Computer Issues

Yesterday I had a day filled with computer issues. I was completely off-line for the entire day. This is a big problem for me. I spend the majority of my days behind my computer: researching, writing, working with clients. If my computer doesn't work, I don't work. If I can't work, I can't make money!

It all started over the weekend when I discovered an erroneous post from old Twitter account of mine ( I had disabled it a couple of years ago) on my Face Book profile.  I once had that account linked to my Face Book but not any more. I have a completely different Twitter account now. On Sunday, I saw the following post on my Face Book profile from that old Twitter account: I just made $305. Click here!  First of all, I would never post something like that. I don't do internet get-rich quick schemes!

Immediately, I warned all my friends NOT to click the link because I did not post it and it could be a virus! I deleted the post and reported it to Twitter. The next day, a similar post appeared on my Face Book profile.  I can't even describe the sheer terror I felt when I saw it. Could I be the victim of a hacker? Why would someone want to do that to me? Yes, I use my computer for everything but I am pretty boring. I don't do large financial transactions on here, I don't store my personal info, I don't do my banking or transfer funds on-line. I usually only download programs or visit sites recommended by people I know.  Anyone hacking my computer isn't going to find anything other than thousands of vegetarian recipes. I do have a PAYPAL account but that's supposed to be secure, isn't it? WTF???

So, I did what seemed logical.  I tried to do a scan to see if I had any viruses or threats. I must admit, I don't do this often enough. Evidently, I didn't do it at all this year because I quickly discovered my virus protection expired last month. I renewed my subscription, did the scan and had 116 low risk threats. Low risk, high risk, I don't care! I wanted them off so I hit the FIX button.  I also thought it would be a good idea to delete items I didn't want or need because my computer has been operating very slowly lately.  Mission accomplished. I slept peacefully expecting EVERYTHING to be back to normal in the morning.

No such luck! My computer was operating at a snail's pace, freezing, or refusing to load anything at all. My internet connection was fine but Explorer was working slowly and sporadically.  My Twitter, websites, blogs and Face Book (my big links to the outside world) came up but I was unable to see anything, access anything, post or read any messages. All these accounts are linked together but I had changed my passwords and some security settings when I discovered that suspicious Twitter post.  What was going on now? I cleared my cache, disabled and enabled cookies, over and over again. I tried to restore everything back to an earlier date. No improvement. I assumed my Face Book had been hacked (because of that original Twitter post) so I decided to do the unthinkable: create a whole new Facebook profile and  deactivate the old one. I would lose all my friends, my business page and everything. OMG! My heart sank. However, when I tried to create a new profile, my computer wouldn't let me. Eventually, Windows refused to load at all.  I was getting all sorts of failure messages. What was I going to do now? If I couldn't fix this, I would have to buy a new computer. I really didn't want to do that!

I was so frustrated. I didn't want to be angry but I was getting there. I kept getting involved in little projects around the house to distract me. I figured if I kept stepping away from it for awhile, a resolution would eventually dawn on me.  Around nine o'clock last night it finally came to me: restore everything back to factory condition. This would delete everything I have on here but, my computer should function exactly the same way as when I first purchased it. I took a deep breath and hit RESTORE! This process took hours and I was a nervous wreck. When it was complete, my computer worked perfectly. I lost quite a few programs, documents and photos but overall-problem solved! I still have no clue what happened to my computer or if it was actually hacked but I learned a few lessons.

 Here's what I learned:

