Today's Reading - 01/08/09

● Snuggies

Now here's a blog post I wish I'd have written (by a guy who was cool enough to give me an interview last spring). I've probably made fun of it on Twitter, but that really isn't the same thing.

Have you seen the commercials for the "Snuggie," the blanket with sleeves? No longer must your arms be trapped underneath a blanket! Never mind that when you actually wear one of these, you look like a member of a cult. Or that you could, like, wear a sweater or sweatshirt.

Here's a clip of the ad.

● Obama’s Media Cabinet

In lieu of Barack Obama tabbing CNN's Sanjay Gupta to be his Surgeon General, the NY Times' Mark Leibovich has other suggestions for television personalities the President-Elect could appoint to his adminstration. (I'll just say that I dislike his idea for Attorney General, as I'm still convinced that woman eats babies.)

● Some Protect the Ego by Working on Their Excuses Early

Oh, man - I am so guilty of this. Self-handicapping. Or self-sabotage. "I'd finally write that book if I didn't blog so much." "I'd have taken that job if I didn't have to deal with all this family drama back home."

Etc., etc. And a lot of times, these excuses are thrown out there before even making an attempt. Enough of this stuff.

(via lifehacker, by way of Mike McClary)

● Orson Scott Card and his world of Ender

If there are two books I should resolve to read in 2008, they're Ender's Game, along with A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin. (And that should lead to further resolution to read the rest of the "A Song of Ice and Fire" series, as well.) New FRT Pacific Northwest correspondent Mis Hooz has been oh-so-patient with my incessant delays in putting off her reading recommendations. I gotta tackle one of these before baseball season starts.

● Is the Desktop PC Slowly Dying?

I'm typing this on my desktop, but I can tell my HP Pavilion is on its last legs. As far as its usefulness to me, that is. Someone who mostly used his or her computer as an e-mail machine would probably work with this just fine.

So I'm kinda, sorta in the market for a new computer. I'm still thinking desktop, however. That can be the "super-computer" that houses everything for me, while the next laptop will probably be something much more light and portable. And man, you can't beat the prices you see right now.