Blog Optional February

This month is crazy! So I think for the rest of it my blog will be optional. You'll all hear from me again in March.

Wildcard Wednesday
Factoid

Bounty hunters are only legal in the US and the Philippines.

Review Friday
Sony Product Review: Ultimate Durability

I promise I have not sold my soul to Sony, nor are they paying me. But they could pay me if they wanted to. That'd be cool.

Anyway, I have three Sony products that I use regularly: my Sony earbuds, my Sony portable CD player, and my PSP.

My earbuds are currently the most impressive to me because all my previous earbuds would be amazing if they reached 1 year. These are at least two years, if not more. I can't quite recall when my sister got me my CD player that these came with. Regardless, they're the Gilgamesh of earbuds. I'm also very abusive, so there have been exposed wires on these earbuds for some time and I was sure there were goners but they still work just as well as they did before I violently yanked them every time I forget they're attached to my head (more frequently than I'd like to admit).

As for the CD player--and yes, I still use a portable CD player--my earbuds came with it, so it's the same age. It still runs great, and I've dropped it several times already as always happens with all my portable devices.

I don't actually play games on my PSP, which I understand is its primary purpose. Instead I use it as a portable music and audio device--like an iPod. Admittedly, there are a few important differences between it and an iPod. First, it's bigger than an iPod. Basically the same size as my hand. But for me this isn't a downfall as I would always be terrified of losing an iPod. Then there's the replaceable battery, also something the iPod does not have, and the reason my sister purchased them in favor of iPods. The interface, however, is a downfall. I'm assuming an iPod would be more optimized to shuffle and arrange music without having to do clever things on the computer. But the most invaluable part of my PSP is that it seems just as durable as my earbuds and CD player. It was a hand-me down from my mother so I'm not sure of its age. But it has borne with my tossing it about for the past two years as well. This entire review was prompted by how, upon dropping my PSP on the train, and having the battery case pop off, the battery scatter across the floor, and the SD card holder pop open, I heard one of the passengers exclaim "Oh, no!" as if they expected I'd broken it. But I told them not to worry, but all the pieces back in order, and was not surprised when everything worked exactly as before because this has actually happened many times. Not that it happens easily if you're a normal person--but a complete clutz (like myself) can be assured of keeping any of these devices for some time to come.

On a personal note, there will be no Saturday, Sunday, or Monday posts as my next few days have become quite full.

Info Thursday
Saga of King Hrolf kraki

The old Norse saga above includes a Loathly Lady story that sounds a little more similar to the one I read because the lady asks to sleep in his bed and he reluctantly agrees and then she turns into a beautiful elf. Then her rapes her. Lesson: don't turn into a beautiful elf around strange men. The story I read as a child did not include rape, so this isn't it, but it's interesting. I do remember something about a house in the woods and she slept in the bed.

Wildcard Wednesday
Orion

Orion is my favorite constellation and is almost like a friend. He's always been there for me and used to look like he hung right over my apartment in Ohio. He makes me think of home and safety. My sister took this lovely picture, as I am not nearly so good with a camera in the dark. Click on the picture to zoom in and see it best. Orion is to the right over the trees. His belt (the three stars lined up) and dagger are most visible. The bright star to the lower left is Sirius, the dog star.

Diary Tuesday
The Loathly Lady

When I was a child I heard some old folktale about a man marrying a truly hideous woman who became beautiful once they were married. But I will never forget the ending because it was so strange. Rather than her beauty being a simple happily ever after, it said he never forgot her ugly form. It was so bizarre that I've always wished I could find the story again, but I can't recall the name. While volunteering in the library today, I found a book with a very similar story called The Loathly Lady, but without the disturbing ending. Still, I think I may be on the right track because many folktales have several different versions, so it may be if I search enough Loathly Lady stories, I'll find the one I read all those years ago.