January 17, 2007

Some good free stuff!

THIS IS NOT A SPONSORED POST. I JUST LIKE ‘EM!

Everybody likes free, right? I found these two sites a few weeks ago and I have been visiting them almost every day since. Sometimes I forget, which is a shame, because the free downloads change every day. We’re not talking about those “30-Day Free Trial” gimmicks that some sites use to lure you in. This is genuine, first-quality, licensed stuff that you get to keep. I’m gonna go take a peek right now and tell you what each site is offering today!

Okay, I’m back! Giveaway of The Day is giving away a download for for Global Clipboard. Here’s some stuff about it:

“Global Clipboard is a multifunctional clipboard manager. The program saves all the information that is copied to the clipboard. Therefore, you can restore any data used during your work. A flexible interface and convenient viewing make it possible to receive all the information on each data fragment.” The retail price is $19.95, but you get it free!

You read that right! Software that usally sells for $19.95 is free, just a mouseclick away. It’s not a contest where you have to jump through hoops. It’s just there for you to take!

Their sister site is Game Giveaway of the Day. Same deal as above. One game download a day is featured. You want it, you downoad it. No strings. Today the freebie is Lines Deluxe:

“A vibrant remake of the old classic Lines game. This totally brand new version is literally full of life! The balls interact with the player and numerous realistic bonus features make the game exciting and loads of fun.”

I’m here to tell you it is addictive. I downloaded it last night (they’re in a different time zone than me) and suddenly it was two hours later, lol. It, too, sells for $19.95 but is free to you today.

Both sites sell software, of course, and invite you to browse their sites the next time you’re looking to buy. But let me stress again: there is no obligation to buy anything in order to get the free daily downloads. They really are free! That’s a price you can’t beat! The clock is ticking. The sites tell me that their giveaways will change in six hours and thirty-four minutes. Get going!

January 16, 2007

Learning the language

The company that brought me to Hawaii twelve years ago provided quality assurance for DOD housing. Under the master DOD contract we inspected military housing for the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and Coast Guard. We were called in after subterranean termite ground treatments had been done by other pest control operators to evaluate their work. We looked for evidence that every area that should have been treated had been. We analyzed the treatment documents to make sure that the materials used had been appropriate to the job, and that the correct mixture of the chemical was applied. We measured the distance between holes drilled in slabs to ascertain whether the application complied with label requirements, and we noted whether holes had been properly filled after treatment. We applied **bio-technology** to determine whether the treatment had been effective. If work seemed dodgy, we took soil samples to send off for high-priced analysis that would prove definitively whether or not effective ground barriers were being applied. We evaluated fumigation efficacy also. The gases used leave no residues, so the only ways to determine if an effective kill had been obtained were to tear up the structures looking for live termites or to apply our bio-tech device. Our method was less costly and more aesthically pleasing. :0)

A lot of the local pest control operators resented us, understandably so. No one likes a competitor to be given the power to prove that they’re doing lousy work. There were a few operators who took a different view. They realized that they could use our services to evaluate and improve the quality of their own work. One company signed a contract for us to provide quality-assurance monitoring for every job they performed. Others had us spot-check a few dozen jobs a month.

The day after I arrived in Hawaii I was provided with an employee from one of those companies to help me get acquainted with local ways. He greeted me wearing shorts and a company tee shirt. I thought that was very unprofessional, but soon discovered that it’s not only considered appropriate in Hawaii, it’s the only way to go if you’re going to do physical labor in a tropical climate. His name was Clyde and I still remember that my first impression was also impaired by his bad breath. He was “local” and I had some difficulty understanding his speech, but he was patient with me and we were communicating well before the day was over (well, I thought we were.) He took me to several vacant houses that his company had recently treated. We discussed his treatment methods and he introduced me to a few structural features that I had not routinely seen in mainland buildings. One of these features was the shallow, pre-made trusses that form the roof support for most Hawaii homes. The attics don’t have much space because of low overheads and are extremely hard to navigate.

