The Pain of Creating and Cleaning on Thanksgiving

Being a cubical bunny does not leave a lot of time for creativity. Nor does it leave a lot of time for advanced household maintenance. One of the reasons I like Thanksgiving is that I get serious me time.

I made a list. 20+ items that I want to complete by Sunday. I was digging for my Earthquake kit. Yes, I have one. You should too. Even if you don't currently find yourself in earthquake territory.

Like I said,  I was digging for my Earthquake kit and I found my electric screwdriver. I've been passively looking for that thing for months.

Then I notice the curtain that should be replaced. And the curtain by the window waiting for me to replace the icky one for the nicer one.

I stand on what I thought was a solid cabinet. It wasn't. I crash through to the bottom of the cabinet. My heart suspends. My brain goes to evaluation mode.

Leg broken? No.
Foot broken? No.
Toe broken? No.
Toe hurts like hell? Oh yes.

I truly take a moment to be grateful I haven't broken any body part on Thanksgiving. Because to have the paramedic ambulance come to your door is at least $995 to start.

Not that I could have gotten to the front door.

I am now sitting in a chair nursing and icing an angry toe. I am grateful.

But it hurts.

I don't do pain well. I avoid it as much as possible. Will now commence to dig for ibuprofen.

I will resume the search for the Earthquake kit. I might find the missing iPod Nano that I lost a year ago. See, the way this works is that I look for one thing and find five others items.

It is way better than Black Friday shopping because I already know that I want it.

I have to say I'm not as gung ho as I was about this cleaning thing. My back-up plan was to stay in bed watching DVDs.

Hmm. Nope, I'll brace up and finish what I started.

I have too. The bed is covered with the other stuff that I moved to find the screwdriver.

It is gonna be a long day.

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You Can't Have Too Much Software - Can You?

I finally got a new computer last Sunday. I could take no more of the lock-ups, the figuring out of what could I open when I was doing something else and being forced to shut down in the middle of a thought.

I wasn't emotionally ready to buy the $1,500+ machine. I saw something at Fry's that I could upgrade and twiddle with; it became good enough. I'm in the middle of re-installing software.

Trying not to load it up like I did with the last one. The deeper question is, "does a person really need four different video editing programs?"

Well, yeah I do cuz I have a tutorial informational blog on web video.  But it doesn't stop there. I have conversion programs, an encyclopedia that I can run from the DVD. Writing programs. Bookmark programs stuff with links I don't remember linking to in the first place.  Screen recorders, image editors, Librivox books...it is a sickness I tell you.

Should I install iTunes and not worry about it slugging stuff up? Evernote? Left to my own devices I could load this bad boy up with 200 programs.

I so don't want to do that again.

Hang On...

Lightworks just finished downloading.

It is a good thing there is no longer a chain bookstore near me. That has cut back on my access to the UK computer magazines. Those suckers always had a DVD full of software whispering to me to come closer.

I have a 1.5 terabyte drive. When I get a spare moment I'm installing another terabyte drive just for the videos. I remember the day when I thought I was hot stuff for even having a hard drive. I don't even think there was gigabyte drive s at the time.

I just looked up and saw a box for Dragon Naturally Speaking Essentials. I bought that two years ago and never finished installed it. The system couldn't handle it. Now all I gotta do is find my prefered microphone.

I recognize there is a problem. I really do.
 
Should I add Lightning to Thunderbird or get a separate app?

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What Is In that Purse?

This year I'm traveling as light as possible. Which doesn't mean I'm going to BlogHer 2012 empty handed.  It just means that I'm thinking about what devices would more than one job?



Last year there was a mobile tech panel at BlogHer 2011 San Diego. Each one of the participants showed what they carried for business and personal use.

Adding up the amount of tech these ladies used in 2011 is impressive. Tablets, smartphones, camcorders and support technology.

I have held off buying a tablet. Not even the Nexus 7 could move me to do so. But I am close. I want a rear functional camera.  I have to have an SD expansion slot.

I will be visiting the Expo floor looking for my hearts desire. I might make some lucky vendor very happy. I doubt it but I can't give up the search.

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Broke Folks Eye Candy or Hold On A Little Longer

It is like having poison ivy on the back of you knee. I know that I have wailed about buying cheap stuff (Don't do it!) but there are exceptions.

