I don’t know about you, but one thing I’ve noticed recently is the large volume of videos out there that “make” you listen to them. Well, okay, no one can make you listen, so what I really mean is the video that starts up and has no controls.

Internet marketers think it clever that the rest of us are subject to their breathy reports on “how to make money” or “how to get unlimited traffic” or “how to… whatever” yet are rude enough to exclude those precious control buttons like “STOP,” “PAUSE,” and “FAST FORWARD.”

I’ve got one running right now, sans headphones. What really adds insult to injury (in my mind) is that they just read what comes up on the screen TO you.

Let’s face it, if mastering the English language and accompanying reading skills is beyond you (and I acknowledge that there are people who have a tough time with it), then having someone read the script is handy.

However, for the rest of us, please give us back the control to do something other than just close the window. I might need to head to the loo or answer a phone call or go to the store. If any of these happen, you can bet your booties I am not re-starting that video from scratch.

Put the controls back on guys – I’d hazard the guess that you are not creating a “waiting with baited breath audience,” but a bunch of individuals that have a life and need to get on with the basic strategies of living. Individuals, like me, irritated that we cannot even pause your marvelous video.

For the past several months, our sweet Sammy has been getting thinner and thinner. Well, strangely enough, after finding him (or him us) a few years ago at the height of the heat of a Las Vegas summer, he’s never really put on weight. However, he’s eaten like a horse, been checked numerous times at the vet, etc.

That’s what abandoning an animal can do to it. He used up all his potential stores of fat to the point that, no matter how much more he ate (eats), he just never put on weight. Underneath his coat, he “filled out” slightly. Now, unfortunately, he’s back to the skin and bones stage – moderate renal failure per vet tests.

Hence we have learned how to “water the cat” so to speak. I never foresaw having to IV anyone, not human or animal. But the process (if you have the right, amendable cat) is not that hard to do. Numerous VET videos exist online, especially in YouTube.

Just type in “hydrating a cat” or “how to hydrate a cat”. Having the knowledge beforehand, and being shown physically by our vet, has helped a lot.

With the heat unbearable, and it will be well into October most likely, it’s very important to make sure your “pets” (I really hate that term, they should be your “friends” of “family members”) require special attention. No matter where you are in the country!

On what can be considered the positive side, Sammy has taken to drinking from the bathtub faucet. The running water idea was clever, he seems very amiable to it, however, that also means there has to be someone home all the time, or within a short period of time to ensure he gets enough water.

I’m going to be looking at buying a cat drinking fountains (seriously) locally just as soon as I can find the time to get to any local pet store. I’ve done my research, now to find one that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg!

I received this from my father (don’t know who sent it to him), and I almost didn’t listen. However, curiosity getting the better of me I clicked the link in his email (whereas I’ve just posted the video below to make it easy for you).

Here’s the email that came with the link:

A palindrome reads the same backwards as forward. This video reads the exact opposite backwards as forward. Not only does it read the opposite, the meaning is the exact opposite.

This is only a 1 minute, 44 second video and it is brilliant. Make sure you read as well as listen…forward and backward.

This is a video that was submitted in a contest by a 20-year old. The contest was titled “u @ 50″ by AARP. This video won second place. When they showed it, everyone in the room was awe-struck and broke into spontaneous applause. So simple and yet so brilliant. Take a minute and watch it.

(If you have a good monitor and a great graphics card you’ll be able to read along. However, even if you cannot see the words, listen with your soul wide open.)

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Eye-Fi. All opinions are 100% mine.

As a follow up to my previous post introducing you to the new Eye-Fi, I’d like to reiterate some of the many reasons this little gem needs to become part of your digital picture taking and the definite centerpiece to recording your photos and videos, and also introduce you to bonus features and a FREE card offer!

First the rave reviews… Time Magazine actually called it the “best invention” of the year, and Wired.com gives it a huge thumbs up!

Next here’s something I’m sure someone in your household can relate to (it might be you)… You know there’s always that one (or two or more) people in your household happily snapping photos or making videos of everything from birthday parties to sunsets to the kids doing funny things in the backyard (or if you’re more business oriented, documenting items on the job). The “unfortunate” part is, if your family is like mine, after taking all those shots, they don’t know what to do next.

Enter the go-to person who is expected to unload the camera and get it ready for next time. Often, like at our house, this type of request comes at the most inconvenient time when the designated “do something with these” person is expected to drop what they (you) are doing and assistance them.

That alone should be reason to get yourself the Eye-Fi wireless card, but there’s more…

If you recall, I let you in on the speed at which the Eye-Fi wirelessly gets your pictures off its card, organizes everything, and adds the bonus of you actually sharing your photos and videos even without having your computer on!

Now I’d like to also mention that their Pro X2 stores up to 4,000 photos or 3 HOURS of video with its 8 gigabyte SDHC capacity. (For those understanding true “geek speak,” it also uses Class 6 supercharged read and write speeds.)

Another great thing is you can stop lugging your laptop around when you travel – be it to another country or just your relatives house to the holidays. The reason? You’ll be able to upload your videos and photos through “Eye-Fi hotspots” at airports, in hotels, and even from McDonalds! Or less “exotic” places like from a friend’s or relative’s computer when you visit. Now, that’s a huge plus!

As a reminder, here’s another look at just how very easy the Eye-Fi is to use:

And, before I finish bragging about this new social media sharing, you should know that Google is offering a FREE Eye-Fi 4 gigabyte card just for purchasing 200 gigs of storage space. The price per year (from Google) is tiny for the amount of storage space you receive, and your FREE card arrives within 2-4 weeks!

So don’t let your digital camera sit around gathering dust – and don’t let the same happen to your photos and videos. See the benefits for yourself at EyeFi.com!