Interesting Placement

I saw these two signs while waiting for the subway at Porter Square in Cambridge. One is promoting alcohol as the life of the party. The other one is advertising it as a killer. I wonder which sign went up first.

The Distracting Internet

This picture just cracks me up every time I look at it. I love how there is a birthday cake and jets flying in the background.

Addressing my Poor Cell Phone Etiquette

The mantra "The User is Not Like Me" sometimes makes me wish the user was like me so that products would be designed to fit my strange behavior. One of these strange behaviors is that I always have my cell phone on vibrate, no matter if I am in a quiet environment or not. I usually have my cell phone in my purse (sometimes in my pocket), and I don't have a landline phone at home. Needless to say, I miss probably 90% of my calls, and this includes the important one. While I find that my phone's vibrate setting is loud enough to wake me up in the morning, I frequently miss incoming calls even when the phone is in my pocket. This mainly happens when I'm on the go- either walking around or on my bike.

At last, I have decided to do my friends a favor and try to address my problem of frequent missed calls. I Googled "cell phone call notification bluetooth wristband" and found out about two products: BlueQ and the LM959. This reminds me again of why I love Google- you can think of something you'd like to design, and chances are if you google for it, you will find it already exists.

These two products are designed for the same function: they vibrate to let you know when you are recieving an incoming call. Each device communicates with your cell phone via bluetooth. You need to recharge them with your computer via a USB adaptor. The BlueQ looks more comfortable, and you can create your own skins for it with a downloadable template. The LM959 looks like it sounds- very high tech. Because of its design, I would not want to wear the LM959. Ideally, I would like something that was made out of soft fabric that I could easily attrach underneath an existing bracelet. I wear a lot of cuff bracelets, and this type of detachable design would easily mesh with my accessories.

While I like the BlueQ's aesthetics better than the LM959, I'm not sure when it will be out on the market. A few websites say "later this month" but that was back in July 2007. I emailed BlueQ; I'm hoping they will let me evaluate one.

Google Amazes Me

I recently noticed that my Google Map searches have been providing 360 degree views of the location, which is quite fantastic. Two days ago I was booking a hotel in San Francisco and wanted to see what the area looked like. Since the hotel's website and most other resources only provided images of the front of the hotel, lobby, and rooms, I had the impression that the hotel was on a quiet, one way street. Thanks to Google, I now have an accurate picture of what the area looks like. When I enter the address in Google Maps, I am given an image that provides 360 navigate- I can look up, down, and.... all around! I discovered that the hotel is actually on a busy street.

I then looked up my home address and found a similar 360 view of my house and street! I was surprised to not see any cars in the drive way. I then discovered that when I zoom away, I see a parked car. When I zoom in, the car is gone. I wonder if this is because the images were taken at different times, of if Google is editing some images to provide privacy.

Cheese Tasting 4: Clochette

This is my favorite cheese thus far. Clochette is a French goat's milk cheese with a very interesting 'brain texture' like rind. I bought it shaped like a bell. It's incredibly creamy, but has a distinct moldy yet smooth flavor. It pairs well with chocolate, crackers, wine, fruit. But, I mainly ate it alone.

Today I came across a great site for Cheese lovers: www.ilovecheese.co.uk. It has an interested section "Cheeses of the World" which lists countries and the cheeses they created.

Delivering Presentations

I watched the Tom Cruise video that has been creating buzz lately. I was quite impressed. Not by what he was saying or the words he used, but his delivery style. The way he expressed himself, the way he used pauses, and his facial expressions show off his expertise in acting. This video could be used to teach students how to deliver effective speeches. I remember one presentation I gave in grad school and I was so tired from preparing for the presentation the night before that I just wasn't into putting energy into the presentation. And the teacher commented on this. He said you have to act excited about what you are saying, which will influence the audience into paying attention to you. Tom Cruise does this perfectly; he's very excited about what he is saying. After my lesson in grad school, when I give presentations, I do my best to mask my anxiety or tiredness and pretend I am on a stage acting.