Very limited exceptions. Before I prattle on check out this video from tech site, TheVerge.com, about another Android tablet from China.



When I was a teen I wanted with all of my heart a Nikon camera. I felt that I should have one because it was top of the line and my photos would be sooo much better if I had one. It would have meant that I was not as poor or broke as my reality dictated at the time.

I had to find a way to be connected to a community that I wanted to belong. One of the things that kept me going was reading photography magazines, the torn cover 25 cents versions that I could buy four for a dollar back in the day,

Photographers seem to do things like travel the world, eat strange food and do stuff. I was all for the doing of stuff.

I saved and earned money that eventually I bought a Yashica twin lens reflex that had a 35mm attachment so I could take 35mm snaps. I still have it.

I know my 21st century counterpart wants an iPad or a Galaxy Tab or something. He or she needs it for school, for work or creativity purposes.

This morning I found an Android draw/paint program called Sketchbook Mobile from Autodesk

If I had a craving for an tablet application like that and couldn't by a tablet that would make me obsessively crazy. Like I was about that Nikon.

Anyway, tablets from China and parts unknown are about to come in a bum rush for folks wallets.

Like the video said, the build quality isn't that good, the camera is wonky but sometimes broke folks that do their research before buying and understand that this is a training wheel  to the good stuff should consider buying something like this.

Because you don't want the itching to go away. I'm not saying buy just for the sake of wanting. That is not good and it waste money.

But the itching to know and explore, at any age should not be denied.

So I guess I'm saying if you have no money you can save up for the pride and joy hi-tone version. This would be preferred path

But if you truly can't afford to wait and you sniff out the best of the schlocky tablets then go for it. Get the best of the not so good and learn as much as you can.

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Being 52 - Software Blues

I'm a day late but just under a dollar short. I came home last night and I tried, I really tried to post something. My body was not having any part in it. I woke up around 3 a.m. to write about image sensors.

I really want to write about digital image sensors and I needed time to think and write. So that is what I did. Then went to work, did a few chores and then attempted to catch up.



I'll have you know the body will protest if you try to stay up more than 20 hours. Gone are the days when I could stay up to watch the Late Show, the Late, Late Show and the Late, Late, Late Show.

I'd sleep for two hours, go to school and then do it again the next night. Wouldn't break a sweat.

Being 52 you'd think I'd understand time and spacial relationships. I needed space in my bed and I tried to press past my allotted time.

Silly rabbit.

This is my day 18 video for National Videoblogging Posting Month aka Vlomo10.

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The $99 Netbook, Frugality and Technology Don't Always Mix

The circular felt onto my desk, my eyes paused in disbelief. $99 for a Netbook? At CVS? I went into a logic loop.

No, yes, impossible, really? I went to the CVS web site but they had bupkis, that is more like the CVS I know. Separation of drugs from any knowledge of what is in the retail store.


It took a bit but I tracked the sucker down. The Sylvania Netbook is for real. The retail price is $99 plus sales tax plus the CA e-Waste fee if you live in California.

Now before you rush out to buy this netbook we need to talk. This is going to make about as much sense as trying to convince a bored teenager not to swig on a can of Colt45 but I have to make the effort.

The Very Short Version

This is an underpowered computer. It is designed for using on-line applications like Google Apps, Zoho Apps, Facebook, YouTube or Twitter. It is strictly for connecting to the Internet away from home.

It is an limited function device. Unless you have a Wi-Fi connection at home you will not be able to use this computer to connect to the Internet unless you purchase additional devices and/or subscription service.

You can rack up another $250 to $400 trying to make it work but I think there are better uses for your cash.

Quick Specifications:

• It is not a powerful CPU. It is a chugita chugita Via 8805 CPU.
• Windows CE - I don't know where to begin on this one. Let's say that this variation of Windows was designed for low powered devices.
  
• 128MB internal memory. I ain't seen internal memory that small since the PC-AT class computers of the early 1990s. It can only handle really limited tasks. I stand corrected. Task.
• 2GB of internal storage. Saving early versions of MS Word or Open Office docs, yes it is possible. Downloading all of your 5 megapixel photos from your camera, I don't think so.
  
