A few weeks ago, I got an email from FOJ Alice, asking if I was available to go to lunch with her and some of her friends. I agreed, but when I asked about her friends, she was very vague. "Oh, just a group of girls." I found it odd, since she's usually very straight forward but in the midst of everything that I have going on, I didn't have a lot of time to give it thought.

Well, last Friday was the date of the luncheon. And last Thursday, it rained cats and dogs. A lot of areas had severe flooding. It was still raining when I got up. I so did NOT want to go to a luncheon. I called Alice, hoping that it was cancelled. "Nope, I called the Country Club and they aren't flooded, so we'll be there!" she said. Woe is me.

I got dressed and swam down to Miami. I knew where the Club was, but I had never been inside. The place has a huge foyer with stairs on both sides. I didn't see any place for eating, and there was no directional signage. Everyone else that came in seemed to know where they were going. I pulled out my Crackberry to call Alice. Bad idea. Just as the phone started ringing, a woman rushed out of nowhere, looking very disturbed. "We don't allow cell phone usage," she whispered loudly. I tried to explain that I was meeting someone and didn't know where I was supposed to go. I don't think she cared. She shooed me up the stairs. FINE--I'll find it myself.

Upstairs there was a bar area, but nobody dining, only employees. My phone started to ring. It was Alice, but just as I was about to answer, the bartender reminded me of the NO CELL policy. But she also didn't know Alice or where I was supposed to meet her. She told me to look around. I could see the entire room from where I stood and unless Alice was invisible, she wasn't there. I saw the Ladies Room and decided to go in there and call Alice. Bad idea. No cell phone service in the bathroom. Hmmph. FINE--if you want the riff raff to wander around unattended, then I will!!

I'll continue this story tomorrow, but in the meantime, have you ever encountered this? I know some places where there are NO CELL signs, but never have I been any place where it was so strictly enforced. Have you? Is this odd?

Your comments--priceless!!

Well, it felt so good to rant last week, that I thought I'd do it again this week. Let's Rant!!!

I've come to the conclusion that mail in rebates are scams. Over the weekend, I bought my daughter a new phone. The sales guy kept pushing the "rebate" angle--"You know this phone has a rebate. You realize that this isn't the real price--you'll get the rebate."

What the heck IS a rebate? Why not give me the REAL price today and save me a stamp, you a stamp, and 6 weeks time?? Are they hoping that I don't send it in and therefore NEVER get the REAL price? Isn't THIS the real price if you expect to get it today in REAL money?

Who invented rebates anyhow?? OFF with their heads!!!

Your comments--priceless!!


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Two years ago today, Apple introduced the iPhone. It resulted in what I call, "The Fruit Salad War: Apple vs. Blackberry." Each is vying for consumers to buy their fruit. Two years later, many of us put a piece of fruit up to our ears daily.

I think that there's room for both in the salad. Some folks prefer apples, some blackberries. I actually like them both, but if I was hardpressed--I'd have to go for the berry. My blackberry is an integral part of my life. It's my phone, my calendar, my address book, my camera, my GPS system, my video player, my newspaper, my Twitter, internet, and Facebook(on the go). I probably couldn't function without it.

What about you? How tightly are you and your cell phone connected? Do you use all of the functions of your phone? How do you "get away?"

Your comments--priceless!!

I have a challenge for you today. If you had to bury a time capsule that represented your life TODAY, what would you put in it. This means that 100 years from now, someone would open it and, from the 10 items you've included, they should be able to figure out what your life was like.

I've been thinking about what I would bury. Here are my 10 items, in no particular order:

1. my laptop
2. a picture of my family
3. my business card
4. my Kindle
5. my Blackberry
6. paint swatches, all in the color pink
7. my Bible
8. Fairytale Brownies
9. iron pills
10. a thumb drive with my photo albums on them

Looking at this, I wonder what conclusions one would draw from those items. Is this really who I am--a geek? Apink, iron deficient, Christian, gadget geek? Is that who I am? Does anything speak to the fact that I'm from Washington, DC? Would you gather that I live in South Florida? Would you know that I love baseball?

This is harder than I thought. Let me work on my list some more. In the meantime, what 10 things would represent your life today--not yesterday, not tomorrow, but who you are right now. Interesting stuff...

Your comments--priceless!!

Just because you have a cell phone does not mean that should not observe common courtesy when it comes to others in public places.

There are some times and places where is is not cool for me to hear your cell phone ring. I do NOT want to hear your cell in a place or worship or in a movie theater. Phones should be silenced. And if you forget to silence it, as we all have done, and it rings, DO NOT answer it and hold a conversation. Excuse yourself and go to a more private area. Anything less than that, is a reflection of your home training, or lack thereof.

If you are sitting in a restaurant, I guess it's up to you whether you want to take the call or not. But still, remember the rule of polite society. Recently, while trying to enjoy my meal, I had the pleasure of hearing someone describe, in detail, a horrible rash in a very private area to a medical provider--YUCK!

I realize that we live in the age of technology and I love my Blackberry as much as the next person, but exercise civility!

Your comments--priceless!