1. Exercise EXTREME caution when visiting unfamiliar websites.
2. Never download anything I am not certain is secure and trust-worthy.
3. Think twice before adding my email address to anything.
4. All those sites like Google and Twitter asking for my location- CLICK NO! People don't really need to know the location of my favorite restaurant, that I am shopping at the local Whole Foods, or which music venue I am at.
5. Only accept friend requests on Facebook from people I know or friends of friends. No strangers! SORRY!
6.  All those fun Face Book Apps? Each time I click on those, I am giving permission to some unknown person or group to access my personal information. No more free hugs, flowers, hearts, or finding out what year I am going to die!
7. Carefully review the profiles of those who are following me on Twitter and those I choose to follow in return. If they are unquestionable: ignore, unfollow or report them.
8.  Routinely scan my computer for threats and viruses. 116 THREATS! That's alot-even if they were low risk. A risk is a risk. We should take risks in life but we don't need to compromise the integrity of our personal information!
9.  Don't delete anything from the hard drive unless I'm absolutely sure I don't need it. If I am not sure- ASK someone! I think in my over-zealous deleting of programs, I eliminated something very important and essential from the actual operating system. BAD mistake!
10.  Back up my data onto an external drive. I never do this! I lost everything- including the novel I was working on. Thankfully, I printed it most of it but now I have to type it in all over again. The same with my precious photos. I never saved them elsewhere so now they are ALL GONE!
11. Clear my browsing history regularly. You can tell an awful lot about people by checking the sites and pages they visit. It's like going through their trash cans. I don't want anyone knowing personal details of my life unless I choose to share them.

I have to admit yesterday was quite a productive day, despite the fact I couldn't get any computer work done. I cleaned my house top to bottom ( a great way to channel anger), did several loads of wash, actually picked up the phone and TALKED to people rather than chatting on Face Book, put all my old papers and magazines out on the curb for recycling, and soaked in a nice warm bath (that's where the bright idea of restoring the computer to factory condition came to me).  I also took some preventative measures just in case my computer was hacked.

1. I called my bank to alert them to any erroneous, out of the ordinary charges.
2. I changed every user id and password to everything. And I clicked no when asked if I want that information to be saved. It's not that big of a deal to type in a password each time I access a site.
3. I put a password on my computer so no one can access it
4. I cancelled all my credit and debit cards and requested new ones.

I don't know if this will all help, but it certainly can't hurt. At least I rest a little easier now.

I am very happy to be up and running again. Now it's time to get busy so I can make some money!

And this is my Daily Cyn........

Don't Tell Me How Wonderful You Are......

This past Saturday night was my first time 'out' as a single gal. Most you already know I ended a two year relationship about four months ago. Since then, I've been keeping busy with work and caring for Dad.  Quite honestly, I am not all that enthusiastic about getting back into the swing of full-blown single life again.

It's been ages since I had a Girls' Night Out, so when my phone rang around ten on Saturday night with an invitation to go to our favorite place and dance a little, I jumped right to it. I was slightly stir crazy after being cooped up in the house working all day.  I have been waiting to step out in the great new sandals I bought months ago yet haven't had an opportunity to wear.  I slipped them on, fixed my hair and makeup and was out the door in minutes flat. Didn't have to ask me twice! It really is time for me to start getting back out there.

I had a wonderful time dancing and hanging out with my girlfriends. I reconnected with a few old friends and met some new ones. There was one particular middle-aged man there who decided to plop himself right next to me. He asked if he could buy me a drink to which I replied, "No, thank you, I'm not drinking." He then tried to strike up a conversation with me. One thing about me, I am cordial and I talk to everyone. I figure, if a guy has enough nerve to actually come up and try to talk to me, I'll listen for a few minutes. If I find him interesting, I will stay. If not, I politely excuse myself and move to another spot. He gets the message, no one gets hurt, and I don't get labeled as a bitch. This guy sat there beside me and told me how beautiful I was. Ok, I was listening. I mean, honestly, who doesn't want to hear that? Then he started talking about how wonderful he was. That's where he lost me and despite the fact that I kept turning my back to him and engaging in conversation with my friends, he wasn't getting the message. Truth be told, my feet were killing me (darn my new sandals) and I just didn't feel like getting up.  Why should I? I was sitting there first. This guy was persistent.  He went on and on about how great, honest and successful he was and kept insisting on buying buy me a drink. I kept refusing.

Now when a guy asks to buy you a drink you answer either Yes or No. Yes, means I would like to have a drink with YOU. No, means I don't want to have a drink with YOU.  This guy kept asking and I kept declining. It took every ounce of self-control to not grab him by the throat and say, "What part of I'm not drinking don't you understand?"

