Department of Random Thoughts

Because I don't have any one thing to blog about, I offer these bits from my brain.

• I've been wondering if anyone's ever done a study on why dark chocolate, marshmallows, and caramel taste so good together.
• I find it interesting how I've come full circle, once again playing with dolls like I did when I was little, but now I take photos of them and they have clothes that cost more than mine.
• After more than 3 months of not playing Cityville, I logged into the game to take one last look at my beloved city before pulling the plug, and got sucked into playing it regularly again. Cityville: I can't quit you.
• Every time I think retiring was the wrong thing to do, a former colleague tells me about some idiocy going on at the library and I remember why I retired in the first place. Thank you, former colleague, for making me feel better.
• I do miss talking about books with my favorite library patrons, though.

I think that's it for now. My brain feels sufficiently empty for the moment. ;)

Feeling: mellow

~~~o0o~~~

More Observations

Nice techie at TimeWarner rebooted my cable modem, which probably needs to be replaced, so my high speed internet is working again. I could get online but not do much of anything the last couple of days. How I managed to post is amazing.

Anyway, I just got a union newsletter, dated October 1st, urging me to vote for Obama/Biden. As they say, timing is everything. Guess things worked out, but I wonder how many other people got this late. What a waste of my union dues.

Got my teeth cleaned today. My dentist's office is in a skyscraper in midtown Manhattan. The elevators, in accordance to the Americans for Disabilities Act, have braille next to the floor buttons. But, the elevators now work off a call system. You press a station in the corridor by the elevator bank for the floor you want, the system tells you which elevator to take, and when you get inside, your floor button is already pressed. Now, that screen is a touch screen. I didn't see any way a blind person -- the person who would have used the braille inside the elevator to find his or her floor button to press -- would use it. Maybe voice activated? I didn't see any indication. Next time, I'll have to check, because if there's no way to use it if you can't see, it defeats the purpose of helping sight-impaired persons from being independent. I suppose they could still enter and press the button for their desired floor, which you need to do once upstairs, but I'm not sure the system works that way. It was most perplexing.

Feeling:

~~~o0o~~~
Technorati Tags: observations

Submitted for Your Amusement

 Silly labeling to cover company asses with regards to lawsuits are nothing new. The old "Coffee is Hot" and on toxic substances like detergent, "Do Not Ingest." But the instructions on the liquid detergent I use caught my eye today. Yeah, after all these years, I was bored enough to look at the container. And found:

"...Add YES to washer as it fills with water then add clothes."

And reading this, I was super glad I hadn't read this years ago and tried to follow it when my apartment building switched to front opening washing machines. Methinks it's time to change these directions. Or maybe dumping soapy water onto the floor is part of the process.


Feeling:

~~~o0o~~~
Technorati Tags: laundry

Life's Incongruities

I just had a hot chocolate while sitting with an ice pack on my shoulder. I couldn't tell if I was hot or cold.

I eat when I'm depressed. What has me depressed these days? Gaining weight.

Meanwhile, even if I move my graphics to another host, the mood icons will vanish as the URLs will all change and I am not going to swap out image source code for close to a thousand posts. All the posts with the "Feeling:" plus graphic are going to look rather odd, indeed.

Feeling:

~~~o0o~~~
Technorati Tags: thoughts

Observations

Sometimes, I compose wonderful posts in my mind while walking to work or on the way home, then forget to post them.

Stupidity sighting: I'm used to seeing people hose down streets in Manhattan instead of sweeping. Yesterday, I saw someone doing it in the rain.

Coolness sighting: Necessity is the mother of invention. It is also the mother of inspiration. During the rain yesterday morning, an umbrella-less young man held his skateboard over his head.

Blogger in Draft (draft.blogger.com) has wonderful new features. I haven't tried them all yet, but I love the ones I have. Blogger keeps getting better and better.

The guy with the hose was at it again today. No rain, but no dirt on the street by the time I went out to lunch and he was still hosing. I'm starting to wonder if some guys equate water hoses with other longish things that squirt.

I've completed labeling (or tagging, if you prefer) the old posts on this blog. I wasn't as specific (ie, there are plenty of "miscellany" posts) as I am now just so I could get it done. I also noticed that I'm far from clever most of the time when it comes to titles. Even the title of this post is a bit lame.

