Works for You: Sorting Program Buttons?

Today the powers that be (Kristen over at We Are THAT Family) have decreed a Backwards Works for Me Wednesday! That means I get to ask you to tell me how to do something. I hope you can help.

Okay, this is the point where I must admit I have moments of complete computer geekiness and I just can't help myself. Are we all okay with that? Good. Now we can move on to my little dilemma.

I use Windows XP. I have the lovely blue taskbar across the bottom that shows me which programs I have open. I'm a bit ... particular about the order my programs are listed. I like to have Firefox, for example, all the way to the left of the bar, right next to the Start button.

So, the program buttons' default position is the order in which they were opened. Normally that's not a problem for me, but once in a while, I've opened programs in one order, then I'll need to restart one or I find I'm cutting text back and forth between two programs or whatever and I just need the buttons in a different order.

I know I could close out of the programs and re-open them in the order I'd like, but it seems like there must be a simple way to just re-sort them without having to go to that bother.

So, for all of you computer-savvy folk who are willing to hold off on the "just switch to linux" discussions, please, tell me I can do this (and that you know the simple three-step procedure that will revolutionize my computing experience).

Thank you. That is all.

WFMW: Cinderella's Closet

We all like free stuff, right? How about free clothes? My aunt came up with this fabulous idea several years ago and she named it Cinderella's Closet.

Basically, it's just a big clothing swap. Gather your friends (it helps if you all wear a similar size, but this can work even if you don't, so long as you have enough people) and tell them to dig through their closets. You can include clothes, shoes, even accessories, if you'd like. For each item you bring, you may take one item home. If you have a big group, you may want to pass out tags as people arrive so everyone remembers how many things they brought.

Let everybody browse through the clothes and choose some items they'd like to bring home. Make sure you have a private changing area available. Once everyone is satisfied with their trades, all the leftover items can be donated to Goodwill or the charity of your choice.

I've done this two or three times. While I always take fewer items home than I've brought with me, I have found it's a great way to clear out my closet. How often do you find something good for you, good for your friends, and good for the less fortunate? Cinderella's Closet works for me!

See more tips and techniques at the new home of Works for Me Wednesday, We Are THAT Family.

WFMW: Free is a Good Color

When I was planning my wedding, I spoke to the florist about getting some rose petals for the flower girls to drop. She told me I'd have to buy them if I wanted a specific color (as she'd have to order the flowers especially for me), or I could have them for free if I was willing to just take whatever color petals were culled that week. When I told my sister about the conversation, she told me, "Free's a good color." Since then, the phrase has become something of a tagline for Adam and me for anything that's unexpectedly free.

The following restaurants and retail outlets offer freebies if you sign up. Many are birthday specials, some are just for being a part of the e-mail club.

• Free pretzels from Auntie Anne's
• Free birthday ice cream from Baskin-Robbins
• "Something special" (it was a free dinner last year) for your birthday from bd's mongolian barbeque
• Free food from Boston Market
• "Special birthday gifts" (I believe it's a free dessert) from Chevys Fresh Mex
• Free food from Chili's
• Free birthday ice cream from Cold Stone Creamery
• Free food from Houlihan's
• Free noodle dish on your birthday from Noodles and Company
• Free food from Qdoba
• Free movie rentals from Redbox
• Free birthday meal from Red Robin
• Free meals from Sweet Tomatoes

These are just some of the places I have personal experience with freebies. It definitely pays to check out your favorite places online or in person to see what deals they might offer. In addition to the freebies above, most of these places will send you coupons throughout the year. If you'll be shopping or eating there anyway, you may as well save some money!

For more tips, tricks, and techniques, check out Works for Me Wednesday at Rocks in My Dryer.

WFMW: Unique Donations

It's that time of year again. That's right, this week we're heading into Junk Mail Season. As the daughter of a self-proclaimed "junk mail writer," I can get pretty cynical about charitable contributions. It's always easier, in my mind, just to write out a check than to really consider how we can serve others.

This year, since checks are a bit scarce at our house, I've been trying to consider what we can give. In addition to volunteering (and there are many, many fine organizations that could use our time and energy), I wanted to see if there was any way to use some of our clutter to make the holidays a little better for someone else.

