Wonderful!

Had a great trip back with my friend-to-be-named-later (yup, much nicer stopping at book stores and yarn shops, instead of gas stations with questionable sanitary standards, isn't it?).

And yesterday, the post office actually came through and delivered the last package {despite a ZIP code one digit off on the envelope - given how our mail service can be, I'm surprised it appeared.........} from my SP8 spoiler, now known to be Jeanne of Cleveland. She sent yarn to dye, some Kool-Aid to dye it with, and a toy for the wee beastie. When I went to photograph the loveliness, I discovered the camera batteries were drained........but a night in the charger let me take this:

Jeanne did wonderful job of spoiling me -- her choices of surprises were excellent! Whoever gets her as a spoiler (if she participates in the next SP round) is in for a real treat!

I have more pictures of my stash-enhancing loot and dyeing experiments from my week in dial-up land, which I will post soon, but now I need to go off to bed, since vacation is over and I need to get up for work.......way too early tomorrow morning.

Fig trees

Catching up on an item from my Shavuos break........
The NY Times had a story about early fig trees:

In the ruins of a prehistoric village near Jericho, in the West Bank, scientists have found remains of figs that they say appear to be the earliest known cultivated fruit crop, perhaps the first evidence anywhere of domesticated food production at the dawn of agriculture. The figs were grown some 11,400 years ago.

More new critters

This story looks like it will be interesting to follow:

Eight previously unknown invertebrate creatures have been discovered in an underground cave in central Israel.

The largest is a white shrimp-like crustacean. Another resembles a species of scorpion and is blind.

The cave was uncovered during drilling at a quarry close to Tel Aviv.

Scientists say it is a unique ecosystem that has been sealed off from the world for five million years and could contain other ancient lifeforms.

Biblioholic alert!

Stayed home from work today (not feeling too great....) and catching up on email as I sniffle away. On one list I'm on with fellow biblioholics, one poster pointed out what looks like a wonderful webite: Librarything, for cataloging one's books and (if one wishes) sharing the results and comparing results with people with similar libraries. So I'm trying it out. I've been using Readerware, which I like, but this is more social/interactive. Just because I'm a shy introvert doesn't mean I don't want more hints on future reading material ;-)

I've added a feature to the right that brings up five random books from my library. Hope you find something interesting! My whole listing is here.

Last night's presentation

The presentation I went to last night was really interesting -- about how new technologies are successfully (or not.....) introduced. The focus was on corporate environments but there were also general population examples (such as videophones vs. cell phones with included cameras).

One of the most interesting points was the difference in motivating factors between pioneers/early adopters and mainstream users. Early adopters are intrigued by the possibilities inherent in the technology and know what they will use the new technology for when it is acquired (pioneers tend to want things just because they are cool, and may not know what useful purpose it will serve), while mainstream users just want to get their job done (even if the job is watching their favorite movie.....).

One side point the speaker made: the peak of hype/inflated expectations often comes when a new technology is profiled in airline magazines -- because that's when CEOs read about it and decide it will solve all their company's problems.........

I think I tend to be an early adopter (budget allowing, of course!). I love new and different gadgets (much more than my husband, who is sometimes so un-guy-like that I'm still surprised by it after 8.5 years of being married). But I'm not a pioneer -- I still want to know what I'll use it for before I buy it.