tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-86816192276940334222024-03-20T23:42:36.538-07:00Fine GrindJeanne Ellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12096040179637686179noreply@blogger.comBlogger71125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8681619227694033422.post-68151202910411922062010-08-29T19:39:00.001-07:002010-08-29T19:42:12.745-07:00What Happened To Blogpico?Powered by <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Wordpress</span> (if I recall correctly), www.blogpico.com provided an alternative to Blogger as a free AdSense enabled blogging platform.<br /><br />Now, however, whenever I try and access bookmarks to some of the blogs I followed, they seemed to have vanished, as does the main web site.<br /><br />I've tried googling, but to no avail. Can anyone shed some light on this? Does anyone know what happened to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Blogpico</span>?Jeanne Ellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12096040179637686179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8681619227694033422.post-34952585197633871872009-11-25T10:56:00.000-08:002009-11-25T10:58:07.920-08:00Just trying something else...Bear with me. This is me learning more about Blogger...<br /><br /><script type="text/javascript"><!-- google_ad_client = "pub-7832839501131073"; /* 300x250, created 11/25/09 */ google_ad_slot = "5232173458"; google_ad_width = 300; google_ad_height = 250; //--><br /></script><br /><script type="text/javascript" src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js"><br /></script><br /><br />la la de da... testing testing still testing... (thanks ;)Jeanne Ellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12096040179637686179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8681619227694033422.post-15214552232877857922009-11-02T10:46:00.001-08:002009-11-02T10:51:09.346-08:00Just trying something...Not sure if this will work, but...<br /><script type="text/javascript"><!--<br />google_ad_client = "pub-7832839501131073";<br />/* 300x250, created 11/2/09 */<br />google_ad_slot = "2325377711";<br />google_ad_width = 300;<br />google_ad_height = 250;<br />//--><br /></script><br /><script type="text/javascript"<br />src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js"><br /></script><br />...might as well try!Jeanne Ellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12096040179637686179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8681619227694033422.post-33599594517539079412009-09-12T13:08:00.000-07:002009-09-12T13:12:25.042-07:00Interesting Wall ArtThis is cooool....<br /><br />Artist Charlie Kratzer decorated the walls of a room using $10 worth of Sharpie markers. Click on the following link (courtesty of momlogic.com) to see a panoramic vid of the results:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.stumbleupon.com/s/#1C3io4/www.momlogic.com/2009/09/let_kids_draw_on_your_walls_wi.php/">Let Kids Draw On Your Walls With Sharpies</a>Jeanne Ellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12096040179637686179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8681619227694033422.post-32386210821448266122009-08-27T23:18:00.000-07:002009-08-27T23:27:55.640-07:00Been BusyWow, I used to post on my blogs a lot more. I guess my life has been busy! I'm still around, though, so thanks for checking in :)Jeanne Ellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12096040179637686179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8681619227694033422.post-8522973062521057962009-08-10T15:54:00.000-07:002009-08-10T15:55:58.400-07:00Uh-huhAs irony would have it, when I clicked on my tweeted link for <a href="http://finegrind.blogspot.com/2009/08/adsense-question.html">this Adsense post</a>, the ads on my page were about none other than - you guessed it - Adsense. Hmmm.Jeanne Ellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12096040179637686179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8681619227694033422.post-50339353194463210222009-08-10T15:43:00.000-07:002009-08-10T15:52:23.457-07:00Adsense QuestionI've noticed something lately with Adsense that I find a little frustrating, and I am wondering if it's always been this way and will continue.<br /><br />The way Adsense is supposed to work is that it crawls your site's content and populates your ads with site appropriate content. I find this works well when my blogs are viewed as a hole (i.e. more than one post per page). <br /><br />However when traffic comes via links to specific posts (only one post is displayed on the main blog page), then the ads are no longer site appropriate. They seem to default to ads for "blogging", which is not what my blogs are about.