FUN WITH GOOGLISM

Ah, intermittent posts. I love thee.


Fun With Googlism

• eric is out of the factory
• eric is a concept
• eric is an acronym for the educational resources information
• eric is to be credited with this exhibit along with tamara
• eric is the best python
• eric is having a good day
• eric is gone
• eric is allergic to girls
• eric is in the picture too
• eric is sleepy
• eric is the coolest
• eric is soooooo cute
• eric is the front man for this band
• eric is no wilting flower
• eric is real nice and so full of spice girls die to meet him men love to greet him
• eric is on tour with disney on ice until further notice

"Live through this and you won't look back."

BLOGSPOT = CHRISTIANSPOT

My pretty Firefox screen is alight with a full row of Blogger "B"s as I've been inspired to delve into the writings of my fellow bloggers. Big props go to Kent for the link here from his blog, and for links to many other amazing writers. Maybe it's because I came from a very conservative Church of Christ (i.e. songs must come from the hymnal), but I'm constantly amazed at the number of Christians that are joyously and passionately embracing the Web, and technology as a whole. Moving to Vista Ridge, my wife and I were amazed that they had an email list, and that people actuall read it! I think that religion so often around me has been completely focused on methods of introducing this guy we call "Jesus" to the world that jused to have great success "back then" but just don't apply to today's information-saturated crowd. The problem isn't anymore that people just don't know Christ. The problem is that they've met him already - through us - and gotten the wrong first impression.

It's inspiring, motiviating, startling and almost weird to hear people so thoroughly and proudly wrestle with what it means to be like Christ using such a public forum. I get this feeling like when I was in college - going to a Christian college, everyone there was completely open and almost in your face about their spirituality. It's a rare environment when Christians are so honest and vocal, and for a guy like me, it can be intimidating. I know in my mind that these people are all fallen, that they have their own secret sins, and that they're all just as much a sinner as I am. I know this, and yet I feel inferior. They so loudly proclaim their light that you can't see any darkness but your own. I know these are "real people," but sometimes I think they're on a different plane.

I think that's the hallmark of my Christianity. I KNOW that I'm a sinner. I KNOW that I'm a failure without the complete erasure of my sins - past, present, and future - by the blood of the overwhelmingly holy Christ. If I'm not forgiven, I'm going to Hell. No choice, no chance, no refuge. And that attitude will always fill my response to others - I'm no better than you, I'm no more than you, but there's a God I'd like to introduce you to. You may have met Him before, but trust me, you don't REALLY know Him. I don't, and I've been trying to for over 11 years. But, I think if you tried - honestly, without cynicism or sarcasm, without reservation or hesitation just TRIED - to meet the REAL Yahweh, it would change your life. And you'll spend the rest of it trying again and again and again.

"We read to know that we are not alone. We write to let others know that they are not alone."

SOME MORE PALM APPS FOR YOU PALM PEOPLE

Lately I've been playing around a lot with some new Palm software - trying better to set reminders of all sorts for myself on there, because it seems that the more crucial the appointment or task is, the more my memory resembles that of an ADHD Jack Russel Terrier.

So, here's my latest favorites:

• DateBk5 - okay, I actually paid for this application, so you know it's got to be good. This thing lets you make a positively BEAUTIFUL calendar complete with color coding, icons and adjustable views. You can also open up your ToDo list, Address Book or MemoPad in a split-screen view with your calendar, so you can work with tasks and appointments at the same time. If you're into GTD, this app dovetails with it very nicely.



• WavAlarms - Sony apparently was a bit of a jerk when they put together their Clie hardware. They were supporting the ADPCM standard for the longest time as an opposition to MP3. In fact, if you own a PSP, you're very lucky that it supports MP3's - it was released just around the time Sony got on the bandwagon. Since I love DateBk5 so much, I was rather bummed when I found out that this little terf war creates the following problem. So what am I to do if I want to use DateBk5's alarms, but don't want a dumb beep coming back at me? Enter WavAlarms. I just downloaded it, and it's only a 7-day trial, but I'm probably going to buy it. Through this little app, you can assign uncompressed .wav files (on your memory card) to application alarms, including DateBk5, along with other reminder programs like OhYeah!. I've since entered alarm nirvana, because now my appointments chime in with a chorus of "Bring out yer' dead!"



