F8 Extended Selection Mode- Microsoft Word 2010

How many times have you needed to highlight a section of text in Word and you click at the beginning and slowly start to scroll and then it just takes off and you end up having the whole document highlighted, rather than just the paragraph that you needed.  Well, you can use your keyboard to highlight your text and have a little more control.  It’s a very simple trick. Just place your curser at the beginning of the section you would like to highlight then press the F8 key and use your arrow keys to navigate.  There is another way to navigate in the extended selection mode as well, for example, if you press “o” it will find the next “o” and automatically highlight to that point. Once you finish making your selection you will remain in the extend selection mode until you change the formatting or copy your selection.

Get to know Revit- Lynda.com

Find out how AutoCAD and Revit differ and explore the Revit interface in Migrating from AutoCAD to Revit to determine if this powerful architectural modeling program is right for your studio, and migrate if you’ve decided to make the change. Phasing and Design Options in Revitshows how to manage projects with phases and design versions. For an in-depth exploration of Revit Architecture and the entire Building Information Modeling (BIM) workflow, from creating a design model to publishing a completed project, check out Revit Architecture 2013 Essential Training.

Migrating from AutoCAD to Revit | by Paul F. Aubin

Using Screen Shot in Microsoft Word 2010

There are many times where the easiest way to explain something is to show an example.  While it is possible to take screen shots without using Word, many times it copies the wrong screen if you have multiple windows open.  In Word, when using Screen Shot it will show you all the windows you have available to take a Screen Shot of, and you are then able to select the correct window you would like to copy. Just go to the Insert tab and under the Illustrations group you will see Screen Shot, once you click on it you will see all of your available screens to take a Screen Shot of!

The E-Book That Helps

The E-Book That Helps You Save an article from AARP The Magazine

“AARP’s 299 Great Ways to Save e-book offers simple tips and tricks for saving money. The book provides cost-cutting tactics for a variety of interests and services such as travel, health care, insurance, entertainment and electronics.  It also includes an introduction by savings experts Jeff Yeager.  Go to aarp.org/299WaysToSave.”

Adding a Comment Using Microsoft Word 2010

Say you are proof reading a friend or coworker’s document and would like to suggest come changes without actually changing their document. You can simply add a comment! First, highlight the text you would like to comment on, then click the Review tab and click New Comment in the Comments group. Type your comment in the balloon that it opens for you, and once you are done, simply click outside the balloon. Now your editing suggestions easily stand out with minimal work and no changes to their document.

Learn 10 design techniques- Lynda.com

Design is crucial to communication. The way something looks has a fundamental impact on how it’s received—and whether or not it succeeds. John McWade’s new course,Before & After: Things Every Designer Should Know, offers 10 essential graphic design techniques to make pages, screens, and presentations look better and communicate more effectively. The course is meant to benefit design professionals as well as those working with a designer, or people just getting started in a design career.



 Watch Trailer

Quick Keyboard Shortcuts for Microsoft Office 2010

Sometimes when working on a document it is quicker and easier to use keyboard shortcuts than to use your mouse to select the setting you need, especially if you have to use an unforgiving track pad.   But who can remember all those shortcuts?  Well now you don’t have to, all you have to do is press the ALT button and you will be able to see all the short cuts available to select each tab.   Now if you press that corresponding key, you will see all the shortcuts available within that tab.  

Useful Websites

Very Useful Websites from bottomlinepublications.com

1. Safer Medications: Drug lookup… proper use of eye drops/inhalers/ nasal sprays suppositories… gluten in medications…giving medications to children… personalized drug tracker…more. www.safemedication.com
2. Telemarketing self-defense: Sign up with the National Do Not Call Registry to minimize calls. Both landlines and cellphones can be registered. www.donotcall.gov
3. Free online gardening videos: How to seed lawns… grow tomatoes… feed roses… prune evergreens… more. www.finegardening.com/videos
4. Free Internet Radio: Choose by category (classical, comedy, jazz, public, news, ect.), country or language.  Includes more than 6,000 stations. www.radiotower.com
5. Adventure travel: Guide to hundreds of trips for people interested in biking, fishing, historic places, local cuisines, whalewatching and other activities. www.adventurefinder.com
6. Storage Auction Savvy: Bidding strategies…assessing value…links to online forums— http://storage-auctions-guide.com Search upcoming auctions by zip code— www.storagetreasures.com (requires free registration)
7. Very special…Treats: Chocolate-covered strawberries— www.berries.com Cookie gifts— www.cookiesbydesign.com “Nuts for You” packages and other delicacies— www.figis.com

Restricting Access to Microsoft Office 2010 Documents

Have you ever needed to email a document, but also wanted to ensure that no changes were made to it as well? Microsoft office has a lot of options when it comes to restricting access to your documents.

