A Consumer's How To #43: Buying & Selling Online

I have used Ebay to buy things such collectibles and a 8Gb minidisk for my Mp3 player. I like it well enough. I really enjoyed looking at the stuff on Etsy. I haven't anything from this site, but I liked the different mash-ups they have that enhance the site by enabling users to search item by color, or location of the seller. I like all the sites well enough, but I honestly don't do that much media buying so I don't really plan on using Half.com that much. Amazon I would use only for books. Craigslist is kind of cool because it is fairly local but there are some horror stories about people being robbed or killed when trying to purchase items they find on the list.

I would love to sell things that I have made or things that I no longer need. It seems like a fairly straight forward way to make extra money. (Yes, I know it can really complicated too.)

I have used PayPal for all of my transactions on Ebay. The only problem that I have had is when I forgot the password and it took an inordinate amount of time to retrieve it. I had a hard time getting a response from them. Since then I have been reluctant to buy things through PayPal, but only because I can't remember the password. But it would not keep me from using it totally.

Going Green Part Two no. 41 (act. 3)

I think it would be easiest for me to start conserving electricity in my house. I have already begun replacing my regular light bulbs with the compact flourescent bulbs that last longer and use up less energy. I need to replace my older thermostat with one that we can program, but we already adjust it so that our house is comfortable but neither cold nor hot. We are constantly on the look out for air leaks that need to be plugged. We are also very good about getting the system checked and filters changed. One thing that I do need to work on is shopping for our energy and looking for better renewable sources of energy.

The one thing that I believe would require the most commitment (at least for me) would be to recycle items. It is so easy and yet it would be so difficult to remember to sort the stuff into the bins and take it to the recycling place. My area doesn't have the recycling pick-up like parts of Houston. Knowing what and what not to hang on to is a little confusing too. I looked at the chart on the http://www.obviously.com/recycle/guides/shortest.html page and it is a little wordy. Also, who knew that so much is actually BAD for recycling. I would still love to give a shot and encourage my family to do the same.

Staying Healthy No. 42

I looked up acupuncture on the National Library of Medicine's medline. Within ten miles of my own home there are 3 or 4 Acupuncturists.

San Jacinto Chiropractic Wellness Center
106 Massey Tompkins Rd.
Baytown, TX 77521
281.422.2004
Map and directions

Description: We implement safe and natural chiropractic care for the entire family. Our goal is to optimize the health and well being of our patients.
URL: http://sanjacintochiropractic.com/

4.52 miles from zip code 77562

Baytown Acupuncture Clinic
1600 North 5th St.
Channelview, TX 77530
281.427.1833
Map and directions

Description: Specializing in pain relief, weight control, allergies, asthma, insomnia, smoking cessation, paralysis.

Languages Spoken: Chinese (nonspecific)

4.88 miles from zip code 77562

Pain Clinics
Allergy Asthma Arthritis & Pain Center
4721 Garth Rd., Ste. G
Baytown, TX 77521
281.420.9886
Map and directions

Description: Allergy, asthma, arthritis & pain center. Board certified in internal medicine, rheumatology, chronic neck/back pain, headaches, auto accidents/personal injuries.

4.52 miles from zip code 77562

I also tried out the pill identifer at http://www.drugs.com/pill_identification.html. I found that it was fairly accurate at identifying pills. I tried several combinations of shapes and colors and it was interesting to me that there are gear- and figure eight- shaped pills.

I created a family medical history tree. I think it is an interesting mash-up of straight genealogy work and medical records. It would interesting to trace conditions, traits and diseases through the family tree across generations. It might even provide great information in the search for vaccines and cures for common ailments by providing a link to a person who might have shared their family cure-all with other members of the family.

Going Green no. 41 (act. 1 and 2)

Okay, I feel guilty. And lazy. I know I could more than I do to keep my planet going. I don't know about starting a garden. I sort of have a puce thumb (somewhere between green and brown). I would love to compost but I really don't do that much cooking (my grandmother does and no way would she compost). I really wnat to get a Prius, but my truck is paid off and my money is set aside for other things.

