Ok so I love Twitter.  It’s true.

First of all, thank you to everyone who is following because I don’t really feel like I have even hit my groove yet.   I have a Twitter account for my websites and those tweets come easy because they are very niche - but when it comes to my twitter site my tweets are all over the place.  But hang in there with me because it seems like I am getting the swing of this twitter thing.

So yesterday in a sort of silly mood after a long day of relating to people only virtually, I came down pretty hard on the needy tweeters.  Those people who ask “please retweet me”.  Of course we’ll retweet - that’s what we do. Tweet, Lather, Retweet.  We hop on our Tweet decks and check out what everyone else is tweeting and what is being retweeted.  It is really one of the most fun ways online right now to see what the real buzz is.

The only thing is a tweet is only 140 characters long. And those little tweets can pop out pretty quickly and then you hit update and it’s on it’s way.  There are ways to take it back but once you hit update it’s out there.  By the time you have had a chance to take a look at a tweet and rethink it - 50 people have already viewed that tweet.

If studies on twitter habits are true then about 10% of the registered tweeters make up about 90% of all tweets.  And like the Nintendo wii our twitter accounts sit there lonely and unused after about about a month - once the novelty has worn off.  So, I don’t want to discourage any active tweeters even if I do think your request for a retweet is a little silly.  ( Actually, I get more retweets by using words like BEWARE - and DANGER than I do by asking people to retweet )

So, I apologize to anyone who may have taken offense to my needy tweeter remarks.  I don’t really think you are being too needy pleading for retweets - well, not too needy - maybe just a little needy -  and I will retweet your post.

Join the fun! Please please please follow me on twitter! DANGER DO NOT CLICK THIS LINK! http://www.twitter.com/maryheston

One of my favorite things about May is the release of the new summer blockbuster movie and this May is no disappointment.  Tomorrow we are going to see the new Star Trek movie.  Psyched.  I’m a big Star Trek fan.  But I did sort of want to know if it was really worth all the hype so I contacted my friend Gwen ( who is even a bigger Star Trek fan ) and asked what she thought about it.  Her response was so awesome it needed to be reposted and not just wasted away sitting in an inbox somewhere.  So, here is Gwen’s review of this summers blockbuster hit.

LOL…okay. I have one word to describe this movie: BRILLIANT!

I had tears in my eyes less than 10 minutes in (only ever had tears before in STII:TWoK when Spock died) and then a smile plastered on my face most of the rest of the time.

I don’t want to spoil it for you…

My friend and I have been watching and fanboying/girling Star Trek for more than four decades. I stopped fangirling about the time Voyager was created. I hated it. I wasn’t super fond of Enterprise, but Scott Bakula is one of my favorite performers, so I watched it on occasion. I’m not sure I even saw Star Trek Nemesis (wait, isn’t that where Data “died”?)…obviously, it wasn’t memorable to me. I read somewhere that Star Trek had become a victim of it’s own continuity and I couldn’t agree more.

It’s not a victim any more.

My entire family liked it…and my friend did as well. I think we both feel the need to see it again because in our excitement and whispering to each other about difference between “canon” ST and this ST, we obviously missed things…and even if he hadn’t been here to whisper to and commiserate with, I would still have missed things. There was so much there.

In the beginning, I wasn’t sure I was going to be able to sit through it. There were very kinetic sequences and my eyes were barely keeping up. Fortunately, that style of cinematography settled down for the majority of the show. Throughout the movie, there were pieces that just didn’t feel “right”, but by the time it was finished, it all feel exactly right. I think the music was one of the most grating components for me…but again, by the end…didn’t bother me any longer.

The casting was excellent. Each key member of the Enterprise crew harkened back to the original but was different. They were each given their special moment in the spotlight…well done.

The more we talked about it on the way home, the more genius this movie seemed. There was so much homage paid to big ST fans. So many things that obviously pointed back to moments in ST history, but not in a cheesy or overdone way…just right.

Of course, if one sits and analyzes the story, there are plot holes and moments that aren’t “logical”, but if you go in with an open mind, realize that this is not the original Original and just watch…

BRILLIANT!

I have to see it again…and the sooner the better. My son is going tonight with his girlfriend…am I jealous? Yes. Did he ask me to join them? No…go figure.

I’m anxious to hear what you think. I don’t want to say any more because I will spoil the experience. I hope you see it soon!

Gwen

 If you didn’t catch all of the abbreviations or you didn’t understand some of the references in this review then this post is not for you - I’m not going to explain.  Check back here for my thoughts after this weekend but it seems like this movie will be entertaining for just about anyone who enjoys sci-fi  action but it will delight those who fully appreciate the Trouble with Tribbles.

Thanks Gwen for a review that gives me enough information about the movie without spoiling any of the plot.

Your Momma does NOT wear Army Boots ( or Thoughtfullness does not make news )

“Your Momma” insults are classic argument enders and for some reason I remember “your momma wears army boots” as one of the most cliche of all your mommas. I don’t really know what that means or why it would be an insult but there you go. When two people are debating or arguing a point there comes a point when one person has no reasonable response to the other persons argument so they digress to a personal attack to end the argument. You’re wrong because you’re stupid.

But we are grown up now and we can do better. If we disagree with someone we should be able to outline what it is about the concept being discussed that we disagree with and not just go to the “your mommas” to “prove” our point.

If you know the person then you can call them an idiot if this is a fair representation of that person and first hand information. But if not, then stick to the subject.

Are you confused yet by this rant? Here is the article that inspired this post.

Consumer Reports came out with a safety statement on baby slings and bed bassinets that allow babies to sleep in their parents bed. It is Consumer Report’s job to test out products and point out where there may be concerns. Of course, a large number of incidents happen from misuse of products - human error. That being said there are still incidents and it is good that consumer reports points this out so that people can be aware and take precautions.

According to this article there were a large number of responses to this study and many people who wrote in that the author of the report was a “baby hater”. What? Really?
Is that the best we can do?

Personally, I think parents should use slings, or baby backpacks or frontpacks or strollers - whatever they are comfortable with. The most important thing is for parents and children to bond in the most meaningful way they can and enjoy the time they have together. And for parents to provide as safe of an environment for their child to grow in as possible.

Let’s elevate the discussion and stick to the issue. A number of responses thoughtfully pointed out that many of the incidents were caused by misuse. But I guess thoughtfullness does not make news.