"Television is chewing gum for the eyes." -- Frank Lloyd Wright
tv shows packed with commercials. it's entertaining to see how the commercials are aimed at the target market for the show: diaper commercials during barney, toy commercials during cartoons, depends commercials during jeopardy. (i swear i have learned quite a bit about the misery of old people from watching jeopardy commercials. am i the only one under 65 who watches it?) now they have devised a new way to 'squeeze' in one more commercial during a half hour show. by removing 'extra' frames - maybe when the camera focuses on an unmoving actor or displays a panoramic shot for a few seconds - they can eeke out 30 more seconds. they call it a 'time machine'. certainly not what all of us would wish for when we heard the term 'time machine' - won't let you go back and not say those unwanted words, won't send you into the future to cheat on superbowl bets. just gets you extra commercials.

pardon me, but what bullshit. we are bombarded by enough advertising already. the commercials, on top of strategic product placement in the shows - everything from the music the characters are playing to the brands of cereal on jerry's fridge are really subtle advertisements. now they want to give us more by eliminating what they determine to be unwanted frames? and they call them 'redundant'!? think about a second in time. now remove 1/20th of that second. sure, it's similar, but it's NOT the SAME. how the hell do they get away with this? i have had this taped to my TV (dan insists we have one) for a few years now:

television is a seductive monster that is swallowing more and more of the
most valuable commodity in life - time. in 1960 the average american watched five hours
of televison per day. today, he watches seven hours. teenagers watch about 21 hours per
week, in contrast to 5.6 hours doing homework, 1.8 hours reading and 35 minutes talking
to their parents.

for most americans television is the primary - often the only - source of news. more
American households have television sets (98 percent color) than indoor plumbing. three
out of four households contain at least two sets, and half possess three or more.

yes, i understand that there is 'good' television. but 'not good' television is what is often watched - look at the success of 'temptation island'! next time you sit down in front of the television, mindlessly watching inane characters engaged in silly banter, think about it. would it be nicer to read? listen to music? play music? talk to a friend? if what you really want to do is watch, then do. but examine the alternatives, too. i've always wanted a 'kill your televison' bumper sticker. then i saw one that said 'question your television.' so go question. :)

some days are better than others...just when you think you understand, just when it has begun to make sense, just when you think you know what's going on, you realize how truly clueless and confused you really are. for some reason, i have u2's zooropa in my head. the cd was stolen a few years back, and i forgot to rebuy it. i need to. as a senior in high school, i really dug this album. blasting it driving to the beach. 'lemon' is my favorite, i think.

all tangled up inside today, can't really compose anything worthwhile. things happened that surprised me in some ways, yet in others they didn't. if only someone could invent a way to control emotions...i'd be the first in line....anyways...i just stole some u2 lyrics instead. enjoy.

Don't project
Don't connect
Protect
Don't expect
Suggest
I feel numb
---!
I feel like I'm slowly, slowly, slowly slipping under
I feel like I'm holding onto nothing
--!
Some days are dry, some days are leaky
Some days come clean, other days are sneaky
Some days take less, but most days take more
Some slip through your fingers and onto the floor
--!
If I could stay... then the night would give you up
Stay, and the day would keep its trust
Stay, and the night would be enough
--!
more profound stuff tomorrow. i promise. thanks for understanding. :)

for deloitte's christmas party, they have a toy drive. dan received a memo regarding the appropriate toys. interesting.

In keeping with the Deloitte Consulting tradition, this year we will be collecting Toys for the Children's Receiving Home at the Holiday Party! So bring your unwrapped gifts to the party with you. Please review the lists below for suggestions on toy items to bring and not to bring.

All-Time Top 10 Toys
List Provided by Pazsaz Entertainment Network
Yo-Yo
Crayons
Barbie
Lionel Trains
Play-Doh
Erector Set
Frisbee
Lincoln Logs
Slinky
Hot Wheels

Nominees for the "10 Worst Toys"
List Provided by WATCH - World Against Toys Causing Harm Inc.(and 'No' we did not make this up)
Bart Simpson Action Set
Classic Horror Psycho Saw
Sesame Street's Check-Up Ernie
Jungle Gym Jump-O-Lene
Disney's Mickey Jack-In-The-Box
Warner Brothers Character Plush Clocks
Baby Looney Tunes Pull Back and Go Friction Vehicle
Ansa Doll Play's Big Box of Bottles
Military Bazooka
Little Big Truck

now, with all of the violent toys out there - robots that shoot missiles! - we should be worried about a curious george? hmm. and you never know with that sesame street check up ernie. though, the all-time favorite list is a good one. i am happy to say that, as a child, i played with all of these toys. well, except the big wheel. parents thought they were dangerous. i think that there was some news story when i was a kid that caused this opinion. when i was 6 my dad bought me a battery powered motorized scooter that went pretty damn fast. no helmet. cruising down the hill by our house. i could have THAT but not a big wheel? they forgot colorforms. and chutes and ladders. and legos! how could they forget legos? anyway, i bought some harry potter figurines and a crayon set. a 96 box! correct me if i'm wrong, but when we were kids, didn't crayon boxes only have 64 (and a crayon sharpener!) in the super box? cornflower blue was a favorite of mine. and midnight.

