Thursday, April 9, 2015
Photographing Florida Wildlife
Wednesday, April 8, 2015
Review Your Digital Footprint
Watch where you travel on the web and review where you've left your digital footprint. Every click you make can be recorded and analyzed in the blink of an eye.
There's been some talk among my friends about how their web habits have changed recently. They don't feel as comfortable being online these day. And, they don't know what kind of effect the web is having on their lives and on their futures.
Some friends are concerned because they believe careless online remarks can permanently damage a reputation. Others are concerned because social media seems to consume our lives. A few are glad the Internet wasn't around when they were growing up. And, most are concerned about being watched as they click from one site to another.
All of them agree, their web surfing habits are changing to a more cautious and thoughtful way of navigating in the online world to reap the benefits and avoid the risks.
Reasons to Review Your Digital Footprint
Think about how your web travels are recorded.
- Websites use cookies to keep track of the pages you visit.
- Social media sites ask you to include personal information in your profile.
- Shopping sites store your contact and credit card information.
- Employers scan the resumes they collect into digital databases.
When you add up all of the places you visited, all of the cookies you've collected and all of your online purchases, you have your digital footprint. Armed with your web surfing habits, any computer can crunch the data and make a prejudicial decision about the kind of person you are.
What can you do? You can either completely erase your digital footprint or conduct a digital audit to clean up your online profile.
Review Your Online Profile
Over 90% of employers check an applicant's "search engine resume" before they consider interviewing that person. Many of these searches reveal some reason for an applicant to be rejected.
There are several ways to clean up how you appear in the search engine results.
- Type your name into every search engine and delete those posts that appear unfavorable.
- Scan your social media profiles and delete questionable posts.
- Use a service such as Reppler.com to review your social media accounts and find posts that you might want to delete.
Clean Up Your Online Profiles
If you want a fast and easy way to go through your major social media accounts and see how well you're scoring, check out Reppler. Reppler scans your Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Picasa, Flickr and YouTube accounts to give you an impression score, a list of your inappropriate posts, a look at your online profile and a notice of any security risks.
These are my results on Reppler (I've blurred the images for my network of friends). Even though I have always been careful about what I say and what I post online, it's still easy to mention something that may be considered inappropriate by others.
Reppler provides more explanation for each of areas, just click the MORE link for each section. You'll find tips to improve your image score and secure your social media accounts.
These are just a few of the ways to give yourself a digital footprint checkup. Have you changed your web browsing habits as data collection on the web has become more sophisticated? What are you doing to cope in this new world of digital data collection and data analysis?
Posted by Coletta Teske

About This Contributor
Coletta Teske writes reviews on books, business management, writing, crafting, cooking, and gardening. She is also an avid recycler and shares her tips on recycling. She delights in upcycling an old object, recycling or transforming discarded items into a new treasure.
Tuesday, April 7, 2015
A Review of Products That Help Me Get a Good Nights Sleep
Do You Have Trouble Getting a Good Night's Sleep?
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My Son Asleep on Floor of Motel Room, © B. Radisavljevic |
Some people, like my son in the picture, can fall asleep almost anywhere, as he did on this motel room floor. My husband is another one who can fall asleep the minute he puts his head on the pillow. Sometimes he even falls asleep in his chair. Not me.
Here's What I've Done to Start Falling Asleep Faster
Nutritional Supplements that Help Me Fall Asleep
For some time now I've been taking a couple of nutritional supplements that have helped me relax if I take them about half an hour before bed every night. One is Natrol® Melatonin 5 Mg, 250 Fast Dissolve Tablets Strawberry FlavorNoise Blockers
I am also very sensitive to noise, and noises can keep me awake even when I'm relaxed and very tired. Before I moved here, my computer was in my bedroom and I didn’t like to turn off more than the energy- hogging display. If I tried to put it to sleep, it didn’t do any good, because for some reason I haven’t yet figured out, it suddenly woke up anyway. So as I was trying to sleep, I heard my computer working in the background, making those distracting little clicking sounds. Sometimes there were animal noises outside or the neighbor on the hill was having a very late party. Now that I've moved to the city, there are even more outside noises, as well as clicking sounds from my windows when the sun comes up.
