Get your listening helmet strapped on. I did say my blog will get a little personal, and this is one of those instances.

I recently got involved with a guy on the internets, who previously was an acquaintance through some friends in college. I needed a contact for a product I was covering while I was at CNET–he was a manager on the project. I sent him a message on Facebook, and he led me to the right people for my task. The conversation continued outside of work, as well as off the web. We had a lot in common and naturally became fast friends, with an added spark.

Since we both were tech heads, there was a lot of correspondence on Trillian, email, along with texting up the wazoo, and a number of pokes exchanged on Facebook. I wrote on his wall, sent him cheesy icon gifts, and his place was even set as one of the shipping addresses on my Amazon–it was all very dorkerific.

Unfortunately, it didn’t work out.

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Thanks to my friend Vivek at Rapleaf, I now know about a site called woot.com. Apparently, it has been hot in the nerd underground since 2004, even though I have been oblivious to it until now.I checked it out last night, and was lucky enough to catch a woot-off. This is a phenomena that happens once or twice a month, when items are sold in a series over a 24-72 hour period. Otherwise, it is just one item posted at midnight daily that is replaced if it is sold out. From a Vivitar digital camera to a desk refrigerator, the items range from techy and useful, to something that you don’t mind snagging for a mere $3.99 [we all need digital water purifiers, right?]

Something that is exciting but simultaneously annoying is the element of surprise. You never know the quantity number of items available, and just when your wallet is out- Kablam!-the item is gone. My suggestion: register with an account and credit card before hand. I also dislike the way things are archived. The past selling prices are kept secret, the purpose of which I don’t understand.

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I was enjoying the scenery of Pike’s Market in Seattle this afternoon, listening to live music and sucking up the surroundings. My folks had abandoned me for a trip to the loo, and one instant later, a tall, unknown guy was coming towards me. It was pretty busy with people all over the place, and I really didn’t think that he was going talk to me. Lo and behold, he did.

This guy, who we will call “Bill”, started talking to me about a very original topic–the weather. I agreed it was nice, and thought he would ask for my number, as is the usual modus operandi of the dating ritual. Instead, he said something rather unexpected. It almost seemed foreign to me for the situation. Bill asked me if I was a Myspace user.

As all of you folks know, I am a total social network addict, so the answer was clearly yes. I unfortunately wasn’t into Bill, his opinions on the weather, and wasn’t the least bit curious about his pimped out his Myspace page. I told a fib with a polite”no” to which he responded with his name, and how I should not only join, but look him up.

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I have been the proud owner of a Blackberry Pearl for a few months now. I love the lustrous design, and my fingers have even become accustomed to the teeny tiny qwerty keyboard.

Despite it’s user friendly interface and mad organization skills, the Blackberry folks really missed a beat with one minute detail. A singular piece of metal which has made this Pearl user want to chuck it out the window. It is nothing more than the flimsy sim card clip.

You would think a phone that cost a couple hundred dollars would be made with quality materials. So far, my buttons have not faded despite abundant texting, plus the color-vivid screen has minimal wear and tear. The battery life is commendable for a smart phone, and the edge feature is top notch. But why couldn’t they invest some time and effort in something as simple as a sim card clip?

At least one to two times a day, I get an error message on my Pearl. In the corner, there is a red “SOS” and a message that I can only make emergency calls as I have a sim card error. Seeing as how my parents and friends are not local 911 dispatchers, this poses a problem. I then have to shut my phone off, or do a hard reset.

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It’s official: I am an adult. I just found out yesterday that one of my best friends is engaged to her high school sweetheart!

They have been dating for more than five years now, and I could not be happier. It’s amazing the transformation that can take place under the influence of love. Brian was once a really headstrong guy; after dating Kanishka, he has matured into a wonderful, considerate gentleman. Kanishka always took everything lightly, including the idea of love; after Brian, I think she has realized that true love does exist–and strongly at that.
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Finding a laptop bag is not meant to be hard; there are more obscure pieces of technology that take an entire scavenger hunt to locate. Take for example, my laptop keyboard’s control button. That puppy popped off and I thought I would never hear the happy tap of my “Ctrl” button again. But, thanks to some friendly powncers, I acquired a new one on eBay.

