10 Perspectives that Have Changed Since Becoming a Tech

This is my nephew a couple of months ago - he's into technology already!

If you don't know, I recently got a job (about two months or so ago) in tech support. Here are ten perspectives that I had before becoming a technician that have now changed.

1. "Have you tried turning it off and back on again?" As cliché as this phrase is, it solves a lot of problems. I got praise on my first day for recommending "take the battery pack out and put it back in again" - which worked. If you have restarted your computer - then you can call tech support. =)
2. "Are you sure it's plugged in?" Another stupid question. Silly, but I have definitely spent two hours trying to troubleshoot why a client's printer wasn't working when it turns out it was just not plugged in. And  a co-worker of mine had a client and a bank representative on the phone at the same time to troubleshoot a check scanner (and hours of work had gone in before this point too), when it was simply unplugged. (When my co-worker had asked if it was plugged in, the customer responded with "yes, of course it is" without actually checking. The bank technician was smart and asked "have you tried it in another power outlet?", at which point the client had to go make sure the cord was plugged in.)
3. Windows 8 is not as bad as I thought it was. After given the opportunity to poke around with it, and being forced to use it on a daily basis, it's actually a pretty decent operating system. It just takes a little bit to get used to.
4. Windows 8.1 is worse than I thought it was. I have both regular (non IT) friends who have had trouble with it, and experienced IT professionals who have trouble with it too -just don’t upgrade! To be fair, I haven't upgraded yet, and some of my coworkers have no problem with 8.1, but I've heard enough to be warned against it.

5. Windows XP is awful. I'm sure it was great for its time, but if you are still running a computer with XP, it is probably time to replace it. Especially if you want it to be compatible with a lot of today's programs and features. Or if you want it to run at a decent speed.
6. Outlook is actually a pretty cool email program. I always hated it because it never worked out for me or wouldn't set up correctly for me, but it is a good program for business environments. From the server/administrator side, it is relatively easy to manage as well, and pretty flexible to different accommodations.

7. Macs are annoying. Don' t get me wrong, they're great for personal use and for creative fields, but they don't support a business environment very well. They have many random glitches and incompatibilities with many programs.
8. Google Chrome has disappointed me. I'm pretty loyal to Google and their services, especially since I discovered Chrome, but it sometimes fails on me while working IT - and I have to default to Firefox.

9. Internet Explorer isn't very reliable. As soon as any customer (or co-worker, for that matter) has an internet issue on Internet Explorer, we ask if they still have the problem on Firefox or Chrome. And sometimes that fixes the issue. Which is sad, but true. (Then again, sometimes Internet Explorer works when Chrome fails so…)

10. Tech support wait times are (usually) justified. Sometimes you just can't get to a problem in a decent amount of time. Or, more likely, the problem is actually much more complex than it appears and it takes a decent amount of troubleshooting to get the problem resolved.

I hope that's not super negative! I love my job and I love working with computers. I'm not super skilled yet, but I can't wait to grow and learn. As far as this blog goes, I'd love to try to answer your tech questions. Or, make a tutorial for something you're confused about. Leave a comment below. =D

10 Great Baby Toys

I've worked with children for years now and I am proud to say I now have a bachelor degree in Elementary Education. I currently work in a child center and I get to work with babies and toddlers a lot, which I absolutely love! Here are ten toys that young ones actually use.

1. Fisher-Price Brilliant Basics Rock-a-Stac

This is a classic. I had one when I was a child, and I remember loving it. While it doesn't make noise (which is useful if you are trying to distract or comfort a child), it is still a great toy. The rings are easy to grasp and I have had more than one baby fall asleep clutching one in his/her hand. Around 10 to 12 months, a baby can start to stack the rings on the post, learning order later on. My nephew loves chewing on the end of the post (it's probably great for teething). Newer versions even come with a "rattle" version of the red ring. This toy teaches hand-eye coordination and motor skills, ordinal numbers (first, second, third), colors, superlatives and so much more.

2. Fisher-Price Laugh and Learn Fun with Friends Musical Table

This toy is great because the legs are removable so it is accessible to babies who can't yet stand as well. It has three or four different sound settings, each of which teach different things. Babies seem to love this toy and you can have more than one playing with it at once. The laptop is by far the favorite piece of this toy - babies will sit there for a long time opening and closing it over and over again (with a fun blinging noise each time). This table is at a good height for those learning to stand, but beware because the legs aren't super strong and can slide or tip-over if not properly secured.