Working with the public is both a blessing, as when they thank me for all my help, and a challenge, as when, during a telephone call today, after finally figuring out the person on the phone was asking, among other things, for the library's address, which I gave her, she then asked if she could call Monday for the address. Really, you can't make this stuff up. And yes, I'm sure she had a reason for the question, but I'm not going to spend time thinking about it.

I took an online survey earlier this year and was in one demographic and took another one yesterday and was in another. I am now in the "55 and over" demographic. Eek. I need to fill out a survey where there's still more above me. I want to be in "55-62" or some such.

Feeling:

~~~o0o~~~
Technorati Tags: thoughts

Things That Fill My Brain

And it's time to let some of them out.

Any meme that starts with: Take your MP3 player/iPod, is one I won't be able to do. I can tell you that Billy Stewart's (whoever he is) "Fat Boy" is currently playing on my Pandora station. It sounds nice.

Memes with too many questions about cars and/or driving are also ones I can't do.

People who find my book review blog and email me offering advanced reading copies or free copies of published books, no doubt so I would favorably review them, shouldn't bother. I've got lots of books to read and buy more all the time. I don't want to be influenced by something sent to me for free, and none of those titles have as yet interested me in any way. However, if someone finds one of my blogs and wants to offer me money to publish my writing in actual print, I'll happily entertain that idea.

"Darling Be Home Soon" by the Lovin' Spoonful is now playing on my Rockin' Variety Pandora station. I always liked that song.

As always, I'm annoyed and bemused at the same time by how inept people who talk on cellphones are when it comes to talking and walking at the same time. They seem to have forgotten basic ettiquette, too, as they shout into their phones so everyone can know their business, and walk too slow, without looking, nearly running me people down, and generally clogging busy lunchtime, Manhattan streets.

I've thought about doing a blog about my socks and shoes. I would call it Sweet Feet. Only the fact that I've got too many blogs already has kept me from doing it.

I've come to realize one can never have enough shoes. Or socks. Or, as it turns out, action figures. But that's another ramble.

I'm mentally preparing myself for the Mets to lose. It's been a fun season and I have no regrets. Winning the League championship would've been nice as would playing and maybe the World Series would be, but when 2 of your 3 reliable starting pitchers go down with injuries before the playoffs start, that's never a good thing.

It's balmy out, our second if brief Indian summer this month.

And finally, dark chocolate M&Ms are quite possibly the most addicting substance in the known universe.

eeling:

~~~o0o~~~
Technorati Tags: miscelleny

Week in Review

♦ How come even when I finish off some projects at work and clean my desk of some tasks, I still feel like I've accomplished nothing?

♦ Did a lot of troubleshooting for the computer system upgrade at work, though, so that's something.

♦ My left foot has been bothering me. I fear a podiatrist might be in my future. feh

♦ Julio Franco of the Mets became the oldest player in the major leagues to hit a home run, and at 47, he's still younger than I am.

♦ Rhetorical question of the moment: Why do I keep taking on new projects when I still have so many other started ones to finish?

♦ I'm not much of a basketball fan, anymore, but I'm sure glad the Knicks don't have to play again til the fall. Talk about losing ugly.

♦ Even if I don't respond to your comments, I read and appreciate them. Thanks.

♦ Cyber Chocolate, however, is still a Flippery Fish in the Ecosystem. I need links to this blog, people. You've been put on notice. :)

♦ Much as I like doing cool things on my blogs, I know the thrill's worn off because I've become lazy. No more adding in the URLs for the smileys I've got stashed on my website to use here. Now, I just type the text, like the point above. *sigh* And yet, the more folks stop by and read, the more readers I want. I'm a lazy, greedy blogger. heh

♦ I'm showing off my ability to code diamond bullets.

Meanwhile, something to keep you entertained til my next scintillating post: chocolate condoms!

Feeling:

~~~o0o~~~
Technorati Tags: personal

Some Observations

Money might not grow on trees, but in my neighborhood, plastic bags seem to grow there. Seems like every other tree has a plastic bag trapped in its upper branches. People, don't litter. And when you put your trash at the curb, make sure it's secured. Simple. Really.

Why is it that when the forecast is for rain on my day off, so I plan a day of indoor activities, it doesn't rain?

Why is it that when I have plenty of time to go to the gym, I always seem to have hurt my foot or leg? In this case, my left foot hurts, as it tends to do, and I seem to have sprained a calf muscle.

Why do people think they can bully others into doing what they want when most people respond much more favorably to respectful and friendly treatment?

What did people do before cell phones made communication near constant? I'm thinking someone can make a fortune if they could invent a phone that can transmit your thoughts while you're asleep.

The Mets have the best record in baseball right now, but don't tell anyone. We wouldn't want to jinx it.

Mal had a fun day yesterday. The photos are here. I bet his feet don't hurt.

Feeling:

~~~o0o~~~
Technorati Tags: observations

Random Thoughts Escaping My Head

I hate when something is improved from something I like a lot to something I don't like as much.

