#262 Googly Reflection

It's time to look back on 2007 and reflect on the important things. For example, let's reflect on how people found their way to our web site this year.

Through internet magic, we're able to see what folks typed into the Google search box that resulted in a visit to our web site. For example, we know that "photos from Suez Canal" was one such search that directed someone to our site. And here are some of the other Google searches that hit our site in 2007.

photos from Suez Canal
go together like peanut butter and jelly quotes
moleskine in business
uva iwamotoscott
mv explorer ship semester at sea reviews
johnston9494
semester at sea quotes
Craig Scott GIS San Francisco
O’Malia’s Indianapolis
librarian at sea
wapsipinicon float map
mississippi river/camping
semester at sea librarian salary
scottish shortbread and st louis
passenger manifest MV explorer
Frank Lloyd Wright Bismarck ND
O’Malia’s photo
Dr. Seuss oh the places you’d go
semester at sea jobs uva librarian
2007 guestbook johnston atoll
best scottish shortbread
Mississippi Headwaters
Al-ballah canal
Bibliotheca Alexandrina
mv motor vessel ms
sonic drive in in Minnesota
suez bayonet monument
round-the-world sea-sick 2007

Yours in googly reflection,
Mary

#261 Ho! Ho! Ho!

During this holiday season, we are blessed to find ourselves in a great state.

Geographically, we’re in the great state of Virginia. Officially we’re known as a commonwealth, but due to our state of newness, we’re in the habit of calling it a state.

Mentally, we’re in a great state of mind. We’re happy in our new jobs and have fun, challenging projects ahead.

Domestically, our current home is in a state of flux. We’re renting our home but we may soon enter a state of confusion as we work through the real estate network to find our permanent home. East coast housing prices have us in a state of shock.

Technically, we may be somewhat shy of state of the art. Our computers are in a state of emergency now that they’re 5 years old. Our cell phone has a black and white screen. We’re yet to send a text message. And the next iPod we buy will be our first.

Personally, our state of the union is strong. We’re 13 years together and in a constant state of euphoria.

For our current state of affairs, be sure to visit us here on our blog.

Yours in merry stateliness,
Kelly and Mary

#260 MS is different than MV

When the MS Explorer sank (see video) off the coast of Antarctica last week, some folks thought it was the MV Explorer. Not so! The MV Explorer used by Semester at Sea is safe and sound and sailing across the Atlantic Ocean right now. No icebergs are in sight. (Beware: the youtube video is incorrectly labeled "MV Explorer sinking in Antarctica.")

But this did make me wonder about the difference between MS and MV. According to the ship prefix entry in wikipedia, there are more than 30 abbreviations used in front of a ship's name. MS stands for motor ship. MV stands for motor vessel. Can you guess what FV stands for? Or PS?

Yours in appreciation of the multilingual, web-based, free-content encyclopedia project that we know as wikipedia,
Mary