Coupla Things

Song, with modified lyrics, stuck in my head: Low Techer
Yes, it's sung to the tune of Low Rider by War (one of my all time fave songs):

All my friends know the low techer (c'est moi!)
The low techer is a little higher (duh)

Low techer drives a little slower
Low techer isn’t a real goer

Low techer doesn’t knows every shortcut, yeah
Low techer is the one to help, yeah

Low rider don't use no iPhone now
Low rider don't text too fast

Take a little click, take a little click
Take a little click and assist me
Take a little click, take a little click
Take a little click with me

I signed up for Instagram yesterday. Ooof! Possibly I am the Queen of Low Techitude. Apparently, Instagram’s built to function with smartphones not regular computers. I don’t have a smartphone! Can it work with an iPad? Yes. Aaaaaand, I found an app so’s I can upload shit from my laptop – cost me $9.99 BUT at least I can connect now.

Question:
Is Instagram like Facebook, where friend requests are made and accepted before your feed can be seen? Generally speaking, unless you’re a Jim Wright or a George Takei, you’ll know all/most the folks who read what you post.
Or is it like Twitter where there’s no illusion of friendship – you follow whoever strikes your fancy – most folks I follow are strangers with a sprinkling of chums mixed in. There’s Martin Millar, TBogg and John Scalzi on the famous authors I follow and don’t personally know (but wish I did) end. On the not quite so well-known end there’s Titanium Cranium (disability rights activist and friend), Martin Wenzel (Berlin font designer and friend) and Adam Green (Hawaiian jewelry artist who I’ve never me).

This is important – I need answers, y’all!

Also too, you can now follow me on Instagram! Woo Hoo and shit.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Those bath bombs I bought? Meh.

I went full metal girlie girl yesterday in a valiant attempt to recreate the chilled out peaceful feeling I had whilst floating in the lagoon. I turned off the overhead, lit candles, had a shot of Jamo by my side as well as my trashy sci fi novel. Yes, I totally understand that, for the real girl experience, that should’ve been a stem of chardonnay and The Secret History of the Pink Carnation by Lauren Willig (or some such) BUT I had neither on hand. Ah well, did the best I could.

Now, the bombs smell really great, the minerals and shit feel good, there IS a calming quality but….no, they do NOT have the same effect as an hour long float in Silica Heaven.

OF COURSE NOT! I have a standard size bathtub. There’s no way I can float in there. Hell’s bells, I can’t even submerge and I’m just 5’4”. After settling down in the warm, mineral enhanced H2O, I attempted the Be Here Now action. Yeah, that worked for about three full minutes. It was too dimly lit to read and, while I’ve got cool tiles embedded in the walls, the view was decidedly less inspiring than moss covered lava fields. So then, no floating, no drifting, reading or instant tension loss. Nope. To be fair, I did notice that I felt a tiny bit less sad and stressed.

A friend told me about a place called FLOAT in Somerville.

A float tank is a small shallow pool filled with water nearly saturated with Epsom salt, so it's dense like the Dead Sea. You float completely effortlessly. The tank is kept warm, body temperature, and it's enclosed so it's completely dark and quiet.

Sounds interesting BUT the drive home from Somerville would likely fry all chilled-outedness I got from the float and the tanks enclosed. ENCLOSED!? Me and my steel clad claustrophobia are decidedly not thrilled!

On the Q&A page that's addressed (so it's NOT just me then!)

A lot of people have that reaction before they try it, but it’s very rarely a problem. For one thing, the tank is actually much bigger on the inside than you might think, and you can sit up and move around easily. And if you want, you can leave the door cracked or wide open with a light on — some people find that helpful. The key to remember is that you’re in total control of the experience

I guess I'll have to be brave and go check it out, huh?