Friday, November 7, 2008

"Books for Dummies" R US ...

You see them everywhere ... and most of us probably have one or two on our desk or bookshelves. I'm talking about the sometimes humorous, but always informative "Books for Dummies." I currently have these two on my desk ...


And I plan to buy this one on November 17th,
when it hits the shelves at Barnes and Noble ...

I also want these two ...


Before I wrote this post, I "googled" Dummies Books and was amazed to discover that there are literally hundreds of them on the market.

I found books for dummies on just about any subject you can imagine. Take for instance Decorating ... a subject near and dear to most of our hearts. There's Home Decorating for Dummies, Cake Decorating for Dummies, Holiday Home Decorating for Dummies, Window Treatments and Slip Covers for Dummies, Kitchen Remodeling, Sewing, and Organizing for Dummies, and even Home Staging for Dummies (I wouldn't mind having that one!).

There are books on Travel ... (England, Australia, Scotland, Costa Rica, London, Rome, Europe, and the Bahamas, to name just a few).

Dummies can also learn the Language of their destination country or city ... including English, Portuguese, Russian, Latin, Italian, Spanish, French and Arabic, for instance.

There were also books for dummies who want to take an RV Vacation, or perhaps take up a new Hobby like Beekeeping, Ballet, Coin Collecting, Forensics (gotta love it), House Plants, Magic, Quilting, Scrapbooking, Home Brewing, Gardening, or Robot Building (I kid you not).

I discovered that musically-inclined dummies can learn how to play the Piano, Drums, Harmonica, Violin, Banjo, and an assortment of different kinds of Guitars.

And if a dummy is considering getting a New Pet, he, or she, can learn all there is to know about Cats, Dogs, Kittens, Puppies, Horses, Rabbits, Birds, Ferrets, Parakeets, Hamsters, Turtles and Tortoises, Reptiles and Amphibians, and Parrots! I even saw one called Retired Racing Greyhounds for Dummies.

And for all the Sports dummies out there, they can breathe a sigh of relief because there are books for them, too -- on Football, Baseball, Tennis, Golf, Soccer, Formula One Racing, Figure Skating, and Poker.

And for those of us who are "computer or internet-challenged" (I prefer that to "dummies," don't you?) ... there are books about Buying a Computer, PCs for Dummies, Google for Dummies, The Internet for Dummies, Windows Vista, MacBook for Dummies, Windows XP, and even a Computers for Seniors for Dummies book.

And for the more "computer-literate dummy," there are books on SQL, XML, CISSP, RFID, VoIP, SAS (no, not the shoes), UML2, and PHP5. I don't have a clue what any of those are, so I guess I need a Computer Acronyms Made Simple for Dummies Book. And after reading it ... I'm sure I would need the Stress Management, Overcoming Anxiety, and Meditation for Dummies books.

As if all these books aren't enough, there are a few dummy books I could use which I didn't find ... like these:

I could have used this one last week when
I received my first text message on my cell phone.

I didn't even know I could get text messages, but my computer-network-engineer-son sent one to me after I had tried to reach him by phone. He "text-messaged" me that he was in a meeting and wanted to know if everything was okay. Now, I had no idea how to reply and didn't have my glasses with me at the time, so I was doubly handicapped, but knew he would worry if he didn't hear back from me.

After several attempts to enter the word, "yes," on my cell phone to let him know we were okay, I finally got "yes" on the screen and pushed the "send" button on my cell phone. Just as I pushed it, I saw that the message had changed from "yes," to "yesterday," thanks to the settings on the phone being set to automatically fill in words. I figured my son would know we were all right, except for my text-messaging skills, of course.

Another one I could use ...

I know ... it's kind of pitiful that a grown woman doesn't know how to gargle, but any time I've ever tried, I've almost drowned myself. I finally came to the conclusion that life's too short and I can live the rest of my days in peace without knowing how to gargle.

I've probably told you way more than you wanted to know about books for dummies, but I like them and think they have a place in today's world ... they're kind of like "cliff notes" for everyday life, and most of them, I've found, are definitely not for dummies.

