Some of the best things in life...

Behold!  The Toilet Fountain

... are on the internet.  Not really, but it seemed like a clever way to go about starting this blog off.  Some of the good things are...

...  funny pictures from the internet.  I used to be in the habit of saving internet pictures that I thought were pretty cool.  I don't do it as much because of the vast number of pictures I've seen and really liked and there's a finite amount of space on my computer.  The toilet fountain is one of my favorites:

... are blogs that I enjoy reading like Learning to Do, Riding the Wind, Of Knitting and Things, and Dances with Fat.  Learning to Do is written by a friend of mine and hits a bunch of my interests including running, engineering, and his life and thoughts in general.  Riding the Wind is a also about running, only a much longer and somewhat slower scale than I'm used to.  Of Knitting and Things is written by my fiancée and that explains my readership despite not knowing a darned thing about knitting, which is the main topic.  Dances with Fat is a strange one for me, though.  I don't know how I originally stumbled on it, but I started reading it and have continued.  I'm not even sure that I agree with the author most of the time.  It is about "Body Positivity" or the fact that no matter what size a person is, they should love their body and should be treated with respect because either way, we all make choices about our bodies which we are entitled to make (which I agree with).  I don't always agree with some of the other points and the science that she uses, but I continue reading.

... endless access to information.  The internet is one of the greatest information sharing inventions in the history of the world, perhaps after only the spoken and written word.  It allows people all over the world to share ideas and information at ridiculous speeds.  If I have a question about something I can always go to wikipedia or an endless number of specialized databases on any number of topics.  It's pretty neat.

The internet also has a darker side.  It allows the spread of negative information and ideas as well as gives an illusion of anonymity which, while it makes the internet safer, gives some the opportunity to act hurtful and ignorant towards others.  It's also not very good at conveying tone or intent, two really important things in information exchanges between two or more people.  So as not to leave this post on a sour note, see picture below.  No need to thank me.  You're welcome.

-Lane