Update: ID Verification Needed for Stop & Shop's new 'Personal Check-Out Tool'

I've been using Stop & Shop's personal Check-Out tool once a week for a few months now. An interesting thing happened last week when I went shopping. When you pick up the Check-Out tool, you first need to scan your personal Stop & Shop card. I usually find this difficult, because the scanner is at a strange angle and it normally takes a few tries and randomly pushing buttons before it works. As I was doing this, a guy next to me was just putting his Check-Out tool away and since I must have looked like a new-bee, he asked if I needed help. I was curious as to what his trick would be, so I acted like I had never used the tool before and said 'OK.' He also had difficulty scanning my card, so then went ahead and entered the number on the back manually. He was a rough looking guy, with an unshaven face and a couple gold earings with a matching gravely voice. As he slowly entered in the numbers, I kept hoping he wouldn't make a mistake, since I was in a hurry. But, when he was finished, the number worked and I was able to get a Check-Out tool. He then showed me a special button on the device that will let you scroll through all the deals that Stop & Shop was offering to those who use the Check-Out tool. He went on to explain that I could get 24 cans of Coca-Cola on sale... I didn't have the heart to tell him that I don't drink soda and he shouldn't either if he wants to preserve his health, so I just replied, 'That's great!' I was impressed by his excitement of this device, and his excitement to teach others how to use it.

I then thanked him for his help and went along with my shopping. I still don't know the product code for loose carrots. It isn't on the list, so I just waited until I could ask an employee. When I was finished with my shopping, I had to again scan my Stop & Shop card. It still would not register, and an employee came over to help. I think I strongly give the impression that I am always in need of help. But, I quite enjoy watching what other peoples' approaches are. Not surpisingly, the employee could not get it to work either. And then I realized that the guy who had manually entered the number must have entered the wrong number. I did not tell the employee this. The manager came over and was shocked that my card did not work. She said she had never seen this happen. The employee then had to scan all my groceries once again. Lesson learned: Stop & Shop needs an easier way to scan in your Stop & Shop cards, and if you have to manually enter in your card's number, it should ask you to verify your name or address as well.

Belkin Rockstar

In March, Belkin is coming out with a device to enable multiple people to listen to one or more iPod(s)- or other MP3 player. It can also be used as a song mixer: there is a toggle button on each input to change between input and output. So, if you want to add a little Beyonce to the Beattles, you simply switch on the Beyonce ipod and switch off the Beattles. Well, I'm just guessing. I'll buy one for my brother when it comes out and let you know how well it 'actually' works.

It looks pretty cool though, and I could imagine it being quite popular on school bus trips.

Yahoo! Shortcuts Gone Wrong

Since my college days, I've been on the mailing list for American Eagle Outfitters (AE). Now that I am through grad school and have a job, my clothing style and preference has greatly changed. So, today I decided to take myself off the AE mailing list. On the bottom of the AE email it reads: "Changing your e-mail address? Update it now or change your preferences on receiving information from AE." The words 'Update' and 'AE' are underlined. Since I wanted to change my preferences on receiving information from AE, I figured I should click on 'AE' at the end of the sentence. As I scrolled over it, I was given a map of United Arab Emirates. It was an interesting jump from highschool/college hipster clothes to a map of a country bordering the Persian Golf. Looks like Yahoo! shortcuts is trying to bring global awareness to its shoppers.

Cheese Tasting 3: St. Andre vs. Bucheron Goat Cheese

For tonight's tasting, I have two creamy cheses: St Andre and Bucheron. The pairings are as usual (chocolate, cracker, and membrillo) but I have added a nice hot cup of English Breakfst tea with milk for this bitter Boston evening.

St. Andre has a very light tast and velvety smooth texture. It really does melt in my mouth. St. Andre and cracker: great! With membrillo: nice, but a bit bland. It is hard to get a clear taste of either one, but nonetheless it is a pleasant snack. With dark chocolate: amazing! It is like eating a chocolate truffle. It's hard to resist. I will definitely have to serve this combo for a dessert sometime.

The Bucheron is stronger than the St. Andre, with a nice goat's cheese flavor. With the cracker: good. I could imagine eating it with toast for breakfast. After eating the St. Andra with chocolate, this cheese really wakes me up from my chocolate truffle dream with its strong bite. Bucheron with membrillo: Interesting. The membrillo sweetens up the goat's cheese. it would be a nice combination to go with some hot toast. Bucheron with the chocolate: Good. The goat's cheese really brings at out the bitterness of the chocolate. It's a bitter treat.

It was quite a pleasant tasting tonight. I still cannot get over how supreme the St. Andra and dark chocolate go together.

Cheese Tasting 2: St. Albry vs. Tomme Crayeuse-Ar

On tonight's cheese tasting menu are St. Albry and Tomme Crayeuse-AR, two ripened bries from France. I was a bit worried about these two, their smells are quite strong.

