April 9, 2006 11:18pm

Like the new snazzy look of the blog?

So I've been thinking that I want to start taking more pictures. There's something really cool about pictures. I never went through that photography phase as a teenager and took pictures of my feet, hands, or church steeples. Actually, I never really thought about photography until I realized that almost any picture you take suddenly looks "artsy" in black and white.

My digital camera isn't all that fancy, but I can get some good shots with it.

Maybe that will be one of my summer activities.

Oh, did I mention that I might have a job for the summer? Actually, it would be my old job. It was offered to me for double what I was making when I left. The catch is that it's supposed to be full time and I just don't want to give up that much of my summer.

We'll see. I do miss the work. I did disaster planning for a large healthcare system in NJ. We had a fun department. I'm still close to the guys I worked with. I would love to be able to work with them again, but I don't know that I was to make the 60 mile (one way) drive 5 days a week during my last summer off.





Why is there a magazine called Real Simple? It has a TV show too. Why does the concept of living a simple life require an Oprah-sized media format to get out its message?

Sure. It tells you how to organuze your garage using the newest Martha Stewart clear plastic bins. It helps you make "gourmet meals in under 30 minutes". Perfect for those busy moms who wish they could be Bobby Flay if only they had the time. It even will help you decorate your bedroom in bright white linens, walls, throws, and carpeting for under $500. So fresh looking that you think you can smell the Downy on the picture.

But what is "Real Simple" living?

Real simple is not taking out the trash. Real simple is not cleaning anything. Real simple is ordering take-out for every meal and paying extra for the delivery guy to bring it right to on the couch. Hell, just give them their own key to your house. You're not going anywhere, so it's not like anything will get stolen.

Real simple is not changing your sheets....ever. Washing them takes effort. And you just try telling me there's anything simple about folding a fitted sheet!

Real simple my ass!