I suppose I could have taken it a step further and said, "Look. I am not drinking tonight but if I was, I would not want to have drink with YOU!"  He would have gotten the message loud and clear and just moved on to some other girl. It also could have caused quite a scene if he got angry enough so I decided to do the next best thing. I got up and moved. He followed. I couldn't get away from this guy and in between his constant hounding to please join him in a drink and admonishing me because I chose not to drink at all, he continued to tell me what a perfect gentleman he was. He knew how to treat and spoil a lady and he would love to take me dinner and get to know me. Oh, and he was a stand-up, trust-worthy guy. He was a cop. He tried to show me his badge and everything. Cops don't really do it for me, especially cops who get hammered in bars and then get in their cars and drive home.

I kept trying to move away from this guy and each time I did, he followed. He was drinking Scotch. Neat. One after the next. This guy was a real drinker and not exactly the type I am looking for. Not anymore. Eventually he got a little sloppy and told me he was married with two kids. I don't think this was intentional. It must have just accidentally slipped out because alcohol can be like a truth serum. I quickly glanced at his left ring finger and guess what? No ring. That's when I lost it. I looked him straight in the eye and said "You are not a great and wonderful guy. You are married, drunk and hitting on a girl in bar!" BINGO!! He mumbled an expletive or two that I will not repeat and left.

Here's the thing. This guy evidently was a real creep. He was married and out on the prowl looking for a little fun that night. Even if he wasn't married, I felt he was disrespectful to me and my decision not to drink that evening. He kept trying to push me to do something I did not wish to do. When that didn't work, he tried shaming me into it. Since I wasn't accepting his free drinks (guys sometimes do this because they know alcohol clouds our judgement of them) he thought he could seduce me with a little sweet talk and by trying to tell me how wonderful he was. I saw right through all that and my initial opinion of him was confirmed when he accidentally told me he was married. 

We are not always that lucky or that smart. Sometimes it takes awhile before we realize the mistake we made in judging and trusting someone based on their words alone. I could have been fooled, had I not already had some experience in this area. First night out as a single girl, still a bit broken-hearted after a failed relationship, easily swayed by the flattery of the first guy I meet. Or, I could have been drinking and my senses somewhat off kilter. I could have taken his persistence as a compliment and BAM!! Before I know it, I'm entangled with a married man.

This might be a dramatic example but there is a moral to my story. It doesn't matter where you meet someone. It could be at bar, at work or the grocery store. It makes no difference if you've just made their acquaintance or you've known them for years. Here's a word of advice: if a man (or woman) is truly a wonderful, honest, genuine stand-up, trust-worthy person, they will not need to tell you or constantly remind you. They already know their actions speak louder than words. The person who continuously needs to exalt himself is overcompensating for his lack of true character. Don't fall for it. In fact, when a person tells you too many good things about himself, he is actually revealing who he really is- a person you don't want to be with.

I am searching for some one truly wonderful. But I am way beyond the 'tell me stage'. Don't tell me how wonderful you are, don't flatter me, follow me or offer to buy me drinks. Just be yourself and if you really are wonderful, I will discover that all by myself.

And this is my Daily Cyn.......

The Simple Cure for TIRED People

The most common complain from my clients (besides weight issues) is they never seem to have enough energy. They're just tired all the time. They're fatigued, drained, sleepy, lethargic, exhausted and can't figure out why.





When we're tired, we become cranky, moody, and snippy with the people around us. If we feel this way all time, eventually we lose our enthusiasm for life. We simply don't have the energy to really enjoy anything.

Most people think the answer to constant tiredness and lack of energy is SLEEP.  Sometimes it is. If you only get a couple of hours of sleep every night, my advice would be: GO TO BED! I know life is hectic and some of you never have a free moment to sit down and rest. My suggestion would be to slow down and take a chill pill once in awhile. However, the majority of my clients are regular, ordinary people with jobs, families, busy lives, and pretty normal sleeping habits. Regular, ordinary people who are just tired all the time- with no real explanation.

Does this sound like you? Tired, dragging all the time? You get your seven or eight hours of sleep a night yet you wake up tired, manage to get through the day on half-a-tank, come home and just can't seem to keep your eyes open or muster up enough energy to do anything? You even sleep in on the weekends, yet that makes you feel even more tired. What the heck is going on?

Well.... what are you eating? The foods you eat have a direct impact on your energy level. Poor food choices = poor energy. Poor energy and lack of it, makes you tired.

