Category: Internet and Computers

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Checking Out Different WordPress Themes

With the last upgrade for WordPress, they made a totally new default theme available to all users. It is called Twenty Thirteen, because it is the theme of the year for 2013. When I got the notice to upgrade my blog to WordPress to 3.6.1, I decided to check out the new theme and activated it. Here are my thoughts on the subject of this new theme.

For off, I’m not a big fan of the color orange. I don’t know why, but orange makes me think of Hardees and Burger King and not much of anything else good or pleasant. So the fact that this new theme is based on the color orange is a real turn off for me. I looked at the different options and see that you can change the header pretty easily, but you are still stuck with orange and that awful, huge and heavy black typeface.

I really have to wonder if anyone with any sense of class or refinement had anything to do with this new default theme. It is so loud, so vulgar, and so brutish that it is a total turn off and offensive to my eyes. Even after I tried to make some adjustments, I can’t get past the very amateurish feel of the Twenty Thirteen theme. But I decided to leave it up on my blog for a week or so to see if I could get used to it.

Today I noticed that someone has released a blue version of this same theme. I have to admit that the blues are a much more relaxing and welcoming color than the horrible orange. But the font is still too big and too thick for my taste. It makes me think of those very thick crayons and pencils that kindergarten kids have to use when they are learning to write their ABC’s. I hate it and cannot easily change it.

So, today I am checking out new WordPress themes for my blog and trying them on my homepage to see if I find something that is more my style. I have no idea what I will end up with.

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Fun Game: Plants vs Zombies

So my little nephew likes to play video games, but he is only 5 years old and can’t really handle most of the good video games that I like to play. He can barely handle the controller or make decisions quick enough to survive any levels of the games like Call of Duty or Drakes Landing. We’ve got a Playstation 3 and a whole collection of games, but the funny thing is that he likes a game that I downloaded onto my PC.

Somehow I stumbled onto a game called Plants vs Zombies and my nephew really likes this game. It has different types of mini-games and puzzles within the main game, and you can play it over and over again without advancing to a harder level if you want to stay on the easy ones.

The main idea is that you get a large grid of squares that will hold a plant that fights zombies. The zombies come staggering from the right, across the rows, trying to get into your house and eat your brains. You defend your house by planting the right plants in the way of the zombies. If you mess up, the zombie gets in your house and that level is over. You have to successfully defend your house at each level or replay the level until you succeed.

As you advance to the harder levels, you are given more plants to work with, and you have different types of plants for daylight fighting, night time fighting, and other scenarios. I like this game, too. And my nephew likes to watch me play the harder levels that he can’t handle yet. He coaches and criticizes all my plays – funny as hell.

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Christmas lights

I guess I’m a bit home sick this year.  My Dad used to put Christmas lights up every year and just pitch a fit about it.  We all knew he really enjoyed it because once they all were up, and working, he would stand back and look at the house with a look of pride at his accomplishment.

I said the Schmitt House!
I said the Schmitt House!

Well I decided I want to put up Christmas lights this year.  Thank God they aren’t as much of a pain as they used to be years ago.  One bulb goes out and the whole strand went dead.  Not to mention, I have had to buy all new lights since this is my first time putting them up.

I have seen some amazing light displays on the internet that play music and the lights dance to the music.  A strand or two here and there is all I’m up for!  So, let us have the decorating begin.   No my house isn’t going to look like the Schmitt either although my BFF would certainly enjoy witnessing such an event!!! Thanks for sending this great Christmas cartoon to me Lori! And I look forward to talking to you real soon!

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Computer slowing down

I sure wish I knew what was up with my computer.  It’s slowing down way too much.  I have done the usual like running a disk clean up and defragmented it but neither has done a darn thing to speed my computer back up.

Even trying to write my blog is a bit of a pain but I do enjoy blogging so I guess I’ll just have to deal with it.  Oh sure, I’ll take it in to be looked at once it bugs me enough but for now, I’ll just keep on keeping on.  Anyone know of any software that could help?

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Friends, Florida, and cars

Since my work takes me out of state every once in a while, I am sometimes able to visit friends or family if I am in the area. I was recently in Tampa, Fl and was able to see an old friend of mine named Bob. We went to college together and have stayed in touch ever since. It turned out that I had one whole day to do whatever I wanted and so I hung out with him.

