Over a year ago, my daughter got married. In the midst of trying to find addresses for a large and expansive family, I searched the Internet on several search engines. I went to a few alumni sites and sent emails asking folks if they were missing relatives.
I did my best, with the information available for free, and felt like I had done a yeoman's job in researching lost cousins. I never did find two of them, they've slipped away and no one in the family knows where to find them.
Now, a year later, I no longer search for these folks. Once the invitations were addressed and in the mail, I was done with the search. If they want to be found--well, we're easy to find--they can find us.
But in my spam folder almost every day, some 'for pay' search site asks me if I'm still looking for them. By name. At what point in time, will their marketing no longer be directed toward this one day's search over a year ago?
I find it fascinating that anyone cares what I look for on the Internet. I can understand how it's used, this search data. I understand how Google delivers ads on the right side of my inbox that have word associations with the text of my email. I get it. I know how it's done. What I had no knowledge of was how long this would persist. How long do marketers think I'll be interested in the same search?
Because I'm not tracking down an adoptive parent or a long lost loved one. I was looking for a good address for a single person. And that need is long over. But the sales emails are still hitting my inbox, if not every day, then nearly so.
Where does this data aggregate? Who's selling such out of date information to spammers? It's amazing to me that anyone would pay for data that is 12 months old. But that is what they are doing, that's what they are buying. I wouldn't have paid for their search help a year ago. I won't pay for it today. But still they nag at me.
--Sandee Wagner
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Monday, August 9, 2010
Drama by Audio
I'm one of those drivers who suffer from road rage. The real fist shaking, cussing and screaming craziness. Years ago, I found out that if I listened to audio books while driving in traffic, I never lost my temper. I wasn't in a rush. All the other drivers didn't make me nuts.
So, I'm an audio book junkie. Every long drive I do alone or with others, I try to play an audio book. If I listen to a story, I don't lose my temper and get crazy.
I just returned from D/FW. During my drive, I discovered something else: I need to listen to the whole book.
Recently, I downloaded a three book series by Brandon Sanderson. This is the author who has been selected to finish up Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series. The three book series is called the Mistborn trilogy. I listened to book one, The Final Empire, and book two, The Well of Ascension. Or at least I thought I did. When I started my drive to Dallas, I started the third book in the series.
I wasn't lost. I knew the characters, and it was obvious that 'time had passed' in the story arc. But as they went on, I realized I had missed a bunch of action. Not just a little chunk, a lot.
So, I stopped the audio book and called my son (who recommended the series to me). I asked him some of the plot questions that were plaguing me... his experience was distinct from mine. He remembered the things that seemed to be skipped. Then it occurred to me--Audible takes long files and breaks them into multiple parts. Could I have missed downloading one of the parts? I asked my son how many parts and sure enough, that's what happened.
I listened to three quarters of the book and then tried to move to the next book in the series. I had missed a lot of the meat of the story.
So I downloaded the missing part and listened to it on my drive home...THEN I went back to book three. It all makes much more sense now.
--Sandee Wagner
So, I'm an audio book junkie. Every long drive I do alone or with others, I try to play an audio book. If I listen to a story, I don't lose my temper and get crazy.
I just returned from D/FW. During my drive, I discovered something else: I need to listen to the whole book.
Recently, I downloaded a three book series by Brandon Sanderson. This is the author who has been selected to finish up Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series. The three book series is called the Mistborn trilogy. I listened to book one, The Final Empire, and book two, The Well of Ascension. Or at least I thought I did. When I started my drive to Dallas, I started the third book in the series.
I wasn't lost. I knew the characters, and it was obvious that 'time had passed' in the story arc. But as they went on, I realized I had missed a bunch of action. Not just a little chunk, a lot.
So, I stopped the audio book and called my son (who recommended the series to me). I asked him some of the plot questions that were plaguing me... his experience was distinct from mine. He remembered the things that seemed to be skipped. Then it occurred to me--Audible takes long files and breaks them into multiple parts. Could I have missed downloading one of the parts? I asked my son how many parts and sure enough, that's what happened.
