I wish I had paid closer attention) and explained to them what happened and that I had recognized the man and advised them they may want to investigate. They explained to me that they knew exactly who I was talking about and that they had just kicked him out of their general area... I stressed in a reasonable manner that the guy was nearby and that he appeared unstable... but they did not seem interested in pursuing the matter... I am beginning to think that maybe strange things have happened to me enough times that I am becoming desensitized to these incidents...

I proceeded to the Post Office, mailed my letter, passed a Starbucks and decided the line was too long, ran into a lady offering $2 for a short survey -- took the survey about paper towels that I apparently could look at but not touch, went back to work and washed my arm extensively and later went out and got a chocolate sundae at McDonald's... because it was the first truly hot day of the year.

Got Bawls?

2009-05-06T19:14:00.010-04:00

After a random progression of thoughts on what I should write about --

Let me take walk you through my thought process -- foggy noggin (comes from the fact I am getting sick and sinus issues have made my brain a bit foggy), my foggy noggin led me to at one point during the day look at a clock and mix up the long and short hand causing confusion (it was 2:40 instead of 9:10 -- something irrational like that), I tried to think of neat products -- perhaps clocks that I could feature in my blog, I then found myself at ThinkGeek. and proceeded to see Bawls -- I decided to dedicate this post to bawls/balls as I found myself watching random youtube videos the other day and came across a video blog called fail blog which I found funny, I watched a couple of them (ok I spent like an hour) -- came across toys that are apparent failures -- one being an Elmo doll that seems to be obsessed with --- you guessed it, balls.

So, go balls out. Play ball! Have a ball! Get the ball rolling.

Hopefully, I am maintaining some level of coherency at this point. Perhaps the UFO happy hour drink helped me! Thank's Harpoon!

Twitter Me This

2009-04-28T18:11:00.005-04:00

Ever since I first heard about Twitter I have wondered what it's deal is. I admit that I was one of those people in the past -- changing my away message whenever I could -- letting people know I was at class or eating, sometimes quoting songs or letting people in on weird things that happened to me during the day. But with Twitter I can change colors, make little flowers, change fonts, etc. Designing my away message was an art. Twitter is just too informative and sterile. Yes, I am on Twitter, I currently have more people following me than I am following which I have trouble understanding since I have updated my status 5 times in 3 months? I don't even know who the people are? How did they find me and why are they following my seemingly empty life? Strange...

If I were a major twitterer I would be tweeting/twittering about how crazy insane LOST is. What!? I can't wait until next Wednesday after those shenanigans.

Heck, I have trouble updating my blog every now and then let along updating my every movements. Maybe I am being hypocritical as my blog is "All Life is Interesting", but maybe there is a limit to what can be considered interesting. I guess overall I still have mixed opinions and ideas about Twitter. Only time will tell what sort of future Twitter has and where technology will take us next.

PS Just learned what RT means... retweet? ugh how am I suppose to know this? I am already getting to old for this lingo? Help!

The Fast and The Furious

2009-04-23T22:06:00.009-04:00

This week has flown by -- such a catch 22? (right usage?... you get the idea). I love when the weekend rapidly approaches, but it's sad to recognize how fast time flies. Luckily, this week has been more fast than furious. (side note: Fast and Furious... seriously?)

I am sitting here procrastinating (going to Maine tomorrow), thinking about what to write about and convincing myself packing in the morning is best. I think I like the thrill of trying to gather my belongings as fast as possible and then seeing how well I do -- pajamas seem to be the one item that always eludes me in fast and furious packing. I am far from a morning person so that ups the drama of it all, that and trying to find everything in the dark as to not disturb loves ones. Thankfully, tomorrow is Friday and waking up at 6:30 and playing the how fast can I get ready game shouldn't be too bad -- coffee can be had to keep me going for 8 hours and then sleep can be had on the train ride up north.

Major tangent of the day -- I started looking through the Urban Dictionary as it randomly came to mind as I place to perhaps find something witty... however, after 10 minutes of perusing the site I've got nothing... guess I will keep this one short and sweet. I leave you with:

ReLaX, A Week in Review

2009-04-19T22:04:00.010-04:00

After a relaxing weekend, I am not looking forward to going back to work :(. The weather is getting nicer and it's making me want to wander around outside all day long! Realizing that all of the events I thought were this weekend (free sailing, free beer tasting, etc.) are actually next weekend... I had a pretty uneventful 2 days. I actually considered walking aimlessly for hours then eating lunch and buying 5 prints for the Kodiak Kiosk, razors and some film for a Holga productive day -- this says nothing of what I did yesterday which I am having trouble recalling. If this is my new found idea of productivity I am in trouble. Hence I am writing in my blog to pump up my productivity and allow my to consider my weekend an all around success.

I have to say this past week, although pretty awful work wise, was collectively nice and eventful (if you consider my work it would add to the eventfulness, but not in a good way -- I am still determined not to get into work on this blog). This past week I managed to win tickets to a Blazers lax game, a premiere of State of Play, and tickets to Beer Wars (Live). I have to say all of these events exceeded my expectations.

The Blazers involved some great people watching. I laughed out loud a few times -- once when the large video display showed a dinosaur (Godzilla?) stomping to we will, we will rock you? -- something like that -- for some reason it was hilarious and I wish I could find a video of it. There was also a point in time where a large child lifted up his shirt and pressed himself against the glass near a Rochester player and his pants were half way his behind... more sad than funny over all, but gives you an idea of the atmosphere. Having never seen a pro lax game I was a little surprised that it seemed so much like hockey -- a fair amount of fighting.

State of Play was right up my alley. I knew I wanted to see it, but I am not in to paying a ton to go see movies at the theater -- so winning tickets worked out well. Only downfalls were not having enough time to eat a decent dinner (egg and cheese from DD -- dinner of champions?) and then the strange homeless guy who somehow got into the movie and upon exiting down the escalating in front of us points to a poster of the movie and says, "I just saw that movie and it sucked. Worst movie I ever saw". This was as I was saying how much I enjoyed it... oh well everybody is a critic.

Beer Wars was random in the sense that I just decided to try and get free tickets because it sounded cool, I enjoy beer, and again I tend to be cheap so I didn't want to pay to see it. I thought the film was interesting and the discussion afterward was balanced and a nice wrap up. I'm not really too sure about the woman behind the movie... wasn't a huge fan, but she did a pretty good job.

I promise I like writing!

2009-04-07T20:45:00.005-04:00

I think watching Colbert has gotten my creative juices flowing... or it could be that I am just putting off going to the gym (little bit of both). I really do enjoy writing and I'm not sure why I haven't been struck with loads of motivation. My blog has fallen victim to the same condition as my taxes... procrastination. As April 15 is right around the river bend(Pocahontas anyone?), I should probably get a move on. It's strange how I am rarely late, usually early, to any scheduled meeting or event, yet I tend to procrastinate like it's my job -- how I would love for that to be my job, although I don't know how that would work.

Alright, making it a quick one. Gotta gym it up -- summer is also right around the river bend!

