Sunglasses: fashionable accessory v. multi-use efficiency

Its almost summer time, and I am here to forewarn anyone looking to purchase sunglasses. When I think of sungalsses I imagine my favorite pairs (at least for now...) and I fairly consistent. My favorites are sunglasses with large lenses and dark tints similar to those in the picture. But honestly sunglasses are a very personal thing, like jeans. Although you may love a certain brand, they just have to fit you properly. Everyone's face is different in its shape and dimensions, and we must find a pair of "shades" that fit correctly. So we can search through the endless catalogues and go from store to store but I just ask one favor... DONT be suckered in by the salespeople.

Every sales person is going to try to explain that if you don't have 20/20 you should try the photochromatic glasses. This term refers to a specific chemical reaction the lenses have to ultra violet radiation. This reaction causes the lenses to transform from transparent to tinted, similar to a light pair of sunglasses. As cost efficient and convenient as this may seem, please don't be suckered into the sale! There is nothing attractive about a person wearing reading glasses with tint! I understand they are extremely high-tech and it would seem cool to have the latest device, especially glasses that transform, but they are not beach-approved at all!!

There is a definite difference between the glasses that are acceptable for the day and for being able to see, and the glasses that are accetable for the sun. Refer back to the picture above, and imagine it with a clear lens and a person using them to read in a library...bizarre right. The person would seem as though they are stuck in the '80's. Yet they are a completely acceptable frame for the outdoors and sun. Now notice the picture below and see how this frame is more of the indoor acceptable frame.

The answer to that question is because we are keeping the distinction between the lenses!!! Anyone that tries to tell you that your reading glasses can also be used as your "weekend shades" is seriously trying to impair your social life. Just because the tint on the photochromatic glasses becomes darker doesn't mean they are approved for outdoor and beach use!

So I'm sorry to say the high tech version of this comparison is a fail!! please stick to the older version of having prescription reading glasses and separate prescription beach-approved glasses. Its the only way to go!! So summer here we come!!

Athletic Entertainment: CDplayer v. iPod

Yes, yes I know to a younger or more tech savvy reader this comparison seems rather ridiculous. Who would actually attempt any physical activity and try to listen to a CD player?? Well it has happend, and I am a witness! I was at the gym last night and to my disbelief saw a man of about 45-50 years old with his CD player clipped to his gym shorts. After the shock wore off, I wondered if he had ever been introduced to and ipod or if he had chosen to stick with the CD player. So I had to know, and used a combination of a sweet and curious tone with the excuse of a school research project to get my answer. And his response was "oh yea those little music sticks? I just dont understand how they work, and my CD palyer has never failed me!" I acknowleged his answer outloud, but was still in disbelief.

I understand some peoeple's fear of ipods because they think itunes, the program on which it runs, is a complicated computer and music program that has wayyy too many options. But in reality the necessary options are simple and direct. Granted not as simple as - insert CD, play CD - but it does come rather close! One who wants a CD's music to play on their ipod simply has to insert the CD into thier computer; open the itunes program; and select "import cd". In a matter of seconds the music will appear on your itunes and then can be transfered to your ipod.

There are hundreds of reasons for a person to choose an ipod over a cd player for normal music use. But when we are discussing the benefits for a person who wishes to listen to music and do any athletic simultaneously, the benefits skyrocket! Even the idea of running while holding a CD player should send chills down any runner's back. The last thing you want when you are running that last sprint to break you personal record is a heavy CD player in one hand! An iPod on the other hand is light weight and about half the size of a a dollar bill. Apart from being small, the iPod can now be strapped to your upper arm using a velcro strap that is sold separately.

Also, although many people that run or excercise while listening to music have a "special mix" to get them pumped for the workout, others dont. If you dont have this specialized list of music, you might enjoy a wide range of music and desire to hear it all. With a CD player this would entail lugging all or most of your CDs with you, interrupting the workout to change a CD and replacing the CD in whatever storage it came in. On the other hand an ipod can hold a ridiculous amount of music, probably more than you can listen to in six months of continuous workouts! And it is all kept in the small device that is a fraction of the size and weight of a CD player.

Best of all an ipod never SKIPS! If you have owned a CD player and used it anywhere besides resting it on a steady table, you must agree that too much movement will make the CD skip. Unless your workouts are very relaxing, they inlcude A LOT of movement, running, jumping etc. Therefore, your CD is most likely to skip throughout the entire workout. An ipod would solve this problem and you can run, jump, adn skip till your heart is content!

There is no reason why in this day and age an athlete should want to use an CD player, instead of an ipod. So if you have not purchased an ipod yet, you should defintly go do it and see the incredible difference it makes in your next workout!!

