Reflections on 11/30/2002

I am so jazzed about everything I did with this Blog today! It has been years since I have been to maintain this sort of focus. Of course, the focus remained close to the surface, but I did not get lost or confused while thinking/writing about my projects. I wonder if this means the healing process is continuing? I had thought that there would be no further improvement in my capabilites. Of course, what is happening with this Blog is not increasing my capabilities...yet.

I plan to continue listing my projects and attempting an in-depth description of what I want done. I anticipate the projects will change as I go through this process. But, I do not have to worry because the Blog will continue to document what I want to accomplish. I actually accomplished what I committed to yesterday. This is what I said:

Within the next 24 hours, I will commit to listing on this blog all uninstalled software and formulate some plan for my use or disposition of the software.

I have done that. I remembered to do something, stayed focused (well...I did get distracted a few times, but came back to the job), and finished the job. (a PS added at 3:19 PM - Hmmm, actually, I just checked the list and realized that I have not finished the job. There are many on the list with no disposition indicated. I guess this reflects the problems I have been facing. I many numerous small decisions to ignor something and then forget to follow-up..the result is chaos. Let me go see if I can finish this job. Done.)

When I had a computer crisis, I would eventually fix the darn thing. But, it was never in an organized, thorough way. I would just rush around doing this or trying that. Somehow, I would fix whatever the problem was. Many times, I would have to also fix the things I broke or messed up while fiddling with the computers. I often moved into action before engaging my mind. This Blog is creating the space for me to "run around" and yet continue to work on how I want my projects to be completed.

On a little more negative note, I am falling behind on my reading. I returned about 12 books to the library today. But, I left with about 20 new books to be read in the next three weeks in addition to the books I still have not yet returned. I am covering too many topics...writing nonfiction, creating newsletters, grant proposals, advertising copy, avoiding clutter, Outlook 2002, Access 2002, Power Point 2002, computer memory and cache...these are only the topics I remember..the books are downstairs. I must be getting overwhelmed..my thoughts are becoming unclear.

Which File Version Is the Most Recent?

I should also do a "search & seizure" because I know I bought more software. I have a lot of software that I bought on the internet via downloads. I have the .exe's backed up somewhere. There have been so many crashes and lost HDs that I am not really sure where things are. Also, when I backed up my files, I did it indiscriminately. I may have as many as 10 to 15 versions of MyDocuments. What a hassel! Maybe I can locate a shareware program that will compare Drives and list same name files and folders with sizes and dates. Maybe, I could hire a PT college student to help with this project. I am too mistake prone to be in charge of figuring out which files are the newest. Also, I probably updated the same files on different drives. Let me think...I lost at least 3 hard drives with no possibility of data recovery.

I think I had better move this section to its own title. I am trying to keep one project under one title. This will allow me to copy it, then use the hard copy to try to maintain some semblance of order. Done.

Blogging helps me to focus on what needs to be done. It helps me keep things in prospective and to not let any one project grow to immense proportions. If a problem starts to grow because of peripheral issues, I just start a new Titled Area. Neat!

Something is wrong with the date of this section. It says that it is 12/1/2002 5:49:05 AM..but according to my computer, it is 11/30/2002 7:58 PM. I feel like a time traveler. Oh, I see, it doesn't matter..when I hit PUBLISH, my computer time and date rules. I'm going to update my computer clock. It looks like I slipped behind 10 minutes. No, I just checked my time against the atomic clock and my computer time is OK.

Back to this problem, clearly I am going to need help to do this one right. There are so many things to check to determine which file is the right file or the one to start incorporating all changes to the files. Most of the problems are going to be with the Excel files. This is probably a great opportunity to organize the computer files so that I don't have multiple areas where files are saved.

New Projects For The Day:

Finally got the blogrolling info to post correctly. Just spent a few minutes looking at other blogs. At this point, other blogs do not interest me. I am trying to work out some issues and this blog looks like it might help that process. The structured appoach adds some order to my random thoughts. Of course, the ability to change what I wrote in the past weakens the blog benefit. I have already made small changes to "history". Should I stop doing this? Nah...Everytime I change something, I reread the whole blog. This help clarify my thinking. Of course, my "mind" is changing on a daily basis.

Last night, I committed to listing all of my the uninstalled software. That might have been a bit rash. How can I do this without driving me crazy? I do not want to pull everything off the shelves and start listing. I suppose I can list them in excel, sort by type and them list here. Maybe, I should use Word so that I can just copy and paste the finish product. Can I paste here from Excel? Don't know. I'll go check.

