Open Windows

What was the last thing you searched for online? Why were you looking for it?

The last thing I searched for in Google was the following phrase: "how to change lock screen windows 8.1".

At the beginning of the year, I had to buy a new laptop.  The lowest priced laptop, which consequently had more storage space, and more features than the alternatives, also came with the Windows 8 operating system.  I really fretted about Windows 8; for touchscreen devices, it is fine, but navigating it with a mouse or touchpad can be a bit tricky.  There are things I like about it, and things I dislike about it.  But mostly, there are a ton of things I do not even know about it.  I know how to do what it takes to accomplish the things I need to, and that is it.  I am perfectly fine with this level of working knowledge regarding Windows 8.

I have been getting prompts that there was a Windows update, so yesterday, I gave in and installed the update.  And it actually did change a few things.  It actually made some things better (like adding a start button at the bottom left corner of the desktop).  It also added the ability to have the same wallpaper on my start screen and my desktop.  This calms my OCD tendencies, and makes things feel consistent.  But the update did something weird.  It changed my lock screen.  My lock screen used to be this colorful drawing of the Space Needle in Seattle.  I loved it, because I dream of going to Seattle, maybe even living there someday, so it always made me smile when I opened the locked laptop and got to see a bit of my dream.  Now, post update, the lock  screen was this mass of swirly rainbow lines.  Pretty, sure, but it just did not make me happy as that brightly colored drawing of the Jet City.

So, I went in search of a site that would, in easily understandable terms, tell me exactly how to get my old lock screen back.  Lo and behold, the first site I tried not only taught me how to do this, but clued me into to some of the other changes included in the update.  I was so thankful for a thorough, clearly written article.  I was easily and quickly able to get my old lock screen back, and all was once again right in my little corner of the world.

While I am still not as comfortable with Windows 8, or the update of Windows 8.1,  as I was with its predecessor, I have to shut the door on that old operating system, and learn to live with what I have.

Because, as we all know, when God closes doors, He opens Windows.

In The Big City: John Hodgman at the Rex Theater

Ever since Hubby and I have been together, we have been big fans of John Hodgman.  In fact, as we were driving to our honeymoon in New York, Hubby read excerpts of one of Hodgman's books aloud to me.  Because that is what nerds do to show their love.  They share nerd culture.

As we have gotten older, and more comfortably entrenched in nerd culture, we have come to an even deeper appreciation of Hodgman's genius, through his books, his recently released Netflix special "Ragnarok", and his amazing podcast, Judge John Hodgman.  About a year ago, I vowed that the next time he came within a reasonable driving distance, I was going to see his live show.  That item got checked off the bucket list this past weekend.

The minute I learned Hodgman was coming to Pittsburgh, I bought tickets.  I then spent 3 months fretting about Hubby's work schedule to insure that he could attend with me (it all worked out).  By the time the big day arrived, I was so excited I could not shut up about it.  I was tweeting and facebooking like a maniac.

We got to the show about 30 minutes before the door opened, and already a line had formed.  This was going to be amazing.  When we got inside, our diligence paid off with second row seats on the right aisle.  Sweet.  The show opened with a 30 minute set by local comedienne Gab Bonesso.  Hubby was familiar with her work, but this was my introduction to Gab.  She did a great job, and it was wonderful to be able to support a local artist.  If you have a chance to see her live, take it, you will not be disappointed.

Then, the big event.  Hodgman took the stage, and for the next hour and a half, I was in heaven.  I knew the show was going to be good, but it totally blew away all my expectations.  I saw a whole new side to Hodgman, and I do not just mean the part where he stripped to his skivvies (more on that in a bit).  I saw a much more relaxed, casual side to him, and I have to say, my love and admiration for him grew.  He talked a little bit about Pittsburgh, some outdated cultural references, a very amusing tale of his recent speaking engagement on April 20th (my birthday woot woot), some amazing stories about his "cats" and even a song or two.

  During his set, I was consciously aware that I was experiencing pure joy.  This is not an exaggeration, I literally paused and realized how happy this show was making me, and said a silent word of thanks, just for being alive to experience it.

The highlight of the show was when Hodgman stripped down to his boxer briefs, donned a dress, and did a bit in character as Ayn Rand.  It was so amazing, and given the fact that one of our dogs' middle name is Rand after this same woman, I suspect it was the highlight of the night for Hubby.  He laughed so hard, and it made me so happy to hear him having a great time.

