The Magic Money Trick

This post should be titled "The Disappearing Money Trick". 

Funniest & truest meme 
I've seen

Money doesn't come and go around here, it comes and evaporates. Or something. Here's what's happening now... 

I managed to get through my birthday without shopping myself broker than usual. I even managed to save a few bucks because I didn't have to re-order some of my household items. Also, one of my brothers always gives money for gifts because, you know, it's the best color and size and fits any wallet.

Well, Satan must know when I have the slightest chance of having extra money because he will gunk up the works for me. Once, I had a bunch of unexpected (and un-insured) medical bills that I had to pay off. Another time, I lost a box of the extra contacts I had just when my prescription expired. How did I lose a box of contacts? You got me. I'm starting to think there's a mystery triangle somewhere in this apartment because that's not the first time I have weirdly lost something...

Every dang time I get two steps ahead, I end up moonwalking back ten steps. 

So, this time I had some saved money and some birthday money. I will give myself some credit that really belongs to my mother who taught me how to make a dollar out of fifteen cents. As broke as I am, I have "excellent" credit and last time I checked, I was rocking a 788 score. I am frugal without being cheap - because I have to be.

Anyway, where was I going with that? Oh yeah, I have been saving up to buy a real sofa (to replace the futon I never sit on) but instead, I was going to buy some new bath towels and bed sheets. I have a few decent sets of sheets for myself and one really nice set for guests only. But bath towels? The only ones that match and still look good are the ones on the racks. I don't touch those, not even to dry my hands. I haven't even moved them since I hung them on the racks. So, yeah I need some new linen closet stuff.

But guess what? The old Dragon must have seen my search history and decided I don't need new linens. Instead, he must think I would rather have to buy a new computer. Not a new coffeepot or a new fan or a new anything I can get from a Dollar General.

I don't have any new computer money. At least not like what I spent on this one. However, this one just came from under the warranty about two weeks ago so, of course, it's acting a fool. Actually, it started acting silly a few months ago but Dell was no help. I suppose in their view, I have a credit line with them that I haven't used in two and half years so I should dip into that to replace my battery. That's not going to happen. What happened to be able to easily remove and replace the battery yourself? And, on top of the battery having an attitude, the screen is glitching. I have not dropped this thing or treated it with anything but love and this is how it acts?

Since I don't want to mess with the Dell credit line - and maybe not even Dell  at all after this - and I just cannot afford another laptop like this one, I had to go bargain hunting. 

Woot! is a decent place to find bargains in almost any category. You have to put in some work though. There are great bargains, some decent bargains, and some should-I-or-shouldn't-I bargains. It took a couple of days, but I did manage to find a new laptop in my price range but I am worried about whether or not I chose a good one.

What I decided on is an HP 255 G8 with a 15.6" with these quick specs:

AMD Athlon Gold 3150U CPU, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD, Windows 10 Home 

It's not a Chromebook, a refurb, or an unboxed item - like every other non-Apple laptop was - so I was able to get a cheap additional warranty for it. Still... 

I paid around $170 less than list and $200 or so less than some other sites were asking for it. In my desperation for something with enough storage and a decent brand name, I was afraid to hesitate for fear I'd miss out. And I might have been just a tiny bit wooed by the fact that it has a numeric keypad. It sounds like a small thing but you try having my brain and paying bills without a numeric keypad.

Anyway, I snagged it the spent the next few hours trying to find reviews and feedback about it. That's not easy because there are so many variations on the model. Some come with Intel chips or have a whole other setup. My brain is not in the best shape this week so I can't handle all that. I didn't want to ask my brothers to help me in the search because they'd just buy it and I don't want that.

Anyway, I bought the thing.  I figure if I really hate it, I have 30 days to return it for a full refund (minus shipping). And - this is really important - the credit card I used has a special payment plan for purchases over a certain dollar amount.

But still. 

Did I make a good choice? Am I going to regret getting this particular model? Should I have paid more for something better? 

I suppose I will find out soon enough. In the meantime, this Dell is having a couple of other issues that make me regret what I paid for it. So the HP budget model might not be such a bad deal after all. I don't need anything fancy. As long as I can get on the internet, do some tele-med appointments, pay bills, and blog I will be fine.

On the plus side of the money front (and I surely hope Satan ain't listening in on this), I haven't had to replace my cell phone for almost exactly 5 years. It still looks good and works great... I'm telling you, if you take decent care of a Samsung, they just won't die. Of course, they do eventually stop getting updates but I can worry about that another time!

Now I have to go and do some budgeting acrobatics just in case I need coffee and bread anytime soon.

