New as of July 26, 2009

"Ten Unusual Ways to Improve Your Appearance of Confidence That Really Work" from The Simple Dollar: Financial Talk for the Rest of Us -- simple, straightforward suggestions which might just be what you've been looking for. Useful in business and/or social situations. Aren't you curious? The new link is in TO DO: REFERENCE: BUSINESS.

Serve.gov is a US government website which allows you to find volunteer opportunities in your community. You can also create your own volunteer opportunities at this site. I checked it out by using Coles Point's zip, and is normal for these databases, I got lots of results for across the river in Maryland; however, there was also a result from Montross and one from Warsaw. You can check it out by entering a keyword and zip code. There are also toolkits available. The new link is in TO DO: REFERENCE: MISCELLANEOUS.

New as of July 19, 2009

Writers and Musicians tweet, too, and here are (1) Literary Tweets - 100 of the Best Authors on Twitter (writers of mysteries, thrillers, romance, and general fiction), and (2) Musicians on Twitter: 100+ Artists Who Tweet. Also added to the same section of the site this week:  Videos (under 3 minutes long): (1) Twitter Search in Plain English, and (2) Web Search Strategies in Plain English. Also available is a third video, Twitter in Plain English. These are from Commoncraft.com and are intended for the user who is basically not familiar with these topics. Experienced users can benefit as well. The new links have been added to TO DO: COMPUTER HELP SIMPLIFIED.

Checklists for Everything: This will at least reduce the excuses you have for not getting things done, not keeping track, etc. Checklists.com has checklists for an amazing variety of activities. You can browse the list from A to Z - most lists are reasonable, some need some work. It's a good resource, and a great place to start. The new link has been added to TO DO: REFERENCE: EVERYDAY LIVING.

Light and Dust Anthology of Poetry is a site which includes genre, subject and author home pages as well as individual poems. It includes over 60 complete books, new and reprinted. The new link is in LAW LIBRARY: ELECTRONIC TEXTS, where you'll find lots of good reading for summer (as well as other seasons).

Top American Hospitals according to US News. New rankings - browse the A-Z index, look for excellence in specialties, or browse a list of 19 hospitals that received high scores in at least six specialties. There's also a list of best children's hospitals. Being an informed patient is a good thing. The link has been added to TO DO: MEDICAL INFO.

New as of July 12, 2009

Garden Club of Virginia Horticulture: Horticulture Updates from Members is a helpful, interesting and well-produced blog which has entries by various club members which are well-written and have good photos. If you're into gardening and landscaping, or just would like to see what others are doing in the Commonwealth, you should visit GCV Horticulture through the new link in TO DO: GARDENS and LANDSCAPING.

Genealogy Resource: The 1720 to 1750 Overwharton Parish Register from Stafford, Virginia, is online. Geneaogists know that everything that's online can save a trip in person to a library or a resource site. The Register is searchable and the link to it has been added to the GENEALOGY Section of the Law Library.

Read this, skip that: The Daily Beast carries a subtitle: "read this, skip that" and it seems to be a compilation of news stories in various categories. Sort of like People, Us, USA Today rolled into one. Nothing really in depth here, but if you want to scan in a hurry, it's a good resource. The link has been added to the NEWS Section of the Law Library

New as of July 5, 2009

"The Productivity Guide for a Computer Geek" from MakeUseOf.com -- lots of ways to make the most of your time and resources. This PDF-format guide will undoubtedly show you a thing or two you really didn't know before. The link has been added to TO DO: COMPUTER HELP SIMPLIFIED.

H1N1 Flu: The World Health Organization has declared a pandemic is underway. The CDC's "Update on the H1N1 Flu (Swine Flu)" page includes a map of weekly flu activity which shows the involvement by state. In Virginia, it is considered to be "widespread" geographically; there are 191 cases and 1 fatality recorded so far. See the list of cases/fatalities by state. General info on the H1N1 page includes H1N1 Flu & You, Antiviral Drugs, Taking Care of a Sick Person, Facemask & Respirator Use, Images of the Virus, and more. There's a section on What You Can Do to Stay Healthy. Some sources predict as many as 40 fatalities a day in London by the end of the summer. It's something to know more about, this particular flu. Check it out in TO DO: MEDICAL INFO ONLINE.

Pick a Place in the middle to meet: RendezNew is a new way to meet people who are at a distance from you. Put in the places, and this will show you the middle. Enter as many as four starting points, landmarks, friends' addresses, etc., and a search term for the type of place where you'd like to meet. If the midpoint is not to your liking, you can drag the midpoint symbol to another location on the map. The new link to RendezNew is in TO DO: TRAVEL INFO.

New as of June 28, 2009

Justice O'Connor welcomes students and teachers to the Our Courts: 21st Century Civics site, where they will discover civics games, resource links, civics-in-action projects, as well as lesson plans for teachers. Students will find interesting and engaging ways to learn the concepts of civis. The link has been added to TO DO: JUST FOR KIDS (of all ages).

New as of June 21, 2009

Who knew? Hulu now has a handy Desktop version that allows you to watch your favorite movies and TV shows from Hulu without seeing them in a browser format. You didn't need that anyway, right? The new Hulu Desktop is downloadable for Mac and Windows, so they've got you covered. Check it out the new link after you read the next two items, which are also in TO DO: COMPUTER HELP SIMPLIFIED.

Social Media fans and others will find Doodle handy. It helps you schedule an event, or make a poll. You can send it directly or you can have Doodle send it - and you can be notified when people respond. Doodle also works with Outlook, from your mobile, in Facebook, and more. The new link is in TO DO: COMPUTER HELP SIMPLIFIED, but read on before you click through.

Smarter Tweeting: MakeUseOf.com's "5 Free Twitter Tools for Smarter Tweeting" make sense for those who are fans of the 140-character microblog. The list includes Ping.fm - for posting tweets to multiple social networks; Scheduling an automated message to Twitter; Tracking Tweets by territory, Twinfluence: how does your tweet rank?, and Twitterfeed, which automatically sends blog updates to Twitter. Unless you're a pretty professional chirper, you won't need all of these, but some may come in handy. They've been added to TO DO: COMPUTER HELP SIMPLIFIED. Now, go!

Gotta Have: TicketPredator.com finds tickets for concerts, theater, NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL, Nascar, NCAA FB, NCAA BB, MLS, tennis, and more. You can see where the row and the seat are - there are handy seating charts to see how far up in the nosebleed section or how few feet from the stage you can be. Because life is too short to stand in line, TicketPredator is something you need to check out. It's in TO DO: REFERENCE: EVERYDAY LIVING.

