Tuesday, October 17, 2006

I am not a geek

[I want that title to evoke the sound of John Merrick in The Elephant Man: "I am not an animal!"]

I don't understand how to configure the television/sound system/DVD player. I don't carry mechanical pencils in a pocket protector. The manual for my digital camera is definitely not falling apart from overuse. When I hit the wrong button on the remote control – as I did last night – I end up missing the first quarter of the football game trying to figure out what I did. [Sorry for this mixed metaphor, but Matt Leinart really stepped up to the plate last night, didn't he? Too bad their kicker didn't follow through there at the end.]

But I covet new techno gadgetry, especially if Apple makes them, and this reincarnation of the Shuffle is just too cute for words. I'd show you a photo, but you really do need to go check out the link. Go ahead; I'll wait.

Is that so sweet?

My current Shuffle is just fine, thankyouverymuch. The lanyard is a bit, um, scruffy looking, with about 18 months' worth of sweat soaked into it, but I love that it has a lanyard. It's just the kind of jewelry I like to wear. So, while I don't need a new Shuffle, I'm certainly taken with its x-treme cuteness.

[Note to my children: This is not a holiday hint! I'd really rather have that brushed aluminum Cuisinart coffee grinder. Heh.]

The Shuffle has been so-so helpful as I get back into a rowing-machine groove. The 140 bpm mixes from djsteveboy set a good rowing pace. I tried a 151 bpm selection yesterday and ended up having to pull every other beat, which was much too slow.

Mr. Shrinking Knitter used to row for exercise at his gym, and said one time he managed to do 40 strokes per minute for 60 minutes straight. Now that is a performance to aspire to! Competitive? Nah, not us! [Um, Scrabble, anyone?] My best so far is 1,750 strokes in 45 minutes [38.888889 strokes per minute]. I was a puddle of sweat when I was finished.

And the next day I could barely manage 20 minutes. Just as in outdoor fitness walking, I need to learn to pace myself on the rowing machine. Thirty minutes a day while I'm getting used to it again should be manageable. While a 45-minute day is good, the following 20-minute one makes me feel like a slacker.

No segue here, just changing the topic.

I would bet that not one of you readers is unaware of FlyLady. With more than 348,000 subsribers to her Yahoo group, and certainly many more who follow her plan, she is quite the clutter-busting phenom these days. I've mentioned previously that she suggests taking 70 minutes one day a week to 'bless your house' – that's what she calls it.

Well, FlyLady, I surrender. I cannot manage to clean my floor in 70 minutes, let alone take out the trash, polish the doors and mirrors, change the linens and all the other stuff you do. I think I'll do a big thing a day, combine the less time-consuming things for a couple of other days, and call it good. I'd have no time to knit if I did everything on her list on the same day. Heh. And that gives me a couple of free days for doctor's appointments and haircuts and crap.

Today is not Floor Day. It's raining, and I have dogs; need I say more?

Actually, after this rambling post,
you're probably wishing that I'd said a lot less!

3 comments:

Jack Sprat said...

D:
Two comments --
(1) I had a perfectly good cell phone, but just spent (gulp) $400 on a Treo so I could, um, lessee, I dunno, surf the internet while I'm at the bus stop?
(2) I have one dog. And he has "blessed our house" by shedding his fine, white, powdery hair on every single surface in every single room. Even in the rooms he's not allowed in. Seventy minutes? I don't think so.
-J

Anonymous said...

oh man, i hear you on the shuffle coveting! i have a perfectly good original shuffle.. but the new one is teeny and it has a CLIP! now every time i look at the stupid lanyard i am just pining for the new one. hehe.

Lori G. said...

It's funny you bring this up because I hadn't seen it but I was thinking...hmm, how much difference between a Shuffle vs. the Nano? OTOH, the Shuffle hardly ever stops. (Or maybe I don't exercise enough, you make the call.)

I'd just like to have a new lanyard b/c mine is pretty disgusting.