It is almost impossible for me to function without a computer. I spend an incredible amount of time on it doing work and surfing the web. It’s no wonder that without fail, I must purchase a new machine every three years because of some kind of catastrophic failure. It’s like clockwork. So I have pretty much figured that in the fall/winter of 2011, I will have to purchase another one. Isn’t it interesting that the maximum warranty is only three years that you can buy? Why not three and a half?…because it’s a man thing. They know that within the three years, I will probably not use the warranty once but I would be willing to bet that I will use it three years and one day later for some kind of terminal illness.

Anyways, I have been searching and reading reviews on certain netbooks and have made up my mind what I’d like to purchase. I’m making the transition from desktop to laptop for the portability factor. That way, when I’m at work, I can use my computer, the Activehome automation kit and some X10 appliance module plugins to turn off and on the air conditioner, hot tub and the washer/dryer. Ahhh, yes, electronics at their best…when they work.

The new netbooks are great little tools meant for the business class people who need internet access and basic computer functions. They’re not meant for the gamer or the artist. They can only perform the basic computer functions but they seem to hold their own well. One particular brand has caught my eye because of its price and its durability. I’m hoping that once I get it, some miracle may happen and it will last past the three year mark, but again, I will not be holding my breath. Thankfully, I have a friend who has been a great help to me in picking out what I need as far as hardware perimeters. He’s the one who suggested the netbook versus the full fledged notebook and I’m glad he did. The price difference between the two is nothing to sneeze at either. However, the ultimate test will be come December 2011, is it still working?

When I enter the store, I have a set pattern that I go thru the store that way I’m sure not to miss anything. The other day I was fortunate enough to find 20% off coupons for Big Lots and I had a hay day. Usually, the items I buy at Big Lots is not necessities, however, toothpaste, deodorant and such items do fall into that category. You just never know what you’ll find there. It’s one of those stores that you have to keep shopping on a regular basis if you’re looking for something specific. You’ll need the patience of a saint sometimes but eventually you’ll find something that you’ve been wanting for a while.

I was in there about a year ago and picked up a computer flash drive for a little bit of nothing. I had been looking for one but wasn’t willing to spend a small fortune for one. Big Lots was selling theirs for $8.00 a piece. It didn’t take me long to convince myself that one of those should be mine. I had looked at one similar to it online at but I determined that they wanted too much money for it.

I’ve also picked up clothing and household furnishings at Big Lots. I love their candle selection. They sell furniture also. If you join their Buzz Club, you get notices of things that are going on sale and also extra discounts. They recently received a whole shipment of drug store items that came out of a drugstore chain that was closing. I found some mint scented shampoo and conditioner that was great for only $3.00 for a one liter bottle.

Back in the summertime, they had a whole lot of Pier One furniture items on sale at about half off Pier One’s price. Beautiful pieces going for much cheaper that the original store’s prices.

My kids love Big Lots for their toys. They run off and shop the toy isles and then they shop the clothing racks. My husband has his own car detailing business and he purchases a lot of supplies and equipment from Big Lots. The vacuum cleaner that he uses is a refurbished one he bought from there. To me, it just makes sense to buy at discount prices when the economy is down in the toilet right now. I’m watching my pennies everywhere and Big Lots is a great place to get things cheap.

Of course, as the years have passed, they have grown up and don’t look anything like each other nor do they dress alike. One is very conservative and the other is a bit trendy. Then of course, there are the teenage facial blemishes and the bad hair days that accompany the process of growing up which no one wants to see in a photograph.

I was recently asked if I could provide some pictures of the girls when they were little for a family member. Since this person lost all of the photographs they had in a fire, it would be quite a job for me to gather together all of the pictures I had and get copies made. I decided it would be just as easy to scan in all the pictures on my computer and then place them on a USB drive and give them the drive. That way, they would have all the pictures and there would not be any time constraint on them to file them away. They could print off what they wanted easily by taking the flash drive to the local photo shop and have them print it off.

This turned out to be a big hit. They loved the flash drive idea. It was so convenient for them and they got to print off as many as they wanted of what they wanted. In fact, it was such a nice gesture, they asked me for permission to reproduce that flash drive to give away as Christmas presents to other family members. The idea caught hold and other family members decided to do the same thing and passed out flash drives with family photos on it. I now have a family photo file on my computer that has tons of pictures of my nephews. Perhaps someday my sister will wise up and produce a niece or two so that the balance between male and female can be reestablished.

