I Got Bupkiss

I gotta start planning these posts out better.

Here it is, 1:45 pm EST, and I've got nothing I really have to say. Maybe I should start planning out my entries in advance. Up until now, I've basically winged it everyday, writing as the mood hit me, and about whatever struck my fancy. Sometimes I'd start thinking about what I was going to post the night before. It's a good way to lull yourself to sleep.

I could go to a schedule. You know, like have every Wednesday be Gadget and Gizmo Day, or something. To be honest, I do have another post coming up in that category. I've been working on it for a few hours today, researching things. It's prolly what got me thinking on planning ahead or scheduling posts. Heh.

I do have some eye candy for today that I totally neglected to put in yesterday's posy about teh cyute kitties. It is another "cat" I have owned since around 1988. It is a small, ceramic statuette of Oliver from Disney's Oliver & Company. I fell in love with the frisky, orange feline at first sight, and bought the little ceramic Oliver a few days after seeing the movie. No idea where I bought it. I'm thinking one of those old Hallmark stores that are still in some malls. He is one of the oldest things I own and sits perched on top of my computer desk. (Bonus points if you can correctly identify the partially visible yellow critter to Oliver's right)

Anyhow ...

Two weeks in and I've still not lost the desire to do this blog, which is a good thing. (Well, good for me, I dunno what sort of evil my odd and inane posts are inflicting upon you, my good readers.) I am still trying to find a style for my blog. Not so much in visual appearance; I'm fairly happy with the layout I use now. I still haven't found that little groove in my writing, that small click when something feels right.

In the beginning I was doing a definition of a word that pertained to whatever I was posting about that day. Wrestling the table code into Blogger's strict guidelines was tiresome. I gave that up pretty fast, though I still like the idea. I suppose the little parenthetical asides I occasionally sprinkle into my posts are a part of my style. I've always been a stream of consciousness type of writer.

One thing that I found amusing (and amazing) is that a few international visitors have come by. Admittedly, an extremely small proportion of the total amount of visitors, and none have returned, as of yet. (Raivynn's Roost, annoying the world for two weeks!) Yet, it is the spread of places which have visited that tickles me.

England and Canada do not surprise me; Germany, Indonesia, Uruguay, and Iran shocked the hell out of me. I'm wondering how these folk stumbled into the Roost, and why. None left comments (which are few enough, but they sure brighten a day to see one hehe). I'm thinking they could possibly be some sort of web spider crawling around and making note of what is out there for various search engines. Possibly, another search engine somehow drew them here by whatever arcane search parameters they used. Just a mystery I'll never unravel, I suppose.

You may be wondering how I get all this information of who comes by, when, what they looked at and such ...

It is because I'm psychic!

No, really, I use Google Analytics. It is a free service by Google (d'uh) that gives you more info than I could ever need for a simple, egoist blog like mine. It has all sorts of tracking stuff, much of it related to traffic and marketing. It would be better geared to help commercial sites that sell products and such, but I find a few goodies in the reports that I like. All you do is sign up, add some code to your webpage(s), and you're set!

The main reports I look at are referers (the domain the entry click came from), geo locations (where globally the vistor is from), visits and page views, and trifling things such as what browsers and resolutions are used in what percentages. It doesn't give any specifically linked information like IPs, or who is using what settings; just general aggragated info. I've got a huge freakin' ego that likes to be stroked, and peeking into this stuff does that. (Icky thought, is that like ego masturbation?)

Wow! A post with no point has turned into this long, rambling discourse of inanimate friends, ego stroking, and Big Brotherism ...

So, yeah ... um ... enjoy your day and remember ... I'll be watching yoooouuuuuuu! ~.^

Cat Scratch Fever

Last week I briefly mentioned my cat, Tut. He was the pale ball of fuzz hiding behind the still displayed Christmas tree. Considering most of my blog entries have consisted of cell phone zombies, gross ear infections, mini missiles, and other forms of violence, it is time for some wholesome, unabashed cuteness to run rampant through the Roost.

Tut is a Siamese breed. Technically, he is a Cinnamon, Chocolate Point, Snow-foot Siamese. A fairly uncommon breed, and at one point a pretty expensive one. Tut, bless his furry soul, was a stud cat before I got him. He had pedigree papers and his full name is "Mama's Little Tut Boy". (I can just imagine all the other cats in kitty school beating him for his kibble money over that).