Oops I did it again...

2009-02-19T18:54:00.007-05:00

Yes, I am back, writing a new post and oops I did slack off a bit.

Alright, so I sucked at revitalizing my blog. I felt like I just couldn't get into the kinda of creative kick when I started this blog and I totally jinxed myself by writing about New Years Resolutions. But if at first you don't succeed, try, try again. So, I am trying again.

I thought one way to keep me coming back for more and perhaps something that others may like would be to have something that can be expected in every posting -- such as my life lessons that I had going on before -- which I really liked and may start up again. I am also contemplating doing recipes -- I am no top chef, just a fattie at heart -- I love food! We'll see where that goes.

I'll do a little recap and keep this one short as it is gym time -- gotta work out so I can try and justify eating more : )

Life Lessons Are Back! Here is a recap of previous life lessons:
*I believe each lesson links to the posting it's from*

Lesson #1: When you think something may be a waste of time and you should be looking for a real job - trust your instincts... look for a real job
Lesson #2: Don't pirate. (Not trying to be Miss Morals, but in the end it's not worth it. I believe a lot of people don't think they would ever get caught - but it can happen, just ask the growing number of people who have been sent notices that they are to be prosecuted/fined) There are other good options out there.
Lesson #3: Northern New Jersey maybe the armpit of American, but Southern New Jersey - bliss.
Lesson #4: Patriotism may creep up without warning, at any time. For we were all taught some ounce of patriotism along the way - in our young impressionable days no doubt.
Lesson #5: Caffeine may give you a quick boost, but it's important to know the facts about anything you consume.
Lesson #6: Although, one may hate nature (nature and I do not always get along), one should try and be nice to the creatures we share this earth with. So when presented with the choice to squash - try to exert the effort to save and release outdoors. I am a frequent violator of save over squash, but it's a nice thought.
Lesson #7 : I am sad and dismayed to announce wearing flip flops all day long may not be best for your precious soles. Will this new found information change my habits? Perhaps I'll just walk barefoot...everywhere... talk about dangers
Lesson #8: It's important to laugh. Laughing is not just enjoyable it's good for you! It can help boost your immune system, lower stress, improve brain function and foster relaxation - see here. So come on, laugh a little.
Lesson #9: Experiment in the kitchen. What's the worst that could happen? - a fire?, bad food? Just make sure you have a fire extinguisher and a phone book nearby (for ordering pizza). Try making different international foods, you may be surprised by how tasty and authentic you can make your favorite dishes.
Lesson #10: Our earth is precious. We should all do what we can to make our future brighter. Every little bit helps. Support a greener living environment.

Lesson #12: When attempting a high five, make sure you a. Haven't had too much to drink, b. Have enough natural coordination to do so and c. Can out run anyone if your high five goes array
Lesson #13: It's probably better for things to be Phat than Fat, especially when it comes to people. Be healthy! Fatastic is a pretty fun word though.

Lesson #14: Althought I am totally right on with my life lessons, I may have been a little off about lesson #3, NJ may fully smell funny...

Lesson #15: Be careful and smart at the casino - read and if you don't understand what's going on that should tell you something - don't use any more of your money. People watch instead.

*Notice – there is no Lesson #11… Lesson #11: I suck at Math.

Lesson #16: If at first you don't succeed, try, try again... unless you really shouldn't be trying in the first place, i.e. trying to buy a $500,000 house on a $30,o00 a year salary or whatever it is that people were doing (and yes I know this isn't the whole issue, but you get the idea)

Baby it's cold outside!

2009-01-18T22:33:00.008-05:00

This post is in honor of the frigid temperatures of late. For a while now I have been preaching that I would rather be cold than hot -- you can always add more layers, but you reach a point when you're hot when you can take off no more! However, a coworker and a taxi driver have made me reconsider my stance. As the cabbie who overcharged me the day relayed to me: "you can always find a pool to jump in to or an air conditioned place to cool off in." This seems logical, I tried to rationalize why I had yet to think like this and tried to convince myself my original beliefs still held strong. I guess part of it may be that my last apartment did not have air conditioning and fans can only do so much -- sitting in a bath of cold water doesn't seem like that much fun... long live cold over hot, for sure.

As someone who eats ice on a regular basis -- yes it may be a border line addiction. But as I would say to my Mom when she would bug me about my ice chewing, "there are much worse things I could be addicted to!" So, I have decided to look in eating ice as I have met some fellow ice chewers in my days and I should probably face the issue. Is it an oral fixation as people would tease? Or is it an iron deficiency? Let's investigate:

According to wikipedia, who I feel a little let down by in this investigation, ice chewing may be a form of Pica known as Pagophagia. Pica being a disorder where one eats something(s) that has no nutritional value. Ice chewing is sometimes believed to be associated with an iron deficiency, where I may have, when I was younger I had an iron deficiency at some point. In my case, it may just be that it has become a habit and I have an addictive personailty... who knows.

Stay warm out there!

New Year's Disillusions, oh I mean Resolutions?

2009-01-07T21:42:00.001-05:00

I had some trouble deciding just what to write about tonight -- there are so many ideas, so many interesting things to write about I don't know where to begin! All life truly is interesting. Since it's the beginning of a new year I thought I would touch base on New Years Resolutions. What is the history behind them? Where did this idea of starting anew in a new year come from. I have to say I don't really participate in the whole New Years Resolution thing, but I am curious about the history them and how many people seem to pursue resolutions til they are successful.

As for the history: this infoplease website mentions it was the Babylonians who are believed to have started the tradition of creating new years resolutions. New Years the oldest holiday?! New Years use to be celebrated in the spring-- a time of new beginnings. New years use to be celebrated for 11 eleven days -- talk about a party -- sign me up.

Down to the nitty gritty -- how many people fulfill their resolutions??? -- let's go to the tapes or shall I say Wikipedia -- "Recent research shows that while 52% of participants in a resolution study were confident of success with their goals, only 12% actually achieved their goals."

Interesting traditions around the world:

Scotland: One tradition, "first-footing", involves neighbors visiting each other shortly after midnight on New Year's eve to pass along good wishes for the new year. "It is considered especially lucky if a tall, dark, and handsome man is the first to enter your house after the new year is rung in." Hey that could be good for any single ladies out there, but I'm sure not every one wants a tall, dark, handsome man entering their home...

Japan: New years is the most important holiday in Japan. In December, "forget-the-year parties" are held to bid farewell to the problems and concerns of the past year and prepare for a new beginning -- I'd have to say a lot of people around the world were happy to say good bye to not so economically great 08 and the hopes for 09 are a plenty.

Spain: A New Year's eve ritual in Spain is to eat twelve grapes at midnight -- meant to secure twelve happy months in the coming year. I wish I could explain this further, but it's getting late and I am afraid it's getting past my bedtime. This shall remain a mystery.

Really every day is a good day to set a goal, reevaluate your life, move towards a new idea. I see how the 1st of the year is a good starting point and a chance to thinks things over, but I think it's overrated.

