My favorite things (I)

I know, I know, I spin myself as the anti-consumerist. But what I really am is discriminating. Every now and then I try something and find myself unexpectedly amazed. So here's the current list of stuff & services I love: 

Ultimate Ears Super.Fi 4 headphones. Seriously. They fit perfectly, and the minute I put them on the outside world just faded away, leaving me with only the Scissor Sisters for company. And that was with the volume on my computer dialed down to level one. I can't even hear myself type, must less the people chattering away around me. 

Virgin America airlines. Such good customer service that if they didn't have seats on my monthly flight to NY, I'd probably reschedule. 

Monica at DS Newman salon. She cuts my hair such that it looks good even though I never blow-dry and only get it cut twice a year. I don't actually know how this is possible, but wow is it wonderful. 

Last.fm. All I'm listening to right now (other than my husband's DJ-ing on our home stereo, but I can't take him to work with me unfortunately). And their Android app works with no hiccups when I go to the gym! 

Le Creuset and Lodge cast-iron cookware. I have abandoned all other pots and pans. Also, these two are pretty much opposite ends of the cost spectrum, which amuses me. 

Facebook: slightly less evil than previously assumed

They switched back to their previous terms of service: http://blog.facebook.com/blog.php?post=54746167130

So I suppose I'll re-enable my account. Facebook is a convenient way to make myself findable. But ... will I ever upload very much info? Photos? Status updates? Comments on other people's messages? 

Probably not. And I'm starting to create backup methods to achieve the "make myself findable" goal. I've got a nicely-linked LinkedIn profile, and a brand-new blog on myname.blogspot.com where I'm planning to post just enough info to make it clear to anyone looking for me that they've found the right person, plus a way to contact me.... It turns out that no one owns myname.com, for crying out loud. Real Soon Now I'll get hold of it myself. 

Because given the economy, I want to be findable. I've already gotten a couple of emails from people asking about job leads, and if it all goes to pieces ("hope for the best, plan for the worst" - no, I'm not worried, just prepared) I might even want to send some of my own. 

Interesting times. 

Goodbye, Facebook

To anyone who's used to seeing me on Facebook, you may notice that I've suddenly disappeared. I'm one of the people who figures Facebook's new Terms of Service is unacceptable. Here's the guilty paragraph: 

You hereby grant Facebook an irrevocable, perpetual, non-exclusive, transferable, fully paid, worldwide license (with the right to sublicense) to (a) use, copy, publish, stream, store, retain, publicly perform or display, transmit, scan, reformat, modify, edit, frame, translate, excerpt, adapt, create derivative works and distribute (through multiple tiers), any User Content you (i) Post on or in connection with the Facebook Service or the promotion thereof subject only to your privacy settings or (ii) enable a user to Post, including by offering a Share Link on your website and (b) to use your name, likeness and image for any purpose, including commercial or advertising, each of (a) and (b) on or in connection with the Facebook Service or the promotion thereof.

Nope, I'm not OK with any of that (and here's the full details, plus news stories). 

When I deleted my account, the screen showed the following message: 

Your account has been deactivated from the site and will be permanently deleted within 14 days. If you log into your account within the next 14 days, your account will be reactivated and you will have the option to cancel your request.

I wondered briefly whether I'd miss Facebook. It was nice that a few people I missed had found me using it. But you know, I still show up on LinkedIn, which means that by extension I show up in a Google search. That's good enough. 

Rapidly becoming addicted to Twitter

So I haven't posted in a while - but yesterday I gave in and finally signed up for Twitter. So far it seems strangely addictive. Right now I'm in a meeting, so in a few minutes, I'll probably add some sort of Twitter gadget to this page.

Update: down with stupid junk mail

A while back, I signed up for GreenDimes in an attempt to a) spend less time throwing out junk mail and b) cause less junk mail to be sent to landfills after I throw it out.

And guess what? It's working! Today, for example, I got exactly 3 pieces of mail: one bill from my accountant (ack, why couldn't GreenDimes have stopped that too?!); one retirement-account-related thing for my guy; and one ad from the SF Design Center, who think I'm still a grad student at Berkeley. You know what that means? No junk!

Ok, so last week I also got a J. Crew catalog. But they've been following me around ever since New York. Imagining I might escape so easily, is, clearly, way too much to ask.

Go GreenDimes go!