On Travelling

They say travel broadens your horizons. (Sadly, it isn’t my just my horizons that have gotten broader; my waistline really should be included in that equation.)  Traveling as much as I have has given me a perspective on certain things in life that I would not have had I stayed closer to home.

On my Facebook profile page I have two tabs for maps. One is of countries I’ve visited; the other is cities I’ve been to. The international cities were pretty easy to fill in...the US stuff’s been a bit harder, because there’s been so many. I hadn’t really realized how much I’ve traveled until I filled in the maps. I’ve been to Canada, Mexico, Guam, Japan, Ireland...and have been in just about every state in the union. I have the pictures, by and large, to prove it. Most of them have been taken from the time I was in high school on. Traveling is generally a safe, fun thing to do (unless you are moving, and then it’s a royal pain). It can, however, have its dangers: I have a flat spot on the bridge of my nose where some serious yardage of Daytona Beach, Fl. sandblasted it away body surfing. (Ask me about that sometime.)

In the last few years I’ve had a chance to go to a couple of the Hawai’ian Islands. I can hardly wait to go back. I’ve also recently been to Victoria and Vancouver, BC. I’m already thinking about what I want to see when I return there.

Having gone to Hawai’i as an adult means that I ate in more of the local restaurants, saw a few more sights than I might have otherwise, and learned more about the culture and appreciated it more as a result, instead of the “been there, done that” which would have resulted had I gone there as a teenager. 

And that’s one of the problems of having traveled so much as a younger person. You have to go back to see what has changed and sometimes it’s better, and sometimes you find places that were more fun or more “magical” at the time have changed. You look at them and wonder what the big deal is/was. I still feel somewhat that way about Las Vegas. I’m going back soon for a few days, and I intend to see a few more things than I did my last trip. Having said that, there’s not all that much I really want to see. A few days should do it.

They say wherever you go, you can’t see everything in one trip. Once again, “they” are right. When we went to the Grand Canyon, we didn’t try to see it all in a day. The same held true for Las Vegas, Montreal, Killarney and Cork, and several other places we’ve been. (And yes, there are places we’ve been that if we never go back it won’t really break our hearts, if you know what I mean.)

This article really comes down to places I’d like to go back and see more of. For example, on O’ahu, since we were there for a Sweet Adelines convention, I want to go back and explore some more of the island, without having to worry about getting Deena back for rehearsals and competition. I want to spend more time on the beaches, especially Waikiki. As an aging surfer, I’d like to leave a lei at the statue of Duke Kahanamoku, and have a chance to actually surf there this time. I want to spend more time on the North Shore in general, and at places like Waimea Bay and Hale’iwa. And there’s more I’d like to do even after that.

On the Big Island, I want to take the observatory tour. I’d like to go back to Volcanoes National Park, and see lava flowing this time. I’d like to tour the Mauna Loa macadamia nut plantation. I’d like to see more of Hilo, and spend a whole day just loafing around Kona proper. I’d like to surf here, too. 

This only covers the two islands I’ve been to. I also want to go to Maui.

I’d like to see what Killarney looks like these days. I’d love to take the Ring of Kerry tour again, this time with a digital camera. Same with Blarney Castle. I’d like several days to really explore Cork. I want to go back to Montreal (again, without a barbershop convention like we did in 2003) and spend several days there poking around a bit more. I’d like to spend a whole day in Niagara Falls, ON. See the falls, from both sides of the water again. See a bit more of the city itself. I enjoyed going back to Victoria, BC for a day last month. I hadn’t been there since 1983. I knew I couldn’t even begin to do that city justice in a day. Two days in and around Vancouver, BC wasn’t enough, either. I need to return to both because there’s just so much more to see.

Oddly enough, I don’t care if I go back to Guam. The few memories I do have are kind of special, and I don’t want them ruined by what things look like today, because I know there’s been a lot of development there over the last batch of years.

Enough for now.

2010 vacation, part three

Thursday, August 19:

Today we did some of the parks around Vancouver. We left camp and crossed the border at Aldergrove. We started off at Lynn Canyon, which has a suspension bridge over the canyon. For those who know me, you know I’m not overly fond of heights to start with, and crossing this bridge was...interesting, shall we say. 

Once across the bridge, we hiked down to Twin Falls, which is pretty, then hiked back up to the car and went to lunch. This was at the Black Bear Pub, which was a pleasant find for us. We then proceeded to Lighthouse Park and hiked down to the lighthouse...and back. 