The Great Comeback

2009-01-05T22:03:00.011-05:00

After receiving a few recent comments on my blog despite not having posted in well over a year, I have decided to make my comeback! In honor of my own relaunch/update, I have decided to look at some of the greatest, or maybe not so great, comebacks of all time -- from Britney Spears to Bell Bottom Jeans. Things come and they go and gosh darn it some of them come back again and perhaps again...

I have to admit that in my research I came across another sort of comeback -- i.e. "I may be fat, but you're ugly, at least I can diet". Similar to Winston Churchill's great comeback, "I may be drunk, Miss, but in the morning I will be sober and you will still be ugly."

Anyway, back from the transgression and onward with the comeback, my return! The following is a list of comebacks in no particular order. They are simply some of the things I came across and found interesting/seemed significant by how often they seem to come up.

1. Lasse Viren

Fell in the Olympic 10,000m final only to get up and win gold in a world record time. Munich, 31 August 1972... Pretty Amazing!

Other great sports comebacks

2. Britney Spears

Oh Britney, I find it amusing and pleasing that I didn't know how to spell her first name correctly until I did a google search for her. I can't speak to Britney's character, but she is sure an interesting person... is Britney capable of a comeback? Can she stay back? Only time will tell...

3. Eggs

After searching for a food that has made a comeback, I chose eggs, as I only recently starting eating eggs myself! Yes, I did go 20 some odd years without ever eating an egg (unless it was mixed into a recipe -- depriving myself of cookies and most other foods would have been the greatest tragedy ever).

4. Martha Stewart

I think one of these days I will have to come to terms with my secret enjoyment of Martha and her show. I can't really put my finger on it, but for some reason I can just sit on the T and watch Martha bake goodies and create interesting, although not always useful crafts. I think sometimes I just get a kick out of the whole production. Have you ever seen Martha on Conan O'Brien? Worth watching. Another

I feel the need to mention Oprah, but I have to admit my full time employment has not allowed me to catch up with Oprah that often. And Oprah seems to just be on the up and up, no comeback here.

5. Hopefully the greatest comeback in due time -- our economy! Fingers crossed! I won't get into this one... but... well perhaps another day for this one.

What things, people, fads do you wish would make a comeback? What things/people/etc. should have stayed back?

Knock Knock Who's There?

2007-07-21T14:57:00.002-04:00

Harry, Harry Who?, Harry Potter!

Yes, the final Harry Potter book has arrived. My little cousin got it shipped to the shore and I have just read the end - I read some spoilers online but couldn't really believe them. But now I have read the epilogue - the only part of a Harry Potter book I have read. So here is the end as I noticed in 5 minutes of skimming it - do not read this if you don't want to know the end of the book. Here is what I got of the ending: remember I didn't read the whole book just the end. Highlight below to see

Dumbledore is alive (or a ghost maybe?), Harry Potter lives and has married Ginny - they have 3 kids, Rn and Hermoine are alive, so is Draco Malfoy. The epilogue is what is occurring 19 years later, I assume Voltimore is dead - Harry's scar hasn't bothered him in 19 years.

The book - the ending at least - seemed a little disappointing. Surprisingly, I also didn't think it was that well written. I'll stick to the movies. Time for putt-putt in a bit - I will write more later.

Casinoland

2007-07-18T22:43:00.001-04:00

So I know this post is suppose to be about Top Chef and food, however, I only have access to 1 tv which was taken over by my uncle and the Tour de France... I will hopefully get to catch up on Top Chef later tonight if they are rerunning it or sometime soon. Vacation rearranges everything... especially when you have 20 people in a house made for about 8 people.

Anyway, I just got back from my first ever trip to the casino!!! It was sorta like I expected, but I honestly thought I would like it more. I'm glad I didn't like it overall. I just felt bad the whole time when I thought about what was going on. All the money that was being spent all around me, the money being lost. How there are people starving in Africa and even right here in the US and how the money could help good causes instead of going into Donald Trump's pocket. I only played for about a half hour and didn't win - although I didn't lose much. It was just weird - all the flashing lights and complicated slot machines that I have no idea how old people figure out. I mean maybe if I sat there and read it all (my dad was there just explaining it to my boyfriend and I). It's funny how it's mostly just old people and they are probably the least likely to know what the hell is going on. They just push the button and wa la there goes the money - you just put it in once and then that's it - just push a button - so efficient for Paris Hilton and Don Trumpy. Crazyness really. I can see how people get all irrational. It's easy to lose track of what's going on. It's hard to even explain the whole experience - I don't think I have even fully comprehended my reaction to it.

I do know that I don't think I could never own a casino unless I gave all the money to charity that I made because it seems like such an immoral, strange experience. Just the whole Atlantic City scene - the places around the casinos that advertise - "we buy gold" for example. I know that people who lose the money are the ones to blame in one sense, but really the way it's all set up a part of me thinks there is more to it - like there are some people who have passed the realm of rationality. Oh well...

Lesson #15: Be careful and smart at the casino - read and if you don't understand what's going on that should tell you something - don't use any more of your money. People watch instead.

Notes from Vacationland

2007-07-17T23:13:00.001-04:00

Well I am not in Maine the so called Vacationland as seen on their license plates, but I am on vacation (if the unemployed get vacations?) So there's lots to talk about so I'll try to be focused and brief now that I have the Internet - I will also try and keep up with my postings now even though I am away. I've been doing lots of people watching - funny babies at the beach and other interesting characters, young girls with weird eyes distracting lifeguards as people die (well not quite as dramatic, but still annoying).

The beach has been quite smelly this year, so much so that I may start calling all of New Jersey the armpit of America even though I thought I would never have to... I wonder where the EPA is and where the dead whale is or whatever it is smelling up the beaches.

Tonight, we played Cranium, a pretty good game, the more people the merrier like most games. I have been listening to some This American Life on the beach via iPod. Some interesting stuff about dream homes and saving lives. One story that sounded a lot like some of my ethics education. The scenario is: would you have someone pull a lever to stop a train that would otherwise kill 5 railroad workers if pulling the lever meant 1 person would die (but you would save the 5 workers). What if there were still 5 workers and a train coming but you were on a bridge and could push the fat man next to you - stopping the train and saving the 5 workers but killing the fat man that you pushed off the bridge? Well a man is currently doing a study at Princeton to try and figure out why 9 in 10 people think it would be ok to kill one person to pull the lever and save the 5 workers but that 9 in 10 people would say they wouldn't push the fat man? Same number of people involved each time but people wouldn't push fattie... My reason - seems like a lever has a little bit better of a chance of stopping the train than the fat guy. Also how many people could actually push the fat guy over the bridge at the right time? I don't know seems silly, but certainly is interesting.

Stay Tuned for Tomorrow's post about Top Chef and Food! Yum.

Lesson #14: Althought I am totally right on with my life lessons, I may have been a little off about lesson #3, NJ may fully smell funny...

