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Dishwasher D-I-Y Repair Dreams

Our dishwasher wasn't that old, and it didn't just crash. It sputtered a bit, worked some more, but finally landed gently and then would not respond at all. We relented and bought a dish rack, the plastic hour glass shaped bottle of dish detergent, fluffy and absorbent dish towels too. Times are tough, we could adjust.

After two months we reconsidered and called the highly recommended appliance repair shop some family members relied upon. He showed up the next day. Seeming competent enough, he said the control panel had to be replaced and the total cost would be two hundred dollars. Following our agreement he made a convincing display of ordering the part and securing a repair date. Three days, tops, he said.

Well beyond three days a call back resulted in an anxious dispatcher admitting the appointment was not secured and the technician had not ordered the part. It was a fond farewell that we bid the dispatcher, with specific instructions not to send anyone to follow up.

The dishwasher model number on the door and "control panel" with the appropriate comma secured a dossier from Google search. I had the suspect and all his characteristics carefully listed with photos and diagrams. And in just a very few minutes.

Google produced several sources of information. Of them, Sears provided the most complete and easily readable folder. With the best price, $56.99. The price of a service call is $55, forfeited by the negligent technician for standing us up.

Sears Parts Direct whet my appetite and got me thinking. Having such an extensive parts database with assembly drawings, part numbers, and photos could be a real asset to an appliance repair small business plan. Sears also has a commercial parts website, even more interesting. In addition to an affiliate sales program. All very interesting.

Count me in, the process that is. I am now waiting while Sears examines my worthiness. I do have some experience regarding customer service, at least in terms of what not to do. I will not work for Sears. But I will get parts from Sears Parts Direct. Digging further I found another niche regarding lawn equipment and small engine repair. Yes, I have the experience. I am thinking there will be less of that "toss it and get a new one" going on, you think? The key here is the data, of course the parts, the online repair information--the same day shipping. My guess is, at most repair shops the shelves are empty and a computer is back there!

PotPieGirl And The Archive Of Squidoo Lenses

As in "Raiders Of The Lost Ark," There is buried treasure to be had--this one too, is not quite what you might think it is. And its value depends on the eye of the beholder. Is it the ornate, jeweled cup? or the plain and worn, wood cup of a working person?

The Squiddo Lens archive of the PotPieGirl tells a unique story. And if the die-hard explorer diggs deep and is thorough, he or she will find a brave heroine and a story both compelling and inspiring. But first one must locate the archive and exhume the entire historical treasure, examining the earliest artifact to the latest one. The treasure lies in their entirety.

There are labyrinths in the archive so don't get side-tracked, stick to the chronological order of things and deep secrets will be revealed to you. I preserved copies of each in RTF, carefully wrapping them so I could activate each of the tasty links later. There will be a sequel.

You will have to start at Squidoo. It is like the old busy streets of Cairo. You must ask around for information on the PotPieGirl. Once you find her temple you can dig about for her archive. Although a bit dusty, I am sure you can find it. Divided into months, it starts at August, 2007. Do not be deterred and do not dally about, I am also sure its value is soon to be realized, whereupon the now free tome will be whisked away to a university, or some such institution. Once you are in, be sure to examine it from front to back, make your rubbings and get out. Watch out for snakes, but for goodness sakes, get started!
travel via my squidoo

Pandora's Hot, Cool, Even Smooth Music

This morning started out with Hoagy Carmichael playing "Stardust Melody." Our black cat sat in the window next to my desk, lapping up the water I set before him on the window sill. We are both enjoying the open window out to the back porch that frames a cool, damp, rain washed woods.

Last night I bumped into Pandora, an internet radio project. I was captured at first look, she proved fun and soothing. She will just play, or be delightfully interactive. Pandora displays the album covers of each individual musical selection with thumbs up, thumbs down icons at the bottom right and left corners of the albums, I could figure that out. Of course she is continually adjusting to those inputs, crafting a unique playlist that I will enjoy.

She was initiated with one request: Hoagy Carmichael. Pandora created a radio station, not of one artist, but of a music genre. As the station plays, the album covers roll by from right to left, I can pass judgement (or not). Sometimes, as the music relates to what I am thinking, or writing, I can jot down the song's particulars; having very specific information right at hand.