<br /><br />If I have a reader arrive from, for example, a link posted on Twitter about a diet post, they're not going to have any interest in the "blogging" ads. They're looking for weight loss information. Those weight loss ads only appear if the reader clicks on the blog header ("home") to generate more posts on the page at the same time. <br /><br />Is it because my posts are short and Adsense doesn't have enough per-post content to crawl to populate the ads? If you have Adsense on your blog(s), what has your experience been with this issue?Jeanne Ellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12096040179637686179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8681619227694033422.post-48663276425966735182009-07-30T07:21:00.000-07:002009-07-30T07:31:38.393-07:00Free Downloadable DictionaryI haven't tried this out yet (but I'm going to). I got this from the "Ask Marc Saltzman" column in the Costco Connection magazine. <br /><br />If you're looking for a free downloadable dictionary/thesaurus that works with most programs, try <a href="http://www.wordweb.info/free/">www.wordweb.info/free</a><br /><br />You hold down the control key and right click with your mouse on the word in question and a small window pops up with dictionary and thesaurus info, including Wikipedia links (which are not there when you use the program off line). The software is 7.4 MB and contains 150,000 root words and 120,000 synonym sets, and is available in several country versions.Jeanne Ellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12096040179637686179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8681619227694033422.post-29380680362514849502009-07-22T22:00:00.000-07:002009-07-22T22:19:31.688-07:00Good Find - Life LabsI used to go to <a href="http://www.bcbio.com/">BC Biomedical Labs</a>, because I had no idea there was an alternative. Then one day I was told about <a href="http://www.lifelabs.com/Lifelabs_BC/">Life Labs</a> by my cousin, (and I swear to God if I ever had another daughter I now know who I'd name her after ;)<br /><br />What a relief! To have a lab to go to where there is no wait, and the staff is easily as knowledgable as the Biomedical Labs (where long waits are standard).<br /><br />Anyhoo, if you're like me and HATE line ups and waits, (and need lab work done!) check out their website to find a location nearest you:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.lifelabs.com/Lifelabs_BC/">http://www.lifelabs.com/Lifelabs_BC/</a><br /><br />(You're welcome ;)Jeanne Ellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12096040179637686179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8681619227694033422.post-32894600137900076952009-07-17T16:10:00.000-07:002009-07-17T18:44:32.194-07:00DeclutteringI'm trying to, anyway. <br /><br />I have my eyes on the prize of 10 hours per week with no kids (blissful giggle) this September when my youngest starts Kindergarten, at which point I have every confidence that I will completely <span style="font-style:italic;">fix and restructure my life</span> (cough cough). Meanwhile, I've been <span style="font-weight:bold;">setting a timer every day</span> (when I remember) <span style="font-weight:bold;">for :15 which I devote exclusively to DECLUTTERING.</span><br /><br />I kinda like it. I feel energized when I'm done, like I've actually gotten something accomplished. You can't always see the results, because it is, after all, only fifteen minutes, but at least I know I've done it. I have to be strict with myself to NOT use that time for, say, loading the dishwasher, because that is not decluttering. That falls under the category of mandatory stuff that I should be doing daily instead of surfing the internet. <br /><br />Anyhoo, just thought I'd share my little success with this strategy. I have no before and after photos ('cause at this point of my journey through chaos the benefits are mostly psychological), so you'll just have to take my word for it...Jeanne Ellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12096040179637686179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8681619227694033422.post-69098632365211742342009-07-15T23:00:00.000-07:002009-07-15T23:08:57.286-07:00Wart's Going On?Ah, wart remedies. <br /><br />Here's a list of 50:<br /><br /><a href="http://tipnut.com/wart-remedies/">http://tipnut.com/wart-remedies/<br /></a><br /><br />I have personally tried <a href="http://2kids-jeanne.blogspot.com/2008/04/yet-another-use-for-duct-tape.html">the duct tape remedy</a>, and although it took a long time, it worked beautifully. My Doc says it's because the tape attracted the attention of the body's immune system, which is what really fought off the wart (not the tape itself).<br /><br />My mother in law commented recently that she had a nagging wart that she couldn't seem to get rid of, until she got a large splinter stuck in it - then the wart disappeared within days. She laughed as she told me that the next time she gets a wart, she's going to find a splinter and stick herself on purpose. (psst! wake up immune system!!).