Customize Your Google/Chrome Homepage

For those of you who use Google/Chrome as your homepage, you probably have noticed that Google changes the picture/background on it to suit your local holidays.

Just above you can see the graphics they chose for yesterday for computers, tablets, whatevers they "sensed" to be in Israel. There's an Israeli Flag, because yesterday was Israel's Independence Day, Yom Haatzmaut.

If you look on the lower right hand corner, you'll see a very convenient and helpful tool.

Click it, and you'll discover a host of possibilities to customize your homepage.

Above is from today's homepage, and Google has changed the graphics.

Don't be afraid to click the options/choices.

• They give you a choice of their own "Chrome backgrounds"
• You can upload any of your own images.

After playing around with it, experimenting, you can always click the "Restore default shortcuts."

I hope this simple "how to" post helps you. Don't be afraid of your computer. The neighbor who first taught me how to use one said one word to me in the early 1980's:

"Play."

When I asked him what would happen if I "broke" anything, he replied that he's fix it. Then programming was much more complicated, and very few programs available did very little. There wasn't even an "undo" button. I had to call him only once. Now I can teach people, even younger than me, how to use their computers, tablets, smartphones etc.

Instructions are in the "menus" that pop up when you click. If you have anything to say about this, please ask in the comments, thanks.

"Rescuing" Old Blogs

The other day I got a phone call from a total stranger. He said that his name had been mentioned on a blog post of mine, and he wanted his name removed. I said:

"No problem."

But then when he told me which blog, I explained that it hasn't been active for years, and I don't even know how to get into it. It had been controlled by an email/gmail name/account no longer in use. When he called, I wasn't home, and it seemed pretty impossible to access it from my phone. It would be near impossible from the computer.  I promised to try once home.

I asked him to send me the link to the post, which he did. I looked at the post and messaged him that I hadn't meant any harm. He was understanding, but really didn't want his name there.

Of course, it was pretty surprising to me that he discovered my cell phone number. I didn't ask him how he did it. It isn't all that secret. In the days when we only had landlines, most people allowed their phone numbers to be easily/publicly listed.

Once I got home, I emailed myself the link to the blog post and took on the challenge. I was pretty determined to figure out how to fix the problem, get into my old blog, because over the years I've heard of writers/bloggers/publishers/site-owners being sued for unauthorized use of pictures, names etc.

I finally discovered the email address which had been controlling/accessing it. The next challenge was to sign into the account. After a couple of wrong turns, I found out that my yahoo email was listed for such emergencies, and the yahoo is kept open on the computer. After that it was relatively easy to sign in, find the blog post, edit out the person's name. And then I hit another snafu. When I signed out of the account I somehow signed out of this one, too. Grrr. Of course, since I no longer sign in and out daily, I never remember the password. Then phone was used for sign in verification. Only after that did I realize that I should have added this email to the old blogs as writer/contributor/administrator.

What old blogs? You're probably wondering...

The Muse's Pics
Blog Free!

What do you think of them? As history, of course. No, I have absolutely no intention of adding to my blogging.

I'm relieved that I succeeded relatively easily. Why do people say that only kids manage well on the internet?

NEVER TOO OLD!

An Advantage of a Poor Memory

To be honest, I haven't had a great memory for decades. I don't think it was all that bad when  was young, very young. But in more recent decades I trust my sense of logic and observation to help me get things done. That's especially true when it comes to using modern appliances and equipment, like the smartphone and computer.

I discovered quite a while ago that the instructions are usually on the screen, and most versions are based on the same sort of logic.

Way back when... I'd never touch a new appliance, whether a blender or oven without reading the instruction book cover to cover. And I even read the entire Dr. Spock baby/child healthcare book from beginning to end when pregnant with my first. The instructions and warnings I carefully memorized have cluttered my brain long after the appliances ceased to function.

In recent years, not only did I find the booklets' written instructions more complicated than the "menus" on the screen, but there's no way I can remember them all. A number of years ago during the days of "word processors," I helped out in an office, and the secretary begged me to take over the computer, since the program wasn't the same as most of us had at home. In all honesty, I couldn't see any real difference.

