Tweaking

Archive for April, 2010

I just got a Facebook invite to 31-cent scoop night at Baskin Robbins. And to put a cherry on top, the Paul Childers band is playing. I’ve been wanting to hear this teenage musician from Lebanon for awhile. I understand he is an amazing guitarist and if you like Stevie Ray Vaughan, you’re in luck.

The event is 6 to 10 p.m. Wednesday in the parking lot off Danville’s Main Street.

For the past few years, I’ve stumbled on to this event and thought, “Wow, a band is set up in the parking lot.” Well, thanks for the heads-up this year.

I live out in the country where it’s very dark. Rather than trip and stumble, I like to invest in a few solar-powered garden lights. When these handy lights first came out, I remember expecting to pay about $15 each. Last summer, I invested in some plain jane ones at Walmart that sold for about $4 each.

This week while going to Aldi’s to peruse the really cheap produce, I veered into the “stuff” aisle. I saw a great bird feeder for about $8, which is a bargain compared to the $13 I recently paid for a friend’s gift. I also spied some solar lights for — drum roll please — $2.29 each.

Another plus for these is that a piece on the bottom comes out and becomes a stake, making it easy to put these in the ground. As I can testify, solar lights don’t do any good whatever the price if you can get them stuck in the ground

Another plus is that the batteries inside are rechargeable. I don’t have a charger, but I bet I know someone who does or maybe it’s time to invest in one. I sure feel bad every time I have to discard old batteries.

I liked the two lights I bought so much, that I think I’ll wheel into Aldi’s again and shed a little more light on my dark country nights.

A quick skip across Fourth Street to Yesterday’s Potions yielded some great jewelry finds. I probably waited too late to check out this store, because I didn’t find exactly what I wanted, but they still have some wonderful prom jewelry. The best part: a necklace and earrings are about $15.

Every time I compliment a co-worker on her great necklaces and earrings she always tells me she found them at Yesterday’s Potions, 341 S. Fourth St. These also are amazingly inexpensive.

So, whether you’re looking for prom jewelry or just everyday ones, Yesterday’s Potions is a great place to check.

I maybe didn’t do my financial homework when I said my daughter could attend prom. So far, I’m in about $230 and still need jewelry. We also have to tackle hair and nails. I wish I could show a photo of the dress, but it’s under wraps until May 1.

Casey County High School had a Cinderella’s Closet where prices range from $20 to $100. http://www.casey.k12.ky.us/DistrictGallery.aspx?CategoryId=394&ImageId=4542&schoolid=0. It’s worth checking out if you haven’t made your purchase yet.

Lincoln County 4-H is doing its part by collecting formal dresses, ties and suit/sport coats to help teens in need of prom clothing. Items can be taken to the Lincoln County High School Youth Service Center or at the Lincoln County Extension Office. For more details, call Ashley Jenkins at (606) 365-2447.

I know Garrard County also had a prom event, which I think is a great idea.

If anyone knows of bargains on jewelry, please contact me, I’m on the prowl.

Well, $85 later, I know that my son has pinkeye. I guess I should consider myself fortunate that I know so little about this common problem. When my son showed me his eye this morning, it was bright red and he said, “It hurts.” Thinking he had a particle in his eye, rubbed it and scratched it, I called an eye doctor. He said he would be calling in a hazmat team after diagnosing pinkeye.

While I rushed to the drug store to drop off the prescription, he was pondering what hazmat meant. “I thought it was an adult joke,” he said after I explained it meant hazardous materials.

Well, I have an appointment scheduled for a month later, but I’m not sure if I’ll keep it. I mean, seeing a specialist is $35 on my husband’s insurance, United Healthcard, and then I paid $10 for the eye drops. I think if I follow the instructions, I can handle it.

I’m glad I took him to a specialist though because I thought pinkeye itched. He says it hurts. I would still be wondering about the diagnosis otherwise. As it is, I feel like I do when the word lice is brought up. My head immediately starts itching. My imagination is telling me: “itchy eyes. itchy eyes.”

Yeah, merely plugging up the iPod to the computer where it originally got its music works. Now my 11-year-old who happens to like classic rock, is listening to all his tunes.

I don’t know what thieves my son thought he was keeping out of his iPod when he put a code in it. The problem with his overzealous attempt to block anyone from stealing his Steve Miller tunes was that he forgot the code. So, the iPod has just been sitting in apple green silence. I did suggest that if he devote the three hours he spends playing Modern Warfare on the X-box to breaking the code, he might be successful. In the meantime, I looked it up and there is a way to unlock the iPod.

I plan to try this ASAP. Here are the instructions from http://www.everymac.com/systems/apple/consumer_electronics/ipod_faq/ipod-reset-code-to-unlock-screen.html

This support document also provides additional information on locking and unlocking the iPod. According to Apple, if you have forgotten the code, you can unlock the iPod by doing the following:

Connect your iPod to the primary computer you use it with (the first one iPod synced with), and open iTunes. When you disconnect iPod from the computer, it will no longer be locked.

If you can’t unlock iPod using either [the code or connecting it to the computer you use to manage its songs]. . . you can restore your iPod to factory settings using iPod Updater. Please note that this will erase all data on your iPod. Afterwards, you can add your music and data back to your iPod.

If you want to change the primary computer that your iPod is associated with, do this:

1. Restore your iPod. Warning: The restore process cannot be undone. All of your songs and files will be deleted. Always make a backup of your important data.

2. Connect your iPod to the computer that you want to be the primary computer.

3. Open iTunes and synchronize.

Apple also notes that company “representatives cannot unlock an iPod if you forget your combination. If you can’t unlock your iPod and you don’t have access to the primary computer, your only option is to restore the iPod, which will erase all music and data.”

A handmade dress in a Winnie the Pooh pattern is a real bargain on eBay.

Editor’s note: This is a guest column by Jennifer Brummett.
I like to shop eBay for cute and unusual items of clothing, both for my toddler and for shower gifts for friends. You can find good items at great prices, and even “lots” of clothing for one low price. I like being able to pay $2.85 plus shipping for a couple of T-shirts and a couple of pairs of shorts for my little guy. It’s just a good deal.
This little one-piece jumper was a cute, inexpensive eBay find. I got it for a colleague who is expecting her first child in a month or so. The little doll won’t be able to wear this blue toile jumper — the pattern is a Winnie the Pooh print — this year, but she should be good to go in it next year.
The cost was $.99 plus $3.75 shipping. Can you beat less than $5 for such a cute outfit that is handmade? Not often.

OK, we had to call in a professional installer for our Skyway Internet service. Don’t ask me how it works. I’m on vacation. Even the professional, who had to be imported from Grayson and drive 2 1/2 hours, was bamfoozled. He said it was one of the hardest intallations he had encountered and that we would only have a moderate connection. He also said Skyway is not his favorite network.

As soon as his scampered on his way, I open our Web site and see where Broadband is coming to Forkland, the area of western Boyle County where I live. That just figures.

I mean, if I buy a Toyota, every car the company ever made gets recalled. If I go to the time and expense to try to improve my Internet service, the county decides to step in and offer it.

Oh well, as I posted in our Web site’s comment section, I am happy about Broadband coming, but I am not holding my breath.

I return home soon and it should be interesting to see what a moderate connection means.