His owners decided to get another stud after he turned a year old and Tut wound up with me. I didn't want a pet at the time, but I was overruled. And, I am thankful I was. He was fixed and declawed, as he was to be (and is) only a totally indoor cat. Hardcore cat people say he is "worthless" now, but I think he is the best cat ever.

Tut is going on 10 years old, so he is not as playful as he once was, but his affectionate level has risen to nigh nightmarish levels. You cannot sit down in the house without him trying to crawl into your lap, or in my case, onto my chest. He's starting to plump up a bit, too, though he weighs only about 8 pounds or so. He's got typical Siamese asthma, but other wise is very healthy for a 10 year old cat.

As you can see, he is still very bright eyed,curious, and extremely cute! ^.^;;

He had a friend named Peekachu whom he adopted as a kitten a year after he came to live with me. Peekie was a stray kitten who's mama was killed. She was all tiny and scraggly, maybe 8 weeks old when she came. She had to have been on her own for a few days before she was found inside a drain pipe. Originally, Peekie was only at the house until Animal Control could come get her, but Tut picked her up by her scruff and carried her under the bed and began cleaning her. He wouldn't let us get near her until she was cleaned by him. We had to keep her after that.

These two were inseparable. They played together, they slept together, they cleaned each other. It was a beautiful friendship.

Unfortunately, Peekachu died of heart failure last year. It was sudden and the vet told us there was nothing we could have done. She just had a bad heart and it gave up on her. I was very sad. :*(

Tut, however, was literally heartbroken. He would not eat, he would not play, he lost interest in even letting upset him ... he just sulked around and slept, losing weight dangerously. It was so heart wrenching to see. No one can ever tell me animals do not have feelings, that they cannot love.

We couldn't let this go on because we feared Tut would die of loneliness and heart ache. So, we went to PetSmart and visited the animal adoption area they have, which is run by St. Francis Society Animal Rescue. Our goal was to find a new friend for Tut to ease his shattered heart and bring some joy back into his little kitty life.

There, we found Gracie.

She was a very young adult cat. We didn't know what kind, at the time. She was skittish, but friendly, and so soft and lovable we decided to adopt her. The St. Francis workers told us her story of how she was rescued from a pack of feral cats but that since she had been spayed already, it was likely she was an abandoned pet. She also had a limp in her right rear leg. We adopted her right away.

The first day she was home with us we noticed there was something wrong. She limped badly, it seemed she couldn't meow, yawning appeared to hurt her, and she was constantly stretching.

Her trip to the vet was both enlightening and saddening. Gracie was in pretty good health, but she had suffered some very serious injuries prior; her hip was badly damaged, but healing; her jaw was damaged, off kilter; her ribcage seemed tender. The vet surmised Gracie had either been hit by a car, fallen from a great height, or had been severely kicked by someone several times. I felt so bad for Gracie, but she was mending, and she had a new, safe home. We also found out she was mostly Maine Coon mixed with some other breed, a calico type mostly.

Tut and Gracie did not hit it off right away, and it took about 3 months before they were comfortable with each other. But now, they play together sometimes and occasionally sleep together. Not very often, though.

She now meows a little, and sometimes even purrs where you can hear her. She jumps and plays with only a little trouble. Her leg works fine, though she'll still stretch it out really far after sitting a while. Gracie is acting like a two year old cat now. ^.^

So, those are my two furkids. They are more like family than pets, and I love them to pieces! ^.^;;

iBlog

A few days ago Apple announced a new product they are calling iPhone. It combines three products in one: a "revolutionary" mobile phone, a widescreen iPod with touch controls, and a "breakthrough" Internet communications device. The average price of the iPhone will be around $400 to $500 US. Pretty steep, but really not too far above what a typical top end cellular phone runs ... you just see them much cheaper because you usually sign a two year service contract which significantly lowers the price. Still, it costs as much as most low end desktop systems through places like Dell or HP.

The features sound pretty good, though.

The Widescreen iPod is 3.5 inches, which you get by flipping the iPhone on it's side. The music portion of the iPhone iPod runs upright. Controls for both are by touch on the screen. So you probably do not want to be using this while eating those greasy buffalo chicken wings. Well, unless you like smeared images of the Ofiice and Desperate Housewives, that is.

