Karen's EasyCare & Endurance Musings

Some humor from blaugh.com

Xobni now available to everyone!

I have been using Xobni for a few months now and don't know how I could get by without it - very helpful add on for Outlook email!  I had been using Eudora which I prefer but have no choice with work email (I still use it for my personal email), and boy am I glad to have Xobni!  Here is a post I recently received about it.  If you use Outlook for email, be sure to check it out!

Thank you for your patience during Xobni's invite-only beta period. We're pleased to announce that beginning today everyone can instantly download Xobni to organize and search their Outlook email. 

Download Xobni for FREE here: http://www.xobni.com/download 

You can read more about Xobni's public launch in today's New York Times here: 

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/05/technology/05xobni.html 

We look forward to receiving your feedback as we continue to work to improve Xobni and the overall Outlook experience. 

Thanks! 

Matt Brezina
Cofounder

Get a FREE virtual assistant!

I have used Jott in the past, and signed up to give Sandy a try out.  Why not, it's free?  I think I do pretty good already with my Google and Outlook calendars (especially now that they sync together, and also with my phone) and email notifications.  I like how Jott works and have found it very handy on a few occasions. 

So anyway - check out this article here. 

One of my other favorite productivity tools is Spinvox.  Spinvox will take your voice message and converts them into text for you - then will email or text message them back to you.  It is fantastic!  I can get my messages much more often this way when traveling as a text message is often more likely to get through than an email or a voice message.  Lots of times I used to get a message that I had a voice message, but then did not have a signal strong enough to retrieve it.  Spinvox eliminates that from happening. 

Work From Home & Pass The Gas

Currently, only four percent of the U.S. workforce works from home, but research shows that about 40% have jobs that could be performed at home. Our analysis shows that if they did, these new teleworkers could annually save 625 million barrels of oil (roughly equivalent to 80% of our annual Gulf Oil imports), reduce greenhouse gases by 107 million metric tons of CO₂, and save almost $43 billion at the pump. Each worker individually would save 26 work-days and over $800 — time and money now wasted commuting. That’s the equivalent of an extra 5 weeks vacation a year!

Check out the rest of this article here. 

I'm fortunate to be one of those that are able to work from --- well, wherever I happen to be.  Especially if I have an internet connection.  I think that it is a huge advantage both for myself and my employer.  Because I don't have a commute time (does 30 seconds count?), I actually spend more time working and being productive.  I save a ton of money because not only do I not need to drive anywhere most days, I no longer go out for lunch.  Everybody benefits.   In this age of technology, more companies should be looking into allowing their workers to telecommute. 

Are you E-addicted?

Here is an article to read if you'd like to find out!

Charter Cable Outage & Cell Phones

On Friday afternoon our cable was knocked out due to an accident.  It affected 36,000 people, I was one of them.  No cable internet, or TV, and it even takes out my VOIP phone for work.  Fortunately it occurred at 4:45 p.m. so the workday was mostly over. 

I was able to finish up a few things offline Friday evening and one of them turned out to be pretty cool.  I've had my new phone for a couple of months now and am still learning about all of the cool things it does.  It does so much that it can be rather complicated at times and I still don't entirely have it figured out.  Last night I figured out how to do voice tags - so that I can activate it to call somebody by voice, and/or open a program by telling it to.  In order to do that I just have to push one button on the phone, or else one on my bluetooth headset.  Pretty cool! 

I have to admit that I am already getting pretty spoiled using this thing with the touch screen on it.  I've had a friend ask me to help them with their phone recently and it was really weird having to navigate by pushing buttons (lol).  I also learned how to handwrite notes on the screen - another handy feature for when you just want to jot down a phone #. 

Increase Your Income

Here is a new post from Dumb Little Man called "9 Things You Can Do to Increase Your Income - Today". 

Here is an overview of that blog, in case you want to check it out:  Welcome to Dumb Little Man. Each week we provide a handful of tips that will save you money, increase your productivity, or simply keep you sane.

Not sure how to subscribe to an RSS feed?  Check out this previous post from my blog here on how to do that. 

Where's my cell phone?

