Save Money while Shopping

What if I told you that you can save money on things you're all ready buying? I found a great site called Ebates.com and it can save you up to 25% off things you're all ready buying! All you do is register (it's free) and then you shop through their site. You have access to over 800 stores that you know and love. Take for example apple. CNN even calls it a "No Brainer". You've got nothing to lose, and everything to gain! This is a site you'll want to bookmark and use time and time again. Remember the name Ebates.com when you're ready to shop and save.

Vacation Mode

I'm going to be heading out on vacation soon enough, and won't be posting anymore until my return. I just wanted to explain the gap in my postings. :)

I'm leaving tonight or tomorrow morning, and I'll return February 12th.

Best to all, Deb

Magic Tricks

There's a new family friendly site I want to tell you about called RealMagic.net. Head on over to check out online magic tricks, along with other fun things to do.

Maybe you'll want to try out the crystal ball. Pick a number and read the directions, and you may be surprised at the answer! You can also download these and show them on your site as well. You may think you have the answer to the cursed triangle. If you are stumped and want to know the answers, there's a page where you can click, add a donation and get the answers to the puzzles. Secrets are revealed if you want to know them! This post was brought to you by RealMagic.net

False Positives

Kids who drink on the weekend could be found out on Monday under a new testing program recently approved by one New Jersey school district.

Students at Pequannock High School in Morris County will soon undergo random alcohol testing that can determine if they've been drinking up to 80 hours earlier.

Now schools are going to police kid's weekend activities as well. Where does the role of the school stop and the parent start?

School officials acknowledge the test is sensitive, and false positive readings can be the result of products containing ethanol, including hand sanitizers, mouthwash and Balsamic vinegar.

So you can gargle with mouthwash before school, wash your hands and use a hand sanitizer, and be busted. That's what I call freedom. :\

Honestly, I'm for making kids think before doing actions that may harm themselves and others, but to have a system where false positives are available, seems like you're going to wind up in an ugly situation if you try to bust the wrong person, for something they didn't do.

Billy Joel's Song is Traveling

Let's look at how music has changed...Billy Joel has a new tune (All My Life) soon to be released, but first it has to follow a path. People.com gets the first crack at releasing it, as you can use it in an ecard for Valentine's Day. Then the song moves over to iTunes where you'll have access to download the new song for another 2-3 weeks. It then moves on to other digital retailers, before finally finding its way on a CD to be released.

Norah Jones

The new album from jazz singer Norah Jones, "Not Too Late," was the most pre-ordered album of all time on the online retailer Amazon.com and is riding high in digital charts

In a boon for record label EMI, Norah Jones is soaring in popularity. She's now got the honor of most pre-ordered on Amazon! Good for her. Her soft and soothing style is certainly something I enjoy.

The Secret

The Secret will also be discussed on Oprah today. The Secret is about attracting positive things with postive thinking, versus attracting negative things to you life, based on negative thinking. I really enjoyed watching this and wanted to share it here as well.

Quiet Ahead

I've got a few errands to run tomorrow, so if it gets quiet here, don't worry....I'll say goodbye before I leave on my trip. I think it's time for me to head to bed this evening. My eyes are barely staying open. It seems as though the insomnia has passed, and I am so grateful! Yahoo for sleep!

Rental Properties

I can't wait to start my vacation. Thursday can't come soon enough. My husband has been putting in long hours, so the time off will be much appreciated. I've had a lot on my mind recently as well, and can use my own break. We'll actually be taking two trips this year, one to Florida and one to the beach in New Jersey. Everyone knows I'm a Long Beach Island girl! We are renting a beach house down the shore, and we'll all have room to stretch out and have our own space.

One of the main benefits of getting a vacation rental, is you have more living space. A hotel room is nice, but it can get a little cramped after awhile. In a vacation home rental, you have a kitchen, so you can save some money and make some meals at home, as well as extra bedrooms and bathrooms. When it comes to going on vacation, I prefer rentals over hotels. When we did Disney last year, we stayed in a three bedroom condo, with three bathrooms. It also had a laundry unit, so we could do our laundry before leaving, which made unpacking less of a chore when we arrived home! I loved that this one particular unit had a screened in patio. The beach house we'll be staying at has a large deck, so we can enjoy leisurely nights in the fresh air.

Another great aspect of having extra space is personal space. When you're spending all day and night with people, it's nice to stretch out and have your own personal space. I recently stayed in a hotel on vacation, and I was ready to sleep before the other person, and let me tell you, it's no party when you want the lights off to sleep, and the other person is still wide awake, watching television and wanting the lights on as well! Vacation rentals are the way to go!

Say you wanted Maine vacation rentals, you could go to VacationHomeRentals.com and find exactly what you're looking for. Their easy navigation makes it a snap to find a place that suits your needs. Simply put in the information, and the properties are available for you to check out. What could be simpler? Find your next vacation rental from the privacy of your own home, and pick out one that has all the amenities you're looking for. This message was brought to you by VacationHomeRentals.com

Sidney Sheldon Will Write No More

Sidney Sheldon, who won awards in three careers, Broadway theater, movies and television, then at age 50 turned to writing best-selling novels about stalwart women who triumph in a hostile world of ruthless men, has died. He was 89.

I always loved reading as a child, but when I reached my teenage years, there came the transition into more mature novels. Sidney Sheldon's "The Other Side of Midnight" was probably one of the first books I read that wasn't a child's book. His "Rage of Angels" made my reading list as well.

He also created and produced "I Dream of Jeanie", along with other shows including "The Patty Duke Show".

A great talent...lost.

Free Online Dating

I recently came across a new site called eRomance; a free online dating site. Let me rephrase that, a 100% free online dating site. That's right, there's no membership dues or fees here, just free, free, free dating stuff! There's advice, quizzes, things to do, and other fun things. Say you're looking for something fun to do in Philadelphia. You just click on local romance, choose your city and you'll be met with great ideas like places to go, things to do, and more. If you're tired of having to pay to join dating sites, who can blame you, now enjoy Free Online Dating with eRomance.com. This message was brought to you by eRomance.com

Quiet Time

I'll be on tomorrow, and then my usually chatty blog is going to get quiet for awhile! I'm heading out on a 12 day vacation. Will you miss me? Will you even realize I've gone? Will you notice it's quiet? Will you be glad it's one less blog to catch up on?

*smiles*

Don't worry, I'll have plenty to say when I get back! ;)

Soap Opera Updates

Did you hear the news? Phillip isn't Jill's son! And what is with Adrian's mysterious past? This is the kind of stuff that soap operas are made of! Actually, I'm talking about the soap The Young and the Restless! If you're on the edge of your seat waiting for DNA results, and hearing about Katherine's past, then I know you're a fan! If you'd like all sorts of great information, pictures and recaps, then you've got to check out Soaps.com. They have screen captures, along with a section about what's going to be coming up next.

I really like that they have a comings and goings page to keep fans updated, and that they offer spoilers. They have a picture section, but it seems they take a picture a day from the show each day. I'd love to see some other shots as well! Overall, it's a great place to drop by and catch up on your favorite soap. This post was brought to you by Soaps.com

Political Junkie Lisa

Lisa is a political junkie. It's okay to call her that, she is self-proclaimed! Lisa is a busy woman, and mother to five. She took a good look at a piece from the Washington Post and has some thoughts to share! Have some thoughts on Hillary Clinton's run for presidency? Lisa has a few thoughts as well, and voices her point of view. This Ohio woman has a voice and she's not afraid to use it! Meet Lisa and see what she thinks on these hot topics.

Six Neat Things

My friend Cass is the writer of many fine blogs, and she's a wicked knitter to boot. The blog I want to tell you about today is called Six Neat Things. She just did a redesign and it looks superb! At Six Neat Things, Cass is making an effort to highlight "six neat things" each week. Whether she's talking about fairy tales or strange but interesting facts, she always does it in a friendly voice that speaks of a trusted friend. Check out "Six Neat Things" today, and see what you learn!

Meet Laura and her Kids

I don't know if I mentioned Laura before, but this is one mommy who has her hands full. She has a brood of little ones at home, keeping up with them keeps her busy! Her babies just turned Lexi and Nikki just turned 2 recently. They are twins and as cute as pie! Pablo and Mallary are another set of twins....yes, you read that right, another set of twins that keep Laura on her toes, and Kayley is a 5th grader! That's one busy household, and with potty-training and diapers, and school and twins, and twins, and a daughter....Laura still finds time to tell us all about it! You'll love reading her blog, and then you'll appreciate those free moments you had to sit and read it.