I’ve set my screen saver on my computer to slide show all the family photos. I’m hoping to get one of those electronic picture frames that you load pictures on and have that resting on my entry-way table.

As for those two adorable little girls, they’re still picture perfect in my eyes. I just wish they hadn’t grown up so quickly. Thankfully, I have all those pictures on my walls to remind me of what the early days were like and I look forward to completely filling all the empty spots with my granddaughters.

Depending on the library, its budget, and the innovation of those who run it, it may offer more than or less than what’s listed here. But generally people don’t know about what is available in their local libraries.

As a service for the community, the library should find a way to communicate to the local people and let them know what is available. First, they could start with their own employees. There’s nothing more annoying with asking an employee where to find something and finding out that he knows nothing about what you’re asking for. Workers from the lowest level up should be familiar with as much as possible in their place of work.

Flash drives are one way to package this information in one place and give it to employees in an accessible format. CF Gear can help to design a layout—it could open to a page with a picture of the library and its logo in the background, with links on the side going to the various resources available. The pages could either link to online listings and descriptions or contain the information right on the flash drive. CF Gear’s quality, time-proven duplication services guarantee that all the information is placed on the flash drives properly so each one will work for each employee.

The library workers could pick a flash drive in the color of their library’s theme, and/or have it imprinted with their logo, address, and phone number. Or whatever text or logo they may choose to have on it. A logo can also be engraved with laser for a classier professional look.

Each employee could be given a custom USB drive. These could help serve as a ready reference for information, both for new employees and for old employees who need to refresh what they know. They would also help preserve the corporate identity of an organization as each person is given one. They could even contain worker-related information such as employee manuals, insurance and compensation details, and info on employee benefit packages.

If you think a little piece of technology holding a wealth of information for any employee to access would help your library, consider a bulk flash drive deal with CF Gear. Vancouver Public Library and the University of Illinois Library are two libraries that used flash drives and were very happy with the results. Check out CF Gear’s website, where you can browse through words from happy customers, an array of flash drives to choose from, and a variety of details about the company’s services.

On our five free hours we decided it would be fun to try out a restaurant we’ve never been to before.  There were several options.  There is a buffet we’ve thought about, Chili’s and the LongHorn Steakhouse.  I think it’s always difficult to try out a new restaurant when you’ve got three children tagging along and you have no idea what you’ll be able to order for them.  We’ve been wanting to try out Chilies for a little while now so we decided this was the time to do so.

We got to the restaurant a little before 3:00 so it was pleasantly quiet.  There was no loud music blaring, no children crying and nobody for me to feed other than myself.  Having never been there before, it took us just a little while to peruse the menu and find just the right meal.  It’s so hard to choose when you have no prior experience with their particular “flavor.”  Finally, after much deliberation, we decided to go with the bottomless soup and salad and the included bottomless chips and salsa.

Since it’s not possible to push an X10 Big Red Button and have your dinner delivered in a flash, we decided to go with something light that shouldn’t take too long for them to prepare.  We wanted more than fastfood but at the same time we didn’t want to spend all of our free time at the restaurant!  Thankfully, the food did come in pretty good timing.  My husband had the chili and I had the mashed potato soup and we each had a house salad.  Everything was good but I must admit I was a little disappointed in the choices for salad dressing.  I like Italian Dressing and their citric balsamic dressing just didn’t sound like the taste I wanted.  I went with oil and vinegar which was okay but Italian would have been best!

Being as we went with a light lunch, we decided to go for a dessert.  With speed similar to the working of an X10 SuperSocket Receptacle we had our little shot glasses filled with Key Lime Pie and Cinnamon Roll goodness.  Soon we were off to finish our shopping and then to relieve the babysitter.  Believe it or not, she said she’ll actually be able to watch the kids again sometime!  My husband and I are thinking it would be nice to get out once or twice a month, just the two of us. 

When it comes to caffeine, my husband gets terrible caffeine withdraw.  He can drink just one Pepsi and then he suffers with migrain headaches for the next three days.  It’s terrible!  My husband used to do a lot of work with teenagers and was always needing to be alert, so, he drank soda.  We’d take a group of teens to visit a college and we’d drive through the night so he’d drink soda.  The problem was, for the rest of the trip he either had to keep downing large amounts of soda or have headaches.  It’s really not worth it.