Ever lost your cell phone and had to call it to hear it ring so you could find it?  I did that once; I actually found it out in the horse's field, in the dark.  Fortunately my cordless home phone worked for that.  But if that had not worked, I could have tried this free service (wheresmycellphone.com).  Note:  This only works if your phone is MIA and is turned on! ;^)

Blog feed and horse feed

The RSS feed for my blog should be working now.  I think it was a setting with Feedblitz and we got it fixed.  If not, let me know! 

Onto the topic of horse feed.  I lucked out today and was able to pick up 15 bales of straight grass hay.  Which is not quite a ton.  Cost:  $225.00.  OMG - somebody get me a bag so I can stop hyperventilating!  Can you believe that grass hay is that expensive, and that I was lucky to even find it at all?  I still have enough of my grass alfalfa mix left so that with this hay I'll be able to go a couple of months before needing more.  Fortunately this hay is really good quality and has been tested so it perfect to feed to Rocky.  I'll get his results back this coming week and will know if he is IR (insulin resistant), or is starting to get Cushings.  The vets think he is probably IR which can be controlled with diet.  Now at least I will be okay leaving for the Mojave ride this coming week.      

My feed isn't loading

Working with Typepad now to figure out why my blog stopped sending feed updates after 1/23.  Hope to have it fixed soon, sorry for the technical difficulties! 

Funny YouTube Video - misheard lyrics

Interested in podcasts to learn how to use Easyboots?

If you are not entirely sure what a podcast is or how to listen to podcasts, this post is for you. Podcasts, short for the ever-popular portable iPod and the word “broadcasting,” are revolutionizing how consumers listen to music, continually stay informed, and take media on the go.

Would any of you listen to any podcasts on how to use Easyboots? Or any particular boot.  If so, let me know by leaving a comment!  Thanks.

Getting OUT of your In-Box; how to survive in Outlook

I survived my first week using Outlook 2007.  How did I do it?  Well, I found this nifty little add on program (it's free!) that installed easily and has been working flawlessly.  The program is called Xobni, which is in-box spelled backwards.  I have certainly felt this week as if all of my email was backwards that's for sure!  Xobni has done a fantastic job and definitely made the changover to Outlook a lot less painful.  Click on the Xobni graphic to learn more:

The biggest issue is that since Outlook did such a poor job of importing things from Eudora for me, I had to start with no contacts, so each time I've emailed somebody new I have to type in their address, or go look it up in Eudora.  It has been a real productivity killer. 

Even with the frustrations with email this week, it hasn't been all bad. Last weekend I got a new phone - a HTC Tilt.  So far, I love it!  It does quite a lot include syncing my email, calendar and contacts (now that I've got them organized, somewhat).  I did learn the hard way (oops) when the boss called for a meeting that the speaker button on the touch screen is right next to the mute button!  You can see in the photos of the phones how the Tilt (left side) compares in size to my previous phone (Blackberry on right). 

They dragged me kicking and screaming into Outlook 2007

Yesterday was one of those work days you never want to repeat.  We knew that the email exchange server at work was being changed over.  Unfortunately we all believed that the migration over would be no big deal.  Ha!  I'll save everybody from all of the painful details but suffice it to say once the transfer over was made, it was determined that I can no longer use Eudora for my email.  I've been using Eudora for years and quite enjoy it's ease of use and how well it is able to filter and categorize my emails for me.  It took a lot of time to get it set up and working this way!

Now - I have to basically start over.  It's like Email hell!  Since there was no extra cost I downloaded Outlook 2007 and figured I'd give it a try.  I already in the past had tried the 2003 version and didn't like it at all.  Turns out, the 2007 version isn't so bad, and even though I had to be forced kicking and screaming the entire time into Outlook, I think I'll be able to manage the changeover.  Last night I was able to view some training videos from Lynda.com and that helped get me back up to speed, though it will still be some time before I'm back to being as efficient with email as I was.  Here are some other videos from Microsoft on using Outlook 2007.

LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter

I think it's great that there are so many new things out there on the net to learn about and explore.  A couple of those things are social sites where you can interact with others including people you know.  It's kind of fun, so check it out! 

