INTPLibrarian

Stuff I read and stuff I thought

2007-09-17T14:08:00.000-05:00

An idea I've always had about having a blog was to post my responses to stuff I saw or read. Either online or not. Of course, with so many online media being in the form of blogs, it's usually easy for me to respond directly. But, sometimes, I just don't wanna. Usually because my response is fairly grumpy and there's no real reason to whine to the person who wrote whatever I'm whining about.

So, today I'm going to start doing that here. I think. I think I may have declared in the past that I would do that. I'm too lazy to actually check and see if I did or not.

The Which Punctuation Mark Are You Test

2007-07-04T16:58:00.000-05:00

Take the Test yourself

Your Score: ellipsis

You scored 38% Sociability and 64% Sophistication!

Your life can be difficult because of your insecurities, but you should know that it isn't your fault. YOU didn't ask to be thrown in around thirty times per page in every bodice-ripper on the shelf! Those who overuse you can kiss your . . . you know. You need to learn to hold your head high and glory in your solitude. You really do have excellent, scholarly tastes. You must never forget that your friend, the period, will be there to support you at the end of every sentence where you truly belong, and, if what is left out is as important as what is said, why, then you are as vital as the alphabet!

Link: The Which Punctuation Mark Are You Test written by Gazda on OkCupid Free Online Dating, home of the The Dating Persona Test

Sleep is GOOOOOOD

2007-07-04T14:28:00.000-05:00

Chronically Sleep Deprived? You Can't Make Up For Lost Sleep

Sleep is good. Sleep is important.

I place a LOT of importance on getting enough sleep. I think some people think I'm a bit nuts about it. Ha! See? I was right. This article talks about all kinds of bad things that happen if you (chronically) don't get enough sleep.

Choose Your Own Adventure Books are BACK!

2007-05-22T09:07:00.000-05:00

Woo-Hoo!!!! I guess it's only been a few years that these books have been out of print, but it just happened that those were the same years that I was shopping for kids' books again. The last time I was a big kids' books shopper was when *I* was a kid.

Damn, those books were SO cool! I loved them. Not quite as much as Encyclopedia Brown, but almost.

I assume they'll have a booth at ALA. Sure, the year I'm not going!

Check out http://www.chooseco.com/index.asp for more info. There's an interview with R.A. Montgomery and info about secret online endings for the books.

Yay!

Kleine-Levin Syndrome and Antidepressant Withdrawal

2007-03-02T12:19:00.000-06:00

I like reading about weird medical stuff. Rare diseases.

I just read an article about Kleine-Levin Syndrome. No, I'm not gettin all hypochondriac like and thinking I have it... but it sounds SO much like what happens to me if I stop taking my Effexor, an antidepressant. There's a horrible withdrawal if I miss even a day. There's even a name for it -- Antidepressant Discontinuation Syndrome.

From an article on eMedicine: Characteristic symptoms include hypersomnia (100%), cognitive changes (96%, including a specific feeling of derealization), eating disturbances (80%), hypersexuality (43%), compulsions (29%), and depressed mood (48%).

Yeah, that's a pretty good description of what it feels like to go through Effexor withdrawal. For me anyway. The only thing it's missing is the "electric shocks" feeling. (A common symptom when people stop taking an antidepressant is these weird feelings like an an electric shock going through your body or head.)

Just interesting.

Average for Librarian Salaries in Illinois

2007-02-27T12:22:00.000-06:00

librarian in Illinois $51,000

View Larger Salary Graph

This is from the Salary search feature on Indeed.com a fairly cool job search site, IMO.

Average librarian salaries for job postings in Illinois are 13% higher than average librarian salaries for job postings nationwide.

Just thought it was interesting.

Bad BAD customer service, oops OWNER!

2007-01-05T13:30:00.000-06:00

I hate bad customer service. Really really really. Just as much as a LOVE good customer service. And I fully believe that if a company sucks, word of mouth is just revenge.

Please do NOT shop at WeddingDepot.com if you feel the same way. If you don't, than just ignore this. :-)

The president/owner/sole customer service rep, Shaun Larson was ridiculously rude to a customer. This is all documented because he only deals with customers via email. Read the full story at Consumerist.com: WeddingDepot's Nonresponsive, Passive Aggressive, Customer Service

Ugh. Just makes my blood boil. I have no idea why. I know it's a silly waste of energy. This had nothing to do with me personally. I just don't like super-rude people in general.

I know that my blog has a close to zero readership, so it's unlikely this will cause WeddingDepot.com to lose even one customer. Eh. Just makes me feel better by trying to spread the word.

Oh, and just in case someone DOES try searching, Shaun J. Larson's other business is wedding photography, Image One.

things that make me laugh

2006-12-28T12:16:00.000-06:00

Ok, I realize that at times my sense of humor is, well, bizarre. I *really* got a kick out of celebrating my 100,000th birthday, for example. (32 decimal = 100000 binary).

This page of math jokes totally made me LOL at my desk, gaining fairly odd looks from others, since I rarely do that...

This is the one that made me guffaw:

A loaf of bread...

2006-11-29T22:22:00.000-06:00

WooHoo for YouTube!!! I can't count the number of times I've had conversations with people (of my age group) about the skit from Sesame Street where the kid has to remember what to buy at the store. "A loaf of bread, a container of milk, and a stick of buttah..." A lot of people would argue with me about the middle one... that it wasn't a *container* of milk. HA! I was RIGHT!

Sesame Street - A loaf of bread... from YouTube.com.

This makes me ridiculously happy.

Dancing with the stars DEBACLE

2006-11-19T19:27:00.000-06:00

I steadfastly maintain that the same basic principles are responsible for both Emmitt winning Dancing with the Stars over the extremely more talented Mario as are responsible for Bush being president. Look, people, I'm not saying Emmitt is a *bad* dancer. Not at all. He's a gazillion times better than me, for example. But to put him in even the same competition as Mario is kinda ridiculous. And I'm not just saying that because Mario is on my Christmas wishlist.