I first tasted the Tomme. I was expecting an overly strong taste based on it's smell, but it is very creamy and smells stronger than it tastes. With Cracker: excellent. With the Membrillo: Very good. The sweetness of the membrillo and the strong flavor of the brie are a great pair. With Dark Chocolate: Too bland. Neither flavor stands out.

St. Albry's has a 'stinky cheese' smell. However, its taste is also more milder than the smell; it is stronger than the bries I am accustomed to. It has a woodsy flavor. With cracker: OK. I could only eat a small amount of this cheese if it was only served with crackers. With Membrillo: Not as good as the membrillo/tomme combination. With chocolate: surprisingly good! I recommend this combination, quite a complex taste. It would be a nice desert, though, you could only eat a small amount. The smelly cheese taste contrasts well with the creamy dark chocolate. At the end of the tasting, the Albry starts to get too strong for me to enjoy.

Throughout the week as I sampled the St. Albry, it become more and more acidic. The taste was felt on the sides of my tongue. The more I ate, the less I liked it. However, it continued to be very edible with dark chocolate, and this is the only way I could enjoy it.

Comparing the two, the Tomme is more creamy and milder. After tasting the Albry, the Tomme's more delicate flavor is lost. I don't recommend serving these two together. The Tomme was overall a better cheese. But, I recommend the Albry and dark chocolate for an interesting combination.

Stop & Shop's new 'Personal Check-Out Tool'

I went to Stop and Shop yesterday to get my weekly groceries. I discovered they are testing out a new 'personal check out tool:' a handheld device which allows customers to scan their own groceries as they shop, then instantly put them in their shopping bags. At the end, you scan your Stop and Shop card and pay using a machine- no interaction with a cashier. There is no need to put the groceries back on the conveyor belt and have the cashier scan them in. The main objective for Stop and Shop is to cut down on employees, which is only my assumption and not what I was told when given the personal scanner.

I was skeptical at first, since I'm fonder of human interaction at the grocery store and being greeting by the cashiers at the end. But, in reality, Stop and Shop in my experience isn't known for their friendliness, at least not compared to the overly personal Whole Paycheck, ahem, Whole Foods.

So, I took the hand held scanner and went about getting the things on my list. The hardest thing was scanning the fruits and vegetables. I had to place each fruit/vegetable on a digital scale, look up the product number, enter it in, enter in the number of items, and then print out a barcode- in the form of a sticker that I then stuck on the fruit/vegetable. I then needed to scan the barcode. It took a few tries, because when it asked for the number of items, I entered 1, but then there would be a delay, so I would press 1 again, which would then turn into 11. After pressing 'clear,' the whole system cleared and I would have to find the product number again and start over. But, after 3 tries, I became an 'expert.'

Thankfully I know my fruits and vegetables, but, I can imagine someone grabbing an unknown product that they wanted to try and having a difficult time identifying it. Perhaps in the future, there will be smart scales, which would know what the fruit/vegetable was without you having to type in the product number. Or, S&S could go the Trader Joe's way and have everything pre-packaged. Which, I would very much dislike. Another, easier solution, would be to go "old-school style" with the fruits and vegetables section, and have someone there to weigh them and put bar codes on them for you.

One of the things I liked about the experience was that I became very aware of how much things cost and how much my total bill was at all times. Also, I liked carrying the device around, it was nicely designed, and it made the shopping experience seem like a game.

The checkout experience went surprisingly smooth. I was always afraid of those self-checker isles. But, all I had to do was to scan the 'end checkout' bar code, scan my Stop and Shop card, and select 'Debit card.' The rest was the usual experience of sliding my card in the slot and entering my number. I also found that since I partook in this experience, I was giving $3 back.

While I was shopping, I imagined how easy it would be for someone to steal food using this method. I was only told a random search may happen after checkout (which didn't end up happening). Perhaps in the future, everything will have RFID tags, so the store would know if you did not scan a product.

Another future problem is that there was only one electronic scale. If many people were shopping with the personal scanners, their would need to be many of these electronic scales. I could imagine waiting in line to use one and being really annoyed.

There wasn't a smiling cashier to wish me a good day, but, there usually isn't. I bring my bike bag instead of using paper or plastic, and most of the time I end up having to repack it anyway. So, this definitely saved me some time. Afterwards, I stopped by Whole Foods to pick up my specialty items (goat cheese is surprisingly cheaper at Whole Foods than S&S) and got my weekly dose of smiling bakers, butchers, and cheese makers.