Social Networking

Live Social Networking v. Internet Social Networking

Is the internet taking over our social networking? It seems that people communicate more through social networking sites that through actual person-to-person communication.


Social networking has burden society for centuries. "Why did I say that?"or "Oh why didnt I think before I blurted that out" "what did he say his name was?" are usually thoughts that race through a person's mind in some social networking events. Then with the advent of the internet accessible social networking sites came the a much easier version of networking minus the possibilities of awkward silence, mumbling, or saying the wrong thing. It seems that Facebook, for example, simplifies the hassle of social networking. It allows you to keep connections alive from the comfort of your very own home, as without the call and/or extremely awkward voice message. A simple "just wanted to stop and say hi!" on a friend's Facebook page is sufficient. There is also something about typing the words out that as opposed to blurting them out, that makes you think about them a little longer. It seems that Facebook provides a much more polished and measured expression of yourself that might be lost in conversation.


The downfalls of using this as your only or main means of social networking are far more than the benefits. The ease and comfort of Facebook are sometimes the reason why it replaces some people's complete social lives. THIS IS A HUGE MISTAKE. There are certain things that you just cannot get over the internet, and overuse of this form of social networking might hinder your social skills more than help them. Some young adults update their Facebook status more than they speak to their friends or parents. This can cause major developmental defects and flaws because they become computer hermits and loose their skill in actual live conversation. in adults this can also have the same effects, by hindering further social skills and might even create a social block where they may feel incapable of handling "live" social events.






Some people use Facebook to not only maintain their current friends, but also to meet new people. Facebook has several applications in which is suggests friends according to "mutual friends" or "similar likes" or "similar networks" such as schools or universities. Personally it seems odd that I should meet someone because a computer generated program thinks that we might either get along or be friends because we have 10 friends in common. I much prefer the old-fashioned way of meeting friends, through class, parties or actually being introduced through our mutual friends. Yet Facebook has intentionally covered all those bases in thier applications, in an attempt to completely simulate the real world, and many people fall into the trap.


DONT LET THIS HAPPEN TO YOU! Please continue to go out, and meet friend's friends; meet your classmates in person and don't depend on Facebook to suggest those friendships to you. Much of the purpose and benefit of social networking is in the actual "social" aspect. Don't be fooled by the title of Facebook as a "social-networking website" because there is nothing social about sitting in your room in your pajamas, and typing on a friend's wall on Facebook.


GO OUT AND MEET PEOPLE!! =) I can guarantee if you go to places that play your favorite music, maintain your favorite atmosphere of people, and serve your favorite food, or attend your favorite kind of music performances you can also meet people with some of your same interests. This way you can easily bypass Facebook suggestions for friends, and find them yourself!

Road-trip: Maps v. GPS

Although reference this comparison of high-tech and low-tech with road-trips, I was inspired to compare maps and a GPS on a recent experience that was not a road-trip. I was a simple drive to a graduation party for a friend, but the location was in a distant area about 30 minutes outside of my usual commuting area. Since it was outside my area I instantly entered the address into my GPS and was on my way, (with a car full of friends that are as driving direction-challenged as I am). It seems quite obvious that my inspiration for this comparison did not come from a completely trouble-free and direct trip to the party. I knew there was probably a problem when the GPS asked me if I was "willing to travel unpaved roads?" What!?! How can this house be located on "unpaved roads" I thought, and knew we were going to have some trouble. I instantly thought it might have been easier to use the low-tech version for directions, a map.

At one time, a map was a staple in any traveling trip to a new or foreign location. It was usually something that could be found in any driver's glove compartment. The draw back was that usually a certain version or edition of a map was printed, there was a newer version in the making including additional expressways, ramps, or even exits. It seemed that no matter what you could never have a completely updated map. Also as portrayed in any camping to traveling movie, the creators/manufacturers wanted to play a cruel trick on the map buyers. It seems that they configured a way to fold the maps perfectly small and compact when they packaged them, yet made it impossible for a regular person to replicate the folding procedure. It seems that it was well known issue for any map user to re-fold the map to its original fold.

Then I must mention that in between the paper map pamphlets and the GPS, there was a craze for "map-questing" directions off of the internet before you traveled to these foreign destinations. This was a step-by-step driving direction provided on the internet that could be easily printed out. There was an obvious problem with this, and that was that if you mistyped the directions you were left driving without any way of finding the correct route. Yet, the constant printing of addresses became burdensome and wasteful, and s0 the GPS was born.

The GPS is a mini device with a touchscreen that connects to some mysterious, magical floating map database that is accessible from wherever you are (almost anywhere.).