Fatastic

2007-07-12T17:46:00.000-04:00

Even though food looks like it is going to win for one of the next topics of my blog, I still thought it would be nice to talk about food today - and every so often because, well I love food - do I need a better reason than that? Heck no! Today I will try and focus about the more fatastic things about food these days. The following are some topics relating to the fatastic side of food consumption. Fatastic being fat and fantastic or fantastically fat. (This is the definition I just made up). The urban dictionary's definition is: "People (or animals) that are hilariously fat and are therefore extremely amusing." ex. That is one fatastic pig.

The picture above is the work of graffiti artist Banksy. Fatastic. I saw somewhere else artwork where someone was just referring to the road - the lanes people drive cars in - as the Fat Lane - presumably because people choose to drive even when they could perhaps walk...

Ice Cream - it's hot, it's summertime and that means - you scream, i scream, yes we all scream for ice cream. (My favorite - mint chocolate chip) But wait! You wonder how do ice cream men stay in business these days? Well here is one interesting possibility as to why we still see the ice cream man hanging around - ice cream trucks are a front for drug trafficking - talk about fat and fantastic - not to advocate drugs - just makes for a fantastically interesting story... see here - and for those of you in Scotland - see here.
(note: I'm sure there are some very respectable ice cream men these are merely exceptions). But you may want to think twice before you let your kids run to the ice cream man.

Personal anecdote - Today I went out to eat after running some errands and found that I should not be allowed to eat in public. For some reason, no matter how hard I try - I always seem to make some sort of mess that I didn't intend on making. Today my large, hard to eat turkey sandwich was almost too much to bear. I ended up with lettuce and mustard all over. Mustard on my cheeks, forehead, hands, arms... It was fatastic.

Lesson #13: It's probably better for things to be Phat than Fat, especially when it comes to people. Be healthy! Fatastic is a pretty fun word though.

Slap me in the face?

2007-07-12T00:03:00.001-04:00

I recently came across an article on digg that makes me think twice about wanting people to slap me high five. This Article talks about a man in Queensland, Australia whose misplaced high five got him a beat down - broken jaw and all. Apparently, this man was gallivanting through a mall on New Year's Eve slapping passerbyers high fives when he accidentally slapped someone in the face! Oops. The man wasn't very pleased and well, the high fiver didn't fair too well.

Lesson #12: When attempting a high five, make sure you a. Haven't had too much to drink, b. Have enough natural coordination to do so and c. Can out run anyone if your high five goes array

Now of course giving me high fives on my posts is acceptable no matter your coordination, drunkenness or running abilities. High five away!

PS Someone break the tie in my poll (see sidebar)

Scary Potter

2007-07-11T19:18:00.002-04:00

um Harry Potter that is...

So, I just so the new Harry Potter movie, Harry Potter and the Order of Phoenix and the movie did precisely what I thought it would - scare me. Yes, Harry Potter, a PG-13 movie scares me, a 21 year old. I'll probably have nightmares of Voldemort. I sit there in the movie theater holding on to my boyfriend and wonder how the little kids manage not to be scared - what happened to me? When did I become such a scaredy cat? I blame too many crime shows when I was little - too much Unsolved Mysteries for my little mind to handle.

I am not that bad (others may disagree), just merely a little frightened by the combination of darkness, loud noises, scary music, strange/ugly creatures and the threat of violence. I feel instead of getting less scared as I get older, I am somehow becoming more frightened? It's wierd... Now if a movie is rated R for violence I simply don't watch it, no matter what, with a few exceptions that still haunt me (ex. Gangs of NY, 28 Days Later and some others which I have tried to completely erase from memory).

So, I am glad that Harry Potter's PG-13 ratings suit me well. Without spoiling any of the movie for those who don't read the books like myself, I won't go into any detail about my Harry Potter experience today. I felt like in someways the movie reminded me of the book I am reading currently, Atlas Shrugged, but I could probably make a connection between anything I was reading, not to mention Atlas Shrugged is over 1000 pages long... I will say that I thought the movie was a bit slow at times, but overall very enjoyable with an exciting ending.

PS Atlas Shrugged may some day become a movie at some point! I think that would be great, however, it looks like it is indefinitely delayed - boo. The only cast member listed was Angelina Jolie as Dangy Taggart (the star). Perhaps one day...

Reminder: The poll for what topic I will post about this weekend is up soon so vote now or forever hold your peace on the issue. (Is that even the right saying?)

Life Lessons

2007-07-11T13:17:00.000-04:00

A compilation of my first 10 lessons for life:
*each lesson links back to its corresponding post*

Lesson #1: When you think something may be a waste of time and you should be looking for a real job - trust your instincts... look for a real job

Lesson #2: Don't pirate. (Not trying to be Miss Morals, but in the end it's not worth it. I believe a lot of people don't think they would ever get caught - but it can happen, just ask the growing number of people who have been sent notices that they are to be prosecuted/fined) There are other good options out there.

Lesson #3: Northern New Jersey maybe the armpit of American, but Southern New Jersey - bliss.

Lesson #4: Patriotism may creep up without warning, at any time. For we were all taught some ounce of patriotism along the way - in our young impressionable days no doubt.

Lesson #5: Caffeine may give you a quick boost, but it's important to know the facts about anything you consume.

Lesson #6: Although, one may hate nature (nature and I do not always get along), one should try and be nice to the creatures we share this earth with. So when presented with the choice to squash - try to exert the effort to save and release outdoors. I am a frequent violator of save over squash, but it's a nice thought.

Lesson #7: I am sad and dismayed to announce wearing flip flops all day long may not be best for your precious soles. Will this new found information change my habits? Perhaps I'll just walk barefoot...everywhere... talk about dangers

Lesson #8: It's important to laugh. Laughing is not just enjoyable it's good for you! It can help boost your immune system, lower stress, improve brain function and foster relaxation - see here. So come on, laugh a little.

Lesson #9: Experiment in the kitchen. What's the worst that could happen? - a fire?, bad food? Just make sure you have a fire extinguisher and a phone book nearby (for ordering pizza). Try making different international foods, you may be surprised by how tasty and authentic you can make your favorite dishes.

Lesson #10: Our earth is precious. We should all do what we can to make our future brighter. Every little bit helps. Support a greener living environment.

Learn 'em and live 'em

I am off to see Harry Potter and The Order Of Phoenix, I will post later and review the movie.

Baby it Burns

2007-07-11T01:34:00.000-04:00

Well since my last post not so long ago - I realized I managed to get burned at the "beach", not surprising as this usually happens when one does not take the proper time to lotion up. My punishment for not wanting to lotion up every inch of my bod... some rather peculiar looking sunburns. (I am certainly better off than the lady in the pic on wikipedia) I am more pink than red luckily, especially since I despise the color red! I don't know what I did, but the burns on my thighs look like a map of North and South America - red being land and white being bodies or water or mountains... how I managed to do this I do not know. I have learned my lesson for this summer though - take the time to lotion up properly and continuing putting on lotion throughout the day.