When I visit the states, people generously offer to let me use their home computers, which are inevitably completely different from mine, apple vs a simple pc. Within a few minutes I adjust. And recently, I've helped lots of friends to function on their computers and smartphones. None of them have the brands and models I own. I just work slowly and look carefully at the screen. So many things are basically the same, even iphones and android models.

I hardly notice when the computer or phone does an automatic update. Just read, and you'll find what you need. It's not all that hard. Don't forget the "undo," Ctrl/Z. It's a lifesaver...

Favorite Timewaster? Mine's Spider Solitaire

credit

OK, now you know the truth. I waste time on a card game, a computer card game. Granted, I just use the game that is on the computer and I don't go into any of the game sites. I certainly don't gamble nor sign up up for anything that isn't on my computer. But still I find it very addicting and relaxing. And it can sure waste time.

I used to play Freecell, but now I find it too easy. Spider Solitaire is more of a challenge for the mind. Growing up, the Spiegelman family card game, for generations, was Casino. My father could play and win even into dementia.

So, nu, what's your timewaster? Eating doesn't count, and I don't want to hear that you clean your house...

Getting all Modern

This was my computer. You can see the dirt on the mouse and the mess of the keyboard. You can also see that I still had the old boxy screen. Luckily you can't see all the dust and sand on the desk. And in this photo the screen isn't having one of its epileptic attacks.

And now for a drum-roll:

Sleek new screen and black keyboard and mouse. New tower, too with more memory, more powerful, quicker. My old one was very 20th century and now I've entered the 21st.

Ye Olde Computer Fading

Yes, those are tweezers and emery boards here for those times when I'm waiting for the slow computer to activate. 

Bli eyin haraa, to prevent the "evil eye," I must say that the computer PC I use is quite a few years old. I don't really remember when we got it, but some parts are much older than the tower which is the newest part. And I think we got that about six years ago. The mouse and keyboard are much, much older if I'm not mistaken, and a friend brought us this old boxy screen that had been dumped by someone who had bought a "fancy" screen, also at least about six years ago when our previous one needed to be replaced, or something like that.

I know that it looks disgusting, but the equipment wouldn't survive a soaping.

B"H, it seems that I'm pretty gentle with appliances, machinery and stuff lasts longer than for many others. I like to credit it to the fact that I don't clean them much. Cleaning, soap, water etc damage stuff. I don't take apart anything that is more complicated than my percolator or French Press. When cleaning for Passover, if a shelf doesn't easily slip out, it stays in. I don't need a screwdriver for cleaning. I don't use the screws as plates or forks.

But nothing lasts forever, and I keep getting these nasty notices on the screen, when it's working, that I don't have enough memory in my computer. Yes, for the modern world my computer is a sprightly dinosaur. What I've been doing is to go through the pictures and delete what seems unnecessary to save. That placates it for a bit until the nudge nudges again.

All of the keys on the keyboard are whole, bli eyin haraa, though the more frequently used ones, lie "e" and "t" are low like someone shrunk and short from osteoporosis.

For the past few weeks, or months already, the screen begins to convulse, like some minor epileptic fit. Even worse, periodically the screen goes black. I finally discovered that some well-placed taps or slaps can wake it up, but no doubt pretty soon it will just die and need to be replaced.

I guess the time has come to contact the neighbor who set this one up. He hasn't had to make a house call all the years since we've had it, so I should be happy, and I am. For many years we had a very nice computer maven named Bram, but he passed away and we were forced to find someone new. Nobody and nothing can live forever and that includes computers and the experts who care for them.

The really big problem as I remember is that the minute you replace one thing with even a slightly upgraded one, you suddenly have to upgrade, that means buy and replace lots of other parts to the computer. So, we're not talking just one small purchase/change. It's as if by doing a hip transplant you find your elbows, knees etc being switched, too.

PS I didn't plan this post as a "Baile Rochel," but it has the same rhythm, so I guess it is one.

In the Playground, Kids

Recently I had to babysit for my granddaughter. We ended up in a nearby playground. In a short time the kids were all playing together, sharing interacting and having fun. It was good to keep her out and away from passively watching the computer or playing sedentary computer games.

