Random Personal Nonsense – Page 2 – Shelly's Web of Wonder

July 17, 2015

The One iPod Touch Fangirl

Posted in New Media and Tech, and Random Personal Nonsense

This week’s announcement of faster, more colorful versions of the iPod Touch was met with: a) rapture b) sophisticated market analysis c) indifference Actually, the answer is d) scorn. You see, the lowly (that one always hurts) iPod Touch is not perceived as an aperitif for those wishing to sample the iOS menu. Nor is it the logical landing place for someone who prizes small, elegant things. It is also not a cost-effective way to get onto the Internet without all the carpel tunnel. No, dear readers, the iPod Touch kind of makes people crazy. Crazy the way reality TV makes…

April 17, 2015

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Wag a Long Tail: Pondering How to Write about Old Movies

Posted in Classic Film, General Store, and Random Personal Nonsense

A few weeks ago, I updated the categories on my little blog. I wanted to give some love to the various long tails referenced up there in the tagline. OK, so write something, already! I’ve loved classic film since high school, when I…that’s a blog post I’ll write later. Suffice it to say, old movies have been an obsession of mine for EVER. And, like most hobbies, or fandoms, or relic-worship topics, the Internet has been very good to classic film fans like me. My RSS reader is full of blogs about it, and they inspire me. But I continue…

March 20, 2013

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Me on the Tech Doctor Podcast

Posted in Access and Disability, Announcements, New Media and Tech, Pods and Presos, and Random Personal Nonsense

Over the weekend, I had the pleasure of being a guest on Robert Carter’s Tech Doctor Podcast. It’s a weekly show focused on technology and blindness. I’ve corresponded with Robert before. Turns out he is a listener to Shelly’s Podcast, and a fellow Texan. It was nice to finally meet him. Along with his co-host, Allison Hartley, Robert and I had a wide-ranging discussion of my career, low vision, the Macintosh/iOS, and the book I’m writing. I was surprised how much ground we covered. And on reflection, I realize that I’ve never discussed many of these topics before on a…

March 4, 2013

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Your SXSW 2013 Sampler Links

Posted in General Store, and Random Personal Nonsense

Each year’s SXSW conference turns my hometown into a giant carnival of music, food, and strangers from strange lands. You can’t turn a corner, or order a cup of coffee without tripping over a guitar player. Which is only a bad thing if the guitar player and his band are in line in front of you. My contribution to SXSW coverage is a listing of free music downloads and samplers, featuring bands who will be in or near Austin next week. They’re listed in the order I located them. I’ll add more as I find out about them. If you…

January 24, 2013

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Pack Rat

Posted in General Store, New Media and Tech, Podcasting, and Random Personal Nonsense

People talk a lot about hoarding nowadays. I’m told by multiple sources that there is a reality TV show featuring people who do it to the extent that their houses and lives are destroyed. Sounds super-entertaining, huh? That’s another subject, and one on which you probably wouldn’t like my opinion. But whether it’s inspired by basic cable or not, the word “hoarder” comes up all the time when people need a word to describe their inability to unburden themselves of the objects they have accumulated. Is it a different thing when you need to carry the objects with you? Before…

January 8, 2013

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Best Music of 2012, sez me

Posted in General Store, and Random Personal Nonsense

Right up front, I feel compelled to admit that peer pressure has brought me to this open window in MarsEdit, and to the playlist that’s running behind it in iTunes. My friend Dana Nordaune, whose musical taste I respect and adore, posted a thoughtful, well-documented Ten Best Recordings of 2012 on her Facebook page. I loved it, and immediately set about listening to the songs and artists I hadn’t heard. But I also came face to face with my own self-perceived inadequacy. You see, I used to make annual mix discs for friends, distributed with clever labels and nice artwork,…

November 19, 2009

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How I Read Now

Posted in General Store, New Media and Tech, and Random Personal Nonsense

Just now, I had a brainstorm. The 20-page PDF files I’ve been studying on my computer screen, as I work my way through an online learning program, could easily be transferred to my iPhone. From there, I will be able to sit in my most comfortable chair and hold the device at a most comfortable distance, with the text zoomed to a most comfortable size. I raced to my computer to affect the transfer. This from a woman who devours audio books, and gazes worshipfully at the shelves full of old paper books I have acquired an read throughout my…

May 18, 2009

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Healthy and Doing Fine

Posted in Access and Disability, and Random Personal Nonsense

Birth announcements almost always end the same way. Baby is healthy and doing fine. That’s what we all hope for, right? And mostly, it’s what parents in the United States can expect to get. But seeing those words once again on a birth announcement made me wonder. What’s the best ending line for the announcement of the birth of a disabled child? Should parents be less giddy and thankful when they learn their new son or daughter can’t see, won’t be able to walk, etc? Should they equate disability with unhealthfulness? I don’t think so. No parent wants their child…

January 26, 2009

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Austin Social Media 100

Posted in Announcements, New Media and Tech, Podcasting, and Random Personal Nonsense

I just learned that I’m listed in the Austin Social Media 100, in the tech category. I can’t say that I know much about this set of rankings, but I’m flattered to be included. I’m also mining the rest of the list for fun and interesting people to follow on Twitter or elsewhere.

January 21, 2009

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I Know Strange Things

Posted in Random Personal Nonsense

Twice in the past 24 hours, I’ve “showed off” my presidential geekery on Twitter. One has to do with Grover Cleveland (the only president elected to non-consecutive terms) and the other recalls the fact that it’s ben 150 years since a Secretary of State went on to become president. I double-checked that one before posting. It is an old habit, but not entirely my fault. You see, I became interested in history at a very early age when someone slipped a history book onto my elementary school reading list. From then on, I dug in, staying happily at the library…

Category: Random Personal Nonsense