• You can purchase an 8GB SDHC memory card for additional storage but you will pay more for it at CVC and similar drug stores. They tend to really mark up stuff like memory cards. If you need it you'll pay 2x more for the SD card unless it is a blowout kind of deal.
• You have to have either a viable Wi-Fi connection or be willing to purchase additional devices, for example, Virgin Mobile sells Broadband2Go. You purchase the device and the service plan.

When Need Overrules Practicality

My friends that are Frugalistas are waving their hands in the air. They want it known that they can't buy a used notebook because they don't know how to tell a good one from a bad one. Sure they understand that this netbook only connects to the Internet at local Wi-Fi hot spots.

The Frugalistas just want to keep up the the TwitFaceTube generation. And to help find employment, connect with family and stay information viable at under $150.

I know. Seriously. Those of you having to go to the friends house got old years ago. You are tired of the bum rush to get a computer at the library. You need it for school and you can just about scrape up $150.

I am sympathetic. I know what it is like to need a computer and can almost buy it without going broke.

College Students

If you are a college student that needs an Internet computer and your campus does have Wi-Fi or you can get to a public library then yes, go for it because you need to have something to help you stay competitive with other students.

The keyboard is cramped. You will be sorry but you will be connected.

Members of the Fiscally Challenged Club - Working Adult Division

I can't recommend this computer. It would be so much better to save your money and purchase a new notebook or a decent used notebook computer.

You are not going to be able to install modern software. I keep typing this but you have to understand; you could spend almost $250 to get what you need to make this Wi-Fi capable in your home. $99 Netbook + $250 Wi-Fi = $349.

That is not frugal. That is stupid. Frugalistas are not stupid.

Folks on the Go or Conventioneers

I suppose it is a cheap way to have a function computer without worrying that you could lose everything. For use at the airport, hotel room or as a passenger in a car, maybe.

I still think you are gonna get the shank due to its lack of functionality and the size of the keyboard. If you can also use it like an e-book reader then, sigh, perhaps.

Well, I've said my piece. The choice is yours.

Oh, one more thing. Don't go looking for tech help in same place that sells suppositories.

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Everyday Looper or I Don't Need It But I Want It Just the Same

I really don't want an iPhone, iTouch or that other thing. I don't need it. But this, this app for the iPhone had me teetering. Wavering with gadget lust.


EveryDay Looper - Les Ramens -
Uploaded by eulgadjo. - See the latest featured music videos.

It really helps that I'm taking my time deciding on a smart phone. Cuz if I was a person of impulse I'd be running to the Apple store on the other side of town. The photo, recording and other applications are much more of interest to me than the dang iPhone.

If I could get and iPhone without a phone contract that would be cool. Or stupid because I think that is what the iTouch is for - people like me. Nope. Can't do it.

But if I did maybe I could so stuff like this, this is Mark Hopper looping in the kitchen:



Must fight the App Lust. Must.

Scuze me while I engage in heavy deep breathing. I'll be back.
Hat tip to AppScout.

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Playing With Tag/Word Clouds

In between doing the dishes, commenting on blog posts and creating a possible tutorial I'm having a little fun with word/tag cloud applications. I'm not sure if I'm going to enter the Carly Simon Your So Vain Video contest.

I would love to encourage other women to do so, especially if you remember hearing it on the radio. If you don't then do it for mom or your auntie. A bonding opportunity that does not involve bail.

I'm telling you, based on the competition I have seen so far you could have a slam dunk trip to New York. Plus you don't need a camcorder, they have recorded the video footage for you to remix if you don't want to record your own stuff.

There is something cool/mischievous about having permission to play with one of your musical cultural icons.

Tagging Clouds Is A Good Thing

I visited three of tag/word cloud applications. I have also copied the lyrics to the song and some of the interview questions and answers. This does not mean that you will discover the answer.

Last I heard somebody spilled the beans anyway but I really don't care. This tag cloud was make with Word It Out.


And this is one from is from TagCrowd,


And the winner and still champion (who may undergo a name change real soon) Wordle.net



I used a screen capture program called Snagit but for those fiscally challenged I can recommend on the PC side Gadwin Print Screen. Try to make all of the images the same size and resolution.

