froogle.com

I'm a Google sellout.

Sam often comments that I'm easily swayed by marketing ploys. I am. I'm even a consumer, if you will. It's not that I like things because everyone else does. It's just that a lot of the things I like are things that other people like, too. Facebook, my iPod, Wendy's Old Fashioned Hamburgers...

When I was at university I met a lot of people hellbent on "being different".
"I don't want to wear a suit to work every day" is what media students told me.
"I don't want to be like everyone else. I'm different." Yeah, just like all the other kids.

Is it just me, or is "not wanting to be like everyone else" becoming the new... well, being like everyone else? It's just like how emo used to be unique. Or, so I'm told, anyway. As far back as my memory goes, there's always been boys with cute fashion haircuts, tattoos and eyeliner. Whatever. I used to make a point about being a proud member of "the mainstream", just because of the disdainful looks I got from media students.
"I want to wear a suit to work every day." I said. I don't, really. I actually don't think I'd survive as a corporate shark, which is why I'm lucky to have ended up in science rather than marketing. That could have been a huge career flop.

Anyway, my point is, I make no apologies for enjoying things that others do, too. My iPod for example - I didn't buy it because I "wanted the world to know I listen in style" due to the white headphones (actually, mine couldn't tolerate the volumes I listen to the Bouncing Souls at, so I've "upgraded" to some $12 Philips ones that are doing the job nicely), nor did I buy it for the wee Apple logo on the back. I bought it because it's handy for running, cycling, plugging in to my car, taking on the ferry, and wherever else I want to listen to music. It's only got 1GB of storage, which suits me fine. I didn't need one with 30GB and a full colour screen, with live streaming of the latest episode of Grey's Anatomy (one "mainstream" trend I don't subscribe to), or podcasts from the White House. Cool if you do need that, but I don't, and I'm happy with my purchase.

My computer is one big tangle of Google applications. I use Google Chrome to browse the internet, Google Earth to measure runs and bike rides, Google Maps to look at peoples' houses (I wish I was kidding), along with Picasa to store and edit my photos. I even write my blogs on Blogspot, which is a Google-hosted site. This is purely a personal thing. It's not like I judge others because they prefer Mozilla Firefox, or wear Google tshirts to school. The reason Google is popular is because it does the job.

The latest Google application I've discovered is "Froogle" (they're clever, too!), which is a shopping list kind of thing. I've linked it up so you should be able to get to it from my Blog Profile. I just spent a few hours adding items such as Fiberwig mascara, a Felt SixElite bike, and a "Skye" dress from the Lauren Conrad collection. This could get addictive. I guess something you can count on NOT seeing in my list is Grey's Anatomy season 26 on DVD. Gag.

The thing I love about Froogle is that I can add things on there to my heart's content without feeling guilty or selfish, because it's more of a reference for me. It's not like I get live updates sent to my dad's email account. If anything I suppose I could pass it off as "goal setting".

Which brings me to my next point: New Year's Resolutions and Goal Setting.

This is never something I've bought into (not wanting to be one of the populace, I suppose - ha ha), although since I'm all about self-improvement, I suppose I should be.

When Sam arrived home from his New Year's expedition, he went about his goals for the year, and the next three years. I happen to know that he wants to own a Porsche before he's 30, which is four years away, so I'm guessing a new radical savings plan is in line for him this year. Not that he has much to worry about - this guy already owns two homes. Goal setting has never been a strong point for me. I even struggled with them as a swimmer. I used to write down times, willy nilly, and say I was going to beat that time at the next meet. Sometimes it happened, and sometimes it didn't. If I beat the time, I would say I'd been too easy on myself and vowed to set a harder milestone next time, and if I missed it then I would either feel dark about it for a week, or console myself by thinking "not even Jesus himself could swim that fast for a 100m backstroke."

Consequently, I sometimes feel like I'm just winging it through life. I mean, I have those lofty Olympic cycling dreams, which I crow on about so often, and I would like to save some more money, but there's nothing really set in stone.

Do you have New Year's resolutions?

This year, I've decided to give up the ghost on the anti-Holly Hodgkinson vendetta. She kissed Donny almost five years ago when I was out of town for an Olympic training camp, and I've never forgiven her. It happened once, it was probably more him than her anyway, because I know what that guy is like, but it hasn't stopped me creating Bebo groups such as "the Official Anti-Holly Hodgkinson Movement" - I was the only member, scowling at her if I see her around, and loudly telling anyone who dares mention they keep in contact with her that "I hate her with the fire of one thousand suns". It's a bit ridiculous. Anyway, she's getting married this Sunday so I guess in the spirit of turning over new leaves, I wish her and Nuwan every happiness.

Another resolution that I've already broken twice (nine days into the year) is to stop eating Wendy's. I'm sorry, but I'm addicted to their cheeseburgers. It doesn't really occur to me when I feel like eating it, that it's a 10-kilometre jaunt on the Northern motorway to get there, and that I can barely afford rent (now that I'm unemployed) - let alone cheeseburgers. On New Year's morning I woke up thinking of nothing else, and it was with feelings of self-loathing that I drove up Constellation Drive and bought two cheeseburgers. They were good, but I can't help but think now that it really wasn't worth it. I've also stopped drinking V, which will probably surprise people such as Lochlan, Oralee, and Malcolm. Hooray for me!

With all that said, I have a packet of Mallowpuffs in the fridge upstairs with my name on them (not literally, I know my flatmates wouldn't even eat them if they wanted to), and America's Next Top Model is due to start in like, five minutes.

Peace, yo.