One of the great things about working from home is the ability to slob-out and wear pajamas or sweats. Lately I've really been tempted to get those Pajama Jeans so I won't have to chose between them. I've recently installed Skype, so that's going to change. Although Skype has been around for years, I've put off adding it. When a client from New Zealand practically begged me to get on board, I decided it was time. The phone bill from here to New Zealand had to be getting as large as the distance between us. Image via CrunchBaseI'm not really a Instant Message type of person. I had so many accounts that I finally got Adium so that I could see them all in one place, but even with that I rarely even start the app. When I have Instant Messaging on, and my status is viewable, I feel as though I'm bombarded by spam messages--most from people I don't know. Having it on makes me feel as though I am on call 24/7.
Skype isn't really about instant messaging, although that's one of their features. I guess I should explain, for those who aren't familiar with Skype, that its software that allows you to make calls for free. Not just that, but video calls, instant messaging, voice messaging, phone calls, etc. Installing it is easy, just download the software, Mac or PC, and create an account.
Self,
Next time you get a brilliant idea, go to Kickstarter. A website that matches up Investors and People With Great Ideas.
Mylife.com is always sending me emails, but I never worry cause it goes straight to my spam folder. (Pat yourself on the back, Self) But apparently, so many people have fallen for it by giving them their credit card information, that there's a class-action lawsuit (that's the link to the lawyer's page but they don't have info up on it yet) in the works. One fellow blogger has written an interesting post on what can go wrong: Just Say “No” To mylife.com. His blog is very interesting and you should take a look at it for other good tips.
When you have some extra time, check out Slate, its an online magazine, with articles not found every where else on the web. Also try to see if you can follow them on Google Buzz. (Wish more bloggers would add that as an option because your list of daily links is getting toooooooo long.)
Self!!! Last but not least a very, important holiday is coming up, Super Bowl Sunday! remember to get ready! (Steve's birthday is around the corner, too)
Recently, I was asked about the merits of having a Facebook Business page. Actually, the person asked whether they should drop their website and go solely with a Facebook Business Page. Having a Facebook page is not an either/or solution if you integrate Facebook with your business's website or blog. The ideal scenario for a business is to have its own website, plus actively participate in social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
Image via CrunchBaseFacebook has some powerful tools for businesses. With a page, those interested in following you can become "fans." Then, anything that you post to your page can be seen by your fans and their friends too. You can store photos, videos, information about your company, and links to your blog. The limitation is that you are bound to their format, and any information is kept in separate tabs.
I am trying out the Facebook app, Networked Blogs. It adds a tab to your Business or Group's Facebook Page that feeds your blog directly to your Facebook page. The reason I'm trying this is not really to promote the business or the blog--since I really use the blog to entertain myself, but because I have a client who's interested in the feature. It seems easy to set up. To get started, log into Facebook and go to the Networked Blogs Page. Click on the "Go to App" button and follow the links. The one stickler, is you have to verify your blog by putting a widget on the page. The first try didn't work, but I found a great tutorial by Geek Blogger that made it a snap. Since, I hadn't written anything for a while, I thought I'd test it out by adding a new blog post. Right now, when I click on the Blog tab on my Facebook page, it says blog not found. This may be because nothing has been posted since I added it. If this appears then the app worked.
Tyler Florence used to have a show on Food Network where he would help people who were trying to recover a long, lost recipe. People would ask for help on recapturing Grandma's Beef Stew or some other childhood favorite. Taking information about the person's ethnic heritage, foods available in the location that they lived, and other family history, he'd come into a person's home with two recipes. One would be a proximity--or best guess--on how the person's grandmother might have made the dish and then he'd give his own take on how he likes to prepare the dish. I couldn't find the show listed on the Food Network, so I don't think its still on the air. The closest I could find was something called "Rescue Chef." Since it's Thanksgiving week, I started thinking about "lost recipes" and other traditions that have gone by the wayside. My Aunt Jo always talked about her mother's, (my Great Grandmother Anna Ruth Buchanan Sullivan's) Ambrosia Salad. The recipe was so special that she even had a specific dish that it was put in. My Aunt Jo inherited the dish and when you entered her home, she'd point up to the top of her cabinets to the large ceramic bowl. I have never tasted my great grandmother's Ambrosia Salad.