Just read that my favorite donut shop, a little hole in the wall, is in a building slated for demolition, along with most of a block, to make way for a large, modern apartment building with shops. I suppose that will be good for my attempts to diet, but why must I lose so many things I love?

I don't watch awards shows, but I am happy with the nominations in the major Academy Awards this year. I wish they wouldn't ruin things by actually picking a winner in each category. All are winners in my book. I even saw a couple of the movies. heh

I'm glad the Islanders played, and won, last night. Hockey sure is good counter-programming for the State of the (Dis)Union speech that would have irritated me no end.

I've been enjoying seeing the results folks have been getting in the superhero quiz. Thanks for letting me know in the comments.

A number of stores have closed in my work neighborhood. This is a thriving retail neighborhood, though that wasn't the case a decade ago. With all the apartment buildings going up, I can't figure if it's declining sales/small recession, ridiculous retail rent increases, or both that's the culprit. It's discouraging, whatever it is. If it's the landlords' way to bring in pricier stores, that's just sad. I wouldn't mind if an Eddie Bauer opened up, but they've been closing some stores, not opening more these days.

I love watching I Spy and Man from UNCLE every Wednesday night on American Life Channel, but I really hate the "old folks" commercials. The life insurance and retirement ones really irk me.


I made the above with the Real Time Contextural Art Generator. Link found on Generator Blog.

Feeling:

~~~o0o~~~
miscellany

Things I Ponder

Why...

• Do people gather on the street in front of doorways? And I don't mean just the smokers forced onto the streets from their smoke-free workplace.
• Why do people walk 6 abreast on a crowded street?
• Why do people wait for something noisy to start up (car engine, plane, the printer at work) before they start talking?
• Why do people wait for the light to turn red, then decide to cross the street?
• Why do people walking on a busy street cut across the path of other people when there's room to go around them, then seem startled to discover someone in front of them?
• Why do people blow smoke in other people's faces?
• Why do people ask questions that repeat what you just said? (ie, Me, answering the phone: "XYZ Library, may I help you?" Caller: "Is this the XYZ Library?")
• Why do people think you need to hear their life story without asking first?
• Why do people push both the Up and Down buttons when summoning an elevator? Do they really want to go in both directions?
• Why do people cough into the other end of the phone as soon as you pick up your receiver and say "Hello"? And why do they think you can hear them over the noise of barking dogs, blaring stereos, and/or screaming babies? Shouldn't the fact that they have to ask you to speak up give them enough of a clue?
• Why do big people who normally would need two seats on a train think they can wiggle into a space 4 inches across on the subway bench?
  

Things I Ponder

Why do people put on their blogs that they're for family and friends, then put them on Blog Explosion for the world to see? We're not all friends out here.

What does it mean when goofing off becomes hard work?

Why am I tired until I get into bed, then suddenly, I'm wide awake?

Why does the cup have to be half empty or half full? Why can't it just be half and half?

I used to think the shortest day was the winter solstice. Now I know it's the day I don't have to work.

A good name for a meme blog would be Auntie Meme. Feel free to steal use it.

Things I Ponder and Some Links

Why do we not mind so much when the hair and dirt are on our bodies, but when they're clogging the shower's drain, they're gross?

Why am I dead tired until I go to bed?

I edit the library branch website and the branch's blog at work, then come home and edit my website and blogs. When did my work life and my leisure life become mirror images of each other?

If I were 30 years younger, I think I would become a web designer. Why wasn't the web around when I was in college?

Who said it could snow so much this year here in NYC?

And now, the links:

Other folks are blogging about this so I figure I should, too: The New York Public Library's Digital Gallery. And while I'm at it, here are some vintage New York City photos.

Online Miniature Golf. You might want to turn down the sound. The music is of the annoying earworm variety. Found on Bacon and Ehs.

Van Gogh's "Starry Night" is one of my favorite paintings, so this Legos version caught my attention. Found on Chaos Theory.

A very funny Error 404 message. Make sure you stay til the end. Found on The Presurfer.