Am I getting stupid?

I keep seeing these articles on the front page of magazines... like the one from The Atlantic that questions, "Is Google making us stupid?" and follow-ups from NPR and other items that essentially say the same thing.
I read the news on the internet, blogs and all sorts of other crap. The high-process thinking at work has pretty much slowed for the summer and I'll notice the cognitive difficulty if I have a harder-than usual task. I've always had problems with numbers, but lately it seems worse... and if I'm driving and talking to a passenger at the same time? We may not make it to our destination...

So, what's the deal? Is having the world at my fingertips making my brain rot? Is it that I've not only turned 30 realistically, but mentally as well? Have I hit the wall?

Maybe I should take a class or something, I always felt like a friggin' genius when taking college courses... then again, that feeling of superiority usually exists when one is in their early 20s, college courses or not.

I read entire books so I can at least hold an attention span. They may not have anything to do with quantum physics, but I'm not reading nursery rhymes. Should I be watching more Jeopardy? Should I eat more carrots? Should I watch less TV?

Should I spent less time on the internet?
Blasphemy!

Reasons # 378 and more: I'm a geek

#378: I was at dinner with some friends at Aubree's in Depot Town yesterday and got caught with a USB Flash drive in my pocket.

I guess pulling that out while we're sippin' a few beers was not cool.

#452: I own three iPods. THREE. One of them has never even been used.

#12: I have a computer Hard Drive displayed on the wall at work.

#79: I treat my laptop better than some people treat their children.

#7: I know HTML.

#222: shall not be mentioned.

I heart the internet

Maybe I have a problem, but don't let the internet hear you say that.
I need to know the weather, check my email, visit flickr, and fark, and the superficial to get all the photos, news and dirt.
I have to know what the headlines are at CNN and who's dumping who, or marrying who, or breeding with in the hollywood glitterati. I need to see if Waiter has got any new stories for me or if it's Sunday then Post-Secret must be checked.
And I can always waste time when Craigslist best-of is finally updated. Or maybe check-up on things on myspace or facebook, but don't look at my fidelity account.. wait til stocks get better.
Check up on a few other blogs and stuff, then hit the waves and surf, maybe check out that new video of lindsay lohan making out with a chick. What goodness beholds a click of my finger?

What new things will the internet show me today?

The world may never know.

In case you were wondering...

I think this is awesome.

Yay!!!

Blaze shuts down Leggs Lounge


VAN BUREN TWP - A fire that started near the bar area of Van Buren Township's Leggs Lounge, 50778 Michigan Ave., has closed the adult entertainment establishment indefinitely because of extensive damage.

Firefighters were called out to the lounge around 6:30 a.m. Tuesday, after receiving a report of smoke coming from the building. After fire crews were sent out, multiple 911 calls started coming into central dispatch.

Fire department crews arrived and found a working fire inside the bar area of the establishment with smoke extending out of the roof, according to a press release.

Fire Crews extinguished the fire and called for the Michigan State Police, Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms and Downriver Fire Investigation Team to assist with determining an origin and cause since the business includes alcohol sales and tobacco vending. The cause is currently being investigated by the above agencies.

Belleville Fire Department responded with an Engine and provided assistance with personnel.

I saw Ellen Page!

So, I'm at work today and I head off to Whole Foods in Ann Arbor for lunch about, 1:30 or so.
I get there and roam through the fruit & veg section - and it's freezing in this place so I head for the food bar. Make a circle around the hot food, check out the pizza and head for the salad bar. I walk over and there's one person at the salad bar.

And it's Ellen Page! Holy fucking shit! I grab a dish and start getting my salad and glance over without being a stalker, but it's Ellen Page, man! The girl from Hard Candy! The girl from Juno! I was questioned later of whether it was really her or someone that looked a lot like her and I said, no way, you don't see this girl and wonder if it's really her. It was her.

I even carry a camera around with me all the time, but there was no way I could get a photo without it being really obvious. Too bad.

PS. Why is Ellen Page at Whole Foods in Ann Arbor? Because she's shooting a movie with Drew Barrymore in Saline called "Whip it," that's why.