As I have discovered in the past few days in Seattle, finding a case which holds a fresh flashy laptop can be difficult. My uncle has a spanking new 17″ widescreen HP which requires a bag that can protect a laptop of that size, preferably with wheels, lightweight, and under $50. I looked at online retailers, as well as on foot at Fry’s, Circuit City and Office Depot. A few bad salesmen later, no luck.

The search finally ended at Best Buy. I found a lightweight Targus messenger bag for $25.99, on sale for half price. The compartment for the laptop has a good amount of padding, though the shoulder strap could use a little more. The bag also features an accessory organizer and cell phone case. No wheels, but it’s still not a bad buy for 25 bucks!

Big screen laptops are here to stay. I think it’s time that bag makers get with it and provide more wide-load friendly gear with a smaller price tag.

There is something very appealing about a compact robot that cleans. Of course, iRobot tapped into this market long ago.

Today, they will be unleashing the smarter 500 series of the Mr.Clean of floor cleaners. The robots can now “problem-solve” or sense obstacles in their pathways, as well as know when to start the next room via a feature called “Virtual Wall Lighthouse.” They can also be controlled remotely through a Wireless Command Center.

The Roomba 500 has also become more rugged. The robo-vacuum can now move through more challenging terrains [floor to carpet] and also comes in array of mod colors from champagne to burnt orange. Overall, it seems that the iRobot people have outdone themselves yet again.

Plus, I think anything that works for Lucille Bluth is good enough for me. If only I had a Bluth family banana stand lined with money so I could afford the $400 machine. I’ll have to settle for a traditional vacuum/broom/mop for now, I suppose.

Hey kiddies,

Whud up from my “vacation” in the pacific northwest! As I hear the grumbling sky overhead and the pitter patter of rain on the rooftop, I can say I am happy. Rain and cold weather has always been something that has brought joy to me. Perhaps it’s the correlation to snowboarding, Christmas or to my birthday. Whatever the reason, rain is my homie.

These past few months have been a crazy roller coaster ride for me. This web blog has caught me in a very interesting time in my life when essentially everything around me is changing. By default, I am being forced to make huge decisions that will impact my entire life. I know that sounds like super dramatic, but it’s the truth. All of this can be very overwhelming.

That leads me back to this moment. Sitting in my PJs hearing the weather overhead, and feeling numb to it all. As if all those worries are miles and miles away. They practically are. I guess this is what vacations to beautiful places filled with loved ones is all about. And I plan on enjoying every second of it. I’ll still blog it up over here, I promise! Thanks for hearing me out, you all have been great :)

My feet are killing me, but for a good cause. I spent most of my day yesterday standing outside listening to Cypress Hill, Talib Kweli, Wu Tang and of course, Rage Against the Machine at McCovey.

This was my first Rap themed concert, which was a change of pace. It was somewhat weird seeing a lack of instruments on the stage, guitar solos being replaced by acapella rap. There was also a very interesting and diverse mix of people–die hard Rap kids and Rage lovers. The Rage fans weren’t joking in the Mosh pit, either. I even lost my shoe [luckily found at the end of the show]!

Of course, Rage Against the Machine rocked the house. There is one band that I would not mind seeing again. Now, if Soundgarden could get back together I would be one happy camper. I still would love to see Duran Duran, Metallica, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Madonna in concert. What’s the best show you’ve ever seen? Who is still on your wish list?

If you have an old Sony Playstation sitting around gathering dust, this piece of information may help you out.

Starting on September 15, Sony plans on launching a free recycling program in the United States. Anything containing a Sony brand (from old Vaio’s to Walkman’s), can be dumped in an environment friendly way. Approximately 75 WM Recycle America locations throughout the United States have been established so far, with Sony promising to expand the effort in the coming year.

By Sony paving the way for proper waste management, I can’t help but wonder why more tech giants do not have similar programs. Sure Dell takes back their stuff, as well as Apple (for a fee), but shouldn’t there be more? Going green is the hippest thing in tech since wireless, so why the limited resources?

I am hoping it’s just a matter of time until computer manufacturers realize their one day obsolete machine will be contributing to the Earths landfill issue. Meanwhile, three cheers to Sony!