Friday, November 17, 2017

A Life with Alexa Weekly Link Round-Up




I think this is the last time Denis will be using me as his alarm clock. At the requested time I went into the bedroom, told Alexa to play Reveille, and she did. Loud and clear. Perhaps because he spent several years in the Royal Navy, he was so not amused that when he came down to the kitchen to make a cup of coffee he said, “Alexa, don’t listen to Cathy!”

Both of us were stunned when Alexa replied, “Sorry. I’ve been taught never to ignore people when they speak to me.” I laughed until I cried. Denis was not quite as amused, although he was laughing, too.

Alexa's nickname has changed from “Cloth Ears” to “Traitor.” That made my day! (Don't know what "Cloth Ears" means? It's British slang for someone who has extremely poor hearing. Denis started calling Alexa that when she kept having trouble understanding his accent.)

I'd better stop laughing and head on out to the corral. You came to see the links, and links you shall see. Head 'em up! Moooooooove 'em out!



►Books, Movies & Other Interesting Tidbits◄
  • Loved to death: a photographer's tribute to discarded library books
  • “In the 1860s […] Russia had its own trio of writing sisters. Like the Brontës, the Khvoshchinskaya sisters wrote under male pseudonyms, endured hardships, and lived in the provinces.” Perhaps it's time to discover these sisters even if we can't pronounce their name? 
  • The graduate research paper that helped Rachel McCarthy James solve a century-old crime. 
  • Take a look at the photos of this 1931 Chicago condo on the shore of Lake Michigan and guess which room made me smile. 
  • What books will we be talking about one hundred years from now? 
  • The importance of rare, remarkable manuscripts.

►Channeling My Inner Indiana Jones◄

►Channeling My Inner Elly Mae Clampett◄
  • Low sealing! A 450-pound seal had to be removed from a northern Alaska airport's runway. 
  • Huh? Shrews shrink their skulls and brains for the winter. 
  • Photos document dramatic wildlife migrations across Yellowstone. 
  • What do you think... can bats swim? 
  • I'm still laughing over this one. A wild badger sneaked into a house and impersonated the family cat. 

►I ♥ Lists & Quizzes◄


That's all for this week! Don't forget to stop by next Friday when I'll be sharing a freshly selected batch of links for your surfing pleasure.

Have a great weekend, and read something fabulous!


8 comments:

  1. Oh, my, Cathy, that Alexa story is hilarious! Of course, poor Denis, but still!! I love it! And now, if you'll excuse me, I've a Mongol shipwreck to explore...

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    1. Yes, Alexa is proving to be much more entertaining than I ever thought she would be!

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  2. I agree that the Alexa story is hilarious. You have someone to not only monitor your every moment, but to follow your instructions and then to talk to during the day.

    I'm glad I'm a low-tech person. I just discovered Facebook a few months ago and its messenger system, about a week ago. I'm avoiding Twitter, and I definitely won't be getting any spyware for my house. It might be fun though to tell Alexa to play music and issue commands. But what if I talk back? Will she send me to my room?

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  3. You never know!

    That "Traitor" line has me laughing. I wonder how long Alexa will be hanging around.

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    1. He's not about to get rid of her. I think he's pleased that I'm finally finding a use for her-- even if it's only to bedevil him.

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  4. The possibilities with Alexa are endless. And hilarious.
    If I talked to myself, then Alexa would answer. Wild.

    How many playings of Reveille would drive Alexa into exile?

    Keep us posted. It is enjoyable.

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    1. I don't know about Reveille, although that one does seem to strike a nerve. The other morning I chose "Foggy Mountain Breakdown," and my sailor soon appeared in the kitchen, asking, "What was that?!?"

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