Computer Software

Blog Theme Update

For the last several months, every time I login to my blog dashboard, I see the updates that are patiently waiting for me. I’ve been able to ignore them for a while, but I knew that eventually I would have to do it. Computers are a delicate balance of hardware, software and operator know-how. If you upgrade one, you invariably have to upgrade the other two. I’ve been advised by GoDaddy.com tech support, my hosting company, that updates are important and shouldn’t be put off.

So … Tonight is the night. I’m updating my blog theme, PrimePress.

It always sounds easy to do … Just click the update button and the magic takes place beyond where I can see. I just wait for the “Update successful” message. But, it’s never quite that easy. The update message indicated that it could take up to 2 hours to complete, but it took less than 20 seconds. “Update successful.” I breathed a sigh of relief. But, when I opened my blog, I gasped! It looked like I lost the theme. The posts were there, but all the pages were listed as live links across the top, above the header. The background was gone, the header reverted to the default rotating images, all my sidebar widgets were missing and the default calendar, meta info and categories were there instead.

So, I spent the next several hours working to put this blog back the way it was. When I started this blog two years ago, I customized the theme. I knew I made some changes to the template files, but didn’t document them. After a few changes, I learned that most of the customized code belongs in the custom.css file. That way, it’s all in one place.

Luckily, I took time to prepare before I updated.

I backed up my blog thru my hosting account.
I downloaded the backup to my computer.
In addition, I saved an extra copy of the theme’s template files.
I opened my blog as it was before the update, so I had a reference point.
NOTE: Next time I’ll save screenshots.

The results …
Health Talk Today Blog looks pretty much as it did before the update. The white area above the header used to be the same dark green color as the border background. If I can find it, I’ll change it, but it looks OK the way it is. I just changed the title “HEALTH TALK TODAY from a baby boomer perspective” from white to dark green. And I changed a few of the sidebar widgets.

I need your help …
I’ve done the best I could to make sure everything is working. Please let me know if you find broken links, invisible ink (white on white or green on green) or any other errors. I appreciate your help. Just leave a comment and I’ll fix what I can. Thanks.

Marilyn Kvasnok

Online Security

Mar 20th, 2011

by Marilyn.

1 comment

It can seem so innocent. Your Facebook friend has posted a fun quiz on your wall. You just need to answer some questions about yourself and ask your other friends to do the same. How can this hurt you? It’s just your middle name, best friend’s name, favorite color, birthday and your pet’s name. Information to help your social media friends get to know you better. But, isn’t that the kind of security questions your financial sites use? If you forget your password there, what is the security question you need to answer to get into your account? If it’s your best friend’s name (or one of the others from the quiz), you just gave a hacker the info they need to clean out your account.

Password Security
If your passwords are real words, you’re at the mercy of hackers. Especially if they’re words that mean something to you – Like your birthday or your dog’s name. Strong passwords are a random combination of letters and numbers. But, how will you ever remember a password like tN2zW59? I think that’s what stops a lot of us from using cryptic passwords.

One way to remember cryptic passwords is to keep a list of them. If you’re online working and having fun, you’ll quickly acquire a long list of websites with login ID’s and passwords.

When I started finding sign up sites with a warning “Enter your info manually. Do not copy and paste or use programs like Roboform,” I had one of those AHA moments. First, I refused to sign up on that site. Why couldn’t I just paste in my info? It’s because the hackers can trace the keystrokes, but not the paste. Second, I wanted Roboform if the hackers can’t access my info if I use that program. I’ve been a happy RoboForm customer for a couple years now. It saves me time because with one click, RoboForm takes me to the login site and enters my ID and password. Safe, secure and easy!

PS: If you order RoboForm thru this link, I make a small affiliate commission. You don’t pay anything extra. It’s just a thank you from the company because I referrred you.

Retirement Planning

Aug 11th, 2010

by Marilyn.

2 comments

A lot of people believe that Social Security and Medicare will finance their retirement. But, Social Security was never meant to be a total retirement income. We all need to fund our own retirement. And the sooner you start, the more you’ll be able to save. If you haven’t been able to save anything from your current income, how will you be able to live on less when you retire? Here are some ideas to jump start your retirement nest egg.

Stop Spending
When you’ve dug yourself into a hole, the first thing to do is stop digging! Think about your purchases and only spend what’s truly necessary. No, a Starbucks latte is NOT necessary.

Make a Budget and Stick to it
Do you really know how much you spend? It’s easy to see the rent/mortgage, utilities and car payment. But, what about the impulse spending? Keep track of every penny you spend for a month. Sort it into categories. At the end of the month, you’ll have a true picture of what you really spend. Now, add all the other expenses that occur throughout the year: Real estate tax, car insurance, homeowner’s insurance, AAA, Costco membership, credit card interest, etc. Next, the trick is to make your expenses total less than your income. The difference can be saved for retirement.

Pay Yourself First
Once your budget is under control, choose a savings vehicle. I like The Vanguard Group mutual funds. If you can’t meet the minimum contribution, start with a savings account at a bank or savings and loan. The idea is to get the money out of your hands and put it where it will earn income, even if it’s minimal to start. Set up an automatic monthly transfer from your checking to the savings account. One goal would be to live on 90% of your income and save 10%.

Don’t think you can live on 90% of your income? The Richest Man in Babylon is a short, easy to read book, written like a fable. It has a common sense approach to saving money – No matter how much or little you make.

Roth IRA (Individual Retirement Account)
One good way to save for retirement is to open a Roth IRA. It’s funded with after tax dollars, so it grows tax free. That means you pay income tax on the money you deposit into the IRA account. When you withdraw the money, it’s all tax free because you’ve paid the tax on your contribution. You can open a Roth IRA at many financial institutions, including banks, brokerage firms and mutual fund companies like The Vanguard Group.

The alternative is to open a Traditional IRA and fund it with pre-tax dollars. It grows tax deferred, so you don’t owe tax until you withdraw the money. But, if you contribute every year and your investment grows, you’ll have to pay tax on all the money you withdraw – Not just your contributions.

Free retirement planning info and programs: Analyze Now!

Yahoo Finance, Financially Fit: A Guide to Saving Smart and Living Well

Yahoo Finance, Financially Fit: Boost Your Social Security Benefits

Social Security Administration: What You Need To Know When You Get Social Security Disability Benefits

What else can you do to plan for retirement? Comments are welcome.

Mind Mapping

Jun 24th, 2009

by Marilyn.

4 comments

I’m always looking for ways to organize and document what I’ve done and what I want to do. I carry a lot of it around in my head, but there’s a better way. I got rid of my mental clutter by creating mind maps.

Whether you need a To Do list, a bucket list or keep track of your goals, mind mapping software by FreeMind can help you sort out your thoughts. Create your mind map and save it as an image to use as your desktop wallpaper. Or print a copy of your mind map to post on your refrigerator or bathroom mirror.

And best of all . . .
FreeMind mind mapping software is a free download.

This is a sample mind map from FreeMind. The center of the chart can be where you are today. On the left, list where you’ve been and on the right, where you’re going. Or it can be a goal or project, with all the brainstorming ideas branching out. FreeMind mind maps can be as simple or detailed as you’d like them to be.