Kimberly A. Cook

Military Romance Author

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Who Says Machines Are In Charge?

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by Kimberly A. Cook              (Twitter@   WarriorTales)

Rant Alert: Does anyone remember volunteering to be our own tech support? At what point in this global digital age did some engineering genius decide us lay folk consumers not only knew enough to fix our own electronic products, but that we wanted to? Not me, I just want the darn things to work.

Social Media Old School - Classic Underwood typewriter at the Jefferson County Historical Society Museum in Madras, Oregon
This does not need a battery, a cable, a modem or an electrical plug-in. It’s a classic Underwood typewriter at the Jefferson County Historical Society Museum in Madras, Oregon. Sigh.

Kept getting calls from my cable provider that I needed to change out my modem. They said I needed to upgrade so I could get faster speeds and more fabulous things. I can barely use the basic package of channels as it is. If it wasn’t for the PAC-12 and NFL Channels, I’d be on budget cable because all I need to survive is HGTV, Hallmark, Food Network, Animal Planet and the Weather Channel. I don’t really NEED new channels or quicker download speeds; I don’t surf that fast.

But they made it sound like the universe would explode if I didn’t do it soon, but I ignored the phone calls. Then one day while logging onto my computer a whole series of cable company messages flashed on the screen about how I must get the new modem before a swarm of locusts attack my computer. Really? You’re now intruding on my computer since I have a tv, phone, Internet “bundle?”

Fine! I logged onto the web site and they were sending me my amazing, free new modem. It arrived like the next day on my front porch, complete with simple instructions to install myself. Why do I have to do their work?

The “simple” instructions are a tad confusing since I also maintain my own router due to paranoia. Mix my military background with my imagination and you can’t convince me big brother cable isn’t trying to use my home as a W-Fi hot spot or the next landing zone for the colonization teams from Tron. While I’m paying the electric bill for it all to boot.

The fabo new modem is still sitting in its box. I will get to it when I’m ready. It’s personal. The day they put those self scan check out machines in my grocery store I drew the line in the sand. I tried it one time and the machine kept yelling at me about moving my plastic bag at the wrong time and that was it.

Now I snub those self scan check out lines, I push my cart right over and wait in line for a human checker. I get to read the gossip magazine covers, scan for new snacks and candies and find out what my fellow shoppers are buying. It’s a bonding experience with a real person talking to me without yelling instructions. And I don’t even have to touch my bags, they pack my groceries too. Simple is best. Hear that cable companies?

You can’t convince me we aren’t close to designer pick only your fav channels packages or else  everyone will dump cable and head to Amazon video. Somehow I’m betting Amazon wouldn’t make me install my own modem; they’re getting delivery drones!  Take back your channels America!

Are There Hidden Photo Gems On Your Computer?

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by Kimberly A. Cook           (Twitter@ WarriorTales)

Drove out to the Columbia River for a car picnic with my Mom this past weekend. We packed a lunch, enjoyed the sun and river sights and stayed in the car. Unusual warm weather for January. (Sorry East Coast blizzard people)

We talked about photography and how much I enjoy it, plus the fact my current home computer must be replaced since it is out of memory and eight years old. Obviously the Windows self destruct program hasn’t activated. Yet.

Photo stalking the wild chipmunk in his native habitat. A true test of photo skills. Especially when they appear ready to charge!
Photo stalking the wild chipmunk in his native habitat. A true test of photo skills. Especially when they appear ready to charge!

Back at home I decided to print out a couple of my favorite vacation photos to take to the day job; scenic memories to give me a mini-vacation sun break time out. I focused on recent trips to Sisters, Oregon, with my friend Joann, one of my top five favorite places.

I rediscovered fun memories and a few good pictures I’d forgotten about. When I switched from film to digital photography in 2007, the whole “I can’t see my pics” problem began. It’s so easy to forget the fabulous pixels we have stored on our hard drives, which I also back up three other places since I’m paranoid.

Half of my digital photos are organized by date and the other half by topic. The goal is to switch all the pics into topic groupings, but I keep taking more pictures and not finding the time to sort, and now the computer memory problem.

Two of the crafty camera shy sprinters in one picture. Miracles do happen.
Two of the crafty camera shy sprinters in one picture. Miracles do happen.

But it’s time to take action soon and get a new computer with enough memory to last a couple of years. Then start the transfer and sorting of photos, video and stories. (This will require tons of peanut M&Ms to accomplish, just saying) Since I haven’t loaded new photos for the past couple months, who knows what wonderful photo gems I’m missing. Or not.

So here are a few pictures from one of my Sisters, Oregon trips to encourage you to frisk your computer hard drive and find some fab photos. Enjoy the trip!

Sneak attack! Or sneaker attack, you choose. Love this photo even though I had to contort myself into a pretzel to get this shot of my friend's foot when she was sitting beside me.
Sneak attack! Or sneaker attack, you choose. Love this photo even though I had to contort myself into a pretzel to get this shot of my friend’s foot ala chipmunk when she was sitting beside me.

 

Got Vinyl Records In Your Closet?

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by Kimberly A. Cook                (Twitter@ WarriorTales)

Spent a busy weekend having Spec Ops Cat’s teeth cleaned, shopping and watching a ton of football. I even managed to get some housework done during the commercial breaks for the NFL playoffs. Those ad breaks are quite long.

See, a vinyl display! In the store!
See, a vinyl display! In the store!