At one location I preceded Clyde up the ladder to look at an attic. As I pushed up the hatch that provided entry, something fell down my shirt. To say that I was surpised when it began to crawl around in there is an understatement. I forced Clyde back down the ladder and proceeded to paw around in a very un-ladylike manner, trying to capture what I assumed would turn out to be a cockroach. When it managed to crawl inside my bra and contacted my skin, I knew it was something else. It was soft and warm, and managed to squeeze itself into a space at the band of my bra without the scratchiness that an insect with an exoskeleton is known for. I finally managed to get a grip on the intruder and pull it out. Clyde was by then stooped over in laughter, looking like he was about to pee himself. I opened my hand and my captive leapt to a nearby wall and scurried away, to Clyde’s shout of “Wooaaah! Spahk ‘em!” I collected the few shreds of dignity that I had left and we carried on with our workday.

A few days later I was in the warehouse of Clyde’s employer, hanging out with several of “the guys.” I pointed to some activity in a corner and said “I’m surprised all those ’spockums’ can live in here where all the pesticides are stored.” This seemed hilarious to all of the assembled workers and most of them laughed until they had tears in their eyes. I stood there feeling awkward and embarrassed, waiting for an explanation. That was the day I learned that spahk’ em is another local way of saying “look a dat!” Geckos are just called geckos.

I rememberd Clyde when I saw him a few months ago at a pest control conference. He remembered me, too. Apparently the story of the day we met has remained as fresh in his mind as it has mine. He introduced me to a fellow he was standing with. “Hey, bra, dis dat spahk ‘em girl wit da **bio-technology device** I tol you bout.”

Sheesh! I worked with that man for two years. You’d think he would remember me for the fine service I provided!

**This bio-technology utilized each inspector’s four-footed, wet-nosed, tail-wagging partner. I’m not using the more obvious words here because I don’t want old boss to stumble across combinations of keywords that would let him find my blog. ;0)

January 15, 2007

Postie Carnival reminder

Today’s Postie Carnival features posts that will direct your attention to some great causes that are worthy of support. Catagories include supporting cancer research, helping children in need, feeding the hungry and tending to your own personal development, among others. I’m finding so many organizations and ideas that I was not even aware existed, and I haven’t read half of the posts yet. Did you know you can give a cow to an impoverished family so that they can begin developing their own sustainable resources? What a magnificent idea!

Take a few minutes to check out the Postie Carnival! You’ll be glad you did!

A day at the theatre - Pidgin style!

My friend called me last night to let me know that our tickets for the current production at Kumu Kahua Theatre were for today. I think her call must have come while I was at the far end of the house starting a load of laundry, because I never heard the phone ring. It was too late to call her back when I found the message, so we talked this morning as soon as I was sure she would be awake. I arranged to meet her after I finished some necessary shopping. She picked me up in front of the warehouse-like pet supply place and we enjoyed a leisurely drive into town in light weekend traffic.

Kumu Kahua Theatre stages its productions in the historic old Kamehameha V Post Office Building, on the boundary that separates Honolulu’s modern high-rise business district from the pungent aromas and busyness of Chinatown. On days when scheduling is not so tight, we go early for our theatre dates. We wander around the quaint little shops and garish import emporiums, sometimes buying tea and trinkets and silk shoes. We sample the street foods or find a table in a noodle shop next to Japanese, Chinese, Vietnamese or Thai families sharing a Sunday dinner. Today we arrived about thirty minutes before curtain time, so we lounged in the small park adjacent to the theatre waiting for the doors to open. A homeless man, his worldly goods in bags and boxes secured to his bicycle, sat nearby playing an ukulele.

The doors opened a little late today and we joined other patrons already lined up on the broad lanai waiting to enter. It was only then that I saw the posters for today’s production. Living Pidgin by Lee Tonouchi! I know that y’all know that I’ve recently re-read this wonderful book by Da Pidgin Guerrilla. The play was comprised of a collection of Lee’s stories. His writings are personal and he was portrayed in each act. The actors, both male and female, swapped off his role so that each played him several times throughout the production. This might have been confusing had not each actor worn his trademark mustache and backwards baseball cap while speaking for Lee. Sometimes they walked into the scene prepared to play him. Sometimes they pulled a marker from their pockets and became Lee by sketching his identification on their upper lip while speaking their lines.