First click the File tab, click Info, and then select Permissions. Go down and click on Restrict Editing. That will close the back screen and return you to your Home view with the Restricting Editing Menu open on the right side of your screen.  Here you can customize exactly what kind of changes you would like to allow.  This is also where you can limit who is allowed and not allowed to make changes.

Deliver an Effective Presentation- Lynda.com

Giving an effective presentation requires insight about your audience and knowledge of presentation tools, as well as preparation, research, and practice. In Effective Public Speaking, discover practical insights to help prepare a strong presentation and deliver it with confidence. Watch Up and Running with Prezi to find out how to organize your ideas and make a dynamic presentation using Prezi cloud-based presentation software. Also check out, Bruce Heavin, The Thinkable to see how Bruce uses drawings to present abstract ideas. 



Watch Trailer

View Weather in Outlook 2013

Ever need to know the weather when making travel arrangements for yourself or others coming in to town for meetings? Well, here is a neat trick to follow the weather without having to leave your Outlook calendar.

First, go to the Folder pane and click on the Calendar icon.  Next to the month and year you will see your current location and a few days worth of weather.  If you hover over each day you can get more information.  Also, if you click the drop down menu next to your location you will find the option to Add Location, which is especially helpful when making travel arrangements.

If you have an earlier version of Outlook you can still use this feature, you just need an add on such as Infuzer.

Who's On First

Thank you, Sharron Gill, for sharing this hilarious update on the famous Abbott and Costello routine "Who's On First?"

You have to be old  enough to remember Abbott and Costello, and too
old to REALLY understand  computers to fully appreciate this. For
those of us who sometimes get flustered by our computers, please read on...

If  Bud Abbott and Lou Costello were alive today, their famous sketch,
'Who's on First? might have turned out something like  this:

COSTELLO CALLS TO BUY A COMPUTER FROM  ABBOTT

ABBOTT:  Super Duper computer store.  Can I help you?

COSTELLO: Thanks I'm setting up an office in my den and I'm thinking
about buying a computer.

ABBOTT: Mac?

COSTELLO: No, the name's Lou.

ABBOTT: Your computer?

COSTELLO: I don't own a computer. I want to buy  one.

ABBOTT:  Mac?

COSTELLO: I told you, my name's Lou.

ABBOTT: What about Windows?

COSTELLO: Why? Will it get stuffy in here?

ABBOTT: Do you want a computer with Windows?

COSTELLO: I don't know. What will I see when I look at the  windows?

ABBOTT:  Wallpaper.

COSTELLO: Never mind the windows.. I need a computer and  software.

ABBOTT:  Software for  Windows?

COSTELLO:  No. On the computer! I need  something I can use to write
proposals, track expenses and run my  business. What do you have?

ABBOTT: Office.

COSTELLO: Yeah, for my office. Can you recommend  anything?

ABBOTT:  I just did.

COSTELLO: You just did what?

ABBOTT: Recommend something.

COSTELLO: You recommended something?

ABBOTT: Yes..

COSTELLO: For my office?

ABBOTT: Yes..

COSTELLO: OK, what did you recommend for my office?

ABBOTT: Office.

COSTELLO: Yes, for my office!

ABBOTT: I recommend Office with Windows.

COSTELLO: I already have an office with windows! OK, let's just say
I'm sitting at my computer and I want to type a proposal. What do I
need?

ABBOTT:  Word.

COSTELLO: What word?

ABBOTT: Word in Office.

COSTELLO: The only word in office is office.

ABBOTT: The Word in Office for Windows.

COSTELLO: Which word in office for windows?

ABBOTT: The Word you get when you click the blue  'W'.

