John M. Brown

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In case any of you out there are looking for accounting software I thought I'd mention the latest development from my company Firelace, Inc.

There is a good article that covers the benefits of accounting software for small business that I hope you'll take a few minutes to read, it is very informative.  At Firelace we believe that Merchant's Mirror is truly the best online accounting software on the planet.  Register for a free trial and see for yourself.

Hello again everyone.  I haven't posted here in several months primarily because I haven't had much to say.

I've been busy with the normal business stuff as usual.  There is a bunch of cool news for Merchant's Mirror and I'm working on more news for another venture of mine but for me personally it's been a very boring few months... I just really haven't done much that would have been deemed "fun."

I guess really it isn't anyone's fault but my own.  Upward basketball at Gospel Baptist Church finished up about Mid-March which consumed all our Saturday mornings and volleyball (also at Gospel Baptist Church ) took up Saturday nights.  Melissa seemed to really enjoy the volleyball so we stuck with it until it was over.  Immediately following those two activities Melissa started with softball.  Last year she played on a church team for another church but this year our church decided to start up its own women's team.

Softball started the very next week following the end of volleyball and has been going every weekend (except this weekend - Memorial Day) ever since.  It looks like right now the league will end sometime in mid-June.  No offense, but it would be nice to have a Saturday off for a change.

Let see... as for me... well... I guess I've just been doing whatever I get asked to do.  I've been to most of Melissa's games (or been babysitting Johnnie at a minimum).  Hmm... a couple of weekends I spent at the church cleaning and installing some sound equipment for the youth group, a couple of Saturdays I spent helping out the "Servant Evangelism" team either baking cookies or washing cars, and yesterday I helped my younger brother Stephen move into his new house.

I guess you could say we've been busy... If things go according to plan I may actually get a Saturday in June (I think the 3rd Saturday) that we don't already have things planned.  Woohoo!  I'll keep you posted.

I'm gonna try to go do something FUN in the next week or two... so keep your fingers crossed for me.

Wow, didn't mean to write so much.  Hopefully I'll post again soon... but no promises. :-)

and let me work!

I know I said I wouldn't rant on Vista any more... but I can't help it.

I booted up my Vista Home Premium computer this afternoon and for ONE FULL HOUR I sat as it attempted to install update after update, patch after patch, and run Windows Defender scans... all Microsoft software.  What's bad is that I HAD USED THE COMPUTER WITHIN THE LAST 30 DAYS.

I thought Microsoft was focused on the business end of things.  I thought it was all about efficiency.  What I've learned is that you can count on them taking between one and four hours every couple of weeks while you stop working and patch your computer.

For the record, I'm typing this message on a Mac Mini that I have used even LESS frequently and it took all of about 8 minutes to get it up to date and usable.  Go figure.  (And the mac mini is several years older than the Vista machine.)

Attention All...

In case you're looking for the latest photo updates let me remind you of a few links:

• Photo Album
• Photoblog

I am also on facebook, so add me as a friend and you will get to see a few more pics.