I’m taking a sabbatical and have lined up a few posts ahead of time. I’ll also be re-sharing some of my fave OTR articles and introducing you to new guest authors as well as other interesting info while I’m away. Enjoy!
It sucks when hackers decide to muck up your website. It’s happened to me and OTR friend and Evernote Ambassador, Brandie Kajino, wasn’t immune to their attacks, either. She recently shared a few things she learned from the experience.
1. Hackers can happen to anyone. I’m assured it’s not anything I did, nor could I have done much more to prevent it. Someone with evil intent wanted to, and succeeded, in getting in and wreaking havoc on my websites.
3. Smart people make bad choices sometimes. I am awed at the talent these hackers exhibit. Seriously. Several uber-smart techie people I know were also hacked in this same way. ALL small business owners.
Check out the rest of what Brandie had to say and read the comments (give your two cents, if you’d like). One reader gave a very in-depth reply with tips on how to stop hackers from getting in the back door. Here’s one of them:
“Passwords are of course very important. I suggest using either 1Password (my personal favorite) or Last Pass (which I haven’t used but many people like) to create and store really secure passwords.”
If your site has ever been man handled by a hacker, I’d love to hear what you did about it.
Normally, our Thursday article is reserved for one guest blogger, but today we’ve decided to share posts from a few of our Rock Star guest authors. Check them out and let us know what you think! …and take a peek at our Rock Star ~ Business Edition, too.
Tech Tools for the Home Office | Brandie Kajino. Check out Brandie’s top picks every home office should have.What’s in your home office?
Connect with Brandie: Web | Twitter | Facebook
Jaime’s Jems: One True Media | Jaime Maerz. We love hearing from our resident mommy blogger. Here’s her very first “jem” about controlling your photographs.
Paper & Tech Team Up to Catch Time | Doug Ramsay. Doug shares how he marries paper and tech to better manage his time. Leave a comment to add your own tips and strategies.
Connect with Doug: Web | MySpace
Professional Organizer, Brandie Kajino, is today’s guest blogger. Check out her recommended tech tools for the home office.
I have some tricks up my sleeve. If you work from home, or have a home office, you probably do, too. I have some favorite tools that keep me together and organized. Here’s my top three favorites:
Google Apps: I have been using Google Apps for over a year. One thing people ask is, ”Why Google Apps and not Gmail?” Google Apps is what’s called a “cloud technology” software as a service application. That’s a whole lotta words for a software you use online, not installed directly on your computer. Google Apps is best for business, meaning I can use it for my business email account, calendar and included software called Google Docs. Google Docs is like Microsoft Office, only you use it online like a website. You can share documents with other people, collaborate on projects and have access to your documents anywhere in the world. Love that!
The last thing I love about Apps is the Calendar and Email. Apps has the ability to sync with a PDA or smartphone, just like Outlook. The difference is having my calendar backed up (away from the inevitable PC crash) and available to me in two places. It was easy to set up, which is a big bonus in my book!
iPhone: Ok, so yes, there are lots of us who swoon over this handy little device. Let me just say this about it: The iPhone is a game changer. I’ve used a Palm Treo (and other models), Blackberries and other devices. The first thing that I loved about my iPhone was how easy it was to set up and maintain. It just WORKS. It took minutes, not a weekend (like one of the other previous devices, which shall remain nameless), to set up. It made me a believer right out of the box. There’s lots of other great things, like thousands of Apps, syncing my music library and generally just being fun to use. (I still stare at it occasionally and just wonder how I was able to see this little wonder in my lifetime!)
The thing I like most is feeling in control of email and other communications like Twitter. My iPhone lets me decide when I want to be connected and when I don’t. The best part? I don’t carry my laptop around nearly as much anymore, and my shoulders and neck are thanking me!
ActiveWords: I could not live without this little program. I’ve written about it on my blog, talked it up on my podcasts and generally given it the love and devotion it deserves. Think of ActiveWords like a treasure trove of “action words” you use like saying a magic spell. “Abracadabra, launch my email program.” “Alacazam, take me to Wikipedia.” “Hocus, pocus, show me my Facebook page.” All joking, and bad magic spell attempts, aside, this is one powerful tool!