New as of June 14, 2009

Corrected Link: A link in the Criminal Law Section of the Law Library which had led to Dr. Tom O'Connor's page of criminal justice materials at North Carolina Wesleyan disappeared from the 'net, according to Michelle at TeachersGuild.org. She was indeed correct. The reason was that Dr. O'Connor had moved to Austin Peay State University in Tennessee, and with him went the criminal justice links. I located the new URL for Dr. O'Connor's page and it's now back in LAW LIBRARY: CRIMINAL LAW. Thanks, Michelle!

Never Hurts to keep an eye on things: RightWingWatch.org does exactly that. Since progressives really are not ditto heads in any sense of that phrase (is there sense to that phrase??), they don't really have a daily trough to see what the other side's been up to. Until now. RightWingWatch does exactly that - finds current news on the right, and puts it in one place. So here 'tis. It's now been added to LAW LIBRARY: PERIODICALS and you can get there by simply clicking on the NEWS link on the Home Page.

New as of June 6, 2009

GovFresh is a live feed of official news from US Government Twitter, YouTube, RSS, Facebook, Flickr accounts and more, all in one place. From the Executive, Judicial and Legislative branches, including departments, agencies, military, labs, museums, websites, contractors, and more. Your government is on the move, and if you expect to keep up with all it is doing, this is a great resource. The new link has been added to LAW LIBRARY: US GOVERNMENT.

Investigative Journalism: ProPublica is an independent non-profit newsroom that produces investigative journalism in the public interest. Just having begun publishing in June 2008, ProPublica focuses exclusively on truly important stories, stories with "moral force," and produces journalism that shines a light on exploitation of the weak by the strong and on the failures of those with power to vindicate the trust placed in them. At a time when our traditional sources of investigative journalism are on hard times, it's good to have this resource. The new link to ProPublica is in LAW LIBRARY:PERIODICALS and you can click on the NEWS link on the Home Page to get there in a hurry.

A Template Resume! What could be easier? If you don't have a lot of computer expertise or word processing experience, this makes producing a professional-looking resume a breeze. Simply complete the various boxes - the instructions are very easy. It's called "Write Your Resume" and is from the New York Department of Labor's Career Zone. It won't guarantee you'll land that new job - but it takes one of the tasks in between you and the new job, and greatly simplifies it. The new link is in TO DO: EVERYDAY LIVING RESOURCES: EMPLOYMENT.

Girls Need to Know: "Engineer your life: Dream big. Love what you do." "Engineer Your Life" bills itself as "A Guide to Engineering for High School Girls." The site addresses such topics as Why Engineering? Meet Inspiring Women, Find Your Dream Job, Making It Happen. Funded by the National Science Foundation and Northrup Gumman Foundation. Why is this necessary? Because all things aren't equal, yet, and engineering is not as aggressively presented to girls as it is to boys as a career choice. This new link is in two places on the site: JUST FOR KIDS and also TO DO: GENERAL REFERENCE: SCHOOL AND STUDY.

New as of May 31, 2009

YouTube outdoes even itself with some new channels. (1) YouTube Classic TV Shows include "I Dream of Jeannie," "Father Knows Best," "Alfred Hitchcock Presents," "Original Outer Limits," "Star Trek: The Original Series," "MacGyver," "Bewitched" and many more. (2) YouTube: The US Government Channel provides links to videos across government. You'll find offerings from the US EPA, White House, Dept of Education, Dept of State, America.gov, FEMA, Ocean Explorer, Federal Student Aid, Social Security, FDIC, AIDS/HIV, CDC Streaming, Nat. Institutes of Standards & Technology, SEC, US GAO, US Census, FBI/DOT, USDA, Veterans, NASA, FTC, Library of Congress, Health& Human Services, National & Community Services, HouseHub, SenateHub, FHA. Literally something for everyone. These 2 new links have been added to TO DO:RADIO/TV.

Thanks to Allison Hazelton, 9th grade history teacher from upstate New York, who sent in a link to "Best Resources for Secondary Level History/Social Studies Teachers" from QandA: Answers You Can Trust, verified by Encyclopedia.com. You'll find a wealth of links to explore in these subject areas. As I always say, the page is called "Just for Kids" but it's really for kids of all ages - check it out in TO DO: JUST FOR KIDS. But before you click through, read on . .

Harry Potter's World: Renaissance Science, Magic and Medicine - from the US National Library of Medicine.. "The magic in Harry Potter books is partially based on Renaissance traditions that played an important role in the development of Western science, including alchemy, astrology, and natural philosophy. . .This exhibition, using materials from the National Library of Medicine, explores Harry Potter's world and its roots in Renaissance magic, science and medicine." Check it out in TO DO: JUST FOR KIDS.

Tweetmeme is an aggregator that compiles links to the hottest stories from Twitter by categories: Everything, Comedy, Entertainment, Gaming, Lifestyle, Science, Sports, Technology, World & Business. Twitter, which encapsulates the world in 140-character dispatches, is an amazing resource if you know how to use it. The new link is in TO DO: COMPUTER HELP SIMPLIFIED.

New as of May 24, 2009

What It Costs: "Everything Costs Something" is the way WhatItCosts.com bills its site which provides costs associated with a wide variety of products and services. Categories include Business, Fashion & Style, Go Green, Health, Historical, Hobbies, Home & Garden, Out There, People, Recreation, Sports & Fitness, Top Ten, Travel, Weddings. Whether you're looking for something you can afford, or just browsing through what others can (and do) purchase, you'll find this interesting. The new link is in TO DO: REFERENCE:MISCELLANEOUS. Before clicking through, however, read on...

55 Ways to Get More Energy: Now, who doesn't need that? At least once a week. You'll find most of these to be something you can try, and you may just try all fifty-five. Information covered includes dietary advice and lifestyle advise, and jump starting your day when you're in a slump. Now you can click through to TO DO: REFERENCE:MISCELLANEOUS.

How to Nail an Interview: "20 Job Interview Tips" from GetRichSlowly. Good practical tips which can be used in almost any job interview, and hopefully, which when applied, will result in the applicant moving to the top of the group being interviewed. The new link is in TO DO: REFERENCE:BUSINESS.

