craigslist: sell stuff online, no hype, they still manage to make money too.

I love craigslist.org and have sold a few things there fast and efficiently. I recently read an article on Bambi’s Blog  about how this company seems to make money, and still be socially responsible.  Its a great servcie.  Bambi posts some comments on her site about the CEO’s POV.
If you haven’t found it yet - I urge you to use craigslist: atlanta classifieds for jobs, apartments, personals, for sale, services, community, and events. Its a great way to sell and buy stuff locally, via the efficiency of the Internet.

Mossberg - good article on cordless headphones.

Walt Mossberg Article on cordless/noise cancellation headphones Two good options here but my POV is that they are still too expensive and cumbersome. Fact is, they are still tied to adding a base unit and quite frankly, my approach is to buy a Nano or Shuffle and strap it to my arm or clip it on my collar. Think about how small the Shuffle is - a short wire and its about the same size as these fancy headphones. Get some earbuds and you are good to go! $79 vs $300!

As for the headsets for your ears that use bluetooth - I have tried several models since them came out and still am not comfortable.  They annoy my ear and I still am embarassed to wear them.  I did find a Motorola model (the older one) that’s flip out mic is best for wind noise - thank you Walt - but in the end went back to the simple ear-bud wired version for my BlackBerry.  I may try The Boom when my calls increase again. My friend Tony says it is fantastic. Quite frankly, I’m not travelling that much and I don’t WANT to talk on the phone that much.

Once a Runner

NO logs in the blog for running these days.  I stew in my own self-pity and just can’t seem to get my ass out there.  Yes, right now I’m feeling sorry for myself.  Not really though – just being dramatic.
I just finished Once A Runner by John L Parker.  It was written in 1978 when I was 13 and interestingly enough, I began running seriously the following year in 9th grade. Not that I had read it, I only heard about it in the past year.  Which tells you something about me.  I’m a runner but not really.  I had a glimpse, a flash, a chance and some moderate success in High School (5′07 mile; 5K in the 16 min range).  But there were other guys that were just unbelievable.  And those guys were in this book (well, not really - I mean figuratively, you get the drift).  I remember them; they were not serious in the least. They were not gregarious or gigantic in stature or personality.  But they were different.  They were methodical in their approach to running, working and life.  They plodded along, never missing a practice – running every day. Getting up in the morning before school – not loving it but just doing it.  And they were fast. Yes – Fast Distance Runners, and they amazed me.  There was a guy named Palomino or something and anther named Nits.  They were not cool; but they were cool – I still don’t know how to describe it. But John Parker does.
In 9th grade I was the worst runner on the team. Me and another guy named Kenny.  He was a quiet but patient little guy, I was small too, teased and had a chip on my shoulder.  Guys like me made it with heart but we can only go so far.  Guys like Kenny became Ken and Ken became one of the best cross country runners Maryland has ever produced. Guys like me led our teams but found other things to do in College and life.  I never understood them until I read this book. I sometimes wonder if I had had one coach all through high school – especially one like Katsenburg or Lauer motivating me and teaching me if it would have continued through college.  Those were heady times (I don’t know what that means but I wanted to write it).
I hope I get up tomorrow and run.

Elected Government – it’s a privilege

The Charanis Family is represented by…

FEDERAL:
President: George W Bush
Vice President: Richard B Cheney
Our Senators from Georgia are:
Saxby Chambliss
Johnny Isakson
We are in Georgia’s 6th district and are represented by Tom Price in the House of Representatives

STATE:
The Georgia General Assembly, the formal title of the legislature, was formed in 1777 and is older than the United States Congress. At the time of its origin, the legislature consisted of a single house, but in 1789 it became a bicameral body, consisting of a House of Representatives and a Senate.
The House of Representatives and Senate operate with similar powers, except that appropriation bills must originate in the House, while confirmation of the Governor’s appointments rests with the Senate. The concurrence of both bodies is necessary before any bill may become a law.
The House of Representatives has 180 members and the Senate has 56. Two-year terms of office apply to both houses, and the entire membership of each body is elected at the same time.
Governor: Sonny Perdue
Lt. Governor: Casey Cagle
Sect. of State: Karen Handel
Attorney General: Thurbert Baker
School Superintendent: Kathy Cox
Georgia Senate: District 056 Senator Dan Moody
Georgia House: District 049 Representative Wendell Willard