amazon.com came through...my phone came in the mail today. now i have to figure it out. i needed to read the instructions to turn the damn thing on. quit laughing. yes, you. it's not funny. even if i had to ask you how to use your phone. anyways, i even got a good number: 802.9220. i think that's the best phone number i have ever had. and i didn't even get to pick it. i have now joined the 21st century. don't call me, though, until i figure out how to answer it, ok? thanks. off to the climbing gym's employee party. do the web page, get invited to the party. not a bad deal.

on monday my little sister (well, she's 25 and taller than me, but she's still my little sister) jaime was 'bouncing up the stairs' and landed on her foot wrong. found out yesterday she broke one bone in three places, and fractured another. she goes in for orthopedic surgery monday. i feel really bad - she leaves for a vacation back east on christmas eve, and she will be in a cast during it. the two of us made it 26 years without any broken bones. lots of other bumps and bruises and stitches and sprains, but this is the first bone. and i am the klutzy one in the family. send some healing vibes her way, please. thanks!

while shopping yesterday, i picked up a big magnetic board with words for 'poetry'. these word magnets were popular a few years back - seen on college refrigerators everywhere. i thought it would make a nice distraction in my office. my first 'poetry' attempt (i have a feeling i am going to waste a lot of time on this board. i already waste quite a bit of time on the nancies boards, so, at least it's keeping with the theme. me bored, nancies boards, magnetic board. as long as i don't start boring holes through the walls, i think i'm ok.

--!
as far as artworks, i am:

If I were a work of art, I would be Heironymous Bosch's Garden of Earthly Delights.I am decadent and depraved. I have an eye for small details and love to fit in as much hedonistic pleasure as possible in everything I do. I buck authority and am not afraid to make a statement outside approved channels. Which work of art would you be? The Art Test

rich, shep's friend, writes some great stuff...and check out the center for a new american dream. more fun, less stuff. i started reading the site when i was a planning student. there is more to life than 2.5 kids, a cookie cutter suburb house, a SUV and a 60 minute commute! i am hoping one day the current american nightmare becomes worthy of being called a dream again. his article (which i applaud):
---!---!

Keep America Rolling? - Rich Crawford

General Motors is telling consumers to "Keep America Rolling" with new car purchases. This tactic of crossing patriotism and consumerism seems to be a marketing ploy of many companies this holiday season. Is this a good idea? Are we all more patriotic if we buy these big-ticket items?
I say no, it is not necessarily a good idea.

If I buy a massive Cadillac Escalade and chug down the road at 12 mpg does that make me more patriotic? Probably not. All it will really do is just add another monthly invoice to my list of bills and another oversized automobile to the highway. Here’s something to ponder: buying a gas-guzzler actually increases our reliance on foreign oil. Higher demand for gas = higher need for foreign oil. It seems we are basically shooting ourselves in the foot. Is that patriotism? I think I will stick with my Nissan Sentra. Sure it’s not as pretty as an SUV. But hey, it sure is nice to fill up my tank with just 15 dollars and to get roughly 40 mpg.

A number that I feel should be thrown right out here: $600 billion. That is the amount of revolving credit card debt that American consumers have managed to amass. That’s a heck of a lot of money. I know I have personally contributed a fair share to that number.

If Americans have managed to build up this massive debt under the healthy economic conditions of the nineties, imagine how willing we will all be to whip out the plastic card when we are urged to buy out of patriotism. It is a simple math equation, fake money + emotional spending = massive credit card debt down the road.
If you really want to spend for the sake of spending, why not buy something of lasting value that will support your local economy and have less impact on the environment. Stop by that local store that you always pass by. Why not donate to a charity or volunteer at a local soup kitchen?

Personally, I am using this holiday season to spend more time with family and friends. I am buying more personal and meaningful gifts. And for the first time, I am making quite a few of my gifts. In the long run, the holidays are about creating lasting/memorable experiences, right?

I am not trying to tell you not to spend money. Stimulate that economy. Go for it. I do understand that businesses and livelihoods are at stake. All I am asking for is that we all spend our money wisely. I think we should use this time to focus less on 'consumption' and more on the 'preservation' of the true spirit of the holidays and the 'growth' of our local economies. To me, this is patriotism. And this is the form of patriotism that will really "Keep America rolling".

A nationwide survey of 1,039 adults by the Center for a New American Dream found that because of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks:
* 26% plan to give more personal or meaningful gifts.
* 21% plan to buy fewer or less expensive gifts.
* 3% plan to buy more or more expensive gifts.
* 49% plan to spend more time with friends and family.
* 19% plan to reduce credit card use.