Once it locates you you can enter you destination address and it will direct you to the destination. I have managed to find myself in locations that even the best GPS cannot locate, and it is definitely horrible to read "GPS positioning not found", but usually if you keep driving and find a main road, the GPS will reload and locate your position on the map. The GPS even has an option that it will provide the directions like "turn right in 50 yards" so that you don't have to fumble through papers while driving, if you lack a co-pilot. The GPS also refreshes your path if you miss a turn, make a wrong turn or even choose to take an expressway instead of a street path. If for some reason happen to enter the wrong address a GPS can be reset and you may re-enter the address mid drive.

The most appealing aspect of the GPS in my opinion is the fact that the GPS provides "POI" or Point of Interest locations. For example, if your are in the middle of your drive and have already devoured all the chips and mini-sandwhiches your mom, significant otehr or even you packed for the road and hunger strikes you can select a POI. A POI can be searched by the name of any food restaurant or fast food you wish to eat. The GPS will locate the closest location of that restaurant that doesnt deviate from your path.

The only downfall of the GPS is for example, what happened to me on my last excursion. It simply misdirected me. I entered the correct address, and followed all directions the GPS provided even though it said I had to travel an unpaved road, (which never arrived), and we ended up in the wrong community of houses. There is no way to correct a GPS's glitch. It is just something that comes with territory of high tech devises. But I must give it credit because it did get us to the correct area, we were only about 5 minutes from the actual destination.

It seems that as a quickly advancing technical society we have out-grown the paper maps and printable directions. The extra benefits of the GPS cannot even come close to bringing it to low level of paper maps. In this comparison, it is obvious that the better and safer choice is the GPS without a doubt!

House phone v. Cell phone

Before the days of the cell phones, and instant communication, there were only house phones. Meaning if you stepped outside, went shopping, went to work, went out of town, or did anything outside your home you seemed to be disconnected. During my lifetime, phones have gone from spin dials, to call waiting, to answer machines, and even LCD screens with caller ids. There is no denying their quick and sudden technical advancements. But it seems that even with the phones updating their technology almost yearly, they have been outdated by cell phones and their portable accessibility.

Cell phones provide all the amenities of the house phones, plus the accessibility of taking it on the go. Cell phones seem to have followed nearly the same path that house phones. Starting with phones as big and as heavy as a bricks with the most basic buttons adding incredible advancements in the blink of an eye. Cell phones added the similar additions as house phones, like caller id but also added a portable phone book which was a great asset for anyone. House phones have not (to my knowledge) added a complete phone book comparable to a cell phone. Although house phones did add speed dial which would allow the user to save a phone number to a certain number it limits the user to saving only nine numbers.

Even the most basic cell phone today can outweigh a house phone in regards to all the additional specifications it offers the users. A cell phone is much more than a cell phone providing instant assistance with a calendar or calculator. The more advanced cell phones allow internet access in any location, instant messaging, instant email updates and many more advancements that a house phone can not.

It seems cost inefficient to maintain a monthly cell phone bill as well as a house phone bill. Essentially a cell phone and a house phone provide the same basic service of a phone line to be able to make and receive calls. A cell phone can be carried to any location and making a person as available to the phone calls as they wish to be. A simple "sound off" or "silent" option allows the user to ignore the call wherever they are. The cell phone has innumerable additional applications for the user's convenience. It would just not make sense for the a person to maintain a house phone with only minimal applications, and also maintain a cell phone. Therefore, when choosing between a house phone and a cell phone, there is no question that the cell phones offer things and applications that a house phone will never be able to accomplish. A house phone will not ever be able to travel with the user, because of the very nature of the invention.

It is clear that in this selection the high tech version is the winner. If you choose to maintain a house phone you will most likely have to have a cell phone anyways, and that would be an unnecessary bill to pay. Make the cost friendly choice for yourself and buy a cell phone, and use it as your house phone as well. A phone limited to use in the house is officially outdated!!

Common Cold Remedies: Homemade or Store Bought

Lets face it, with all the advancements in the medical field blah blah blah, they still cannot come up with a cure for the common cold. Is this some kind of cruel trick or something?!?

The only thing we can do is remedy the symptoms and endure the cold as long as it may last. The low tech way to treat the common cold includes various homemade remedies while the high tech way would be to stock up on over the counter meds and possibly even a humidifier.