New as of May 17, 2009

How to do basic first aid: Wikihow's Basics allow you to "quickly determine a person's physical condition and the correct course of treatment." A clear outline, step by step, is illustrated where necessary. Also, you can get Wikihow on your iPhone these days, so you can read it there as well. The new link has been added to the Medical Info Section. Before clicking through, though, read on for another med-related item....

A Stitch in Time: Before surgery, there are things you should know. "Sealing the Deal: What You need to Know Before Going under the Knife" is a Scientific American article and slide show that provides you helpful information on the differences between needles, sutures, adhesives, staples, and the various materials they are made from, and what differences the choices can make. Of course, if you don't want to discuss these things with your doctor, you don't have to. But why not access all the info you can? Click through to TO DO: MEDICAL INFO.

Yes, you can tweet about truly important global issues. But you can tweet about some incredibly local issues as well. "Tweet Street: 7 Extraordinary Twitter Uses in the Home" will remind you that technology can sometimes get so close you can hear it breathe. The link is here only: have fun!

New as of May 10, 2009

Crime and Clues: CrimeAndClues.com's contents include: Crime Scene Investigation, Fingerprint Evidence, Physical Evidence, Demonstrative Evidence, Digital Evidence, Testimonial Evidence, Behavioral Evidence, Death Investigation, and other categories with current and interesting articles on all of these subjects. Archived entries go back to the Year 2000. As the site itself says, the information is "not a substitute for training or personal experience," but it does provide access to interesting material. The new link is in LAW LIBRARY: CRIMINAL LAW.

Med Links added this week include: (1) WebMD Allergies Health Center, which helps explain the many causes of allergy attacks and the methods of mitigating those reactions; (2) Orphanet, a portal for rare diseases and orphan drugs, a highly specialized area of medicine and treatment; and (3) HealthMap's Global Disease Alert Map, which will help you not only track the H1N1 (Swine) flu virus, but also other illnesses worldwide. These links join the many helpful resources already in TO DO: MEDICAL INFO ONLINE. Check out the new additions now!

All that glitters isn't gold: Here's a worthwhile website - "Evaluating Information Found on the Internet," from The Sheridan Libraries at Johns Hopkins. It reminds us that just because so much information is available, it doesn't make it reliable. This helpful site takes you through various steps to evaluate internet information, much the same methods you would use to evaluate printed information. A helpful guide to casual and to serious researchers, the new link has been added to COMPUTER HELP SIMPLIFIED.

New as of May 3, 2009

What on earth is Sporcle? Is it catching? And if I want it, where do I find it? It's fun, it's not catching, and it's here:

Sporcle is an innovative site chock full of quizzes of all sorts. Think you know your geography? Not so fast. Think you can handle tricky plurals of English language words? How about naming elements of the periodic table, or the 9 planets, in order, from the sun? How about some multiplication and some constellations thrown in for good measure? We all like to think we know the basics really well, but it never hurts to check it out.

Links to some great Sporcle quizzes have been added to TO DO: GAMES and to JUST FOR KIDS, so they're easy to find:

 (1)  GEOGRAPHY: Name US States, Name European Countries, Name African Countries, Name North American Countries, Name Asian Countries, Name South American Countries, Name World Countries, Name US Capitals; (2) HISTORY: Name 13 Original Colonies, US State Name Origins Quiz, Name Landmark US Supreme Court Cases; (3) LANGUAGE: Pluralized Versions of English Words; (4) MATH: Complete Numbers in Multiplication Tables; (5) SCIENCE: Name Elements of Periodic Table, Name 9 Planets in Order from Sun, Name the Constellations.

 No matter how well you do in subject areas which haven't changed since you've been in school, I'll wager that the European countries and the African countries will give you a run for your money. Check out the links in TO DO: GAMES and JUST FOR KIDS!

New as of April 26, 2009

Twazzup? Twitter: Ready or not, Twitter has taken on the world. This new phenom, microblogging, makes users say what they've got on their minds in 140 characters or less. And the tweets are coming from all over the planet, on every topic imaginable. Are you tweeting yet? Even if you're not tweeting, you'd be amazed what you can learn by searching twitters. Earlier, a link to the official Twitter Search was added to TO DO: COMPUTER HELP SIMPLIFIED. Now, the following Twit-Resources are added, so you can jump right in: (1)Twazzup - described as Twitter search on steroids; (2) Tweetzi - with real-time play and pause feature (yes, tweets come in that fast, really); (3) Tweefind - lets you choose English tweets or all languages; (4) Flaptor Twitter Search - a pretty good one. (5) And, for fun, there's a Twitter visualization site, Twittearth.com, that has to be seen to be believed - where twitts all over the place are popping up on a 3D globe. Finally, (6) there's "Top 13 Twitter Don'ts - Want to Keep Your Twitter Followers Happy? Avoid These Microblogging Faux Pas." Now there's the phrase of the week for sure: microblogging faux pas. Makes all your other challenges seem minor, trivial, doesn't it? The new links are in TO DO: COMPUTER HELP SIMPLIFIED.

PDF Books and Documents can't hide from this handy search that ferrets them out for you. PDF format documents and presentations are often perhaps not intended for mass distribution, but contain a wealth of information. Try the search at Search-PDF-Books.com through the new link on the 'NET SEARCH PAGE on this site and see if you're not amazed. Their search page says there are over 225,000,000 free e-books.

Is food still good? StillTasty.com is a website that bills itself as Your Ultimate Shelf Life Guide, letting you know whether to keep or toss food and beverages, and giving you ideas on how best to store them. Search by name of food or beverage, or browse the categories: Fruits, Vegetables, Dairy & Eggs, Meat & Poultry, Fish & Shellfish, Nuts & Legumes, Grains & Pasta, Condiments & Oils, Herbs & Spices, Snacks & Sweets, Baked Goods, Beverages. There's even a section on "The Secret to Keeping Fruit Luscious" (refrigerate or not). The new link is in TO DO: RECIPES TOO GOOD NOT TO BE SOUTHERN as well as in TO DO: REFERENCE.

Chris Cillizza's "The Fix"is required reading to keep ahead of Inside the Beltway Politics. A seasoned staffer at the Washington Post, Cillizza often appears as an analyst on various news shows. The new link has been added to the NEWS SECTION of this site, where you can check daily on the world around you.

