Smokin’ HLBs.

I don’t smoke. However, I would like to be able to take a Healthy Lung Break in the same spirit of those who step out of the office to go “have a cig.”

To once or twice a day, get out of the office for ten minutes or so without a specific agenda like lunch or running an errand, would be incredible. It is absolutely gorgeous out today, and some of us in the web department went outside to take some updated pictures of the exterior of our office building. After a mere five minutes outside, I feel like a new woman. Now, I know what you’re thinking, but no - I wouldn’t take advantage of my Healthy Lung Break - i’m busy, I have deadlines, and (perhaps most importantly) I’m in New Haven, Connecticut - not exactly known for its stupendous weather. So it would really only be a few months when HLB’s would really even be a possibility. 

I think that Healthy Lung Breaks (HLB’s) should be rewarded to all non-smokers. It clears the mind, and even promotes team building because you get to talk to your coworkers. Basically the same things that I imagine the smokers go outside for, without the cancerous side effects.

Not that i’m without my potentially cancer causing vices…

 

Three cans between noon and 4:30pm.  This has gotta stop. 

(And um, w/r/t my recent techno-rambles, I somewhat reluctantly signed up for twitter.)

recent techno-rambles

1. I think i’m going to start posting links of suggested articles.  I read alot.  Books, yes - but also do alot of online reading, and you should too.  Not everyone uses Google Reader, and not everyone is subscribed to my shared items, but I’d like to have my friends know what i’m talking about, at least some of the time.  So I’ll probably start throwing the odd link in here and there for fun.  Like this one, an analysis of contemporary romantic comedies, focusing on Cameron Crowe’s films.

2. Twitter. I don’t get it.  What’s the appeal?  I don’t want everyone to know what i’m doing  all the time, and I don’t think anyone would care to know anyway.  I’m not being self effacing, i’m just keeping it real.  If you’re my friend in real life, and you want to know what i’m doing, ask.  Even if you aren’t my friend, I’d probably still tell you.  Unless I get a creepy vibe.

Anyway, Twitter.  Feel free to try and convince me to use it.  Really.  I know I give some people a hard time over certain techno-purchases and passtimes (”how is this neccesary?”), but I really want to hear the argument. 

3.   I still won’t add a facebook application.  It’s become a matter of principle now.  I’ll admit, I added the bumper sticker application once when Jenn sent me something.  I knew she wouldn’t send me a request unless it was worth it.  And it was. I laughed so hard my somach hurt.  Then I deleted it.  There’s just nothing else I want from facebook.  I’m completely satisfied.

4.  Last weekend, I convinced my Dad to use Gmail.  I can’t believe anyone uses anything besides Gmail really.  I think what sold him was when I showed him that I have several thousand emails stored, never need to delete anything and can search through every single email for the mere mention of anything.  I typed in his name and we pulled up every email we’ve exchanged since who-knows-when, then searched every time I’ve mentioned Connecticut in an email, and then every time the word “Unicorn” was mentioned (which, mind you, was way more often than you’d think) and that was enough.  I’d follow google into the dark.

5.   Holly used to always send me LOLcats.  Randomly if she saw one she’d think I’d like, or sharing them on her reader.   Now she’s in Paris, and I never thought I’d say it but I kind of miss the LOLcats.

But not nearly as much as I miss her.

(Hope you’re having fun, pal!)

Mii Fit?

I don’t like working out. I think it’s boring. For all the fancy things I’ve used over the years, I always find myself on the treadmill, listening to a podcast and wishing it was all over.

Things are about to change. I now have the Wii Fit and honestly, it’s changing my life. It starts with a Wii Fitness Age test which measures your weight and center of gravity, and also tells you your BMI by weighing you, and asking for your height. From that point on, you can set up a BMI goal and a schedule for how you’ll reach it. (My BMI is 22, and my Wii Fitness Age is also 22. And that’s my real life age, so not bad! ) Apparently though, your BMI isn’t an indicator of your overall health. If it were, my whole “not eating particularly well, occasionally exercising and having erratic sleep patterns but still being relatively thin” technique would totally take the nation by storm.

In addition to really fun exercises (hoola hoop, FTW!), you also choose a personal trainer, who guides you through yoga, strength training and balance games. It’s really fun. My original skepticism with the system was that you could cheat, however; the technology is kind of mind blowing. I was doing the push-up challenge and I had to stop because my watch was digging into my hand, and the trainer knew! She called me out and I was called a couch potato. Kind of ridiculous. She’s actually quite nice, and the game called me a couch potato. Not my trainer personally. She would never judge me like that.

Anyone else use the Wii Fit? What are your thoughts on it?