Audience participation is a frequent feature at Kumu Kahua, and was well-utilized today. Shortly after the play opens a videographer wanders round filming actors and audience. He asks for volunteers to provide local input for his film about living pidgin in Hawaii. I was the last of about six or eight to raise my hand. He gave me a hostile look and then addressed all of us, telling us that “hey, dey got actors to do dat. Put you ego away.” In one sequence the cast wound its way through several narrow rows between seats, bumping knees and interacting with the patrons as they searched for the hidden entrance to a rumored all-pidgin world. A group of students explores what might be different in an all-pidgin world and envisions pidgin dancing. Audience members were chosen to serve as partners. Some were embarrassed and reticent. An older man sitting in front of me brought the house down with his enthusiasm. Spontaneous applause and laughter were the primary audience contribution to todays wonderful presentation. I’ve been going to Kumu Kahua for three or four years and always look forward to enjoying “Plays about life in Hawaii. Plays by Hawaii’s playwrights. Plays for Hawaii’s people.” Today’s production of Living Pidgin by Lee Tonouchi was da bes evah! That last link will take you to a viewer’s guide and cast photos.

I spotted Lee Tonouchi on the lanai while we were waiting to enter, and he stayed for the entire play. I wanted to approach him and tell him what a fan I am. I wanted to mention my recent posts about Hawaiian pidgin, and that he is mentioned in them. Common sense prevailed. I can relate local stories, but I’m by no means an expert. He is. He’s Da Pidgin Guerrilla! I don’t think I want to invite him to critique my efforts! Besides, I got him to sign all of his books for me when I attended Kumu Kahua’s production of Gone Feeshing a few years back!

[tags]entertainment, Hawaii, Hawaiian pidgin, Kumu Kahua Theatre, pidgin language[/tags]

January 14, 2007

Self Portrait Sunday

Last week my head was stuck on the fact that my camera had died. I didn’t even think about my web cam, even though other participants were using theirs. So, anyway, here you go. Me, early on a Sunday morning. Two sips of coffee inside me, hair uncombed and, if you look closely, there’s probably gunk in the corners of my eyes.

Arrrrrrrgh! Next time I’ll look closer before I put it out there. Pretend I fluffed my bangs so you can’t see the half-inch of roots that are crying for attention, lol!

You can play Self Portrait Sunday too. Click on the link to see how.

January 13, 2007

Postie carnival

I just posted below that I’ve never done a blog carnival before, and here I am telling you about another one. This one is open to posties only. That’s what we PPP bloggers call ourselves. If you haven’t joined PPP & want to do upcoming Postie Carnivals, click the little PayPerPost affiliate icon on my sidebar & get yourself hooked up. You’ll not only be eligible for the Carnival, you’ll also meet some interesting & fun folks AND start getting paid to blog about the things you love. Good deal all around!

To participate in the Postie Carnival go to the info page on Suni’s blog and get yourself registered! The instructions are self-explanatory & you’ll be good to go in no time!

Fun stuff!

I have scads of what I call “messing around” sites in my bookmarks. These are the places I go when my head gets too full of serious stuff and I need to decompress. Don’t tell my clients, but I frequently escape this way when they are on the phone with me, droning on and on and on in a conversation that shouldn’t take more than a minute. They make me crazy, so I slip away for a little distraction while mumbling “uh-huh” and “yes, I understand your concerns.”

Funpike.com is my newest escape bookmark. They have Crazy Funny Videos, Free Online Games and other funnies that help make my life bearable. I’ve found several games that amuse me, and I’ve watched the video about clever crows about a half-a-dozen times because it makes me laugh out loud. HINT: Turn off video sounds when you’re ignoring a customer on the phone. Let them think your laughter is in appreciation of their own delightful sense of humor!

Calling all Southerners!

I’ve never done a blog carnival before. The whole idea of other people counting on me scares me to death when it involves anything technical. But Cass is such a sweetie and her Southern Fried Carnival is so perfect for me that I’ve decided to give it a whirl. I’m sure that I’ve messed up my links or done something evil to a widget, but hey, I gave it my best shot. Don’t pay any attention to the geographic definition in her call for posts. If you’re Southern, honey chile, you know who you are! Get yourself over there & register your Southern Fried post. And if you would, just for me, corrupt a widget or something. I hate being all alone in my ineptitude!