The actual phone portion also uses a touch screen to operate. The video demonstration online makes it's features seem clunky to use as you must first call up the phone, then call up whtever feature of the phone you would like to use ... such as the keypad to dial someone not in your phone book. I suppose you'd get used to it, but dinosaur that I am, I'd miss an actual numerical keypad ready when I want it without pressing three or four things to access it. The iPhone also comes with a voicemail system, a 2-megapixel camera, and SMS. That's Instant Messaging for those who don't know it. The keyboard is on screen and touch, which actually may be better than some of those teeny tiny button plastic ones other SMS phones use.

The Internet portion use Safari, a portable web browser, to surf the Web. You actually see the webpages as designed and can zoom in on the areas you wish to fully explore without eyestrain. E-mail is handled in full HTML and downloaded in the background from most POP3 and IMAP mail services. again, you get a cool touch screen keyboard to tap out those words of digital wisdom you want to fling through cyberspace. It also has a map system using Google Maps, as well as directions and traffic information. iPhone also has widgest, which are small applications that give you info you want like weather, stock tips, horoscopes, and other stuff in real time. You do need a Wi-Fi connection to use the Internet functions, however.

Purportedly, you can connect iPhone to your PC or Mac to sync data, as well. You could even postulate that upgrades, new features, and other goodies could be added by the same manner.

No mention on any gaming capability, but I imagine it is possible, and possibly even already available.

This is something kids will be screaming for this year, especially come next Christmas. It seems anything with an i before it automatically becomes a hot, sought after item. Prices may fall a bit by year's end, too. Or, cheaper, lower end models are made.

The way people lust after anything "i" related, I wonder if GW spun his little war as being in iRaq if the populace would be more for it? Then he could go after iRan, too.

Tiger by the Tail

Ever since the shocking "Tigger Punch Incident" of a few days ago, I've had my Flock of crack researchers tracking down more info on this story. On more than a few occasions I've been called by one website or another and told to get the Flock out of there. But, through their flocking diligence, we've landed evidence that the tensions between anthropomorphic Tiggers and humans goes all the way back to early days of primates and tigers.

In the video below, you will see an eerily close re-enactment of the more recent events in Disney. Even then, the primate couldn't resist messing with the formally calm tiger. Even going so far as to attemtping to pull it's head off, too! I wonder if the mama monkey later hired a lawyer bird to sue the tigers for attacking her precious, innocent, little babies?



As George Santayana so wisely once said, "Those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it."

So let us end this escalating insanity and join with STOP (Saving Tigers Oppressed by Primates) to bring about a peaceful closure to this violent era of our mutual history, and move forward into that bright future of peaceful coexistance and harmony. A future were tigers and primates can work, and yes play, together without bigotry, without hatred, and without senseless head pulling and bitch slapping. This, my dear readers, is a future we should all support.

Top 5 Cool Office Gadgets

Is the usual workaday getting you down? Need something new and exciting to liven up the typical office drudgery?

Then here are 5 cool office gadgets to help you do just that!

1. Shocking Stapler

Have you ever finished a report after long hours of research, typing, and collating, only to have your satisfied smile turn to an angry frown when your questing does not find your stapler on the desk where you left it? Then the Shocking Stapler is for you!

The next time someone asks to borrow your stapler, or tries to swipe it, they will be find it to be a hair raising experience! A mild shock is delivered through the metal top plate to unwary users. I've not seen any details as to how mild, but a few sites have warned not to use on young children, the elderly, or those in poor health. Unless, of course, you have a good insurance policy out on them. >_>

These fun, little jolters can be found almost anywhere with prices ranging from $4.99 upwards of $20. It also seems there are different makers and styles. Just Google "Shocking Stapler" and you'll find plenty. Joke shops and the like might also carry them. I couldn't find one at Staples or Office Depot. Go fig!

So, don't be like Milton in Office Space. Get a Shcoking stapler and shock the hell out of friends and co-workers today!


2. AC Ally II

Here's a cool gadget that will keep you cool at work.

When the temperature begins to rise, and the sweat begins its slow slide down between your shoulder blades, plug this little baby into your computer's USB port, snap on the fan, and faux tropical breezes waft across your sweltering body making you the envy of the typing pool!.

