Jeanne's Two Cents - And a little bit more.

Moving Here

2012-01-28T12:16:00.000-08:00

Post contributed by Noah Schmidt

When we first moved here I was determined not to have a TV in the bedroom. My husband and I have gotten really bad about laying down and turning on the TV been falling asleep at night in front of it which I just don’t think is the healthiest thing in the world. But after a few months I caught my husband on http://www.cabletvadvisor.com/high-definition-tv.html looking at packages to get for the house. He said he just needed some more sports channels because he was getting all the football or basketball games that he wanted to but I knew what he really wanted was to angle to eventually get a TV back in the bedroom. I don't know what I have to do to get through to him but I really don't think it's good for our marriage for us to let all these TV characters into our bedroom. I'll even make him go to therapy if he keeps fighting me on this one, that's how strongly I feel about it!

Leathercrafting is a Great Family Hobby

2012-01-28T12:12:00.000-08:00

Not long ago, I noticed my granddaughter chewing on something purple. "What's that I asked?" With a full mouth, she said, "Fruit leather" and went on chewing. I had to admit, that was a new one to me. Fruit leather? What next? I wondered.

Actually the fruit leather my granddaughter was enjoying wasn't actual leather--it just looked like it and the length of time it took to finish the thin piece of purple fruit leather she was chewing on probably made it seem as though she was chewing on a piece of leather.

Leather has been around since the first animals arrived in the Garden of Eden, and I suspect that Adam and Eve quickly learned how to use it to their advantage.

History records leather being used in thousands of ways over the centuries.

In the beginning, animal skins were used mainly for crudely made shelters to protect a family from the elements, for plain clothing and foot coverings, and for blankets to keep warm. Later, various other ways were found to use leather in shaping instruments of warfare, for musical instruments, as a surface for writing as men learned to communicate with each other, and for decorative items for their homes.

Today, leather is still popular for shoes, clothing, office items, belts, and a large number of decorative things for our homes.

At one time, leather postcards were very popular and some vintage ones can still be found in antique shops, or at auction sites such as ebay.

If you are a person that enjoys the feel and look of leather, you might be interested in trying leathercraft yourself. Although choice leather is expensive, there are places you can order bundles of scrap leather online and try a few small projects to get the feel of it before advancing to something more expensive.

A lot of beginner projects only take a large needle, some strong thread, and a pair of scissors besides your piece of leather. Give it a try and you may surprise yourself by coming up with some unique gifts for your family and friends for very little cost.

A great book, on just about everything you ever wanted to know about leathercrafting is Leather Craft Secrets by Dwain Berlin. Check it out for yourself and see.

Another tradition just bit the dust.

2012-01-28T12:07:00.000-08:00

My husband and I took our two youngest granddaughters, 8 and 11, to lunch the other day. As we were driving along toward the restaurant where we planned to eat, the 11-year-old asked, "Grandpa, why do you have a phonebook in the back seat?"

My husband explained that sometimes we would think about something we needed while we were out in the car and that we could look up the name and address of a particular business in the phonebook. I added that we could also find a phone booth and call the company if it was just some information we needed.

The 11-year-old replied, "What's a phone booth?"

We were aware that most people have cell phones now, but surely there were still phone booths for people like us who hadn't yielded to the cell phone craze---right? Wrong. At least in our town. We were determined to find one to show our granddaughters, but guess what? We couldn't? I guess another tradition--seeing how many bodies can be stuffed into a phone booth--just bit the dust.

Choosing a Baby Blanket

2012-01-20T15:37:00.000-08:00

I recently read a blog article on Choosing a Baby Blanket. I checked it out, because I would have thought anyone could choose a baby blanket. The article did teach me a few things I didn’t know though. For example; wool baby blankets aren’t itchy and scratchy any more. I have avoided anything made of wool for years, because of itchy and scratchy clothing items I had to wear as a child.

A Cotton Baby Blanket seems to be the most common choice now, and the variety of colors they come in is amazing. No more just “pink or blue,” but pale greens, yellows, and lavenders are common, especially as gifts for baby showers where the sex of the baby isn’t already known. You can also choose baby blankets with adorable animals, or fairy tale characters frolicking about on them.

No matter what the fabric, a Receiving Blanket or a gift set of several receiving blankets, always seems to be appreciated at the baby showers I've attended, because they can be used so many ways. I remember using them as night diapers when my kids had grown a little too big to be wrapped in them.

The blog also talks about and shows other baby items they handle, like furniture and clothing, but blankets are definitely their main focus..

Even if you don't have any baby showers coming up in the immediate future, check out the blog. If you're like me, you probably want to keep a few baby items on hand just in case your mail includes an unexpected baby shower invitation.

The $79 Kindle is well worth the money

2012-01-17T18:00:00.000-08:00

For several years, I have toyed with the idea of getting a Kindle, but couldn't quite bring myself to part with the money. The new, $79 version changed my mind.

After all, I would have to pay that much for one night at a motel, I told myself--or a month of cable at our house--or enough gas to visit my sister across the state. And, what about taking the whole family to a nice restaurant for just one meal? Surely a Kindle was at least as important to me as any of these other things.

I finally convinced myself, bought the Kindle, and haven't regretted it for a minute.

True, the $79 version lacks the frills of some of the higher priced Kindles, but I really wasn't looking for frills. I just wanted a simple e-reader that held lots of books, that was light-weight to hold, and had adjustable font sizes so I could enlarge the print if I wanted. My $79 Kindle met all those qualifications and more.

After a couple of weeks, I decided to buy a cover for my Kindle to make sure the screen didn't get something spilled on it, or scratched to pieces by our curious cat, so that was an expense I hadn't counted on, but it has been well worth it, too. Now I can toss it into my purse without worrying about something sharp, like a comb or my ball-point pen rubbing against it. I bought a black cover, but it is available in 4 different colors. It fits the Kindle perfectly.

In the short time I have had my Kindle, I have not only purchased a few titles I really wanted, but have also found many free titles at Amazon.com. Just go there and type in, "free Kindle books," and you should find a number that appeal to you. One free one I downloaded was, Transfer of Power," by Vince Flynn, which I highly recommend if you like adventure novels.

My first real purchase was a Bible, for only $2.99.

Now I do my daily Bible reading on my Kindle. The next day, even if I have been reading other books in between, I just turn to the index page where all my titles are listed, click on my Bible, and it opens at the exact place where I left off reading the day before. Another button takes you to a keyboard where you can type in a different place in the Bible if you wish, and that spot will appear.

If you want to order a new book, use the same keyboard to search for the title or author, and then go click on, go online, in the index to order it. Like magic, it is quickly added to your collection, and you can open it with a click and start reading.

Many public libraries also loan books for use on your Kindle, but I have only ordered one that way so far. You search the list of available books and, if there is a waiting list for a particular title, you add your name to the list, and they will notify you by e-mail when it is available. If not, you simply order the book, sign in to your Kindle, and the book is there.

The book I borrowed was loaned to me for 7 days. After 5 days, I got an e-mail reminding me that the loan period would expire in 2 more days. Then, at the end of 2 days, the book no longer opened, but I had finished reading it, so I deleted it.

Another thing I really, really love about my $79 Kindle is that I can move text documents from my computer to the Kindle and read them there. As someone who never passes up an opportunity to download free e-books online, I am well-stocked, and have many I haven't even open, yet. Now they reside on my Kindle, and when we go traveling, my lawnchair by the river, my can of soda, my Kindle, and I will while away the hours with those e-books I always meant to read, but haven't gotten around to yet.

If you have been putting off purchasing an e-reader, you can't lose with the $79 Kindle.
It is worth every penny.

Kids are my Life

2011-12-30T12:04:00.000-08:00

Guest post written by my buddy Lavern Small

My kids are my life but boy are all their activities tiring me out. My daughter is still in really into ballet even at her age and my son’s all about football which would be fine if he wasn’t the star of his team. I think there’s something to be said for taking your time to relax after a long day at work and I never have that chance because I’m always running them from one thing to another. I recently got a bunch of directv channels hoping I could relax more often and hang out at home with my husband and the dogs but no, as it turns out my son was trying out for soccer last week on a whim and he made the team. Between that and all the sports my daughter is interested in, too, it looks like I’m never going to have time to take up a hobby until they both graduate and go off to college. I guess that’s not the worst thing but boy am I exhausted!

Model Airplane Building, A Great Family Hobby

2011-12-21T11:50:00.000-08:00

When I got married quite a few years ago, not only did I acquire a wonderful guy for a husband, but I also ended up adding his huge model airplane collection to my life. It wasn't easy, because, at the time, he had more than fifty models airplanes ranging in size from about five inches to a few with 6 foot wing spans.

Over the years, the planes would come and go as he traded with friends, sold one now and then, and, unfortunately, totaled a few during our frequent trips to competitive meets and on solo trips to a nearby lake where he enjoyed flying his amphibian models.

As soon as each of our children was old enough to hold a tiny balsa glider, their dad had them out in the back yard flying their own little airplanes, and, over the years, many of the neighborhood kids joined in as well. Later, grandchildren were added to the mix, and the "gang," as they love to call themselves, still love to meet at a field or lake and practice their flying skills against each other.

Model airplane building is fun and educational. Kids can start with inexpensive little balsa press-out kits that can be assembled in just a few minutes. Then, as they grow older, plastic models with just a few basic parts, or rubber band models can be purchased for a reasonable price. These can be painted and personalized with numbers so the child feels a real sense of ownership.

Depending on the interest and skills of older children, you may want to move from the simple models mentioned earlier into kits where the child follows a pattern to cut out individual parts and glues them, sands, them, applies fabric, paint, etc. If an adult member of the family already has these skills, so much the better, but, if not, there are books available online that can help.

Radio control model airplanes are the next step, and the one most families who are interested in building and flying model planes look forward to. It is a more expensive step, and one that should be studied carefully before you actually get into it to make sure you choose a plane that isn't too difficult to build or fly for the skill level of your family members.

The time to get your family started on this exciting hobby is now, during the winter months, so that you will be ready to "take off" when good flying weather rolls around next spring.

Lie Detector Test, Anyone?

2011-11-08T16:50:00.000-08:00

Politics can be very confusing. One day, I listen to Herman Cain and think, "This guy would make a great president." The next day, a woman I never heard of comes out of nowhere and accuses him of making sexual advances to her, and I think, "Oh, my. Another Bill Clinton. We certainly don't want him for president."

Then, the next day, Mr. Cain comes out and denies ever sexually harassing anyone and even offers to take a lie detector test to prove it. In the meantime, several other women are lining up to make similar accusations against the man.

What is the average voter to do? Maybe the solution is to have them all take lie detector tests. Will it come to the place where truth serum is a requirement for running for office? Someone is lying. The question is, who?

Do You Have a "Hello Kitty" Fan on Your Christmas List?

2011-11-06T15:44:00.000-08:00

My youngest granddaughter loves, "Hello Kitty." In fact, she is so in love with this cute little kitty that I think I could get her to wear almost anything, eat almost anything, or do almost anything, as long as there was a promise of something with that little white cat wearing a pink ribbon involved.

Wanting to get a jump on Christmas shopping, I stopped by my favorite online store earlier today and took a look at what was available in the "Hello Kitty" department. I was surprised to find the already huge variety of offerings even larger than last year. Here are just a few items that caught my eye.

Amazon has so many cute, "Hello Kitty," items that I couldn't begin to show even a fraction of them here. They have jewelry, bedding, purses, shoes, and clothing that any little girl would love, along with cuddly kitties to sleep with. If you need Christmas gifts, click on any of the above items to pay a visit to the Amazon store and enjoy shopping from your easy chair.

Walk-in Tub Versus Showers? No Contest!

2011-11-05T15:33:00.000-07:00

One thing elderly people I talk to miss the most is a nice relaxing soak in the bathtub.

I have to admit that I recently gave up on trying to hoist my slippery wet body from the reclining position I had enjoyed for an hour while reading an inspiring novel. Not only was it a lot harder than it used to be, but it was getting dangerous as my balance isn't as steady as it used to be, either. I switched to showers, which are safer, quicker, and they get the job done, but like other people my age, I really do miss those nice relaxing soaks.

Today, out of the blue, my daughter in Portland sent me an advertisement for a walk-in tub that has a seat where you can sit, soak, and read, and come pretty close to the bath of our memories. She suggested that I put it on my Christmas list and then leave the list somewhere easy for my particular "Santa" to find.

Actually, I laughed and started to delete the e-mail, but curiosity got the best of me. How much did one cost, I wondered? I had priced walk-in tubs several years ago and found that I could almost buy a new car for less, but at my favorite shopping center, Amazon, I found a $5000 one marked down to $3400. Not too bad if you consider what an outside hot tub costs these days, and this would be inside so I could use it year round. I could promise not to nag "Santa" to take me on any trips that involved expensive motels with heated swimming pools for the next 5 years. (Not that we usually hit one of those more than once a year, if that often, anyway.)

This particular tub had a grab bar, non-skid floor, and it could be wrapped as a gift. Well, maybe not in regular gift wrap, but with the writing on the container covered so that the recipient, (hopefully me), couldn't tell what was in the package until he or she opened it on Christmas morning. Are you listening, Santa?

And, if I didn't like it, maybe I could sell it on eBay and get at least half the money back. Or maybe I could rent it out to other seniors citizens in the neighborhood. Guess I'd better sign off and write that letter for "Santa." What do you think?

The History Channel

2011-10-25T11:03:00.000-07:00

This guest post from Edgardo Rosa

I appreciate the History Channel for one reason: my husband knows there’s no way I am going to sit through anything on that channel, so he’ll go upstairs to watch hours of it on end and leave me to sit downstairs and watch whatever trashy TV I want with no judgment. It’s a decent trade-off. I guess I understand part of the allure—logically speaking, if you’re going to watch TV you might as well watch something that is going to make you a little bit smarter. I get it. I’m just not interested in doing it. I prefer my TV to be completely mindless and good for nothing other than wasting time. For this reason, I put up with the History Channel addiction my husband seems to have developed. In all truthfulness, I might even encourage it a bit. If I’m scrolling through the la vergne direct tv packages guide and see something he might be interested in, I may or may not mention it to him casually in conversation. It’s the oddest thing. He can’t remember what I want for our Anniversary, but he can and will absorb the entire Saturday morning line-up of the History Channel and will be sure to tune in to his favorites. I’m ok with it. It gives me the flexibility to watch all those Law and Order episodes I need to catch up on.

It's Almost Calorie Overload Time Again

2011-10-25T10:48:00.000-07:00

Halloween is just around the corner, but, for some reason, the number of trick-or-treaters in our neighborhood has declined drastically over the past few years.

I suspect the decline is due to concern for the safety of the children involved and the increase in other activities like supervised parties.

Unfortunately, the lack of trick-or-treaters hasn't been good for MY waistline. Despite the decline in trick-or-treaters at our door, we still seem to think we must keep bags and bags of "fun size" candy bars on hand, just in case we are suddenly flooded with 50 or 60 little witches and goblins wanting a treat.

And---what do you think happens to all those candy bars once we have distributed half a dozen or so to those few neighborhood kids that still love to ring the doorbell, and ask for a treat?

You guessed it. My husband and I are stuck holding the bag--or should I say bags, and believe me, we are getting very good at quickly disposing of the contents.

Dallas

2011-10-24T14:25:00.000-07:00

Post contributed by Noah Schmidt

We just moved to Dallas and we absolutely love it! My husband is doing his preliminary medicine year and residency in dermatology here. When we first found out, we were so excited because it was exactly where we wanted to be. The next weekend we started out on a hunt for a house. We ended up buying a great townhome. There are a lot of young professional couples that live in our complex. I have made a lot of friends quickly ( something that I was worried about). I also found a teaching job not too far from our house. I have tried to tie up all the loose ends around the house before I start teaching. I got texan home security because my husband works some night shifts. I also got cable installed and found a great yard keeper ( for our little courtyard). I absolutely love flowers and there are some that grow great in Texas. We are happy and look forward to many more years in Dallas.

Looking for a Good Read? Try, The Help

2011-10-05T11:46:00.000-07:00

This hilarious little book was actually rejected 45 times before it was finally accepted for publication. Then, in a short period of time, it had shot to the top of the New Youk Times best seller list. Amazon posted more than4000 ratings--mostly of 5 which is the top rating allowed there.

The book describes the daily lives of 3 women; 2 black maids living in the American south during the 1960's who were often mistreated by their wealthy employers, and a young white woman, who, through her writing, hoped to make a difference in the lives of all black people in her community.

The author, Kathryn Stockett uses humor to make the sad situations faced daily by the black maids faced daily. You'll laugh out loud at how the neighborhood maids decide to handle the "separate toilets for black household help" incident.

Read this attention getting paperback, and see if you don't agree. (The book is also available in a deluxe hardback edition ideal for gift-giving and the story has also been made into a very popular movie.)

Please Don't Put Words Into My Mouth

2011-09-04T17:40:00.000-07:00

At least a dozen times this past week, I have read articles stating that all the Republicans want is to "get that black man out of the White House."

Really? I haven't once heard a Republican, or anyone else indicate any such thing. Since I am a Republican and spend a lot of time with other Republicans, you would think I would have heard about such a plot at least once or twice if it were such an all-consuming desire among Republicans.

The truth is that I, and most other Republicans, do not think of President Obama as black. After all, wasn't his mother white, which would make him as much a white man as a black man, wouldn't it?

Republicans, as well as members of other parties have far more important and obvious reasons to want a replacement in the White House than the color of a candidate's skin after the next election.

It is commonly believed that if you repeat something often enough, people will believe it, whether or not it is true. I see this constantly repeated phrase--repeated over and over by democrats--is nothing more than an attempt to paint Republicans as racists.

Is it succeeding? Only time will tell. Let's hope that thinking Americans respect themselves and our political system too much to fall for a lie, no matter how many times it is repeated.

Losing Our Jobs..

2011-08-29T18:15:00.000-07:00

No doubt about it, losing one's job can be pretty scary. Even if your spouse is still working, having to start seaching for a new job, expecially if your educational background and experience is a bit on the skimpy side is not something most people look forward to.

And, when both breadwinners in the family are laid off at the same time, things may look even bleaker. Read how our guest post writer for today faced just such a problem.

Thanks for the guest post by Donn Schroeder

Losing a job is tough but when my wife and I both lost ours within 2 weeks of each other last year things got really scary. Neither of us went to college and we’d worked at the same place for a decade each so when they started downsizing it wasn’t good news.

