Most Random Architectural Feature

In the lobby of a Gilbert medical office building...is that a, a WET BAR?  Or veggie sink?  I'm trying to figure out what possible purpose this could ever have served.  Of course, upon viewing it, I had an irresistable temptation to wash my hands BUT there is no towel dispenser and no visible trash can for said towels.  Just freaky. Was the architect visualizing impromptu happy hours in this lobby?!?!  Even more odd -- I spent about 4 months doing my x-ray clinical rotation in this building and do not recall this feature.  Okay, I was pregnant and stressed out but still.  I think Lo-CD would have picked up on this anachronism...I mean COME ON!

Someone Out There Like Me...

The locked position of the knob is counter-intuitive, so someone with a label maker clarified it. Now I can pee in peace...bravo!

Photo credit: medical office building near Chandler Regional.

Kudos to my Coworker!

I get a twitter feed (yes, I follow THREE whole tweeters, not to be confused with tweekers) talking about a friend making grilled pizza. One of my coworkers is a grill freak, she was talking about trying it, so I ask for the crust recipe, and it comes back with the ingredient "ap flower" -- I'm all MBA overthinking it, what?!?! accounts payable? advanced placement? what?!?

Other (not grill freak) coworker pipes right up:  "ALL PURPOSE flour"!!! Duh!

I'm all, "Nice work Staci!" and she replies with aplomb and without sarcasm, "Yeah, it says that on the bag -- all purpose flour."

I like getting smacked down sometimes.  ROFLMAO! At myself!

LoSpace PSA: the correct word is XERISCAPE

It's NOT "zeroscape." Xeriscape from the greek xeros meaning "dry."  Not zero, meaning, uh, zero. Lots of rocks and cactus and plants that don't need much water.

If you don't believe me (which, if you're reading this, you probably do) check wikipedia: The word xeriscaping is a portmanteau of xeros (Greek for "dry") and landscape. On a sidenote, may I just say I love the word "portmanteau" -- I so wish that would come back into usage (from literal French carry + cloak), it used to mean a big suitcase, but which through Lewis Carroll coinage means a combination of two words, as in Jabberwocky where "slithy" means "lithe and slimy" and "mimsy" is "flimsy and miserable." Oops, is my English major showing again (tugging clothing down surreptitiously)...

Back on topic, xeriscape could also be called "not safe for kidscape" ... but usually Arizona kids know to give the cactus a wide wide berth...

RF ID - Technology with a Nasty Little Surprise

 

Ok, top piece of useful info from Neighborhood Watch meeting didn't even relate to the neighborhood, but credit card theft. Some new credit cards have the above "blink" symbol -- for example, Chase is issuing them. The technology uses a radio frequency chip embedded in the card that beams the credit card number (encrypted) to a receiver terminal so the user doesn't have to swipe the card to make a purchase. Just get within (allegedly) 4 inches of the terminal with the card and presto - purchase done! The problem is that it doesn't turn off -- it's continuously beaming out your credit card number.  Not so great if a smart geek squad kind of thief gets the use of a terminal.  Then:  free credit card numbers!  How convenient! The Gilbert Policers said the terminals can detect from up to 60 feet away.  Hmm, nice and so much more convenient for unscrupulous people to steal from you without getting up close!  To elevate your alert level from yellow to orange, new passports also have an RFID chip in them -- to make exporting identity theft just that much easier!!

But there's an answer, and the shoppers among us will like this answer: a new purse or wallet!! Search on Faraday cage bag or purse or wallet or passport case. Or satchel or European men's carry-all, you get the point.  People are making these lined with a conducting material (nickel-impregnated nylon, sounds classy!) to interfere with the RF transmissions of the chip.  So, with technology comes the opportunity (and need!) to buy a great new handbag like this one:

  

Not sure I like the fringe but otherwise, pretty cool design (shut it, anti-purse people, just buy the wallet then!) Anyway, I like it when a threat comes with shopportunity (a reason to buy something)!

And in closing, may I say I found it distrubing that both the Gilbert PD "crime prevention specialists" admitted to being victimized by identify theft (one admitted to four times!).  Um, really?!?! Is that what makes them specialists?!?!