I listened to three quarters of the book and then tried to move to the next book in the series. I had missed a lot of the meat of the story.
So I downloaded the missing part and listened to it on my drive home...THEN I went back to book three. It all makes much more sense now.
--Sandee Wagner
Saturday, August 7, 2010
Menu Typos
My BFF and I went out to breakfast this morning. We went to a local diner and had a great meal. While perusing the menu, she pointed to an item as if she was interested. I looked at it, it said, "Big Can Omelet".
This egg dish indicated it had ham, cheese, onions, peppers and other vegetables in it. I thought what gives it 'can'? None of the ingredients appeared to be out of cans.
BFF leaned over and said, "I think it's a typo". I had to lay my hands on a keyboard to see how it was possible to place a C where a M belonged. Wrong hand typing.
Typos are everywhere. In almost every book I read, I find a typo. Usually it's a word that has a different meaning, but it's spelled correctly. So, spell check doesn't catch it, because it's the wrong word for that sentence.
We started talking about the most egregious typos we'd ever seen in print. BFF found the original Lori Copeland book with 'sausage' instead of 'savage'. We laughed and laughed over that one. Since we all see 'their, they're and theres' done wrong and 'to, too and twos' inappropriately applied, this takes on new meaning.
What is the worst typo you ever found in print? It's probably best to skip the typos from foreign languages trying to put English on their commercial packaging or signage, there's a whole website devoted to that: www.engrish.com
What I want to know is what is the worst typo you've seen and in what format was it visible??
--Sandee Wagner
This egg dish indicated it had ham, cheese, onions, peppers and other vegetables in it. I thought what gives it 'can'? None of the ingredients appeared to be out of cans.
BFF leaned over and said, "I think it's a typo". I had to lay my hands on a keyboard to see how it was possible to place a C where a M belonged. Wrong hand typing.
Typos are everywhere. In almost every book I read, I find a typo. Usually it's a word that has a different meaning, but it's spelled correctly. So, spell check doesn't catch it, because it's the wrong word for that sentence.
We started talking about the most egregious typos we'd ever seen in print. BFF found the original Lori Copeland book with 'sausage' instead of 'savage'. We laughed and laughed over that one. Since we all see 'their, they're and theres' done wrong and 'to, too and twos' inappropriately applied, this takes on new meaning.
What is the worst typo you ever found in print? It's probably best to skip the typos from foreign languages trying to put English on their commercial packaging or signage, there's a whole website devoted to that: www.engrish.com
What I want to know is what is the worst typo you've seen and in what format was it visible??
--Sandee Wagner
Thursday, August 5, 2010
E! Entertainment Idiocy
I watch a lot of E! I like Chelsea Lately, so sue me.
When I'm getting ready for bed at night, I turn on the network and watch whatever is on before Chelsea Lately. Most days of the week, it's E! Entertainment News.
So, I actually know more than I want to about Lindsay Lohan, the Kardashians and whatever is happening on The Bachelor.
Last night, Ryan Seacrest and Giuliana Rancic gushed on and on about Jennifer Hudson's (of Dream Girls and runner up American Idol fame) amazing weight loss. I am no stranger to weight loss and its difficulties, so first let me say, "hats off to you, Miss Hudson. You GO girl!"
But Ryan and Giuliana said multiple times that she'd lost 10 dress sizes. Now, that's a lot of dress sizes, isn't it? They went on to say she went from a size 16 to a size 6. Guess what, idiots? That's not 10 dress sizes. That's 5 or 6 depending on how you count.
I think I can forgive Ryan for just reading off the cards--he's a guy and they know nothing of women's clothing sizing--but Giuliana should have known better, right? She's like a size zero so she must do some clothing shopping. She's probably never lost a dress size or gained one, but she MUST know that women's dress sizing is even numbers--0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16 etc. It's not rocket science.
