Who really cares and why?

Just saw something on a PBS channel about a dead president from a long time ago. Did NOT interest me at all because I don't think ONE person is really all THAT important to the world. Like a raindrop in the ocean. Which one is more important than the other? One drop isn't. That's why people said to be important by other people I don't know, simply isn't important in the grand scheme of things. Just because YOU think they were or are doesn't mean I do or even should. That's another reason why I haven't been uploading my journal pages or writings as often, to my blog site or other social network(ing) sites. I guess I would be really surprised if someone found this page after I die and think, "Woo, now this changes everything!" I think not! Of course that's why I am having a really hard time believing that a book that I write, which contains writing I did years ago will ever sell. I'm just not understanding why people think what they think means something or will mean something ever. I was saying to Rain just last night that my biggest issue with Christians asking me whether I believe in God or not. Why do they care? Do they get a private suite in heaven when they die if I say yes? Does God give them credit or something? I'm sorry, but I just do not get it! It may or may not mean piddly tomorrow after they wake-up. Probably won't even remember me. Perhaps they'd feel that they did something important. Seriously. Do they really think God is keeping score? I just don't think so.

We drove into Buffalo today and picked-up a prescription that I called in asking for a refill. Not surprisingly, at least not to me, they did indeed give me another pill bottle that looks exactly like the last one I had with the same type of pills a month ago. Technically nothing got refilled, just duplicated. I know, it's all semantics. We also got 4 cans of cola and other stuff.

When we were waiting in line to pay for our groceries, there was a man ahead of us. The cashier was saying what she thought were humorous things to him and he gave absolutely no inclination he heard her or even cared. I thought that was just rude of him to totally and completely tune her out. When it was our turn to be serviced I made an extra effort to talk to her and interact. Hopefully that means some day when I need a good word put in about me or my family, that someone I didn't even know was paying attention remembers that I tried to make her day even a tiny bit happier. Aw! LOL.

Typing, electric heat and wood

Just got through taking a typing-speed test. The first time I did it I got 30 words per minute at a 49% accuracy rate. I think that was because I got off by a space and didn't think I could go back with the backspace. The second time I discovered that you could go back if you made a mistake and scored 31 words per minute with a 94% accuracy rate. The reason the typing tutor program is installed is because we want our 13 year old boy to be able to type what he's thinking since we can't get him to practice his hand writing. Got him to practice his signature so he could sign his passport. When we went and picked it up though we parents were able to sign for him. Since then we haven't made him do much hand writing.

The new heater is working well. Last evening I put a small, portable heater that also has a thermostat control across the room from the new one to see if the room temperature would/could be more even all over. This morning when I got up the living room was right at 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Don't know if that was because it didn't get as cold outside this morning or if both the heaters just worked well together.

I did get a load of laundry hung out on the line this morning but haven't checked it's dryness yet. It's been a few hours though so it's possible they're ready to come back in. I know that while hanging them out, although it was 50 degrees on the porch in the shade according to the porch thermometer that my hand still got very cold hanging clothes with the wind blowing.

It's almost 2:30 in the afternoon and I still haven't gotten any wood cut into log-size pieces. Honestly... I'm not really sure if I really NEED to worry about it. I'm thinking that if the electric bill jumps because of the use of the living room heaters that we might need to go back to using the wood stove more. If that's the case then we'll definitely need to have wood available, which there isn't much of at the moment. What to do, what to do? (rhetorical in case someone besides me finds this). Probably should ask the teens to at least split some wood so it can dry more quickly. At least quicker than remaining full-log size logs stacked in the shed. Part of me is thinking, "It's cold out there so we don't have to work in the cold if we don't want to". The other part is thinking, "But why not? Won't you, or they, feel better if SOMEONE does?" The answer is of course, "Yes, at least I would feel like I'm not the only one working around here." Work so far for me today includes the aforementioned laundry and running the dishwasher. Feel like I should do more. Don't really feel comfortable asking anyone else to though because of the cold yet sunny outdoor weather. I am SUCH a softy. Hopefully that DOESN'T mean I'm doing the teens a disservice, but I can certainly hear arguments coming from the Puritan types. Smile.

