While looking for reviews of Cozi, I ran across a couple more web calendar apps that I may try. One is 30 Boxes and the other is Calgoo.
30 Boxes is really a personal organizer. It may be strange that I would look at it when I just blasted Mediabee for trying to do too much, but the 30 Boxes calendar has a clean look that I think might appeal to ABM. It also claims to be very customizable and interacts with different facets of a person's online life such as Blogger and Flickr.
Calgoo drew my attention because it is compatible with Google Calendar. All of us have Gmail accounts, so I am curious to see if we can make the most of Google's web applications suite. Another plus is that this is the only calendar solution I've found so far that claims to work with Windows and Linux. This means that DJ wouldn't be left out if we went with Calgoo.
28 May 2007
Mediabee is not for me
In a previous entry, I mentioned that I would be looking at two different family calendar solutions. The two in the running were Mediabee and Cozi. My initial plan was to live with each of them for a month and see which one I liked better. However, it only took me five minutes of stumbling through Mediabee to realize that it would not work for us.
My main complaint with Mediabee is that it is cluttered with lots of stuff that I don't need. When the application loads, the first thing you see is a primitive user page that reminded me of Yahoo! about five years ago. It has news, weather, sports, and ads galore. I don't mind using ad-supported software, but Mediabee isn't even pretty. Even the bare-bones Google Calendar has a more pleasant interface, ads and all. Also, if I want news and weather, I have several other sites that I check regularly for that information.
Mediabee doesn't stop there. It is clear that the creators want this application to be the first thing I open in the morning while I drink my coffee. There is an address book, TV listing, an email and SMS client, and even Flash games. The majority of these links take you to outside sites. Most of these are sites I already visit directly, but when I want to work on my calendar I don't want the distraction.
The calendar function itself is confusing. Appointments have to be entered in a specific syntax. It wouldn't take me long to figure it out, but I can tell you that ABM would get frustrated quickly. It was not easy to see everyone's commitments side-by-side or to add an event to more than one person's calendar at once.
Perhaps Mediabee is suffering from comparison to Cozi, but I doubt it. Even if I had installed Mediabee first, I think I still would be removing it the same day. Cozi may be a bit simplistic (more on that another time) but at least my family would be more likely to use it. Mediabee is for someone who is accustomed to spreadsheets or database programs and has a lot more time to spend at the computer.
My main complaint with Mediabee is that it is cluttered with lots of stuff that I don't need. When the application loads, the first thing you see is a primitive user page that reminded me of Yahoo! about five years ago. It has news, weather, sports, and ads galore. I don't mind using ad-supported software, but Mediabee isn't even pretty. Even the bare-bones Google Calendar has a more pleasant interface, ads and all. Also, if I want news and weather, I have several other sites that I check regularly for that information.
Mediabee doesn't stop there. It is clear that the creators want this application to be the first thing I open in the morning while I drink my coffee. There is an address book, TV listing, an email and SMS client, and even Flash games. The majority of these links take you to outside sites. Most of these are sites I already visit directly, but when I want to work on my calendar I don't want the distraction.
The calendar function itself is confusing. Appointments have to be entered in a specific syntax. It wouldn't take me long to figure it out, but I can tell you that ABM would get frustrated quickly. It was not easy to see everyone's commitments side-by-side or to add an event to more than one person's calendar at once.
Perhaps Mediabee is suffering from comparison to Cozi, but I doubt it. Even if I had installed Mediabee first, I think I still would be removing it the same day. Cozi may be a bit simplistic (more on that another time) but at least my family would be more likely to use it. Mediabee is for someone who is accustomed to spreadsheets or database programs and has a lot more time to spend at the computer.
What's the Haps?
Here is a look at what's been going on in my world this past week:
--I was sidelined by an attack of vertigo that lasted several days. Although I've had the dizzy/nauseous feeling that is the main symptom of vertigo a few times in the past, it never stopped me from working and never lasted longer than a day. It hit me hard on Wednesday and by Saturday I couldn't get out of bed. The meds the doctor gave me on Sunday still make me woozy, but it is a pleasant kind of lightheadedness. The wooziness caused by the vertigo made me feel like I was falling and nothing I grabbed would help. Dealing with that for several days in a row made me feel a bit panicky.
