How to Use a Semicolon: The Most Feared Punctuation on Earth

I was updating my resume today and realized that my knowledge on semicolons was fading. I googled the proper use of semicolons and found a really funny and informative website (TheOatmeal.com). I thought I'd share so we could all learn a little more about this misunderstood form of punctuation.

Starting Over

Our lovely little puppy had a field day while we were sleeping last night. I woke up this morning to find the power sander in the middle of the living room, a variety of items (toilet paper package, laundry basket, socks, and paper) drug over to her pillow and chewed on, and my husband's paycheck that was sitting on the couch is gone (I'm convinced that she ate it.) Also, my laptop power cord suffered some battle wounds. They look pretty minor, but it will no longer charge my laptop. 

I got on eBay and found a power cord for sale and the seller shipped it to me a few hours later. But that means that my laptop will be out of commission for at least a couple days. As a wedding gift, my parents gave Zach and I a MacBook Pro laptop. My Mom, a Windows user, bought it with the intention of learning the system, but not all good plans pan out. I've had the computer for a couple of months and have found myself avoiding it.

Faced with the options of no computer vs learning a Mac, I've decided on the latter. I'm 25, I grew up using computers, and I'm the person in my family that everyone goes to when they have computer problems. Wow do I feel stupid. I really took my thorough knowledge of Windows for granted. I've had to google numerous stupid things such as ''how to delete a folder'' and ''how to copy a file.'' But I'm now committed to the switch. Also, I refuse to be like one of those elderly people who avoid new technology like it's the plague.

I love my iPhone and I've heard that Macs are great, and MacBook Pro is supposed to be the best. I have high hopes.

Phil In The Circle

Phil Hanson is an artist that I recently discovered on YouTube. He makes unconventional art and posts videos of the making of his creations. I'll post a couple of the videos. The first one is a replica of the Mona Lisa using the grease from fast food as a medium. The second of painting of Lance Armstrong that was made using a tricycle. And the 3rd is from a collection he calls ''Goodbye Art.'' The art is made in a non-traditional medium and then destroyed, leaving only the video as evidence of the art creation. Really cool and amazingly unique. You can check out more at philinthecircle.com

Infinite Knowledge at Our Fingertips

With the recent passing of Steve Jobs, CEO of Apple, I started thinking about the impact that technology gurus have had on my life. I couldn’t imagine my life without the internet, or my iPhone for that matter. It has become such a vital role in our everyday lives; allowing us to do things we never could have done before. And it’s all become available instantly and in remote places through the use of cell phones.

I have immediate access to my bank account balances and information. If I hear a song I like playing over the speakers while I’m shopping I can use an app to find the name of the song and bookmark it. I can download that individual song on Napster instead of having to drive to the record store to purchase the full album. My phone beeps as soon as I receive an email and I can read immediately, which eliminates delayed response time. If I’m at work and can’t remember the dosage range for a certain drug, I can use the nursing drug handbook app on my phone to look it up immediately. I can use the GPS on my phone to guide me to unfamiliar places and if I miss my highway exit I can just re-map it from my current location (rather than having to turn around and try to get back on my original route). Access to current traffic congestion is available on my phone, which allows me to avoid traffic jams and saves me loads of time.
 
Even more complex tasks that otherwise would not have been feasible have become accessible to the everyday person. For example, the screen on my iPhone cracked. All I had to do was go to YouTube and I found step-by-step video instructions on how to change the screen myself. That saved me from paying upwards of $100 to have someone else fix it. Another example – the window motor on my husband’s car went out. He got online and used his credit card to find a replacement motor that was shipped to our house. Then on a forum for 350-Z enthusiasts he was able to find step-by-step instructions with pictures that allowed him to change out the motor himself. Easy. Done in 45 minutes and saved $300.
 
I often wonder how people went about their daily lives before this upsurge in technology. My husband said when he was a younger he saw a picture of the band Red Hot Chili Peppers. Their drummer could be Will Ferrell’s twin. He went on believing that Will Ferrell had not only acting, but musical talents for 4 months until someone told him otherwise. Had the internet been as readily available then as it is now, one quick Google search would have told him otherwise. And could you imagine writing a research paper? I couldn’t even tell you how many research papers I had to write in school and every single one of them was written using information from research databases online. My mother had to drive to the actual library, talk to librarians to find out where to look, scour the shelves for specific books, and then flip through pages to find whatever information she was looking for. So much work for so little return. What took her an hour I can now do in 10 minutes.
 
