Regarding Thing 19

I glommed on to the travel sites, as I have the itch due to the recent claustrophobia inducing snow. Using these, one can consolidate fare searches using a number of services at once. Annnnd.....I learned from fiddling with these that there are many more booking sites than I could have imagined. Even so, I can't afford to go anywhere that I want to go. But this lets me feel confident that I've turned over almost every stone.

And it's great the Etsy, one of my favorite shopping sites, is a winner here!

Regarding Thing 18

I had the same reaction to the vast choice of online productivity tools that I do when I go to Container Store or Strosniders Hardware or Bruce Variety. Somewhere here is the solution to all of life's administrative and organizational problems, things to get you over the humps that make it hard to get started on anything. But it's an illusion. The sites that help with spreadsheets and word processing, yes. But most of them require the very self direction and discipline the lack of which is driving you to use them in the first place. Sorry.

Regarding Thing 17

(Update below)

Another participant wrote for this Thing "abandon hope all ye who enter here." After an excessive amount of time I am doing just that. And that includes trying to find "43 Things" to select an alternative to do. I found something called "43 Things", but it included activities such as "swim with sharks," which I don't find appealing. Nevertheless this was an enlightening adventure in frustration and the imperfections inherent in just about everything. So not a total waste of time....I guess.

Update: Things are Looking Up! I found the site "43 Things I might want to do this year" and it offers great alternative "Things," should one of the 23 be out of order. Actually I think some of the 43 are a bit more interesting. I took a look at Click University and Google Labs.

Regarding Thing 16

I liked the Princeton Library's Book Lover's Wiki where users post book reviews. The library has also linked it up with local businesses to offer raffle prizes for contributors. They use the Wiki as a tie-in and enhancement of their summer reading program. Another way, among many on the www, to establish connections and what I've come to think of as "ether based community."