Chat.

This weekend Earl and I were talking with Rick and Helen about cell phones. I mentioned to them that I’ve been pondering ditching my cell phone for the past year or so and that I thought I was ready to take the plunge and just do it. Both Rick and Helen thought it was a great idea and they wished they could do the same.

I have to admit that I don’t talk on my cell phone very much. I haven’t even charged it in the past week as it’s just been sitting on the kitchen counter. I didn’t take it to Pennsylvania. There could be messages waiting for me. Who knows.

My sister gets hysterical when I mentioned getting rid of the cell phone. I’ve never been one for talking on the cell phone. I can chat online until the cows come home, but I’m not one for actually talking. If I’m going to talk with someone I’d rather talk with them face to face. I don’t like having meals/movies/visits to the laundromat interrupted with the jingle of my cell phone, so why even bother carrying it. I can keep the older phone I have in the car and dial 911 if the emergency ever arises. Truth be known I’d rather text chat with emergency personnel (provided I still had all my fingers). I’m just more coherent that way.

So I think I’m going to take the plunge and get rid of the phone, finally, at the end of this month.

If you want me, e-mail me. I always have my PowerBook in tow.

15 April 2007 by Ponderings and Musings 0

Trevose, Pa.

Earl and I are spending the night with family outside of Philadelphia. Last night we arrived around 10:30 and hung out with Rick and Helen, Earl’s step-brother and his fiancee. They are getting married in Ireland in October and Earl and I are going to be the witnesses at their wedding, if Earl manages to get his passport before October.

This morning I was up bright and early to jump on the internet for class registration for my fall semester. I am happy to say that I am ready to go this fall, aside from one class that I have to go through paper registration for. I find it fascinating that I can be sitting 300 miles away from the college and still be able to fight my way to the front of the line for registration.

We spend most of the day visiting with family and relaxing. The weather has been a lovely change of pace, with lots of sunshine and highs near 60.

Tomorrow morning we are heading back home, where the weatherman says we’re going to have a interesting ride in hurricane like winds, to be greeted with a nor’easter snow storm.

I’m looking forward to this being the last storm of the season.

14 April 2007 by Flickr 0

The Fast Lane.

I am typing this blog entry as Earl and I are on our way to suburban Philadelphia to visit his family. He’s driving, I’m blogging.

One of the things that I’ve noticed over the past ten years or so is that people have developed the habit of sticking in the left lane of the interstate for no reason at all. Even though signs clearly proclaim “Keep Right Except To Pass” and “Keep Right – Pass Left”, there they are, seemingly clueless drivers hanging out in the left lane, oblivious to those behind them wishing to pass. The guilty are usually yakking illegally on their cell phone as well.

I blame this trend of left lane lingering on that song that goes “life in the fast lane.” Like first class seating on an airplane, where it’s well known that the meals are better, the flight attendants are friendlier and the oxygen is more rich, those left lane huggers think that life is better in the left lane.

As an aspiring transportation engineer, I’ve had fascinating discussions with those that hang out in the left lane. “Why I just get on the freeway and move all the way over, it’s just easier.” What people don’t realize is that they’re essentially clogging up the road, creating traffic snarls behind them, all because they perceive that they’re living life in the fast lane.

It’s not the fast lane. It’s the passing lane. If you’re not passing the car next to, you do not belong in that lane.

We could save a lot of time, money and energy and devote all of this to maintaining our current infrastructure instead of building more “fast lanes” for people to hog.

I guess “Life In The Passing Lane” doesn’t sound as sexy.

14 April 2007 by Flickr 0

Politically Correctness.

The topic at most watercoolers this week undoubtedly has been the racist comments made by Don Imus, his suspension and subsequent firing from MSNBC and CBS. Countless bloggers are also chatting about the same subject, so I figured I might as well throw my two cents in as well.

Now, I don’t want to sound like an insensitive buffoon, but I believe that there are bigger fish to fry in the world right now than to focus on what this guy said. “Shock jocks” have been saying ridiculous things in all sorts of places for a long time. That’s what they do. That’s what they get paid to do. In many respects, it’s a sad reflection of the state of our society. But, like many others, I am why does everyone have their panties in such a knot over this? Are we surprised that he said what he said? I’m not. He has said idiotic things like this before. So have many others. That’s what he does. That’s one of the things that makes him famous.

Of course it’s all about the money. MSNBC and CBS play the “oh the morals” card but we’re not stupid. We all know that they lost big bucks from big sponsors so they had to take a stand. If no one had pulled their sponsorship this week, Don Imus would still be on the air and this would not be a “hot topic”.