It makes me sad because it is a tradition that has been lost. Even though my mother just passed away this year, it won't be the first Thanksgiving I've spent without her fantastic feast. For he last 15 or so years I have observed Thanksgiving with my in-laws who's Greek heritage comes with its own host of traditions. I've gone at least 15 years without my mother's Turkey stuffing. My husband's family doesn't serve stuffing. Instead they have a delicious rice alongside their beautiful roasted bird. Still, this year, because of the loss of my mother, I have been wondering if I've already lost the recipe of her stuffing. Stuffing was never a major dish at my mother's Thanksgiving dinner, but it was always my favorite. In fact, the very first Thanksgiving I spent with my in-laws, I made my husband "swing by" my parents house afterward. I told my mother I was in culture-shock without her stuffing and she packed up a care-package for me. Stuffing was not in my husband's traditions so he didn't really get it. All the more for me.
I see magazine covers touting "traditional" oyster stuffing, or cranberry raison stuffing or some other obscure concoction, but they all seem so foreign to me.
Image via WikipediaMy mother's stuffing, was so simple it was almost a crime. Its not a recipe she would brag about--and she really could brag about being a great cook. Some of her recipes even won awards. This was just plain ol' warm your tummy, stuffing. It was simply bread chunks, celery, broth and seasonings, baked until there was a crust on top. Easy, squeezie, lemon peazy. Still, what I wouldn't give to have a bowl full of it now.
My husband's family has a Thanksgiving tradition that's also slowly dying out. Right after the dinner most of the elderly would gather at one table and play nickle poker. They'd have their coffee and pumpkin pie while vying for the pot. In recent years, fewer and fewer people have gathered at the table. Most of the older folks have passed, and the younger ones want to see the latest and greatest video game being played. It will only be a few more years now when this tradition is no longer observed.
There's still hope for the younger ones. Even though my son had never had Thanksgiving dinner at my parents', he has had my mother's stuffing. True, I cooked it, but it was her recipe. I didn't expect the reaction I got, so I only made a little of it. The tradition must be somewhere deep inside his DNA, cause he ate most of it and asked me to make it again the next night. Now, when ever I prepare turkey -- once or twice a year -- I make my mother's stuffing. All this is my long-winded way of asking what other traditions have been forgotten?
Image via WikipediaAnyone interested in history or is a student of history will appreciate this fantastic website called Teacher Oz's Kingdom of History. What drew me in was a link to Billy Joel's "We Didn't Start the Fire." In it, an educator from Texas named Tracey Oz, provides links to sites that explain each of the words in his lyrics. The result is a page that provides detailed information on the major historical events of the 20th Century.
For instance, the suicide reference links to Religious Tolerances' explanation of Jim Jones's People's Temple. The links are so in-depth that you can get lost in each one.
I just "wasted" a couple of hours just following the marvelous links on the one page, when I wandered down to the bottom to click on her index. My eyes popped out of my head! The Billy Joel song lyrics page was just the tip of the iceberg. The vast amount of history found in her pages is so comprehensive, so astounding, I'm drooling.
I read somewhere that colleges are having trouble with students using Wikipedia as a resource for their assignments. The problem with Wikipedia is its often incorrect, as the information is entered by volunteers. You don't have to worry about the validity of Ms. Oz's research. I also like that she tells students how to reference her website in their papers.
Its easy to see that this educator has such a passion for her calling that it would be so cool to be her student. But don't take this history lover's word for it. She has received kudos from The History Channel, librarians, historians, grad students, and most importantly other teachers.
This website not only covers the 20th Century History of the US, but Ancient History, Military History, World History, Religious History, Art History, Biographies, etc. etc.
Educators and parents will especially appreciate that she has dedicated one page just for them encompassing education, lesson plans, study skills, teaching links, and all links relating to education.
If that wasn't cool enough, she even has some "fun" topics, like the history of food.
