November, 2006


10
Nov 06

Naming Your Computers

I like to give all my computers original, easy to remember names. I think people cop-out if their computer name is XP-PRO or LAPTOP or LINUX. Here’s a few ideas I’ve gathered for naming schemes. Make sure you leave yours in the comments.

  • The Seven Deadly Sins (My current naming scheme)
    • lust
    • gluttony
    • greed
    • sloth
    • wrath
    • envy
    • pride (hubris)
  • Mythical Creatures
    • gryphon
    • dragon
    • hydra
    • unicorn
    • pegasus
    • gargoyle
    • chimera
    • sphinx
    • phoenix
    • cerberus
    • kraken
    • leviathan
    • wyvern
  • Happy Words (thanks Carey)
    • abandonment
    • isolation
    • hate
    • despair
    • revenge
  • Trees
    • juniper
    • maple
    • oak
    • cedar
    • pine

Update: I thought of one other one:

  • alpha
  • bravo
  • charlie
  • delta
  • etc…

6
Nov 06

Your Feed is on Probation

Google Reader Probation

I have quite a few RSS feeds in my reader that generate somewhere around 100 articles a day to process. When someone suggests a new blog or I stumble upon a good article and the website looks promising it goes in the probation category.

If it doesn’t generate enough interesting content within a month to appease me it gets deleted. I’ve found this is a great way sort out only the highest quality feeds and weed out the time wasters and the ones that generate no content.

[tags]gtd, rss, probation, google reader[/tags]


2
Nov 06

How to turn off Smilies in WordPress

Smilies aren’t always a good thing, depending on the professional level of your blog, you might want to turn them off, here’s how.
In your wp-config.php file, below the database stuff, add this line:

$wpsmiliestrans = array();

[tags]wordpress, php[/tags]


1
Nov 06

How My Moleskine Saving Me $88

Moleskine Datebook + Notebook

In September my wife and I finally moved gyms to one that would be on the way home from work. This saved us from driving about a half hour in the wrong direction.

Our billing date was September 15th and I canceled on the 12th and was told that I wouldn’t get charged. Of course I was charged but I had everything written down in my Moleskine.

It rescued me because on the notebook half I had written down in detail who I had talked to and what they said, at what time and obviously the date. I’ve had too much trouble before with sort of thing so I’ve learned my lesson.

I wrote the gym a letter detailing my transactions with all these people plus including a copy of the cancellation letter and the fax receipt saying they received it. The next day I got a calling saying they would refund my money and sorry for the trouble. It’s very hard to argue when you can present a detailed time line.

Here’s a list of other things to write down:

  • Canceling anything, write down who you talked to and the time and your cancellation number (This saved me when I canceled DSL and they continued to charge me and didn’t refund the previous month of service, even though it didn’t work)
  • Ordering a major item or service
  • Bills paid and when you mailed them
  • Any inquiries you make about services – write down who told you, what they said and the price quote

If you think of any others, leave them in the comments.

[tags]moleskine, gtd,  record keeping, saving money, money[/tags]