Blog for free and get tips on ergonomics

Online Tool of the Week: Posterous

A short while back I answered a reader’s question regarding easy and free ways to set up a blog.

Since then, I’ve actually found what I’d have to say is by far the *easiest* way of setting up a blog I’ve ever, ever seen. It’s so easy it’s almost frightening. (But not quite, so don’t worry.)

Posterous allows you to have your own blog without even having to sign up or set up an account. It’s incredible; all you need to do is type a blog entry into an e-mail and send it to their e-mail address.

You’ll receive an instant reply with a link to your new blog. In the future, you just e-mail content to the same address and your blog is automatically updated.

In sum, if you have an e-mail address and know how to send e-mails, you can have your own blog. For free.

Try it: www.posterous.com.

Tips of the Week: Staying Healthy at Your Computer

I recently had an ergonomics expert visit my office and adjust my workstation.

She adjusted my chair, moved my monitors, mouse, and keyboard, and gave me suggestions on types of furniture and equipment I could purchase in the future to help me feel even more comfortable as I work.

Here are four tips (of many) that she shared with me; you can make each change on your own at your desk or workstation:

While you’re working on your computer, lift up one arm and reach it straight forward.

Do your fingers touch your monitor without you leaning forward in your chair? If so, that’s great. If not, you need to move your monitors closer.

When you’re sitting in your chair, your keyboard surface should be at elbow height — your forearms shouldn’t be angled upward or downward from your elbows when you’re typing — think 90 degree angle here.

If your keyboard isn’t at elbow height, try adjusting the height of your chair.

Your feet shouldn’t dangle! Make sure your feet are either flat on the floor or that you use a footrest.

Many people set up their monitors so that the screens are too high.

The top area of your monitor screen should actually be around eye level to reduce neck strain caused by tilting your neck back.

I hope these tips help you feel more comfortable when you work at your computer.

If you need additional assistance, drop me an e-mail and I’d be happy to share the contact info of the ergonomics expert who helped me out.

Grab Bag: Five Random Links of the Week

• www.identifont.com/identify.html — Use Identifont to determine just about any font’s name by answering a series of easy questions about its appearance.

• http://tinyurl.com/69uxzh — This is fun. A photographer took a variety of children’s drawings and turned them into professional photographs — awkward settings, improbable positions, silly clothing, and all.

• www.blinkx.com — “Over 26 million hours of video. Search it all.”

• www.flightstats.com — From gate changes and delays to takeoff and landing alerts, get frequent (and accurate!) updates on flights with FlightStats.

• http://tinyurl.com/6lbty6 — This blog post will teach you how to search for and replace Word formatting. If you read it.

And that’s it for today, everyone. Have a great week, and see ya next Monday.

Based in Frisco, eRin pheiL is the primary creative force behind timeforcake.

Learn more about her Colorado website design company at www.timeforcake.com or contact her via e-mail at info@timeforcake.com.