Whomever these people are.... these people who think Emmitt deserved to win over Mario.... those are NOT my kind of people. This is why I feel like a freak when generalizations are made about people. About Americans. They are never talking about ME! They're talking about the kind of people who shop at Walmart. Oh, come on, you know who I mean. Even if you yourself shop at Walmart for some bizarre reason, you've surely noticed that there IS a "type" of person there, right? That's who I mean.

I just don't get it. I don't get them. But, I figure they must think the same thing about me. And then I wonder if they even wonder about other people -- people like me, for example. I just don't know.

Making the connection between a sound and a reward changes brain and behavior

2006-10-26T12:21:00.000-05:00

Making the connection between a sound and a reward changes brain and behavior

I wonder what sort of connection my mind made between my mom's keys and something "good."

I swear I can recognize her keys -- or at least I could back when she was working and had a huge set of them -- out of a crowd.

Wouldn't the same sort of connection happen if one connected a punishment, instead of a reward, with a sound? Ok, I admit I have not read the original research article. I'm assuming they only tested for reward and not for punishment. I guess.

The little blurb I linked to above also mentions people being able to recognize their own cell phone's ring. I don't. Recognize mine, that is. However, I DO notice if the little beep telling me I have a text message rings. I'll hear and notice that even if my phone is in a different room in my house. But, the call ringtone? I don't hear that even if it's right next to me sometimes.

Incompetent People Really Have No Clue, Studies Find / They're blind to own failings, others' skills

2006-10-04T13:56:00.000-05:00

Incompetent People Really Have No Clue, Studies Find / They're blind to own failings, others' skills

Since I often worry that I'm not nearly as competent as I should be or as I feel that others think I am, I find this article, oddly, reassuring.

OTOH, if I thought I was brilliant, than presumably this article wouldn't change anything about how I felt about myself since I would assume that it didn't have anything to do with me.

So, since the article made me feel smarter does that mean that now I'm dumber than I was before I read it?

Sometimes I crack me up.

Hmmm... the research also shows that people who aren't funny often think they are, I think. All I know is I make ME laugh. :-)

Scarlett Johansson

2006-10-02T13:00:00.000-05:00

I can't stand her. She irritates the hell outta me.

Yeah, it's *probably* jealousy on some level, but knowing that doesn't make her any less irritating.

Damn her hair and her skin and her boobs. Especially her boobs. They *really* irritate me.

And how the hell does someone who's only 21 carry herself with such grace and sophistication? I mean, c'mon. That's just not normal.

If anyone has video of her tripping or stumbling, please let me know. Until I see that I will simply believe that she is not human. She's really like the alien from Species. I'm sure of it.

What I'd intended

2006-10-02T09:58:00.000-05:00

I never actually take the time to write letters to the editor of magazines I read. However, I often have a LOT to say after reading something. So, part of my original intent of this blog was just to have a place to say it. It's quick and easy and highly likely that no one is going to read it. :-)

Yes, I know I use smileys too much.

So, *if* I start doing what I'd orginally intended to do there may soon be a lot of ranting and raving and significantly more posts here.

Just letting my 3 or 4 readers know.

2006-09-20T09:32:00.000-05:00

Research shows who dies when and where

This study reminded me of how statistics and odds are sometimes (always?) almost meaningless.

Usually you hear what the average lifespan for an American man or woman is. Gender and nationality are factored in, but not race or location within the country. But, this study shows that those factors make a huge difference in your expected life expectancy.

"Asians can expect to live more than 15 years longer than high-risk urban blacks."

Now, I'm making an assumption here -- I want to admit that I haven't looked to see if this is accurate -- I'm assuming that urban black males have a high risk of dying young. And by young, I mean in their 20s or earlier, not young as in just younger than when most people die. So, what if you have an urban black male who is already 50 years old? Is his life expectancy still the same as an urban black male who is 5?

I know this has been pointed out to me before; odds don't really apply to a single individual person. I'm a white middle-class female living in a suburban area. This study predicts my life expectancy. But it doesn't take into account a LOT of other factors that are specific to just me. My family's health history, my personal habits, etc.

I've really liked stats classes I've taken. But, I think I fundametally don't *get* stats. I wish I did.

And that reminds me of another thing I don't get regarding stats... why is it that when there's a 40% chance of rain everyone acts as though it's *going* to rain??? It's more likely that it's NOT going to rain, right? But, hearing there's a 40% chance, people say "Oh, it's going to rain today."

I do not get it.

2006-09-11T08:44:00.000-05:00

So, it's been a while since I posted. Oh well.

And this is a *really* cheesy post, I know.

Where were you and what were you doing this morning five years ago today? Can't help but remember, right? It became a cliche even before a day had passed, probably.

I first heard about the planes hitting the towers when I got in my car on the way to work. I was living in Urbana, IL. My car's radio station was set to NPR and they were reporting on it. My first thought was that it was some sort of anniversary of the World Trade Center bombing of 1993 -- not immediately remembering exactly what year that had happened or that it had been winter. I'd been in NYC during that one.

By the time I got to work I had a better understanding of what had happened and I immediately went online to get more info. (Whoa, that there's an indication of how much had changed since 1993, huh?) We had a small tv at work that we tried to get reception on and watch -- didn't work very well and the web was a much better source of info. Then people slowly got back to work. I went home for lunch and was in complete shock that there were people just walking around campus as though nothing was different. I was actually pissed off about that. I couldn't understand how there could be a single person who didn't feel traumatized and ready to break into tears. Actually, I still can't.

I still get teary-eyed when I *really* think about it -- as opposed to just thinking about it, I don't know, I guess "politically" or as simply a news event. When I read stories about the women (mostly) who were engaged to people who died in the attack. Even just reading about that 9/11 documentary about that firehouse in NYC. Total waterworks. It surprises me since I don't think of myself as "emotional."

The actual attack itself is just something I don't think I will ever be able to think about or talk about "rationally." I can have discussions about what the United States has done to make other groups hate us. I can rationally discuss what some terrorist groups might be "right" about. I can NOT talk about anything remotely similar to how the 9/11 WTC attack might have been deserved, which I've heard people voice. "Just shut the F up if that's what you're going to suggest to me!"

