DefaultKeyBinding.dict (Mac OS X - Home/End keys like a PC)

With my new Mac Mini, took a few lines of editing code to realize how much I use 'Shift+End', 'Shift+Home' and Home, End keys to move around and modify/select code...

Add these snippets to your ~/Library/KeyBindings/DefaultKeyBinding.dict file (may need to create KeyBindings directory)

{

/* remap Home / End */

"\UF729"  = "moveToBeginningOfLine:";                   /* Home         */

"\UF72B"  = "moveToEndOfLine:";                         /* End          */

"$\UF729" = "moveToBeginningOfLineAndModifySelection:"; /* Shift + Home */

"$\UF72B" = "moveToEndOfLineAndModifySelection:";       /* Shift + End  */

}

(you won't need the open/close braces if modifying an existing dictionary)

source: http://osxnotes.net/keybindings.html

El Nino?

Is it almost winter? is the water south of mexico along the equator warmer than usual this year?  We are in an El Nino weather pattern.

What does that mean for us here in the Northeast United States?  The warmer weather impacts the typical storm path and wind directions.  Typically, meaning a warmer/wetter winter than usual.

Well this year, that snow/rain line has been much further north than any skier would want to see --and has meant a warm fall and no snow for Christmas for most of us.  The line is starting to fall south, and there is hope that as that line goes south of Massachusetts for the coldest portion of the year -- we could see some activity in our mountains and backyards.

Enjoy the last day of fall, bring it on winter!   If you have to fall in the mountains and keep our driveway shoveling to a minimum, I'm ok with that!

source: http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/ninonina.html

Disclaimer:  I'm not a meteorologist, but I do like nice weather that supports my hobbies and interests!

SALT - money knowledge for college and beyond (saltmoney.org)

Part of the reason for working for a non-profit organization, is the benefit of feeling like I am helping out my fellow man instead of working to help out a shareholders pocket.  Don't get me wrong, I am a shareholder and need those publicly traded companies that I help to support continue to do well too-- The 'student debt' problem in our country, is a big one though -- and few companies are really trying to take the issue head on.   Our countries youth signs away far too much of their future before truly understanding the debt they are taking on.

ASA has created a website called Saltmoney.org and its primary purpose is to help you out with financial education and handling student loan debt.  In a few years, the site has grown a lot -- from a content and tools perspective, from number of users, and from a usability perspective.  

The site is now mobile friendly, thanks to mobile-first design decisions, and our talented development team worked hard to ensure the site works well in many screen resolutions (responsive design) on a multitude of devices.  The site will mature even further and become the  go to resource for student loan and basic financial topics lessons and tools.

I have been working for the last few years on this noble endeavor, and wish ASA and Saltmoney.org the best in the future.  Keep on innovating, and always remember -- your users need you now more than ever.

Simply Organized - organizedbyavery.com

My wife Avery is an entrepreneur!

She has started her business of helping people organize their homes, closets and lives.  She has a new website that we put together (Simply Organized - http://organizedbyavery.com/).  She is starting to use social media to advertise her business as well and has put up a Facebook page for her business and has a Pinterest page as well.

Like Simply Organized on Facebook
Follow Simply Organized on Pinterest

She has already done wonders with our home in Norfolk, MA.  We have been here for a few months, and folks visiting assume that we have been here for years.

Please check out the site, and spread the good word!

Solar - it's probably better than you think

Can solar panels save you money on your cost of electricity?   If you have a sunny roof that preferably faces south-- I think the answer is yes!

I've been researching solar panels now for a good amount of time and am about to pick the installer and sign a contract...    

My findings, for a smaller roof - Sunpower makes the top of the line most efficient panels and also the best warranty on the market.  They also have a really nice looking all black panel..    If you have a larger roof and maybe don't care as much about aesthetics, you could alternatively maybe consider more of the cheaper panels (the ones with grey lines in them). 

First steps-- understand your usage. Look at your prior bills, preferably over 12 months and figure out your average monthly usage.  The energy goal with solar: produce about or slightly above what you will use.   It's also good to know what your total electric cost over the last 12 months was, and the price per kWh you paid.  The financial goal, spend less annually on panels/electricity...

Incentives: currently there is a federal tax credit (30% of total cost) which is currently set to expire on installations not completed by the end of 2016 2019.  Massachusetts also gives you 1k.

Additional income: for every 1000kwh you generate, you earn an SREC, which you can sell on the market, currently I believe around 250-300$ each.  If you get 6-12 SRECs per year, it's really going to help out your annual cost.  The SRECs value is going to go down as more people enter the market and get solar panels.

Buy or not:

I'm looking to buy my panels, getting a loan at about 3%, for 70% of the total cost.  My monthly payment will be higher than my current electricity bill, but my annual cost of electricity should be about half what it was, and when the loan is paid off, I should be getting most of my homes energy from the sun, resulting in no electric bills.   It looks like buying offers the best longer term savings, while a lease option provides better monthly cash-flow options on the short term.

If you just want to save money each month for say the next 20 years...  There are many companies that will be happy to use your sunny roof space, deal with everything (including receiving the incentives) and you won't have to do too much aside from pay less per month.  It's attractive as it's less out of pocket cash flow wise, but longer term has less of a benefit.

That's the high level-- I'll give you some more details if you want to hear them.  Here is a link to the company I used and it includes my referral.

Ariens 927069 - Rear Engine Rider Lawn Tractor

Buying the house included a neglected 2005 Ariens 927069 lawn tractor, that looked like it hadn't run in years and was outside through a bad winter or two....

I saw some potential there, and always like a good challenge--

After blowing out the mice nest, spider webs, bee hives and moving her to my garage... I started with some basics. Cleaned out the carb, changed the oil, dumped that nasty old gas-- put on a new fuel filter, a shutoff switch, and replaced the carb gasket... Oh, and a new battery. I had a nice running Briggs and Stratton 14.5 HP motor!

 Now the tricky part... the belt. Took 3 parts until I finally got it right (Owners manual and Part manual had wrong parts). 07242200 is the belt it needed. Took the blade off and got it sharpened at the local hardware store, and I was in business cutting grass! Only took most of the summer to get that far :) The guys down at the local tractor store, Norfolk Power were great and sympathetic to my issues... my two year old son really enjoyed the multiple visits to the parts counter and tractor showroom...

Norfolk, MA - Moving Day

We now live in Norfolk, MA!

After selling my condo in Gloucester, and not being a homeowner/landlord for a bit -- its back to the 'joys of home ownership'. Like many things in life, there are pros/cons of every choice and decision... Our new home has many of the things we were looking for, but falls short on a few as well. I now have an acre of land, and more than enough garden space! The land was once farmland and does appear to have a nice layer of topsoil.

Stephen Ellis Amante

The easter bunny brought us a surprise today!