I keep looking at all the local farmer's markets and wishing they were local. Most are inside Houston or on the other side of town. Of the links listed, I liked Local Harvest best, because they had stuff available online for sale as well as listing for smaller markets, but I wish the markets were a little longer lasting. Saturdays are every other for me and it is so hard to get up so early to drive across Houston or out to Seabrook and Nassau Bay. (I am going to try and get to the Nassau Bay one next weekend because I might be able to find it.)

Fitness No. 40

I have done all the steps in this little activity and I can't say that I am surprised by the numbers. I know all those things because I go to the gym every morning, but it does sting. I don't believe that numbers are always the way to interpret one's health. Health is more than just weighing a certain amount and working out so much in a day. While my weight may not be the "ideal" for everyone else, I don't feel like I am dying every minute.

I do plan to change the way I eat, but not to fix numbers. I don't want to obsess or become consumed by the numbers. I want to eat healthier, try new recipes and develop more adult tastes than I have now. I do plan to exercise more (mostly by playing tennis), but again, not because of any numbers that someone else makes up for what is ideal. I want to because I enjoy playing.

Nutrition #39 (Act. 1 and 2)

I like being able to look up nutritional information about the food I am going to eat. I have a tendency to run out for fast food, even though I am very conscious about trying to eat healthier, so it very helpful to find information about the best things to eat when I am running around.

Here is a recipe for Tofu-Coconut Curry, that I really want to try. It has high calories for four people, but serving six it drops dramatically, but I and not really sure about the amount of noodles I have included. I also switched the sugar to splenda which also helped drop some calories. I might have to try this both ways to double check it deliciousness.



Tofu Coconut Curry Recipe
http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-detail.asp?r...

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Making (Or Listening) to Music Together (No. 26)

I actually signed up for Project Playlist, then built my own playlist, and posted it on my myspace profile. I like being able to see what is out there on the web. I also like being able to share what I am listening to with others.

Current Map Events (No. 32 act. 1 and 2)

My Hypothethical question: Volunteer to research mammals

Try going to Http://maps.google.com and type in "volunteer vacation research mammals"

There are some really great sites. I particularly like Earthwatch--they have volunteer opportunities in Scotland and Greece to help with research on whales and dolphins.

The image you see is the Zuni-Bandera Volcanic Field in western New Mexico. It is the easternmost potentially active volcanic field in the United States. I like maps, but the incident maps kind of freak me out. (I, kind of, don't want to know.) It is nice to have a reference of maps for different circumstances, which might come in handy for school projects.

Relocating with Online Maps (no. 33 Act. 1 and 2)

I have scoured har.com for the perfect house (and a ton of individual real estate pages as well) and I am just not happy with what I find. The pages themselves yield almost enough information to make at least the most basic decision (the I wouldn't live here if they paid me to buya house here or I have got to go see this one) regarding the house. I just don't like the neighborhoods that have houses for sale. I know most of the ones either by reputation or because I have driven and been overwhelmed by the cars that crowd the streets.

I tried all three of the sites listed and I liked har.com the best. The urban living one had so many cabo san lucas, tx or orlando tx listings that it was just unreal. or only four listing to a page where on har.com you would get more houses to explore. Plus it was fairly easy to adjust the criteria I was searching with. I would reccommend this site above others.

I also tried the walking score site. I liked how easy it was to use, but heavens, it was depressing. Nothing is really within walking distance of the house I live in or the house I want to live in.

