I’ve been thinking that grandpa Microsoft was on the way to the old-folks home for technology. I’ve been making raspberries in his general direction. I’ve been finding alternatives.

And then I see Microsoft Surface — and it actually takes my breath away! It’s AWESOME!!

This is the type of computer integration with my life and my way of doing business and being entertained and staying organized that I’ve always known could be possible — but now I have the details, the funky, cool, OMG details.

This is like the interactive display hardware/software I reported on last year, but it’s so much more — it’s the next generation… and it’ NOW.

I can’t believe I’m recommending my readers go to a Microsoft site… but here I am doing just that.. Visit Microsoft’s Surface site — and watch all three videos. You will be glad you did.

Wow!

Not everyone is a bag lady at heart — but (as most of you know) I love “go bags” and boxes and containers — especially those made of wood and leather. With that said, maybe this “write up” pulled a little harder at my desire to purchase than it should… (more…)

I’ve noticed over the past few years that, despite my tech tendencies, it’s the low tech stuff I buy for myself on special occasions. On my birthday every year I buy myself a little nicety that I would never normally be able to justify. It’ a private celebration and I thoroughly enjoy the shopping trip to find that special something.

I’ve noticed over the past few years that, unintentionally, that special item has always had to do with paper, pens, ink or paint. I find that extremely interesting, although it surprised me when I first noticed the pattern. (more…)

I found Jeri Danski’s Professional Organizer Blog online yesterday and I must say I love the content, the candor and the colorful photos she uses to keep her blog interesting.

If you crave conspicuous organization and conservative consumption, you should visit her blog. I know I’ll be back!

While doing a bit of research on Bloggers Rights for an article over on WickedWordCraft.com today, I found the following information about AT&Ts violation of customer rights and privacy (providing information to NSA to help them spy on Americans).

It makes my skin crawl (as do most actions classified as “Homeland Security”). (more…)

You want to blog. You may have already started to blog, but you worry about the content… and your concerns are being fed by reports of bloggers not having the same rights as journalists. You wonder:

• What if I get in legal trouble?
• What if someone sues me?
• What if a typo changes something I’m trying to say?
• How can I protect myself?

Bloggers are communicators. We (as a group) need to be heard, to share information and to stand surefooted alongside our opinions. We need to know where to go to get the real story about our rights, or protection and how the current legal climate may affect our blogs. (more…)

As remote professionals, we are required to maintain a rather “high-tech” office with leading edge tech tools, programs and equipment. Often, we get “caught up” in our technology. If we are bitten by the tech bug, we can end up with a bundle of these tools that cost us more time than they save. Something as simple as buying a new cell phone requires research, time and sometimes hours of programming. Ditto for a new “land-line” phone system for a business.

How do you determine what’s “just enough” and what is “too much” where office and technology tools are concerned?

Needs Assessment

Once a year, you should assess your current “mission critical” programs and hardware to determine if you need to upgrade or replace them. It’s a good idea to do this before the end of your fiscal year, to expense out what you need on the old year, or to know that you need to hold it for the upcoming business year.

Remember that if you upgrade or replace, there will be a learning curve. Even what appear to be “simple” upgrades will impact your productivity and the amount of time required to turn around projects in the immediate future. Don’t replace mission critical software and hardware during your busy season. Schedule these changes when you will have time to acquaint yourself with your new gadgets and gizmos.

Software Purchase Considerations

First, you should only buy software (and hardware) you actually need to provide the services you offer. For example, don’t buy the latest version of “Dreamweaver” unless you already are a web designer/web programmer or you plan in the IMMEDIATE future to learn this new, complex software program.

Our industry is filled with the best intentions to learn new skills which require new tools. Don’t purchase until you have the time, the money and the desire to take on a big new educational leap and can honestly sacrifice the billable hours to do so. If you buy it now and it’s a few months before you can muster up the strength to begin learning it, your program will be the “old” version.

Alternative: Online Options

Consider lowering your investment in software by utilizing online alternatives like Google Docs, Backpackit, or Zoho rather than purchasing and installing all the software you need.