Peace

--Free

P.S.: While I am always a little wallet-light and like to joke about that, I am still so blessed. I just like trying to laugh about how life sometimes is. I am thankful for everything I have, truly. I am eating and housed and clothed. Let's all count our blessings, big and small.

**UPDATE** Alternatives to Windows OS (for dummies)

Important: Please notice that since I am a novice, I'm not giving you my take on anything so much as I am providing links to information in this post. I guess I'm mostly saving you some of the trouble of hunting around for the information and, trust me, it took me a few days myself.

*****

UPDATE:
I was interested in trying out Zorin OS and ran into a couple of hesitations. 1: There is a $39 charge for the fully-loaded version (Ultimate). 2: While wondering about the safety of installing an additional OS, I did some Googling and ran across this:

Uh... WHAT??? 
Yeah, so... I think I will wait until I can get my brother or someone more experience to install any other OS on my PC. I did want to update and point out this possibility because I know that a lot of people jump in and do things without doing their own research. 
You have been warned...

In my last post, I talked about looking for alternatives to Microsoft's Office. I've been checking out a couple and will update that post when I've had time to evaluate the various software. For this post, I wanted to talk about alternative operating systems.

For some reason, I've never thought much about having many choices when it comes to operating systems. I barely think about any operating systems at all. I usually only think of Windows or Apple as competing brands, not operating systems. (I will focus more on those 2 brands in a later post.)

Let me first stop tiptoeing around and just admit that, I never even thought much about what an operating system actually is. And, since this is a For Dummies-type post, let's start with a definition:

An operating system is software that manages all of the hardware resources associated with your desktop or laptop. To put it simply, the operating system manages the communication between your software and your hardware. Without the operating system (OS), the software wouldn?t function. (source)

When I started looking around, I was surprised by the variety of choices.  First up was Linux - which has several types of versions (or types) of systems under it.

Source

This is probably the only alternative OS (outside Windows and Apple) that I heard of some years back. This article explains Linux (and more) and I highly suggest reading it if you are thinking of trying an alternate OS.  What I just learned is that there are several "versions" or distributions of Linux used - some of which I have on this list. I will get back to this point in a moment but, for now, here is the Linux site.

What I would want more than anything in an alternative OS is ease of use. Naturally, I can appreciate this article about the best Linux versions for beginners (updated July 2019). Hallelujah joy, right? Now, if you are someone who feels more experienced, that previous article on Linux will detail some versions you might like. For the rest of us dummies though (okay, I'm talking about myself here), these look great:

• Linux Mint (Linux Mint Mate)
• Ubuntu (PRO: can try before installing w/Chrome extension, CON: a fee more stable service?)
• Elementary OS (This gives an overview of the pros and cons)
• Zorin OS.

Zorin OS seems to be the one I hear about being so tailormade for Windows users. Apparently, it's got more of the look and feel that we are already comfortable with and has a lot of pre-installed stuff. And, oh yeah, I'm figuring out that dealing with some alternative operating systems means potentially having to "install packages of software". Say WHAT? I once backed out of using free software for a writing program because I couldn't figure out the installation process. Oh, crap.

I took Deepin off the above list just because there were whiffs of rumors about its stability and some people asking if it contained spyware. I don't know enough about any OS to mention one with alleged problems. 

I got a little tangled up when looking up info on Linux Mint because I ran into Linux Mint Mate and Linux Cinnamon before I stopped. I was scared it was going to turn into a full spice shelf full of various versions. It all gave me a headache so you're on your own for real with this one.

The next thing I did was check out some comparisons of the different versions. Again, there are so many of these that I can only suggest you do a search on them. For example, the first one I ran across was a Mint vs Ubuntu. I'm scared to tell you about something called Kubuntu.

To be honest, I think that I will most likely try Zorin first. Of course, I will either end up letting you know how that went or calling my doctor to up my anxiety meds.

As far as possibly switching to a Mac at some point in the near future, I have my worries about that. It's going to be tough for an old chick like me to learn something new. I have found some resources that I need to peruse though. These might be helpful to any of you should you make the big switchover:

• How to Switch from a Windows PC to a Mac. You might want to skip right down to the sections labeled The Basics...
• This news article really only told me that Macs tend to have smaller hard drives. Also, it guided me to more useful links: an Apple primer for newbies and a quick guide for switching on Make Use Of.
• Reading this article almost makes me want to change my mind about wanting a Mac. Add Metathesiophobia to my personal phobias. And, no, it has nothing to do with those old late-night lawsuit commercials.
• When I calmed down a little, I saw this article, which gets down to the basics of switching over to a Mac. Actually, I might already have linked to it - I can't remember so maybe I am still a little freaked about change.