This is some of what I found around the house I live in now; Grocery Stores0.8 Mi
Country Market 1 Mi Creeks Grocery1.05 Mi Time Saver Food Sto1.1 Mi
Snappy Mart1.24 Mi Angel's Gas & Groce1.37 Mi Gerland's Food Fair1.37 Mi
Gerland's Food Fair2.66 Mi Jack's Grocery IncRestaurants0.87 Mi
Country Pride Resta 1.09 Mi El Rio Mexican Rest1.1 Mi Backdraft Bar-Be-Qu1.12 Mi
Jose's Mexican Rest1.26 Mi Subway Sandwiches &1.32 Mi Sonic Drive-In1.37 Mi
Jack In the Box1.43 Mi Domino's PizzaCoffee Shops3.36 Mi Starbucks 4.39 Mi
Starbucks4.46 Mi Starbucks4.7 Mi Victoria's Gourmet 5.61 Mi Starbucks Coffee Co7.44 Mi Mexican Cafe Comala8.43 Mi Shipley Donuts9.52 Mi Beyond Latte LLCBars1.24 Mi
Sunset 2.47 Mi Dimes4.07 Mi Bob & Jean's4.12 Mi Don's Place4.93 Mi Besaw's Cafe & Salo4.95 Mi N Main Ice House5.39 Mi Sheldon Road Ice House 5.6 Mi up's Sports Club Cinema IV 3.15 Mi Premiere Cinema11.11 Mi
Highlands Jr High 1.03 Mi Nena's Child Care1.28 Mi Highlands Elementar1.34 Mi Chinquapin School T1.42 Mi Bonnie P Hopper Pri1.42 Mi Hooper Primary1.42 Mi Goose Creek School 2.16 Mi Baytown Junior SchoParks1.01 Mi Highlands Park 1.34 Mi
Edna Mae Washington1.39 Mi Kaminski Park1.74 Mi Highland Community 1.74 Mi Stratford Park1.97 Mi Stratford Library 4.52 Mi Exxon Corporation L4.72 Mi San Jacinto Museum 6.03 Mi Sterling Municipal 6.34 Mi Fina Oil & Chemical7.05 Mi North Channel Libra20.83 Mi Houston City Aviati22.59 Mi Liberty Muni LibrarBookstores3.14 Mi Waldenbooks
4.92 Mi Anchor5.04 Mi

I also found a site that are specific to Highlands (which is where I live and where I plan to build at some point in the future. http://www.highlandstexas.com/
There was also a wiki article http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Highlands,_Texas and some sites related to organizations and businesses in town.

My Life in Maps (No. 31)

View Larger Map

My life in maps
I have added most of my Texas life. Places I have been. Places I enjoy. It's not complete in any way, but it is kind of fun to touch all the places one has been and think about how they have affected me.

Console Gaming (No. 38)

I did play these "retro" games growing up. I remember Atari: Mario Bros, Donkey Kong, Galaga, Centipede, the Pac Man family. Oh, the games I used to play. I played with the NES, duck hunt, pole position, super mario bros. As for the skills I acquired: hand eye coordination, quick thinking, tenacity, perseverance. I learned that there was not a single solution to a problem, how to go back, start over and try new combinations to reach a more profitable solution.

As for console gaming in the libary. Any of the three would be sufficient to use. Being able to network consoles together would allow library users to work together or compete withing the game. Having a large selection of games to choose from is also a major plus, but should detract from the usefulness of newer game systems. Interactivity is also a plus, anything that will get people out of their chairs and interacting with each other is a plus is my book. So which one whould I get for the library? As it stands I probably would get the Playstation 3 because it can also play high def blu-ray discs and I am told it can play ps2 games as well. So it has the game selection. But I would love to get a wii because of the remote feature. I don't like being tied to the console and I am sure it is going to catch up in the game selection category the longer it is available. Now if it could only play blu-ray movies.

Gaming in the library continues (No. 35)

I played both games in the Carnegie Mellon page and once I got a handle on the rules I did well, as it should be. But part of playing a game is figuring out the rules.

Do video games belong in the library? Sure, why not? Libraries should be about allowing people to have access to information. Video games, though not everyone's idea of valuable information, can provide experiences, both social and intellectual, that can be gainfully used by a person in other situations. Games allow us to change the procedures and policies without decimating the world around us. They allow us to change how we approach a problem and alter solutions without fear of life destroying permenance.

The fact that games change so often and become obsolete so quickly is a good reason for libraries to jump in now. By obtaining video game systems and games, libraries can allow access to materials that not everyone can spend money or space on.

Am I a Music Pirate???? (No. 25)

I have a program on my laptop at home that makes it easy to burn from one cd to another, to save to to my computer or a mp3 player (if I owned one).

I think that musicians can see both benefits and losses when they share their music online. Songs that are really great and that touch people can take off like wildfire by word of mouth (or typing of fingers), songs that people don't like aren't going to sell. Then there are hackers and general creeps who will cheat and find ways to get around buying the music and just downloading it. Of course, they do the same things now with CDs, movies and videos. Regardless of rules and consequences, there are going to be people who bend the rules if not flat out breaking them.