Baby Gifts

I was working at the spa today and two pregnant women were in. We got to talking about how fun it is buying things for the baby. They were both having their first child, and I know how exciting it is, the anticipation of a child coming. I have two boys who are older, one in his teens, one hitting the teens shortly. Anyway, if you're shopping for baby gifts, and for me, it's usually gift buying these days, you can find a great selection of personalized baby gifts at BabyNest.com. They offer apparel as well as unique baby items that can be personalized. Check out BabyNest.com today.

Few Days Away

Ooh, the days are inching closer...we leave on Thursday for vacation. It seemed so far away most days, but now it's so close, I'm about to hit panic mode, wondering if I have all the details taken care of. I do....I go through this every time I go away. :)

We decided to drop the dogs off a day earlier, in case there's iffy weather. It called for a snow mix Thursday, though it looks like it may be clearing a little. Since we'll be driving a good distance, we'd rather be safe.

Antsy with anticipation...but in a good way, though I'll stress in a bad way first! haha

Upgrade Your Phone

Why is it that when you're a new customer, you get great rewards from companies. Yet if you're a long time customer, rewards aren't on the list for you. Sure, I understand from the business perspective of drawing in new clients, but how about keeping your current clients happy as well? One company looks out for their current customers as well as new customers. Wirefly will give current Sprint customers Sprint phones! Free phones and sometimes accessories as well. That's what value and service are all about. It isn't just about bringing in new customers, but also retaining the old ones that have helped keep your business going. Wirefly, hands down offers the best offers you'll find on multiple carriers and phones. If you're a current Sprint customer, consider upgrading your phone or renewing your service through Wirefly. They show you how much they value you as a customer by giving you for free, what others will charge you for!

How many times have you gone in to renew your phone contract and wanted to upgrade your phone to a newer model with new features. It amazes me that instead of keeping you by offering the phone to you, along with your contract, they still expect you to pay to upgrade as well. It makes no sense, when you'll be using their contract for the next year or two! You're using their service, and yet you are still expected to pay for the phone as well. Why bother, now that you know you can get free phones for Sprint when it's time to upgrade. Wirefly has raised the bar when it comes to cell phone value and services. There's no comparison- when you want value, service and selection, Wirefly is the only answer! This message has been brought to you by Wirefly.com, head on over and upgrade your phone today.

Dogs in the Snow

The dogs loved playing in the snow today. There wasn't a lot outside in my area, maybe 2 inches or so, but my girl Grace is a Sheppard/Malamute mix and she loves to get in there and roll around in it! She's like a little kid in the snow and she doesn't even know why! OF course on the hot days of summer, she wants nothing to do with being outside with her heavy coat. She's a climate-control mutt these days!

Cleanse Your Colon

One thing that many people don't know about is that their colon health is vitally important. If you have toxins in your body, it's important to help them pass through you. Colon Clenz is a 100% all herb supplement that can help cleans your colon. Find out more information and speak with your doctor before taking any new supplement.

Colon Clenz is both effective and gentle and okay for long-term use. If you find that you could use Colon Clenz, be sure to check them out. As with any supplement, seek professional help before starting on a new routine. This product is caffiene-free and may help you lose some excess weight. It's has a gentle laxative effect.This post has been brought to you by Colon Clenz

Terri's Musings

What happened to the cow? Luke, how could you?

If you haven't dropped by and seen Terri's blog "Musings", you don't know what you're missing. She's a piece of work, and she always makes me smile when I read her posts. She starts at one place and ends up at another! If you need a good smile, stop by and see "Musings" by Terri.

Terri can brighten any room she walks into! :)

"A" My Name is...

"A" my name is Amy....well, my name is Deb, but Amy is one of my friends. I'm not sure if it was on this blog that I mentioned meeting Amy in person just recently. She's a really fun, smart and gorgeous girl who also writes a great blog. Her recent addition to her home, Grace is all over her blog, and if you love puppies like I do, you'll melt when you see her chocolate lab puppy! She's just as sweet and soft in person (Grace)! I love puppies when they are so soft and snuggly.

Anyway, Amy has a super-duper Napoleon-Dynamite themed blog. No, no...not in the pictures, in the categories! Would you have noticed it? "Whatever I Feel Like" is the blog you'll want to add to your bookmarks today!

LaDonna and Donna Leigh

Let me introduce you to LD and DL! Who are LD and DL? I thought you'd never ask. LD is LaDonna, and DL is Donna Leigh! These are two girls who make me smile on a regular basis, and I wanted to share their blogs with you. LaDonna writes over at Domestic Geek. I love her no nonsense personality, and am mondo impressed with this girl's knowledge. If you have a problem with your blog, this woman holds the answer! Not only that, she's just uber-cool. If you haven't bookmarked her blog yet, you're missing out!

Now DL is Donna Leigh, not just Donna, say her full name...."say my name, say my name". You can call her Donna Leigh, or you can call her DL, but her name is not just Donna, so don't go getting lazy and leave off the Leigh (like I did for so long! LOL) Okay, seriously, Donna Leigh is just an all around warm girl and I like her a lot. QuietWhisperings is where you'll meet this Nova Scotian woman. She's also known as Lady Nova to others. But I just call her Donna. Hahahaha, kidding, Donna Leigh

Bookmark DL and LD, and show them some lovin'. Stop by for a visit and tell them Deb sent you!

Home in New Jersey

I remember when I moved across the river...I used to live in Bucks County, PA. I lived there for more than 30+ years, and when I got married, I moved an hour east and now reside in Hunterdon County.

Hunterdon County is pretty similar to Bucks as they are neighboring as well. It took me a long while to feel like NJ was home, even though I'd spent five years of youth in the Pennington area (Mercer County) as well.

These days all I know is that New Jersey is home, and I'm finally comfortable this way. Time makes for the best adjustments, and even though I'm surviving NJ daily, it finally feels like home.

Look Up Information

If you need help looking up cell phone number information, there's a site that can help you out. Reverse Cell Phone Lookup lets you put a number in and will search information on it. I entered in a number and saw the zone it calls from, along with other small pieces of information. You need to register if you want more information. It's important that you know that you can only use the information for lawfully accepted reasons, and there's a list at the bottom of the page which highlights what can and can't be used. For their terms of service follow this link. This message has been brought to you by ReverseCellPhoneLookUpSecrets.com

Bird Watching

My dad loved birds. He was an avid birdwatcher and had all sorts of books on them. He always had binoculars on him as well. I remember one time we were all sitting out back, and we had a large patio that was surrounded in 20-30 foot pine trees. He pointed out, "Look, there's a titmouse", and what do you expect teenagers are going to do? We burst out laughing at the name of this bird. He was all serious, and we couldn't stop laughing! Anyway, it was a really nice hobby he had, and since his passing a few years ago, whenever I see a cardinal or blue jay on the fence out back, it always brings me back, and I start thinking of him.

I have a friend who also enjoys birds, and she's started a brand new blog called "Twitter-Pated"! You've got to head on over and show her some love, while she gets it up and running. Tell her Deb sent you!

Let it Snow, Snow, Snow

It's finally snowing in Hunterdon County. Of course, that's the night I have to drive more than two hours, but hey, it's falling. The streets are just wet at this point, but we have a nice coating of white on the grass and trees. NJ 101.5 was saying a coating to 3 inches in some parts of NJ. I'll let you know if we see more than that, but that's about the most snow we've seen all season so far! I was just peeking at the weather and it looks like there may be more of that in store for us this week....just in time for me to head south on Thursday!

When it Comes to Credit

I was talking to a couple friends the other day, and one of them was mentioning their credit situation. So many people these days have bad credit, because they've dug themselves into a hole with credit cards or overspending beyond their means. Other people barely make enough to get by when it comes to paying rent, car payments, car insurance, utility bills and things like groceries.

When I went through a divorce about 8 years ago, I had to unbury myself from bad credit, and loads of debt. It was a long hard struggle, and for awhile, nobody wanted to lend me any money. I had a decent job, but my bills exceeded what I was bringing home. I had to get by on credit for things like food. I hated buying groceries with credit cards, but I didn't have any way else at that point in time. As I started to earn extra income with things such as raises, or working overtime, I invested in myself and started to pay extra debt off a little bit at a time. By making sure I paid my credit down, I finally unburied myself. One of the big steps when doing this is to get a Free Credit Report , so that you can see where you stand, what you owe, and if everyone is reporting your credit properly. You don't want to end up taking out bad credit loans, or bad credit auto loans. Sure that car company may loan you money, but do you really want to be paying some ridiculous interest payment that jacks up the money you owe?

