The Empty Cabinets of my Mind

Somewhere it is April First

This reads like an April Fool's joke, but did you know there really is someone here in cyberspace who indicates in her blog that New Zealand is in an "undisclosed location" in the United States?  NZ is a beautiful country with nice people I would be proud to have as neighbors but they are not stateside.   Well, not yet anyway.

I'm trying to be nice here, really I am, but the poor soul also made the mistake of dumping on one of my favorite programs, ReviewStream.  Ever heard of it?

http://www.reviewstream.com/?inv=3uXAE9P10yYq

Here is a link to my first RS Review:

http://www.reviewstream.com/reviews/?p=32706

It seems soon to say RS is a favorite, but I make up my mind fast when I see something that seems to be engineered well.  Oh, and did I mention they are from New Zealand?  Here is a helpful review of ReviewStream that I found on one of my other PTW sites:

Steve's  Review of RS

I don't know Steve, but he writes a good article.

More about the Aqua Globes and some photos here:

http://drann.typepad.com/dranns_art/2008/03/can-you-guess-w.html

And here:  http://www.squidoo.com/JJAquaGlobes

Is that enough links for today?

Oh, let's have one more:

TinyURL for this image: http://tinyurl.com/5anozk

I Don't Just Cut on the Mat

Sometimes I cut into the mat:

http://www.gomestic.com/Homemaking/How-to-Cut-Flexible-Cutting-Mats-to-Size.102175

The above link is for an article I wrote explaining how to score a line so that certain flexible cutting mats can be folded in order to fit into the dishwasher:

A click on this photo will enlarge and make the scored line visible, but as you can see, my "surgery" did not impair either the function or the attractiveness of this mat.

But as you can see, it now folds neatly in half and can be disinfected much more easily whether by hand or in the dishwasher:

Unfolded these mats are too large even to fit in my sink.  Please note that the cutting side of the mats are  inside when folded and the scoring was done on the softer non-skid surface, which will be on the outside when placed in the dishwasher.    After washing, the mats open flat again.

Making Sense out of Blogging

Different people have a lot of different opinions as to what a blog is or should be.  For some it is all vanity, for others it is about making money.   Some want to share with friends and family and blog instead of writing so many letters.  Some want to change the world and think blogging is the best way to get an audience. 

Just as writers of fiction often write from their own biography, many bloggers write about blogging.  One reason for that is that it is good to write about what you know.  Another is that when people find out you have a blog they tend to ask many questions and it is easier to send them to an article you have already written than to explain it all over again.

If you are thinking about starting a blog, it is good to have some idea why you want one and what you expect it to do for you.

However, a blog takes commitment, so it is a good idea when just starting out to consider how much work it is going to be when you choose where to put your blog.

Do you want to use free blogging software?  If you are not someone who requires a lot of control, you might start out with Blogger.   Or would you rather pay for slickness and convenience?  Do you already have a web page and don't mind using FTP to upload your files?  Maybe WordPress or a similar platform will work for you.

Does the previous paragraph, or even the word "platform" make you recoil in terror?  Then the small fee TypePad charges to give you a powerful voice without sacrificing simplicity will be well worth it.   I have my own web pages and know how to maintain them, but I chose TypePad anyway just because it is so versatile and so incredibly easy.  Instead of thinking, "Do I really want to do this today?" I am doing it.   

Often after a few pages, I realize that what I have written is too long, so instead of hitting "Save" I cut my post out and publish it somewhere else.  Maybe I'll do that with this one, but if I do, I'[ll leave a link here for my friends to follow!

A New Drawing

More here

As Seen on TV

Ever see that cartoon strip with the penguin who was so susceptible to Infomercials that he ran to the phone and ordered truckloads of each new item that popped up As-Seen-on-TV?

I can identify!  Some of the items are dogs, but others are really useful.  Here are some of the items I want to review here:

Aqua Globes  Aqua Globes Review
Buxton Sling Bags
Nicer Dicer
Handy Switch

These are all keepers!

Here is another one:  Hercules Hooks

They are a brilliant idea, and similar to another product called Monkey Hooks, sold at Ace Hardware.  In my experience, the Monkey hooks are a bit more flexible and will work in walls where for some reason the others get stuck:

http://www.monkeyhook.com/whatis.asp

Hercules Hooks work fine, too, though, and come packaged with a handy laser tool that helps line up the hooks correctly on the wall. 

No pounding!  This product ranks high on my list of Ann's Favorite Gadgets.

