Snow Day clean up

The kids have a second snow day today and the prospect of one for tomorrow, as the rain comes down over the snow, coating everything with ice. When I was younger I used to love how magical the thin coating of ice made everything look. Now, as a homeowner, I look at the ice-coated branches with a bit of dread -- wondering when a giant branch might come crashing down on the roof.

Anyway, with no errands to run, I've been using the day to catch up on a bit of cleaning and repair projects that I've been meaning to do for months -- rejuvenate the floor in the dining room and the cabinets in the bathroom and repair some water damage on the bathroom ceiling -- all with an accompanying eHow article of course.

Earnings slowly increasing

Since last week my earnings have increased from .44 cents per day to .55 per day. I think the experiment this week will be to adjust keywords. One of the articles I wrote last weekend earned money starting its second day -- where it usually takes a couple of weeks to see anything -- I think because I used the Google Keywords Tool when writing the title and first graph.

eHow experiment - mixed results, so far

I've been using eHow since September 2008. At the beginning of last weekend (1/9/2009) I had written 39 articles, earned $4.25 so far in January and had 32 eHow Friends with one or 2 comments for each article. My earnings though small, have almost doubled each month - Sept - $1.78; Oct - $3.06; Nov - $6.00 (with my first payout); and Dec - $10.34 (second payout).

I had basically just been posting an article or two when I thought of something and signing off. I didn't really get the point of having eHow Friends, but I would approve whoever asked and that was it. Last weekend I decided to join a group, post to the daily eHow article forum and read, rate and comment on other articles to see if it had any impact on earnings.

I wrote 4 articles over the weekend. I commented on and rated about 50 articles and gained about 30 new friends. Though I may have learned a thing or two, my earnings only increased to $4.95 by Monday and were $7.27 this Friday. A little divisions shows that my daily earnings went from 33 cents in December to 47 cents at the beginning of my experiment and down to 44 cents at the beginning of this weekend. Oh well. My time would have probably been better spent writing more eBay listings, but at least I learned how to make my own dishwasher detergent!

Newspapers need at least 20 more years

My DH works for Gannett's Louisville Courier-Journal, before that The Lansing State Journal and before that, Gannett News Service. I worked for the Portland (MI) Review & Observer and Grand Ledge Independent -- way back in the late 80s when we still laid out galleys with waxed paper columns edited with actual razor blades.
Though I got out before the advent of the internet, Steve has had to adjust and build his computer skills - always his forte - for his work in his papers' graphic arts departments. So far technology hasn't passed him by and his skills are valuable enough that he is one of only 2 artists left at his semi-major metropolitan newspaper after last month's layoffs. But with nearly 20 years to go before he hits retirement age, we're wondering if newspapers will make it that long.
When I graduated from journalism school in 1987 I never would have imagined having to ask that question. The concept of newspapers seems so timeless -- their form practically unchanged for more than 100 years. For me at least, a computer won't replace curling up on a Sunday morning with a cup of tea and the paper or the satisfaction you get from completing the crossword in pen.

At any rate, these musings lead to my latest eHow article -How to Support Your Local Newspaper - leave it to me to bury the lead!

Oh -- and check out some of Steve's award-winning multi-media graphics here. The series on the accident at last year's Kentucky Derby won a national Eclipse "best multi-media presentation" award from the Nat'l Thoroughbred Racing Ass'n.

Wists-ful Thinking

In the sucky economic times in which we find ourselves - I do believe "sucky" is the official technical term -- it's hard to get your frivolous shopping fix responsibly. Luckily, though my bank account is negligible and my credit totally maxxed I can have every little gew-gaw my heart ever desired for free via Wists Social Shopping.

Okay -- I only have them virtually, but sometimes that is enough. I've noticed with my kids that the act of acquiring the object is all they need -- they never actually use or play with said object. I'm hoping I can substitute clicking something to my Wists list for clicking it into my Shopping Cart.

Aside from making shopping lists, it is also a handy way to keep track of interesting things you find on the web, but don't want to add as a bookmark. Scroll down to see a couple of my current wists -- I'm using it as a way to squirrel away project inspirations and ideas.

I do believe this topic is ripe for an eHow article.

Craftster -- my latest web obsession

I've been in a crafty cycle lately. I picked up crocheting back in October and have since turned out scarves, hats and a ton of amigurumi creatures -- with varying levels of success. Though my girls seem to really like the creatures, I've strangely started making things solely with the intent of putting them on Craftster to see what kind of reaction they get.

Though it's been overwhelmingly positive, the funny thing is the things I think will get the most comments usually get the least and vice versa. For instance, I made this fairly traditional bookmark for a friend for Christmas and it's had a lot of comments.

This jellyfish, however, that I made from a melted CD-ROM and crochet, got only one mild kudo. Oh well, Mine is not to wonder why, as they say. At any rate, my Craftster obsession inspired me to write an eHow article about the site, since a search didn't turn up any already posted. You can find it here.

Refinishing furniture the easy way

My latest eHow article sprang out of one of my oldest projects. When I signed into my eHow account tonight I checked the list of requested articles and found a request for "How to paint rub furniture." The wording is a bit weird, but I thought -- hey, I've done that!
After removing a layer of dust and accumulated "life debris" I snapped a pic and wrote it up.

I remember refinishing this dresser as if it were yesterday (cue wavy memory lines). . . We were in our first apartment, about 6 months married and had a bunch of hand-me-down furniture and no money (somehow only part of that has changed). Our one dresser was this tiny piece my husband had since kindergarten -- finished an ugly orangish brown. A quick trip to Hechinger's (we lived in Northern Virginia) for furniture stripper and paint and I was on my way. I lugged the dresser to the balcony and slapped on the chemicals. Once I started with the paint I am pretty sure I was just winging it. I have always A - thought paintbrushes were too expensive and B - hated cleaning them, so I just dunked a rag in paint and rubbed it in like stain. Turned out nicely and matched the blue comforter.

The comforter is long-gone, but the dresser still sees daily use, now in the hall as a phone stand and storage for construction paper and other craft supplies. One note -- be sure to ask your new husband before you alter in any way his childhood heirlooms -- more than I did, luckily we were still in the honeymoon stage.