<br /><br />So there ya go. It's not the stuff you put on the wart that kills it - it's your own immune system.Jeanne Ellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12096040179637686179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8681619227694033422.post-30705632702424365872009-07-14T15:09:00.000-07:002009-07-14T15:29:56.445-07:00Profanity And Pain ReliefHmmm... there may be a biologial root to profanity after all.<br /><br />According to this Vancouver Sun article (which I can't find a link to... why is it that some articles are out there for free and others are subscription only?) SIGH<br /><br />...anyway, according to this article, swearing originates in the right brain, as opposed to most language which arises in the left, and <span style="font-weight:bold;">the use of profanity seems to increase our pain tolerance</span>. <br /><br />Researchers at the school of psychology at Britain's Keele University conducted an experiment where they had volunteers hold their hands in ice water as long as they could while chanting a swear word of their choice. They repeated the experiment, the only difference being the second time around they used a non-profane word. You guessed it - they were able to stand the cold water longer while they were swearing. <br /><br />Huh.<br /><br />(Judging from my husband, it must also help with getting the PDR to record properly, in addition to various other tasks ;)<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Fyi, the name of the Vancouver Sun article is: "Naughty Word Helps Make The Pain Go Away", in case you want to try Googling it....</span>Jeanne Ellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12096040179637686179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8681619227694033422.post-18042460031390923642009-07-08T15:43:00.000-07:002009-07-08T16:05:37.223-07:00Laptop Battery WoesTwice now I've had issues with my laptop battery, which both times have resulted in my laptop shutting down to prevent a power short from destroying my data. I thought I'd share what I've learned, to save other laptop users the same grief...<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">The first time, the laptop simply wouldn't power up. There was no response at all to the power button, with or without the power cord.</span> <br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">The issue:</span> the battery contacts were not all touching.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">The solution:</span> the Best Buy tech simply took the battery out and then powered the laptop up using just the power cord. Once the laptop was running, he inserted the battery and ran a diagnostic on it to ensure that it wasn't faulty. He then told me that sometimes the batteries get moved slightly so that not all of the contacts meet, and that had been the problem.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">The second time, there was power to my laptop, all indicators lit up blue and normal sounds from the hard drive, but no response from the screen.</span> I even tried plugging in my desktop monitor, but that didn't work either.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">The issue:</span> the battery was over charged.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">The solution: </span>again the tech removed it, used the power chord only, and entered some kind of code (or something) to reactivate the screen. He then told me to NOT use the laptop plugged in with the battery in it, while the battery is fully charged. In other words, don't over charge it again.Jeanne Ellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12096040179637686179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8681619227694033422.post-48046658524702822222009-07-06T12:05:00.000-07:002009-07-06T12:21:18.950-07:00Doctors In BC Can Self-PrescribeThis is kind of interesting... I had no idea that <a href="http://www.vancouversun.com/Health/Many+doctors+have+their+family+physician/1762332/story.html">doctors in BC can prescribe medications to themselves</a>. <br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">“Technically, it is not illegal but self-prescribing isn’t condoned by the College of Physicians and Surgeons..."</span> (Vancouver Sun)<br /><br />Apparently many physicians in this province have no family doc themselves, so they tend to take care of their own medical needs, which would include writing their own prescriptions. While this would be convenient, couldn't it be dangerous in the case of mis-diagnosis due to lack of objectivity?<br /><br />According to the article, an attempt is being made to encourage more physicians to take other docs as <span style="font-style:italic;">patients</span>, to help rectify this issue. <br /><br />It's a tough call: is it fair to ban physicians from self-prescribing when there is a lack of care available for them? What do you think?Jeanne Ellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12096040179637686179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8681619227694033422.post-85000427402080459542009-07-01T13:40:00.000-07:002009-07-01T13:41:44.843-07:00What I Did On Canada Day:<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC6xXKH0iSYjhUVdphgsJkhriEJj5w5BA8uCK_7_h_MOIEytqyzI3ws6attIgsA08CYk3rkO2aaL_rwpwXNMOR3ywCkCWgsSYGUZSLpGPF0XnE1xsdDUyBdsU9fKffAz-qlE7Dg6lhvoCi/s1600-h/c2009+Jeanne+Elle+Canada+flag+cards.