Okay. Now that I have managed to lay a guilt-trip on myself, lol, I am going to wrap this up. Then post it too my blog and Gather sites. Probably won't post it to my e-group since it (this blather) doesn't feel important. Although, I am the owner of said list and can post it anyway since only my wife and I can unsubscribe me if it isn't taken well (I think). Now the time has come to stop procrastinating and bring this to a close and get some work done outside. Perhaps with help from the teenagers that are currently sitting in front of television screens. Snicker!

Window's High Priority Updates

For the last week (approximately) I have been unable to install 3 Windows 'High Priority' Updates for the Microsoft Office 2003 and Office 2003 programs (KB951535, KB953404 nor KB954478). I have a feeling that perhaps it's because I deleted the temporary installation files from the Microsoft FrontPage 2003 installation before checking for updates. Did that because I didn't think I would need any so-called High Priority updates (Microsoft), although in the Disk Cleanup window said not to because that could affect updates. I have tried doing an install repair for MO 2003. That didn't change anything. I think I also did a complete reinstall, but I did that without uninstalling the first installation. I guess I'll try that next. The thing is though that I'm not even sure how big of a security risk I'll be in should I not be able to ever install those updates. Thinking it probably wouldn't be a big deal, but who knows? Pretty sure it wouldn't hurt to have them installed. I have enough free space to keep them in. It's just that I'm kind of getting tired of screwing around with the whole program/update issue. Thinking, "I've got things I should probably be doing besides that like cutting wood, splitting wood, burning trash, and running the dishwasher."

P.S. Yes, I have searched Google and the Microsoft Window's sites without figuring it out.

My Wife's Store

If you're looking for presents for yourself or your loved one to wear, please stop by my wife's brand-new on-line store. She makes shirts, is selling a vintage bluejean jacket that she hand embroidered with a Wolf Medicine Wheel. There's also a skirt on which she hand embroidered beautiful designs. :-)

Infrared Heaters and wood heat

Went to town yesterday to get one of those Sun Heaters. You know the ones... the infrared quartz ones for around 400 dollars. However, when we got to the one place we thought was selling them at the lowest price close to Buffalo we discovered that they were more expensive than we thought. FYI: That was at Hostetlers just outside of Buffalo on the way to Springfield on Hwy 65. We didn't get it. We decided to see how much they were at MFA. They were a little less but still more expensive than we wanted, so we decided to get a $50 Infrared with a thermostat instead. Much more affordable. I had looked up reviews of the other one on line on Monday evening to see what people who had bought the 400 dollar ones thought. A few people said they were great, but most of them said that they weren't worth the money and that the less expensive ones like we got were just as good. We were hoping to be able to not need a fire on those cold mornings. Before the new heater it rarely dropped below 65 in the living room on those cold mornings, this morning when Rain got up she said it was right about 68 degrees and that was with the heater being on all night. It would appear as though we're still going to need a fire on some mornings. I suppose we probably could not have one and the heat would eventually become warm enough to be comfortable. We will see how much, if any, our electric bill goes up in a month or two. The important thing to me is that if for some reason we ran out of wood that we would still be warm enough not to freeze. The heater we got was the Holmes 1Touch Tower Quartz Heater. I like it. I think it's cool looking when the coils are hot, red and glowing. We have friends that have a bigger, propane, wall mounted one and I think that's really neat too and wouldn't mind having a similar electric one, but am happy with the one we did get. Meanwhile, there are still logs in the wood shed that need to be split. There is also a tree on the other side of the brush pile that needs to be cut into logs. Of course there are a few branches on one side to the wood shed that need cut-up, plus all the ones laying out back in the wood lot that need to be harvested. That's all not as critical as it was but still should be done eventually. I mean, sheesh, we shouldn't (really dislike that word though) just sit in the house all day watching television and playing on the computer. It's good to be outside in the fresh although brisk air. Good for the mind and good for the body, good for the spirit. It just occurred to me that when it's REALLY cold then we don't HAVE to go out if we don't WANT to now. Really though, we never just sit around inside. We're always doing something like cleaning, caulking, dishes, rearranging, vacuuming, etcetera. Sometimes I need to write all that down just so I don't think that somehow I'm not living up to someone else's standard of what I should be going.

