Day Three - No Computer

No, not my personal computer (as evidenced by the fact that I'm writing this blog. Although, come to think of it, I do have a blogger application on my fabulous Android phone, so it could be feasible that I am computerless and still blogging...but I'm not. Just so we're clear) it is my work computer that I have been without since Friday now...and I say day three, because, as it is my work computer, I am only counting work days...

Ok, so I'll be the first to admit that sometimes there isn't anything going on at my job and it can get a bit, um boring. Not that I don't have a lot of projects to work on, but it is quiet in the office and when it gets too quiet, the time seems to drag on...I mean really.

So, on Friday morning, I wasn't able to get my computer to power up, except for this...

 

Yes, as you can plainly see...that is the Windows "I didn't shut my computer down right, so it will see if I want to boot up in Safe Mode" screen...except it isn't in English. In fact, it is not in any language (no matter what you say, Ms. "I can read some of it so it must be SOME language" lady who fixed my computer.) So, I email our in-house "geek squad" (no, I don't work for Best Buy, I just like to call them that...) and I get out of office replies for BOTH of them...I mean, really?! So, I call our help desk and the very nice lady there puts in a ticket for me...a couple of hours later a woman several hours away from me tells me that I can overnight her my computer, she'll get a new one ready and send it my way...

Long story short...well, long story medium at any rate, it is now Tuesday afternoon and I *might* have my computer back tomorrow, but Thursday is more likely. So, I am completely incapacitated at my job, as I have no access to any of the systems I use...save email of course. And, if I'm lucky, she will have been able to at least recover SOME of the stuff that was on my desktop...otherwise, I'm building files all over again from scratch...

So, that's all I've got for now...

-- Kelly

Zero Tolerance Policy

No, not that kind of Zero Tolerance Policy (although I have zero tolerance for that too...and a host of other things, actually...hmmmm, perhaps this should be a recurring feature; something to consider later, certainly.)

Today's Zero Tolerance is, however, dedicated to stupid drivers. Yes, you know who you are. Now, I'm not claiming to be a perfect driver, far from it, actually, but I do know what is going on inside my vehicle, outside my vehicle, and in the lanes surrounding me. And, as I realize that I do not have the "patience of a saint" to be perfectly cliche, I try to let these things just drop after they happen. However, between yesterday and today, in basically less than 24 hours, I have encountered THREE stupid drivers, and I simply can't let it pass...so, if this was you, and by some miracle you are reading this, please, learn how to drive, and if you can't figure that out, perhaps you could look into some form of mass transit.

Now, I realize that some of you may be thinking "Have you thought that perhaps YOU are the stupid driver?" And, honestly, yes I have...but in this case, I'm pretty certain that it isn't me. So, I thought that  would share these "incidents" and you can be the judge...

Encounter One - Saturday Afternoon
I am driving down a "road" behind a couple of business establishments. It is more than an alley in size, but still, not really designed for two full lanes. If there are no cars on either side of the road, two cars can pass through in opposite directions, but as the parking lots leave something to be desired, there are often cars lining both sides, making it possible for only one way travel at a time. I am heading west on this "road" (and, of course, as previously described, the street is lined with cars on both sides, so only one car can fit through the path at a time.) when a woman comes flying around the corner, heading southeast. I see her and hit my brakes (I'm going probably faster than I should be, given the circumstances, I'm not going to lie, but she was going dangerously fast for where we were.) She SLAMS on her brakes, I even see her car bounce a bit from the force. Now, as she is clearly heading in the direction that I just came from, and there is NO ROOM for her to squeeze by me, I begin to go again. So does she. We both stop again. Now she puts both of her arms out in a "WTF are you doing, lady?!" kind of gesture. So, being the non-stupid driver that I am, I point to myself, point in the direction that I am heading, point to her, point back in my direction, in a statement that says, "I'm going that way, you're going where I am currently sitting, thusly making your travel not possible at the moment. Wait three seconds and then you'll have plenty of room to drive like a maniac." Then I wave at her (yes, with ALL FIVE fingers, I did really wave - and smile too!!) and said as I drove by "Have a nice day!" (not that she could hear me, but it was still the principle of the thing...)

