The local library (at City Hall) is a joke but it’s the only branch I can get to easily. I suspect they did a survey of what people wanted, and instead of a more balanced book mix, they got fringe material determined by those most likely to answer surveys. There isn’t a single atlas anymore, but there is half a shelf on how to plan the perfect wedding. Add another shelf on diets for pregnant women. Since these shelves are right beside the photography section, I can’t help but notice they have never, ever been read. Useless books.Hooray for Wallace, he made himself a bagel. He’s where I was before I knuckled down and learned to cook. I put all kinds of tempting stuff around, but unless it is ready to eat, he won’t grab it. Blog rules, I have to tell you if anything superlative happens. There is something else unusual, I’ve developed a real taste for iced tea, but without any additives. No sugar, no lemon, no milk, I never saw that before Florida. I used to wonder why it is a stock item at some cafes. On a hot day, it is perfection.
For around the twentieth time in my life, I find I’ve read every book in the house several times over. Contrast this with people who’ve seen every TV rerun that many times. That’s trivia for today, how did TV reruns originate? During the 50s, the broadcast studios were experimenting with serials, that is, programs that ran for a “season”, and that season was winter. Some personality, Jack Parr or Johnny Carson, determined that 40% of people missed some of the programs.
Maybe I should write an expose on shoe repair. I could call it “The Art of Masterly Deception and the Imaginative Use of Substitute Materials in Unusual Repair Jobs for the Intellectually Gifted”. Something catchy like that. Nothing is as it seems, but the good news is the replacement parts tend to be better and more durable than the original. We are seeing more Chinese-made shoes with “leather uppers” but the rest is paper. It’s tough, resilient paper, and waterproof as well. Be aware that for some reason, shoes made in China can be very expensive.
There I am, stuck without a cell phone right before Xmas. I can get incoming calls. Nokia, you have lost the lead, and whatever good you ever did is wiped out. Cells are solid state and should last for five years, not five months. I took inventory and discovered the only thing left around this house in perfect working condition is Pudding-Tat. It could be character insight time, you know, watching what I do when I’ve got no phone, no cash, no books, and plenty of time. But no energy.
That’s easy, I start to plan stuff. Over the centuries, I’ve amassed a sizeable collection of music equipment cable adaptors and jacks. I even found my missing jar of mini and RCA “plugs”. I’ve got 15 that do nothing except connect dissimilar equipment, which makes sense because my regular usage involves computers and music jacks in addition to the usual stereo ends you’ll find everywhere. How can I use a little imagination and set up some experiments. Why, lookie here, my super-old DVD player has something not found on contemporary models: input jacks. In fact, it looks like two sets of input jacks. Now what do you suppose those are for?
Check back with me later. If it’s what I think it is, bingo will never be the same.
