www.myfavoritewebsites.com

As I was thinking of what links to add to my blog site, I obviously started thinking about my favorite websites. Although I don't spend a lot of time at these websites I do frequent them often. Let me get on with the list:
(in no particular order)

1. www.howstuffworks.com I've always been fascinated with how things work, I remember being young always taking apart different things to see if I could figure out how they worked, if only they had this site when I was a kid, actually a site called howtoputthingsbacktogether.com would have been helpful also. Anyways this is a fun site for the curious type and you can find out anything from how those amazing pop-up turkey timers know when the bird is done to how the new 20 dollar bill works... great fun!

2. www.craigslist.com This is a new one I recently have been enjoying, if you like eBay you might like craigslist. This site is like a huge local classified ad that is free to post your things for sale or things you want to buy. I like it because you can find great bargains on things in your local area (no shipping and handling) there is even a "free stuff" section which is always good to look at since we all know some people's junk is another's treasure. I haven't bought anything off of here or sold anything here yet, but I've seriously thought about it, great fun for all you bargain shoppers (Momma K). Note: this might not be as good of site in smaller cities, but it's great in larger communities and it's getting more popular so you small town folk check it often so you don't miss out on that vintage egg spatula you've been searching for.

3. www.myspace.com This is one I hate to admit but it is one I use often. I don't use it to meet new people like a lot of folks do, but rather to find old friends, you can look at your schools you've graduated from to find you ol' high school buddies, or I've actually found a lot of my mission companions and friends as well as some good music (Dorian-for those out of the loop Dorian is my brother in law's band) There is 88,927,657 (as of right now) people that have profiles on myspace so there's a good chance you will know someone (although for those more experienced in life this site is mainly popular with the younger generation, but you won't be able to say you don't know anyone cause have my own space on there...embarrasing I know.

4. www.snopes.com Have you ever heard a story but aren't sure if it is true, or seen a picture online and wonder if it's real...enter snopes.com this is a site that attempts to give accurate information about rumors and urban legends. Although it doesn't answer all the unknowns like is it true that all window covering specialist don't have window coverings in their own place of residence? (haha Just kidding Momma K, I'm a window washer with dirty windows too) but it does help you get your facts straight before telling the "story of the week" at the water cooler on Monday morning.

5. www.mybodycomp.com This website is a great tool to those of you who are trying like myself to get more fit or less fat. I think Aunt Susie introduced us to this website if I remember correctly. This site keeps track of your body measurements as you progress then calculates things like body fat % and so forth and allows you to compare "before and after" measurements.

6. http://maps.google.com This site works like mapquest, although I like mapquest for directions better, but the thing I most enjoy about this site is the satellite maps ( or satellite photos rather) of any address you put in. I can also use this with my GPS unit to publish where I have been onto a satellite photo, or regular map. Great fun, it makes you feel like a secret agent spy, although the satellite maps won't allow you to get that close and unfortunately aren't real time.

Well those are some of the websites I enjoy and often visit. Obviously these don't include this website to check everyone's blog, google to find whatever, ebay to find whatever, my email or www.ragingbullpaintball.com (my brother just opened a paintball field in Sheridan WY so I check to see how things are going quite often) which I visit more often than these others but they are not necessarily my favorites. So what are your favorites? Maybe one of yours will become one of mine and vice versa, happy surfing.

Idaho here we come!

I don't want this to sound like an Andy Rooney disgruntled rant, or any"Opinionated AARP Member" (sorry "pop" couldn't resist) for that matter, but I hate emissions tests and here is my rant. Here in Washington it is required that you get an emissions test on your vehicle every other year before you can get your new tags. I understand and enjoy clean air just like most but the experience I have had is more trouble than it is worth. The test isn't a big deal if you have a new vehicle that doesn't have any problems. It is a big deal to me because our car (1997 Nissan Maxima) runs great has no problems...except the dreaded check engine light is on which means automatic failure at the emissions test. The light has been on almost ever since we have had the car I have scanned the computer to get the code which tells me it is the speed sensor, which I tested-nothing wrong with the speed sensor- the problem is communication between the transmission and the speed sensor which is nothing serious and does not cause any problems with the car and how it runs and does not effect the emissions at all. The problem is I don't know how to fix the communication problem and it seems that no one else does either, so we just live with the orange light on. This of course isn't good enough for the emissions place though, cause they test the car and it fails because the light is on. To get a waiver you have to spend $150 specifically on improving the emissions, and then if it still fails they will waive the test. The problem, like I said, is there is nothing wrong with my emissions so I can't spend 150 dollars to fix something that isn't broke. I spent $400 to have some other repairs to make the car run better but they won't except it because the money I spent wasn't specifically for repairs on the emissions system. Even the mechanics shop I took it to said "They shouldn't be doing this to you", well finally after taking the car into the shop 3-4 times in a week the mechanics called in their emission representative and he just signed off the car so I could get my tags which were already expired, because of not being able to pass the test. The engine light is still on, still not causing any problems but is annoying, it's really annoying because I went through the same month long process last year (even though it was not the year for my car to get emissions) since we had just moved into the state they make you get emissions test. Well now I'm supposedly good until 2008 but if I still have this car I will have another month of driving between the repair shop and emissions test center until someone is called in again to sign it off. I told Emily we're moving to Idaho (it's only about 10 miles to the border from here) just so I don't have to get the dreaded emissions test!

Jumping on the computer nerd bandwagon.

Well after contemplating about becoming a blogger for some time now, I've finally caved to the tremendous pressure, and am therefore much closer to my inner-nerd.

Chris & Jenny ->For those of you who don't know Chris and Jenny are my brother and sister in law<- have inspired me to do two things in the past few weeks:

1. Run to get in shape 2. Create a blog. Hopefully one out of the two I will end up liking (running is not my favorite thing to put it nicely, but I do it anyway). I have titled my blog "Meanwhile Back at the 2 Bedroom Apartment" that will hopefully change as the years go by possibly to "Meanwhile back at the custom built 5 bedroom 2 and a half bath, house on a few hundred acres of prime mountainous real estate with a nice creek running close by that has huge fish in it...etc. " But more realistically, probably simply "Meanwhile back at the Rancher" either way it will be interesting to see where life takes us. Anyways I'm excited to record my simple yet GREAT life here as it passes by, hopefully you'll enjoy it with me(and comment about it too).

Funny side note: I used the spell check that is built in to this blogging site, and the word "blog" or "blogger" is not a word in their dictionary!?!