Or do you actually go to the gym like a normal person? And how’s that working out for you?

(CT friends - we should arrange a day of outdoor activities like badminton or volleyball!!)

The Granny Smith by Apple

I work in web development - I spend hours and hours infront of a computer.  Yesterday, being Friday, I spent the hours from 9am to 5:30pm at my desk, computer-ing (verb? why not.)  I was looking at the computer and I thought, “I wonder why it’s called a ‘Mac.’  Where did that come from? Other computer names make sense.  Toshiba is obviously the name of a person, HP were people too I think.  Are people named Macintosh, or Apple?  Wait…yes they are.  Apple Martin - wow Gwenyth Paltrow.  What were you thinking.  You werent thinking.  Anyway, Macintosh.  Hmm…” 

Apple.  Mac.  Macintosh.  Oh my god - a Macintosh is a kind of Apple.  The Macintosh Computer, by Apple. 

It blew my mind.     

So much so in fact, I hit up Sean on g-talk to confirm that my excitement was warranted. 

—-

10:01AM

Mindy: i literally just realized that “macintosh” as in the apple computer, comes from the idea of a macintosh apple. As in the fruit.
  my world is forever changed. 
Sean: never even thought about it

—-

Not as impressed. 

I started thinking about the business meeting that took place during the naming of the “Apple Macintosh Computer” and the other possible names it could have potentially had.  I realized why they went with ‘Macintosh’ over the alternative.

The Granny Smith by Apple.  Drops January 24th, 1984. 

Taking the nation by storm!

Paradise by The Monitor Light

The amount of time I spend at a computer is truly absurd.  Not only have I replaced television with blogs, social networking, and several other important, educational pursuits - but all non-leisurely aspects of my life revolve around computers too.

I’m a web copy writer. I spend my work days sitting at a computer writing and researching. (Breaks are spent starring at the back of Sean’s head.)

I’m a student.  An advertising student to boot.  I spend an awful lot of time making ads, writing copy, revising ads, revising copy…And, it’s finals week (!)  I have lots of projects / portfolios I’m working on.  All of which are being done with the use of computers.  Specifically, the computers found in the computer lab on campus - which is commonly (and somewhat affectionately) refered to as being my “home away from home.”

Seriously.  There are jokes between my classmates and I that we’re setting up mailing addresses in the computer lab.  Bringing sleeping bags. Getting land-lines installed.  Pitching tents… 

This has gotta stop.

I think it’s entirely possible that, at this rate, I’ll go blind soon.  And most likely have terrible arthritis in my fingers from all this typing. 

On the plus side,  I just found out that I can type 105 words per minute.  Try beat me.

 

…back to work

I would send you a bouquet of newly sharpened pencils…

I start what would have been my final semester of classes on Tuesday.  I say “would have been” because major switching, timing and internships got in the way, so I’ll need another semester to complete my B.A. which is annoying really but it’s not that a big deal because…

I’m getting off topic,

 I wanted to write about school supplies.  School supplies and my love for them.  To me, the best part of starting new classes is all the new gear you get the few days before they start.  Or in my case, the few weeks before they start.  I’ve talked about this with several friends, and some share my passion for fresh notebooks, folders and boxes of pens, others think I’m crazy.  To these people I say, use your notebooks from last year.  And may you never lose a page of them. 

Personally, I use a three ring binder, with separators and lined paper - all from the same source, no mismatched sizes or colours.   I also use a few pocket folders to keep important hand outs in, handouts that will one day make their way into my three ring binder. 

It makes me feel organized.  Or at least, keeps up the illusion that i’m an organized individual.

My preferred writing utensil is a Bic ultra round, with grip.  Not the clicky kind.  I write in blue.  Interestingly, I have a lot of fancy pens; you know, the kind of pen that you change the ink barrel of?  But I never use them.  I like my plastic Bic pens that I’m almost certainly going to lose the lids to.  I’ve also known the Bic Crystal pens to have it’s fair share of fans. 

On the subject of keeping dates and assignments and meetings in order, I stray from the majority.  I don’t use an agenda pad.  I previously have, but I’ve found them to be very inflexible.  Let’s say I have lots to do on Monday and relatively little planned for Thursday, and I have been given the same 2″ box for both.  What’s a girl to do?  In keeping up with this newfangled technology I’m always on about, a couple of years ago I bought a PDA.  However, I never used it.  (Do you want it?)  I found that syncing it with my computer was relatively pointless, it took me ages to write things down with the stupid stylus, and I had to deal with the whole battery situation.  Not to mention the pretentiousness of being 19 year old kid with a PDA.    Absurd. 