But those two 'news' hosts sure made it appear to be algebraic in its difficulty. To get from size 6 to size 16 you grow 5 dress sizes. So to go from 16 to 6 you must reduce the same amount. But not in crazy E! Entertainment Newsland, no. There it's a loss of 10 dress sizes.
I guess that makes it sound like MORE or maybe more exciting? Either way, they came off like a couple of gibbering idiots. Also, congratulations to Sara Rue who's lost 50 lbs using Jenny Craig. Thank goodness she didn't tell the E! folks in dress sizes...
--Sandee Wagner
When I'm getting ready for bed at night, I turn on the network and watch whatever is on before Chelsea Lately. Most days of the week, it's E! Entertainment News.
So, I actually know more than I want to about Lindsay Lohan, the Kardashians and whatever is happening on The Bachelor.
Last night, Ryan Seacrest and Giuliana Rancic gushed on and on about Jennifer Hudson's (of Dream Girls and runner up American Idol fame) amazing weight loss. I am no stranger to weight loss and its difficulties, so first let me say, "hats off to you, Miss Hudson. You GO girl!"
But Ryan and Giuliana said multiple times that she'd lost 10 dress sizes. Now, that's a lot of dress sizes, isn't it? They went on to say she went from a size 16 to a size 6. Guess what, idiots? That's not 10 dress sizes. That's 5 or 6 depending on how you count.
I think I can forgive Ryan for just reading off the cards--he's a guy and they know nothing of women's clothing sizing--but Giuliana should have known better, right? She's like a size zero so she must do some clothing shopping. She's probably never lost a dress size or gained one, but she MUST know that women's dress sizing is even numbers--0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16 etc. It's not rocket science.
But those two 'news' hosts sure made it appear to be algebraic in its difficulty. To get from size 6 to size 16 you grow 5 dress sizes. So to go from 16 to 6 you must reduce the same amount. But not in crazy E! Entertainment Newsland, no. There it's a loss of 10 dress sizes.
I guess that makes it sound like MORE or maybe more exciting? Either way, they came off like a couple of gibbering idiots. Also, congratulations to Sara Rue who's lost 50 lbs using Jenny Craig. Thank goodness she didn't tell the E! folks in dress sizes...
--Sandee Wagner
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
No More HGTV
I think I'm addicted. Left to my own devices, I would watch this network all day long. The only thing that makes me flip away is a rerun. It can't be good for me.
I don't want any ideas for fixing up my home. I'm moving!
But these good looking, handy people keep giving me ideas. Tips on how to better organize or utilize small spaces. Advice on thinking outside the box when space planning a room. When did I ever space plan a room?
I walk into every house, point to a wall and say, "sofa there, TV there". Then I live there for years and years and never, EVER move the furniture. My daughter's best friend in high school was a guy named Chris. He and Emm used to talk all the time about how often his mother moved the living room furniture around and 'redid' the space. He was amazed that he came over month after month and our living room never changed.
When I buy new furniture, I move things around. But that's it.
In 2007, we packed up and moved to SoCal for two years, then came back to our house. I put everything back where it was before. Except in the kitchen, I changed the items I kept in one drawer and one cabinet. My husband never noticed and only one of my kids did.
When I want to remodel and make a change, I want a change. But otherwise, I really have it the way I like it and want it. I don't have a need to keep fiddling with things, or redoing them. So why am I constantly watching a network where that's all they do?
It can't be good for me.
--Sandee Wagner
I don't want any ideas for fixing up my home. I'm moving!
But these good looking, handy people keep giving me ideas. Tips on how to better organize or utilize small spaces. Advice on thinking outside the box when space planning a room. When did I ever space plan a room?
I walk into every house, point to a wall and say, "sofa there, TV there". Then I live there for years and years and never, EVER move the furniture. My daughter's best friend in high school was a guy named Chris. He and Emm used to talk all the time about how often his mother moved the living room furniture around and 'redid' the space. He was amazed that he came over month after month and our living room never changed.