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC6xXKH0iSYjhUVdphgsJkhriEJj5w5BA8uCK_7_h_MOIEytqyzI3ws6attIgsA08CYk3rkO2aaL_rwpwXNMOR3ywCkCWgsSYGUZSLpGPF0XnE1xsdDUyBdsU9fKffAz-qlE7Dg6lhvoCi/s400/c2009+Jeanne+Elle+Canada+flag+cards.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5353594602497478098" /></a>Jeanne Ellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12096040179637686179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8681619227694033422.post-72371593758266074242009-07-01T10:43:00.000-07:002009-07-01T10:46:18.703-07:00Happy Canada Day!!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoixuI5Aw6qUv-XlF1ETl2NDvWtDIzmQe_U4syB5q8UYwkufitrscxMX3paD9G2gnIG144pd2OEB6IgYS1xnQde1blZzl2xnpyLPZJ_6nFXgz4Glp9ki2oIbUaFEdFMwgSxywUx6Iiuc46/s1600-h/canada+day.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 111px; height: 106px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoixuI5Aw6qUv-XlF1ETl2NDvWtDIzmQe_U4syB5q8UYwkufitrscxMX3paD9G2gnIG144pd2OEB6IgYS1xnQde1blZzl2xnpyLPZJ_6nFXgz4Glp9ki2oIbUaFEdFMwgSxywUx6Iiuc46/s400/canada+day.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5353549429975724290" /></a>Jeanne Ellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12096040179637686179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8681619227694033422.post-81337015884174751782009-06-26T23:21:00.000-07:002009-06-26T23:23:43.079-07:00Crop Circles ExplainedUh huh. Stoned wallabies??<br /><br />Supposedly they eat the poppies, get high as a kite, and then hop around in circles. So much for the aliens theory ;)<br /><br />Read more here: <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8118257.stm">http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8118257.stm<br /></a>Jeanne Ellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12096040179637686179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8681619227694033422.post-30789780047807045162009-06-23T09:15:00.000-07:002009-06-23T09:42:40.349-07:00My Take On Jon And KateYes, I too got sucked into the "Jon and Kate big announcement" episode that aired last night.<br /><br />I used to watch the show now and then, but found myself tuning in less and less as time went on. When I watched last night I was not really up to speed - for instance, I had no idea they now have two dogs, and I had never seen their new home (wow).<br /><br />The episode saddened me. Not the divorce stuff - that's fairly common these days. What got to me and is still haunting me this morning was the birthday party.<br /><br />Is it just me, or was there NO ONE there? Yes I saw the "classmates and other moms", but where were the other friends and family? The Gosselins were holed away in some secluded location, with all the trimmings (balloons, bouncy castle), but with no one else around. The whole time it was on, I felt like it was just the party set up and I was waiting for the real party to start. It was like some carnival that was never advertised, so no one knew to come. SUCH a weird vibe.<br /><br />Why? Because the media attention has overwhelmed them, and they're trying to escape it. In the past they've taken the kids out in public (i.e. Disneyland) and they've had a taste of normalcy. Now, I think, the Gosselins are feeling so much media heat that they're hiding from the world. Hiding, and yet parading around on TV.<br /><br />Is it really their fault, or is that simply what happens when you're in the public eye? For all their faults, Jon and Kate are just like so many other people that we share our "non-public" lives with. They're no different - no better, no worse. I think originally they tried to make a good decision in regards to doing the show, but that decision has turned sour.<br /><br />In my opinion, the show has become toxic for these kids. In the beginning it may have been fun, and the exposure may have been beneficial to them in regards to getting them extra help. Now, however, I can't help but fear that the seclusion they've been forced into can only impair their development.<br /><br />Whatever. I'm not a child psychologist.<br /><br />I am, however, of the opinion that there should be a limit to this kind of TV programming when it involves kids who aren't old enough to choose for themselves. Adults can make their own choices and take the consequences of those choices, but is it really fair to take a child and shape his or her entire life in such a way that this child becomes segregated from the rest of mainstream society?