When I started this the Anti Virus scanner was running and it still is. Not real sure why it is running. It did run it's scheduled scan this morning after we went to bed. That's neither here nor there though, just thought it would be something to write because there is just a few more lines until I reach the end of the page. Figured that I might as well be able to start the next daily writing on a new page. Not sure if that's good or bad, but there ya go.

Starting point and other blather

This is just weird feeling. I am sitting at 'the other computer' which I *rarely* use simply because I don't do well with the keyboard that is part of it. It's too small and my fingers don't feel comfortable. Which makes for odd typing. I think it needs a keyboard with bigger keys or keys that are spaced differently. I don't know. I suppose that with practice I could get used to it. But why if I don't have to? Ordinarily this writing would be for my eyes only. However, since my writing software that I usually use to type my private journal is over there, I thought I'd be different today. Not that I'm not different most days, but you know what I mean. LOL. Not only that, but here's an interesting factoid... I have had a blog here on blogger for a few years now and this is the first time I've ever used the writer in the browser directly to enter a journal. I just got used to being able to use the offline writer, although it's not foolproof as I've forgotten to use the spell checker a few times. Isn't that kind of the point for using an off-line writer? To create a draft *before* sharing so that you don't look like an uneducated grade-schooler? LOL. Anyway, not a lot going on. Got a little shopping done yesterday, and that's about it. The other day we did totally rearrange the living room. The other computer is now in the living room instead of on the other side of the room divider. The brown sofa that was in the living room is now where the other computer's desk was. And the sofa that was up against the divider has been moved under the living room window. Took a few hours longer than we anticipated because we hadn't factored in all the vacuuming and cleaning where stuff was being moved from. That's all I've got. Have a nice day!

Comfy chair and other stuff

Color me comfortable in my new chair. You see, the other one got switched with the really uncomfortable desk chair, that uncomfy one was moved here, but I couldn't get comfy so I had a folding chair for about a week. Had a little extra (beginning of month) and we used part of that today for this 50 dollar chair. The rest went for some crack sealing stuff and various household items like food and stuff. In case you're wondering... we had to go to Lebanon so we went to lunch, then Wal-Mart, and obviously came home after that (maybe not though, but we don't have a notebook PC so it was obvious to me anyway). Oh yeah, and we stopped in a hardware/building supply store and bought a new chain for the chainsaw (what other kind would it be for?).

I should be outside cutting the tree that I couldn't yesterday because of a dull chain. It wouldn't to split some of the dryer stuff either. Perhaps I can get one of the teens to do that while I'm dismantling that felled tree.

At some point today, later, I want to work on the book editing for at least an hour before I get back to doing the email and web thing.

I've been wondering all day why my back is sore. Now I know. Because I spent a while laying on the kitchen's linoleum while foaming the gap underneath the bottom cabinets last night.

Later we also need to put plastic over A's window, the bathroom window and the pool room window. Maybe later today, maybe not, I just know that eventually we'll get that done.

Gosh, I keep thinking of new things to say after I write what I thought was the last thing I had to say. Anyway, just wanted to add that we also got another portable, thermostatted heater. Right now it's in the living room, but it will also be used in the pool room when needed. I still wonder sometimes how much our electric bill would go up if we just used the portable heaters in each room and not use the wood stove at all. Then I remember that the wood stove actually isn't that hard to heat up as long as we have wood. Right now we do, and we'll have enough to get us through the winter, I'm just wondering "what if?"