Okay then. There is a bit of info yo get you started. I stopped looking around when I realized how many versions of versions of versions of operating systems there are. I was looking at one called Haiku and decided that I was getting in too deep for my brainpower. And, just so you know, I don't think Haiku is for the newbie.

I will, of course, come back and update or do a new post if and when I test one of these operating systems. Right now, I plan to go and look at some more about this phobia I didn't know had a name.

Peace
--Free



For today's music, here is something from the angelic voice of Jessye Norman who passed away on September 30th. This is her singing "When I Am Laid In Earth".  May she rest in peace.

 And because some people think opera is not for them, here is the Jeff Buckley version. May he rest in peace.

And for all of us, here are the lyrics as best I could find and the words should give us all something to think about.

Thy hand, Belinda, darkness shades me,

On thy bosom let me rest,

More I would, but Death invades me;

Death is now a welcome guest.

When I am laid, am laid in earth, May my wrongs create

No trouble, no trouble in thy breast;

Remember me, remember me, but ah! forget my fate.

Remember me, but ah! forget my fate.

Microsoft Fatigue & Alternatives

I have been a solid Windows customer ever since I started using computers - you know back when dinosaurs roamed the land... Whenever family members tried to talk up their Apple products, I would remind them that my computer could access and use more software than their snooty Macs. Also, even when I was making good money, I refused to spend so much on a computer. These days, Windows computers are seriously the only thing near my price range. But to paraphrase an INXS song, here lately, I look around and wonder what I'm doing. Maybe I need to look at another kind of computer in the Used category?

In the past several weeks, every damn time I turn around, there's a problem with Windows. I had to actually have someone go into my PC and have it stop automatically downloading the updates because even if you use Settings to delay them, they still download if you shut down your PC. I don't want updates just forcing their way onto my system. I want to know what kind of issues they cause before they get onto my computer. I'm running 3 different malware and virus programs because I don't trust Windows Defender...

Apparently, I am not the only one complaining about the quality of Microsoft of late. It looks like these challenges are starting to look bad for the company. I have lost count of the patches and fixes for all the recent updates. There's helpful info online about how to handle some of the issues but I don't have the brainpower to apply the suggested "fixes". Besides, I shouldn't have to constantly be working on fixing Microsoft's problems. Not to mention that I've been unhappy for a long time with the way Microsoft holds Office users hostage to the $70/year subscriptions. You can use Office for free online, but that's very limiting. You can also get Office for a one-time charge but if you want updates, cloud storage, or anything beyond the $150 you spend for the standalone software you are going to pay and pay and pay. As if Bill and Melinda need any more freaking money to spend in the next five lifetimes...



So. I have been looking for something to replace Office. Now, I hate change and I dread the idea of having to learn something new right now, but I'm getting desperate. If I end up stuck with Office, it will only be because my brain is not great at picking up anything new. However, there are a lot of articles listing alternatives so I can't be the only one getting sick of Microsofts charging so much to use their software. This is some of what I have found and will be checking out:

ZOHO - This looks to be best for the professional/office/business user. It's actually called Zoho CRM and I had to look that up to know it stands for Customer Relationship Management - "A system or strategy for managing client interactions, dealing with future and current customers, optimizing and systematizing relationships." Okay then.

Here's a pricing plan page, but I have seen info about a free version. I think I need something tailored specifically toward home users.

This article has some suggestions as follows along with why:

FreeOffice Best Microsoft Office alternative overall
Google’s G Suite/Google Apps Best web-based option
LibreOffice Best full-featured option
**WPS Office Best Microsoft Office clone
iWork Best Mac option

**This article also included WPS and makes me want to take a closer look at it. A huge positive is that it includes 1GB cloud storage (and I haven't found that with anyone else for free) and is called an Office 'clone'. A huge negative is that the free version is ad-supported and I'd have to pay to get rid of the ads. However, it's only $30/yr to get rid of ads vs the $70/yr for Office. Because I'm kind of pissed at Microsoft right now, I think I'd rather give the money to a smaller service.

I am already giving LibreOffice and FreeOffice a try and I will do an update to let you know how that is going. For your own perusal, here are some articles discussing some other alternatives to Office 365:

• G Suite vs Office 365 (2019)
• 7 alternatives to Office Suite (2018)
• This lists some of the previous alternatives with different pros/cons (2019)

As far as possibly switching to a Mac, I would have to sell at least one of my bad kidneys to afford one but I have been checking out the pros and cons. In my next post, I will talk about some alternatives to the Windows operating system.