But one of my favorite things was cruising the aisles of Barnes and Noble bookstore on Saturday. Was on a mission to pick up a cookbook my Mom wanted and a book I needed. Plus I found other things too. Always happens. Some things were half price on holiday clearance. Score!

Came around one aisle and ran right into a display of vinyl records. Wait one. Talk about an unexpected meeting. I did a double take and eventually took a picture. No one would believe this. Vinyl is back. I’ve heard whispers of this and read articles, but when there is an actual display in a retail store, time to pay attention.

Now, I confess I still have all my 33 rpm records from the old days. Also have the 45 rpm records and some 78s from my folks. For the digital natives among you, vinyl records are the prequel to the music cd. They are black mostly, vinyl, subject to scratches and bigger than a Frisbee. But they sit inside fantastic album covers.

With the age of steampunk parties, manual typewriters in vogue again and now vinyl, what are the possibilities? Maybe boomers will be cool one day too. Miracles happen!

Got vinyl?

Can You Tuck And Roll In The Snow?

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by Kimberly A. Cook           (Twitter@ WarriorTales)

Spent the last two days in fog, literally, but the sun poked out today.  Yeah! A co-worker at the day job shared this video with me yesterday and it is too cute for words! Love to cuddle the baby panda, but he might not quite cuddle back.

Have a great weekend and Happy Quirky Friday!

 

Time For New Dreams And Adventures?

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by Kimberly A. Cook           (Twitter@ WarriorTales)

Back to the day job after a nice vacation between Christmas and New Years. Had a calm and fun-filled time with lots of cleaning and rearranging and moving stuff. Made me glad to go back to the day job to get away from doing more.

First squirrel sighting of 2015! Notice Spec Ops Cat reflection in the window.
First squirrel sighting of 2015! Notice Spec Ops Cat reflection in the window. And his ear!

Took some time to read and watch movies too, plus football of course. Made big strides in my office rearranging my office closet and organizing writing projects. Put together another cubie divider to store the piles of projects which seem to get larger with research.

Some observations about trying to sort and purge items:

1. Sorting paper is an activity which can suck your soul. Since I keep all kinds of things for reference, research and sentimental reasons, the paper is the biggest challenge. It really does breed in the dark like rabbits.

2. I love my hardback and paperback books, but I still have too many. However, sorting them feels like choosing among favorite children. The upside is ones I can’t sell I donate to our Friends of the Library and they make money and the books go to new homes. Makes me happy.

3. Organizing and streamlining my office space is freeing up my mind space. And I can use all of that I can get! I’ve read clutter causes stress and that seems so true in my home.

4. Been reading “Plain and Simple – A Woman’s Journey to the Amish” by Sue Bender. It jumped out at me when I was looking for another book in my office. (See, I can’t get that serendipity book discovery on my ereader.) It is nourishing my mind and my sense of cleaning out. Great read.

Game on stare down between squirrel and Spec Ops Cat. Both think they are super heroes with two panes of glass in between!
Squirrel advances in the stare down game with Spec Ops Cat. Both think they are super heroes with two panes of glass in between!

5. New calendars, new checkbook register, whole new year to make magic and dreams come true. Yeah!

“The grand essentials of happiness are: something to do, something to love, something to give, and something to hope for,” by After Allan Chalmers from Susan Branch’s 2015 Heart of the Home Calendar.

Moving Into A New Year Of Possibilities?

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by Kimberly A. Cook               (Twitter@ WarriorTales)

Here we are getting ready to move into 2015. A New Year brings high hopes and fond memories. Since five is supposed to be a lucky number, I’m thinking good things for all of us ahead. That is my wish for all.

Weather is odd once again, woke up to 25 degrees outside and high winds. But we have brilliant sunshine so I can bundle up no problem. Most of the U.S. is in the Arctic Cold outbreak once again so here are some fun things to do this week.

Spec Ops Cat demonstrating his Olympic level napping skills this week. He's a black belt Nap Master. Watch and learn.
Spec Ops Cat demonstrating his Olympic level napping skills this week. He’s a black belt Nap Master. Watch and learn.

1. Figure out what is bugging you the most and clean it out. Did this recently with the container next to my stove that holds my utensils. Couldn’t even get one more in the container, so sorted it out. Stuffed the overage into the kitchen utensil drawer, so now I need to clean that out. But I accomplished one thing!

2. Take a nap. Spec Ops Cat demonstrates his professional level at this activity in the photo. Remember to relax like a cat. Just wish I was as limber as he is.

3. Play a game from your childhood. Taking the Yahtzee game over for New Year’s Eve celebration treats tomorrow to play with family. Nothing like rolling dice and not losing money to make me a happy woman.

4. Read. A magazine, book, cookbook,  ebook or cereal box. It feels like a guilty pleasure to do this during the day in the sunlight, so count me in!

5. Socialize. Whether your watching the bowl games with friends and family, Go Ducks!, or visiting family and friends during the holidays, make time to bond. Actually listen and talk with people. Unplug! It’s a wonderful thing.

6. Be grateful. It’s easy to get wrapped up in all the stuff and things and expectations, but the true joys in life are the little things; always have been, always will be. My favorites this past week were my sister’s pumpkin bread, a calm and happy Christmas, healthy family and friends, donating books to the library, spending Christmas Eve with my Mom, sleeping in and Spec Ops Cat cuddles. Priceless!

Hoping your holidays are going well and let’s all make fun plans for 2015. Happy New Year!

Spring and Summer are just around the corner!
Spring and Summer are just around the corner!