The Inter-cell-e-web-IT World

I've got two websites through work, I monitor four blogs, I'm on Facebook and MySpace, I'm Linkedin, and I have seven e-mail addresses although I only use two. I have 312 contacts in my cellphone and 1,276 contacts in my work e-distribution list (not including students/faculty/staff). There are four phone numbers on my business card...and I can be reached at all four. We have a laptop and a desktop computer at home and I have three computers in my office at work. I'm accountable for 62 accounts. I have to keep 14 distinct passwords memorized.

I only mention this because I'm overwhelmed this Monday morning.

Oh yeah, today marks 3 weeks of not smoking.

Talula Does the Hula from Hawaii

(CNN) -- A New Zealand judge has made a 9-year-old girl a ward of the court so that her name can be changed from Talula Does the Hula From Hawaii, the country's national news agency reported Thursday.

Family Court Judge Rob Murfitt listed a series of unusual names that New Zealand parents had given their children, and said he was concerned that such strange monikers would create hurdles for them as they grew up.

"It makes a fool of the child and sets her up with a social disability and handicap," the New Zealand Press Association quoted the judge as saying.

Among the names Murfitt cited: twins named Benson and Hedges -- after a brand of cigarettes; Violence; and Number 16 Bus Shelter.

Some parents had named children after six-cylinder Ford cars, the news agency reported. iReport.com: Do you have a unique name?

The Registrar General of Births, Deaths and Marriages said in a statement that it had rejected names including Fish and Chips, Yeah Detroit, Stallion, Twisty Poi -- a staple food in Polynesian cuisine -- and Sex Fruit.

A lawyer for Talula Does the Hula From Hawaii said the girl is so embarrassed by her name that friends know her as "K."

Last month, a judge in the U.S. state of Illinois allowed a school bus driver to legally change his first name to "In God" and his last name to "We Trust."

But an appeals court in the state of New Mexico ruled against a man -- named Variable -- who wanted to change his name to a two-word phrase that contains a four-letter expletive and expresses opposition to censorship.

RE: Twilight

OK, the first book of the "Twilight Saga" (it's actually called TWILIGHT) is, indeed, a love story. I didn't think I would say this but I read a teenage romance novel.

I have to tell you that it is a GREAT story. I loved it. The final third of the novel totally had me tearing through the pages.

I really really really loved the story and I can't wait to start the second novel...tomorrow (I've been reading for 6 hours straight. I need a break.)

Get the books. They're a light read...plus the movie is coming out soon!!

Here fishy, fishy, fishy!

ALEXANDRIA, Virginia (AP) -- Ready for the latest in spa pampering? Prepare to dunk your tootsies in a tank of water and let tiny carp nibble away.

Tracy Roberts tests to see if the fish will be interested in nibbling skin off of her hand as well as her toes.

Fish pedicures are creating something of a splash in the D.C. area, where a northern Virginia spa has been offering them for the past four months. John Ho, who runs the Yvonne Hair and Nails salon with his wife, Yvonne Le, said 5,000 people have taken the plunge so far.

"This is a good treatment for everyone who likes to have nice feet," Ho said.

He said he wanted to come up with something unique while finding a replacement for pedicures that use razors to scrape off dead skin. The razors have fallen out of favor with state regulators because of concerns about whether they're sanitary.

Ho was skeptical at first about the fish, which are called garra rufa but typically known as doctor fish. They were first used in Turkey and have become popular in some Asian countries.

But Ho doubted they would thrive in the warm water needed for a comfortable footbath. And he didn't know if customers would like the idea.

"I know people were a little intimidated at first," Ho said. "But I just said, 'Let's give it a shot.' "

Customers were quickly hooked.

Tracy Roberts, 33, of Rockville, Maryland, heard about it on a local radio show. She said it was "the best pedicure I ever had" and has spread the word to friends and co-workers.

"I'd been an athlete all my life, so I've always had calluses on my feet. This was the first time somebody got rid of my calluses completely," she said.

First time customer KaNin Reese, 32, of Washington, described the tingling sensation created by the toothless fish: "It kind of feels like your foot's asleep," she said.

The fish don't do the job alone. After 15 to 30 minutes in the tank, customers get a standard pedicure, made easier by the soft skin the doctor fish leave behind.