LinkedIn  In the top right corner of my blog is a link that goes to my profile - just give it a click.   Feel free to link to me! 

Facebook   Check out the Team Easyboot group that one of the TE members set up here.

Twitter  yet another way to stay connected with family, friends and co-workers.

Too Proud to Ride a Cow

I just received a personally signed copy of  "Too Proud to Ride a Cow" from Bernie Harberts.  Bernie is currently on another expedition/adventure right now with Mule Polly. 

Bernie likes using Easyboots on his mules.  In his book on page 98 he says "Finally, I'd come up with a hoof care system for long distance horse travel".  He shows a photo and explains the modifications he has made to his Easyboots. 

In the back of the book is a great photo of his mules standing on the "center of the world" with their Easyboots on.  We even have a page on the EasyCare site for Bernie - check it out to see what some of his latest adventures are!  He's quite a character and I am sure is having the time of his life.  I love this video of Bernie and Mule Polly attending a drive-in theatre. 

Netflix goes unlimited

I got this email from Netflix today, which is no doubt in response to Apple launching their new movie download service.  Click here for an article on that from ZD net.   I haven't yet tried downloading anything to watch on my computer yet - it was lucky that I even read this email rather than deleted it, but I figured that it might be worth looking at knowing what was going on with Apple today.

Dear Karen,

As part of your current Netflix subscription, you have the option to watch some movies and TV episodes from the Netflix library instantly on your PC at no additional charge. Now, we've made it unlimited!

So watch instantly on your PC when you want, and as often as you want. Select from our separate, smaller library of over 6,000 familiar movies and TV episodes available to watch instantly.

- Your friends at Netflix

Back home, meet Wilma

Back home!  There is more snow at home than in Denver.  It was nice to see the horses are all well and covered in mud - they have been having fun and all came running and trotting over to see me.   

This (first photo) is Wilma - my new Garmin Nuvi GPS that I got for Christmas.  She helped me to get around Denver without getting lost.  The only thing she needs is to know where to tell us to park.   

Here are some additional photos of the tradeshow.  There was lots of stuff here!  I didn't see anything that I thought was terribly new and exciting, other than perhaps the new Easyboot Edge boot that we are showing off in prototype form this week.   

Electronics Geek - that's ME!

I"m leaving early in the morning for WESA, to help the rest of the team with the EasyCare booth--so have been running around like a chicken with it's head cut off trying to get everything done.  I realize what a total gadget geek I am! I have my laptop plugged in charging (I'm using it right now to do this post), plus my Blackberry (cell phone), my Zen (mp3 player), my Fuji Fine Pix camera and my Garmin (new Christmas present).  What am I forgetting?  I have a couple of hard copy books packed, for the times that I can't have my Zen on while flying.  In case you haven't guessed, I do a lot of multi-tasking.  Sitting still and doing nothing is really tough for me.  Unless of course it involves sitting on a horse, but then - I'm still riding and at the same time usually enjoying the scenery go by and my mind is cranking away all at the same time.  On a plane I tend to get fidgity and bored quickly if I don't have something to do.  Relax?  Huh?  What?  !!! 

The really great thing about my gadgets is that the Blackberry, Garmin, Fuji camera and Zen ALL take the same USB plug for charging - so that is awesome! 

If any of you are going to be attending WESA be sure to stop by and say hello!  I'll also be at Equine Affaire in a couple of weeks in Pomona, CA.   

Fingers crossed flights are running tomorrow morning out of the Reno airport!  I wouldn't be leaving so early but the choice of direct flights to Denver is limited,  so I took what I could get and would rather leave early than to have to suffer through a change of flights with a layover.  I don't mind taking all day to get somewhere when I am on a horse.   My husband tells everybody at work that he keeps putting his wife on a plane, but somehow she keeps finding her way back home.  Damn!  ;) 

Wi-Fi Optimization

Here is an article on wi-fi optimization that those of you who use wireless internet might find useful.

Do you use instant messaging at work?