<br /><br />It's not too late - they could take these kids off the air, and let some time pass. Let their "fifteen minutes" fade into memory, and into the archives of reality TV. Give them a shot at a normal life. But will they? Here's hoping.Jeanne Ellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12096040179637686179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8681619227694033422.post-36728581216636815442009-06-22T08:11:00.000-07:002009-06-22T13:59:08.966-07:00Leather Couches And CatsSo here we are, in week I forget how many now, of the not-so-new leather couches and cats saga.<br /><br />So far so good I suppose, if you're considering the scratching post scenario. As of yet both cats have absolutely NO interest WHATSOEVER in using the couches to purposefully scratch (why do they do that, anyway? Sigh). They both use other things to "sharpen their claws" or whatever it is they're doing: one cat uses the cat scratching post that we bought and the other uses the carpet (a-ok since we're going to rip it up and install laminate one of these fine days).<br /><br />However one cat (the one who scratches the carpet) cannot resist sleeping on the leather. She simply cannot help herself, and no amount of spraying with a water bottle has deterred her. <br /><br />Sleeping you say? What could be the harm in that? Simple - when she gets up to jump off the couch, she on occasion has accidentally scraped the leather with her nails. <br /><br />How do you get mad at that? It's so not deliberate. She's just moving herself, for heaven's sake. Arrgh.<br /><br />Anyhoo, below is a sample. There's a close up shot of one of her "jumping off" scratches, as well as a further back shot of the scratch next to my husband's glasses (for scale ;) One or two of these is tolerable and not really noticeable, but if this keeps up the couches will be looking old pretty fast...<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_7sbliuGwT6kOnNeb0q4567SsMCjA64BU1f9XlarIDIqbb10dN_7lUSFeoGVndv46hN9DNjpQ2YuoCGmhQWfQncTLcPhOIt7uK-M_u40YD0zwkTia1jZct6FfUUm98AQqKrSkmY9S4fMn/s1600-h/c2009+JeanneElle+couch+scratch7760.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_7sbliuGwT6kOnNeb0q4567SsMCjA64BU1f9XlarIDIqbb10dN_7lUSFeoGVndv46hN9DNjpQ2YuoCGmhQWfQncTLcPhOIt7uK-M_u40YD0zwkTia1jZct6FfUUm98AQqKrSkmY9S4fMn/s400/c2009+JeanneElle+couch+scratch7760.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350258454383757218" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEl-qUGNxSptziSBTWwfhrV09qwwLb0hOq3d-5i_Hl0BzyO2g-Nxa6QdvC-J44OyW79uHMXLIQnPHsmZfstS35dA9HRm0wTi_gKmqr-V44M-hE0fTWCN2UvQUQsmlFFqfZVRSmPdRvBQla/s1600-h/c2009+JeanneElle+couch+scratch7757.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEl-qUGNxSptziSBTWwfhrV09qwwLb0hOq3d-5i_Hl0BzyO2g-Nxa6QdvC-J44OyW79uHMXLIQnPHsmZfstS35dA9HRm0wTi_gKmqr-V44M-hE0fTWCN2UvQUQsmlFFqfZVRSmPdRvBQla/s400/c2009+JeanneElle+couch+scratch7757.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350258450244374050" /></a>Jeanne Ellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12096040179637686179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8681619227694033422.post-53902438056850763802009-06-20T21:29:00.000-07:002009-06-20T21:38:25.921-07:00My Puppy And His PawsMy dog loves to chase his ball, and will bring it back for us to throw to the point of exhaustion (his and ours ;) Usually we do this in the back yard, where he's running on grass. Yesterday we were talking to neighbours in the front yard, and our mutt was doing his mad retriever act on the street.<br /><br />I could hear the <span style="font-style:italic;">scritch scritch</span> sound of his nails on the pavement, but not for a second did I stop to think about the pads of his paws. He, of course, was so intent in playing ball that he didn't pay attention to how he felt.<br /><br />Today I noticed him walking gingerly across the lawn. I stopped him and inspected his feet, and sure enough, the pads were worn almost raw in some spots. Poor pup!!<br /><br />Needless to say he won't be running after his ball for a few days...Jeanne Ellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12096040179637686179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8681619227694033422.post-67622835192808602642009-06-16T06:45:00.000-07:002009-06-16T07:01:53.006-07:00Rambling About Reading, Writing, and the InternetThis has become more of my blogroll page than I blog I actually post to. I log in, and then scroll down to the bottom right (where I have other blogs I read) and then I start surfing (do people still use that term?).<br /><br />I'm finding lately that I'm able to focus more when I read, after struggling with my attention span in recent years (not sure why it's getting better - maybe the fish oil I've been taking?). I was an absolutely voracious reader as a kid, devouring entire books (well above my grade level) in one sitting. As an adult, however, I have trouble finishing a newspaper column.