And normally, I *love* having discussions with people about things that I disagree with. I'm always open to having my mind changed. BUT there are a few exceptions to that. A few things that I am just NOT open to having my mind changed about and since I know myself well enough to know that that's possible, I'll admit up front that I just don't want to discuss it. One is the existence of a higher power. People who are SO certain that they KNOW there IS one and exactly what he/she wants or is like piss me off. OTOH, I don't want to be convinced that a higher power doesn't exist either. I like believing that one does and I don't see what the harm is in possibly being wrong about that. (I don't mind someone trying to convince me that there IS harm in being wrong, though. I suppose if someone changed my view on that then I might be open to being convinced that there is no higher power, too. But not now.) Two: Let's not argue about pro-choice vs. pro-life. It's not so much that I don't think my point of view can be changed as that I don't think it's a decidable issue. (The issue being whether or not abortion is murder.) Kind of like the belief in a higher power or not -- it's just NOT knowable. And I can't help but wonder if that has something to do with Godel's Theorem, but I never have the patience to go figure that out. And third: 9/11 WTC. I just do NOT want to discuss the morality of it. NO no no. I just can't. I don't even know anyone who was killed. I don't even know anyone who KNOWS anyone who was killed. Yet it's still just too close and emotional for me to discuss. End of story.

Now, really, having only three issues that I don't feel able to debate with a clear rational mind isn't too bad, is it?

Wow, I go off on tangents a lot...

2006-06-01T19:33:00.000-05:00

I'm at my 10 year college reunion. Well, it doesn't actually start until tomorrow morning. Damn, I feel old.

I absolutely adore my school. The personality of the school fit me so well.

The weird thing is... I didn't really have any close friends here. At all. I transferred here for my junior and senior years. Even without a group of friends I loved it. But, why am I at the reunion? I don't know anyone. There are at least two people who are supposed to be coming who I remember fondly, but I don't know how well they will remember me.

I'm staying in one of the dorms. Free wireless. Yippee!

Did I mention this is just weird? Well, lets see how it goes...

2006-05-30T17:30:00.000-05:00

Stupid school!!!

Dominican University, where I earned my Master's in Library and Information Science in 2004, is claiming that I owe them tuition for classes taken in, get this, 2005.

No, I did not take classes there after I graduated. I have asked them over and over, via email, telephone, and mail, to tell me what classes these are that I supposedly took and did not pay for. Nothing. All they can tell me is their records say I owe them "tuition."

I paid for my tuituion to Dominican entirely with loans. Which I am paying off. (And which I consolidated at a kick-ass low rate, btw.)

So, now they've passed it on to a collection agency who is repeatedly calling my house. When I was finally home to talk to the lady that's calling, she was immediately bitchy. So, I was bitchy back. But then, I tried to explain that I DO NOT owe Dominican money and surely she has some sort of proof of how much I owe them and, more importantly, for what. Nope. She says she just knows I owe them money from 2005. I tried to explain that I payed for all of my tuition via loans and she tried to tell me that loans almost never cover tuition. Huh??? Somehow the fact that her children were older than me pertained to this.

Actually, the phone call ended calmly. I have to fax a written request for a "documentation of charges." And I bet all that's going to be is the same sheet of paper Domincan was sending me before that said "Tuition owed: $XXXX.XX" Yeah, that's helpful. But it's the first step, I guess.

I'm really pissed at Dominican. I love the faculty that teaches there. I really do. But the administration is seriously f*cked up. I know it's not just with me. I've heard lots of goofy stories of records being lost, registrations not working, etc.

ARGHHHHH!

2006-05-06T03:57:00.000-05:00

Coyote Ugly.

It's a real bar. A chain, I guess.

I danced on the bar.

Way cool!!!!

2006-05-01T08:26:00.000-05:00

Geeky high school guys.

I wish I could reassure all those geeky high school guys who are NOT having the best times during their adolescence that there is always hope.

Personally, I've dated two guys who were *definitely* geeky-looking in high school, but who were HOT in their 20s and 30s.

But, the hero for these guys really should be Patrick Dempsey.
From Can't Buy Me Love's Ronald Miller

to Grey's Anatomy's Dr. Shepherd.

Yummy.

geeks
hotties
Patrick+Dempsey
highschool

2006-04-26T07:57:00.000-05:00

Dum-Dum

I quit smoking 2 months, 2 weeks, and 6 days ago. I still feel the need to put something in my mouth when I'm driving. I just automatically grab for my cigarettes. So, instead, I've been eating Dum-Dum lollipops. This morning...

HORROR

I realized I'd run out.

I need to go shopping.

smoking
lollipops

Man kills mother, grills part of body - Yahoo! News

2006-04-26T07:55:00.000-05:00

Just a passing thought... why is it more interesting that he tried to grill part of her body than it is that he killed her? Would baking her have been less or more interesting?

Read more at news.yahoo.com/news

murder
matricide

2006-04-18T09:44:00.000-05:00

Oh, no! Criminals on MySpace!

Puh-leeze. So, there are people who are registered sex offenders who also have a profile on MySpace. You know what? There might be people who have served time for murder on there, too. Oh, but wait... it's only sex offenders who are required to carry their crimes with them all of their lives.

Yeah, I have a problem with the whole idea of registering sex offenders. They have served their time. If they have such a huge tendency to commit similar crimes again, how about we make their sentences longer? What a crazy idea.

The article states:
Wired News ran the names of randomly selected registered sex offenders in San Francisco and neighboring Sonoma County through MySpace's user search engine, and turned up no fewer than five men whose self-reported names, photographs, ages, astrological signs, locations and (in two instances) heights matched those of profiles on the state's online sex offender registry.

and

All of their online profiles, which understandably make no mention of their crimes, were surprisingly easy to find.

Ok, so then anyone can do the same. I don't think the people at Wired News have some sort of special skills that allowed them to find these profiles.

The article also points out that these people are not breaking any laws by having profiles on the site. Of course the don't include their criminal history in their profile. Other types of criminals probably don't either. And, OMG, they MISPORTRAY (which according to Merriam-Webster isn't a word?) themselves!!! Shock! Horror! I'm sure NONE of the teens using the site do THAT!