We decided we wanted to drive up Cypress Mountain. The view would normally be quite spectacular...but smoke from the fires up north and some overcast conditions made the view a little less than optimum. We also discovered that Cypress Mountain was taking down some of the Olympic stuff. We got what pictures we could, and then headed off to find a SkyTrain map. 

Our journey took us to Park Royale Mall off Burrard Street. There was a BCAA office there; we figured surely they’d have a map. No such luck. They recommended either the library or London Drugs. So we went into the mall, stopped at Murchie’s for tea, then headed down to London Drugs. 

No luck there. They recommended the library as well. 

We wandered back up the mall, stopped at Murchie’s and bought some tea to bring home (they have an excellent Earl Grey), and went into the Bay. I was looking to buy another shirt, but they didn’t have the size in the color I wanted. So I bought a few Olympic souvenirs and was signed up for their points card, and after some discussion of what sounded good, we headed to Surrey for dinner. 

Dinner was at Moxie’s Classic Grill. Deena and I had eaten in the one at Windsor and liked it, so this was actually a good choice. After dinner, we went to the concierge (This Moxie’s was located inside the Sandman Suites hotel) and asked for a SkyTrain map. 

No joy there...he recommended the library. 

We drove a bit more, found a train station, and I hopped out of the car. No maps there, either. 

At this point, it was approaching 9:00 PM, so we decided it was time to head back to camp. Back on the TC-1 over to Aldergrove, cross the border, and return to camp. Deena decided to try online for a map. 

The story of our trip: the wi-fi went down. (Actually, all along our trip, wi-fi was spotty at the very best, and non-existent a great deal of the time. Which may well have been A Good Thing.)


Pictures:
Lynn Canyon, Lighthouse Park, Cypress Mountain BC

Friday, August 20:

This morning we were not moving too fast. Took the bus/truck entrance into BC, stopped at the Visitor Info center at Surrey. Very nice, lots of information. 

No maps of the transit system. She didn’t recommend going to the library, at least. 

Driving into Vancouver proper, we started off at the Nitobi Memorial Japanese Garden at the University of BC. It’s really beautiful and serene, except for the trucks that drive past in the rear. 

Then came lunch. After a brief excursus in which we found that the Westward Ho restaurant was located in the local golf course (which leads to things like $15 CDN hamburgers), we ended up at a place called “The Diner.” 

Three words: Eat here. Now. Our server was one of the owners (we suspect) and it is the quaintest British pub. The food was good and plentiful, everyone was friendly and we left feeling like we were family.

Across the street was a Safeway, so we went in so Dan could purchase batteries. We also were able to purchase tickets for the SkyTrain...and they had maps as well. Much joy!

From there, we headed into downtown Vancouver. Parking at the Olympic Station on the Canada Line of the SkyTrain, we started walking, hoping to find the Olympic cauldron. 

We walked past the Plaza of Nations, which is somewhat disappointing because (A) all the flags of the various nations are gone, replaced with national, provincial, and city flags, as well as the flag of (B) the casino that now holds the property.  Stepping inside the casino and asking about the cauldron, they pointed us toward Chinatown. We had a walking tour planned through there anyway, so off we went. 

We walked through Chinatown, past the world’s thinnest building and other points of interest. Walked through the Gastown district, past the steam powered clock and the spot where they named the city. Stopped into a souvenir stand and asked about the Olympic cauldron. The guy behind the counter replied he didn’t have any for sale. 

We kept walking. We passed the Japadog stand, which had been featured on the Travel Channel. We kept walking toward Canada Place; we wanted to see what the cruise ship was blocking. Stopping in the RCMP Post store (where I purchased a postcard and a RCMP collar pin) I asked the whereabouts of the cauldron.

God bless the RCMP! 

They told us we were just a few blocks away. I told the gents behind the counter about the directions given us by the casino people, and one rolled his eyes and the other simply scowled. I suspect this is not a new issue.

Continuing the walk, we got to Canada Place and walked around that. Hiked might be a better term as it is rather good sized. (They park cruise ships there, after all.) We then hiked over to the cauldron. It’s not as large as I thought it would be, but you certainly can’t miss it. 

