Category Archives: Blogs

Desktop Audit

Posted on by podcaster

My blogger friends are sending around a “Meme” that asks you to post what’s on your desk. At the office I work in a cubicle with a wraparound desk and overhead bins that close and hide the mess. Here’s what’s actually out on the desktop and my little cubbie’s bulletin board:

  • my laptop and docking station
  • a cheap personal laser printer (for quick printing rather than going to the company network printer)
  • a little desk lamp that I brought from home to soften the flourescent lighting
  • my company phone
  • a docking station for my cell phone
  • four in and out trays
  • a Big Dogs coffee mug to hold my pens, scissors, highlighters, etc.
  • this year’s Predators team calendar
  • photoframe with snapshot of my buddies and me at my Hooter’s birthday party a couple years ago
  • a map of the U.S. divided into our company’s sales regions
  • printout of the company phone directory
  • a stack of business magazines

Kinda boring desktop, isn’t it? I have a policy of not keeping any personal stuff on my desk except maybe one or two photos. After the last job when I got fired and escorted to the door for being ethical and not doctoring the numbers on the sales reports that my boss demanded, I want to be able to leave with just one box of my personal belongings in a box and be gone with just one trip out the door to my car.

So, come on and tell me what’s on your desk and send me the link to your blog so I can read it!

Online SAHMs

Posted on by podcaster

I have a friend who would love to start blogging but she has no internet connection at her house. She is a stay at home mom, which is an important job, but let’s be honest, it doesn’t pay the bills. So I recognize the sacrifices that she and her husband are making for her to stay home and be a full time mother to her kids.

Still, I can’t help but think that there might be ways to help her without chipping away at her dignity. If she had access to the internet she could do so much – save money on things by comparison shopping and printing coupons, finding lots of free entertainment and activities for her family, blogging to stay in touch with family, and even taking some online college courses if she wants to.

Web Sites for Beginners

Posted on by podcaster

There are several family members clamoring for their own web sites. They already have tried MySpace pages and want to move up to something more sophisticated. They also want more control over the way the pages are laid out. So I’m trying to start them own the right path for finding the basic information they need and a few of the better resources they can use.

First, they have to buy the domain name that they want to use. There are so many domain names already registered that it is getting harder by the day to find an available dot com for the preferred names.

Second, they need to design the web page. There are lots of ways to get this done and I will be working on a list of resources for them that are free or low cost. Some web sites are dedicated to blogs and others are more complex, with submission forms, multiple pages, and extras like photo albums, music downloads, community calendars and other great features and tools.

Third, they will need web hosting. The domain they buy has to be assigned to a host for other people to be able to find it and to see it on the internet. There are thousands of hosting options and types. For the beginner, it is probably best to start out with the free or low cost hosting plans from a reliable hosting company.

Criminal Minds Fan

Posted on by podcaster

Found a cool website today for fans of the TV series called, “Criminal Minds.” Well, it’s actually a blog – so that’s even better: Criminal Minds Fanatic.

I really like this show for the insights on criminal psychology and the way a team of experts from diverse backgrounds can come together and find a way to work as a team under tremendous pressure to solve the crimes.

The show is a little gory and gruesome, but if you can get past that it is a great psychological thriller reduced down to an hour show. Take out all the time for commercials and I think you have about 44 minutes of actual show.

The fan site has a lot of behind the scenes info and communicates fairly regularly with the actors, writers and production staff.

Ross Perot is Charting Again

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Remember Ross Perot? Rich guy from Texas, ran for president, made a lot of noise. A lot of what he says makes sense, and when a millionaire – or more likely billionaire – is willing to talk about money and share his insights, maybe the rest of us peasants should listen to him and take his advice. He is a powerful and persuasive speaker and is notorious for using lots of charts to illustrate his points.

Perot has launched a website called www.perotcharts.com that has . . . you guessed it! Charts.

He’s trying to help America manage it’s money and its debt. Check it out.