Friday Fun Post: Three Tips You Can Use
Tip #1 — Converting docx files
Ok, so I have not upgraded to problem-prone Vista nor Office 2007 because I wanted to save myself major headaches.
However, some of my clients are sending me .docx files (Office 2007) — which I can’t open in Word 2003. To open these files, you need a .docx converter.
A number of tech sites recommend docx-converter – however, I tried it twice and both times it failed.
Use Zamzar instead — works like a charm.
Tip #2 — Cheap audio books
Listening to audio books is a great way to get through long drives — something I’ve been doing a lot of these last few months. However, audio books are expensive and can punch a real hole in your pocketbook.
Thankfully, I found the secret way to enjoy audio books on the cheap — I buy them used on Amazon and then resell them when my son and I are done listening.
So far, I’ve paid anywhere from $2 to $5 for each audio book — and some of these retail for $49 bucks!
Tip #3 — Fun books to read and/or listen to
If you’re a closet Harry Potter fan, you may feel let down now that you don’t have the next installment to look forward to.
A few months ago, my son turned me on to the Eragon trilogy — the story of Eragon the Dragon Rider and his dragon Saphira. We listened to Book 2, Eldest (which left me sitting on the edge of my seat — five stars!) and have pre-ordered Brisinger, due out in September.
You might also enjoy the Golden Compass — again, another fantasy trilogy — and very, very good. We’ve just started The Amber Spyglass (Book 3).
Do you have any good books to recommend?
March 14th, 2008 at 4:23 pm
I will be at the library this afternoon working on Tip 3. = )
March 14th, 2008 at 4:28 pm
Shama, Enjoy the weekend!
March 14th, 2008 at 9:14 pm
Hi Ms. Huff,
Actually, when a person saves a docx file they can save in MS Office 27-2003. There is an option to do so. I use it all the time for school.
Hope this helps.
Melody
March 15th, 2008 at 4:10 am
If you’re a fan of The Amber Spyglass and the Eragon series, do check out the Susan Cooper The Dark is Rising series. It’s not exactly current, but it gives a fresh twist to the Arthur legend, and it has the same theme of kids battling real evil that the Harry Potter books and the Narnia series did. I first read The Dark is Rising series as an adult, and plowed through them all in a couple weeks. I still like to reread them when I’m sick and lying in bed and in need of comfort reading.
March 15th, 2008 at 9:17 am
Melody — Yes, I do ask people to resend their docx files as docs but wanted to see if online converters exist. Apparently you can download software from Microsoft that converts the files, too.
Toddie — We are reading the Dark is Rising Series. We finished the first two books — but they have been slow going for some reason. We love Narnia — I read them as a child and then as an adult to my son.
March 18th, 2008 at 10:51 pm
Thank you for the Zamzar link, Dianna! I couldn’t get docx-converter to work on my computer either.
Something that did work for me, though it’s tedious, is to rename the file .zip and then open the document.xml file inside the (new) zip file.
I’m avoiding Word 2007 purely on principle now–why on earth did they think it was a good business strategy to smash backwards compatibility to smithereens?
All my best,
Jessica
March 19th, 2008 at 1:40 pm
My pleasure, Jessica!