I've tried to make a link for this site on my blog....
For just about as long as I've been tinkering with the template, and I haven't been able to get it to work as a link...so here's another route. This is a site where some of my friends hang out. You may or may not agree with them, but it is a fun site. The name of the site is somewhat tongue-in-cheek, and has a history behind it that I won't go into here.

Here's a list of software I've recently installed, in no particular order:

w.bloggar
Stick
AutoPlay Repair
Bubbler
TweakUI
NoteTab Pro (re-install)
KeePass
Celestia
AlleyCode
InTouch
Pretty Good Solitaire
FlashPaste
Crimson Editor
Simply Safe Backup 2005
E-Sword
Irfanview
WindowBlinds
FileZilla
Ultra Hal Text-to-Speech Reader
I need to burn some files to CD's soon...

Yesterday I mentioned I had e mailed the creators of NoteTab Pro about a support issue. I got a response today, and the problem has been successfully resolved. (The help files were missing from the program.) What I needed to do was to re-install the software. The e mail I received contained clear and helpful instructions for doing so, and everything is back to normal. I consider the support to be excellent. This is a versatile text editor for all kinds of tasks, and I use it multiple times per day. I would not want to be without it, any more than I ever want to be without AlleyCode, Filezilla, Firefox or a number of other favorites. I'm a very loyal user, and I don't hesitate to recognize the quality of support, good or bad. I tend to delete software for which the support is indifferent or bad; who has time or the desire to use software for which there is poor (or no) support? Certainly not moi.

I've even burned the application's exe file to a cd for safekeeping, so now I can reinstall when necessary. No more worrying about hard drive crashes/upgrade issues nuking my file...(I know, I know...I also back up my other files!)

I did spend some time working on my web page, but WebBuilder is turning out not to be as easy to use at it appeared it would at first glance...so I don't know if I'm going to work on it more now or not. I tend to become easily frustrated, since I can clearly "see" how I want the page to look in my mind...and yet, it's not so simple to get there. So I get impatient. You should see my bookmarks lists...they are massive, because I collect so many on a daily basis for later reference. Seems like I'm just determined to remain a packrat, one way or another! I'd like to do some baking today, since I didn't get to it yesterday.

I had to get some help from our unit timekeeper to figure out my time and leave this week. Good news is, I'll have 20 hours of leave built up by the end of this week; not so good news is I had one hour of Leave without pay...sigh. I think my most recent bout of bronchitis is responsible for most of that.

Today really is much better than yesterday. For one thing, I did get my banana bread (two loaves) baked first thing. I had to use the bananas before they got too ripe. I dislike black bananas intensely.

I decided for now to shelve Webbuilder. So I went looking for other software that I can use to create webpages. I found Alleycode. It's a silly sounding name, but it does work well. I particularly like being able to actually edit the code, nd the Synchroview feature is handy because I can watch the page develop, step by step. Webbuilder would enter anything I typed, but I couldn't edit if I made mistakes. Plus, Alleycode has a full tutorial and much better help documentation. I completed most of the turotial, and successfully reproduced the example page. Which reminds me, I e mailed Fookes software last night about an issue I'm having with NoteTab Pro. I suppose I won't have a response until sometime this week.

I also got into "my" site at f2o using FileZilla. That in itself was gratifying, since I have zero experience with most of this currently. And none of it costs a cent!!! I've found tutorials, scads of resources and lots of utilities online.

I even had a good chat with Lauren on the phone this morning; she called as I was about to finish the batter for the bread. Dylan even said "hi", although mostly he just smiled, according to Lauren. Her reply when I asked if she and Dylan wanted to come over and have some of the bread was, "save me some!" That's partly why I made two...but there are no guarantees.

It promises to be a stormy night here...welcome to spring. We've been under severe weather advisories/alerts all day. I've finished work, and the weekend is going to be educational, to say the least. I am going to do some coding for my own website...which should fill up a lot of tomorrow. So much to learn!

I'm also going to work on Bubbler just for fun. My sister and I may collaborate on a website; it's a topic under discussion currently.