When I realized the artist selection established the type of music and even the time period, I opted for Santana. Resulting in a big change from Hoagy Carmichael. I was then awash in a flow of Santana selections and music and artists contemporary to them. I had my second radio station completed and saved. Pandora is like having a personal assistant for my music.

Following Santana I experimented with Freddy Fender, The Beatles, Bob Wills and his Texas Playboys--and for the smoothness of it; Dave Koz. That was last night and reluctantly I had to shut down the broadcast center Pandora, and get some sleep.

This morning I went back to Pandora's box. And I noticed I have a long list of "radio stations," and now there is a vertical slide arrow to the right of them. I want to find out what it is for. But Frank Sinatra is crooning "Indian Summer" and I cannot bear to interrupt him. Then followed by "It might as well be spring" and John Pizzarelli picks up right where Frank left off. I will just have to find out later.
VISIT PANDORA

The Blog And Lens World Of Charlie

Dreamriver is the quiet, off-world sort of place that seems uninhabited. I realize it is a large place but I usually don't get much notice there. It was easy to set up and became a nice looking location, easy to navigate each time I return. Everywhere I travel to I see the blogger logo, so it must be a major player on the internet.

I just discovered Squidoo and therefore I have been drawn into its briny deep. This place has good resources and learning tools. If you translate its "lens" to "blog" you will see how helpful those resources can be to just about everyone. Be warned, it is as addictive as a new video game. Or, lets say, hot buttered popcorn.

BlogEvolve is the friendliest of all my places. Like a friendly pub, I can stop in there almost anytime and find someone to talk to. Warm and quiet, I have yet to suffer a brawl of any sort. One can bring up almost any subject and get friendly support and advice about it. It is a good thing there is no closing time, we have international patrons visit BlogEvolve.

Squidoo has the most educational facilities of all the places. And if you visit there you must look for PotPieGirl Besides being a delightful character she is an incredible teacher. Do not pass up this chance to meet her, she will inspire you. especially if you are looking for a work at home plan, she surely has that--a workable plan. And allow me to emphasize the word free. PotPieGirl is the queen of free stuff. There is eventually some costs but she is adamant about keeping stuff free for her "kids" (also known as newbies). As they grow to maturity she then teaches them about reasonable business expenses.

StumbleUpon is a roller-coaster ride of images and text through the internet. You hit the stumbleUpon button and rocket to the next site, give it a thumbs up or down and jet on to see more. Your likes are saved to return to, and your dislikes are marked to prevent a return trip. It is a delightful trip of information and images. Although, rarely, you can get shockingly rude sites, even though the safe setting is on. These you can report in order to clean up the town.

I hope you enjoy this selection, newly created and for your viewing pleasure. There is no government money involved in this endeavor whatsoever. Cheers!

Do You Really Want To Become A Blogger?

Writers were what bloggers are. An archaic scene, maybe, but writers were often depicted as wearing smoking jackets with an ascot. Holding a martini in one hand with a cigarette in the other, sitting in front of a typewriter and maybe there was even a piano in the room. Wait a minute, that would be a songwriter.

A stylish man, even a genteel graying gentleman who wasn't really doing anything at all would sometimes say, "I am a writer, and I am working on a Civil War epic." And, of course, any bookstores near-by would have shelves full of how-to books on writing.

But do you really want to become a blogger, and what is a blogger? If you want a good definition go to http://www.becomeablogger.com/ There you will find a basic course on what blogging is and what the successful blogger does, and it isn't all just about business. The program is so basic you may not want your peers to know you used it, maybe you don't want your friends to know you took special ed. But I took it and it is free! The whole thing is introductory to a for-pay program, but I hardly knew any of it so I figure myself ahead, at no cost to me. Plus there is a blueprint of what all the smart people already know, in PDF, handed out at the end, again, gratis. Don't let "blueprint" concern you, it is as simple as the mall diagram that helps you find Sears.