There were two moments of the night that melted my Pittsburgh loving, media nerd, fangirl heart.  The first moment was when Hodgman ended the show by singing the classic Mr. Rogers closing song, "It's Such a Good Feeling".  The ENTIRE audience sang (and snapped when appropriate) along with him, and it was one of those moments of perfection you only experience when seeing a live performance.  I was kicking myself for not recording it, still am.

After the show, I snuck up to the stage and asked Hodgman if I could have the paper he used for the cultural references bit, and he graciously obliged.  I clutched it in my hand, and we waited in line for the meet and greet, so that I could get it autographed.  When we finally got up to him, Hodgman said "Oh, hello again.  I am John".  I responded "Hi, I am Tiffany, and this is my husband, Steve".  Then the second heart melting moment happened.  Hodgman responded with "Oh, the Harkleroads."

::blink blink::

HOLY CRAP HE KNEW WHO WE WERE.   Turns out he had seen all the support we were both throwing his way on Twitter.  And then, he thanked us for said support.  I was so blown away and flustered that we forgot to get a photo with him.  He proceeded to sign the paper he had given me, and chatted for a few minutes.

Not only was John Hodgman a hilarious and engaging performer, he was humble and gracious.  If I could sum up the entire night in one word, it would be, without a doubt, "magical".

Go support live shows by both local and nationally touring artists.  It is an experience unlike any other.

View the rest of my photos from that night here.

Tiffany's Tuesday Tunes: C is for Catfish

Since I was in my early twenties when the internet really exploded, I spent a lot of time online socializing, and in a lot of ways I still do.  In college, I mostly emailed and IMed friends and family, and when really really bored I hit up some Christian chat rooms.  When I went to grad school, I was alone in a town where I knew no one.  I had a whole summer to get through before classes started, and no real idea how to meet anyone.  So, I turned to the internet once again, only this time, I began talking to strangers.  I started creating friendships with people online, and in a few cases going on dates with people I met online.

After grad school, I once again found myself in a new place, knowing no one.  And once again, I tried online dating.  It was bumpy, to say the least.  I met some decent guys that I maintain friendships with to this day, but very few of them clicked on a romantic level.  I met plenty of duds, liars, manipulators, and deadbeats.  By the time I was approaching 30, I was ready to give up.

I spent all my time pouring my heart out to my best friend, someone I had met online.  Someone I had spent years talking to, but had never actually met in person.  They wanted to meet, I thought it would ruin things.  Finally, I realized that we were already more than friends, so why not just go on a date with the guy?  That date... was my last first date ever.  15 months later we were married.  I will never ever regret dating online, because I was lucky enough to meet Hubby that way.

Because of how we met, Hubby and I love the MTV show "Catfish"  and we watch it together ever week.  We often hold hands, get sappy eyed, and reminisce about how nervous we were to meet each other.  We relate to the people on the show, the ones who are honest at least.  I cannot imagine lying to someone about who I was, and then expecting a relationship to work; I cannot imagine being in the position of the people being lied to.  Fortunately, I never have to imagine those things, Hubby and I are the real deal.  Friends for 2.5 years, dating for 11 months, engaged for 4 months, soon to be married for 4 years.  Almost 8 years we have been connected.  I hooked me a keeper.

In honor of those looking for love online, this week's playlist is some of my favorite songs to be featured in episodes of "Catfish".  Listen to them, and appreciate the love you have in your life, regardless of how you found it.

 

Tiffany's Tuesday Tunes: Unplugged

We are a family of electronics users.  Between the two of us, we currently have 5 working computers, 2 working smart phones, countless non working smart phones, a working tablet, and a non working kindle, not to mention various in home and portable gaming systems.  When we travel, even just overnight, we have one whole bag devoted to our electronics.  So, yeah, we are pretty plugged in most of the time.

Which is why the past week has been so frustrating for us.  Our internet service in our house has not been working properly.  It has been sporadic at best.  We have internet access on our phones thanks to our data plans, but some things are just hard to do on a phone or tablet (like blogging when your post included embedded code for pictures or gadgets).  And do not get me started on the fact that we have not been able to watch Netflix streaming.  Being forcibly "unplugged" for the last week or so has made us more than a little cranky.