Blech!

MySpace
sex+offenders
rant

2006-04-03T10:43:00.000-05:00

I guess sex really does sell.

Hi MeFites.

And hi, Mom. Mom, don't click on the links. Really. You don't want to. I mean, you can if you want to. But, you don't.

I posted a question on ask.metafilter Friday, March 31st, about some sex-related websites. I had 76 visits to this blog on March 31st. Coincidence? I think not. ;-)

Sorry it's so boring, MeFites!

MetaFilter
sex

2006-03-31T12:17:00.000-06:00

The PINK Line!!!

The new Chicago el line is going to be pink! I'm so excited.

I don't even care where it goes. I'm going to ride it!

pink
Chicago
el

2006-03-30T08:54:00.000-06:00

9/11 Tapes Revive Lost Voices, and Families' Pain

Wow. The article starts out talking about some families who don't want to hear the tapes of their family members' voicess. I don't know that I would be able to not listen.

Will Sept. 11 ever be over, Debbie Andreacchio wondered...

I can't imagine what it must be like for the people who lost someone on 9/11. I still get teary when I read an article like this. And, really, I'm not an easily-gets-teary girl. I still get surprised at myself sometimes.

911

2006-03-28T20:12:00.000-06:00

So, House is featuring a couple who acts out their sexual fantasies. Fine. Except the couple, both the husband and the wife, are gorgeous. (is gorgeous? -- damn grammar.) So, uhm, no. Not believable. Sorry, I don't buy it.

House
sex

2006-03-28T14:23:00.000-06:00

Jellybeans.

The problem with jellybeans is that they are so small that it's not very satisfying to eat just one, but since each color has its own distinct flavor you either end up with a jumble of flavors in your mouth or you have to be really ridiculous and sort out a bunch of the same flavor to eat together.

jellybeans

2006-03-08T22:07:00.000-06:00

PostSecret

Yeah, Yeah. I know it's been around for a while now and there's even a book. But, still, I had to say...

I think PostSecret is one of the mostest beautiful things out there on the web.

No. Really.

There's more talk more about the internet isolating people than there is about how it unites people. Not that PostSecret unites people exactly. But, would you ever really really believe that there's truly someone else out there who writes letters they don't send? Or secretly enjoys life? (Just two recent examples...) I even find it enlightening to read the secrets that I don't empathize with. Tangent: I'm from Chicago. I'm allowed to end a sentence with "with."

Go ahead. Laugh. I'm sitting here feeling all warm and fuzzy inside.

PostSecret

2006-03-08T08:12:00.000-06:00

Biological Psychology

I just discovered this journal. It's so cool! There's a bunch of articles about the biology of, ahem, arousal. I find that kind of stuff fascinating. The science of sex.

Some sample article titles:

Women's preferences for sexual dimorphism in height depend on menstrual cycle phase and expected duration of relationship. [Abstract]
More frequent partner hugs and higher oxytocin levels are linked to lower blood pressure and heart rate in premenopausal women. [Abstract]
Men's ratings of female attractiveness are influenced more by changes in female waist size compared with changes in hip size. [Abstract]
A preliminary report relating frequency of vaginal intercourse to heart rate variability, Valsalva ratio, blood pressure, and cohabitation status. [Abstract]

I'm so easily amused...

biological
psychology
journal
sex

2006-03-07T07:39:00.000-06:00

The Game by Neil Strauss

I loved this book. For those that don't know, it's about a community of guys who become experts at seduction. It's non-fiction. There's a gazillion communities online that most people have no idea about. I'm sure they exist off-line, too, but I'm mainly aware of the ones that have grown over the internet.

Anyway, I'm really not good at summarizing what books are about. If I were, I'd probably spend a damn lot of my time doing it since I read so many books. So, if you want a summary, go to the one on Amazon.

So, as a female, why would I love this book? It's not because it lets me in on all the tricks these guys use, though that is kind of neat. First, I like the idea of there being these guys interested in seduction out there. I enjoy being seduced. It's a great feeling. I like that this book tells how it can all go wrong if too much effort and attention is put on the technique rather than enjoying the "game" itself. I enjoy being seduced by a guy who really enjoys women. I don't enjoy being seduced by a guy who's trying to get back at women who have rejected him. That's like that game where you're supposed to fall backwards and trust that the other person will catch you. But, they don't. Or, when someone tries to trick you into doing or saying something that makes you seem stupid. And then they laugh at you. I HATE that.

The thing is, even though I've read the book and read about the techniques, I'm completely confident that they would work on me. Even if I was aware that the guy was using them. Seriously. It's good stuff.

Oh, except there's a technique they talk about in the book called negging. It's basically playfully insulting the girl so as to rile her up a bit and also to show that he's not one of those guys who's just blown away by her looks. That technique, at least with me could seriously backfire. Not always, but sometimes. How do I explain? If a guy negged me about something I was sensitive about, I'd be pissed off, not intrigued. However, if he negged me about something I was kind of secretly proud of, I'd probably fall for it. Trying to think of concrete examples... oh well. Hope it makes sense anyway.

I wish there were instructions out there for women to seduce men. Supposedly The Art of Seduction can be used by either gender, but I haven't read it yet.

books
pickupartist
PUA

2006-02-21T10:38:00.000-06:00

Amazon.com

I use Amazon a lot for recommendations. Most books that I read I end up getting from the library, but I try to use Amazon for purchases because I use their services so much. There's a whole bunch of blogs about Google that detail news, updates, changes, etc. but so far I haven't found any at all for Amazon and I'm too lazy to make one myself.

Anyway... recently I noticed a change at Amazon Books. It used to be that when I did a search for a title there would be icons next to some of the search results indicating that that book was recommended for me. I LOVED that feature. I keep this ridiculously anal list of books that I want to read and would add books to it based on that icon ALL THE TIME. Now, it's gone. It still shows up on the main Amazon books page, but not in the search results pages.