With ActiveWords, you set up “active words” to do any number of things, like launch a program, navigate to a website or substitute text. It cuts down the mouse clicks you incur and saves you little bits of time throughout your day. It will even tell you how much your accumulated saved time is worth! Last time I checked, it had saved me over 88 hours of time! Now, that’s productive!
What are some of your favorite home office techie tools?
About The Author
Brandie Kajino, The Home Office Organizer, is a dynamic speaker, author and “organizing muse.” Empowering clients with information, tools and simple organizing solutions are her specialty. For more information on her services, product downloads, a link to her podcast & radio show, her blog and free organizing tips, visit her website: www.thehomeofficeorganizer.com or call 360-907-6485.
Connect with Brandie: Web | Twitter | Facebook
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Did you remember that January was Get Organized Month? In honor of GO Month, the girls at The O Myth, Brandie & Krista with guest host, Ellen Damaschino, decided to have a live chat last Friday…AND I WAS ON THE SHOW!! Can you tell I was excited to being one of the panelists?? Of course, I wasn’t the only one on the show. My organizer friends Allison Carter, Lorie Marrero, and John Trosko were also featured.
We had a great conversation about the myths of hiring a professional organizer. Wanna know what we said? Click on the Blog Talk radio “play” button below (white arrow inside the black circle) to find out! Of course, if you love the tips we shared, be sure to tell your friends and post to Twitter and Facebook.
Many thanks to the O Myth gals for having me on the show, and congrats to Krista for being a nominee at the LA Organizing Awards!! =)
Brandie Kajino, The Home Office Organizer and author of the new food blog, Joy of the Kitchen, shares some timely tips on holiday meal planning. She’s organized and a foodie so you know her tips will be great!
Thanksgiving is coming up, can you smell the pumpkin pie? Everyone has a favorite holiday, and Thanksgiving is mine. What’s not to love about a holiday that’s all about family, friends, thankfulness, relaxing (after the dishes are done), hanging out in the kitchen all day and eating what you make? It’s also about the shared tradition and the stories that go along with it.
And don’t forget all the food preparation and dishes! So, how to enjoy this fabulous holiday and find some joy in your kitchen this year? One word…
Preparation. Here’s some tips on how you can make your holiday meal go a little more smoothly.
Get help. The Thanksgiving meal isn’t for wimps. It’s a big deal! There’s plenty of pressure, tradition and food to go around. However, it can be a lot of fun if you’re prepared. If this will be your first meal, girlfriend, call in reinforcements! There are a lot of dishes to make, which all need to be hot (or cold) at the right times. Call someone who has done it before to help out. If it’s not your first time, offer to help with someone else’s dinner (She’ll thank you for it!).
Order ahead. A few years ago I started ordering a fresh local bird, and I will NEVER go back. But, it needs to be ordered ahead of time, and picked up the week of Thanksgiving. Also, if you are thinking of ordering anything (like side dishes) for your meal, get it in asap.
Make a menu and a list. Know what you are going to make, and when you are going to make it, before the big day. Make your menu and if you’re up to it, do some math and figure out start + prep times. Post this list on the fridge and refer to it as you get closer, making sure you have all supplies ahead of time. (Some local kitchen shops and magazines have great lists, so take advantage of them!)
Prep ahead. Something you can cook ahead, like pies and cranberry sauce. You can also chop veggies, prepare bread for dressing, etc. Look at your menu and see what can be prepared ahead. You can even set the table the night before if you are feeling ambitiou
Enjoy! If you’re properly prepared and have a game plan, you’ll enjoy the holiday so much more. Take a few minutes and plot out what the day will look like, so you will feel a little better on T-Day. Then, wake up get moving and enjoy the day.
Cheers, and Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
About the Author
I’m an enthusiastic foodie + baker who finds joy in the kitchen. I love when a friend or family member widens their eyes, nods their head and utters “Mmmmm…” When they enjoyed what I just created with my own hands, THAT brings me joy.
Connect With Brandie: Web | Twitter
I have a treat for you. I’m excited to introduce you to Brandie Kajino. Brandie, The Home Office Organizer, has helped many home office professionals get organized. It turns out that she is also an “enthusiastic foodie” who recently started a food blog, Joy of the Kitchen. What a great combination…an organized connoisseur!
I’ve asked Brandie to share some tips that involve these two things that she loves. It’s a surprise so stay tuned!
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