I've moved my active blog to nancycrivers.com/blog. I won't be updating this blog much anymore. I'm keeping it though mainly for showing my students. I know that may not make much sense, but I have my reasons.
Read More......Thursday, March 05, 2009
Sunday, March 01, 2009
The fortune cookie
Some years ago, a couple of friends shared with me a tradition for reading the fortunes in fortune cookies. Basically it went like this: read the fortune and then add the words "in bed" to it. It usually comes out really funny that way. Today, I decided to stop at the local chinese take out place and got a fortune cookie. Keeping in mind the "tradition", here's the fortune as it appeared on the paper:
"Your act of kindness will warm another's soul."
When did it happen?
Have you ever stopped and thought When did it happen? When did I become (fill in the blank)?
That thought has crossed my mind in the last few weeks.
Specifically, When did I become the "computer guru"?
It's all a matter of perspective. There are several people that I know that consider me rather knowledgeable about computers. Of course, I really don't consider myself a guru - mainly because I'm still in school struggling for the degree to show I have some knowledge about computers (and depending on the subject, very little knowledge). But, when did it happen that several of my friends started believing that I was the guru? I can't pinpoint a specific time. I'm not even sure how it happened.
In a way, it's kind of weird. I remember growing up and thinking about certain people that they were very smart and I wished I knew just a tenth of what they knew because then I would be smart too. Now, it seems that I'm the "smart one". Strange...
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Great week
First there was the news that Supernatural has been picked up for a 5th season on the CW. Woo hoo! It's my favorite tv show and I'm glad the CW recognized they have a good show on their hands and renewed it. Smallville was also renewed for a 9th season, so that presumes that Tom Welling came to a contract agreement with WB. I hope the writing doesn't go any further south on that show. :)
Then I made contact with another Stiles cousin. This one descends from Eugene Stiles - older brother to my 2nd Great-Grandmother Emma Mae Stiles. Very little is known about Eugene and his descendants, so this is a huge find for me. The mother of the person I'm in contact with had produced a book about her parents and their missionary work in Hawaii. I've ordered a copy of the book from Amazon and can't wait to get it.
Lastly, I've just been informed by the CEO of the webhost for my website, nancycrivers.com, that I have been selected as one of the top 10 websites that they host for Feb. I'm not exactly sure what that means yet, but I'm going to be checking into it. :)
Monday, February 23, 2009
Why does this work?
Why does sending mail to someone asking them to contact you regarding a business opportunity work? Seriously?
Every week I receive between 4 and 8 post cards and regular envelopes advertising some work at home opportunity and asking me to contact them. Just today I received 4 post cards! I also typically receive 2 to 3 phone calls per week. The worst one was about 3 weeks ago, I received a post card without postage - it came postage due! I will NOT be paying for something that I never asked for.
Why on earth am I receiving this junk mail? I am not interested and never will be in these work at home SCAMS. I have NEVER expressed any desire to any website or business asking them to contact me in regards to work at home businesses.
I wish I knew how I got onto these mailing lists and phone lists. I would definitely not do business with that source again. I also wish I knew how to get OFF of these blasted things. Contacting the people who send them does not work - because they buy the list from some source and refuse to reveal the source.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Michigan e-Library
One of my students shared a "new" website with me yesterday. The Michigan e-Library website is a website that provides awesome resources for free to anyone who has a Michigan driver's license or identification card.
The mission statement as on their website states: "Administered by the Library of Michigan in partnership with Michigan's libraries of all types, the Michigan eLibrary (http://mel.org) will provide all Michigan residents with free access to online full-text articles, full-text books, digital images, and other valuable research information at any time via the Internet; and provide an easy-to-use interlibrary loan system to allow Michigan residents to borrow books and other library materials for free from participating Michigan libraries."
Why am I excited about this? Well, one, I live in Michigan and thus have accesss to it. :) But more importantly, there is a genealogy section which has links to resources such as Heritage Quest Online - an awesome resource. Now I have access to this resource for free from my home - or if I'm traveling for work. There are other resources too - but I just haven't had time to delve into them yet.