--School is almost out! I know, most parents dread summer vacation and having their wild hooligans underfoot all day. I, on the other hand, enjoy taking one more schedule out of the mix. These won't be totally carefree days, however. This is the first summer that all of my kids have summer work packets. M's is the only one that is mandatory, but the younger kids get extra credit if they turn in completed packets when school starts. A few years' ago, I did half-day homeschooling with the kids during the summer and they seemed to enjoy it, so I don't anticipate any of them giving me a problem about completing these packets.
--There is a baby shower coming up and you know what that means: I'm knitting again. Luckily, I have that circular baby blanket that is 3/4 finished. After that's done, I'm hoping that I can keep myself away from the internet long enough to work on a few items for my sister and my BFF's babies for next winter. I didn't knit for my sister initially because I couldn't think of anything she would need in Peru's warm climate. Now she is staying and she has told me directly that she expects to get some handknits. As for my BFF Rabbit, she got a lot of handknits but the baby will have outgrown them by winter. I knit for acquaintances all the time, so I need to kick myself into gear to knit something extra special for these two.
--No job yet, and I am running out of steam. This happened to me the last time I was unemployed. At first, it seemed like there were lots of prospects out there and I was applying for everything. After a few weeks, the same jobs (or scams) popped up over and over on the job boards. So I turned my attention to making the most of being at home. My mind is so focused now on housework, health, and childrearing that I've almost forgotten that I've got to look for a job. Unemployment insurance won't last forever.
--This school year isn't over yet, but I'm already preparing for the fall. I have been looking at two family calendar systems, Cozi and Mediabee. With everyone having computers in their rooms, I thought it might be neat to have a system that is on everyone's desktop and that could also be updated online. A lot of other parents I know use Outlook or Google Calendars for their family schedules, but I am leaning towards Cozi because of the fun interface. If it isn't fun and simple to use, I don't stand a chance in getting ABM and the kids to look at it. Mediabee isn't as pretty but it seems to have more options for adding the kids' homework assignments to the calendar. My plan is to give each system a test-drive during the summer and decide on one of them before the new school year begins.
--As if I don't belong to enough social networking sites, I've started a profile on Jaiku. I resisted it for a while, but then I was won over by something Leo Laporte said about it on his Net@Nite podcast. He referred to it as the perfect URL to give your mom so she can know what you are doing. That sold it to me. One of my quandaries is deciding where to post something so that it will be viewed by most of my friends. Jaiku tracks all of my RSS feeds. This means I can post on Sparkpeople about my fitness journey, podcast stuff on my podcast page, put random thoughts on Twitter, and only give my sister one URL to check in on it all. You can check out my Jaiku feed here.
--I was sidelined by an attack of vertigo that lasted several days. Although I've had the dizzy/nauseous feeling that is the main symptom of vertigo a few times in the past, it never stopped me from working and never lasted longer than a day. It hit me hard on Wednesday and by Saturday I couldn't get out of bed. The meds the doctor gave me on Sunday still make me woozy, but it is a pleasant kind of lightheadedness. The wooziness caused by the vertigo made me feel like I was falling and nothing I grabbed would help. Dealing with that for several days in a row made me feel a bit panicky.
--School is almost out! I know, most parents dread summer vacation and having their wild hooligans underfoot all day. I, on the other hand, enjoy taking one more schedule out of the mix. These won't be totally carefree days, however. This is the first summer that all of my kids have summer work packets. M's is the only one that is mandatory, but the younger kids get extra credit if they turn in completed packets when school starts. A few years' ago, I did half-day homeschooling with the kids during the summer and they seemed to enjoy it, so I don't anticipate any of them giving me a problem about completing these packets.
--There is a baby shower coming up and you know what that means: I'm knitting again. Luckily, I have that circular baby blanket that is 3/4 finished. After that's done, I'm hoping that I can keep myself away from the internet long enough to work on a few items for my sister and my BFF's babies for next winter. I didn't knit for my sister initially because I couldn't think of anything she would need in Peru's warm climate. Now she is staying and she has told me directly that she expects to get some handknits. As for my BFF Rabbit, she got a lot of handknits but the baby will have outgrown them by winter. I knit for acquaintances all the time, so I need to kick myself into gear to knit something extra special for these two.
--No job yet, and I am running out of steam. This happened to me the last time I was unemployed. At first, it seemed like there were lots of prospects out there and I was applying for everything. After a few weeks, the same jobs (or scams) popped up over and over on the job boards. So I turned my attention to making the most of being at home. My mind is so focused now on housework, health, and childrearing that I've almost forgotten that I've got to look for a job. Unemployment insurance won't last forever.