So, I thought I'd email Amazon and see if that feature had been done away with or if it was just temporarily gone. I've emailed Amazon in the past with questions about both their website and about my orders and I've always been amazed at how quickly and thoroughly they'd answer. So, this time I was surprised. Below is most of the back and forth emails sent. (Not all because one of my emails includes an earlier email.)

> Date: Tue Feb 14 03:57:01 UTC 2006
> Subject; Recommendations
> To: int-primary__4r4t4y@amazon.com
> From: ME
>
> ---------------
> 02/13/06 19:56:39
> NAME: ME
> ORDER ID:
> ITEMS:
>
> COMMENTS: I think this is something I should be emailing customer
service
> about instead of posting on the discussion boards...
>
> It appears that the "recommended for you" icon is no longer
showing up in
> my search results. Is that feature coming back? Is it possible
that it's
> not showing up because I've switched from Internet Explorer to
Mozilla
> Firefox?
>
> Thanks,
> ME

From: "Amazon.com Customer Service"
[Add to Address Book]
To: ME
Subject: Your Amazon.com Inquiry
Date: Tuesday, February 14, 2006 03:21:47 PM [View Source]

Thank you for contacting Amazon.com.

I apologize if you are having difficulty with our website. I have
looked into this matter and found that Amazon.com's web site should
appear the same regardless which browser you use. It appears that
maybe you need to clear your cookies files.

If this solution does not work please contact us back.

Thank you for shopping Amazon.com.

Please let us know if this e-mail resolved your question:

If yes, click here:
http://www.amazon.com/rsvp-y?c=ryxyuvtt3233614577
If not, click here:
http://www.amazon.com/rsvp-n?c=ryxyuvtt3233614577

Please note: this e-mail was sent from an address that cannot accept
incoming e-mail.

To contact us about an unrelated issue, please visit the Help
section of our web site.

Best regards,

Becky
Amazon.com Customer Service
http://www.amazon.com
==============================
Check your order and more: http://www.amazon.com/your-account

ref_id:=ceyquvtt1086141488

This didn't work, so I emailed them again:

> Date: Mon Feb 20 17:57:13 UTC 2006
> Subject; HMD Feedback to Amazon.com
> To: int-form-feedback__34erdf@amazon.com
> From: ME
>
> ---------------
> 02/20/06 09:57:12
> NAME: ME
> COMM ID: ryxyuvtt3233614577
> COMMENTS: I did try clearing the cache and the cookies as well as
using an entirely different computer. The icons are still gone. The
Amazon Books page still shows the little lightbulbs with the text
Why? next to books that are recommended. However, say I do a search
of "The Baby Book". In the past, the search results page would show
the book The Baby Book: Everything You Need to Know About Your Baby
from Birth to Age Two (Revised and Updated Edition) -- by James
Sears, et al, as well as other similar books. Next to that book and
many of the others would be the lightbulb icon, indicating that book
was recommended to me personally. That no longer happens. For any
books at all.
>
> It's not as though this is a serious problem or anything like
that. It was just a feature I *really* liked on Amazon and was
curious as to whether it was gone forever.
>
> Thanks,
> ME

Their response:

From: "Amazon.com Customer Service"
[Add to Address Book]
To: ME
Subject: Your Amazon.com Inquiry
Date: Monday, February 20, 2006 03:44:58 PM [View Source]

Thanks for writing us at Amazon.com.

I am sorry to hear that the "recommended for you" icon is not
appearing in your account.

Many common problems can be solved by adjusting your browser
settings:

1) Try reloading. If the site is taking a long time, or if a page
loads for a long, long time, click the "Stop" button at the top of
your browser and then click "Reload" or "Refresh" at the top of your
browser window.

2) Clear your cache. Most browsers temporarily store a local copy of
every page you visit on the web. Clearing your cache deletes all of
those files and makes room for new ones. You can find information on
clearing your cache by consulting the Help link on your browser menu.

3) Clear your cookies. Cookies are short pieces of data that are
stored by your web browser that help to recognize you automatically
whenever you return to our site and let you take advantage of the
many personalization and recommendation features we offer. They also
are necessary for our 1-Click Shopping and Shopping Cart to work
efficiently. If a cookie becomes corrupted on your computer, it may
cause you to have difficulty using Amazon.com. Please consult your
browser's Help menu for instructions on removing cookies. Removing
old or damaged cookies will allow new cookies to be created when you
visit us next time.

4) Try our standard server. If you have trouble accessing the order
form, or if the order form gives you an error on the final step,
using the standard server should allow the order to go through. You
can select the standard server when you enter your e-mail address and
password after clicking "Proceed to Checkout." When submitting an
order on the standard server, if we don't already have your credit
card number on file, it's best to enter just the last five digits of
the card number and then call us with the complete number after
placing the order.

If these suggestions fail to solve the problem and you believe there
may be a technical error on Amazon.com, please click the link below
to send us a detailed description of how to duplicate the the error
and where it is occurring. We can then notify the correct team to
ensure the problem is corrected.

Thanks for shopping with Amazon.com.

Please visit the following link to provide the information we
requested:

http://www.amazon.com/rsvp-mi?c=fatyucxt3231976477&q=o2r

Please note: this e-mail was sent from an address that cannot accept
incoming e-mail. Please use the link above to send us your reply.

Best regards,

Narendra Prasad
Amazon.com Customer Service
http://www.amazon.com
==============================
Check your order and more: http://www.amazon.com/your-account

ref_id:=yuyeucxt1084504895

My response to that details how absolutely ridiculous this advice is, in case it's not obvious.