Finally, it was time to get on a train and sit for a few miles. We rode the Canada Line to the end quite literally; just past the Richmond station about 36.5 metres-- roughly 40 yards or so if that much--the track simply ends. Portland’s Tri-Met should use the signs in the station: “Way Out” instead of “exit.” (If you’ve been to Portland, you’ll understand. If you haven’t...there’s no way to explain it.) 

It is now dinner time, and a great deal was found at a White Spot: a small salad, a White Spot burger, and homemade blueberry pie...$9.99 CDN. After that, down to The Bay where I purchased a blue shirt and an Olympic shirt as well, and got credited points for my purchase in Victoria. 

Back on the train, off at Olympic Station, and back in the car for the trip over to Richmond for the Richmond Night Market. 300 booths, 50 food vendors, and a capacity to hold some 15,000 bargain hunters. Deena got a nice Alpaca jacket/sweater thing for $60; I got three t-shirts for $10. 

Once the crowd got to be a bit much, and since there were lasers and uneven lighting which is not good when you’re light sensitive, we finally left. Heading down BC-99, our last stop in Canada was at the duty free store. A small purchase there to shed some Canadian paper currency (I don’t mind keeping change--I repatriated enough of it this trip--but having $10 CDN in paper was not really in my plans), we crossed at the Peace Arch crossing and back into the US for the final time this trip. We returned to camp about 11:30PM, tired but content and ready for bed.


Pictures:
Nitobi Memorial Japanese Garden, UBC
Vancouver, BC

Saturday, August 21:

They say that all good things must come to an end. 

Today was a travel day, as we finally had to head home. We got up, broke and cleared camp, and drove into Lynden for breakfast at Dutch Mothers. If you walk out from here hungry, it’s your own fault. Wandered around Lynden a bit, then into the car and south on the I-5. Stopped for a stretch at City Blocks in Tacoma (a major LEGO studio; Dan Parker makes his living with little toy bricks), and then dinner at Country Cousins in Centralia.  Took another stretch break at Fry’s Electronics (and got a slush from Sonic afterwards), then dropped Dan off at his place...

...and finally returned home ourselves. The cats were glad to see us, and after unloading the car and checking mail, we called it a trip and a night. 

On the one hand, I could have used one or two more days. On the other, it was about the right length to be gone. Lots of pleasant memories, and plenty of pictures to boot. Like 755 pictures. Perhaps digital cameras are too much of A Good Thing.

Enough for now.

2010 Vacation, part two

Tuesday, August 17:

This morning was the only morning we set an alarm. We had to- we needed to  board the ferry not later than 7:45ish, passports in hand. The ferry took us from Port Angeles to Victoria, BC. I haven’t been to Victoria since I was in high school. But I had been there, so I got to play tour guide today. 

Crossing the Straits of Juan de Fuca was quite the journey. The Straits were a little rough; and as this was a smaller craft (no cars, just people) we had quite a ride. Once in Victoria, however, we actually saw quite a bit.

We started off with a tour of the Parliament building. It’s rather nice as government buildings go. From there, a block or so over and a walkthrough of the Fairmont Empress hotel. It is lovely, and if you have the opportunity (and deep enough pockets) to do a high teas there, you really should. The Empress is also home to the Victoria Convention Center, which we walked through and then out to Douglas Street then back around to Government Street. 

We continued up Government to the site of the former Fort Victoria, part of which is now a wonderful little Irish pub called Irish Times. The special today was Irish stew with Rosemary dumplings and it was a winner. 

After lunch, we continued up Government street to Chinatown, then doubled back down Broad Street, stopping in a few interesting little shops and a Starbucks to cool off for a bit as it was getting quite warm) and then taking some time to check out the Bay Centre. 

The Bay Centre is anchored by The Bay, as in The Hudson’s Bay Company (“since 1670”), and I did some shopping there. It’s a cross between a Macy’s and a Kohl’s: A lot of high end stuff, and some clothes that those of us on a budget can afford. I bought a t-shirt. It doesn’t have anything on the front or back; I can wear it wherever and whenever I want. 

From the Bay Center, we walked over to Munro’s bookstore and Murchie’s Tea shop. Munro’s has a lot of good books; if you like books this is a must stop and explore. Murchie’s has some wonderful teas there, and a lot of very nice looking goodies. We decided that a gelato was in order, however, so we wandered back down Government street to a gelato place and enjoyed some of that as the day continued to get warmer and muggier. (It was only about 78 degrees F--I was quoted 26 C by a mall rep in The Bay Center--but it was also 60 percent humidity.) We all did a little more souvenir shopping, then wandered around the back of the Parliament building and took some pictures there. Wandered into the Queen’s printer’s, then over to Confederation Square to take some pictures. 

