Boise Bench Lions learning about blogs

I visited Boise Bench Lions yesterday at Casa Mexico.  They invited me to be their guest speaker and tell them just a little about what Lions District 39W is doing to communicate with Lions and the world. 

So in addition to the website, facebook, twitter, the newsletter, and the e-bulletin, I told them about this blog.

The thing about blogs is that they are very easy.  Anyone can start one; anyone can write.  The problem with blogs is that people who start them often end them-rather abruptly.  They just forget them for weeks, months at a time.  Abandonment is the simplest way to lose any readers you might have had.  But I do recommend blogs for Lions Clubs and Leo Clubs because they are so easy to update-just put it on your calendar and write once a week.  (Like I do-yeah, right...That's a "do as I say, not as I do!")

Back to the subject.  The Boise Bench Lions learned where to find this blog and they learned that clicking the comments link below this post and making a comment was highly encouraged.  They wondered if they could copy and paste from MS Word to the comment box, and if there was a limit to the length of their comments.  I'm expecting someone to try that out real soon.

So c'mon Bench Lions, you're on the hot seat!  Comments?

Saving the day

A couple of months ago, District Governor Pat had the unthinkable happen-his computer crashed and he lost everything.  Of course, I asked him why he didn't have his files backed up.  I know, that was simply mean of me.

So this morning when I turned on my laptop to  finish the newsletter-wait, I mean tried to turn it on, because I pushed the power button and NOTHING HAPPENED!  Oh, no, had I lost everything, too?

Not a chance.  This was my old laptop, mind you, that is being replaced with my new toy just as soon as I'm sure that I can navigate the latest changes in  Publisher 2010 that I use for writing the newsletter.  Everything "important" on it is already on my desktop, a flash drive or two, an SD card-you get the idea.  Everything EXCEPT the current issue of Paw Prints....That was a small moment of panic.

Small, because there was a simple fix.  Unplugging the laptop, removing the battery for a minute, reattaching the battery, then powering up.  That allows the laptop to reset, and usually will fix the problem unless the hardware (hard drive, mother board, etc.) is fried.

So, my next step, saving this month's nearly finished newsletter to another computer.  Whew!  I feel better! And I'm just waiting for a photo before I wrap it up and send it out.

While you're waiting, why don't you back up some files? 

Up to the minute...

The Lions Clubs International Convention is coming up in 84 days, 10 hours, 35 minutes, and some seconds.  Wow, how would I know something like that?

I just downloaded the new LCI Convention app for iphone!

With just a touch on my phone, I have the convention schedule, maps of Seattle and the convention center, names and info on all the exhibitors, and all the other news and information about the convention.  There's even a live twitter feed, which, incidentally, just tweeted their new blog post about the app as I am writing this!

If you have an iphone, you will want this app!  Way to go, Lions International!

Seconds are ticking away....35, 34, 33, 31.....