With joy

I've only been part of Facebook for a few months, but so far I'm thoroughly enjoying it. I've been having fun experimenting a bit with the new apps, but I've mainly appreciated the way it helps people connect.



At this point, Facebook has already surpassed many social networking sites of the past (remember Orkut?) because of the size and continuing growth of its user base, and not just college types. I'm surprised by how many of my work contacts I'm finding in the Facebook community. And if they're not there one week, they may very well appear the next.

Yes, I realize that Facebook could just be the flavour of the day. But like Livejournal, the larger it grows, the stronger the competition will have to be to lure users away.



Anyway, today I received a Facebook message from someone who used to know my brother. It made my day. My year, actually.

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"Hi there Debbie,

You don't know me, but I knew your brother well. I stumbled across you here and thought I'd send you a message. I've done very well for myself in my working life, and frankly speaking Jim is the reason. He taught me programming in a special weekend course through BSS, and gave me the bug for what has ended up being my profession my entire career. I have even explained to my children how it was this guy Jim who got me into computers, and how sad I was to hear we had lost him. I often think of him when I look back at where my life ended up, and it gives me a special pause and grin as I remember his infectious smile and excitement with some of the work we did together. He treated me as an equal even though I was considerably younger than him.

All my best to you and your family.

Nigel Carpenter"

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I still grieve for my brother; I will always grieve. But letters like this are a great comfort, and have helped me look back with joy rather than sorrow.


Photo by my Dad.



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Will Write For Chocolate updated

Will Write For Chocolate has been updated. I've decided that Eliza is going to start dating. This should be fun. :-)


Photo: Judith Nicholson.

I've posted an interview with Farzana Doctor on blogTO. My friend Leslie Ambedian recently recommended reading "Stealing Nasreen," and I loved it. Interesting plot, fascinating character interactions, plus I learned more about the South Asian and queer cultures.



Still researching cameras and camera lenses; my friend Iain is letting me try out his Nikon AF-S 18-200mm lens. Jeff and I are also going to check out some camera shops tomorrow.

The amount of advice online about digital SLRs is staggering. Overwhelming, really. I think my best bet is to do a bunch of online research but then actually try out the cameras myself. Right now I'm torn between a Canon Rebel XTI and Nikon D40X.



Thanks to Ruth, Jeff, Luisa, Reid, Walter and Dave Clement for proofreading my novel, and to my Reciprocity critique group for their help with the first section! I'm working on final edits now.



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Amaya review in National Post

Happy birthday to my pal Paul Kwinn, the inspiration of my song, Paul Stanley Kwinn.

I was delighted to discover that a new Indian restaurant was opening in our neighbourhood and went to check it out last Friday on my own. I strongly suspect that it was only the first of many visits. You can see my review of Amaya the Indian Room on blogTO.

A version of my review also appeared in the National Post today. It was very difficult to get a good photo in such a low light setting, which is one of the reasons I'm going to be buying a digital SLR.

Many thanks to my friend Ray for lending me his Canon Rebel. I've been playing around with it every night while going through the user's manual, and I'm lovin' it. Jeff was on the couch, proofreading my novel, and I kept taking pictures of him as I experimented with various settings. He was very patient with me until I started taking macro close-ups of his toes.

Right now, I'm leaning heavily towards getting a Canon Rebel XTi and a Canon EFS 17-85mm lens. Thanks so SO much for your advice (about the cameras AND audiobooks), everyone; it's much appreciated. My audiobook round-up will be posted in a future Blathering.

And happy Fourth of July to all you Americans out there!




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Looking for audiobook recommendations

Although a technonerdboy, Jeff is also Mr. Handyman at heart as well. His Mr. Handyman soul was frustrated back when we lived in our condo but has done many happydances now that we're in a house where things constantly need fixing and building.



He recently came into my basement office and asked if I wanted anything. After confirming that he can't force Peter Jackson to make a movie of The Hobbit and that there's nothing he can do to get the new Harry Potter book for me before July 21st, then I ask if he could possibly add some shelving.

Yay for handyman-technonerdboy husbands! Not only can he fix my computer, but he builds shelves, too! Now I have to figure out how to best make use of the space. Somehow, I don't think I'll have trouble filling it up.



I bought The Kite Runner from iTunes just before Relay For Life; it was read by the author, Khaled Hosseini, and was excellent -- engrossing and moving, very well read. Now I've started listening to audiobooks on my iPod, sometimes when I'm out for a walk or when I'm doing household tasks.

But then I discovered Apple has advises users NOT to buy audiobooks from iTunes since some won't play on iPods. It looks like Apple's releasing corrected versions, though.

I tried signing up for Audible.com, but I had problems with their database...apparently only five other customers have had the same problem, which has not yet been resolved. I was on the phone for about 10-15 minutes with them before I gave up and asked them to cancel my trial membership. To Audible's credit, they did try a number of fixes and also let me have the free audio novel I originally wanted (A Thousand Splendid Suns, by the author of The Kite Runner) for no charge.

Anyone out there have other suggestions about about where else to get audio novels? I'm mainly interested in current releases, and am willing to pay for them. Also, can you recommend any good audiobooks?



Above: this week's Cartoon Caption Challenge. Please post your suggestions in Inkygirl, thanks.

Interesting links

Looks like the MOO card people are coming out with stickers. I love my MOO cards but wasn't as enthused about their notecards, which seemed a tad pricey. I'm curious about what MOO stickers will be like and how much they'll cost, especially since it's relatively easy for people to print their own stickers these days.

Here's another benefit of working at Google: apparently they recently had a gourmet chocolate tasting table, where employees were invited to sample the chocolates and then rate them.

My friend Scott Snyder is in a new band! Do visit the Captains of the Chess Team Web site.



Check out Blaise Aguera y Arcas: Jaw-dropping Photosynth demo. "Using photos of oft-snapped subjects (like Notre Dame) scraped from around the Web, Photosynth (based on Seadragon technology) creates breathtaking multidimensional spaces with zoom and navigation features that outstrip all expectation." Thanks to Beckett for the link.



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Wetstock

Thanks to Luisa and Reid for hosting Wetstock. This year, their watergun party was also a send-off for their son Michael, who is off to Italy and Greece for four weeks.



This year, Scott, Jeff and Ray came equipped with Super Secret Weapons (see above). Those not interested in joining the fray could get sucked into the whirlpool vortex instead:



Or take badminton dancing lessons from Scott Murray:



Be dipped by David Barker:



Lose their life earnings to Harald in poker:




Pose with Michelle Sagara West in adoring fan photos like this one:



Be inexorably drawn to the mysterious light from outside, lured by the siren call of alien voices:



Practice catching badminton birdies in their mouths:



Watch Luisa do her famous triple double-twist aerial flip (sadly I took the picture a moment too late to catch my friend's trademark move):



Have their life force sucked out through their forefingers by purple alien worms in the pool:



For more shocking pics, please see my Watergun/Michael party Flicker set. Thanks, Luisa and Reid!





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