I want to know when I finally achieve blogdom. When I am fully functional and can truly consider myself a blogger. Maybe I will get an ascot and a smoking jacket. So I need to know what a blogger is, what one does, and has to continue to do to stay in the "trade." I know a blogger has to write and there is more to it than that because you can outsource the writing and be like crazy J. Jonah Jameson in "Spiderman."

BecomeAblogger. Note that it is a video format with a written synopsis at the end. It operates much like the kid's board game, "Candyland." You are pressed to stay on course with each move and can really go only forward or backward. The guide stops regularly and recaps. You are a winner if you finish the whole game and the game is played without money (did I say free?).

A blogger needs to write. And it is important that the content is as original as possible. BAB teaches from the experience of a successful blogger. Using examples of a successful blog. BAB is a component of a larger enterprise, but by itself will get you started into being a successful blogger. Even if your purpose is not revenue, to be widely read should be. You will find help with that too.

During the 1950s any young man worth his duck-tail hair cut understood basic electricity. Especially if he had his own car. The high school shop class would teach it on a lamp board made out of plywood with at least three low voltage lamp sockets, wire, and a battery. Success in understanding the principles was evident, the wiring was on top of the board where you could see it and thus understand its route.

If you are going to operate a successful blog you are going to need to go through a basic class in blogging. In shop we learned positive, negative, series wiring, and parallel circuit wiring. The proof was in lighting the lamps. BAB shows you how to light the lamps. BAB didn't invent basic electricity (blogging), that is something that required discovery. But in a documented procedure, like we learned in shop class with the wiring exposed, BAB can show you how to harness and use blog power.

So when are you really blogging? I just started and visualize three lamps. Reading other people's stuff, writing my own stuff, and commenting on other people's stuff and having peer relationships. That is about all I can handle for now and I understand that all three lamps should be lit at once. Now, if these lamps are in series and one goes out, they all do. But with a little more wire and some basic instruction I can create a parallel circuit. Even if one bulb fails the others continue to burn. While I change the failed bulb the rest stay lit. There is the benefit of BAB's blueprint. It is basic circuitry and if I stick to it I can troubleshoot the entire system of lights. Become a blogger that can light your own lamps.

I am blogging if you are reading this. But what are you doing if you are reading this and not writing? It is as simple as "Candyland." BAB explains the rules on the inside back of the box, you must check it out if you want to play well. And I want to see you in the blogosphere.

StumbleUpon And Its Passing Parade

I am trying to get my blog-muse to arrive. StumbleUpon seemed a reasonable catalyst for the task. But surprise, it did something else. The visual nature of the website (photographs, videos, artwork), provided a catharsis. So maybe it is a cleanse that is needed before a muse shows up. An intriguing contributor to the effect is to have music playing in the background. I used Blue FM on internet radio.

StumbleUpon is an act of evolution as one uses the downloadable tool bar's "stumble!" button. Thumbs up, or thumbs down? While the internet slides by like a huge Starwars cruiser, it is morphed into the user's preferences. It is doubtful the user can ever finish this task.

A tag cloud begins to form on the user's front page as the user prefers some and dumps others. I put art and photography in among my many preferences and I have seen images that trigger emotions before I fully realize what I am looking at. Landscapes, fantasy images, art work, people. Even though the adult content feature is on, the safe filter; some rather striking women passed by. Hit the thumbs up on them and there are more to come. Be careful. A positive tag puts the image in your "favorites" gallery.

I used the search feature to look for blogs and then the "stumble!" button to keep them coming in procession. Just to see a cross-section of blogs. Some of them really stink. The foul language gets past the filter. Sometimes the whole front page is an invective. Hitting the thumbs down icon dumps it down the reject chute. I have yet to see one show up again.

The creativity of the web is astounding. And for the most part comes in short burps. Yes, the best ones seem to be loud and just a little rude. Followed by an "excuse me" and a giggle. But, of course, that could just be the way I see things. I just watched a chicken snatch food away from a kangaroo. Now I don't care what you say, that is funny. It happened without any ads or comments. But the kangaroo looks ready to say something.

I am looking for the stimulus that begets original content. And original content is celebrated by those in the know as good content, even SEO content. I like charlieii.stumbleupon.com
for its ability to give me that stream-of-consciousness view of the blogosphere.