We’ve been working really hard ever since to save money where we can and my wife’s gotten really good at it. We moved to a new house a little farther outside town and we’ve been clipping coupons like mad people for grocery store items. My wife looked into the HughesNet Recovery Program and we’ve both been taking odd jobs until we can find something more permanent so you could say we’re keeping our heads above water. I know it’s not ideal but it has really brought us closer together to have lost our jobs at the same time and we’ve gotten to spend a lot more quality time together which is never a bad thing if you ask me!

Just Pondering about Health Care....Part 2

2011-08-29T17:58:00.000-07:00

The hernia I referred to in my last blog was repaired, but still the pain remained.

More doctors' exams. A second surgery to remove the tumor provided the welcome news that it was still benign, in spite of its decade long growth spurt, but no relief from the pain. Perhaps, one doctor suggested, it could be my appendix.

Today, after my umteenth exam by yet another doctor, I have been scheduled for a new MRI scan next week. More co-pays, more appointments to discuss the results of the scan, and, most likely, more surgery in an attempt to erradicate the pain that has been plaguing me for many months now.

Not only am I running out of money for co-payments; I fear my insurance company is running out of patience and wondering if it isn't time to throw this "grandma" under the bus.

Whatever happened to the old fashioned trip to the doctor, a few well-placed pokes in the sore spot, and a prompt decision that brought lasting results?

All this pondering about health care is proving to be very bad for my health.

Just Pondering about Health Care

2011-08-29T09:58:00.000-07:00

This has been a summer of sitting in the doctors' offices. Actually, it started way back in March when I had a simple--or at least it seemed simple at the time--pain in my side.

There are 4 doctors in the office where our family goes for medical treatment so, after trying to wait out the pain and failing, I called for an appointment with my usual doctor, Doctor #1. She wasn't available so I asked for any available doctor and managed to get an appointment later the same day.

Doctor #2 decided I had what he called a "threatening hernia." Not a full-blown hernia, but one trying to push its way through. His advice was to take it easy for a few weeks in hopes it would heal itself. My co-pay was only $15 so I considered the visit a real bargain. "Get lots of rest," is advice I find easy to follow.

Unfortunately, after only a few days, the pain had increased from a 4 or 5 level to a full-blown 9 or 10 at times. I called for another appointment.

This time my regular doctor was available and she quickly diagnosed my ailment as a pulled muscle. Take Advil as needed for the pain, and rest a lot, she said. I did, but a week later, my whole abdomen felt like it was on fire.

Back I went to suggest that Advil and rest wasn't doing the job. I mentioned that a scan had discovered a tumor in my back ten years earlier and wondered if it might be acting up. At the time, a biopsy had shown the tumor to be benign, but I didn't want to rule any possibilites out. I was really, really hurting.

Off to the ultra sound department where I was told that nothing abnormal was found and a hernia was definitely ruled out.

The pain didn't seem to get the message that there was nothing wrong with me. It grew even worse until, on a Saturday morning, I got to meet Dr. #3 of the 4 in our local office. He decided that 2 months of pain deserved further looking into and scheduled me for a catscan.

No hernia showed up, but the tumor first discovered ten years earlier had doubled in size. Dr. #3 wasn't a surgeon, so he sent me to one across town. The surgeon only poked a few times before I doubled up in pain, and he insisted I had a hernia that must be repaired immediately. So---three days later, I checked into the hospital for my hernia repair.

To be continued.....

New Kid in Town

2011-08-25T15:48:00.000-07:00

I can really sympathize with my guest poster today. We moved 13 times in the first 10years my husband and I were married. Our last move was just about the last straw for me as I was sick of packing, moving, unpacking, and then moving again. But, strangely, this last move was the best one of all. It turned out to be a wonderful place to live and we made lasting friends, found wonderful schools for our kids, and a great church to attend. Guess what--we've been here 35 years now, so don't despair if you are facing yet another move in your life. It may turn out better than you can imagine.

New Kid in Town

The Author of this post is Solomon Dejesus

Being new in town is a weird feeling and one I haven’t really had to go through since the summer in sixth grade when my dad took a new job and moved us across the country. When my husband had us come here to Texas I was worried about fitting in but I guess I shouldn’t have because after a while everything turned out fine. It was tough at first to connect with other moms in the area but when I joined the book club everything changed and I met some of my best friends. Shelly told me about SHOPelectricityratestexas.com for my electricity and Kathy and I go shopping together at least once a week so it’s definitely made me less lonely and more excited about being in a new place. I think we’re all really going to like it here and I’m actually glad for the change of pace since things in Oklahoma were starting to get old anyway. I love my family and would follow them anywhere but I’m glad we ended up here!

White Water Rafting in Spain!

2011-06-25T12:07:00.000-07:00

Unlike our guest poster today, I've never had the courage to try white water rafting, although I have watched such events many times on Oregon's McKenzie River not far from where I live.

The post did make me think of visiting Spain, though---something I would really like to do before travelling abroad gets even more dangerous than it already is.

Guest post written by Grant Morton

I've been white water rafting near home tons of times before. But, I've never been white water rafting outside of the country. I thought that it would be really fun to just go ahead and do that when I go and visit my best friend, who's teaching English to middle schoolers in Spain. He told me that he had been one time already and it was so much better than any rafting he had done in the States. So I knew that would be a requirement during my visit to him next month.

While I was looking up more info on rafting, I ran across the site CLEARWIRELESSINTERNET4G.com and after I looked through it a little bit I decided to sign up for one of the internet packages that I found on there.

I know that Spain rafting is going to be amazing, along with all of these other touristy things that I'm going to do. I've never been there before so I'm really excited for everything! It will also be nice seeing my friend too.

Cancer Sucks--But Some People Choose Joy!

2011-06-23T17:39:00.000-07:00

A young man in our town, Aaron Jamison, is suffering from wide-spread cancer and has been told he can only expect to live a few more weeks. Over the past few months, he and his wife of 4 years have done all kinds of things to raise money for living expenses and for his ever-increasing medical bills.

Kristin, Aaron's wife makes jewelry and sells it from her website. The Joy of Glass

Aaron even sold advertising on his own decorated cremation urns. (This story was covered in depth by our local newspaper.) To view Aaron's blog on the urns as well as the story of his journey through cancer, visit his site at: Judas Forgiven

Having been told that Aaron's remaining time was short, they advertised on Craig's List for a room mate to share expenses so Kristin could afford to stay at home to care for Aaron. In spite of the cancer, Aaron and Kristin have chosen, "Choose Joy!" as their motto for life and when you meet them, it is evident that they put that motto into practice in their daily lives.

I met them both at a local pizza parlor that was holding a fund-raising event for them.

The young couple also sells T-Shirts, bracelets, caps, and, most recently, tennis shoes printed with "Cancer Sucks," on them. Click Here to check it out.

It was the tennis shoes that really caught my eye. You see, my 11-year-old granddaughter is going through a stage where she thinks skulls are cool. Aaron and Kristen have combined a skull with the phrase, "Cancer Sucks," and the colors pink and black to come up with an attention-getting pair of tennies that sell for $60.

Take a look at them and see if you don't agree that the shoes would be a great walking advertisement to support the fight against cancer, and that by buying a pair for someone in your own family, you would also be helping a young couple who have already gone through more pain and struggle than any young couple should have to bear.

Grand Canyon Rafting Adventure

2011-06-23T11:20:00.000-07:00

Summer has arrived! Not that you would notice that fact here in the Willamette Valley where I live. I think we have only had about 2 days of all day sunshine so far. I guess that's why the following post about outdoor adventures appeals to me so much.

I'm not giving up on better weather here, though, and have set up a couple of camping trips for the summer, believing that our weather will improve. If it doesn't, there's going to be a lot of Monopoly playing going on inside the tent, and I really do hate Monopoly.

Guest post written by Dwight Rogerson

I love to go on all kinds of outdoor adventures with my friends. As soon as we set off to go on one, we've basically decided which one we're going to go on next. Well that happened again last time when we went rock climbing. But, we decided to do something much bigger than our regular old adventures. Instead, we decided to go white water rafting at the Grand Canyon!

Now this adventure is much bigger and we still have a few weeks left before it, so I'm finalizing all of our stuff. While I was looking up hotels in the are, I ran across this site
http://www.clearwirelessINTERNET.net and after I read through it I decided to sign up for the service at my home.

I think that Grand Canyon rafting is going to be the best outdoor adventure that I've had yet. However, I'm just hoping that it's as great as I've built it up to be. But I think that it will be and I won't end up being disappointed.

Cheap Summer Fun Close to Home This Year

2011-06-13T12:39:00.000-07:00

With gas still sky high why not stick close to home this summer? Most areas have cheap things you can do without spending a fortune for gas and expensive meals out on a vacation away from home.

For example, why not turn your backyard into a summer theatre and let your kids put on weekly productions for the neighborhood?

Or, if your family is into fitness, head for the nearest bike path and spend an hour or two each day exploring on your bikes, or, better yet, dribbling basketballs to keep in shape. Set a "miles covered" goal and when the goal is reached, treat the family to ice cream cones or a backyard barbecue.

One of my family favorites is packing a lunch and heading for the nearest river for an afternoon of fishing fun. Don't forget to take a camera so you can show each kid proudly showing off his or her catch of the day. (Even if there is no catch, no one can deny that fishing is fun.)

Balloon Volleyball in the back yard is not only fun, but good exercise. Blow up some large balloons and challenge the kids to keep them in the air. When a balloon hits the ground, the last person touching it is fined one point. When a person gets more than 5 points, he or she is out of the game. The last person still in the game is the winner.

Have a neighborhood block party. This is really great if you have a park nearby, but it can also be a success in someone's large yard, or in a cul-de-sac or dead end street. Set up a few folding tables. Bring food, musical instruments, and board games. Plan a few active kid's games and you're set for a great time. You may decide to make it a once-a-month thing all summer long.

Those are just a few things you can do to liven up what might have looked like a pretty dull summer.

For dozens of other ideas in more detail, check out my Nook ebook, Cheap Summer Fun.

I'm Not Sure Working Online Is All It's Cracked Up To Be

2011-06-10T15:27:00.000-07:00

Can't believe it is almost the middle of June, already. Maybe catching up on all my domain names and websites blanked out how fast the time was getting away from me.

About a year ago, I read Pot Pie Girl's (also known as Jennifer Ledbetter) book on marketing and decided to follow her advice about setting up 6-minute, or was it 6-hour websites on Word Press. You can guess how that went. Unfortunately, in my case, it was more like 6 months for each one. I think you might call me a "slow learner."

I did have a ball finding domain names for only a couple of dollars each---not paying any attention to the fact that the sale price was only good for the first year. This last month, I got the unpleasant task of having to decide which ones to keep and which ones I didn't think were worth the much, much higher price of renewal.

So far, I'm not much better off than when I started. Every time I turn around, Word Press notifies me that there are comments on one site or another that need modifying, and most of them fall into the junk mail category, but you can't just let 1400 comments sit there now, can you? The worst of it is that the process for removing them is limited to about 50 at a time. Ugh.

I do earn a dollar (sometimes even more) here and there when someone clicks on and buys one of my e-books on Barnes and Noble or Amazon, but other than that, I guess I would have to sum up my experiences of the last year as more about education than profit.

Today I had an e-mail informing me that a particular company--one I had heard of but don't recall ever writing for--had deposited the grand sum of $1.67 cents into my Paypal account. I gladly accept any amount anyone wants to send, but usually I know where it came from, so I did a little digging into some of my past activities and found out it came from the company that took over, EHow.com. I had put a couple of items on their site several years ago. You get a small fee each time someone reads one of your articles. Mystery solved.

Well, that's about it for now. Just wanted to let you know I'm not giving up until I earn enough online to justify whatever I've already invested in learning about it.

Back to figuring out how to make those 6-minute/6hour websites pay off before my domain names expire again.

If you have a spare minute or two, check out my latest e-book on Barnes and Noble, at http://bit.ly/kOWbpv It makes a great gift for newlyweds, especially during June, the traditional month for weddings.

Fine Dining At The Olive Garden

2011-04-26T15:29:00.000-07:00

I couldn't resist sharing this guest post about The Olive Garden, my favorite place to celebrate birthdays, anniversarys, etc. Have you been there lately?

Fine Dining At The Olive Garden

Content by Mauricio Benson

I give the Olive Garden Restaurant Chain five stars. Most Olive Gardens have banquet rooms, so whether you're there for an office party, retirment supper, baby shower or intimate dining for two, the atmosphere is always electric. For birthday parties, the servers all gather to sing their own fun version of Happy Birthday.

When I think of the Olive Garden, I think of family -- good people, good smells coming from the kitchen, lively conversation and lots of laughter. The servers start out with bringing their famous garlic bread sticks, piping hot out of the oven. These are so delicious! In fact, I quite often will go to Olive Garden just to buy the bread sticks and bake them at home for my own dinner parties.

With that also com! es a big bowl of Italian type salad, and they grate the parmessan cheese right there at the table, so you know it's fresh. For supper, I like to order things like the veal parmessan or chicken cacciatori. Covered with lovely, melted mozzarella, the meat melts in your mouth, and the sauces have just the right blend of Italian herbs and spices. Best of all, the portions are generous. Give yourself a treat and enjoy the http://www.citizenofthemonth.com/2005/12/12/the-truth-about-olive-garden/ near you tonight. As always, don't forget to activate your home security system from Total Alarm Systems whenever you leave the house.

Book Dealer's Site

2011-04-24T22:57:00.000-07:00

For years I maintained several blogs online without realizing that by purchasing an inexpensive domain name, I might actually be able to earn a few extra dollars from my blog, or better yet, turn one or more of them into a real second income online.

Today's guest post introduces you to one such place that offers not only your new domain name, but also a free website to set it up on. Check out today's guest post below to find out how you can put your business online quickly and for a reasonable price.

Thanks to Roman May

It all started when I thought to do a domain name search in my area just to see what was available. I happened to come across a great one that made a lot of sense for me to buy if I ever wanted to start a blog, which I definitely needed to do at some point in conjunction with my business website. As a book dealer, there’s not a lot of web traffic headed straight to my transactional site, so my marketing plan was to start a blog about the industry and hopefully gain some traction that way.

I made the decision to purchase the domain name and within weeks was up and blogging. Turns ! out my plan was a good one and I’ve got hundreds of regular readers! Business on my site has more than doubled and I definitely owe most of the success to my blogging. It’s been fun on top of everything, and I’ve made some great contacts across the country. I’m so glad I took this next step and it’s going to mean good things for my business!

Time To Lose Those Winter Pounds Before Summer Arrives

2011-04-16T13:02:00.000-07:00

The last week has been spent recovering from surgery. The only good thing to come from it was a loss of about 10 pounds without really trying, but I definitely don't advise anyone choosing the diet that I was on. Not that I couldn't afford to lose the weight. Actually, I could lose another 10 pounds or more and never miss them, but I'm thinking more along the line of Jenny Craig or Weight Watchers.

No matter what method a person chooses to lose weight, a buddy to do it with you is more likely to cause you to stick with the program and I DO highly recommend that.

What better time than right now to start dropping a few pounds before the harsh reality of summer heat forces us to reveal those extra pounds we have been packing on all winter while hiding them beneath a heavy winter coat.

Cute DIY Sketchbook

2011-02-12T10:13:00.000-08:00

Anytime I see DIY in front of a project, I'm halfway hooked already. I can't tell you how many thousands (well, hundreds anyway) of projects I have tackled over the years. And since booklets of any kind are one of my favorite DIY projects, I was especially interested in Susan Hodge's sketchbook ideas. Particularly the one on how to emboss your sketchbook papaer.

If you like the idea of turning all those pieces of paper left over from other projects into a unique sketchbook of your own, check out her site in the guest post below.

Guest post written by Susan Hodge

I love to carry around a sketchbook with me everywhere. I'll pull it out when I'm sitting in a coffee shop and relaxing or just at home when I'm sitting on my front porch. But I also go through a lot of them and I get a little bit of green guilt out of it. I've started buying sketchbooks made out of recycled materials but I thought I could do a little better than that. I decided to try to make my own sketchbooks out of stuff that I would recycle anyway.

Even though I draw a lot, I don't do many crafts. When I was looking for some help with that online I ran across the website http://www.wirelessinternet.net/ and after I looked through it a little bit, I decided to sign up for one of the internet packages I found on there.

It took me a while to put together my cute DIY sketchbook, but most of that time was just making sure that I had enough paper for it and it was all lined up right before I actually bound the sketchbook together. But after I went to all that trouble, I got compliments on it the first time that I took it out in public.

Today I Celebrate---My Taxes Are Done!

2011-02-11T11:30:00.000-08:00

Today I finished preparing my 2010 taxes!

I hate doing taxes. Being a somewhat organized person, I do keep labeled folders where I deposit receipts during the year, but I avoid even thinking about those receipts once they have been deposited.---Until January 1 that is.

My husband would put the typical "nagging wife" to shame. On the first day of January, every year, he says something like, "Hmm. Isn't it about time to start working on the taxes?" I put him off with, "Can't start yet. Have to wait until all the interest statements come in from our banks." That's right, banks, not bank.

I like life to be simple, but I am married to a guy who watches interest rates like a hawk. If a bank anywhere within driving distance raises its rate by even a quarter of a percent, he must immediately start a new account with it and transfer most of our savings there.

If we happen to have a CD that hasn't matured at the first bank, he leaves it in, but marks the maturity date on the calendar so he won't forget to snatch the funds as soon as possible and transfer them, too. Thus, we have ended up with a bunch of small accounts in a large number of different places, which I am supposed to keep track of for tax purposes.

Back to the taxes. After the middle of January, the interest statements begin to show up in the mailbox and each time my husband hands me a new one, (collecting the daily mail is one of his self-assigned tasks since he retired), he eagerly asks if that is the end of them so we can get on with the business of preparing the taxes. You'll notice that I said he says, "we," but so far his contribution has been to carry the interest statements from the mailbox to my desk.

Anyway, today I celebrate. The taxes are done and I am demanding dinner out as my reward. All this and Valentine's day just around the corner. What more could a gal ask for?

Dish TV or Direct TV---Which One is Best?

2011-02-09T18:58:00.000-08:00

I'll admit that there are so many TV providers in our area that I end up being confused every time I try to find a new provider. (And we really need one as our present provider's price is quickly getting way beyond our price range.)