Encounter Two - Sunday Morning
I like to drive fast, I do. I try to drive just slow enough to not get pulled over, which works sometimes, but fails epically other times. So, when I am already driving 60 on a two lane highway where the speed suggestion is 50, I don't really expect people to pass me. However, sure enough, I see this car in my rear view mirror this morning, begin to do just that. So, she pulls around me, flies by, gets back into the correct lane of traffic, and hits her brakes - HARD. I slam on mine, so as to not crash into her, and just when I'm thinking she almost caused an accident by being a jerk, thinking it would be funny to slow down once she passed me or something like that, she turns a hard left. So, not being a jerk, but being so engrossed in the fact that I wasn't driving fast enough for her, she passes me not realizing that the road she needs to turn onto is about 500 feet away...

Encounter Three - Sunday Afternoon
Now, this guy, technically wasn't driving, he was parked, however, he is being included in this post because of his ability to still be a complete idiot on the road. So, I pull into my apartment complex, and head for my assigned parking space. As I get close, I see that someone is parked, idling, obviously waiting for someone. Now, this parking lot has the room for two cars to fit by each other, pretty easily, so getting around him shouldn't have been too much of an issue. Except for the fact that he wasn't really by the curb, or the parked cars, but more in the middle of the road. Oh, and also, I wasn't trying to get by, he was blocking my assigned parking space...sorta. I realize that if you don't live there you might not know that the are assigned, so I honk my horn. Once. He points out the window to the left, indicating that he is waiting for someone in that building. Fine, I'll try to squeeze by and turn into my space...hopefully I won't swipe your car in doing so. At this point, any normal person with some common sense would, I hope, realize what I am trying to do and perhaps back up their car allowing me to maneuver into my space. Does this guy? No. Hence the stupid driver award. I mean, come on. And then, you wave at me when I get out of the car? What IS that? Is it, "sorry I'm an idiot" or "see, I knew you could do it!" ? I'm honestly not sure, and I'm not sure which is worse...

So, that's it...all three of my stupid driver stories from this weekend. Your turn...is it them or me?

Rebranding to Begin

So, I wanted to change the name of the blog for a while now, and since a lot of people aren't reading it quite yet, it seemed like the perfect time! :) So, sans drum roll, here it is! Shiny Objected...because, well, it is my term - no matter what you hear elsewhere, and I am one of the best at being Shiny Objected, and well, a lot of what I post is due to something that HAS Shiny Objected me...SO. New name, new look coming soon, same fun blog!

That's all I've got for now...but more to come soon!

-- Kelly

Let The Party Begin!!

Ok, so Mommy is in town! (Yay!), but my vacation is just officially getting started...(also, yay!, but a delayed yay). So, mom and I have kept it somewhat low-key, because, well, I had to get up early for work. We spent the last few nights watching TV, chilling with the kitties, and generally having some fun.

However, we have a plethora of things planned for the next few days. Here's just a smattering, with potential details (depending on where we get kicked out of) to follow: We'll be hitting bingo, a nice lunch at Zinc Bistro, (thanks to the Food Network and "The Best Thing I Ever Ate"), checking out the Pandora Jewelry store for some new charms (thanks for my lovely bracelet, mom, BTW), and probably hitting My Sister's Closet (an amazing consignment store). Other than that, we have Festival in the Park this Sunday, on Halloween, and we're seeing Nickelback on Friday!!!

Lots going on. :) Can't wait!!!


Later,
Kelly :)

Woohoo!!!

Just a quick little post in case the two of you who read this care (and didn't already know (and since one of the two of you is who this post is about, I'm PRETTY sure you already know...I hope)) that tomorrow is "M" Day!!! Yes, that's right, the day that my MOMMY comes in to town!!! (And, yes, I'm in my 30s and still call her Mommy, shut it.) :)

So, mommy is in town for 10 whole days (Oh, BTW, if you follow my kittehs, she is known there as "Grammy Gloria", FYI) I have some vacation time coming up next week, and we have a TON of stuff going on. Yay, yay, yay!!! I can't wait. :)

If you're lucky, you might get to hear about some of it...or see pictures, or I might Tweet about it...we'll see.

Later,
Kelly

Too Much Going On...

