Oh baby! I’m excited!

[heh]

So I’m a-running on my Gazelle Glider this morning, listening to music on my Sansa E250, when Rick Springfield starts belting one out (just for me):

Now I ask you… Is that freakin’ incentive, or what!? Yeah, baby! I’m ignoring what my body has to say…

Hey! You say that like it’s a bad thing?

[grin]

Um…

Er…

Ah…

Yeah.

Ahem!

Wings? Uh, pardon me… wait just a minute here. Did it not occur to you that I’m working on toning my thighs and glutes… NOT my feathers! Perhaps it’s a silly question, but wings? Isn’t it enough that I’m dancing on my glider when I should be running? Do you have any idea the level of difficulty I just mastered, doing the twist while simultaneously jogging in place? Do you have any idea how ridiculous I look shaking my booty while swinging my arms? Why, I’m practically waddling like a…

Oh bother.

[sigh]

You win, Rick. I’m gonna spread my…

wings.

(What? I coulda said ‘peanut butter’.)

[flap-flap-flap]

Wow! That was incredible!

Can we do it again?

Technorati Tags: running, Gazelle Glider, music, Sansa E250, Rick Springfield, I get excited

I don’t normally blog about technical stuff, but yesterday I discovered something that I just felt I had to share. If you’re not interested in cleaning up your MSconfig Startup list, then don’t bother reading this post. Maybe I’ll post something witty later, but right now, I feel like being informative. So there.

MSconfig: Microsoft System Configuration Utility. As most of you know, it is designed to help us troubleshoot problems with our computer, and can also be used to ensure that your computer boots faster.

However, (with MSconfig) you only have the capability to ‘disable’ or ‘enable’ items. You cannot remove them from your Startup list. I have found a handy program that allows you to easily and quickly remove the ‘unecessary‘ items from your Startup list. It’s awesome!

But first, I have to tell you this…

Most people are not aware that every time you boot your computer a whole mess of “hidden” programs load in the background. Some of these hidden programs are essential, but most of them are not. Turning them off can significantly increase your computer’s performance and reliability. Most of these items/programs can be started manually (when needed) and only serve to bog down your computer when they are set to run continually in the background.

Here’s a kicker: I found out that several Trojans, Worms, and other computer viruses leave an executable file in the ‘Startup’ list, some of them cleverly disguised as common program files. My antivirus program generally removes all viruses (thus far anyway), yet the MSconfig Startup list still has the virus files listed. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want those files left in my Startup, whether they’re disabled or not. I want them eliminated, wiped away without a trace.

That’s where the MSConfig CleanUp tool comes in handy. This program removes all unecessary files from the Startup list. Now mind you, it doesn’t uninstall/delete these items/programs from your computer. It simply cleans up your MSconfig, which helps to keep your computer running smoothly without being bogged down by unecessary, power-pilfering programs.

But wait!

Before you go all crazy with it, please do so fully informed. Nothing says ‘stupid’ louder than an–Oops! I shoulda read the directions first–if you catch my drift.

So this is the part where I introduce you to Paul “PacMan” Collins‘ huge “Startup Applications” list. This list was last updated 03-FEB-2007, has 13679 items listed thus far, and comes with a handy-dandy bit of instruction that looks like this:

Keys:

“Y” – Normally leave to run at start-up
“N” – Not required or not recommended – typically infrequently used tasks that can be started manually if necessary
“U” – User’s choice – depends whether a user deems it necessary
“X” – Definitely not required – typically viruses, spyware, adware and “resource hogs”
“?” – Unknown

Could Paul have made it any easier for us to figure out… what a great guy!

So here’s what I suggest:

1.) Download and Install: MSConfig CleanUp tool (Oh, and btw… it’s free!)

2.) Click on “Start” – “Run” – type “msconfig” into the box (minus the quotes) – click on “Okay” – click on the “Startup” tab – click on “Disable All” – click on “Apply” – leave System Configuration Utility window open.

3.) Open Paul “PacMan” Collins’ huge “Startup Applications” list in your browser. (Leave open in the background)

4.) Run: MSConfig CleanUp
(Note: This tool only reads items that have been ‘disabled’ in your Startup list, which was the reason for Step #2.)

5.) One by one, go through each item in your Startup list. Using Paul’s “Startup Applications” list (in your open browser window) do a search for each item to find out which is necessary and which is not… and which are virus files. In the MSconfig Cleanup tool, put a check in the box next to the items you would like to remove, then click on “Clean Up Selected”. When you are finished, click on “Quit”. That’s it. It’s that easy.

