Book Commercials & Misanthropic Observations

Universal remote codes and Polaroid brand Televisions

Well, since we are all either hooking up converter boxes or purchasing new televisions this month, I hope this tip helps the next person who opts for the great deal we did last year on a Polaroid brand flat screen TV.

You won’t find Polaroid listed in your universal remote code directory- it’s actually just another brand name TV repackaged and sold cheaper as a Polaroid. (By the way I’m not bothered by this practice, unlike many who seem to be scandalized) Instead start going through the Mitsubishi codes. We hit it right on the 3rd one. Apparently, according to a few forum posts I found out there, you should try the Mitsubishi codes on any brand that isn’t listed in your manual.

If the code in your list isn’t long enough for your remote they say to just add as many “1″s as you need to make the correct number of digits before of the code you are trying.

Adventures of a Vista64 NEWB

Circuit City is closing. I went to the store to see what steals I could find and discovered that the Lenovo Y430 was no longer $679.99, they were now charging almost $800.00 but claiming it was a great buy at 10% off. We got it the day the $679.99 price came out and apparently that price only lasted about 4 days. Now they are selling the 2GB model for the price we paid for the 4GB less than a week earlier.

I love this computer even more for having got it at such a steal.

My only snag, and a small one at that, has been having to go online and find 64bit specific versions of my usual drivers and software. I’ve learned a lot and it’s been fun. I did stuck a little longer on syncing my Palm Centro with the Vista64 operating system. You’ll find lots of posts online, including on the Palm website, claiming it can’t be done; that palm doesn’t support 64bit operating systems. I hope the next poor schlep with my same trouble comes across this post in their google search, because IT CAN BE DONE!

The answer is to use a blue tooth connection. If your computer, like mine, doesn’t come with Bluetooth, you’ll need to get an adapter and don’t get a cheap one. Make sure it is certified to work with Vista64. Here is the one that worked for me: IOGEAR Enhanced Data Rate Bluetooth USB Adapter (GBU221).

It took me only about 15 minutes to set this connection to work properly and believe me: I had no idea what I was doing. So this solution gets the Bluetooth and Vista64 NEWB stamp of approval.

another Craigs list deal

another Craigs list deal

Originally uploaded by Brandy Dopkins

Paul and I picked this chair up tonight for $100.00. I LOVE it and the color makes me giggle.

Recession Rocks!

There are such great laptop sales out there this year. My favorite deal: Lenovo IdeaPad Y430-5342U 14.1″
• Intel Core 2 Duo T6400
• 4GB RAM
• 250GB hard drive
• Built-in 802.11n wireless

Ciruit City: $679.99 

Frito Puppy

Image4.jpg

Originally uploaded by Brandy Dopkins

Dear Frito

Yes, you are the cutest dog on the planet. I giggle every time you walk past an electrical outlet on the wall and I see once again that you are not even as tall as the outlet. However, we need to talk.

Why you lick fabric I have no idea. you lick the carpet, or the couch or whatever you happen to be laying on. it’s strange and gross. You leave big wet spots that I have to sniff to make sure they are not pee. STOP it. bad puppy.

Giving money as worship

It’s that time of the year when I work on the Dopkins annual budget.

I have mentored friends financially, and we eventually touch on the topic of giving money as worship. In these conversations I call it tithing, and I don’t get on a soapbox in front of the wretched sinner before me, unlike me the perfect born-again person, and declare “it’s not tithing until it’s 10%” like some people I know. I think that’s just legalistic and shaming. I don’t feel superior – I know how disobedient and selfish I am. Hopefully that self knowledge transfers to grace and slowness to judge others finances, mixed with actual interest to discuss household money.

Now, while I do agree that the technical definition of “Tithe” is 1/10th, I believe this word has a different definition in our culture- It means giving money to the church or a charitable organization. And I believe it’s important to start when interacting with anyone with a realistic understanding of that cultural definition.

Porter has spoken better than I ever could what giving money as worship means, please take time to listen to it.

I’m working on giving money back to God (since it all came from Him) as obedience. And I have found that I simply do not cut a check and put it in the offering on a weekend. When I go to do it, I find myself looking at the checkbook balance to be sure we can cover it, and deciding to wait maybe until the next paycheck. That’s stupid- we have a budget- I know how much, God willing, we will bring in that month. But I must be truthful and realistic about my hoarding weakness.

The answer for me is auto bill pay. Now, you can tell me all you want that I lose the joy of giving as worship; for me, right now I’m working on obedience- That’s worship, because it’s bowing to God as God. And it’s trusting him and believing he will provide what we need, or learning to, anyway.

Paul’s new tactic

I am not a sports fan. As a matter of fact, I get tired of it all on the TV all the time. I have noticed a new technique Paul uses to get me to acquiesce. He decides to watch something so much more annoying that the hockey game is a relief.

Tonight I noticed he used it to go to high school football from The 2008 Magicians Award show.

Importing Quicken files into Quickbooks, maybe

This is hugely important for anyone with non-business checking accounts who use quick books for home book keeping. I have struggled with this for years and can’t wait to tell Rita Fosterling & JoAnne Blum that I have an answer, maybe- I’m gonna do it myself for a month or 2 first…

Associated Bank, and others, only offer Quicken file downloads from online banking, leaving you unable to import transactions into Quickbooks. I have been importing transactions for years, and have been taking this ease of data entry for granted as I sing the praises of Quickbooks to my friends. BUT I read today online that qfx (Quicken) and qbo (Quickbooks) files are THE SAME- so I downloaded ad qfx, changed the file extension and imported it successfully today.

What remains to be seen is if it has all the same snappy qbo features like smart import, where it doesn’t download the same transaction twice. I will run this process myself for a month or 2 before I declare success.