But, I am still here, and kicking, I might add. There has simply been too much going on to keep up with everything. I will, however, try to be better at this, because I know that you all care so much (both of you).

For now, however, a little snippet (yeah, I went there) from my Drive Time (DT) conversation with Jenn...

Me: Oooh, a hearse!! Oh, wait, no, that's just an El Camino with a top...
Jenn: *no speaking, just laughter for several minutes*

And that, folks, is the first installment of DT Convos...it might not always be Jenn, but I'll try to post some of the hilarity that is my drive home...

Later

-- Kelly

Post Lake Day Recap

See. I told you there would be one. :)


First, let me just say that Lake Pleasant was beautiful! Couple that with the fact that we off-roaded to the back side of the lake and that we basically had the entire area to ourselves, and the start to my vacation was amazing!!


The lake itself was gorgeous,

There was much relaxing to be had,

and some swimming,

and even the one minor incident with a jumping cactus burr thingy

couldn't take away from the fantabulous (yes, I know that isn't a real word) sunset!

All in all, it was a pretty great day, complete with a lot of great friends. I can't wait to head back. (And I did get in some quality Kindle time...which, by the way, the review is forthcoming, I have completed all of my "taste tests" :))

For now, that's all I've got.

Later,

Kelly

Day One - Up Before God

So, my vacation officially begins today. (Well, actually last night at 5PM, but who's counting? Ok, I was counting...it is a MUCH NEEDED vacation) Now, for those of you who know me, one of my biggest complaints is having to get up so darn early...and normally, Saturdays are my ONLY day to sleep in at all...every other day (Sunday included) I'm up about 6AM. So, not having any definite plans for my vacation, there was a good chance that sleeping in would make regular appearances in my schedule.

However, as everyone knows, Plan A never works out. (Well, unless you're the A-Team, where, "There Is No Plan B"...at least according to the new movie and its tagline.) I have accepted this fact in the past, and usually plan for a plan B, C, and sometimes D. It's cool...and it happens.

So, when someone at church suggested a "Lake Day" on June 26th, I rifled through my calendar on my phone (gotta love how we still call them phones...I have more apps on my Android phone then I could possibly ever need, sorry, shiny object) and when there was nothing there, I said, "Sounds like fun!" Realizing that it was the start of my vacation, it felt like a good kick-off event, I was excited!! (And still am, don't get me wrong...any opportunity for a "Lake Day" in ARIZONA is a good day)

Fast forward to this past Sunday. (Huh, weird...fast-forwarding to the past. But, it was farther in the timeline than the initial date, hence the fast-forwarding...can't risk messing with the space-time continuum). Now, we need to make some definite plans, because not just any car can go where we're going apparently, so there is carpooling involved...which involves meeting up, coordinating, and a host of things that, well, take some time. The person who initially suggested the lake day said, how about we all meet at McDonald's at 7. And I thought, IN THE MORNING? Ok, now I realized that we would be leaving early, to enjoy the most of our day, but early on the FIRST day of my vacation could have been something in the 10AM range...even 9AM. However, such was not the case.

So, here it is, not even 6AM, Day One, and I am up and getting ready. Camera is charged, phone is charged, Kindle is charged (hmmm...more on that in later blogs, I still owe a comparison, I know, but I am testing a theory!). Sunscreen, check. Sammies and snack-y foods, check. Soda and water, check. Sunglasses, check. Towel, check. Bathing suit, cover up and other clothes, check. Random other stuff that I likely won't even need, check. Looks like I'm good to go.

I'm sure there will be a post-lake-day post, perhaps with some pictures...which will invariably end up on my Facebook page anyway...so for now...

Later,

-- Kelly Anne ( :

An Open Letter To The Obnoxious Guy In My Office...

Ok, so I know what you are thinking..."There's only ONE obnoxious guy in your office? Lucky you." Yeah, well, you have to understand my office first...a lot of the time, I am likely one of the only people here...for a large corporate office, most of the people who "work" here are out in the field all day. So, on any given day there are probably less than 10 people in the whole office, and maybe only three or four on my side (aka, people I can hear). So, keeping that in mind, for the most part I am lucky. Except for the one jackhole.