Fire, log cutting, chain sharpening, book writing, caulk laying

Got a fire going, so I should be able to spend a little time writing without interruption. Course knowing me I will probably feel the need to get up and check on the fire every few minutes to make sure there's still a flame. You'd think knowing that about myself would have me working on not doing that. What can I say? I'm who I'm. That doesn't even look right, but I hope you know what I meant about being who I Yam. Yes, I did stand up and make sure there were flames in the wood stove window. Then I noticed that the paragraph above wasn't justified, so I went on up the document and formatted each paragraph I could find that needed justification. I feel better, but I'm still going to have to make sure they're all like that before it's all said and done.

Yesterday I went out to try and cut some logs from the half tree I felled a couple of days ago. But before I could I needed to sharpen the chain on the saw. Unfortunately it is beyond a simple touch-up sharpening and needs a professional one. I know this because I tried to hand sharpening it three times to no avail. There might be an already pro sharpened chain that I haven't used yet hanging in the shed. If there is then of course I'll be able to get some cutting done today. If not then the next time we're near an MFA machine shop we'll drop off a chain or two for sharpening. It's windy right now, so I won't even be going out anytime soon. Besides, I need to eat breakfast, finish my coffee, and complete the waking up process. Just remembered that I also need to work on editing my book for an hour before I head out as well.

Decided that if I'm ever going to finish it I'm going to have to work on it on a regular basis. I've decided to set a timer and stay on the book for an hour without doing anything else, every day.

Finished caulking the bathroom last night after I saw a spider who had just come out from under the baseboard just inside the door. Of course I did that wall first then moved the towel rack and did along the window wall. Now the only place they can get in is from underneath the bath tub, which I'm considering spraying foam under the step to seal. Then the only place will be from the kitchen under the door into the bathroom. Still need to do the cove with the washing machine and dishwasher, along the floor of course. Then the kitchen will also be completely caulked. Oh wait, I still need to do behind the cabinet top from the left side of the sink around to just under the light switch on the other side of the stove. But then it'll be done. Actually, I still need to put tape under the cabinet above the floor board under the cabinets that the spout on the caulking tube was too short to reach. I'm thinking I will just use some clear packing tape or duct tape, unless there are tubes with longer spouts that the caulk comes out of available. Have never even thought to look, but definitely will the next time we're at a store with the stuff. Now that it's mentioned I guess I'll check on-line and see what there is. Duh! I'd just like to say that I'm feeling good about all the caulking I've done, makes me feel like I've been useful and accomplishing something important for the family.

Out of commision, but back

It all started a few days ago when I got busy winterizing the house, cutting trees and branches that'd fallen, cleaning and putting up pictures on the wall to make the house look more lived in and therefore homey. Then I decided I would give the Linux program "Ubuntu" a try and was having nothing but confusion problems. Then in a error in judgment because I was tired after spending all freaking day trying to partition my hard-drive, I reformatted my Windows partition and spent all freaking day yesterday reinstalling Windows and getting updates for it and also driver updates from Dell. Plus of course I had to reinstall a bunch of programs, run tests, etc. Should be doing more outside in the wood shed, more caulking, more foam sealing on the roof, etc. But I figured since someone *might* be missing me I should update the masses. LOL.

Picture that may or may not show, but it's each hour of the last 24 with zero usage for each. *sigh*

One of the programs I reinstalled is this one, Zoundry Raven. In it I the option of setting up on-line storage of my pictures to automatically upload to at Ripway.com. So I set it up as usual, only to get an error that the test of my settings (which are exactly how they were before). So I go to the site, log in, and get the message that my account has exceeded the 24 hour download limit, has been temporarily suspended, and to check on the chart on the page showing what that usage (people viewing my photo on various sites) has been, to explain when exceeding the limit happened, and see that every hour for the last 24 are ZERO! How the hell does that make me exceed my limit? I sent them an email and am now waiting for a reply.