Let me give you an example. I once had a co-worker who constantly complained about being tired.

This was her typical morning breakfast.....

Every morning she dragged her butt into the office, huffing, puffing and complaining about being tired, plopped down in her chair and ate this. Every day this was breakfast!







She got that SUGAR RUSH to accomplish a few morning tasks but a couple of hours later.........

This was her............






When lunch time rolled around, she ordered this:

Or, if she happened to be feeling fat that day....

But regardless of what she ate for lunch- a few hours later...........

So she would try to keep herself going with this:

And this..........

And by the end of the day she was like this..........

Which made her even more tired.

She was nasty, miserable, complained about everyone and everything. She couldn't even fake it. She didn't enjoy life and it showed. Why? Because she was always so tired.............

She hated me. She couldn't understand how I could be twenty years older, work the same amount of hours doing the same job, yet still manage to cram all my chores, shopping, exercise, fun, activities, dating, travel, concerts, shows, time with family AND show up to the office every morning bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. She had no energy to do anything but sleep; even on the weekends. And she was still always so tired...........

Then she started asking questions and that is how she became my client. We fine-tuned her diet a bit and she began to feel better. In fact, so much better that she quit working with me (she hated the job), moved back home to be closer to her family and now she is a certified Fitness Instructor. Imagine that?

If there is no physical explanation for your chronic tiredness (meaning your doctor cannot find anything wrong with you)- the solution could be as easy as changing your diet. Food is fuel but the choices you make for breakfast, lunch and dinner could be the wrong fuel for your body and your lifestyle. 

What happens if you put the wrong type of gasoline in your car? It might run but it doesn't run properly. It stalls, it hesitates, burns more gas than usual, sometimes it conks out completely. Same with your body. It's functioning- but not on all cylinders. If you continue to push yourself with the wrong type of fuel, just like your car, eventually the engine will seize and you won't be going anywhere.

Does any of this sound familiar? Perhaps you could use a bit of fine-tuning- starting with your diet.

CONTACT ME and let's chat........

And this is my Daily Cyn............

Perfection

 Trying to create the illusion of perfection robs me of the true joy of living and loving. I am done with trying to be perfect or pretending I am! In fact, I am 'perfectly' content when I laugh about my imperfections and much more effective when I openly share them with others.....



It would be nice if I always looked like this...........

The PERFECT pose, PERFECT glow, PERFECT makeup

 But in reality, most of the time I look like this.............

My 50 year old eyes can't read a thing without my glasses!

I want everyone to think I work behind a desk that ALWAYS looks like this.............

My PERFECTLY organized desk (when clients come to see me)

But most days, it looks like this...............

YES, that IS a STYROFOAM Dunkin' Donuts coffee cup.
  I am not the PERFECT environmentalist ALL of the time!

And that I ONLY snack on good stuff like this.............

But every once in awhile, I cave into this..............

I never, ever buy these but.....
I have been known to threaten the lives of those who have them and won't share!
I don't have a PERFECT diet all the time!

I am supposed to be reading this (it's somewhere under all those files and papers on my desk)............

The Book of Secrets- Unlocking the Hidden Dimensions of Your Life by Deepak Chopra
Self-Discovery- that's right! Helps me believe I am getting closer to PERFECT.

But, I am actually reading this............

Dracula, My Love--A dark and steamy Vampire novel.
What can I say? My love life is not perfect.
I'm single! I need something...........

Trying to be perfect is exhausting.

It's so liberating to just admit I am far from it.

I never will be perfect.

I know you are not perfect either.

You never will be.

So.....go ahead and just be your wonderful, amazing, imperfect self...........

And this my Daily Cyn.......

DAILY Double- Potatoes are NOT the Enemy!

For those of you who vowed to never again eat potatoes because they are fattening, high in carbs, or considered forbidden because they completely sabotage your weight loss efforts--I am here to tell you:  POTATOES ARE NOT THE ENEMY!



Let's take a look at potatoes. First of all, they contain more potassium than bananas! They are cheap, filling, can be prepared hundreds of different ways and are the ultimate comfort food! 