January 12, 2007

Little things I miss

Did you know that Igloo Coolers have a foam core between their rigid, molded outside skin and their interior liners? It makes perfect sense that they do. If I’d ever been asked “What do you suppose is between these two layers?” I’m sure I would have said that I thought it must be foam. Now I know that is the answer, because my Igloo died a while back. The crew that worked on my house and built the new addition was using it. Every morning I would fill it up with ice and water and set it out on the shady carport for them. Each day someone would move it out of the way, usually several times, and it spent many full days sitting out in the tropical sun. Shortly after the work was finished I noticed a split in the outer shell. It ran from top to bottom and exposed that foam core. I threw it away. Perhaps I should have buried it instead, and erected some sort of plaque commemorating its passing.

I bought my Igloo cooler back in the seventies. I don’t know the date, not even the year. It didn’t seem like a significant thing to note in some journal or date book. It was used continuously when my son played Little League. Several times each week it was filled with water or Gatorade or whatever I had committed to bring to practice or a game. It must have gone to hundreds of “dinner on the grounds” and “supper in the fellowship hall” gatherings. It was dragged out for Mardi Gras parade parties, picnics and impromptu touch football games. It moved with me to Northern California and later here to Hawaii. Whatever I paid for it way back then, I certainly got my money’s worth from it.

I just searched the Igloo Online Store to see if the same model is still available. Mine was white with a blue top, and I think it held two gallons. The sides were a rough, pebbly finish, except where smooth plastic formed a row of short stripes around the middle. The top was a waffle-like texture. It made an excellent stool for a child. An adult could sit on it too, but the squat body was too close to the ground, so that adult legs were splayed out uncomfrotably in front. The closest I found in Igloo’s current product line is that green monstrosity you see above. That’s pretty close, though there may be minor differences. Looks like they no longer offer the white with a blue lid.

That’s a shame. I’d like to have another just like the one that served me so well. I’d like to pretend to myself that the new one was the origianal, and was invested with the history and memories of that old Igloo. There’s one thing that I would have to do to alter a replacement, though, if I wanted it to duplicate the old one.

Whenever I used the Igloo in California and later Hawaii, it always got comments and questions. Oh, it was rather ordinary. I doubt that anyone knew or cared how old it was and how honorably it served. That was not what stimulated so much interest. It was my identification of the contents that did that. You see, I drink iced tea. About a gallon a day. For all of those church events and picnics, I always wanted to know that a supply was ready at hand. So I drug the Igloo out, filled it with ice and Lipton Tea (brewed, never instant!) and took it to each event. There were a lot of people at these events, and everyone has their own preferences, so it was necessary to identify the contents of each of the coolers lined up where beverages were served. It seemed like just a little bit of daily life to all of us, but people in California and Hawaii were always bemused or amused by my cooler. I had marked it with an indelible marker early in its life. The letters were worn and a little faded, but still quite readable when the old cooler died. If I ever get a new one, I’ll mark it, too. Just for old times sake. Just to help me remember where I came from.

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If you don’t get it, don’t even try to tell me you’re Southern!

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I don’t know how to make the button below become clickable, so just click here to check out the Southern Fried Carnival!

And another kind of update

On January 5th I asked you if I should start dating again. I stated that if fifty of you voted for it within three days, I would sign up for an online dating site and start checking out the prospects. My polling effort was somewhat lame, but that’s okay because it was also somewhat rigged. I have, on a few occasions, gotten more than ten comments to a given post. My average is lower, and the post that received the most comments has only gotten sixteen (though they continue to dribble in, so that number could increase.) I set you up, dear friends, knowing that it was extremely unlikely that I would get fifty pro votes, along with some nays and some undecideds.

Mahalo, my friends, for not putting me through that ordeal. You showed yourself to be remarkably disinterested in my love life. Please don’t be embarrassed or feel that you need to explain yourselves. That pretty much describes my own level of enthusiasm. I would have kept my word if you had rallied to the cause, but am greatly appreciative that you chose to let me off the hook. It was a workable tie-in for the sponsor I was writing about, but I’m pleased it will not inturde futher into my life.

You may return now to your regularly scheduled programming. ;0)