Thursday, May 01, 2025
The end of April finally happened, and although most things I planned for were realized, I am still waiting on several large issues to be resolved.
That said, over the last 4 days I received the remaining accessories for my
DJI OSMO Pocket 3, so I finally decided to unbox everything.
I am pretty pleased with the DJI OSMO Pocket 3 and the accessories I thought I would need, including:
- DJI Osmo Pocket 3 Capture More Combo
- DJI Mic 2 Transmitter (Shadow Black)
- Magnetic Mount Stand Compatible with DJI Osmo Pocket 3
- ULANZI LM001 Magnetic Mini Light for DJI Osmo Pocket 3
- DJI Osmo Pocket 3 Carrying Bag, Compatibility: Osmo Pocket 3
- Anbee Portable Carrying Case Hard EVA Travel Box Storage Bag Compatible with DJI OSMO POCKET 3 - I like this case, however the DJI carrying bag works better in my situation.
- Wide Angle Lens 112°
Like everyone else, I also made a video of the unboxing process, however, it is rather long and I am still playing around with Davinci Resolve to edit the video. Not sure if it is that interesting, however, I am enjoying playing with the software.
Have I filmed anything with the Pocket 3? Yes, slicing up a cantaloupe,
however, I am also learning how to use the camera, and in this area I need a bit more
experience.
Not all of my purchases discussed in this post were through Amazon, however, the Amazon affiliate links are provided.
I thought 2025 was mostly going to be a no spend year, only allowing for purchases that did not exceed interest and dividend yields from my various CDs and savings accounts.
In April, I earned $296 (see below) in interest and dividend yields from my
CDs and savings accounts. I started purchasing the items listed above
in February 2025, so I get to use interest yields from February through April
in that I had only one other major expense over the same time period.
The other major expense in the same time frame, the new HP laptop. Okay, no more spending until
July. Which reminds me, one of the projects I am currently working? Retiring
my Acer Windows XP notebook.
I have rarely used the Acer notebook since the fall of 2022, however, it had too much code, data, and programs for me to leave it unattended. I have been cleaning it up for storage. This task was a little harder than I wanted, but I will feel happier putting this working, however "slow and dated" notebook into storage.
Friday, April 25, 2025
I had several errands to take care of yesterday morning and when I left the house it was about 60°.
On Wednesday (April 23, 2025), I received a package from Amazon. One of the items in the package was a Hanpusen Wireless Camera Remote Shutter Release Control for my Canon EOS M50 DSLR camera. The following images show both the outfit I wore yesterday, as well as information related to the new remote for my camera.
I really love the Hanpusen Wireless Camera Remote. I have been using the camera's drive timer option with a tripod or mirror selfie and I now have the remote/tripod option. The remote activates slightly delayed timer shots, no delay shots, or video activation with the press of the button.
I had no problems pairing the remote to my camera (Canon EOS M50) via bluetooth, however did not initially notice the new option under the drive settings for the remote. Works perfectly. I show the new drive option in the illustration provided above.
Recent Amazon Purchases
Tuesday, April 22, 2025
On Saturday, while reviewing videos about DJI Action Cameras & the Pocket 3 I noticed a reference to a video editing software application called Davinci Resolve. I downloaded the package to my new HP Laptop and today, finally had the chance to checkout some of the features of the software.
The short video I used to test the software is of me, taken with my Canon
Vixia HF R700 Camcorder. The following illustration shows some of the
effects features I tested today.
I have been using Active Presenter to edit my Youtube videos, however, I wanted a little bit more control over filters when I am in the videos. I think this software may work for the issues I want to correct.
The following, is my first Davinci Resolve video demonstrating some of the
features I tested today, including video cropping, text overlay, and the
watercolor effects feature.
This software seems pretty powerful (free version) and I think it may take a minute or so (metaphor) for me to come up to speed, however, I think it will be worth the time I invest.
Tuesday, April 08, 2025
This year I decided I would purchase the OSMO Pocket 3 and have been coming up with ways to both justify and save for the new creator combo kit.
When I decided to get
the Costco Anywhere Visa Card By Citi (discussed here), Costco offered the following DJI OSMO Pocket 3
Power Bundle for $499.
I missed out on the Costco offering, however, I am still hoping to get the camera within the next month or so.
Although, I linked my new card to my business and personal checking accounts for easy
online payments, I forgot to set the account to paperless. So
today, I received
the first monthly statement in the mail. It also included a welcome
message.
I have not received a credit card statement in the mail in awhile, in that I go paperless for most of my accounts, however, thought the one I received today was pretty nice. It also showed the zero balance on the card because I have not actually used it yet.