I guess people survived before current technology, but now that I know how awesome it is I certainly couldn’t imagine having it taken away. And here you are (possibly half way around the world from me) reading this post…all because of technology. I’d just like to say Thank You to all those people out there that have made this technology filled life of mine possible.
 

Contemplation

Leather upholstery in cars: the upgrade. I never quite understood that. Sure, it cleans up easy should you spill something on it. But I can't really think of any other upsides to leather that you don't get with cloth. 

Now let's think about the cons of leather. When your car has been baking in the sun on a hot summer's day, leather turns to lava and burns any skin that comes into contact with it. During the winter, leather's cold chill always seems to find a way to seep through multiple layers of clothing. When your skin has been in direct contact with leather for any significant period of time, you start to sweat. And it costs significantly more. 

Upgrade? No thank you. I'll just continue to carry around a bottle of Tuff Stuff upholstery cleaner and forgo the lava seating. 

Backseat Passenger

Our dogs love riding in the car. But they do not love riding in the backseat - they want to be up front with us. Minion knows what ''get back'' means, and he will listen. But then he'll slowly start moving forward and then after a minute or two a paw will slowly creep up onto the center console and then the other paw makes it's way forward and before I know it he's right beside me. I guess he thinks if he does it slowly that we won't notice? It's the cutest thing. I can't even be mad at him.



Doggy Car Pictures...

Just Say No

You know what I've never understood? Parking spot vultures. People who circle around and around the parking lot waiting for a close spot to open even though there are several mediocre spaces available. It's a tad ridiculous when a car will stop in the aisle and wait for another person to completely unload their shopping basket, put up the basket, get in their car, and then exit their parking space. First of all, you're blocking the flow of traffic. When you've got cars building up behind you it's time to let it go. Second, you could have just parked 50 feet further and walked; it would have been quicker. And what exactly is the point? ''I'm sure glad I got this close parking spot and didn't have to walk an extra 50 feet. Let's just forget about the fact that an extra 50 feet is pretty insignificant compared to the half a mile I'm about to walk through all the aisles at Wal-Mart.''

Just think about it next time you're tempted to circle the parking lot.

When Things Go Missing...

That would be a straw, a chip clip, and my flip flop that little Miss Layla has apparently claimed as her own and dragged into her den.

The Jones Removal

Everyone keeps asking me if I feel different after being married. The answer is: Not really. We’ve already made commitments to each other and started a life together; getting married just changed the legality of it.
 
Honestly, I think the hardest part has been the name change. It doesn’t help that employees at my job are referred to by last name only. Changing my standard phone call response to “Spring 2, this is Hall.” has resulted in many confused replies.  And my maiden name has been the origin of many nicknames: T. Jones, Jonsey, random outbursts of Mike Jones rap parodies (“Tara Jones: Who?? Tara Jones!!”) and even the name of this blog. Jones has become more than just a name; it has become interwoven in many different facets of my life.
 
I briefly considered hyphenating the names. I ultimately decided not to based on two things: 1. I didn’t want to offend Zach, and 2. My favorite number is 8 and Tara Hall is a perfectly balanced 8 letter name. I realize that #2 is ridiculous.
 
In coming to terms with my new handle, I’m using my innate ability to see things on the positive side. The name change is a symbol of the new chapter that I’m starting in my life: marriage. It’s time to part ways with the old and start on the new. Another upside: I’ve become ever-so-slightly more unique. A howmanyofme.com search for “Tara Jones” turns up 844 people, but there are only 293 “Tara Hall”s. And Jones isn’t gone forever; it’s still my maiden name.
 
But I refuse to change the name of my blog :)

Return to the Routine

On September 10th I was officially taken off of the market for good. In the months leading up to the wedding, my life was consumed with wedding/honeymoon planning. All extracurricular activities (including blogging) were put on hold. 

A quick shout out to all my readers - I'm backkkkk.