And yet, there has been something freeing about it as well.  It has allowed me to enjoy quiet times in my home, with the t.v. turned off, and no clickety clacking of my laptop keys.  It has allowed me to get absorbed into numerous books.  It has allowed me to enjoy the luxury of a late afternoon nap.  Am I willing to give up my electronics?  HECK NO.  But sometimes, there is beauty in being unplugged for a bit.  In honor of this, I have selected a playlist of unplugged and acoustic versions of songs that I simply adore.

 

35 Day Project: Support Local Tech

It comes as no surprise that I am a techie person.  I like gadgets, and apps, and innovation in general.  And I love Pittsburgh with all my heart.  So, Pittsburgh based technological innovation?  Well that just about makes me swoon.

So, when I learned that the Pittsburgh Tech Council was accepting votes for their 2013 Data Awards, I KNEW this was a perfect chance to show some love and kindness to some great organizations and businesses in the burgh.

I used this as my kindness act for last Thursday, and took the time to cast votes in every category.

Sometimes, it just feels good to show the burgh some love.

35 Day Project: I Voted

I have been a little under the weather, so I am behind on updating you on my recent acts for the 35 Day Project, but I have still been doing the acts.  Today I catch up on the posts :)

Photo Source: LWVC

I really adore the Pittsburgh Blogging community.  I have met some amazing people, learned about great causes, and made some pretty meaningful connections.  But my favorite thing about Pittsburgh bloggers, by and far, is how much we all support each other in our various endeavors.  Which is why, on Friday, my act was to support  fellow blogger.

Sue Kerr is well known in Pittsburgh social media circles for her passionate activism.  Currently, Sue is entered in a scholarship contest to win a scholarship to attend a conference focused on political activism.  The top 5 applicants with the most votes win the scholarships.  I gave Sue my vote.  It really was a no brainer.

April Fools! Guest post by Will Reynolds Young

Happy April Fools!  My April Fool’s Day post comes from Will Reynolds Young, and is part of a special day of shenanigans in the form of April Fools Guest Blogs from other Pittsburgh Bloggers. You can see MY post over on Ya Jagoff!, where I talk about a bothersome resident of Lawrenceville.  A special thank you to Alex for organizing this fun blogging event!

In today’s age we all understand that Social Media is becoming more and more a part of everyday lives. Social Media is often looked at an excellent opportunity for business and personal branding experts to spread their knowledge. However, over the last few months I have had the pleasure of  Social Media being put towards plenty of Social Good.

Over the last few months I have had the opportunity to engage in many campaigns for social good that create social change and awareness. I have seen some incredible showings of support for organizations in need. One of my favorites goes back to September for Light of Life.

This fundraising effort started by Jessie of Light of Life posting in the Pittsburgh Bloggers group sharing the need of socks and underwear.

From this post came an outpouring of support from the community lead by Lindsey from I Heart Pgh who created a Crowdrise campaign. Eric Williams imagined the hash tag #givingskivvies and from there it spread like wildfire through local social media channels. A simple Google search of the hash tag #givingskivvies yields over 500 results. So many people contributed to this campaign through tweets, Facebook and blogs posts. However, it was a simple organizations needs and the love of community that helped Light of Life reach 140% of the Crowdrise Goal!

Another incredible example and showing of support comes from Facebook with the Western PA Humane Society. The Western PA Humane Society has a very active page and one day they posted a need for Iam’s Dog Food. There supplies of dog food were dwindling down and they were in need of more. With-in hours they had an out pouring of support, shares, comments and people looking for a number of ways they could help.

Often times Social Media is regarded as a fun or business platform but it truly can be used for incredible amounts of social good. This kind of social giving came simply from the needs of a charitable organization providing for the community. When the community saw the organization in need people stepped up to help and provide how they could. At the end of the day this is what society is all about, helping folks when they are down and the same should apply to the organizations that play such a vital role in our society.

Will Reynolds Young is a Social Media Freelancer and Chief Digital Officer of Climb On! Products, Inc. In his spare time he is a social media fiend, co-organizer of PghTweetup and a internet and music addict.

35 Day Project: Endorse Me

In the past, I have not been very active on LinkedIn, a social media site that focuses on professional networking and job searching.  However, quite a lot of people I know are very active on the site.  In a time when so many people are unemployed, or underemployed, a site like this can be a fantastic tool for locating job opportunities and showcasing one's skill set.

