It’s a Dog’s World, Apparently
I ’ve been getting ready for a trip to head overseas so I’ve been doing a bit of research into a new pair of headphones for the long flights. I already own a few pairs of headphones, which are very good but none are great for flying. Two pairs are earbud style and after a couple of hours or so they begin hurting. My best set of headphones are Grado SR-80′s and while they have terrific sound, they’re an open style headphone. This means they cover my ears but allow external sounds in as well as let whatever I’m listening to leak out. After doing a bit of research I decided my checklist was simple. I wanted a “closed” style headphone that would be comfortable for long stretches and a pair that would have at least decent...
Read MoreIn his own way
W hile this blog is not really a topical one that covers global or even local news events, I felt the passing of Steve Jobs was worthy of a mention. I’ve never owned a computer other than an Apple. The first family computer my father purchased was an apple II. This was a cream colored enclosed typewriter looking computer and was available either with or without a monitor. My father has always been cheap and opted out of the monitor, instead connecting it to a small color television we owned with a manual sliding switch that allowed us to select either the use of the computer or the television. The apple II also came with twin shoe box sized floppy drives; one to run the operating system and the second as a storage and application source. This machine was the...
Read MoreBathrobes
I don’t own a bathrobe and haven’t since I was a teenager. One Christmas my mother bought my siblings and I bathrobes to compliment the gift of pajamas we opened each Christmas Eve. The robes varied in make and color and were chosen to compliment our personalities. While each of my three sister’s robes was pink with ruffles, mine was the complete opposite. Cut from plush, heavy terry cloth it was a deep navy blue with accents in forest green and boasted large rectangular pockets below the belt. I loved it. It didn’t take long, though to realize that robes are impractical for 14-year-old boys growing up in California. Following the Christmas vacation I hung the robe in my closet where it sagged heavily upon its hangar until I left town for...
Read MoreComing Back
A fter nearly an entire year I’ve decided to begin writing my blog again. Last time you checked you were probably reading this blog on ashmarlin.com. A lot has changed since then so I’ve moved my blog here. I will begin posting new content next week. Thanks for checking back in. In the mean time, have a look at some of my previous posts you may have missed.
Read MoreParty Time
T his past weekend Linda and I ran a few errands, which included a quick stop at Target. She hoped to pick up a bit of candy and I was in need of a few travel items for an upcoming work trip. As we arrived Linda said, “Don’t let me forget to pick up a birthday present for Gabrielle.” “Gabrielle?” I’m actually pretty good at remembering birthdays and important days so I was confused. And with the exception of a single, very hectic and crazy anniversary day, I don’t generally forget big days. “She’s going to a birthday party this afternoon,” Linda clarified. This led us to the toy section, which is at the back of the store at this particular Target. It’s opposite the electronic section and sits between a small fitness department and...
Read MoreWild Tirade
T he other day Linda posted a complaint to her Facebook page. She has celiac disease meaning even the tiniest speck of gluten wreaks havoc from head to toe. It seems she’d had a salad from Whole Foods for lunch. She’s had this particular salad before and it should have been safe but must have contained a bit of contamination. Seeing her Facebook tirade, my brother Graham jumped in with some simple advice, “Post your complaint to Customermafia.com.” Believing his suggestion to be a legitimate one, Linda followed the link and then called to me from the couch. “Christian. You have got to see this.” Then she explained the page. What we found were three postings. One focused on a new digitally controlled fountain drink dispenser, one...
Read MoreFinally, I think
I t’s been embarrassingly long since I’ve posted here on Ashmarlin. Nearly 3 months actually, making the last time just before I left on a trip to Asia. Usually when work takes me to Asia I visit Taiwan then maybe Hong Kong or Thailand or sometimes Vietnam or Shanghai. This time, though, I spent a week in Tokyo, which was sweltering. “We’re having the hottest temperatures on record this week,” said one of my coworkers based in Tokyo. And then she added, “And they’ve been keeping records since the late 1800’s.” I’ve been to Tokyo before and generally enjoy Japan but the heat was absolutely miserable. On top of that, Japan is crowded making my week feel doubly uncomfortable. When I set off for Japan the plan was that I’d return to...
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