On another note - You may noticed I have recently added some things to my sidebar:

1. A poll for a future post - please vote (knowing myself I'll probably get around to all these topics at some point, but you input is nice)

2. Flowers - I recently got sent flowers via this new website where you can add them to your blog. I am required to "take care of them" by means of visiting them at the website (going to my "greenhouse" and watering them) Good way for someone to get traffic to their site, one cannot let flowers wilt, or should I? Perhaps my flowers fate will be the next poll.

3. This strange blogger's choice button thing - now I am going to open and honest with this one - did I nominate myself just to see what would happen - yes, yes I did, do I have high expectations - no not really, but figured I might as well join in the strangeness that is these so called blog awards - I came across the site at my last job which included looking for certain demographics/characteristics in blogs - yes there are probably companies watching us all... And I did not sign up for the sell you life to Corporate America (the same corporate america I want to be a part of) aka payperpost

Lesson #11: Use Sun Screen. Yes, "everyone is free to wear sunscreen"

"If I could offer you only one tip for the future, sunscreen would be it. The long-term benefits of sunscreen have been proved by scientists, whereas the rest of my advice has no basis more reliable than my own meandering experience. I will dispense this advice now."

A few more excerpts - edited by myself:

"Don't worry about the future.
Don't waste your time on jealousy.
Remember compliments you receive. Forget the insults. If you succeed in doing this, tell me how.
Don't feel guilty if you don't know what you want to do with your life.
Enjoy your body. Don't be afraid of it or of what other people think of it. It's the greatest instrument you'll ever own.
Read the directions, even if you don't follow them.
Travel.
Don't expect anyone else to support you.
trust me on the sunscreen."

What A Beach!?

2007-07-10T19:24:00.000-04:00

After the scorcher of a summer day that yesterday was, I figured I'd hit up the beach today for some reading (Atlas Shrugged), walking and people-watching. The closest "beach" is really man-made surrounding a lake. Dig too far into the sand(about 2 inches down) and you will find black stinky "sand". The lake is pretty yes, but the beach leaves much to be desired, which makes me ecstatic that I will be at the true beach - yes next to an ocean in just 3 short days (Friday!). So, I sat at the lake and thought of the real beach.

I never really go into natural bodies of water... I prefer pools (once again that whole nature vs. me thing) I did put my toes. For the 5 hours I was there I mostly looked like I was reading when I was actually people watching - probably one of the most underrated past times. I'm sure most people may not willing admit to large amounts of people watching, but how can you not pay a little attention when people yell at their children to behave or when adults act strangely like small children (splashing about or otherwise being immature). Highlights of the outing included:
1. Getting hit by a ball - luckily hit by a small girl so no serious injuries resulted
2. Getting free redbull (Thanks to my age no doubt and cool appearance of a trend setter - yes people probably want to be me (no probably not))
3. Seeing a "rescue" of a boat that was most likely tipped over by horseplay
4. Thinking of what would happen if I tossed this lady's cigarette's into the lake - her beach party was bigger than mine so I figured I'd let it go
5. And probably the best of the day: watching a small toddler flap about in the water half fish-like half beached whale - like - pricelessly entertaining and cute.

PS Springfield, VT has officially won the premier of the Simpson's Movie. And on another exciting movie note: the Harry Potter movie comes out tonight at midnight, am I dorky enough to try and get in to see it tonight? We shall see. I wanted to try and watch all of the ones before it (I don't read the books) but only managed to watch the first one over again.

Environmentally Friendly

2007-07-09T19:36:00.000-04:00

After considering some current environmental issues and seeing part of the LiveEarth Concerts online, I have decided to post about our precious environment. Green has become a hot topic and for good reason, our environment is important. As I have mentioned before, I don't always get along with nature - I'm terribly afraid of bees and don't really like grass... but despite my issues with the environment, I still have a deep respect for it.

First of all, I thought it would be a good idea to check my ecological footprint. (Click this link to calculate your own footprint). This website can help you determine your environmental footprint by answering a short survey. The results are daunting, but make one think. For example, these are my results:


	CATEGORY	ACRES

	FOOD	5.4

	MOBILITY	0.7

	SHELTER	9.4

	GOODS/SERVICES	9.1

	TOTAL FOOTPRINT	25

IN COMPARISON, THE AVERAGE ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINT IN YOUR COUNTRY IS 24 ACRES PER PERSON.

WORLDWIDE, THERE EXIST 4.5 BIOLOGICALLY PRODUCTIVE ACRES PER PERSON.

IF EVERYONE LIVED LIKE YOU, WE WOULD NEED 5.6 PLANETS.

5.6 earths that is scary and I don't consider myself to be particularly wasteful. Here is some info. from the same site on how to reduce your impact.

I took a class a few semesters back that required me to keep a journal about my environmental impact and to read books concerning environmental concerns. I learned a lot about how there are little things that can be done each day to help the environment. Everyone can make a difference - and any difference big or small is nice. Here are a few tips on how you can help the environment:

1. Recycle and Reuse. Taking the time to recycle is important - you can recycle cans, bottles, plastics, cardboard and paper (depending on where you live - not all options maybe available). Take back the plastic bags from the grocery store to be recycled or better yet don't use them at all. Share magazines with friends.

2. Don't leave on electrical appliances and lights if they are not needed. Make sure lights aren't left on unnecessarily.

3. Pay attention to watch you buy. Buy more efficient lightbulbs, stay away from goods that have a lot of packaging - such as individual wrapped snacks and drinks.

4. When you have to drive you car try and make one trip out - if you have a lot of errands on your to do list and get the done at as few places as possible or at least plot a course that helps save gas. Carpool if possible.

5. Try and stay away from water bottles - this topic was discussed on tonight's world news. See what the Mayor (and city of) of San Francisco is doing to help.

6. What is happening to the bees? I hate bees, but I still am curious as to where they are going. I figured they enjoyed torturing me and watching me run in fear - in public - embarrassing... Turns out scientists are struggling to find the reason why bees are disappearing. Is it cell phones, some chemical? Are they tired of scaring me? Whatever it is bees are important - they help pollinate crops and I do like to eat. So, as much as I may hate bees, I would like to know what's happening to them...

You may not think you can help the earth's current state, but every little bit helps. We have to start somewhere in the battle for our earth.

Lesson #10: Our earth is precious. We should all do what we can to make our future brighter. Every little bit helps. Support a greener living environment.

Sorry if this is too public service announcement like, but I really do think it is an interesting and important topic.

Stay Tuned...

2007-07-09T15:02:00.000-04:00

It is super hot here - around 92 degrees out with outrageous humidity. I have decided to run some errands in cooler locations such as the mall. I will write later around the time of one of my favorite shows - Little People, Big World - I'm not entirely sure why I like this show, but I do. My next post will be in honor of our great planet, earth. I will discuss the environment - current issues such as why are all the bees dying (and why I am so happy about it? - jk I hate bees, but I do feel bad for them a bit), and what is my ecological footprint? How can I make a difference to make our earth a better place? I promise not to be too Al Goreish.

Til then - enjoy the day and stay coool.

Thairific

2007-07-08T19:05:00.000-04:00

My cooking skills are pretty limit, but I thought trying to make something that seemed a little harder to make would be an interesting adventure. I am known for being able to make pancakes, toasted cheese, nachos and pasta... and that about does it for my specialties.

