Mark's favorite style has an ear bud, with soft foam covers, that frequently fall off and disappear. The mechanism (and I use the term loosely) that holds everything together is a tiny elastic band. Once that breaks, the earpiece will not stay on. Despite regularly losing parts, Mark likes the style because it doesn't reach too far into the ear.

For that same reason, plus the falling apart business, I really don't like that model. With my iffy hearing, I have to have something that practically attaches itself to the hearing center of my brain. Not to mention, since I wear glasses about 95% of the time, any part that hooks over my ear must be extremely thin. Otherwise, it falls off or pushes my glasses into the side of my head or cocks the frames to the point that I can't see properly. Serious pain in the ... {ahem} ... ear.

Since we're forced to do our shopping online, we run the risk of getting something that just doesn't work and returns are a serious - often expensive - inconvenience. Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

Trying to prioritize my wish-list, I started with processor details. Okay, I actually started with prices. Despite the fact that Frankie is toting around something that retailed between cha-ching! and Good-Golly-Miss-Molly and makes me drool everytime I look at the screen, I was neither able nor willing to part with that kind of cash. That eliminated, right off the top, a huge range of options.

Having narrowed the options, I went back to considering processors. A notebook that bogs down with 2 windows open is not going to help me get my work done. I've been known to have at least 2 windows and upwards of 8 tabs open at any given time. When you can smell the processor fighting to function, you know you're in trouble.

With mini-laptops, the usual processor is something from Intel called Atom. And while I prefer AMD processors, it didn't seem that I was going to get the same power from either option in the netbook realm. While probably untrue in some cases, I wasn't sure I wanted to risk getting something that wouldn't do what I needed.

Memory was my other big concern, since I'd been spending time battling to get games to play, pages to load, and Firefox to function. The netbooks, notebooks, and laptops I found all offered at least 1GB of RAM, so that wasn't the problem I had expected. Although, I did find that the ones in my price range weren't expandable. The RAM it came with was all I would ever have - good to know.

When push came to shove and all of the pieces and parts were considered, I just didn't think I'd be happy with an Acer Netbook or a Presario Mini-Laptop. Not when I could get a full-sized version with a processing system that I knew would do the job and a keyboard that wasn't scrunched into a very small footprint. I suppose, if I travelled with my computer, the smaller notebook / netbook would have it's advantages.

For sitting at home, working on three or four projects at a time, I just needed more bang for the buck. So far, I'm really happy with my choice; so happy that we're thinking of replacing the desktop with another laptop.

I'd love to hear what you use and why. Desktop or laptop? Netbook or notebook? Large footprint or smallish? How did you decide on what you have. Is it working for you? Or are you making do because shopping for a new computer is just a serious pain in the neck?

Credit: acobox.com

Priorities are critical, followed - closely - by a livable schedule. You have to determine what you want (or need) to do, when you want to have it done, and how you're going to fit all of this into your day - without giving up sleep and sanity. I have to be strict with myself because, without self-imposed structure, I am really good at starting something, applying myself with great intensity, and ... Squirrel!!

'Nuff said.

Everyone has different needs, goals, and tolerances. But getting organized has some basic steps that anyone can adapt to those needs and goals. For me, there is a specific order that makes sense. Feel free to use these in any order that works for you.

What Needs Doing

Before I can go any further with organization, I have to know what I'm organizing. Nothing, at this point, has any more importance than anything else. It is simply a list of what I need to get accomplished in a given day, week, month, or year. For my life:

Seems like an odd collection at first blush, but I believe everything has to be looked at. This is a flexible process. If you forget something now, it can always be added later.

How Often Does It Need Doing

Not everything needs to be dealt with every day. But some things do. Knowing this is critical to putting together a workable schedule / organizational plan. For example, as I've mentioned in previous posts, we live in an area inundated by vehicle exhaust. Some of my urgent cleaning issues won't apply to you; some of yours won't apply to me. My timeframes may well be different as well, but you get the idea. For my life:

* These daily chores are dependent on assignments and orders. Obviously, if I don't have an assignment from Company A or B, or an afghan order, I don't need to worry about them. But, knowing there will eventually be work, I have to consider time to get it completed. I can't always drop everything else for one project.