One more hint. I have a repeat function on my CD player, but it only repeats one track. It really helps to get a CD with everything on one track. The last suggestion here, Summer Evening Serenade, is the one I currently use, since my rain cd wore out and I haven't remembered to replace it yet. It has everything on one track, and I keep it repeating all night. It used to be when a CD ended, it would wake me back up with its whirring sound as it shut off. When it keeps repeating, it doesn't do that. Some of my suggestions below are also available in digital downloads
Recently I also decided to buy a white noise machine that does a fantastic job of blocking out louder sounds than the CD's can cover up. Read my review of the Marpac DOHM-DS.
If you have a way to watch a video on your computer until you fall asleep, I would suggest this one. When I try to put it on my computer the display goes out and I can't hear it anymore, either, so I need to use the CD's.
If You Need to Sleep During Daylight
If you sometimes need to sleep after the sun is up, I have found another useful product. I have had two surgeries in the last year that required me to move into a one-story house to heal. Fortunately I inherited one I was mostly using for storage and entertaining from my mother , but it's in a neighborhood in the city limits, unlike our rural home. It is much noisier than in the country, and my CD's have become even more important with noisy vehicles parking outside my window and then leaving before even the roosters wake up.
This house also has lots of windows in my bedroom and they face east. Once the sun is up the room is flooded with light. After many mornings trying to keep my head under the covers to block out the sun, I finally broke down and bought this set of eye shades that comes with ear plugs -- Bedtime Bliss® Contoured & Comfortable Sleep Mask & Ear Plug Set. Includes Carry Pouch for Eye Mask and Ear Plugs - Great for Travel, Shift Work & Meditation
I could kick myself for not getting it sooner. When I had my second surgery last December, I took them to the hospital, and you know how hard it is to have it dark there. The sleep mask was a great help in keeping light out of my eyes, though it couldn't keep the nurses from waking me up. I wasn't quite as happy with the ear plugs, but I've tried every ear plug I've been able to get my hands on, and none of them do much for me.
Begin Now To Sleep Better and Longer
If you have trouble getting a good night's sleep, I hope one of the ideas or products reviewed above will help you. Before you take any supplement, especially if you are on any prescription medications, it's best to check with your doctor first. Just because something is right for me might not mean it's right for you. The sleep mask and music I believe would help anyone. Why not click some of those links now and begin sleeping better very soon. Believe me, a good night's sleep is worth every penny it takes.
Sunday, April 5, 2015
Ready Made Figure Skating Dresses & Skirts
How About the Figure Skating Skirt?
Saturday, April 4, 2015
Baseball Season is Back!
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(c) Elf's Souvenir Signed Baseball |
Baseball Season begins here on the Review This! blog with a collection of baseball stories, crafts and treats.
It's Springtime, which may bring those April Showers for the May Flowers, but baseball fans believe that the true first sign of Spring is the beginning of baseball season! For all the baseball fans out there, let's check out some fun baseball stories, DIY crafts and tasty treats.
Craft a Fingerprint Baseball
Michelle of Crafty Morning has created an interesting baseball craft that would be perfect for an arts & crafts project to do with your children, or a fun seasonal craft to do with a Scout Troop.
All you need is paper, paint and fingers!
Check out the easy step-by-step directions here.
A Famous Baseball Sportscaster
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Vin Scully |
Major League Baseball Teams each have an announcer who regularly broadcasts games for their home radio or TV network. There have been many well-known baseball sportscasters over the years, but none who have been with a team as long as Vin Scully. Known as the Bard of Baseball, Vin Scully has been the Voice of the Dodgers through six decades. At the end of the 2016 baseball season, at age 88, Vin retired after 67 years as the broadcaster for the Dodgers, first in Brooklyn and then in Los Angeles.
Here is his story written by HubPages author Ellen Brundige, which she calls the Vin Scully Fanpage.
Baseball Cupcakes
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Yummy Baseball Cupcakes |
Randi's Baseball Cupcakes were done by baking a pan of cupcakes, frosting them in white frosting, then using Skittles to form the laces, placing them side by side on the frosting.
Baseball Flip Flops Flower Tutorial
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Baseball Flower Flip Flops |
For the baseball mom or any fan, create a cute pair of flip flops with a flower design made from baseballs.
All you need is a pair of flip flops (new or old), 2 baseballs (anyone with kids seems to have a bunch of old ones around, or you can buy some new ones), an X-Acto knife and glue. The 'how-to' instructions are in a YouTube video on the crafty post by KidPep, a website for Crafts, DIY and More.
The technique used for the baseball flip flops can also be used for a Baseball Hair Bow with the video on the KidPep website.
I'm 'Crazy About Baseball'
Your writer, Wednesday Elf, has been a baseball fan since childhood and has shared many favorite baseball memories in “Crazy About Baseball”.