I want to see if this can be copied into my Blog.
1 2 3 4 5
6 7 8 9 10

Hey, it works! I have to publish this to see what gets onto the web page:
Oh darn...the colume widths do not translate. Ok, I can work with that. So, I shall use Excel and then copy the list here. I think PW may have created a list of all the software I owned as of 4 or so months ago. She was generating a list of what she could sell on half.com. I'll go look on the other computer. At least, that will give me a starting point. Have to remember that I only want the uninstalled software. This project is becoming less "daunting" as I type. Maybe I'll use this exercise to force me to get the home network functioning. I think ZoneAlarmPro maybe stopping the computers from seeing each other. Be right back...

Early AM thoughts...

Yesterday was filled with a lot of activity (outside of the CompUSA excursion). I got my nails done, had lunch with Fred, took the 3 kids to see Treasure Planet, got Champs to replace Jaclyn's birthday shoes, bought Jenny a pair of shoes for Christmas, went to dinner (the 5 of us), dropped Jerry and Jaclyn off at their homes, showed Jenny how to expand and fix her SimLife house (e.g. built her bathroom upstairs on the balcony...she thought it was a room), been on the internet for about 3 hours (1 1/2 on this blog), took Jenny home, walked Max, and agreed to make some copies for PG (forgot the master downstairs). Have not read any newspapers or finished the book I started yesterday.

Okay, got PG's paper and am making the 5 copies I promised her! Yea! Will leave outside the front door so she can get it tommorow,

Going to make a fast check of the news to see if the world is still here.

Will only read for an hour tonight.

Commitment

I went to CompUSA to buy the Dragon Naturally Speaking Preferred software and OmniPage software. Not sure if they will do the job, but the sales prices were irresistable. I have been looking at both software for a couple weeks. Actually, instead of OmniPage, I thought I wanted Paper Port. I do not have any really solid plan to use either software, as is the usual case with me. I am adding both to my project list (the one that is somewhere lost in my mind). I need to do some reflection as to why there seems to be so little impulse control on my part. I buy software and hardware, but do not want to think about the exact plan I have for the purchase...do not want to think or is the truth that I am incapable of formulating a workable plan?

OmniPage software is normally about $180, but got it for $80 today. My plan was to slowly convert my hard copy files to scanned files. On the surface, it looked like PaperPort would do a better job. However, PaperPort was not on sale (normal price is $100). Does this make sense? I stood in line at CompUSA trying to figure which software to buy. Finally, it was my turn at the register, and I told the cashier that I wanted the Dragon Preferred and OmniPage. Beats me why I do what I do!

Dragon Speech software - why did I buy this? Haven't a clue...I am sitting here trying to remember why I thought I wanted this software. I already bought Dragon essentials (about $50 before rebate) which allows for speech input instead of the typing of emails. I have not taken that one out of the box yet! I think my plan was to try this software out. Nothing has come of the plan. Dragon essentials was one of the 100% rebate products that CompUSA sells. Dragon Preferred (normally $150 but was on sale for $80 today) allows me to use speech in many different applications. Unclear to me why I thought I could use this.

Do I think I can be more clear if I am vocal? Does speech force me to become more concrete? Does speaking somehow equal a greater commitment on my part? This feels like a fruitful avenue to follow. It occurs to me that even typing this blog involves more commitment than I have made in the past two years. I have come back here 3 days in a row.

This is not entirely accurate. I did sign up for the 3 month CompUSA training program and completed 65+ computer classes! This took a certain level of commitment. I wish I could say that it was hard and that I overcame great obstacles. However, it was comforting knowing that all I had to do was to show up 6 days a week (many nights too). I learned a lot, but have not anything with the learning.

Maybe one of the things I can do on this blog is to examine all the software that I have yet to install and come up with a plan to either install and use OR sell at half.com. Can I make a commitment to buy no more software unless I have a written plan for its use? Can I commit to install and use it the same day? This sounds impossible (going on my track record). Maybe, I could set up a procedure that I have to tell another person why I am buying the software and what I plan to do with it.

This feels confrontational. What if this person confronts me logical reasons why my plan makes no sense? Gulp. I know I might get mad and defensive. Better to keep this problem to myself or at least not to ask for honest feedback. What if I just ask ... heck... what is it that I want here? I want to finish something! Everything is so up in the air. No one holds me accountable..because no one knows what I am doing (including me). Will this blog holding me accountable? I can make one commitment per day and see what happens the next day. Will I remember?

When I looked over my posts, there were a number of references to wanting to post something to this blog while surfing the Internet. I am pretty sure I did that more than once. Let me go look. WOW, posted 3 times from the Internet! Actually, it was 4 times ( I am counting the partial posting of the Blogrolling info).

Oh-oh...I need a title to this post.

Done.

Within the next 24 hours, I will commit to listing on this blog all uninstalled software and formulate some plan for my use or disposition of the software.

Check out this website for pictures from space

NASA's Visible Earth

This is a great site to view about 4000 NASA photos, movies, etc. It is nicely organized and there is a lot to see.