!!!!!!

Ramblings from June 29

I was computerless and had to write this On Paper. Ick.

It's your typical airport scene - random weary travelers awaiting their flights - old lost looking people busy business types chatting on the cell and clattering away on laptops in their important Armani-esque attire. Families trying to get to the next place without driving everyone crazy with their whiny crotchfruit. In the background Wolf Blitzer drones on about housing crises as rain pelts the window of the drab, tired, sagging Newark Airport.

I'm laying on the floor, tired from lack of sleep, delays, frustration and a smidge of vodka. I'm not thinking about all the things you can catch from shoddy airport carpeting - circa 1991. Can you get dysentery from old berber?

I departed London uneventfully enough - after 5 hours sleep and giving the stinkeye to the hotel for not opening breakfast early for my group as they previously had assured me they would. Apparently the front desk does not communicate with the kitchen. The hotel has declined sharply in recent years. Lousy staff peeling paint, tiny rooms (even by UK standards) the walls are tattered & scarred from years of abuse and neglect. The helpful concierge when asked by one of my travelers where the tube station was, simply answered, "I don't know, I think it's really far."

I'm ready to go home. After my arrival into Newark Terminal B and switching on the "air train" to terminal A, I head for security. I learn my flight to Detroit is cancelled. I get bumped to another airline, another flight, and return to Terminal B to check in. The second flight has been cancelled. I return to Terminal A for them to release my ticket, I return to Terminal B to be placed on a third (three hours delayed) flight. Each trip from one terminal to the other on the air train, multiplying in fun as there's an escalator out of service between the two, and I find myself having to lug myself and my luggage up a couple flights of stairs. A long ignorant line of fat people (most without luggage) snakes down the hall from the sole elevator.

I get dinner at a shitty Newark Airport Chili's because I refuse to switch terminals again. After securing my seat on a flight home I headed for security - to learn I've been "randomly selected" for additional screening. I get the full luggage search and thorough pat down. I remark to the lady mid pat down that this is like a cheap massage & she laughs. I'm less angry now as I have time to spare and a vodka & coke in my system.

I'm delayed again now. Writing with pen and paper before thoughts dissipate. I run through my days thinking of eloquent things - often having the perfect words no longer coming to mind later. Pausing at the computer as my brain stalls and my hands wait at the ready... ready for the perfect words to come.

I'd get a dictaphone but I despise the sound of my voice played back to me. I've got ideas written on discarded receipts of stories still to write - with memory inducing headlines like "bottle return guy" and "you're going the wrong way!" I suppose I'll end up being one of those people that carries around little notebooks to jot down those those magic flickering thoughts as they occur - before they fizzle away.

So many stories to tell, so little time...

Time to board. I'm going home!

Feeling love

So, I get up Tuesday morning (which just happens to be my 30th birthday) and I'm just waking up and I like to check email while I do this, then surf the net while my head adjusts to the day.

Normally I have two, maybe three emails.. sometimes a real one from a live person and then a couple auto-emails. This day, I get up and squint at the tiny red number on apple's mail program - indicating I have something like 22 emails.

Um, what? I usually don't get that many unless I've been out of town for a day or two... this was just overnight.

Lo and behold, I have lots and lots of birthday wishes! Emails from real people, from myspace and facebook, and oh it was nice. I was all excited to be thought of. And my phone rang all day, too. It was pretty sweet.

I'm just saying thanks is all. You guys remembered and took a moment to let me know and I appreciate that - a lot.

I love you guys!


Bonus: I got asked today by the printer toner delivery guy if I play basketball. I'm going to try to remember to mention this when it happens, as you'll find it happens a lot.

4th of July

This is where I was. Yep, I took this video. I apologize for the first minute, I hadn't really planned on video-ing... it was a spur of the moment thing. But this makes me tear up. I swear I love this song, and I love the Bellagio fountains. I wish I'd been able to see it again or stay longer.

Lots of love to all of my Vegas co-conspirators.

(link to video missing)

What happens in Vegas...

stays in Vegas!

Sorry kiddies, that's the way it is!

; )