Citizen Reporter

You probably know that this blog isn’t only about world events, Europe, and expat life, it only seems that way! For the longtime readers, you may recall that I like to occasionally give advice and recommend internet applications to use, in order to maximize your use of time, help you find stuff, and make you into the most efficient internet activist you can be. (even if you don’t want to be… convert.. convert…)

Lately I’ve been explaining RSS (really simple syndication) to alot of new people, since an overwhelming majority of web-surfers still don’t use it or understand how VITAL it can be. So if this is old news to you, then you-go-girl, because you’re part of the in-the-know minority– now help me figure out ways to reach the masses. Wikipedia will explain RSS to you, and then you absolutely must start using bloglines, and paste in all the rss addresses from all your favorite blogs, newspapers, weather reports, bittorent sites, auctions, you name it – every website has or will have RSS. Once you start using it you’ll have more time to talk with people in your office, or take a walk, or drink hot chocolate, like I do…. no more typing in the same web addresses day after day: w w w dot b y -oops — b i c y c l e dot o r g. Is this you? It doesn’t have to be — start using my RSS feed

Now there are two other simple and beautiful net tools, free and easy-to-understand, that I demand you look into. First, for those websites and articles you want to save. STOP adding things to your bookmarks. I mean, you might re-install the browser, or work on many computers through the course of the day (like me!), or simply make a dam mess out of your favorites so you can’t find anything anyway. You need to start using Delicious, there – with one click- you can toss in all your important articles and weblinks and they’ll always be there on the net, for your reference. Plus you make tags for each link, so if you look at my delicious, you can imagine how many articles fall under the tag “war crimes”.

The last tool is the absolute easiest, and it’s what alot of you have probably been looking for: a way to search through all the crazy blogs out there, to find specific subjects/topics. Again, it has been around forever, but I’m going to guess many of you have never gone over to technorati and searched for say…. Torture Flights – boom- all the blogs that have talked about torture flights. It even pulls up the latest images on flickr or buzznet, so you can type my name and voila — my thanksgiving glamour shots.

Ok class dismissed, but before you go, I hope you didn’t just ignore all these names thinking that you don’t get it or need any of this. Trust me, you do. The internet ain’t what it was 6 years ago, or even 3 years go, so neither should the way you use it.

Actually there weren’t any tonight, not as far as I know. I still can’t write straight, and one more night of the gobble gobble awaits. Not that I’ve touched a single gobble gobble in the last 48 hours or 7 years really, it’s more of a symbolism. As I sat at Thanksgiving dinner numero deux this evening, one of the other guests was describing how and why she liked dark meat of the turkey better. No big deal, I remember how to communicate carnivore-style.

But since its 3am and I don’t really work tomorrow, I wanted to speak of this holiday and the bloggers I love to share it with. Meaning– there are certain blogs that are traditionally my favorites at this time of year, over the last couple of years. Which is why, for starters, I emailed xTx to send some love. When she’s home for the horrid-days, insanely wonderous poetry oozes from her fingers, among other orafaces.

And of course I also enjoy reading the man who sometimes ends up at a pub instead of thanksgiving dinner, mr thestateimin himself. He did, mind you, make it to relative’s house this year.

Finally, no thanksgivinin would be complete for me, without the BitchPhD and her mouse loving pseudononymous kid.

Course I read over a hundred blogs and love many of them, but these three have been thanksgiving staples for a long time, and are now part of my holiday ritual. Thanks my friends!

I’d love to talk shop, but here in the Amsterdam the international community is actually very into Turkey Day festivities. For myself the marathon begins today with Thanksgivin dinner at Toronto’s most famous chef in exile’s home. Canadian, and yet he’s cookin up a storm in honor of the great myth that pilgrims and native americans actually sat down and had food together.

Mañana its some mysterious thanksgivin day-2 action with a whole collection of americans who I don’t know. It’s always fun to attend an expat dinner when you know hardly a soul, plus I heard it’s catered and all I’ve got to do is bake a pumpkin pie. Incedently, thanks to the help of my darling, the artist formerly known as frisbee girl, I can hereby bake a pumpkin pie. It’s not gluten free, but she and I had a grand ol’ time bakin one up for the festivus, and we’ll soon expand to pecan.

To round it all off it’s Tofurkey at crazy doctor M’s apartment on Saturday night. I hear it’s a POT-LUCK which in this town, makes perfect sense.

It may pale in comparison to the wonderful turkey days we have back in new jersey, with all the delicious foods that only a portuguese-american family can cook up. But still, over here in the low countries, we do alright.

You’ve probably got a friend who likes Rush. I’m sure you have to think for a second, cause maybe you haven’t seen him in a while (and its definitely a HIM) but he was that good friend who was wonderfully intelligent and lived in what often seemed to be his own world… a world where Rush was the greatest band of all time and the lyrics and music of their songs could answer all of life’s questions.

For me it’s one of my greatest friends ever, who’s doing well, back in my beloved New Jersey. When I met him in high school, I can remember being in the outfield during softball games and just over from my position in right field… there he is in right-center… singing the lyrics to Limelight at a level that most of the outfield can hear. In the beginning I thought it was insane…. as I got to know the man, and yes, the music… I admit I even sang along. Thus beginning the tradition: as the years went by, different music projects, college, changing apartments, changing countries (in my case)… we always found time to cruise around in his car with 2112 or Roll the Bones playing, singing along at the tops of our lungs of course. While at first I may have found the man and especially the band unorthodox, the more i travelled, the more I missed my friend, and the more I longed to hear Rush… which had become like an old friend. A reminder of great times past and of how much I look forward to seeing him again.

As so of course it figures that around the bicyclemark ranch, my dear roomate and I have discovered this phenemenon in common. The friend who loves Rush, and the smile it brings to remember those times, listening to The Trees and crusing around some suburban american town. We’ve even become obesessed with finding a copy of the string quartet tribute to Rush, exit stage left, just to have a laugh and enjoy the odd charm that those classic songs bring.

And so it goes. No matter where I go, or how long it’s been, I hear Closer to the Heart and I’m transported back in time. More importantly; I remember a friendship that has survived many miles and many years, and I smile when I picture – a month from now – being back in that car with that music, and of course – the World’s Biggest Rush fan.