3. Melissa and Doug Cutting Fruit Set - Wooden Play Food

The child center I work at doesn't have these, but I had these as a child and I loooved them. It is fun to mimic cutting and slicing fruits when you aren't allowed to actually do it. Plus, it makes a satisfying crunchy noise when the plastic "knife" goes through the Velcro. This is fantastic for children who love playing house or who have a wide imagination.

4. Fisher-Price Link-a-Doos 20 Link Pack

These links are adorable and much loved by babies. You can attach taggies, some stuffed animals and so much more to these links - they also add varieties to mobiles above baby swings or play blankets. Sometimes, all you have to do is shake these in front of a distraught child and they will cheer up. They make a great clacking noise, are sturdy, easy to clean, have multiple uses and easy for babies to pick up.

5. Infantino Tag Along Dog (and Frog and Cow)

These are adorable and wonderful. I've nicknamed this toy "Jingle Dog" and he cheers up almost any sad little one. He is bright color and he jingles! This is another toy that can easily distract an infant. Plus, infants love gnawing on the stretchy part by the tail. That stretchy part also allows it to be attached to car-seats and play blankets for extra entertainment.

6. Melissa and Doug Construction Wooden Chunky Puzzle

This is a great puzzle for toddlers. It is large and chunky, great for little hands, and the shapes are distinct enough that it is a great way for toddlers to practice problems solving (and motor) skills. Plus, it is bright and colorful and attracts the attention of both boys and girls. Be careful though - babies like to gnaw on the pieces and the color can come off.

7. Kid-O Go Car

This car is adorable. Absolutely adorable. My nephew, who is now 11 months old, loves this car too. It is easy to grasp and use and it's sturdy too - it can survive many falls from a high chair. He sometimes loves playing with others with it - pushing it back and forth, listening to "vroom, beep-beep" sounds, but other times he wants to keep it all to himself. I would recommend this one to anyone expecting a baby boy.

8. Fisher-Price Cruise and Groove Ballapalooza

I'm not sure how popular this would be in a household, but it is super popular at the child care center. There are two main tracks the balls can go down. They bounce of a platform, go around corners, and spin propellers. It is large enough to support a child who is learning to stand (although they don't have to stand to play with it) but not too large that it is cumbersome. It makes noise (thankfully not an annoying song, and it doesn't play when not played with) and lights up, but still has entertainment qualities when it has run out of batteries. Kids from ages one up enjoy playing with this - even older grade school kids. I admit, sometimes even I enjoy playing with it. =)

9. Manhattan Toy Baby Whoozit

I'll admit, I don't fully understand this toy. There's even a mirror under that big red nose. Nonetheless, it works - it is even in a "Baby Einstein" video (is it sad that I know that?). It is easy to grab, it is soft and (if I remember right) it makes noise, which is a big "yes for any baby toy. I little bit kooky? Yes. But it's bright and colorful and includes the classic black-and-white for baby's sight development.

10. Oball Oball

I love this toy! I think it was accidentally left behind by a parent one day because it suddenly appeared amongst our child center toys and there is nothing to match it, nor did other toys arrive at the same time. Nonetheless, I love it. Babies of almost all ages (even 3 and 4 months) can grasp this ball because it works well with little fingers. They also love exploring it with their mouth and it's funny to watch their little tongue stick through the openings. Older babies like to crawl after it when it rolls away. It is also flexible, which means it doesn't hurt a baby at all. You could sit on it and it'd probably bounce back to shape, which is awesome.

Well, that's all I got! What are your/your baby's favorite toys?

Top 5 Books of 2013

Here are the top five books that I read in 2013 - keep in mind that these weren't necessarily published in 2013, I just read them in 2013. I only read 20 or so books in 2013 (boo!), but this year's goal is to read 52 books - one for each week of the year.

5. YOUCAT

The Youth Catholicism (or 'Youcat') is a fantastic read. It took me almost two years to finish (it isn't a novel) but it was worth it. As a Catholic there is a lot of information in the Catechism, but I find it very dense and hard to understand - which makes the Youcat a fantastic introduction to the Catechism. It is written in question-and-answer format at a vocabulary and syntax level of a young adult (ages 16+). I love this so much that it is my default gift to anyone being confirmed in the Catholic church because it has so much useful, accessible information.

4. The Last Olympian by Rick Riordan

I finally got around to reading the last book in the Percy Jackson series. So many of my sixth grade students were reading the newest book in the sequel series (Heroes of Olympus) so I figured I better catch up! This book was funny, adventurous and ties in fantastically with Greek mythology. I would recommend this series to anyone fourth grade and above, even boys who usually don't like to read.