My grandmother (as I am sure most other are) is certain that she knows the cure to the common cold. She stresses that her homemade chicken noodle soup, and gatorade are essentials to fight any cold. Not only will the chicken soup help your symptoms, but will assist the ultimate goal of a speedy recovery. Chicken soup (made correctly with many vegetables) will provide the body with the nutrients it needs to recuperate from the cold. A canned soup might have some nutrients but wayyyy too much sodium and preservatives to be healthy! Sometimes she also recommends a rather strange method for decongesting. She puts water to boil in a large pot and then when it begins to release steam she says one should carefully lean over with a towel over your head and inhale the steam. This is suppose to have you non-congested in a matter of minutes, without hours or painful nose blowing. She also suggests drinking about half a cup of lemon or orange tea right before bed. In the morning she suggests you drink a tall glass of freshly squeezed orange juice. There are just endless little remedies to aid the symptoms with homemade concoctions as well as simultaneously supplying nutrients to aid for a speedy recovery!

Many of us in this high paced life we lead, find it very difficult to spend hours making soups or creating homemade remedies for a common cold. The are hundreds of over the counter symptom relievers that will diminish headaches, stuffy nose, sore throat, and any other symptom that may tag along. But the problem with these relievers is that they don't cure or alleviate the underlying issue, the actual immune deficiency that the cold has attacked. Therefore, it is only a minor fix that wont actually help you fight the cold.

The bottom line is that there is no comparison to an actual low tech homemade cold remedy that will aid your body in regaining control and fight that cold! There is not secret, there is not a cure to the common cold, but any of the homemade remedies will relieve the symptoms and give your body what it really needs.

Reminders: Agenda or PDA

We can all admit that we have at some point experienced that frantic panic when one realizes we have forgotten an important meeting or appointment. The question is how to fix this or completely avoid this scenario. We have two basic options, a written reminder in some sort of agenda or calendar, or a digital reminder on a PDA (personal digital assistant). Nowadays most phones are also considered PDA because of their calendar, reminder, and alarm settings and capabilities.

A written agenda is concrete an there is only one way for it to fail and that is if the owner loses it or another human error. Whatever is written in the agenda will not be accidentally deleted or erased. There is no way that an agenda will be affected with loss of battery, signal, or water damage. Although it seems archaic to actually use a pen and write something down it is a very close to full proof way to remember it. Now once it is written in the agenda, the trick is to remember to check the agenda near the crucial time of the appointment. There is no alarm that is triggered 15 minutes before your agenda's appointment. Your agenda cannot send you a reminder email advising of the approaching appointment either. As concrete and certain the written reminder may be, without some effort from the actual person, the appointment might still go unnoticed. Therein lies the most detrimental downfall of the agenda and its success as an appointment reminder. If it cannot remind without the person's own memory aiding the process then it seems to be inefficient as a full-proof method for reminders.

On the other hand we have the highly interactive PDA. Whether it is simply a PDA or a cell phone with PDA capabilities like a Blackberry, iPhone, Palm the calendar function is still superb. Using any of these PDAs a user can enter their appointment into the calendar and then simply remove it from their memory and worry. When the PDAs setting is triggered, whether one day or 15 minutes before the appointment, the PDA will notify the user. The forms of notification vary but the most common is a type of ring or beeping sound that will alert the user. Then there will appear a written reminder on the screen advising of the time, place, or reason for the appointment. The specificity of the reminder is dependent on the how much information the user entered when they created the appointment. It seems like there is no reason to even keep a written agenda with this great advancement, but there is always a downfall to anything.

A PDA is susceptible to many more forms of malfunctioning. A PDA is a like a small computer that cannot encounter any amount of water, because it will completely "fry" and lose all the information it contained. A PDA also may run the risk of running out of battery, and if this happens there will be no alert or access to the information at all (a very dangerous downfall). Yet, it seems that careful precautions can avoid these situations most of the time, and the only thing to worry about would be any accidental drops in puddles, or sinks, and allowing it to run out of battery without the power cord on hand.

It seems clear that for the careful and cautious user the better choice is the PDA. But if you happen to be the person that always jumps in the pool with your cell phone, or simply likes to have the security of a written document reminder, the the agend is for you. This is more of a person choice, but for those that are in between there is no question you should advance with technology and transfer from a written agenda to a PDA (of any sort).

White out : Liquid v. Tape

Liquid White out v. Tape White out

Ok...so I know this is going to completely sound low-tech, because nowadays neither seems to be an advancement but the comparison is necessary!

Although often times it seems as though computers are taking over, and writing by hand is completely outdated, there are few areas where writing is still necessary. For example, filling out a walk in application, or most pre-printed forms that a person simply would have to fill out. So now that you see that that writing by hand is still used, in rare circumstances we can discuss liquid white out and tape white out.

The first white out that I can remember from middle school where the cool things were to use pens, but the mistakes were often, was the liquid version. Almost everyone that has used one can related to the picture below, and what a mess it can cause!

Oh! What a mess that liquid white out was in the hands of a 12-year old, or for that sake any clumsy adult.