Peace
--Free

For music, this, because I argued with someone recently that Jon Farris was hotter than Michael Hutchence. He's still hotter than a jalapeno. And the songs are still great.

**REVIEW** Windows 10 Creators Update

There was a lot of buzz about this last year:



It's no longer on the way. It's here.

By the way, I kind of need this to be an open letter/apology to Microsoft but I'm embarrassed at my own ineptness. Let me explain:

I am part of the Windows Insiders Program (don't ask me how or why I got myself signed into that). In general, this is kind of cool because I get to preview different Windows products. It's when I get down to specifically using some of the products that there are problems. And this is not always (or even mostly) because of the product. I take the blame for 99% of my frustrations. No, that's not entirely true. What I blame is my cognitive confusion. Some of you know that I struggle with this issue but, when I tell you about my experience with the MS update, you might really start to understand the "cognitive confusion" impacts me on a daily basis.

(Consider this post a sort of "Dummies View Review" if you will!)

Yesterday, I got a reminder that I was eligible to update to the Creators version of Windows. That reminder was very clear and precise but all my brain picked up on at the time was "update". When I hit the button to install, I was expecting the usual security updates that we've all been seeing so much of the past several days. I figured the update had something to do with all the malware and PC attacks. Now, I did briefly flash on the "Creators" part of the wording, but ~shrug~. Here are the highlights of getting the update and then using it.

Takes a while to download/install. Quite a while

I was doing some packing and cleaning for my upcoming move so I didn't pay attention to my PC once the updated started. After about an hour, though, I glanced over and noticed that the install was still running (and was only at about 35% or something like that). That struck me as a little odd, but I still shrugged it off.

Now, remember that I've also been having serious cell phone problems. The dang thing shuts down and restarts whenever it feels like it, regardless of what I might be using the phone for. All my family and close friends are no longer surprised when our calls drop or I just sort of disappear in the middle of a text conversation. (I think this all has to do with a software update that got interrupted). That's not really important, but I want you to realize that I was dealing with my phone for the next half hour or so. I forgot all about the computer and the Windows update.

Almost 2 hours go by before the update is finished. That's when I realize this was no ordinary update.

I get a Welcome screen and an offer from Cortana to help set up. Unfortunately, my phone did something strange (or maybe just stranger than usual) and started making a long uninterrupted buzzing noise. I had to deal with that and by the time I finished, my PC had shut down. I restarted and that's when I realized I had something more than the usual update.

The Edge browser is a lot cooler than before.

The first thing I see is the new and improved Edge (browser) page. And I like it. The look is very Chrome-looking and I prefer the look of Edge to Chrome.

(By the way, one thing that hasn't changed is that Edge still has the ugly Internet Explorer icon. Ugh.)

Edge was kind of nice pre-update but I liked Chrome too much to swap out. Now, I would totally use Edge on a regular basis. Except for one thing.

Changing cookie options is... impossible?

At least they are in my experience.

Since Edge had such a nice look (and all my Chrome bookmarks were transferred over - from when I tried out the original Edge), I was excited to use it. I came straight here to my Blogger login page and... Could not sign in. I was being prompted to allow cookies, but there is no way (that I can see) to do so.

Okay.

While I'm thinking of it, here is what I saw as an intro to the new and improved Edge browser:

I skipped dealing with any cookie-required sites and just played around with the Edge default Home Page. It's not that bad. Matter of fact, I really do like just about everything in the new browser (except for that cookie situation!). Some highlights of Edge that I love - really, really love:

Set aside tabs to get back to

At the click of a button, I can set aside tabs to look at later. This is more useful than it sounds. With Chrome, when I am using a bunch of tabs, I will separate certain ones by opening them in a new window. That doesn't seem like a bad solution, but I have a tricky brain. If I am working on a story and doing research, I don't like sorting through all the various windows I have opened.

With this feature, I can scroll through the different saved tabs at the top of my screen. When I click on the one that I need at that moment, it drops down as the viewing page. (Hope that made sense to you all...)

Read eBooks in the browser & Create a "reading list"

I haven't really played with eBooks feature, but I can tell you that it looks useful. I do like the"reading list". It's in a pane right there alongside the eBooks you've got and then the usual links to of  Favorites, Downloads, and History.

Edge matches up well with Chrome. There are extensions (like in Chrome), a translation feature and, of course, importing of bookmarks.

