SharonBissett.com

Vista is a nightmare. It takes forever to start up, it doesn’t always play nice with your older hardware, among other issues that I won’t go in to (you’re welcome). Bad, bad, bad Microsoft. So…to do a so called “down”grade to XP, you’ll obviously need the software/disc with valid key for Windows XP. Pop the disc in, reboot and when the start up screens come along…look for Boot from Disc (or similar) option. Mine was the F12 key. Then follow the prompts. Viola! That’s really all there is to it. And if you miss any of the sort-of cool stuff from Vista, this article from ComputerWorld tells you how to get some of it back for little to no cost: http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9026940&intsrc=article_more_bot

Okay, back to the real job! L8tr!

The freedom to write without having to censor every word.  Having a blog URL with your first/last name has been a mixed blessing.  It’s good for family and friends, but it’s also a bit unnerving to have so much personal information out there that can be read by people I don’t know well.  I’ll be revamping the site overall anyway.  There’ll be a main page with links to seperate pages with other interests.  Not sure what those are yet…but I’m going to review the site from the last year and see if any jump out at me.   More later as I recap 2007…and my intentions for 2008 along with some photos.   Must have more coffee…

78 degrees…mostly sunny.  Trip to the dog park.  Talking to far-flung family and friends on the phone.  Lots of good food, though only a small amount of Christmas cookies - don’t need them! Christmas carols playing in the background.  Fresh baked cinnamon rolls.  Nice neighbors.  Visiting with family.  Laughing, talking, re-living past Christmases.  Good, good stuff.  We all had a great Christmas.  We hope you did too!

Hugs!

THANKS TERESA!  BORROWED THIS FROM YOUR BLOG!!  HUGS…. 

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? BOTH

2. Real tree or artificial? ARTIFICAL PINE AND WHITE FEATHER TREES

3. When do you put up the tree? AFTER THANKSGIVING…BUT NO SET “DATE”

4. When do you take the tree down? USUALLY AFTER THE NEW YEAR

5. Do you like eggnog? YES, BUT HAVE TO DO 50/50 WITH REGULAR MILK - TOO THICK!

6. Favorite gift received as a child? FAMILY TRIP TO DISNEY WORLD

7. Do you have a Nativity scene? YES, IN STORAGE THOUGH.  REALLY WANT A WILLOW TREE SET.

8. Hardest person to buy for? DAD/STEPMOM

9. Easiest person to buy for?  THE BOYS & JENNY

10. Worst Christmas Gift you ever received? CRAFTSMAN RATCHET & SOCKET TOOL SET (yeah, really - by an ex!)

11. Mail or email Christmas cards? MAIL IF I GET THEM DONE!

12. Favorite Christmas Movie? IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? FALL SOMETIME

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? NO, BUT I HAVE SERIOUSLY CONSIDERED RE-GIFTING BACK TO THE SAME PERSON, A FEW YEARS LATER! 

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? CHRISTMAS COOKIES

16. Clear lights or colored on the tree? CLEAR

17. Favorite Christmas song? SANTA BABY

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home?  USUALLY STAY HOME, BUT I LOVE GETTING AWAY TOO

19. Can you name all of Santa’s reindeer? DASHER, DANCER, PRANCER, VIXEN, COMET, CUPID, DONDER, BLITZEN, RUDOLPH & OLIVE

20. Angel on the tree top or a star? BOTH + OTHERS…BIRDS - WE HAVE ABOUT HALF A DOZEN SMALL TREES UP THROUGH THE HOUSE.

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? CHRISTMAS DAY

22. Most annoying thing about this time of year?  TRAFFIC AND PEOPLE WHO BEHAVE BADLY

MERRY CHRISTMAS ONE AND ALL!!

I am almost shopped out!  Just an outing tomorrow night with T for his gifts, then to the pet store for a few things for the furbabies.  Spoiled things!  Copper really needs another Kong.  We’ve lost the original one and he still loves to chew.  Probably some furball prevention treats for the cats since they’re both long haired.  It’s hard to get toys for them since the dog likes stealing them for himself. 

One set of trees are up and lit.  No ornaments yet.  Of the set of 3 white feather trees, two are in boxes yet and the third doesn’t have a box, so it’s perpetually “out”.  Worried the cats will think they’re new toys and have them chewed up by morning.  I may “try” one out this weekend and see how they react to it.  Put some icicle lights in the front window…needs some snowflakes though.  I’ll die cut them out tomorrow.

Then there’s the wrapping.  Thankfully, my neighbor gave me the holiday gift bags she wasn’t going to use (she hates to store anything she doesn’t absolutely have to), so a bit of tissue paper and I’m done.   Someone should make edible wrapping paper for pets - that would make clean up so easy!  Just wait…and remember, you heard it here first. 

My Christmas cards are done.  I even have the postage.  Now to get them addressed this year and actually mail them!  There’s always one step in the process where it all falls apart for me.  Not for the lack of wanting to wish my friends and family a wonderful holiday season with a usually-handmade card.  It’s usually the rush to get too much done at once and they get set aside, buried under something…and then out-of-sight, really is out-of-mind for me.   I’ll have to do a catch up mailing as I find them.  I’ll be sure to date them, so you’re collections are complete!

Time for bed peeps.  Hope your tomorrow is a great one…stay warm!!  It’s cold here, by Florida standards of course (low 40’s tonight, mid-60’s tomorrow).  Merry, merry!

To rejoice!  The semester is officially over for me.  I’m feeling really good about my grades…I know I have 2 - A’s and I’m pretty confident that I’ll come out with an A in this last class as well.  We had to design a website in Dreamweaver in the Advanced class and now that I’ve done that I’m ready to do the ones for work. 

I’m working on Christmas cards for work.  We had a photographer come out and take the photos, so now it’s just designing the card face in Photoshop.  The fun part.  I’ll share as soon as I get final approval.  I’ve changed out faces/expressions from one image to another, corrected a distortion/perspective issue along with the usual cropping, lighting adjustment (minimal), and color matching.  Wish they’d pay me just to play in Photoshop all day!  LOL…  Sometimes they do!

Taking it easy today.  Started getting a sore throat yesterday and had a bit of a fever last night - was in bed by 9:30pm.  I’m feeling better today, but don’t want to push myself.  Jenny calls it the end of the semester bug.  All the stress we’ve been under has suddenly lifted and our bodies just crash.  She’s in nursing school you know - must be true!   More Christmas things to do…good timing since A’s at his dad’s this weekend.  And I have a 50th birthday party to go to tonight, so I better get some things done around here.  

Peace!