The latest info on the flu: CDC's Swine Flu Investigation and information on what you can do to stay safe, what symptoms, are, etc. - it's all here on the Centers for Disease Control's official website. The link is here only (CDC Swine Flu Investigation & Information Page) - check back any time you need updated information (make sure to refresh the page).

New as of April 17 & 19, 2009

Earth Day Cards: 3 new cards to help you share the global April 22 celebration with family and friends. They've been added to the extensive collection on the POSTCARDS PAGE on this site, which now has 1045 different cards from which you may choose. The cards shown at right are (1) Earth Day - Protect Our Nest, (2) Earth Day April 22 (same as the wallpaper), and (3) Earth Day: Believe in the Future by treating the earth gently now." Earth Day is no longer an event for just a few - it's an observance that should affect all of us. There are a few hold-outs who don't believe in global warming - perhaps we can rescue them with a raft when they get stranded. In the meantime, celebrate the day and send some cards - these require no postage, no trees cut down to produce, and arrive instantly.
The above item was added April 17.

Offshore Tax Shelters: Got One? Probably not. But you should be interested because a lot of corporations do, and because they do, they don't pay their fair share of taxes. Guess who's left to pay them? Washington-based US Public Interest Research Group has released a report, prepared with data from the General Accountability Office (GAO), congressional studies and Internal Revenue Service reports. It's called "Tax Shell Game - the Taxpayer Cost of Offshore Corporate Tax Havens" and it shows how 83 of the 100 biggest corporations in the country avoid taxes by maintaining foreign subsidiaries in off-shore locations. It puts a burden on all individual taxpayers of about $100 billion that's not being paid in. So before you run off to a tea party, perhaps you'd better have a cup of this. The link is here only.
The above item was added April 17.

You May Have Met Conficket Already: A Worm That May Turn your computer into a hijacked machine: Check to see if you are infected, and learn more about how Conficker works. It targets Microsoft operating systems, and does neat things like disable your Windows Automatic Update and Windows Security Center, for example. It first showed up in November 2008, but was supposed to have had a big effect in April. People are noticing strange things about how their Microsoft systems are working these days. Don't become a victim. Check out the Conficker Working Group site and learn more about what you can do to prevent this, and if you have it, how you can get rid of it. The new link is in TO DO: COMPUTER HELP SIMPLIFIED.
The above item was added April 17.

What would you do with an entire century of time? Boggles the mind. However, many do it. Your webmaster's grandmother lived to be 105 years old. Check out the "Living to 100 Life Expectancy Calculator" and find out how likely you are to make the 100-year mark. The survey asks about health, habits and history, and comes up with a figure. Worth checking, wouldn't you say? The new link is in TO DO: MEDICAL INFO ONLINE, where you'll find lots of other helpful health resources as well. You can invite me to your 100th, as I came up with an answer of 107 years and so I may be around then.
The above item was added April 17.

Instructional Videos collected from over 1700 websites and assembled by WonderHowTo in categories as varied as Computers & Programming, Hobbies & Toys, Home & Garden, Magic & Parlor Tricks, Pets & Animals, Travel, et cetera. There's a "Wonder of the Day," and specially chosen "Spotlights," "Fresh Videos" and "Hot Videos."  Instructional videos can't do the work for you, but they can simplify your task by giving you the knowledge you need. And in a tight economy, more and more of us are seeking ways to do things ourselves. The new link is in TO DO: REFERENCE.
The above item was added April 17

Genealogy Researchers will find these links from Bob's Genealogy Filing Cabinet II to be most helpful. They're in 6 categories: "Interpreting Colonial Records - Some Legal and Other Helpful Hints," "Wills, Probate, Succession and Inheritance," "Parish Records," "Headrights," "Tithables," "Names and Naming Practices." All 18 of the links are added here - sometimes websites come and websites go, and as Craig Kilbey has suggested, these links should be in a safe place. Since this site has been running for over 11 years, it's probably a good repository. See and explore them now in LAW LIBRARY: GENEALOGY.
The above item was added April 19.

New as of April 11, 2009

Do your part  in the fight against global warming: plant a tree, or better yet, lots of them! Have you noticed how all the forests are disappearing in Virginia, especially in the Northern Neck? They took a lifetime to grow (the hardwood stands), and if we don't replace them, at least with some in our yards, it puts a stress on the ecosystem. There's a new link to "How to Plant a Tree" by WikiHow - so that after you pick out your tree and bring it home, you'll know just how to plant it, and when. Early spring is listed as one of the good times to plant a tree, so get busy! The new link is in TO DO: GARDENING. As the article says, "Planting a tree isn't as simple as just digging a hole and throwing the tree it in it."

Drives you crazy when you can't get a site to load, doesn't it? Me, too. Sometimes you want to know "is it down for everyone or just me?" Obviously, the site "downforeveryoneorjustme.com" has had the same frustrations. Type in the URL of the site you can't reach, and get the answer instantly. A handy thing! The new link is in TO DO: COMPUTER HELP SIMPLIFIED. But before you click through, read on . . .

What's all the buzz about Twitter? Well, you can search Twitter to see if the application that's giving you headaches is giving other people problems. You can learn a lot from these little 140-character posts! The new link from SearchTwitter.com has been added to TO DO: COMPUTER HELP SIMPLIFIED. And if you are wondering what people tweet about, it's anything and everything - go to Extraordinary-Twitter-Updates (link here only) to see "10 Most Extraordinary Twitter Updates" to see some that astounded even those who are used to watching!

What's for dinner? Ever draw a blank when that question hits you? No more! There's a new link to Recipe Bridge which will almost think for you. It searches more than 200 recipe websites and blogs. You can get results in categories, including "gourmet." Search by ingredients - try it out! You'll find this in the section of this site that has a surprising amount of culinary links - TO DO: RECIPES TOO  GOOD NOT TO BE SOUTHERN.

More Peeps! Last week I included a link to "Fun with Peeps," a project of The Chicago Tribune. For instance, the one at left is "Where's Waldo?" There's nothing here that will necessarily make your quality of life better, but if it causes you to chuckle, hey, that's worth it. The link to The Chicago Tribune's "Fun with Peeps" is here only.

 But wait - there's more! The Washington Post's "Peep Shows III" includes 40 amazing tableaux of peeps and peepiness extreme. Go ahead, have a look, chuckle a bit, and the reason, in case you've forgotten, is "just because." The link to the peeposterous Post section is here only!