Etcetera

Other things to with and in Edge:

• There's a "reading view" to shut out visual distractions. LOVE this.
• Get desktop notifications from certain sites (ex: Facebook, Skype)
• Cast your content to other devices
• Click/highlight to get more info from Cortana on a subject without leaving the page you're browsing.
• Get access to your MS Office files (useful for me since I use Word for manuscripts)
• Though I've used the Web Clipper feature for months, in Edge, I can make and share web notes.
• Pinterest lovers will love being able to share to the site.

There are lots more features for me to play with and learn about, but I think I covered the highlights.

Not just the browser was updated...

I was having so much fun checking out Edge that I forgot about everything else to do with the update. It wasn't until I was connecting my Bluetooth headset to the PC that I noticed another excellent change.

During the day, I tend to swap my headset between my phone and PC. Before now, it was such a hassle to connect to the PC. There was lag everytime I tried connecting and I'd usually have to turn the headset Off and back On before the PC would connect. This is solved:

Perfect! Just perfect.

It's one of the small but very appreciated improvements.

There's now a Paint 3D app. Not just Paint

I tend to use Pixlr for working with the product review photos I use on this blog. Or I will use the good old Paint app (which is what I used for the above photo about Bluetooth). However, I just noticed that there is a new app called Paint 3D.

I have no idea how to use the app yet, but I'm sure some folks will be excited to hear about it.

When I have more time (as in, when I'm not in the middle of trying to move), I will do a more in-depth review of the updated features. I hope this quick run-through was helpful to some of you.

Do sign up for the Insiders program. I wish I had more time to take part in the forums and quizzes. Maybe in a few months when I get settled. For now, here are some links to more information:

• Let Microsoft explain the update
• How to get the update (if you still can)
• A PC World article buzzing from last year
• PC Mag's take on the update

Peace
--Free

Accidental Anger

I have a LOT of incidents of getting mad on accident. I call these my "accidental anger episodes." Okay. Maybe "accidental" isn't the word to use, so let me explain.

Some days ago, I got irritated that I it seemed there was no way to use my G+ to chat on my phone. (I don't know why it bothered me since I am always showing as "invisible" on the chat. That was an accident too. I just didn't realize I was always "hiding." Anyway...) I mentioned something about this online - after I'd thrown two hissy fits and thought about kick-dropping my phone. One of the really nice people on G+ (hi, +Randy Kelly) calmly and casually mentioned the app I needed. That he didn't put our typed conversation on one of those sites, like maybe, "Stupid Things Android Owners Do," is something that may yet happen...

That's what I mean though. I got so mad that I seriously wanted to do damage to my phone - knowing that this device is my one lifeline to doctors, family and friends in case of some emergency.

Now that I am aware that I have this "anger" problem, I'm really trying to work on it, but I still have moments.

Yesterday morning, I got super pissed off that my Yahoo Messenger wasn't working. I knew it wasn't working because I had just talked to one of my nieces who'd said she was sending me something good and gossipy within 10 minutes.

Well.

I sat glued to my computer, afraid to move more than ten feet away. FOR 25 MINUTES. I was steaming when I never did get a message notification sound. I mean, my niece knows how I love juicy family gossip. My whole family knows how I love juicy family gossip, which is why some of them avoid me every now and then!

I couldn't call my niece right then because she was at work -working from home is a bigger hassle than you might realize - and I didn't want to look that eager for gossip. Anyway, I gave up on waiting for Messenger to fix itself. I tried to figure out who the hell I needed to contact at Yahoo to tell them about their crappy messaging program. I got myself all worked up over this until I wanted to chew some shoe leather (because I gave up smoking, remember?), and even hearing from one of my best friends didn't totally calm me down. (Now, if a hour-long phone call re-hashing those crazy ass Atlanta Housewives doesn't cheer me up, not much else will.)

I tuckered myself out being mad and fell asleep. The next day, I got a call from my niece. She was surprised that she hadn't heard from me after the info she'd messaged me.

"Huh?"

"Didn't you think that was hilarious?"

"Huh?"

"Um, Auntie? Have you signed into your Messenger?"

Well, hell.

I didn't know that I had to sign into Messenger to get the messages anyone sent me.  I thought that as long as I was signed into my computer, it would just...

"What did you think?"

"I thought that when you got a message something that Messenger would just beep. Or buzz. Or something."

When my niece got through laughing until she had the hiccups, she let me know that I have to at least sign in to be alerted to any waiting messages.

"I should have told you," she said. "You don't use your Yahoo mail anymore and you hardly ever have used Messenger."

Even though she was trying to be nice, I was still kind of ticked off. (And don't you just hate when that happens?)

Peace
--Free