Monday, December 30, 2024
In April 2023, I installed a subscription version of Microsoft 365 Professional onto a new laptop. Earlier this year the subscription expired and I chose to use read only versions of the Microsoft Office Suite, including the database app, MS Access for the computer in question. I maintain several other systems with fully licensed versions of Microsoft Office 2021 Professional.
Yesterday, while checking some of my Amazon affiliate links, I noticed Amazon no longer offers the downloadable version of Microsoft Office 2021 Professional.
Googling "Microsoft Office 2021 Professional" provided
several purchase options for obtaining the software from other online
retailers including the two shown below.
I purchased the software through Walmart as shown above, and very happy with the product and installation. Software installed included:
- Word
- Excel
- PowerPoint
- Access
- Publisher
- Outlook
- Skype
- OneDrive
- OneNote
- Microsoft Teams
I discuss often, how I use the Microsoft Office 2021 Professional suite of applications, including:
- MS Access Database Amazon Best Seller Books Category
- MS Access Amazon Stores Database
- MS Access Updates To Amazon Stores Database
- Publisher Custom Bank Checks
- Power Point Presentation converted to an animated GIF
- Business and financial Excel Spreadsheets.
- PowerPoint + Active Presenter for Youtube Videos
- Microsoft Access Database for personal and professional contacts.
I maintain licensed copies of the professional versions of Microsoft Office on my hard drives because I use the applications quite a bit. I use a reliable and powerful Verizon FIOS network so I could use online versions of MS Office, however I simply love owning this software and accessing it in local mode. I even have it installed on androids and my iPad mini.
I offer Publisher Bank Check templates and custom Access databases (e.g., Contacts, Recipes). Submit the form on my Contact page to get more information.
The software I purchased was a digital download and several pre-conditions existed to enable successful installation of the software. If you are not used to installing your own system software perhaps check with your systems person or drop me a line.
Monday, July 08, 2024
My new camera lights arrived today. Though the shipment's outer packaging was a little shaky, the inner packing material around the lights was exceptional. There were also no instruction manuals for the lights nor tripods, however, everything was easy to fit together.
I was able to get a great deal on the whole setup and I am not complaining about anything.
Some of the specs on my new camera lighting setup:
- 2 Pack 100W LED Dimmable 3000-6000K 3 Colors w/remote
- 2 2.9M (9 feet 6.173 inches) Super Stable Stainless Steel Tripods
- 65cm Globe Lantern Softbox Bowens Mount Diffuser
In the following video I provide a brief demonstration of some the features of the lights.
I researched several options to update my inadequate camera lighting and decided a lot of professionals choose similar setups. I liked the idea of a more even disbursement of light with the Softbox lantern. I was able to stay within my budget with a more direct purchase route through suppliers I use for my online shop.
Thursday, June 06, 2024
In November 2022, I received a brand new Tordorday Thermal Printer at no cost because I opted to open a Amazon Rewards Visa Signature account through Chase, received a $60 gift card, and had several other gift cards already in the account.
When the printer arrived, I tested it and installed the driver on most of my devices, however, other than printing a Costco return shipping label have done little else with the printer, until today.
Awhile back, I ordered 750 two-inch white round thermal stickers so I could
print my shop logo 
and use the sticker to seal a package or envelope. Recently, I ordered
colored stickers, so today I decided to create a Microsoft Word template to
use with the printer.
I did a little research and noticed that most shop owners use Canva to create similar templates, however whenever possible I create products and templates using Microsoft Office Tools.
Why am I only now getting around to projects like this, since my shop has been online for awhile? I have many projects. Simply not a priority, however happy I have my template now- if I need it.
I have watched several shop owners demo Canva and understand it is a great online tool. I simply love my local versions of Microsoft Office Productivity Tools.
Tuesday, November 14, 2023
I have been so busy lately. Some of the things I have been up to...
- Holiday and birthday celebrations.
- Installation of the Microsoft Access Database engine on a relative's PC to handle a custom database application.
- Update of my Microsoft Access Database and Visual Basic Access code to handle updates I needed to accommodate changes Amazon is making to their affiliate program.
- Playing around with my new Nelko Label Printer for a Youtube video.
- Research for my new WED2C Shop
I have been editing the video shown in this post since about 7:00 AM this morning, and I have a Zoom meeting- I need to participate in today at 1:00 PM, so I rushed a little bit. Why not wait, and finish later? I have too many other projects I need to work on.