The Center for a New American Dream offers gift-giving tips at http://www.simplifytheholidays.org.

---!---!---!

make a snowflake! some free holiday fun.
--!

bah on amazon. may not even get it by christmas:

Order Update
We thought you should know that there's a delay with the items listed below. We apologize for any inconvenience. Please take note of the revised shipping and delivery estimates for these items. Unless you cancel these items from your order, we'll continue to process and ship them as soon as possible.
Delayed items 1 of: AT&T Digital Advantage 250 + Nokia 3360 Phone
- Updated shipping estimate: December 11 - December 12
- Updated delivery estimate: December 14 - December 21

--!

mwahaha...funny, i don't really like shoes, just birkenstocks.

Which Evil Criminal are You?

this random message on numerous, unrelated subjects was brought to you by the letter W. for winter. oh, and S, for snow. or sleet. but snow is much preferred. :)

100th anniversary time. first, of the nobel peace prize. second, walt disney's birthday.

Nobel simply stated that prizes be given to those who, during the preceding year, "shall have conferred the greatest benefit on mankind" and that one part be given to the person who "shall have done the most or the best work for fraternity between nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses." - http://www.nobel.se/peace/index.html

i am thankful for the people who work so hard to attempt to achieve such a difficult goal.
--!

when i was in junior high school, i decided i wanted to be a disney imagineer. i became obsessed with all things disney. even now, if you go to disneyland or disney world with me, i will spout useless trivia. (did you know walt and roy disney's initials are shaped into the ironwork above the pirates of the carribean?) i went to school to be an architect with goal to become an imagineer. two major changes later, as well as a big change in my worldview my goals had changed dramatically.....i can't even remember the last time i was to disneyland...but i have fond disney memories. thanks, walt.
--!

the ants from the toothpaste? they have know taken a liking to my keyboard. no, i don't eat at my computer. just drink coffee. hmm. they were in the shower, too. so, i have very clean ants with fresh breath who are obviously computer savvy. nice to know i at least have civilized insects in here...

whew. an emotionally exhausting weekend. had a really really good discussion with dan. things have been tough (most of you know the details. not going to go into it here. :) ) it was the most difficult conversation i ever had. one i couldn't really believe *i* was having. now i feel we will work together to figure out what is best for both of us. i am very happy. :) - he took today off to go christmas shopping with me. pretty damn nice of him, isn't it? had trouble getting him to come home before 8pm, but now he is taking the day off. he'll have to work a little from home, though. things seem to be looking up.

when you are feeling really emotional about something, don't write emails before you have time to think about what you are really saying. or thinking. just as i always have to open my mouth about something, sometimes talking before thinking, my fingers spit out words in emotional bursts. online communication can be a funny thing.

i have broken down and joined the 21st century. yup, i have ordered a cell phone. been holding out for so long - i work from home, and if i am not home, i am likely out doing things that i don't want interrupted by a phone call. however, i travel enough that it is a pain not to have one. i actually still use pay phones! (they still do exist - you just have to look hard for 'em) i ordered it from amazon.com - noikia 3360, AT&T digital advantage 250+. i honestly don't think i will use it much, as i am not one to chat on the phone. love to talk to people in person, love to ramble over emails, but i'm short and succinct on the phone. just never liked talking on it, for some reason. i get 2000 night and weekend minutes, so i will have plenty of phone time to waste. and free long distance, which brings me to a happy-online-purchase story.

i ordered the phone on amazon, and they had a $50 instant rebate as well as an $80 mail in rebate AND a mail in $50 pottery barn/macy's gift certificate (i abhor macy's - so, it's really just a pottery barn gift certificate) AND free long distance. the phone was only $99.99 - but i will be getting $130 off + a gift certificate. not a bad deal. signed up for the $29.99 250+ plan. filled out all the forms and bought it. later that day when i was reading about the promotions i read that in order to get the free long distance, you had to manually check a box during checkout. hmm. i didn't remember doing that, and the free long distance was a big plus for me. the only people i talk to on the phone for extended periods don't live anywhere near me. i was concerned that i wouldn't get that perk, so i sent an email off to amazon's help desk. (oh, the poor help desk people. what a job) in less than 24 hours, i received not only an email explaining that i should have free long distance, but if i don't when i get the phone to just call and it will be set up; but a phone call, too. i was impressed. i sent an email back saying thank you for the assistance. today i had yet another message in my inbox:

Hello again from Amazon.com.

Thanks for writing back with your kind words. I'm glad to hear that my colleague, Jennifer, was able to assist you, and I'll be sure to forward your message.
We look forward to seeing you again at our store.

Best wishes for the holidays,
Jimmy R.

if every online company were to operate this way, i would suppose they would have been more successful. i geek on good customer service. speaking of amazon, have you all updated your wish lists? it's cloudy out today. i need coffee. and the sunday paper. i love the sunday paper. enough rambling here...