In college I just never really found the time or the will to make anything special. Considering I was the only one who was going to eat it, making a nice big meal wasn't too realistic. Now that I am even more on my own, I guess it is time to finally become more domestic. I cringe at the thought of cleaning, making dinner and maintaining a household - but it must be done (I'd rather suck it up and do it than be grimy and dirty I suppose). It's probably easier to get a job if I look presentable, but who knows perhaps I should try the grunge thing.

So, for the last few weeks, I have been doing the necessary domestic deeds and I must say it is not utter torture. Now, I also don't have much else to fill my days with, but I could see myself one day being a "domestic diva" of sorts. A non-criminal, Martha Stewart type. Not the trophy wife type, but the stay at home cool soccer mom type. Somewhere down the road perhaps. For now I will work on getting a job so maybe one day I can afford to have a family and all.

Anyway, turns out making Thai food wasn't really that hard after all. I love Pad Thai and have been thinking about trying to make it for some time. Today, was finally the day. I got a box with the noodles and the sauce, followed the simple directions on the back of the box and wa - la - chicken pad thai. My next adventure in international cooking - fried rice. (This recipe seemed like it may be manageable and cheap cooking sounds pretty good to me). If I can master these two delicious dishes - ooo baby - glory will be mine.

Lesson #9: Experiment in the kitchen. What's the worst that could happen? - a fire?, bad food? Just make sure you have a fire extinguisher and a phone book nearby (for ordering pizza). Try making different international foods, you may be surprised by how tasty and authentic you can make your favorite dishes.

Fun Tidbit: There are also "trophy husbands" now as well...

Silly Saturday

2007-07-07T17:47:00.000-04:00

After finishing up my Popular Marathon, - I watched every episode of Popular I could find online - I found myself searching for other entertaining tidbits online. First of all, I was left unsatisfied by Popular as it ended strangely and got progressively worse with each episode I watched... yet I continued watching - just imagine how bad the last episode was.

So, Popular ended and I began my search for whatever silly, funny stuff I could find online. The following is a recount of the different stops along my online entertainment journey:

I enjoy stand - up comedy so I began looking for a few of my favorites on their own websites and on YouTube:

1. Lavell Crawford - My brother pointed him out to me a little while ago and there is a very funny skit available on YouTube. Chingle, Chingle Chingle. The graphic to the left was provoked by this skit. I was practicing my Photoshop skills. "Why you breathing so hard?" "So I can live". Hilarious

2. Jim Gaffigan - An actor and stand up comedian who I find funny most of the time. There are some skits of his available on YouTube as well. HotPocket.
In my search for funny Jim Gaffigan stuff, I found this interesting piece, Hogwarts does Jim Gaffigan, where someone must have spent a lot of time matching a Jim Gaffigan comedy routine to Harry Potter Clips - It's a bit long but good and funny. It's definitely worth taking a look at.

3. Lewis Black - I use to be more into Lewis Black, but he is still funny. I saw a special on tv about how he didn't become popular until he started acting angry.

4. Lastly, I watched an episode of This American Life. The first TV episode can be found on the Showtime site. 1st episode. This American Life is sort of a similar theme to my blog - all life is interesting and this show helps prove it. I only wish all the episodes were available online.

Hope these stops on my entertainment journey can provide others with some laughs. Have a good weekend!

Lesson #8: It's important to laugh. Laughing is not just enjoyable it's good for you! It can help boost your immune system, lower stress, improve brain function and foster relaxation - see here. So come on, laugh a little.

Fastbreak

2007-07-07T00:17:00.000-04:00

In honor of the delicious candy bar I just consumed, I shall take a Fastbreak to post. The peanut-butter and chocolate combo is one of my favorite pairs to ever melt together. Give me a peanut butter cup, a reese's pieces or a fastbreak and we are sure to be fast friends. Give me most any candy and I'll take notice. Chocolate, sour, gummy, fruity, hard, chewy... candy candy candy.

I can understand why parents would want to regulate a child's candy intake. Of course, there's the sugar factor, but perhaps candy can also be addicting in a crave it, gotta have it kind of way. ah ha in comes candyaddict.com and according to them and scientific study - candy is addicting!

TGIF

2007-07-06T18:29:00.000-04:00

Thank Goodness It's Friday! That's what many a working man or woman may be thinking today. My sad unemployed self however, does not get the luxury of appreciating TGIF. Now everyone with a job maybe thinking luxury?, my job isn't that great - what is c. molls smoking and how can I get some? Well, I'm not smoking anything and I think it would actually be pretty nice having a job - unemployment isn't all it's cracked up to be - perhaps if I was getting paid unemployment by the government this may change things a bit - but I doubt it. I would honestly like to be working. I went from going to college full-time and working about 20 hours a week to not working and not going to school - big difference.

I hope everyone who reads this has a job they enjoy. Finding a job that you can enjoy is an amazing accomplishment in my opinion. You should like something you do for 40 hours a week or more. A job you can smile at and be proud of is a luxury. That is the luxury I would like to have - and the TGIF feeling. Remember TGIF - Boy Meets World, Family Matters? Anyway, TGIF really is a feeling - it can be exciting, relaxing, or maybe a tad stressful - what am I going to wear out tonight? Is it warm enough to wear flip flops cause God knows I struggle in heels. Let me see that thooong (no not that kind) Flip flops are sweet.

But wait - is there any downside to wearing flip flops all day, everyday? I recently saw a "news" story on the local news that looked down right terrifying. The danger behind flip flops?! Not wanting to know what deadly disease I may have being a chronic flip flop offender, I changed the channel. But, now I am kind of curious and I haven't died yet, so let's investigate.

The Investigation unfolds... looking for some quick feedback on the flip flop issue I went to none other than Wikipedia. There I discovered a condition called pronation (From what I can gather this means your foot is rolling inward (more so than normal) when it hits the ground). Basically, flip flops provide little to no support for your feetsies - not a good thing. This information is quite devastating as I love flip flops. One article I found from Forbes goes so far to say Skip the flip flops! No not my flip flops. (Should be said like the ginger bread man in Shrek - "Not my gumdrop buttons") Skip them - I'll skip with them on! Oh well - at least I have educated myself on one of the dangers of flip flops (could be more dangers, but one is enough for me). Now how about the dangers of those other thongs?... no, I don't know and won't go there.

Trivia: What year did the Movie Thank God It's Friday (Yes, there is a TGIF movie) come out? - take a stab at it. Donna Summers was in it. Check out the Trivia part of the wikipedia article on TGIF

Lesson #7: I am sad and dismayed to announce wearing flip flops all day long may not be best for your precious soles. Will this new found information change my habits? Perhaps I'll just walk barefoot...everywhere... talk about dangers

Winding Down

2007-07-06T00:47:00.000-04:00

It is now "late" and time for bed - depending on where in the world one is located. Since my last post was about getting energized, I thought I'd do a quick post on winding down at the end of the day. Alright well ironically, as I was thinking (and writing) about winding down, the appearance of a bug half a foot from my person has woken me up a bit. To squash or not to squash that is the question...

