It’s Virtually Done (IVD) Blog

Continuing the series of taking care of your computer (see earlier posts for the first 3 parts in the series), let’s talk about your operating system. If you have Windows as your platform, chances are, if you have a newer computer, that you have XP as your operating system. Newer computers these days automatically update themselves.

Want to make sure that you have the latest version?
Go here: http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com/
Press the “Express” link that asks you to check the status of your system.

If your system didn’t need any updates, congratulations, your system is probably set to automatic update. But, if you needed lots of updates, maybe you want to check the update link frequently, or better yet, change your system to automatic update:

Start>Control Panel (with category rather than classic view)>Performance and Maintenance>System>Automatic Update tab. Make sure that the radio button for automatic updates is selected.

Also, do you have a laptop or computer that maybe isn’t on or connected to the internet all the time? Consider reviewing time set to check for updates. Make sure that it is a time that suits your computer’s schedule.

Next time, we’ll discuss dealing with spyware.

I welcome comments to my blog, but I know that you may be shy. I want to reward my colleague, Diana Baker, for posting comments by obliging her request to reprise one of my previously published VA Life cartoons. Here it is:

Long time subscribers to my ezine will know of my recent fore into curling. I first became very interested when I saw curling on TV during the Olympics in Salt Lake City. I’m lucky enough to have a curling club nearby, and I joined last October. We’re in the middle of our 2nd season, and I’m having a ball. You can be sure that I’ll be watching the curling events in Turin, Italy. Want to follow the action? Here’s a link to the curling events: http://www.nbcolympics.com/curling/index.html. Rock on!

One of my clients has a very big heart. Her passion is the women and children of Rwanda. Your money will be well spent. Check out the Itafari website.

So you know that I live in the Portland metropolitan area of Oregon, right? Well, maybe you’ve heard that the Pacific Northwest had a fair amount of rain during the first part of the year. To give you an idea, Oregon had a foot of rain in January. Put another way, during the first six weeks of the year, we got 6 month’s worth of our average rainfall total.

But, hey, we are used to rain, and for most of us, it is no big deal. But the sun did come out today, and it was a welcome sight. When I opened the front door this morning to get the paper, I heard a very welcome sound: a robin’s chirp. They’re back! Spring is right around the corner, and where I live, that means more rain.

That calls for a poem.

Rain Again
By Kristy Schnabel

Dotting the window.
Drumming the skylight.
Creating magical creeks.
Lullaby of my night
Making delightful sleep
Under piles of comforters.
Oh insistent presence
And everyday mood maker.
Tip tap on the rooftop.
Saturate the soil,
And fill my soul.