LOCAL:
The Mayor of Sandy Springs is: Eva Galambos
Our City Representative is Dave Greenspan, City Council, District 1

By the way - for those of you who don’t know what district you are in and your representative, here is a site to find it and a way for you to write a letter to your representative:
http://www.house.gov/writerep/
To find your state representative:
http://www.sos.state.ga.us/cgi-bin/locator.asp

Photodoto - MyPublisher.com

UPDATE: They emailed me a coupon for $180 and free overnight shipping to cover the cost of the order - I just sent in a new order that cost me nothing - didn’t have to send back other one, so I get one book for free (woopie); 11/12 were unusable. lets see how these come out! I lost two weeks and these won’t make it for Hannukah but if this one works I’ll keep using the service.

Original Post:

Hi - all search engines see this. http://www.mypublisher.com. I posted here on this website;
Photodoto » Blog Archive » Has anyone had a good experience with MyPublisher.com?
others have had problems.

Here is my opinion of the service.
I have had great success with mypublisher.com until today. I use the iPhoto Plug-in. The first two orders were for hardcover books - they came out great and color was pretty good. I had the coupon they offer for iPhoto users to publish directly and that made the cost reasonable. I haven’t priced shutterfly but Apple’s standard pricing is too expensive.

Today, however I received an order from them that was for the smaller 6×8 books - these books were poorly packaged and the packaging was torn up and re-taped - this appeared to be before the post office got to it. It actually looks like someone in the finishing room pulled it out of a finisher and them wrapped tape around it.

I ordered 12 books - all came in one mediamail cardboard envelope, not a box. The books were also not usable. Because of the packaging many were pressed against each other - there was no padding in the envelope - so there were creases and folds in most every one. Then 5 of the books had pages printed off center, upside down, with a barcode showing and folded up - (like when you have a page go through the printer bent). I don’t know if it is the Christmas rush or what but this is messing up my gift plans. I have emailed customer service twice - they don’t take phone calls.

I agree one of the posters on photodoto- with what they charge for shipping they shouldn’t be this poorly packaged or printed. And the hardcover books are nicely packaged - pre-made boxes and all. This must have been a bad day for them.

So good and bad experiences with www.mypublisher.com for me.

I love you too Sophie

This is a bit personal, but sometimes I write from the heart so others won’t keep their hearts closed. My lovely daughter Sophie (6) wrote me a note today on the computer.

I love you Daddy! (in very large type)
Daddy I love the computer so much.
I love it when you help me on the computer.
Daddy I love you when you read to me.
I love you when you go to a new place.
Daddy I love you when it is time for scool.
Daddy I Love you! (in very largetype)

It was a little thing but a big one for her. She has broken through another wall, she was nervous about using the computer and still struggles. It is hard. Sometimes she digs deep and cries. It frustrates her and she gets so angry. Like it is something she cannot control, something she can’t stop or something she can’t get back. She feels deeply that one. Its how I know she is a part of me. Love your daughters; don’t hold back. Keeping away won’t make them stronger. No, it can’t wait – go to them before you do not remember, go to them when they need you. I wrote this back to her:

I love you too Sophie

Sophie, I love you when we talk
Sophie, I love you when we walk
Sophie, I love you when you dance
Sophie, I love you when you cry
Sophie, we aren’t always happy, but we aren’t always sad

In a dream, daddy and daughter, you and me
Walking together by the water
You look at me and ask me to help
You say “I can’t do it all by myself”
So together we kneel in the sand
We pick up a pile with our hands
The walls are curved the towers tall
But when the water comes they start to fall
You ask me why the castle breaks
I say some things last, but some God takes
But my love for you will always be
You can always ask help from me