New as of April 5, 2009

Get Outside! It's too pretty to be indoors. Watch the pollen, but enjoy the sunshine. And, if you're starting to think "garden," begin with some interesting gardening reading.
(1) Gardener's Guide to Global Warming (from the National Wildlife Foundation) has an interesting interactive map that will show you if your state's flower and/or tree will continue to grow in your state, if global warming continues. Site sections also include a timeline showing the "creep" of USDA hardiness zones between 1990 and 2006. In our area, note that the zone line has crept above DC. There's also a list of America's most NOT wanted invasive plants with suggested substitutes.
(2) "Monticello: The Vegetable Garden" is a fascinating look at Mr. Jefferson's gardening. Sections include the Site of the Vegetable Garden, Jefferson: Scientist and Gardener, Nineteenth-Century Vegetables and Cultivation Techniques, the Vegetable Garden Today, and facts and figures about the Monticello Vegetable Garden. Links on the site take you to the Center for Historic Plants and more.
Both links have been added to TO DO: GARDENING AND LANDSCAPING. What's a Gardening and Landscaping Section doing on a law site? My, my, you are a new visitor, aren't you. Go ahead, have fun, dive in - there's lots here to explore!

Read Poetry in Your Adirondack Chair: Why not? It will make the neighbors wonder what you've been up to.  All you need is your laptop and a good wireless network, and you're all set. (They'll think you're hard at work on some business or school project, and admire you for doing that on such a nice day). There are already many good selections on this site in LAW LIBRARY: ELECTRONIC TEXTS: POETRY, and today I've added "Poetry: Lesson Plans" from the Edsitement web site of the National Endowment for the Humanities. It presents an array of topics which examine specific types of poetry, and the poetry of specific authors. Whether you're a teacher looking for lesson plans, or a reader who'd just like to make poetry more accessible for yourself, it's a good resource - check it out now in LAW LIBRARY: ELECTRONIC TEXTS: POETRY. The poetry projects you'll find here will keep your lawn chair from becoming a "yawn chair."

New as of March 29, 2009

"Senior Citizens' Handbook: Law & Programs Affecting Senior Citizens in Virginia, 2009 Edition" is a project of the Senior Lawyers Conference of the Virginia State Bar, with funding in part from the Virginia Law Foundation.

 Sections include (1) Social Security, (2) Pensions, (3) Food Stamp Program, (4) Federal Tax Relief, (5) Health Care: Medicaid, Medicare, Alzheimer's Disease; (6)Long Term Care: Nursing Homes, Assisted Living Facilities, Adult Day Care, Home Care; (7) Continuing Care Retirement Communities, (8)Housing, (9)Reverse Mortgages, (10)Planning for the Future: Divorce and the Elderly, Real Estate Transfers, Probate and Estate Administration; (11)Advance Directives, (12)Power of Attorney and Durable Power of Attorney, (13)Funeral Services, (14) Benefits, (15) Protection of Legal Rights: when you need a lawyer and how to find one, (16)Consumer Guide, (17)Discrimination, (18)Grandparent Rights, (19)Elder Abuse, (20)Alternative Dispute Resolution, and (21)Helpful Contacts.

This 104 page publication is in PDF format and can be accessed from the LAW LIBRARY: VIRGINIA GOVERNMENT Section. If you choose, you can save it to your own computer, print it out and share it with others. If you're not old enough to need this detailed publication, perhaps you have neighbors who are, or your parents might be interested in seeing it.

New as of March 22, 2009

A Quick Read, Literally: The New York Times Article Skimmer is sort of a Cliff's Guide to the NYT. You'll find articles quickly summed up so you can scan in seconds what might take you a very long time. In your never-ending quest to maximize your productivity, you'll appreciate this. The new link has been added to the NEWS Section so you can get your daily fix of news from all over, faster!

Tweet Treat: TweetCongress.org lets you tweet your Congressperson to convey (in a limited number of characters) to a limited number of characters your sentiments on the health of the nation, and what they are doing to help it, stymie it, or flat kick it to death. You can locate your senator or representative and get their Twitter address, and if they don't tweet, you can sign a petition which requests that they do. You're behind the curve any more if you don't tweet. The new link to TweetCongress.org has been added to LAW LIBRARY: US GOVERNMENT. This helpful way to express yourself was suggested by frequent visitor to this site, Bob Boice. Thanks!

Paws Here for Info: Take good care of your pets! They take care of you! They always care when we've had a bad day, or need company. ASPCA has two sites: Cat Care and Dog Care, which provide information in the following categories: Health Library, General library, Pet Care Tips, Nutrition Library, Poison Control, Grooming Library, Visiting Your Vet. There's helpful information on providing care for elderly pets, and fortunately, since we are doing a better job of taking care of them, there are more older pets around. The new links have been added to TO DO: MEDICAL INFO.

Bias? In newspapers? It used to be that media outlets, particularly newspapers, went to great lengths to present objective views in news articles, and saved their opinions for the editorial page. Now it seems that media has polarized itself to the extent that some of us would rather die than watch Fox News, and others would go apoplectic at MSNBC. It's not just what we see, it's newspapers, too, but it's usually more subtle there. The WikiHow article, "How to Recognize Bias in a Newspaper Article" may help you understand where your publisher is coming from. If you know what the bias is, and that it is present, you have a choice to make - do you continue to support that newspaper, or say no thanks and go elsewhere. But first, you've got to know! Check it out. This new article is linked to here only: "How to Recognize Bias in a Newspaper Article." Oh, and by the way, wouldn't it be truly terrific if there were no bias in journalism today? News is, do remember, the who, what, where, when and sometimes why of what has happened - no more.

New as of March 15, 2009

New for St. Patrick's Day: A new e-card has been added to the St. Patrick's Day Postcards you'll find on the POSTCARDS PAGE on this website in the HOLIDAYS SECTION. There are 5 other choices for you, including several vintage ones. This one allows you to send your greetings specifically as "Your Friend in Virginia." This addition brings the total to 1042, all free, send at any time! While other postcard sites may either charge you a fee, or assault you with that horrible winky-blinky advertising, there's none of that on the POSTCARDS PAGE. Newest selections are on the main page of the POSTCARDS PAGE, and there are 14 specialized sections to choose from. Enjoy looking around, and send some St. Patrick's Day cards!