Now, realistically, there are quite a few people who are probably worse, both in my office and, well, in general. But this guy REALLY grates on my nerves...so, here's my letter:

Dear Obnoxious, Loud, Jackhole (I love this new insult...not entirely sure where I got it from (it might be the Harbinger...he knows who he is), but I'm keeping it):

Please stop. You sit three ROWS of cubes away from me, yet I can hear your entire conversation as if you were actually in my cube. I don't really care what you had for dinner last night, where or what you are hunting this weekend, or why you think Buffy the Vampire Slayer was a better show that Firefly. (Although, bonus point for the last one, I mean, that is definitely a valid discussion...however, the fact that I was not a part of that discussion means I should not have heard you having it.) I know exactly what projects you are working on at any given time, every single conference call that you have (and every opinion that you give on those calls) and I have heard just about every "office-inappropriate" word out there.

I know exactly how you feel about your current and former places of employment, and let me just say, if you are that miserable, perhaps you should seek alternate employment. I am also "lucky" enough to hear all of the yelling that you and your assistant do between cubes. You are two cubes away, perhaps one of you should get up and mosey to the other cube so the whole office doesn't know what projects you are working on, cause believe me, no one cares...we've got our own projects. Or, if that is too complicated, call each other on the phone...although, that probably wouldn't solve the issue...see the rest of this post. (And, if I may shiny-object here for a moment, your assistant is next on my list. I have never known someone to argue with his or her significant other that publicly before...seriously, if the constant clicking of the keyboard weren't a dead giveaway that the area of the office that you obviously assume is vacant when you are (unsuccessfully) trying to have a discreet conversation is in fact, OCCUPIED, then perhaps you need to have your hearing checked. I do not need your conversations intruding on my day any more than I do your boss'.) I can't even drown you out with Pandora streaming in my cube (mmmm...Pandora...a topic for my next blog - I ♥ Pandora!)

So, loud, obnoxious guy in my office, I implore you. Please, please, please be mindful of other people, and learn to lower your voice. I mean, seriously, I have friends with toddler aged children, and they all understand the difference between inside voices and outside voices. Take a lesson from them.

Have a nice day.

-- Kelly ( :

Happy, Happy, Joy, Joy

For those of you who remember Ren and Stimpy, that title is for you. For the rest of you...too bad, nevermind, it's only funny the first time. Now, while there will be some time before I post my review, round two, let me just proclaim my happiness for the Kindle that arrived yesterday. IT FREAKING ROCKS!!!

I will still give it it a fair shakedown and comparison to the nook, but unless the nook can perform some miracles, it's gonna be an uphill battle...just saying.

So, for now, that is all you get, but be patient and you will have a good review and comparison soon!

-- Kelly ( :

Is It Really Better? Apparently.

Ok, so this morning someone told me that something was "the best thing since sliced bread", (even my mom said such a phrase in the past...see what I mean.) and it got me thinking - is it really?? And then, the next thought, of course is - what makes something better than sliced bread, and why is sliced bread all that great anyway? I mean, really?

So, of course I had to look up Sliced Bread (thank you internet, and wikipedia!). Turns out that Wonder Bread has been creating pre-sliced loaves since about 1928. Crazy, huh? And the term "the best thing since sliced bread", well, that was a part of a marketing campaign set forth by Wonder Bread. So, it just goes to show that brand recognition is indeed a vital part of our culture.


I still find it a little funny though that a food item has that much power...I mean, "the best thing since the steam engine" just doesn't have the same ring to it, does it? Yet the steam engine...arguably a more important creation than pre-sliced bread...I'm just sayin'.


That's all I got. (And, yes, thanks mom...I know that statement is grammatically incorrect...but I like it anyway.)

-- Kelly ( :

New For Summer

Well, as the 2009-2010 television season wraps up, some shows with a bang, some not-so-much, it is nice to see that some of the major networks are finally catching up with what the cable networks have had for a few seasons now - new scripted (and "unscripted" of course, but that isn't actually new...) dramas!! Well, at least ABC and FOX are playing ball with the likes of Showtime, HBO, and USA.

While I realize that it is summer, and that should mean vacations, being outdoors, and a slew of other reasons NOT to be inside watching television, those of us that live in the seventh circle of hell in the summer (aka Arizona) : ) can appreciate having something good on television when it is simply too hot to be anywhere else.