Disregard this Entry

Opaque Paint Markers

Elmer's makes some of the best art stuff, and not just for kids.  More about this over at drAnn's ART, but we attended the Grand Opening of our community's new Office Depot store this week and we saw that they had Painters in stock.  They are cheaper at Wal-Mart, but that is further down the road. 

What are Painters?  They are pens filled with acrylic paint that write like markers but cover like a brush.  They come in different color ranges and different tip sizes .  They write on almost all surfaces, too:

I thought that to keep them from drying out I'd have to wash the tips or something, but mine haven't dried out yet.  I am careful to recap them after each use.

PS:  This is not a paid ad.   

I Signed Up for PPP!

When I started this blog I really had no intention of commercializing it with paid ads.  Do you know what changed my mind?  The sanctimonious whining of a few high-profile professional bloggers, who for reasons of their own simply do not like "ordinary" people muddying their internet waters.  Pshaw!

They were talking about integrity as if they thought they knew better than the rest of us what that word means.   They intimated it would be unethical for me to write a blog if it had advertising on it.  At first it seemed to be an issue of disclosure.  But when the  "posties"  began to be very detailed in disclosing, then there were other faults found.   Well, I had only dimly heard of the PayPerPost phenomenon, and had no intention of signing up, but the more I read about the whole controversy, the more interesting it seemed, and if there is one thing I know and respect it is ethics.

So here is a link:

get paid to blog

Now, dear readers, do any of you think that after reading the title to  that link anyone in their right mind would  NOT realize this is a paid  post?  Do you  think anyone interested in signing up  and becoming a "postie" would  care one way or another whether I do or do not disclose the apparent fact that PayPerPost is going to pay me $20 to put  that link in this article?   

I don't think my readers are dumb.  Some of them may not be too clear on what page rank is or what it means to "pollute" the Google machine (or not!), but I think they can tell the difference between happy enthusiasm and a line of hooey.

So if any of you enjoy writing about products and services you honestly know and like, and if you already have your own blog or plan to get one, now you know you can earn cash doing it.    Trust me on this, it is ethical.

Money?  Did somebody say something about money?  Hello! This is a paid post.  I guess I'll have to use part of the money to buy those postage stamps I was talking about not needing earlier, because the IRS rejected my eFiled tax return claiming hubby's birth date didn't match their records.  I can't change his birth date from this end, as it was correct on the return,  so I'll just print the thing out, put it in a envelope and send it in the usual way.  No matter, the eFiled State return was not only accepted, but they deposited a refund in our account already.   Too cool!

Exercise Nook

When I moved my body dome exercise ball to a new location, I found that its proximity to the wall threw my balance off a bit, so it became necessary to think of adding a stabilizer bar. 

Add-on stabilizer bars cost more than a new rebounder, though!  So why not just get a whole new one?

I first looked at the ubiquitous urban rebounder, priced at about $99.  However, it is hard to find good information about it online and reviews are mixed.  Most experts on this kind of exercise equipment encouraged readers to choose a more expensive and better made product.  So then I had a look at the top of the line products, including Bellicon's sumptuous bungee rebounder.  Maybe someday, but the one we like costs 15 times what we thought of spending .  One must wonder "Will I like it THAT much?"  Probably, but we wanted to ease into this routine. 

Once having seen the bungee  rebounders, though, we kept thinking how nice it would be to have a softer and quieter bounce.   What a delightful surprise it was, then to find the Yog Flex mini-trampoline on half-price sale at our local Big5 store.  Not only is it pretty, but I can lift it easily for cleaning underneath.  I should mention that the weight limit for using the Yog Flex is 250 pounds, but that is not a problem for anyone in our household. 

As you can see, both devices fit perfectly in the nook below our bedroom window.  See how the discreet but sturdy stabilizing bar serves both my beloved yellow body dome and the bungee rebounder.  Hubby and I can even exercise together and share the stabilizing bar!

The little white gadget on the corner stool is a Biozone  ultraviolet air purifier which removes dust and kills air borne bacteria, thus allowing us to feel comfortable about storing exercise equipment in the bedroom.   

I Love to Jump

This is Not a Paid Ad

Although I don't see anything wrong with honest advertising on blogs, just because I recently added a PayPerPost widget to mine, I should probably point out that nobody is paying me for this review:

http://drann.typepad.com/dranns_art/2008/03/i-sent-myself-a.html

If it sounds like an advertisement, that is only because I really love the service these folks provide through their link on the USPS page.  They save me time and money, and make something I have to do  much more enjoyable.

This is an ad with the potential to become a paid ad:

      

You know what they say, don't you?  If you have potential that means you haven't done anything yet.  I promise that if I do something, I will let you all know.