Ho believes his is the only salon in the country to offer the treatment, which costs $35 for 15 minutes and $50 for 30 minutes. The spa has more than 1,000 fish, with about 100 in each individual pedicure tank at any given time.

Dennis Arnold, a podiatrist who four years ago established the International Pedicure Association, said he had never heard of the treatment and doubts it will become widespread.

"I think most people would be afraid of it," he said.

Customer Patsy Fisher, 42, of Crofton, Maryland, admitted she was nervous as she prepared for her first fish pedicure. But her apprehension dissolved into laughter after she put her feet in the tank and the fish swarmed to her toes.

"It's a little ticklish, actually," she said.

Ho said the hot water in which the fish thrive doesn't support much plant or aquatic life, so they learned to feed on whatever food sources were available -- including dead, flaking skin. They leave live skin alone because, without teeth, they can't bite it off.

In addition to offering pedicures, Ho hopes to establish a network of Doctor Fish Massage franchises and is evaluating a full-body fish treatment that, among other things, could treat psoriasis and other skin ailments.

Ho spent a year and about $40,000 getting the pedicures up and running, with a few hiccups along the way.

State regulations make no provision for regulating fish pedicures. But the county health department -- which does regulate pools -- required the salon to switch from a shallow, tiled communal pool that served as many as eight people to individual tanks in which the water is changed for each customer.

The communal pool also presented its own problem: At times the fish would flock to the feet of an individual with a surplus of dead skin, leaving others with a dearth of fish.

"It would sometimes be embarrassing for them but it was also really hilarious," Ho said.

Deeeep...Breathhhh.

It has been two weeks since I've quit smoking. I am both shocked and proud that I've done it.

I wanted to share some of my symptoms from not smoking. They're not all good but I can't honestly say that any of them are awful.

• I have a pink tongue again (those of you who smoke will know precisely what I mean.)
• I have a new found interest in brushing my teeth.
• I have a new found interest in Listerine mouth antiseptic.
• I have a new found interest in teeth whitening products.
• When I take a deep breath, I can actually FEEL the air expanding my lungs - it is a bit painful but in a very good way: like a rusty engine that gets an oil change...it feels so good!
• My skin and hair have a healthy glow - not a smoky, filmy sheen.
• I can actually laugh without coughing!
• I don't have to sit on the porch in the rain...unless I absolutely want to get wet!
• I can walk to the fourth floor of my building at work and not wheeze or pant. Although it's still not "easy" it's much easier than while I was smoking.
• I don't wake myself up from coughing.
• My fingers aren't yellow-tinged.
• Et cetera, et cetera...

I'm happy. It still doesn't seem "normal" to me. That is one hurdle I'm going to have to overcome. I am anxious for the day when I don't THINK about cigarettes anymore. Although the challenges are becoming fewer and fewer, the urges remain. Well, that's partially untrue: I don't necessarily feel the URGE to smoke but, when I'm bored, I still want a cigarette. It is an URGE but definitely not a TEMPTATION. If I were going to sneak a smoke, I would definitely have the opportunity: I have friends at work who smoke (my assistant smokes), I have family members that smoke, I could always buy cigarettes again - I just don't WANT to smoke. That's the biggest difference.

I tell myself, "Self, this is the longest you've gone in nearly 15 years without smoking a cigarette. If you fall back on your promise to yourself, even once, you'll have to start at the very beginning." Well, I don't want to start at the very beginning - the very beginning SUCKED. I like that it's been two whole weeks without even so much as a PUFF! (By the way, Jamie is also smoke-free for two weeks! I am extremely proud of him! He's quit cold-turkey...without Chantix. His accomplishment is probably even bigger than mine. But I figure quitting is quitting regardless whether a cessation program is used or not.)

OK. I tend to ramble when I don't have a cigarette in my hand. I just wanted to gloat for a few minutes, that's all.

I LOVE Vampires.

I've jumped on the teenage bandwagon and started reading the Twilight Saga. That's right...it is called the Twilight Saga. I'll give you all a moment to laugh out loud.

Are you finished?