There are several good shows returning, and a few new faces that will hopefully make it past episode 3, and I've compiled a list of some of the notables below.

Please note, that I can't possibly cover ALL the summer shows (well, I could, but I do have a job...), but there is a pretty good article on new and returning comedies and dramas right here. And I am focusing on the scripted, although I am quite excited for Hell's Kitchen to return, unscripted, "reality" television has a need for its own post...which may or may not happen...

So, lets start with what's coming back:

Burn Notice - Out of all of the shows that I am discussing, this is the only one that I don't currently watch. Returning for its fourth season on June 3rd, Burn Notice has also been renewed for fifth and sixth seasons. USA has created several great shows, and this is supposedly one of them. I actually put this in here because I intend to start watching it and get caught up. Unfortunately, I can't really discuss it in detail, cause, well...I think I have seen all of, maybe 2 episodes...so, this serves more of a notice that it's coming back, and you should check it out.

True Blood - Ah, where would we be if we didn't have vampires on TV in some fashion. This increasingly popular breed has invaded primetime network (Vampire Diaries)and cable (True Blood) television, and also make an appearance in one of the new shows that I mention below (The Gates in case you hadn't heard). As the third season begins on HBO, this mature audiences drama crashes onto the scene with several new characters (from the previews I've seen and heard), new relationships, and a ton of, well, blood. Based on novels by Charlaine Harris, this steamy series has something for just about everyone. True Blood returns on June 13th.

Futurama - Yep, I said it. Futurama is back!! After cancellation from FOX in 2003, Comedy Central has resurrected this supremely funny animated gem. On June 24th, Comedy Central will present the first of 26 new episodes, with original cast members reprising their roles - which should lead to some classic comedy gold! Way to go, Comedy Central!!

Psych - Another great show from USA. Psych will begin its fifth season on USA on July 14th July 21st July 14th (there have been some plan changes and debate as to when it actually premieres, but I'm pretty sure it is the 14th). Shawn and Gus, the best fake-psychic detectives on TV today are back with more crime-solving, relationship issues, and above all else, good times. : )

So, that is about it for the returning series, now to move on to some new faces:

The Good Guys - Premiering on FOX on June 7th (although there was a sneak peek last week), this hour long comedy pairs Bradley Whitford (complete with awesome mustache) with Colin Hanks (when the heck did he grow up? Seriously!), and it has the makings of a great show (from what I have heard). Brought to us by none other than Matt Nix (who just happened to bring us the aforementione Burn Notice), this buddy cop action comedy has the potential to be a huge hit!

The Gates - Vampires, Werewolves, and other Supernaturals, oh my. This new drama from ABC premieres on June 20th and has been called "Eureka meets Desperate Housewives" which could be a complete disaster, or one of the best new shows. As someone who never really got into Eureka, (although I am told I would love it, which really isn't saying much, I like A LOT of stuff...) and who gave up on DH after they flashed forward five years, but the storyline didn't seem to improve any, I'm not sure how I feel about this. I really want to like this show, I like a lot of the people who have a part in it, and I am hoping that they will make it a worthwhile show, and not something that falls into one of the "sometimes eerily accurate, and not in a good way" descriptions of the ABC Network of Already Been Cancelled.

However, The Gates will have to find its footing quickly, because with the successes of Vampire Diaries and True Blood, television may be getting a little saturated with the pale and undead crowd, so they will need to bring more than standard vamp antics to the party.

Covert Affairs - As a die hard Alias fan (J.J. Abrams, you genius), I really hope that Covert Affairs can live up to the standard that show set, but I'm gonna be a realist about this. Piper Perabo as a rookie CIA agent has the potential to be great, with her blind handler leading the way, I am really hopin that the show will be original enough to hold new viewers, and pick up some spy-hard fans as well. Another USA opportunity, Covert Affairs premieres on July 13th.

Well, that in no way covers all of the new programming for this summer, but it is what I will be watching, and since that is pretty much all that matters (to me, which should mean to everyone), so that's all we're gonna talk about. Happy watching, and hopefully, as these new shows start, I'll be able to post some comments and thoughts.

