December 26th, 2006 Rachel
Lets say your a student. And maybe you’re busy…you don’t really have time for those student-ly things like going to class, attending/participating in tutorial, handing in papers, etc. It’s okay, of course, because excuses are pretty easy to make up, you know. Being sick is a good one (you can have the flu at least twice in a semester), car’s need to be in the shop all the time, or even better take the bus because you can miss it countless times and not really be held accountable…
But you have to expect that by the end of the term, your TA (you know which one is yours, right?) will probably be pretty sick of you…after looking at your name on the attendance sheet three times before she even remembered who you are, of course. For all you know, she’s documented all the “hiccups” that got in the way of your academic endeavors…so you better make sure this last one is a doosie.
If “My mother died and I’ve had to take care of the family and my two little brothers” popped out of your mouth before you could stop it…is it still a “lie”?
Well, if this happened, you should probably cross your fingers and cover your tracks in case your TA is more technically savvy than you think. Especially if you send her hatemail after class, providing more “details” about the “death” of your “mother”.
In other words…check to see what comes up if s/he Googles you.
Those drunken pictures on Myspace/Facebook? “I was drowning my sorrows in beer…” Laughing and smiling amongst a group of fifty people? “These are the times when..sniff…sniff…I need my friends the most.” Messages that read “So glad your mom could make it to the party!” on a day two months after her supposed demise?
I’d suggest deleting those.
Or at least having the common sense to adjust your privacy settings so that said incriminating materials are more private (i.e. don’t show up so quickly/freely in the top 10 search results). But even that doesn’t mean your information is 100% protected from anyone other than your “friends”.
If you don’t want your mom/professor/potential employer/future partner/etc. to see it…
“So you just typed her name into Google…and her Myspace page showed up?”
“Yep.”
“Wow…I should tell the rest of my TA’s that one. That’s hilarious…”
…use some common sense and don’t post it.
Posted in Computers, Facebook, Learning, Observations, School, Tech | No Comments »
December 25th, 2006 Rachel
The question is of what.
As I’ve talked about, Adam and I are here this holiday season. We are lucky enough to be surrounded by some of our family, which is something we certainly miss. A lot. Yummy food, lots of laughter. I love these moments.
But this has also been a time where senselessness and tragedy has touched home. While driving late at night last Thursday, we happened upon a man laying in the street in front of the pizza place we’d been hanging out in just the evening before. As we stopped to help direct traffic, shocked witnesses began talking with disbelief about what happened. A fight in front of a restaurant, a fight that could have been about anything. That fight turned into the man’s wife or girlfriend running him over and driving away.
What could have been that important? That awful? And at what point does reality set in…she couldn’t have known he was still alive (with nothing that can be found in the news, we’re just hoping that means it stayed that way).
Then there is Ian, who went to high school with us and was the brother of a friend we graduated with. Sudden, senseless and tragic doesn’t even begin to cover it.
The holidays are about family, they’re about love. These terrible events only make us more grateful for having (some of) our loved ones surrounding us, available for hugs. We’re thinking of the Mareks, we’re thinking of the man in the street, we’re thinking of what went through each drivers’ mind when they turned off the ignition. And we’re thinking how lucky we all are to be happy and healthy together.
Happy holidays, everyone. Don’t let the little stresses and hiccups that seem to go hand in hand with these celebrations cloud what it all really means…let it go, just enjoy.
Posted in Family, Personal, Toronto | 1 Comment »
December 21st, 2006 Rachel
For this week, we have music from Sean Hayes, The Mating Game, and a timely holiday track from The Rad Dudes.
Enjoy!
Provided by: IODA Promonet
Posted in Music | No Comments »
December 20th, 2006 Rachel
Adam and I came home to an unexpected surprise last night. Hanging from our doorknob was a gift bag addressed to ‘Mr. and Mrs.’. Now since our one trackminded state of working being means we don’t exactly have an army of friends in the building, I was pretty much betting that whoever left the gift had gotten the apartment number wrong.
It’s a big building.
But I was wrong - the gift was from our new neighbors across the hall. Just moved in a week or so ago, older, oooh’d and aaaah’d at Harley’s wiggly nature and made a little joke in the elevator the day after they arrived.
When did we stop doing this? What made this kind of neighborly ‘getting to know you’ tendency less and less common. And really…why didn’t we, as the residents who should be doing the welcoming, think of this first.
The gift? A lovely book about dogs. I sometimes struggle for days/weeks on what to get someone…they ‘got it’ with nearly complete strangers without relying on the ol’ standby of baked goods (though who can resist baked goods?).
I’m impressed, inspired, and looking forward to getting to know my new neighbours.
Posted in Observations, Personal | 1 Comment »
December 20th, 2006 Rachel
I’ve teetered back and forth on the subject of reposting content here that comes up on the MusicIP blog. I’m fairly careful when commenting on other blogs about which one I attribute my name too, and for the most part I keep the line pretty separate.
But since Debanter is plugged into a few places that Hear Here is not, I figured that in this case it would be alright to bring up MusicIP’s holiday offer on Debanter. Yesterday I wrote about the free premium keys and exclusive sampler being offered to the first 25 people who email me. We’re sending these keys in the form of a holiday card, so you have to provide your mailing address…we won’t take advantage of your contact info — we just want to send you free things.
So…after a big surge in requests, we’ve got a few left unclaimed. So, if you’re curious about what MusicIP is all about, or just hungry for some new music, send me an email and I’ll send you a card.
Happy holidays!
Posted in Music, MusicIP | No Comments »
