Windows Live Essentials 2011

I was prompted to install an update for Windows Live Essentials on my new laptop.  Since I do not have Outlook on the laptop and OE is no longer included with Windows 7, I decided to give Live Essentials a try.  Advise: don't bother with the 2011 version.  I might try the 2009 version or just get Thunderbird for a default mail program.

Why I hate dieting

After 2 weeks of serious tracking and exercise I have lost - 0 - lbs.  That's right.  I weigh exactly the same.  Though I feel better, I expected to see at least a little progress with shedding the extra lbs.  Frustrating.

Online vs software for financial management

Microsoft is discontinuing MS Money, which I have used for years. When the online features of Money 2004 expired, I just deactivated the online features and manually exported my accounts into the program. Though I can probably use Money 2004 indefinitely without the online features, Microsoft recommends using my own bank's features or Bundle.com. My bank does not offer interactive features. Quicken is another option, or Intuit's online program Mint.com.

I tried both Bundle.com & Mint.com, and I think Mint.com is much better

Advertising

I have to choose an advertisement and write a psychology paper about the ad.  I try to tune out advertising to whatever degree I can ignore it, but for this assignment, I have to actually pay attention to ads. Thankfully, there are plenty of YouTube ad videos available. A classmate suggested that I pick a product I like and find an ad for it.  I'm going to use a cat food ad, target audience: women over 35 who are pet lovers.  I could easily write about what annoys me with internet ads. I wish someone would invent a "rollover blocker". Especially for the ones that roll out when you get close but don't actually touch with the curser. I liked the Kodak printervention rollover. It did not rollover until I actually put my curser on the ad. The video was a parody of an infomercial/intervention reality show and the other tabs used a side by side comparison between the Kodak model and an HP model.  I could relate to both the high cost of printer ink, and, as an addictions counselor, the parody of intervention strategy.  It got bad reviews, though.  Most people saw a wannabe infomercial announcer and the environmentally negative "ink sink".  I agreed with the reviewers about the ink sink.  I would like to find a similar comparison with the cost of using a Canon printer.

Windows 7 Back up & Restore

Before I upgraded to  Windows 7 I found a decent free disk image back up program called Macrium Reflect, though I did not reinstall it after the upgrade.  The Windows 7 Back-up & Restore appears to have more features than XP Back-up & Restore, including the ability to make a disk image and a restore disk.  There may be no need for a 3rd party program.  My 80 gig external hard drive does the job, but with only enough storage to hold one image & back-up for the desktop & laptop.  

CD Labeling Kit

I had the Neato Labeling system a long time ago, but I rarely used it.  I usually preferred just writing on my CDs with a Sharpie, and I have no idea what happened to the Neato labeler or my labels.  Because presentation was important, I needed to make both the label and Jewel Case insert for my portfolio. I bought the Avery CD Stomper system at Office Depot and I was very disappointed with it.  The software that come with the program was not ClicknV (which the directions called for), but Avery Design ProV. Though it had blank templates for the CD Stomper, there were no pre-designed templates. I called Avery and was told that the ClicknV software was discontinued and I was directed to use the create online templates from the CD Stomper website, with very limited graphics.  I eventually figured it out and made what I needed.  I like the base, which is like the Neato base I couldn't find; however, the software problems made it difficult to use.  I paid too much for what I got.

Dr. Scholl's Footmapping at Walmart

I started wearing heel inserts when I was working in the salon to relieve knee pain.  Then I had trouble with heel pain. My doctor took x-rays and I did not have a heel spur.  I did the exercises she suggested to relieve plantar fasciitis and the pain went away.  Now I have a sharp needle-like pain at the side of my heel when ever I put certain types of pressure on my foot, most often when I reach down to pick something up.  Though this pain is different that the last time, my doctor thinks it is a recurrence of plantar fasciitis, so I am doing the exercises again.  My shoe inserts were old, so I went to Walmart and tried out the Dr. Scholl's footmapping machine.  It identifies the pressure points for each foot and recommends a custom orthotic insert.  These inserts are a bit more expensive than regular Dr. Scholl's inserts, so I hope they work  

http://www.footmapping.com/