-- Kelly ( :

The Battle of the eReader: Kindle vs. Nook - Round One

So, one day my mom calls me and tells me that she knows what she is getting me for my birthday. "A Kindle," she shrieks, all excited! She just got her Kindle and it is the best thing since sliced bread...possibly even before that. Now, you have to understand - I love reading and I love books, and I learned this from my mom. I was initiated at an early age, I picked up the TV Guide at four years old and started reading from it. (With beginnings like that is it any wonder that I love television and have a degree in Film and TV production? Yeah, I didn't think so either.) Sorry, shiny objected there (and no matter what else you hear, or who you hear it from, that is MY phrase...I turned it into a verb. Yep, me.) Ack, I did it again though...so easily distracted. Where was I?

Oh, yes, "The Kindle". So, my mom, after telling me what I was getting for my birthday (which, by the way, this particular conversation was at least a good six months before said event (it's next month, if that matters)), proceeds to tell me that I need to forget that she told me, so it can be a surprise. Yeah, right. Cause, as much as I love books, I love techie stuff, and the Kindle, well, it's pretty much a techie dream!! (Well, for books anyway...and maybe .PDFs, but you get the point.) Well, sometime around our conversation, this shiny new product came out, from my favorite bookseller no less - the nook, by Barnes and Noble. Oooh, color touchscreen, android platform, browsing full books when inside a B&N, look ma, shiny things!!! (The actual origins of shiny objects and shiny objected). So, now what? My mom LOVES her Kindle, she's pretty sold on that, but I'm not my mom - for the most part. I am, however, a researcher; there are plenty of Kindle vs. nook websites out there, with reviews on design, speed, reliability, and a host of other things.

So, lets get started, cause there is a lot that each eReader has going for it.

Now, I've noticed that whichever way people are leaning towards is typically the ones the reviews start out with, I mean you have both Kindle vs. nook and nook vs. Kindle, with each one giving slightly biased reviews based on the device listed first...so, I'm breaking that particular mold...and going with the underdog first.

The nook - Yep, I said it...the nook is the underdog in this case. I mean, it certainly does have the Android platform going for it (I love the Android platform...a discussion best saved for another day, before I get shiny-objected again). And a pretty slick color touchscreen component. And yes, expandable memory, Wi-Fi, and a multitude of other cool things - wait, which side am I on here? Oh, yeah, underdog...ok, better now. But there are two big downfalls of this reader - battery life, and speed. From everything that I have read, which, trust me is a lot at this point, even though the nook says that it gets up to 10 days on a single charge, that isn't always the case, 5 - 6 seems to be more the norm...and what is the big drain on the battery you might ask? Well, I'll tell you - the slick color touchscreen, and Wi-Fi. Surprised? No? Me either. : )

The second thing I mentioned was speed. From the majority of the reviews that I have seen, the nook is sorely lacking in speed, from power up to page turning, it's slower, hands down (or so they say - and whoever "they" are is also a story for another day). Now, those things might not seem like a big deal, but when we are talking about 3 seconds from power button to reading vs. 1 minute and 30 seconds for the same action, that is a gaping chasm. And, for someone like me who can churn out approximately 100 pages of printed text in an hour, an eReader needs to keep up with my reading pace. Which brings me to...

The Kindle (or, Kindle 2 more appropriately) - What the nook offers in flashy "upgrades" the Kindle balances out with all that a true bibliophile needs...but nothing more. And while it lacks some of those nice options, Wi-Fi, expandable memory, and even a removable battery (truly a downfall of the Kindle, IMHO), the purported speed of the device, with its unmatched and unparalled battery life, if true, will keep me a Kindle customer for a very long time. The speed I mentioned above, and it is the lack of "bells and whistles" that allows a much smoother, sleeker start-up process. I don't necessarily need to see the image of the book that I want to read, I (usually) already know what it is about, so the simple "home" page with it's list of titles is fine for me. And the touchscreen on the nook is said to be somewhat clumsy as well, so I'll stick with the KISS principle (look it up if you don't know) on this one. And if the pages turn and load as quickly as they say they do, well, that will be a big plus for me.

