November 2007
65 posts
Going Pro →
more to come
Yesterday, all my troubles seemed so far away. →
Maybe a band could use the title of this blog as lyrics… nah… too trite.
Yesterday began with Val’s trip to CVS for Ruth’s prescriptions. She returned home to relate the usual tale of “Doctor’s office didn’t call in the refill in October, when I asked them to for the first time. Remember the hooplah back then?” (hooplah and bilge water are two of my wife’s favorite word(s).)
I listened to Val as...
VersaTables serve many purposes →
If you are reading this blog post, then you either need or already own some computer furniture . If your monitor is on an old kitchen table, the CPU sitting on a dictionary on the floor, and every time you log on to the Internet — you log onto severe neck pain — you’ll want to check out the VersaTables’ website offerings. Chances are you will find an ergonomically correct solution to your poor...
rsshugger comes knocking →
After noticing the wonderful write-up by Joyce rssHugger joined my short list. Collin LaHay is the brains behind the spam free rssHugger. So if you find yourself becoming ever increasingly referred to as a blogosphere cele. head over to rsshugger.com for another knotch in your belt.
I kid
The holidays approach… →
As my family moves on toward the “It’s December, hence the workday lethargy increases” season, it pains me to realize television will not serve as a panacea for my entertainment ills. We all know it. The re-run parade of questionable original episode champions began with failed labor negotiations. All the holiday-type tripe movies were shown last week. From Elf to Miracle on 32nd St..
Val and I...
How Not To — Fuse Plastic Bags →
Many “How To’s” exist online. It occurred to me yesterday, as I watched Val’s futile attempts to create fabric from Piggly Wiggly grocery bags, that my writing and posting a series of “How Not To’s” might just help the common blog.
If you don’t shop at The Pig, other grocery bags will do, they just won’t be as fetching in design.
I filmed my wife and family for this How Not To.
Put an ironing...
Going Barefoot on Thanksgiving Day →
Across the street, we watch a couple of weekend warriors work to rehabilitate a house. The house is of a rather pedestrian design (to borrow a phrase from Val) meaning it is simple, a working-man’s house. Two rooms upstairs, two rooms down with a shotgun hall on the left hand side. Our former neighbor, Jasper, lived there his entire life and had inherited the house from the aunt who raised him...
Customized home plans →
We have been very fortunate in that our finances may enable us to purchase land in the country. Away from the dogs next dog that after being let loose from their chain will run two blocks over to chase down and kill geese. Pretty sick. Away from ass munch accountant on his Harley that vvrooms past at 7:30 in the morning. And then there’s the dog owner that walks the dog that barks nonstop from the...
Vespa in my future →
I’m so getting a Vespa for my 40th birthday. If it means that sites are going to be monetized out the ass then so be it. The Ford Explorer will be sold for $1,500 or best offer. No, not towards the Vespa but to purchase a macbook for my wife to help write ads.
This isn’t a new desire a ‘oh my god 40 is around the corner’ type thing. Actually, the truth is that due to our online activities we can...
Freeze It and feel better. →
I’d like it if you would consider applying FreezeIt gel to your skin to help soothe your aching muscles.
My college room mate Junius played line backer for the University’s mediocre football team. After three years of being slammed into the ground and thrown from one end of the university football field to the other, his knees were red and painful. Swollen and throbbing with a deep body hurt. For...
Freeze It and feel better. →
I’d like it if you would consider applying FreezeIt gel to your skin to help soothe your aching muscles. Yup, Freeze It Gel.
My college room mate Junius played line backer for the University’s mediocre football team. After three years of being slammed into the ground and thrown from one end of the university football field to the other, his knees were red and painful. Swollen and throbbing with a...
Fix America First. →
Spending too much time in front of the television cable news channels lately? Not me. Not my family. Listening to the garbage spewing forth from the mouths of the media can cause boils. The educated masses know the lies. Let’s just hope federal and state government will someday begin to represent the people as in “We, the people…” and not corporations as in “Me, the person”. No wonder we’re a...
Fix America First. →
Spending too much time in front of the television cable news channels lately? Not me. Not my family. Listening to the garbage spewing forth from the mouths of the media can cause boils. The educated masses know the lies. Let’s just hope federal and state government will someday begin to represent the people as in “We, the people…” and not corporations as in “Me, the person”. No wonder we’re a...