I bring up website after website and by the 5th or 6th one I've viewed, I am ready to give up. Even though I have tried to take notes, I am at a loss as to whether provider number 1 offered Hallmark, (one of our favorites), or was it provider number 4? And was the special at provider number 2 equal to the special at provider number 3?

Recently, though, I found a single site that compares Direct TV with Dish TV. No more switching from one site to another and back again for each little detail.

Of course I expected it to be a bit biased in favor of Dish TV since it was Dish TV's site, but it wasn't biased at all. They had a page that fairly compared the benefits of both providers, and another page that showed current deals for each company, too.

*************************

In the meantime, here's today's guest post on watching Cats 101 on your TV. If you are like me, and love learning about cats, you might want to add it to your TV viewing list, too.

Cats 101: My Favorite Show That's All about Cats

The article written by Geraldo Russo

Awhile back, I was surfing through the channels on my directv, and I came across a show all about one of my favorite parts of life - cats! It was called "Cats 101," and I instantly fell in love the moment I started watching the TV show. "Cats 101" is an encyclopedia-like show that revolves solely around cats and interesting facts about them! Each episode will feature a particular breed, and you, the watcher, will get to learn all sorts of interesting stuff about that breed.

The show, "Cats 101" is very similar to the show, "Dogs 101" in that it's designed in the same style y et they are both about different animals. I particularly like that "Cats 101" will sometimes throw out trivia during the show to make it more fun. You can literally learn so much information from "Cats 101" that you didn't already know. For example, I loved cats even before I started watching the show, and now I have so much more knowledge on them. It's incredible!

"Cats 101" comes on Animal Planet along with a lot of other interesting shows like "I'm Alive," "It's Me or the Dog," and "Whale Wars." Because I started watching "Cats 101," I now mostly watch the Animal Planet on TV. It's definitely one of the best shows on TV, and everyone should give it a try.

Does Your Teenager Hate You?

2011-02-01T11:58:00.000-08:00

Recently I read where a mother had shot her two teenage children because they were, as she described it, "mouthy."

We all know what she meant, but I doubt very much that one single incidence of mouthiness could lead even a fairly abusive parent to such extremes.

Having had several teenagers of my own, though, I know the frustration one can feel when confronted with rudeness, lying, disrespect, and other obnoxious behavior from our kids. Not that I'm advocating the solution this woman resorted to. There are plenty of other ways to deal with kids. We just need to find and apply them.

The solution often is to nip these behaviors in the bud by laying a solid foundation of acceptable behavior when the child is very young. But, I know and you know, that doesn't always work. Some kids, no matter how hard you try, end up pushing the limits---even when the limits you set are fairly low and reasonable.

Instead of banging our own heads against what seems like a brick wall, why not get some professional help. You can find it in a great e-book, No Nonsense Parenting for Today's Teenager by Norbert Georget. This one simple e-book will show you how to: convince your teen it is okay NOT to drink or do drugs; get him to stop lying to you; make him clean up his room and do other simple chores without arguing; help your teen avoid texting and phone addictions; handle sexual promiscuity in your teen; deal with ADD and other learning disabilities; and much, much more.

It also clues you in on how to avoid letting your teenager manipulate you---something most parents I know complain about. Sometimes it happens, and we don't even realize it until it is too late.

Anyway, if you are having problems with one or more teens in your household, don't settle for "enduring" it any longer. Instead, check out this book which offers a money-back guarantee if you aren't happy with it. Just take a look and find out if you can't turn "enduring" your teens into "enjoying" those teens before it's too late and you are left with an empty nest and unpleasant memories. No Nonsense Parenting for Today's Teenager It comes with lots of freebies, too---and who doesn't like freebies?

My Characters Are Ready-Now All I Need is a Plot to Put Them In.

2011-01-12T11:55:00.000-08:00

I guess my husband got tired of listening to me talk about Rob Parnell's Easy Writing System---he ordered the course online for me and now I am busily creating people to populate my first novel.

The course came with lots of extras, but I have decided to resist the temptation to wander off from its real purpose--which is to teach me how to write a good novel in the least amount of time possible.

I did enter the NaNoWriMo contest a year ago, but without a clue of a plot or characters so I joined the rebel writers and did my 50,000 words in thirty days on articles instead of a novel. This year, I would like to be better prepared when November rolls around so I can actually do an honest-to-goodness novel. I'm hoping this course will help me with that.

Anyway, I am doing a little bit each day on Mr. Parnell's course and was really surprised that he advises his students to create characters before planning the plot.

Since he is the author of many successful books, I decided it would probably be wise to follow his advice and am now enjoying the powerful feeling of creating characters out of my very own brain.

I'm pleasantly surprised at how real they seem when I have finished describing everything I can think of about their looks, feelings, goals, friends, family, unusual quirks, etc.

I'm having a struggle not to peek ahead to see what comes next, but, as I said earlier, I am determined to do this one-step-at-a-time. (Maybe the self-control that I learn here will help me stick to my diet better, too.)

I told my husband that his money was well-spent, but he says he'll believe it when he sees my name on my first novel. Even if that never happens, I have already received far more than his money's worth.

The course is still only $27, and is proving to be well worth it, at least to me. Anyway, if you'd like to check it out for your self, Click Here!

Writers! Will 2011 Finally Be Your Year?

2010-12-31T11:36:00.000-08:00

Will 2011 be the year you finally succeed in writing that novel?

I’ve been writing for more years than I can remember and have had hundreds of things published, both on and offline, but I still haven’t gotten around to writing that Great American Novel.

I wrote a kid’s fiction book. I wrote articles on everything from rebellious teens to the secrets for a happy marriage. I wrote Christmas letters that were highly prized by the recipients. (At least that’s what I was told.). I wrote book reviews. And, I even signed up for NaNoWriMo and managed to turn out the required 60,000 words to get my name on a rebel writer certificate last year, but somehow, sticking to one plot for the 60,000 plus words a real adult novel requires has, so far, eluded me.

Things are about to change.

This year, I’m going to order Rob Parnell’s, Easy Writing System, and get cracking on the book I plan to call, Death Rides a Red Bird, and it is going to have a picture of a crumpled up red Thunderbird at the bottom of a drop-off on a spooky looking road heading up a mountain side.

Rob Parnell is a best selling author, himself, and I’ve read some of his work over the years.
I remember purchasing one of his earlier books on how to get ideas for writing, but ideas aren’t really my problem. What I need is help with organization, will power, and the fleshing out of characters.

Right now, Mr. Parnell has a special sale going on that even a penny-pincher like me can’t resist. And, after all, that $50 I got for a Christmas gift is starting to burn a hole in my pocket.

Actually, Parnell’s sale price for this great collection, which includes 6 e-books, The Easy Way to Write a Novel, Fiction 101, Romance Writing, Writing the Thriller, Rob Parnell’s Modern Horror Writing, and Fantastic Fiction, doesn’t even cost $50. It is a mere $27.

Then, in addition to the six e-books listed above, each of which is a complete writing course on its own, you get free 30-day e-mail coaching and mentoring, and a written critique of your completed manuscript.

(Wow. I once paid $50 for a critique of a short story as a gift for my mother so the critique alone is worth far more than this whole package costs.)

If you are still hesitant to part with scarce cash with the economy the way it is, here’s something that may sweeten the pot for you. Mr. Parnell offers what he calls a no-quibble, 90-day, 100% money back guarantee if you aren’t completely satisfied. Now that’s what I call a bargain. If you haven't managed to produce some saleable writing after 90 days, you can always ask for your money back.

If you'd like to join me in getting serious about writing this year, you can have The Easy Way to Write System instantly downloaded in plenty of time to start your 2011 writing career off with a bang.
Click Here!

Does Your Child Hate Math?

2010-12-30T10:40:00.000-08:00

My oldest daughter loved anything to do with numbers. Since I had been a bit of a math-hater in my younger years, I was quite pleased to have produced a child that not only sailed through math classes with top grades, but who also declared that Math was her favorite subject.

Imagine my dismay when her two younger siblings declared their hatred of the subject, almost from day one. Not only did they hate Math, but they struggled with math homework almost every single day and barely made passing grades in the subject.

My four grandkids are pretty much like my own kids were. The oldest excells in anything math-related, while the others wrinkle their noses whenever the subject is mentioned.

I think I have found the solution. We take our grandkids camping every summer and usually spend the long evenings playing board games, (along with making lots of s'mores, of course.)

There is a program called, "Making Math More Fun," that I am getting, not only for them, but also for me. It has all kinds of print outs of games and things that really do make math more fun. I know, because I've tried a couple of them already. (Their downloadable information page gives samples of the things that are available in the e-books that come if you purchase the course.)

The game I played had a set of hexagons. They were arranged in five rows of five, and each hexagon had a number on it. The first player colored in from 1 to 5 of the hexagons in a straight vertical or horizontal row. (See, they were already learning the meanings of hexagons, vertical, and horizontal, without even trying.)

The second player had to color in their row of 1 to 5 hexagons starting from where the first player ended. The fun part was that he or she had to add the number of the last hexagon of the other player to the numbers of his own line. The first person who managed to make his or her turn add up to exactly 28 was the winner. If the total of the colored in hexagons exceeded 28, the player lost.

It really was quite a lot of fun trying to figure out just how to get the right values colored in to equal 28 without going over it. You could vary the game by making the winning number something other than 28. If you do check out the website, be sure to check out the sample pages while you are there.

The 4 e-books cover all kinds of math games and activities for kids ages 5-12.
They are not only designed to reinforce and improve basic math skills, but also to help kids develop their thinking skills.

The price is what really hooked me. Only $27.97. For about the cost of a family dinner out at McDonald's, you can download enough math games to last your kids for years, and, best of all, you may be able to turn their negative attitude toward Math into a really positive one, instead.

To top it off, there are also 5 bonus books; Robot Reader (Reading games to print and play); Wiggle, Wiggle, Wink, Wink (Classroom phonics, spelling, reading, and concentration games); Make Your Own Board Games (Adults will like these, too); and Print and Play Game Sheets (These are pencil and paper games for 2 players).

The whole collection downloads in PDF form and comes with a 60-day money-back guarantee.

If your child is struggling in math, why not invest a little now to see if he isn't listing it as one of his favorite subjects by the time school is out this spring?
Check it out here: Making Math More Fun

Kindle, anyone?

2010-12-27T14:57:00.000-08:00

An elderly couple we know gave each other Kindles for Christmas. Because of the generosity of this couple, my husband and I haven't had to purchase a book for years because our friends are avid readers and kindly pass their books on to us whenever they finish reading them.

I'll admit that I felt a twinge of regret when we saw their new Kindles because we knew it meant an end to all the free reading we had enjoyed over the years, but, when we saw how excited they were about their Kindles, I couldn't begrudge them a bit.

In fact, they almost have me convinced to get one of my own. Now all I have to do is convince my husband, and we'll be able to look forward to Kindles stuffed with dozens and dozens of books to read when we go on vacation, or have to wait for hours at the doctor's office, or just want to spend an afternoon lolling on the bed with a good book.

The couple who started all this is almost as frugal as I am---especially the gentleman, and he was quick to show me all the free books he had downloaded to his Kindle. His wife was a little more picky and had veered more to religious fiction and to Glen Beck recommendations. I'll have to admit that "free" greatly appeals to me, but my choices would probably be a bit of a mix between free, religion, and politics.

So far, our friends have downloaded enough titles to keep them busy for several months at far less cost that they usually spent for reading material in a single month before Kindle came into their lives. The lower cost of books for the Kindle will help them the price of their Kindles in no time at all.

That's the argument I'll use on my husband. (Of course, it would take us longer, since we were getting most of our reading material free, but we knew freebies like that wouldn't last forever.)

The Kindle is lighter than an ordinary paperback book, and you can adjust the size of the print to suit your own eyes--both really great advantages as far as I'm concerned.

Actually, my husband won't need as much convincing as you might think. He is a sucker for electronic gadgets, and I can tell that he is already half-convinced after tinkering for a few minutes with one of the Kindles that belongs to our friends. (Besides, I got some cash as a Christmas gift, so mine Kindle is already more than half paid for.)

Knowing my husband though, I suspect he'll say to order one for myself and he'll decide later whether or not to get one for himself. Then, of course, every time I want to use it, he'll be reading his own stuff on it.

If you haven't checked a Kindle out, yet, take a look. You will be amazed at all the stuff this little gadget will do. Click here to learn more about it.

Kindle Wireless Reading Device, Wi-Fi, Graphite, 6" Display with New E Ink Pearl Technology

Get Inexpensive Christmas Classics for Reading on Your Nookbook

2010-12-18T15:16:00.000-08:00

A reading revolution has been happening at Barnes & Noble recently as more and more people become acquainted with the Nook Book Reader, a device small enough to carry in your pocket or purse that you can use to download books to be read on the go.

Imagine taking 40 or 50 books, or even hundreds if you wanted to, on vacation with you in a lightweight case that is actually lighter than a single book. Easy to read, easy to hold, and a guaranteed conversation starter with everyone you come in contact with.

Nook Books sell for far less than the regular paper editions and can be stored in your Nook Book device, or downloaded to your computer as you build your own personal library. Best of all, kids that hate to read, suddenly find out reading is fun--with a Nook Book.

If you're lucky enough to have a Nook Book Reader, why not hurry over and grab a copy of The Gift of the Magi, by O Henry, at or A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens.

Either or both will remind you and your family once again of the true meaning of Christmas.

Even if you don't have a Nook Book Reader, these $1 and $1.25 e-books can be downloaded to be read on your computer or printed off to read to your family during Christmas week. A great way to decide whether or not you really want to invest in a Nook Book Reader before you actually take the plunge. Try it. You'll see.

Looking for Custom Labels or Nameplates?

2010-12-10T15:53:00.000-08:00

My husband and I have been small business owners for over 20 years, but, until recently, have relied on handwritten signs (mostly made by me) to warn our customers not to smoke in particular areas, to use the handrail provided on longer staircases, to step down when encountering an unexpected step, or to wear goggles and earmuffs around the machinery.

Handwritten signs have served us well, even though I found the sawdust off the piles of lumber in our establishment made replacing them a frequent chore.

Not long ago, I discovered, Data Graphics, Inc. For a small cost, (actually not a lot more than the cost of supplies for our handwritten signs,) I could order permanent, professionally designed Custom Labels from Data Graphics. I couldn't help but wonder where they had been all this time.

The safety labels from Data Graphics come in just about any material you can imagine; polyester, flexible vinyl, polycarbonate, aluminum, magnetic, and glow-in-the dark. Wow. No more employees sneaking into a dark closet for a smoke during a break---our new glow-in-the-dark, "No Smoking" sign from Data Graphics will be in there to remind them.

Metal labels, or Nameplates, from Data Graphics can be used to identify tools or vehicles owned by your company and can be custom designed so that repairmen can record service information on them.

If you need anything from individual pieces to sheets or rolls of labels, Data Graphics can provide them for you. They are happy to do custom made labels that fit your specifications as to size and shape so check them out today if you have a job like that coming up soon.

Great Christmas Gift for Your Wife....

2010-12-07T12:47:00.000-08:00

Still trying to figure out what to get for your wife for Christmas? Well, here's a gift that will knock her socks off---and maybe get you a super big hug, besides.

An EZip Electric Bike is just what she needs to zip down to the store for that quart of milk or loaf of bread while she gets some exercise and does her part to stop pollution all at the same time.

We have an electric bike, so I know what I'm talking about. If I just want to get a little exercise, I pedal until I'm tired and then shift over to battery power. (Some of us older gals can't quite make it up those hills on pedal power alone any more.) When I get home, I just plug in the bike and it will be ready for whoever wants to use it next.

Right now, Currie is having a great sale on their Ezip Trailiz model. It has a range of 15-22 miles per charge, and a speed of 15mph. Check it out at: THE CURRIE STORE . They have dozens of electric bikes and scooters to select from, but my favorite, the Ezip Trailz is listed under Ezip Electric Bikes.

Best of all, they are offering free shipping on it right now and you can divide the cost into a 3 payment plan of 166.33 a month for 3 months with NO interest. I don't know anywhere else that is offering a deal like that.

Anyway, it's a chance to get your wife something that isn't too far out of what you would normally spend for a Christmas gift, and one that will last for years to come.
(And did I mention that she might even let you hop on it for a spin now and then?)

Today is Pearl Harbor Day!

2010-12-07T12:04:00.000-08:00

Noticing that our local paper, as has happened for the last several years, did not make even one tiny mention of Pearl Harbor Day, a day 2000 Americans died and 1200 were injured when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, which led to our official entrance into World War II, I decided to reprint a blog entry I made in 2008

"Today I read an interesting letter to the editor of my hometown newspaper. In it, the writer berates the editor for including an article to commemorate the 30-year-old shooting of San Francisco mayor, George Mascone, while neglecting to print one word about the assassination of President John F. Kennedy on the date of his death.

I, too, had noticed the absence of anything about the Kennedy assassination, and thought it may have been an oversight. If so, all the radio and TV stations, as well as a few other newspapers in our area were suffering from the same oversight. Not a word---and this was a momentous event in our country's history. At the actual time of Kennedy's assassination, news coverage about it went on for days, weeks, and even months. You couldn't pick up a magazine without seeing a total replay of the event, but now, just over 45 years later, the media acts as though it never happened

Even a few years ago, American people turned out en masse for Memorial Day parades, and then went out to the cemeteries to put flowers on the graves of departed loved ones. On Veteran's Day, they cheered the military as they marched by. The 4th of July was celebrated with a local dignitary reading the Declaration of Independence, followed by speeches, family picnics and fireworks.

Parades to mark these holidays still take place. The difference is that we often see more people marching in the parades than watchers cheering them on from the sidelines.

And many people today wouldn't think of wasting their time listening to a speech on a beautiful 4th of July day... They do still have picnics, but the emphasis now seems to be placed more on who can hold the most liquor, and on who has gathered the most powerful fireworks to shoot off. Not a thought of what the holiday really represents.

Today, December 7, is Pearl Harbor Day. If a poll were taken (but I think we're all polled out from the election), I think you would find that many people wouldn't even know what you were talking about if you mentioned Pearl Harbor Day.

