The New Face Of WordPress
Faithful readers will have noticed a change in my blog, namely that I am on my own domain using WordPress rather than Blogger. I made the change because I wanted more flexibility and control over my blog. WordPress delivers those options.
Now speaking of WordPress, a big change is in the wings with the release of v2.5. The look is changing as well as the navigation. The preview I saw tells me these changes are welcome. I thought so, anyway.
This was a good move for me. I adore this theme. It’s just the mood I wanted. Having WordPress made it possible for me, and for that, I am grateful.
I Uninstalled Office Today
Microsoft hit on a good concept with its trial software for Office and its other products. The trial period is long, 60 days, just long enough to learn to love and depend upon a product. You just have to shell out the cash and buy it. Give them a carrot and they want more. I took the bait and downloaded Office 2007.
Now there’s no getting around it–it looks good. The GUI is slick. The problem though is it’s too slick and too different from its predecessor. I found myself very frustrated with it, trying to do simple tasks. I didn’t find it intuitive. I found it frustrating. And I’m computer savvy. I feel bad for the average user who will find this transition difficult. Which brings me to my next point–open source software.
I can’t remember how I found it, but I stumbled upon OpenOffice. The software suite includes a word processor, spreadsheet program, database program, presentation program, drawing program, and a math program. Office users will have no problem navigating it. What’s more, it is free. Yes, free. I also found it to be less of a memory hog than Office. You can save in Microsoft formats if you’d prefer or in its own proprietary file type that does not, by the way, import easily into Office. So, yes, there is life after Microsoft.
“A Long Wait”, watercolor on paper, 22″ x 15″
Happy Birthday To Me
“These Are the Good Times”, watercolor on paper, 22″ x 15″
Available on Etsy
As I get older, birthdays have evolved to something different. No longer am I looking forward to the presents, though I wouldn’t turn on down. I look more to what can I do for me. How can I make myself happier, more content. I received a nice email from SparkPeople.com, wishing me happy birthday with their auto email. It had a great message that I’d love to share.
“What matters most in life is often viewed as peripheral to the things that we usually focus on. Passion takes backseat to production, wellness to working, and balance to busyness. The old adage that “life is not a dress rehearsal” is so true, and yet we act the the contrary by putting off what is truly important or indulging in things that are not. On your birthday, stop focusing on your age and start meditating on your life at this exact moment. How can you make it better? During the next year, reshuffle your priorities. Spend more time with family and friends, take care of your body and your health by eating well and exercising regularly, and offer to help those in need. Discover what matters most to you, and make your daily life into a true reflection of those ideas, beliefs, and attitudes.”
I intend to do just that.
Relax, Enjoy the Ride
I’ve never really had too many conflicts with my inner critic. She keeps her mouth shut until she’s spoken to, for the most part. My first chapter is my latest source of angst. It started when I entered the InnerMoonLit First Chapter contest. The word limit is 2,000 words. My first chapter is over 4,300 words. I cut the last scene to fit within the limits. Guess what? I didn’t like it. I became a little paranoid that perhaps 2,000 words is what I should be shooting for.
I took to the forums and learned this just isn’t so. Go with the flow of your work. It was comforting then to read a blog post that reiterates the same message–relax, go with with the flow of your work. Put that inner critic to bed and keep writing.
The Dumbing Down of America
I stumbled upon an article the other day in the New York Times about America’s apparent hostility toward knowledge. The article points out that half of 18- to 24-year-olds don’t think it is necessary or important to know where countries where news is happening, as if many could locate where they were anyway. What a state of things when it is vogue not to know. A return of the dark ages, maybe?
I’ll admit to being something of a curmudgeon. I haven’t watched prime time TV in over 20 years. I’ve never seen an episode of “American Idol” (kind of an oxymoron that, huh?), “House”, “Friends”, or even “Seinfeld”. I haven’t seen one of the Oscar-nominated movies. It amuses me that Hollywood was finally willing to work with writers to end the strike so that the actors didn’t have to come up with their own jokes and commentary during the gala.
Why all this? I just resent being talked down to. I find it insulting to watch movies that would entertain Beavis and Butthead. I can’t stomach trite conversation, stupid plots, special effects that stand in for intelligent writing. There’s that word again–intelligent. If anything, I’m hostile to stupidity. I enjoy a bit of juicy repartee, with a cleverly hidden insult so much more so than a lame toilet humor joke. Oh, I have a sense of humor all right, but I also have a brain that I chose to use, an education that I’m proud of. So go ahead and curl up with your margarita, watching “Survivor”. I’m going to have a glass of merlot and enjoy a stimulating program on the Revolutionary War.
Shame On You, Reuters
OK, we all have bad days. Sometimes we slip up and say not what we mean. Being one who enjoys a good ghost story, I couldn’t pass up the story of Psychic paid to evict council house ghost. And of course, seeing as the source was Reuters, I expected good, clean writing. Think again. Here is the first line:
“British officials paids a psychic to exorcise a supposed poltergeist from state housing after the distressed occupants said otherwise they would leave and become homeless, a council official said on Tuesday.”
Uh, don’t you mean, “paid”? OK, one mistake. Hardly a big deal, but there’s more.
The council said the family were now happy to stay in the house and therefore they believed their money was well spent — although they had never taking similar action before.”
[Me scratching my head] Never taking similar action before? Don’t you mean, “never having taken similar action before”? My grammar may not always be the best, but I’m not a writer for a national news service. Gez.
My Grammar Pet Peeves
I’ve been reading several blogs lately, many of which focus on grammar. I appreciate good grammar and abhor bad grammar. It’s probably due to the rigorous teaching of those nuns in Catholic grade school for which I am eternally grateful. I am not claiming to be any kind of grammar guru, but there are a few things that burn my butter. Since others have seemed to enjoy bringing their “favorite” grammatical sins to life, here are a few of my own.
My first pet peeve is not one I can ever recall reading, but I hear quite often. I’ll overhear someone saying, “He come by the house yesterday.” Grrr-rrr! I hate that. He CAME to the house yesterday. Drives me nuts when I hear that.
Like my first, my second is not one in the books, but usually lurks on handmade signs advertising garage sales or in-store specials. “Give your pet it’s own special treat.” It’s? Don’t you mean ‘its’? The absence of the apostrophe denoting the possessive confuses some, it appears.
The apostrophe is also the enemy in another pet peeve that unlike the others, I do see often online and occasionally in books or articles. The article or website will refer to the “salad days of the 1950′s.” Sorry, no apostrophe needed here, folks. 1950s can stand well on its own.
Ok, now that I have that off my chest, I can get back to writing.
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