Amazingly true, and applicable to so many areas of life:

The object isn’t to be perfect. The goal isn’t to hold back until you’ve created something beyond reproach. I believe the opposite is true. Our birthright is to fail and to fail often, but to fail in search of something bigger than we can imagine. To do anything else is to waste it all.

This great article at Put Things Off details a little discussed but easily recognized disorder in Nomophobia and the curse of the mobile phone. Reading through this list of the 14 breeds of nomophobes, I picked out a few of my friends and family. A few of my favourites:

• The text walker - We all know these guys. They seem to have no clue that other people might be around as they bump into everyone and everything in their texting oblivion.
• The light keeper - Can’t read that essential report during the power cut. No fear! The light keeper’s cell phone to the rescue. This belief in the ‘light’ is never-ending.
• The ‘conversationalist’ - This all too familiar mascot of the cell phone era has driven people crazy for the last few years. I’m waiting for the movie on someone who goes crazy and kills all the people who talk too loudly on their cell phone in public.

Check out the rest of the article for the remaining breeds as well as tips for dealing with this devastating disorder.

They say that the clothes make the man. So what happens when you are given no choice about what to wear?

Schools often have a grand debate if they are attempting to make the transition from no uniforms to wearing uniforms. The common argument is about taking away the individuality of the children, especially if it involves teenagers. The teen years are an important time in identity definition, but there is something to be said, I suppose, for removing the focus from the “superficial” to facilitate better focus on education.

As people get older, the uniform arguments focus more on the organization, presenting a common identity and brand, etc etc. But for many people it boils down to the same removal of individuality. So the organization risks ending up with a cadre of disenfranchised oppressed employees.

So what do you do when you are forced to wear a uniform? When you get up in the mornings and feel physical repulsion to the clothes you have to put on? When you feel embarassed to be seen by anyone you know? When you try to hide your clothes from view the best you can?…

…

…

Oh, sorry, hope you didn’t think I actually had an answer to this one.

When I was growing up I had quite an interest in science. I even ended up taking Chemistry and Biology A’levels in sixth form. Somehow that interest died a quick death shortly thereafter but I do still suffer from remnants of that scientific mind. As a result I do keep my ears open for interesting happenings in the world of science, though my interests are definitely more along the lines of psychology and human behaviour.

Here are some tidbits I caught this morning:

• Itching and Scratching
  Scientists have made a breakthrough in understanding why it is that scratching relieves an itch. Amazing, no? It seems the scratching may actually affect areas of the brain related to unpleasant feelings. Hmm.

• Walk on walls
  Taking our cue from lizards, scientists have produced what may be a gravity-busting adhesive. The adhesive uses micro-fibres to mimic the hairs on geckos’ toes. Most importantly, this adhesive though extremely strong does not require massive amounts of energy to attach and detach to a surface. Fascinating.

• Blue-eyed baby
  Taking the already well-known fact that blue is the least common eye colour in humans a couple steps further, scientists have found eveidence that those blue eyes all have a common source. They have identified a a genetic mutation which took place 6-10,000 years ago and was handed down from a single, common ancestor.

Ok, I haven’t done one of these in a long time. Last year’s excitement in the gadget world was all about the iPhone. Everyone was waiting for its release. If you knew someone who knew someone who got one, you might be considered cool. Oh, the thrill of holding one in your hand with its cool interface.

Yah, well, ok, maybe not everyone got that excited but people did. So for all those people who spent the hundreds of US$ to get their hands on an iPhone, how do you protect its beautiful touch screen? How do you keep your iPhone safe in this dangerous world?

I have found the perfect phone case for you. If you remember my previous articles on a particular sandwich, sundae, and jam, you shouldn’t be too surprised to find that this phone case will set you back a mere US$20,000.

That’s right, only $20,000 to purchase one of a limited edition gold & diamond iPhone case. Produced by Case-mate, the case features:

• handcrafted with 42 diamonds (3.5 carats, all with VVS1 clarity and H color)
• set in 18K gold, with an 18K gold emblem
• embedded in a rare gold carbon fiber leather case previously available only in high end aftermarket cars (Techart Porsche) and very high end cell phones (Vertu)

Surprisingly, they don’t yet have any customer testimonials on the site. So if you hurry (limited quantities available), you could be the first.

The rotations of the earth cause certain reactions
Particles flying inward, others flung far apart.
Invisible forces exist, no less real than man;
Pulling and pushing in an eternal balance
As some are drawn in, others give up space
Returning to positions held so long before
An equilibrium in time, the constant change,
things become as they were, to begin again.

