Saturday, November 12, 2005

Teaching My Mom To Blog Long Distance

The Picture is of my Dad. He is quite a fisherman / hunter. Probably killed a deer for every year of his life. Many of the shots being going away shots using the white tail to focus his concentration and aim.

He also has some computer skills. Unfortunately my Mom doesn't like to discuss coomputers with him or let him touch her computer unless absolutely necessary.

So this is the kind of letter I'm sending to my Mom to teach her to Blog....

Mom,

Sure you can start an account. Just follow the
directions.

Here's a dumb one I did.

http://moldbreaker.blogspot.com/2005/11/i-dont-have-business-card.html

I haven't done a new entry since I started it because
I lost the password. And the Blogspot people haven't
sent it to me even though I went through the password
recovery procedure. I don't care. I'm not a blogger.
There is nothing I want to comment on.

Go here...

http://www.blogger.com/start

click on that red arrow that says "create Your Blog
Now." and follow the steps. They are easy steps. Just
don't be dumb like me and forget your password. Also
bookmark the page after you finish typing and pasting
graphics on it.

Mom,I'm going to teach you to cut and paste. It's
easier than making mud pies. You know your right hand
button on your mouse.? You use that button for "right
clicking."

1.Right Click your mouse cursor over a word in one of
your articles and a menu pops up.

2.Select the words "Select All." That will 'highlight'
all the text in your article.

3.Right click over that slected text and the menu pops
up again. This time pick "Copy."

All that selected text is now being held in memory
until you turn the computer off or select something
else and copy that.

4.Put your cursor over the window where you are
supposed to type in your blog and right click and
bring up the menu again.

5.This time select "Paste." Your entire article will
appear in the new window. That is cutting and pasting.

Here is a page that explains what you are doing.
Pointing and clicking...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Point-and-click

Just the presence of that address above is an example
of cutting and pasting. I selected the address, right
clicked, copied and "pointed" my mouse cursor into the
body of this letter, right clicked again and Pasted.

When you see a picture you like on the internet you
right click on it and select "save picture as." and
save it some place on your hard drive. Of course this
is also a way to get viruses so it's not necessarily
recommended.

I had a good week. Except for some very bad commuting
when we had a little rain. Today was Veteran's Day and
that amount of Government workers that were off today
made the commute just perfect. Didn't stop once. Cut
the time by two thirds. So I solved the problem of Los
Angeles gridlock on the freeway. Just make Los
Angleles Government employees into MANDATORY mas
transit users. There. It's so simple I'm surprised no
one else ever thought of it.

Hope you and Dad and doing good. Tell him Hi.

Write me if you figued my instructions out
successfully. Bye now. Love you.

Ellis

This is the sort
Of thing I want my Mom blogging. And the reason I felt it was necessary
to give her cut and paste instruction. She writes a column called "Gravelly".
This sample is from a couple of weeks ago, Nov 05 , 2005