> Date: Tue Feb 21 14:54:29 UTC 2006
> Subject; Additional Information
> To: int-orders2__poiqwe@amazon.com
> From: ME
>
> ---------------
> 02/21/06 06:54:28
> NAME: ME
> COMM ID: fatyucxt3231976477
> COMMENTS: I've copied below the email I received from Amazon so
that I can refer to it.
>
> Hopefully, it will be possible for someone to respond that has
actually read the email I sent.
>
> Re 1, 2, and 3. I clearly mentioned already that I did try to
clear the cache, clear the cookies, and used different computers.
>
> Re 4. My question had absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with
ordering.
>
> Re "please click the link below
> to send us a detailed description of how to duplicate the the
error
> and where it is occurring." I DID send a detailed description,
even giving an exact title for an example.
>
> As I ALSO mentioned, it's not as though this problem is a big
deal. It's not stopping me from ordering through Amazon. This
ridiculous reply I received, though, might. However, in the past, I
have only had absolutely wonderful encounters with customer service -
- above and beyond what most companies provide or that I would ever
expect. I've realized by now, after a week, that the recommended
for you icon is probably not going to return to my search results
since I've noticed in the past that when there's a change in
features, it only lasts a day or two if it's temporary. I'm just
kind of ticked off that instead of a response that made sense --
even if it was just "I don't know" -- I got one that showed that
there was no way the customer service representative either read or
understood my question.
>
> Thank you,
> ME

From: "Amazon.com Customer Service"
[Add to Address Book]
To: ME
Subject: Your Amazon.com Inquiry
Date: Tuesday, February 21, 2006 10:26:42 AM [View Source]

Hello from Amazon.com.

I have reviewed our previous correspondence with you, and I offer my
sincere apologies for any misunderstanding thus far.

I went through the process that you described and there was not
signal that you had made a recommendation for the book "The Baby
Book: Everything You Need to Know About Your Baby
from Birth to Age Two (Revised and Updated Edition)."

It is always important for us to hear how customers react to all
aspects of shopping at Amazon.com. Strong customer feedback like
yours helps us continue to improve the selection and service we
provide, and we appreciate the time you took to write to us.

I have already passed your message on to the appropriate department
in our company for consideration. Customer feedback like yours is
very important in helping us continue to improve the selection and
service we provide.

Thank you for shopping at Amazon.com. We hope to see you again soon.

Best regards,

Susie B.
Amazon.com Customer Service
http://www.amazon.com
==============================
Check your order and more: http://www.amazon.com/your-account

ref_id:=hecedtct1085422599

I give up.

And I know this is a very un-PC thing of me to wonder, but I do wonder if Amazon has, since I've last communicated with them, outsourced their customer service operations abroad. Do these people not understand English? Or they're not really familiar with the website itself?

ARRRGH.

Amazon
customerservice books
recommendations

2005-12-08T11:39:00.000-06:00

Chicago Tribune Smoking ban OKd by Chicago City Council

Even as a smoker, I don't really have a problem with this. I can still go outside and have a cigarette. I do this all the time anyway. And I can understand that non-smokers really really hate the smell / other effects of second-hand smoke.

What pisses me off is the smugness and nastiness of so many online smoking-ban-supporting posters' comments about the ban. (Not related to the link above -- just what I've seen in various forums.) You won. Why do you feel the need to talk about what awful human beings the smokers are? It just completely aggravates me.

And this is not an argument against the ban, but I wonder how the city of Chicago is going to make up the revune it's losing from cigarette taxes. Obviously smokers are still going to be buying cigarettes, but not in restaurants and bars anymore. That's where they were even higher in price than anywhere else. Since tax is a percentage of the price, I'm assuming they got more money from cigarette sales at those places. Actually, I guess I'm wondering how much revenue they'll lose. (There's also the argument that they'll make that revenue up by the savings in health-care costs... I assume that could be true, but I really don't understand how all of that works.) I'm just curious what the number in dollars would be.

The ban is hardly going to affect me at all. And as I note below I'm planning on quitting in February anyway.

For you non-smokers in Chicago -- just be happy that the ban passed and be nice.

smoking
smokers
Chicago
manners

2005-12-05T14:31:00.000-06:00

Updated 12/30/05:

I read a lot. No, really... a lot.

Last year a friend of mine asked me how many books I read in a year. I realized that I didn't have any idea. So, this year I've kept track. I'm pretty sure I've missed a few, but from what I have recorded, I've read 144 books between January 1, 2005 and December 30, 2005.

I once had a boyfriend (as he was becoming an ex-boyfriend) tell me that one of the reasons he was breaking up with me was because I didn't read enough. He then amended that to say that I didn't read enough serious stuff. When I tell people this little anecdote, I like to add that it took him months to read one of the Harry Potter books. Granted, English was not his first language. But, he was reading it IN his first language, not in English.

I do read non-serious books. Especially dating self-help books. I like them. But, I think there's a few "serious" books in the list, too, and probably more than the average American reads in a year.

Anyway, here's my list -- because I like lists -- of the books I've read so far in 2005. There's still a few weeks left of 2005, so I'll try to update it when I remember.

