Microsoft sending out new Ferraris!

It appears that Microsoft is following Sprint's footsteps and sending free laptops to select tech bloggers with the new Vista operating system pre-loaded. According to several bloggers, Microsoft's PR firm sent out notices that they would be receiving an Acer Ferrari 1000 laptop with Vista Ultimate (the high-end version of the software).

Apparently there are no strings attached to favorably review Vista and the blogger is not required to return the laptop.

[Note: Earlier this year I was part of a Sprint program and was given free use of a cell phone for six months.]

Hey, if anyone from Microsoft's PR firm is reading this, I can be "bought" too!

President Ford passes away

I woke up this morning to the news that former President Ford passed away overnight. While not surprising due to his recent ill health, it's still sad to know that we've lost another former president.

It reminded me of when I saw him in person.

President Ford was one of three presidents I've seen in person. I saw President Nixon speak on the University of Nebraska campus when I was a student in 1971. And from a great distance I saw President Clinton jogging along the Potomac River (accompanied by security and an ambulance!) when I was on a D.C. river cruise in the early '90s.

Also in the early '90s, I was in the Palm Springs area for a business conference when I worked for Home Savings. I was flying back to Chicago and was at the airport seeing off one of my work colleagues before my plane was scheduled to leave. Because of the constant warm weather in Palm Springs, you climb the stairs and board the plane from the outside. My colleague boarded the plane and I was watching all of the other plans land and take off. Meanwhile, the plane just sat there past its scheduled departure. Finally, two limousines with American flags drove right up to the plane. Several large men got out of the first limo and then an older man got out. It was Gerald Ford. He was on his way to a speaking engagement and was flying commercial, albeit first class!

Imagine being on an airplane with a former president!

Selling addiction

OK I admit it. I've become addicted to eBay.

More specifically, selling on eBay.

I've had an eBay account for several years but was only a buyer. I don't really buy too many things -- mainly books and DVDs. I recently decided to sell my almost-new cellphone. I still had the original box and packing materials so I gathered it all together in a nice pretty package and decided to take the eBay plunge.

I spent a few hours researching prices and went ahead and set up my selling site. Within a few hours of posting the item, someone used the "Buy It Now" feature and snapped it up. Within minutes, my PayPal account showed I was paid...and I was hooked!

I've sold about a dozen items so far. Besides the cellphone, I've sold books and even a few year's worth of my old Civil War Times Illustrated magazines from the '60s and '70s. I've figured out how to pay for shipping and print shipping labels from home. I even went to OfficeMax a couple of weeks ago and bought a mechanical shipping scale.

It's a fun way to make money off of things you no longer need.

First snow

We had our first snowfall of the season early Friday morning and had blizzard-like conditions until early afternoon. I took this backyard photo very early Saturday morning with the sun just starting to appear.

It's always nice and peaceful early Saturday!

Halloween in the 'burbs

A photo of our home last Sunday night. Can't believe how much our Halloween display has grown over the years. Lisa gets all the credit for setting it up!