Something to drink was now in order, so we wandered into Jonathan’s restaurant in the Royal Scot hotel. After cooling down a bit, we walked down Quebec street and found the Harbour Towers--where I stayed last time I was here--and then finished the day by strolling around Laurel Point Park. 

Finally, though, we had to board the ferry to return us to the States. (A much smoother trip than this morning, I might add.) Once back, we dined at the Hiway 101 cafe in Sequim then returned to camp. 


Pictures:
Victoria, BC

Wednesday, August 18:

Today was a travel day, so not too much exciting stuff. We packed up camp and said goodbye to Port Angeles. It was time to leave the land where “Twilight” was set and move our base of operations to Lynden, WA. After a stop at Fort Worden State Park, some wandering around Port Townsend, and lunch at the Bayview, we boarded a much larger ferry than the one we rode yesterday over to Victoria, and headed over toward Keystone. A leisurely drive across Whidbey Island, and finally hitting the I-5 North. 

Today also marked the easiest boarder crossing I think I have ever had. No questions, nobody bugging me for a passport...just walked across the border. And back. And over again to take some pictures, then back again. And nobody stopping me and playing 20 questions. 

You can do it yourself at Peace Arch Park. There is this little island of relative calm where you can park just short of the border, and walk around and cross the international border. (In all fairness, though, you can’t get too far before you hit customs. I recommend you have your passport on you just in case.) Washington State maintains Peace Arch State Park on the US side, and BC maintains Peace Arch Provincial Park on the Canadian side. It is this lovely little chunk of calm in the middle of a lot of traffic. I did have one good laugh there: in the Peace Arch itself, there is a set of gates with the wording “May these gates never be closed.” 

I don’t think you’ll have to worry too much about that...they’re bolted to the inside of the arch. 

After wrapping up there, it was off to the Lynden, WA. KOA to unpack and set up camp. A drive through Lynden was next on the list, then dinner was at Jake’s BBQ. There is some good steak here and you should take advantage of it. 


Pictures:
Peace Arch Park

Enough for now. 

2010 Vacation, part one

Over the next few days, I’m going to post our vacation itinerary online. Pictures will be up toward the end of the week, and I’ll link each day as appropriate. 

Friday, August 13:

We took off today, for parts north. It was hot, we got the car packed and hoped we had everything. Picked up Dan, and headed north. Had dinner at Marinepolis Sushiland, picked up a few things at Whole Foods, and stopped for the night at the Quality Inn in the Longview area. 

You were looking for something exciting here?

Saturday, August 14:

No rushing today: Got up, had breakfast, reloaded the car, and headed toward Port Angeles. Stopped so I could stretch at Cabela’s, and enjoyed lunch at the Ram brewpub and restaurant. Got a recommendation on a place to eat in Port Angeles called the Okasan. Sounds intriguing. 

After a leisurely drive north--a drive where Deena drove and I napped--we arrive at the Port Angeles/Sequim KOA, unpacked a bit as we are here for a few days, then headed into town to get the lay of the land. Took some pictures from the port area, then headed back to camp to get dinner and s’mores going. We also enjoyed the ice cream social the camp put on.

Sunday, August 15:

Olympic National Park is a very pretty place, and not really for the weak of knees. You have to hike anyplace worth seeing...but that hike is worth every minute of the trip. I highly recommend if you come here with a full water bottle, a sturdy pair of hiking boots (preferably well broken in), and appropriate hiking socks. I don’t think waltzing around in your tennis shoes or flip-flops is a wise idea. I also recommend good hiking clothes, as there are a number of microclimates in the park.

Today we “conquered” Hurricane Hill and Sol Duc Falls. Sol Duc Falls is a relatively easy hike at .8 miles each way, and has some pretty scenery. It’s a bit out from Port Angeles--about half an hour--but really should not be missed.

Hurricane Hill is another story. 1.6 miles each way, and it’s a steep climb in parts. Don’t be in a hurry unless you are in prime shape...and on this hike, “round” does not qualify as a shape. We ran into an 89 year old woman, hiking and taking her time doing it. She made, I am sure. We did too. Allow 90 minutes each way; if you’re in a hurry this is not a hike you want to undertake. Also in summer, do it in the morning...less crowded, less bugs, and cooler temps work in your favor. We did Hurricane Hill first, had lunch, then went on to Sol Duc Falls. Lunch was out of the cooler, and dinner was at a place called the Bushwhacker. There’s a nice place to eat. We did the all you can eat salad bar--they had homemade chicken gumbo and clam chowder on the bar as well as homemade bread. 


