Bluetooth in the Mainstream

While walking downtown, I spotted Leslie, the local eccentric, on Congress Ave. With the warm weather came his bikini bottom. Normally, the sight of a cross-dressing bearded homeless man parading through the center of the city draws attention. That's not the case with Austin. People go about their daily activities without continuously gawking at him.

What struck me this afternoon was that Leslie was sporting a bluetooth headset. Instantly, questions popped into my mind. Where does a homeless man receive his mail? Perhaps he has a PO Box. OK. Where does he charge his phone? Surely his cardboard box doesn't contain a generator. Finally, why doesn't my phone have bluetooth?

Buyer's Remorse

I bought a watch to track my time around Town Lake - not so much for its timing features, but for its solar powered recharging capability and auto-illumination feature. I know, overkill. Not to worry, as the watch is headed back to Target tomorrow. It won't be long before I abandon this attempt at marathon training. And heck, everyone knows I don't have to be anywhere at a specific time. What was I thinking?

Costa Rica

Watch out, Costa Ricans, I'm headed your way. Armed with useful phrases such as, "Me encantan tus tetas," I should charm the natives. That, or get my ass kicked. Now I need to get into hiking shape and brush up on my Spanish.

Why You Shouldn't Start an Internet Romance

"Here's an odd story from Jordan -- the country, not the former NBA great. A man and a woman began an illicit romance in an Internet chat that became so heated that they decided to make wedding plans. When they finally met in person, however, they realized they were already married ... to each other. Yes, you've heard the lower-tech version of this story before in Rupert Holmes' Escape (The Pina Colada Song), but unfortunately the real-life remake did not end as well. It sounds like they'll be getting caught in the rain alone from now on."

Freedom

Of all places, my neighborhood newsletter contained a thought-provoking piece on freedom. When interviewed, a group of Mexican immigrants preferred the economic freedom of Mexico over the civil liberties of America. In their home country, they could swim, play, and eat at little to no cost. Here, the skyrocketing costs of everyday life make free speech and the right to vote luxuries reserved for the wealthy.