Valentines Gift Idea

I was sorting through some storage boxes in the garage yesterday. Seriously, yesterday. I found this in with a box of vases. Timing: impeccable. Perfect for Valentines Day!! Can't remember where it came from or when or why it was being stored, but it seems like the EFL proofreader was asleep during this production shift. Meh, socks, shoes, foot coverings, whatever...I also like the odd and unnecessary space between "socks" and the exclamation point. It even comes in a nice white giftbox. Who is deserving of this gem?!?! (silence)...

Stolen Post Topic: Excruciatingly Fun!

When you are in the hospital the nurse comes in every so often and asks you to rate your pain level from 1 (hurts a little bit) to 10 (if you don't give me some meds right now you perky little scrub-ho, I'll yank your hair right off your head). Now look! Someone on another blog applied this rating concept to many aspects of a given day. I'm going to go ahead and exchange "Pain" for "Fun," which I find correlates closely with "Happiness."

Oddly and disturbingly, the author rates Happiness and Workload on a scale of 1 to 10, but Tiredness 1 to 5. I think they should all be parallel but hey, I didn't invent the scale, I'm just stealing it...I like the opportunity to categorize my day, not to mention the "bonus" topics:

• Happiness. 8.5 out of 10

• Tiredness. 2 out of 5

• Workload. 7 out of 10 (due to Procrastination. 9 out of 10)

• Last Meal. Greek salad with tzatkiki sauce . . . looking forward to takeout Pita Jungle later! 
• Song of the day.  Young Money - Bed Rock
• Thought for the day. If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion - The Dalai Lama

• What I’m Doing Now. Thinking about items that fall under "Procrastination."

It's Not Your Closet -- It's Your Belongings . . .

(NOT my closet, of course...)
I just realized something looking at the ads and websites for closet organizers and cabinet installers. The reason these pictures look so great is the imaginary owner of the closet only has 6 black t-shirts, 5 black coats (I think they're coats), 5 white dress shirts, and all the hangers are equidistant. Also, there are only black shoes and purses. Now I get it -- the reason my closet doesn't look organized is that I have all different kinds and colors of clothes! My shoes are different colors and heel heights! My hangers don't match! I don't own 5 of the same garment! Wow. Mind blowing.

So, epiphany:
Reality -- it's making my closet look messy. Wow, I wonder where I can apply this concept in the rest of my life . . . hmmmmmmmm.

Another Lo-CD Evening

I got a set of cool abalone and coral bracelets in August. Two days ago, I started freaking out that the baby magpie (Laney) had made off with 2 of them, because I could only find 3. For some reason I had convinced myself there were 5. And I had let her play with 2 of them last week, I thought. So, being as they are almost new, I blocked out time in my schedule last night to straighten up while I looked for them. The beauty of this was at least I could multitask, right?

After straightening the playroom, and organizing, and cleaning, and peering under couches and furniture, it was about 11pm. Time for bed. For some reason on a whim, I pulled out the jewelry catalog, looked at the bracelet page and I realized I AM NOT missing 2. There were only 3 in the first place! Then I thought, if only I had indulged my OCD in a different way to begin with and checked the total number of bracelets in the first place, I would have saved sooooo much time. On the other hand, the playroom would not have been straightened, either. I can't tell if I need professional help, or not.

Oh, and I found all but one piece of the set of 4 puzzles that were scattered throughout the playroom...so now I'm going to have to see if it shows up, or consider blocking out time in my schedule to search for it. Or get professional help.

Postscript: another years-old missing item found! While cleaning out a drawer so I could store the 97 CD-ROMs that had accumulated on my desk (do these things breed at night or what?), I found the knob for a recliner that had been removed (probably by the first baby magpie). The knob keeps the chair at the desired reclining angle AND I had scraped my leg on the uncovered screw at least quarterly for the past 3 years. Win win win! The chair is "fixed," no more scraped legs, my desktop is clean, the desk drawer is organized, and Lo-CD is happy!