Pictures: 
Hurricane Hill
Sol Duc Falls

Monday, August 16:

Today we went for a hike in the Hoh Rainforest. This is more like an hour or so out of Port Angeles. Got there, had lunch out of the cooler, and proceeded to hike 3.3 miles into the rainforest, along the Hoh River trail. 

Note: rainforest does not equal cool/damp. It was another hot day, and there are bugs here, too. Everything I have said about hiking gear goes double here. Don’t let the sign fool you: The elevation looks like it only rises about fifty feet over 3.3 miles. 

The sign lies. What it doesn’t tell you is that there is a lot of upping and downing, especially near the riverbank. You have been duly warned. 

We were in search of one square inch of silence. Rather than explaining it myself, I’ll simply link to it and let you read about it: http://onesquareinch.org/. We found the spot, and found the rock, but did not find the jar of thoughts. 

We made it back out, and went into town for dinner. We had dinner at Okasan. There is some really good food here, and the waitstaff is as honest as the day is long. Go there and eat, if you like good Asian cuisine. Don’t let the exterior fool you; it may look like a dump but it really isn’t. 

We returned to camp, and partook of the hot tub this evening. It was much needed!


Pictures:
Hoh Rainforest

Enough for now.

On Camping

I have returned-intact, yet-from a weekend of camping fun over at Baker Bay with the missus, her Sweet Adelines quartet “Diamonds in the Rough”, and their husbands (one of whom sings in my quartet, “It’s About Time”).

Now before I say another word, let me tell you that I really did have a good time. I got to know the other ladies (and their husbands) a bit better, and with the exceptions of a brief return to civilization to direct the chorus I belong to at a funeral and some sort of minor gastric issue, I really did have a good time.

Getting to that good time, however, is another story. 

Here’s all I’m going to share of the Friday we left: I knew that it was supposed to be the hottest weekend to date up here; I wasn’t looking forward to attending that funeral that I was to direct the chorus in (the gentleman in question was a long time member of the chapter and a good man to one and all--he will be missed!), I was not having any success in rounding up the man-cat so I could take him to grammy and grampy cat’s for the weekend (he’s diabetic, and needs shots twice a day--the man-cat, not grampy cat). I had to load the trunk carefully while the missus was at work, get quarters for the freaking showers (fifty cents to a buck in quarters to shower is obscene), and once I got back from that little side trip had to inflate four bicycle tires so I could go choke on dust at some point in this little back to nature thing. 

Needless to say that when we left, I was not a happy camper.

I thought all along that most Sweet Adelines were all into things like shopping, bling, massages, spa treatments, and fancy meals. I found out that isn’t always the case, but I’m not going there today, kids. (Remember, I’ve seen their Harmony Bazaar and thus know a bit better than that.)

Now camping to me is a bit like playing in the snow. I’ll do it, but there are things I prefer doing. At least camping is a summer event so that makes it a lot easier for me to deal with. And it’s not like I have never been camping; as a kid I went to Camp Pinecrest, Loma Mar, Hot Sulphur Springs and Silver Spur--in addition to band and drum corps camps and tours. (I won’t count boot camp in there...that’s a whole different world.) My folks had a 1972 Dodge Commander motor home, and on rare occasions we actually used it to camp in.

In addition, the missus and I have been members of KOA since 2007, and I’ve had an REI card since 1984. I still have my original card, too. I keep getting told I really should get a new one, but I love to see people have to manually enter my membership number with no barcode and no magnetic stripes--the older cards never had them. Almost all our camping gear is from either REI or Coleman. (There’s some folks who have figured out the camping thing as well.)

But as an adult, I find I like certain creature comforts...you know, clean beds, electricity, low dirt, no bugs or other vermin, and a restroom that is clean, doesn’t stink, and doesn’t need wiping down every time I walk into it. Internet connections, breakfast on the property, and good food nearby are considered plusses. I have said in the past that my idea of getting back to nature is staying at a Doubletree Inn, roughing it means there's no hot tub, and foraging for food means there's no restaurant on site.  