Pearl Harbor Day is the day in 1941 that Japan attacked an American base in Hawaii, killing more than 2000 people, and injuring at least 1200 more. This horrendous attack initiated our entry into WWII and was a day that eventually led to Japanese people who had been living peacefully in the United States being imprisoned in camps for the duration of the war; it was also a day that eventually led to the first-ever wartime use of the atomic bomb; and a day that has taken us over 60 years to forget

But, forget it, many of us evidently have. Just as there is little or no media coverage of the Kennedy assassination these days, so there is seldom any mention of Pearl Harbor Day. If you once took a moment on December 7th to at least think about the significance of a day that changed the whole course of the world, but have let it kind of fade in your memory, may I suggest that you remedy that? Don't let the memory completely disappear from American society. Remind yourself of the hundreds of thousands that died as a result of that horrible war, and determine, that if you have anything to say about it, such a thing will never happen again.

If you are one of the younger people to whom the words, "Pearl Harbor Day," mean little or nothing, please take some time today to look them up in a good encyclopedia. Read about the shock Americans received when they were attacked, and the resolve that the attack sparked in them. If you have relatives who fought in that war, ask them for a first-hand account of what it was like for them

My invitation to all Americans, on this Pearl Harbor Day, is that we all, regardless of political affiliation or religious belief, take just a moment out of our busy lives every December 7, to remember Pearl Harbor."

Frustrated With Your Sales this Month? Try EquiLeads

2010-12-04T10:37:00.000-08:00

Whether you are a frustrated real estate salesperson, insurance seller, or car dealer, you know that tough economic times are making it more difficult than ever to “make the sale.”

Instead of beating your “head” against the wall following up leads that often end up to be duds, why not get your “foot” in the door by checking out http://www.equileads.com/.

EquiLeads furnishes high quality leads to its members for as little as $5 to $25 a lead, and each lead is carefully checked to make sure it is legitimate before being placed for sale to you.

I don’t know about you, but I would much rather pay up to $25 for a lead that is targeted to a person who is ready to buy, than to run around knocking on doors of uninterested people all day long.

EquiLeads also has something for those of you who specialize in life insurance policies. EquiLeads provides its members with leads to people who are already shopping for the kind of insurance you are selling so take a minute to check them out at http://www.equileads.com/lifeinsurance.php Today, more than ever before, families need life insurance, especially for the major breadwinner in the family.

So, whether you are selling real estate, life insurance, or work at a car lot selling used cars, pre-checked leads are the way to go if you really want to see your sales increase.

You can join EquiLeads for free so don’t pass up the opportunity to get genuine leads that can save you time and money.

AND, even if you are doing okay on your own, and aren’t interested in having leads handed to you, you might want to look into becoming an affiliate for Equileads. This is really easy. All you need to do is put the link they furnish you on your website and you get paid each time someone clicks through to become a member. Talk about easy money! Visit here http://www.equileads.com/affiliates/to learn more.

Magazine Subscriptions For Gifts That Last Past Christmas Day

2010-11-28T14:21:00.000-08:00

Let's face it. Some people are hard to buy for. They already have everything---or at least everything you can afford to get them, and you're tired of the old stand-by gift certificate idea.

Why not give them a gift that will continue to bring them pleasure for months after the holdiday decorations have gone back to the attic---one that will make them think of you each time it shows up in their mailbox again---a magazine subscription for a magazine that caters to their own particular interest or interests? If any of the magazines below look like they might fit someone on your Christmas list, click on the highlighted name for more information.

Got a budding writer in your family? Give them a subscription to, Writer's Digest, the best-read writers' magazine around, with something to offer every type of writer in every issue. (Even a special section addressed directly to those who write poetry.) The recipient of this great gift will bless you each time a new issue arrives in his or her mailbox. (8 issues a year.)

How about the crafty teens around your house. Pack-O-Fun has been around since I was a kid, more years than I care to remember. My friends and I spent lots of rainy afternoons following their easy instructions for creating unusual crafts using inexpensive, common household items. And, Pack-O-Fun is still faithfully delivering all kinds of new ideas for Christmas, Halloween, and every other time of the year to its readers. (6 issues a year.)

Don't forget Dad, or that teen who's into building things of wood. This magazine delivers everything he (or she) will need, and more. Popular Woodworking has unbiased reviews of the latest projects, complete plans for woodworking projects, advice on finishing, and all kinds of tips for woodworkers from the rank beginner to those who have been at it for years in every single issue. (7 issues a year.)

If you have some preschoolers, ages 3-5 in your home, now is the time to foster their love of reading and help them develop skills with interactive stories. Turtle Magazine is just the tool you need to do it. Each copy of the magazine is worth re-reading over and over again with your toddler. (6 issues a year.)

And for those older kids, ages 6-12, you'll want something they can read and activities they can do on their own. Jack and Jill is a perfect mix of entertaining stories, kid profiles, hands-on-activities, recipes, crafts, and more. (6 issues a year.)

Our 100% Satisfaction Guarantee
If you're not 100% satisfied with your subscription, you may cancel anytime within 90days of placing your order, and you will receive a full refund - no questions asked. Any free issues and free gifts you receive are yours to keep!

Free Shipping at Zappos--No Kidding?

2010-11-27T17:35:00.000-08:00

By now, you are probably tired of hearing about my wide feet and the trials and tribulations they caused me as a child when the only shoes wide enough for my feet were ugly, clunky and had shoelaces that came untied twenty times a day..

But remember, I did direct you to the online cure I stumbled across for that problem--- Zappos, where I found not only comfortable shoes in my size, but also cute and stylish ones. Their wide shoe sizes ran from C to E and up. Yes, I said up, so there probably isn’t a person on the face of the earth that couldn’t find a decent pair of shoes in their size there, and for a very reasonable price, too. They also had wide boots and other rainy weather gear. (If you visit there, be sure and check out their Burberry check rain boots and their ankle rain shoes. Those are my favorites.)

It was only recently that I noticed that Zappos not only sold wide shoes online, but plus size women’s clothing, too. And you won’t find a bunch of dull-colored, sack like garments there. Their plus-size clothing, like their women’s wide shoes are colorful, cute, and stylish.

Of course, they also have clothing, including underwear, casual outfits, athletic garments, and even super-dressy outfits for smaller and medium sized women, too, as well as a nice stock of children’s clothing, shoes, and boots.

The biggest surprise I got from my most recent visit to the Zappos website was that they now sell housewares. (Maybe they always did, but I hadn’t noticed it before.) Looking for a pepper mill, a toaster oven, some cutlery, or a set of gorgeous towels? How about some new sheets for your guestroom? You’ll find it all at Zappos. In fact, you’ll be so astounded at their wide selection that you’ll be pulling out your Christmas list to figure out who gets what.

And now let me tell you the best news of all. Shipping is free! Whether you are buying footwear, clothing or houseware, Just imagine sitting down at your computer tomorrow, Christmas list in hand, and having all of your shopping done in just a few minutes online. It could happen, and as you watch your friends scurry through the crowds for the next three weeks, trying to match gifts to the people on their lists, you can smile and go back to relaxing with a magazine and that second cup of coffee.

They Said We Had NO Credit Rating--How Come?

2010-11-26T11:31:00.000-08:00

Are you one of those people who have been sailing along for years, paying your mortgage payments on time, and making sure you don't get in over your head in credit card use?

Is your credit rating perfect, or nearly perfect? Congratulations.

My husband and I decided, right after we paid our house off a number of years ago, to go on a cash basis. If we couldn't afford something, we wouldn't buy it until we had saved enough cash to buy it outright. This worked pretty well until about this time last year when we saw a great deal on a TV set offering more than $200 off for a limited time. We agreed to buy it, but as I started to write out a check for the total amount, the clerk drew my attention to the fact that the discount was only for those who opened an account with the store.

No problem, we agreed and told them to fill out the papers. (We intended to pay the item off with the first billing, and not to use the account for anything else.)

A few minutes later, the clerk sadly informed us that they had checked us out and we had NO credit rating. "That's because we don't buy anything on credit," we informed him. The upshot of the whole thing was that we didn't buy the TV set, we didn't get to enjoy our $200 savings, and the store lost our business---permanently.

Since then, we have bought a couple of small items on time, just to make sure we don't get caught in that situation again. Maybe you should take a minute today to check out your own credit rating at Perfect Score Mortgages

Right now, while rates are still low might be the perfect time for you to think about getting a loan for some of those home renovations you've been putting off---and putting off---and putting off. Perfect Score Mortgages is the perfect place to check out what might be available to yo

Home loans aren't just limited to buying a home anymore. They can be used, as I mentioned before, to do those renovations you've been thinking about, for re-financing your loan to get a better deal on interest than you have already been paying, or even for large-item purchases that are not directly connected to your home. If this sounds like something you could use more information about, take a few minutes to visit Perfect Score Mortgages It will be well-worth your time.

Warding off a case of the "horribles."

2010-11-21T15:17:00.001-08:00

I feel horrible. Snurf, snurf, cough, cough, gag, gag. I'm sure you get the idea.

Last week I baby sat with the grandkids and, seeing a lot of leaves in the backyard, got the great idea that it would really be nice if we all pitched in to rake and bag the leaves as a surprise for their parents.

Unfortunately, the great ideas I have, especially if they involve W-O-R-K, aren't always received with great joy. I did get the 7 and 10 year-olds out into the yard with me, but ended up doing most of the work myself. Not that I really minded, since I certainly can use the exercise.

However, even though I had noticed that it was a bit nippy outside, and I had insisted that the kids put on their jackets, I wasn't really prepared for the weather myself. "It won't matter," I told myself. I'll soon be working so hard that I won't even notice how cold it is outside. And it was true. After the first 15or 20 minutes, I felt as warm as toast.

The problem came several days later when I began to sneeze and wheeze--a sure sign that I was coming down with something. And today, my chest hurts and I am thinking that if I'm not better by tomorrow, I may need to see a doctor.

This afternoon, I was leafing through my Dr. Leonard's catalog and saw what I should have had to tackle the leaf raking job in. A hat with a band that can be folded down to cover your ears, and even your nose and mouth if you want it to. That would not only have kept me warm, but would have eliminated the chance of dust and mold accumulated on those leaves from getting into my lungs. (I hope that isn't the case, but if I'm not better soon, I am going to have the chance to find out.)

Anyhow, if you have some leaf raking looming in your future, take a look at this hat and see if it might not stave off a case of feeling horrible (like I am experiencing right now) for you. Better yet, look at your Christmas list and think about ordering several for the leaf-rakers you see there. They'll thank you for it. To order one or more, go here:
http://www.drleonards.com/Apparel/Hats-Gloves/Hat-Face-Mask/85787.cfm?clicksource=DIG_CAT

Starting My Christmas List Early

2010-11-02T15:27:00.000-07:00

Today I decided to add another pair of Dr. Leonard’s Rosette Slippers to my, “What I Want for Christmas” list. I already have a blue pair that I dearly love, but they are finally getting a little worn-looking. Little wonder since I wear them from the time I get up in the morning until I go to bed most evenings—unless I am going to town of course. I could even wear them to town if I wanted since they have really sturdy, durable soles. I do wear them to the mail box or to sweep the leaves off our balcony.

You’re probably wondering why I would want to wear slippers all day long. Well, I work at my computer most of the day, so I really don’t need to wear heavy outdoor shoes. These little Rosette Slippers are not only the most comfortable slippers I have ever had, but they are cute. They come in regular and in wide widths so those of us with wide feet don’t have to feel left out. Each slipper has 3 little rosettes across the top and they slippers are so light they make you feel like a little girl again, all dressed up in fairy shoes that will carry you away to all sorts of adventure.

When I first started choosing my own clothes as a pre-teen. My mother’s first question was always, “Is it washable?” Well, these slippers are actually washable. They turn out like new every time.

These slippers are super-soft and made of polyester fleece. They come in whole sizes from 6-10 and in your choice of pink, blue, or lavender. Little elastic gores to make them even easier to slip into each morning.

Right now, these slippers are only $9.99 a pair and shipping is free, so you can’t lose. Try a pair and see if you don’t agree. Then, if you like them, just imagine how all those hard-to-please ladies on your Christmas list would like to find a pair in their Christmas package. Click here to visit Dr. Leonard's website.

Whipping my dog into shape

2010-10-29T10:01:00.000-07:00

I had to chuckle when I read today's guest blog post. In our case though, it was our 8-year-old cat, rather than a dog, that kept gaining weight in spite of us changing to a diet cat food. I finally discovered that my husband, who should have known better, was the culprit handing out extra cat treats behind my back. I think I have finally convinced him that he isn't really doing the cat any favors and without the extra goodies, the cat is already beginning to shed a little of her excess weight.

Guest post written by Greg White

It took me a long time to figure out why our German shephard had gained so much weight over the past copule of months. I really couldn't understand ti because I was giving him teh same amount of food as always and still taking him on the same amount of walks. Then one day I caught my 5 year old giving him more food and figured out that he had been doing that for a while after he saw me feed the dog.

Well, first I told my son that he couldn't feed the dog at all and if he would, he would make the dog sick. Then I went on my DIRECT TV Internet and tried to look for stuff that I could do to help our dog lose the extra weight healthily before it started causing him health problems. I found this new kind of dog food that's suppsoed to be a diet food so I tracked down some of that in the grocery store and bought it.

Another thing that I'm doing is make sure that he gets some more dog exercise.

What About This Young Lady's Freedom of Choice?

2010-10-22T14:28:00.000-07:00

Every once in a while I read something that I just can't believe is happening in the United States of America. Today was one of those days.

It seems that a young lady posted a desire for a Christian roommate on the bulletin board at her church. Someone saw it there and made a civil rights complaint against her.

Mind you, this request was on the bulletin board of a church.

Since when don't we have a right to decide who will be sharing a room with us? Is this young lady supposed to take anyone who comes along to sleep in her room with her?

A number of years ago, my husband and I owned an apartment building. The apartments were small, the yard was even smaller and there was no place for children to play so I advertised for adults only. A local civil rights group informed me that we could not discriminate against children.

One couple told us they had one child, and we found out after they moved in that they had four.

A policeman living one of our apartments informed us that the couple across from him had been arrested on drug charges several times.

Two college students rented one of the apartments and started using it as a place to party all night, every night, with their friends.

The same civil rights group told us that it was none of our business how many children a tenant had, or how many times they had been arrested, or how they chose to spend their leisure time. Needless to say, we didn't last long in the apartment renting business.

My feeling was, and still is, that since my husband and I built that apartment building, we certainly should have been able to say how it was to be used. A lot of love, care, and money went into building a place we envisioned as a place where people could live quietly with caring and friendly neighbors. Instead, we ended up with drug addicts, lots of children crammed into an apartment that was too small for them, and several partying teens.

Now we hear that a young lady can't even request a Christian roommate, on a church bulletin board. What is our country coming to? Freedom of religion seems to have turned into freedom from religion.

For more on the story about this young Christian lady, go to:

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2010/10/22/civil-rights-complaint-filed-christian-roommate-advertisement/

Halloween Imagination

2010-10-20T09:35:00.000-07:00

When our grandchildren were smaller, their parents would get them dressed up in their Halloween costumes, and appear at our door early Halloween evening, to "surprise us." The range of costumes was fantastic, and I could hardly wait to see what they had come up with each year. The little girl in today's guest post had an idea that my grandchildren never thought of, but one I think was a great one. Even though she decided not to follow through with her idea, I could just imagine how cute would have looked like on one of my own grandchildren.

Guest post written by Mikel Trevino

Halloween is one of my favorite holidays, not for the spooky goblins or scary horror movies, but for the candy and crazy imaginative costumes. I asked my four year old what she wanted to be this year. After spending some time thinking, she blurted out “A PENCIL!” Trying to be supportive, I shared her http://www.securitychoice.com/ and became determined to encourage her imagination and find or make a pencil costume. I just had no idea where to begin!

Once my husband came home from work we decided to travel to Indianapolis. They have several specialty stores that open every year just for the Halloween season. We figured t hey would be our best hope of either finding exactly what we wanted to giving our daughter inspiration to choose something different!

Recently I had a adt home security alarm installed. So, before we left I was anxious to turn it on. With my husband's crazy schedule, I want to feel safe those nights he travels. After driving the hour it takes to get to the other side of Indianapolis, my finally arrived at the Halloween Extravaganza. Before even stepping out of the car our daughter had already began rethinking her pencil costume! Once inside, it was hard to choose just one. From princess fairies to bank robber costumes, my daughters imagination was on over load! She finally settled into a Jessie Cowgirl Costume from Toy Story. She looks so cute!

Secret Ballots?

2010-10-19T11:41:00.001-07:00

Yesterday I visited my recently widowed sister, and she asked me to tell her who to vote for. I told her that our ballots were called "secret" for a reason, and were supposed to reflect our own personal decision about an issue or a candidate.

She gave me a puzzled look and said, "But Al, (her deceased husband) always told me which ones to vote for."

Much to her distress, I told her that this year, she was going to have to figure out which persons and issues to vote for on her own. Not that I think she will do it. She is sure to find some other relative or neighbor who will be only too happy to take the matter out of her hands.

Lest you think I am totally heartless, I should say that she and I have talked about most of the ballot measures and many of the candidates for months during our weekly telephone visits, and are both pretty much in agreement on them so I couldn't see any reason why she needed help in actually making her mark on the official "secret" ballot.

However, it did make me stop and wonder just how many senior citizens are turning their ballots over to other people to do their voting for them. In our state, all voting is done by mail so the opportunity for this type of vote influencing is always there. Maybe it is time to go back to the voting booth at the school gymnasium. Or better yet, maybe we each need to have a doctor's statement that we are of sound mind in order to vote.

Spend Time With the Family at Fall Festivals

2010-10-18T11:38:00.000-07:00

My guest poster for today, Maxine Taylor, likes the same thing my family likes---fall festivals. We seem to have more during the fall season than at any other time, and even though it often rains at this time in Oregon, we go anyway, with an umbrella clutched under our arms, just in case.

Thanks for the article from Maxine Taylor

Every October, my family and I like to go to the local fall festival. We spend hours walking around the various booths and there is always a great entertainment lineup. Various food vendors pollute the air with the most amazing smells so we always plan to eat at the festival. It's a great way to spend time with the family and support the local community at the same time.

There are always tons of crafts for sale at the festival, and many people in the community make jars and jars of jams, jellies, salsas, and other delicious foods. Many of these individuals grow their own food in home-tended gardens, and we all have our favorites that we look forward to each year. I like the hot sauce while my husband goes for the strawberry preserves.