Then there was the careful painting with the miniature brush over the section of the word you wanted to delete. I always felt it was a cruel trick by whoever created the angled brush that would always release much more whiteout than was needed. It would bleed on to other words or even the other side of the page.

Thankfully the advancement of the tape whiteout was created! This is a white out tape on a roller that would easily glide over the whatever needed to be deleted. The tape is magical. There is a sticky side that adheres to your paper, but the other side which is revealed on your paper is a perfectly edged white stripe over the mistaken word or letter. Another great thing is that there is no waiting, blowing or waiving your hands drastically during a final examine hoping that it dries quickly. The white out tape is a completely dry application, and a great stress reliever during an exam, for example. There is no little brush, no bleeding to the next page or over the other words. It was probably the best advancement second to Microsoft Word!

There is honestly no reason to revert back to the liquid white out unless you are willing to start making fire instead of using electricity! It is a great advancement and development for those that still find the need to write, even if seldom!

Camping Essential: LIGHT

Secondary Lighting: Kerosene Lantern v. Battery Lantern

Although it may seem like an insignificant decision to choose between a kerosene lantern and a batter powered lantern, it makes a world of a difference when the luxury of light is removed. It may be in a chosen situation such as a camping trip or an unfortunate situation of a power shortage after a hurricane. In either case, one will quickly realize how little we can do without the luxury of light!

A kerosene lantern seems to serve its purpose in an emergency situation like a hurricane. All that is necessary is a lighter or some leftover restaurant matches in order to light the wick. A simple check to see if the lantern is working before hurricane season or before a camping trip will suffice. They do however run on the kerosene oil, and once the oil has run out you need to refuel or the lantern if of no good. A lantern that seems low maintenance at the beginning becomes deceiving because of its minor, yet necessary components. If you are on a camping trip it would be very easy to loose a matchbox or lighter, and without either lighting a manual lantern would be impossible. You would be better off attempting to start a fire and use that as your sole lighting for the evening. Also children with oil and fire, are never a good combination. So the care of a kerosene lantern will have to be up to only (careful adults). This may become a pain after the second night of adventurous children wanting to investigate anything in the dark.

On the other hand, there are our trusty battery operated lanterns. These seem to be a much better choice for either a camping trip or emergency power shortage situation. A box full of batteries will a guaranteed way to have a portable, safe, and children friendly lighting device. Batteries are currently very long lasting and inexpensive at certain stores. Batteries can be inserted and each child may have their own lantern to flash it wherever they desire. Battery operated lanterns are very low maintenance, and are usually made out of plastic, contrary to the original version that was made of glass.

In any situation, whether emergency or planned without natural/artificial it seems that having a battery operated lantern is much more cost and time efficient. It seems that lanterns have evolved and so should the consumers. There really is no reason to keep using the dangerous, and complicated oil and wick lanterns. We should all progress with the advancements and switch to longer lasting, safer, and durable battery operated lanterns! So purchase one and go test it out on a camping trip trip and save it for any power outage emergencies!!

digital camera v. camera

Digital camera v. Boring old camera

I know, I know it seems like a very obvious decision, choosing between the low technology of a regular camera and the advanced version of a digital camera. It seems that all they sell, and all people will buy are digital cameras. Yet there might be some people out there refusing the advancement and holding on to their rolls of film, and large, slow cameras. I am here to tell you to LET GO!!!

The obvious:

A digital camera allows the user to instantly review the picture, to avoid later disappointment
about a bad angle, messy hair, chubby shot, and worst of all closed eyes! The screen on the back side of the camera shows the image and allows you pick and choose, or even retake the picture at your leisure.

If the shot is not up to par, then the picture can be easily deleted with the press of a button. There is no need to worry about wasting the roll of film or having to insert or even buy new film.

Once the picture is taken there is nothing else a regular camera can do with the picture. Whereas a digital camera allows the user to change the settings for various lighting and landscapes. There are also fun feature that some digital cameras have which allow you to write captions on the pictures, or even add fun images like party hats and streamers!

FInally, and probably the best point for switching to digital camera is the easy and cost efficient accessibility of the pictures. Any one that has had a camera has experienced collecting rolls of films from past events for an inconvenient trip to the local Walgreens or CVS to develop the film. This usually gets burden some and the rolls are collected in a drawer... its inevitable! Yet, with any digital camera comes a USB cord that allows the pictures to be downloaded from the camera to any computer or laptop. At this point the user can crop, edit, and basically do anything with the pictures themselves. It also allows the pictures to easily be transfered from the computer to any of the social networking sites such as Facebook. Sharing photos this way is much more cost efficient than attempting to print doubles, triples, or quadruple sets of photos for friends and family.