If your not into doing your genealogy, MeL has other things too. Mel Michigana has historical pictures of various Michigan governors, Civil War soldiers, Michigan communities and more. There's also diaries from the Civil War era, Michigan County Histories, resources from Michigan Oral History Association, and access to the Walter P. Reuther Library of Labor and Urban Affairs in addition to many, many other historical resources. They have databases that have full text searches of newspaper and magazine articles. There are even resources for teachers (like lesson plans and curriculum aides).
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Introducing nancycrivers.com
I have created a website for myself that I plan to use as a "one stop" for all things that are related to me. NancyCRivers.com is my new online home. I'll have information on there about vacations that I have taken, the businesses that I run, my hobbies as well as articles and other types of information about computers and computer related topics. I might even include some "articles" that are how to articles - with detailed instructions to follow to learn how to do something with your computer. Some of the articles may be free, some you might have to pay a small price to see - I haven't quite decided on that yet. The website is still in its infancy, but feel free to check it out.
Read More......Tuesday, February 10, 2009
The Daily Puppy
With my work schedule, there is NO way that I could have a pet - my job requires too much travel, and when you live alone, who would take care of the pet when you're out of town?
So, I have a collection of stuffed dogs - they are my pets. I've also added a feature to my blog - the Daily Puppy. Each day, a picture of a different puppy appears with a link to a page with more information about that puppy.
Today's puppy is Jake the Alaskan Klee Kai. I had never heard of this breed before, but loved the picture. I'm not a "huge" dog fan - meaning I don't know much about the breeds, I don't watch the dog shows, etc. However, I love this puppy. He's just so cute. I have always liked the Siberian Husky - I think it's one of the best looking dogs. In fact, most of my stuffed dog collection is made up of Huskies.
Friday, February 06, 2009
Java
I guess I was right when I figured that Java would be the next thing I needed to study for school. I need to take the Java exam by the end of March. I'm not thrilled with the short study period. I've started studying for it and frankly, it's blowing my mind. LOL
Hopefully, I pass....
Monday, February 02, 2009
SFA Reunion in July
The Stiles Family of America will be hosting it's reunion in Rhode Island this year in July. I got to be the organizer of the reunion this year.
I've been trying in the last month or so to nail down some specifics on activities for us to participate in, while keeping in mind the costs. I've been pursuing some options and things are starting to shape up some.
One item I have been trying to arrange is a speaker for our dinner on Friday night. I've contacted 3 organizations to find a speaker, and so far not much luck. The latest organization just told me that the speaker I requested (which I requested the topic of Rhode Island History) was not available in July and to request a different topic. Apparently, they only have one speaker per topic and even with a 5 month prep, no other speaker can speak on that topic. So, I submitted several other topics, hoping that one of those would be available despite the topics are not nearly as interesting for those who normally attend as a historical topic. So, we'll see what happens. I never thought finding a speaker would be so difficult, but apparently it is in Rhode Island. If this doesn't work out, I just might say "forget it" and do it myself - afterall, public speaking isn't a big deal for me and I would have a few months to come up with something.
Friday, January 30, 2009
Food Poisoning sucks....
I started off for work yesterday morning just like usual. I stopped at Tim Hortons in Clio for breakfast. I had ordered the fruit and yogurt combo with a blueberry muffin and hot apple cider. I also ordered a boston cream donut as I can't resist those. I was about half way to Pontiac when suddenly, out of nowhere, I threw up in the car. I was literally a mess. I ended up stopping at a Mobil station near Mt. Holly to clean myself up as best as I could. Then I drove back home and proceeded to throw up 2 more times and slept most of the day. Needless to say, I didn't go to work.
Today, I'm feeling better finally. But I won't be going back to Tim Hortons any time soon after that mess yesterday. I don't know if it was the yogurt or the muffin (both came up), but I don't want to try it again anytime soon to find out.
On the bright side, I got my coat washed - it needed it before yesterday, but really needed it after yesterday!
Monday, January 26, 2009
Goodbye to a great producer
I just found out that my favorite TV show has lost one of it's producers. Last night (Sunday), Kim Manners, Executive Producer of Supernatural, passed away from lung cancer.
I have read in various reports of what a great guy Kim was and how much he meant to the cast and crew of Supernatural. My heart goes out to his family and to his "entertainment family" as well.
Saturday, January 24, 2009
An exciting discovery for the amateur genealogists!
