Spreadsheet Tips and Tricks

Ok, I'll just get this out of the way... I LOVE excel spreadsheets. If there is a reason I can find to make one, I'll make one. Its a skill. Its an obsession. Its a problem. Which leads me to the first post in a 5 post series: Spreadsheets 101. 

Anyway, due to my frequent usage (and helping others navigate using them), I have some tips and tricks to share for when you're making a spreadsheet.

Spreadsheet Tips and Tricks

Now, just to be clear, these are tips and tricks to make your spreadsheet look better. I'll be covering specific ways to use spreadsheets in later posts. In this post, I'll only discuss things that are useful in every kind of spreadsheet.

1. Column or Row Size Change. We all know you can change column or row sizes by clicking between headings and dragging the line. But did you know you can auto-adjust a row or column by double-clicking between headings? For this to work, your spreadsheet needs to have data already input. Watch Short Video

Also, you can auto-adjust multiple columns or rows at once. Simply highlight desired columns or rows and double click between 1 selected heading. Watch Short Video

2. Merge. This is one of my favorite tools to make your spreadsheet look better. Sometimes simply merging cells will clean up the way your spreadsheet looks. This is especially helpful if you are giving a professional presentation. Watch Short Video

Now, something to note, after you merge cells, they will automatically adjust to be bottom centered aligned. Sometimes this type of alignment doesn't look that great, so just use your best judgement to play around with the alignment. Watch Short Video

3. Borders. Making borders in your spreadsheet can be tricky, especially if you want to have some sort of odd border. If you want to print all borders, its pretty its pretty simple. In Microsoft Excel, go to Layout > Print > Select Gridlines. Done. 

However, if you want your borders to be something special, there are a few tricks you can do.  Clicking on the border icon will give you several options. Then at the bottom of the border menu, you can see "Border Options." This dialogue box will give you pretty much endless possibilities when it comes to borders. Watch Short Video

Just remember, if something does look how you want it, you can always select edit > undo. Stay tuned for the next post in this series, "Using Spreadsheets for Lists." 

Other Spreadsheet Posts
Tips & Tricks | List | Schedule | Organize | Calculate

Trail Mix: Purple Honey Nut

Ok, so who doesn't LOVE trail mix? I'll answer for you. Pretty much no one. I have a very precise trail mix combination that I make for myself, but sometimes for Nathan I just add random stuff into it. This version is called Purple Honey Nut. 

Ingredients:
1 part marshmallows
1 part dark chocolate m&ms
1 part unsalted peanuts
2 parts honey nut cheerios.

Directions:
1. Dump it all in a bowl
2. Mix it together. Pretty simple.




Review:
Making your own trail mix is always a plus because you can make a lot more mix for your money. I would suggest this for anyone to try. Another thing to note is that you can customize your trail mix. Wanna add raisins? Go ahead! Craving some croutons? Be my guest, but thats gross probably. The point is, if you don't like some of the things in normal trail mixes that you buy at the store, never fear, customization is here. 

I have made several different variations of trail mix and none have been nasty yet. Typically, I divide them up into little packages like in the photo above to make for an easy snack. 

ALSO, trail mix is a great "recipe" for kids. They can choose their own foods to add and mix it themselves. Its a great way to start your small kids in the kitchen. It is not advised to let you cats help you make this, as they will try to eat it all in one sitting.

Book Club

Hello, and welcome to my book club with myself! This summer, we got library cards and I have read several books (which is unlike my current self, but reminiscent of my 3rd grade self). Here are my reviews and recommendations:


For Women Only by Shaunti Feldhahn

This book is great for married women or women who are in a serious relationship. Its an awesome book about the way that men think, act, and react to women. The best thing about it is that it is based on fact, not opinion. Shaunti has developed survey questions asking men about specific topics, and then explained using Biblical principles in words how this can be interpreted by women. Its very informative and just shows how men and women are different. Another great thing about this book is that there is an accompanying book called For Men Only, which is the same concept and is written by Shaunti and her husband. The books suggest for each person to read the opposite first, take notes if you agree or disagree, and then switch, reading your designated book. We have both books and they are very informational about yourself and your spouse. I would recommend these books to anyone who is married, especially if you want to understand the opposite gender better



The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffennegger

This book is a romantic novel with a science-fiction spin on it. I had seen the movie several years ago, and the day we got our library card, I just sort of stumbled upon it, and decided to check it out. This book is very intriguing because it is not in the normal chronological order. It is written in a way that keeps the reader on the edge of the seat, in part due to the nature of time travel. In one chapter Claire might be 6 and Henry might be 39, then in the next chapter Claire might be 22 and Henry might be 28. Its very interesting, but sometimes I had to re-read parts to make sure I fully understand. I would recommend this book to adults, as there allusion to sexual interactions and cussing.



Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

I checked this book out, I suppose, because its considered a classic.  Its the genre of books and movies that I normally find intriguing, which is Utopia/Dystopia. I had no idea what to expect when I started reading this. I thought it was a bit slow at the beginning, but it soon picked up to where I was enjoying it. Basically the main character goes on a philosophical journey from destroying knowledge to passing on knowledge. I don't know the story or history behind this book or the author, but it sort of makes me mad that there is no sequel. Its almost as if the author just got tired of telling this story and just looked for ways to tie up the loose ends. I was not super pleased after I closed the book. It was entertaining enough, but I was disappointed enough to not recommend this.



A Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L'Engle

I decided to re-read this book because I remember liking it from somewhere around 5th or 6th grade. The ONLY thing I remember from this book is a weird scene where the kids arrive on some planet and all of the children on that planet are each bouncing a ball at the same tempo. Well, the second time around, its still weird. Additionally, I found this book more annoying than I remembered. This is probably due to the fact that its written for a 10 year old... Anyway, for a 10 year old, I would recommend; for a 27 year old, I would not. 



Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card

Although I had heard of the title from the movie (of which I haven't seen), I had not realized this was a book, much less a series of books. I decided to read this book because it was on a list I found of 'best science-fiction books' or something like that. Again, not what I expected, but this time, in a good way. Its a story of Ender (the main character) who is sent to battle school in space at the age of 6. It tells his struggles and successes that come with being an exceptional strategist, commander, and overall human. At first I thought this book was considered Young Adult, but it is actually labeled Adult, so take that into consideration. I would definitely recommend this book, and I'm considering reading the sequels. 

Have you read any of these books? What were your opinions of them? Leave a comment below!

Mini-Cation to Chicago

During the beginning of last week (Monday and Tuesday), I had a work conference in Chicago, and we got the idea 1.) for Nathan to accompany me, and 2.) To start heading there on Friday night to enjoy the weekend in Windy City. 

First things first, how are we going to get there? Flying would be too expensive; Driving would be too dangerous (for people no used to driving in the big city) AND parking is ridiculous! So a train it is! 

First, we drove to Carbondale to catch the train on Saturday morning at 3:30 am. I thought the train ride would be a bit more eventful, because, I mean, it's a train.... But since it was in the middle of the night, everyone slept. #adventure

Finally, we arrived and after several minutes of frustratingly dragging our bags around, we decided to get an Uber. I've ridden in a taxi before, but never an Uber. Because the Uber drivers are based around customer's reviews via smartphones, they are extremely motivated to complete a more than satisfactory job! Uber gets 2 thumbs up.

Then, almost immediately after dropping off our bags at the hotel, we walked to our first activity: a city walking tour. We chose Chicago Walking Tours: Free Tours by Foot. On our tour we got to learn and explore Chicago's downtown area, somewhat confined to the Loop. We learned the history of Chicago, traveled inside several significant buildings, saw the start of Route 66, and ended at Millennium Park (known for the bean). This is our 3rd destination where we have completed a walking tour, and this is one of our favorite traditions! 

After our middle-of-the-night train ride and our (over) 2-hour walking tour, we were exhausted, so a nap decision was made. 

Our next activity was going to the Cadillac Palace Theatre to see the Broadway musical, Pippin. This show... hmm, where to start. First of all, this was one of my all-time favorite musical experiences (which is saying a lot)! It was definitely NOT what I expected, but in a fantastic, give-you-chills, make-you-cry kind of way. It was basically a musical with comedy, magic tricks, and circus acts mixed in. At the end of the trip, Nathan and I both agreed that Pippin was the best activity we did!

On Sunday, we had tickets to a Cubs Game at Wrigley Field. Wrigley Field was over 6 miles from our hotel, so there was no way we were walking... SO, we got tickets for an 'L Train day pass. I personally love subway-type public transit, because it comes like clockwork. Plus, its way less hassle than driving yourself places, and then searching for parking. 