I’m the kind of person that could drink two to three 12oz. cans of soda in a day if I had it around.  I like to have a yummy taste and the sugar tastes great.  Unlike some people, I can drink off-brand soda, I can drink the fruit flavored sodas (ie. orange and grape flavored), but I prefer not to drink with caffeine.  It’s better for me, and it’s better not to have it around the house to tempt my husband.

Right now I would love to walk into the kitchen, flip on an automated light switch, open the fridge and grab a yummy can of Dr. Pepper.  Since I was just thinking about it (as I wrote that last sentence) I  went to the Dr. Pepper website.  I can’t believe it!  They do have a Caffeine free Dr. Pepper!  Why haven’t I ever seen it in the stores?  The best part, is that they don’t just have a Diet Caffeine free version, they have the real sugar caffeine free version!  I’m going to have to start paying better attention in the stores.  I’m not sure how I missed this good news but my taste buds are watering at the thought.

I wish I could push a button on a wireless remote right now and have a caffeine free Dr. Pepper appear in my house.  I have to admit that sort of news is almost enough to make me pack up three kids, put them in the van and drive to the store.  I wonder which stores actually carry it?  I’ll have to get back to you on that one.  You better believe I’m going to be checking the shelves when I head to the store to see who carries it!

As for my family, we have determined that if we sell, that’s fine and if we don’t, that will be fine also. There is no absolute need for us to move other than we would like the kids to have their own bedroom and we would like more garage space so that my husband can comfortably work from home. However, our wants are just that and certainly not needs. In some ways, I feel content just to stay right where I’m at. There wouldn’t be any moving expenses and hassle. Our current mortgage is approximately 3 years off from being paid off completely. It would in fact make life easier in some aspects.

We have looked at another house that is for sale. It would certainly meet our needs with plenty of space for the kids and the husbands business. The price is right, given the current market, but the interior needs some serious help. The kitchen would need to be gutted, the ceilings need the popcorn texture shoveled off and skipped troweled, the wood paneling would need to come down and be replaced with drywall and the bathrooms updated. Of course, all of this is no small feat. Unfortunately, my husband is not the handy one in this family so most of the tasks would be mine. I could probably handle most of the gutting of the kitchen but the re installation would definitely be someone else’s issue. The ceilings are no problem for me. I can get the popcorn down. Putting up the mud is labor intensive and shoulder killing, but I could probably do if I had to. I have no problem taking paneling down and I could even put the drywall up myself but the seams and joints would need a master’s touch.

After all the big items are taken care of, then there are the little things such as painting, furniture, alarm system installation, window treatments and so on. Most of the little things are do-able over time. I’ve been debating whether to go with a monitored alarm system like ADT or just install a system myself that isn’t monitored such as the DS7000 Protector Plus Home Security System, an X10 security system from the Home Automation Store. Both have good points to them. It’s a subject still up for discussion with my husband.

As you can see, if you can move during this recession that we’re in, the updating and remodeling don’t lessen by project or by cost. Perhaps it may be best just to stay exactly where I’m at.

Yes, my pitching out of certain items has cost me dearly sometimes. The kids get mad because I’ve pitched a toy or something that they think was valuable. That’s happened on quite a few occasions. I always feel bad for a while but then both of us seem to get over it. On the odd occasion, I have gotten rid of something that the husband needs later but it is not all that often. It is hard to recognize when certain items will be useful in the near future and when those items will just take up precious space for no good apparent reason.

I have two plastic baskets on the shelf up in the kid’s bedroom. They hold their baby books, some school year books and a couple of valuable items that have been given to them. I really like these baskets because they are collapsible. They fold in on the sides and can be easily stored away when not in use. They are ideal size and can hold a lot of stuff when needed. Their only downfall is that they are plastic and as with any plastic, they eventually wear out and break. Constant use and time are not their friends. I would really like to find a basket made just like them only made out of wire and metal. That would eliminate the breakage factor. They would be a lifetime item. They would be better yet if they were stackable. I can think of an unlimited number of uses for them.