Subject: Gravelly news byG lenna Goodson

Two blondes with hammers, Becky and Sally Ann, were doing some carpentry work on a house.Becky who was nailing down house siding, would reach into her nail pouch, pull out a nail and either toss it over her shoulder or nail it in.Sally Ann,figuring this was worth looking into asked,"Why are you throwing those nails away?" Becky explained,"When I pull a nail out of the pouch, about half of them have the head on the wrong end and I throw them away." Sally Ann got completely upset and yelled. "You moron!Those nails are not defective!They're for the other side of the house!"
The Scott County comedian, Tommy Vanover, told a story I just must pass on to you. Several years ago when his daughter was getting married, she prompted her Dad as to what to say before the minister. She says,"Now Dad, when the minister says,"Who gives this woman to be married to this man,"Don't say"Maw and me," say "her mother and I." As they were marching down the aise of a full church, Tommy stops, pulls his pockets wrong side out and says,Honey you got it all."I'm sure he had the support of the pohotographer cause he took Tommy's picture, showing his empty pockets.
At Rover Baptist Church Wednesday night we were reminded to pray for a minister's family in Texas. The minister was baptizing a lady, reached up and touched the microphone, and was electrocuted. After services, Johnny Turner said to me,"I don't believe I've ever heard of anyone dying in church."I told him I knew of a man dying of a heart attack while in church andJohnny says"Were you talking to him?" It's Johnny's belief that I will talk you to death!!
Gene James stopped Tuesday to visit with Fred. He told me I could come pick turnip greens from his patch and also have some turnips. I tried to find Gene and Margaret home today but never did, so Fred and I went to the turnip patch and picked turnip greens. I'm going to cook them to take to Loucinda's Saturday night.
I was visiting Loucinda last week and O.L. Briggs came by to visit. Since I really love stories ofthe "good ole days", I really enjoyed listening to O.L's stories. He shared that in 1942, he taught a "term:" of school, which was 4 months, in Dillon,Ar. He had goneto Ar. Tech for 2 years and he said he was not seeking a teaching job, but when the school board at Dillon asked him to teach one term, he accepted. He taught first grade through sixth. There were 12 children enrolled and an average attendance of 6. His salary was $50 per month. He said his school children presented a Christmas program forthe community and he was proud of the results. He ate his first coon whle he was teaching and said he did not care for it and never ate another coon.O.L. is almost 90 years of age and he still works with cattle and in the hay. He was more "perky" then either Loucinda or me!!
Friday, Loucinda, Mamie Glover and I went to Waldron to see my cousin, Dortha Putman. Dortha had cancer surgery 2 weeks ago in Fayetteville and she'd gone back to the doctor Wednesday. He told her the surgery was a success and urged her not to bend or do any work for one month. Her sister, Peggy, is taking good care of her. We took food and visited in the afternoon. The beautiful leaves were just outstanding as we traveled to and from Waldron.
Gerald, at Gerald';s Automative in Danville, ordered me a car door handle and put it on for me last Wednesday. I went from there to the Dollar Store. When I left the store---you guessed it--I turned the wrong way.After about 3 miles, I realized I was going the wrong way, and turned around. I need one of those directional finders like my daughter has on her car. I got a kick out of that technology as I was riding with her. Imagine a voice saying,"in 2 blocks, turn left," then, "3 more blocks and you are there." and then I laughed when the voice says,"you are here." Now, that's what I need, a voice to tell me "You are here."
I want to remind you that the day the next Record is published, the 10th, my little great-granddaughter, is having her eye surgery in Kansas. She's only 21 months so please pray for her. Her name is Allyson Goodson.
Cindy Clements has outside cats.One of them ,named Easter, started "visiting" me. I let her in my house, fed her and allowed her to sleep in my bed. Fred came home and since he's never been fond of cats, I thought the cat would have to go but he likes this cat. I was sleeping late one morning and Fred said"that cat woke me up meowing for food. I told her I did not know where her food was and she went where her food was and scratched thesack for me to see." Now I am not affirming that story!!
I sent Michael Buford a Halloween card. Michael sent me back a card and it was addressed "Mrs Glenna" and inside the card he printed,:"Thank you for my card." Since Michael is only in first grade, I will treasure that personal card.
Debbie, the director of the Ola Fitness Center, is conducting a contest for those of us who want to participate. I don't know yet the time frame, but the one that loses the most weight is awarded 3 months free membership.She weighed and measured me last Wednesday. Sure wish I had not had to go back on insulin, and I might have a better chance of winning the contest. I asked Lorie, the pharmicist at Plainview, why you can hardly lose weight when you are on insulin and she said the insulin forces fat into your cells. What a bummer!!
I had checked out a book from the Danville library.My book was already overdue so I had it in my car Wednesday to return. I forgot, and when I was in Fowler's later in Plainview, I told Phyliss I would have to go back to Danville to return my book. She said she'd be glad to take my book back for me, as she drives that way on her way home. I appreciated her kindness.
Our granddaughter, Melissa, will be married Dec. 31st in OKC. She's in her second year in college and plans to finish school after she is married. All of us are pleased with Melissa's choice for a husband.. But I told Melissa she will be sorry her anniversary is so close to Christmas. Mine and Fred's anniversary is the 21st of Dec. and I'd like it not so close to Christmas. But after 52 years, it doesn't matter!
Diane Hunnicutt has sold her beauty shop. The lady that bought it will move the building and use it as a home for herself. Diane has already moved her tanning bed into her house and her beauty shop supplies. She will continue with a few customers in her home.
My granddaughter, Robyn, that is in a drug treatment center in Guthrie got her G.E.D high schooldiploma last week. I am so proud of her. She dropped out of school in 9th grade so she has not been in school for over 6 years but her test results were very good. You are required to score 2,250 points and Robyn scored 2,940. Your average score has to be 450 and Robyn scored 588.She's doing well and I am looking forward to seeing her drug free and whole again. Of course she can hardly wait to get her children, Jake and Allyson, back. I am so thankful that her brother, Ryan ,and his wife, Heather, were approved by the D.H.S and the kids have had a wonderful, loving home for almost a year now.
Time is flying,so don't waste a minute!!


Mom, a last word. You ca do it.