Wednesday, November 28, 2007

Google Docs... the way to go!

After I don't remember how many years of being a Microsoft Office junky, I just completed the final step of weaning myself away from the habit. A habit for which I paid a heavy cost every time I migrated laptops not to mention the retail price tag for Microsoft Office...

A few weeks ago, I started using the MS-Word equivalent functionality in Google Docs. I thought to myself "ok, this is cool". But I always knew that power point was the hook that would bring me back to Office. Today, I put together my first 3 page presentation using Google Docs and it was an amazingly positive experience. Sure, it doesn't have animations, but then again, in this age of frugality of ideas, maybe I don't need it.

So I am sold! My migration to Google Docs is complete. A few weeks ago, I migrated all my email (about 65,000), contacts (about 2,000)and calendar to Gmail. The migration was a bit painful because I wanted my archives to be moved as well. Just then, Gmail released IMAP support which made the migration work though labor intensive. It was important to me to maintain the original chronology of the emails, which some solutions that I found wouldn't have done (because they mass forward your old emails to Gmail). Also, I found Labels in Gmail to be very effective for keeping the original folders structure that I had for keeping email organized...

viola! I am OFF Microsoft Office Yo! When a friend recommended Gmail and Google Docs about 6 months, it was unimaginable then...

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Sunday, November 11, 2007

I had me some ghapaman (finally)


mmmm uncovered
Originally uploaded by roupen
Thanks for Sophie and Rouben Amirbekian , today I had the pleasure of tasting Ghapaman today. A traditional Armenian dish which I have heard about in songs but had never had. It basically a stuffed squash. In this case, stuffed with seafood and a chiopino-like delicious sauce. A side of white rice was provided that you stuffed into the squash as you ate the inside.

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Saturday, November 10, 2007

Kudos to Redwood City


Voided!
Originally uploaded by roupen
Last month, I got a parking ticket in downtown Redwood City which I thought was unfair. So I wrote the parking folks a letter pleading my case. My wife said it was a waste of time. A few weeks later, I got a letter from the City saying that they agreed with me and I didn't have to pay the ticket! WOW! Meanwhile, fearing late fees, I had sent in a $25 check for the ticket. Today, I got the check back. Double WOW!

The City machinery working for its citizens ;-)

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Friday, November 09, 2007

We are tracking...

After only a little bit of futsing around, I added Google Analytics tracking to this Blogger blog thanks to this cool entry here

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Wednesday, November 07, 2007

Smaller the better...


Rent-a-wheels
Originally uploaded by roupen
My car is in the body shop for a minor fender-bender so I picked-up this PT Cruiser at Enterprise this morning on El Camino Real in Redwood City. The word among the 4-5 other renters that were there with me this morning was "smaller the better"... That's no surprises, I suppose, given that the average gallon of gas for 87 octane is $3.50 where I am.

I asked for smaller too and what I got is this. The rental agent helping was mileage conscious as well. The lot was full of large SUV's and trucks that no seemed to want...

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