The Big Book of iTunes is in PDF form, and is free to download. MakeUseOf.com brings you this great collection of more than 50 pages of iTunes tips, which will show you how to automatically organize and tag your music, add lyrics and cover art, share your iTunes library with others, create ring tones from your songs, access your iTunes library from other PCs and mobile devices, use iTunes shortcuts, etc. Check it out now and download the "Big Book of iTunes" from TO DO: COMPUTER HELP SIMPLIFIED. There are now 15,000 apps - what are you waiting for?? Blackberries are for dessert, silly.

Nicknames: Not Just New - Older Than You! Family history research often takes interesting twists and turns. In fairly late research, say after 1850, census takers recorded the names of everyone in the household, but sometimes their spelling wasn't the best - and sometimes they used nicknames. What's the real name behind the nickname? How do you figure it out? Two sites can help. Rootsweb's "Female Nicknames Commonly Used by English, Scottish & Irish" also has sections on British naming patterns, 18th Century German Naming Customs, Scottish Naming Patterns, and Colonial Naming Customs. The Connecticut State Library's "A Listing of Some 18th and 19th Century American Nicknames" is also of great assistance in unraveling these naming customs and patterns. The two new links have been added to LAW LIBRARY: GENEALOGY, where you'll find a lot of valuable links to speed you on your way in genealogical research.

In the news: Plenty of controversy over stem cells these days. But what do you know about them? How do they work? What can they offer? What types are there? HowStuffWorks is a respected source of online information. I've added a link to their article, "How Stem Cells Work," which provides "brief background about stem cells, pluripotent cells that can develop into every cell, and related matters. Topics include how stem cells operate, acquiring embryonic stem cells for research, replicating stem cells in a lab, research challenges, using stem cells to treat disease, and controversy over research." You'll learn something from this article. And if you are opposed to the use of the expansion of embryonic stem cell research, I'm sorry, I didn't catch the names of which relatives you want to die of otherwise curable disease because of a stand based on a limited number of stem cell lines being open for research? The link has been added to TO DO: MEDICAL INFO.

CTRL your P's & Q's Online, Too: Bob Boice, a frequent visitor to NNVA Law Page, suggested this link. I'm not sure if he thinks I need it, or you need it, but it was a good suggestion nevertheless! NetManners.com's page on "Netiquette: Network Etiquette, Email Etiquette, and Proper Technology Use" covers the basics. You'll be reminded that typing in all caps is yelling, and I would add, typing in all lower case indicates a need for therapy for self-esteem matters. Sending unannounced large attachments that shut down the receiver's e-mail is a problem. Remember to add a friendly note when forwarding things. It's a worthwhile read! It's been added to COMPUTER HELP SIMPLIFIED.

An Idea to Warm Up To: Get Cookin' - Darfur is a tragedy for those directly involved, and for those of us who sit back and watch and go, tsk-tsk, and don't do anything. The Solar Cooker Project is a practical way to help - it won't solve the whole thing, but it is a way to help get started. Most of the quarter-million Darfur refugees living in camps in Chad are women; most of those women are in very real danger of being attacked (beaten, raped, branded) when they leave camp to find firewood. These solar cookers mean they don't have to leave camp. Read the brochure. If you think you can help, please do. It won't solve the misery of Darfur, but it will keep some of it from getting worse. The link is here only: Darfur Solar Cooker Project. Make a difference!

Remember Me: A powerful reminder of how many ways we are related to the crises all around the world and the people we send to work there. This YouTube video is well worth a few minutes of your time. After you see it, send a thank you to whoever this reminds you of. It's not too late to do that, but one day it may be.  And, for God's sake (and for ours - all of ours), pray for peace around the world - and do something to make it happen. We need these fine people home, and we need our resources right here for what our country is going through at home. I am a pacifist who has never supported war, and sees it as a chess game played by aging old men who use other people's children as their pawns. But I will always support and stand up for the people who are caught in this awful dilemma. May they all come home safely, and soon.

Real Life Saver:  Save your child or grandchild or neighbor's child by reading this and passing it on. This week's "Washington Post Magazine" has an article on the tragedy of children who are left unattended in vehicles who die. Obviously parents don't do this intentionally - they are victims of stress, preoccupation with schedules, lots of things. However, there are some simple tips to keep this from ever happening again. They are worth reading: "Always put something you'll need for work - cell phone, handbag, employee badge, etc., on the floor of the back seat, near the child. Keep a large teddy bear in the child's car seat when it's not occupied. When the child is placed in the seat, put the teddy bear up front in the passenger seat. It's a visual reminder that anytime the teddy bear is in the passenger seat, the child is in the back. Make arrangements with the child's day care provider or babysitter that you will always call them if your child will not be there on a particular day as scheduled. Ask them to always phone you if your child does not show up as expected." Just a few small ways to prevent something awful from happening. This is worth passing on. Ironically, this became a more serious problem with the advent of placing children's car seats in the back, where they are not always easily visible. It was supposed to be for safety. Unfortunately, we do live and learn, but not all the children survive adults' inadequacies.

New as of March 7, 2009

Secret Square: On the Home Page of this site, there's a secret square that will be really handy for you to be able to access. Just beside the Cople Yearbook icon, move your mouse horizontally and you'll see that there's a hidden link with a message to "Click here to check Snopes!"  Snopes.com is the best urban myth debunker on the internet. When you get those forwarded e-mails and wonder if they are true, before passing them out, check it out at Snopes. There's a search box for your searches, and you'll see categories for browsing. Chances are good, if it's circulating on the 'net, Snopes knows its veracity.

10 New E-cards: Frequent visitors to this site know that there are over 1000 free postcards which can be sent at any time, advertising-free. 10 new ones have been added this week, bringing to actual total to 1041 cards. These are scenes of the snow we had this past week in the Northern Neck - you can send them now while the memory's fresh, or wait until mid-August when the temperature and the humidity is really up there and you need to cool off. Thumbnails below - click and you'll see a full-sized version. Either way, take a look now at the new designs on the POSTCARDS PAGE.
 

The New Yorker Online version has most of the stories, articles and columns which appear in the print edition, plus the cartoons and humor you've come to expect in the paper mag. The new link has been added to the NEWS Section of this site (LAW LIBRARY: PERIODICALS) where you can not only read the New Yorker, but lots of other current periodicals you've come to enjoy. Whether it's local obits you're looking for, or national news or commentary, you'll find it in this section of this site. While you're roaming around in the NEWS Section, also check out the new link to PoliticalIrony.com, where you can be skewered from all sides. Not for the humble or the sensitive, but then, who is, these days?