Ok, you also have to put a plastic bottle of frozen water inside it and risk the condensation and liquid making it's nefarious way into the fragile innards of your expensive computer, but .. hey, isn't a cheap breeze worth the risk? Besides, if you're at work, you probbaly don't own that computer anyway!

You can find this little breeze machine at Gadget Universe, along with other nifty gizmos.


3. Mini Water Dispenser

Now all the water cooler discussions can happen at your desk, where you can actually show co-workers those funny videos and pictures you found surfing the internet instead of working, and not just tell them about it.

Of course, this wee watering hole only dispenses about 8 glasses of water. and the "cooler" in it's name is misleading. The only way you'll get cool water is you freeze it in the bottle first and drink it as it melts. But, it'll save you trips to the breakroom allowing you that much more time to find funny pictures on the web!

Actually, this is something I may actually buy for my desk at the Roost offices. It'll save me from getting up to get water during my marathon blogging sessions, or those even more important Guild Wars missions. ("Hey, where'd Raivynn go? She was supposed to be the healer tonight?" *death rattle*)

Now if they's only make acompanion Mini Port-O-Potty, I'd never have to get up!


4. The Businessbib

Just for you men. The video says it all.

If interested, you can find it here.


5. USB Rocket Launcher

Next time that bozo in cubicle 103A fires rubber bands at you, be prepared for swift and total retaliation with the USB Rocket Launcher! Or, precipitate a war by firing on unsuspecting co-workers who make you look bad by acually *gasp* working!

The Rocket Launcher is about 7 inches tall and plugs directly into your computer's USB port, and can be operated via keyboard with the software included on a CD. The 3 soft foam rockets can be launched 5 to 9 feet, and may be easily aimed with the 180 degree rotation and 45 degree angle launcher. Get two and have a war at work!

This might also be good for those times when family members bother at home while you are trying ot surf the 'Net or play a game. Or, you could just use a ratty old tennis ball, like I do. ~.^

You can find these all over the web, too. Just search for USB Missile or Rocket Launcher.

Paw of the Tiger

Seems a New Hampshire family (the Monaco's) was down here in good ol' Florida visiting Walt Disney World when lovable Tigger "apparently" goes Rocky Balboa on some teen aged kid (Jerry, Jr.) for no apparent reason. The dad caught it on home video. Be sure to watch the video closely ...

Being the cynic that I am, it appears to me that the kid was messin' with ol' Tigger. Looks like he was trying to unzip his suit, or pull of his head, or something. Then Tigger seems to lose his balance. Sure enough the fake orange cat lays one on the kid. But, was on purpose, in response to being pulled backward or having his head or tail yanked back? Or, was Tigger simply falling, trying to regain his balance and accidentally clocked the kid?

If you watch Tigger's feet, he was in a wide stance, easy to get pulled off balance like that. But, why did he lock the kid's arm in his own? I think the kid was messing with him somehow behind his back, maybe hoping to go home to all his friends and say how he punk'd Tigger by pulling his head off or whatever. Tigger then locked his arm on the kids to stop it. Between the arm lock, the stance, and the kid yanking on him, he looses his balance and either accidentally clobbers the kid or uses it as an excuse to do so. I'm going with accidental.

Either way, Disney is in hot water. The media will play this up for all it's worth, because everybody loves to see a celebrity or big name company do something wrong.

The dad (Jerry, Sr.) says all he wants is an apology from the man inside the costume, which is Michael J. Fedelem, and who has been suspended pending an investigation by Disney and the Orange County Sheriffs. He has also retained a lawyer ... who are oh, so instrumental in getting apologies, especially cash apologies. I bet they win. =/

My biggest question is, where was Tigger's handler? I've know folk who were mascots in theme parks, even in Disney, and they always have a handler. It's hard to see, hear, and move, in those costumes (yes, I know personally because I wore a Maisey Mouse costume at a toy store). The handlers help guide the mascots and usually watch for hi-jinx people pull such as trying to pull the heads off or yank on tails and the like, as well as answering questions since mascots do not usually talk, only gesture

But, all of this may be moot in the end. My crack team of content spies has unearthed a video of a secret training facility for Disney mascots. Here they are taught the basics of martial arts, and are possibly used as an elite protection squad for Disney's upper echelon. See for yourself what kind of raw power Tigger has mastered:

Just remember that the next time you think pulling on Tigger's tail would be hilarious. Yeah, I'm lookin' at you, Jerry Monanco, Jr. >.<

One Week Later ...