Anyway back to the Cubs. I had gone to a Cubs game last year during the same conference, but it was a fun experience it with Nathan this time! It rained a little bit, but luckily many of the seats at Wrigley Field are covered. We had a good time.

Later that day, we took the 'L Train again to get to the Willis Tower Skydeck. I was pretty excited about going to the top, because I have never had the chance to go up. One trip to Chicago, I had planned to go, but it was so foggy, it wouldn't have been worth it. Anyway.... I had completely underestimated the popularity of this attraction! I was not expecting standing in line, or being crowded, but we soon found out. At the skydeck, the room was window lined so that people could see for miles in ever direction. It was pretty awesome. Then there was this ledge thingy you could go out on and look down as well. Nathan DID go out on this, even though his heartbeat sped up 15 bpm (this is no joke; we tested it on his Apple Watch). Anyway, he wasn't on the ledge long enough to take an awesome down angle photo with me. 

On Monday, my conference started (it was a great conference by the way), so our Chicago activities were put on hold until 6 pm that night. That night, we walked to the Navy Pier to eat and relax. We ate at Harry Caray's Tavern and walked the length of the pier. My personal opinion of the pier is that it is fairly overrated...there's just not that much to it. Anyway, we rode the ferris wheel, which was a neat ride.

On Tuesday, the conference continued until 3:00, when we got another Uber to catch our train at 4:00 at Union Station. This ride was more enjoyable because we were able to talk, read, and fully experience the train ride. There was a person talking about how many times he had been in jail, which was, of course, annoying. Here's my question, if you've been to jail, why is it necessary to tell a bunch of strangers on a train? This is one of life's mysteries.

We had a great mini-vacation (I guess you would call it). The trip was just long enough to figure out how to navigate successfully around the city, and then it was over.

Oh, I almost forgot. Long Live Giordano's Pizza!

CLICK HERE to watch our Chicago video!!

This is a picture of the Wrigley Building that I really liked. The Wrigley Building is an icon of the Magnificent Mile. 

BPP #15

Ok, so I forgot to post last week's Brown Paper Packages update... I was busy... sue me.

1. DanDan is back! She is back from China after several months. We have all missed her and glad to be able to see her a little more easily now!

2. We had a nice visit from the Seelys a few Saturdays ago. We enjoyed catching up and having a cookout together. We're so blessed to have friends like Cody and Anne!

3. I've been working on a project lately, and I needed some resources at my grandparent's farm. We all had a fun time riding on the mule and exploring down at the creek. It was a beautiful summer day!

4. I had the privilege to get to go to Chicago for a work conference. It was fun to be in a big city (for a few days). I'm not going to go into detail at this moment because I'm planning to write a more detailed post later on. 

So, you've probably noticed that I didn't write much for today. I'm still as busy as I was when I first started writing this post 15 minutes ago.

Things You Do on your Computer that you wish would work in Real Life

Ok, lets be real. We've all wished for certain situations to be easier. There are those encounters where you wish you could escape the situation. There are frustrating times when you just wish you could change what just happened. And you think, "If only I was on my computer, I could fix this..." I know I've wished certain computer commands were applicable in real life. Here are 5...

1. Edit, Undo. Sometimes, I do stupid things, or say embarrassing comments, or mess a project up right at the very end. Its these times when I wish good old "Edit, Undo" would work in everyday life. I'm sure we've all had those moments; the moments where you immediately know you made a mistake and you wish you could just rewind and not say what you just said. You don't know what you would have said instead, you just wouldn't have said that...

2. Find. I rarely lose things. I mean, its rare. I almost always know where everything is because I'm the type of person who has a place for EVERYTHING. And almost everything has a secondary place where I might put it if the first place is occupied. So, without going into more detail about my borderline OCD, lets just agree that I rarely lose things.... But let me tell you, when I do lose something....it...is...torture. It's like I know where it should be; I know where it could be; I will swear I didn't lose it; and I won't stop looking until I find it.... (I'm still looking for a rain jacket I lost last July)... Anyway, it's in these moments when I just wish I could use the Find command. You would simply type in what you're looking for, and then the item would magically start shining.

3. Right-Click. The right-click. A good list of the most common choices for any given situation on your computer. The right-click, whether clicked intentionally or unintentionally, will always give you the options the user is most-likely wanting to complete. It doesn't give you EVERY option, only the most useful options for the specific program or screen you are encountering. Just imagine if the right-click worked in everyday life. Not sure what to do this weekend? Right-click. Confused about whether or not to take that new job? Right-click. Bored on a snow day? Right-click. You might not always make the right choice, but at least the right-click gave you a narrowed down list. 