The kids always have plenty to do at the festival and look forward to it each year. There are plenty of games for them to play, a pumpkin painting contest, and a costume contest. They have a lot of fun visiting the various booths, and they get to trick or treat at the festival as well. Adults and children alike bob for apples and run sack races. It really is a great time for families as well as for the community.

Of course, when we're not at the festival, much of our family time is spent watching satellite TV from www.bestchoicetv.com/deals.html. We pop popcorn and watch our favorite shows together at least twice a week.

Phone Pests

2010-10-14T18:04:00.000-07:00

If I notice a bug flying around our home, I usually swat, spray, or otherwise manage to clear it out. I wish that getting rid of a phone pest was that easy.

Maybe the fact that I grew to adulthood without once living in a house with a telephone has something to do with it, but I have never felt comfortable sitting around visiting on the phone. When I got married and did have a phone in my home, I still looked at phones as convenient tools, not as a way to pass the time.

Now I find myself friends with several people who can't seem to let a day pass without calling to "chat." Because I try to be polite, I am not beginning to feel like a prisoner once I get on the phone with one of these phone pests. I make excuses about things I have to do, or places I need to be, and they just keep right on talking.

I've tried letting the answering machine take the calls, but if I don't return them in a short time, the person calls again, and again, and again.

I've made it clear that I don't really like to visit on the phone. They ignore me and continue their recital of every detail taking place in their lives. Do I hang up on them and lose their friendship altogether?

I've mentioned that my husband would like me to spend the evening with him instead of talking on the phone, and they make some comment like, "Tell him you're helping me solve a serious problem." (As if their problems outweigh anyone else's needs and desires.) The truth is that THEY are becoming a serious problem to me. Are such friendships even worth saving?

Any suggestions?

New Recipe for an Old Stand-by

2010-10-13T23:20:00.000-07:00

Whenever I see the word "frugal," I sit up and take notice--especially when it has to do with recipes. This chicken recipe caught my eye and sounds exactly like something my family would love. I'm planning it for this week-end.

Guest post from: Denver Stephens

Everyone knows the virtues of chicken. It is inexpensive and versatile, but it's hard to find new ways to serve this old stand-by. This is especially true for busy moms. I tried this recipe for chicken thighs and it quickly became a favorite. Although I first found out about this recipe watching reruns on direct.tv, it can be found in the cookbook, The Frugal Gourmet Cooks with Wine. This recipe appealed to me because it's easy and has a nice oriental flavor.

Cut the skinless chicken thighs in half and marinate them in a mixture of soy sa uce, wine and ginger. The recipe calls for white wine, but I used a nice dry merlot which worked well. The chicken marinates between fifteen and thirty minutes. Meanwhile cook three cups of rice. Heat a skillet or wok with 2 tablespoons of oil and add the chicken with two table spoons of the marinade. Brown the chicken on all sides and let simmer ten to fifteen minutes. Add one package of frozen peas. Cook until peas are done stirring frequently. Serve over rice.

This meal was as easy to cook as the recipe claimed and tasted delicious. I first made it for my children who are notoriously picky and they loved it. It has been a huge hit every time I have served it since.

Our Wonderful Family Outting to the Zoo!

2010-10-12T19:00:00.000-07:00

When our kids were young, a trip to the zoo, any zoo, was the highlight of our summer. They liked it so much that we always tried for one last visit in the fall beforethe weather got too cold. My guest poster today, brought back some of those fond memories to me. Maybe it's time to gather up the grandkids and head for the closest zoo, before it gets too cold this year.

I appreciate the guest post, Rodrigo Coffey

This past Saturday my husband and I took our son and daughter to the local zoo to visit all of the animals and go on a couple of rides. The morning before was hectic I had to bathe the kids, make coffee and breakfast, pick out outfits and pack lunch for everyone. After the morning rush I got the kids out of the house into the van and then went back to set the ADT HOME SECURITY.

It was a 45 minute drive but well worth it for all of us. The zoo was amazing, the kids got to pat goats, cows and deer. Then they got to see a bunch of exotic animals like llamas, tigers, lions, alligators and massive snakes!! I am not a big fan of snakes but the kids and my husband got a picture taken of it around there neck. I almost had a heartache when I saw it.

Before we left we went and saw the new butterfly exhibit that was opened just a week ago. The exhibit was amazing, there were butterflies floating around us everywhere, one landed on my daughter! If anyone is looking for a family trip to take I highly recommend the Pittsburgh Zoo!

Go After That Out of Control Model Airplane

2010-10-11T10:48:00.000-07:00

Flying model airplanes is great fun, but those who fly them need to be good neighbors, too. If your plane does crash, (perish the thought), please clean up after yourself. A recent grass fire in Encino, near Los Angeles, took 49 firemen and a fire-fighting helicopter about 40 minutes to contain. The remains of a radio controlled model airplane were found at the scene, and it is thought that the crash may have started the fire.

I know how easy it is to lose a plane when it gets out of range, or for a plane to crash for some other reason, and I, personally, have practically run my legs off chasing one that is out of control. If you find yourself in the same situation, please don't leave until you have exhausted every possiblity of finding your errant plane. If it should cause a fire like the one in Encino or injure a person or someone's property own up to it and make things right so all model airplane enthusiasts aren't labeled as reckless and uncaring.

To see story of the event described above, Click Here .
To visit my model airplane website, Go Here.

Going to a College Football Game

2010-10-06T08:53:00.000-07:00

Since I am a Duck fan who lives just a couple of miles from the home stadium of the currently "sizzling" Oregon Ducks' football team, you'd think I would be sitting in the stands at Autzen Stadium cheering them on at every game. Unfortunately, I'm getting a little old to sit through hours of sometimes cold and drizzly weather, but I do have a second choice mentioned here by Franklin Davenport, today's guest poster.

Guest post written by my buddy Franklin Davenport

Going to watch the Oregon Ducks is one of the most exciting, exhilarating activities for my family and me. On a wonderful fall Oregon afternoon, opening up the tailgate and service hotdogs, hamburgers, chili, cold beer and soda and other yummy snacks with friends and strangers alike is one of the most invigorating things to take part in. Fan abound, wearing their traditional green and white jerseys, face paint, and the quacking abounds as we all wait to get into the stadium and cheer on our favorite college football team.

Watching running back LaMichael James rush for 227 yards, an all-time career high was so exciting. The fans jumped to their feet as roars of excitement and cheering echoed through the Eugene stadium. Players rushed James in a congratulatory embrace; cheerleaders flung their pom poms into the air and kicked in celebration, while the other team hung their heads on the sidelines, trying to overcome such an eruption of festivity.

Watching Brandon Bair, Anthony Blake, Zac Clark, Michael Clay, Max Forer, Brandon Hanna and all the rest of the players huddle up, form a game plan, and rush onto the field is a family experience for us. The smells of the field; fresh air, cooking hotdogs, peanuts, beer and the fans, coming together to support and cheer the Oregon Ducks makes for a fantastic day. The only thing that comes close to comparison is being able to gather the family together at home and watch the Oregon Ducks on our satellite TV from http://www.expertsatellite.com/

The Most Important Tailgating Preparation I make

2010-09-29T15:40:00.000-07:00

On game days in our town, residential crime seems to increase. I guess the thieves know that our college town really turns out to support their team. That's why I totally agree with todays guest poster that a good home alarm system is really a great investment.

Guest written by our friend Mason Abbott

If you have ever been tailgating, you know that it is an activity that requires a lot of preparation. You have to gather your clan or friends that want to go, you have to gather the materials, make sure you have enough beer, soda, and other assorted snacks, candy and other goodies for everyone.

Even after I check my grill and other items needed to throw a proper tailgating party, I am still not ready to leave. Naturally, if I go to watch a High school, professional or even college football game, I will be spending a lot of time outside of my home. Even though I live in a neighborhood where crime is not common, I still worry that someone may break into my home while I'm away cheering for my team.

Naturally, there are some deterrents that I and any other home owner can take, to ensure that this does not happen. The first part is buying and installing a home security system. The service covers you while you are away or asleep. The protection it offers is a good deterrent, but there is one final step I make to finish my tailgating preparations. I set my home security alarm that I called Adt alarm systems deal before heading out the door. This simple act gives me one less thing to worry about as I hit the road on a sunny autumn day.

Valley Lane Stretch Slip-On Shoes Come in X-Wide Sizes and are Cute, Too.

2010-09-29T15:28:00.000-07:00

If you're like me, you probably get in a rut about wearing the same pair of shoes over and over again. I'll admit, that even with all the cute shoes available nowdays for women who need extra wide widths, I tend to shy away from buying a new pair until the ones I am wearing practically fall to pieces. Probably a feeling left over from the days when it was much more difficult to find a decent looking pair of wide shoes---anywhere.

Anyway, I came across a cute style called Stretch Slip-Ons the other day. They are made by Valley Lane and look dressy enough to wear to church, but also comfortable enough for every day.

They have one and 1/4 inch heels, but don't look even that high, and the cost is really affordable---only $24.99.

So many places only offer medium and wide sizes for women with larger feet, but Valley Lane, offeres extra wide, too, and the shoes have a built in side stretch on the strap. Whee! No more pinched feet or wishing you could just get home so you could kick off your shoes and be comfortable again.

Each shoe has two narrow straps that meet on the outside side of each shoe which. This designer touch gives them a definite feminine look.

Best of all, they come in black, taupe, or navy. I love navy and haven't seen any shoes I really liked in that color for quite a while so I'm going to grab these while I can. Click on the picture to take a look. Maybe you'll want a pair, too.

Dinner Party for a Million!

2010-09-28T14:13:00.000-07:00

Most of us tend to ignore physical symptoms whenever possible. My husband insists we need one of those chairs attached to our staircase so I can ride up and down instead of moaning and groaning each time I make the trip, while I insist that he needs to have his ears checked so he doesn't have to ask me to repeat everything two or three times.

When I ran across this article by Jan Steele, I couldn't resist showing it to him. Maybe if I agree to the chair on the staircase, he will agree to having his ears checked out. I'll let you know how it goes.

Guest post written by Jan Steele

I love getting together with my husband’s side of the family. We’re both retired now and we’ve got more time on our hands to visit these days, which we’ve been taking full advantage of. He grew up with five siblings, so it’s always a packed house whenever they’re around.

We actually had them all over for dinner the other night, plus their kids and grandkids. I made my famous strawberry shortcake for the occasion—though I definitely didn’t make enough! We were all having a really great time sitting around the dining table.

When I noticed that one of his sisters, Erma, was wearing new Miracle Ear hearing aids, I pulled her aside to ask her about them. I’d been sensing that my hearing had been declining for a while now, and I was really curious to see what she thought of hers. We chatted for a while about how they worked, what they were like and Hearing Aids costs . Turns out, getting them was one of the best things she said she’s ever done.

I have an appointment to see about getting some myself tomorrow, and I’m really excited!

Have You Found Your Own Special Blogging Niche Yet?

2010-09-26T09:00:00.000-07:00

Believe it or not, people do make a living from writing blog articles but, in order to do that, you usually have to find a niche that appeals to readers and keep producing valuable content, day after day, or at least week after week, or your readers will go somewhere else for their information.

If you're like me, you get all excited about blogging for a while and then the "idea well" starts to run dry. That usually means more in-depth research in your field or finding a new niche.

If blogging is in your blood, you can make it profitable. Click below to find out all about finding a niche that is just right for you; one where you will never run out of ideas.

Spider Man at the Door?

2010-09-24T09:54:00.000-07:00

I remember opening my door a couple of years ago, on Halloween night, to a little three-foot high Spider Man who yelled, "Tricker-treat, Grandma," in a high, very unSpider-like voice. He was pretty cute, but I can't say he would have been much help in a real fight.

Although I'm not an avid fan of the real Spider Man, my guest poster for today definitely is.

Spider-Man has all the Right Stuff for a True Hero

Guest post from: Kent Lara

Spider-Man is definitely among the best superheroes ever, and he's always been my favorite. I like that he's basically just a regular guy with a lot of responsibility on his shoulders because of his powers. Spider-Man has some very cool abilities too. In the comics, he uses mechanical web slingers to swing around the city, and in the movie they made his webs into a biological capability. He also has super strength and he can sense things that are about to happen. He uses his superior senses to avoid danger.

Spider-Man is also a very noble superhero. He's doesn't allow himself to indulge in vengeance or any other petty behavior. A lot of superheroes t hese days have a tendency to sometimes do violent things unnecessarily. Spider-Man is always trying to avoid hurting anybody, and that is one of his best qualities.

I spend a lot of time with my family watching Spider-Man on direct tv miami. They show the movies very frequently on many of the major pay channels, and there are also a few animated TV shows that can be very entertaining. I tend to enjoy Spider-Man in just about any context. The comics are fun, but I'm not a comic purist.

It's Almost Tire Chain Time, Again

2010-09-20T14:05:00.000-07:00

Last year, my husband and I had to attend a funeral 400 miles from home just before Thanksgiving. According to a relative who lived there, the weather hadn't been bad, and the hiways were clear so, 3 days before the funeral, off we went.

Our pickup had always done well in snow, but it was no match for the two mountain passes we encountered on that trip. Unfortunately, by the time we arrived in the area, the hiways were no longer clear, and the snowplows were slowly---very slowly making their way up the mountain. People had stopped at every wide spot in the road to put on tire chains or snow tires, but we, based on our relative's weather report, hadn't bothered to bring either.

Since we live on the milder side of our state and usually only need snow tires for a couple of days each winter, if that much, I didn't know anything about tire chains. To be honest, I probably wouldn't have known a tire chain from a dog chain if someone had shown it to me, but that was prior to our little journey over the mountains.

Before we reached our destination, which was a motel in LaGrande, Oregon, we had skidded so many times that I expected another funeral--a double one for us this time--would be scheduled by our family in the near future, but, miraculously, we arrived in one piece, or maybe I should say, two pieces--him and me.

I can tell you that I never want to experience a trip like that again...especially the part where an 18-wheeler zoomed past us, and then suddenly slowed down to a crawl. If you've ever tried to brake in the snow, you'll know what I'm talking about.

Anyway, early the next morning, my husband ventured out to buy some tire chains and didn't come back for 6 hours. It seems that everyone else in town had the same idea. He did end up with a set, one that didn't fit well, but it was the only set he could find that came even close to fitting our pickup.

I'm sure we raised some eyebrows with our misfitted tire chains as we rattled into the parking lot of the church where the funeral was held the next morning, but we didn't care--at least we didn't have to brave the mountains on the way back with bare tires.

If you don't already have a set of good tire chains stored in the trunk of your car, think about getting them now, before the need arises. If you can't find them locally, check out http://tirechaindealer.com/ to find a set online and be prepared. (They would make a great gift for the man in your life, girls.)

Sarah, Sarah, Sarah......and you, too, Barak

2010-09-17T09:59:00.000-07:00

In a speech yesterday, Sarah Palin used "gonna," meaning going to, twice in one sentence and and "likin," meaning liking,all in the same paragraph.

"We're gonna take back our country and we're gonna turn things around! ...
"They're not likin this..."

What's going on with our leaders? I don't mind a little slang now and then, but President Obama uses the word, "gonna," so often we might as well forget trying to teach school children to speak properly.

Newscasters, especially those who are hostile to Sarah Palin and all she stands for, have picked up on this habit she has of dropping the endings to words like "liking" or phrases like "going to," and mock her by using the same kind of slang in a derogatory way.

Today, on a newscast, I even noticed some of Sarah Palin's fans carrying signs that read, "We're gonna take our country back."

In all fairness to the President, I noticed Sarah dropping the endings to her words way back when she was running for Vice President. "I'm always gonna be Sarah from Alaska...." she said as she returned to her hometown to cast her vote. Maybe Mr. Obama picked up his habit from listening to her.

Either way, I wish both of them would start acting like real leaders, because I don't look forward to listening to a whole new generation following the ridiculous examples being set for them.

Basketball Tickets for Anniversary Celebration?

2010-09-10T15:42:00.000-07:00

If you are married to a basketball fan, like I am, why not work some basketball into your next anniversary celebration and watch him glow?

We have an anniversary coming up soon and had talked about taking a month to travel a bit and stop along the way to see a couple of grandkids we haven't seen in a long time. Just for fun, I decided to surprise my hubby and work a few basketball games in along the way to make the long drive a bit more platable.

We live in Eugene, OR so I thought we'd start out with a stop in Portland on December 7th, our first night on the road to see the Portland Trailblazers take on the Phoenix Suns at the Rose Garden. (Incidentally, the first grandchild we plan to visit lives in Phoenix, so we may be able to crow about a win for the Trailblazers when we get to her house--or not.) The game starts at 7 p.m. so we can be back on the road early the next morning.

Three days later, on December 10th, we should arrive in Phoenix and, since our granddaughter and her husband are Sun fans, we'll join them for the Suns' return game against the Trailblazers at the U.S. Airways Center at 7 p.m. Who knows who will be crowing over a win during the two days we plan to stay with them? If it is us, I promise not to be too hard on them.

Our next stop will be in San Antonio, one of my most favorite cities in the whole U.S. My granddaughter who lives in San Antonio will be attending the game between the San Antonio Spurs and the Phoenix Suns with my husband while I shepherd her children through the Alamo and take a tour of the Riverwalk. I really love that place--the riverwalk, I mean. That game will be at the AT&T Center in San Antonio at 7:30 p.m. December 20th. The granddaughter we left back in Phoenix will, I am sure, be rooting for her team, while the one in San Antonio will be rooting just as hard for hers.

Finally, we will head for New Orleans, a city we both enjoy, to spend a few days before attending a final game between the New Orlean Hornets and my husband's favorite team, the Los Angeles Lakers. It won't be until December 29th at the New Orleans Arena at 7 p.m. so we'll have plenty of time to hang around town and look for trinkets to buy for the smaller grandkids back home.

All-in-all, it's a pretty ambitious schedule for two old stick-in-the-mud homebodies like us, but, as we like to say, "We need some kind of reward for managing to stick it out for 60 years, and this trip is it." Wish us luck.

And, just in case you live near any of these games and want to join us, we'll be the frazzled looking elderly couple carrying folding chairs, just in case we need to rest while we are waiting in line to enter the game. My husband will be wearing a moth-eaten Lakers' hat, and I, a UofO Duck fan till the end, will undoubtedly have on a Daisy Duck T-shirt with Daisy looking much more energetic than I expect to be.

