Another week of winter

Not forecast to get out of the thirties for the next week.  I hate it.  Today snow (OK, it was pretty), sun, and wind.  Not fun shoveling, but I did it.  Schlepped all of my stuff to the library but an hour will pass and I won't have time to USE any of my stuff. 

I DID throw out one bag of trash today and took one box of stuff to the donation store.  I SHOULD feel some sense of accomplishment but I just feel overwhelmed.  Trying to part with anything which has fallen to the floor.  Also, I found a box of stuff which said "too small, 2001".  So, I just got rid of it.  It was somewhat painful, but I am overwhelmed with clothes, papers, books, etc. 

I guess I should return this book, since I am in the library from which it came.  However,  I will miss it when the book club discussion comes around.  Galileo's daughter : a historical memoir of science, faith and love, by Dava Sobel.  I admit I wasn't very enthusiastic about reading this book as we just got done with another historical book and I am not that wild about science.   The book was pretty interesting and it was amazing how scientists were punished for coming up with theories which disagreed with the Bible.  Galileo's eldest daughter lived in a convent not far from where he lived in Florence.  He placed her there when she was 13.  Suor Maria Celeste wrote many beautiful letters to her father and they were both involved in each other's lives, even if from afar.  Hard to believe that someone would know enough about a topic to consider writing a book called, Discourse on bodies that stay atop water or move within it.  Galileo's contention that the earth moved around the sun was the cause of much distress for him as the Bible contradicts that theory and states that "Thou fixed the Earth upon its foundation, not to be moved foerever".  Because of his theories, he was brought before the Inquisition and had to live out his life under house arrest.  He and his daughter sent each other different types of birds that they liked to eat and she was his constant supporter.   Galileo Galilei lived from 1564 to 1642.  His clash with Catholic doctrines continues to define the schism between science and religion.

Too much going on at the library

Thought I would come to my local public library to have a peaceful computer experience.  I did not have the energy to drive one hour to The Free Library of Philadelphia in order to hear Dave Barry.  It is so cold and windy and I am not doing so well being alone.  He just wrote his first fiction books.  I greatly enjoy his nonfiction, especially his habit of exageration.

First I couldn't find a parking place.  Then I had to leave some stuff in the car because they don't have an access ramp.  So I arrived in the middle of a children's program, Tales of the H.E.A.R.T. magic and puppet show.  Kind of distracting, but the kids seem to be really enjoying it.  I also can hear the strains of The Save the library group because I know several of the people on that committee.  Only get an hour here and there is not much room for my STUFF around the computer.  Oh well, it is better than staying home.

The Irish Manor House murder : a Torrey Tunet mystery, by Dicey Deere.  I found that there were too many characters for me to keep track of.  Nice local color, though, at an Irish country manor.  Apparently, this same detective person was in another book.  Actually, she is a translator of children's books looking for a quiet place to work.  I picked up this book merely because it was a paperback and I keep a collection of paperbacks to read when I am sitting in a certain chair.

Internet access

Well, I still haven't bit the bullet and gotten Internet access at home.  Don't know where to start with all of the things I "need"...Do I get a new phone, apps, Internet, wireless, Siruis XM radio, a camera, or what?  Article on Technorati about a lot of students using the Wi-Fi at McDonald's.  I don't see it in Bridgeton.  I am usually the only one using it when I go.  I thought this fact was interesting: " McDonalds have 12,000 Wi-Fi equipped locations across America, with Starbucks adding another 7,000. Combined they provide greater access to the Internet than the 15,000 Wi-Fi enabled public libraries in America."

Driving home from my class last night, I took a wrong turn and ended up in Millville.  That is somewhat disturbing.  I don't seem to recognize where I am in the dark, even when I know the way home.  This is when I venture an hour or more away from home.

"60 apps in 60 minutes" was quite inspiring.  Our instructor was a substitute but he was really knowledgeable and enthusiastic.  If he said "How cool is that" once, he said it 30 times.  Of course, now I "need" and want apps...but will I really use them?  It was inviting in a very librarian-like way.  How could I NOT enjoy all these extra ways to find things out?  Not sure I need a news aggregator or a personal magazine.  I kind of like newspapers and magazines the way they are and the way I am using them.  The music and photo apps were really cool, though.  I can see myself using Shazam or Dropbox.  And the "find your phone" app could come in handy.