There is just no way to compare an old and regular camera to a digital camera with all its perks. For any of you who still use regular cameras, it is officially time to move on and buy a digital camera. A digital camera will add to your picture taking and sharing experience! Try it out!!

online gaming vs. regular gaming

Ok so to be honest, this week's topic is rather foreign to me personally (aside from Mario Bros.). But I did do some research to bring you guys a complete and educated perspective on online gaming v. regular gaming.

- Research participants: boyfriend, boyfriend's brother, my brother, and 10 other close gamer friends

- Polls

-> online = 12

-> regular = 1

The results are clear, apparently playing online adds many perks that regular playing cannot provide. Playing online allows the gamer to talk through a bluetooth or headset to the other players, creating a more competitive game. My response to this was that you can very easily talk to the gamer sitting next to you when you play the video games normally. The research participants quickly responded by stating that it is more convenient to simply log online and find another player than to plan a meeting of friends to play, even if the communication factor is the same. Additionally, it is also more convenient to simply log off than kick you friends out when your girlfriend calls! They were right, when plans change it is much quicker to log off line than change plans with a bunch of friends.

Second, most of the research participants stated that they find the competition better online. There are millions of gamers online and you can see their ranking for each game, and choose them by their level of expertise. Whereas with your friends you are limited to their expertise, and the competition gets stale after a few games.

Third, online gaming is completely accommodating to your schedule. The only other gaming that is 100% in accordance to your schedule is playing the game regularly and alone. Most likely any gamer will agree that playing against another player is much more fun and entertaining than playing against the computer.

There are some downfalls, playing online makes the normal game seem lacking and insufficient. Therefore, when there are internet or wireless issues in your neighborhood a game that would normally save the day is unable to entertain. Some think that there are just some things that should not include the internet. It leads back to the idea of not wanting to put all your eggs in one basket! But the participants were unpersuaded by the chance of the internet failing them, and remained set in their decision.

The results of the research make it clear that gamers prefer to play online regardless of its possible downfall. Playing games simply the games normally as was done before the internet became widely available and fast is an old practice!

Human Communication v. Instant Message

Lets face it, there is no turning back at this point. Our society has passed the point of no return in regards to technical communication. Almost everyone has at least a cell phone, laptop, itouch, ipod. But everyone can get access to the internet, and that is all that is needed for instant messaging. For those of you living under rocks, instant messaging is usually offered by many email websites as an added benefit. It is a pop-up that allows you to instantly communicate with any of your contacts that are online. It is a way to have an instant conversation, similar to a real life conversation over the internet.

It is understandable that you are not always in the same place as the person you want to talk to, and walking to their house, for example, would be ridiculous. My question is then why not simply call the person and have a normal conversation? Why has technology taken over in a way to draw us apart from friends, family, and spouses? There really is no answer to this question, or why we have allowed it to take control.

There are so many benefits to having a verbal conversation, even over the telephone, in contrast to instant messaging. The sound of a person's tone can really clarify the thin lines between sarcasm, attitude, or bad humor. An "I love you" seems more meaningful in the voice of your loved one, instead of typed in a screen. The sound of laughter can never fully be translated into typed text. In my opinion "LOL" is just insufficient for a good laugh with a friend! Although I will admit, instant messaging really avoids the awkward silence that sometimes creeps into phone conversations. Yet, this seems like a small price to pay for hearing a real person's voice at the other end of a telephone line.

We need to make an effort to put the brakes on technology, and limit it from taking over our social lives. There is no need to log on to a computer, create an account, have your friend log on, create a chat, and then type the message. The simple answer is just to call, and have a simple yet memorable conversation over the phone. It only takes the click a few buttons and the call is made. The conversation is then even more "instant" than instant messaging. You may ask how can it be more instant than instant messaging?!? It is very simple, when instant messaging many people often surf the internet and at times miss a message or two. Yet on the phone there is no hoping the other person got the message. There is also no uncertainty about whether they are not responding to the message because of the topic or their distractions.

If you find yourselves only communicating via instant message, STOP! Remember what you are missing out on: laughter, clarity, unambiguous conversations, and so much more. Keep human communication alive in this technologically based world we live in. Remember, Instant messaging is fine, but in moderation!!

Books v. E-books

Books v. E-books

Flip of a Page v. "Next Page" click

There is something very classic about books. Whether it is how the pages turn a light brown with years, or even the smell of the binding of a brand new book. Books in their current form are not very different from how they originated, and that is probably what makes them authentic. It is just print on a piece of paper, but can create a new world (if it is a decent author). Yet, as the world remains constantly evolving many classic and authentic things have been replaced with advanced technology. Shall we have a moment of silence for records, tapes, and CDs...::head bowed::. It is clear that with the invention of the IPOD these are all outdated forms to hear music. It seems that the next on the list of outdated forms of entertainment are books, the real physical hard/soft cover kind.