There is a company in York, Pennsylvania, that makes wire baskets. They have over 50 year’s experience of making wire baskets and racks to any specification and they have the ability to provide certain coatings on them to prevent rust, snags and breakage. Equipment made like theirs can last forever. They’ve made everything from trash bins to baskets used for medical purposes and everything in between. Even things that you and I take for granted, such as car parts, have been manufactured using wire baskets and racks. The next time you take a trip to your local fast food joint, check out the equipment they are using. You’ll find that a significant part of their product has been manufactured using the wire basket and rack concepts.

Three M Tool Company has the ability to design and manufacture exactly what you want as do several other wire basket manufacturers. Call them today and get a quote for what you want.

Home foreclosures and short sales are at an all-time high and there seems to be no relief in the near future, even with the bail-out plan in action. This is the perfect opportunity for a person who has extra cash stashed away, to buy some houses and fix them up. If you hang on to those houses until the market picks back up, you could make a fortune selling it or renting it.

With all the buzz around the Washington DC area, I can only imagine that home ownership in that area is a real investment. If you were to purchase a foreclosed home in the Fairfax, Bethesda, or Germantown, Maryland area, you are pretty much guaranteed that eventually you will sell the home or rent it for some nice pocket change. I can remember in past years when it was difficult to even find a place to rent. As soon as this economic struggle is over, I’m sure that difficulty will return, perhaps with a vengeance.

Along with consideration on the location of the house, is the consideration of its condition. Of course, when a house goes into a short sale or foreclosure, a lot of the times, homeowners are not kind to the interior and the exterior may not be in great shape either. Sometimes a complete gutting inside clear down to the foundation and the studs is needed.

There is a company in Bethesda, Maryland that specializes in renovation projects for homes. They have the manpower, tools, skills, and understanding to renovate your investment and give you peace of mind while doing so. D.R. Hartman Construction has over thirty years of experience and they can handle any project. They have the ability to pull permits and get the job done right and on time.

Of course, I don’t recommend that you stick with just one quote. Go get two or three quotes for your project. There are several companies in the area like American Custom Contractors who may also be able to give you a quote for your investment project.

Whatever you do with your investments is up to you but make sure you are investing wisely. For many years, home investments have proven to be a surety. Just because today’s market is unsteady doesn’t mean tomorrow’s doesn’t have any promise. The economy will return to its full potential and be better than ever, given enough time.

The website has a host of integrated as well as stand alone security systems on offer. Prominent amongst them are the XP Protector Plus Home Security System with its associated devices. The website goes on to explain the system in its entirety and also illustrates its usage in typical user configurations. A brief explanation of this system as provided at the website is as follows :-

The XP Protector Plus Home Security System (DS7000). This is a complete home security system which is wireless and easy to deploy. It has a multitude of sensors which can be incorporated into a single alarm security system that promises to be an effective deterrent to any misadventure. The system promises to end your monthly payments to security firms and has a number of niche features like an auto-dialler and a 16 zone wireless protection module. At $79.99 this system is ideal for your home security and alarm requirements. The system has an efficient design which ensures that there are no false positives and false alarms. The system allows for normal armed protection when the owner is away. It has motion detection features and can be activated along and besides the door as well. The system is available at

X10 Powerhouse Door/WindowSensor (DS10A). Another linked product in the system, the Sensor is an indispensible part of the security system. When a door or window is opened, this expert sensor wirelessly signals the X10 Home Security system’s base receiver to generate an alarm due to intrusion.

X10 Home Security PowerHorn Siren (PH508). This siren can be installed anywhere in your premises, but ensures that it can be heard where, whenever. No intruder will dare to hang around when one of sirens sounds!. The siren trips it set on an intrusion over the existing wireline/wireless system The owner can place the the POWERHORN in a remote location where a burgular can’t easily get to it.

The products available at the Home Automation Store are shipped using the convenient USPS International Priority Mail which is normally shipped within 24 hours. The store accepts a multitude of payment options which include VISA, MasterCard and Paypal. The website is powered by Yahoo! eCommerce solutions and is safe and secure for all your requirements. A very effective feedback mechanism that keeps making the site better, a cart which is easy and fast to use and a very easy to use interface makes this website an instant success. Use this website and make your home safe and secure – automatically!!

I even found a couple sites that feature feedback on the Home Automation Store: Amazon & Ebay.