Free Picture Tip for Windows XP Users

I'm still sick. My wife will tell you two things about me when I'm sick:

1. I rarely get sick.
2. I'm a big baby when I do get sick.
   

Miss Sniz has gone beyond the call of duty to take care of me. I'm very thankful for her.

So, what do I have to offer blogdom on this dreary cold day? I was thinking a handy picture/image tip for some of you. I visit a lot of blogs and I love your pictures, but some of you (and you know who you are) don't know how to reduce the size of your pictures for easier posting and easier viewing. If you have a good photo editing program like Photoshop or even Photoshop Elements you can do all of this and so much more. However, if you have no idea how to use those programs and just want an easy way to reduce the size of your images (and you have Windows XP) this tip is for you. Even if you DO have a photo editing program, this tip allows you to resize images with just a few mouse clicks. I'm a Photoshop junkie and I still use this.

1. Go to the Microsoft PowerToys for Windows XP site.

B. Notice that there are three columns on this page.

III. Scroll down in the middle column to read the very brief explanation of the Image Resizer tool.

d. Now, find the Image Resizer download on the far right column and click on it once. If you use the Firefox browser (and really...you should all use Firefox, but that's another post), choose the Save File button. If you're using Exploder...I mean Explorer then choose the Save option.








5. Save the file to your desktop. This will make it easier to find and then discard when you're done with the installation.

VI. Double Click on it to fire that puppy up. Installing it should be easy and self explanatory. Just follow the directions. If smoke starts coming out of your computer, you've done something wrong. Call the police. Call the Geek Squad. Run for your life!!!!!!

G. When installation is complete, you can right click on any image on your computer (e.g. your photos) and choose from four convenient resizing options. Start out by choosing the "Resize Pictures" option.









h. Pick from one of the four options available: Small, Medium, Large, Handheld (i.e. "Really Small").















Nine: Note that you are not replacing your image. The Resizer makes a copy of the image in the same folder as the original and renames it for you with the new size included as part of the name.










X: Discard the installation program from your desktop by dragging it to your recycle bin. You will not need it any longer if the installation was successful.

Should you wish to experiment with some of the other PowerToys, have at it...but be careful. I've never used Windows Vista, so it's possible that you can do this automatically with the newer version of Windows. I'm assuming this is easy to do with a Mac as well. Anyway, I hope some of you find this helpful.

Spray For Your Outrageous Hairs

I'm a bit under the weather today. I started out feeling fine and then as the day wore on, it got worse and worse. However, before I managed to feel so yucky, I had to stop at our local CVS to pick up a few things. While rummaging through the handy travel-size products, I managed to find this little gem. Every time I read it out loud (and I have to admit that I did read it out loud several times even though I was by myself) it sounded funny.

The product is called Pantene...Outrageous Body Hairspray.

But it sounds like Pantene Outrageous Body-hair Spray.

Finally, a hairspray for your embarrassing back hairs that just won't stay in place. And why bother cutting your Outrageous nose hairs when you can simply spray them into submission thanks to the smart, style-minded folks at Pantene.

Love Song - Sarah Bareilles

If the story behind this song is true, it's really cool. Singer-songwriter Sarah Bareilles (bah-REL-ess) is finishing up her first major label CD for Sony/Epic when one of the record label suits tells her that the CD needs a "love song."

So, Sarah wrote "Love Song" and it's becoming a pretty big hit (as far as I'm concerned). If you live in Central Indiana, you can hear this song played quite regularly on WTTS FM 92.3 (my favorite station in town), but you can also listen to it on Sarah's web page by clicking here.

Here are the lyrics...enjoy...

Head under water
And they tell me to breathe easy for a while
The breathing gets harder, even I know that
You made room for me but it's too soon to see
If I'm happy in your hands
I'm unusually hard to hold on to

Blank stares at blank pages
No easy way to say this
You mean well,
but you make this hard on me

-CHORUS-
I'm not gonna write you a love song
'cause you asked for it
'cause you need one, you see
I'm not gonna write you a love song
'cause you tell me it's
Make or break in this
If you're on your way
I'm not gonna write you to stay
If all you have is leaving I'm gonna need a better
Reason to write you a love song today

I learned the hard way
That they all say things you want to hear
And my heavy heart sinks deep down under you and
Your twisted words,
Your help just hurts
You are not what I thought you were
Hello to high and dry

Convinced me to please you
Made me think that I need this too
I'm trying to let you hear me as I am

(chorus)

Promise me that you'll leave the light on
To help me see with daylight, my guide, gone
'cause I believe there's a way you can love me
Because I say

I won't write you a love song
'cause you asked for it
'cause you need one, you see
I'm not gonna write you a love song
'cause you tell me it's make or break in this

Is that why you wanted a love song
'cause you asked for it
'cause you need one, you see
I'm not gonna write you a love song
'cause you tell me it's make or break in this
If you're on your way
I'm not gonna write you to stay

If your heart is nowhere in it
I don't want it for a minute
Babe, I'll walk the seven seas when I believe that
There's a reason to
Write you a love song today

Winter Storm Warning--sort of

So, here it is--February in Central Indiana and I'm watching the weather radar on TV and online as another big thunderstorm with potentially damaging winds heads our way--and it's the second time in the last week. Sheeesh.

