Every So Often You Need a Sledgehammer

Some times, being patient and kind doesn't cut it.  Sometimes you need to get something done and that is ALWAYS when the software hangs, the garage door won't open or close or some other stupid thing gets stuck.


Ok, I'm not good with garage doors or stupid things but THIS works for the software. 

When USPS Shipping Assistant is open (or any other software) and won't close (lately for me it's IE7) you can right click on the taskbar at the bottom. Bring up TASK MANAGER - click PROCESSES TAB - sort alphabetically and then when you find the offending program, highlight it, and click END PROCESS - and WALA! it's done for!

Now it does say at the bottom, don't do this cause it messes up the software or some other gobbledygook but... I closed AOL that way for about 8 years cause it didn't close out completely on it's own and it sucked up too much in computer "resources" to leave it open. 

I have used it on other software too and some of them NEVER give up without it.  So here's what I say - if you tried everything else and nothing worked?? NOTHING VENTURED, NOTHING GAINED (or lost either in all likelihood)

You can always reboot and do an uninstall/reinstall if that fails or if it causes the software to fail (if THAT causes the software to fail, I seriously recommend you reconsider your software options immediately)

Hey - my online career in a nutshell!! The history of eCommerce!

Hey ! I resemble this chart - (which is courtesy of zippycart) - I told you I'm older than dirt well here's the proof!


[Via: Shopping Cart Reviews]
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How to add a Share Button to your Blogger blog

We all want share buttons..right?? (well I do and Blogger offered me one DSRS last week so I grabbed it)  and then people started asking (you know who you are... LOL) Howd' you do that??

So a picture is worth a 1000 words...here's my picture  (see why I failed art for 12 years?) You go to your blog - go to Design - Click that link - it gives you the page layout. Click on the EDIT button under blog posts...gives you the CONFIGURE BLOG POSTS screen and right there (pink arrow!) is the SHARE BUTTONS...check the box...SAVE each step as you back out and BINGO!! you got yourself some share buttons!! .

How to add a Share Button to Blogger -

I'm a Yankee Doodle Dandy...or I will be when I get these!

So I happen to be one of those crazy people who likes to go all out and decorate for things like Memorial Day and the 4th of July.  There's been some slacking off lately but I'm thinking now that I've got 2 whole weeks so I will get the house and front yard decorated for Independence Day.  Why? Because I live here in the USA where I have more freedom and more opportunity that I personally know what to do with. So here's some things I'm ordering (or already ordered)

I like this... it goes with my new 'tude!

    

And I like this cause I have a small neice who will look adorable in it.

That little cutie and the two great nephews will LOVE playing with these guys...


 Now let's see what else I found or bought or will buy....
I got some of these from a local friend but you can get them here

And I bought this at the fleamarket but I need 3 more (now that I decided to go all out.
..                              
I like these candles for the walkway and for the tables in the yard but I also put them on my arents graves and my great grandfather, grandfather and 2 uncles graves because they served in combat. Only one died in combat but several of them were Purple Heart recipients and most of them had some kind of wound. Even my mom was a veteran. 

SO... I also need some entertainment.. music preferably
and this looks perfect

or this? in case it rains

And for now I'm done... (well unless I find something I really,  really can't live without.. I was thinking of the red & blue painter's cap.... ummmmm I'll let you know on that.

How eBay really lost their Mojo & where it went

I was reading this article  http://www.openforum.com/idea-hub/topics/marketing/article/5-marketing-truths-i-wish-id-known-sooner-tim-berry


And got to the #3 "TRUTH" and realized why eBay has lost it's Mojo - for real though.   A lot of people have said this, that & the other thing are the reason - HERE is the real reason...read this

"3. Consistency beats brilliance.

The full form of this one is: better a mediocre marketing plan consistently applied over a few years than a series of brilliant strategies, each lasting months, each contradicting the last one.

That's another one, like the first one here, that I call sad but true. If you define marketing like John Jantsch does, getting people to know, like and trust you, then you have to realize that it takes being the same you – whether that's a personalized company you or a larger company brand – over a long period of time. Every time you reinvent the brand, you start back at zero.

Sure, in real-world marketing you can't keep doing something that isn't working just because it's in your plan. But, on the other hand, with any normal marketing strategy you and your whole team are bored stiff with a marketing strategy long before it begins to make impact on those people you want to reach. You need to give it time. And you need to stick with it until it's not working, not just until you're bored with it.

You can't expect to hit the bullseye with every arrow. You keep trying. "


eBay management decided "AUCTIONS" weren't fun any more.  None of us who like auctions decided that.  MANAGEMENT decided it.  I think what they decided really was "eBay doesn't make enough money with JUST auctions" so they are trying to turn the big boat - the SSS QUEEN EBAY around in mid ocean.  Guess what? Big ships don't turn on a dime and sometime things fall over board when some nimroad does that with the wheel. 

Notice that one term? MARKETING STRATEGY?  eBay has NEVER had an quality, consistent marketing strategy. Heck they never even had a good advertising campaign. We always get these lame slogans and stupid commercials.  They've changed directions and sent so many mixed signals NO one can figure out what they are doing.  So eBay, I know you're out there....go read that whole article and then pass it around the management "cubicles".   That's from AMEX not me so maybe you'll listen...not blinking likely but I can dream.

June 7 - still an A.S.S to eBay

I'm still an ASS and eBay either doesn't get how insulting that designation is or doesn't care or more likely, they meant it? Doncha think?   I mean any other corporation that depended on US and heard us complaining about being designated A.S.S. (which is supposed to stand for Above Standard Seller) but which just sounds denigrating, would have changed it by now.  Above Average Seller or ATR (Almost Top Rated) or "2nd Best"  but eBay took a hard line and says TUFF, you're an ASS and we're not changing it no matter how insulting you all think it is - not in exactly those words but with their indifference and Griff's responses that they just didn't thik it was important. 

So? what is a Girl supposed to do?? Me? I'm ordering this shirt -
Proud to be an ASS

Disclaimer - not my shirt (til I order) and not my listing but I think we all need to show up in San Jose in September or in Chicago next month at the Ebay on Locatiion events wearing these.  There is power in unity, you know? Look what Mahatma Ghandi and Martin Luther King accomplished with Passive Resistance. 

As a followup - to my ASS Status

My sales have now totally tanked.  I'm letting 800 MORE listings expire on eBay
I have 8-10 auctions ending per night and 1200 FP listings until last week.  I am getting 2-3 sales a WEEK - not a day - A WEEK! 

This place is dead and I'm moving on.   I have no more patience for people who tell me to wait.  WAIT?? And how am I paying my bills til eBay fixes the DSR system and the Search System and stops disadvantaging NORMAL sellers in search??

I have no more patience left for John Donohoe and crew.  And if I hear on eBay Radio's chat board one more time that we should be positive, I'm gonna scream.  I'm POSITIVE - SALES THERE SUCK!