I've been fantasizing over the idea of having a teeny tiny notebook to carry around with me as opposed to the bulky laptop I have now. I am not seriously in the market for anything shiny and new, but I have been checking them out.

Asus brand seems to be one to look at. A few models all weighing in at just 2-2.5 lbs with screens sizes between 7-8.9" (the 10" weighs a bit more at just over 3lbs). I simply like the tiny size of it. I don't touch type exactly, so I don't see the smaller keypad being an interference for me. I played with a couple of them at Best Buy last night, one with Linux installed and one with Windows XP.

I just vision myself pulling it out of my carrying bag/purse, and getting comfy cozy at a coffee house, working on basic things as usual, but not taking up much room. Being able to write without the extra heft. I can bolster my want/need for it in many ways.I know it would be more of a toy, a frivolous buy really, as it would not replace my main laptop, but its fun to look.

Amazon link with reviews:


this picture doesn't really show it, but they are so tiny that they don't look real. awe, so cute! Anyone ever use one/have one??

This started off as a comment. You know how that goes, a comment response ends up so long that it might as well be a post. So here I am, cutting and pasting my comment into the journal box and rounding it out a little. The comment was/is in response to my last post on my finding a less expensive internet provider. (e:tinypliny) and (e:metalpeter) had comments specific to my current plan and potential options. So as I had been writing back to them (probably more than they wanted to know,hehe) and here we go:

I've had Verizon DSL since late 2004. I don't recall what I paid then, but eventually it creeped up to almost $40/mo and has held there for awhile. At the time, they weren't offering various 'speeds', so whatever they had, I was subscribed to. It wasn't until this past year that my money/budget monitoring honed in on this area of expenses. I was irked that new customers got hooked up with great promotional plans (as with any company, right?), but I never did anything about it. It wasn't that big of a deal at the time, and I had no intention of going through the hassle of switching. However, as I noticed that I was spending relatively little time at home on the internet as opposed to just about everywhere else (friends, bf, coffee shops), I finally felt that something needed to be changed. I wasn't using what I was spending that much money for, so if I could downgrade or find another provider, I should very well do it.Let see some options!

A few months ago I called Verizon to inquire of other plans and at that time they supposedly did not have a cheaper rate plan. Going off of this information still, I had begun looking into other providers. It wasn't until I called back to CANCEL (or "buzz off" as (e:mrmike) said it) my subscription with Verizon, that I found out otherwise. They do have other plans. The customer service guy said I was lied too and that they do have other plans that should have been explained to me. I think it is because I had called to cancel, and not called to simply inquire before. hmmph.

Anyway, they have a 'lower speed' plan at $9.95/mo for 6 months followed by $19.95 thereafter- which has a 12 month contract, so there would be early termination fees if I canceled. I though about it, and decided to go with it. If I cancel early, the fees aren't horrendous. I was also thinking about various pros and cons into making this decision, of which I have 30 days to change my mind; I wasn't required to lock myself into this change, fortunately. Therefor, looking from a whole year perspective, I'll pay $180 for the year (instead of $480 like I had), I can keep my phone lines open (being DSL as opposed to dial-up), and I can just carry on as usual and not bother with other companies (making phone calls, getting software, downloads, equipment or whatever etc.) AND it wont be dial-up; I really just can't do it, I decided. No dial-up. That was silly of me to entertain the thought. Good prices though. And yes, I tried it for all of 30 minutes before I canceled it. Before I threw my laptop across the room.Before I had chunks of hair missing.

One thing I double-checked before making the plan change was to determine if Verizon tacks on a 'plan change' fee--would there be hidden cost showing up on my next bill. There isn't a fee and that I will only see the charges as described. OK then, plan change please. The 'slower' plan is operating the exact same as I had, so it either never connected at what it could have before, or the difference would really only be in immense downloads, something I don't do anyways. I am pleased that nothing significant has changed, well, besides my bill. Yay.

Time Warner quoted me $29.95, but I don't think a speed was mentioned. $19.95 would be doable for whatever basic plan they- or anyone offers, I rarely download anything, so I don't need it for that. As for FiOS, it isn't available in my area anyways.

The laptop cards are an intriguing idea; I have yet to know know anything about them. Is that something that you have to be already subscribed to Sprint or Verizon with a phone plan or can this be a-la cart?

(e:pyrcedgrrl)- that is hilarious that you found/still have my email address from bluefrog.BIZ That had to have been one OLD email.Even the name I used is SO old. It would have been funny to return to that provider, but I doubt I would have used the email client.

