Good Software

Some general thoughts about good software ... Good software always has a way for me to export my data (in case I find better software), and a way to import data so I can get started with it quickly. Import and export are basic requirements for me. Along the lines of import and export, I also prefer if the underlying file format isn't that hard to translate; that one isn't as necessary, but it's close. File conversion opens up more import/export choices!

I like groups, hierarchical views that I can collapse to see just the big picture or expand to see the details. However, paper files can only go into one folder, but electronic files should belong to several groups so that they're easier to find than paper where you have to guess the right folder. I'm not fond of exclusive hierarchy (one and only group) so that I can file information into several bins (groups). Another way to say that is that I want tags. Tags break free of the hierarchical mold; you can add multiple tags to any selection. These tags, as further requirement, should have Spotlight integration so that I'm not restricted to particular search tools. (I love metadata. If it's applicable, it's one of my requirements.)

I expect to be able to save multiple files anywhere I want. I don't particularly want to mix work and home, say for a note-taking application, but I do want to use good applications both places. Multiple files are required, as is an easy way to copy (rsync) a file to another Mac depending on where I'm working.

I like productivity shortcuts. Productivity can be as simple as good interface design, or keyboard shortcuts, or Growl integration; anything that makes it easier to get in and get out, faster to get back to the real world and my kid.

I like applications that are attractive and enjoyable (this is intangible). Free is a real bonus, especially since I move between applications. There's a reason I need data import and export!

Car Quest, Part 1

As noted before, our current station wagon needs rear shock absorbers. The shocks are $1000 in parts, and aren't the only repair needed. And it will still be a 20-year-old wagon when we're done. That means it's probably time to upgrade. So last weekend, we did online research about wagons. What we want is comfortable, safe, and reliable, with reasonable fuel economy. We want to be able to put the kayak on top, the dog in the back, and of course the kid in the car seat in the second row. Once I pointed out that we could put the kayak on top of a mini-van if we had step stools, that unfortunately opened up the field even more. Ugh! So many choices!

It took all day Saturday, but we were able to narrow the field. We took a Toyota Sienna XLE for a test drive, and it was awful! It had the poor handling and serious lack of comfort of an old pickup truck! (Zero for comfort.) This was a high-end model just shipped the dealership, and it had exposed flashing (sharp! dangerous for pipsqueaks!) and one of the second-row seats wasn't even latched to the floor. (Zero for safety.) All of the nicer accents stopped behind the driver, and everything else was cheap-looking plastic. We were very comfortable saying that we would never buy it. Ever. Even for free. My old wagon's much better than that!

We talked to several people, and it sounds like Toyota quality took a nose dive some time in the last four years. Toyotas at least four years old are pretty good cars! Newer ... not so much. In fact, Toyota has more outstanding recalls right now than any other car manufacturer. I think in their rush to be the #1 car manufacturer, they forgot the good features that made them such a good #2.

Since the Suzuki dealership was next door, we also took a Suzuki XL7 for a test drive. The seats were very comfortable, the ride was decent (still a little truck-like), and the fit-and-finish were acceptable. Much better than the Toyota, but not what we're looking for.

Discouraging start to car replacement. But hey, I can always get this old wagon back in good shape!

Brother Printer Settings

When we moved almost 4 years ago, our HL-1650N Brother laser printer lost its settings. That's fair, since it didn't have power for days. However, there's one subtle setting that needs to be changed from the default for printing to work! Last time, I printed the settings page and used highlighter so I didn't have to figure it out a third time, but I think I can find a blog entry more easily than a piece of paper (even one stored underneath the printer!).

From the printer's home page, go to Printer Settings and then to Printer Setup; change Emulation from Auto to BR-Script 3. Save.

That's it! One teensy change, but it's the difference between printing and frustrated!

Today's Observation

You know you need new rear shock absorbers when ... after a short trip on a country road, your toddler is gripping the sides of his car seat with that crazy grin he gets on wild rides.

Microwave Dressing for Stuffing

This recipe is adapted (to reduce fat, and to match what I had) from an old "Kenmore Microwave Cookery" cookbook.

Mix in a 1 quart (or larger) glass container:

1/2 cup water

2 Tbs gravy mix (like Tone's Gravy Mix)

1/2 onion, chopped

1/2 tsp dried thyme

1/4 tsp garlic powder

Microwave for 5 minutes.

Chop these in the food processor, and then add to the microwave container:

3 stalks celery, chopped

1 cup mushrooms, chopped

Microwave for 3 minutes.

