Palm — Help or Hinderance?

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pr_tx_device.jpgI’ve had a multitude of Palm Pilots over the years. I’ve always thought they’d help me with organization, but in reality, they’ve never done more than cause frustrations. Maybe I’m doing it wrong — but it seems I end up spending more time syncing, updating, etc, and less time accomplishing anything.

I’m curious how useful handheld computers are for folks. I’ve had Windows Mobile devices, Palm devices, a smartphone, but really, nothing has helped me stay better organized. They’ve provided some entertainment, but really that’s about it.

So I wonder, is it a personality type issue? Am I destined to get little use from handheld computing? Is it a discipline issue? Should I just try harder?

My Pretty Peculiar Popsicle Problem

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I love Pop-Ice. You know, those plastic tubes filled with flavored goodness, which are frozen, and eaten right out of the tube? My favorite flavors are pink and blue. I know, those are colors, not flavors, but really I don’t think they contain any natural flavors at all. I could say my favorite flavor is bimethylhexaflorimine, but really, isn’t it better to say I like pink and blue? I thought so.

The problem is that I LOVE Pop-Ice. I eat them all summer. I eat many of them at a sitting, and I go back for more. I ate 13 in one sitting today. Yeah, I know, that’s sad.

popice.jpg

I think my love for Pop-Ice stems from my youth. When I was little, we lived in the inner city of Detroit. It was the ghetto. The ice cream truck didn’t come to our neighborhood, both because it was scary where I lived, and because none of us could afford anything anyway! So we would scour the alleys for pop bottles. See, in Michigan, we have a 10¢ deposit on our pop cans. (Or soda cans, or coke cans, depending on where you hail from) Not coincidently, Pop-Ice at the corner store cost exactly 10¢. They were the BIG ones too. It was the highlight of the summer, really. The only thing better is when the teenagers would wrench the fire hydrants open and we’d play in the flooded streets — but that’s another story altogether!

What are your favorite summer memories from childhood? Do you like Pop-Ice? If not, can I have yours? 🙂

8 Things I do that annoy people.

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clock.pngSometimes I do things for no other reason than being different. Maybe it’s because I like to do things that annoy people. Here’s a short list of 8 things I do off the top of my head.

1) I like to set my alarm clock to PM when it’s AM, and then set my alarm to go off in the PM. There’s no advantage to doing something silly like that, but I like it because it’s wrong and still works. For some reason, I like that.

2) Every time I’m outside at night, I point out stars or planets to whomever I’m with. Every member of my family can find Venus, and my kids race each other to locate the big dipper. My wife mockingly says, “look there’s Venus” whenever we get out of the van. 🙂 I love her.

3) I generally reformat our home computer a couple times a year. I think it’s because I like things to be “clean” when it comes to the operating system. My wife really doesn’t like this. Really really. I tend to be a backup Nazi, so I generally don’t lose any files, but I’m lucky my wife is awesome, or I’d likely be single. 🙂

4) I don’t like to shave. This wouldn’t be a big problem, except that I also can’t grow a beard to save my soul. I look like a bum. In fact, if my wife didn’t refuse to kiss me after a week or so, I’d most likely look like a homeless man with a laptop.

5)

(I also leave things half finished.)
[audio:https://www.brainofshawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/08/8thingsidothatannoypeople.mp3]
Click to download the audio file.

Givin’ Scalzi a Hand

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John Scalzi (one of my favorite authors) is busy this weekend. Normally, he posts lots of things to entertain his fans, but is unable to do so now. So this inside joke won’t make sense to most, but ya know, anything to keep his fans entertained. (And no, he didn’t solicit help, it’s much more fun this way.)

Zucchini Cat

If you really wonder what on earth the inside joke might be, click here to read about Bacon Cat.

Look, it’s Me, the S.O.B!

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I have a stressful job. So do most others I know, but believe it or not, my stressful job affects me more than it effects others. Funny how that works. When I’m stressed, I tend to turn into an S.O.B. (Silly Old Bear — c’mon folks, this is a family blog!) Really, though, I get irritable and cranky.

I’m going to try to choose JOY. No, I’m not going on some existential journey to creating my own reality and purpose — but I’m going to try to avoid being a jerk. I choose to be happy.

So that begs the question, can a person choose to be happy, even in miserable situations? Well, ask my family in a week or so, and we’ll see how I’ve done. I’m pretty confident a person can change their mood if they try. Sometimes we act cranky because we want other people to be as miserable as we are. See, it’s not just me that’s a jerk — lots of folks do it. I’m going to try to stop though. We’ll see how it goes.

🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

Yeah, I’ve Got Goals

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[audio:https://www.brainofshawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/08/yeahivegotgoals.mp3]
photo-23.jpgI keep reading how important it is to set goals. Not just set them, but write them down. I’ve never really been one to do that, and at the same time, I rarely meet the goals I do have (but not written.) So here’s the deal. I’m going to write some down. You do the same. I don’t really care where you do it. On your blog, on a napkin, on your baby’s head — anywhere will do. Here are some of mine. You can steal them if you wish, but don’t brag if you beat me to crossing them off.

  1. I want to be vegan. When I eat vegan, I feel healthier, look healthier, fit into smaller clothes, eat tastier foods, etc. The problem is that eating vegan requires work. It’s expensive. You have to shop, and cook, and dice, and simmer, and… It’s hard. McDonald’s is quick, easy, and they finally have tasty coffee. You give me a bagel sandwich, and for 5 minutes, life is good. Then I get bloated, realize I’m fat, and become conscious that my heart seems to be laboring as it beats. I like being the guy that eats tofu. I just need to take the time to DO it.
  2. I want to ride either a bicycle or an electric scooter to work every morning. Yep, an electric scooter. I don’t want that kind with a seat and basket — I want the skateboard with handlebars. I’ll drive that sucker in the middle of winter (which is significant where I live), and I’ll love the fact that I can charge it at work, and never pay insurance. Honestly though, if I can manage #1, perhaps I’ll be happier on a bicycle anyway. Right now I don’t want to get that sweaty on the way to work.
  3. I want to sell books. No, I don’t want to work at Barnes and Nobles or anything, I mean I want to write the books, and have people buy them. I’d actually like them to enjoy reading them too.
  4. Someday, I’ll own a refrigerator with an ice dispenser in the door. I don’t really care if it has water and/or crushed ice — but I MUST own a fridge with an ice dispenser in the door. I really must.
  5. I want to be a radio DJ. This has been a goal of mine for a long time, and I think I might open that goal up to Internet radio, because it’s pretty cool too. I really want people to actually hear me though — so just talking into a microphone doesn’t count.

Ok, that’ll due for now. How about you? What are your goals?

Click here to download the audio file

You’re Not in my Brain?

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image001.jpgI just realized (OK, my wife realized for me, bless her heart), that although I talked about my awesome t-shirt gift that no one understands, I didn’t give any credit to the givers! I guess I just assume my brain is open for all to see, and expect you to read what I think, not what I type.

So here’s an after-the-fact-but-still-sincere thank you to Jessica and Brad. You guys rock. And Jess, good luck on the Pellston job! I hope you get it!!

This cute picture is me apologizing for my thanklessness. (Click to embiggenate)
[audio:https://www.brainofshawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/08/yourenotinmybrain.mp3]
Click here to download audio

Gettin’ a Song

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Donna and I have been married for almost 12 years. (Crowds cheer, the banners fly, yay for young marriages that work!) In all that time, we really never had a “song” that was ours. You know, the “song” that when it plays, you can say, “That’s our song.”

We’ve never had one. Until a few months ago that is. Don’t get me wrong, there are songs that are meaningful to us. Sara Evan’s “No Place That Far” was a contender for a while. Also, the Proclaimers’ “500 Miles” song. Perhaps the Proclaimers song was more my idea of our song, I’m not sure Donna ever liked it.

We actually danced to “Unchained Melody” at our wedding. I know, I know, soooo cheesy and cliche — but hey why pretend we had a song when we didn’t?!?!

Then a few months ago, we discovered Norah Jones. She is made of pure awesomeness. With little more than nodding agreement, her song, “Come Away With Me” became our song. Here’s the video. It was worth the 11 year wait. 🙂


[audio:https://www.brainofshawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/08/gettinasong.mp3]
Here’s me reading this post

I own this as a shirt

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I received the following on a t-shirt for my birthday:

sudo_shirt_thumb.png

And I love it. Really, it is hilarious, and when I first saw it, I almost spit coffee all over my laptop. But there is a problem. It’s really hard to explain what it means to anyone that’s not a Unix/Linux geek! I have a couple other t-shirts that are geeky, but none as difficult to explain as this one.

Unless you’re a geek, you probably don’t get it. Trust me, it’s great. 🙂

Bye-bye, $200

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I suck.

Apparently, it’s a law that one must fully stop at the end of a private drive before entering traffic. I’m ashamed to admit I didn’t know that was a law — but unfortunately, the police officer that pulled me over was quite aware.

I don’t really want to talk about it.