By taking the time to look at your credit report, you can get a bird's eye view at what your credit rating is and where you stand. Get a free credit report and save your credit! The good news, is you can have outstanding credit once again! Don't give up hope, I didn't and I came through it shining. It took hard work, but it was well worth it in the long run.
This message has been brought to you by CreditLoan.com

Order Books?

I have a tiny dilemma. There's a book I want to order, but I won't be here come Thursday. That means I have to count on that book getting to me by Wednesday at the latest. I'd like to take it on my trip with me, but I may have to order it when I get back. I hate trying to decide if it will get here. Last time I ordered books, they arrived in less than 2 days...but what if this time, that doesn't happen??? *sigh*

Carlsbad Mold Removal

I hate mold. Doesn't everybody? We had a drainage issue we had to repair and it left mold. Mold is such an allergy trigger as well.

Finding a good company that can help you out when it comes to mold is important. While I was searching for one locally, I came across a company out in California that does mold removal. Carlsbad mold removal service can help you out if you're in the California area. If you're looking for a professional mold removal service, check them out. This post was brought to you by ServProCarlsbad.com

What Did That Say?

We were talking about backward masking of songs today, and my son and I got into a conversation about whether he thought they were there for subliminal messaging or not. His music teacher brought the subject up in school and he really found it fascinating. I remember being about his age and all the talk about it. Some of them I think are there on purpose, goofing off, others I think you'd have to really stretch to hear what they are supposed to be saying. He's really into it though.

Trailers, Reviews and More

If you're a movie fan, I've got a site to tell you about! They have over 20,000 new classic trailers! Think of titles like Dreamgirls, SpiderMan 3, The Pursuit of Happyness and more! I'm talking brand spanking new. Total, they offer more than 400,000 trailers, reviews, interviews and more! That's a massive amount of movie stuff! It's a site you'll get lost on forever, because you'll be having so much fun sorting through all the movies and such. Visit the new VideoDetective, where movies live on the web. Don't say I didn't warn you, you'll love how much great stuff is there! You may be there for awhile. This message was brought to you by VideoDetective.com

Love the Earl Writers

I love the writers of "My Name is Earl".

That show is classic all ready! Most of the writing is hysterical, and you wouldn't even think of some of these scenarios. Watching the cat show last night on Earl was hilarious.

Lately, our two favorites have been laugh out loud "Two and a Half Men" and "My Name is Earl". What tickles your funny bone?

All Natural Pet Store

I have two dogs and one cat. I used to have three cats, but one has passed, and another went to live with my mom when my father passed. All five of the animals were rescues. It was love at first site for each and everyone of them. In fact, when I went to pick up the two cats, there was a third handicapped cat they were having trouble placing, so I said I would take him too. Jax was a love, and my kids adored him. He was the sweetest, most tolerant cat! Coming home and finding he had passed one day was a traumatic experience. It was totally unexpected, and having to move his little body was something I'll never forget. It was such a painful experience. He crawled under my bed to pass, and I had to pull him out. It broke my heart. I love animals and have grown up with them since I was a baby. I've never known a household without animals being a part of it.

One of my friends recently just rescued a dog, and she's been so excited talking about him. She is a holistic household and we were just talking about different products.

If you're looking for an all natural pet store, then you'll want to check out PETWELLBEING.com. They offer all different products and even offer free shipping on orders over $50.

When an animal is ill, such as cat cancer, and you want to take a holistic route, they have products you may be looking for. It's devastating to lose a pet, and if you know your cat is ill, you want to do whatever you can to help. PETWELLBEING.com wants to help you with products that may make a difference. They carry ES Clear for Cat Cancer, which is a blood cleanser and treatment for cat cancer. If you'd like to know more, go to PETWELLBEING.com. This message has been brought to you by PETWELLBEING.com

Vitamins

I started taking vitamins today. I haven't taken vitamins since I was pregnant with my children, who are now 12 and 16. Some people are big vitamin people, and I've just never been one. I went to a doctor recently and they told me to start on vitamins.

Standing in the store, looking at the shelf can be overwhelming with so many choices. Do you take a multivitamin, separate bottles of this and that? It's time consuming reading all the back of the bottles. I guess a multi-vitamin is a multi-vitamin of sort , but what about with added calcium or iron. Which do I need more? LOL

Anyway, I grabbed one and am on my way to taking vitamins to work towards a healthier me!

Air Ambulance

I think I mentioned I used to work as a 911 operator, and I may have mentioned I used to be an EMT and run with an ambulance/rescue squad. We're talking years ago, but I was reading something that made me think of it. I was reading about aerocare.com which is the site of an air ambulance. When I was working as a 911 op, we knew the dispatchers and crew of two units down in Philadelphia, and I got the chance to go for a ride in the Medivac helicopter. It was a cool experience to fly over the city and the river. As for the care they provide, it's top notch. They airlifted my father from a hospital in the suburbs down to the city at a leading hospital when he was in critical condition.

Aerocare provides services both nationally and internationally. They have a professional medical staff who are fully trained for these services. If you'd like to learn more about Aerocare, follow the link above. This message was brought to you by Aerocare.com

Busy Day

I have a full day planned, so I figured I'd hop on early and get some writing done. I plan on driving down to see my mom and sister- they live an hour away. We'll hang out together, and then I'll be getting extra kidlet time this weekend. On the way home, I'll be picking up one of the kids and heading back. Not sure what we'll be doing this weekend, as he just decided a day ago to come hang out over here. Either way, I'm always happy to get the extra time.

Predict Expenses

Activity Based Costing can save you money. Did you know that Acorn Systems has corporate performance management software that can save your business money? What their consulting does is look at your bottom line, and the foundation of your business and predicts future expenses. You are then able better to decide where to make cuts, thus creating more profit. If you haven't looked into this system for your business, maybe it's time. Are you scratching your head trying to find ways to made better choices? That's where the software comes in. It looks at things you may overlook, and be predicting future expenses, you'll have a better idea where your business is heading, and you can then decide where you want it to go. Look at Acorn Systems if you're looking to bring your business to the next level.

Nicole Kidman in Accident

"The stunt driver apparently went off course and hit a light post at about 1 a.m.," police Officer Karen Smith said.

Eight people, including Kidman, stuntmen and cameramen, were taken to hospitals for examination and were released, Smith said. Warner Bros. said two crew members had minor injuries.

Nicole Kidnman was involved in a car crash on the set of a movie. She was treated and released...and is okay. This story just broke on Yahoo news about 12 minutes ago. All things NJ and a quick scoop!

Trash Night and the Beagle Bark

Well, tomorrow is trash day and the neighbors put their trash out early. What does that mean for me? It means my beagle mistakes it for a person or animal every time I let him out! hahahaa

I put him out and he goes running to the corner of the yard that is nearest that neighbor and barks and barks his head off until finally it hits him after a few minutes, hey, it's not moving! This is a weekly process we go through...I'd think after awhile, he'd get it, but alas, no....not this week anyway!

Health Care for All?

In Yahoo news there was a story about the want for health care....

"I am absolutely determined that by the end of the first term of the next president, we should have universal health care in this country," Obama told a conference of Families USA, a health care advocacy group.

The Illinois senator did not provide specifics on his plan for coverage.

Obama wants to see health care for everybody. My question is, do you think it will really happen? It would be a beautiful thing not to see people struggling to pay for medication and being able to have health care, but my question is...at what cost? It's been looked at before, but does that mean that choice will be gone? Will everybody qualify? Will it be equality for all? Will it be you can go to this health care place, but if you pay more, privately on your own the quality will be improved? I'll be curious to follow this topic.

Tri-State Law Firm Gets High Score for Ethics

I love spreading the word on all things New Jersey, and one thing I just read on a web release was about a law firm that practices in the tri-state area of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. Turns out simmons jannace & stagg achieved the highest peer review rating, by a company which looks at and rates ethics standards and legal abilities, called Martindale-Hubbell! That's quite an honor! This is the same company who represents some major players out there you may be familiar with: Coca-Cola, JP Morgan Chase, Bank of America, Kmart and more.

