Computers are a lot of fun – except when they make your hair curl with horror. I just finished a hair-curling episode. I tried to go online but was not allowed to. Instead a form came up saying that my server had expired. Server? Expired? They can do that? The computer then started dishing up forms, each of which said – after a great deal of jargon – that another of my computer programs had died on me. I began crying out in agony to my husband, “My SpySweeper has expired!” “My Site Advisor has expired!” He didn’t know what to say, so he wisely said nothing. And he was tactful enough not to mention that HIS server hadn’t expired, and his computer, just down the hall, was feeling dandy.

     Each form that came up on my computer had incomprehensible language and hundreds of letters and numbers. My printer wouldn’t print out this information – it apparently had expired along with the server and everything else – so I sat and copied down all the letters and numbers by hand. At some point, I figured, I’d find someone who could make sense of this, and I might need every last figure on every last form.

     At last! one of the forms, at the very bottom, dished out the news that my computer’s clock was set at September 9, 2057, and did I want to check and see if that date was correct? And my dear husband, a bastion of strength in time of trouble, suggested that I go into the computer start menu and change my clock. A simple suggestion, but not one that had occurred to me. I was too busy copying down jargon while my hair curled with horror.

     I went into my computer’s control panel, found that the clock did indeed think it was 2057 – why, I’ll never know. But, when I changed it back to 2007 . . . behold! . . . my programs all returned to me. So everything’s fine, except that I’m worn out by the stress.

     This newsletter issue explores ways you can take better photographs. The Internet has much information on the topic – so much that I decided to save ideas for manipulating and sharing your photos for the next issue.

     Even if you’re not interested in photography, please don’t miss item 12, about the beautiful website of the National Gallery of Art in Washington. And if you feel you should appreciate great art more than you actually do, be sure to read the next item, “How To Appreciate Great Art.” It will open your eyes, I promise.

     Janette

----Table of Contents----

1. Don’t Look Like An Idiot
2. Nine Simple Habits That Can Boost Your Brainpower
3. Build Your Memory
4. Make A Simple Board Game
5. Stenciling A T-Shirt
6. It Would Be Fun
7. Truly Astonishing Wildlife Photos
8. Photography Tips From The National Geographic
9. Top Five Tricks For Taking Professional Looking Photos
10. Digital Photography Review
11. Improve Your Photography Through Great Art
12. The National Gallery Of Art, Washington
13. How To Appreciate Great Art
14. Edible Flowers
15. Beauty In A Lunch Box

1. DON’T LOOK LIKE AN IDIOT

     Looking like an idiot is one of my least favorite things to do, and I’m sure you feel the same way. The following site gives 100 words that people commonly mispronounce, thereby giving others a poor impression of their intelligence. I knew most of the words, but some had never occurred to me. And, I don’t know, I kind of like “bob-wire fences,” despite getting caught on their bobs many times as a farm child.

http://www.yourdictionary.com/library/mispron.html

2. NINE SIMPLE HABITS THAT CAN BOOST YOUR BRAINPOWER

     The AARP has, of course, the latest discoveries in keeping our minds sharp longer. After all, if we go ga-ga prematurely, we’ll let our AARP subscriptions lapse, and then where would they be?

     I got all fired up about one of their suggestions: jigsaw puzzles. Which supposedly do things for your mind that other puzzles do not. The truth is, I’ve been wanting some jigsaw puzzles for fun, never mind brainpower, and I greatly appreciate the scientists who tell me it’s good for me to have this particular kind of fun. So Bill tried to order some jigsaws online for me, but eBay said it wanted $10 shipping for one lousy jigsaw puzzle, and then, adding insult to injury, or perhaps saving the day, it refused to recognize Bill’s password. So next we went to

http://www.yellowpages.com/

     The online YELLOW PAGES told me about a hobby shop not far from our house that had “puzzles and games.” So I won’t have to pay ridiculous shipping charges, and all is well.

     And for AARP’s tips on Boosting Your Brainpower, click:

http://www.aarpmagazine.org/health/stay_sharp_longer.html

     The AARP has more in its “Staying Sharp” section, including recent advances in brain research. Here’s the address:

http://www.aarp.org/health/brain/program/

     I had still more on that topic in the March 15 issue of this newsletter. If you’re interested, click on that date over to your left.