Cheese Tasting 1: Artisan Garretxa vs. Manchego Raw Sheep's Milk

The Artisan Garretxa is smooth to bite. I sliced it thin, and the rind gives an interesting, moldy cheese taste, which is actually quite good. It's quite mild, apart from the rind. It is a almost white, which you can see in the picture on the right side of the plate.
With Dark Chocolate: Good
With Membrillo: Ok. The consistency wasn't a good match with the mebrillo, the smooth texture did not provide enough contrast. Taste was ok.
With cracker: Good.

The Manchego is slightly harder than the artisan, more similar to a parmesan with a crumbly texture. It is a darker yellow color (bottom of picture). The flavor was stronger, and dry. Perhaps 'nuttier.'
With Dark Chocolate: I was surprised, it was very good.
With Membrillo: Very good. The cheese is harder than the membrillo, and I like that contrast.
With cracker: Ok. A bit too hard.

Overall, they were both great cheeses. I was surprised at how well the Manchego went with chocolate, since it has a stronger flavor. I would imagine more people would like the artisan, since it was milder. But, I prefer to the Manchego. However, I could imagine the artisan going quite well with a ham sandwich.

Ok... The cheese isn't THAT bad

About a year ago, I posted my belief that the cheese in the U.S. isn't very good. Please forgive my ignorance- I am from Montana, where the grocery stores have a very limited selection and that had tainted my views. Just last month, it took some effort to find Mascarpone cheese in Kalispell, MT, but, we eventually found it.

Now that I am living in Boston, and have access to Whole Paycheck, I mean Whole Foods, I have realized that there is a very fine variety of cheeses (imported and local) in the U.S., albeit for lots of cash. Since I am very fond of cheese, I have decided to splurge and buy a different kind each week from the local WF.

I will post my opinions of cheese here in my blog, mostly so I can remember which was which. This will also ensure at least a weekly post, which, since my last one was almost a year ago, is quite a commitment for me.

I miss Cheese

I miss quite a few things in Australia. One, which is ranked pretty low on the list, but is still on the list, is cheese. The U.S., at least in Montana, doesn't have any good cheese. I used to spread ricotta on my toast in Australia, and it's really good with a little honey too. I tried that here, and it was pretty disgusting. And, little known to Americans, CHEDDAR CHEESE IS NOT ORANGE. It's actually a cream color. In the US, annatto is added to create the orange color.

Recent Books & Movie Review

Since I haven't posted a blog in almost a year, one of my New Year's Resolutions is to get in tune with the online world and blog more. A summary of recent events: I just got back from Australia where I lived in Canberra for a year. Now I'm hiding out in the wilderness of Montana. Besides the always entertaining company of my family, I've been reading and watching movies.

Last night I finished "The Confederacy of the Dunces." Very easy read, I found myself reading about 40 pages a night, and I'm not usually a quick reader. While my favorite books are about revenge and drama (I love the Count of Monte Cristo), I found this book entertaining but somewhat lacking. Or, perhaps the better adjective is annoying. A few of the characters, including Ignatius (main character) and Mrs. Levy and Trixie, really got on my nerves. I think that is what kept me reading, the hope that these characters would change for the better. I don't want to sound too negative about this book though. I really liked the character Jones, very funny. The dialogue is colorful, and the characters each have a very unique personality. Read it when you have time.

Last night I also watched "Dogville." A very strange film, I was not expecting it to be completely filmed on a stage-like set. Very drawn out. The main character Grace (Nicole Kidman) showed two extreme personalities. For most of the film, she is an overly docile young woman, who forgives all cruel acts committed against her and somehow manages to remain a character who could be described as 'sweet, innocent, naive.' But at the finale of the film, she goes to the direct opposite, and while still speaking in a whisper-like voice, she becomes the most savage and cruel villain. The second main character, a young man that Grace depends on to be her friend is also an interesting character. He is so focused on the psychological and social aspects of the town from a scholarly point of view, that he shockingly is able to ignore the injustices and crimes happening right in front of him. If you are able to sit through a 3 hour film, and stomach or look away from a few very disturbing scenes, this film was interesting in portraying how terrible acts can be blamed on circumstance rather than face-up-value of morality.