3. Earthbound by Aprilynne Pike

I love, love, loved Aprilynne Pike's "Wings" series, so I purchased this book for my birthday. It did not disappoint. Although different from her fairy books (Wings), this book still deals with the paranormal (although I won't give the specifics, since the character herself isn't immediately aware of them). The main character has amnesia and cannot remember much of her past, but relies on friends and curiosity to make sense of her life. Although it starts a bit slow, by the time I finished reading it, I was in love and I want to find out what happens! Unfortunately, I have to wait a while for the second one in the series. =(

2. Divergent by Veronica Roth

This is another book this year I read due to my sixth graders - I mentioned that I wanted to read the series while discussing the books with one of my students (I love discussing books with my students - I want to encourage them to love reading!) and she let me borrow her copy! This is they type of book you want to read all in one sitting - I definitely finished this one at two in the morning. I'm a big fan of futuristic novels and this one was no different. It is set in a world where there are different factions of society - the Dauntless (courage), Amity (friendship), Abnegation (selflessness), Erudite (knowledge) and Candor (truth). Each faction focuses on different values, creating a fascinating society. I was hooked and I've read the sequel (just as great!) as well. I bought the third and final book on Black Friday, so hopefully I'll get around to reading it soon. If you love dystopian/utopian novels or if you loved the Hunger Games series, you'll definitely love this book.

1. Iron King by Julie Kagawa

I never thought I'd find a series I love just as much as the "Wings" series, but this one takes the cake! This is a fantastic faerie tale dealing with the Seelie court, the Unseelie court and a new faerie court. The main character begins as an ordinary high schooler with a best friend named Robbie Goodfell - little does she know a great adventure is about to follow. The characterization, description and overall story are all exceptional in this book. It kept me on the edge of my seat and I definitely spent a couple of late nights reading it. I highly recommend this series!

So there are my top five books of 2013. What were your favorite books of the year? Happy reading!

Pinspiration Day 2: Mayflower Baby Blanket

My inspiration, this pin

In February, I became an aunt to an adorable little boy named Eli. I didn't finish my version of this blanket until he was two months old or so, but it was made with love. =)

I made my blanket with Red Heart's "Banana Berry." I love the color, but it just wasn't soft enough for me. Next time, I'm using baby yarn. My sister likes this blanket because it gave him some texture to hold onto when he was learning to roll over, crawl, etc. (Baby blankets are surpisingly slick.)

I love this pattern. It was more complicated than other crochet patterns I have tried, which was fun because it gave me a challenge and allowed me to grow as a crocheter.

Here's how mine turned out: (Sorry for the grainy pictures - my camera finally pooped out on me)

Look at that beautiful shell border! And the intricate treble crochet design! I love how the colors work together. It's perfect for a boy baby blanket, without being too cliche.

This pin, and many others are available on my Baby Ideas board. If you want to follow me, click the Pinterest link to your right. =)

Camp Corner 3

It's time for another camp corner! I really love my job at a child center, and through my experience with kids, it want to share with you new (or remind you of old) ideas to use with your kids as you teach, as you work as a summer camp counselor, as you work at a daycare, etc.

Toddler Activity

Music! At the child center where I work, we have a box of toddler-appropriate musical instruments that we pull out every once in a while to entertain them. These things include different tambourines, clackers, bells and other items that work easily with toddlers. Most children are content to just explore the combination of sounds that can be made, but you could also help them create basic rhythms, or sing along to their rhythm.

Toddler Tip
While I don't think Baby Einsteins is exactly an "Einstein" material, it does provide a great background and/or distraction for toddlers. If you have a distraught toddler, try sitting down with them with a Baby Einstein on. Describe what is happening on the screen in a super happy and excited voice. "Oh look at that! Is that a baby? What is that baby doing? That baby's playing with bubbles, how silly! *Gasp* Look there's a cow! Uh-oh, he got milk all over his face..." The positive tone combined with the video and one-on-one attention is usually enough to calm down a toddler.

Kids Activity

It's fall! Which means lots of fun fall activities. =)

I improvised a craft using supplies in our supply closet, which vary contantly

Materials needed

sponges

scizzors

construction paper

washable paint

trash bags and/or table cloths

paper plates

What to do

1. The sponges we had were already conveniently bat shaped. I also cut off the corners of one to make it a pumpkin. Cut the sponges into any shape you want.

2. Lay out trash bags or table cloths - trust me, paint gets everywhere when painting with children!

3. Pour paint. I used construction paper to pour my paint, but paper plates would work better. I put out a purple "plate" with a bat sponge, a black "plate" with a bat sponge and an orange "plate" with a pumpkin sponge.