I’ve never listened to Imus. I don’t care to. His show is not my cup of tea. I can’t listen to him just as I can’t listen to the current excuse of Top 40 radio, where many of the same things are said on an hourly basis!!! I’m not defending his comments. They were ridiculous and hurtful. But on the other hand, that’s what the guy does. Why are we all getting worked up over this when Donald Trump has been saying incredibly vicious things about Rosie O’Donnell, Isaiah  Washington continues to work (and wins awards!) after making incredibly stupid remarks about a gay co-workers and Mel Gibson continues to be a “big name” in Hollywood after his anti-semetic remarks. Why is the news industry picking on Imus? Are they distracting us from the real issues, including a failing war in Iraq and what is mounting to be a war with Iran?

I believe that this is absolutely the case.

Did Imus say rude, obnoxious, hurtful things? Yes he did. Was he wrong to say them? Depends on who you ask. I say he’s an idiot that gets paid to be an idiot. Should he have been fired for doing it? Absolutely not.

One thing that I find incredibly interesting is that Halle Barre is slated to appear in a movie to be released in 2008 entitled “Nappily Ever After”. Where is the outrage about this? 

13 April 2007 by Political BS. 3

Morning Workout.

I am working out as I type. Can you hear me panting and sweating and grunting? That’s what I’m doing, as the sweat falls and the calories burn. I’m sitting on the exercise bike and just pedaling and pedaling and pedaling.

I had to do something to make this interesting. Normally I’d be out on my road bike by this time of the year, enjoying the smell of the flowers and watching the grass turn green, as I ride along country roads with the sun in my eyes and the wind at my back. But you see, my road bike does not have skiis (I opted out of that accessory), and since the weather is whacked out and I don’t have a boat to pull me, I can’t water ski or snow ski on my bike so I’m stuck on the exercise bike in the cellar.

It’s not that I don’t like my exercise bike. I like it very much. The problem is, the only thing I have to look at while riding this bike is the clock. And painted cinder block walls. And that can be very boring. I sit there waiting for the clock to advance to the point where I can say, “I’m done!”.

I’ve tried listening to the iPod while working out, but the time thing still creeps into my head. I think, “This song is four minutes long. In five songs it’ll be 20 minutes. Perhaps that’s long enough.”

So here I am, trying to type and surf while working out. It’s not an easy thing to do, but at least it makes the ride more interesting.

13 April 2007 by Ponderings and Musings 0

1982 Eye Candy.

Looking through some old TV themes on YouTube, I was reminded of a hottie from my teen years.

Does anyone remember Michael Lembeck from “One Day At A Time”?

[Lembeck]

12 April 2007 by Woof. 13

Wrong.

I was delighted to wake up this morning and find that it hadn’t snowed overnight. We had a lot of rain and some sleet but none of the white stuff.

There was no need for an Excalibur moment this morning. I have calmed down.

I really don’t know why meteorologists bother trying to predict the weather. Just for fun, I recorded their forecast for the next week. Today it was suppose to be sunny and 55 degrees. It’s pouring rain at 36 degrees.

It’s obvious that you can’t fool Mother Nature. She knows best.

In other news, I started messing around with Podcasting today. I enjoyed the experience and will be doing it again in the future. I didn’t plan any of the content and just rambled and threw on a new and old dance track. If you want to listen to me ramble, you can subscribe here.

12 April 2007 by Ponderings and Musings 0

Thank You.

It was announced today by Defense Secretary Robert Gates that the Army tours in Iraq have been extended by three months. Anything that can be said about this has already been said by bloggers much more versed in the subject than I, so this is all I can say:

[Thank You]

~~~

Rosie O’Donnell has recently started doing a videoblog on her site. It’s quite interesting to hear what she has to say when she’s not being tempered by the influences of “The View”.

I have been a Rosie O’Donnell fan since her Star Search days. I have always loved her comedy, it’s great to see someone else that has as much useless crap as I do in her head (tv and movie trivia, etc.) and I’ve always been amazed at the amount of support and energy she puts into her charities.

Since she has substantially ramped up her personal views, observations and opinions on current world affairs since joining “The View”, my admiration for her has grown tenfold. I admire her courage to ask the questions that few have the balls to ask and I’m in awe of the amount of passion that she has in her convictions. I may not agree with her 100% on everything (usually 95-99% of time, quite honestly), but you can’t help but appreciate the compassion of her arguments.

Take a peek at her videoblogs where she answers questions from her blog readers. It’s very interesting.

11 April 2007 by Political BS. 2

Cheering Up.

The street date for “The Secrets Of Isis” has been announced. Ladies and gentlemen, arm your credit cards for a July 24, 2007 purchase! w00t!

“The Secrets of Isis” is my most favorite of the live-action superhero shows. And with Andy Mangels at the helm of the special features on the DVD set, I just know this is going to rock. Andy appeared on the Wonder Woman DVD special features as well. I’ve chatted with him on a number of occasions and he is a great guy. We have a lot of common interests.

11 April 2007 by Superhero. 2

About J.P.

Just a guy with a husband. We’ve been together 28 years and he still makes me see fireworks on a daily basis. Hiker. Storm Chaser. Private Pilot. Tech Guy. Hackerish.

Weird? Eccentric!

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