Plunk these bad boys into an photo animation software or video editor that accepts photos. Look for a pan and zoom command, that will get you started.

Bada da bing, you've got the glimmer of an idea. But not these three, cuz I've got plans for them. And before you get any ideas read the FAQs and terms of service so that you are clear as to what you can and can't do with these images.

Have fun.

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Search Engine Tips - How To Use Intitle Operator

This was an experiment I did to see if I could make a short video explaining a topic. I want to get better at creating informational videos and screencast.

At some point you have to take a chance. The first steps are the hardest.



I looked at Ask.com, Bing and Google and made this short video screencast on using the Intitle search operator.

Feedback welcomed.

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Getting Lost In Chicago On A Rainy Thursday Night

This has been a day of metaphors and thing going wrong and then they go right. And then left. I got to the airport on time but the ATM wasn't working. But I found money in my bag.

5 hours later I get here and the ATM still wasn't working so that means the ATM network had a really bad day. Except that I wanted to have funds so I went out looking for the bank in a city that I do not know.

Chicago has upper and lower level streets. How you cross the street is different so I had to adjust for that; meaning I saw people walk in front of cars and the drivers stopped, even when the people where in the wrong.

You might not think s a big thing but where I come from there were a number of cases where the pedestrian had the legal light and bam, human roadkill. Recently a car hit a poor soul, dude landed on the windshield and the driver got out of the car and pushed him off and kept going.

Wish I could say it was an isolated, one time thing but it is not. Anyway, I got real lost and my feet hurt and it was raining and I felt like a little kid. I did ask folks but no one seemed to know where the hotel was located or I couldn't follow directions. That left/right thing is a killer.

Finally got a cab. I have to be hurting and totally frustrated to get a cab but sometimes you have to yield to common sense. Come to find out I was way over on the other side of town. I don't know how I got so far over.

Went to the party. I couldn't believe it. It was a psychology experiment playing out in real life. I got lost but it was in observing people jockeying for swag and men jockeying for attention.

Personally, them little bunny buzzer ain't up to the task. Real women need A/C or if you swing that way D/C. No, that doesn't work. Plugs, we need plug powered devices.

It was hearing this one dude complaining that no one would pay attention to him. That these women were "anti-male." He did not understand what was going on. They were not anti-male they were "pro-swag." Other men sauntered in and laid down old bait but they couldn't draw more than a breath.

Let me put it to you this way. Free liquor or a bag of swag? Yes, for some of us it is the swag. Plus you still could get the liquor so this is a win/win situation.

Except for the guys.

Tell you the truth I was lost. Again. I came back to the hotel room. I'd been in some form of it before. Not sure I want to go back out there but I will.

I never did find the bank.

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Learning 2.0 Applied by Real Teachers Who Blog

There are time when I have my head in my hands waiting for the Muse on Duty to show up and give me a hint. I search but nothing is sticking. Finally the Muse shows up. “Where have you been; I’m on deadline you know?” The Muse said, “Not my problem. I’ve got more important things to do than to wade through that muck you call memory.”

“There is no reason to be nasty. All I’m asking for is a little help. Aren’t you supposed to be a bit more nurturing?

“I’m no angel, I’m a Muse. Come on, times a ticking what do you need?

“What cha’ got on the education beat?”

“Nothing.”

“What do you mean nothing? Stuff is jumping all over the joint. You have people desperate for education and other who couldn’t care less. You have a technological revolution in tools that can aid in self-directed learning. You have young folks that are starting to think being stupid is a badge of honor. Get real time, what do you mean nothing?”

The Muse is sucking up on a Strawberry Sangria smoothie. “Oh, all right! Why don’t you look at how learning is being adapted by actual teachers or bloggers that teach or something like that.”

“You couldn’t tell me this Sunday?”

“Ingrate. I’m out of here.” (We have actually improved our relationship but there are times when she is “challenging”. I blame the Sangria.)

It Is Elementary

Kathy Cassidy of Mrs. Cassidy’s Class Blog is using her class blog as one of the tools she uses to help educate her first grade class, inform parents about activities and connect the students around the world. I’m not exaggerating on that one. Though the use of Skype, video and other tools she has her Canadian students communicating with students in Alabama, Louisiana and Australia.  Kathy also has a wiki to demonstrate resources for students age 5 to 8 years of age. This might be of interest to home schooling parents looking for ideas or even traditional teachers looking to spice it up just a bit.