Come on already! Go visit her site! Teacher Oz's Kingdom of History
One of the great things about working from home is the ability to slob-out and wear pajamas or sweats. Lately I've really been tempted to get those Pajama Jeans so I won't have to chose between them. I've recently installed Skype, so that's going to change. Although Skype has been around for years, I've put off adding it. When a client from New Zealand practically begged me to get on board, I decided it was time. The phone bill from here to New Zealand had to be getting as large as the distance between us. Image via CrunchBaseI'm not really a Instant Message type of person. I had so many accounts that I finally got Adium so that I could see them all in one place, but even with that I rarely even start the app. When I have Instant Messaging on, and my status is viewable, I feel as though I'm bombarded by spam messages--most from people I don't know. Having it on makes me feel as though I am on call 24/7.
Skype isn't really about instant messaging, although that's one of their features. I guess I should explain, for those who aren't familiar with Skype, that its software that allows you to make calls for free. Not just that, but video calls, instant messaging, voice messaging, phone calls, etc. Installing it is easy, just download the software, Mac or PC, and create an account.
Self,
Next time you get a brilliant idea, go to Kickstarter. A website that matches up Investors and People With Great Ideas.
Mylife.com is always sending me emails, but I never worry cause it goes straight to my spam folder. (Pat yourself on the back, Self) But apparently, so many people have fallen for it by giving them their credit card information, that there's a class-action lawsuit (that's the link to the lawyer's page but they don't have info up on it yet) in the works. One fellow blogger has written an interesting post on what can go wrong: Just Say “No” To mylife.com. His blog is very interesting and you should take a look at it for other good tips.
When you have some extra time, check out Slate, its an online magazine, with articles not found every where else on the web. Also try to see if you can follow them on Google Buzz. (Wish more bloggers would add that as an option because your list of daily links is getting toooooooo long.)
Self!!! Last but not least a very, important holiday is coming up, Super Bowl Sunday! remember to get ready! (Steve's birthday is around the corner, too)
Recently, I was asked about the merits of having a Facebook Business page. Actually, the person asked whether they should drop their website and go solely with a Facebook Business Page. Having a Facebook page is not an either/or solution if you integrate Facebook with your business's website or blog. The ideal scenario for a business is to have its own website, plus actively participate in social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
Image via CrunchBaseFacebook has some powerful tools for businesses. With a page, those interested in following you can become "fans." Then, anything that you post to your page can be seen by your fans and their friends too. You can store photos, videos, information about your company, and links to your blog. The limitation is that you are bound to their format, and any information is kept in separate tabs.
I am trying out the Facebook app, Networked Blogs. It adds a tab to your Business or Group's Facebook Page that feeds your blog directly to your Facebook page. The reason I'm trying this is not really to promote the business or the blog--since I really use the blog to entertain myself, but because I have a client who's interested in the feature. It seems easy to set up. To get started, log into Facebook and go to the Networked Blogs Page. Click on the "Go to App" button and follow the links. The one stickler, is you have to verify your blog by putting a widget on the page. The first try didn't work, but I found a great tutorial by Geek Blogger that made it a snap. Since, I hadn't written anything for a while, I thought I'd test it out by adding a new blog post. Right now, when I click on the Blog tab on my Facebook page, it says blog not found. This may be because nothing has been posted since I added it. If this appears then the app worked.
Tyler Florence used to have a show on Food Network where he would help people who were trying to recover a long, lost recipe. People would ask for help on recapturing Grandma's Beef Stew or some other childhood favorite. Taking information about the person's ethnic heritage, foods available in the location that they lived, and other family history, he'd come into a person's home with two recipes. One would be a proximity--or best guess--on how the person's grandmother might have made the dish and then he'd give his own take on how he likes to prepare the dish. I couldn't find the show listed on the Food Network, so I don't think its still on the air. The closest I could find was something called "Rescue Chef." Since it's Thanksgiving week, I started thinking about "lost recipes" and other traditions that have gone by the wayside. My Aunt Jo always talked about her mother's, (my Great Grandmother Anna Ruth Buchanan Sullivan's) Ambrosia Salad. The recipe was so special that she even had a specific dish that it was put in. My Aunt Jo inherited the dish and when you entered her home, she'd point up to the top of her cabinets to the large ceramic bowl. I have never tasted my great grandmother's Ambrosia Salad.