Things I wanted to highlight about the Nelko Label Maker printer include:
- Changing the print orientation for each label
- Paper Size Options
- Charging time
All of the above items I searched on when setting up my printer and found no answers.
I did not search on whether or not I could include a custom photo or image to a label, however, pretty impressed this option is available and discussed in the video.
Items discussed in this post:
Monday, November 06, 2023
Since 2017, I have been integrating Alexa devices throughout the house.
Almost immediately, I noticed the reception from radio stations was better
through Alexa devices rather than regular FM stations, so at the same time- I hooked
up most of the new Alexa devices to various stereo receivers and amps that were already
in the house.
This post provides a video of how some of the Alexa devices are used.
The most frequent uses for Alexa in my environment include:
- Streaming Music
- Streaming Security Cameras
- Information Requests
- Timers
- Intercom
Years earlier, before 2017, I hooked up the television in the family room to the receiver/amp and the four older floor speakers in that room. When I added an Echo Dot for streaming music, all I had to do was purchase an RCA splitter and add the 3.5mm (Echo Dot plugin) with a two male RCA plugs on the other end to the existing configuration.
All of this worked well, until recently, when I decided I wanted to create content in the kitchen, which is right off the family room and the television noise.
In December 2018, when I setup the Soundbar system discussed in this post, I noticed for the first time the term "Optical Audio" and noticed the cable included in the box, for this type of connection. That said, I used the 3.5mm cable with the 2 RCA plugs to connect the Echo Dot to the soundbar system. To date, none of my Echo devices support the Optical Audio feature.
When I was searching for a solution to quiet the noise from the television,
I checked the back of the Verizon Settop Box and noticed something labeled
"Optical Audio". So I checked Amazon and found headphones I thought
would be perfect.
ANSTEN Wireless Headphones for TV Watching with Digital Optical RCA 2.4GHz RF Transmitter Charging Dock, Over Ear Headset with 3 Audio Modes
Then, I remembered testing another older stereo system in the guest bedroom using a
pair of old headphones that belonged to my father. I checked to see if the
amp in the family room had the jack on the front panel I needed. It did.
Muting the quad speakers via the amp in the family room and plugging in the old headphones is going to work, however I would love to test the more modern Optical Audio jack using the headphones I linked to above. Have you used this type of connection?
Sunday, September 10, 2023
When it comes to graphics for content creation, sites, or presentations I have to rely on my own non artistic abilities.
That said, I developed Graphical User Interfaces for programs using C and the X-Window platform on Unix and DEC systems. This allowed me to screengrab program interfaces and incorporate the captured images in my user's guides and software product specifications.
Today, I continue to use a lot of screengrabs when creating content, however mainly because I think graphics explain more easily what I wish to convey.
In addition to screengrabs, I use fonts to try to assist with graphics I
need for my sites. For instance, the following illustration shows two graphics
files I created using only fonts.
When I do need to use a graphic, I use several versions of old software called Corel Gallery. I like this software because it offers vector data files for most of the elements in each package. Vector data allows for easier manipulation of the graphics files. Bit map graphics are like GIF, PNG, or Jpeg files. Vector graphics are transformed and un-grouped if the need arises without losing data. Examples of vector graphics files are Windows metafiles (WMF) and Computer Graphics Metafile (CGM).
In addition, especially with the technological advancements of digital cameras, I take and use a lot of photos.
What else do I use for graphics and content creation? Latest releases of Microsoft Office products and an older Microsoft product called ImageComposer.
Now- we come to why I am posting. In my opinion, ImageComposer is so powerful, I thought I did need anything else for graphics except PowerPoint to manipulate vector graphics files. That said, the program is older and it only supports bit map or raster graphics files (not vector graphics files).
Then I noticed several Instagram reels showing tricks for PowerPoint and I decided to start playing around. I can do a lot of the tricks with ImageComposer, and really do not have the time to play a lot with graphics, however, I do think these tricks are useful. If like me- you do all of your own graphics work- you may want to play around with an office copy of PowerPoint (a copy you can check out, do not want you to get in trouble).
I created a new video showing some of the neat things PowerPoint offers.
Tuesday, September 05, 2023
Yesterday, while researching for the WiredCreators project I noticed two videos I thought interesting so I decided to share.
The first video, an Instagram reel- demonstrates a useful PowerPoint trick that I think is handy for content creators.
I tested this trick and found I had to make a small adjustment to handle
irregular spacing with the original proportional font I used, instead using a
fixed width font. The results of my test...
The second video, is about a DoorDash delivery guy who is using an electric
e-bike for the first time to make his deliveries.