Fortunes told by tea readers: are they inspired, or just another clever ruse? You decide, but while you're deciding, go to the new site that's up from TeaUsa.com. Not just from your friendly local neighborhood gypsy, this tea site gives you the inside skinny on how to decipher what the mystical tea leaves are telling you.  Even if you don't use it to predict your next week's market loss, you can bedevil and bedazzle at your next gathering of friends. The new link, "Reading Tea Leaves," has been added, appropriately, to TO DO: PREDICTIONS - PERSONAL, where you can find ways to divine your future via Tarot, astrology, I-Ching, and probably some things you've never heard of before. Are they parlor games? Are you sure?

New as of March 2 and February 29, 2009

Update from March 2, 2009:
Susan Rager's Bio Page on this site got an update about a year ago when the office moved to its new location. Now, since Susan is on Facebook, there's a need for a new photo, so it's also been added to the SGR Biographical Information page on this site. Coincidentally, it's snowing on March 2, a highly unlikely event in Historic Downtown Coles Point anymore. Could it be that it's the "it'll be a cold day when . . ." theory? Anyway, the picture's up. Photo by Don Rager.

Updates from February 22, 2009:
50 Years Ago there were twelve grades of students at Cople School in Westmoreland County. No kindergarten. Just grades 1 through 12. All in the same building. All riding the same buses. All eating in the same cafeteria. Your webmaster has all the Cople annuals for the time she was there. In 1959, she was a seventh grader. Since many do not have their yearbooks, I decided to photograph all the yearbook pages from 1959 and put them up on a special page. So here they are, for you to enjoy your trip down memory lane, and for you youngsters, to see how it was done back in the day. There are dozens of photos, and the new page has all of the thumbnails (click on them to be taken to the full-size photos). Enjoy this special COPLE TRAVELER 1959 YEARBOOK SECTION.

New as of February 22, 2009

Washington's Real Birthday is February 22, not some federally mandated shared holiday where everyone gets another long weekend. So celebrate his real birthday by sending some Washington's Birthday e-cards to your friends and family. There are some nifty vintage cards on the POSTCARDS PAGE's HOLIDAYS SECTION, so check them out now - no postage to add, instant delivery, no advertisiing.

Health Info: (1)The pro's and con's of aspirin are debated on the Daily Aspirin Therapy section of the Mayo Clinic's website, which helps patients understand the benefits and the risks of taking an aspirin a day.  (3) HealthFinder.gov is the US Department of Health & Human Services' new website, and includes the following sections: Quick Guide to Healthy LIving, Personal Health Tools, Health A-Z, Health News, Find Services and Information, and Popular Requests. Both of these links have been added to TO DO: MEDICAL INFO ONLINE, where you'll find a wealth of other health information resources from reputable sources.

Reading Resources:  (1)The Plays of William Shakespeare: Electronic Literature Foundation's presentation of the plays of the famous Englishman; each play is individually searchable, and has concordance and quotes sections. It's been added to LAW LIBRARY: ELECTRONIC TEXTS ONLINE: INDIVIDUAL AUTHORS.
 (2) Famous Quotes & Authors lets you browse by topics, and has lists of quotes by author, most popular (quotes and authors), and there's a random quotes section as well. One which is particularly memorable is by Mother Teresa: "If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other." It's been added to LAW LIBRARY: QUOTATIONS. 

New as of February 15, 2009

Almost a Dozen: "11 Great Hidden Things that Google Can Do That You Should Know" is a handy page from SmashingApps that shows you (1) how to browse any site via Google cached pages; (2) how to see the weather for US and other cities; (3) how to use the Google calculator for complex calculations; (4) how to get related information about any site; (5) how to convert different currency with Google; (6) how to get updated with airline flight status; (7) how to track UPS, FEDEX or USPS package shipping directly from Google; (8) how to use Google for dictionary definitions; (9) how to know the time in any other city or country with Google; (10) how to see the map for any city or country with Google; and (11) how to use Google for unit conversion. The new link is in TO DO: COMPUTER HELP SIMPLIFIED, and of course, there's a Google search box on the home page of this site and at the top of the What's New page, as well as on the NET SEARCH Page. Good Googling!

Helpful Resources: (1) Sometimes we all just need a printable checklist - so here's one so simple you won't believe it. To add items, just click on the plus sign. Print it out when you're done! The new link has been added to TO DO: REFERENCE: EVERYDAY LIVING.  Also added to the REFERENCE SECTION is (2) OwnerIQ, a site where you can find manuals for products you own, including hard-to-find manuals and how-to guides. If you know where all your manuals are, that's great. If you're like the rest of us, this link will prove helpful - it's in TO DO: REFERENCE: HOW-TO.  (3)  Sometimes it's a matter of doing your homework, and sometimes it's a matter of clarifying details about something you've already read - either way, GradeSaver Study Guides offer chapter analyses and summaries, character and theme lists, author biographies and more, for free; it's searchable by title or author. The new link has been added to LAW LIBRARY: ELECTRONIC TEXTS ONLINE. 

New as of February 8 & 10, 2009

Added Feb.10: Reminder: Send free cards from the special section of Valentine's cards on the POSTCARDS PAGE. 

Added Feb.8:

Job Skills: Time to clean up your pronunciation - you never know whether it will be the skill that keeps you hired, or gets you hired. YourDictionary.com's "100 Most Often Mispronounced Words and Phrases in English" serves as a handy short course in correct pronunciations of words and phrases you hear mangled all the time, by people in elevated positions who should know better.  Our last President mispronounced "nuclear" consistently - either he was asleep at the wheel or didn't care what the correct pronunciation was. Don't you make the same mistake - people notice. I noticed! The link has been added to TO DO: REFERENCE: LANGUAGE.

Student Resources: World Wide School Library contains over 2300 titles of online books and resources. Students and teachers may find this resource helpful. 1500 links to literature as well as links to online books in many different subject areas. The link has been added to TO DO: JUST FOR KIDS, which is a page of learning resources for students of all ages from pre-school on up.

Employment: The topic du jour - Layoff Daily shows not only who's laying off employees and where this is occurring, but also (a bright spot) where hiring is happening. The trouble is, the laying off may be taking place where you are, and the hiring may be someplace else. However, it's a good compilation from the day's news. And there's even a new iPhone app in the works for this. Check it out through TO DO: REFERENCE: EMPLOYMENT. and also through LAW LIBRARY: PERIODICALS.

