I’ve had a nagging problem since installing Microsoft Word 2008 for the Mac. For some reason the default template adds an additional 10pt space after each line making it look like double spacing is turned on. I have to change it every time I type a doc, not a big deal. The bigger deal is having to change it EVERY TIME one of my kids or wife wants to type something. I finally sat down to change it today once and for all. Here’s what you need to do to make a change to the default template for Word 2008:

1. Make a backup copy of Normal.dotm (Default Word Document Template) found in /Users/~/Library/Application Support/Microsoft/Office/User Templates/.
2. Open the Normal.dotm.
3. Make whatever changes you’d like to make to set it up the way you’d like to start each new document in Word.
4. Save the template.

That’s it. Keep in mind that whatever changes you make to the template will change the starting point/default template for all future Word documents.  This process should also work for other default templates for Microsoft Office for the Mac applications.

On the Sims 2 Holiday Expansion Pack, you have an add on in the game. The add on includes things like different outfits, hats, and decorations. However, the Holiday Expansion Pack only includes 2 holidays: Christmas and Halloween.

With Christmas, you can get your family ready with decorations, Christmas trees, and decorative and festive wallpaper. You can even throw a New Years party for your sims and friends to enjoy. There are only certain days you can throw parties for New Years/Christmas. When you do decide to throw a party, Santa Claus will come to your house and leave presents under your tree for your sims to enjoy in the morning.

For Halloween, there are only simple decorations. No party, no trick or treating, just decorations.

Christmas was the big focus for this expansion pack.

Sims 2 is one of the most addicting games I have ever played. You can create your own person and customize every small detail about them (makeup, facial features, shape of face, ect.). Once you have created your family, you can also create your own house.

If you have never played, I don’t suggest reading the guide. Its a pretty easy game to figure out. The pictures and labels for building and customizing your own house makes it pathetically easy to build. If you want to take it a step further, you can create your own neighborhood by creating houses and shops for your sims to enjoy.

One of the most important features to this game is the sims themselves. Keeping them happy, fed, and making sure they don’t get sick can get tricky. Make sure your sim doesn’t die by always checking their needs. Make sure all their needs are always full green bars, or else your sim may die or become sick.

Another important feature is money. Your sim needs a job so you have money for food, bathroom/kitchen appliances, some sort of entertainment so the fun meter doesn’t drop, and a bed to sleep on. Those are the most basic things to have on this game and also the most important.

I’m always looking for tools that can make me life easier…one-click even. I know ripping DVDs to a portable device is hardly something new, but I’ve been using an application from Xilisoft called DVD to iPod Converter that makes it one click.

Anyone who’s tried hacking together your own DVD ripping solution knows that it’s not easy or simple. There are always lots of steps using a number of applications to get something down to carry on your iPod or other portable media device. I was pleasantly surprised to see that after loading up DVD to iPod Converter, I was able to insert a DVD, click the Convert button, and let the software do it’s thing.

There are lots of options for different devices, file quality, screen size, etc. Check out the software here.

PLEASE READ: This is not intended to encourage the stealing of DVD content you don’t own. Use the software at your own risk.

If you’re a blogger, or even an aspiring blogger, you should check out Red Sweater Software’s MarsEdit 2 blog publishing software. I’ve been using MarsEdit 2 for a while now and love being able to edit blogs from a local desktop application. The interface is clean, you have access to both a WYSIWIG as well as an HTML editor, and you can manage media files (pictures, audio, video) right from the application. Also added to the latest version is expanded access to post preferences such as comments and pings.

Aside from the great features, there are two things I love about MarsEdit. First is the ability to create and edit blog posts offline. It’s rare that I don’t have an Internet connection, but it seems like when I don’t have access is oftentimes when I’d like to be working on a blog post. Second, you can have access to multiple blogs without logging in to each control panel separately. If you post to more than one blog on a regular basis, this feature alone is worth picking up the software for.

Check out the trial version of MarsEdit 2 and see what you think.

I ran across the site PimpMyNews.com today. Pretty interesting. Not only is it a great name (”PimpMy” in front of just about anything spells cool), but it’s a great little service that turns text from news sites and blogs into .mp3 files you can listen to on your computer or more importantly on the go. You can easily create a free account and subscribe to up to 10 feeds you want “read” to you. Sure the voice is a little computer sounding devoid of emotion, but it still feels very futuristic.

The feeds are great for downloading onto your iPhone or iPod to listen to while you work out, drive or anywhere you have some down time.

You would think Santa had just brought the household a new puppy on Christmas morning. My family is enamored with Facebook. One good thing about this love affair is I don’t have to clean up doggie “accidents” or deal with chewed up furniture. It’s also highly likely Facebook isn’t going to get hit by a car or develop bad hips.

Needless to say, I’ve been dabbling a bit with the site in an effort to remain the king of my house when it comes to the number of friends each of us has. To help me, I downloaded the Facebook Application onto my iPhone and I’m pretty impressed. It has the most used base communication features of the web version. I’ve found that adding new friends is actually faster than it is with the web version.

If you’re into Facebook and have an iPhone, give the Facebook Application a try.

Microsoft Office for the Mac is a necessary evil for a lot users.  The AutoUpdate feature Microsoft built into Office works pretty well, but if things don’t go as planned with the download and/or install of an update, it can be a little frustrating.  Here are a couple of handy tips in case you need to find the update on your local machine or want to download it manually from Microsoft’s site:

• The AutoUpdate application is stored in the following folder:  Yourstartupdrive/Library/Application Support/Microsoft/MAU2.0.  The easiest way to launch it is from Help-Check for Updates in any of the Microsoft Office applications.
• Downloaded updates are stored in the following folder: Youruserfolder/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems/16807Office 2008 12.1.1 Update.  Updates are temporary though and are cleaned out along with other temporary items regularly.
• By default, a log of Microsoft AutoUpdate’s activities is kept in the following location: Yourstartupdrive/.  This can come in handy when troubleshooting.

I turned on my system a couple of days ago, launched Adium and noticed that my ICQ account wouldn’t connect. ICQ has periodic problems, so I thought the service was just down. Turns out a new version of Adium was required to get ICQ working properly. The strange thing was in Adium, when I clicked Check for Updates, Adium reported back that I was already using the latest version. A manual update to version 1.2.6 was required.

Tip: Don’t trust the automatic program updates. Sometimes there’s no substitute for a manual update.