Ok, here’s the Father’s Day gift you’ve been looking for. The danger is if you get him this, you will probably never top it for the rest of your life. Head over to Kharma and check out their Enigma System, an extremely high-end speaker set-up. Though it was custom-built, I’m sure if you come up with the US$1,000,000 they will make you one. Yep, I said one million American dollars.

So what goes into a million dollar set of speakers? Well, from browsing around their site, it appears they use:

• Wiring and connectors made of a super quality alloy of pure silver/gold
• A cryogenic treatment where the wires are cooled to -313 Farenheit
• A diamond cone for a tweeter

Supposedly by time they are finished you will get the best sound you have ever heard. Hmm, for $1,000,000 they better promise that.

With 3 days to go till my sister’s wedding, the tensions are running high. A recent comment from my dad was that he hopes I am learning from this experience. It goes without say that I am learning about both what to do and what not to do but perhaps the most interesting part has been the use of technology in planning a wedding. So here are my bridal technology tips:  

1. Use the enormous online collective brain - Do a search on any term including wedding and you find thousands of websites. While a lot of them are advertisements for products, there is also a lot of useful information out there. The clueless can get advice on protocol and etiquette. The overwhelmed can get creative ideas and suggestions on everything from how to write their own vows to cool honeymoon locations. The self-conscious can get tips on how to select a dress that flatters their figure. I would definitely suggest using some kind of internet research software, such as NetSnippets, to keep track of the sites you find useful.
2. Shop online - Other than ‘the dress’ which most brides would like to buy in person, much of the other wedding paraphernalia (invitations, favours/souvenirs, bridal party gifts etc.) can be bought online. This can make it easier or harder on the bride. If you are overwhelmed when faced with too many choices then perhaps this is not the route for you. But if you have a good idea of what you want then this may be easier than trying to find a local supplier who has it or getting them to source it for you (at a tremendous markup) Wedding portals (like The Knot) are a good starting point.
3. Table arrangements - Go ahead and use a spreadsheet to keep track of numbers such as guests, RSVPs etc. Paper lists are confusing and difficult to sort and share. There are websites that offer services like this allowing you to keep your data online (such as that provided by the Sandals website). This is a personal choice between having your data in your possession or having it available to you from anywhere when you’re away from your PC. Just make sure if you’re doing it yourself that you back up regularly.
4. Check the site - This needs to be your response to anyone asking how the planning is going or wanting information. You can set up a website to provide information (details, directions, photographs etc.), to provide updates (blog your progress, send mass emails etc.), collect feedback (RSVPs, well wishes etc.). You can set up a wedding specific site at eWedding or WeddingWindow, or use a general hosted blogging service like WordPress (my preference) or Blogger.
5. Register online - Especially if you have guests from all across the globe, this is a no-brainer. While a local registry is nice, setting up online can provide a greater selection and the convenience of checking online who has purchased which gift so you know what you still need to get. Many major stores and websites provide registry services online - just make sure they accept non-US credit cards if this is a factor for your guests.
6. Bridal party emails - This one is a more minor consideration than the others but can prove very helpful if your bridal party live in different countries. Making sure they have each other’s contact info can help them get to know each other before the big day and allow them to coordinate and plan both for the wedding (in terms of hair appointments, accessories etc. ) and other things (like the bridal shower).

P.S. I have included this post in the ProBlogger List Project so go check out some of the other lists posted. I will link to some of the more interesting ones shortly.

Time flies when you’re having fun. That’s what people been telling me my whole life. Is it true? Yeah I guess it kind of is. But even some things that aren’t so much fun can keep you so focused that the time seems to fly just as fast.

My time fliers:

• Reading for fun
• Surfing the net 
• Studying
• Some MSN conversations
• Working on stuff for pan (scoring, arranging etc.)
• Lazing around at the beach

My time creepers:

• Exercising
• Studying
• Time at the hairdresser
• Waiting for food at restaurants

Considering the official hurricane season is a couple weeks away, you would expect people to be prepared. I have no doubt, however, that today’s rain storm caught most people off guard.

Luckily, there wasn’t much wind associated with it (I don’t think) but the rain fell and fell and fell some more. Don’t know if we had as many inches as the Northeast U.S. has been suffering from but I am sure that we will hear about the flooding.

Of course, the comment I kept hearing was how we needed the rain after the drought we’ve been having but personally I would prefer more frequent lighter showers than the deluge we had today.

And the worst part was that I didn’t even get to have my nice cuddly day under the blankets because by 9 a.m. the rain had stopped, the sun had come out and the temperatures went right back up to the usual summer heat, now with the torturous humidity thrown in.

Looks like summer is truly here.