3. BUILD YOUR MEMORY

     This site is aimed at students, but it’s a good site for all of us who wish we could remember things better:

http://www.buildyourmemory.com/

4. MAKE A SIMPLE BOARD GAME

     On a rainy day, Mom or Dad and the kids can make a simple board game. Then you all get to play it, which is of course much more fun if you’ve made the game – and the rules – yourself.

http://kiddley.com/2006/09/27/make-a-simple-board-game/

5. STENCILING A T-SHIRT

     These T-shirts are a good gift idea, and/or a project for grownups or older kids with an artistic bent.

http://loxosceles.org/crafty/sheep_shirt/

6. IT WOULD BE FUN

to live in the mind of the fellow who did the pictures on the site below. When I see someone being really nasty, I think, “I’m glad I’m not married to HIM.” Or, “I’m glad I don’t have to live in HER mind.” But I think Jacek Yerka’s mind is having fun. I suspect, however, that he’s one of those artists you either like or you don’t. See what you think of him by clicking below:

http://www.amazingincredible.com/show/59-the-fantasy-worlds-of-jacek-yerka

     Jacek Yerka is Polish, and the pictures look very Middle European, don’t you think? Which means you’ve just been inside a Middle European mind, which probably is not something you get to do every day, and isn’t the Internet great?

7. TRULY ASTONISHING WILDLIFE PHOTOS

     Well, they should be astonishing: they’re winners of the National Wildlife Federation’s 35th annual photography contest. Find them here:

http://www.nwf.org/nationalwildlife/article.cfm?issueID=79&articleID=1158

8. PHOTOGRAPHY TIPS FROM THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC

     This section of the vast National Geographic site includes great free wallpapers you can use on your computer, plus the photo of the day, a signup for the free photo newsletter, and a chance to have one of your photos in their magazine.

http://www.nationalgeographic.com/media/photography/

9. TOP FIVE TRICKS FOR TAKING PROFESSIONAL LOOKING PHOTOS

     This fellow gives simple, effective ways to improve your digital photos. And check out the item at the top: Who is Samir Bharadwaj? He’s apparently someone who is willing to answer your questions about photography, and actual personal answers to questions are getting rare on the Internet these days.

http://samirbharadwaj.com/blog/top-5-tricks-for-taking-professional-looking-photos-with-your-digital-camera/

10. DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY REVIEW

     This site asks, “Are you passionate about the techniques and technology surrounding digital photography?” Well, actually, no. But if you are, this is a good site.

http://www.dpreview.com/

11. IMPROVE YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY THROUGH GREAT ART

     This unusual site tells you how to improve the colors in your photos by matching them to great works of art! Check it out here:

http://www.unfocusedbrain.com/projects/match_color/

     A search for great art leads us to the great site of

12. THE NATIONAL GALLERY OF ART, WASHINGTON

     The first time I visited the National Gallery, my feet got to hurting, the way they do in museums. So I slipped out of my shoes and stood quietly looking at the paintings, minding my own business and holding my shoes in one hand. And a guard landed on me. Seems there’s a health department regulation that says people can’t walk, or, apparently, stand, around Washington in their bare feet. I felt the injustice of this deeply. Here I was, improving myself and doing the country no harm, and my feet were doing no harm either, and the health department had to horn in.

     Well, now I get my revenge, and you can join me. Take off your shoes, seat yourself comfortably in front of your computer, and let’s tour the National Gallery barefoot.

     Feet feeling good? So are mine. So let’s wiggle our toes and start the tour by clicking on:

http://www.nga.gov/collection/index.shtm

     Now, you can tour as you please, but I’m selecting “Paintings.” You’ll notice that, when the computer brings up a painting you especially like, you can click on it, which immediately enlarges the picture. If you then click on Information, you get the equivalent of an art expert standing beside you describing the picture. If you click on Detail Images, you get details you can click on and enlarge.

     And I don’t know about your feet, but mine feel GOOD.