Just Switched to Google Chrome, B"H, What an Improvement!!

For the past week or more, I've been suffering from slowdowns and delays using this computer.  I finally realized that the other computer in the house is fine, so it can't be our internet connection.  And what is was the big difference?  The other one has been using Google chrome, while this one was still with windows explorer.

So, I did the obvious intelligent thing.  I installed Google chrome.  I quickly sent out an SOS to Facebook and a neighbor speedily replied with the link.

And now, B"H, my computer is working like a teenager on speed, totally hyper.  I feel like I've been reborn. And it's free, of course.

Who Has Been Here? and Why The Cuckoo Clock?

This visitors graph from sitemeter this morning has me very curious.  Who checked all these blog-posts and why?

As you can see, this isn't one of the big-time blogs.  Someone obviously was looking for something here.  What could it have been?

Another question:
Why did my computer go daylight savings a day early?  I'm used to looking at the time on the computer, and it's an hour fast.  That's tomorrow's time.  Also, the virus check clicked in/started according to the computer and not real time.  That's confusing and annoying.

Like "Uppers" for The Computer

We've bee having computer aches and pains. They're slow, crowded etc. Our clunky laptop was finally diagnosed with a stable of Trojan Horses, among other diseases.

The doctor, not our usual maven, came over to fix it. Yes, he's really a doctor, but now he only doctors computers. We've had that computer for a few years, but it was only on internet the last few months. So we never took care of "vaccinating" it against viruses etc.

So now it's all signed up with the free avg, my favorite.

Now this computer, the pc, has other problems, old age. Memory limitations, like its owners. The last time the maven was over he set it up with CCleaner.com

It cleans like a hyperactive cleanliness obsessive on "speed." And then for a short while after, the computer acts like it's on "uppers."

I'll be off for Shabbat, and then next week, I'm taking a sort of break from frequent blogging. I'm still over a hundred letters behind.

As long as we're healthy...

Good News-Bad News

The good news is that Start Fresh kosher weight loss diet is offering me more time to lose the enormous amount of weight, which has attached itself to me for about fifteen, yes, 15 years. That means that I'll be boring you, or inspiring you G-d willing, with my weight loss saga for the next...

The bad news isn't all that bad. How can I consider it tragic that a computer is "sick?" Our lunky laptop, which isn't very portable, stopped working last night. Luckily, our baby was home and tried to fix it. I went to bed before the verdict came in.

It's freezing cold, and I have lots to do today...

Computer Frustraton

I think I've figured out what has been slowing down and messing up this computer recently. That is ever since we put in the new beam all over the house modem. The old "connection," in terms of soft-ware, wasn't deleted. So, when online via the new, the old pipes up claiming that it can't connect.

It can't be repaired by our computer maven, unless he comes here. He does lots of tweaky sort of repairs long distance, via some program he put in our computer. The arrangement is much less expensive, and generally more immediate, than waiting until he can get here, since he no longer lives in the area.

Generally, I'm pretty good at diagnosing things, but I can't do the actual repair/cure.

While I'm ranting/kvetching about computer things, the pop-up comments are frequently a problem. If you have your "danger" setting too "fussy," the pop-ups won't work, since that's how many viruses, worms and other computer diseases, horses and bugs enter.

the next generation

This little one looks nothing like me, as if the older one or their mother does, but we have lots of fun together. As you can see, she loves the computer and cooking. Plus we sing and act out "Eensie, Weensie Spider" and "I'm a Little Teapot."

before I go

Before I get going to work...
Parents meeting tonight--I hope the kids' parents show up. the problem is that I teach the weakest groups in each grade, and those are the parents who frequently don't show. It's genetic and cultural, hard for the parents to get organized, like it's hard for their kids. Or they don't want to hear that their kids aren't doing well or face the fact that their kids are in the weakest group. Yes, I'm bringing crocheting. Must keep busy.
Just saw "Forrest Gump" on video which someone gave us. Glad I did; now I know that it's not suitable for my students.
Good thing I set up 2 clothes dryers in the living room, instead of hanging the wash outside. It never would have dried.
Computer has slowed down. Must get the repairman to clean out the ... whatever.