The guy is funny, however what I really liked was his e-bike. So much so, that I researched and found a lighter, folding version by the same brand and added it to my Just Want store. The e-bike was rated so well- that I also added it to the Gift Ideas store.
Items discussed in this post (showing the entire Microsoft Professional Suite of Office Tools which includes PowerPoint):
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Thursday, April 20, 2023
Recently, I have been working a number of projects, including:
- Four of my online applications have gone into disrepair-
including:
- XML feed for JOLTS Labor (DOL) numbers provided on the WiredPages Employment page blocked. Repaired.
- History Channel no longer providing XML feed for current day's events. Affected the WiredPages Sports & Entertainment pages. In the process of searching for replacement feeds.
- Zillow property value estimates provided by Zillow. Expired API license.
- Tracking my schedule more efficiently... (next post)
- Experiment with a security cam and Alexa.
This post discusses the security cam experiment. For sometime I have wanted a camera for the front door. The problem? I did not want a battery operated camera, however felt a wired camera to much trouble for the experimental aspect of this project.
When I noticed security cameras that looked like light bulbs (August 2022) I immediately ordered one (around $10.00), however the shipment never arrived.
Recently, a highly rated LaView Light Bulb camera went on sale on Amazon, so I decided to experiment.
Because the original outdoor sconce (pictured) was too small to house the new camera, I setup the camera on a work light with a hook (also shown), which was attached to one of the garage doors.
Then ordered a larger outdoor sconce for the front porch (shown below).
The new front door sconce arrived the following Saturday (April 15, 2023) around 6:30 pm. I installed it later that evening. Ran into one or two problems, and happy I decided to cut the power to the outlet before I started work. By 8:30 pm or so, everything was back on and running correctly.
Pleased with how this is working out. The LaView app which controls the light bulb cam is installed on an Android, iPhone, and iPad mini. The Alexa Echo Show device is used to stream throughout the day, and the other devices in the evening or if more control over the camera is required.
 Echo Show 5 (3rd Gen, 2023 release)  |
 LaView 4MP Bulb Security Camera 
|
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Pretty happy with the features on this security camera and the LaView app. The Echo Show does not have the same power, however the speaker, mic and display work well with the camera.
Wednesday, April 12, 2023
Recently, I had the opportunity to work with the Microsoft 365 brand via Amazon. I was provided a copy of Microsoft 365 Personal version, which I installed on a new HP laptop.
The Microsoft 365 Personal applications provided for this installation, included:
- Word
- Excel
- PowerPoint
- Outlook
The video provided in this post discusses this installation, however also discusses the Microsoft 365 Professional suite of applications I owned prior to my work with the brand.
The suite of applications that make up the Microsoft 365 Professional version include:
- Word
- Excel
- PowerPoint
- Access
- Publisher
- Outlook
I began using Microsoft Office in 1992 or so, and continued to use the professional suite of applications for business, legal, and personal use over the years. I was impressed when I first began using these applications, and I continue to be impressed.
Wednesday, June 08, 2022
Last week before my new iPad arrived, I researched graphics software options for use with that platform. Procreate and Affinity Designer constantly appeared high on every list.
I have no artistic (drawing, painting & sketching) ability, however, I do all of the graphics work for my sites, groups, and the presentations I need for one project or another. The example below shows part of the ImageComposer file where I created the header graphic for the Facebook high school alumni group.
I use the following programs and tools to handle all of my graphics needs:
- Microsoft ImageComposer
- Microsoft 365 Professional Office Suite (Publisher, Word, PowerPoint)
- Microsoft 2000 Professional Office Suite (Publisher, Word, PowerPoint)
- Corel Gallery Clipart
- The many photos I take.
- Screen-grabs
Though I do little insofar as video presentations (other than hair and makeup for a Zoom meeting or class), I do watch one or two video bloggers and noticed how well they incorporate other graphical elements to their videos.
In that I use all of my resources for work efforts, I wanted to ensure that my new iPad Mini would get its fair share of the workload. I have to justify (to myself)- business expenses like a new tablet. That is why I was researching graphical software options for the iPad and the usage areas I could effectively deploy, in terms of ROI.
I purchased Procreate ($9.99 Apple App Store)- Monday evening after installing Libby (Free) and reading a sample of Grisham's latest novel, 'Sparring Partners'.
I did not do a lot with the Procreate app Monday evening (tested the new stylus pen with the application), however Tuesday morning, did a lot of research and played around with the software.
Procreate is different than graphical software I have used in the past. I wish I were more artistically inclined because Procreate showcases that type of talent.