Reaching the right customers →
Businesses that are in need of a customized marketing and profit - making differential analysis look to a more personalized potential customer base for maximum sales results. An online furniture store, let’s say as an example, would need the new homeowner list compiled by a trusted source in order to target the correct consumer with their sales brochures and online specials. Direct marketing aimed...
Mailing Lists Mean Good Business →
Know a company that needs consumer mailing lists in order to thrive? Available online, lists can include any number of criteria from ethnicity to income, origin of birth to Oregon birthdays.
Cleaning Day →
The epidurals are working. Val is in much better shape now. Know how I can tell? She’s cleaning with Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day soap. It’s lavender and the whole house smells absolutely amazing. During her epidural steroid-mood swing nasties a few days ago, she tossed into the trash all the cleaners containing bleach. “I’m sick of spots on my clothes. I ruined a brand new shirt yesterday and all I did...
oooo! love those ooprint cards! →
Bloggers need to advertise in the real world too. Bricks and mortar, paper and ink. Ooprint.com offers some outstanding bargains on blog business cards. Outstanding as in FREE but you pay the shipping and handling. Free blogger cards online. Grab some today. Don’t forget to check out their blog.ooprint.com for more information. I’m ordering mine today… can’t wait to start handing them out all over...
Caulking old houses →
As cold front winds pushed our old windows to the maximum limit of warmth and protection last night — we realized another caulking party is in order. Jane seems to be the only one in the family who can use a caulk gun with artistic finesse. Val and I do better with the hand-held tubes of caulk. I’m on my way to *local giant hardware store* to buy a few more tubes. The big choice is between clear...
The Timeless Beauty of Howard Miller Grandfather... →
If you’re a regular reader of macewan.org, you know how much I love grandfather clocks. My favorite designer, hands down, is Howard Miller. Every time one of the Howard Miller grandfather clocks appears in my browser, I find myself sighing — intense longing chimes in and I know I’ve just got to have one.
The best source on the Internet for grandfather clock information is 1-800-4clocks.com. Their...
eldercare and personal growth →
A few Ruthies for today:
“Recycling bin” means “alternative trashcan”
If you remark about the temperature, you will change it.
UPS and FedEx trucks are to be welcomed with the same shock and seriousness as 1940s Western Union telegram deliveries.
The term “fierce” applies to weather extremes — cold or hot.
She really does want to talk to you about how Dewey did not defeat Truman.
And she...
Hopeless Kitty Overdose →
Sometimes you have to break from the crowd and do a little dance.
Flickr →
This is a test post from , a fancy photo sharing thing.
Ephemera! →
Well, Val’s happy today. She received her ebay auction win today, all the way from Maine. Ten pounds of old paper. Ephemera she calls it. Other people love it as well. Autographs, old books, pieces of paper from someone’s desk like Uncle Biblioteque’s lumber invoice from 1939. It’s pure entertainment gold to the artist, archivist, and manuscript-o-phile that dwells within my wife’s paraphernalia...
Recycle your cellphone. →
Do you recycle cell phones? If not, you should certainly consider it. The CellforCash.com website proudly supports America Recycles Day. Check them out online for information on how you can receive a postage-paid self-addressed mailer and participate in recycling cell phones today because, if you’re like me, you’ve been buying a new cell phone every 1 - 2 years and popping the old one in a drawer...
It’s time for a trip to the zoo! →
Windsor, NC has its own city zoo. It’s amazing and it’s free. This is the perfect time of year for a “Hey! How are ya?” to the bison and goats. Admittedly, today it’s in the mid-70s and my original thought was about a swamp-side fall picnic, but grab for the temperate gusto and wear shorts instead of down-filled jackets. Val and I made one of our first ever photography sojourns to Windsor and...
Wonderfully convenient discount shopping →
The discount shopping route is usually preferred by smart shoppers. My preference also leans towards comfort in navigation and pleasant colors. Convenience while at the same time providing a pleasant environment top my list of desirables. This is why I’m suggesting WebbyPlanet. Sure, there are plenty of destinations providing coupons, but not all engage folks ready to hand over the all important...
My VDay →
Second cup of coffee coming in just a moment. My mind is still jumbled with thoughts of waking up and checking our sites. I can over hear Ruth suggesting we buy a cuckcoo clock for use as a time out device. Ollie you have been a bad boy go sit next to cuckcoo clock. Sure that’s punishment.