• Lower cost (usually free)
• No installation or upgrades needed
• Uses most common file formats
• Most allow you to save your personal documents on your own computer
• Storing them online means you can access your files from anywhere

Warning: Read the privacy policy carefully for any online service providers and beware of storing sensitive information online on someone else’s server.

Alternative: Open Source Options

Consider the plethora of open source options for paid software programs you currently use. I’ve found several extremely useful and high-performance open source programs: Gimp for image manipulation and Open Office for basic productivity programs and WordPress for my blogging engine. (These actually crash less often than the “big name” programs I used before.)

• Cost is either low or free
• Updates are also low or no-cost
• Security on these “group effort” program are pretty good
• Programs tend to be stable once they are listed as non-alpha/non-beta versions

Warning: Regular updates will have to be done on open source options and some (but not all) require a higher level of technical expertise than the commercial versions.

Hardware Purchase Considerations

When purchasing a new computer, resist the temptation to buy the “latest and greatest” model. Unless you are in a high-tech niche where the clients or the industry requires cutting edge equipment, you will save hundreds of dollars and many hours of your time each year if you drop back one (or more) steps from the top of the line.

Personally, I find the pricing “sweet spot” for a new computer at one or two generations back. This is usually a machine that has been on the market for a few weeks or even a few months and has been recently “trumped” by the next shiny model. The prices are cut to clear out the old and make way for the new and the only sacrifice is usually a tiny bit of CPU speed (which you probably won’t notice unless you are handling multimedia projects) and maybe a new flashy feature or two.

Going one or two steps back also retains the value of the computer for you as a user and prevents the need for a near-future replacement. I would not buy a computer model that is more than 7-8 months old, however. Technology becomes outdated too quickly to invest your time and energy into tweaking a new system with all your software and your personalized settings if you are going to be replacing it in less than a year or two.

Recognize that “one device to do it all” options are great, but are usually more expensive and will require more time to learn than simpler options. So, if you don’t need all of the extra bells and whistles, avoid the fancy stuff.

Maintain What You Use

Do not update your software to the latest version immediately. Do so only as you must to keep your security levels high and to stay in step with the version the majority of your clients are using. Deciding NOT to be on the cutting edge will save you money and it will save you time. It will also ensure that you don’t become one of the many unsuspecting and unpaid beta-testers for newly released (and usually extremely buggy) software.

• Run regular diagnostics and maintenance programs on your computer
• Update your adware/spyware/anti-virus programs and run full-system scans religiously
• Create regular, timely backups (at least once a week — preferably daily)
• Get critical security updates for your software and operating system
• Use a firewall, use strong passwords, don’t share your business machine with family members

When working in our industry, a solid working system that’s a little older is much better than the latest and greatest that crashes in the middle of a project or makes you burn the midnight oil to figure it out before you can begin your next workday. Keep your perspective and remember that technology is supposed to serve you and simplify the way you work. If that’s not happening, you may want to re-evaluate your tech tools.

Technology is great fun for the geeks among us, but it can absorb big chunks of what SHOULD be billable time during your workday… so proceed with caution, consideration, and care.

I was looking for a cool pen holder for my desk when I tripped across this femur version (bluck!) and that led me to these “cuddly” diseases and bodily function toys.

• Pee and Poop – the stuffed version
• Syphilis and the Clap – toys everyone should avoid
• The TB toy – can you say ewww gross!?

And there is a whole plethora of other stuffed “microbes” available. I’m all for creative education, but this is just too much… even for me. I don’t even like “bodily function” humor and slapstick movies! BLUCK!

I called Cingular this week to get a cell phone for my son. Yeah, I know, it would normally run against my grain to deliver a cell phone to a teenager — but we are in the city now and he’s a responsible young man. Besides, he’s going to have freedoms here (and places to be) that weren’t possible in a rural setting. He’s also looking for a job.

So, while ordering the phone, I asked about the ETA for the iPhone. The representative said that it was supposed to be June — but that it had been delayed due to demand. (more…)

Ok, it’s official. I’d gotten OLD and had forgotten how badly it sucked to rent property. It really does. We have had possession of the house since the 9th and the air conditioner (that I was assured worked) didn’t work and still hasn’t been fixed. Now, in May that shouldn’t be a big deal, but it’s hot as blazes in here (especially upstairs) and I’ve been cleaning and working and painting and sweating for days.