When I buy new furniture, I move things around. But that's it.
In 2007, we packed up and moved to SoCal for two years, then came back to our house. I put everything back where it was before. Except in the kitchen, I changed the items I kept in one drawer and one cabinet. My husband never noticed and only one of my kids did.
When I want to remodel and make a change, I want a change. But otherwise, I really have it the way I like it and want it. I don't have a need to keep fiddling with things, or redoing them. So why am I constantly watching a network where that's all they do?
It can't be good for me.
--Sandee Wagner
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
My Baby Has Grown Up...
When you've moved around as much as I have, you cease being amazed at the differences a region or city can have. Until you move into another whole zone, and then the surprise is evident.
When I moved to Tulsa, I had many awakenings. First and foremost, I moved here from Houston and couldn't take anyone seriously when they said, "Look how bad the traffic is on the BA!" That's just cute. There is no traffic in Tulsa. Even now with all the orange barrels blocking all the north/south avenues, it's hard to compare the backups to Southern California traffic (or Houston or Dallas traffic).
Another eye opener was that Tulsa still had 7 digit dialing. Say what? I actually could not remember BACK to a time when I was not required to include the area code in a local call. As soon as cell phone usage heated up, most areas with 'overlays' required 10 digit dialing right away. When I first moved to Tulsa, I dialed the 918 convulsively. I got that annoying woman's voice with the error dialing message and had to slow myself down to exclude the area code.
But no more.
The phone company has announced that 10 digit dialing has come to our region. Tulsa has grown up. Starting 8/7/2010 you will be able to dial 918 before the local numbers. Starting on 3/5/2011 it becomes mandatory for both the 918 and 539 area codes.
I'm so proud, I have to wipe the tears from my eyes. Finally, this area has grown to 'city size'. Enough people have phone service in this area to tax the NPA/NXX listings and require additional area codes be assigned (which is what that 539 probably represents).
It's like watching a cherished baby take its first steps. Which, by the way, my darling granddaughter Carolyn did yesterday. A right of passage. A growth moment.
I'm thinking that everyone in Tulsa will complain about this. But for someone who's traveled around and lived in a lot of places, this is just putting Tulsa in the same category as the other regions. All grown up.
--Sandee Wagner
When I moved to Tulsa, I had many awakenings. First and foremost, I moved here from Houston and couldn't take anyone seriously when they said, "Look how bad the traffic is on the BA!" That's just cute. There is no traffic in Tulsa. Even now with all the orange barrels blocking all the north/south avenues, it's hard to compare the backups to Southern California traffic (or Houston or Dallas traffic).
Another eye opener was that Tulsa still had 7 digit dialing. Say what? I actually could not remember BACK to a time when I was not required to include the area code in a local call. As soon as cell phone usage heated up, most areas with 'overlays' required 10 digit dialing right away. When I first moved to Tulsa, I dialed the 918 convulsively. I got that annoying woman's voice with the error dialing message and had to slow myself down to exclude the area code.
But no more.
The phone company has announced that 10 digit dialing has come to our region. Tulsa has grown up. Starting 8/7/2010 you will be able to dial 918 before the local numbers. Starting on 3/5/2011 it becomes mandatory for both the 918 and 539 area codes.
I'm so proud, I have to wipe the tears from my eyes. Finally, this area has grown to 'city size'. Enough people have phone service in this area to tax the NPA/NXX listings and require additional area codes be assigned (which is what that 539 probably represents).
It's like watching a cherished baby take its first steps. Which, by the way, my darling granddaughter Carolyn did yesterday. A right of passage. A growth moment.
I'm thinking that everyone in Tulsa will complain about this. But for someone who's traveled around and lived in a lot of places, this is just putting Tulsa in the same category as the other regions. All grown up.
