Remember when guys used to use ploys to meet women by bringing a baby or a little dog to the park? You’d walk the baby or dog in the park and these women would come up to you and exclaim, “OOO He’s SO cute!”, and then you’d strike up a conversation and off you go.
Two times now it’s happened to me. Well, not exactly in the same way. I’ve been travelling a lot and am going through airport security like it’s going out of style. When you put your stuff into the X-ray machine, you are required to take your laptop out and put it in its own tray.
So I take out my stylin’ Sony VAIO VGN-T250P, one of those super slim, very compact laptops that Sony makes. It is a few models behind the current TX series, but no less cool. The top panel of the VAIO is a beautiful dark blue. It is only 1″ thick and the screen is smaller than normal, and also with a compact keyboard. But with builtin WIFI, a classic super bright LCD, Intel Mobile Pentium running at 1.2 GHz, and the ability to burn DVDs makes this little PC a joy to use. And being only 3.1 lbs., this baby doesn’t hurt my back lugging it around.
I let it go through the X-ray scanner and then I hear “OOOO That’s SOOO cute!” I turn and see a woman admiring my laptop and we strike up a short conversation as we get our things.
So far this has happened twice to me! All I can say is, the world has changed.
At one time, you’d need to walk a dog to attract a woman to have a conversation with you. Now all you need is a stylin’ Sony VAIO.
Geeks of the world unite! Your time has come!

In a previous post, I noted that I was getting back to TV and got hooked on Desperate Housewives and Lost.
But in watching Desperate Housewives, I found myself desperately trying to watch it. The crazy antics of the wives of Hysteria Lane (how aptly named) started making it supremely hard to watch this show. While they were very funny in the beginning, I began to find them less attractive for me to come back – there were too many parallels with what I’ve experienced with women in the past. So now I struggle with getting through Season 2.
The nutty adventures of each woman are basically the exaggerated traits that people would consider stereotypical for women in those life stages. Hollywood exaggerates them to make them more interesting and throws witty storylines around them to make a hit show.
Insecurities with men and with themselves, selfishness, obsessiveness, uncontrollable curiosity (nosiness?), manipulation, and all wrapped up in love for their own family…and sometimes with themselves.
One of the original reasons I liked the show was the fact that these traits, being exaggerated, allowed me to more fully understand them, and to appreciate what these women were going through. Then, I started thinking about how women in real life experience these feelings, and then I started thinking about the actual women in my life whom I knew were in these life stages. I could remember these exaggerated traits coming out in small and large form, and an epiphany occurred for me. I could see how these underlying feelings could manifest themselves and affect others around them in subtle or not so subtle ways….and sometimes with disastrous results – just like in the show.
It was the same for me with Sex in the City. While it was extremely funny and well done, it also brought out the stereotypical plight of single, 30+ women in NYC amidst a dating scene that was almost legendary. I could actually see where the writers got their material, as I observed and talked to women in the Big Apple. Although I did not come to find it difficult to watch Sex in the City, there were definitely times where I found myself cringing at the activities of the four friends, but not as much as I do in Desperate Housewives.
I do not know if I’ll make it through Season 2. I guess these exaggerated traits are hitting too close to home for me.

Well we had to change our name. Better than getting sued! Chroma Ventures.

Last week I was amazed to have ridden in a real live hybrid Ford Escape Taxi. Following a pronouncement some months ago, the city will transform all of its taxis to hybrids in the next coming years. I think it’s a good move; less pollution, less gas usage, and….MORE COMFORTABLE taxis!
You get normal seats like any other modern car. NOBODY drives cars with seats like in the current taxis any more. They all feel like stiff, dried up leather or vinyl and are totally uncomfortable. But with modern interior design in the Ford Escape hybrid and others soon to follow, I really like it even beyond the environmental aspect.
I am reminded of taxis I’ve ridden in other places.
From LAX to my place in Marina Del Rey, I take a taxi every week. AND IT SUCKS. These cars are the old version of today’s NYC taxis, with barely any leg room at all. Now I’m not a tall guy, but I can barely sit straight ahead because my knees are shoved up against the back of the front seats. In NYC, they used to be like that too a few years ago I recall, and they changed them all sometime between then and now.
In London, they still have those cool retro looking taxis that have TONS of legroom, plenty of space for putting shopping bags, and really comfortable seats. Somebody once told me that NYC used to have taxis like that. Too bad they’re gone. But I love taking a taxi in London. It’s one of the best taxi experiences ever.
And then there’s taxi riding in Taipei. A harrowing experience at best. Nobody follows traffic laws, and there are motorbikes whizzing by you, weaving in between the cars like they got some invulnerability kick. Crazy!
Whenever public transit gets updated, I’m likin’ it. As long as I don’t die by the driving, I’m good.