Warning Signs by Stephen White
Twisted : A Novel by Jonathan Kellerman
What to Keep : A Novel by Rachel Cline
Green River, Running Red : The Real Story of the Green River Killer--America's Deadliest Serial Murderer by Ann Rule
Single: The Art of Being Satisfied, Fulfilled and Independent by Judy Ford
Dog Handling by Clare Naylor
Can't Buy My Love: How Advertising Changes the Way We Think and Feel by Mary Pipher (Foreword), Jean Kilbourne
Slim Chance by Jackie Rose
The Secret Lives of Toddlers : A Parent's Guide to the Wonderful, Terrible, Fascinating Behavior of Children Ages 1 to 3 by Jana Murphy
The Plot Against America by Philip Roth
Codex by Lev Grossman
24 Hours by Greg Iles
The Curse of the Singles Table : A True Story of 1001 Nights Without Sex by Suzanne Schlosberg
100 Most Dangerous Things in Everyday Life and What you Can Do About Them by Laura Lee
Persepolis : The Story of a Childhood by Marjane Satrapi
Choke by Chuck Palahniuk
Double Homicide: Boston / Sante Fe (2 in 1) by Faye Kellerman, Jonathan Kellerman
Invisible Monsters by Chuck Palahniuk
Honeymoon by James Patterson, Howard Roughan
Afterlife by Douglas Clegg
Salem Falls by Jodi Picoult
Animals in Translation : Using the Mysteries of Autism to Decode Animal Behavior by Temple Grandin, Catherine Johnson
Death du Jour by Kathy Reichs
Entre Nous : A Woman's Guide to Finding Her Inner French Girl by Debra Ollivier
State of Fear by Michael Crichton
The Money Book for the Young, Fabulous & Broke by Suze Orman
Almost French: Love And A New Life In Paris by Sarah Turnbull
Food Politics: How the Food Industry Influences Nutrition and Health by Marion Nestle
Deadly Decisions by Kathy Reichs
Stricken: Voices from the Hidden Epidemic of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome by Peggy Munson (Editor)
A Question of Blood : An Inspector Rebus Novel by Ian Rankin
Mercy by Jodi Picoult
The Librarian's Career Guidebook by Priscilla K. Shontz
Missing Persons by Stephen White
So Many Books, So Little Time : A Year of Passionate Reading by Sara Nelson
Harvesting the Heart by Jodi Picoult
The Know-It-All : One Man's Humble Quest to Become the Smartest Person in the World by A. J. Jacobs
How to Make Love Like a Porn Star: A Cautionary Tale by Jenna Jameson, Neil Strauss
Fatal Voyage : A Novel by Kathy Reichs
Keeping Faith : A Novel by Jodi Picoult
The Placebo Chronicles : Strange But True Tales From the Doctors' Lounge by Douglas Md Farrago, Gordon W. Marshall (Illustrator)
Behind Every Great Woman There's A Fabulous Gay Man : Advice from a Guy Who Gives It To You Straight by Dave Singleton
Vanishing Acts : A Novel by Jodi Picoult
The Birth of Venus : A Novel by Sarah Dunant
The Broker by John Grisham
Life Expectancy by Dean Koontz
Grave Secrets by Kathy Reichs
Night Fall by Nelson DeMille
The Pact: A Love Story by Jodi Picoult
Name All the Animals : A Memoir by Alison Smith
Falling in Love for All the Right Reasons : How to Find Your Soul Mate by Ken Abraham, Neil Clark Warren
Stranger Than Fiction : True Stories by Chuck Palahniuk
How I Fell in Love with a Librarian and Lived to Tell about it by Rhett Ellis
Perfect Match: A Novel by Jodi Picoult
Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert A. Heinlein
Adventures in the Atomic Age : From Watts to Washington by Glenn T. Seaborg, Eric Seaborg
102 Minutes : The Untold Story of the Fight to Survive Inside the Twin Towers by Jim Dwyer, Kevin Flynn
Bare Bones : A Novel by Kathy Reichs
Plain Truth by Jodi Picoult
Keeping Faith : A Novel by Jodi Picoult
The Cabinet of Curiosities by Douglas Preston, Lincoln Child
C'est la Vie : An American Conquers the City of Light, Begins a New Life, and Becomes--Zut Alors!--Almost French by Suzy Gershman
Burning Man by Phillip M. Margolin
A is for Alibi: A Kinsey Millhone Mystery by Sue Grafton
Around the World in 80 Dates by Jennifer Cox
Tara Road by Maeve Binchy
Second Glance: A Novel by Jodi Picoult
Monday Mourning: A Novel by Kathy Reichs
B Is for Burglar by Sue Grafton
The Innocent by Harlan Coben
Songs of the Humpback Whale : A Novel in Five Voices by Jodi Picoult
Superdate by Tracey Cox
I Can't Believe I'm Buying This Book: A Commonsense Guide to Successful Internet Dating by Evan Marc Katz
Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed by Jared Diamond
The Hookup Handbook : A Single Girl's Guide to Living It Up by Jessica Rozler, et al.
D Is for Deadbeat by Sue Grafton
American Girls About Town by Jennifer Weiner, et al.
Deficiency by Andrew Neiderman
We Wish to Inform You That Tomorrow We Will be Killed With Our Families: Stories from Rwanda by Philip Gourevitch
Picture Perfect by Jodi Picoult
Final Target by Iris Johansen
Information Architecture for the World Wide Web: Designing Large-Scale Web Sites by Louis Rosenfeld, Peter Morville
Freakonomics : A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything by Steven D. Levitt, Stephen J. Dubner
The Closers by Michael Connelly
It's You That I Want to Kiss by Maxim Jakubowski
Broken Prey (Lucas Davenport Mysteries) by John Sandford
Still Missing by Beth Gutcheon
Private Practices by Stephen White
Remote Control by Stephen White
The Best Revenge by Stephen White
Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers by Mary Roach
The Namesake : A Novel by Jhumpa Lahiri
When You Ride Alone You Ride With Bin Laden: What the Government Should Be Telling Us to Help Fight the War on Terrorism by Bill Maher
Last Man Standing by David Baldacci
The Big Bad Wolf by James Patterson
A Long Way Down by Nick Hornby
The Known World : A Novel by Edward P. Jones
Rage by Jonathan Kellerman
The Twelfth Card by Jeffery Deaver
The Glass Castle : A Memoir by Jeannette Walls
Marker by Robin Cook
When Will Jesus Bring the Pork Chops? by George Carlin
The Sociopath Next Door by Martha Phd Stout
The Washingtonienne : A Novel by Jessica Cutler
The Game: Penetrating the Secret Society of Pickup Artists by Neil Strauss
More Than Complete Hitchhiker's Guide: Complete & Unabridged by Douglas Adams
The World Is Flat: A Brief History of the Twenty-first Century by Thomas L. Friedman
Bait and Switch : The (Futile) Pursuit of the American Dream by Barbara Ehrenreich
YOU: The Owner's Manual : An Insider's Guide to the Body that Will Make You Healthier and Younger by Michael F. Roizen, Mehmet Oz
The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory
The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
The Mermaid Chair: A Novel by Sue Monk Kidd
Predator by Patricia Cornwell
The Simple Truth by David Baldacci
Dear Valued Customer: You Are A Loser by Rick Broadhead
Dance of Death by Douglas Preston, Lincoln Child
Playing House : A Starter Guide to Being a Grown-Up by Celeste Perron
On Bullshit by Harry G. Frankfurt
Was It Something I Said?: A Novel by Valerie Block
Feeling Good : The New Mood Therapy by David D. Burns
C Is for Corpse by Sue Grafton
Why Do Men Have Nipples? Hundreds of Questions You'd Only Ask a Doctor After Your Third Martini by Mark Leyner, Billy Goldberg
What Nurses Know: And Doctors Don't Have Time to Tell You by Patricia Carroll
The Friendship Crisis : Finding, Making, and Keeping Friends When You're Not a Kid Anymore by Marla Paul
Decorating with Funky Shui: How to Lighten Up, Loosen Up, and Have Fun Decorating Your Home by Jennifer O'Neil, Kitty O'Neil
Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim by David Sedaris
Woman's Inhumanity to Woman by Phyllis Chesler
The Official Patient's Sourcebook on Addison's Disease: A Revised and Updated Directory for the Internet Age by Icon Health Publications
Disobedience : A Novel by Jane Hamilton
The Jane Austen Book Club by Karen Joy Fowler
The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
Why Men Marry Some Women and Not Others: The Fascinating Research That Can Land You the Husband of Your Dreams by John T. Molloy
Can You Keep a Secret? by Sophie Kinsella
36 Views of Mount Fuji: On Finding Myself in Japan by Cathy N. Davidson
The Paradox of Choice: Why More Is Less by Barry Schwartz
The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable by Patrick M. Lencioni
Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card
50 Facts that Should Change the World by Jessica Williams
The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova
For Women Only : What You Need to Know about the Inner Lives of Men by Shaunti Feldhahn
Speaker for the Dead by Orson Scott Card
Are Men Necessary? by Maureen Dowd
Death Rounds by Peter Clement