Simmons, Jannace & Stagg also represent small businesses and individuals. This is a team I'd want on my side, seeing such a high review!

I Feel Like Butter

I'm back and I'm well relaxed. I feel like a puddle of melted butter! You should have seen what I went through though, as she worked on my right wrist and arm (computer hand)..oy! It makes you realize how much you use your hands and neglect them. My left hand was much easier! I had to work out all sorts of stuff going on from my wrist and up about 4 inches! I'm happy now though! After my pedicure and manicure, then I got to sit in the massage chair while my nails dried! oohhh...ahhh...yet again! I feel good! How was your day?

Botox Thoughts

Having my skin care license, you hear a lot of talk about things like anti-aging efforts and botox. I need to stay up on the latest information on dermatology and plastic surgery, so I'll be able to answer questions someone might have, so that I can direct them to the proper person. People read celebrity gossip and hear about this famous person and that famous person getting Botox, and wonder if it's right for them. There are even people having Botox parties. Then there are the others who speculate, does she or doesn't she?

One thing you'll want to be aware of is that Botox isn't permanent, so you'll need to continue to get it to get the same results. What Botox can do is help with things like frown lines, crows feet and other wrinkles and give you a refreshed appearance. It will give your face a smoother appearance. The treatments last from three to six months.


The process entails using a very fine needle and injecting Botox to the muscle. The muscle then relaxes. Have you ever considered getting Botox? How did you like the experience? Court House Clinics can help you with your questions, and even offers an information packet. On their site you can request an appointment or call for more information as well. This post is brought to you thanks to Court House Clinics.

Massage Mellow

Gotta run for now, it's time to be pampered. I'm heading over to the spa for a massage...ahhhhhhhhhhh.

What do you do for yourself? I tend to get a lot of anxiety before traveling, so this is what I decided to do to help me mellow. Wow, I'm showing my age with words like mellow, eh? ;)

J Lo Glow

I did a meme awhile back and one of the questions asked what perfume you wear on a regular basis. I had to answer two, but they are both J Lo. I wear J Lo Glow during the day time, and at night I wear J Lo Miami Heat. Do you have a perfume that you swear by? I used to love Obsession, but my husband wasn't crazy about it, so I found a new one. I've been wearing J Lo Glow for a few years now, and I still love it. Luckily, hubby loves both of these too!

What's your favorite perfume? This message was brought to you by SendMeScent.com

Drawing Lines

I was just reading about a large immigration issue over in Saudi Arabia. I didn't realize the immigration issues that are raised in other countries. One night I was speaking with a waitress from Columbia and she said they have huge immigrant issues there as well. Isn't that funny, how in my mind, because I live in the US, I only knew of the problem here. Maybe I need to read more world news, on top of the regional and US news. In all situations, people are looking for a better life. Sometimes it doesn't seem fair that I was born here, so I am entitled to this life, while somebody else was born say a few miles from the Texas border in Mexico and that means something different in their life.

All Inclusive Vacations

There's a new trend in vacations, and that's taking an all inclusive family vacation. Imagine getting to your destination and you don't have all the regular extra charges like meals and activities. It's a great concept that won't nickel and dime you on vacation. Vacations.net is ready to hook you up. They offer high-end vacations at a great affordable price.

Their site offers easy navigation and you'll be able to check out numerous details such as the cultural aspects, history and activities available. Vacations.net is one site you'll want remember and check out before booking anywhere else! In fact, bookmark Vacations.net while you're there and add it to your favorites!

Brandy's Accident

Wow, I was just reading that Brandy was involved in a car crash and the driver of the other car was killed. Brandy was uninjured, but I'm sure the mental anguish of this must be tormenting. The accident became a four car collision and was a chain reaction. No drugs or alcohol were involved.

Disney on Ice

Disney on Ice is coming to the Continental Airlines Arena from January 23rd to January 28th. If you haven't gone to see any of these shows on ice, they really are a nice family activity and entertaining. My boys are older now and would feel uncomfortable going, but when they were younger we saw a few of them, and they were great family fun. If you hadn't thought of it, consider Disney on Ice. These realy are great shows.

Valentine's Day is Almost Upon Us

Valentine's Day is sneaking up on us! It's less than a month away. Did you get something for your sweetie yet? No! You'd better hurry up! I have a great idea for you, head on over to GourmetGiftBaskets.com and order Valentines Gift Baskets for your guy. He'll love it because they can fill it with top quality chocolates, cheeses, wines, fruits and nuts. They say the way to a guy's heart is through his stomach, and I know that's the truth with my husband! If you want to design your own basket you can, but they have pre-designed Valentine's baskets to choose from as well. Go over to GourmetGiftBaskets.com and order your honey a great gift basket today.

Property Taxes

The state's property taxes average $6,000 per homeowner, twice the national average, and voters consistently identify high property taxes as an issue that tops their list of concerns

Are you planning on your taxes going down? Neither am I. Polls are showing that we are all pretty much thinking the same thing. 67% of people believe they won't be lowered in this land of taxes known as New Jersey. What do you think about taxes? Think they will be able to chip into the iceberg known as taxes?

Smoking Casino

In a move that made smokers rejoice, casino operators slightly disappointed and health advocates outraged, the Atlantic City Council approved the first reading of an ordinance that will allow smoking to continue on 25 percent of the gambling floor

Boooo...Smoking won out over the health of the employees of Atlantic City casinos. Bad news to those who have to continue to work with second-hand smoke on a continual basis. If you'd like to read more of this story, check it out on NJ.com. I'm not sure why they "care" only about some of the casino workers and not others. I'm sorry, but that just plain sucks.

FlowerShop.com

Know someone who is feeling blue? Think about sending them some Get well flowers to help cheer them up! FlowerShop.com is a place you'll want to bookmark and go back to time and time again to choose great gifts, flowers and baskets. They even offer special goodies like chocolate-covered berries and specialties. One of the things that I like about FlowerShop.com is that they get their flowers delivered by local florists, which means same day delivery for you. If you haven't checked out FlowerShop.com, you'll want to bookmark it and check them out. How about some melt-in-your mouth brownies to go wtih those flowers? Now you're talking! FlowerShop.com is ready to take your order, so go on and head over there now!

Spa Day Tomorrow

I have an appointment at the spa tomorrow. I tend to get a little antsy before going away, even though I look forward to it. I decided to book a massage to help calm my nerves. I'll be floating and feel like melted butter tomorrow...oh yeah, and I have a pedicure scheduled as well. What will you be doing tomorrow?

Divorce in New Jersey

New Jersey folk can be divorced in 6 months. It's been signed, sealed and delivered. John Corzine signed the deal-eo that let's married people be out of their marriage and legally divorced in 6 months time. Instead of claiming fault on one side or the other, you can now claim irreconcilable differences. NJ is finally coming out of the dark ages.

Need a Chart Plotter?

We'll be heading out on vacation next week, and I can't wait! I know one thing a lot of people love to do when on vacation is to go fishing. If you're a big fisher, one place you'll want to check out is Northeast Marine Electronics. They have an enormous selection of things like high-tech GPS Chartplotters, as well as other electronic fishing tools. They have some great discount supplies, and if you aren't sure what is right for you, the staff can help you out! Maybe you want to pick out a perfect birthday gift for the fisher in your life; Northeast Marine Electronics can help you out with those selections. You'll want to bookmark this site for all your electonic fishing gear! This message has been brought to you by Northeast Marine Electronics

Surf and Turf

It's a surf and turf night at our house. Actually for a Christmas present we got a couple of lobster tails and filets from OmahaSteaks...They were fabulous when we had them on New Year's.

I used to order stuff from there on occassion, they had fabulous burgers, and you could get great package deals time to time, but then they started to call...want to order, want to order? They started calling my house almost daily about specials! Finally, I'd had enough and said...DO not call my house again...ever!

I don't want that pattern back, but we do like some of their stuff! LOL oh well...sacrifices..

It's Tax Time Again

It's tax season again. I got one of my W2's in the mail the other day, and a good case of nerves with it.(I got a W2 from working at a spa, and am getting 1099's for the first time as well!) You see, this year, I have to do my taxes differently than I'm used to doing them. That makes me nervous. Now that I'm considered self-employed, I have new rules to follow! I recently heard about eSmart Tax Online Tax Filing Software that's affordable and makes filing your taxes much easier. They have great prices of under $10 for an EZ form, and under $15.00 for your 1040 or 1040A form! Their State Tax form runs at only $12.95, and the best part is they say there are no hidden fees. That's a bonus, because I know other things that give you a price, and then toss in extra fees at the last moment. By preparing your taxes online, that means you can save them online as well, and not have to worry about your own addition skills or an oops moment, when things don't add up properly.