13. HOW TO APPRECIATE GREAT ART

     Do you feel, when you tour art museums, that you somehow don’t appreciate great art as much as you should? In that case, you may want to read the following excellent article. I agree with the writer, that “every human being interprets art in his own way, adding his own unique flavour to his interpretation.” I find that some art strikes a chord – may even make chills run up and down my spine – while other, equally “great” art, doesn’t do a thing for me. The key to enjoying an art museum is to find and concentrate on the few – often VERY few – pieces that really send you, while giving the other art only a quick once-over. And being sent spinning by a painting you love is one of the great joys of life. (Let me add that being able to enjoy a full-sized painting in person is almost always better than viewing a small photo of it – though some art museum websites now let you enlarge the paintings to the full size of your computer screen, and that works well. We’ll review some of those museums in future newsletters.)

     And here’s the page on appreciating art:

http://silenteloquence.suryaonline.org/2005/02/22/why-do-we-appreciate-art/

14. EDIBLE FLOWERS

     The following WHAT’S COOKING AMERICA article tells us that edible flowers are back in vogue. Indeed they are, and you can learn all about them here:

http://whatscookingamerica.net/EdibleFlowers/EdibleFlowersMain.htm

     Those wonderful ABOUT.COM people will also tell you the history of edible flowers, the flavors of edible flowers, and give recipes for edible flowers. (They also warn you about poisonous flowers.)

http://homecooking.about.com/od/foodhistory/a/flowerhistory.htm

     Would you like to try a rose omelet or stuffed nasturtiums? MIN’S RECIPES specializes in wild plant and edible flower recipes:

http://www.angelfire.com/tn2/minsrecipes/EdibleFlowersMisc/EdibleFlowersNMiscPlants.htm

     CANDIED FLOWERS: Click on another About.com page to learn how to candy or crystalize edible flowers to use as decoration:

http://homecooking.about.com/od/dessertrecipes/r/blmisc69.htm

15. BEAUTY IN A LUNCH BOX

     For centuries Japanese women have been painstakingly trained in the art of bringing beauty out of common items: a single branch of a blossoming plum tree, a bowl of soup. This website shows the beauty to be found in a Japanese lunch box. They are called bento boxes, and they are a world away from Western lunch boxes. They in fact bring beauty from such common foods as hard-boiled eggs and rice. Scroll down to see bento boxes that are not even the ultimate in bento boxes but still have beautiful design:

http://www.getinmybelly.org/gimbarchives/cat_bento_boxes.php

     And that takes us to Japanese sushi, which has become so popular in the U.S. that it is served, after a fashion, as part of my local Chinese restaurant’s all-you-can-eat spreads. The Golden Dragon’s sushi is frankly not that good. You can make better sushi yourself. Click below to find a site in which a “master sushi chef” will teach you how to make really good sushi, using videos you can watch if you have Windows Media Player:

http://www.eatsushi.com/demos.asp

     Or, if you’d like a sushi lesson that’s less complicated and without videos, try this one:

http://www.kuro5hin.org/story/2003/4/1/171344/4974

MISSED SOME ISSUES?

     Have I got a solution for you! Now that we are using a frame for each issue, you can just look over to your left and find all the back issues nicely set out. Simply click on the ones you missed. That means too that if your e-mail service provider gets sticky and decides that Tour the Sites is spam (it is NOT spam), you can foil it and find the newsletter at this address.

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WARNING!

     If your e-mail box sometimes gets full, you are in danger of falling off the subscription list of Tour the Sites. Not because I want to lose you, but because, if your box is full when I send out a newsletter, you are automatically kicked off the list. I don't like that policy, but I don't have any say. If you change your e-mail address or get a new kind of spam filter, you may also fall off. So do keep an eye on your newsletters, which should arrive around the first and fifteenth of each month. If you haven't gotten one for a month, let me know and I'll be happy to put you back on the mailing list. Because I'd really hate to lose you.

Janette
Newsletter@tourthesites.com

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© Copyright 2007 Janette G. Blackwell. All rights reserved. You may copy and use portions of this newsletter for noncommercial, personal use only. You may forward a copy to someone else as long as the copyright notice is included. Any other use of the materials in this newsletter without prior written permission is prohibited.