That said, I will be able to find uses for Procreate. It is a powerful tool and though I am not a skilled artist, feel understanding how the software works is going to be useful where my efforts are concerned.
Affinity Designer the other graphics software often mentioned for iPad users, provides the ability to create vector graphics. I am going to continue to create and manipulate vector graphics on the Windows PC side of things using PowerPoint (also installed Microsoft 365 Office Suite on the iPad).
I have been using Any Video Converter to edit my very rudimentary video files, however downloaded Active Presenter about 1.5 years ago.
I have not had the time to play around with Active Presenter, that is until now. Yes, that software is going to be very useful if I decide to add more to my videos.
Friday, June 03, 2022
I mentioned in my last post that I would be getting something I have
wanted for years. Though the philodendron shown on the right is new,
that is not what I referenced. I purchased the philodendron on Wednesday
during my weekly visit to the market. The item I ordered arrived
yesterday (Thursday) afternoon.
Wednesday, April 20, 2022
In March 2022, I requested space at one of the Baltimore County Public Libraries to take part in their Spring pop up shop events, set for Saturday, April 30, 2022. A week ago, I was notified another vendor had dropped out and there was space at the library I requested.
I began preparing for my very first pop up shop event, and took part in the Zoom presentation offered last evening- showcasing tips on how to setup and what to expect.
The problem, I did not have enough inventory (jewelry items from WiredShops) as I explained to the organizer when the spot first opened up, however I wanted to take part to gain understanding of how it all worked.
At the end of the Zoom presentation and question and answer session, I knew there was no way I would be prepared, even if I had the inventory. I notified via chat (with a promise to email the organizer), that I would not be participating, however would be checking in as a blogger.
I hope- those in Maryland and surrounding areas who are able to attend, will come out to support local area small businesses through these Baltimore County Public Library sponsored events.
Tuesday, January 26, 2021
On two occasions over the last week, I had the opportunity to witness the use of a Verizon MiFi 6620L Jetpack 4G LTE Mobile Hotspot unit used with an HP laptop. Thought this was pretty impressive.
I own several computing platforms, however most are not true mobile systems, in that I am tethered to both my dedicated wifi service and electrical current. These days, I prefer working in this more secure environment, however if I needed to be truly mobile- would definitely look into the acquisition of similar hardware. My choices shown below (updated: 1/14/24):
 Verizon MiFi 5510L Jetpack 4G LTE Hot Spot  |
 HP 2023 Latest Pavilion Business Laptop 
|
 Logitech M510 Wireless Computer Mouse  |
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
I also checked into current pricing options for mobile hotspot plans and found an interesting article on the Android Authority.
Monday, December 14, 2020
Today, while searching for a Windows 10 utility for screen video capture, I discovered Windows 10 comes with a screen recording utility called "Capture" "Game Bar".
To activate the program, on your keyboard use the Windows key in combination with the "G" key.
I recorded the following video using the capture program. The video discusses a new Java servlet I started work on today, which uses the Share This API.
The resolution on the monitor I used for the screen capture was 2560x1600. The original output file was over 34MB. Since I am not using Youtube for this demonstration, I converted the file to a smaller format.
Tuesday, January 14, 2020
I have been researching portable monitors for awhile and finally decided to purchase the Elecrow 10.1" 2K IPS Touchscreen Monitor.
Initially, the touchscreen capability was not a high priority, however overtime decided I would prefer a portable monitor with this option. When I found the Elecrow, several of the features I wanted with a monitor of this type were met, including:
- Touchscreen
- Monitor Size: 10.1 inches
- Screen Resolution: 2560x1600 (2K)
- Cost
The following is a short video demonstrating the Elecrow touchscreen feature.
Video Quality: I shot the videos for this post using my Canon VIXIA HF R700 Camcorder then merged the video files using a 640x480 lower resolution file size. This done mainly to accommodate my web hosting server. The original MP4 file was over 25MB and the converted file less than 10MB.
Tuesday, December 24, 2019
I am baking today, however I wanted to take a moment and tell you about a recent acquisition that I am pretty pleased about.
In addition to iTunes, I have several Echo devices hooked up to stereo and/or amped standalone speakers, enabling Alexa music requests in most areas of the house. I tested the new speaker with all of these systems and found in most cases the audio was greatly enhanced, however not in the den.
Systems around the house using other Echo devices where the Doss speaker made a significant difference:
If you are looking for a new bluetooth speaker, I think you will find this speaker has surprising output.
P.S. Issue from the last post, cleared up. I am so pleased about this.