Mortgage payments →
According to my loan officer, my mortgage payment (+insurance and taxes) should be equal to or less than 28% of my gross monthly income. Fortunately this was an easy % for me to meet. Some people seem to be unaware of basic mortgage rules and are unaware of what goes into the lender’s equation when considering the appropriate amount of money to loan an individual. It’s more than just your credit...
Holidays mean good food. →
Now how is that for a no-brainer title? At least in this house it is glaringly obvious. That’s because Val loves to bake. Ruth, the m-i-l does dishes. I show up just in time for the bowls of food to hit the table.
No, I’m really not that big of a lout. I set the table, move appropriate chairs, cut down bits and pieces of our yard so we can have “greenery” and, when needed, sweep the front porch...
Holiday lights and flameless candles →
Ever consider the flameless candle ? “To what are you referring?” you may well ask. To any kind of candle design you can imagine, only without a flame. Without fire and its consequences. The idea really tripped my trigger when I began my Holiday Decoration Preparations. This year, we’re not just throwing some twinkle lights on the Deodar, we are going all out for the grandsons. When I heard that...
Brother 7700 sewing machine →
Well, it was love at first sight for Val and Ruth. Val’s birthday present arrived around noon today and she and her mom were positively giddy about it. Watching Val pull the lightweight machine from its box — I couldn’t believe how happy the two appeared. Both of them gasped with delight as each element of the sewing machine revealed itself. Val is downstairs watching the How-to DVD. She looked up...
Tankless water heater →
The 3 minute wait for water to heat up is just too painful. Much more so than previous years. Each morning my mother-in-law puts a coffee cup in the kitchen sink turns on the hot water and walks away to wait for the hot water to kick in and warm the cup. If the water were just hot right off the bat she wouldn’t have a chance to walk away and forget the hot water was running in the sink.
My only...
macewan Monetizes - The Introduction →
This is the beginning of my upcoming e-book — working title: macewan Makes Money. During the next few weeks, I will feature some of content as a blog post. God willing and the creek don’t rise, the book will be complete by the second week in December or sooner.
Introduction
macewan Begins the Blog Revenue Experiment
One evening last June, as my wife Val stood next to me on the brick walkway,...
Skype 2.0 Beta for Linux with video →
A little birdie whispered: Apparently, Skype has released a Beta version with video.
There’s new beta out that brings video calls to Linux.
Make calls from your computer – free to other people on Skype, cheap to phones and mobiles across the world. And the sound quality is great, too – keep it running all day, and it’s like you’re in the same room as the person on the other end.
Features
Skype...
US National Telecom expansion →
Anyone worth their ‘net salt is aware of VoIP or Voice of I.P. Think Skype or any of the instant messenger programs which allow Aunt Betsy to talk you into a low blood sugar with discussions of Pinky the cat or the new neighbor. You see them in the Apple commercials where two or three people are video conferencing with Macs. Another example would be Vonage with their mind numbling easy to...
The Bereaved and the Beleaguered →
Did you know you can buy caskets on Overstock.com? Am I the only one who finds this curious? Perhaps a casket is the perfect Christmas gift for all of your loved ones. No, better not. They’ll compare coffin prices and know who you love the most. I think I am truly satisfied with my decision to be cremated. Val shopping online at a discount site for my coffin is a bit disconcerting to say the...
The Gift of Flowers — Appropriate for Any Occasion →
What is the best thing about an online florist? The choices. The available bouquets, floral arrangements, and the glorious selection of vessels in which the flowers are to be presented. For me, it’s being able to choose arrangements by color. Proflowers.com, a superb flower, plant, and gift website, helps me to get a real grasp on what to send, a true representation of the product. I am drawn to...
Waiting for Sweater Dance →
While the temperatures dipped into the 30s last night, nothing seems to have suffered from the chill. Val says we will quite busy tonight. “Painting the bedroom?” I hopefully inquired. No, she told me, getting the sweaters out from the “big” closet, you silly.
Ahhhhhhh.
Silly me indeed. I’d truly forgotten the Sweater Dance is scheduled for dusk this evening. Val will prepare the refreshments...
Together for Care… in addtion to Cure. →
“Together for Care… in addition to Cure.”
