Things They Obviously Forget to Teach People These Days

Okay -- I've had enough. I know this is going to seem really petty and silly but I can't stand it any more so I'm going to get it all off my chest now and hopefully it will be cathartic enough so that I don't obsess these anymore.

1) There are turn signals installed on your car for a reason - generally to indicate in which direction you are going to aim your vehicle.

2) I realize that we in the Northeast have a fashion uniform (black) to uphold. At night, jogging on the road (not on the sidewalk) is not the best time to flaunt it.

3) Stop talking/holding your phone while driving!!! I'm in a hurry and whether you realize it or not you are backing up traffic in the middle lane miles behind you while weaving over the line into my lane! Unless you are a brain surgeon rushing to save someone's life -- trust me -- you're not so important that the conversation can't wait. And for that matter turn the stupid thing off once in awhile and repeat after me "I control technology ... technology does not control me." Breathe deep ... aaaaaaahhhhhh.

4) Bicyclists! Guess what! That Red traffic light at the intersection? Yeah ... that one. It applies to you too!!!! And another thing -- didn't anyone teach you hand signals!!! And another thing -- if you're old enough to run a red light you're old enough to drive a bicycle with one hand so you let the people in front and behind you know what the heck you're doing!!!!!!!!!

5) I really shouldn't get mad at this because I don't think they teach it anymore but.... Pedestrians!!!! When you are walking on the road you walk against traffic not with it. The reason is so that you can see the car before it hits you -- which means that you just might be able to get out of the way first.

6) Copywriters and Editors -- trust me... you can't "insure" anything unless you're State Farm or an attorney. What you can do is "ensure" that it doesn't happen again.

7) HR people or anyone who writes job descriptions for the purpose of attracting candidates for an open position -- I realize that it's tough these days finding qualified sales people but.... if the job description includes words like "increase revenue through cold calling" then it is not a MARKETING job and there really isn't any such thing as a MARKETING REP... sorry ... but it's a sales rep. I'm job hunting and it's really terribly misleading and inaccurate to use the terms "sales" and "marketing" interchangeably. While related, tactically they're really quite different.

8) Unless it is otherwise posted you are allowed to turn right on a red light after coming to a complete stop.

9) The left lane is the passing lane, the middle lane is the travel lane, and the right lane is the slow lane. Just thought I'd let you know.

10) Please stop turning around in my driveway so that I can get into it myself. My husband needs his dinner.

There ... I feel much better now!

Kindle Krazy

Okay. I've had my Kindle now since last August and I would have thought the obsession would have passed by now, but it hasn't. I was a voracious reader before and now I'm reading more than ever before. Is there a word out there that means more than voracious? In fact, even though I have an entire bookcase filled with regular books that I still haven't read - I can't read regular books anymore. The type is too small, the resolution isn't as good, I need two hands to read, reading in bed is next to impossible without being propped up and keeping my husband awake. You get the picture.

I'm reading more fiction, more non-fiction and heck I'm even going to try the free cookbook! I've stashed all my free classics from www.Feedbooks.com (The Last of the Mochicans, The House of Seven Gables, The Vicar of Wakefield, etc.) on the SD card and I am toying with the idea of branching out to magazines.

I have to admit I was a bit peeved that almost immediately after the Oprah show (which drove me to finally actually purchase my Kindle in the first place), the Kindle 1 sold out and rumors of the Kindle 2 became stronger. I couldn't help but think that Jeff Bezos had used the Oprah show to sell out the first version so that Amazon wouldn't get stuck with excess stock before launching the Kindle 2. So I was absolutely not going to buy the Kindle 2 under any circumstances. When Kindle 2 launched I was glad I hadn't because I am probably one of the few users that use the extra SD card and had no problems with the side page buttons. But now, there's talk about a touchscreen version coming in late 2009 which will be very tempting.

About the only books I won't use my Kindle for are art/coffee table books and those books with high color graphics. Other than that - the sky's the limit.

Go out and buy one for yourself, for your significant other, your spouse, and your kids. Anything that gets America reading again is worth the investment.