Maybe this was just a personal childhood memory that you may not share, but I remember reading a book and feeling accomplished as a child. I remember not really reading for the pleasure in elementary school, mostly because the books were assigned readings usually forcing the teachers personal taste in literature on the students. As I would read, with every flip of the page I felt a little more accomplished. Even till this day there is a side of me that is proud to finish a lengthy book. It also a good feeling to reshelf a novel on your bookshelf for a future good read. This is especially satisfying when you really loved the novel.

Books are great travel companions. Books never run out of battery on a long car ride with the in-laws, or short-circuit with a minor drop in a puddle. Books definitely don’t require the availability of wireless to function. Books are traditional survivors and that is what has kept them in the mainstream for hundreds of years. I personally make sure to take at least one book whenever I travel, especially on a plane or car. They are great for passing time on a plane, and never have to be shut off because of possible interference with the plane's technological support. There is an endless list of benefits of reading books, the real kind. Yet, technology is still attempting to make books part of history by replacing them with e-books.

An e-book is also known as a digital book. It can be read on a personal device that has a laptop-like screen where the text of the novel will appear. You can download the text you desire to read and then may dispose of the text by deleting it. Like all new technology, the device must run on battery, and once the battery is done, so is your novel. Batteries don’t have mercy, it does not matter if you are at the part where the murderer is about to be discovered, or when the lover boy is about to profess his love, or even at the happily ever after of your novel, the batteries will die. Once the batteries have died there is no solution for these devices, except to recharge. The difficulty arises recharging on a plane, on an extended road trip, or even on a beach.

There are just some technologies that cannot efficiently replace the original. E-books may seem like a better and less cumbersome way to read, but it is definitely an ineffective way to read successfully. I do agree that is way more convenient to lug around an ipod than a portable cd player, but I just do not agree that e-books can prevail over real books.

In this case I will definitely have to stick to the low-tech version of real, actual physical books, instead of technology's attempted (yet severly lacking) replacement e-books.

Cooking: Caveman Style v. Radioactive Style

Over the weekend, while trying to squeeze the daily "necessity" of deciding what do have for dinner into my study-crammed saturday schedule, I was stuck on the question of either BBQ or a Microwavable meal. Really, what is the difference, both provide a fast hot meal...right?

Well I started thinking about it a realized they both have their benefits and downfalls, but for me there was a clear winner.

A meal made on the bbq represents something more than just a quick and easy meal. In our society a bbq represents a social/family gathering, and is usually associated with a a good time. Bbq's are reminiscent of fun, laughter and good home-made food. With a bbq the food is (most likely) guaranteed to be fresh. For those of you that think menu including bbq will be limited to hotdogs and hamburgers will be surprised with what they can find with a quick search on the Food Network's website. There are entire cookbooks dedicated to the art of cooking on the bbq and nothing else. A bbq chef could have an array of veggies, steaks, kabobs, seafood and there are even bbq themed desserts!

Another added benefit is the nutritional aspect of bbq foods. If you choose lean meats for the bbq combined with your favorite vegetables you can make a very delicious and nutritional meal.

Enough with the positive, we must now cross into the dark side... into the side of reality. We all live in a very fast-paced world that is extremely time demanding. The number of stay-at-home moms (or dads) that spend the whole day cooking dinner are quickly disappearing. The demands of a declining economy have forced both parents of any type of traditional household to step out into the work-field and gain money for their family. After a draining day at work, and a car ride in traffic this leaves the dreaded question of, "So Hunny, what is for dinner?" Then commences the scramble to see what is the fastest thing before the Batchelor, Lost or anything on crucial on ESPN begins. Usually dinner prep time, during the work week is limited to thirty minutes or less. This is definitely not enough time to sauté some vegetables, defrost and marinate chicken or steak, toss a salad, and bake a warm delicious dessert. By the time you scan the fridge and freezer most of the time has elapsed anyways. It is very common for a person to resort to a quick and easy meal. Even at times, one must resort to the microwave.

A microwavable dinner might seem to do the trick for speed simplicity, but is it really the best choice? A meal that can be cooked in under four minutes and thirty seconds should raise some red flags for the consumers. Even though it sounds better to have a "Tuscan Style chicken pasta with sun dried tomatoes", one must take into account the amount of chemicals that are added for it to last months in a freezer. I have read countless articles and blogs warning people of the health dangers of frozen foods. I will just subtly relay the message that THEY ARE NOT EQUIVALENT TO FRESH FOOD!!! =) Don't put your family's health at risk, especially if you have young children in the household by basing their diets on frozen microvable food.