I have known for a while that Google was undertaking a project to scan books from libraries and put them online for all. I also knew there were some concerns about that service. I hadn't really put any thought to it one way or another to be honest - until now.
I was doing a "routine" google search - for one of my ancestors - to see what would come up. Imagine my surprise when I discovered that one of the hits was a Vital Records book that Google had imaged! What was even more surprising? Because the copyright had expired on that particular book, I was able to view (and download) the entire book! This is incredible! I have several ancestors who are colonial New Englanders, so being able to have the book "at my fingertips" to search for the ancestor is a very wonderful thing!
I have discovered that there are 133 books of Massachusetts Vital Records available on Google Books. The sad thing is there are at least another 84 books of Vital Records for Massachusetts that Google Books does NOT have yet! But I think those 133 will keep me busy for a while.... lol.
Of course, this is just one example. I have found information through Google Books for some of my Connecticut and Vermont ancestors as well. I know they have "published" genealogies as well as vital records. Not everything is able to be downloaded to your computer - just the stuff they know or believe to be out of copyright. So, there's still a lot of the "hits" that yield just a "preview" of the book. While it's hard to get actual good info out of these previews, you do get the publishing info on the book so you can find it yourself. They also have links to find the book in a library and potentially to purchase as well.
So now for the amateur genealogist or family historian, we have a new free tool to add to our arsenal to do our research!
Saturday, December 27, 2008
Wild Weather
Well, here it is December 27 and we are currently under a flood watch with thunderstorms and expected high temperature of 60 degrees (it's currently 51 degrees at 8:30 am). Oh, and we are under a dense fog advisory (currently, I can't see across the street!) and flood watch.
That wouldn't be so bad I suppose - except I live in MICHIGAN! In the week leading up to Christmas (just 2 days ago), there was as much as 18 inches of snow on the ground with temps in the teens and 20's - and that was after another brief "warm" spell which saw some rain and temps around 40 degrees - it took the snow down about 4-5 inches.
Almost all of the snow is gone - except for the piles of course, although those are going away fast too. My back yard is a pond now from all of the rain and melting snow not being able to drain away quickly enough.
I realize there is always some variation in weather patterns from year to year. However, this is a bit much! If there is anyone out there who still believes that global warming is not happening, and having an impact on our weather, then I say - "Get out from under your rock and open your eyes!"
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
I wish....
In May 2009, the New England Historic and Genealogical Society is organizing an English Family History Tour. At least 2 of their staff genealogists will accompany members of the society to England to do family history research at the Society of Genealogists Library in London and the National Archives in Kew.
I would so love to be able to go on this trip. I have several ancestors who came to the United States from England between 1630 and 1851.
I know that my gr-gr-gr-grandfather, John Hickmott, was born in England in about 1786 and was married to Mary (probably Potter surname) on October 19, 1815 in Horsmonden, Kent, England. They along with their sons immigrated to the United States in the 1850's - and settled in Michigan. I have found them on the 1841 and 1851 census in Horsmonden England. However, I haven't been able to go further back on this line.
I also have in my line, Charles Wickham who was born between 1800 and 1810 in England, married to Christianna Stouts (born 1807 at St. Mary's in Islington) in 1827 in London. Then in the early 1830's, they immigrated to the United States - first living in New York, then moving to Michigan. Charles supposedly came over first, then Christianna came with her 3 boys. I have not been able to find the actual record of the crossing on the ship, nor any further information about Charles or Christianna.
There are several other ancestors as well, but these are the 2 lines that I would be really interested in researching in England at this point. The problem is of course, money. I just can't afford the trip. :( I'm also not 100% that I would have enough information to have a meaningful search while in England. But at the same time, I'm not sure if I will ever find any additional information that might help me before going to England.
Sigh... short of a miracle, I won't be able to go on this trip.
Security+ Certification
I've been slowly studying for another certification - Security+ over the last few months. Today I took the exam and passed!!!!
Now onto Java (I think)....
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Supernatural Christmas Present
The wonderful folks behind Supernatural sent to the CW Source a video clip that previews the next 3 new episodes that will air starting January 15.
http://blogs.trb.com/network/cwsource/2008/12/supernatural_previews_get_a_gl.html
Check it out! These episodes are gonna be awesome!!!!!!
Thanks for the Christmas present!
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