BTW: Check your connection speed with this SPEED TEST:

Ok, thats it.

Now I am off to take my first business workshop through NCCC Summit extension site. A refresher on business plan development,I believe!

This is hilarious to me, but it is something I have been thinking about for a long time now (I'm getting to it).



Seeing as that I am rarely home, and most of my internet browsing takes place outside of my home, I have been rather unamused at paying Verizon $37.95 for the occasional surf. So the idea has been to find an alternate service at a significantly lower price.

I thought of going with a company who offers a six month promotion (ie; Time Warner 29.95 for six months or EarthLink DSL, or QwestDSL etc) then switching to something else when the time came. Then I mused over the hopeful idea that my new neighbor may have an internet service that I might be able to sponge off of. Nothing so far.

Then I remembered BlueFrog.

I believe they are out of Rochester. I used them several years ago for dial up- back when I refused to pay the ever popular AOL prices ( Less than $4 compared to $24). I recall having good a good experience with them, and hope that it will continue. I'm so weirded out that I will be 'dialing up' on occasion. Think the "web accelerator" is real and worth it?

Could I possibly get away with using dial-up for the rare occasion that I am home and just want to check my email? Or will even that much make me want to tear my hair out, throw laptop across the room in exasperation over the sluggish connection? And a super long cord attached to my laptop at that. Oh boy. I don't know, but I can try it for a couple of weeks to find out. If it doesn't seem to work out, I can switch to something else- back to DSL, and get on board with a company that has $20-$30 plans as to the almost $40 with Verizon. But if it really works for me, then $6.95 a month will be worth it during the rare occasion I am online at home.

We'll see. I am hopeful, but I still feel like cringing. Now to call Verizon and give them the boot.

I was looking at the fees associated with registering a domain name. There are several sites varying in price range. Register.com was my initial 'go-to' site, just to check on a few names. Then after confirming that they were available, I began to think about web hosting, which took me onto another search. I see that many of these sites offer packages- such as some amount of web hosting and page creation features along with a free domain name for X amount of money. Such as IPOWERWEB
I'm not necessarily ready to make use of anything. I just want a couple of names to sit on for future purposes, basically register a name and then go from there.

The 'free domain name' with web host/etc package made me curious as to what would happen with the domain name if I chose at a later date to no longer use the company. The fact that it was considered "free" does that somehow make the name I choose to be owned by them- only to leave me at the mercy of buying it off of them at their "price" should I decide after that I don't want to do business with them any longer? Maybe, maybe not. Obviously contacting someone would be a way to find out.

And I wonder how much additional spam-junk mail is received by the domain name owner due to that persons contact info (physical address & phone number) is readily available via "who is" ??hmmm

Gah! In terms of the bigger picture, I have so much to learn, or rather, become aware of. Having information and processes organized in my head helps me to carry out necessary actions with confidence. Some things I can simply jump into and learn/figure out as I go, but other areas, I like to know as much as I can before stepping forward. I comprehend most of what I read and am regularly capable of grasping new information very quickly. So many thoughts, so many questions.

I checked into local business that might offer what I am looking for. I found BuffaloWeb Services. Anyone know anything of them?


I can register a domain name for a fair prices. Then later on, add on to what I need. I believe I would go with one year for now, although a longer length of time would be less, overall. Just watching my cash flow for the time being.

It is getting cold out there and there is still so much to do! Rainy with highs in the mid 40s for tomorrow made me realize that I really really really need to get focused and start the 'winterizing' process. It is simply more motivating to take care of all these things while it is still dry, above freezing outside and still light out into the early evening. So over the next 2-3 weeks, among everything else I have packed into my days, the following will be addressed:

• Wood for my fireplace needs to be brought into the garage.

• Finish yard work-clean up (branches, dead flowers, leaves etc)

• Plan to have a bonfire to burn fallen branches and logs of wood too large for apartment fireplace. Coincide with activity of drinking spiked hot coffee/cider/hot chocolate.

• Large items currently stored in garage must be sold off; taking up way too much room to hold them there any longer. Also, I hate excess clutter.

• Car stuff: oil change, car fluid check- basic look over before winter

• Plastic and insulation around windows and draft spots.

• Check and change furnace filter.

• Dust off treadmill as I haven't been to the gym in quite some time and it shows.

• A few long walks/hikes to get a good dose of autumn smells and fresh air. I've really slacked this year in getting outside regularly like I always have before.

I'm sure there is more, but whatever is left will just have to wait. So now to get off of here and get started on something!