Six Neat Things

Here is a very neat vacation idea. I love to travel and see new places, meet new people, taste new foods. Tusker Trails specializes in such exotic vacations as Kilimanjaro climbing, guided tours of Tanzania and East Africa safaris. Tusker Trails was founded by Eddie Frank 30 years ago, and has a top-notch crew to help you have the adventure of a lifetime. Tusker’s guides are medically trained for high-altitude response, so you can rest assured that you are in good hands. The climber to guide ratio is generally 5 to 1, but sometimes as low as 2 to 1. I’d love to go on one of these tours, just for the photo opportunities. And I am sure Eddie would understand that, because he was a professional photographer before he founded Tusker Trails.

Virtual Home of Sherlock Holmes. Links to the stories, and more. I really enjoyed this site, and I think you will time. If you are a Holmes fan, get a cup of tea and settle in for a nice virtual visit at 221B Baker Street. Don’t forget to scroll down under the story links to check out the pictures.

Here’s another neat thing for your pocketbook. Schooling is expensive, and often people find themselves with a myriad of student loans once they graduate. With today’s job market, it can be difficult to find a position in your field right away, and then you are looking at default. It’s a double whammy, because employers frequently run a credit check before they offer you a position. It’s a catch-22. Student loan consolidation can be a viable way to reduce your payments and maintain your credit. If you have debt, figuring out a way to pay it off while managing to have enough money left to eat is one of the neatest things you can do for yourself.

Today’s neat site is a little different than the typical sites I show you, but my mind is much on computers and related paraphernalia, so I am going to ask you to bear with me. The fine folks at ACS Industrial specialize in repairing the parts of computers we typically think of replacing when they break, such a circuit boards, touch screen monitors and even power supply repair. Anytime something can be repaired instead of replaced, that’s pretty neat. it’s better for the landfills, and generally better on your pocketbook as well.

OperadiO is a great resource for learning just a bit about opera, or for hearing old favorites. The selection is great here, and you will learn a lot. I’ve never cared much for opera myself, but I probably should familiarize myself with at least a few, in the interest of being a well-rounded person.

The face recognition program at this site is very neat. Upload a picture of yourself, and it will scan your face and come up with a list of celebrities you resemble, more or less. There are some pretty neat genealogy resources here, too. Check out the “6 must-do Things on MyHeritage”, about halfway down the page for great fun.

This site is neat because it allows you to compare vacation rentals all over the world. Select your country and state (if applicable) and start planning your ultimate va-kay. You can also buy a place, if you are ready to become a member of the jet-set. For the more budget constrained (like me), it’s just a cool place to start thinking about where you would go if you could.

Ok, normally a free dating site would just not make it to this page. But if you visit here and you are single, I promise you will like this site. It’s Just Coffee is not your normal meat market, nor is it a place to find your “soul mate” (insert eye roll). No, the database of this site is filled with brainiacs, just like the ones for whom I write this site. They claim to cater to nerds as well, but I don’t think brainiacs are nerds. I happen to think they are quite cool. So, if you are single, get over there and register for some fun.

Remember those songs you grew up singing in church? You can find those old favorites and many more at The Cyber Hymnal. NOt only can you find lyrics, but you can also hear midi files of many of the songs. And don’t let the word “hymnal” throw you off either, because there are gospel songs here as well. Go on over there and sing!

I saw a really neat gift site this morning. They sell cheap wedding favors, but there is so much more here. If you think outside the box, you will see that there are many items here that are suitable for varied gift giving occasions. These votive holders would make an awesome housewarming gift. And these boat frames would be cool just about anywhere. I love little things like this that are inexpensive, but show that some thought went into the gift. If you are operating on a limited budget (and aren’t we all), this is a site that can help you out!

If you enjoyed the oragami site I sent you to before, you will be happy today. I found the home page this time. Money Origami is probably the most fun you can have for just a couple of bucks. Have fun, and let me know what you make. With pictures, of course!!

If you like free, you’ll think this is pretty neat. You can Get a Free iPod from iPodSweepstakes.com Now! They draw a name everyday for a totally free iPod. In addition to waiting for them to pick your name out of the virtual hat, you can earn a free iPod. There’s nothing to pay, no credit card is required, you just earn points by completing surveys and asking for free information. I’ve been a member of the site for awhile, and it’s not heinous, and the points do add up over time. Check it out!