Anyway, back to trying to wind down. Personally, I find the Internet and sometimes tv to be too stimulating for winding down purposes. I feel reading and talking help ease my brain into sleep mode. Curling into the fetal position and closing my eyes will soon follow and if all goes well I'm asleep shortly after. In my hopes of finding a visual for the fetal position I came across this interesting (strange maybe a better fitting adjective) website.

As winding down can also refer to relaxing in general how do you relax or get ready for bed?

Lesson #6: Although, one may hate nature (nature and I do not always get along), one should try and be nice to the creatures we share this earth with. So when presented with the choice to squash - try to exert the effort to save and release outdoors. I am a frequent violator of save over squash, but it's a nice thought.

Does anyone know how to get a toilet to stop making noise - like a flushing sound? I think our toilet is possessed!? Someone help please!

High Energy

2007-07-05T13:03:00.000-04:00

After "overdosing" on coffee yesterday, I figured I would write an entry on the different concoctions people use to jump start their day. By "overdosing", I am referring to the tummy ache and headache I received after adding a soda to the 2 large cups of coffee I had - bad choice considering I don't normally drink half that much caffeine a day. With the number of energy drinks, coffee products, sodas, teas and caffeinated crazy products on the rise in recent times, don't you want to know a bit more? I did.

Is having too much caffeine bad for you? What about mixing alcohol and caffeinated drinks - such as red bull and vodka? Should you drink caffeine while working out? And what sort of drinks are out there - what's in them, how do they taste? These are questions I found to be interesting, with some having myths attached. So, I did a little research.

Interesting and educational info. on energy drinks from Brown University. Tidbits from the source: energy drinks can contain as much caffeine as a cup of coffee - around 80 mg. compared to the 23mg in coca cola classic (Wikipedia puts the amount of caffeine in a serving of coca cola a bit higher - 34mg). Everyone will react differently to energy drinks. Some possible results from drinking up the ccps (caffeinated crazy products) include: increasing one's heart rate and blood pressure, dehydrating the body and preventing sleep. I'm not saying you shouldn't drink caffeine - just providing a little info.

A bit about caffeine myths. An article about caffeine myths from the Asian food information center.

Other quick facts: Mixing exercise with caffeine - not such a good idea - drinking water to rehydrate yourself is best. Mixing alcohol and energy drinks may seem like a good idea in theory - but in actuality can leave you in rough shape.

For some more exciting info. check out this list of energy drinks on Wikipedia to see more about your favorite energy drinks.

Fun Quiz I made - please take this I wasted more time than I should have on this - meaning it's actually worth taking: What energy drink are you?

Lesson #5: Caffeine may give you a quick boost, but it's important to know the facts about anything you consume.

P.S. How about the energy drink Cocaine? What were marketers thinking with this one? I got a lot on my plate today, let me grab some cocaine...

Independence Day

2007-07-04T21:07:00.000-04:00

I figured in the spirit of Independence Day I would in someway discuss what the day means to me - corny? yes. Now I wouldn't normally take the 4th of July to be anything too out of the ordinary except last night around midnight a song suddenly popped into my head and not just any song. A patriotic tune from my past. I kept singing along with the lyrics going through my head - "should all the quantence be forgot, keep your eye on the grand ole flag" The actual lyrics (just the chorus) to this song are:

" You're a grand old flag,

You're a high flying flag

And forever in peace may you wave.

You're the emblem of; The land I love.
The Home of the Free and The Brave.

Ev'ry heart beats true

'neath the Red, White and Blue,

Where there's never a boast or brag.

But should auld acquaintance be forgot,

Keep your eye on the grand old flag."

- written by George M. Cohan

Underlined is the part which I didn't quite know. Anyway, I know I must have learned this song sometime in Elementary school and for some reason it popped into my head last night.

This lyric thing reminds me of the commercials I have seen for the new gameshow that will test contestants knowledge of song lyrics. An interesting idea, yet not something I will mark on my calendar to ensure my viewage.

Lesson #4: Patriotism may creep up without warning, at any time. For we were all taught some ounce of patriotism along the way - in our young impressionable days no doubt.

PS Most of us were most likely taught the pledge of allegiance in our early days - how many of us can remember it all now? How about the scene from Supersize Me where people standing in front of the White House try to recall the pledge of allegiance - turns out its easy to remember the big mac jingle - how American

The Art of Grilling

2007-07-03T18:40:00.000-04:00

Summer is upon us and with the 4th of July right around the corner what could be more American than GRILLING! Grilling is fun and easy (really it's easy). This Independence Day break out the charcoal (or gas) and grill up some hotdogs, veggies, hamburgers, whatever your palate craves. I know I'll be out in the yard grilling up some dogs before the fireworks. If steak is your meat, may I suggest a A1 Chicago marinade and perhaps a Chicago steak rub if you prefer - or why not go all out and do both.

The weather has been great around here. After a hot streak a week ago, I'm now living in the 70s... now if I could just get a job to squash my guilt about living an almost carefree life. Although, if I could hold off getting a job til August that would be sweet, as I would then be able to live the great life at the shore with my family for the last 2 weeks of July. Perhaps my subconscious has secretly been denying me the full effort I could exert towards acquiring employment because, as my subconscious, it is watching out for me - ensuring that I get my well-deserved vacation! Hey, just like the saying inside of the Father's Day card I got my Dad this year - "I'm worth it".

Envisioning the shoreline, of in this case NJ (trust me for anyone who disses NJ, you have never been to the southern shoreline), I wish I were living near the ocean all year long. That would be the life - cross my fingers - someday this shall be the case. Being able to walk to the beach, lay out in the sun, take in the ocean breeze... mmm just picture it - beautiful.

Lesson #3: Northern New Jersey maybe the armpit of American, but Southern New Jersey - bliss.

Music of the Internet

2007-07-03T00:06:00.000-04:00

I have recently been playing around with finetune.com, a site that let's you create playlists out a an amazing database of songs, the only catch is that you have to put together a playlist of at least 45 songs and only 3 can be of the same artist. So you cannot play the song you want all the time, just a song randomly selected on by the playlist. Really not a bad deal.

All this playing with music online got me thinking of the history of music on the Internet. My first thought - Napster - I can still remember my days of downloading songs off Napster - when it was "legal". I have curbed my copyrighting infringing habits now that there are other efficient options for my online music needs. Before I veer off on the interesting topic of pirating, I shall mention a few other music websites that I have made contact with over the years.

Pandora.com is a cool site which can help develop your music library by showing you songs you may like based on songs and artists you select. Like finetune, you cannot always play the song you want, but it is definitely worth checking out. Sites like Pandora and FineTunes are currently battling legislation brought on by the CRB (Copyright Royalty Board). I currently don't know a whole lot about this issue, so I won't comment too much, but making these companies pay outrages fees is wrong in my opinion. I think these services are preventing some people from resorting to illegally obtaining music and should be respected by the government, not destroyed.