I don't know about you, but I want something that is fast and reliable. One of the things I was reading about when it comes to eSmart Tax Online is that they want your feedback. They want to hear what you think and how it's working for you. A company that listens is bound to do well.

Another cool aspect is that they offer "what if" options, so that you can take your financial information and move it to other areas, so you can see different options and find which is best for you.

Imagine spending only $30 to file both your tax forms- state and federal! You don't have to imagine anymore, because eSmart Tax Online Tax Filing Software makes it a reality. Now that sounds like a bargain to me! This message has been brought to you by eSmartTax.com! Thanks eSmart Tax for making an affordable solution!

Consult

I went to a consultation today to discuss something I'd been thinking of. It's one of those things that makes you really think about where you're going, what you're doing and where you want to be. I'll have a few more appointments elsewhere before I come to any final decisions on this particular topic, but if I decide to follow up on the consultation and take it to the next level...I'll tell you what it was about. ;)

Small Business Money

Did you ever think of starting your own business? My husband does all the time, and I work from home quite a bit doing my own things. One of the things that is a big piece of starting a business is coming up with the capital. I know my husband has looked into franchises as well as starting a corner start-up business.

The problem with starting a business is strapping yourself in those beginning stages. Premiere General Finance, Inc. wants to help you get that money that you need for your small business. In under 7 days, they can help you aquire up to $500,000 if you qualify! How's that for extra start-up money?

How can that kind of money help fulfill your dreams of being a small business owner?

New Jersey or New York?

I wrote about this on another blog, and it really is a pet peeve of mine...why do they keep calling New Jersey, New York? Want an example?? American Idol will be in New York next week....oh really? Since when is East Rutherford, NJ considered New York?

I've said it before...the New York Jets and the New York Giants play in New Jersey. Why, oh why....aren't one of the teams called New Jersey?

Last night, seeing that the auditions would next be shown from NY, I couldn't help but recall a story I read at NJ.com about the auditions in NJ! And sure enough, USA Today had a story about it as well....

*pet peeve done for now....for now....

Football Boards

My Eagles didn't make it to the SuperBowl this year, but at least we made it there recently! Maybe next year will be our shining moment once again! If you're all excited and ready for the Superbowl, you'll want to hop on over to the FootballBoards! You can check out the nfl message board. Of course, if I'm over there, you'll catch me on the NFC East board talking about the birds. We weren't missing T.O. too much this year, were we?

If you check out the predictions thread(nickname:Solar), you'll see that in September I even made a prediction that the Eagles would soar over the Giants this year, and I was right on there! This is a board that covers it all, and one you'll want to get the scoop on. This message was brought to you by FootballBoards.com

Bookstore Hopping

I went to the bookstore last night in search of a particular book, which they didn't end up having. Today I hit two more stores. I finally found the book at the third store. Why I didn't call ahead, I'm not sure! It would have been the easier answer, but I guess I didn't think of it. It was nice to be out for a little while today regardless.

When I went looking for a second book, their records said they had it, but I couldn't find it. I searched and searched the area they spoke of, still nothing. I went to ask for help, so a woman comes over with me....and she finds it in seconds! Ahhhhh...I promise I looked and looked. It was right in front of my nose, but somehow I didn't see it. The section I was in was caddy corner to the sex and addiction section. Did you ever peek at what others are reading while they are there? The man put the book back and walked away, and I peeked...it was called "Caught Looking". Well....so was I...caught looking at what someone was reading about. I was nosey. I learned my lesson! :\

Edit a Photo

Just recently I helped two friends edit and crop their photos for a site. If only there was a service that offered this to people at a reasonable rate, since so many people need help with this. Oh wait! There is, and it costs less than $5.00 to help you out! Not only that, they will have it back to you within an hour in most cases! The site I'm talking about is PhotoChop.com! This is a site that takes that task that so many people need help with, and takes the chore out of it! A quick turn around time makes it even better! With over 100 editors ready to help you out, you'll have that photo edited in no time at all, and for a tiny cost! Wish I'd thought of this, what a great idea! Check out PhotoChop.com
This post was brought to you by PhotoChop.com!

Money Smart Moms

Are you looking for resources so that you can work from home. One of my websites offers resources for different ways to earn income from home. Money Smart Moms at MoneySmartMoms.com, shows you different companies and ways to earn. Whether you just want to make a few bucks doing surveys, or are a blogger like I am...there are sources you may not have thought of. Maybe you're a writer and write articles; then check out the writer section. There is also a page of books for the work at home crowd.

Untamed Tuesdays

I started a new series over on my SurvivingNJ.com/blog called "Untamed Tuesday". You can check out the first post here. I wrote about the porcupine and Woodlands Wildlife Org.

I hope you'll join me as I discuss different animals, as well as different groups taht set out to help them!

Wholesale Fashion & Sports Sunglasses

I'll be heading south shortly, and one thing I'm ready to do is find yet another pair of just perfect sunglasses for my roadtrip! Did you know that I own close to 10 pairs of sunglasses? Yeah, you could say I like to collect them. That means if you're a business who sells sunglasses, I just may be in the market for a new pair from you! You can buy wholesale sunglasses through CTS Wholesale Sunglasses, which sells Wholesale Fashion & Sports Sunglassesat wholesale prices. If you sell Wholesale Sport Sunglasses, make sure you check out the latest line for 2007 at CTS Wholesale Sunglasses. Who's going to get my money this year? If you are an Ebay seller, you'll want to keep them in mind, as you can get top styles for 2007 and all the hottest replicas. I like to have different glasses to compliment different outfits! Sometimes I like darker ones for the shore and to help with the glare while driving in the wintertime.

Everybody wears sunglasses, so this is a business to be involved in. You can make money selling sunglasses, because everybody needs them and their always being replaced. If you haven't considered selling sunglasses before, maybe now would be a good time to start! This message was brought to you by CTS Wholesale Sunglasses

LoudLaunch - Compensating bloggers for their unbiased opinions, reviews, and analysis. View the LoudLaunch campaign release this post was based on.

Superbowl Season

If you're one of the few who hasn't heard the news yet, it will be the Colts and the Bears in the Superbowl this year. The Superbowl is set to air Feb 4th. My favorite part of the Superbowl, when my team isn't playing is the commercials. Of course my Eagles made it last year, so that was a SUPER Superbowl for me!

I'm hoping they bring back the really good humorous commercials. They were on a roll there, and then the last year or two, we've been disappointed. And who can forget NippleGate with Janet and Justin...2 years ago.

Are you ready for some football?

Cell Phone Variety

My son keeps misplacing his cell phone and luckily keeps refinding it. Each time it sends me looking at cell phones and wondering what sort of replacement to look into. One place I always check out when it comes to cell phones is Wirefly. They have a huge selection of phones, including free cell phones, all different phone plans and every type of phone you can think of. They carry the trendy styles that have all the great features on them. With Wirefly.com you can find pretty much anything you're looking for. They have the largest selection you'll find, and they offer free shipping too! That's always a bonus! If you're thinking about replacing your cell phone, or looking for a new carrier, consider Wirefly for their great deals and great variety. This post is brought to you by Wirefly

Second Life or Second Chance to Score?

By early January more than 3,000 IBM employees had acquired their own avatars, and about 300 were routinely conducting company business inside Second Life. "The 3-D Internet may at first appear to be eye candy," Palmisano writes in an e-mail interview, "but don't get hung up on how frivolous some of its initial uses may seem." He calls 3-D realms such as Second Life the "next phase of the Internet's evolution" and says they may have "the same level of impact" as the first Web explosion

...as quoted by CNN.

SecondLife.com is taking off and people are hording over to this virtual reality homeland. In a land where you mix reality with fantasy, people can get consumed with the idea. Want to go to the shore? How about a sex club? That's the thing, it's only limited by your imagination and what has or hasn't been created yet. You can currently chat, and soon you'll be able to talk. On a site that million have visited, and more than 300,000 visit daily, this is a site you're going to continue hearing about. Will an entire second internet space be created within this web-based landscape? Where will that lead you when you didn't get in on the groundbreaking?