As for me, I like to worry about storms and weather...a lot. Somehow, I feel like it's my duty to make sure that we're ready to go into the basement and to show a lot of concern. Miss Sniz, on the other hand...doesn't have a care in the world. I think she could sleep through a tornado while riding on the top of a plane. I admire that.

Jane Austen - KICKS BUTT!!!!!

Ok, I admit it...I'm a Jane Austen fan. No red-blooded man in their life should ever have to go through the agony of hiding this secret deep inside. So, I'm coming out with it:

I like Jane Austen!!!!

I should be more precise--I like Jane Austen movies. I may have actually read one of her books when it was required reading in high school, but I'm mostly into the movie versions of her novels--especially the PBS Masterpiece versions. You may not see a lot of difference in the settings from one film to the next--in fact, it's easy to get them confused--but you will see masterful dialog and character development--the kind you just don't see too often. On top of that, my wife LOVES her writing (and the movies). I even gave her Jane Austen's complete works for Christmas this year. It's the kind of thing that we can watch together while sipping on our International Delights Coffee...I mean, our Red Bull Energy Drinks.

But being the man that I am, I've decided to spice up Miss Austen so that every testosterone oozing Neanderthal can appreciate her. Enjoy...

Overheard at Church Today

I can't make this stuff up, folks. It really happened and I was the only one laughing (on the inside, of course--I wouldn't want to make a scene).

As we started our worship time of singing, the leader made this announcement:

"Ok, everyone please stand."

Everyone got up.

The first song we sang was...

Come Let us Worship and Bow Down.

How ironic.

Just Call Me, "Old School"

"You're 'Old School' man!"

That's an expression that I hear from time to time these days. In fact, just the other day one of my co-workers told me that I was "Old School" because I still use a paper calender. Well, if that's the case, I discovered the ultimate in "Old School" during our recent trip to Nashville, Indiana for a church leadership retreat.

That's right. Down in Nashville they use the restroom the "Old School Way". I'm not sure if that means they have out houses or if there's a certain old way that they actually go to the bathroom that I don't know about. Perhaps you old people could fill me in.

Cinderella (not the 80's Hair Band!)

Dads with daughters...listen up...there's a conspiracy...

It's made up of scheming singer-songwriters who come up with new ways to bring dads to their knees, sobbing like little school children. Bob Carlisle did it with his 1997 hit Butterfly Kisses that soared to the top of the CCM (Contemporary Christian Music) charts, Pop charts, Country charts, Icelandic Yodeling charts (maybe I made that one up), etc. I guess he struck a nerve with just about everyone.

Don't get me wrong--I love that song, but I can barely listen to it without getting a big lump in my throat and crying. My two little girls (one of which is pictured to the left) like to play the song when I'm around just to see what I will do--how cruel! You think a song like that is cheesy until you have a daughter or two in your life (NOTE: Scott of Honey, I Fed the Kids...take cover, run for your life!!!!)

Ten years later CCM's hit-music-making-machine Steven Curtis Chapman enters the ring with "Cinderella" from his 2007 release called The Moment. Chapman is amazing in his ability to put out new music every few years that's popular and yet meaningful. But this song is nothing more than another attempt to turn dads with daughters into blubbering pools of tears. Just take a look...

She spins and she sways
To whatever song plays
Without a care in the world
And I'm sitting here wearing
The weight of the world on my shoulders

It's been a long day
And there's still work to do
She's pulling at me
Saying "Dad, I need you.

There's a ball at the castle
And I've been invited
And I need to practice my dancing
Oh, please, Daddy, please?"

So I will dance with Cinderella
While she is here in my arms
'Cause I know something the prince never knew
Oh, I will dance with Cinderella
I don't want to miss even one song
'Cause all too soon the clock will strike midnight
And she'll be gone...

She says he's a nice guy and I'd be impressed
She wants to know if I approve of the dress
She says, "Dad, the prom is just one week away
And I need to practice my dancing
Oh, please, Daddy, please?"

So I will dance with Cinderella
While she is here in my arms
'Cause I know something the prince never knew
Oh, I will dance with Cinderella
I don't want to miss even one song
'Cause all too soon the clock will strike midnight
And she'll be gone

Well, she came home today with a ring on her hand
Just glowing and telling us all they had planned
She says, "Dad, the wedding's still six months away
But I need to practice my dancing
Oh, please, Daddy, please?"

So I will dance with Cinderella
While she is here in my arms
'Cause I know something the prince never knew
Oh, I will dance with Cinderella
I don't want to miss even one song
'Cause all too soon the clock will strike midnight
And she'll be gone

At the time that I'm posting this blog entry, you can hear the song for free on Steven Curtis Chapman's Official Web Site. Just CLICK HERE and enjoy. (You also get to hear "Miracle of the Moment.")

Just in case you stumbled on this blog looking for something about the 80's hair band Cinderella, I don't mean to disappoint. ROCK ON!!!!