It makes me sad because it is a tradition that has been lost. Even though my mother just passed away this year, it won't be the first Thanksgiving I've spent without her fantastic feast. For he last 15 or so years I have observed Thanksgiving with my in-laws who's Greek heritage comes with its own host of traditions. I've gone at least 15 years without my mother's Turkey stuffing. My husband's family doesn't serve stuffing. Instead they have a delicious rice alongside their beautiful roasted bird. Still, this year, because of the loss of my mother, I have been wondering if I've already lost the recipe of her stuffing. Stuffing was never a major dish at my mother's Thanksgiving dinner, but it was always my favorite. In fact, the very first Thanksgiving I spent with my in-laws, I made my husband "swing by" my parents house afterward. I told my mother I was in culture-shock without her stuffing and she packed up a care-package for me. Stuffing was not in my husband's traditions so he didn't really get it. All the more for me.
I see magazine covers touting "traditional" oyster stuffing, or cranberry raison stuffing or some other obscure concoction, but they all seem so foreign to me.
Image via WikipediaMy mother's stuffing, was so simple it was almost a crime. Its not a recipe she would brag about--and she really could brag about being a great cook. Some of her recipes even won awards. This was just plain ol' warm your tummy, stuffing. It was simply bread chunks, celery, broth and seasonings, baked until there was a crust on top. Easy, squeezie, lemon peazy. Still, what I wouldn't give to have a bowl full of it now.
My husband's family has a Thanksgiving tradition that's also slowly dying out. Right after the dinner most of the elderly would gather at one table and play nickle poker. They'd have their coffee and pumpkin pie while vying for the pot. In recent years, fewer and fewer people have gathered at the table. Most of the older folks have passed, and the younger ones want to see the latest and greatest video game being played. It will only be a few more years now when this tradition is no longer observed.
There's still hope for the younger ones. Even though my son had never had Thanksgiving dinner at my parents', he has had my mother's stuffing. True, I cooked it, but it was her recipe. I didn't expect the reaction I got, so I only made a little of it. The tradition must be somewhere deep inside his DNA, cause he ate most of it and asked me to make it again the next night. Now, when ever I prepare turkey -- once or twice a year -- I make my mother's stuffing. All this is my long-winded way of asking what other traditions have been forgotten?
Image via WikipediaAnyone interested in history or is a student of history will appreciate this fantastic website called Teacher Oz's Kingdom of History. What drew me in was a link to Billy Joel's "We Didn't Start the Fire." In it, an educator from Texas named Tracey Oz, provides links to sites that explain each of the words in his lyrics. The result is a page that provides detailed information on the major historical events of the 20th Century.
For instance, the suicide reference links to Religious Tolerances' explanation of Jim Jones's People's Temple. The links are so in-depth that you can get lost in each one.
I just "wasted" a couple of hours just following the marvelous links on the one page, when I wandered down to the bottom to click on her index. My eyes popped out of my head! The Billy Joel song lyrics page was just the tip of the iceberg. The vast amount of history found in her pages is so comprehensive, so astounding, I'm drooling.
I read somewhere that colleges are having trouble with students using Wikipedia as a resource for their assignments. The problem with Wikipedia is its often incorrect, as the information is entered by volunteers. You don't have to worry about the validity of Ms. Oz's research. I also like that she tells students how to reference her website in their papers.
Its easy to see that this educator has such a passion for her calling that it would be so cool to be her student. But don't take this history lover's word for it. She has received kudos from The History Channel, librarians, historians, grad students, and most importantly other teachers.
This website not only covers the 20th Century History of the US, but Ancient History, Military History, World History, Religious History, Art History, Biographies, etc. etc.
Educators and parents will especially appreciate that she has dedicated one page just for them encompassing education, lesson plans, study skills, teaching links, and all links relating to education.
If that wasn't cool enough, she even has some "fun" topics, like the history of food.
Come on already! Go visit her site! Teacher Oz's Kingdom of History
Image via CrunchBaseI'm not really a Instant Message type of person. I had so many accounts that I finally got Adium so that I could see them all in one place, but even with that I rarely even start the app. When I have Instant Messaging on, and my status is viewable, I feel as though I'm bombarded by spam messages--most from people I don't know. Having it on makes me feel as though I am on call 24/7.
