Having always been an information and story aficionado (a more polite word than junkie), the Internet has become my go-to tool for getting information on everything (like just about everybody). The Internet offers too much information; not always accurate information, often contradictory information, not even necessarily the best information, but information that is useful, varied, and instantly available. It’s the “instant” feature that makes it so useful and enticing. My interests are all over the place. Recent searches include:
Purple potatoes are they healthy? – Turns out yes. Similar calories and carbohydrates as Russet potatoes but many more antioxidants. Darn, reading closely there are still those pesky carbohydrates which I am avoiding.
Words that end in i, that begin with q, that have j and x in them – Research for playing Words With Friends to which I’ve become slightly addicted. (I especially enjoy planning with my son, daughter and granddaughter. I will develop to beat my son consistently soon.) Lyrics to any number of songs.
Recipes – what new can I do with tilapia? Can I find a recipe for that Turkish dish with eggplant (hungar begendi) that was so delicious at Sultan’s Kitchen restaurant in downtown Boston?
Café Hours at the JFK Library- I was going to view the documentary, Citizenfour – The website said the cafe closed at 5 it said, but when I got to the museum for the evening screening, the café was open 1 hour later so I was able to get something to keep my stomach from growling through out the important doc and following panel discussion. (Now why didn’t I just call? I find I use the phone less and less, when in fact it is a useful tool as well.)
Bio info about panelists at the Citizenfour screening.
Interviews with authors and subjects of books recently read, including Jacqueline Woodson (Brown Girl Dreaming), Jesmyn Ward (Men we Reaped), Gary Taubes (Why We Get Fat), Jane Jacobs (Genius of Common Sense), and Tanye Selasi (Ghana Must Go) to name a recent few.
Movie times for Selma – ended up calling theater to find the matinee showing which was not listed in Globe ad.
How to peel a boiled egg – lots of entertaining videos, especially “How to Peel Egg Russian Way” by CrazyRussianHacker. I tried to imitate this one but haven’t been successful although I have learned to crack a raw egg and not get peels (when I remember to do it correctly) from another video found online. (Can’t find that video now but the secret is to crack on a flat surface and then empty into bowl as opposed to cracking on a edge of bowl or counter. It works.) I avoid the videos and YouTube as much as possible because they suck me into a vortex from which it is difficult to escape!
Math Manipulatives – looking for foam pieces like the ones used in a class taught by MathPower at the Dudley Library that I recently attended. (It is funded by the Fellowes Athenaeum Trust Fund of the Boston Public Library, for which I am Program Manager.)
Interview with Billy Porter who will direct The Colored Museum at the Huntington Theatre Company.
The internet is useful, overwhelming, addictive, and I must control myself with intake of its information just like I’m doing with certain foods. And many times, talking to a real human being (like a librarian or receptionist), reading a book or in-depth article), figuring it out myself or just letting the urge to know go is what to do.