During an afternoon visit with my friend Google, we compiled this list of things you may not realize you can donate to a good cause.

• DVDs
• DVDs4Vets coordinates the donation of new and used DVDs and portable DVD players to veterans hospitals throughout the US. Visit dvds4vets.org or contact your local VA hospital.
• KidFlicks supplies DVDs to children's hospitals nationwide. Visit www.kidflicks.org or contact your local pediatric unit.
• Professional Clothing
Dress for Success (for women) and Career Gear (for men) specialize in providing business suits and interview clothing for those who are trying to get back on their feet. Visit dressforsuccess.org or careergear.org or contact your local homeless shelter.
• Cell Phones
Call To Protect refurbishes phones for survivors of domestic violence. Visit www.wirelessfoundation.org/CallToProtect or contact your local women's shelter.
• Hair
Wigs for Kids and Locks of Love create hairpieces for children who have lost their hair and cannot afford the cost of a custom human-hair wig. Visit www.wigsforkids.org or www.locksoflove.org or contact your local salon.
• Airline Miles
• Hero Miles provides airline miles to injured military personnel undergoing medical treatment and families. Visit www.fisherhouse.org/programs/heroMiles.shtml.
• Miracle Flights for Kids flies sick children to medical centers around the country for surgery or therapy. Visit www.miracleflights.org.
• Many other organizations also accept donated miles, contact your favorite charity or your airline directly for more information.
• Books
• Books for Africa is working to end poverty in many African nations by providing textbooks and other reading material to enhance the educational systems in impoverished areas. Visit www.booksforafrica.org.
• Prison Book Program helps to provide books and educational resources to prisoners. Visit www.prisonbookprogram.org
• You can also check with your local library to see if they are accepting book donations or for additional organizations that can put your books to good use.
• Shoes
Soles4Souls distributes new and used footwear to those in need around the world. Visit www.soles4souls.org or contact your local shoe store.
• Coupons
• Overseas Coupon Program volunteers mail coupons (even expired ones!) for use on military bases around the world. Visit www.ocpnet.org.
• Food pantries, homeless shelters, and anti-cruelty societies also may accept donated coupons. Check with those near you to find out their policies.
• Other Stuff
• Churches, preschools, and daycare centers often collect household items for use in craft projects. Contact those in your area to see what they might be able to use.
• Homeless shelters will often accept hotel or trial-size personal care products. Check with your local shelter for their donation guidelines.
• Animal shelters often take worn towels and bedding items. Contact shelters in your area to see what they can use.

If anybody else has some great ideas to donate items that might otherwise be wasting valuable storage space or find their way into a landfill, be sure to leave them in the comments.

For more great ideas, tips, and tricks, visit Works for Me Wednesday at Rocks in My Dryer.

WFMW: Global Undo

Don't you wish there was an undo button for life? Something that you could push to take back the thoughtless comment that escaped your mouth or the impulse purchase that put you into overdraft in your checking account.

Well, I can't help you with that, but there is an undo command that you can use in e-mails or online forms or even blog posts and comments: CTRL+Z

Now, it won't get back the e-mail you accidentally sent to your boss, but if you were editing an e-mail and accidentally erased a big chunk, just press the Control key and the letter z (at the same time) and voilà, like magic, it's back.

In some instances, such as Blogger's post composer, you can undo several actions simply by repeating the keystrokes. In others, such as Notepad, you can only undo your last action and repeating the keystrokes only toggles undo and redo.

NOTE FOR MAC USERS: I don't use Mac, but I've read that the keystrokes for your operating system are CMD+Z. Anybody tried that?

For more tips, tricks, and other good stuff, visit Rocks in My Dryer.

WFMW: Surfing with the Sound Off

Right off the bat, I need to admit this post is part "tip" for bloggers, part "rant" against my latest pet peeve. Bear with me, will you please?

As you may recall, I recently got speakers on my computer. Can I tell you how excited I am about being able to watch all the little YouTube clips everybody posts? Well, okay, I'm excited to see some of the clips people post.