* Tickets can be purchased for any of the games through the links below.

http://www.ticketamerica.com/portland_trail_blazers_tickets.html
http://www.ticketamerica.com/phoenix_suns_tickets.html
http://www.ticketamerica.com/san_antonio_spurs_tickets.html
http://www.ticketamerica.com/new_orleans_hornets_tickets.html
http://www.ticketamerica.com/los_angeles_lakers_tickets.html

Got Life Insurance? If Not, Why Not?

2010-09-08T11:44:00.000-07:00

Just the other day, I saw an offer for a free quote on life insurance from http://www.lifeinsurancequotes.me/

My first response was, "Don't we already have enough insurance? Sometimes it seems as though more of our income goes towards paying insurance premiums than toward everything else put together in our family. We each have a health insurance policy and a supplemental health insurance policy that covers whatever isn't covered by the main policy; a small life insurance policy that would probably just cover burial expenses for each of us; automobile insurance on two vehicles; our house liability and fire insurance policy; and a small ambulance policy.

Wow, it looks even worse when you write them all down in a list like that.

But, even though our lengthy list of insurance policies can seem a bit overwhelming at times, there isn't one of them that I would eliminate. In fact, there is one area that probably needs to be increased and that is our life insurance policies--at least for the main breadwinner in the family. Maybe that free quote from http://www.lifeinsurancequotes.me/ is worth taking a look at, especially in the hard economic times we are facing today.

More than ten years ago, my husband, with no history of heart problems, was rushed to the hospital for an emergency quadruple by-pass operation. Fortunately, our health insurance policy picked up the major portion of that operation or we would have lost everything we owned in trying to pay the bill.

That experience has made me very cautious about making sure we have adequate insurance. I have a teaching certificate and might be able to land a job in my field if something were to happen to my husband, but I often think about young families with several children who would be left in dire straits should anything happen to the breadwinner of the family. Most women, even if they have a profession to fall back on cannot earn enough to pay for full-time child care in addition to meeting the day-to-day expenses of a growing family.

Yes, I know that money is tight and insurance seems to be one of the things we think we can afford to put on the back burner until finances improve. As someone who has gone through a medical crisis where insurance made the difference in surviving that crisis without having the additional burden of losing our home as well, I urge you to consider ways things you might be able to cut back on in order to afford at least enough life insurance for the breadwinner in your family to replace his or her steady income for the time it would take for you to recover emotionally and financially.

Believe me, the peace of mind that knowing you are somewhat prepared, just in case, is worth far more than anything you may have to give up in order to achieve it. Visit
http://www.lifeinsurancequotes.me/ for an estimate today.

Should I Buy a Child-Sized Sewing Machine for my Child?

2010-08-30T14:32:00.000-07:00

One of the first things children do, especially little girls, is to imitate whatever Mommy is doing. If Mommy is cooking, they want to cook. If Mommy is vacuuming, they want to vacuum. If Mommy is sewing, they want to sew.

An adult’s first instinct when their child shows an interest in sewing is to think about getting a child size sewing machine for them.

If your child has already learned how to thread a needle, how to sew on a button, and maybe even how to do a few basic embroidery stitches, he is probably pestering you to let him use the sewing machine.

That six or seven year old looks pretty small to be sitting in front of your adult-sized sewing machine, but getting a child sized machine for them is usually not the best solution. Most online reviews of small sewing machines made especially for children are negative.

Some of the criticisms are that the machine is made of cheap plastic that tends to crack easily, especially when their small owners forget to put their machine away and it falls from a table to the floor and splits into two or more pieces.

Another frequently voiced comment is that the thread on the small sewing machines constantly breaks and jams, resulting in an unhappy child who may look back on their first sewing experiences as more frustrating than fun.

True, the price of a small, child-sized sewing machine is attractive. Usually less than $35, but if the machine does not perform well, the monetary saving is not worth much.

With a booster seat, even a very small child can learn to operate a regular sewing machine. An added perk is that his or her mother will feel more comfortable helping with the machine she is used to sewing on and, together, she and her child can create something they can be proud of.

Is Your Child Ready To Learn To Sew?

2010-08-29T17:41:00.000-07:00

Most kids learn to sew on Mamma’s Singer….or Brother….or Viking sewing machine. I think my Mother had an old Kenmore that had seen much better years, but together, the two of us turned out a lot of garments, dishtowels and quilts before it finally gave up the ghost and ended up being replaced by a Viking that I inherited and have to this day.

Somewhere along the way, most young sewers decide they need a sewing machine of their own. Then comes the problem.

1. They need to buy a machine they can afford.

2. They need to buy a machine with a decent reputation for not having a lot of problems.

3. They need a machine that is fairly easy to operate, but which also has some extras that they will be using frequently.

Buying any appliance is risky, but in this day of the internet, we have a tool that can help us take some of the risk away. One of my favorite ways to check out an item is to type the name of the item in a Google search box followed by a comma and a term describing what I am looking for.

For example, Viking Sewing Machines, followed by the word reviews should give you even more than you wanted to know about Viking Sewing Machines. To get more specific information, include the model number of the machine. If you want to know where to buy a Viking sewing machine, enter something like Viking sewing machine, sources.

Take a peek at the book below if you are looking for a great way to introduce your young child or grandchild to machine sewing.

Interested In Starting a Blog of Your Own?

2010-08-16T15:09:00.000-07:00

How Do I Start Blogging?

This is the question that many people ask every day, especially after seeing the tons of blogs out there on the internet that are successful, interesting, rank highly on the search engines and that are making a ton of money from doing it. Blogging started out as a way to speak out, to express yourself and was simply a tool to use for personal benefits. It is almost like a diary for many people. There are also those people that have taken blogging to the next level and actually use their personal stories, ideas, passions and writing skills to make money for themselves.

So how can you do the same?

Here are 3 simplest ways any one can start blogging, even if he has no blog at all.

1. Credibility - Well, you should get a guide written by a successful blogger. In short, you should learn from those who walk the talk. The ebook by these successful bloggers will gives you accurate information about how to start blogging and how to set up your blog successfully, and it will also list step by step instructions for everything you need to do to make it work for you and make a lot of money from it. Because a successful blogger, being successful, will know the amount of help a newbie blogger will need to start blogging.

2. Simplicity - The blogging guide will need to be realistic and useful with no complicated wording or difficult to understand jargon and technicalities. It has to be straight forward and very easy to follow and all of this will help you to make money in a very short space of time. So many people scour the internet for various money making schemes and quick fix options, when you can just make money from writing a blog about something you love. It can even be about you and as long as you market it correctly and as long as you keep it interesting and fresh, you will soon attract a large database of people who will therefore attract advertisers to your website.

3. Accessibility - This is only the start of it and as you can imagine there are hundreds of models and options that you can use to get people to access and advertise on your website, as well as being able to be found on various other people’s websites through links. Now, instead of just telling you what I have just told you, a good blogging guide author should go into detail about each aspect and tell you the exact websites you will need to go to for the maximum advantage. I feel a sensitive author will spend all the time finding the best ones and weeding out the bad ones to give you a couple of the top websites that will work for you when you start blogging.

So if you are still asking, “how do I start blogging” then you know that the best thing to do is to get a credible and simple blogging guide and you can get started right away without ever worrying about it not working. If you follow the methods as explained it will definitely answer your question on “how do I start blogging”.

John Yeo is the author of Blogger's Paycheck. He is a pro-wedding blogger and social worker who generates $2000 each month of passive income just from his one wedding blog.

Restoring a Relationship that has Crashed and Burned

2010-08-14T12:08:00.000-07:00

If you watch the news for more than an hour at a time these days, you are likely to see a report of the latest Hollywood divorce or famous couple break-up. It shouldn't be that way in real life. Of course, all relationshis don't have a happy ending, but one that you have invested months, maybe even years in, shouldn't be discarded like an old pair of shoes, at least not until you have done everything possible to save it.

If your marriage or other cherished relationship is heading the wrong direction or has already reached the point where it seems as though there is no return, don't give up without one last try. Take a look at this short video, Watch Now by T.W. Jackson, and see if he might not have the solution to your problem.

The program referred to in the above video can be ordered for less than you probably spent on your phone bill last month, at Order Here . It comes with a money back guarantee so you have nothing to lose, and very possibly, a restored relationship with your loved one to gain.

My EzinesArticles Coffee Mug

2010-08-12T16:01:00.000-07:00

I did it. I actually submitted and had 100 articles published at ezinearticles.com last month and have received my gorgeous coffee mug with their name printed on it as a reward. It came with a leather coaster and really looks snazzy sitting next to my computer.

You may wonder why I would write that many articles for a coffee mug. Well, it wasn't really with the coffee mug in mind that I entered this contest. Ezine Articles lets you include a link in your writers' bio to your own webpage, increasing your potential visiters and hopefully sales from your webpage. But that isn't the main reason I participated, either.

My major goal in entering this contest was to develop better writing habits. I wanted to get in the habit of writing an article whenever one popped into my mind, without making a huge week-long production of it. So far, I think it may have worked, and, if so, that is worth a lot of coffee mugs, believe me.

Yesterday I wrote an article for Associated Content and submitted it. Today I wrote another one for them, and two days ago, I actually sent an article out in the mail to an offline publication, so my frantic 100-day writing spree has accomplished a lot for me.

The coffee mug, although gorgeous, is a bit heavy for me to handle so it is probably going to end up as a pencil holder and conversation piece, but that's okay. I just like looking at it and knowing that I have 100 (actually more than that) articles all published on ezinearticles.com and working to bring more visitors to my website. That made the contest worth-while to me.

***To take a peek at some of those 100+ articles, visit my site at My Ezine Articles

House Provides Great Entertainment

2010-08-11T09:37:00.000-07:00

House is one of the oddest medical shows I have seen on TV, but I love it. The main character, Dr. House is a crotchety doctor who has plenty of problems of his own---so many in fact that I doubt any real hospital would continue to employ him, but he grows on you. My guest blogger today is Joyce Mccall and here are her thoughts on House.

Author: Joyce Mccall

I set an alarm to let me know I have ten minutes until my favorite television show is starting. House is an amazing medical drama centered on the lead character Dr. Gregory House.

My husband just purchased this brand new television and we watch our favorite show on the channels that best cable tv offers. I love the amazing chemistry among the entire cast, especially the original member Dr. Lisa Cuddy, Dr. Eric Foreman, Dr. Robert Chase and Dr. Allison Cameron. I really miss Dr. Cameron on the show but the new additions to the cast are slowly growing on me.

I am looking forward to the new season. This season we are going to watch the growing romance between the lead character, Dr. House, and Dr. Cuddy. I am sure we are going to be in for a steamy good time. Even though the character interaction is amazing, I also enjoy the medical mystery premise of the show. I think they have truly developed each character into complex individuals.

The beauty of the show is that the audience gets to watch Dr. House dissect the other characters each week.

I'm the Type of Person Who Needs a List

2010-08-05T10:11:00.000-07:00

I have come to the conclusion that I am one of those people who will never accomplish anything beyond the absolutely necessary tasks of daily living unless I write it down on a list and set a deadline for myself.

Recently, I entered a contest to write 100 articles in 100 days. I managed to do it but only because I had signed my name on the dotted line to do it and because there was a deadline for getting the job done.

With the contest out of the way, I decided not to go back to just doing the bare minimum to survive and see what happens. I'll have to admit I felt proud of myself for writing all those articles, so I have set myself a goal this week of submitting three articles to offline magazines, taking my two granddaughters shopping for school shoes, and using the grass whip to trim the weeds around the edge of our front yard. Not much for an average person you are probably thinking, but take my word---it is for me.

It is now Thursday morning and only one article has been submitted and the shoes for my granddaughters are taken care of, but there is something about having a list, and having a deadline of some kind that makes me think I am going to do what I set out to do this week.

Maybe, if I finish my list for this week, I can add an extra item or two to my list for next week.
_____________________

If you are interested in reading e-mails and doing surveys to earn a little extra cash from home, as well as earning $5 toward your first payout just for signing up, check out this link. http://65.98.53.169/~adclicks/inboxdollars/click.php?tid=468216

Watching the Daytime Emmys with Mom

2010-08-04T09:21:00.000-07:00

Today's guest post by Jewel Cole caught my eye because I watched General Hospital for more years than I cared to admit. In fact, I was so addicted to the program that I would rush home from lunch with a friend just to make sure I didn't miss a single episode of the General Hospital saga. Finally, because of other pressures competing for my time, I had to quit watching, but I still have that urge, every now and then, to pop in and see how Sonny and the rest of the gang are doing.

Unlike Jewel Cole, in this post, I didn't watch the program with my mother, but once caught my 90 year old grandmother watching it when I visited her in the hospital. She admitted that she had been watching it for even longer than I had, so it is definitely a program that appeals to many age groups.

Guest post by Jewel Cole

My mom is a huge soap opera fan, and her enthusiasm has rubbed off on me. We normally watch the Daytime Emmy Awards together. Our favorite soap is General Hospital, and we record it every day to watch after work. I usually call her to recap the show each week.

When I was younger, mom and I always watched General Hospital and other soaps together. Since that time, many of our favorite soaps have been cancelled, including Search for Tomorrow and Another World. I miss seeing my favorite characters from those shows on the Daytime Emmy Awards show. I was so upset when General Hospital lost in the Best Dr ama category for the 2010 Daytime Emmys. Right now, GH has the best storyline on daytime TV. There is a serial killer loose in Port Charles, and you never know who will fall next. James Franco still looks yummy, and his acting is improving, too. Everyone in the entire Corinthos family annoys me. I hope the serial killer pops off a few of them.

The Daytime Emmys are fun to watch because the actors always look so polished and handsome. It's hard not to develop a crush on at least a few of them. Mom and I watch the Emmys on hd programs on my satellite tv.

50 Blogging Ideas to Get You Started

2010-08-03T16:58:00.000-07:00

What's the hardest thing about blogging? Coming up with fresh, new content! And you have to publish new posts frequently - twice a week at the very least - to keep readers interested and earn search engine love.

If you're feeling stuck, here is a list of 50 blogging ideas that are sure to inspire you to come up with new content for your blog. Most of the ideas can be used more than once, so you won't run out of blog posts for months to come.

And by the way, if you want to make more money from your blog, Blogger's Paycheck shows you how to make passive income from your blog without spending all day at it.

1. Special events - Relate your blog topic to a special event, national day of, or holiday.

2. News - Subscribe to Google news alert on your keywords and write about the latest news in your niche.

3. Book review.

4. Respond to a post on another blog in a niche similar or related to yours.

5. Blog milestone - Write about your blogging milestones, such as publishing your 100th post, getting your 1000th comment....

6. Niche heroes -Blog about a person who made a positive contribution in your niche.

7. Blog memes - Join in blog memes such as "Wordless Wednesday". There's at least one for every day of the week!

8. Product review - An excellent way to work in some affiliate links.

9. FAQs in your niche - Write a short Q & A based on FAQs about your niche.

10. Blog comment response - Write a long and expanded response to a comment on your blog.

11. Predict trends - What do you see happening in your niche in a year? 5 years?

12. Historical view - What was your niche in the past? Or what past event influenced your niche?

13. Top tips on any topic of interest to your readers.

14. Best of... - A good year ender, make a list of your best posts for the year.

15. Contests - Organize a contest for your blog readers, or make a list of contests your readers can join.

16. What I learned from... a current event, a person you met, or an experience you had.

17. Definitions - Define terms that are commonly used in your niche but a beginner may not understand

18. New products - Not a review but simply an announcement of a new product relevant to your niche. This is another good opportunity to drop in some affiliate links.

19. Biggest problem - Ask your readers what their biggest problem is about your blog topic or niche. They post their answers in the comments section.

20. Biggest problem follow up - Summarize the comments from #19 in another post.

21. Biggest problem follow up series - Write a separate blog post tackling each question from #19.

22. Interview somebody knowledgeable in your niche, or has succeeded in it, or is otherwise interesting to your readers.

23. Big list - Compile a big list of various resources, just like this one. The bigger the better!

24. Reader Survey - Put up a brief survey online and blog about the results.

25. Be provocative. Challenge a common belief or widely accepted idea in your niche.

26. New idea - What new idea about your blog topic or niche have you come across lately?

27. YouTube - Embed a funny, moving or insightful video on YouTube. You can even have a "video day" once a week.

28. YouTube version 2 - Make YOUR own YouTube video. Publish it on YouTube then embed on your blog. This way, you can attract traffic from YouTube to your blog.

29. Freebie - Scour the 'net for freebies that your readers will love. Or create a freebie of your own, such as a checklist or special report.

30. Personal story - Use a personal story to illustrate an important concept or principle in your niche.

31. Free to publish articles - Check out relevant articles in article directories such as Ezine Articles... but don't publish them entirely on your blog. Instead, use an article or a group of articles as your take-off point for a blog post, or several.

32. Link love - This is a post with links to other blogs. Some bloggers set aside one day a week to publish a list of the best blog posts on their topic.

33. Photo - A picture is worth thousand words, right? Search Flickr for creative commons pictures that your readers will like.

34. Hot topics - Look at Digg for hot topics in your niche

35. Pros and cons - Examine what's good and bad about something related to your blog topic

36. Respond to relevant questions you find in Ask.com

37. Guest post - Invite another blogger to write a guest post for your blog

38. Reader's post - Invite blog subscribers to submit an article or post to be published on the blog

39. Inspirational post - Write a motivational post for your readers.

40. Update an old post with fresh ideas, new learnings and current research findings.

41. Beginner's guide - What do beginners in your niche struggle with? Write a post to guide them through it.

Best list - Patterned after "best dressed lists" make a list of the best ___ in your niche.

43. Worst list - Make your version of the "worst dressed list" for your niche.

44. New uses for - Think of new ways your readers can use gadgets and other stuff.

45. Write about a live event that you attended and what you learned from it.

46. Bribe post - Bribe your readers with a freebie in exchange for subscribing to your newsletter or RSS feed.

47. Around the world - Compare how people in different countries do something related to your niche.

48. Seasonal - Relate the month or season to your blog topic.

49. Blog carnival - Join or host a blog carnival, where several publish posts about the same topic on the same day.

50. Host a virtual "conference" on your blog - Invite "speakers" to publish their post on a specified date and time. Q&A happens in the comments section.