books

2005-12-01T08:17:00.000-06:00

I got my hair cut Tuesday. It's a short bob, with full bangs. Since then everyone has to tell me that I look like someone. So, far I've gotten Prince Valiant, Johnny Depp's Willy Wonka, Amelie (so far the most common comparison), Anne Rice, Catherine Zeta-Jones in Chicago, Uma Thurman in Pulp Fiction, and Anjelica Huston.

The thing is, I was going for a "celebrity" look -- only it was Louise Brooks.

hair
bob

2005-11-18T10:17:00.000-06:00

Small Town Misfit: "A selection of police blots from small-town papers"

Almost as amusing as Overheard in New York, except, you know, less urban.

smalltownmisfit
Overheardinnewyork

2005-11-18T08:09:00.000-06:00

Who do you look like?

Whoa. This is the coolest thing. Upload a photo of your face to http://www.myheritage.com/ and the software will tell you what celebrities you resemble. It has to be a clear photo of your face otherwise it doesn't work.

Me:
Nina Hagen 71% match (well, at least it's a nice ego boost, if not actually true. I'm a sucker for compliments.)
Asia Argento 67%
Anne Rice 67%
Uma Thurman 65%
Keira Knightly 65%
Hilary Swank 65%
Annete Benning 65%
Bjork 64%
Sandra Bullock 62%
Emma Watson 62%

I have been told in the past (lots of times) that I look like Bjork. And I've been told I resemble Annete Benning a couple of times.

A totally different photo got me matched to Lindsay Lohan at 72%. It's totally the cheeks.

myheritage

2005-11-16T21:03:00.000-06:00

I am in love with House, M.D.

I have this thing about getting crushes on fictional characters. Over the years, my crushes have included Fox Mulder, Dr. Joel Fleischman, Charlie Epps, and Christopher Dollanganger.

If I also include the two or three real-life guys I've been seriously smitten with, I've figured out (at least one of) the common traits among them. I have a thing for brilliant, arrogant guys. (Charlie's only arrogant when it comes to his career, but still...)

I'm doomed.

crushes
House
Mulder
fiction
arrogance

2005-11-15T07:35:00.000-06:00

CNN.com - 'Wrap up' advice to stop colds - Nov 14, 2005: "British researchers into the common cold say 'catching a chill' really does help colds develop -- and are advising to 'wrap up warm' to keep viruses at bay."

This really bothers me. I have this ridiculous need to always be right. Which doesn't mean that I insist on being right when I'm not. Instead it means that when I find out I'm wrong, I feel like I have to correct myself. I don't know how many people I've told, "no, being cold doesn't give you a cold." I feel like I need to go find everyone I've ever said this to and admit that I was wrong. Eh, posting this will have to do.

colds

2005-11-04T09:47:00.000-06:00

That Fat Bastard: Why the Dirty Librarian thing?

Librarians have a thing about their image. That Fat Bastard says we're "secretly pleased" about the dirty librarian fetish. I don't think it's such a secret!

librarian
fetish

2005-11-04T07:35:00.000-06:00

ABC News: Improve Your Odds of Kicking the Smoking Habit: "Improve Your Odds of Kicking the Smoking HabitHelp Lines, Nicotine Replacement Products Increase Chances of Success

SEATTLE, Nov. 3, 2005 -- Every year, millions of Americans try to quit smoking, and millions fail. It's not surprising -- researchers say most are going about it all wrong. "

No kidding. A while ago, I tried quitting cold turkey. I lasted about a week. I was a complete wreck. I couldn't get anything done. I'd burst into tears. It was torture.

I have a new plan. My mom goes away to housesit for a friend in a very small isolated town for three months in the winter. I'm planning on quitting the week before I go visit her for a week. I read that the second week is possibly worse than the first. And this time I'm using the patch! So, if I'm still a wreck the second week, at least I'll be on vacation with little responsibility and my mom to deal with me being on an emotional roller-coster. Poor Mom.

quitting
smoking

2005-11-02T15:54:00.000-06:00

Holding my nose, closing my eyes, and jumping in. Which is a weird analogy considering that I don't know how to swim.

I've been thinking of starting a blog since before "blog" was a word. I've been working on websites in some manner since about 1996, yet never had my own. I thought about it, though.

I thought, "How cool would it be to just have a page with my random thoughts. And then put links in the text to stuff I was talking about or to past postings that had to do with the current one..."

The first time I saw something similar to this was at The Misanthropic Bitch, which is amazlingly still around.

Yeah, so I'm finally getting around to it. And in honor of nanowrimo, I've decided to just jump in and stop planning it in my head.