Putting It On The Calendar

The daily stuff is easy, it just needs to be (in my case) plugged into the same time or order every day. I will never get anything done if I don't make a habit of it. So for me:

There are tasks that can be taken care of at the same time. Such as computer maintenance and web site updates, while I'm doing laundry. Others need their own dedicated times, since (for example) I can't do anything else while my nails are wet.

Being a non-fan of daytime TV, I schedule the jobs that will keep me away from the TV or that require my full attention during the day. But, there are shows that I never miss in the evening, so I schedule the tasks that will still get done, even if I'm watching, for those times. I can crochet and keep up with Haven or Warehouse 13.

Grocery shopping gets done, due to pay schedules, on the 4th or 5th of every month. I pay some bills, for the same reason, on the 15th. Others are automatically deducted from my account and don't require thought or scheduling. (Well, as long as there's money in the account. {wink} )

Where Is It Getting Done

Credit: acobox.com

Dedicating a space for work is seriously helpful. We have a desk, but I've never used it because I've always owned laptops. That means I can do my online work from just about anywhere in the house.

I can't, however, get privacy from just about anywhere in the house. It's incredibly helpful to physically separate work from the rest of your life, especially if you live with people who have issues with boundaries. Setting up 'an office' - even if it's sitting on the bed, instead of in the recliner, indicates "I'm not playing right now; I'm working." (See 'Getting Cooperation')

Fine-Tuning The Schedule

Putting everything on the calendar looks and feels great. It's incredibly wonderful to have life a little more organized. But what if it isn't working? Things are on the schedule, but they aren't getting done. Then, what? Well, you revisit the process, as often as necessary, until it works for you.

The joy of a schedule is that it can be changed. First, give it time to become a habit. Then, if you find that some things never get done or don't get done well, it's time to consider why.

Hate cleaning - find a way to hire a service (my personal fantasy). For me, if I clean first, it gets done. If I start anything else before the cleaning, it'll never get done because I'll get 'too busy' (read: I don't want to do it).

What if it's a paid job that is getting neglected? This is not a small problem. If you are under contract, you could get into a lot of trouble for not following through. Basically, you have to look at why you're avoiding the work, and either suck it up or find a way to drop the job.

I had trouble with one blogging company: late payments and accusations of errors in my work, when (in fact) they'd made errors in the assignment instructions. The money was minimal and it was the only job that stressed me out. I could either accept the behavior or stop taking assignments. After stepping back and assessing the situation, the solution was simple.

Getting Cooperation

Another issue with working at home, unless you live alone, can be the other people in the house. Sitting at the laptop, in the recliner (in my case), doesn't tell anyone what I'm doing at the moment. When the assumption is that I'm playing video games, they feel free to interrupt -- frequently.

If you have this problem, let them know that between the hours of X and Y it's work, not play. Lather, rinse, repeat - until the message is received. Or set up a spot where all you do is work (See 'Where Is It Getting Done') and interruptions are not allowed unless body parts are on fire or there's massive bleeding. Eventually, they'll get it and you'll be able to function. (Of course, if interruptions don't bother you - Pfft! at you - and I am so envious.)

Frankly, I can't compose articles and posts with someone going "Ooh, look! Isn't this cool!?" while they're blasting videos or shoving a cell phone in my face. I can't multi-task at that level and fun will always trump work. As Mark often says, "Know what I mean?"

One caveat: Make sure you're working at what you claim, before demanding solitude, or your credibility will go out the window and the family won't believe they can't interrupt you whenever they want. (Been there, done that, got the T-shirt.)

Bottom Line

Working from home requires discipline and cooperation. Given our situation, I really can't imagine any other way. I can't be gone 8 hours a day; even 4 hours would be pushing it. And it is a tremendous luxury to be able to be around to care for a spouse or relative, and still generate income.