And yet, I truly do enjoy camping if it’s done right. This is why we typically stay in Kamping Kabins at KOA’s; one other thing I like is a real bed for my back. I have Dad Crandall’s back: shoulder and low back issues have been nothing new since intermediate school. (We do have inflatable camp pads and a widget that plugs into the car’s cigarette lighter that inflates or deflates them in a minute or less, which helps that out a great deal.) 

However...this isn’t a defense of my lack of camping desire; I’ll go because I do like seeing some spectacular views and hanging out with folks also suffering under the delusion that their motor home with the king bed, microwave oven, mini fireplace, carpeting, and satellite dish is roughing it. (Ever notice they call those apartments on wheels the “Wilderness” model?) No, this blog really is about the great weekend we had. 

And we did have fun. The ladies took turns providing some awesome meals; they worked on their music (and drew audiences both nights, I might add); we all got to know each other a bit better; the gent who sings in my quartet made up some rockin’ ice cream Saturday night; I rediscovered why I don’t play dice games after getting creamed in Yahtzee not once but twice (I can’t roll fives or sixes if my life depended on it); and the fruit the missus packed in was out of this world. We had a chance to go floating in Dorena Lake; cracked bad puns; laughed much; ate more. I even learned how to clean a fish...which I why I greatly prefer catch and release, and buying my fish pre-cleaned and filleted. Seeing a plate of fish guts prior to breakfast is, shall we say, less than appetizing. Deena and I even rode the bikes a little in the campground, there is a biking trail around the lake but it was more milage than we had time or desire for. 

Sadly, the heat and all that wonderful food took a toll on me: late Saturday night I wasn’t feeling too well gastrically, and in fact as I wrote most of this am still not 100%. Several naps in the air conditioning once home and light meals all day Sunday--combined with much liquid that isn’t Coca-Cola (one of my few real vices, I’m afraid)--and a good night’s rest and I’m doing better but still not at 100%. Let’s just say that eating a Whopper Jr. with cheese--without a gall bladder--in 95 degree heat is probably something I shouldn’t do terribly often. Saturday night was a very long night for me, and thus Sunday breakfast didn’t sound good at all, even though it looked wonderful. 

The missus and I have decided one thing: when we have to camp outside of a KOA, we actually prefer doing the tent thing to a trailer. We were packed up and loaded in 45 minutes or less. I still prefer Kabins...but you can’t win them all. 

Enough for now.

On Google, Chrome, and Being Paranoid

Basic info: everyone, in order to access the internet, has to have a browser. There are five real contenders: Safari (Apple), Internet Explorer (Microsoft), Firefox (Mozilla), Opera (Opera), and Chrome (Google). Most of you, I would guess, are using Internet Explorer, as that’s pretty much the default browser on most Windows-based computers. (Which is too bad, really.) I use Safari; it’s faster, less buggier, and was designed to run on a Mac, because Apple designed it. Firefox and Opera are pretty good; I had Firefox as a backup browser but finally deleted it because I rarely used it.

Google wants to change your mind. Their browser-called Chrome-is fairly new, and I spent a few days some time back playing with it. It’s okay, I guess. Since I haven’t seen any major speed improvements, nor have I seen anything that makes it any better than Safari to me, I finally removed it from the Mac. It’s different, but really not any better than Safari to and/or for me.

Now, I am not really an Apple snob. I like to joke with family and friends, but as I have said before you need to have a computer that works well for you. Just because I think a Mac is a better deal, has less bugs, far less security issues, works better, looks cleaner, weighs a bit less and is a better machine than any Windows-based PC--ever--doesn’t mean you should run right out and get one right now. After dinner or even tomorrow will be soon enough. (Hmmm...maybe I am a bit of an Apple snob.)

But Chrome didn’t really impress me. You there--you with the Windows PC-- you might like it, however. It’s an improvement over IE 8. (So is IE 6, however.)

Google hasn’t taken over the Earth...yet. They’re getting close, but I will continue to not go there. I will keep using Safari, iWork and iLife, and not allow Google to totally take over my so-called online life. 

Should the fact that Google has a large amount of information on you bother you? Maybe. It sort of bothered me for a bit. 

I’ve spent a lot of time not creating a big digital footprint. This is partially because I work online, and partially by choice: there was a time in my life where I figured out the less people knew about me, the less they could tease, torment, and make my life miserable with. That has kind of stayed with me, and while I’ve gotten much better about this kind of thing, I like to keep a somewhat low profile. 