From Kathy’s wiki I discovered Mrs. Berry's Classroom Blog who make use of slides to demonstrate concepts and to show what the students have learned.

The platform that both these teachers use is called BlogMeister where a teacher can set up a blog and is the administrator for the class. Young students can have a blog through the teacher who can monitor for content. To add this to their daily works load is very commendable. I hope they have the support of the parents and the school administration to help them in their efforts.

Junior High on the Sly

There is no one way to use a blog for education. At Crews Lake Middle School it is used to remind students what they did in class and what the homework assignment is for the next day. This is putting a serious crimp in “I forgot my homework.”  The students are working on integrated learning skills. Fear not, there are slackers in every class. One kid thought he/she could mooch by with a three word/four slide PowerPoint presentation. 

The battle for spelling, grammar and writing a complete thought continues but on new platforms. Teaching the Outsiders has a post about what middle school students need.  An older blog that hasn’t been updated Hannah's Monarchs had students writing about social studies topics.

Sometimes a teacher needs to talk about the actual process of just what happens between teaching, needing to adhere to testing requirements and administrative diversions. A good example of this found at On the Shoulders of Giants by Ariel Sacks. Ariel lays it out their about the reality of teaching in New York and being able to afford it. 

One post I found really interesting is the one about the Digital Divide in her classroom. Not just that some of her students don’t have access to the Internet but there are electronic and software blocks placed in school so that Internet access is restricted or crippled. 

We signed out the LCD projector and a laptop at school ready to demonstrate the site, only to realize, duh, the site is not accessible through school internet!  For the next day, we took still shots of the site at home and showed them to students the next day, and passed out detailed instructions for them to sign up and access the site. 

The kids were very excited about this, but only some of them have been able to access the site at home. Some have internet access, but needed help going through the steps of signing up, which of course, I can't help them with at school.  I have helped some students by phone.

I wasn’t kidding about support from the administration and infrastructure.

12 O’Clock High School For Teachers and Parents

As students become teenagers the challenges increase.  Students may have multiple means of contact such as mobile phones, blogs, Second Life and, dare I say it, SMS or Twitter. They have created social networks that provide the information they deem important. Convincing them of what you need to teach them is equally important might be a little rough. In addition, Parents can be techno-oblivious and that is not a good thing with a tech-savvy teen in the house.

Classroom 2.0 is a network of teachers trying to figure this out.  Lorna Costantini is asking questions about Teaching Parents How To Use Web 2.0 tools. Marielle wants to know the best way to incorporate writing skills using technology. Marielle’s other blog Authorship 2.0 looks a little bit closer at how students are really using the technology and that educators (and the rest of us) need to engage in the process.

Over at Fireside Learning Conversations about Education, Jane Jessep wants to know how do you make online learning more dynamic. Susan Sedro at Adventures in Educational Blogging is actively using the current technology tools and writing about the results.

Which puts me right back where I started. So much to write about and not knowing where to start. Again.  Oh, my head. I’m going to make a Strawberry smoothie w/o Sangria and begin again. I don’t want to have to deal with that dame again next week.

This post originally appeared on  BlogHer where I am a Contributing Editor.

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Alternative to Yahoo GeoCities - Google Sites

Earlier this month I tried to help put out the word that Yahoo GeoPages is making its transition to the great beyond.

I really do like blogs, I learned basic HTML, had Dreamweaver, Paint Shop Pro and god knows what else. It was a pain in the butt trying to make sure I had everything correct. Blogs saved me so much time it didn't make sense to keep up the site.

Websites, if constructed for ease of use are still good ways to present information that may not fit the blog format.

More important to me there is a lot of good old school Trek fan fiction that is about to hit the vapors. In any case, if you have old stuff on GeoCites consider transferring your content over to Google Sites, if your content doesn't fit the blog format. And it won't have that ad panel on the side. Selfish, I know but seriously I hate to see that Yahoo GeoCities stuff go to waste. Memories of simpler times.

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