Now that you've got a steady flow of fresh content, how do you actually make money from your blog? Visit Blogger's Paycheck for a step-by-step guide on blogging for profit.

Digital Gardening

2010-07-27T10:56:00.000-07:00

Our guest post today is a mirror of my own attempts at gardening. I really got serious about home-grown tomatoes this year and actually planted 5 plants. Now, two months later, when I should be chopping fresh tomatoes for salad every night, I have one tiny green tomato. Why, oh why can't I grow bushels of luscious tomatoes like my neighbors do?

Guest post written by Cynthia Dixon

When I moved a few months ago I swore to myself that I would actually start and keep a garden in my yard.

I had decided this a while back before I moved when I planned out what kind of flowers I wanted to grow buy look up pictures on my blue internet Wisconsin. It started out well with me buying some potting soil and flower seeds from a hardware store. But then I never got around to actually planting any of them. Even buying these cute gardening gloves with little daisies printed all over them online with blue internet didn’t get me any closer to digging around in the dirt.

I decided to start taking more serious measures toward starting my garden by looking up gardening tips on flower blogs with my satellite internet Redding, California. That did motivate me a bit, enough to get out one Saturday afternoon and make moves toward planting the seeds. But sleeping in for the first half of the day wasted valuable shady time and left me with the choice of working in the heat reaching up to 100 degrees. Needless to say, I didn’t last long out there and slept in just as long the next morning, only to put off gardening again for the next week..

More Tips for Living Frugally Than You'll Ever be Able to Use

2010-07-26T15:44:00.000-07:00

I recently signed up for a contest where you had to write 100 articles in 100 days. I've written for more years than I like to remember, and can turn out a pretty respectable article in about 30 minuts so I thought 100 articles in 100 days would be a cinch. Beside, it would keep me in shape (writing shape) through the summer months.

Unfortunately, I didn't reckon with all the extra activities that summer usually brings. Birthday celebrations for several relatives, an unexpected funeral in another down, our high school reunion--also in another town, and a two week vacation in our 5th wheel. At least I could continue turning out articles on the vacation, but might have been considered strange, if not downright rude to write through the funeral and birthday celebrations.

Anyway, after 40 days had passed, I only had 18 articles done.

No problelm, I would just do two articles a day. And I did, for a while. I got bogged down again and didn't write at all for 3 whole days, but now I am ahead of the game again. I only need 4 more articles and have 12 more days. Yay!

Many of the articles I wrote had to do with the present poor economy. Articles dealing with creating jobs you can work at from home, or money saving tips for stretching the money that you do have as far as possible.

After wracking my brain this morning for still a few more money saving tips, I mentioned my dilemma to my married daughter. Have you checked out, The Tightwad Gazette, she asked. "You might find something there that would give you an article idea."

I couldn't find my tattered old copy of the book so I went ahead and outlined my last few articles on another subject. Afterwards, I started thinking about how many money-saving tips that book has provided for me over the years, so I went over to Amazon and checked it out. Sure enough, it was still around and so were some updated copies. I plan to have a new one on my bookshelf by this time next week.

If you are trying to find ways to live on less during this difficult economic time in our country, check The Tightwad Gazette out. I think you'll be amazed at ways you can save money that may never have occured to you before.

Perk Up The Old Brain Cells

2010-07-25T17:01:00.000-07:00

Have you noticed how our minds suddenly don't seem as sharp as they used to be? A discussion on which president was in power when a certain event takes place leaves you at a loss, or you notice that balancing your checkbook doesn't come as easily as it used to. My husband is always telling me that a particular singer wrote a favorite song when I know for a fact that it was someone else entirely. (Sometimes, a little time spent in research proves us both wrong.)

At least 3 times, I know that one or the other of us has wondered aloud how long social security has been around. Even when we go to the trouble to find out, the information doesn't always stick around in our aging brains for long.

It happens to all of us, but the good news is, that we can do something about it. There is a place to find answers to most of our questions, and, if we forget those answers, to look them up again.

When I offered to tutor my 6th grade grandson in math over the summer months, I found out that this old brain had practically calcified where the subject of math was concerned.

I rushed to the internet and found this wonderful site where you can study just about any subject online for free. Go Here That's right ---I said, for free!

Once there, I brought up middle school math and found, after a few lessons, in fractions, decimals, and basic geometry, that at least a part of my old mathematical ability had returned, and I decided to keep working my way up to see just how far I could go.

They give you examples of how to find the answers to problems, and then give you a quiz so that you can put into practice what you have learned. The quiz is graded and you can go back to see what you have missed and work on it until you figure out how to do it right. No teacher breathing down your neck. No stern parent waiting to see your homework. Just glorious freedom to learn at your own pace.

Who knows, I may not even flinch when that same grandson calls to ask for help with his calculus homework. Not only has he reaped the benefits of my online study, but so have I. Math problems have forced both our minds to concentrate, to reason, and to come to a conclusion --- all things that I had almost forgotten how to do.

Want to Visit Some Ancient Indian Cliff Dwellings?

2010-07-25T15:24:00.001-07:00

If it is hot where you are, and you are anywhere near Silver City, NM, why not take a day off to cool down at the Gila Indian Ruins about 40 miles above Silver City. At its nearly 7500 foot elevation, Silver City is guaranteed to be a lot cooler than most places around the country even though we are heading into the dog days of August.

My husband and I loved our visit to these ruins, and can't recommend a side trip to see them highly enough.

The hike up to where you can actually go inside the dwellings is a little more difficult than just an afternoon stroll in the park, but once you reach the ruins and enjoy the fabulous view from the top, you will agree that it was well worth the effor. Besides, there are little benches all along the way so you can stop and catch your breath for a few minutes every now and then before traveling on.

A tourist center located at the bottom of the hill has lots of reading material available and a gift shop loaded with wonderful items you'll want to purchase as mementos of your trip. The tour is self-guided (and free) with little signs explaining everything along the way so you don't have to worry about keeping up with a group.

My husband and I conbined our trip to the ruins with a trip on over to Albuquerque NM for the Gathering of the Tribes ceremony, another must see thing if you are ever in the vicinity.

If you want to bone up on ancient cliff dwellings before you go, two good books to check out are Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument by Laurence Parent and Ancient Ruins of the Southwest, by David Grant Noble.

Gifts for College Students Heading Back to School

2010-07-23T12:31:00.000-07:00

Nothing makes a new college student feel at home quicker than something decorated with his new school logo.

That something could be a t-shirt, cap, notebook, mousepad, or even a keyboard. I graduated from the University of Oregon more years ago than I care to admit, but whenever I see a student wearing or carrying something with the big O on it, I feel like I am somehow part of his or her family.

Just recently I checked out Amazon to see if they carried any U of O products and was amazed to see how far they had come since I went to school. You can even buy a keyboard with a giant O on it, and a wireless mouse to go with it. How's that for advanced technology? A long way from my day when we thought we were really hip just to own a U of O t-shirt and a quacker which was a little horn shaped like a duck, the U of O mascot, and that made a horrible quacking sound when you blew it. Just imagine a whole stadium of quackers all being blown in unison.

If any of these new items interest you, click on the keyboard below to visit Amazon and see what all they have to offer. One thing I didn't find was a quacker. I'll do a more thorough search one of these days just in case I missed it. (Of course you Beaver (Oregon State) fans are also welcome to drop by. They have some of your stuff there, too.)

We Live In A Noisy, Noisy World

2010-07-23T09:35:00.001-07:00

I got a special treat the other day. A treat that didn't cost me one cent but, unfortunately, a treat that disappeared almost as soon as it had come. The treat was few minutes of "no noise."

Hard to believe, isn't it, in this world where we are bombarded all day long with noise, noise, and more noise. The other day I ran across a CD that would provide ambient noises while one sleeps. What? Why would I want to add more noise to all the noise already out there? And, worse yet, they even had a similar CD geared to provide ambient noise to newborn babies.

Anyway, the brief treat I was talking about came when I took a book out to our balcony, thinking I would sit in our porch swing and read for a while. After a few minutes I noticed something strange--so strange that it took me a while to recognize it for what it was. Absolute quiet.

It didn't last long. It never does, but while it did, I lapped it up like a thirsty man finding water after staggering out of the desert. It was so sweet I considered moving to far-off Siberia in hopes of experiencing more of it. Unfortunately, just as I got used to the quiet, it was gone.

There is a book about noise and what it is doing to the population of the world. In it, I found out that I am far from alone in my dislike of having noise, (more often referred to as background music), forced on me every time I watch a TV program or movie, every time I dine at a restaurant, and even during prayer and the pastor's sermon at church.

I also found out from this book that there are groups of people rising up against the constant, purposeless noise that seems to be taking over the world, and they are trying to get something done to at least lessen it, if not eliminate it altogether in some places.

The book is called, The Unwanted Sound of Everything We Want: A Book About Noise, and written by Garret Keizer. It's available at Amazon, and probably in your local library. If you are longing to see some quiet restored to our world, pick up a copy of the book and give it a read.

From Squinting, to Reading Glasses, to Large Print Reading Material

2010-07-22T12:17:00.001-07:00

It wasn't too long ago that I could read the daily newspaper without squinting.

Then, reluctant to admit I might need glasses, for a while I squinted, but finally gave up and got some reading glasses---just for use in reading, of course.

I can't remember how long it was after that that I would find myself vacuuming or ironing with my reading glasses still perched firmly on the bridge of my nose. Alas, I felt much better with them on than off and began to wear them all the time during my waking hours.

Then, not long ago, even the glasses didn't seem to help when it came to looking up words in my ancient dictionary and thesaurus. Hmm. I hadn't realized what small print they used back in my college days. Time for another adjustment.

I ordered a new large-print dictionary some time ago, but put off buying another Thesaurus. After all, it wasn't something I consulted every day. A fellow writer friend of mine was bragging about her new large-print Thesaurus at a recent meeting and it hit me---that old "Keep Up With the Joneses Syndrome." I had to have a new large-print Thesaurus of my own.

If you can relate to the problem of seemingly shrinking print size in everything you read these days, maybe it's time for you to check and see what is available in larger-print these days.

The one I finally picked was the revised edition of The Large Print Roget's II Thesaurus from Amazon, but you might find a different one appeals to you more. Now, hopefully, I can count on at least a few more years of no squinting. After that, I'll probably be in the market for super large print editions.

Try, "The Cat Who.....," Mysteries for Great Summer Reading

2010-07-22T11:34:00.000-07:00

I can't remember reading a series of books I enjoyed more than "The Cat Who...." series by Lilian Jackson Braun. These are some of the earlier ones on her list in case you want to start from the beginning. If they are not available at one of your local bookstores, or on Amazon, you should be able to find them at any good used book outlet near you.

The Cat Who Could Read Backwards
The Cat Who Ate Danish Modern
The Cat Who Turned On and Off
The Cat Who Saw Red
The Cat Who Played Brahms
The Cat Who Played Post Office
The Cat Who Knew Shakespeare
The Cat Who Sniffed Glue
The Cat Who Went Underground
The Cat Who Talked to Ghosts
The Cat Who Lived High
The Cat Who Knew a Cardinal
The Cat Who Moved a Mountain
The Cat Who Wasn't There
The Cat Who Went into the Closet
The Cat Who Came to Breakfast
The Cat Who Blew the Whistle
The Cat Who Said Cheese
The Cat Who Tailed a Thief
The Cat Who Sang for the Birds
The Cat Who Saw Stars
The Cat Who Robbed a Bank
The Cat Who Smelled a Rat
The Cat Who Went Up the Creek
The Cat Who Went Bananas
The Cat Who Dropped A Bombshell
The Cat Who Had 14 Tales (short stories about cats)

Counters

New Kodak (Zx3) HD Camcorder Works Underwater

2010-07-22T10:38:00.000-07:00

For the last year, I've been toying with the idea of buying a Flip camcorder. Each time I am ready to take the plunge, they come up with a new model that costs a little more than I have budgeted for so I decide to wait a few months for the price to come down.

Unfortunately, as soon as it comes down to where I actually can afford it, yet another new model pops up.

Today, I saw the Kodak PlaySport Camcorder for only $129 at Amazon. My regular digital camera is a Kodak EasyShare Z730, and I can even remember back to the days when I owned a Kodak Brownie Camera so I am familiar with Kodak products. Why not, I thought, as I read all the rave reviews about this new PlaySport Kodak.

Some of the reviews compared it to the Flip and the writers seemed to feel they were both great cameras, but that the Kodak had one great feature the Flip didn't have. It was waterproof.

This was music to the ears of this grandma whose grandchildren insist that a vacation is not a vacation until Grandma falls out of the boat. I confess, that my falling out of the boat has been happening on a fairly regular basis, so why not grab a few underwater shots while I am down there?

There is another thing, besides all those great technical features the Kodak PlaySport Camcorder has that is pushing me toward this particular camera---the choice of colors. Where else could I find one in that gorgeous shade of purple? My husband says, "Just like a woman. She'd plunk down $20,000 dollars for a car that was her favorite color, even if an identical one in a different color was selling for $18,000." What can I say? I really like purple.

Do You Struggle With Hatred and Bitterness Against Another Person?

2010-07-21T12:30:00.000-07:00

To forgive someone is sometimes a very difficult thing to do. The sad thing is, that when we refuse to forgive someone, they may not even know or care, and the only person being hurt is us.

Doctors agree that carrying around bitterness and refusing to forgive those who have wronged us can lead to all kinds of physical problems.

Whenever I write a new article on the subject of forgiveness, I am deluged with emails from people who say they would like to forgive their father, mother, sister, brother, or some other significant person in their lives, but they just can't seem to do it.

I understand their feelings. That person took something from us. Sometimes what they took was physical. Sometimes it seems as though they stole a part of our soul.

The choice is ours. Do we go on feeling hatred and bitterness toward that person for the rest of our lives, or do we decide that we are not going to allow whatever it was they did to control us any longer?

If you are having a rough time getting over your feelings about someone who has wronged you, check out the book titled, Total Forgiveness, by R. T. Kendall at Amazon. Kendall approaches the subject from a Christian standpoint and bases much of his book on his own experiences with an unforgiving spirit.

A Kid's First Book About Bats

2010-07-21T11:39:00.000-07:00

Bats are really interesting. Unfortunately many people have been taught to fear them.

A great book for kids that is filled with pictures of lots of different bats and all kinds of bat facts is, Zipping, Zapping, Zooming Bats, by Ann Earle. It is very scientific but written in a vocabulary to appeal especially to children from three through elementary school levels, but adults will enjoy it, too.

In addition to explaining the usefulness of bats for keeping insects under control, and describing a number of different types of bats, there are also plans for making your own bat house at the end of the book. The plans alone are worth the cost.

A great addition to any child's library.

2010-07-21T11:35:00.000-07:00

Bat House

Book on Bats

Could Writing Help You Overcome Depression?

2010-07-20T15:14:00.000-07:00

Depression affects most of us at one time or another in our lives, and many of us have found our own little coping mechanisms for dealing with it. Listening to music with an uplifting message is one way to dispel mild bouts of depression, probably because it takes very little effort. Just plop in a CD, sit back, and listen.

However, if the depression has progressed far past "mild" and is threatening relationships and ability to function well, it is time to go after the causes so it in an attempt to eliminate it from our lives. That's where writing may fit in.

Elizabeth Maynard Schaefer has written an excellent book on this very subject. In it she explains "how writing can help those with depression modulate their moods, develop greater insight, feel a sense of accomplishment, and reconstruct a damaged life."

I agree with her that there is something about writing that brings those things that are buried deep inside, out where you can study and deal with them. If depression seems to be winning in your life, check out Ms. Schaefer's book shown below to see if it can show you how writing can help you eliminate depression and other mood swings from your life.

The Funniest Show Ever?

2010-07-20T10:03:00.000-07:00

Whenever I get a bowl of soup with my meal at a restaurant, I think about Seinfeld and the "Soup Nazi." That was one of his funniest shows ever, but I agree with Hal Potter, our guest poster for today, that different people find different things to laugh about in Seinfeld. But most of them do laugh!

Thanks for the post from Hal Potter

One of the funniest shows ever to hit the air was Seinfeld. Believe it or not, I was not a fan of Seinfeld when it first came out. I think it's because I was in high school at the time and had a rebellious attitude. Being that everyone liked the show so much, I chose not to like it. To my credit, even when I tried to watch it, I couldn't really grasp the humor.

Now that I'm older and wiser, I appreciate the humor much more. Looking back on it, it's kind of good that it all worked out this way. This is because I now have my own family and we sit and watch it every weeknight on satellite tv Oregon. The best part about Seinfeld, and what makes it so different from many other shows, is that we all laugh at different jokes. What we find humorous will depend on our personality - and age. I'm not sure if Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld wrote it this way on purpose or that we just react that way. Regardless, we're all greatly appreciative of Seinfeld. It offers us a way to relax and unwind after a stressful day.

Most people used to think Kramer was the funniest character, but in recent years it seems as though most people now appreciate George a lot more. I'm happy about this, considering Kramer's humor is more on the surface and George's humor is more intelligent.

Music Can often Replace Medication

2010-07-20T09:19:00.000-07:00

A relative of mine is really hooked on Prozac. She recently had car trouble and almost went out of her mind trying to figure out how to get into town to refill her supply of pills. Finally, a stepson came to her rescue, but that kind of thing can't be good, can it?

I can't say I blame anyone for being depressed when they look at what is happening in our government and in the whole world, these days, but before you reach for the medicine bottle, why not try a little music?

I love Gospel music and just putting in a CD of Cristy Lane singing, One Day at a Time, or Elvis singing, Precious Lord, Take My Hand, can lift my spirits for hours on end.

My husband says the CD's are just as addictive as Prozac or Valium would be, because I play them over and over until I am hypnotized by them. Maybe he's right, but this kind of self-hypnosis seems a lot more healthy to me than an addiction to pills. It's also a lot better for my health and pocketbook.

You may not like Elvis or Cristy Lane, but look around out there and see if you can't find something you do like and try a little of that self-hypnosis for yourself. I can almost guarantee that it will help.

The World's Largest Jigsaw Puzzle

2010-07-19T15:18:00.000-07:00

Want to give someone on your Christmas list something really different this year? How about a 24,000 piece jigsaw puzzle?

Just kidding, of course, unless you know someone worth spending nearly $300 on for a jigsaw puzzle. They would need a pretty big place to work it, too, as the finished puzzle measures 6' X 14'. It even comes with a guarantee for lost pieces--I wish every puzzle did. I have lost hundreds of puzzle pieces over the years.