Now let’s finish up.

6.) Close the browser window.

7.) Click on your System Configuration Utility in the task bar to bring it to the front. Check the “Enable All” button. Click on “Close” and then click on “Restart”.

Voila!

Your MSconfig Startup list is nice and tidy, which will now allow your computer to run more efficiently.

Wasn’t that fun?

[heh]

I thought so.

Information gathered from: netsquirrel.com (How To Use MSconfig), Paul “PacMan” Collins (Startup Applications List), and SoftPedia.com (MSConfig Cleanup Tool 1.47)

Technorati Tags: MSconfig Startup list, remove, unecessary, items, MSConfig CleanUp, Paul “PacMan” Collins, Startup Applications, list

My family and I went to the grocery store last night and my daughter asked if she could get a papaya fruit. Now, I’m 41 years young and I’ve never eaten a papaya. So when she asked me to help her pick out a ‘good one’, I was rather perplexed. You see, the sign above the fruit read: Avoid too hard or too yellow fruit.

Huh?

They were all rather yellow and sort of hard, but sort of not. One was really squishy. Was I supposed to avoid really squishy ones too?

[sigh]

Bob put in his two cents and I still stood there puzzled. I think Manda got a bit exasperated with the both of us, because she finally just snatched one up and said it looked good enough.

When we got home, Manda asked if she could go ahead and cut open her papaya and pull the seeds out to put into a bowl. I didn’t have a problem with that. So, while she was messing with her papaya at the kitchen table, I was at the kitchen counter chopping broccoli.

Manda: “Uhhh, Mom. I think I got the wrong kind of papaya. This doesn’t look like the same thing that I ate with my cousin Blair.”

Me: “Well what kind of papaya did she have?”

Manda: “I dunno. But these seeds look different.”

I walked over to take a look, and I have to tell you, what I saw did not look very appetizing. As a matter of fact, it looked like a bunch of rodent droppings inside of a salmon-colored pear… Poopy-pie-ya. Oh yum. I’ll take a dozen droppings please.

[shudder]

…And then it hit me!

Me: “Um. Are you certain that your cousin had a papaya and not a pomegranate?”

Manda: “OH! That’s what it was. Can we go back to the store and get a pomegranate?”

Me: “Not tonight, dear, but maybe tomorrow. Say, I’ve never eaten a papaya before.”

Manda: “Me either.”

Me: “Well let’s try it then.”

Manda: “Okay. Here, Mom, you can cut a piece off of this.”

Manda handed me half of the papaya. I cut off a tiny slice and then popped it into my mouth.

BLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEECCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

Why, oh why couldn’t I have made it to, oh, I dunno… death, without ever having eaten a papaya? It was like eating what I would imagine rancid bananas taste like. Yuck!

It may take a bit of work to get to the fruit of a pomegranate, but it sure is a helluva lot tastier than a poopy-paya.

Tell me. Are mangos as disgusting as papayas? ‘Cuz I’ve yet to try one of those. Maybe I’ll just stick with apples and oranges.

If you happen to be a Days of our Lives fan, then I’ve got the site for you!

This website (Soaps.com) features tons of interesting, informative, and fun information related to the show.

You can find out the birthdays of your favorite Days of our Lives actors, take a weekly poll, view the ‘Picture of the Day’, read facts on the ‘Star of the Week’, get the latest scoop on where the actors will be appearing live and in-person, get daily updates, the cast list, comings and goings, and check out the ‘spoilers’ section too!

Are Belle and Shawn FINALLY going to do the deed? What devilish scheme will Sami come up with to keep EJ from destroying her future with Lucas?

It’s all there at Soaps.com. Check ‘em out! You know you want to.

This Post Sponsored By PayPerPost.

“Do not walk behind me, for I may not lead. Do not walk ahead of me, for I may not follow. Do not walk beside me, either; just leave me the hell alone.”

–Zen Master Misanthrope

13 Keyword Search Phrases That Brought People To Dorannes: My Intellectually Informative & Incredibly Witty Blog 1. zounds 2. sons fart in bath 3. blouse bunnies 4. pics of elmer fudd in underwear 5. dipsydoodleitis 6. hairy pooper 7. sudafed snort 8. you know how i know you’re gay 9. i want to love you squeeze you 10. are we being invaded by aliens 11. six feet underground neon light answers trivia word play 12. interjections fear argh 13. i excel at not giving a shit Thanks for stopping by! I hope you all have a terrific Thursday! Check out these other “Thursday Thirteens”!

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