Shiny Bits of Life

$5 for a bar of soap?

Well, you see, it started with a free sample. The CEO of Organix-South sent me a sample of their lovely Neem toothpaste for an International Toothpaste Museum review. Besides the toothpaste, she sent me several hotel-bar-sized samples of their soap. I got hooked.

When the samples finally got spent, I was desperate for some more. So when a few extra dollars were given to yours truly for Christmas, what did I go out and spend the money on? A bar of soap!

How could I justify spending so much for a bar of soap?

1) The smell is amazing. My shower each morning is now something I look forward to – just because of that smell! (I must disclose that Heather doesn’t like the smell. But it doesn’t wear off on the user – so she is still happy to hang around me!) I have a very weak sense of smell, and this soap has the ability to awaken my nasal powers unlike anything else – if only for a brief second.

2) I have really dry skin. During winter in dry Colorado, some days find me wanting to soak in a bathtub full of lotion. (Never done it – but I’ve thought about trying!) This soap seems to make a huge difference for me.

I’m not advocating your buying this soap. But I thought you’d like to know why I bought that bar over Christmas break.

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When I saw this photo of the Queen of England shaking hands with Lady Gaga, my main thought was – who is the person who plans her schedule? That person needs to be fired.

Lady Gaga, for those of you who don’t know, is one of the latest pop sensations. Or better stated, she was the pop sensation on the day the January 21st edition of Rolling Stone magazine was printed. And also for the unaware, she is not much of a lady, from what little I’ve read.

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I’d love for you to visit 300 Words a Day. I wrote today’s post today, thanks to Jon Swanson.

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The biggest thing I learned from my own children is how selfish I am. This is a lesson I continue to learn in new and different ways with each passing year.

Children (particularly the younger variety) don’t ask for their parents’ time – they demand it. Every time their request is made, I have a choice – my fulfillment or theirs?

I feel like I have failed this test many many times. (”Dad, your computer is more important than I am!”) But the few times I have passed the test by making the right choice, I never regret it. I’d urge you to do the same.

A second thing I learned is that having children has expanded my capacity to love. I was single until I was 29. Getting married expanded that love capacity. Having children expanded it further.

Special thanks to Robert Hruzek for suggesting this post.

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If you shop at Amazon, bookmark this post – and you can contribute to the Shiny Bits of Life tip jar, by starting your shopping with this link.

Reason? Shiny Bits of Life is an Amazon affiliate. If you buy anything from Amazon and you start from that link, Shiny Bits will get a small percentage of your purchase – at no extra cost to you!

Alternatively, the same link is at the top of the “You should visit” links near the top of the sidebar, at the right.

Have fun shopping! Remember, Amazon has most of the stuff you need – and don’t need.

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I was amused when I saw the new Sun-Maid girl. She is a computer-generated illustration.

I miss the old days when an artist would bring out an actual brush and paint.

Unlike some product icon people, the Sun-Maid girl was originally based on a real person. Not anymore.

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I like watches. I rarely wear them.

The trend these days is big watches. I have very skinny wrists. Those kinds of watches look ridiculous on me.

I did not buy this watch. But it was fun to try it on. Nixon makes some pretty cool watches.

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So I looked at the letters page, as I always do. Yay! My letter made it!

(By the way, the shot shown is not the cover – obviously. They didn’t want to show that shot again.)

Thanks, Automobile Magazine.

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Yes, Apple’s iPad was released yesterday.

I think it will sell a massive amount. Basically, it’s a Kindle, an iPod Touch, and a keyboard-less* MacBook, all rolled into one. It has a much prettier interface than the Kindle. You can do anything that requires the internet when you have a wifi connection – or if you don’t (and spend more), you can do it cellular-ly via AT&T (in some parts of the USA). It sounds like there will be a reasonable deal on that too – $30 for one month’s unlimited data service.

Some of the apps look to be pushed even further than their Mac or iPhone equivalents. And they are reasonably priced ($30 instead of $79 for the full iWork suite).

Prices range from $499 to $829, depending on storage capacity (16-64 gb) and whether you add the 3G internet connection capability. Sounds like a deal to me – for what you get! Availability? “Sign up here, and we’ll contact you when iPad is available to order.” (Could be two weeks. But I’d guess a month-and-a-half.)

For me? I won’t be getting one anytime soon, because I can’t afford it – and because I’m too shy to be that cutting-edge. But if someone gave me one? I’d suck up my pride and settle for being that cutting edge.

(Photo from the Apple site.) *You will be able to get an external keyboard – but it will probably cost something outrageous like $79.

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(You know that.)

I wanted to remind you – and me – of what a beautiful thing it is how people can be so different.

Two of the very smartest people I know are not very good public speakers. It takes them a minute to spit out a good sentence. But when it comes to their areas of expertise, stand back!

Too often, I find myself judging another person for their weakness… “Why can’t that person just understand the basics of how to do this?” or “Why is that person so blind to how they are harming the situation?”

I am so blind to my weaknesses – most of the time. (This concept is not my own… see here.) And any healthy group has members that are weak in some areas and others who are strong in those same areas. (That is also not my concept!)

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