I have a decent amount of connections on my LinkedIn account, but have never really used LinkedIn to interact with those connections.  Tonight, I spent a bit of time looking around at my connections, and making endorsements for quite a few of them.  It is a small act, only took a few moments of my time.  But perhaps it will make a difference for those connections.

35 Day Project: Games for Change

If I were a millionaire, I would give a lot of money to worthwhile organizations.  Sadly, though, I am not a millionaire.  So I try to find ways to help charitable causes without necessarily giving money.  Every once in a while, I stumble upon a way to help that ends up feeling like an excuse to have fun.  Such is the case with Games for Change.

Games for Change is an organization that aims to create social change through playing video games.  Sounds a little too good to be true, right?  How can I create change just by having fun and playing video games?  Well, tonight, I found out.

I played a game created by Games for Change called Half The Sky Movement.  The game aims to raise awareness of the global need to empower girls and women.  The game stories involve women being able to empower themselves through micro loans and small business ventures, obtaining books for their childrens' education, and bartering goods and services for healthcare.  I really love the fact that the gameplay involves a story of empowerment, and the game tasks themselves are relevant to the story.  The best part?  After a certain level of gameplay is reached, a real life chartable gift is unlocked.  For example, while I played, I unlocked a real life gift, so that an organization called WeGiveBooks.org, part of the Pearson Foundation, donated a book (a real book, in the real world) to an actual child through Room To Read.  So, I played a game, and a child gets a book.  Seems like a great trade off.

What an amazing concept.  I think this will be an act of kindness I will be able to do more in the future.  The Half The Sky Movement game is played through Facebook, so be sure to check it out!  Also check out some of the other great games available to play through Games for Change.

Tiffany's Soapbox: Inbox Zero

By now, the term "inbox zero" is a buzzword in tech and social media circles.  The first time I ever heard about it was from Merlin Mann, who was the first person talking about it, and he first started talking about it years ago.  The idea is that people need to reclaim their lives, and their email.  By having your inbox consistently having zero messages in it, you have nothing hanging over your head.  All things are in their proper places, and dealt with in a timely manner.  Merlin Mann's original ideas had a lot of depth, and wisdom.  I could never ever be mad at Merlin Mann, he is simply too awesome.

However, this idea has been morphed into several phone applications that promise to lead you to the land of the mythical inbox zero, and in the process a lot of Merlin's original wisdom has been glossed over.  For example, the Mailbox app has been raising a lot of eyebrows, and claims it will have you "winning at email" in no time.  First off, can we let the whole "winning" thing die already?  No?  Ok.  Moving on.  In order to download the Mailbox app, you had to wait in a virtual que with other potential users.  When I signed up, there were over 600,000 people ahead of me in the virtual que.  My place in line moved about 15,000 spots a day.  Finally after waiting over a month, probably close to six weeks, my turn to become a Mailbox user came this week.

Guess what?

I hate it.  First off, it only works with gmail, from what I can tell.  While this is primarily what I use, I do have other email addresses as well.  Second, all of the preset filters and folders I created in gmail do not show up. Instead, all my old emails are archived (without being organized).  And the solution to getting to inbox zero is basically to have messages delayed until you are willing to deal with them.  There is a "later" option that lets you determine how long you want to delay them.  You can also make lists to add emails to to sort them and get them out of your inbox.  But that is what I already did by having filters and folders set up in gmail.  I was so annoyed that I gave up on the app completely.  In fact these issues I state may be easily fixed, I was just too annoyed to bother.  It just seemed like it was not going to work for me.

Here is the rub: if I delete the app, I have to start all over in the virtual que.  So, instead, I kept the app, but do not use it.  How crazy is that?  It has actually made my email more complicated!

This app may be great for business people, who live and die by email.  However, for the everyday man on the street, I am not sure this is a real solution.  This version of inbox zero, taking emails and delaying them or shoving them, unanswered, into lists, just to have an empty inbox?  It sounds like a five year old pushing their toys under the bed and claiming to have cleaned their bedroom.

I will stick the system I already have.  Until the next big thing comes along of course.

The Genius at the End of the Tweet

Whomever is in charge of the social media accounts for Sesame Street exhibited a stroke of sheer genius this afternoon.  While I was browsing on facebook, I was alerted, thanks to a post by Wil Wheaton, that the Sesame Street Twitter account was in the midst of a truly awesome undertaking.