Nonetheless, there are days when clocking in at an office for a few hours still looks like the better deal. And part of me misses the interaction with other people. (An issue with working at home that has nothing to do with being organized.)

Then, I remember all of the times that Mark brainstormed with me for an article subject or helped fine-tune a post that was giving me fits and I know that I have it pretty darned good. I do what I want, when I want. And I get paid. It just takes a little more planning and communication to make it flow smoothly.

Due to admirable record-keeping policies, my pharmacist caught the problem. Probably helped by my admirable habit of only going to one pharmacy. But, hey, I'll let 'em take some of the credit.

These days, my pharmacy still keeps great records and hospitals are starting to use systems that make those checks at the source of the prescription. Ideally, they keep physicians from prescribing two drugs that have serious interactions or that, like Accutane, have serious health risks for a specific patient population (i.e., pregnant women). Sounds good, doesn't it? Well ... maybe.

I ran across an article, claiming research showed that an automatic drug safety system can delay treatment, and had an immediate reaction. As a caregiver and frequent patient advocate, alarms went off in my head. Mark nearly died because someone screwed up his transplant meds after his lung cancer surgery and I was going to alert the world to this horrible situation.

Basically, the study involved monitoring of inpatient meds orders, at two teaching hospitals in Philadelphia, for a specific drug combination: Warfarin (a blood thinner) and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole [tmp/smx] (an infection-specific antibiotic). These medications were chosen, as I understand it, because combining the antibiotic with the blood thinner leads to an increased risk of bleeding.

From experience, I know that Warfarin all by itself is a pretty touchy med and tends to not play well with others. When Mark had to take it after his lung cancer surgery, we were lucky they didn't charge rent for that chair at the VA lab. The acceptable range for clotting times is pretty tight for patients on blood thinners.

After a couple of deep breaths and a little digging, I found that the whole story wasn't exactly what the headline implied. The study/clinical trial was initiated because computerized physician order entry (CPOE) systems aren't as successful as had been hoped. Clinicians tend to ignore or override the alerts. (At the risk of insulting those who have one, can you say god-complex?)

It's a bit like having your GPS tell you to turn left, but you turn right and blame the GPS when you're late for your own wedding. Well, except people's lives could be at stake when CPOE instructions are ignored. (On second thought, there are serious health risks involved with leaving one's betrothed waiting at the altar.) But I digress.

During the monitoring period, the CPOE system generated a hard-stop alert when hospital residents and/or nurse practitioners - in the intervention group - tried to prescribe Warfarin and tmp/smx together or add one for a patient already receiving the other. This meant that they could not automatically proceed - the patient could not receive the new meds - without the resident or NP interacting with the pharmacy. According to the report in Reuters Health, 60 percent of prescribers did not follow through with the medication orders.

In essence, the computerized stop-sign did its job. The incidents of patients receiving the drug combo were severely curtailed. Unfortunately, in four critical cases, patient treatment was also curtailed - up to three (3) days. Because those four patients did not receive urgently needed treatment, (two, Warfarin; two, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole), it was determined that the risk to patient health was greater than the benefit of continuing. The study was stopped.

Let's wander back to that headline, for just a second: Automatic Drug Safety System Can Delay Treatment. Now that I've done a little broader reading, I find the headline to be less than honest and bordering on inflammatory. (Guess that's the way to get people to read your stories.) It isn't, to my way of thinking, the CPOE systems that are at fault. The hall-monitors playing with people's meds orders by flashing red-light green-light at medical residents and nurse-practitioners may have a little culpability, but that's probably a whole 'nother post.

The original investigation, which took place between August 2006 and January 2007 and was directly related to healthcare reform - yup, that's exactly where the published report is listed - has a bit of an Oh, Crap! feel to the conclusions. (Read Abstract Here And, while you're reading, here is the data on the clinical trial that started the whole ... ahem ... thing.) Apparently, the federal government is looking to spend money on these systems and the University of Pennsylvania wants to be at the top of the we-can-do-this-best list.

