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Service
Written on byI may be naive and foolish, but I expect a certain level of service from companies that I deal with, including the auto dealership. At an appointment on February 26, they ordered two replacement parts for me, both under warranty. Today, two weeks later, I called to see if perhaps the parts were on a […]
Amanuensis
Written on byMy husband came home from a meeting with another colleague/consultant yesterday. “He included you in the proposal we’re putting together,” he said. “He wants you to be his amanuensis.” While my first reaction was a moment of panic about scheduling, it was quickly replaced with a feeling of complete confusion: what the heck is an […]
No Time or “No” Time?
Written on byPeople assume that the hardest thing about being a freelancer is time management. “Oh, I could never do what you do,” they say. “I’d be so tempted to go shopping or watch Oprah.” Trust me, just because you feel like doing that on your day off does not mean that this pattern of behavior holds […]
Avoid the Weekend Heart Attack
Written on byAs I told my mother when she had her heart attack on a Friday afternoon, there’s just no good that can come from cardiac care over the weekend. It looks like I was right. The study measured heart attacks that occurred in patients who were already in the hospital, but I’m sure that the same […]
Mac Girl
Written on byI’m a Mac girl. I’m not ashamed to admit that I’m one of those people who loved Macs even in that dark period prior to the half-dome iMac and first iPod. I’ve used Macs for as long as I can remember. And as my beloved 12″ PowerBook G4 nears the end of its lifespan, I […]
Nighttime Aircraft Noise
Written on byA study has shown a correlation between the sound of aircraft noise at night — not loud enough to wake you, but loud enough for a physical response — and a rise in blood pressure. I’m not surprised. I grew up near an airport and the quality of my sleep was definitely dependent on the […]
Six-Word Memoirs
Written on byThe legend says that Hemingway was given the “impossible” task of writing a life story in only six words. His answer: “For sale: baby shoes, never worn.” That’s the basis for the Six-Word Memoirs on Smith.com. Some are funny, others sad, and some just make you wish you knew more about the writer’s backstory. I’ve […]
Going Live!
Written on byI’ve finally redesigned my website using Joomla, an open-source content management tool. I have to admit that there were more than a few things that were counterintuitive in the system, but now that I have the site set up, maintaining the content should be simple. Notice that I say “should be” because after all, it […]
Electoral Compass
Written on byDid you ever wonder how closely your beliefs align with the various candidates? Try the Electoral Compass. It’s a quick way to see where you fall on the political spectrum.
Websites
Written on byJust as the proverbial cobbler’s son has no shoes, it’s extraordinarily difficult to keep my own website current. I initially set up my website a decade ago, using some hardcore HTML and frames that were common at the time. It was large, unwieldy, and no matter what I did to update the design, still managed […]