Musing, blogging, reflecting, affirming, complaining, documenting
I used to attend the opera with my friend Mary Rossini, which started off when she wanted a date but was hard-pressed to find any straight men who enjoyed the opera. Before we went, I usually created a mind map of the synopsis, which we liked to hold in our laps and do “air checks” … Read more
The biggest difference between a taste test and a focus group is that for taste tests, you’re typically doing it alone, just tasting a product (or products) and answering a bunch of (usually multiple choice) questions about the product(s), and it’s a 20- to 30-minute commitment. For focus groups, you are with a group of … Read more
This focus group was run by the Sensory Service Center at N.C. State University, on Saturday, March 25, 2023 from 1:30 – 4 p.m., and I was paid with a $75 Amazon gift card. Pre-meeting We were instructed to take a picture of any mozzarella cheese that was currently in our refrigerator, for which I … Read more
This focus group was run by L&E Opinions, ran on Thursday, March 16, 2023 from 9 – 11 a.m., at The Casso hotel, and I was paid with a $150 Amazon gift card. I’m in the L&E Opinion’s database as an interested focus group participant, and I’ve participated in many of their taste tests and … Read more
I’m a good shirt folder. There, I said it. I like to fold the shirts—t-shirts in particular—after doing the laundry. If a customer tries on a shirt in a store, or unfolds it to get a better look at it or to judge how extra large the extra large is, and they just throw it … Read more
From April 25 to March 2, we went on a 5-day Ultimate Disco Cruise out of Miami, with port calls in Key West and Cozumel, and several of the performers on the cruise were the actual disco stars of the 70s, with others being one or two of the stars from a group (e.g., two … Read more
On March 12-13, I tried—off and on—to create a chatGPT account, but just kept getting this message: And I mused, “I hate messages like that. Who knows what later means? I wished they’d just let you get in some kind of queue for an account, and let you know when it’s your turn.” Fast forward … Read more
I put “John needs” into google.com and these are the top-10 type-ahead suggested searches. Clicking on them, what’s in brackets is where the suggested search came from. What are the top 10 results of a “[Your name] needs” search? Error happened.
Exhausted! Did 10 of them before I went to bed last night. #StillEditing PSA: It’s Daylight Saving Time Error happened.
I’m in one of those tiny university or community theaters with about only 10 rows of audience seating, and the play begins. The actor with the opening lines is not projecting very well, and the person in front of me turns around and hisses, “Turn it up!” To which I respond, “I’m a patron, not … Read more