I've discovered a darker side to surfing with the sound up, though. Some people think it's cute to have sound or video clips set to automatically play as their page loads. Please, please, for the love of all that's not waking my daughter up while I'm on the computer after she's asleep: If you are one of these people, I beg you to change the settings on your site! Surely it would be just as simple to have a nice little "play" button for everyone who wants to hear/see/experience the media, and the rest of us will be left in peace.

Well, there's my plea. Unfortunately, since not everyone reads my blog (and a misguided few probably don't even agree with me that this is a horrid waste of bandwidth) further steps must be taken. This is the tip part, for those of you who have been waiting.

I've taken to surfing with the sound down. Sometimes I turn my speakers off. Occasionally, I'll set the volume to mute. Mostly, though, I just turn it waaaaaaay down. That way, as I'm innocently wending my way through the world wide web, my tender ears aren't assaulted by loud noises, and my daughter doesn't wander into the living room wanting to dance in the middle of the night.

For more tips to brighten your day (most without ranting commentary) visit Rocks in My Dryer.

Works for Me: Furniture Catch

I figured it out! I figured it out!
With a pencil and a pad, I figured it out!

Well, okay, not quite. But I love the song, anyway. And I did figure something out that's bothered me for years. Maybe it will help you, too.

There is a catch on my desk chair that keeps it from tilting backward. I like to be able to sit back in that half-reclined position and think deep thoughts. I find it restful. Maybe it puts my brain in better alignment or something

In any case, my daughter likes to play with this chair and spin it around. She regularly sets off the catch mechanism and, until just recently, I've not known how to fix it.

But, I figured it out! (Have you caught on to that idea yet?)

The lever that controls the height of the chair twists to allow the seat up or down. It also slides in and out about ¼" and that is what controls the tilt.

So, now when I come back to my computer desk after my little one has been spinning and playing, I can lean back and ponder to my heart's content. Ahh.

For more tips and tricks to improve your live, visit Rocks in My Dryer.

WFMW: Virtual Family Gatherings

I don't know how many of you, my loyal readers, have the privilege of living nearby your extended family. That is not the case for me. The closest members of my immediate family (of origin) live two states away. Most of my extended family is even farther.

A few months ago, my dad sent an e-mail to each of his three kids. I forget the exact nature of the subject ... life insurance or estate planning or something similar. Whatever the topic was, it seemed to set us off typing. We hadn't had a family discussion that lively in years! And I realized I'd missed it.

For a month or so before this, I'd been fiddling around with Google Groups for a work project. It seemed to me like a perfect fit for my e-mailing family. I didn't know how they might react to the idea, but I went ahead and set up a private group for us and invited everyone to join. The first few weeks were a little slow as we weren't really sure what else we had to say to one another.

Once a few threads got going, however, we've found this is a really nice way to stay in touch. We have a page on the website for special celebration dates and links to online wishlists and notes about individuals' interests. We've discussed vacation plans and coordinated schedules to visit with each other.

Just the other day I sent around a question about theology that had been rumbling in my brain. This is a discussion my family would never have participated in, were it not for the group. Not that we couldn't have just sent the e-mails around, but I wouldn't really have thought start it.

This isn't really meant to be an advertising piece for Google (but, hey, Google folks, if you want to pay me ...). I know you can do groups at Yahoo! or Facebook, and other sites as well, but I'm not as familiar with the features of those.

I just wanted to encourage anyone who may not have considered enhancing your family gatherings through technology to give it a go. It definitely works for me!

For more tips, tricks, and hints, visit Rocks in My Dryer.

Works for Me: Hairspray

Hairspray, the new miracle drug ... well, not quite. But it is a handy little bottle to keep in the cupboard. Besides keeping your hair in place, a little hairspray can

• Remove ink stains from fabric
  spritz a bit of extra-hold on the stain and scrub it away
• Keep pencil drawings from smudging
  a light coat or two will keep your hard work from smearing
• Preserve dried flowers
  keep the bugs away with a light spray (just watch out for lighted candles)
• Asphyxiate ticks
  got this one from Dr. P during our last visit: get the bug nice and wet, then remove him with a tweezers when he pulls his little head out

Find more useful ideas at Rocks In My Dryer and check back here on Friday for a special giveaway!

