Ionic Breeze

Let me tell you about the Ionic Breeze Air Purifier.

Yes, yes, yes, it generates ozone, which will make the room it's in smell fresh and clean. That's fine. However, they are so totally lying when they say it's silent. We've had ours for almost two years, and it was silent for perhaps the first few months. After one cleaning it started making a periodic electronic buzzing noise. You know those bug lights that make a "ZAP!" every time a bug meets his wee insectoid maker? That kind of noise. The outer unit also gets filthy and is really difficult to clean (unlike the inner unit, which pulls out for cleaning), and when you clean the inner unit, the machine is out of commission for a few days as you must be absolutely certain that the inner unit is dry.

Make no mistake, I have the feeling that overzealous cleaning on a certain momster's part probably had an effect on the noise level. But if it's that easy to break, it's probably not worth the $400.

Today I am feeling Virtuous again and am about to go get breakfast food and visit, when it opens, the library, for some research and study.

Does anyone know how to reverse the charges on an international call? Just curious.

sapphire tuesday

I am drinking this terrible liquid that makes a pretense at being root beer, but really is not... well, not to my taste, anyway. It came with my lunch (supper really), a hefty chicken sandwich and a little bowl of mashed potatos with gravy. It's too sweet, too wrong, all sugar and no bite.

I mailed some packages, after having grossly overestimated the cost of one of them (good for me). I got some airmail stamps, so things will be posted to several Australians tomorrow or so. I'm pleased that this all came out so pleasantly. (However, speaking of which, my package from halfway-around-the-world still hasn't arrived yet - very frustrating - it's the third book in a trilogy, so I am on pins and needles.)

It is quite a beautiful day outside - big fluffy clouds in various shades of white and grey, with patches of deep blue sky showing through, and the water is dazzling... not the nasty green-grey it can be on cloudy days, but picking up the sky's tone in spite of the clouds. The summer heat waves have mostly broken; the temperature outside is comfortable, in the 70s with bright sunlight and a light breeze. I drove around with the windows down, drinking my irredeemable rootbeer.

Earlier this morning I was reading these excerpts from a novel by Michael Faber called The Crimson Petal and the White, which has generated quite a lot of buzz lately. It's interesting so far. I am currently following the man with the disorderly mop of golden hair. I'm wondering how it will stack up to The French Lieutenant's Woman, which I read about ten years ago, in high school.