Opening Day of Baseball
Opening Day of the 2025 Major League Baseball Season begins on March 27th. Us baseball fans now get to enjoy 26 weeks of baseball with the 30 teams in the MLB.
More Baseball Stories
There are many more baseball stories to check out on Review This! Good reading for days your favorite baseball team has a 'rain-out'.
Welcome to the 2025 Baseball Season. Let's PLAY BALL.
Wednesday Elf on Blogger and on Etsy
Friday, April 3, 2015
Reviewing the Author, Favored1
Favored1 enjoys writing about her Christian beliefs and I admire anyone who stands before the world with deep conviction and faithfulness, especially in the face of adversity. It comes as no surprise that her faith is reflected in almost everything she writes.
Collectibles Shared by Favored1
Many of us are already familiar with Thomas Kinkade's artwork, but Favored1 focuses on more than just his paintings. She features his figurines, jewelry and other collectibles in her Thomas Kinkade Online Catalog.
Her appreciation for his work is expressed in each and every one of her articles. She doesn't just give a list of his items, she actually selects individual pieces to feature and tells the stories behind them. Reading her articles on the Thomas Kinkade selections is like reading poetry because she paints such a lovely picture with words in our minds even though we can see a photo of the item right in front of us.
Favored1 Reviews
Fay, aka Favored1, also writes and publishes her own reviews on her site Favored Reviews. She most often reviews inspirational books. I always smile when she throws in a inspiration bookmark or book cover as gift suggestions. I, myself, have made gift selections for my own mother from Fay's inspirational reviews.
You might ask, as I did in the interview, what is Fay's personal favorite book. Her answer is fast and direct. The Bible is her favorite book. Again, that comes as no surprise to those of us who have followed Favored1's online career. She did try to give me a second choice, but there was really no reason to. After all, the Bible pretty much covers every genre, every niche, every feeling, every personal concern. Nothing else is really necessary even if we do enjoy the occasional fiction or inspirational supplement.
Crafting with Favored1
I love it when another writer and crafter can introduce me to a new craft, especially when it is something I have never even considered trying to create. Fay did that very thing with her articles How to Make Hobnob Milkglass and How to Make a Washcloth Travel Tote. I loved both of these ideas! They are simple enough to make, but it is the simplicity that is ingenious when you consider the beauty and practicality of the end result.
Favored1 has lots of really cool craft ideas and tutorials. Many of which you can find on Hubpages where she has published over 150 articles.
Oh! And, be sure to check out her Christmas Cinnamon Pine Cone Wreath. It is totally fabulous!
Favored1 Cooks
I am constantly looking for new recipes! Even though I am the Cooking for the Holidays owner and contributor, I still love discovering new recipes to cook in my own home and try out on my family, which is my personal testing ground.
Fay's husband eats meat, but Fay does not. This is also something we have in common, we both have a combination of meat-eaters and vegetarians in our homes to cook for simultaneously. Finding meals that appeals to both can often be quite challenging. On Favored Cooking, Fay shares her favorite recipes. This is a fairly new site for Favored1 and I look forward to seeing all of her future recipes published there. You can also find some of her recipes currently published on Hubpages.
About Favored1
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Available on Thomas Kinkade Online Catalog |
To close, I am going to quote Fay directly from our interview. When asked her favorite quote, this was her response:
"My favorite quote is by Eleanor Roosevelt: “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.”
Overcoming the feeling of being inferior has taken a lifetime it seems to conquer. I came across this quote in my early years of teaching and realized that I had a choice about how I felt about myself. Giving into the lie of being inferior to others will stop us from achieving our goals and dreams in life. Believing in who God made me to be will allow me to reach anything I set out to accomplish."
Tuesday, March 31, 2015
Let Your iPad Mini Case Reflect Your Love for the California Central Coast
A Review of Zazzle's iPad Mini Cases
The Savvy Style Case
When you have invested in something as important as an iPad Mini, you will want it to be well-protected from the daily wear and tear of use and being transported wherever you go. I know that my electronic items get a lot of wear and tear just from being in my purse or waist pack. It's easy for your iPad Mini to be rubbed or scratched without protection.
You can defend your iPad Mini with a lightweight hard shell made of plastic. You can choose between a matte or a glossy finish for most designs. You can clip the case right to the back of the iPad Mini to protect it. These cases sold on Zazzle were specifically designed just for the iPad Mini, so you can be assured of a proper fit. You will also be able to reach all your ports and controls when your cover is shielding your iPad.
