knowledge

Part of my identity series.

To say I love knowledge is a weird one. Sometimes it's hard separating data from information. (Data = facts, information = facts with a context, facts with a use).

I can get lost on Wikipedia and I can get lost on MSNBC just reading more and more, following interesting trails.

Sometimes I want to know stuff so I can tell Lori about it before she tells me. Sometimes it's because I'm impatient want to know about something before it happens, like on TV or the latest Apple/Google/Microsoft offering. Fortunately, in the case of TV, our recent habit of Netflixing (sort of) everything has helped curb that. But as far as information and knowledge, it translates into a lot of RSS feeds from Engadget to TwistedSifter to Crosscut to the Seattle Transit Blog.

It also means I'm reading, but with the iPad there's always the lure of games. Knowledge does not always win out saving sheep from aliens or using my UFO to throw cars at unsuspecting cows. Not to mention paper tree books and a stack of magazines that is growing. I've tried before to let some lapse but then they keep offering deals that make it silly not to keep subscribing.

My coolest favorite right now is my car. When I get in to head home, I press a button, it chimes and I saw "Services" - a few seconds later the voice asks me what I'd like and I say "Favorites" and it launches into a weather forecast, tech, business and national news followed by Google and Apple's closing stock prices.

And then there's the TED Talks.

I think if I were on a deserted island I'd go crazy from being disconnected. Unless I had a very full solar-powered Kindle.