Are you familiar with the book "The Monster at the End of this Book"? It was a childhood favorite of mine, my dad read it to me all the time.  I still own a copy of this book.  It features none other than Grover, the cute blue monster with the Sesame Street address.  Well, today, the Sesame Street twitter guru recreated this book with live tweets, as a Twitter conversation.  It quickly got dubbed with the hashtag #MonsterAtTheEndOfThisTweet.  And it was.....awesome.

(Read from the bottom up)

From a "social media as marketing" standpoint, this was a really brilliant move.  In less than 10 minutes, the Sesame Street account got A TON of positive PR.  Countless retweets, follows, and favorites occurred during this little endeavor.  What a way to bounce back from some negative PR after the whole Mitt Romney vs. Big Bird battle, and the Elmo puppeteer sex scandal embarrassment.

For a few moments on this rainy Wednesday afternoon, thousands of grown ups sat in rapt attention, staring at their smart phones and computer screens, as the mystery of the monster at the end of the twitter conversation unfolded.  Each retweet brought us closer to the end of the conversation and solving the mystery.  Grover begged us not to RT, so that we would not have to contend with the scary monster.  Anyone who knows the books knows how this is going to end up.  And yet we all still followed along. (**SPOILER ALERT** The monster at the end of the conversation is none other than lovable old Grover). Wil Wheaton was particularly excited and even got a shout out from Grover personally.  It was so cute, and incredibly fun to watch it all unfold.  For a complete view of the tweet timeline, in order, check out this article  over at GeekDad.

I read along with every single tweet.  For a few moments today, I was 5 years old again.  Thanks for that, Sesame Street.

In The Big City: The Oven Pizza Co. in Wexford

Having not lived in the immediate Pittsburgh area (read Allegheny County) for more than three years now {has it been that long?}, I am slightly out of touch with where the new, cool places to drink, dine, and socialize are.  Thank goodness I am a part of the Pittsburgh TweetUp group.

You might be wondering, what is a TweetUp?  Well,  it is an event where people who are active on Twitter can get together to meet, socialize, network, and generally have a nerdy and fantastic time.  Often times, these events also involve charitable work or organizations.  We have attended quite a few TweetUps over the past 2 years, and recently, we have been interacting with this group a lot more.  There are a lot of great people in the group, and through them I have gotten to know a lot more about Pittsburgh businesses and organizations.

Last night, we attended a TweetUp event at a business in Wexford called The Oven Pizza Co.  This is a restaurant serving brick oven pizzas as well as so many other delicious foods, and an assortment of drinks.  We had never been to this place, so I was excited that the TweetUp was giving us a reason to go.  First off, the ownership, management, and staff at The Oven were so accommodating and welcoming to our group.  They had prepared a list of specials for us, including some half price menu selections and drinks.  They had a designated area for us, and helped distribute the food to our table.  They even came out after we had eaten and gave us samples of gelato, which was beyond delicious.  Furthermore, the staff came out and interacted with us, being social.  It is people and events like this that really put the "social" in social media.

I just cannot say enough wonderful things about the staff, service, and food at The Oven.  Last night, I tried the gluten free Winter Walnut Fig Pizza.  Holy moly, this pizza was so delicious.  I paired it with a Sweet Potato Bisque, also amazing.  We had a wide array of food at our table, and the consensus among all of us was that the food was incredible.  The atmosphere is warm and inviting, suitable for a family pizza night or hanging out with a group of friends.  Already, hubby is suggesting the place to his coworkers.  All the highest praise.

Now, I know what some of you locals are thinking "Wexford, that is not really in the big city" to which I would say,  technically, you are correct.  But the "In the Big City" series on my blog refers to Pittsburgh specifically, and, to me, Pittsburgh is bigger than city lines.  Pittsburgh is a state of mind, a specific type of person, an incredible combination of great food and great friends.  So, regardless of the fact that The Oven Pizza Co. is located in Wexford, they are Pittsburgh through and through.  Also, it's my blog and I can do what I want :).  But in all seriousness, check out The Oven, both online (their website, Twitter, and Facebook) and in person.  You will not be disappointed.

Also, check out the Pittsburgh TweetUp page too, and hopefully I will see you at a TweetUp soon!