Well, the CPOEs work. Unfortunately, the users of the systems seem to be a little ... defective? This, by the way, is where I start justifiably losing my cool. How do you have a patient that needs blood thinners or a very specific antibiotic and you don't follow through to make sure they get their meds? Hmmm?!

And who - in the name of all that is holy - trained these people? Where is it written that the computer says no, so we just walk away? Granted, I have been incredibly spoiled by some of the people who have had a hand in Mark's medical care since 2003. Which - if I may be forgiven the emphasis - proves that medical professionals can provide superior care, if they engage their brains on a regular basis.(Ask me about Mark's NP, GI resident, and transplant surgeon sometime.)

A computer program makes recommendations; humans make informed decisions. If you can't take the information from a support program, analyze it, and determine a viable course of action - perhaps you should consider a career in Liberal Arts. I'm certain that origami haiku is just waiting for someone to create a new ... school of thought.

Too harsh? Not harsh enough? In the words of the NFL - the greatest sport on the face of the planet - You make the call.

It's not that the new operating system is complex; just, well, new. And the Acer Aspire does have some pretty incredible bells and whistles. Probably more than I need and, definitely, more than I know how to use. The keyboard, however, is driving me cuckoo.

You see, it has a 10-key on the right side. Which, while one of the reasons I ordered this model, is presenting me with whole new levels of frustration. Because of the built-in keypad, everything else is shifted, not so slightly, to the left.

I, being a creature of habit who is hardwired into but-this-is-how-I-always-{fill in any activity}, continue to position my hands and my brain squarely in the middle of the keyboard. (A friend of ours, who just happens to be a physician, just happened to mention OCD the other day. Just ... casually, you know; in passing. Can't imagine why.)

So, I'm relearning how to type, keep forgetting I have a keypad, and really have to get busy. Somehow, having a laptop with better memory and graphics just makes me want to play all the games that wouldn't run on the ThinkPad.

Hmmm. Didn't see that one coming?!

Naturally, we don't wreck them intentionally. Buying laptops is far too expensive to keep arbitrarily trashing the screen. Yet, we keep managing to (to paraphrase one of my favorite movies) take 'em out; uh, take 'em, take 'em down.

So, for the fourth time in as many years, I am ordering a new laptop today and am excited, frankly. One of my favorite techie shopping sites notified me of their 48-hour sale, starting at 9:00am yesterday, and I fell in love with a Toshiba that came with a great instant discount and free shipping. I should have known better.

What was in my price range on the day before payday, was sold out this morning. Yesterday's second choice (also a Toshiba) was $100.00 off with free shipping when I had no money. Today, the discount is cut in half and shipping is no longer free.

Beginning to wonder if the laptop police have decided I no longer am worthy.

First of all - hats off to MemoryStock.com! Free Shipping! that got here from Stockton, CA in about 48 hours. (Actually less, but I'm too lazy to calculate the exact time involved.) And the right part - the first time! Once I adjust my laptop's attitude, I am definitely going to order from them again.

Now for the bad news. I have an off-lease IBM ThinkPad R40e 2484-NU2 that we bought (okay, Frankie bought it) from a third-party on eBay. It's not the speediest of laptops and, in fact, came with only 384MB of RAM - of which, the BIOS (Basic Input Output System) recognizes about 366MB. (I'd swear the description didn't mention this dearth of RAM, but then I'm old and forget things.)

For an oldie, moldie laptop - at least the RAM is upgradable to 1GB. Unfortunately, the BIOS doesn't know that. So, we (meaning me) need to update the BIOS. Easy, peasy - right!? {buzzer} Nope!

In order to update the BIOS, I need a solid A/C connection and a fully charged battery. Go on the A/C; no-go on the battery. It quit charging about 6 (or more) months ago. Since the A/C works and I never (okay, hardly ever) accidentally pull out the adapter plug - not an issue. Plus - have you priced laptop batteries lately!?!

