Observations in October - 2018 - #31Things - Technology

Technology is another one of those things I have a love/hate relationship with.  I consider myself pretty tech savvy although I know there are a lot of things I don't know how to do.  The reason I love my Mac is because it is so user friendly.  I can easily program my iPhone and update my computers but when it comes to helping my husband with his Android and Lenovo laptop I have some problems.   

In my working world, I know that a big portion of the reason my transcription work is declining is that the increased availability of programs like Dragon Dictate make it easier for the doctors to do their own dictation, thereby eliminating the need for people like me.  The younger doctors are easier to adapt to using tablets and laptops and the hospitals and physician networks are installing that equipment in their offices to assist with that.

On the other hand, through technology I am still able to do transcription work from home because I am able to get password protected audio files through email and send the completed reports back to the client, also through password protected email.  With this system I was able to do my work when we were out of town visiting the in-laws in Oregon.  It was very helpful.

In the craft world, people are able to send cards and invitations online so there are less physical cards being sent.  Yet, I am able to sell my handmade cards and things through my online Etsy shop. 

My latest batch of cards

We all know about cellphones and smartphones and texting and the like and I must admit that I have returned home to get my cellphone if I find I have left home without it.  I consider it now more of a safety feature, either for me to use if I am in trouble (flat tire, etc.) or if the hubby or kids need me.  I know that I never had one when I was younger but then again, there were pay phones around so all I needed was a quarter and I could get in touch with my parents if I needed to.  When was the last time you saw a working version of this?

Even education is enhanced now with the multitude of online classes you can take and own to use whenever you have time.  I remember when my kids were going through elementary school I resisted the dreaded "Internet" at all costs.  I was outraged that the school wanted the kids to "look it up online" rather than going to the library to get an encyclopedia.  By the time my youngest was a senior in high school, having her own laptop was practically on the supply list!  

I know I have benefitted from some online classes myself and the CreativeLive courses I have taken were really good.  Some I bought when they were on sale so I could go back and watch them again but a lot of them I have just taken the free version and it has still helped out a lot.  Many of the bloggers that I follow I know are writers and some participate in the NaNoWriMo challenge.  For those of you who are or want to be, CreativeLive is having a free prep week from 10/22 to 10/26/18.  I am an affiliate of CreativeLive so here is a link to those if you are interested.  They have a lot of classes in photography and money/life matters in addition to crafting as well.   

  

Where do you fall on the technology spectrum?  Love?  Hate?  A little of both like me?  Tell!

Just Jot January - 2018

I've got big plans for this year.  Blogging more is one of them.  I had 21 fewer posts last year than in 2016.  I'm hoping to get at least 180 in this year, that would be about 15 a month.  Should be able to do that, right?

To help me accomplish it, I've decided to join a few more groups.  One of them is Just Jot January or #JusJoJan sponsored by Linda G. Hill.  I like that abbreviation because it is like a combination of my name and my sister's (JoAnne).  I really miss her and I know that she would have jumped on the writing bandwagon.  She passed away before the blogosphere really got going or I know she would have had some kind of a blog for sure.  She was a writer at heart and her closest claim to fame was the time she submitted a story to a magazine and came in second place.  The winner?  Earl Hamner - you may remember him from his little story about the Walton Family.

I was introduced to the Just Jot January by my A to Z blogging friend, John Holton and I've been wanting to stretch my creative writing so I thought this might be fun to try.  In any case, the prompt for today, January 1, is Drama, suggested by Ritu at ButISmileAnyway.   (Hello, was I meant to find that blog or what?) 

So, drama.  I'm just going to say that in my experience (through my children - two girls with a boy in the middle), girls have way more drama than boys and it doesn't just last through the childhood/high school days but even into adulthood.  I don't think I've ever had my son come to me complaining about something that one of his friends said or did that irritated him but I can't even count the number of times my girls have come to me to vent about this, that or the other thing that one of their friends was doing/saying that irritated them or caused a rift in their relationship, not to mention the tears.  I don't remember experiencing this drama when I was in school myself but then again, I went to a Catholic grammar school and had very few really close friends.  Besides, I'm sure the nuns would have found drama to be some kind of a sin.  Once I was in high school I started working my freshman year and had little time for such foolishness.

I'll end this jot with a couple of pictures:

The last moon of 2017.  Tonight is the first full moon of the year.

I'm going to continue my habit of taking a selfie a month and this is from today.  My kids make fun of me for the fact that I close my eyes when I have my picture taken and I guess that's true, even when I am the one taking the picture!

Uncommon Type by Tom Hanks is my first book of the year in my 2018 reading challenge.  I'm following the categories given by PopSugar again.  They are here if you want to play along.  This will be in my "book given as a gift" category since I got it for Christmas from my daughter, Amanda.

If you'd like to play along with Just Jot January, the rules are in the link here.

How about you?  What are you planning for 2018?  Love to hear about it.
 

July in Janetville - Creative Live Classes

In my search for information on crafting I came across Creative Live.




It is an online "classroom" filled with lots of different classes on a wide variety of subjects.  Occasionally they have free classes and I have taken a few of them so far.  One was on making concertina collage books.  Another was on making altered book boxes.  Some were on maximizing my Etsy site and one on email marketing.  I was able to view the whole class and take notes, even ask questions, all for free.  Those were just the ones I was most interested in but they also have a lot of free ones on many other subjects:

Photo and Video
Art and Design
Music and Audio
Craft and Maker
Money and Life

The free classes generally run for 24 hours so, depending on how long the class is, you can sometimes watch it twice.  You can also buy the classes so that you can download them and access them as many times as you want, something I am seriously considering doing since I just looked at the notes I took on one of the classes and I can't read my own writing!  I was taking notes too fast and incompletely.

Right now they are having a sale on some of the classes.




At only $19 it is worth it to me to buy the ones that will help me with my marketing and optimizing my Etsy site.  I may even take one on photography to enhance my concert photo skills!  Or maybe one on writing.  Perhaps I have a novel bursting to come out!

How about you?  Ever want to take an online class?  Learn some new skills or brush up on some rusty ones?  Give it a try!




**This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on the links; however, it does not raise your prices one bit, just puts a couple dollars in my pocket for more craft supplies :)