-Alzheimer’s Foundation of America
There is a new way to support the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America. Buy your holiday gifts at their eStore. The sale proceeds benefit the Alzheimer’s Foundation but you don’t have to buy anything, you can easily make a donation to the foundation through the website’s contributution link.
Alzheimer’s disease hurts...
Back to work… →
I didn’t expect to return to work today. Val was scheduled for her second spinal block and I took her to Beaufort County Hospital and intended to wait while she had the procedure done. It’s a horrid invasive surgical procedure, a cervical spinal block. The anesthesiologist gives Val a local anesthetic before he inserts a needle into her neck but not over-all sedation. Eastern Radiology did her...
The Structured Settlement Alternative →
Show me the money. Take that winning lottery ticket to Stone Street Capital to receive lump sump payment. Just think about about the opportunities available with the lump sum cash. Investing in the stock market, buying a new home or early retirement. <a href=”http://www.stonestreet.com/index.htm” target=”_blank”>Structured Settlements</a> are not liquid assest and therefore can not be...
Archie Jennings for City Council →
“It’s the day to vote America.” We’ve taught Ollie to proclaim the importance of November 6th. We vote in a “high-rise” small apartment building (public) filled with mostly elderly citizens — about a block from our house. Ollie thought he needed to “go in with Nana” so he took her hand and they went inside while I brought up the rear. Jane and Emmett stayed in the car as she’d already voted at the...
Pittsburgh, PA city guide online →
A family member lives far away. You’re visiting them over the holidays. You don’t want to spend the entire week stuck in their living room with a giant-screen TV and seventeen toddlers watching Nick Jr. while their parents argue over which great-aunt had the largest mole on her face. You need a travel guide, a quick overview of what the city has to offer in the way of entertainment, culture, or...
Val’s birthday gift from her momma →
Val calls her mother “momma” even though Ruth is 90. She doesn’t say “Mama” like Southern women usually do. The “o” is pronounced and distinct. Anyway, Momma wants to buy her daughter Val a sewing machine for her birthday. Seems Momma (Ruth) and Bob (Val’s dad, duh) bought her a nice Sears sewing machine in arrgggh 1980… or around there abouts. It’s definitely time for a new one. I don’t know...
An e-quaintance I’ve never really met… →
For years of I’ve emailed “AndrewG” and discussed Linux-related issues. As in all long-term correspondence, conversations sometimes became personal. AndrewG’s sister got married, his mother went through chemo-therapy, and he moved to London. Now he is getting married. I want to send some flowers to the restaurant where the reception is being held.
Flora2000, begun in 1999, is a leader in...
Cold weather and early darkness… →
welcome autumn to the swamplands. It seems as if when there’s a chill in the air and the wind blows the leaves around in big swirling tornado-spins in the middle of the street - -I yearn for a cup of coffee around 6:00 p.m. Now, this is a bad habit. Everyone will admit it, unless I drink tasteless-non-coffee decaf. Val bought a teakettle, a little electric one (very British, eh?) and a couple...
Ever heard of Colloidal Silver? →
Do you know enough about colloidal silver? Are you sure? Six degrees of separation story: we have about 40 empty brown bottles given to us from a Danish woman who has been taking it over 50 years. Really, freecycle is a wonderful thing. She swears by it saying colloidal silver saved her life. How odd that I’m asked to be a spokes person for the product. Guess she is living proof. Maybe, sorta...
Carnegie Mellon stomped Stanford in DARPA... →
Alright, so stomped is rather mean. Let’s just say that Stanford didn’t win the $2 million check.
Metal Buildings Reviewed →
A change in leaf color is taking place just outside my home office window. The tree is a two story Japanese Maple full of stunning orange/red glow. Next to that is the roof of my frontporch in all it’s shingled glory. I so wish our home had a metal rool like my next door neighbor. She, by the way, is one heck of a great person. Not because of her roof. Just in general - she’s a great person.
...
Google does NewYorkTimes →
So it begins! Google Enters the Wireless World says the New York Times.
“We are not building a GPhone; we are enabling 1,000 people to build a GPhone,” said Andy Rubin, Google’s director of mobile platforms, who led the effort to develop the software.
While I’m discussing the benefits of steel structures Google drops the post Danger bomb with news of the
Mr. Rubin demonstrated a hand-held...
