I don't understand how people can maintain a blog and Facebook or MySpace account. It seems really redundant. Anyhoo, I am right now hating technology. It is supposed to make our lives easier but it seems to have the opposite effect. I have been trying for the better part of my day to get the scanner on my HP all in one printer to work. Apparently, scan buttons on printers do no work with Windows Vista operating system. AAAAARRGGHH! I've been onto HP online chat help 3 times now. This last tech is useless. I know they are trying to help but really they are just reading from some log book that points them to what to write. It's kinda like those comic books where you get to choose the ending. If you choose option A, go to page 24, if you choose option B, got to page 36. Why can't someone fix this for me??? I am not asking for the world; just want to be able to use my scanner!!!

Olympics 2008

So, I read on MSN.com today that the IOC has agreed to allow the Chinese government (hereafter known as CG) to restrict access to the internet, specifically any website the CG feels is of a sensitive nature and is not directly related to the Olympics. I cannot believe that the IOC has agreed to these negotiations. On the other hand, I don't know why I'm so dumbfounded that they have agreed to it. As much as people want to believe the IOC is non-partisan and impartial, it has always been and always will be a political body. I mean, part of the article had a quote from the BOCOG spokesman stating "I would remind you that Falun Gong is an evil, fake religion which has been banned by the Chinese government." Hello? "Evil, fake religion"? I'm surprised MSN didn't include a counterstatement in the article.

I was reading some blogs about the Olympics being held in China this year and there was one Idiot (yes, this blogger deserves the capital "I"), Expatter, who must have been fake as reading the blog made me want to scratch out my own eyes and give myself amnesia for having seen and read what was obviously a posting by a Chinese official trying to make it seem like China is just one happy family with a Utopian society. (sorry about the run on sentence)

America has its fair share of problems and is by no means perfect, but neither is China. This Expatter was talking out of his or her ass. Idiot!

Anyway, enough ranting and raving from me for today.

Weird Virginia

So, I'm reading this book titled "Weird Virginia". It's actually a series of books with weird things, happenings, etc. from different states. I thought I would be reading about actual facts or places about or in Virginia that were weird. A lot of the book is about UFOs and stuff that hasn't been substantiated. This causes me to wonder, exactly how hard is it to write a book??? I know I couldn't write anything that was interesting enough for other people to plunk down money to buy so they could fill their head with my thoughts. But, I have to say, WTF?

One of the "weird" things about Virginia is the "natural bridge". What's so weird about that? It's a natural rock formation that through time has been shaped into a bridge. Maybe I don't understand their use of the term "weird". This little tidbit in the book about the natural bridge is interesting, but by no means weird.

Anyway, that's my inane thought for the day. Til next time...

What's in a name?

So even though I'm pretty sure that no one is reading my blog, I'm going to continue to post inane thoughts.

Why you may ask is the title of my blog "Fin like on a fish". Well, my first name is "Fin". On the phone, it sounds like "Cin" (short for Cindy) or "Sin" (as if anyone would actually name their kid "Sin"). So in order to negate any confusion as to what my name really is, I have to say "Fin like on a fish" which always gives me the same response "Ohhh, now I get it."

You may find it interesting (or not) that I actually got my name by default. My full first name is Filynn (which in the Chinese pronunciation means smart flower). The story that my mom tells me is that when she was pregnant with my older sister (born 1 year & 5 days before me), she went to a psychic (because apparently you do that in Taiwan) and asked for an appropriate name for my sister based on when she was due to be born. The psychic gave her 2 names and so she gave one name to my sister. Well, lo and behold, I come along and my mom went back to the same psychic who gave her the same 2 names. Of course, she had already used one of the names so the other name was the only option left to me. And that's how I got my name by default.

I guess at least I can say I have an interesting story of how I got my name.

Minty Mosquitoes

Tip of the Day: A spray a day keeps the mosquitoes away.

Did you know that spraying Listerine (or any generic store brand mouthwash) works just as well, if not better, than bug spray to keep those mosquitoes at bay? My neighbor just told me this neat little tip. It's worth a shot anyway and worse comes to worse, you smell minty fresh! Instructions are to spray the Listerine around the deck, chairs, doorways, window frames, tables, etc (basically anything outside) with the Listerine and it kills the little sucker or at least makes them go away. For all you moms with kids, this could be better than spraying harsh chemicals on your kids. For you pet lovers, this should work as well on the dog house. I have to assume since you put this stuff in your mouth that spraying on your skin is not caustic or toxic.

Let me know how this works for you folks out there .

Biker Chick

So, my hubby is getting a Harley Davidson Roadster next week. He's been wanting one for a while now. The other night, while we were watching TV, he turned to me and said "I love you.". I replied that I loved him too. He then said, "I love you more because you're letting me get a motorcycle.". I know when you get married, they say for better or for worse, but I don't recall the phrase 'for motorcycle or not'.

Anyway, I tried on some helmets last weekend at the Harley Davidson dealership. Would you believe that I actually need an XXL helmet??? I mean, come on, my head is not that big...is it?

I also asked if they had seatbelts for the rider who sits on the back seat and he said if we get into an accident, the best thing that can happen is for you to get thrown from the bike. Really?! I'm starting to re-think this whole motorcycle riding thing. I do trust his driving ability. I just don't trust all the other idiots and morons, who somehow got driver's licenses, that he'll have to navigate around, in front of, behind, through, etc.

Now mind you, my husband does not look like a motorcyle kind of guy, much less a Harley Davidson motorcyle guy. What comes to mind when I think about bikers are those men who wear bandanas on their heads and inevitably have handlebar mustaches (why is that?) who look bad-ass but I'm told are actually big teddy bears. Then you look at my husband and the 2 images just don't mesh. Then there's me. I am a girly girl. I'm not frou frou but I am a girl who doesn't like the feel of the wind whipping through her hair (knowing there will be too many knots since I have long hair). And that XXL helmet still feels like it's squishing my brain.

Anyway, this is my random thought for the day. Take it as you will.

Hmm...this is harder than it looks

Okay, so after reading my friend's blog, I thought to myself...this can't be so hard to do. I mean, come on, you write down the thoughts that are coming out of your head and post them for all the world to see. Of course, most of these thoughts should actually stay in your head and not be put out there for the world to read. I think you would agree that people are pretty strange and being given access to their innermost thoughts is a bit scary. Of course, maybe blogging is just a way for people to say whatever they want to say and who ever wants to listen can choose to.

But, I digress...it's not as easy as it seems. I mean, there are so many choices for colors, fonts, text size, layout, settings...what did I get myself into. I can see me spending gobs of time just getting the page to look "just right". I think this will quickly become my new hobby.

So here's to me and my first blog and first posting on my blog. Yay me!