Strict versus open? I believe that rules should be flexible and if penalties must be paid, they should be reasonable. I think that being willing to listen to the consumer is the best way to go. (Speaking as a consumer, I guess I might be biased.)

Sound of Music (No. 24)

I don't even own a MP3 player. All the pay for play sites or free play sites confuse my brain, so I just never bothered to get involved with them at all. I'm still not very clear on them or what I am allowed to use.

So, this assignment has given me an opportunity to try something new. I was able to download a song to the branch MP3 Player. My favorite station does play via the internet.

I think it's great that bands are able to put their music online and that people can then pick the ones they want to buy. You have to admit that there are some albums that you buy for just one song and never listen to the rest. It's nice to have the option of taking music from different bands, putting them together to make what YOU think an album should be. But, of course, there is also something to be said for an artist using the whole album to make a statment.

Runescape my first MMORPG! (No. 36)

I have created my own person in Runescape. Her name is Chi'Ara, but in Runescape there is no apostrophe, so just Chi Ara. She has short blue hair, and a green shirt and a skirt over green pants. I have just made it off the tutorial island and have killed like three goblins. The hardest thing for me to handle is the camera angle I find a touch difficult to walk and change the angles with the arrows and the mouse at the same time. But, if I keep playing, I just might be able to work it out! This is kinda of fun, but I don't know if I could get as addicted as some of the kids that come into the library to play.

GeoMaps, GeoCache: modern day treasure hunt (No. 34)

1. n29 deg 48.63318, w095 deg 9.38058 north channel branch


2. http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?guid=da2e374b-baf7-4f76-8769-b562c84d796c ; N 29° 48.667 W 095° 09.889

This will be fun. I can't wait to go hunting! I don't have a GPS, though. Might have to borrow just to try it out. I can see the fun, but yes, there could be danger, ie. unsavory people in some places, trespassing. Did I mention that I can't wait to try it out?

Gaming? Is it beneficial? (No. 37)

I like being able to access games at the library. My home computer is so old that most modern games that I like to play, like the newly discovered WordSplay, would never be able to load on it in time for me to play the game.

Games have always been a way that people learn. Strategies that began in war have been applied to real-time physical gamefields, just look at American football, soccer, and baseball. Games force the mind to look at problems in different ways.

Computer games are no different. Being able to watch the screen, analyze a situation, formulate a response and then apply it helps the mind be able to multi-task. The immense variety of games that are available to the public via the internet enables people to test their skills and minds in new ways.

I just found wordsplay today and I really like it because it is just like boggle, which I totally enjoy, but can't people to play with me. The rules are simple and it was very easy to jump in the game and compete. No, I wasn't the best but boy was it fun. I like Boggle and therefore WordSplay because it forces my eyes to seek patterns (familiar words) and new words.

I also see the drawbacks, losing oneself in the game, playing for hours instead of minutes and eyestrain. But I always have hope that I will lean new things and new ways of solving problems.

Cleaning the Drive Train (No. 30)

I really didn't have much to take out because I did it awhile back, but I did erase a two month old report on 90 day holds not filled.

I created some folders to better organize the stuff I do like to keep like flyers and meeting agendas for the teen programs here at NC. I work really hard not to have personal stuff. I did move one short story from my Z to my thumb drive.

I will continue to keep working on keeping myself organized.

Deleting E-mail (No. 29)

Ever have to decide? That old song keeps coming back to me. I keep having to decide what e-mail is important enough to keep. Basically it falls into a couple of categories, families and ya stuff. I have three folders, I think, important memos, ingram, and coned (continuing education). The rest stays in my inbox where I have to look at it and decide.

That's hard to do.

The amount of stuff in my box varies but I try to keep it to two pages max. That's all I can keep up with and all I ever want to keep up with. Most mail I just delete, the rest I check and move or toss.

Getting Things Done (No. 28)

I have to admit that I always seem to have trouble getting things done. The article I read was nothing I haven't heard and everything that I have trouble doing.

No matter how hard I try I have a hard time deciding what to keep and what to get rid of and staying on task. I have struggled with this for as long as I can remember.

Part of the problem is that I start keeping track and then forget that I was keeping track.

I use google calendar, but I haven't since, well, July. Apparently, though it is keeping up with me. Yea!

I'll keep trying. Ciao!