--Sandee Wagner
Sunday, August 1, 2010
The Spock Principle
Recently, I blogged about my sister's trip to Tulsa and our subsequent roadtripping out to area lakes. When discussing the public lake access versus residential lakes that allow people to own lakefront property, my sister said, "the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few."
As a point of real estate law, I tend to agree. Apparently, only two lakes in OK (thank you, Anon) are residential lakes. So my sister's hunt for real estate will not include buying lakefront property in Oklahoma. Obviously, we trade off tax revenues for that pristine lakefront view that everyone enjoys.
What I find hysterical--and I mean I'm laughing out loud all by myself--is that my sister read my blog and was surprised. Then she insisted that she didn't quote Spock. That line, because it sounds so official, had to be said by someone else first. Someone historically important.
Now, don't get me wrong, I don't believe Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan is literary genius, but I do believe it was well written and had a theme worth repeating. So, I did what I usually do when someone challenges my facts, I hit the Internet search engines.
First, I went to www.bartleby.com, which is where Bartlett's Familiar Quotes can be found online in its entirety. A quick search of Bartlett's did not show that quote as coming from some historical figure. I checked all fiction and nonfiction references. No joy.
When you Google search "the needs of the many" or "the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few" all you get is Spock and Star Trek references. Interesting. It may be that the writers of that screenplay have affected even people who did not watch the movie.
Then I moved to Wikipedia. For those of you unfamiliar with this online reference, it's an encyclopedia where anyone can post a subject and add to, annotate, or footnote it. If something bogus is posted, it will eventually be kicked off. These are juried entries. That said, it's not posted strictly by academics, anyone can post. So you take Wikipedia with a grain of salt.
When I searched Wikipedia, I got a couple of hits. Several referred to the screenplay of The Wrath of Khan, but one was interesting. It was called "The Spock Principle" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spock_principle). This entry was obviously posted to define something heard in triage or trauma situations by medical personnel. So it's not just my sister who has been given insight by my favorite Vulcan.
When I called her on it, I asked if she was upset that she's been quoting Star Trek all these years? She said, "No, I'm flaggergasted." I'm still chortling.
--Sandee Wagner
As a point of real estate law, I tend to agree. Apparently, only two lakes in OK (thank you, Anon) are residential lakes. So my sister's hunt for real estate will not include buying lakefront property in Oklahoma. Obviously, we trade off tax revenues for that pristine lakefront view that everyone enjoys.
What I find hysterical--and I mean I'm laughing out loud all by myself--is that my sister read my blog and was surprised. Then she insisted that she didn't quote Spock. That line, because it sounds so official, had to be said by someone else first. Someone historically important.
Now, don't get me wrong, I don't believe Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan is literary genius, but I do believe it was well written and had a theme worth repeating. So, I did what I usually do when someone challenges my facts, I hit the Internet search engines.
First, I went to www.bartleby.com, which is where Bartlett's Familiar Quotes can be found online in its entirety. A quick search of Bartlett's did not show that quote as coming from some historical figure. I checked all fiction and nonfiction references. No joy.
When you Google search "the needs of the many" or "the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few" all you get is Spock and Star Trek references. Interesting. It may be that the writers of that screenplay have affected even people who did not watch the movie.
Then I moved to Wikipedia. For those of you unfamiliar with this online reference, it's an encyclopedia where anyone can post a subject and add to, annotate, or footnote it. If something bogus is posted, it will eventually be kicked off. These are juried entries. That said, it's not posted strictly by academics, anyone can post. So you take Wikipedia with a grain of salt.
When I searched Wikipedia, I got a couple of hits. Several referred to the screenplay of The Wrath of Khan, but one was interesting. It was called "The Spock Principle" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spock_principle). This entry was obviously posted to define something heard in triage or trauma situations by medical personnel. So it's not just my sister who has been given insight by my favorite Vulcan.
When I called her on it, I asked if she was upset that she's been quoting Star Trek all these years? She said, "No, I'm flaggergasted." I'm still chortling.
--Sandee Wagner
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