Here is an article from Sales Team Tools on 10 reasons to use instant messaging.   While it is directed towards sales, I find that it is really a useful tool for me at work.  Since I am a remote employee, it enables me to keep up at the home office and really does speed up our efficiency and reduces the amount of emails and phone calls.  We use Google Talk.  It also allows images to be sent back and forth which I love because they go into a google talk images folder versus into my over bulging email attachments folder.

Click here to view the 2008 EasyCare catalog and brochure.  They contain some of the images that we send back and forth through GT. 

Oh, don't forget!

Here is a handy website, for those of you who have cell phones and get text messages.  You can preschedule messages to be delivered when you want to remind you (or somebody else) of an event - it's free, and you don't even have to set up an account. 

RSS Feeds and Bookmark Organization Tips

You'll notice the little orange RSS feed icon in my blog, as well as many others - you can simply click on it, or drag it into your feed reader to add this blog's feed to it.  I also have my blog feed set up with Feedblitz so that you can subscribe to it and get it sent in daily emails.  All of the EasyCare blogs are set up that way, so that you have a choice and can keep up with new information in whatever way you find most convenient. 

A complete computer tune-up for free!

Web Worker Daily has this great post about how to tune your computer up for free! 

You know the routine. That computer you bought two years ago was a speed demon and never encountered problems. Now, it’s slow as molasses and ties you up in bizarre, inexplicable routines for which you have no idea what the cause is. You need a tune-up, pal. In this post, I’ll round up some simple steps that Windows users can take and a bunch of free downloads you can get that will turn that computer back into a speed demon in less than an hour. I’ll follow up with a post for Mac users....click here to read more!

Some cool tips for using MS Word

Here are some great tips on using Word, from Web Worker Daily.

Snopes - Unusual Encounter Proves True

It's always a good idea to check out Snopes.com when getting emails that are likely to be an urban legend.  This one turned out to be true - check out the photos of the polar bear and the sled dogs!

New Google Feature - Google 411

The do not do list

This is a good blog post, for those of you who have tons to do, and struggle to keep up. 

I've been able to catch up on a lot of things here the last couple of days, simply because I haven't been constantly interrupted by the phone, and because I haven't been constantly checking my emails.  Some of the time the internet hasn't even been available, so that has forced me to "just do it", and GTD (get things done!).  It's actually a good thing, once you realize how much the interruptions cost you.  It's nice to feel like you've been able to get something accomplished, even leading up to a 5 day multiday endurance ride.  Riding Chief tomorrow, I can hear him eating out the window from where I'm at.

Business Success

Click here to read "How to Succeed in 2007", from CNN Money.  "We asked 50 of the brightest minds in business how they do what they do - and how you can cash in on their advice in the year ahead."

Lots of great stuff there, here is a quote by Andre Agassi:  You have to understand who you are and figure out a way to communicate it. It might be in a different industry, but it's about what pumps the blood through your veins, what makes you excited, what pushes your buttons. And then discovering the best way to communicate that, no matter how big or small; it's what you stand for, what you believe in, and what reflects who you are.

Do you shop online?

If so, check out retailmenot.com  Find and share instant discounts and coupon codes.

Similar to bugmenot.com.  Remain anonymous! 

Karen's Computer Saga....

Dell called back today and they want to send me a brand new replacement for my overheating model.  I am okay with that.  The model I have now is no longer being made, so I'll get the new replacement for it.  The only thing is that it comes with Vista on it.  I hope that it works out.

I have also learned that a lot of the problems I have had due to overheating can possibly be alleviated.  Here is a post on the topic (read if you have an Inspiron model), and here is one on the battery recall they did last year.  My laptop now is a refurbished replacement for one that suffered a meltdown.  It literally got hot enough to melt my pants onto my leg. 

I didn't have to spend nearly as much time on the phone with Dell support this time.  Only an hour the first time, and the second time just a few minutes, maybe twenty.  The time before I was on the phone for seven hours and was completely dreading having to go through this again. 

How Far I Got....