The list of things that were to be completed before we moved in still aren’t done.

And the real kicker? We smelled a serious gas odor and when I called last Monday to have it checked out… we have a leak in the house. Over 50% of the pressure that enters the house is escaping through a leak and the gas line itself is going THROUGH a heating duct. Nice, eh? The gas company immediately shut off the gas. So this week, we have been without hot water and without a way to cook. (more…)

We have now completed the painting in almost every room. I’ve determined that doing a mural in the living room was probably NOT my most brilliant decision. It has, however, been a relaxing way to make some progress when I’m too tired, or my legs and arms hurt too much to continue with the rolling and the “over my head” painting.

I did manage to paint the quote over the mantle that I wanted to paint (Thoreau, of course). But, I don’t know if I’m going to redo the lettering. Most of it is ok, but the first letter (a “G”) looks a little odd and it bugs me.

We made the final truck-load from the cabin to the city. The only thing left is a car load or two. (more…)

While doing my usual thing today, I found a great resource for tricking out Firefox. Now this list isn’t for the faint of heart, but for those geeks among us, it’s a cool list to take Firefox to the next level of customization and performance!

Last Friday was “field day” at Alex’s school. I remember field day from elementary school. I remember it fondly, so I’m ok with that, despite the fact that I DO mind that there has been alot of movie watching the last few days/weeks. (more…)

My daughter’s room, like life, is starting to go from bleak to a little more inviting. I worked on the new house non-stop for the past four days: painting, scrubbing, repairing and touching up. It’s starting to look a lot less like a rental house and a lot more like a home. (photos below) (more…)

I get the keys to the new house today and already I’m worried about being in the “renter” category again. It seems nuts to have a farm as beautiful as the one I have and choose to live in the middle of the city with all the damn city noises, all the people everywhere and all the mess. There is no natural beauty here. None. I have 25 acres of pristine, untouched, unparalleled beauty that I own free and clear… and I sit here paying for the privilege of being where I don’t really want to be. (more…)

I’ve been a bit worried about the frequency with which the Sugar Gliders (aka “the babies” or “the monkeys”) have been breeding. Our young males are now old enough to find another home, but I couldn’t decipher the laws on exotics to my satisfaction. (more…)

The second pair of baby gliders emerged from the pouch on May 3rd. One joey is a boy and the other is a girl in this latest batch. I’m afraid that our sugar gliders are a bit TOO healthy and happy, judging from the speed with which they are reproducing!

I do worry about the baby girl, however, she seemed awfully small when she emerged and had balance problems at first. She seems to be hanging onto her mommy, Sheena, a bit better this week, but I’m still watching her anxiously. Last week, Sheena had to hold her with one hand while jumping and grasping with her one free hand.

Bright eyes, the larger baby in the photo below, is the same joey I photographed a few days ago… this time wrapped around my thumb (much bigger than Alex’s thumb used before) — so you can see how quickly the little ones are growing. I must say, Bright eyes is my favorite in quite some time. She’s terribly sweet.

Want to see more photos? (including some of the newest addition?) (more…)

My son (Byron) and his girlfriend (Brittney) just before leaving for prom. Aren’t they sweet?

Want to see more photos? (more…)

Kimberly Thomas-Catanzaro (a peer professional who specializes in bookkeeping) recently sent me a note on a new productivity product (currently in public beta) that I think would be quite a boon for most real estate folks.

I’m going to be testing it over the next few days myself as a way to keep up with expenses. (I’m always out — and usually driving — when I think “oh, I should record this before I forget it.”) I always have my cell phone and can’t drive and use my tablet at the same time — at least not very well or very safely. (more…)

Dell is shipping a few models of their mainstream computers with the Ubuntu operating system. (Coincidentally, the same OS my son recently booted on his own Linux box and used to create a machine for his kid sister.)

This is a huge victory for the open source community and quite a blow to Microsoft, IMHO. Personally, I’m thrilled to see this go mainstream for consumer machines, following suit with government and military uses of Linux. Looks like the wave of the future is here!

Read more on Dell’s decision to use Linux on Machines.