4. Ctrl-Alt-Del. Once upon a time, you were on your computer, surfing the internet. You stubble upon a cool blog called Cold Tuesday Morning. THEN, all of a sudden, your screen freezes and your computer is not allowing you to do anything! What do you do?! You've just got to finish reading the blog! You try everything; closing the window, clicking back to the previous page, refreshing the page. Nothing will work. So, as a last resort, you angerly press Control, Alt, Delete to bring up the Task Manager. "Thanks Task Manager for stating the obvious that the program is not responding..." You force the close and restart. Now, although Ctrl-Alt-Del is a last resort and annoying, can we all agree that it almost always works? You can get out of any unwanted situation with a simple key stroke. Think of how useful this would be if you were getting a ticket....

**Note: This is specific to PC users. The mac users out there would use "command, option, escape" for the same results.

5. Empty Trash. Ok, would wouldn't want to empty the trash with just a few clicks?!.... I'm not going to elaborate on this one. 

So... these are just a few computer commands that I think would make my life a little bit easier. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a rain jacket to find. 

Apple Watch Review

Go ahead and laugh...I am an Apple fanboy. I admit this, and in doing so, we can move on. The Apple Watch was announced last year, and I was not sold on the product yet. Its release in April still did not sell me over to the wearable devices side, but once I played with one in the Apple Store, it did soften me a bit. The killing blow was seeing the new features that are to come out in October along with the release of iOS 9. This all being said, here is my opinion on the Apple Watch.

After I had decided to buy an Apple Watch, the hardest decision I had to make was what size of screen and what color/kind of band to get. The official Apple bands are extremely expensive, with the Sport model silicone bands starting at $49. My choice was really between the black and the white band. Once I tried them both on, it both sizes, I decided that the black 42mm Sport model was the correct choice for me. As with all Apple products, the Watch is an extremely attractive device. The way that the band goes under itself (so that you don't have any extra silicone flopping around) was well thought out. The apps on the screen are a bit small, but once you tap them with your finger, the watch will zoom in so that the apps get bigger, which is neat and efficient.

Some of my favorite features of the watch are as follows (in no particular order):

1. iMessage. iMessage is Apple's native iOS to iOS messaging app, which works rather well with the Apple Watch. The Apple Watch DOES NOT feature a keyboard, but you can program your own common responses to messages for a quick reply. Often when I'm walking around town or at work, I won't feel my phone vibrate, but the watch's vibration upon a new message lets me know that I have some waiting, and I can read the full message right from the watch. Siri's ability to transcribe a longer reply is consistent with the iPhone--sometimes she knows exactly what you said, and sometimes she makes a shot in the dark.

2. Phone Calls. Do you look stupid talking into your watch? You bet you do! But, in the comfort of your own home or in your car, it is acceptable, and from those that I've called from the watch, the reception on their end is incredible. My only complaint about the phone calls is that even at maximum volume, the caller can be hard to hear.

3. Apple Pay. I have an iPhone 5s, so NFC is not included on my phone, rendering me unable to use Apple Pay. However, my watch fixes that! I was able to add my credit card to the watch, and make my first Apple Pay yesterday at a Walgreens. WARNING: you may look like a pompous jerk if you do this.

With all of the great features, there are, of course, some things that I do not like about the Apple Watch. Here are some of them (in no particular order):

1. Battery Life. The Battery life on the Watch is mediocre at best. You will have to charge it once a day, unless you only use power saving mode (which is dumb...it's a smart watch...use the "smart parts.") Also, it mirrors your notifications from your phone, so it will also significantly decrease your iPhone's battery life if you fully utilize all of its features. But, if you have an iPhone 6 Plus, no problem!

2. Has to have an iPhone Link. For me, this has not been much of a problem, because I'm rarely without my phone within a few feet. But, to fully utilize the watch, you have to have your iPhone nearby. You cannot walk around town and make phone calls from your watch with the phone laying at home. It makes sense only because Apple did not want to put a cellular antenna into a watch and then force you to have yet another data/minutes plan from a cellular provider. The watch will do some things without the phone, such as track your activity, but most of the cool features require a totes BFF relationship with an iPhone.