This is D's second post

HOORAY! Good Fortune has smiled down on me and I actually see my message in the window below. WOW before you know I'll be an old hand at this BLOGGING! (GGG) BTW, you said you went to see Harry Potter? Did you go on Thanksgiving Day? I was very surprised that you went on a different day. Anyway, did you sit through ALL the credits? If you did you will know of which I speak. If you did not sit thru the whole thing there was a really amusing scene inserted right at the end. Let me know if you saw it, otherwise I shall share. I felt so bad for poor Max!! He was probably very confused as to what this wet stuff was that was falling from out of the darkness and making him cold. Poor ting....and you too poor ting to have to clean up after him. BTW, Maryanne's stare is affectionately known as the "Minnesota stare" around here.....Hey this is fun!

D's first post here

Hi Marsha!
I am really confused by the instructions of this website. (So what else is new) Maybe you can help me sign up for my own BLOG another time. I am determined to figure out how this thing works on your BLOG. I'm going to punch post&publish and see if my BLOG message to you works. Wish me luck! BTW, where are you? (VBG)

Got This Site While Roaming the Web

Very impressive site which shows the WTC before and after 9/11 from space. Space Imaging's IKONOS satellite captured these startling one-meter resolution color images of the World Trade Center before and after the terrorist attack. Roll your mouse over the image to see the view lower Manhattan before and after. For more imagery of the World Trade Center and The Pentagon, please visit their September 11 Gallery. Please note, the image has been rotatated for easier viewing. North is down.

http://www.spaceimaging.com/gallery/ioweek/archive/01-09-16/index.htm

This is a little tricky, but I got it to work.

How To Post Names of Other Blogs?

I am not sure how to start a listing of other blogs that I am reading. I wanted to put them on the sidebar, but maybe I've used up the 500 character limit. Need to play around with other templates to see what effects they might have. So far, I have only found 1 blog that I might read regularly. Don't think there is enough time in the day for me to add anymore stuff to read.

Quite a Downpour Tonight

I took Max out for a potty break and it was raining hard. Took an umbrella out and that scared him. He refused to stand under the umbrella and got wet. After I brought him in the house, he pooped in 5 little piles! I did not have the heart to scold him. I just gave him Maryanne's hard stare. I forgot to check the weather forecast to see if there was any warning about this rain storm. It only lasted for 10 to 15 minutes, though.

Sheesh! I just remembered that I wanted to post to this blog from somewhere on the net. Why is that so hard for me to remember? Okay, here goes another try...

Earhart's Plane Located in Nikumaroro?

I just spent the last couple of hours researching this story. In 2001, Ikonos satellite photos detected what might be her airplane off an atoll (Nikumaroro) in the Kiribati Islands. I spent about an hour looking at the photos but could not detect any anomalies. Then, I read a report (http://www.tighar.org/Projects/Earhart/Bulletins/07_12_01%20Bulletin/Nikusatphotopage2.html) which showed where the "anomaly" was. All it was were 4 or 5 rust colored pixels that should not be there. This area corresponds to other reports of plane wreckage sightings over the years. I am not sure if an expedition has gone back to Nikimaroro yet. There have been 5 expeditions to this atoll looking for proof that this is where Earhart landed her plane. The entire report is a fascinating read.

I just copied to above link to make sure it will work, and yup, it is a good link. I am not sure why it is not live here in this Blog. Oop's, just figured out that the Globe/link button is to be used when creating a live link. Neat.

I forgot that I wanted to test writing to this blog from outside on the web. I got so carried away by the Earhart story. I am unclear why it catured my interest after lunch today. It is not as though the info is newsy (more than a year old). However, it was news to me. Since adding online newspapers to my list of new reading interests, I am pressed for time.

Misc Ramblings

Fortunately, have not been too tired lately... 3 am has become my normal sleep time. Waking is around 8 am.

I asked my doctor whether or not this change in my reading tastes can be relied on. I would hate to make plans based on my becoming more interested in real world matters (verses mysteries and computer games) then suddenly look up and not want to read another newspaper or nonfiction book. What if I went back to reading SciFi? I stopped reading SciFi and Fantasy SciFi about 5 years ago, I think. Then for years, it was mysteries and mysteries and then more mysteries.

In my entire life, have never really read nonfiction or been interested in newspapers. Now when reading a nonfiction, I am consumed by the book. I rush through it because I can hardly wait to read the next paragraph. What a shift! Newspapers are not as consuming. I do not read them cover-to-cover.