A Tale of Truly Excellent Customer Service

I have been meaning to write this for a while, and with all the holiday stuff going on, I kept forgetting.  Many of you might know that we went on vacation this summer.  One detail I probably did not mention is that on the last day, 5 minutes before we left to come home, my iPhone shattered when I dropped it on the floor at our beach house.  I was pretty sad.  When we made the decision to replace it, rather than repair it, I decided to also invest in an OtterBox case.  All my cute and pretty cases were not doing anything to actually protect the phone.  So, in July, I ordered an OtterBox from Amazon.  From the moment I put it on my phone, I felt very secure that the phone was protected.  While it was a pricey case, it was doing what it needed to do, and was still cheaper than replacing the phone again.

Last month, I sent out the following tweet:

Notice I did not tag OtterBox in the tweet with the "@" sign.  I merely stated the company name in the tweet.

Later on in the day, I received this response from the OtterBox Customer Service account:

So, this means someone is tasked with the job of searching Twitter for people talking about OtterBox products and trying to trouble shoot any problems for them.

I went to the link the gave me, and after entering some information, was directed to call Customer Service.  A representative asked me some questions about the problems with my product, and told me she would be sending an email with further instructions.  I needed to send them some pictures of the damage to the product, which was less than 6 months old.  Within 30 minutes of sending them the photos, they emailed me back confirming that they were replacing my OtterBox.

On December 11, my new OtterBox arrived.

So, to recap, OtterBox Customer Service sought me out when they caught wind via Twitter that my product was not working for me.  I never even thought my product would be covered by warranty, yet they painlessly walked me through the warranty claim, and in less than two weeks I had a replacement case.  And given the ease of the transaction, I would bet that this is standard for them.  The probably did not think they were going above and beyond, but I certainly did.

I would have simply thrown my case away and purchased some other product elsewhere, but OtterBox saw to it that my problem was solved before I had a chance.  What a wonderful example of truly outstanding customer service, and a great way to create a loyal customer.  Well done OtterBox; other companies, take note.

Influenster Makeover

Many loyal readers may have noticed that I did quite a few reviews of products I received in my Naturals Voxbox from Influenster.  But some of my readers may not be aware of what Influenster actually is.

Influenster is a community of people with active online lives, using various forms of social media (Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, G+, Instagram, YouTube, etc.), as well as active offline social lives, to talk about products and organizations of all kinds.  Once you become an active part of this community, you can qualify for perks and reward programs.  The most coveted program is the VoxBox program, where influential community members receive themed boxes of products, like my Naturals VoxBox.  Some of the other recent themed boxes have included boxes for moms, brides, and Latinas.  When you get a box, the idea is that you try the products out, review them, and interact with other members of the community to talk about what is good or bad about the products.  It is a really fun way to let your voice be heard, all while discovering great new products!

Recently, the Influenster site underwent a huge makeover.  At first, things were a little shaky.  It seemed like the new site launched before certain parts were finished, almost like a soft roll out, and there were a lot of bugs.  But, kudos to the Influenster team for patiently address all questions and concerns, many of which were posed by angry or frustrated members (myself included).  As the days passed, more and more of the parts of the site were up and running, with most of the bugs fixed.  I think the frustration of the members just goes to show how eager we all were to jump in with both feet, because we really do love Influenster!

Under the new revamp, you get an overall score, and the opportunity to unlock various badges based on your interests.  Some of those badges are "expert" badges, where you get subscores.  These scores are entirely based on the activities you do on the site, and help determine your eligibility for future programs.  Since this is a new part of the site, we are all still learning how it works, but trust me, it is exciting to see your scores go up!

The highest compliment to any site is that we invite our friends to try it out.  Each Influenster member is given 5 invitations to start.  All five of mine have already been sent.  Clearly, I love Influenster and want to share it with my friends.  If you have never heard of Influenster, you should try it out.

A word to the wise, though.  Do not go there just expecting to get free "stuff".  In order to qualify for programs, you have to be an active member of the community.  I was a member for many months before qualifying for the Naturals Voxbox.  But it really was worth it.  It was really fun trying new products and sharing my thoughts with other members.

I hope new programs on the site continue to roll out.  I also hope I get more invitations soon, as well as the ability to unlock more expert badges.  Clearly, you can tell I am hooked.  Try it, you might get hooked too!

Remember you can view photos of my Naturals Voxbox contents here, and I started a board for it on Pinterest as well!