4. Provide children with construction paper and let them stamp away! Add paint as needed to help "ink" the sponge stamps.

5. Once dry, children can a details with crayons or markers.

Kids Tip

If you're looking for a quick boredom buster in the classroom, use Youtube to find a kid appropriate "Just Dance" video. It gets out the wiggles, and is entertaining for the children.

Product Spotlight

Spot it!

 I love love love this game. This game is super versatile and can be played by children ages five and up. (I even enjoy playing it as an adult!) This is probably the only game that survived summer camp this year, and that was used on a regular basis. It is only basically a deck of cards, so you don't have to worry about losing dice, pieces, marbles, etc. Plus, the cards are circular, so they can't accidentally get mixed into "Uno". The case itself is pretty darn sturdy (a metal tin) and was rolled and kicked across the gym multiple times. I think it was even used as a hockey puck once. The game is easy to pick up and I suuuuper recommend it. For any age or classroom or group or family. =)

Sippin' Saturday

It's been a while since I've posted one of these! I have three drinks to share with you today. Hopefully in the future, I'll have even more. =)

This week, my family and I headed up towards Prescott and Cottonwood and enjoyed camping, hiking and kayaking. We needed more food for our last day of camping, so we headed into town to the latest grocery store. And since my mom's attempt to make coffee on an outdoor grill didn't go so well, we got Starbucks too.

I got a salted caramel hot chocolate. I've been trying to cut back on caffeine, because in general, it's pretty bad for me. But oh. my. gosh., this drink was amazing! Take Starbucks' hot chocolate (slightly more savory than normal hot chocolate) plus caramel, add whipped cream on top and then a sprinkle of sea salt. And, the way the whipped cream is placed, you get a chocolate/cream/salt flavor in every sip. I will definitely be back for more. Mmmm. This is great for those of you who love salty/sweet combinations like me. (Chocolate dipped pretzels, sea salt chocolate, salted caramel...)

Love, love, love kayaking

McDonald's Hot Cocoa

This was a treat on the way home. We all stopped by McDonald's to get some coffee or cocoa - at a much cheaper price than Starbucks! Their hot chocolate is creamy and sweet. It seemed very milk based and was absolutely delicious.

Starbucks' Chocolate Chai

Starbucks came out with this drink this week, and I had to try it. I love Chai Tea Lattes (hot, of course) and hot chocolate, so I figure this would be a big hit.

Source

This quote from Friends sort of sums it up for me. Chai - good, chocolate -good, chocolate plus chai - not so much.

Camp Corner 2

It's time for another camp corner! I love working with children and I've worked at many different summer camps, child care centers and I will be student teaching this semester. This section is devoted to introducing you to new (or reminding you of old) ideas to use with your kids, as you teach, as you work as a summer camp counselor, as you work at a daycare, etc.

Toddler Activity

Parachute games. With toddlers you want a small parachute. You can do little activities such as shaking the parachute fast, shaking it slow, making big waves, making small waves, "flying" to the sky, lifting it all the way up, etc.

Toddler Tip
To easily wash toddler/infant toys, throw all of the non-battery operated toys into a mesh bag and wash the whole thing in a water/sanitizer solution. This works so much quicker than washing little things by hand! Then, just lay the toys out on a towel overnight, and they should be dry by morning.

Kids Activity

Car-lot. This is a super popular game among our kids at camp. Even if not every child understands the game, they still enjoy running back and forth across the gym. To play, have all children line up on one end of a gym or field. Give them a couple of options of cars they can be, for example, limo, motorcycle and jeep. Pick a couple of children to be "it." Children who are "it" stand in the middle of the gym. Then, call the car types one by one. When the child's car type is called (or "car-lot" is called, and all children run), they run across the gym and try not to get tagged. Children who are tagged must sit where they are - they become "speed bumps" who can tag other children passing by, but they cannot move from their spot. The last child(ren) standing win. This is a great game to get kids moving.

Kids Tip

Engaged kids are kids who aren't getting in trouble.

Product Spotlight

Speed Stacks

Source

These huge cup stackers are a ton of fun and are super versatile. As you can see from the picture, they are quite large, which makes them fun for the children to use. They can be used to make castles and pyramids. Children love seeing how high they can be stacked, and then knocking them down. You can also use them as baskets/buckets for throwing games. If freely set out for a child's use, they also become hats, seats, peg-legs and basketball "ice-cream cones." Unfortunately (as my kiddos discovered) they don't work very well with the "cup song."

Have a great week!