My First Good Blog Post

I'm written quite a few random blogs in my day. Sometimes my blogging is more like a freewriting exercise than anything else. Yesterday's blog was a perfect example -- just throw a few sentences together about how I totally forgot that I have Skype, and voila. Quickie blog. Nothing special. Just exercise the writing muscles.


I woke up this morning and found that someone on Twitter (@GoodBlogPosts1) mentioned me and my blog in a tweet. My blog from yesterday was featured on today's front page of The Life Daily. Albeit, buried deep down in the Technology section, you have to scroll down quite a bit for it, but still....


I'm very flattered.


Imagine if I put some effort into these freewriting blogs?

Oh Yeah, I Forgot, I Have Skype

I got an email from Skype the other day, saying that the version of Skype I've been using is headed for that big video conference in the sky and I'd have to upgrade.


And I'm like, "What?! I don't even have Skype?"


Then it dawned on me.


That right! I do have Skype!


I downloaded it a couple of years ago, primarily because someone who wanted to talk to me about a job opening insisted on conducting the interview via Skype. So I tested it with a friend or two and I was more or less successful.


Sometimes I have a bad memory. So I downloaded the new Skype. I wouldn't say I'm a fan of Skype as much as, say, Facebook or Twitter or GChat, but hey you never know when it may come in handy. I do have a few friends on Skype and I can chat with them.


Next time someone wants to interview me for a job on Skype, I'll be ready.

On Whether Or Not a Car Door Is Truly Open

My car started doing something weird recently.


Every time I start the ignition, or accelerate out of a red light, the "Door Open" light goes on. I alluded to this in a recent blog, when I was due for a vehicle inspection and worried this would cause me to get a reject sticker. Obviously it's disconcerting because of the potential safety repercussions. That said, I've leaned on the door [the driver's side front door is the one that is allegedly open] while it was closed and even gone so far as to kick it. Hard. And yet it seems as shut as all the other doors.


So the other day I had an appointment with the dealer for an oil change, and decide to ask them about it. They said they'd take a look.


A service technician comes out a few minutes later.


He asks me, "Do you slam your car door a lot?"


Here's the deal:


My current car (a Honda Civic) is the first foreign-brand car I've ever driven. My experience with all my domestic cars is that they're heavier, which means they have heavier doors, which always compelled me to slam them so that I know they're actually closed. (This slamming-doors habit of mine was once the source of a wicked argument between myself and an ex-girlfriend.)


The ex-girlfriend was right -- I really didn't need to slam car doors back then. And I definitely don't need to do it now. Apparently my constant door-slamming damaged the electronic door sensor.


The dealership repaired the door sensor. My car no longer thinks the car door is open. Problem solved.


Now I need to exercise a little more self-control when shutting car doors.

The Side Effect of Unusual Dreams

We've all seen those commercials for prescription medications where they spent 90% of the commercial listing all the side effects that could affect you. They're pretty cliché by now.


Well, this one caught my attention -- a commercial for Chantix smoking cessation pills. Starts off normal. The off-camera narrator spends the final two-thirds of the commercial rattling off all the side effects.


Check it out, though. At 0:53, the narrator lists one of the side effects as "unusual dreams."


"Unusual dreams" is a side effect?


I have unusual dreams every night. Last night I had a dream that someone pulled a knife on me outside of a yoga studio at midnight because he thinks I stole his winter coat, and he pulled out his smartphone to call three of his gang-banging buddies to "take care of me."


I woke up shortly thereafter, a little shaken but much more calm knowing that my life was not in imminent danger.


So, do I need to see a doctor about this?

Northborough's Biggest Delinquent

My printer isn't working right now, and didn't have time to troubleshoot because I had to print something today. So I ran over to the Northborough Town Library for five minutes to hop onto on of the computers, print what I needed and head back home.


As I got back in my car, I realized I had left my sunglasses (which I had taken off because they were of no use indoors) in the library next to the computer I was using. I ran back upstairs.


Fortunately they were still there. But I also noticed something else that I hadn't noticed the first time  was there -- a sign with a price rate of 15 cents per printed page.


I printed out three pages.


I walked out without paying, didn't realize it, and nobody tried to stop me.  I owe them 45 cents.


Now I feel bad. I go over to the librarian station, but she's not there. I wait for 5 minutes. She doesn't return.


And I have places to be, so I leave, delinquent on my 45-cent bill to the town.


If Northborough can't afford to build a new school sometime in the future, it's my fault.