Keeping Food Fresher Longer

This post originally appeared on By Hook or By Cook.

I have a tendency to purchase in bulk, thinking it will be a better deal. Unfortunately, when the bulk of my purchase spoils, all I've ended up doing is making expensive garbage. Here are a few ideas I've picked up along the way to help my food last longer.

• Cheese: wrap loosely in waxed paper and cover with foil before placing it in the fridge
• Butter: freeze butter in its original box inside a plastic bag
• Greens: wrap gently in a paper towel inside a plastic bag or line a hard-sided container with paper towels
• Fresh Herbs: cut ¼" off then end of the stems and set them in a cup of cool water as you would fresh flowers
• Meat: divide larger packages of meat into your usual meal sizes and freeze in sandwich- or quart-sized zipper bags inside one- or two- gallon zipper bags
• Ice Cream & Popsicles: keep frozen treats toward the back of the freezer, away from the warm drafts of an open freezer door

Find more tips and ideas at Rocks in My Dryer.

Didn't Work for Me: Gift Card Budgeting

In theory, budgeting with gift cards was great. In reality, we didn't even make it one month.

What didn't work:

• My spending at various stores is somewhat inconsistent
  There is one store where I spend the majority of my grocery money, and another where I buy the majority of my specialty items. However, I don't spend the same proportion of the total at each store regularly. Depending on what I'm planning to cook in the upcoming week or two, I may need more items from the specialty store. Additionally, sometimes my local grocer has a great sale on a few items that I want to purchase. Because store fliers usually are only published weekly, I wouldn't know at the beginning of a given month whether or not I'd be buying 18 pounds of butter three weeks later.
• Two words: cheap(er) gas
  While no gas is cheap these days (we're up over $3.75 a gallon here), I do generally look to buy gas at the lowest price available. Often that's at one of two local stations, but sometimes there will be a better deal somewhere else. I really didn't like the idea that I'd have to pay more for gas, just because I didn't have the right card.
• Generic gift cards come with fees
  I had considered purchasing a portion of my budget in basic Visa or American Express gift cards to deal with some of the issues above. Unfortunately, for a $50 card, I'd have to pay a $3-$5 activation fee. I wasn't willing to spend up to 10% of my budget for the privilege of using my own money.

So, there you have it. What sounded like such a good idea at the time, in actual practice really didn't work for me.

Check out more cautionary tales at this week's special WFMW: What DOESN'T Work For Me.

Works for Me: Résumé Red Flags

My tips today are especially pertinent for anyone on the job hunt. I was recently reading through a training manual written for HR professionals. I found the section on interviewing potential employees particularly intriguing.

Here are the top seven things your interviewer has been instructed to watch for on your résumé:

1. Poor spelling, typos, and grammatical errors
   A prospective employer will assume this is your best work. Always use the spell-check feature, but also have several other pairs of eyes looking out for mistakes. As the saying goes, you do not get a second chance to make a first impression.
   
2. Several stretches of unemployment
   Most of us have been unemployed once or twice. Some even for many months at a time. But if you have more than one or two significant breaks in your job history over the past 10 years, you may not look like a particularly desirable candidate.
   
3. Listing of qualifications without paid work experience
   If most or all of the relevant experience you have is volunteer work, it will not be considered as highly as previous employment. While in some ways, I consider this a form of employment snobbery (I have certainly held volunteer jobs that required a lot more effort and attention than some of my paid positions), it is a fact that generally volunteers are afforded a much greater level of flexibility and freedom than paid workers.
   
4. Many jobs in unrelated fields or multiple jobs within a short period of time
   Job hoppers (as these individuals have been termed) may not have much loyalty to an employer, or perhaps there is some uncertainty about what they like to do or where their strengths lie. Or perhaps you are just interested in many fields or have made some poor choices in the past. An interviewer will be trying to determine whether you are worth the risk to employ and train.
   