Have you checked out SecondLife? Do you plan on it?

Soap Scoops

I am a soap fanatic when it comes to General Hospital. I've been watching the show for close to 30 years. Okay, not 30 years total, but almost! There's a new site all about soap operas at Soaps.com. You can get the latest Soap Opera News like comings and goings, along with spoilers and things like cast listings. Being a fan of the show, I love to see who's coming and going. Sometimes they bring back a veteran of the show, like they'll be doing with Kin Shriner(Scotty Baldwin), or letting one go, such as Stuart Damon (Alan Quartermaine).

If you're a soap fan like I am, then you'll want to read all the latest news over at Soaps.com This message was brought to you by Soaps.com

One thing that Soaps.com might want to do to improve the site is to add more photos. I know I love to see the latest galleries and screenshots.

Not Raising Fees

I was listening to the radio this morning while running an errand and something came on that caught my attention. Princeton University isn't raising their tuition this year, and will remain at $33,000 a year. *jaw drops

Okay, so the option of going to a state college may save you a few bills, but $33,000 for one year? That means if you a job that pays $35,000 a year, you're pretty much only able to afford your school bill....and not mortgage, food, gas, insurance, or anything else. Scholarships sure are great if you can get one.

There are options out there...and branding your education with a "designer college name" is sure going to cost you!

Unsocial Tendencies Lately

I'm a bad friend. I didn't meet a group of friends tonight that I really should have. I don't know what it is lately. I'm having a hard time making myself socialize. I get like this a few times a year. I go into myself and just don't want to have to "be a certain way" with people. Not that I'm phoney, because there's nothing worse, but I just don't feel talkative. If I'm not talkative, then I get a hundred questions about what is wrong...which is not really anything I can explain. Technically, there's nothing wrong...I just don't feel like socializing with a group of people tonight. I still feel like a bad friend. :\

Yoga Retreats

I love my Kripalu catalog. It has so many great classes and retreats listed in it, but the prices are really costly. I am always sorting online looking for different options, and hoping to find new information. I just heard about some Yoga Retreats over at AllStays.com/yoga. Imagine taking time for yourself that both calms, soothes and relaxes as well as fills you with energy and invigorates you at the same time! What I love is that you can choose a destination from the directory based on location or a specialty type of destination. If you're thinking of taking a retreat, check out AllStays.com
This post has been brought to you by AllStays.com

You: A Series of Books

I've been reading this book, and like how it is put in a context I can understand. If you have read, "You: The Owner's Manual", this is another in the series by the same two doctors who wrote the previous ones. Dr. Oz guests on Oprah once in awhile, and shows us how our bodies work, let's people ask those embarrassing questions, and simplifies the complicated. If you're looking for good read, this one is a book I can recommend.

Enjoying a Rental this Summer

I'm heading down the shore come June, and I'll be renting a beach house. Do you traditionally rent hotel rooms, or do you rent houses? When we went down to Florida last June, we rented a three bedroom condo with three bathrooms, and I have to tell you, I like that extra space to stretch out in. When it comes to rentals, I love to search all the different sites that are out there. They all have something unique to offer. One such site that offers vacation rentals is VacationHomeRentals.com. You just choose rentals from the top of the screen, pop in what area you are looking for. I'm a regular guest to Long Beach Island, so I immediately clicked on New Jersey and sure enough I saw the choice of Long Beach Island. I could click on that and see what offers were available. You can also search by putting in the required number of rooms you're looking for. If you need a minimum of 2 bedrooms, maybe 3, just pop the number in the navigation area on the left hand of the screen, and before you know it, you've got a list in front of you. They have so many different locations to choose from. I may have to check out Maine for a fall trip as well! Hawaii, Florida, Canada, Europe, it doesn't matter what your desitination of choice is, you're bound to find what you're looking for.

Come June, I'll be sunning in the sand and playing in the waves of the ocean, while I stay in my vacation rental. Will you be cramped in a hotel room, 4 people in one tiny room, sharing a tiny bathroom? I'll be stretched out relaxing on my outdoor deck in the evening, having lots of breathing space with all the bedrooms, and in the middle of all the fun. This message has been brought to you by VacationHomeRentals.com

Looking to Trade

Hubby went out looking at cars today. He's been thinking about trading in the Olds for a Chevy. He decided he wasn't ready and still really likes the Olds. It drives really nice, so I'm not upset! (It's an Oldsmobile Intrigue)

We've been looking at so many car sites lately, everything from Edmunds to every car place out there, including BartBarkerCarSales.com! Heck, they are even giving away $500 free gas money, and with gas prices the way they are, that's a great deal! It's a shame their out in Nevada though, and we're here in New Jersey!

I like the new Chrysler Seabring that just came out, very cute, but hubby is still leaning towards a Chevy if he makes the trade.

I'll let you know if we finally go through with it. We replaced my blazer about 2 years ago, so it's his turn next! He loves his Jeep Cherokee too much to swap that one!

Lunch Visit

I went out to lunch today, and we were over at Chili's in Flemington. We couldn't stop laughing, we had so much fun. We were remembering some funny things growing up, and I guess we just picked some doosies! My sister is 2 years older than me, and we had the typical love/hate sibling relationship growing up. It wasn't until my thirties that we found a great appreciation for each other, because we are so different in so many ways. Now we are best buddies and get together almost weekly. We live an hour apart, and my mom lives 10 minutes from my sister.

So if you were at Chili's and wondering what all the laughter was about, it was us, rehashing some of those fickle moments in life!

Sleek, Sophisticated Mobile Phones

I was checking out some cell phone accessories and caught myself checking out some of the great new Motorola phones. They sure do have the market when it comes to great looking phones. Have you checked out the new Motorola Z3 or the new Motorola KRZR? What I like about the Z3 is that you can a lot of the features whether the phone is open or closed. That's convenient, and it's really sharp looking. The Motorola KRZR is glossy, shiny and makes you want to play with it! I love how it's taken a great design and added so many cool features. One of the things I love about my cell phone is my wireless headset. At Motorola-mobiles.co.uk you can hook up with accessories as well as popular phones. The Motorola KRZR is sleek, smooth and sophisticated! You have to check these new phones out if you haven't yet! This message has been brought to you by Motorola-Mobiles.co.uk

Some Favorite Products

Two products I've used today that I wanted to share are a sugar scrub and a moisturizer! The first picture doesn't do it justice, it's this gorgeous citrus orange color and is as inviting to the eyes as it is to the senses. It smells delightful, this particular one is Mandarine-Honey, by Qtica. This has a nice thick consistency, and feels more like a gel, then a liquid encasing the sugar scrub. I love how clean this scrub rinses as well. If you're a scrub fan, Qtica makes a great one!

This is my all time favorite moisturizer. It's got a good concentration, so you only need a little. Perfect Fit is a product by a company named Dermaware which I adore! I also use their cleaners, masks and exfoliants. What I love about this product is it's so light feeling when applied. It has a soothing sensation as you spread it on.I have dry skin, so it always feels fabulous when I put it on. It also has copper peptides, and you have to love that. Dermaware is a professional product and can be found in fine salons and spas.

What products are you using that you love?

Light Coating of Snow

I woke up to the grass being lightly covered in snow. The grass blades are still visible through the top. It looked so pretty, the dusting over the lawn! One of my dogs adores the snow. She has a big thick coat, and she gets out there and rolls around in it. This is the same dog who tiptoes in rain and avoids it as much as possible! I think this is the first time this winter season I've woken up to snow! As long as it's as light as this, I'll be just fine! I have lots and lots of driving to do today...

Heartburn and Acid Reflux

A lot of women get heartburn or acid reflux when they are pregnant. I made it through both pregnancies without having this problem. I thought I flew by life without this issue, when others were desperately looking for heartburn relief. I wasn't as lucky as I thought, because as I've gotten older, I find myself going through heartburn on a somewhat regular basis! I'm always trying to figure out how to stop heartburn, and end up stocking up on product at the pharmacy. It always seems to happen when I lie down mostly, and then I have trouble sleeping.

