Monthly Archives: January 2008

The Lives of Others

Blogging, People, Technology

So yesterday I happened upon two blogs belonging to people I’ve known who, through divorce, were removed from my life. The first one belongs to the ex-wife of a friend of Dean’s. I was spacing out and reading some woman related Washington Post blogs when I found a guest post by this woman. The content of the blog as well as her name made me realize it was probably her and I followed a link to her personal blog where she discusses topics ranging from her new marriage to martinis. I always wished we were better friends – and not just friends when our husbands got together. Perhaps it was the fact that she is more than a decade my junior is the reason we never became friends. I was sad when she and her husband divorced, but not in the least surprised.

The second blog was found by clicking on the “links” link under a video I uploaded to YouTube about a year ago. It lead me to a blog by a 60-something man who used to live in Elgin but now lives in Northern Wisconsin. The names in the sidebar calendar led me to deduce that he is the ex-husband of one of my mother’s best friends. In fact this man was at my wedding. I called my mom and she confirmed that he moved to Wisconsin.

So, in some ways, this Internet, this huge time sucker and distraction maker can make the world a smaller place.

Of course I’ve known that for years.

Home is where the big green arrow is

Accomplishments, Technology, , ,

It’s a small thing among all the other annoyances in life, but ever since I’ve been using mapping software the marker for my address is about 7 houses away from where we really live. I’ve always wanted to grab that darn pointer and put it where it belonged. Mr. Monk would have been proud of my desire.

I even bought a GPS device that accepted corrections so it drove me exactly to my home, safe and sound. (Can I help it if I get lonely in the car sometimes and like listening to various voices from the British Isles?)

So, imagine my delight when I noticed a new feature on Google Maps tonight — the word “edit” next to the green marker. Further playing around and suddenly, my house was where it belonged and all was right with the world.

Their promo video is pretty good too.

Woo hoo, the vacation’s over!

Musings,

So this morning as I sat drinking my coffee I made a ridiculously long to do list. I guess that because I don’t have any pending work at this time, I can get things done around the house. Mmmhuh as my old friend Violet would say in a tone of disdainful disbelief.

I’ll probably actually get to the computer related items on the list:

  • blog entry
  • order CD for Ella
  • Check work email
  • buy vacuum (?)
  • update calendars
  • scan pics (30 minutes)
  • check doctor appt vs wrestling schedule
  • check freecycle
  • freecycle 1 thing

I’ll also do the grocery shopping (because we are out of half & half and eggs) and exercise (because I use half & half in my coffee and eat eggs), but I probably won’t get much else on the list completed which is a shame because the Christmas tree is going to spontaneously combust any second.

The cats claws will probably need to wait as will the water filter and laundry.

Cool, one to do item finished, 19 to go.