5. Vague descriptions of responsibilities or achievements
   A prospective employee who is vague about his or her previous work may not have done very much worth elaborating, or perhaps is trying to conceal a job that was not as impressive as its title. Be specific about what you did, and especially how your work benefited the company. Whenever possible, use numbers (e.g., "Supervised 7 employees" or "Increased revenue 23% in one year").
   
6. Work experience that is disproportionate with level of education
   While it is certainly possible for individuals with little formal education to achieve great success in business, sadly, it is not nearly as common as people padding their résumés in hopes of finding a better, higher paying job. Make sure you list the qualifications which allowed you to advance above what might be expected of someone with your education.
   
7. References from companies which are no longer in business
   Many of us have had a previous employer close its doors. However, when the majority of your employment history is comprised of companies which no longer exist, an interviewer may wonder if you are trying to keep him or her from checking your references. In the case that several of your former employers have gone out of business, be sure to have several business references available for potential employers to choose from, such as previous managers in their new positions.
   

While in most cases, one of these items (or even a few of them together) should not keep you from being considered, you should be prepared to answer questions on anything that may look sketchy to a potential employer.

For more tips to improve your life, visit Rocks in My Dryer.

P.S. Anybody know how to edit my blog template so that the bullet images show up for unnumbered lists only? I got it!

Works for Me: Frugal Teeth

I've discovered a little something that makes a big difference as I brush my teeth.

First, some background: I don't like many toothpastes; mint and I are not always on speaking terms. In addition, I have a rather overambitious gag reflex, which requires delicate introduction of foaming cleansers, particularly to those hard-to-reach back teeth.

With these points in mind, may I present my recently acquired knowledge?

Squirting the toothpaste on the brush before you get it wet increases the foam-factor and allows you to use less paste with no drop in overall cleanliness.

Woo-hoo!

Really, I'm just trying to save you all some money.

For more tip-top tips, visit Rocks in My Dryer.

Works for Me: Thank You Pictures

I got this idea from a woman at our church who recently had a baby. We brought over dinner along with a small crocheted teddy bear. When she returned our casserole dish, her Thank you note was a printed photo of her daughter with the bear folded over into a card. What a great idea!

I've also started to do this with the grandparents. It works just as well, I've found to send the photos by e-mail with a special note about how much the little munchkin has enjoyed her presents. It's also a nice way to show off what you bought with a gift card.

For more hints to make life easier, visit Rocks in My Dryer.

Works for Me: Kid Safety

I can't remember whether I read or heard this idea somewhere or I actually thought it up on my own. Adam and I started doing this with our daughter when she was old enough to be out of her stroller during our visits to the local aquarium (where we used to have a membership, so we went quite a bit).

Before heading out of the house, take a couple of digital photos of each child. Make sure one shows the whole outfit (or two if coat/hat/etc. will be worn--one with and one without) and another is a close up showing facial features. If you get separated from your child(ren), you not only have a recent photo available, but one which actually shows the clothing they are wearing.

For more tips, tricks, and ideas, visit Rocks in My Dryer.

**Edited to note: The instant I published this, I heard a crash from my daughter's bedroom. She'd fallen out of bed. Apparently she was calling my bluff on this safety business!

Works for Me: Free Stickers!

I have a sticker-crazy child. If one side is sticky and the other has some bright colors on it, she's a happy camper. Unfortunately, she thinks any sticker within arms reach (you know, on top of the bookcase, where she can reach after she climbs onto the arm of the rocking chair) belongs to her. Even ever-increasingly expensive postage stamps.

However, after hiding the stamps on top of the fridge, I discovered a wonderful source for free stickers: credit card offers.

Who'da thunk it?

Seriously, though, at least 50% of the credit card offers that clog up our mailbox have some kind of stickers. Most of them are pretty basic ("Special Offer" and "Platinum Plus") but, some are even kind of cool, like Mickey Mouse Visa cards from Disney.

I just think of it as my own little addition to the recycling movement.

For more hints, tips, and tricks, visit Rocks in My Dryer.