--This school year isn't over yet, but I'm already preparing for the fall. I have been looking at two family calendar systems, Cozi and Mediabee. With everyone having computers in their rooms, I thought it might be neat to have a system that is on everyone's desktop and that could also be updated online. A lot of other parents I know use Outlook or Google Calendars for their family schedules, but I am leaning towards Cozi because of the fun interface. If it isn't fun and simple to use, I don't stand a chance in getting ABM and the kids to look at it. Mediabee isn't as pretty but it seems to have more options for adding the kids' homework assignments to the calendar. My plan is to give each system a test-drive during the summer and decide on one of them before the new school year begins.
--As if I don't belong to enough social networking sites, I've started a profile on Jaiku. I resisted it for a while, but then I was won over by something Leo Laporte said about it on his Net@Nite podcast. He referred to it as the perfect URL to give your mom so she can know what you are doing. That sold it to me. One of my quandaries is deciding where to post something so that it will be viewed by most of my friends. Jaiku tracks all of my RSS feeds. This means I can post on Sparkpeople about my fitness journey, podcast stuff on my podcast page, put random thoughts on Twitter, and only give my sister one URL to check in on it all. You can check out my Jaiku feed here.
23 May 2007
Is your Enter key broken?
I spend a lot of time reading articles on the internet. ABM would say I spend an unhealthy amount of time on the internet, but that's a discussion for another day. Since I don't drive and don't have a lot of money, TV and the internet are my main sources of entertainment. As a result, I have become even more sensitive to poor page layouts.
Here is a perfect example. I want to read the review but my eyes can't focus because there isn't a paragraph break anywhere in the article. Add in all the Google ads and links to other sections of the site and my head starts to swim. There may be some great info in that article, but I will never know because I can't read it. I don't think it is due entirely to a problem with Associated Content's layout because I found another article that was much easier to read.
The moral of today's story is "The Enter key is your friend."
Here is a perfect example. I want to read the review but my eyes can't focus because there isn't a paragraph break anywhere in the article. Add in all the Google ads and links to other sections of the site and my head starts to swim. There may be some great info in that article, but I will never know because I can't read it. I don't think it is due entirely to a problem with Associated Content's layout because I found another article that was much easier to read.
The moral of today's story is "The Enter key is your friend."
21 May 2007
My Chi-chi Weekend
Yes, that is a picture of my feet. I went down to GA to visit my sister and she treated me to my very first mani/pedi. She has one every week, and she couldn't believe that I made it to 40 without ever having my hands and feet done. Astonishing, but true. I didn't think that I would like it as much as I did, even though the manicurist gave me a mild scolding about taking better care of myself. My hands still look fairly youthful, but all the housework that I've been doing since I lost my job has roughened them up a bit. Some pampering and a simple French manicure on my natural nails made a big difference.
The nail salon wasn't the only place where I got a bit of a scolding. The day before, I went to the hairdresser to touch up my relaxer. I only have my hair done professionally once or twice a year and I go to a different person every time. Since I am not terribly skilled in the art of the coiffure and I can't stand the feeling of hair products on my hands, I am usually the poster child for split ends. The stylist I saw on Friday was a very blunt woman who told me in no uncertain terms that I needed to have three inches lopped off. I haven't worn my hair shorter than the crook of my neck in years, but now it is a little below my earlobes. It is a nice cut, though, and if I really get a hankering for long hair I can always make a stop at the wig store!The best news of the weekend was that my sister is not going back to Peru! She had 10 months left on her assignment, but my little nephew has a minor respiratory issue that could turn into a major problem in a high-altitude, highly polluted place such as Lima. My sister would have gone back without complaint, but she is also happy to stay. There was a lot she loved about Peru, but there are also a lot of little things she missed about being in the States. A trip to Wal-Mart at 3a is a treat when you haven't done it in three years. ABM loves the Atlanta area so I have a feeling we will be making a few more trips down the highway this summer.
03 May 2007
I survived the interview, as you all knew I would. It went better than most of my interviews. I actually had intelligent questions to ask about the company, and the interviewer seemed to enjoy my analogy equating angry customers to toddlers. Perhaps this good experience will make me less nervous for the next interview, whenever that may be.
I have a job interview this morning. For an interview, one wants to feel confident and light on her feet, but I do not. My last exercise session was seven days ago because my legs started bothering me. Today my legs feel heavy and fat. My knees ache more than usual. Add the physical discomfort to the normal I-hate-interviews jitters and the I'm-40-with-no-marketable-skills anxiety, and you have one bundle of neuroses that is not going to get a job today.
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