Are we likely to “have a great day” if today’s weather is “cloudy and cold”?

The words seem rather dim and dreary, respectively and alliteratively.

I then started to wonder if they even bother to change the sign throughout the winter.  Seems like from November to April, the degree of coldness changes but it is almost always cloudy and cold.

There has been a local debate raging for some time about whether or not a bread knife needs to be cleaned every time that it’s used to slice through bread. I argue that it doesn’t get that dirty and therefore only deserves a wipe down in most instances. Those on the opposite side of the argument suggest that every usage of the knife warrants a proper cleaning.

Please, dear readers, weigh in with your thoughts and comments please. How often do you clean your own respective bread knives?

Over the weekend, I had a wonderful interaction with a young boy of two that showed some (at least anecdotal) insight into our perceptions of mechanical harmony. The little boy in question suddenly rushed into the room ‘Emergency! Emergency’ Naturally concerned, I followed the little fellow into a neighboring room. Nothing seemed amiss. The lad pointed to a CD-player. Thinking the boy wanted music, I pressed the play button — and was greeted by the grinding sounds of an improperly-seated CD being jostled by the spinning parts of the player. It was grinding on my ears.

It was only after a moment or two that I realized what had just transpired. A little child, with only two years of life and life experience had heard those sounds of ‘mechanical chaos’ and knew that something wasn’t right. Could there be something inherent in nature that details what mechanical fluidity should sound like? Is the soft, quick and efficient sounds a deer racing through the woods more closely linked to the hum of a modern engine than I could have imagined? These thoughts filled my head this weekend.

The default language was set to UK English. So, why did the good people at Microsoft think to advise me of the non-Koreans words? Why would I want to know the number of Asian characters in Korean words?

Admittedly, the text is a bit hard to read with the window glare, so here are the salient words again:

ATTENTION!
ATENCION!
ACHTUNG!
ATTENZIONE!

Under Armour makes the world’s most technical products.

So, I think I have to disagree. Surely a nuclear power plant trumps exercise-wear in terms of technical complexity. Okay, I am no scientist, but come on, this one seems obvious.

Is it just me or does this ice skater (part of the Google search page illustration) look like she has her tongue sticking out?  Is this a subliminal message about the Vancouver games?

Thanks to a sharp-eyed reader in Michigan for spotting this and submitting the screen-shot to chickenmonkeydog. We LOVE to get submitted pictures and stories about the quirky events in your lives to share with the CMD community!

Dear Readers,

We have some big news to announce today! We wish we could say it is GOOD news, but let’s just say it is BIG!

Our brilliant friend and humorist Meg, who joined CMD as an author just about one year ago, is moving on to see what else the world of online creative writing has to offer. We’ve had an absolute blast having her on board and enjoyed the Meg-twist on our quirky outlook.

Please join us in wishing Meg a fond farewell! We hope she’ll continue to contribute by submitting guest posts (just like all of our readers can, including you)!

And with a flap of the wing, a beating of the chest, and a wag of the tail we at chickenmonkeydog wish Meg all the best!

Click here to view the embedded video.

For the first time, I had the chance to see the Limerick Power Station as a reasonably close distance. I found the shapely towers and plumes of steam positively hypnotizing. Watching the white clouds of steam climb further into the sky, I was filled with wonderment, awe and fear. I was within a short distance of a nuclear power plant – consider the power that flows from there! The engineering and science that underpins it functionality. The number of people who light their homes every evening with its power. The potential danger that is the powerplant. The dangerous by-product of nuclear waste. It was a lot to take in … and has left me still pondering. Not sure what to make of it all.

And, dear readers, keep in mind that you too can capture the beauty around you with the red, yellow and blue hues of the chickenmonkeydog postcard. Just follow our simple instructions and a postcard could be winging its way to you.

That little story got me to thinking about how reliant we are (in the West anyway) on our electronic devices.  I rarely review my intended journeys before jumping in the car. Heck, I have an iPhone … there is little else I need, even if I am planning on climbing Mt. Everest!

Yet, as I reflected on my friend’s predicament, I realize how foolish and complacent I’ve become in the wake of modern technology. Surely, my phone or GPS device might break, get stolen or lost or a million other possibilities. By having no back-up plan, I am surely inviting problems, aren’t I?