Scoured and Censured?
Photograph by Shaun Roberts
The flash of metallic tingling races through my tired body as I flip on the kitchen light. Reaching down to pet the cat, electric static makes us both draw back, feeling minute pain rather than the pleasure of a good morning. Now I find the computer acting persnickety as well. I spent half and hour trying to leave a comment for a friend and accidently sent him a rough draft of a paper I was working on. Yikes (however these days, I seem to be having more and more trouble leaving comments on blogger…is the big blue G involved with this?). Over at Izea, I find their links taking me in circles, never quite were I want to go.
But persevering online, I notice something on scour.com, which I have been using as a search engine. It is a little red link at the top, right side of the page. It says “contest winner.” A few weeks ago, I did one of my “Ellie Animations” for this contest. Well, I never heard one word from them and yes, obviously I did not win. Clicking on the “contest” link, the winner is a wonderful entry that features some pretty delightful photography. I believe I would have chosen this piece, too. But to make sure, I click on the link to see all the other entries. Guess what. My entry is not there. What? Was it the reference to the evil empire of the big blue G? Probably. Its wrath is everywhere. But, none the less, I am disappointed that I was not even allowed to participate and think it is all part of censorship. Boo!!!
In using scour.com’s search engine for a month or so, I find that it does involve the three heavies - the big blue G, Yahoo, and Microsoft. It gives you the three search at once. I guess I had not quite realized it utilized these. The other thing is that it is a little clunky on providing searches, not nearly as fast as the big blue G. The only real positive thing I may be able to say about the service is that they supposedly pay you. It keeps track of the number of searches you do and when you hit a certain number (6000), it provides you with a $25 gift certificate. That is kind of nice. Its competitor, dogpile.com, does not do that. Also, you can leave comments about certain search results (ranking it?). I suppose that is handy. (I am trying not to totally let my disappointment cloud my judgement of the service…but today that is hard. This enlightenment thing…). Sigh.
It sure seems like the universe is sending me a message, but my head is too cottony to remotely interpret it. Maybe it is saying “Ellie, go back to bed” or “have a pancake, you will feel better” or “another cup of coffee never hurt anyone…” and so I find myself lured to the coffee pot for yet another cup of 8′ Clock.
Mmmm. Caffeinated warmth. There is nothing quite like it, the warmth of the small ceramic coffee cup, hot in cold hands.
Maybe the universe is just telling me to go back to bed and start again - clear my mind and begin the morning afresh.