Potatoes are also a great source of vitamins C and B. They contain no fat or cholesterol and minimal sodium. What they do have is natural fiber in the skins, all those vitamins and minerals and great flavor. And a six-ounce potato contains 2 grams of highly digestible protein, almost as much as half a glass of milk, making it a great foundation for a whole meal.

Sounds pretty healthy to me!

Potatoes are NOT the enemy! It's the way we prepare our potatoes and what we pile on top of them!

Listed on the menu at just about every restaurant is a LOADED potato.
Oven baked to perfection and then completely destroyed with toppings: butter, sour cream, cheese, bacon! And this is served as a side dish to accompany that steak, burger or fish you order! Fattening? You bet! Unhealthy? Don't even get me started! And the really sad part: most people will eat all the toppings and some of the potato flesh and leave the skin behind! That's the best part- it contains most of the nutrients. When I was younger, I never ate the potato skin because I thought it was dirty. I sincerely hope the potatoes are scrubbed before baking BUT now I look at this way. My potato is tossed into a 450+ degree oven and baked. Nothing is going to survive that kind of heat!

Consider some other ways we prepare potatoes: fried, mashed and mixed with butter and cream, sliced and baked with milk and cheese (potatoes au gratin), tossed with mayo and sour cream for potato salad. Even worse: pre-packaged, processed instant potato mixes!  Delicious? You bet--but loaded with fat and calories. No wonder you avoid potatoes............

When was the last time you actually tasted a potato without all the oil, grease, fat, and toppings? Do you even know what an actual potato tastes like? I love potatoes plain with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkling of sea salt and pepper. But most find plain potatoes rather bland so you might want to dress them up a bit!

Here are a few healthier ways to enjoy potatoes:

Make your own french fries. Wash, cut into long, thick slices (like steak fries), toss with a bit of olive oil, sprinkle with sea salt, season with spices (Cajun spices are delicious on potatoes) and spread them out on a baking pan in the oven. Bake until they're exactly how you want them! These are so good, you will never want greasy old french fries again!.

Mash them. Boil up several potatoes (leave the skins on) and mash them up with a potato masher or a fork. I prefer them nice and lumpy but it's your choice. Mix in lots of fresh roasted garlic and use vegetable broth to moisten them instead of cream and butter. You can also add fresh herbs and spices to your mashed potatoes: chives, thyme, rosemary, tarragon (for a French flair). The more you add, the tastier your potatoes will be and no one will ever miss all that butter and cream!

Make potato salad. It's summer. It's BBQ season and who doesn't love potato salad? But all that mayonaisse and sour cream doesn't love us! Try this healthier version: Potato Salad with Tomatoes and Red Onion Relish .  This recipe is so delicious so be sure to make a huge bowl because everyone will want seconds!

Here is my favorite way to prepare and eat a potato: scrub a large baking potato well and bake in oven until skin is browned and well done. Slice it open, place on a dish and season with a touch of sea salt and pepper. Top the potato with tossed green salad mixed with balsamic vinegarette dressing.  I cannot tell you how delicious this is. No butter, sour cream or other toppings needed.

I have a lot of friends who love to dine at steak houses.  I don't eat steak, or chicken or fish so I order a plain baked potato with a large tossed salad. My friends are happy. I am happy. It's all good.

You can find additional healthy potato recipes and a whole lot more on Cynfully Good.com .

And this is my Daily Cyn.....

Tension

"Tension is who you think you should be.

Relaxation is who you are."

~ Chinese Proverb

And this is my Daily Cyn........

NO EXCUSES............

Have you ever met anyone who, no matter what you suggest, always has an excuse as to why they can't or won't or shouldn't?

They blame it on the weather, the economy, lack of funds, the price of gas, their awful childhood, an aching head, their aching body. They're single, they're too fat, too thin, too hot or cold, too insecure or too good, too busy, too tired, too stressed, shy, embarassed, too clumsy, too educated or uneducated, too hurt, too damaged, too heart broken, and too disillusioned and disappointed with life to actually muster up enough strength to even try..........

When they finally run out of excuses for themselves, they come up with excuses why YOU can't, won't or shouldn't!

Or maybe, just maybe, you happen to be one of these types of people...........

Ninety-nine percent of all failures are simply the result of a thousand and one plus excuses!

Something to think about...........

And this is my Daily Cyn...........