I've decided not to have Dylan over this weekend, so it will be easier to focus on these plans; it's not fair to him to try to do it when he's here.

I'm also going to bake, probably banana bread.

Jay had a meeting yesterday with his attorney to prepare for his Social Security hearing next week. I went along for moral support, and he said I was a help to him during the appointment. I hope so.

Lauren took Dylan to his pediatrician today for a checkup. He's been a lot more cranky than normal, and he is not usually cranky at all. Turns out, he's cutting some jaw teeth. No wonder he's out of sorts. He also had to have five shots. Poor little guy. He held up really well for the first three, but by the last two, he was crying. Lauren held him and comforted him, and she was really wonderful with him. She also played with him before the doctor came into the exam room. (all of this is per Grampy's account; Grammy had to stay at home and work.

Lauren told me that when the doctor finished, she didn't want to agitate Dylan further by trying to re-dress him, so when they arrived here, he was only wearing his diaper. By then, his smile was firmly back in place. He is so well bonded to his mother, and it's a joy to see. I'm glad she is sensitive to his needs.

I told her I was proud of her for the way she is caring for him. She seemed genuinely puzzeled, but I just think she needed to hear me say I'm proud of her. And it's true. She is a good mommy. Dylan is very happy when he's with her.

Neil Diamond is coming to San Antonio on October 9. I'm hoping that Jay and I can go to the concert, and possibly take Lauren with us, since she did not get to go the last time he was here. San Antonio is about a 90 minute drive from here. I have enjoyed Neil just about forever. I haven't seen him in concert for three years or so.

A note about my template: Today is May 24. I began this blog in it's original (former) incarnation in August 2004, and at that time, I knew nothing at all about editing my template. Then, I started reading different blogs, and viewing source code, and lights started going off in my mind. Thanks to bloggerforum, a wonderful blogging resource with some incredibly patient and helpful members, I recently began learning to edit my template to personalize my blogs. A member and moderator of the forum, RedRyder52, created this black and white 3 column template, and has assisted me with setting it up so that it works as it should. I affectionately call it "Classic Basic Black with Pearls." I may experiment with the colors at times, but the template is a gem. I enjoy the dual sidebars! Thank you very much, RedRyder, for so generously sharing the fruits of your labor.

Jay's birthday is May 28, so yesterday, I treated him (and myself) to an early birthday present. We went to see Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith. It is a very "busy" movie; I had to pay pretty close attention to keep from getting lost at first. The photography took my breath away more than once. I was not overly impressed with Hayden Christianson's portrayal of Anakin much of the time, because he seemed to be straining somehow; his emotional and psychological struggle seemed hollow. During the fight scene between Anakin and Obi Wan, Ewan McGregor was far more genuine in expressing his love for Anakin.

Speaking of that fight, the whole time they were surrounded by the fires, I kept thinking of Gehenna. Still, the movie does, for me, explain how the sweet little boy Anakin was grew up to be Big, Bad and Ugly Darth Vader. I would have liked to hear more about Obi Wan and Qui-Gon, per the training that Yoda assigned Obi Wan at the end of the film.

I did find what I think is a blooper. In Return of the Jedi, Leya asked Luke if he remembered their mother. Since Padawan died in childbirth or shortly after giving birth, how could either of them remember her?

Jay said he wished Lucas had flashed forward a bit, closer to the time of the original (1977) Star Wars film, but to me it was not a big deal. Also, one wonders about Jar Jar Binks. Did he return to his homeworld? One can hope.

~~ -- ~~ * ~~ -- ~~

We had take out barbecue for supper, and I woke up not feeling too great today...par for the course, but it's not happening as often as it used to. During dinner, we were watching television, and there was a commericial for this. Shame on you, Wendy's! No wonder many Americans struggle with their weight. I couldn't even hold that sandwich, much less eat it all. THere's enough for at least two meals, for me. What I find really ironic is that the Wendy's site actually has a nutrition guide so you can mix and match your food choices to get the most nutrition from them. Excuse me? This is fast food, remember? I can hear my arteries hardening... Besides, I think homemande hamburgers are the best. At least I don't need a forklift to lift them with.