This may be something very well know across the Internet but I thought I’d share it anyhow because I once again found myself doing it the other day.

Say you come across a blog you really like and you know there is a subject they’ve covered in the past, but the blogger didn’t include the handy search box in the sidebar.

The easiest thing to do is head to Google.com and type something like this:

site:timmyjohnboy.com “android tips”

Notice I didn’t include any “http://” but just the site name and domain extension “.com” but I don’t think it would change anything if you did include it.  Another quick tip I used in the above example is the quotation marks.  This will give me results with the exact phrase match.  I could have typed something like:

site:timmyjohnboy.com “android”+”tips”

That would give me results containing both of those words but not necessarily in that order.

Anyhow, that’s your quick Google search tip for today!

As a personal update, I want to let my readers know that I am going through a bit of change in my life.  Recently I made a change from a full-time employee to being employed part time while filling the rest of my income by web-working.  In this article I would like to talk about what web-working is, what the pluses and minuses are, why I am only doing it part time, and why I am doing it at all.

What is web-working?

Web-working is exactly what it sounds like: working on the web.  Basically, if you make any of your income working on the Internet, whether from home or otherwise remotely, whether it be for yourself or an employer, you are a web-worker.  In my case, as a blogger, I have been hired on as a staff writer for MakeUseOf.com, a very popular technology blog.  In so doing, I receive part of my income from home writing articles for a website.  That is why I consider myself to be a web-worker.  I guess you can say I am a part-time web-worker.

What are the pluses and minuses of being a web-worker?

I am glad you asked!  The reason being is that the whole idea of working from home, making your own schedule and being your own boss seems very appealing but it may not be all it’s cracked up to be!  It is true, I do LOVE the flexibility of making my own schedule and such, but it is not always easy!  I am learning that there are a few lessons I need to learn.  I am learning to be self-motivated.  I am learning to be more organized.  I am working on being focused (something I have always had a hard time with).  I am even learning how to make my own goals and complete them.  All of these are really awesome things to learn and if I do it will affect other parts of my life positively.  However, you must realize that it is NOT for everyone!  Everyone may not even enjoy it.

Why am I only doing it part-time?

This is a good question!  If I enjoy the flexibility and the learning/growing experience, why not do it full-time?  Well, the main reason is that I need stability.  What would happen if either I was asked to step down as staff writer, or worse, if the site I write for goes under?  I would be on the street!  And nobody wants to hear a grown man weep!  Well, there’s nothing wrong with a man that cries, but you know what I mean!  I like the safety of having more than one stream of income, especially when the economy tanks.  Another reason is that right now I only write for one site, and the income is only a part-time income.  Am I actively looking for more writing gigs?  Well, other than having INTENTIONS on continuing my own blogging, not really.  Would I turn down another gig if I was offered one?  It would depend:)

Why am I a web-worker at all?

One reason has already been leaked earlier in this article: I like the flexibility!  As was also mentioned, I like the growing experience.  There is more though.  I like being able to spend more time home with my wife.  I like working on the Internet because it’s something I know and have enjoyed growing with through the years (I have also grown to respect it as a great power for both good and evil).  Similarly, I enjoy working at a computer (manual labor makes me cry – j/k!).  And I like working in the comfort of my own office in my own house in my own bedroom!  How’s that work for ya!?

Some tips I need to follow!

So, what do you think?  Am I totally off my rocker?  Have you ever thought about taking a similar leap?  Are you currently a web-worker?  Share with us!

Firefox Friday is here once again to help fulfill your Firefox needs!

I found a neat little tool from Firefox’s website that helps match add-ons to the type of Firefox user you are.  The page is called “Fashion Your Firefox” and here’s the down low!

Check out the page (Fashion Your Firefox) and read the introduction.  You are immediately introduced to a list of 9 different types of Internet users:

1. Finder and Seeker – offers some add-ons that may help in conducting searches
2. Social Butterfly – offers some add-ons that aid in social networking
3. Shutterbug – offers suggestions for photo-related add-ons
4. Digital Pack Rat – has add-ons that help you keep track of things like favorite sites. blogs and bookmarks
5. Rock Star – as much as I dislike rock music, this category is focused on music-based add-ons
6. Decorator – there are add-ons dedicated to decorating your browser in this category
7. Shopaholic – shop online?  find some add-ons that help in this endeavor
8. News Junkie – if you love news sites like I do, you’re sure to find an add-on you like here
9. Executive Assistant – get more organized with this category of add-ons

Obviously, the first step is to decide what kind of Firefox user you are.  You may find that you fall into several categories.  It only took seconds for me to decide which categories I fall into:

1. Finder and Seeker – This is defenitely me!  I love researching questions and problems and I get joy when I find answers that are clear and concise.  If a few add-ons can help me, what a blessing it would be!
2. Shutterbug – I love aids and tools that help organize and share my personal photos.  Sometimes I can be disorganized but there are add-ons that can help people like me!
3. Digital Pack Rat – Digitally?  I fit this category both in my digital life AND in real life!  I am always coming across sites and articles that I want to come back to eventually.  There are so many tools, articles, and sites that I would love to use and share with others but I need tools to keep them organized for me so I can actually find them again.
4. News Junkie – As I mentioned earlier, I love reading the news and I do most of my news reading online.  Tools that help with RSS reading, helping to keep me updated with new content, are imperative to me information consumption.

OK, I was open enough to share what kind of user I am.  Now it’s your turn!  What kind of Firefox user are you?

Twitter users, eat your hearts out!  How often do you come across a website you want to share on Twitter and the URL is too long?  The answer is one of the many URL shortening service there are out there.  Today, in honor of Firefox Friday, I want to share 4 Firefox tools that make working with shortening those URLs quick and easy!

1. Shorten URL: This add-on actually gives you the option of what shortening service to use.  It also gives options (on the right-click menu) to shorten the current page, a link, or a frame.  Two more options it offers (but are disabled by default) are automatically adding the link to the clipboard and automatically posting it to Twitter.  Seems very cool and very helpful!  Here’s the link.
2. Foxy URL: This add-on came to my attention via a friend of mine, Brett (twitter ID: @brett_13).  If you’re looking for a quick and easy solution (almost a one click operation) to shorten URLs, check out Foxy URL!  Installing this add-on adds a handy dandy icon() to the upper right corner of your browser.  A quick click brings up a small window and a second click of the “copy to clipboard” button is all that is needed.  You’ll end up with a URL looking like this: “http://foxyurl.com/7l”.  Check it out, it may suit you (like it has me so far these last few weeks):  Foxy URL
3. LongURL Mobile Expander: If you’ve ever wondered where that shortened URL is really sending you, this add-on is a good one to look into.  Install this one, and all you have to do is hover your mouse over the shortened link, and the long original URL appears.  I installed and tried it out in less than 2 minutes.  Check it out by clicking here.
4. TBUZZ: This last option, although not actually an add-on but a bookmarklet, is a new one to me but so far I’m in love!  All you have to do is drag the button at tbuzz.arc90.com to your bookmarks section of the toolbar, browse the web until you’re on a site you want to share, and click the bookmark called “TBUZZ.”  What you’ll get is a popup window asking you to sign into Twitter.  It will give you the shortened URL in the familiar twitter-like box.  It will also list below that what others are saying about that page on Twitter (the “buzz”).  Cool, huh?  Oh, and if you happen to want a quote from the site to be tweeted, just highlight the phrase before clicking the bookmark!  Now that’s easy!

I know these are not the only options out there.  Do you have any other URL shortening tools to share?

Buy Firefox and Mozilla T-shirts

Wow! I found this really cool site which only does one thing. All it is is an online alarm clock! Here’s the scoop:

• It’s called Kuku Klok
  
• You can choose what time the alarm sounds
  
• and what sound it makes
  
• Then just hit the “Set Alarm” button
  
• And finally, you know this clock is high quality because it’s:
  

Head on over to KukuKlok.com!  It’s really simple and really cool! Maybe I’ll stop having to use my cell phone to wake me up! What other kind of uses can you think of?

In this ever changing world we call the internet and social networking we find new things popping up all the time.  I know that Digg.com has been around for awhile but I haven’t really taken the time to check it out until now.  I think it looks pretty cool so I’m going to get involved!  Here’s the “low-down” on what Digg.com does and can offer:

• You can “discover and share content from anywhere on the web”
• “Digg surfaces the best stuff as voted on by our users”
• “Everything on Digg — from news to videos to images to Podcasts — is submitted by our community (that would be you)”
• Digg relys on their community (you) to determine what content on the web is popular
• You can submit articles you find interesting and that you think others will, too
• You can vote on articles you like or dislike

Let me know what you think!  In fact, check out the “ShareThis” link at the bottom of all of my posts and you’ll find Digg on the list.  Feel free to “Digg” any article of mine that you find worthy!

This is the second of a series of posts introducing you to sites that I’ve come across and have found them somehow interesting or useful.  Today I introduce you to:  http://www.instructables.com

Basically, this website is an ever changing compilation of tutorials covering almost every topic you can think of contributed to by anyone wanting to, as far as I can see.  In fact, once I find something to put up there, I will probably contribute, too!  How about an “instructable” about how to post a blog post about www.instructables.com?