Well, now it's an issue. In order to use the RAM we just bought, I have to purchase the replacement battery that I have been trying desperately not to need. If you follow JMark Afghans on Twitter, you may have noticed a Tweet that mentions "Visions of Laptop as Frisbee {film at 11}" recently.

All I can say? If this $30 memory upgrade gets any more expensive? I'm buyin' a hammer. A really big hammer. {film at 11:15}

(Although I haven't confirmed it, I believe that my complex/ISP is blocking access to anything with 'data torrent' in the name. Oops - anything with 'torrent' as any part of the word, including 'torrential' and 'torrentially' and 'torrential floods' and 'torrential downpour'. All other searches work.)

Anyway, back to FB and data security. The security consultant who collected information from 171 million Facebook users supposedly only pulled public information. That's fine, if you wanted/knew your information was public. If you didn't and you haven't corrected the privacy settings - then that's a problem.

To check, log in to your account:

1. Click on Account, in the upper right corner of your home page;
2. Choose Privacy Settings from the drop-down menu;
3. Under Basic Directory Information, click on View Settings ;
   • Items tagged Everyone are, in a nutshell, public;
   • Anything you don't want to 'broadcast' should be changed to Friends, or at least Friends of Friends ;
4. Not sure what shows or what to change? Choose Preview My Profile on the top right:
   • This will show you what information on your profile is public / viewable to strangers;
   • Anything you don't want to 'broadcast' should be changed to Friends, or at least Friends of Friends ;
5. Don't log-off - we have more to check.

Another security / privacy issue on Facebook is enabled Public Search. What this means is that Google and Bing and Yahoo - and all those happy little search engines - have access to everything you post on FB, unless you tell them NO!

To do that:

1. Click on Account, in the upper right corner of your home page;
2. Choose Privacy Settings from the drop-down menu;
3. Under Applications and Websites (lower left), click Edit your settings ;
4. Under Public Search (last option), click Edit Settings ;
   • If Enable Public Search is checked, uncheck it to remove search engine access to your information.
5. Don't log-off - we have more to check.

Lastly, the information you place on Facebook is only as secure as the settings of your friends. While you could ask them all to tighten their security, that probably wouldn't happen - leaving your data exposed through their settings, posts, and gameplay. So, let's just place a few limits - for them - and Facebook's Partners.

1. Click on Account, in the upper right corner of your home page;
2. Choose Privacy Settings from the drop-down menu;
3. Under Applications and Websites (lower left), click Edit your settings ;
4. Under Info accessible through your friends, click Edit your settings ;
   • On the pop-up, uncheck everything that you don't want visible - to games and websites - through your friends;
   • Be sure to SAVE your changes .
5. Under Instant Personalization, click Edit your settings ;
   • If Enable instant personalization on partner websites is checked, uncheck it to remove FB Partner access to your information.

You are now done, to the best of my knowledge, protecting your information and your privacy on Facebook. At least until there's another update and everything resets. {sigh}

Internet access is a privilege not a right for children, but with the new technology and free access to so much information it is also a good idea to have it right at hand. Since children are vulnerable to the whims of others it is also a good idea to make sure that you have control over what they are accessing via the satellite Internet West Virginia connection.

When we decided to install Wild Blue satellite Internet so that our daughter would be able to get the kind of information she needed for her school work we also installed some parental controls so that we would not have to worry so much about where she was going when browsing the net. With those controls we were also right there watching what she was doing by placing the computer in the family room where we could keep a close eye on her travels.

Prior to installing the Wild Blue wireless Internet to the computer we spent some time discussing what could happen while she was spending her time on the net. We cautioned her to be careful about what information she gave out about herself and where she lived. We also made sure that she knew she would give up her computer privileges if she disobeyed our instructions as to how she was allowed to use it. Over all it's been a good experience.