Now chop these in the food processor, and then add to the microwave container:

2 cups dry bread chunks

1/4 cup almonds, finely chopped

2 tsp dried parsley flakes

1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Microwave for 2 minutes.

My microwave was set to 100% power, and it's rated for 1100 to 1500 Watts depending on which label you read. You may need to adjust the times for different microwaves.

Amazingly enough, this tastes exactly like stuffing! (However, I'm not a fan of it. I made this anyway because my dear husband likes stuffing.) I used Tone's Turkey Gravy Mix.

For storage, it freezes well.

Just so you know that I'm hopeless with recipes, here's the original.Mix 1/2 cup butter, 1/3 cup onion, and 1/4 cup celery in a 4-cup glass container and microwave for 10 minutes or until onion is transparent. Add 3 cups dry bread cubes, 1 cup water or chicken broth, 2 tsp parsley flakes, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/8 tsp freshly ground pepper. Makes enough stuffing for a 5 to 6 pound roasting chicken. Can replace 3 cups bread with 2 1/2 cups wild rice, 1/2 cup slivered almonds, and 1 cup sliced mushrooms.

GCalDaemon: beta 2

There's a new version of GCALDaemon, and I've been playing with it for a few days. (OK, nonstop this entire weekend.) The (semi)colon bug for Unix is fixed in beta 2, and you can sync multiple calendars now!

First things first, I kept losing data (usually To Do items), so make a backup first. I haven't figured out the pattern to this problem yet, so I don't know if I should submit a bug report. Another annoyance is that two of my calendars went unidirectional, with Google overwriting iCal. I made a new Google calendar and linked it to (a restore of) the same iCal, and it appears to be better. (Odd, hunh?) Make several backups if you want! I made one with iCal and one in the Finder.

• /Developer/Tools/CpMac -pr ~/Library/Application\ Support/iCal/Sources ~/Library/Application\ Support/iCal/Sources.backup
• # or just cp instead of CpMac on OS X 10.4+

Now you can install beta 2.

• cd /bin
• sudo rm -rf /bin/GCALDaemon # unless you don't want to start over from scratch with a clean slate!
• sudo unzip /Downloads/gcaldaemon-linux-1.0-beta2.zip
• sudo chgrp -R admin /bin/GCALDaemon
• sudo chmod -R g+w /bin/GCALDaemon
• sudo chmod 755 /bin/GCALDaemon/bin/*.sh
• cd /bin/GCALDaemon/bin
• ./password-encoder.sh
• cd /bin/GCALDaemon/conf
• open -a subethaedit gcal-daemon.cfg

Follow the directions for file-based synchronization like Rainlendar. HINT: Look in ~/Library/Application\ Support/iCal/Sources/*.calendar/Info.plist for the name of that calendar.

Then you can make it a full OS X citizen using Lingon. To get started, click on Assistant in the toolbar.

1. Keep an application/script always running
2. Label: net.sf.gcaldaemon (leave "Launch only when I log in" checked)
3. Application/script: /bin/GCALDaemon/bin/standalone-start.sh

And there you have it, a new entry in "My Agents" to keep iCal sync'd with your Google Calendar(s) every time you log in to your Mac!

I also ran across two other alternatives that will sync iCal and Google Calendar bidirectionally, jin'sync in alpha, and Spanning Sync coming soon.

Bib Clip and Hat Attach

This was a very quick project using found items! I saw bib clips that look really convenient for travel, but it's not worth $12 plus shipping plus the wait to me. Dishwasher-safe and rounded is probably very good for babies, but Karston seems mostly grown now. So, since we'll be on the road next week, I thought I'd make one set of bib clips. I cut off the blue cord from a trade show pen that didn't write, and held a lighter to the ends to seal off where I had cut to keep it from unraveling any more. I put a white cord toggle over a loop in the middle of the cord, and I tied a bulldog clip, also from trade show visits, to each end. I looked through the Klutz Book of Knots, but ended up making up the knot anyway. I pulled a loop through the hole in the bulldog clip, ran the short end through the loop, snugged it up, and tied a half-hitch to finish the deal. It seems very secure. Voilà, one bib clip! Total cost, zilch; and I got to clear away some lingering trade show leftovers.

Since I was on a project roll in the right room, I kept going. I used a leftover piece of embroidery thread, two lanyards (one at either end), and one more bulldog clip to make a secure hat attachment for Karston. Fasten a lanyard on the hat, clip the other end to your collar, and the wind won't take your hat. The kid's ready to travel now!