• OhYeah! - Like a sticky note with an alarm on it - write any note in your own handwriting, and set it for a time to beep at you (works on duration from point set, not specific time). Link goes to the free "lite" version, which is what I've used so far. If you want to pay for the full version, go here. I use this for those times when I was just told to do something, and I need to remember to do it when I get back to my desk, out of the car, back home, etc.



• PalmBible+ - I've already mentioned that this is my favorite bible reader. Lately I've found a daily reading planner program, aptly named Reading Planner, that plans out what you want to read based on books and dates you have available, and then automatically takes you to the right place in Bible+ for that day. It even lets you choose your favorite default version, for those that have more than one.



• PrayerPal - Just got this one too. Basically lets you create a database of prayer requests, then keep track of them. It's pretty in-depth as far as how many fields it has for each request, so I don't know if I'm going to stay with it.



• Big Clock - you got your standard big clock and calendar, world time zones, stopwatch, timer and some pretty backgrounds. Not bad for freeware.



• Backgammon - I like me some free games, and lately I've been into Backgammon. Haven't tried this one out yet, but it's free, so that's good.... right?

Enjoy!

OVERCLOCKING YOURSELF

Just recently stumbled on this article (link starts in the middle, for you impatient folks), extolling and analysing the virtues of my favorite molecule, caffeine. Join with me, and let's find out which is the best beverage to get wired on.

THIS IS NOT MY SPACE

...THIS is my space, or rather, my space on MySpace.com. Confused yet? If you're already registered there, probably not. Go here and view my profile and add me as a friend!

there's a little black spot on the sun today...

QUOTE OF THE DAY

Great minds think alike, but then again, weak ones do too.

SO YOU THINK YOU'RE AN AUDIENCE

So I have to admit it: lately I've been watching the Fox "reality" show "So You Think You Can Dance" with my wife. See, she was a dancer all through high school and college (musicals, not poles), and so anything that has the word "dance" in the title or is vaguely dancing related holds a deep-seated interest for her. That Richard Gere movie with Jennifer Lopez and a ballroom floor? Yep, had to see it. Anyome remember a pointless title called "Center Stage"? She owns it. I'm tellin' ya, if it involves the movement of the body to music in an attempt at genuine performance, she's usually there.

So we're watching this little attempt to find America's (or at least American adults watching televison ages 18-24's) favorite dancer. They've got all the key elements needed to draw in the soon-to-be-over-it American Idol crowd during the summer:

• British overly-honest guy on the judging panel? Check.


• Annoying moments of overdramaticism and unnecessary delays? Check.


• The "cover it up with glam" stage with a production budget higher than, but just as misused as the one for "Battlefield Earth"? Check.


• Awkward confluences of performers forced into styles completely not their own? (e.g. breakdancers doing the foxtrot, ballroomers doing hip-hop, and anyone on stage doing disco) Check, Check, and Check.

Then there's my favorite lady, she's one of the judges. Her name is Ms. Mary Murphy. This lady is the ballroom expert amongst the judging panel, and very proud of it. My favorite part, however, is her face. This lady has had SO much botox, that there is NOTHING that moves above her upper lip! Look at her, watch the show! There ain't a thing going on - it's all been paralyzed into insensitivity. Lady, you can move your feet, but when your eyebrows are just hanging on for the ride, it's not worth it.

But amonst the entire show, I love the audience the most. At the end of the competitors' dancing sequences, they turn around and stand to face the judges. As you can guess, they have to stand there whilst these erstwhile Evaluators of Groove pontificate in their opinions. What's great is the audience's reaction: the moment the judges say ANYTHING positive, it's "YAAAAAYYYY" and a rousing cheer from the Hillary Duff fans. Anything negative at all, and it's "BOOOOOOOO" from the same crowd. I've joked about this with the wife while watching, but I swear, these judges could sit up there and just say "I like chicken!" and get the biggest applause of their performing career. But, the moment you bring out some critique of the evening's performance, get ready to be less popular than Bill Buckner. Are the pre-teens and precocious adolescents of America so mired in corporate double-think that they have to accept whatever icon Our Corporate Sponsors can pay to put on a national stage? It's frightening to know that with enough money, you really CAN make ANYONE a pop star, at least for a moment.


"Taaaaaaaake onnnnn meeeeeee....."