Another interesting online music tool for those in large networks - such as on a college campus as yours truly was not so long ago.... mytunes redux. A tool that let you take songs other people have on their iTunes playlists and download them - questionably legal... actually probably very illegal - so I recommend not using this tool. Of course there is iTunes which I have only bought a few songs from. There are truly an unlimited number of music sites out there - music can be found all over the web - from people putting songs on their Myspace pages to parodies of songs on YouTube.

As pirating can be a complex issue, I will save it for another time.

Lesson #2: Don't pirate. (Not trying to be Miss Morals, but in the end it's not worth it. I believe a lot of people don't think they would ever get caught - but it can happen, just ask the growing number of people who have been sent notices that they are to be prosecuted/fined) There are other good options out there.

Time Wasted, Lesson Learned

2007-07-02T14:05:00.001-04:00

So after wasting 2 hours on mechanical turk - a website that Amazon has where people can offer other people small sums of money for doing different tasks. These task range from writing a post for someone on their blog to trying to find upcs for different products. Now at first this website may appear to be a cool idea. However, spend some of your valuable time on this site and you will see that it is clearly evil. After spending about 2 hours on the site - which is now hard to admit - the most money I could make if all of my hit submissions are accepted - a whopping 30 cents. That's 30 cents well earned, yet 30 cents I wish I didn't bother to earn. I could have been looking for a real job instead - which would have made a lot more sense. But since I am in denial about getting a real job, this website managed to keep me occupied for 2 hours that I spent thinking I was making money and doing something with my life. Want to be task doer beware - DO NOT WASTE YOUR TIME ON MECHANICAL TURK! Look at the website and admire (and be jealous) of those who are making real money off the tasks you are doing for mere pennies. When I think about it now it almost seems illegal working for this little money...

The one good thing that came out of my experience - I was able to vent some anger out on one of the people who pay people about 2 cents to write a blog entry for them. Is that guy smart - yes - because he is getting people to do his work for him while he reaps the benefits. People are brought to his website even if they don't choose to write for him - increasing his hits so he can then increase his ad revenue. And if one is stupid enough to write for this reject while then it merely keeps his blog going. Makes me angry because to me it seems so unethical and cruel - just my business ethics minor getting the better of me? Although, recognizing that this guy can pay people pennies literally while probably make a decent profit (considering he is doing nothing seems like he has to be profiting pretty well) makes me almost wish I were doing a the same thing. Key word - almost - I have a conscience and even though people may be willing to write for pennies - I'd rather see them doing it for free - getting paid pennies is kind of like a slap in the face in my opinion.

Lesson #1: When you think something may be a waste of time and you should be looking for a real job - trust your instincts...

P.S. Speaking of slaps, how about a high five?

Today, I decided to change the title of my blogs to something more original than Day 1, Day 2... I figured I might as well expend the effort.

I recently discovered a show I use to watch in high school on alluc.org. Popular, a one tree hill like teen show from 1999-2000, used to be on my TV watchlist. For the past 2 days I have been watching probably pirated episodes on YouTube. It's been addicting... The only think I could really remember was Mary Cherry - an interesting character. Although, I feel like I'm mostly just wasting my time watching the show, I wish there were other old shows available online - like the old Nickelodeon shows. Everyone who can remember the old Nick knows it has gone down the tubes. Remember Salute Your Shorts? How about Are You Afraid of the Dark? (This one happens to be available on alluc.org as well) This last one Are You Afraid of the Dark? still creeps me out. I maybe one scaredy cat of a 21 year old, but that show can still make me afraid of the dark. How about the non-nickelodeon show Ghostwriter! Another classic show (that also creeped me out once of twice) I used to prance around with a notepad and a pen hanging around my neck hoping some mystery would come about that I could solve.

A part of me even wants to see the new Nancy Drew movie. Reminiscing of the days when I use to read every Nancy Drew mystery book I could get my hands on. Mysteries were my anti-drug.

2007-06-29T17:57:00.000-04:00

P.S. Someone find my blog and slap me high five

Day 3

2007-06-29T17:40:00.000-04:00

The iPhone... worth waiting in line for?

I can't really understand why people would wait in line for an iPhone, but if someone offered me money to stand in line for them - I'd do it. This happened to be the case of 2 girls who were waiting in line for friends... iPhone article.

I wonder how many people in line for an iPhone can even truly afford it - purchasing it and getting the plan to go with it. If you could afford everything materialistic when it first came out and such - why would you waste your time waiting in line for it... seems you would have better things to do... and if you were truly the hippest - wouldn't you have gotten your hands on one before it even came out? It seems to me some of these people are just hoping to look cool - such as the girl with her mom in the article who just wants everything newest and coolest... please... but hey if all you need is material goods to truly make you happy more power to you.

It's interesting to think back to a time when there were no cell phones, no Internet - it's hard for me to even remember - mostly because I am still fairly young - but even still - technology has become such a part of our lives. What did people do before the radio, TV, phones, dvds, xbox, iPhones? What are the major differences between those times and now? Have people changed? Are we evolving? Are we all getting smarter? Or is it perhaps the opposite?

I recently wasted about 2 hours of my life watching Idiocracy - quite possibly the worst movie I have ever seen - yet was there some truth to it? I think they could have done a lot better job with the movie - they could have just inserted in a bunch of George Bush quotes to make it more realistic and intriguing.

Day 2

2007-06-28T20:06:00.001-04:00

Yesterday was my first "real world/professional" job interview. It lasted all of 15 minutes... shortest interview I've ever had... but then I guess part of it was just how preliminary of an interview it was. Although, it went ok, it seemed like a waste of my suit considering it was 90+ degrees out, but oh well - gotta do what ya gotta do. At least I am trying to get a job right?

On a more interesting note... here is a video of a strange, yet entertaining comedian who recently came to the balloonfest around here. I didn't take this particular video, just happened to stumble upon it on YouTube. I wasn't in the audience this particular day, but certainly got a kick out of it. Listen to him yell "shut up" and say to children "I almost died". Link to the video: http://youtube.com/watch?v=qOFm6VI1hO0

If anyone knows who this guy is - let me know - I know he has a website, but I was unable to remember his name.

Another funny find on YouTube - comedian Lavell Crawford - check him out.

I hope to keep this blog as interesting as possible while continuing to write everyday. Have to utilize my creativity!

Day 1

2007-06-27T15:22:00.000-04:00

I decided to begin this blog after coming to the realization that finding a job out of college is no piece of cake. I'm in the process of finding a job, preferably something to do with marketing, my major. I figured I have some extra time on my hands and guess what - writing a blog is free (- internet service provider costs) unlike a variety of other activities I could entertain myself with. With college loans to start paying back, money is precious.

I know through past work experience that there are 1000s probably 100,000s (+) blogger moms and I figure if all them are blogging about why shouldn't I? Part of my job consisted of looking over mom blogs - some entertaining others dull to down right scary - why would someone put their ultra sound photos online for all to see?

Join me on my adventure to find a job and keep my life interesting after college.