If you have a Smart Cover, this will be compatible with it. If you don't have a smart cover and want even more protection, an automatic sleep and wake-up feature, and a built-in stand to fit any iPad Mini position, you might want to check out one of these Smart Covers from Amazon. The black one is shown below, but it also comes in other colors closer to the Zazzle design you choose. And you might think about a screen protector, too. Although the Smart Covers offer a lot of protection and extra features, the selection of designs pales in comparison with what Zazzle has.
Zazzle also has the Powis Hardcover Cases
Let's Begin Our iPad Mini Tour of the Central Coast Beaches
San Simeon and the North Coast Of San Luis Obispo
San Simeon also has a fantastic state beach with a long pier and lots of recreation opportunities. I took the photos for these cases there. Both types are displayed here.
About 14 miles north of San Simeon State Beach is Piedras Blanco, which is well known for it's lighthouse and as a place to watch the elephant seals who return to its beaches to breed each winter. Here are some of the iPad cases with scenes from these beaches along the north coast. If you love rugged beaches or elephant seals, you might consider using them to decorate and protect your iPad.
In middle scene in first row above, the elephant seals are off in the distance and the emphasis is on the shore. Way in the background you can see the Piedras Blancos lighthouse. I could not get very close to it on the day I was there because it is only accessible to the public on interpretative tours at scheduled times. I hope to go back and take the tour sometime. If you look carefully, you can also see the lighthouse way back in the distance in the last scene above. This was taken earlier in the day than the other picture.
As you can see, this can be a romantic place. I actually took the middle picture above on the evening of Valentine's Day, which I was celebrating here with my husband. This couple is enjoying the sunset together, perhaps after they've spent some time observing the elephant seals which are barely visible in the darkness behind them. This might be a great gift for one lover to give another. It also might work as an engagement present.
Farther south are the beaches on the Cambria coast. Cambria is wonderful walking beach for those who like a bit of rugged coastline with rocks to climb and tide pools. You'll find seaweed and driftwood on the beach, and maybe some shells and interesting small stones. Here are some iPad Mini cases with scenes of the Cambria Coast and Moonstone Beach, one of our favorite getaways.
Surfer At Moonstone Beach in Cambria iPad Mini
South San Luis Obispo County Coast: Cayucos
I loved all the interesting seaweed that came ashore. You can see Cayucos for yourself and enjoy all the sights and sounds in my photo / video tour of it I put together during the day I spent there. See the waves come in and watch the children play on the beach and the sea gulls explore the beach near them. Walk the pier with us, too.
These are some of the iPad Mini cases that capture the flavor of Cayucos.
iPad Mini Case: Seaweed on the Sand in Cayucos
South County Beach Cities: Morro Bay
Each part of the coastline has is own unique character. Morro Bay is easy to recognize by its identifying landmarks -- Morro Rock and the smokestacks from a now inactive power plant. Its Embarcadero is lined with shops, restaurants, and art galleries. You will also see the fishing boats docked and moving around in the bay. Here are some iPad Mini scenes from Morro Bay.
Morro Bay Fishing Boats and Smokestacks Case For The iPad Mini
Each part of the coastline has is own unique character. Morro Bay is easy to recognize by its identifying landmarks -- Morro Rock and the smokestacks from a now inactive power plant. Its Embarcadero is lined with shops, restaurants, and art galleries. You will also see the fishing boats docked and moving around in the bay. Here are some iPad Mini scenes from Morro Bay.
iPad Mini Case: Morro Bay Boats and Embarcadero iPad Mini Case
Morro Rock at Morro Bay, CA iPad Mini Covers
Cute California Sea Otter iPad Mini Case; Wildlife iPad Mini Covers
Moving South, We Next Reach Avila Beach, Including Port San Luis
iPad Mini Case: Boats in Port San Luis, Avila
Pismo Beach
We moved on to a parking lot where there appeared to also be RV parking. I strolled along the boardwalk parallel to the beach as far as the pier. Since I've not been able to get to Pismo Beach during the migration of the Monarch butterflies, I have used a case designed by someone else who did get there.
iPad Mini Case: Typical Coastal Scene, Pismo Beach
I hope you've enjoyed our trip down the San Luis Obispo County coast as we stopped at each beach. I hope that you also found just the right iPad Mini Case to help you stay close to your favorite beach as you work. Please share this post if you think someone else might be interested these Central Coast photo iPad Mini Cases.
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