Works for Me: Homemade Christmas

This week's theme is Last-Minute Christmas Tips. If you're trying to find something easy and inexpensive, but still with that homemade touch, take a look at what we did.

This year for Christmas, Adam and I gave our friends dinner baskets filled with homemade mixes, a small bottle of wine, and a coupon for dessert.

Dinner is Vegetarian 3-Bean Chili (mix recipe and directions here) and cornbread. I designed the apple-shaped coupons to round out the meal. They read, "This coupon entitles you to one scrumptious dessert made fresh in [Adam & Amy’s] kitchen."

I packaged the mixes in Wilton^® Clear Party Bags, but they could just have easily gone in canning jars or even plastic zipper bags. The chili mix includes a small spice packet and a can of tomatoes. To make them look a little prettier, I placed the bag containing the spices on top of the tomato can and covered both with a crocheted cap that Adam made--doesn't it look great? The star ornament is my handiwork. It does double duty as both another small gift and a package embellishment. I posted a pattern for the star here (it's the Small Star).

To find more Christmas tips, head on over to Rocks in My Dryer.

Works for Me: Birthdays

Today is my birthday, and another Works for Me Wednesday: Backwards Day over at Rocks in My Dryer.

I'm planning a party this weekend for three of us who have birthdays all within a week and a half of each other. This year, the sum of our ages is 100, so we're celebrating together at a 100th Birthday Party. I'm excited for that, but I'm in charge of doing a lot of work for it, too.

What does your family do to make your birthday special? Especially if you're the one who generally makes the special stuff happen?

Thanks in advance for the thoughts. I'll be sure to pass them on to my husband and daughter!

Works for Me: Stain Tactics?

Aha!! I've finally figured out how all of those people manage to get on the list before me at Shannon's WFMW--You all post on Tuesday night. Cheaters! :P

At any rate, this week is Backwards WFMW over at Rocks in My Dryer. Instead of my sharing some brilliant tip with all the world (or the three of you who still read my blog), I am to pose a question to the rest of the WFMW crew to share their brilliance.

So, here's mine: How do I get stains out of my daughter's clothes?

Particularly troublesome are tomato sauce and mud. Is there a product that really works for you? What about set in stains from, say, when we went to the park after it rained and she landed on the seat of her pants, smack-dab in the mud puddle at the bottom of the twisty slide, then I didn't get to the laundry for another three days? Not saying this is necessarily what happened ... okay, it's exactly what happened. Her light pink pants now have huge brown stains where you really don't want to see brown stains.

Ooh, and what if I accidentally didn't notice, say, a red marker she'd put into her pocket, so I've already washed and dried a whole load of t-shirts that now look like they were tie-dyed by someone with no sense of balance in their design. Am I just out of luck? Or can my clothes be saved??

Tune in next week ....

Whoops! Sorry, I was suddenly hearing the warbly organ music from those old radio dramas.

If you have any hints, especially ones that don't require I treat the stain right away, please leave me a comment. I would be eternally grateful--or at least until she grows into another size and requires new clothes anyway.

Works for Me: Egg Salad

This post originally appeared on By Hook or By Cook.

Egg salad was not something I readily ate growing up. I didn't think I liked mayonnaise. Little did I know, my real problem was with that "salad dressing" people like to pretend is mayonnaise. Once I discovered the real stuff, there was no going back.

My biggest trouble in putting a good egg salad together (once I'm past peeling those suckers), is the actual crumbling of the eggs. I tried being a fork masher, but it took too long and seemed rather demanding (I hate to be picking half-mashed eggs off my counter).

Recently, I discovered the best egg salad helper: my pastry cutter! Drop my dozen eggs in the bowl, mash mash mash, and they're done!

Now, as far as my recipe ... I must admit I don't really use one. I tend to start with about a dozen eggs (or six or eight, however many are on hand), boil them, dip them in cold water before peeling, then mash.

I finely chop a stalk or two of celery and add as much mayonnaise as it takes to make it all stick together. Then I sprinkle the whole thing with salt and pepper, stir it up, and serve it on hard rolls or crackers.

Check out more tips and techniques to make life more sane at Rocks in my Dryer.