Additionally, I'm terrible for charging things, I usually forget until they, well...die, so the longer this lasts on a charge, the better. Websites and reviews claim up to 14 days, but the norm seems to be about 10 when hand-ons reviewers take over. (Which, if I can "math it up" right (another term I coined...) is still better than 5 - 6)

I am aware of one other thing...I am only comparing two eReaders, while there are a ton of others out there, not the least of which is the shiny, new iPad. But that isn't what this blog is about. Because, even though the iPad is definitely a cool device, at this point, I'm not looking for that many features, options, and other stuff going on. (Yet) I want an eReader. Something that I can easily take with me on trips, to work (for lunch hours only), or anywhere else that I might have some down time, and not have to lug all of my books along with me. And don't get me wrong, no matter which way this ax falls, visiting Barnes and Noble will still be one of my favorite relaxing activities, and I by no means intend to dispose of, or stop, my book collection.

Here's my dilemma though, I'm a visual learner. So, "Round Two" of this particular topic will have to be once I actually have my Kindle (that is, if my mom actually does get me one for my birthday (sorry mom, I tried to forget about it...sorta)). If not, well, Round One will be the only round in this fight until I can afford the frivolity.

-- Kelly ( :

(Oh, and P.S. in case you're keeping track (and I'm not entirely sure why you would be), this now matches my total posts in 2008, and is more than my posts in 2007 and 2009, both separately AND combined. Just saying...)

Didn't We Just Go Through This

Ok, so I was going to do a post entitled "10 Things Every Amazing Race Contestant Should Know", but that show ended a couple of weekends ago, so it is a moot article, at least until the fall. But that made me realize that it is season (and series) finale time once again. (Um, wasn't Thanksgiving yesterday? Where does the time go?)

So, I thought I would mention some notable shows leaving the air:

24 - After eight seven grueling days (I know the show ran for eight seasons, but this final season was not all that noteworthy...even I stopped watching), spanning several years, Jack Bauer finally gets some time off from work...at least until the movie comes out. This show started off with an amazing idea, it was a new concept, a semi-original idea even, and it was done brilliantly! It kept viewers wanting more, and even if it was convenient that SOMETHING major happened just at the end of EVERY SINGLE hour of the day, I went back week after week. Until this year. I saw about the first 10 episodes, but couldn't get into it. It may have gotten better, and I probably shouldn't judge until I have seen the rest of the episodes, but IMHO, it should have ended after it's seventh season.

Heroes - Another show that probably could have gone away a lot sooner. I stopped watching it a while back, but all I hear from people are that it has gotten really bad, boring, and needs to be done already. So, while it too had a good concept, and was a different breed, it doesn't seem like it will be missed too much.

Lost - Ah, what can be said about the JJ Abrams mind-twisting epic? Well, most likely, "Huh?" followed by "WTF?". Seriously though, I missed the last two seasons (I'm sensing a trend here...), and although I have been trying desperately to get caught up, with the finale being this Sunday, it is unlikely that I will make it in time. However, I will still watch the finale, because I'm sure it will not only be one of the most watched episodes,and I want to see where the crazy train finally disembarks, but, well, now that Amazing Race is over, nothing else is on Sundays...(just kidding, sheesh!) The genius executive producer behind some of our most amazing televison (Alias, Fringe, Felicity (athough I never watched that one)), as well as what I hope will be some promising new shows, certainly created a buzz with Lost, and I know that it will be missed...even though it's time to move on.

I know that many other shows (iconic and not-so-much) ended this season as well, but...I can't focus on everything...well, I could, I choose not to.

I would like to take some time in future posts to discuss some of the new season of shows (including the new one from JJ Abrams) as well as returning favorites...so, stay tuned for that.

-- Kelly ( :

I'm Not Gonna Say It

This time, things will be different, but I am not going to actually make any claims, because you see how well that worked out the last, um, several times. Case in point: The Last Time, and The Time Before That, and to complete the Trifecta, The First Time I Went Down This Road. (Ok, the last one is more about other things, but it fits in with the others, so there it is.)

So, I have a lot of things piling up that I want to get out there, but I don't want to make promises...so for now, it is just a goal, and a wish.

Here's to hoping I see you again...before 2011. :)

-- Kelly ( :