I'm sure everyone remembers the hullabaloo that surrounded the Harry Potter books. It was quite the craze. I did read the first five HP books but that was it. I recently found myself with extra time on my hands (oh, today marks 13 days!) since I've quit smoking and I wanted to start reading again. I researched online and found that the new craze was these books on teenage vampires and werewolves. The artwork was strikingly dark and the reviews were intelligent and, mostly, positive. I started to research some more and determined that I would, indeed, buy the first book.

Well, I went to Borders and was welcomed with a whole TABLE full of Twilight Saga books. (There have been three written so far and another one is due out on August 2nd.) After multiple conversations with strangers (all of whom had read the books already - some twice) I decided that I would buy the first three books. And then came the fun:

Apparently there are stores across the country that will hold midnight release parties for the fourth, and purportedly final, book. It will involve costumes, trivia, and other juvenile things. Well, I signed up to go - and I hadn't even read the first book! It just consumed me so much that I was certain I'd WANT to go.

Needless to say, I am nearly 1/2 way through book one and I am hooked. The writing is seductive and evokes such a sense of mystery that it's difficult to put the book down. Here, instead of my poor description, let me copy and paste what the publisher has to say about TWILIGHT:

Isabella Swan's move to Forks, a small, perpetually rainy town in Washington, could have been the most boring move she ever made. But once she meets the mysterious and alluring Edward Cullen, Isabella's life takes a thrilling and terrifying turn. Up until now, Edward has managed to keep his vampire identity a secret in the small community he lives in, but now nobody is safe, especially Isabella, the person Edward holds most dear. The lovers find themselves balanced precariously on the point of a knife -- between desire and danger.

Deeply romantic and extraordinarily suspenseful, Twilight captures the struggle between defying our instincts and satisfying our desires. This is a love story with bite.

OK, I have to say that I don't necessarily consider it a "love story". This teenage girl falls in love with the vampire boy...that's all I know so far. But it is extraordinarily intriguing and I encourage all of you "reading for pleasure" people to go out and buy the first book.

Enough rambling, Bella and Edward are calling me.

Halloween.

I love Halloween. I'm very happy that Halloween falls on a Friday this year! I'm going to write about Halloween today (my tenth day not smoking, by the way!)

I love Halloween as prior posts (1, 2, 3, 4) will confirm. It is the perfect holiday. Children (and some adults) dress up in costumes; neighbors give free candy to trick-or-treaters; families carve spooky faces into pumpkins; everyone decorates their houses and yards (Halloween is quickly approaching Christmas in regards to the most money spent on decorations/holiday.) It is such a feel-good, time to reminisce. I just wish it lasted longer than one day/evening.

So...I'm already starting to plan my Halloween party. It will not be a grand affair - probably just a single handful of people. I just like to celebrate.

In preparation for this year's festivities, I've ordered this book. I want my Halloween decor to match my shabby chic antique-ish style. (Plus I like to collect strange things.) I found a few of these vintage Halloween decorations at various yard sales and consignment shoppes.

I also like to carve pumpkins but I abhor the "guts" inside those gourds. So, last year, I came across fake, carvable pumpkins called Funkins. You can click on their website HERE. They are (obviously) reusable year after year. Although they're not cheap, I figure Jamie and I can afford 3-4 Funkins/year. (Although I don't like the idea of not supporting our local farmers, I can't possibly risk this happening again!) Moving on...

I like to hand out the BIG candy bars. You know, the full-size not the fun-size. I don't know how in God's name tiny, bite-sized candy bars are more "fun" than the real thing. I mean, c'mon. The first year Jamie and I decided to spend the money on candy, we ended up with about 50 "leftover" pieces. Needless to say, we weren't disappointed. (I buy the candy bars I'D eat...just in case.) Last year, I was more realistic: I only bought 144 pieces. The photo above is only one of four bowls we had prepared.

OK, I have to actually get some work done today (at work, not on this party.) So I'll have to update this whole Halloween-party thing again another time.

If you have any suggestions (or if you want to donate to our candy fund) don't hesitate to leave me a comment below.

Best Giftsite...EVER.

Should anybody want to buy me a gift for any reason or any occasion, please purchase it from THIS website. Go to www.worldwidefred.com right this moment.

I want two of everything.

(Oh, and I just ordered this for my nephew - he isn't born yet but it is just too perfect.)