MindComet

Cellphone Only Households

There is a rise in cellphone-only households in the US.  I know that I am cellphone-only, several of my friends are cellphone-only, and my guess is that a great many of you are cellphone-only homes.  My reasoning behind it is simple, cost.  I’m already paying a carrier for unlimited calls and texts.  The reception in my home is decent, so I wonder what exactly would I gain from having a traditional phone line.  As this trend continues, I look toward the traditional phone companies and I wonder how they are going to revolutionize their business in order to stay relevant.  Maybe we can finally look forward to in-home, Jetson-esque video phones.  Maybe phone companies will start to self-bundle with other utilities (like power, water, trash) to become the Milton Bradley inspired Monopoly utilities power-house.  On a side note, when I was small I was all about having the utilities.  I thought having them was much better than having the Green or Red properties. 
Maybe Milton Bradley knew better, even back then, as there was no “phone company” in the Utilities power-house.

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Posted by Jennifer Carey on Jun. 08, 2009

Why I Love Sandwiches

I can’t help myself.  I love sandwiches.  Hot, Cold, Open-Face, Breakfast… It doesn’t matter.  I think this is a throw back from childhood when I was usually given a sandwich for lunch (usually peanut butter and honey - my absolute favorite).

I was thinking about this today, as I have packed a beef sandwich for lunch today.  I almost always choose sandwiches at meals (Only pizza and pancakes can contend with the formidable ”Sandwich”.).  Is it their ease of creation, the artistic possibilities, or their portability and ease of eating… I am unsure.  All I can say is, that without question, I heart sandwiches.  Here are some of my favorites….

Peanut Butter & Honey, Grilled Cheese & Tomato, Egg & Cheese, Meatball Sub, Open-Face Turkey (with mashed potatoes and gravy), Hamburgers, Fried Ham, Liverwurst (I know, it’s a family thing), Corned Beef, Pastrami on Rye, Buffalo Chicken, The Thanksgiving Special, Peanut Butter & Jelly (but only grape jelly), and so many more….. This list is making me hungry. 

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Posted by Jennifer Carey on Jun. 04, 2009

Are Americans The Worlds Rudest Drivers?

As I was driving into work today, something dawned on me.  Almost every single driver was rude/aggressive.  Cutting in and out of lanes, tailgating, not giving the courtesy wave when someone let them into a lane.  Really?  Does every single driver out there feel somehow justified in behaving badly?

I had a conversation with my sister about this same topic.  She lives in Ohio and if possible it’s worse there.  When the roads are hazardous due to snow/ice/sleet, people are still just as aggressive.  I talk to her every Wednesday morning on my drive in and she is constantly experiencing poor driving conditions, but drivers continue to tailgate, cutting off other drivers, bullying their way into lanes (Just because your blinker is on does not mean you automatically are granted access) or the opposite bullying out of lanes (If you see someone trying to get over, do you really need to race up and close the gap?  Can’t you just let the person in?)

It’s not just driving either, its becoming prevalent in other activities too.  Example, I’m walking in to a building and someone is behind me so I hold the door open for them too.  Instead of taking the door from me, they walk right by me like it’s my job to be their personal doorman.  Really?  I won’t even start with the rude cell phone activity.  Really people, no one else in the whole wide world wants to be a part of your conversation. 

I am making it a personal quest to be a more polite driver.  Will you join me?

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Posted by Jennifer Carey on Jun. 01, 2009

Mental Walks

I have an odd habit that I break out when I am having a difficult time falling asleep and wanted to know if anyone else does this…. I take a mental walk.  Specifically, I “walk” around one of my old neighborhoods, Camden, SC to be specific.  I start from where my house used to be (it’s still there, I am not) and walk down the street, on to the “secret street” than loop back around.  I used to take that walk every night when my son was a baby, pushing the stroller or pulling the wagon.  I miss those walks and mentally retracing those steps makes me feel grounded and centered.  According to a study out of University College London, we’re starting to rely too much on devices to help us navigate, which may reduce cell growth in the hippocampus (which is where we believe our mental maps are stored).  Devices are changing the way we think.  I hope that my quirky habit of walking around my old neighborhood helps strengthen my hippocampus.  I guess only time will tell.

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Posted by Jennifer Carey on May. 28, 2009

Snack Food of Knowledge

You might think I’m talking about fruits or vegetables, but I’m not.  I’m talking about Chez-Its!  They have a Junior Scrabble edition now.  I thought this was a great way to work through spelling words with my son.  It’s the perfect marriage of form and function.  So I bought them and much to my chagrin, my little darling didn’t like that I tried to make him spell while he was eating.  He now refuses to eat Chez-Its with letters on them.  I don’t blame Chez-Its for my mistake… I pushed the educational aspect.  I should have emphasized the fun.  I’m going to keep trying, mainly because I think they’re cool and I think he will too (eventually).

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Posted by Jennifer Carey on May. 25, 2009

New Year Resolution Update

This is such a “follower” thing to do in January, but I did it this year.  I also think it’s important to periodically review the resolution to see where adjustments need to be made.  Here is mine;

My resolution this year is simply to be a better person.  I am going to try to be more patient, understanding, calm, empowering, and nicer.  Both to myself and those around me.  For those of you who know me, you know I have a very developed sense of equity and fairness.  Counter intuitively, this skill is not helpful in being a better person.  So, alas, I am going to attempt to take a step away from “fairness” and a step toward compassion and love.  My hope is that this will turn into a new way of thinking and being and will not be swept away in a sea of stress, emotional hurts, and reactionary behavior.  May the force be with me…

So far this year, I think I’ve made three (3) people cry - adults, not children.  I’ve yelled, screamed, cried, been irrational, and occasionally acted in a mean-spirited way.  YIKES!  Overall, I’ve been human.  Drat!  I was shooting for something closer to Buddhist Monk.  But this is why I think reviewing your goals and adjusting your actions is always helpful.  Growth and change are hard and they need to be monitored.  So with that in mind, I’m going to try and make less people cry this quarter.  Baby steps.

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Posted by Jennifer Carey on May. 21, 2009

Technology Moves From Villian To Savior

Technology is Saving the Environment - I’ve been thinking about this for a while and all of the articles and snippets I read seem to support this idea; Technology is the catalyst for environmental improvement.  The interesting part of this movement, for me, is the shifting of “technology as the enemy” to “technology as a friend”.  As we became more urbanized, we individually became less interested in the land and more interested in our own comfort.  (Read here the “Giving Tree” phenomenon.)  With the paradigm shifts happening in society right now, due in large part to the new economy, we’re again interested in the land and how it’s use can ease/augment/support our lives.  Technological advances in recycling, biodegradable products, and product engineering have made it simple again to live earth friendlier lives.  As a self-proclaimed “light greenie”, I am interested in how small changes in my behavior can help offset my footprint.  Small changes have large impacts.  I love technology and I am fully embracing it’s ability to make me a better earth inhabitant.

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Posted by Jennifer Carey on May. 18, 2009