Beach access closed until further notice

I found myself in Cape May Courthouse and saw that I HAD to drive a little further to check out the ocean in Stone Harbor.  The street just off the beach was in really bad shape and closed for construction.  I tried just one street over (97th St.) and was confronted with this sign when I attempted to go up the wooden walkway to the beach.  I could HEAR the ocean, but obediently, I retreated and didn't try to bypass the warning.  This is obviously Hurricane Sandy damage.

Just a beautiful day.  Finally, the sun came out and it got up to 58 degrees according to my car.  I did my "Vitamin D bath" routine, sitting in my car, listening to an audiobook.  Drove for an hour, passing places I always think I should stop at and take a walk.  Vowing to come back with my cross country ski poles and use them as walking poles.  Had soup for dinner.  Trying to eat more SOUP and SALAD instead of my favorite food, sandwiches.  I could eat sandwiches all day long, no problem. 

I came to this library to use the computers (of course) and take a class tonight.  60 apps in 60 minutes.  I don't even HAVE apps, but am thinking about getting them.  I am at the Cape May County library in Cape May Courthouse.  I actually have a card for this library system, being the library nerd that I am.

We're gonna die young

Listening to this song, it occurred to me that people rarely sing a song on their own these days.  Each song seems to feature about 5 famous people to max out the listeners, I guess.  "Die young" is by Kesha, or Ke$ha, as she likes to bill herself. The electropop song was written by Kesha, Dr. Luke, Benny Blanco, Cirkut, and fun. singer Nate Ruess.  The official remix features rappers Juicy J, Wiz Khalifa, and Becky G.  See, what did I tell you?  Some  people are refusing to play this song, because there are entirely too many people dying young.

I reported a light out to the electric company.  They can't find it.  I went to all the trouble of reporting the number on the pole and the type of light.  I guess it didn't help.  Now, they want me to provide an ADDRESS near there.  It is really out in the boondocks.  I wonder how they are making out at work with the soda machine.  I was always the one who would harass the Coca Cola company whenever the machine ran out of Diet Coke.

Mr. Penumbra's 24-hour bookstore : a novel, by Robin Sloan.  It started out delighting me as it was about books and bookstores and libraries.  Eventually, it lost me, though.  Got a bit too much into codes and games and science fiction.  A guy is working in a bookstore which has very few customers.  The books are shelved UP instead of OUT.  He asks himself, "Is this a book club?  How do they join?  Do they ever pay?"
Also includes the history of printing and type faces and secret societies, like the order of the Unbroken Spine.  There is also Google and spying...."I sit up straight and do the first thing a person is supposed to do in an emergency, which is send a text message."  His girlfriend works at Google..."everybody at Google likes codes....Books: boring.  Codes: awesome  These are the people who are running the Internet".

I hope it's not me

This really scary computer message came up about how you have to pay a lot of money to get your computer going again.  Now, I HAVE seen that hijacking message once before and it was at another library.  Could it be something I'm doing?  God forbid.  All I was on was blogspot and playlist.com.

It took me an entire hour just to deal with my email.  That gets to be a problem when libraries only let you use the computer for an hour.  I really do need to get the Internet at home.  This schlepping my stuff around is getting really tedious.  I am feeling like a real BAG lady. 

Feeling hungry.  Have only had oatmeal and an orange today.  Trying to get in the mood for diet and exercise.  Usually, I don't care about it.  But it is freaking me out that I used to weigh a good deal less and I thought I was fat THEN.  I am tired of being wide.

I need an online boyfriend

What a good idea.  A boyfriend that you never see.  Reminds me of George on Seinfeld who wanted to date a woman who was in prison so he could avoid "the dreaded drop-in".  But how am I going to look for a boyfriend if I don't feel photogenic?

Printing out a lot of stuff off of the Internet today.  Gee, it is really expensive not having a workplace where you can get printouts and photocopies at will.  But I just had to have a copy of how to clean your birdfeeder and getting used to discomfort.  That one really spoke to my condition and explains why people (me) don't want to eat right, exercise, travel or clean up their clutter.  IT'S UNCOMFORTABLE.

Still on my way to exercise.  I was headed to yoga this AM but was going to be 5 minutes late and I am trying to get over that habit.  So I didn't go.  Thus I am headed to another health club to do my daily chore.
It is already 12:38 and all I have done is visit with a friend and get my email under control.  Seeing how much I can get done before I go home to wait out the snow storm which is predicted.  So many things to look up and so little time.