The specified DSN contains an architecture mismatch between the Driver and Application - UGH, but solved!

After wasting 3+ hours trying to set up linked tables in MSACCESS 2010 to MySQL tables through ODBC, I finally stumbled upon a solution that worked:

http://qt-project.org/forums/viewthread/23532 - basically, the answer is DO NOT download the 64bit driver (even if you have a 64 bit system).  Once you have the 32bit driver installed, set up the MySQL database as a SYSTEM dsn (and not a USER dsn).  Thank you Luca!

Goodbye 2012

Never before have I been so anxious to see a year go.  Between losing my father in August to pneumonia / congestive heart failure and then my mother four months later to Alzheimer's, I'm pretty much done with 2012.  Thank you to all my friends and family for supporting me in this tough year!  For those of you I've never meet, I hope your lives are never touched by Alzheimer's disease.  If you want to help find a cure, please consider donating in memory of my mother, Kathy, on the Alzheimer's Association website.

On the bright side, my son started Kindergarten and is doing well.  I have a loving husband and wonderful marriage. I look forward to spending more time with them doing FUN things in 2013.

On the personal growth side of life, I've found a wonderful community of earth friendly crafters on Etsy and I'm having fun developing our team website: RecycleParty.com

Happy New Year everyone!

Recycling for a Cure

Please help find a cure for Alzheimer's disease.  This disease and other dementia related illnesses are devastating.

My mother was diagnosed in late 2009 and our family has made donations to the Alzheimer's Association in her honor.  If you would like to make a donation in honor of my mother please visit Kathleen Geise Allen's fundraising page

I am also selling various items online for the purpose of raising money to donate to the Alzheimer's Association.  Each month, I make a donation equal to the proceeds from sales to my Kristy Recycles for a Cure page

An appeal for my mom on Mother's Day

When you live far from someone you love, you feel helpless when they need help.  It sucks that my mom is sick.  It sucks even more that I can't just get in the car and visit her - especially on a day like today:  Mother's Day.

I sent her flowers and a teddy bear and I'll call her later, but I want to do more.  I wish I could wave a magic wand and lift the cloud that is destroying her brain and now the rest of her body.  You know what suck the most?  ALZHEIMER'S SUCKS.

I would not wish this awful disease on my worst enemy.  Please consider helping find the cure by donating.  Here is my mom's tribute page on the official Alzheimer's Association website.