Now days, I use one of these.  Moleskine Notebook.  Swear by it.  Mine is the ruled reporter notebook.  Although, yes, it is technically just a plain ruled notebook…it is so much more.  It’s the perfect size for both your Mondays and Thursdays - because there’s no limits.  Looking through mine, I have phone numbers, websites, assignments, reminders, a seating plan, a list of songs…a grocery list (I go grocery shopping?)  It’s a bit pricey considering it is a notebook, but it’s exceptional craftsmanship makes it worth it.  Incredibly durable, nay…rugged, it can handle a beating.  High quality paper (stitched together- not glued), an elastic strap to keep things together and the pages protected, and a little pocket in the back for important things (I keep a copy of important phone numbers, and a dollar bill… ’cause you never know).  I’ve had my current one for over a year and it’s still in perfect condition and I won’t leave the house without it. 

Or without a blue Bic ultra round. 

Yes, I know that writing about this has solidified the fact that I’m probably the biggest nerd you know, but I’m OK with it.  I own it.  

Do you have a favorite writing utensil?  How do you stay organized?  Will you still say “Hi” to me in public after this post?

a small remembrance of something more solid

I spent some time today looking at old family photos and pictures from way back when.  In particular, I’ve been going through some old pictures of my mother and her friends from when she was about my age.  While looking, I had a thought…

There are upwards of 300 pictures of me with my friends on facebook alone, but in terms of actual hard copies I have very, very few.  Back before every one started using digital cameras you had to print out the roll of film to see the pictures, but now days you can just upload them onto the internet, tag and share them with your friends, and it’s free.  Awesome!  But, what if 20 years from now all this technology is obsolete, or something happens that essentially deletes all these pictures? Although I know that day won’t be soon, I like the security of having hard copies of things.  I want to have these pictures compiled for when, one day, Mindy Jr. wants to know what I was like way back in the 2000-something’s.

Do you have hard copies of all your pictures?  What would you suggest I do in terms of backing up these pictures? Print them out? If that’s the case, how can I get them all printed without it costing me a billion dollars? 

And people should take more pictures in general.  I see my friends all the time but rarely does anyone have a camera and it’s a shame (exception/plug: Steph Bell - photographer/ social paparazzi extraordinaire…check out stephbell.com)

the wireless book.

2001. Sophmore year of high school.  Honors english.  We’re given out the first books of the semester to read.  I believe it was Tess of The d’Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy.  (There was a misprint on some of the covers, some read “Tess of the d’Ubervilles”, and we called it “Doobervilles” for the rest of the section.  You’d think, since I went to a good high school we’d have books that weren’t the publishers’ reject ones, but what can you do?)   

When our teacher was handing out the books to us she joked, “Now children, this is a book.  We used these back in my day to learn things.  You’ll notice there are no power cables or monitors.”  And my class mates made all these ridiculous jokes, “Where’s the ‘on’ switch?”, “Mine didn’t come with a keyboard - i’m confused”, “Wait a minute, so it’s…wireless?” and so on. 

Now, these jokes have become reality.  The wireless book has come into fruition. 

 (That last sentence was ridiculous)

Which brings me to the subject of this post.  E-books and my dislike for them.

Anyone who knows me well knows i’m very fussy about my books in the first place, but this isn’t an anti-technology issue; See, I use my laptop, cell phone, iPod etc. every day, I love learning about how I can utilize technology to make my life easier and i’m thankful for it.  This is just my personal opinion about the use of the e-book in place of the novel specifically. 

I understand them.  These electronic books.  There’s a definite market for them, and there’s an appeal.  You can store hundreds of books onto one handy little device, you can change the font size if you’ve got trouble seeing a smaller type,  it’s more comfortable to hold, the book won’t flap shut when you move your thumb etc.  Of course, from a publishers stand point the e-book is a godsend.  The costs to produce books has been whittled down to essentially nothing due to the creation of the  e-book reader.  If someone has a hellish commute or a long flight they can bring lots of reading material around with them in one handy package, with alot more mobility than carting around a pile of books and magazines.  

But, there’s a charm to a paperback.  The smell and feel of the paper.  The actual turning of the page.  You can see your progress as you read.  There’s a real sense of finality when you finish a book.  It has a place on your shelf, not on your hard drive.   Maybe it’s due the fact that I associate staring at a screen for hours and hours on end with working, but I really can’t ever forsee myself curling up on the couch, ”cuppa tea” in hand and getting lost in this newfangled contraption. 

In closing,

A room without books is like a body without a soul - Marcus Tullius Cicero.

And,

I trust the weakest pen more than the strongest memory - Tim Ferriss. 

Watch your souls, e-book readers.