It's been one week since I made my resolutions and began the Raivynn's Roost blog. That resolution has been kept. The others ... ?

I haven't written anything outside the blog, other than posts to the GW Alliance forums and the odd grocery list. Somehow I do not think milk, bread, cereal, cat food, soda and toilet paper are going to help stretch my writing skills. I have located several hundred pages of hand written material in various genres which I wrote mostly in my teens. I've not decided if i am going to revisit any of those old, half finished stories or begin entirely new ones.

I have debated on using a second blog to store my actual fiction writings. It is technically the first Roost I created, back around mid-December, for posting about NWN2 and a game world, called The Saga Project, which I am a staff member on. Some glitches, the holidays, and the fact my NWN2 Toolset will not stay up has caused me to temporarily abandon that blog. That is how I ended up here, at Blogger, and with the one begun on January 1st. Were I to repurpose this other blog for housing my stories, I think I'd call it Raivynn's Quill.

Another of my resolutions hasn't exactly failed, but it hasn't quite been upheld as well as it could be. Yup. The good old ubiquitous "Take Better Care of Myself" resolution. It is the most commonly made, and most commonly broken, resolution made in the U.S.

I can't say I've made a good effort to make good on this resolution, but then again I've been pretty sick with an ear infection which has led to some stomach issues and general cold-like symptoms. So, in a way I've eaten less and better. Then, there was the day I went to Taco Bell and scarfed a Beef Burrito, two Ranchero Chicken Tacos, and a Crispy Taco. I did have a Diet Pepsi, however. ^.^;;

I'm considering that resolution still in play. My main plan to keep it is to eat less overall, while still maintaining the food schedule I try to keep due to my diabetes. (This means eat more meals, but smaller ones ... typically it's four a day, but might equal only 2 or 3 normal meals if put together). Also, I need to stop snacking right as I go to bed. I have a bad habit of eating while I read in bed for a half hour or so before I go to sleep. The third part of this is to eat less crap food, like sweet snacks and crackers, instead eating vegetables and fruits in their place. I like fruits and veges, so this won't be too difficult.

Then there is exercise. The bane of us all. Sitting here typing up these blogs is not burning any calories ... well maybe one or two. I do have a YMCA membership, but I feel so self conscious and it's am eight mile drive, each way. I know .. excuses, excuses. I could do some walking, I suppose. And, my next resolution was to play a part in this one, too ...

Spending more time with the kids. This one hasn't happened. I blame the ear infection, though. It's hard to do things with pain and fever, or the nausea I've had since taking the meds I was prescribed. I did spend more time watching TV and DVDs with them, but I had wanted to play the new Dungeons & Dragons Basic set with them this weekend. Or, even a game or three of HeroScape. And, even if I were feeling well this weekend, my plans to take them to a park for some footbal or basketball were squelched by the rain. (The Y is good for basketball on rainy weekends, though ... so no real excuse for that, other than being sick).

There is one resolution I've been doing well at, however. My resolution to be kinder to others. Even with the ear aches, the stomache quivers, the burning fevers, I was noticeably less loud with the kids. Those of you with kids can really understand how difficult it can be to keep your cool with them. And, when the grocery store bagger put cans of on top of my eggs, I didn't swing the sack upside his head in anger. I did make him go get me different, unbroken eggs and maybe embarrassed him by having my nine year old demonstrate the proper way to bag up eggs and bread. ~.^

For the blog itself, it's been a good first week. I'd like to thank each of you who stop in everyday, or every few days, and checks out my rather inane ramblings and oddball posts. you know who you are! ^.^

For those interested, I'll provide a small breakdown of stats about the blog. I don't know how strong the stats are compared to other newly published personal blogs, but i think they are pretty good!

The stats are from Monday, January 1st through Sunday, January 7th:

Total Visits: 77

Total Unique Visitors: 31

Total Pageviews: 189

New Visitors: 37.66%

Returning Visitors*: 62.34%

* Returning Visitors, by default, were at one point New Visitors. Once a new visitor visits the blog a second time, they are considered a returning visitor. pageviews on a single visit only count as one visit.

Also, for those who tried to play my Sploder Webgame, Raivynn's Rampage, there is a new version up with corrections, as well as a totally new game called Pink Puzzle Palace. They can be found on my Sploder game page.