Author: Mark

Mark works as a [REDACTED] for [REDACTED], currently residing in Iowa. CoffeeBear.net is a place for him to blather on about whatever strikes his fancy. He currently spends his "free" time working on a photography project, playing with his cat and attempting to keep his wife happy (not necessarily in that order).

Not the best night’s sleep I’ve ever had, but a bit of coffee and I was I alright. We met up with Cory around 1 and took him over to Panera Bread for lunch. Unfortunately I don’t think he particularly cared for it, probably because the seasonal salads have changed since I was last in and there weren’t any salads with fish. Still he was nice about it.

Back at the con, Michelle & I got a change to poke around the art show and dealer’s room. In the dealer’s room, there was one table that had a display backed by black cloth. And laying on a shelf of that display was a black cat, nearly invisible (but still very cute). There were a few items of interest around (Michelle bought a new pendant for herself and she got me a pretty cunning hat). We spent most of the day wondering around the con, saying hello to people and what not.

Then when it got to be almott time for Cory’s first panel of the con; he was initially in hiding1, but he showed up in time. It looked like the room was packed for the panel and from listening to the end of the panel, I’d say people enjoyed it.

Oh, where was I you ask? Cory had indicated a preference to go to dinner with Joe & Gay Haldeman; so Michelle & I were tracking them down, calling a restaurant, making reservations, going out to pick up another car to make sure we could fit everybody and basically running around like a chicken with its head cut off.

In the end, it all worked out. We didn’t get to take them to our normal sushi place (too far away for the time constraints we were under); but the nearby place turned out to be fairly decent. As a bonus, we got them to the restuarant, fed and back all inside the hour we had before Cory’s next panel (opening ceremonies). Additionally, we got to sit in and listen as a couple of superb storytellers caught up with one another.

1Actually he was just getting more espresso from his travel kit.

Cory Doctorow’s connecting flight from Chicago, IL to Cedar Rapids, IA was delayed. Originally scheduled to arrive at 9:44pm, the flight did not get in until 11:17pm. Cory seemed kind and gracious, if a bit tired. The heated car seats in my wife’s VWwere a big hit. As was the procuring of an electric kettle for Cory’s use.

It felt a bit weird to be standing next to him and conversing with him. I frequently listen to his podcast; so I’m familiar with hearing his voice. However having that voice respond to things I was saying or doing was sort of surreal. Either that or perhaps I was a bit more tired than I thought.

For having the iPhone, I got a fitness app.
For having the fitness app, I took walks.
For taking the walks, I noticed the hole in my shoe.

For the hole in my shoe, I bought comfy shoe inserts.
For the comfy shoe inserts, I walked farther than before.
For walking farther than before, I tweaked my ankle.

I’ve started walking during my lunch hours again, but there’s another unexpected consequence. Those comfy shoe inserts not only cushion my feet; they also act as something of an insulator. Meaning when I first put my shoes on in the morning, the inserts make my feet very cold.

1 Dr Scholl’s Massaging Gel Insoles

Sometime back (long enough ago that I’d completely forgot about it), I was visiting iLounge looking for iPhone app recommendations and noticed they were having holding a giveaway for some pretty nifty looking headphones. To be exact, they were giving away the RF3 ENVi Natural Wood stereo earhook cell phone headset. As I’d recently broken my regular headphones; I thought , why not?

So I filled out the entry form and then promptly forgot all about it. Not long after I picked up a set of Skullcandy INK’d earbuds, but found them to be very uncomfortable (especially in my left ear). I blame the discomfort on their imprinting of their company logo on the eartip covers. Still I kept using them as I haven’t had a change to repair my old headphones or to go looking for a different set.

Today I was working from home and when head the postman come by, I thought I heard him drop something on the porch. I wasn’t expecting any packages and figured he would pick up whatever he dropped as he left. Later when I out to get the mail, I found a small box on waiting for me. I got the box inside, opened it up and found out I’d actually won that giveaway I’d forgotten all about.

*grin*

So I’d like to thank iLounge and Mobile Line Communications for the new headset!

I’ve been using the new headset all afternoon and definitely like them better than the Skullcandy earbuds. So far the ear tips feel very comfortable (no etched logo to irritate my ears). And I haven’t been getting any feedback when I use the headset with my laptop — the Skullcandy earbuds constantly kicked out a static with my laptop, though none with my iPhone.  Overall, I’m very pleased with these and look forward to using them for quite sometime to come.

Michelle was feeling a bit under the weather today, so we stayed at home and she slept most of the day. I took the time to work on some projects around the house, which rather blossomed into a larger effort of cleaning up/organizing our garage. When I was younger, I could have cleared it out, sorted the stuff and put it all back before feeling like I’d been run over by a truck.

Today? I had to take multiple breaks to get it all done. And I’m still feeling the effects of being out there doing all that work. Ugh.