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Original post: http://darkthreadsgear.blogspot.com/2009/06/new-tactical-attachelaptop-bag.html
I've
been in the IT business for many years, AND I travel a lot, so I've
seen my share of laptop bags. So I've literally gone through a dozen of
them, and I've tried using a lot of different styles. Lately, I was
looking for a bag that would be easier to manage through airport
security. Those of you who are road warriors know the drill: you have
to remove your laptop from the bag and put it on the conveyor belt
separately. With some backpacks and laptop bags that have a modest
zipper opening, this can be a pain. So I was looking for a bag that
unzippered on three sides and opened like a book. Also, I wanted enough
extra storage compartments to carry cords and adapters, but I didn't
want anything too big and bulky, or too fussy. The answer for me was this tactical attache case that also converts into a backpack:
This case unzips all the way open, so it can be used as a workstation
or lap desk, without having to remove the laptop. The laptop
compartment also has a large velcro panel that supports a rip-away
admin panel.
The large zipper compartment on the front is big enough to store bulky
accessories, like your power adapter or extension cord, but it can also
be adapted for concealed carry. The velcro holster adapter is sold
separately.
The backpack straps can be stowed away in a zipper compartment on the back when you're not using them.
Available at http://www.darkthreads.com/
I wasn't much into collecting DVDs until my boyfriend turned me on to buying TV series box sets. There's something truly indulgent about watching one ep after the other of your favorite shows, without missing a beat.
Ok, I had to put it on here, but what if a death metal band ruled the world? I can't stop laughing...
I started reading another interesting book about a completely different subject - sales and marketing. The Tipping Point is basically about the phenomenon of viral marketing. Why do some trends/products/ideas take off like wildfire and others don't? One of the factors that the author talks about is the power of word of mouth and how effective it is at spreading a message around. One of the important factors in word of mouth are the special people who have an exceptional ability to get the word out. They are skilled at meeting a lot of different people and being able to connect people together who otherwise would not meet. So far, I find it really fascinating and I see ways in which I can apply this to my own small business.
Previously, I read another book by the same author that was equally fascinating - Blink. This book is about another phenomenon not so much related to sales and marketing, but more generally about the human mind, perception, first impressions, and "gut feeling." The author discusses at length what happens during the first two minutes of looking at something and how we make snap judgments.
I also got Kitty Knits - patterns for cats and their people.
Brilliant, depressing, amazing, dark, complex, surreal film about the life of a man that spans about 50 years. He is married, has a daughter, and is a director in the theatre. It took me a while to figure out that time is distorted and compressed, and the line between reality and a dream world is blurred. The man, Caden Cotard, suffers from heartbreak, disappointment, and loss, and is plagued by physical ailments, while he attempts to create a play about his life, seemingly in an effort to give meaning to it, or find some truth. It becomes a play within a play within a play, on a huge set that encompasses city blocks, as it spans decades. This is one of those movies you have to watch several times because its full of details and symbolism, and it demands a lot from the viewer because it makes you think - about stuff you might not want to, like your own mortality.
The extra features on the DVD are also interesting and make a bit more sense out of the film. There is a "making of" short, an interview with the actor who plays the main character, a discussion with a panel of film critics, an interview with the director, and some animated shorts that appear in the film. The panel of critics talked about how depressed the movie made them feel, for weeks afterwards.
I've always considered myself to be a survivor. My friends would probably say that about me, too. I've gotten through some hard times, and I'm still here kickin' it, so I guess it's true, as far as emotional/mental well-being is concerned. However, I'm also interested in the survival of my physical well-being, and lately I've been reading up on the topics of disaster preparedness. No, I'm not a paranoid crazy person. Well ok, maybe just a little bit, but we'll see who's laughing when the zombies come...anyhoo, it's not such a bad idea to be prepared for a crisis, especially considering that the Gulf coast is still recovering from hurricane Katrina, not to mention the 9/11 terrorists attacks, and so on. No matter if its natural or man-made disaster, what would you do if you were suddenly without power, water, food, shelter?
This kind of stuff has always fascinated me, especially the clever gadgets and compact camping gear. I just hope I would never need to actually use it!
"One resolution I have made, and try always to keep, is this: To try and rise above the little things." -John Burroughs
When it first aired on HBO, I DVR'd it, and I watched each episode several times. It truly was a ground-breaking, innovative series, based on a true story. There aren't really any good guys or bad guys in this; the characters are real, believable, fallible people, and in some cases, the actors are actually the real people that the story is based on (they consulted with marines in the First Recon to work on the film). It certainly depicts modern "warfare" from a different, very realistic perspective.
So guess what I'm doing on this Christmas Eve...totally checking out the extra features...