Another thing that falls into this category is getting an Ulcer. It used to be thought that an Ulcer was brought on by stress or spicy food, and while that may trigger an attack, there is actually a bacteria that is responsible for it called Helicobacter pylori bacteria. Imagine that? All this time, and now research is showing it's not just stress after all! That's exciting news to understand it better. This bacteria can be found living in the stomach and sometimes even the intestine. I love learning new things! If you'd like to learn more about heartburn, acid reflux or ulcers, you can check out information at acidreflex.biz There was so much helpful information, I'm happy I found it. This post was brought to you by AcidReflex.biz

Trackball Mouse and TechBoyardee

I have a few errands I need to run today, and I'm hoping I get motivated enough to get moving shortly! I need to mail a couple of packages out, since we all know what happened when I made it to the post office on Monday, closed! I'm also going to go to Staples and check out a "trackball" mouse. My husband had mentioned one and thought it would be helpful for me...then my friends over at TechBoyardee.com (I love that name!) wrote a piece for me! (Thx!)

If you haven't heard of, or checked out the trackball mouse, they did a nice piece on it. In fact the site is a new tech site, and you'll want to keep your eyes on this one! It has two collabrative authors and it's highlighting some great information. I've got it bookmarked, will you?

MySpace Graphics Creator

It amazes me some of the graphics I see people putting together online. Some people are fabulous at creating different images, but I'm not one of them! I can have an idea, but the outcome doesn't always work the way I want it to. That's why I love software or programs that can help you create the look you want. Say you want to create Myspace Backgrounds, or banner or graphic for your MySpace account, there are programs that are made just for that. MySpaceGraphicsCreator.com is what you want to check out! It's so easy to use- select your text, font, background colors, and you'll have your quick banner in seconds. Take a few minutes and play around with it, and you'll be making something fabulous as well! The background options you can choose by size or category. It doesn't get any simpler, and for someone like me, that's a good thing! This has been brought to you by MySpaceGraphicsCreator.com

Meeting Online Friends

I went and visited a friend from online last night. It's funny how when you talk all the time online, when you get there in person, it feels comfortable. I feel like I know her all ready, but then seeing her in person, it's a neat sensation. I have to tell you, she is just gorgeous- as her family is also.

Having the chance to meet somebody that you speak with allows you to find that connection in yet another manner, and it reminds you that the people you are talking with on message boards or chat rooms really are who they are.

Over the years, I've met quite a few people that I've chatted with. I've participated in a couple large get togethers, which have always been great experiences. I wonder who I'll meet next?

Atlantic City

My mom has been itching to go to Atlantic City again. I'll probably take her down in March for her birthday. We try to go about 3 times a year and make a fun trip out of it. We get a free room over at Trump, so we always stay at Trump Plaza. We stay the night, go out for a great dinner at Max's or Roberto's and stay up until the wee hours! People think that because I live in New Jersey, Atlantic City is a few blocks away, but it takes me a good 3+ hours to get there! It's always a blast though!

I actually grew up going to Atlantic City Casinos and the casinos. My best friend's dad was a high roller who played Bacarat. We would stay at a lot of different casinos, until after a few years, he found himself comfortable at the Claridge, and made that his regular place. I started going when I was about 12, and my friend and I would walk the boardwalk and beach during the day, and see shows at night. I've seen so many different shows ranging from Billy Crystal(who I got the chance to meet), to Wynonna, to Three Dog Night, to Pat Benatar, to Bobby Vinton (the man sings in multiple languages, and can play instruments galore).

I remember when the casino's use to close at night for a few hours! It's been that long ago, because now they are open 24 hours a day.

I'm not a high roller, but I'm a girl who likes my slots! I guess I'll be playing them soon enough!
This post was brought to you by Atlantic-City.Cruzino.com

2 Weeks

2 Weeks! 2 Weeks! 2 Weeks...until I go on our roadtrip! I can't wait. My husband has been working late hours, and he's tired. This will be a nice refresher for him. We love roadtripping and have some of the best conversations. We sing along to the radio, mostly off-key, and we laugh and laugh until our sides hurt! Our ultimiate destination is Florida. We're going to take our time heading South, and do it a little quicker coming back North. I hope Florida has a warm spell when we get there! It was a little too cold for my liking last night!

Volcano

This is a little bit older, but I love this song called "Volcano" by Damine Rice

Sharp by Design

How you dress says a lot about who you are. When you want to send a powerful message, you dress in a certain way. Say you have a meeting to attend, do you want to be the person who looks like they don't take the time to put themselves together? Or would you like the look like the person everyone else aspires to be? When you choose high-end accessories, it can pull a look together.

If you aren't sure how to pull that look together, than Belisi's Sharp by Design Blog is the perfect place for you to check out and bookmark. Learn about the basics, and understand the difference between a pulled together look versus a less than pulled together look. If you're on top of the trends, you can be ahead of the game. Impress the people around you with your new sense of fashion. There's no need spend money on all of those different magazines, when Belisi's Sharp by Design Blog is a click away! With straight-forward fashion and lifestyle tips for men, and tips from top designers and more, you'll be the envy of a crowd. Stop waiting for some day, and start the year with a whole new look. Fashionable and pulled together, and wow your bosses. Whether you need to learn the staples like how to fold a shirt, how to tie a tie, or you're looking for the latest trends in fashion, take a few minutes now, and head on over to Belisi's Sharp by Design Blog. This message has been brought to you by Belisi.

Fish Face

I was just scanning through my pictures from LBI and saw this one. Got me thinking..."What's for dinner?"

This is a picture of "The Beach House Restaurant" in Beach Haven, which is a part of Long Beach Island. I can't remember if I posted this picture here, as I have my other blog at SurvivingNJ.com, and mostly I've been posting them over there.

I'll be heading down LBI in June this year. I usually do long weekends, through out the season, but this year we rented a house.

AntiVirus Protection

It's time for me to update to Norton 2007. My coverage is just about to expire this week! We tried to do it at the main site, but I forgot what email and password I used last time! That's what I get for not writing it down. These days with bugs and viruses out there, you just can't let your computer go unprotected. We swear by Norton and have been using it for years. It earned the "PC Magazine Editor's Choice" award and rated it a 4.5/5!

Did you know there is a $20 rebate that's good until December of 2007. In Canada it's $30. You can set it to scan on a regular basis, so you never miss a thing. Mine starts scanning like clockwork at 8pm every Friday night. If you're not sure which software package is right for you, you can check out this comparison chart. Find the one that is right for you, and protect your computer today! This message has been brought to you by AntiVirusDownload.com

Level Up

I've been doing downloads for my son today. He's preparing for the release of Burning Crusades. I've got to tell you, his computer just did it all day long, and when you think you are done, there's another patch you have to add. I'm not sure exactly what the box will entail, but I'll know soon enough. He ordered it eons ago, and it's finally coming out. Moms and Dads of WoW players, be prepared to be ignored, forgotten and such, as the next level of 60's try to make it to level 70!

Moms and Dads who play (I don't), I hope you make it to 70 before your kids!

eBooks for Everything

If you're looking for eBooks About Everything, you'll want to check out eBooksAboutEverything.com! It is set up with easy navigation so that you can find whatever it is you're looking for. Whether you're looking for books for your PDA, Adobe, Microsoft or MobiPocket, eBooksForEverything.com is a one stop shop.

With their alphabetized listing of categories, you'll be able to find fiction and non-fiction on so many different topics, you'll be amazed. From animals to gardens, investing to music, nature to religion, and sci-fi to women, the topics are covered. The prices are reasonable and there is even a wishlist section for you to pick out your favorites. The help section will be offering tutorials soon on things like "How to Buy an eBook", "How to Download and eBook" and "How to Read an eBook". There are also some featured books on the main page if you're one of those people who has a problem deciding which book to buy!

How about an eBook reader and some books for someone you love this Valentine's Day? It would make a unique gift, whether for Valentine's Day, a birthday, or just because. There is even a space for your eBookshelf and a place to check out your account. You must be logged in to see these.

I was playing around, and looked at the books on Meditation, and in that one category alone, there are 9 choices. There are so many categories, it's mind boggling. There are over 30 books alone on computer choices! You'll have fun sorting through the different choices and picking a few out. Check out eBooksForEverything.com today.

LoudLaunch - Compensating bloggers for their unbiased opinions, reviews, and analysis. View the LoudLaunch campaign release this post was based on.

Son's Warnings

I'm meeting a friend tonight that I talk to on a regular basis, and I just got the lecture about being careful from my 12yo! At least I know he's listening to those things he hears about! It sounded funny him lecturing me about safety and precautions. Just got a kick out of that and wanted to share this.