Who Doesn't Love a Deal

If you know me, you know that I really do not enjoy shopping.  I find it so much hassle to get in my car, drive around to shops, deal with looking for something that I usually cannot find, and interacting with cranky customers and employees.  It is rare that I think shopping is a good idea, which is why I do a lot of shopping online.  Recently, I found a new website called nomorerack.com that seems pretty cool.

NoMoreRack is a daily deal website that offers 8 different deals each day.  Some of these prices are so amazing, particularly for electronics and various gizmos.  You know I am a tech girl at heart, so I am totally loving looking at all the awesome tech deals.  Even now looking at some of the gadgets, I am totally drooling over things I would love to get!

There is also a community built into the website, where you can interact with other deal hunters.  You can even refer friends to build up points toward free products.  Who does not love free products?

In today's economy, we are always looking for ways to make our money go further.  Check out NoMoreRack and see all the money you could be spending on these great deals!

"Pin"satiable

I first took notice of Pinterest a few months ago, when I noticed that quite a few people were reaching my blog from that site.  I knew a few people who had joined, but, as with Twitter and the iPhone, I thought it sounded like a complete time suck and avoided it like the plague.

Then, I was at a party where some of my friends were discussing it, and decided it might be worth a try.  I requested an invitation, and within a week or so, I was granted access to set up my account.

For those of you who do not know, (first off, how do you not know), Pinterest is a site where you create virtual pin or vision boards.  When you first set up your account, they have some preset suggested boards, like "For the Home", and "Recipes" but you can delete or rename these.  In addition, you can create boards with any theme you want.  For example, I have a board for general crafty or DIY stuff, but then I have specific boards set up as inspiration for redecorating our living room and spare room.

I absolutely love this site, and the iPhone app.  I have gotten so many great ideas from here.  Hubby was annoyed at first, until I made several recipes I found on Pinterest.  Now he is a big fan as well.  I not only re-pin things I find on there or the web, but I have pinned a lot of my own original content as well, including entries from my blogs.  My most popular pins are some of Hubby's cartoons.

If any of you are interested in Pinterest, I do have available invitations, so find me on Facebook or Twitter and let me know you would like one.  If you are already on Pinterest, be sure to follow me and my boards by clicking the button in my sidebar.

Happy Pinning Ya'll!

Review: McAfee Antivirus Plus 2012

In this day and age, it pays to have your computer protected by antivirus software.  So, when I was given an opportunity to review McAfee 2012, I jumped on it.  Between the two of us, we have 5 computers we use on a regular basis, plus a couple more in storage, so I really liked that this software was licensed for 3 computers.

We loaded it on my husband's desktop first, since he recently ran into issues with a virus.  The installation was pretty simple.  You do need to make sure any other antivirus program is removed, so that this one will properly load.  He says this is typical, but for people who have not encountered this, they may be surprised, so be prepared.  Installation was a snap, the only issue was an erroneous dialog box that claimed the licensed expired in 10 months, not 12.  However, when Hubby looked at the actual program info on the computer, the correct expiration date was shown.

The next day, we installed it on one of my laptops.  Again, I had to remove my previous program.  Otherwise, installation was painless.  I did not get the erroneous dialog box (I actually never got one at all) and the program info on my computer shows the correct expiration date. 

So far, so good, on both of our computers.  The scans seem non-intrusive, and I have not noticed a slow down in the performance of my computer.  The only mildly annoying this is that the program checks the validity of all the links people post on Facebook, and displays green checkmarks next to them in my Facebook feed to alert me that the links are safe.  And really, that is probably a very good thing, given the number of garbage/virus infested links that get posted with titles like "see what happened when this dad walks in on his daughter, OMG so embarrassing!!!!!".  While I know not to click those, clearly other people do not, because I see them all over people's pages.  This software seems like it would help someone not so tech savvy to determine what is or is not safe.

Is this the best antivirus software out there?  Probably not.  This is not actually the full McAfee suite, so it gives very limited protection.  But for me, it seems to be adequate.

Meet Betty Draper

Well, it finally happened.  I joined the masses of iPhone users late last week.

Note: this picture was taken with Hubby's Android.
 Because I could not use my iPhone to take a picture of my iPhone.

 In keeping with our household traditions of naming inanimate objects, I have finally settled on a name for her:  Betty.  As in Betty Draper.

Pretty amazing namesake.

