Wish List

I really should be working right now, but I'm struggling to concentrate. It's nearly lunch time after all. Maybe if I write down some of the things I'm thinking about I will be able to get back to it.

On the weekend I wrote down a wish-list of expensive items I really want to spend my money on. I had to write it down though because I keep thinking of them, and I have real difficulty parting with decent sums of money. Anything above $10 counts as decent in my book! In no particular order:

1. I-Pod nano - I have wanted one of these since forever, but always disliked the monopoly they seem to have of the music player market, and have always gone for a different brand. I also disliked the way they insist you use i-tunes and convert your music into an i-pod/i-tunes specific format (still haven't tried using i-tunes so can't be sure this is still the case). What I didn't realise was that the music player I last bought did the same bloody thing. The shop guy assured me that I could simply drag-and-drop my mp3s onto the player when i plugged it into my computer, but turns out he was wrong. I had to install specific software (one of the worst I have ever used!!) and import my music into this program, where it wants to convert them into its specific format. I didn't get on it quick enough to take the thing back and complain to the dude who sold it to me, so I have had this one for about 3 years. I even tried some cracked software to drag-and-drop, but that kinda failed a lot. Anyway, I still am having inner struggles about the move to apple, but I think it is in fact a superior product. Plus, I have to admit to myself that the look and feel of a thing is VERY important to me. And I don't think these beauties can be beaten in that department. I think I am going to surrender to the i-pod. Whether this will lead to a whole appleisation, I don't know. I hope not. Haven't decided on the colour yet though - thinking red or black. Your thoughts?

[Image courtesy of Polyvore]

2. In-ear headphones - It's about the quality. I like the convenience of earbud headphones, but you lose so much of the sound with the standard ones. Some tracks have the most beautiful sound to them, and on the train all i can hear is the words, not the total sound.

3. Trainers - as in those cool colourful ones - the vintage looking nikes, or the puma or asics ones. You know the sort. Functional yet cool. With a little more cushioning than converse or volleys. Mostly important because I can't stand the look (seriously, it hurts my eyes) of white sports trainers when you are not playing sport or in the gym, and most of my shoes are very impractical for walking any distance. I seriously wouldn't do well in the states, they love that look.

4. Bicycle - Like the beautiful ones they ride in Europe. Comfortable, relaxed, well made, and beautiful. These can get pricey, so I have to do a lot of shopping around.

[Image courtesy of Club Monaco]

5. Hair straightener - To replace the three duds I have collected over the years, all hand-me-downs or bargains, all pretty crap. To the dudes who think I already have straight hair - yes, I do, but straigteners don't just straighten, they style. I can go into detail if you wish to fully understand the ins and outs of girlies and our hair styles.

Through the Looking Glass

I found this article from the New York Times through the decor8 blog, and really identified with it:

My Retail Job Keeps Me Sane (NYTimes)

Not that I have ever worked in Retail, or been an accomplished journalist or similar, but the concept of different expectations and perceptions in different positions is familiar. I have often been in a situation where I feel I'm leading a double life, and I'm so aware that one person has so many aspects that the people around you can rarely understand the depth of it.

Caitlin Kelly explains so well the different perceptions people can have of you that are governed by the situation you are currently in. While it is difficult to be treated poorly, I think in those situations it is comforting to know your own achievements outside of the current situation that these customers will never be aware of. It's a quiet achievement that isn't relevant here, and certainly isn't apparent, but it contributes a great deal to who you are.

In my case most of this feeling of through the looking glass is a past-present thing, and it shows up when keeping in contact with past. Old friends and activities that I occasionally come across or join in with, and in those settings I can't hope to explain what my present is like, because I remember how I saw people that weren't part of my world back then.

I also enjoy seeing both sides to a story. For example the way you fade into the background and carry out every order when you are serving drinks to a guest at a high class banquet hosted by a royal or high profile celebrity. Then compare this to when you are eating at a restaurant yourself (not nearly as fancy mind you) where the waiters lay out your napkin and crack pepper onto your dinner for you. It's nice to know that that waiter is a whole person with their own life outside of cracking pepper for you.

Suspiciously similar logos

I was just browsing mobile phone network providers, and i came across one called gotalk. Now, I'm sure it isn't just me but i found their logo very familiar. My first thought was, isn't that a radio network's logo? Maybe they're affiliated? So I looked into it. The gotalk website doesn't mention anything about a broader organisation they're part of. On further inspection though, the logos aren't similar enough to come from the same company. I just wonder if they both came from some kind of template or suggestion? Maybe one saw the other and subliminally copied it? Anyway, there it is. I found it interesting.

Adblock Plus

I installed Adblock Plus to Firefox and I'm amazed at the results. I imagined it would leave me with a box and some text instaed of the colourful ads, something like "This image has been blocked by Adblock Plus" but to my amazement it just takes them away. The text in a news article fills up the space that the ad took up!

Below are images from the same news article in IE and firefox with ABP turned on.



Notice how in the second image the text fills the space where the flashing advert was invading my article. And for those who wonder if its a descrepency in the browser rather than the add on, here is FF with ABP turned off:



I'm very pleased. Just wanted to share.