COSTELLO:  I'm going to click your blue  'w' if you don't start with
some straight answers. What about financial  bookkeeping? You have
anything I can track my money with?

ABBOTT: Money.

COSTELLO: That's right. What do you have?

ABBOTT: Money.

COSTELLO: I need money to track my money?

ABBOTT: It comes bundled with your computer.

COSTELLO: What's bundled with my computer?

ABBOTT: Money.

COSTELLO: Money comes with my computer?

ABBOTT: Yes.. No extra charge.

COSTELLO: I get a bundle of money with my computer? How  much?

ABBOTT:  One copy.

COSTELLO: Isn't it illegal to copy money?

ABBOTT: Microsoft gave us a license to copy Money.

COSTELLO: They can give you a license to copy money?

ABBOTT: Why not? THEY OWN IT!

(A few days later)

ABBOTT:  Super Duper computer store.  Can I help you?

COSTELLO: How do I turn my computer off?

ABBOTT: Click on 'START'...............

Side by Side Spreadsheets Microsoft Excel 2010

Tired of having to switch back and forth between spreadsheets when comparing data? There is tool you can use to have your spreadsheets side by side with a couple clicks.

• First open the two spreadsheets you need to view
• Then click on the View tab
• Next click View Side by Side in the Window group
• You can also stay at the same point on each spreadsheet by clicking Synchronous Scrolling.

Simple as that! No need to toggle between windows any more.

Up and Running with Facebook with: Justin Seeley

In this course, Justin Seeley gives a quick primer on Facebook, the popular social networking site, showing how to join the conversation, share pictures, and find out what your friends and family are up to, all without compromising your privacy. The course shows how to make a Facebook profile; start finding friends; like and view their posts; share your own ideas via status updates, comments, and chat; and post photos, videos, and links. The course also shows how to control your privacy online and access Facebook on the go with your smartphone.



Watch Trailer

Customizing The Ribbon in Microsoft Office 2010

All of us have certain tools of the Microsoft Office Suite that we use more than others. To make it easier you can have all your favorites in one place by creating a Custom tab.  No more switching back and forth between tabs and trying to remember where the tool you need is.  To do this, just follow these simple steps:

• Click on the File Tab
• On the left side of your screen click Options
• Once again on the left side of your screen click Customize  Ribbon
• From here you can click New Tab in the lower Right
• Once your Tab is created, you can Add Groups and Rename your Tab and Groups by having your New Tab highlighted when clicking these options
• Lastly, to Customize your new tab you need to add the tools you would like to have listed there, by finding them on the list on the right and clicking Add while the custom Group in your new Tab is highlighted

When you are finished, Click Ok and enjoy using your new customized tab in the ribbon!  It is important to note that unfortunately your customized tab will only be available in the program you created it in. For Example, if it was created in Word it will not appear in PowerPoint or Excel. 

Beeminder Motivational Tool

Needing some motivation to get everything checked off on your to-do list? Here is a great article from Spirit Magazine’s January 2013 edition on a site that can help.

“Beeminder This new online tool forces you to shape up—or pay up. Here’s how Beeminder co-founder Bethany Soule describes the Web-based, incentivized task tracker: ‘When I met my co-founder Daniels Reeves, he was in the doldrums of dissertation writing. That’s when we started concocting a series of incentive schemes and productivity hacks called the Voluntary Harassment Program. It was so effective that he finished his Ph.D. that year and then asked me to marry him. After that, we built a simple website for friends that, paired with small side bets, became indispensable for tracking all sorts of goals.  The project evolved into Beeminder.  It’s a motivational tool where you pledge money to stay on track to meet any goal.  We show your progress using a digital yellow brick road, and we integrate with popular fitness and productivity sites to help you keep pace with your achievements. The way we motivate you is simple: If you miss a milestone, we take the money you pledged—which can range from $5 to several hundred dollars.  We’ll even let your twitter followers know you've fallen behind.  Most goals are fitness related, but some use Beeminder to boost productivity at work or fulfill lifelong goals like learning to play a guitar.  We use it to guarantee at least one improvement to the site each day.  We've made more than 600 since we launched, and we’re just getting started.’ Beeminder.com”