New as of January 31, 2009

Analyze it: If you'd like to know the straight scoop on proposed legislation from the Congressional Budget Office, check out the new Congressional Budget Office Director's Blog, where you'll find a summary and the Recovery and Reinvestment Act, not just what various news commentators think of it. No legislation ever meets everyone's requirements, but it's important to know accurate details, so you can agree or disagree from an informed point of view. The link is here only.

Peanuts in the News! There's an expansive recall of peanut products linked to a particular plant in Georgia. It's important because the contaminated product causes salmonella typhimurium, which has led to deaths and hospitalizations. While you may not have contaminated peanut butter, it's amazing how far the contaminated peanut paste may have traveled. You can search or browse a products list, and learn more about the recall by clicking here to visit the FDA's Recall of Peanut-Containing Products: Salmonella Typhimurium page.

New as of January 25 & 28, 2009

Ever wish that you had a handy way to download a video you've seen on YouTube, or find on other online places? Orbit Downloader may be your best answer. It occupies a small footprint, and allows you to download videos, music and streaming media from MySpace, YouTube, Imeem, Pandora, Rapidshare and more. The new link is in TO DO: COMPUTER HELP SIMPLIFIED.

Text to Voice: This e-mail application allows you to convert text to voice, and then will let you forward it to any e-mail address. Called BlindSpeak, it is also appropriate for those, say, who are recovering from cataract surgery. The new link has been added to TO DO: COMPUTER HELP SIMPLIFIED.

New as of January 18, 2009

56th Presidential Inaugural Events are close enough, geographically, for us to participate. However, getting there and getting around might be truly interesting with the predictions of anywhere between 1-1/2 million and 5 million attendance. But you can check the schedule of events from your desktop through the link here. And keep up with the historic events of the week ahead!

Sharing Large Files can be a real pain. Check out 3 new links in TO DO: COMPUTER HELP SIMPLIFIED which will help: (1) Drop.io - add one file or many to "drops" with permanent URLs you can share; (2) File Dropper - upload files up to 5GB and get a permanent link to share; (3) YouSendIt - upload file, select e-mail addresses, and YouSendIt does the rest; recipients receive link to download the file. Before clicking through, read on . . .

Photo Fun: Big Huge Labs' Flickr Toys allow you to make magazine covers, jigsaw puzzles, calendars, billboards and other novelty applications using photos you upload from your own files, for free. Check it out in TO DO: COMPUTER HELP SIMPLIFIED.

Evermore Edgar Allan Poe - his birthday was 200 years ago on January 19. Three websites celebrate his literary contributions: "Nevermore 2009" (Baltimore); "Poe Revealed, 1809-2009" (Richmond), and "Times Topics: Edgar Allan Poe." Baltimore and Richmond both boast unique ties with the moody author, and the Times site provides additional info. The links are in LAW LIBRARY: ELECTRONIC TEXTS.

New as of January 11, 2009

We're off to see the wizard - the wonderful Wizard of Oz! Frank Baum's children's classic is really magic for all ages. Read the 1900 edition in PDF format through the new link in LAW LIBRARY: ELECTRONIC TEXTS ONLINE. And whether you need courage, or a brain, or a heart, you'll find something in this great tale that teaches that we already have all we need for the journey! 

Grave Subjects updated - Really - there's a section on the GENEALOGY PAGE called Grave Subjects, which deals with death-related issues. Dora has written in to say that the link to "Old Disease Names and their Modern Definitions"  has changed. Why would you need to know about this? Genealogists will tell you that some of the causes of death are not very recognizable in today's terminology. This helps explain those ancient entries. Thanks for the info, Dora!

Free Books 4 Doctors: Why should you care- can't they afford their own? Well, it should be important to you because you get to see the same information they do, but for free. The new link takes you to FreeBooks4Doctors, where you will find 630 titles, sorted by specialty. Not that you need to know as much as your doctor, but it never hurts to be an informed patient. The new link has been added to TO DO: MEDICAL INFO ONLINE.

Cheat Sheets: Why do you need them? See for yourself. Here are 4 valuable cheat sheets that give you the inside skinny on Google, Gmail, Windows, and Internet Explorer 7. Chances are you  use one or more of these, and chances are you could save some time by clicking on the following links which are here only: Google Cheat Sheet, Gmail Cheat Sheet, Windows Cheat Sheet, IE7 Cheat Sheet.

New as of January 4, 2009

3 New Cards  are added to the site this week, giving a grand total of 1031 free postcards available to send for almost any occasion, or just to say hello to friends and family. The card server, in Alberta, Canada, runs on Linux, so there's no chance you will be sending virus-laden cards. The new additions are (1) the photograph from the wallpaper of the week this week (minus the caption, so you can send it at any time), (2) a second sunset from the past week with the slogan "Each day comes bearing its own gifts. Untie the ribbon," and (3) a curl of surf at the shore with the Henry VanDyke quote - most recently heard at Herb Barnes' memorial service, about the ship that sails from sight on one shore just as its arrival is anticipated on the other shore, a card for sad times and for transitions. You can find all of these cards (plus 1028 more) in the 14 Sections  of the POSTCARDS PAGE.

2 New Resources giving you the "inside skinny" on rhetorical terms from A to Z. If you know them all already, you've just gotten a new checklist to test your knowledge. If you don't, it's time you learned. Especially with all the talk about rhetoric in the recent presidential campaign, you'll want to know what you're defending, or what you're railing against. The new links go to (1) A Handbook of Rhetorical Devices by Robert A. Harris on the VirtualSalt website, and (2) A Glossary of Rhetorical Terms with  Examples from the University of Kentucky's Division of Classics, Department of Modern and Classical Languages, Literatures and Cultures. The links are in TO DO: REFERENCE: LANGUAGE, where you'll find other helpful links as well.

GetHuman is a database of contact information for various companies, and how to get through those horrible voice menus to a real human being! What a delightful resource. What a way to start your new year! One for the humans, zero for the programmers. Enjoy! The new link is in TO DO: EVERYDAY LIVING:HOW-TO.

New Resource: HomeworkNYC - powered by New York City's public libraries. provides helpful information in languages, language arts, math, music & art, people, religion & mythology, science, US history & government, world history & geography, etc. Something for everyone in TO DO: REFERENCE: STUDY and on the JUST FOR KIDS page as well. And, no, you're never too old to be a kid or to be  a student. Enjoy!