The only thing that Bob really had to do that day was that he wanted to buy some Used Cars he could give to his children. He had gone online and watched some used car videos and wanted to get my opinion on the cars he liked. We found a place that we liked for used cars Tampa and that can be found at this web address http://www.parkautomall.com we got ready to head down to the lot.

We talked with the salesman and found two cars we liked. We made a pretty good deal to buy both cars and he was able to apply for credit right there at the store. When the deal was closed I think everyone was happy. We spent the rest of the day enjoying the kid’s faces as they saw their cars. All in all it was a great trip and I hope to back to Tampa Bay soon.

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Slippers

Life is an unending story. It does have a few exceptions though. One exception is my slippers. They have seen better days and need to be replaced. One has a hole in it and the other is falling apart. They must have a particular smell as even my dog won’t chew them anymore.

I went to the internet to find another pair. Shopping for slippers is not a lot of fun, but it needed to be done. I found a pair I liked and ordered them right away. I wish everything was so easy.

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Maximize

One thing about the internet is that it is always changing. I remember when it first started for me and it has come a long way since then. I was just growing up when it started. It seems that every day there is a new company who is trying to take over the circus we call search engines. There is fierce competition between the companies and it can be difficult to know how to proceed if you are trying to improve your stats with a local search optimization company. That’s why it pays to take a few days and weigh the pros and cons of each company.

While I do not claim to be an expert by any means, I have done a fair amount of research on the subject. I believe that there are many people who are looking to advance the progress of their small business marketing. After all, the best way to improve your sales is to get the widest variety of customers. No one will buy from you if they do not know you are in business. There are many ways to do so and there are some people who can help you with this.

Anytime you go onto the internet and do a local search, there are a number of factors that are involved. The page rank of your site plays an important role in this. Making sure that your site is optimized for this is critical. You have to be sure that your site is continuously updated and is easily found by the various search engines. I would highly recommend that you find a company that has experience in making sure your site is high on the list of being used by other people. The internet can be tricky but there are those who know the ins and outs of the business. All you have to do is a little research.

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Doing what you love

Sometimes in life, we must accept the inevitable. This is especially true with my cousin chip. While he is truly a great guy, he is not what you would call physically gifted. In fact, he is a bit ungainly when it comes to physical activity. That’s why there are some areas where I believe he will not be able to find a job. The good news is that he is very smart and has the attention to detail that is needed for the career he wants to pursue.

He wants to become a tax preparer. I think that this is a job that is ideally suited for him. He will be able to do most of the work from home and will not have to strain himself physically. He will be able to use his mind in order to do his job. I also happen to know that this is something that he wants to do. I think this will be good for him.

Another good aspect of this potential job is that he can learn everything he needs to know online. There are websites that offer the courses needed so that he can get a tax preparer certification. He will have access to study guides and will also be able to take practice exams. I know that my cousin will be alright and will have a gr4eat future doing what he loves. That’s always a good thing.

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Starting over again

I have been in many situations in my life. The situation I am in now is new to me. I am helping my sister find a new home in Texas. She has decided to move and is looking for a house to purchase. Since I have some experience in this area, she asked me to help. I told her that I would be glad to help in any way I could. I had a few ideas that I wanted to try.

My sister wanted a home that she could afford. This meant that she might want to look into houses that needed a bit of fixing up. After some searching, we found one we liked and thought it would be a great house for her. While the house was basically sound structurally, it did need a bit of cleaning up. That’s why we employed a company that can be found on the internet at http://www.thesteamteam.com/.

This company can help home owners in many ways. They can provide services such as rug carpet cleaning austin that will help put a home into shape. My sister is now happy to be living in a brand new house and is looking forward to starting a new way of living. I wish her all the best and hope she will do well.

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Life is changing

Ever since the world really started using portable devices, things have really changed. I see kids using cell phones, cameras, and gaming equipment all the time. The only thing I wonder about is how they keep them going. It seems that just about everything is battery powered and I wonder how they keep the batteries charged. I was lucky enough to find out from my daughter who is up on these kinds of things.

It seems that you can easily add a lot of memory to your computer or phone by adding what is called a USB. The only problem is that these are run by batteries that tend to wear out. That’s where companies that sell batteries come in. The good thing is that most batteries can be charged by using an usb battery charger. It’s up to you where to get one.

I have found a great place to get what I need to keep things running smoothly. It’s a site called batteryheads.com and they provide the services I need. You can find a wide selection of products that include the portable usb battery charger that is so much in demand. I believe that many people will be able to take advantage of this service and that it will make their lives better.