Have not yet made any shifts to magazines. I subscribe to:

PC World - This is OK, I like to read reviews and new product infos
Pocket PC - Always looking for interesting software to try
Computer Shopper - May not renew this one
PC Gamer - Definitely will not renew
Vanity Fair - Definitely will not renew
Marie Claire - Not too sure I will renew
Mountain Astrologer - Have not read a single article, but Optimistically keep all 8 issues next to my computer.
E Week - Do not read
Money - Do not read
Home Business - look for ideas here
Home Business Journal - still looking for ideas
Lucky - Hate this mag...I think it if for a much younger person
National Geographic - Plan to read, but never seem to have the time
Psychology Today - Sometimes read - Not sure if will renew
Discover - This is new and have not received my first copy
Dog Fancy - This is new and have not received my first copy
Cat Fancy - This is new and have not received my first copy
Popular Science - This is new and have not received my first copy
Writer's Digest - This is new and have not received my first copy

An Interruption...

Had to go "save" Max (his leash was caught under the chest), walk him for his potty break, take the clothes out of the dryer, hang them up and put the final load into the dryer, turn on the oven to start the reheat process, and finally get back to the computer to continue practicing my typing. Whew!

It is hard to believe that today is 11/28/02. What happened to the year? Time is quickly slipping by. I wonder if this Blog will help to create recognition points for me. When I try to remember the past, all I get is a stream or flow, without any markers.

1,200 Turkeys

When I picked up the turkey, I asked them how many they sold. They said about 1,200 packages. Wow...that is a lot of turkey. The price was $75 and is supposed to be able to feed 4 people. In addition, the hotel (The Hyatt Regency) gave $80 worth of coupons for restaurants in the hotel (a steakhouse, an Italian, a Chinese and $15 off a spa treatment). This seemed like a good idea, at the time. After the pickup, I read the instructions. Hmmm, 1 and 1/2 to reheat the turkey plus everything else has to be reheated...this is beginning to sound a lot like work (ggg)!

We plan to eat around 1:30 HST. This Blog site has not added our time zone. So everything shows up as though it was in PST. Oh well...

I just invited Danielle to check out my Blog. I think she will like Blogs. The possibilites are endless. I have yet to try to bring something in from the internet.

Headlines Work!

When I have a chance, I will go back and put headlines on my posts. This will force me to think about what I plan to say to me. Gotta go and get my turkey...

First Post of the Day!

First post of the day...

Again, I woke up to news of terrorist attacks, bombings and missles against aircraft. Will thisTerror not end?

There is much to be thankful for on this Thanksgiving Day. I have life, liberty and freedom. My computers allow me access to the world without having to venture outdoors. In an hour, I'll go to pickup my turkey and all the fixens at a nearby hotel.

Hey! Yea! This worked. I am amazed and hope to continue posting here. Maybe this Blog can help me organize all the projects that I want to complete. I should start a list. I think the list should be outside of the post...maybe in the side area. I'll go look and see how to do that. I am having trouble trying to get the list to appear correctly. The words just tend to run on with no discernable order. I just tried to separate each item with "..". Hope it works.

Well, it is better than it was. The column can only be 500 characters long. I have more to list but will wait until I come back.

My First Post 12/22/02

My First Post

Today, I decided to look into Blogs, read a few and was intrigued. I set this Blog up to see what will happen. I already lost my first post. Hmmm, am feeling technically challenged. Well, let's see if this process will work for me. Have tried to keep a handwritten journal but have not been successful.

I am still trying to figure out how my first acupuncture session (about 2 months ago) might have impacted my reading experience. I was reading about 1 mystery a day. At the time, I had 3 mysteries in various stages of completion. After that first appointment, have been unable to continue any of the books I was reading. I gave up and returned 50+ mysteries to the library. At this point, I've given up on mysteries.

Since the first acupuncture session, I switched to reading nonfiction. I've read 30+ books (2 on copy layout, 6 on Windows XP, 15 on newsletters, 10 on writing). I have 34 library books downstairs to be read (various subjects). In addition, the library is holding 40+ books (various subjects) for me to pickup! I thought the library books would dribble in when I originally put holds on them. Within a week, there were 30 to be picked up! I telneted in to the library to put my holds on Inactive, but another 30+ were waiting for me. I inactivated the remaining 30 holds until I can get caught up with my reading. I need to figure out how to read faster.

I do have a life outside of reading. I am trying to keep my reading time down to no more than 5 hours a day. I bought a course called Photo Reading. So far, took it out of the box but put it aside when I saw that it used mind mapping techniques. I tend to feel negatively toward mind mapping stuff. I just finished reading Write the Natural Way (or a title close to that) and my resistance to mind mapping is fading. Somehow, I need to put the reading course on the front burner.

In addition, my puppy is still not completely house broken. We flunked puppy school and are looking for another school. Maybe, I should get a trainer to come to the house. In Puppy School there were so many distractions for Max. He was so obnoxious to the teacher. Oh well...

I think I can post this and then edit it.

How come the sentences just keep running one after another? There must be a way to double space between paragraphs. Hard returns do not seem to work. No, they do work when posted to the Blog.

Today is 12/22/02 and I am trying to find out why nothing from November is showing up in my blog nor is it archived.

more gifs

three gifs for use in this blog