Blogging in Bed??

As computers follow TV into the bedroom, The Chicago Tribune reports on a "Menage a Treo." Wish I'd thought of that title .... The article, by Katie Hafner, New York Times News Service points to an interesting trend.

The proliferation of electronic gadgets, overstacked schedules and tired people has created a marriage between people and their gadget addiction. I'm not sure its a good idea to bring those pesty little multi-taskers to bed with us.

Blackberry and Treo gadgets are 'smart phones' allowing you to read endless news headlines, check email, cry over your calendar. Not a precursor to a good night's sleep. Even they need to be turned off eventually, and to recharge, just like us.

Yet, the article found that in the blue glow of the screen, many people unwind at night by updating their blog, answering e-stacks of email, planning birthday parties, and engaging with the computer as a giant to-do list. We all appreciate the portability of a laptop, or the lighter notebook computers, instead of being chained to a desktop, where you work at the altar of messy electronics. With a notebook, you work where you're comfortable and when you can relax and think without distractions.

And there is an intimacy using a notebook computer if you're quietly engaged with it, but not if the time becomes a struggle. Weary, restless eyes clicking on web pages, to-do lists, and work, would lead us to a new form of e-somnia.

So, retreat to your room to relax, watch a DVD, listen to music or audio book, but be careful.... the bedroom is our last bastion of solitude, isn't it?


Cheers,
Helen

Announcing "The World is a Kitchen"

I’m pleased to share this great news…

The World Is a Kitchen
Cooking Your Way Through Culture
is now available

Published by Lonely Planet Travelers’ Tales series

My contribution, Flavor by the Spoonful, tells of my joyful adventures cooking with Turkish women in their homes.

The thirty stories that make up this book, plus recipes, will satisfy your yen for travel, adventure and great foods from the world’s kitchens.

The World Is a Kitchen reveals the diverse traditions of other countries through cuisine, utilizing both stories and recipes. Chefs, travel writers, and dedicated foodies share their unique experiences, transporting readers into kitchens around the world.

Editors: Michele Anna Jordan and Susan Brady

$16.95 Trade Paperback, ISBN 1-932361-40-5

www.theworldisakitchen.com