Today's messages brought one of those heart-thumping, panic-inducing, four-letter-word-inspiring shocks - confirmation of an order for a $1,327 notebook computer (with $50 second-day shipping) from buy.com. Given my current cash flow and no-$$$-no-order house rules, I was pretty sure that this was a hoax / spam / phishing expedition. Yet, June 2010 has just been filled with Egads! Gadzooks! and OMG, No! moments - the USPS / PayPal fiasco starting the whole isn't-this-month-over-yet nightmare.

Taking a deep breath and a large cup of coffee, I started investigating this 'confirmation' message. Sure enough, none of the links went to buy.com. Instead, they went to a site for The First Assembly of God Church, in Gainesville, Florida - which, by the way, has been taken down by their hosting service. Apparently, they got hijacked a while back, or God said, "Thou shalt steal!" and they got busted.

Although that did make me feel a little better, I still had to check with buy.com. Turns out - oddly enough - that I don't seem to have an account with them. Another sigh of relief.

Currently, I'm waiting for them to respond to my inquiry into this mysterious order. Just in case.

Think about it for a second. What - exactly - does an image from a web site tell my insurance agent and her claims adjustor if, heaven forbid, I should have to file a claim? I mean, beyond the fact that I obviously liked a particular dresser, headboard, chair, or microwave? Not, as it turns out, a darn thing. Without a receipt, it's just a pretty picture. (Lesson learned!)

However, what I was really looking for tonight?   An easy way for people to put together - and safely store - a list of their possessions. What I found?   EZasset* - an online system that offers a step-by-step process for documenting - room-by-room - everything you own. They even provide up to 1GB of free (my favorite word) storage for your information, solving both problems.

Then, there's my I-need-software-now site:   CNET download.com* - with hundreds of free and free-to-try software downloads. There are a couple (I didn't look at all the pages) of interesting home inventory titles and, being free, if one doesn't suit your needs it's easy to try another. Of course, they don't come with free offsite data storage. But, I'm sure your insurance company would be happy to stick a CD in your file, if you asked them nicely.

Somewhere in between these two ideas is KnowYourStuff™, from the Insurance Information Institute. Their software is free to download and use, with the same step-by-step, room-by-room process as other packages. Where KnowYourStuff™ differs from download-and-use at CNET is Vault ²⁴ - a secure, online storage facility. Unlike EZasset, however, Vault ²⁴ is not free.

So, I'm happy to say, there are several options out there - at little to no cost. Add a little time and energy and, before you know it, you can see exactly what you own. Or, in our case, just how serious a pack-rat you've become.

*   Links are provided as-is and for informational purposes only. No web site safety, usability, or endorsement is guaranteed, offered, or implied.

First, I have to say that using the internet to take classes is perhaps not the most efficient way to learn. I used hughesnet to take my classes, which I have found to be far more reliable than other forms of internet because even the smallest outages can have a huge effect on the learning experience.

Otherwise, it was simply difficult to learn online. Lectures may seem long and boring, but in my opinion, people learn a lot more than they think during these lectures. Some of my classes tried to replace the lecture with online video, which did help, but in the end it is simply not the same thing. Other online classes simply gave up the lecture altogether, and learning was entirely based on the textbook. I don't think I will retain a single thing that I learned in those classes. Anyway, I would not recommend that people take online classes unless you have a really good satellite internet provider.

This is a guest post from Ashley Reingfield. Thanks girl!

A site owner has zillions (almost literally) of options for information and help with a free directory submission. No matter what they tell you, the easiest way to get your site listed is to follow the instructions on the directory website. They may all be a bit different, but they are meant to be adhered to.

Violate the rules? Don't get listed.

It's a lot of work. There are dozens, if not hundreds, of directories on the Internet. Finding them is the key, followed closely by spending the time suggesting they list your site.

Then, there's the waiting. Many of the best / highest ranking / most popular directories are edited and reviewed by real people. Real people with only so many hours in a day to look at hundreds of suggestions. The wait can be long.

By far, the biggest problem I've found are the organizations that guarantee a free listing in any directory worth the inclusion. It cannot be done. But many black hat SEOs will tell webmasters that it can.

And - happily - take their money.