Now...Blogspot is owned by Google; therefore, they host this blog. I have a gmail account I am using for dissertation purposes and a few other things. Picasa (owned by Google) is where I have pictures for the blog stored. (I generally as a rule do not put my personal pics online; I do not want them harvested by a picture bot and used somewhere else without my knowledge.) Since I have all the above, I also have an iGoogle page, with widgets for everything from comics to the CBC newsreader. (I deleted the Google Latitude widget however, as I decided I don’t want the world to know where I am at all times. It’s none of the world’s business to know where I am 24/7.) I have a YouTube account, which is also owned by Google. And, of course, I use Google to find things; it’s the usually the default search engine for Safari but you can also use Yahoo search or Bing. I do not have Google Earth on the Mac, though it is on the iPod for now. (It’s one of those apps that “seemed like a good idea at the time.”) 

So, Google now knows what I like to watch, what kind of news I like, some of my hobbies, that I have boring email, etc. All of which can be targeted to advertisers, to sell me on a trip to Honolulu, Billund, Toronto, Cupertino, San Francisco, Nashville, or Vancouver. Or to sell me more stuff for the Mac. Or to let me know that there’s a new animated series that’s just been uploaded. Or to try and convince me that I really need whatever it is that is being touted. I also get ads trying to convince me of other things I allegedly need as well. (I can’t think of a reason I need--or want--bust enhancement creams, for example.)

It smells like Big Brother to me, in a sense. I could get really paranoid about this constant monitoring of my online stuff. 

But it doesn’t smell like Big Brother at the same time, because it is not all centrally located, and no single person could possibly keep track of one person by attempting to sift through all that data. And in my case, there just isn’t anything to hide, really. (So maybe it’s more like kid sister than Big Brother.)  

Now, I could move this blog to another blog site, move the pictures to flickr, close the gmail account, and reduce Google’s hold to simply YouTube for now. I won’t; it all works pretty well together. Why reinvent the wheel? Besides, I can change some things to Yahoo!...and I find I’d still have the same issue. So, I allow Google access to all this information knowingly, knowing that any info I use will be stored somewhere. There has to be a certain level of trust. 

Still...it never hurts to be careful, because you never know who’s minding the store. 

Enough for now. 

On Facebook, Revisited

If you look down at the lower right hand corner of the blog, you’ll notice something new. No, somebody hasn’t hacked into my blog account...that’s really my mug in that box that says “Facebook.” 

You read that correctly. I have joined the 21st century and now have a Facebook page.  

The story behind this, however, is not too surprising. 

At the outset, let me state that while I am not anti-social, I am a bit of a recluse. I like my music, my books and lead a somewhat quiet and contemplative life. (I’ve said before that I am my father’s child.) I dislike being in huge crowds for long periods of time. (Attending Barbershop Internationals and most LEGO conventions are the exceptions, however.) By and large, working online has been fairly healthy for me. In fact, working online as I do is one of the reasons I didn’t want a Facebook page. I spend enough time behind the keyboard of my trusty Mac, between work and school. (Just ask Deena.) In fact, I get more information and entertainment off the web and my trusty Mac and iPod than I do off the radio and TV. 

As a result, I like to keep my private life...well, private. I know who my friends are, and generally where and how they are. If I want or need to talk to them (or they to me), there’s a thing called a phone. We can call and talk to each other.

However, because I have moved a lot over the last 30 odd years or so, I have friends all over creation, some of whom have vanished, others have moved and just not caught up to me yet.

It was two of those friends-one, a friend from high school, and the other a gent who figures rather prominently in my spiritual growth as a Christian-that finally pushed me over the brink. They have Facebook pages, and the only way to reach them was to get one myself and let them know where I am. 

So now I had a choice. Either keep hiding, or get my buns on Facebook. Since I really wanted to reconnect with these people, I broke down and signed up. (Deena never thought I’d have a Mac and an iPod either, so I guess that’s a fair trade.) 

I do want my friends to remain my friends, so I do have the thing locked down pretty tight. And yes, you’ll discover just how reclusive and geeky I can be. I’m okay with that.

And I can see why people spend a lot of time on their pages, and why people get fired for writing bad things about their employers. Fortunately, I like my employer, I love what I do, and have books to read.

Which I think I’m going to go do after posting this. 

Enough for now.