Maps #34: There and Back Again

Geocoding one of my favorite restaurants, "The Hobbit Cafe," is a whole lot simpler than "Cross over the brown river Baranduin...and pass over the Bridge of Stonebows...to the land between the river and the Far Downs." Just go to the website http://www.gpsvisualizer.com/ and type in their street address. The coordinates listed were N29°44.01606, W095°24.8781, which I typed in to the google maps site to view a satellite picture of the restaurant. If you haven't visited The Hobbit Cafe (nee The Hobbit Hole) in awhile, this is a cool way to find their new location and get your Gandalf sandwich fix....along with one of their famous fruit smoothies!

Geocaching. Wow. Had NO idea this underground (get it? he he) group even existed. Like any other social network, though, it seems like a terrific way for people with similar interests to get together. I made an account, searched by zip code and found this:

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?guid=c102aafe-5819-4151-978c-5e5cb4994800 which was posted by a "Granny Smiley/Eureka1." Granny...I guess that's not too scary. The info makes reference to Muggles lurking around and a place where "people with badges fuel up." I'm thinking it's a doughnut shop or gas station. Maybe the cache is some beef jerky or a Big Gulp. Yikes. I'm not sure if this activity is for me but I have to admit, it sounds like fun. I guess I'm happier holed up in the Shire with my sprout sandwich and a good book.

Maps #33: Real Friends Help You Move

You know what they say, "Only a real friend will offer to help you move." Well, now, thanks to online sites like Apartments.com the process is so much easier and you probably need a lot less "real friends." I looked at a few of the other sites listed and they all seemed fairly comparable. If you type in a zip code and site radius, along with the amenities you're looking for, you can easily see what's available. Floor plans, prices and nearby schools are also only a click away. You can also find the closest Starbuck's or the nearest veterinarian if you desire. There's also a menu of links to moving resources if you need to find movers, packing materials and phone numbers of whom to call to get the best cable package.

For the second activity, I selected the Lodge at Copperfield from my initial search. After I recovered from my initial shock at how much apartment living costs, I checked out the amenities. It looks like a great place to live: quick access to a major freeway and medical facilities, diverse restaurant establishments, and the Cypress-Fairbanks school district as well as the Lone Star College System. Fairly close to several great public libraries too!

Maps #32: Life In The Global Village

As our world continues to shrink, our fears multiply exponentially. What seemed distant and so removed before - terrorism, disaster, pandemics - are now a heartbeat away. If you've ever read "The Hot Zone" by Richard Preston (talk about a wake-up call and don't eat anything an hour before reading it), you'd be shocked to know that a deadly microbe which can wipe out an African village in a day can be in your kid's school within hours via a plane trip carried within an unsuspecting host. Without overstating the obvious, terrorism is also in our backyard. Is family travel overseas no longer a viable option for Americans? This website http://www.wikimapia.org/ provides ways to explore world travel options if you're planning a trip anywhere on the planet. But is it safe to go there? As an old news junkie (from my days working in television news), I'm fascinated by what's going on in the world - good and bad. Sometimes it's disheartening to know that peace is such a rare commodity in our world but I believe that sticking your head in the sand is no way to exist, nor is it any way to raise or educate children. This website, http://www.globalincidentmap.com/home.php gives you a global thumbnail sketch of acts of global terrorism on a daily basis. I winced when I launched the site and was admittedly reluctant about taking in the info. But ignoring what is painful does not make it go away. We're fortunate that innovative technology provides us with important and valuable information -- which, however distasteful, is essential in order to take steps towards the solution. Peace out.

Maps #31: Where In The World Is Secret Asian Girl?

Google Map making was a lot of fun! It's fairly user friendly and would come in handy if planning a trip or itinerary for a visiting friend. I used it to map all the places I've been in my 47 years on Earth. I love to travel but don't get to go as much as I'd like to. Check out my map!


View Larger Map

Spring Cleaning #30: P:, S:, Z: Shut Up and Drive!

It's good to know there are so many places to store info at work. No more "In" and "Out" boxes on your desk (if you're lucky enough to have a desk), now there's a place to keep important info on the computer. Just remember what is "share-able" and what is not and save to the appropriate drive. Clean up your mess when you're done. I keep work documents (time sheet, copies of volunteer reports) on my "Z" drive for future reference but that's about it. According to the iHCPL blog, I'll delete old files after two years. Nothing personal -- keep that at home. Good mantra for all employees, in my opinion. Vroom vroom.