On Being Wired

So, before I get into the nitty-gritty of this post (which really isn't all that nitty or gritty :)), I should tell you about WIRED, and the memory elicited therefrom. Back in 1998 (don't you love how I always start these stories with "back in..." Makes me feel older... haha), I was in a class called Desktop Publishing/HTML or something like that. The teacher was Ms. Baca. That was back when computers were starting to really hit the scene in a big way. We had a computer lab attached to our classroom, and in it, there were laptops for each of the students to use. I think this was significant in 1998. Anyway... one of the big projects we had to do in that class was create a cover for WIRED magazine (it's a nerdy magazine ;)... just kidding). It is a computer-centered magazine. So, we had to have our picture on the front and we had to come up with headlines, etc. We had to basically design the cover and choose colors, and we even had to make a barcode that resembled a real one. And then we printed them out on like a wax printer or something like that. My biggest regret? I don't know why, but I never even brought the thing home. So it is lost to me :(. That would've been something fun to come across in one of my many "memorabilia" boxes :).

Actually, I was going to tell you about my day... Yesterday at 4, the Internet went down. All except for Google-affiliated things, like gmail and blogger. Eventually those dropped out too, but not until about 5:15. This meant one of our library programs dropped also (OCLC, for anyone who is particularly interested :)). And, for the most part, this put a huge halt in the work on the 4th floor. Seriously, some of us were sharpening pencils, just to "stay busy." (Note: I was not one of these... my gmail was still working, so I chatted with Julie for a lot of the time...) It is funny to me how dependent we have become on computers. And I say "we," because I am dependent on them too. For example, I can't seem to help myself... I blog every day :). And there are some of you out there (my mid-morning checkers ;)) who have come to depend on my routine :). Haha. Not that I'm criticizing computers or Internet. I'm not. I love having the access I have. It just is funny to me how a lot of things come to a stop when the Internet goes down. And, 10 years ago, around the time of the story I told, probably that wouldn't have happened as much (the grinding halt). It's amazing how far we've come in 10 years.

I did my online class from home last night. This meant I could not speak to the class, because I don't have one of those microphone/headphone headsets. However, since all we were doing was listening to other people's presentations, I did not feel I would need the headphones. I think I might just consider doing this from home more often. Warning: evidence of a bad student ahead... I went and heated through dinner, I got a shower, I talked to Julie's mom (about Julie's baby shower) and then chatted with Julie in gmail chat about her shower, I talked to Elka, talked briefly with Anne, and worked on a major project due Monday for my Monday night class... All while being "in class." Right after my shower, the teacher said, "Okay, it looks like it is about break time." Well, that never occurred to me. Sitting at home and being absorbed in other things while "sorta" listening to class in the background does not make you feel a need to have a break. Yes, I am a BAD student. I've never argued that fact, and honestly have admitted it quite freely :). But, I'm down to the wire here (haha...) and I need to be multi-tasking. Thanks to some excitement, it seems I will have to hurry up and do some of the projects like NOW, because they are due this upcoming week and I need to have them all turned in by Monday at noon. It's going to be a VERY busy weekend...

Oh, let me give a shout-out to all you Dothanites... I'll be in Dothan in 3 weeks! And I am taking applications for hanging out ;). I'm totally kidding. But I seriously am starting to fill up my calendar, so give me a call or email and let me know when and if you want to hang out during the week of March 15-23. Already on the dockett:
Friday, March 14 -- arrive at Meemaw's and spend the night with Julie, Alysha and Meemaw while prepping food for the baby shower
Saturday, March 15 -- Julie's baby shower (expect pictures of food)
Monday evening, March 17 -- St. Patrick's Day girlie party with Becky, Kira, Stacy, and Kristy (expect pictures of food)
And, events not scheduled: hanging with Anne, lunch with Stacy, hanging with Karen, possibly driving to Florida with my dad to see his cousins.
My life gets busy in Dothan. Although Anne said she thinks I'm the busiest person she knows.... The Nilla Life is an adventure, what can I say?? :). Oh, and I gave you forewarning about food pics, because Elka and my Aunt Hila apparently laugh at how I take pictures of food ;). I informed Elka that I'm not the only one who does it, and referred her to my friend Jeni's blog. Then Elka said, "Oh, I know. I need to go and print out some of her recipes." Haha... I totally just outed Elka as a blog-stalker of Jeni's blog. But seriously, I think cookbooks should have as many pictures as possible. How else are you going to know if you want to cook the recipe? So says Nilla... I'm a visual eater (I see food, I eat it :)). No, all kidding aside, I really do make the bulk of my recipe choices based on whether or not the thing looks good... Hence my pictures of food :). I'm sure you are all just dying to go out and try your very own pink food party now :).

Oh, and when I wrote that about taking applications, it reminded me of a t-shirt slogan I told my friend Donna (with whom I used to work at Troy-Dothan). I don't know why it came up, but she laughed. I said I should go around wearing a shirt that said, "Now taking applications for husband. Not currently hiring, but applications always accepted." She laughed and that gave her wild ideas about starting a screen-printing business for which we come up with the slogans... Donna always cracked me up.

Well, that might be all my news. Well, it's not really all my news. But it is all the news I'm going to share at this point in time :). Want to know the rest? Hey, buy the rights....

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