<br /><br />I blame <a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200807/google">"The Google Effect"</a>. Hey why not? It makes sense. Good enough theory for me. It beats blaming pregnancy related brain loss (that's just depressing ;)<br /><br />The upside of spending so much time on the net is that I'll be web savvy when my kids get here. They're already on-line, but in a very controlled and kid friendly environment. When they start to branch out into older kid stuff, I'll be the mom who's one step ahead.<br /><br />I burst out laughing last night at a TV ad for www.bing.com - the new search engine: the ad showed a couple of women talking, one of them spewing gibberish because she was all Googled out. I found it hilarious, but my husband (being a non-net trades guy) was lost. I guess there's hope for my Google-affected brain yet ;)Jeanne Ellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12096040179637686179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8681619227694033422.post-68118622089830653882009-06-12T10:05:00.001-07:002009-06-12T10:12:27.650-07:00Bear With Me......while I tinker with some HTML. I'm still learning ;) I'm using this post to try a few things, so it may keep changing...Jeanne Ellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12096040179637686179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8681619227694033422.post-39147163659991545092009-06-07T10:05:00.000-07:002009-06-07T10:31:52.084-07:00Have A Cuppa AdSenseCoffee coffee coffee ;)<br /><br />I just noticed that all the ads between the posts on this blog are coffee related (grinders, beans, etc etc). How in keeping with the blog theme! So I suppose if I want that to continue, it means I have to keep talking about coffee. (For those of you who are unfamiliar with AdSense, the ads are automatically generated based on the content of your blog, so that your audience is more likely to be interested).<br /><br />At the moment (coffee) my daughter has a friend over, and they're (beans) playing in the back yard -<br /><br />...wait, I can do better than that:<br /><br />At the moment my little bean of a daughter has a friend visiting. They're too young to go for coffee, so at the moment they're in the back yard, the sound of their happy voices filtering through the window. The two girls, with my son, are a good blend of fun!<br /><br />(Heh heh)Jeanne Ellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12096040179637686179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8681619227694033422.post-80607830112669353932009-05-29T22:09:00.001-07:002009-05-29T22:23:54.205-07:00How To Grind Coffee Beans When Everyone Is AsleepI'm back!! (What was I thinking, planning to update 8 blogs daily ;) Monthly <em>maybe</em>.<br /><br />So here I am, sitting at my laptop, thinking that a fresh cuppa joe might be nice (although it is 10:10 pm). The kids are asleep, and my husband is, um, snoring on the couch. <br /><br /><em>must have coffee</em><br /><br />Unfortunately for me, I'm a little <a href="http://10things-jeanne.blogspot.com/2008/04/10-things-to-know-about-making-good.html">picky about my brew</a>. It's not just that I prefer freshly ground beans, it's also that I don't have pre-ground coffee in my house. Just beans, beans, and more beans, and a noisy grinder.<br /><br />I came up with this solution awhile back, and it's pretty darn funny so I thought I'd share it (ok, I think it's funny, which is maybe why I need more coffee). <br /><br />I take a short and a long couch cushion into the kitchen. I put the short cushion on the counter and place the grinder on top of it. I then wrap the long cushion around the grinder, making sure that I cover it completely, top and sides. I then wrap my arms around the whole thing and <em>lean</em> until it starts grinding.<br /><br />Once you've finished laughing (and wondering why I don't just take the grinder into another part of the house), you can read on to find out that this actually works! The cushions insulate the grinder enough so that the sound is muffled and doesn't wake anyone up. This means I can have coffee ANY time, regardless of who is sleeping nearby.<br /><br />...why am I still typing?Jeanne Ellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12096040179637686179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8681619227694033422.post-63643665899267792252009-05-22T19:13:00.000-07:002009-05-22T19:17:55.290-07:00Internet Explorer Issue Resolved?Looks like everything is back to normal, at least. Meanwhile I now have Firefox downloaded and am using it as an alternate browser. It seems to work really well (I like it!) although the version I've downloaded is missing some plug-ins that I'll have to add (like Flash Player). No biggie.<br /><br />The upside to it all is that in an attempt to rectify the problem (before I knew it wasn't just me that was having it), I changed my Fine Grind blog template as a way of cleaning up the code. I actually like this new template better, but wouldn't have switched and discovered it if Internet Explorer hadn't gone wonky on me. Silver lining!Jeanne Ellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12096040179637686179noreply@blogger.com0