I never really planned on becoming an iPhone user, I was perfectly content with my Android.  Then, after the Bathtub Tragedy of 2011 (never forget...) I started having an unusual issue.  Whenever any iPhone user would send a mass text message (which accounts for about 75% of the texts I get from my friends) it would come through blank for me.  It got really old asking the people to resend the texts just to my stupid phone.  It reminded me of way back when people first started texting, and you had to make sure your phones were compatible.

One day, my friends Erin and Jen were texting between the 3 of us trying to coordinate a time to meet up.  And since they both have  iPhones, every single message was blank.  It was highly inconvenient.  I decided to start phone shopping, and found another Android I really liked, but there was no guarantee it would fix the text issue.

After much debate and discussion with my anti-Apple Hubby, we came to a consensus that I would give the iPhone a try.  And guess what..... I love it.  It takes some getting used to, and some things do not function as well as my Android, but, well....

it takes pictures that turn out like this.  So, yeah, I am pretty much sold.

That awful moment when you learn a lesson the hard way

Photo Source

I have been a cell phone owner for 12 or 13 years.  For the first few, I never really used the cell phone much.  So, for about 10 years I have been an avid cell phone user.  For the last several year, we have used cell phones exclusively, without having a land line.  I use my phone to track appointments, write grocery lists, to track calories, and as my alarm clock.  So, my cell phone is pretty much my main way to keep track of life.

As long as I have been an avid, daily cell phone user, I have always talked on the phone while I was in the bathtub.  It was a way for me to relax and talk to my mom or my girlfriends.  Never, ever, not once, have I ever gotten even a drop of water on my phone.  Sometimes, I even use my kindle or tablet to read in the tub.  Again, never a problem, because I am super careful.

I guess there is a first time for everything.

The other day, I was taking a bath to de-stress.  I had tried to call my mom, and was unable to reach her, so I sat the phone on the edge of the tub (like I have done a million times).  At precisely the moment I took my hand away, my cat jumped up and knocked the phone into the bath water.

I just could not move fast enough to prevent it.

I wanted to throw up.  And strangle the cat.

Quickly, we removed the cover, tried to dry out the phone as best we could, and put it in a container of brown rice for 24 hours.  Miraculously, the phone does seem fully functional.  In the time where my phone was drying out, I had to use an old one, which seemed so clunky, so I am glad to have my phone back.

I have completely learned my lesson.

My cat will no longer be allowed in the bathroom.

Wicked Games

I have never been much of a gamer.  Sure, there was the time Hubby and I both, unknowingly, bought each other Nintendo DSs for Valentine's Day, and yes, I bought him a Wii as a wedding gift, then went through about 2 months post wedding where I played Super Smash Brothers like it was my job, and, yeah, ok, a good hidden picture game has been know to steal whole days of my time, but in general, not a gamer.  I never got into playing games online unless really bored, I with the exception of aforementioned hidden picture games, I never play pc games.

So, when cell phones started coming equipped with the ability to buy and play games, my initial reaction was, meh.  Most of the games on most of the phones I have had never got played.  But now that I have both a phone and a tablet where I can download a boatload of free games, a new addiction has blossomed: coin pusher games.

Photo Credit

Remember going to Chuck E. Cheese, or Dave & Busters, and seeing those games where the tokens were covering a platform, with a pusher behind them? You shot more tokens in, hoping the pusher would push a boatload of tokens and/or prizes into the bin for you to scoop up.  Biggest waste of time ever, right?  Well, what if a) the tokens were free and b) they regenerated over time, both while playing and while away from the game... sounds like a pretty sweet deal right?  EXACTLY!  I found a game like this in the Andriod app store, and it hit the gambling area of my brain in just the right way so that I got hooked.  I was obsessed with getting more prizes and clearing more levels (levels are determined by the number of coins you win).  And before I knew it, I had 4 different games on my phone, and the same 4 on my tablet, so that, at all times, I am earning coins to play 8 games.  What the heck is WRONG with me???

Photo Credit

I am sure in time, this will fizzle out, as all my game play does, but in the mean time, I am putting up with lots of merciless teasing from Hubby about how stooooooooopid these games are.  I pointed out, last night, that he did not make this much fun of me before, not even when I played Farmville and woke up at 4 am to harvest my crops (oh yes, I did, but that did not last long).  He said, at least in Farmville you had choices to make.  I explained that these games have choices too, like choosing whether to collect the prizes or sell them for more coins.  He said, yeah, or the choice to not play at all.

I promptly told him my choice was to not listen to anymore of his crap.