A week ago I went with my family to the current Disney film "Primeval." This was not my choice, nor do I recommend anyone seeing it, even when it comes out on HBO. It was a Hollywood pre-manufactured script of good looking, stoic main character who is a top-notch journalist and his black-bestfriend-who-is-the-sole-funny-character fly to Africa to save the world from a large crocodile. Their small group consists of good looking journalist-woman-hoping-to-move-up-the-ladder, a crocodile expert who thinks crocodiles are more important than humans since the world has more humans than crocs, and a 'skilled' hunter. Interestingly enough the 'skilled' hunter who actually possesses knowledge about living in wild Africa is one of the first to die. The main character and woman, while they hale from NYC, are able to outlive bullets from terrorists and the jaws of the beast, to peacefully fly back home hand in hand. Please Disney, don't do this again.

One a happier note, "Little Miss Sunshine" was very enjoyable. Any film that gets all the main characters on stage to do an awkward dance is definitely worth watching.

Traveler's Insurance

There's nothing more "heart-warming" than buying health insurance, especialy when reading over the long list of things the provider won't cover and being reminded about the prospect of losing limbs and death. I'm in the middle of my trip overseas- in Australia. Back in November when I was buying my travel insurance, I trusted the policy found on the website of my graduate school, quickly bought the plan, and forgot about it. Then last week I got hurt playing basketball and had to go to the emergency room (I'm ok now). I didn't have my insurance information with me, and now I'm stuck trying to get a claims form. Which, you would think, shouldn't be too hard. Except, when the number the policy form says to call is actually a personal phone number of a man who gets really grouchy when all these people are calling about insurance claims. The next number I tried was an auto-insurance company, and the next number I called, which the form said to only call if you are within the U.S., was all auto-mated and asked me to leave my name and details after the beep. Where is the empathy in that! Medical insurance is a personal thing, and should be handled by actual personell who listen to your problems and concerns.... ugh. I tried the website, but it didn't exist.

Anyway, the point of this is to save you the hastle when you get hurt in a far away country. I luckily only bought health insurance from this company (AIG) for half of my trip. Today I purchased a new plan, and while I have not had to use it yet, I feel a bit more comfortale that my needs will be met. When getting traveler's health insurance, here are a few things to check for.

• Does the insurance company have a WORKING website?
• Does the medical coverage suit your needs? Be sure to read the policy.
• Are there multiple contact options, not just a phone number, but also fax and email?
• Is there an agent you can personally contact?
• A good thing to investigate is the cost of a trip to the emergency room in the country you are visiting, take this into consideration when deciding on the amount of the deductible. For example, my Australian vist to the e-room was $130. If the deductible is 100, it might be a better idea to pay a little more to cut the deductible down to either $50 or even $0.

The plan I just bought is through Liaison SRI. Again, I haven't used it yet, but I'm really glad to know they actually have a working website and there is an actual agent I can contact with questions and problems. Also, the premium was very affordable, even with a zero deductible.

Next time you travel, don't take traveler's insurance lightly and be sure to find a provider that will actually answer your calls instead of giving you a voice recording.

Shuffles make you Healthy

So... is this advert renting ipod shuffles for $1.35 and claiming it as 'health coverage'? Strange advertisement for health insurance, since it really had nothing to do with an ipod shuffle. But, I guess it got my attention.

the big day

Today I leave for Australia. I'm currently at SFO, waiting for my flight. My Grandpa gave me a ride to the airport. We talked about a LONG trip he made when he was about my age. He flew from the east coast of the U.S. to Hawaii in March of 1945. The plane could only go 500 miles before it needed to be refueled, so you can just imagine all the stops it had to take before getting to the west coast. From San Francisco, he got into a plane that had a huge extra gas tank. The plane had to be stripped out of practically everything, making it light enough so that there would be enough gas to fly across the ocean. The plane ride from San Fran to Hawaii took 18 hours! Today it takes around 5. My flight to Sydney from LAX is taking 14.5 hours. God Bless Technology.

Horns of Affordance

After reading Norman's "Design of Everyday Things," I wondered what he would have to say about the doors at my parent's home in Montana. The front door has a very uniqe door knob- it's an elk horn. I've often seen people ponder how to open the door, so it isn't user-friendly for the novice user. However, for the expert user, I think the horn works well. The horn has great affordance, and has a nice solid feel. My hand fits perfectly around one of the points, and there are multiple points you can grab to open the door. And, don't worry, an elk was not harmed in order to make this door, the horn was found in the woods.