Overall, I love my Apple Watch. It's a fun little device that is as Apple said...very personal. Is it a necessary purchase? Absolutely not! Is it vanity? Yes, it is. But I would recommend the purchase of one. If you do, be sure to go to an Apple Store and try them on. And make sure that you get the Apple Care warranty.

And no, I did not write this from my watch.

Green Smoothie

Since January 1st I have (on and off) been trying to be a bit healthier. I've been working out, and trying to steer clear of us having Papa Johns more than once a week.... With this, came the revival of my smoothie making. Usually my smoothies consist of orange juice, yogurt, and a variety of fruit. I love them, and Nathan seems to enjoy them as well.

For several weeks, I had been contemplating trying a green smoothie. I was very nervous about this and I kept making excuses to not try it. But finally, although the excuses were still echoing in my head, I finally had a really really good reason to try one. I had a coupon for a package of spinach (I like spinach just fine in salad form or even in some pasta dishes).

I was still a little reluctant to try it because pretty much all the people I know personally are HEALTH FREAKS! They know whats good and what goes well together, and let's face it, I'm not a cook, nor am I a health guru. I am, however, a decent mixologist. So, I had a small bit of confidence. 

To give some additional confidence, I researched "green smoothies for beginners," "easy green smoothies," "green smoothies that everyone thinks are delicious," and "how to make a green smoothie if you've never had one." Finally, I found one that I thought I could stomach.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups Spinach (packed)
• 1 1/2 cup Coconut Water
• 1 Banana
• 3/4 cup Blueberries / Raspberries

Directions

1. Put ingredients in a blender.

2. Blend together.

3. Drink.

Review:

Well.... honestly, this was not the best smoothie I have ever made, that's for sure. When I took a drink of it, it was pretty much what I expected. It tasted....green. Honestly, I'm pretty sure Nathan might have puked had he taken a sip.

I rated the first version a 1 / 5

After a few sips trying to figure out why it was so nasty, I decided it would be a lot better cold. So, I added several ice cubes and re-blended. I couldn't believe how much better it was cold!!!!!

I rated the second version a 4 / 5

About 1/3 of the way through drinking this sucker, I remembered I was going to add some immune system booster powder because I thought my throat was hurting a little bit. And so, I re-blended. Due to the powders raspberry flavor, I was pleasantly surprised that it was even BETTER than the second blend!

I rated the third version a 5 / 5

Then, I was looking at the original recipe and noticed that it also called for 1/4 cup sunflower seeds. So, in the seeds went into the fourth version. I should have known better.... even though I had drank almost half of the smoothie, I added the original amount of sunflower seeds instead of only half. I'll just say, it was almost as bad as version #1.

I rated the fourth version a 2 / 5

**Nathan had no ratings because he declined trying a green smoothie at this time**

Original Recipe + 4 others were found on MindBodyGreen.com.

Make Art using Newspaper

I decided to start this project because of a friend's Bridal Shower. Her shower was going to highlight the fact that her new name was going to start with a T, so all of the bridesmaids were supposed to provide Ts for decoration for the party and eventually decor for the couple's new home.

First, I gathered an old newspaper. Since we don't subscribe to the paper, all I had to work with was a random newspaper that gets delivered to use once a month or something like that. Turns out, most of the articles are about pop culture and the classifieds.

Next, I cut small squares about 2 in x 2 in. I was careful to make sure that the squares had mostly words, as opposed to pictures or advertisements.

I rolled the pieces of paper into small rolls, and used scotch tape to tentatively secure them. This is reason #137 why I never did drugs; I'm not very good at rolling.

Using a hot glue gun, I attached the rolls of paper onto a cardboard letter that I had cut out of some scrap cardboard I had in the garage.

This is a photo of the project after all of the rolls were secured, but before I worked on giving it a polished look. In some cases, I think this would be an excellent stopping point, depending on the look you are going for.

After playing with Koba for a bit, I trimmed down the edges of the T, and I was amazed at the transformation!

Using puzzle glue, I covered the front of the project. Not only did this help to secure the rolls further, but it also created a somewhat glossy look.

Finally, I painted a frame, created a white background using card stock, attached the letter to the frame, and outlined the T with a Sharpie. As you can see from this photo, the glass would not fit over the T due to its 3D-ness. 












To create the finished product, I reused newspaper and cardboard. I already had the scotch tape, hot glue, card stock, and Sharpie. I bought the frame at GoodWill for $2. The entire project only cost $2 to complete!

Check out this other letter project, where I reused a cereal box!