There seems to be very little "healthy" food that can be cooked instantly in the microwave. Yet, on the other hand, a bbq dinner can provide the nutrients that a are lacking with the quick and easy microwave. I understand that I might be asking for a lot by asking you to actually attempt to cook a whole meal within thirty minutes, but a bbq can make that happen. Bbq cooking is very low maintenance, for most meals. For a simple chicken breast or kabob you lift the top, place meat on the grill, and close the top. Occasionally check the grill about 5 minutes in and then again another 5 minutes later. Total cooking time should be about 25 minutes. That's all!! It really is that simple, and you can get creative with your vegetables or seasoning, and even experiment with those bbq desserts.

Another simple decision made here on low tech v. high tech. I would definitely choose the low tech caveman style bbq over a high tech microwave any day. Take my advice and test the bbq idea on a saturday. Its a simple equation, add some friends some drinks, some food, a griller, and share some laughs. Beats standing in front of a microwave counting seconds by yourself doesn't it?

What difference does it make? My butt looks great!

OUTDOOR biking v. INDOOR biking

Ok I know that to some accident prone riders this seems like a rather simple decision. Of course you are going to choose the safety of a non-moving, bolted in one spot, indoor gym bike over an outdoor ride, but I ask that you set your fears aside for a moment. Take a second to remember: the musky smell inside your gym; showing up to your preferred bike to realize that Super Sweaty Steve was just on it and did'nt wipe it down; and Perfect Body Peggy still complaining about her weight to the trainer. Ohhh and lets not forget the random yelling from the back of the gym where the enormous lifters are apparently trying too lift the weight of small African elephants, just for fun. Now that your are starting to see the light, let me explain why bikes were originally created to be an outdoor activity, and should remain that way.

1. Body Health:

Lets start with the exercise that it provides, which is inexplicably beneficial to your heart, and health general, as well as your mid-section fat collector... blah blah blah. We have heard this everywhere, in this exercise crazed society that we live in that revolves around the perfect body image. Yes I get it, I have to eat vegetables all day and exercise one hour for every bite I chew. But what does outdoor vs. indoor have to do with exercise? Isn't it biking regardless of the atmosphere? Well, there is much more to health than your mid-section and thighs! Mental health affects your body also. Exposure to sunlight increases the level of serotonin, which a self made "feel good" chemical and can reduce the chances of depression later in life. Our bodies NEED sun, and tanning beds don't count..Jersey Shore cast! So after spending all day at work, under florescent lighting, and under the glow of you computer screen, go out and get some sun while you burn those cheetos calories off! You are going to thank me later, and so will your perfect tan!

2. Scenery

If you weren't won over with the mental health factor (because thats really not important right?!), you can't deny this one. There is nothing inspiring about riding your bike, trying to reach your goal, and having to inevitably stare at the backside of the person riding in front of you. Especially when it's one of those older folks that are in denial of "Father Time" and still wearing some vintage (probably new when they bought them) skin tight leggings from the early 1900's. Although it's inspiring that they are in the gym, it's not a really inspiring sight, directly in front of you, as you gasp to meet that pivotal point in your ride to break a personal record. Inspiring: is a long beach ahead, beautiful weather, bright sun with a slight breeze, to motivate you to keep pushing yourself. Or maybe a ride alongside a gorgeous mountains, with a view of the highest peak reaching the clouds. Yesss, much better than cellulite trapped in spandex begging for an escape route. I mean unless you like that sort of stuff...

3. As if you need any more convincing...its all about the company you keep!

An outdoor bike ride can be romantic, or family friendly too. There is no romance in rigid atmosphere of a gym, with the stench blocked in by the four walls, but romance can be captured in many outdoor scenarios and included in any bike ride. Even planning a "health conscious" picnic would be a great end to energetic or relaxing romantic bike ride. Secondly, if you have a family you know that gyms are not very children friendly. Well, I must say, some try to be, and allow you to dump your child in a 4x4 room with a teenage babysitter whose eyes and thumbs cant work fast enough to text her whole high school. But, if thats not for you, the options are limited for children and exercise, together. A nice bike ride through a trail, preferably commercially built (for safety reasons) is a much better idea. This will also instill some ideas about exercise in your children, which is a great addition to the video games. It will become family time and exercise time in one, allowing you more free time to do what you really enjoy. Like catching up with my blog =)

Biking outside is not even comparable to the unrewarding experience of biking in a gym. Bikes were made for outdoor fun and exercise, and it should be kept just for that. Just because gyms have bikes indoors doesn't mean we have to conform to their suggestions! Go outside and ride your bike!

There is no question here that low tech (bike and nature) has clearly succeeded over high tech (exercise bike machine).