14 comments:

Unknown said...

Hi Janie,
You sound like me on the text messaging! But it gets easier.

I like the dummy books...I bought the one on New Orleans when my son went there...it was very helpful!

Salmagundi said...

I knew very little about our computer and even less about blogging; so I bought the Blogging for Dummies book. Within a few days I had a blog!! There is still so much I don't know. Sally

nikkicrumpet said...

I'm with you on the text messaging...I told my kids...for heck sakes just dial the damn phone and talk to me! Do they really think I can type on those teeny tiny keys?

Picket said...

Morning Janie! Girl I do so need a library full of these books! lol lol My granddaughter ask me one day 'Maw Maw.why don't you answer my text messages?"!!! What!!??? lol I told her I didn't even know what that was and where in the world was it and how do I get to it!???? lol lol Oh and as far as computer stuff goes..I don't even think a book could help me..not even one with pictures.....BUT I CAN GARGLE!!!! Sorry! lol I just had to throw that in! lol I loved that other post on Natchez..oh the color and THOSE COWS!!! Oh Janie I love cows as much as I do chickens...I may have to 'borrow' some of your cow pics just so I can look at them..that calf was adorable! My Mama Bush had an old Jersey milk cow that was the sweetest cow I have ever to this day seen...she could be at the other end of the pasture and come running to you when you called her...great post girl! Thanks for coming by and I hope you have a great weekend..oh I love those gorgeous pansies in your header pic!

Julie @ Sweet Chaos said...

Hilarious! I probably could do well to read some of those... How about a housekeeping one? And, I just want to say, I love Picket. I so enjoy reading her blog--I can see her entire thought process in her writing and love how she squeezes everything in! Like her Maw Bush's cow--too sweet!

StitchinByTheLake said...

Hilarious Janie. I think I'll just hop over to Amazon and find Gardening for Dummies. I want to have a garden next spring so I better start learning now! blessings, marlene

southerninspiration said...

Wow, WHO KNEW??? I didn't know the Dummies library was so extensive!!! And I could use your Dummies books when you publish them! Very funny post....gargling is overrated!!! ;)

Suzanne

The Quintessential Magpie said...

Janie, this post is so funny, but true! While I can gargle (and speaking of which, an entire bottle of Listerine decided to uncork itself in my new suitcase last week!), I'm your basic techno-klutz. When it comes to reading technical instructions, I go into shutdown mode. This even predates the computer era. Years ago my mother did a needlework piece for me that said, "When at first you don't succeed, follow instructions!" I would get some new device, try to work it without the instructions, and then have to get Mama or Daddy to figure it out... everything from batteries to recording devices. If it was electrical or battery operated, I freaked.

Maybe I need a dummies guide on technical instruction anxiety. ;-)

Happy Sunday,

Sheila

Kelli@SassySouthernMom said...

I love the one on blogging for dummies. I may have to make a trip to the book store today! LOL. I also like the HTML for dummies too! I didn't know they even had these books for blogging! Thanks for sharing. Have a good day!

Anonymous said...

Hi Janie! Thanks for bringing a few "dummie" books to my attention! I need the patience one for sure! I do have a few of them and think they are the best! Hope you had a great weekend! Now you have conquered text messaging and will love it!!! I've gotten quite good at the lingo thanks to my daughter!lol Take Care - Jeannette

Anonymous said...

Janie, you made me LOL over the gargling, too funny. I only gargle at the dentist and then who doesn't get it all over themselves !! So you are in good company.

You'll be texting with the best of them in no time. Nothing to it. Trust me if I can do it anyone can :)

Off to watch Desperate Housewives.

Take care,
Kathy :)

Jon said...

Very helpful post about these self-help books! I had no idea there were so many different titles published by that company.

Jon on 11-10-08

Shane Birley said...

It is always good to hear that the Blogging for Dummies book has helped!

Shane Birley said...

Oh, and as an additional comment, I have six Dummies books on my bookshelf at the moment. :)