After an hour on the phone with India tech support (they are very nice and polite), I found out that in 24 to 48 hours they will call me back and tell me what they will do to fix my problem with my USB's not working, and my AC power adapters getting fried.  It's hard to have something you need to count on, and can't. 

When I got the first computer in this model, the CD/DVD player didn't work right out of the box.  They replaced it.  Then the mother board quit (USB's stopped working, and fried/killed one of my cameras).  Took two replacements for them to get it to work.  Then I had the overheating issue with the next new one that melted my pants onto my leg (seriously, OUCH).  They replaced that (same time as the battery recall they had).  The new one came and it didn't have the right software and wouldn't even boot up right (swell).  So got them to send another replacement, which came devoid of Microsoft Office.  I managed to get that to work, but it took a lot of hours of my time. 

So now here we are with the newest replacement, and the USB's are stopping working unless I reboot after every single use.  It's fried three AC power adapters too.  They still work, but won't "charge" the computer back up, just power it. 

I'm sure I wouldn't be having these problems if I didn't actually use the darn thing so much.  But, isn't that what it's for? 

So how big of a learning curve is it to switch over to a Mac?

Warning - Computer Rant Coming.....

I am totally fed up with Dell.  This is far the first time I've had trouble with this laptop.  In fact, this wasn't anywhere near the first time I've had problems. 

Now I'm having the same problems I had to begin with when I first got this computer.  The USB ports won't work.  The card reader won't work.  I keep frying the AC adapter, so now when I plug in it won't charge the computer (so I can't use it on battery because once it dies, it's going to be dead), and it won't boot up without error messages, and it also won't shut down "windows is shutting down" will stay on screen until an hour or two later when I get tired of it and power it off.  It also gets so hot it burns my legs if I try to use it in my lap  (gee could that be part of the problem?).  I have fried three AC adapters (all Dell OEM) so far.  They have replaced the motherboard on it twice, and then replaced the computer completely three additional times.  And they don't even send the same computer configuration each time, last time it came without Office installed on it (seriously).  So that involved several more hours of my time spent with Microsoft getting persmission to reinstall it (since I've installed it on three Dells now, but each one replacing a defective one, I only have ONE computer). 

So next my recourse will be to call up Kevin in India and spend another seven hours or more on the phone wasting my time trying to explain what is wrong.  I'm fed up with Dell. It's not their customer support so much (even though it takes hours, they have always fixed it, at least) so much as I keep having the same problems with the motherboard and overheating.  Talked to a friend today and she says oh yeah her daughters Dell did the same exact thing - EXACTLY!  They switched to another brand and have been happy ever since.

I on the other hand, just want to know - what kind of learning curve is there to switch over to an Apple?  Ughhhhh. 

Book List, EasyCare stuff

I just updated a couple of the newest books to my book list -it's in the right hand column of this blog.  I read about half the books and listen (audio books) to the other half when I am traveling.  I haven't been adding some of the ones I've read recently that were chores to get through though.  Most of the time I get through at least two books a week, more when I am doing a lot of driving.  I get many of the audiobooks from my library, download them to my laptop and then over to my Zen for listening. 

Speaking of traveling, I just spent several days last week in Tucson at EasyCare headquarters.  We've got a lot of work ahead of us with new product launches planned for 2008.  Next week I'm leaving for the Bryce Canyon XP ride where I hope to ride all 5 days on Chief and Tigger, and where we'll also be doing one of our annual photo shoots, for the upcoming 2008 catalog and other graphics needs. 

Secrets of success in 8 words, 3 minutes

You can also view this on the Ted site.

Love my Creative Zen

This is definitely one of the coolest gadgets!  It's a Creative Zen W, and it is pretty cool.  I've already got over 1100 songs or albums on it, plus a lot of video, photos, and audiobooks.  The screen on it is really nice.  Click here to read reviews on it.  Be sure to shop around for a good deal and get the rebate, then it's a really sweet deal.  I got a white one. ;) 

I was able to get through four books on my trip to Schellbourne and back.  If you've got a library card, check with your library and see if they have an audiobooks program.  If so, then you can download books online to take on trips with you - and it's free!  My library is part of a larger system, so I've got access to hundreds of books.