Dear readers — come say hi!

I love when people leave comments on my posts. Not only do I get excited because people actually find my blog worth reading, but I also do cartwheels when readers add to the conversations.

Each weekday 200+ people stop by Life on Avenue Z. Some find me through Google images and are just here to steal pictures. But many of you stay a while, checking out recent posts and comments, adding an opinion here and there. (How do I know you stay? Remember that internet stats are very thorough these days….)

Last month Men with Pens invited its community of readers to introduce themselves. I think that is a  fantastic idea and shall steal it without (much) guilt.

Thus, please take a moment to introduce yourself to the Life on Avenue Z community. My blogging buddy Steph is out there, as is fellow writer Claire. Then there’s ex-boyfriend Art, present boyfriend D.J., new random passerby Mark, good buddy Chris, neighbor Erin, almost sister Ingrid and my folks. That’s 10 people — 190 to go?

I’ll start:

Beth Z here from San Diego. I’m a cupcake-craving freelance writer with a cat named Mickey Mouse. The last book I purchased was “Grossman’s Glossary of Every Humorous Word in the English Language.” I’m fully convinced that taking fish oil every day will help my cranky knees as I run, and I still cry about the loss of my favorite dog, Fannie Mae. I still have that nightmare that I missed a final exam, and I worry that no one will comment on this blog post :).

Your turn… welcome to the Life on Avenue Z community!

When Microsoft came out with Windows Vista, IT guys in the know sneered. “It doesn’t do anything new.” “It’s not compatible with anything.” “It annoys the hell out of me.”

My new desktop came with Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium Edition. I’m supposed to be resentful. I’m supposed to hate it and think it is a joke.

Uh oh — I LOVE IT!

Perhaps it’s the combination of the new, faster computer and the great big screen, but everything is so blankin’ cool now. When I mouse over my open windows on the task bar, little preview screens pop up to show me what the windows are — even little videos when I am watching CSI on the CBS website. It’s organized clearly, and I can find things in a flash. I like the fact that it warns me when an executable is about to launch or an application is trying to break.

It keeps my most-used applications in a quick list, and I love not having to expand the start menu 20 times to find applications. It makes cute little noises when it starts up, and has these sexy little transparent window borders when a window is reduced. I even like the big ole’ clock face that sits on the desktop.

So, here’s the interesting thing. I was just searching around for the “vista sucks” websites and hate groups, and I ran across info on the Mojave Experiment. Microsoft interviewed non-Vista users about how they felt about Vistas, and across the board they hated it. Then Microsoft presented these people with a new operating system they called “Mojave,” which was actually Vista in disguise. The users loved it.

So, I’m a pretty smart chick, but I decided before I used Vista that I’d hate it because smart, techy people said I’d hate it. I still am pretty embarrassed to admit that I like it. I feel like I’m going to lose any “geek status” I’ve ever had, and I’m going to be banned from ever visiting CNET again.

I’m okay with that. I like Windows Vista, and I’m not afraid to say it anymore.

Hate it and want to switch back to XP? Here’s how.

You knew there had to be one: The VistaSucks Blog

And one more….

I’ve talked about Pelotonics before… it’s an online group collaboration tool that helps me manage projects with some of my clients. When I’m working with a team of people on a project — a brochure, for example — I set up a project with Pelotonics, and we store all the tasks, files, messages and milestones in an online portal, and everyone knows when everything is due.

Pelotonics is offering a very limited late-stage beta program to 500 new signups. You get their Plan 1 with the capability to manage up to 10 projects for free for life. It’s ordinarily $24 a month.

If you’re a freelancer, you’ll look uber professional to your clients with this type of an organized project management system. If you work with groups in an office, it’s great for getting things done.

They just started the offer today…. grab one while you can! I think they will fill the 500 slots quickly, but technically you have until August 20, 2008.

In 1997, Chicago Tribune columnist Mary Schmich wrote advice for new graduates. Her column, “Wear Sunscreen,” was reworked several times into spoken word pieces. It’s inspiring each time I hear it. Enjoy.

Have you ever done a screen capture by pressing Print Screen, pasting it somewhere, editing it and sending it off? One of my favorite new (free!) tools is Jing, a little application from TechSmith, which makes the screen capture process insanely easy.

Jing sits on your screen at all times in the form of a little yellow sun. You can click on the capture button to bring up cross hairs that allow you to capture the part of the screen you want. Then you can either create an image that you can add notes to, or a movie up to five minutes long! It rocks.

Another cool thing? Once you have the capture you want, you can save it to your computer or throw it up to your own private account at screencast.com. Then you send a link to see it.

The Jing Blog with tips

Jing how tos