If you are a puzzle addict, as many people these days are, spending such a fantastic sum on a jigsaw puzzle wouldn't seem any more out of line than a golfer spending the same amount or even more for a set of golf clubs. The puzzle took the manufacturer a lot of time to plan and prepare. The finished puzzle will give the puzzler (and maybe a few friends) many days, weeks, or possibly months of enjoyment.

I love jigsaw puzzles and you can find inexpensive ones with pictures of nearly anything that might interest you; dogs, cats, flowers, scenery, airplanes, toys, planets, on and on the list goes. There are even puzzles that are copies from the paintings and photographs of famous artists.

To take a look at the largest jigsaw puzzle in the world, vist amazon.com here:

If it is a bit too rich for your pocketbook, wander around Amazon while you are there and find something a little more suited to your taste.

Silk Flowers for Every Occasion

2010-07-19T12:39:00.000-07:00

I love silk flowers. Probably because I can't seem to grow any real ones for myself, but even if I could, silk flowers don't wilt and die like real ones do so that is a real plus in my book.

I have a number of silk flower bouqets that I rotate in my living room according to season and it always looks like I have just made a recent trip to the florist. When I tire of one arrangement, I cover it with a plastic bag to keep it free from dust and store it in a spare closet, only to bring it out again months later to be enjoyed all over again.

All of the flowers for my daughter's wedding were done using silk flowers and now, 20years later, they still look like they did on her wedding day. Although she didn't have flowers on her veil, the other day I ran across a cute bridal flower to be worn in the bride's hair that I wish I had thought of. The best thing about using silk flowers as opposed to fresh is that they keep forever. Even during the wedding, the bride doesn't have to worry about crushing her bouquet, or breaking off some petals.

If you have a special occasion, perhaps even a wedding of your own coming up soon, take a look at silk flowers and see if you might want to go in that direction. I think they are a win-win choice.

Is Your Marriage About To End in Divorce?

2010-07-19T10:40:00.000-07:00

Is your marriage everything you would like it to be? Probably not, although I have met a few people who claim their marriage is. Most of us, if we are honest, will admit that there are some rough edges in our relationship that we wish we could fix, but we don't quite know how to go about it. Others are miserable and on the verge of throwing in the towel, because they don't see how they can go on living with this person they once loved dearly.

Maybe you don't believe in divorce so your problems would have to get pretty serious before you resort to anything as serious as divorce, and seeing a marriage counselor is something you can't afford, or don't want to do, because you feel it would be embarrassing to talk about your problems with an outsider.

Dr. Lee H. Baucom,in his Save the Marriage campaign, offers valuable insights about why marriages fail, and what you can do to keep yours from ending in divorce. The plan is inexpensive to begin with and comes with a money-back guarantee if you don't see a measurable improvement in your relationship after using it, even if your spouse has already decided to file for divorce.

If you long to go back to the days when all either of you wanted to do was make the other person happy, why not check out, Save the Marriage, Click Here! and see what it can do for your relationship.

Need Some Help to Talk to Your Kids About Death?

2010-07-17T15:35:00.001-07:00

A recemt conversation with my 7-year-old granddaughter in which she asked me some questions about death made me wonder about just when should we talk to kids about dying?

Do we wait until they ask, or should we start educating them before it touches their own lives in some way first?

Death is an intimidating subject for most parents. Many are uncomfortable with the subject themselves and so they hesitate to bring it up with their children. Maybe they think that talking about death will cause their child to become overly frightened and wonder if their parents, or they, themselves, will be dying anytime soon. The don't want to scare them about death, but they don't want them to be totally at a loss should someone close to them die unexpectedly.

Good books can help parents cope with this part of educating their children long before such a loss occurs. Some such books describe the loss of a pet goldfish or hampster. Others deal with the illness and expected death of a loved one, and still others with the actual death of someone close to a child. Some are written for very young children while others are better suited to elementary school or teenage kids.

If you have children in your home, and the subject of death is a tough one for you to discuss with them, take a look at some good books on the subject and see if they would help in your situation. Don't wait until a sudden death in your family sneaks up and leaves your children unprepared.

Some of my favorites are available at Amazon and are listed below. If none of them appeal to you, check out some of their other offerings until you find one or more that do.

1. Grandpa Bunny is a much-loved Little Golden book that some of your kids may already have on their bookshelf. Even though it is about death, it isn't scary at all, and shows kids that their is a special time for everything, even death.

2. Help Me Say Goodbye is for kids a little older than the Grandpa Bunny book and encourages kids to make pictures and write down short memories of their loved one to keep as a memorial to that person.

3. Tear Soup is for young people but even adults find comfort in this story of making a pot of tear soup. While you are making it, the tears may flow freely, but when you have finished, you put it away for a while, only taking it out from time to time to add a few more tears.

4. Angel Catcher is a journal, but before you say, "I hate writing," check this one out on Amazon. It has lots of readers singing its praises for helping them verbalize their feelings about the person they have lost to death. One girl tells how leading questions the journal asks helped her to say things about her brother that soothed her grief. Several adults commented on how much theyappreciated this book for helping them through their own grief; so much so that they bought extra copies for friends who were also experiencing the loss of someone they loved.

Is Potty Training Driving You up The Wall?

2010-07-16T11:22:00.000-07:00

Potty training can be a real hassle, but it doesn't have to be. The real secret to success in this controversial subject is to wait until your child really understands what the goal of all this potty business is.

I know it is hard to face others who raise their eyebrows and say, "He's not potty-trained yet?" But don't let the opinions of others influence you. Every child is different and that should be the deciding factor in when you decide to start training your child.

When you are convinced the time has come, and are still meeting a lot of resistance, you might consider visiting the website below for further help. When your child is finally trained, you will probably look back and see a lot of things you could have done differently---we all do. Just keep in mind that the important thing is not to start too early, and to remember that your child is not a carbon copy of any one else's child.

* Click Here! to read about a fast, efficient program to potty train your child, once he or she is ready.

Counters

Articles are Easier to Sell Than Fiction

2010-07-15T10:28:00.000-07:00

Thousands, maybe millions of writers are sitting at their computers this very moment, trying to become the next best-selling novelist. (Count me in that group.) Unfortunately, most of us will never reach that goal.

We dream of having fame and fortune, being able to travel the world, and of never having to worry about finances again. For most of us, the expenses of buying printer cartridges alone far surpass any financial rewards from our writing, but that doesn't have to continue being true.

By switching to article writing, although you won't be as likely to experience the fame of a best-selling novelist, you are much more likely to see a little, or possibly more than a little cash start trickling into your pocket.

"But where can I find ideas," you might be asking.

That's simple. Look around you. Just the other day, I sat at my computer and generated my own list of article ideas that should keep me busy for the rest of the summer by asking questions that other people might ask. "How Can I Get Rid of the Slugs in My Garden?" "When is the Best Time to Start Potty Training Your Baby? "Why Does a Cat Meow?" There is no end to the list you could make if you put your mind to it.

If you are still having trouble, round up a copy of Frank Dickson's book, "1001 Article Ideas,"

pictured above, and you won't have a spare minute for the next year or more. The book has been around for a while but you can order it here 1001 Article Ideas if you can't find it locally.

If Frank's book takes care of your problem with finding ideas, you may want to dive in a little deeper and find out how you can actually make a living writing from home.

My favorite books on this subject are both written by Peter Bowerman and are titled, The Well-Fed Writer, and The Well-Fed Writer-Back for Seconds. Either book is well worth the small investment, and should give you all the information you will ever need to set up and succeed at writing from home.

The books are not expensive, but if you are tight for cash, put them on your want-list for your next birthday and save your family the trouble of wondering what to get you for a gift. Santa Claus drops off the new Writers' Digest for me every year and I can't tell you how much it is appreciated.

For Those Who Are Trying To Make a Baby

2010-07-13T19:31:00.000-07:00

I had no trouble getting pregnant with my first child.

That's why I didn't expect to have trouble conceiving again after we lost that first baby, but I was wrong, and grew more and more despondent as month after month passed with no sign of another baby.

Eventually, I did become pregnant again, but, because of my earlier experience, I can really sympathize with those who are going down the same path we did, wondering if we would ever get to hold our very own baby.

If you are in the same position, check out, Making Babies, by Sami S. David. This book received a 5-star rating by most of the readers who purchased it on Amazon, and many who had about given up hope of every conceiving, said that the book gave them hope again.

I Don't Like Change

2010-07-12T15:48:00.000-07:00

Photo by Niabot, Wikimedia Commons

I'll admit it. I don't like change. Especially when it comes to products I have used for years and am perfectly satisfied to keep on using for many more. Why is it that manufacturers often decide to pull a product that is performing well and replace it with something that isn't half as good?

First it was my Woodbury soap. I must have used those great smelling pink and green bars of soap that fit my hand perfectly for 35 years, give or take a few. It smelled nice and was fairly inexpensive. I couldn't see a reason in the world why it needed to be replaced. When our local Newberry store closed down a number of years ago, I made a special trip to load up on things that were selling at hugely discounted prices. There was my Woodbury soap at 10 cents a bar. Would you believe that I bought 50 bars of it? It was bundled in packages of 5 so 50 bars made a nice little stash sitting there in a cupboard serving me well for the last—well, for a long time now.

When I opened the last pack, I threatened other members of the family with dire consequences if they dared to touch one of my few remaining bars. I hoarded them like gold, but, alas, the very last bar finally disappeared. The only soap I could find that came close to equaling Woodbury was a bar with a silly shape that was way too big for my hand until I had used it for at least a month. I tried trimming it down to size with a paring knife but just ended up with a bunch of shavings that were good for nothing, so I settled for using each bar in the bathtub for a while to melt them down to size.

Another favorite of mine, women's knit pants with a permanent sewn in creases, have also disappeared on me. At least from the local stores. I have found the pants online, but after ordering them twice, once to receive such a flimsy product that I didn't want to appear in public wearing them, and the second time to pay three times what the product was worth and end up having to return it twice because the size wasn't right, I gave up on the online thing.

That brings me to my present dilemma; the GE hair dryer soft bonnet. I hate hand held hair dryers. My hair is thick and takes a long time to dry, so whichever hand is holding the dryer is about ready to drop off by the time my hair is finally dry. What I like is the old fashioned hair dryer with a hose that has a soft bonnet connected to it. When you are ready to dry your hair, you find a comfortable seat, preferably in front of your computer, place the dryer bonnet on your head, tighten the bonnet strings and tie them, turn on the dryer, and go about your business of writing at your computer, (or reading a book, etc.) until your hair is dry.

Over the years, I have had several GE hair dryers, and every one of them gave satisfactory service for a number of years. Unfortunately, the product ceased to be produced. Also unfortunately, the hair dryer bonnets are made of plastic, which at first is very supple and pliable, but as time goes on, the plastic ages and eventually begins to crack.

When GE first stopped producing its hairdryer, dealers could still order replacement bonnets for them. I ordered new bonnets several times and then, abruptly, they also became unavailable. Several times I found GE dryers at garage sales and thrift stores, and, if the bonnet inside was still in good shape, I snatched them up for $3-$5 . Recently, someone decided they are a collectors item, and you are lucky to find one for less than $50. I have even seen them going for as much as $75-$100 on eBay.

Of course, 40 or 50 year old dryers aren't the best answer to my problem. I have several dryers that run fine, but the bonnets are a total mess. It is the bonnet I need. I ordered what was called a replacement bonnet online, but it was a thin material that didn't hold heat inside at all. After an hour, my hair was still as wet as when I had started so I ended up using a hand-held dryer to finish the job. (Did I mention that I hate hand-held dryers? You can't do anything else while you have a hand full of a machine that you have to keep moving around to dry your hair evenly.) I have seen hoods that attach to hand-held dryers, but they are of the same construction as the one I just described—flimsy material that doesn't hold heat in.

I checked out two dryers, Conair and Hot Tools, on Amazon.com. Both were advertised as having soft bonnets, but when I read the comments by purchasers of those products, I decided I wouldn't waste my money. The comments describe problems such as the dryers shutting off after a few minutes and refusing to start for 10 minutes or more until it cooled completely down; the bonnets ripped easily or didn't distribute the heat evenly and had to be rotated while in use.

Today I called GE's 800 number. After being routed and re-routed by phone to several places, I finally scented success when a recorded voice said, "To order replacement parts for small appliances, press 2." I eagerly pressed 2, and was told to consult my local yellow pages for a GE repair person. Do they really think I hadn't already tried that?

Well, folks, I'm about to give up. If you know anyone who needs 6 cheap GE dryers with no bonnets, let me know. And, If anyone has found a really good solution to this problem (or knows where to buy Woodbury soap) I'm all ears. Otherwise, I'm thinking about starting a new hair style for older ladies; one that doesn't need drying, or combing, either, for that matter. I plan to call my new hair style "the mop." (See photo, above)

***************************************

The article above spurred many comments when it was first published on Associated Content. I have since found a used G.E. dryer, complete with hood that make take care of me for a few more years. After that, I guess I will have to resign myself to the fact that some change is inevitable. Maybe I'll settle for the hot pink, hand-held dryer shown here from Amazon.

The First 48

2010-07-12T14:34:00.000-07:00

Today's guest post by Jeff Rawling is about some of my absolute favorite TV programs. I've watched Law and Order for more years than I care to admit. Hope you enjoy our guest today.

Posting by Jeff Rawling

Ive always loved watching crime dramas on tv. Law and Order, CSI and Criminal Minds are some of my absolute favorite shows to watch throughout the week. I recently started watching the show The First 48, which is about real life detectives working to solve real crimes in cities throughout the United States. The show is a really interesting look at what it takes to be a detective working some of the roughest areas in these cities. Many of these crimes are drug related, which brings in another interesting element to the show. The detectives are followed throughout the first 48 hours of the crime, when the clues and witnesses are most likely to show up. Its amazing to watch how solving a murder comes together in such a short amount of time.

Watching the First 48 on my directv channels around Albuquerque is a great way to spend an afternoon on the couch. Each city has a different set of real life detectives that are working the crime, so it’s a great way to see the different types of people that work in this field. The show typically follows the same detectives from a city for an entire season, so you have a chance to really get to know the detectives and the way they work.

Quit Wasting Time---Get Your Ex Back Now

2010-07-12T10:00:00.000-07:00

You never know what you'll find when you visit someone's Facebook account these days.

A young man I know recently broke up with his girlfriend and suddenly started making alarming posts to his account. So alarming, in fact, that I was wondering whether or not I should contact a hotline of some kind or at least his parents to save him from possible suicide.

Posts like, "Just gonna stand there and watch me burn, but that's alright because I like the way it hurts." " When you're gone the pieces of my heart are missing you, I miss you... :( " and "If I drown tonight, bring me back to life breathe your breath in me, the only thing I still believe in is you. If you only knew..."

I felt kind of silly later when I found out these were not his original thoughts, but words from popular songs. Shows how out of touch I am with popular youth culture. Still, the words were, I suspect, expressing how he was feeling so maybe he was in a pretty dangerous frame of mind.

How about you? Has your relationship caved in? That same relationship you were positive was going to last forever?

Don't give up yet. If that relationship is still important to you, it can be saved--even if the other party is the one who has decided to move on.

Find out how in, "The Magic of Making Up." Click Here!

*You can't lose because the author guarantees your money back if it doesn't work for you.

How to Get Children to Listen and be Respectful

2010-07-11T13:52:00.000-07:00

I hardly ever go shopping these days without seeing one or more parents struggling with an unruly child. Either the child is having a full-blown meltdown in the aisle or whining and arguing with whatever his mother or father has to say.

Perhaps you have found yourself in this spot with a child or grandchild and wonder about the best way to handle it? Most parents choose one of these three ways.

1. They bodily pick up the screaming child and carry him or her out of the store, vowing never to take this child shopping with them again. (They would love to administer a good hard swat to the child's posterior, but refrain because they don't want to get arrested and incarcerated for child abuse.)

2. They try to reason with the child, alternating between bribes and threats in an attempt to stop the unruly behavior before management comes along to evict both them and the child.

3. They brazen it out, trying to ignore the stares of other shoppers, and waiting until the child gets the hostility out of his system before resuming shopping and trying to act as though nothing has happened.

All three methods work, but, as someone who has tried them all, I assure you that none were entirely satisfactory.

What does work is to be prepared ahead of time so you will know how to handle the situation better the next time around.

Check out the video on the link below to find a truly great solution to the unruly child situation. The video points out reasons why, other than just plain stubborness, a child might misbehave in public. It isn't just to humiliate you, even though it seems that way at times.

After the video, they offer an opportunity to purchase, The Happy Child Guide--How to Get Any Child To Listen and Be Respectful, and it comes with a money back guarantee if you don't get the results you hope for so you can't lose. What a deal!

If you've been recently humiliated by a 5-year-old, why not check it out, now?

Click Here!

Is There a Gospel Concert Heading Your Way?

2010-07-10T10:45:00.000-07:00

The other day my husband and I were talking about how much we missed the big revival meetings that used to visit our town at least once or twice every summer. Is it because America is drifting away from God, we wondered, or was it more likely that the groups who used to visit have found television a more practical and efficienct way to spread the gospel? Maybe it was a little of both.

Anyway, I recently ran across a link for http://www.ticketamerica.com/ I had ordered some tickets from this company once before, as a gift for a grandson and, at that time, I thought it was mainly an outlet for sports tickets.

This advertisement listed not only sports, but concerts so, just for fun, I checked to see if they were offering any gospel concerts, and was surprised to find one of my favorite groups, The Gaithers, listed, and even more surprised to find that they were playing in Portland, Oregon, a mere 100 miles from my home. I had driven that far several times in the past to attend a revival meeting. (I quickly added http://www.ticketamerica.com/ to my e-mail address book for future use. )

The tickets to hear the Gaithers are selling for $89 to $140, depending on what seats you chose, but since the concert doesn't take place until October 15th I'll have plenty of time to set aside money for it. Even better, October 15th is just two weeks after my birthday so I might tell my husband that a quick visit to http://www.ticketamerica.com/ will save him a lot of hassle when he starts trying to figure out what to get me for a birthday gift.

If you, like me, have been missing the old time revivals and gospel concerts, and think an evening spent listening to the Gaithers live, why not check out http://www.ticketamerica.com/
to see if they are planning an appearance sometime soon at a place near you.