American Idol Auditions

If you didn't get a chance to see American Idol last night, one of my friends has the best part highlighted on her blog. You can check it out right here. There's another round of auditions tonight...it amazes me the people that show up. Are they looking for their 15 minutes of fame, or do they really not hear themselves? Seriously odd!

Chocolate Covered Fruit

Valentine's Day is sneaking up around the corner and will be here in less than a month. Don't these chocolate covered strawberries look incredible? Did you choose something for your someone special yet? At Chocolate Covered Company, they have all sorts of selections that will leave you licking your lips.

Chocolate Covered Company offers hand-dipped, chocolate dipped fruit, and we all know there's nothing more decadent! Hey bosses, these would make a great office gift as well! You can order them in different quantities like 1 dozen, 2 dozen and 4 dozen. Don't be one of those people who waits until the last minute and scrambles. Plan ahead, get your sweetheart or someone special something nice. Let them know that you took the time to think of them!

Roses wilt, cards can be forgotten, but sharing some chocolate covered fruit; that can be a sensational celebration! You know when your honey goes back to work the next day, everyone will be talking about how they were thought of, and you'll be the envy of them all, because you thought of something unique and delectable. A little candle-light and some chocolate covered fruit and you're partner will be smiling all the following day! So what will you be getting your other half this Valentine's Day? Don't forget to check out ChocolateCoveredCompany.com for all the delicious details.

LoudLaunch - Compensating bloggers for their unbiased opinions, reviews, and analysis. View the LoudLaunch campaign release this post was based on.

iGive Can Make it Better

Have you heard of iGive.com? I found them by accident when I started to support a local wildlife charity in my neck of the woods. When you shop through their site at your favorite retailers such as Office Max, Barnes and Nobles and more, a percentage of your total goes to support your favorite charity. They don't decide for you. If you have a charity you're trying to raise money for, you may want to consider hooking up your charity as well, to earn extra money.

I thought it was a brilliant idea and had never heard about it before. You can get all the information at iGive.com and it doesn't cost you a cent! They have over 670 stores that they work with and sometimes have exclusive deals. If you want to find another way to give to your favorite charity, check out iGive.com and see if they are a part of it. If not, recommend your group and help them earn extra money! If you aren't sure who you want your contributions to go through, sort through their list of thousands of organizations and help one you feel is worthy out! You were going to buy that book anyway, right?

Audio Books Online

I love audiobooks and buying audio books online, as you know if you're a regular reader. Last year when I was home ill for a few months, I bought myself an Ipod Nano and bought about 30 audio books online! At the beginning of my illnesses, I had shingles on the back of my head, and it was extremely painful even to put my head on a pillow. Having the audiobooks to listen to was such a great relief and distraction. Other times, I've used audio books for long drives as well. I listened to a great informative piece driving home from Atlanta, Georgia to New Jersey, and when on the auto-train this past June, I listened to "Memoirs of a Geisha". It was enchanting, and really helped pass the 17 hour trip.

I can't say enough about audio books, and if you haven't tried this method of hearing a story, you don't know what you're missing! I've listened to fiction as well as non-fiction. One of my other favorites was called "72 Hour Hold" which was about a girl and mother dealing with the daughter's bi-polar. I was amazed at how quickly I got sucked into the first book I listened to! If you've ever tried to get through the "Tibetan Wisdom for Living and Dying" like I have, reading it wasn't so easy, but listening to it was so enjoyable. Another book I adored was "Life of Pi", oh and yet another was "The Five People You Meet in Heaven". See that's the thing about audio books; with a great reader you're drawn in. An interesting book if you like to read self-improvement was "If You Want to Walk on Water, You've Got to Get Out of the Boat". There are so many different styles of books available, you'll certainly find one you love. OH! Then there was "Freakonomics" as well; I'll bet my husband would enjoy that, since he has a Masters in Economics.

If you haven't given audio books a try, what are you waiting for? You'll love them! This message has been brought to you by AudioForBooks.com

Cheddar Triscuits

I'm not sure if it was this blog of another where I spoke of my son's unique wallet one day. When I picked him up from his father's he had decided to shove his Christmas money into an empty Cheddar Triscuit box! As an adult, I figured wallets are easier, but what do I know? ;)

Anyway, I got to thinking about that the other day and bought myself a box of Cheddar Triscuits. Man, oh man are they good! I think I found something that is a safe replacement for that salty/crunchy/taste thing that goes on when I want to "munch". Hubby doesn't care for them. It's funny how we all like different things!

Anyway, more fiber, and 100% whole wheat, so I guess that's a step closer to making a healthier choice!

Sleep Disorders and Insomnia

If you've been following my blog, you'd know I've been suffering with insomnia for about the last 3 or 4 months. It's so frustrating to be tired, but not to be able to sleep. You feel tired and you think you'll be able to sleep, but then you lie down and toss and turn, and no matter how tired you are, you just can't seem to fall asleep!

One of the things that affects sleep is melatonin. Melatonin occurs naturally in the body, but if you have a problem with the amount of melatonin releasing that is keeping you from sleeping, you may be able to use a natural health supplement. Knowing the correct melatonin dosage for you, may help you break your insomnia. Our pineal gland helps to regulate your sleeping patterns, but sometimes people aren't releasing enough of the crucial secretion melatonin. Learn more about sleep disorders at Sleep-Disorders-Help.com. This messsage has been brought to you by Sleep-Disorders-Help.com

Over It, Katherine McPhee

"Over It" is Katherine McPhee's first release from her CD due to drop January 30th. This is a short montage of clips to the song, to give you a feel of her sound. With "American Idol" starting back up again, people will be looking at the new talent and getting excited about new names. Looks like she's getting her CD out just in the nick of time!

Taking Time to Breathe

Sometimes things get busy, and we get caught up in the moment. I sometimes find myself online doing things taking up a lot of time. I jumped off the computer for a little while tonight and watched a little tv with my husband. Tomorrow, I'm hoping to take some time off line to breathe a little more. With that time, I'm going to sit down with my new camcorder I got back in December. You see, I forgot I bought it with all the craziness of the holiday and it's been sitting there waiting for me to pick it up!

Tomorrow I'm going to play with it and make it work! It's pretty bad when you forget you made a $300 dollar purchase...tucked away, waiting for attention. I'm not a big shopper, so it took a lot of thought to buy it, but now that I had it, it wasn't a priority at that moment! Now that I need it, I realize I want to know how to use it.

Silly little things like this, make me realize I need to take time out to breathe. :)

Free Fonts

I'm a writer at heart. I've written three books, have 7 blogs and have been fascinated with "Word" since I found it on a computer. One of the things I love, being a writer are fonts. They help me connect to my creative side. I remember when I found my first free fonts site! I was so excited until all of the annoying pop-ups took that excitement away. I want to tell you about UrbanFonts.com! They offer tons and tons of fonts for you to choose from. I'm talking about 8,000 fonts! If you can't find one you like, you aren't looking hard enough! The other cool thing about this site is they offer articles, a blog and a forum. This is THE site to go to for your fonts. I think the best part about the site is how conveniently organized it is. It's easy to navigate and find what you like.

Flash Cards Online

I have a friend who is back in school right now, and it made me think of something I wanted to share. When I was in skin care school, I was blown away how much harder it was to remember things than when I was a younger student. One of the places that helped me study was "The Amazing Flash Card Machine"....I made my own flashcards, and then I could share the link with my classmates. They helped me so much, so that even knowing everything about a long list of ingredients didn't daunt me. Cosmetic chemistry, biology, anatomy and more...I was able to tackle, and the more I did the flash cards, the better I got!

When I had to sit and take my state boards, I felt really prepared. They helped me a lot, maybe they'll help you. By the way...it's a free service!

Bushes Beyond Belief

I just went to the post office, which is only about 2 miles from my house. In the course of that short drive, twice I had to pull out way too far because of unruly large bushes on people's property. This is a pet peeve of mine. If you live on a corner of an intersection, it's your responsibility to make sure you are NOT blocking a driver's view of oncoming traffic!

IN 2 short miles, twice the nose of my car stuck out to oncoming traffic, because the bush on the corner of each home I had the problem with was overgrown. Why don't they realize this when they try to pull out into the intersection? Doesn't a lightbulb go off?? Hmmm..I can't really see with this bush like this, maybe I should cut it back some...probably not, because they are still there.

Carnival is Live!

I posted yesterday about the Postie Carnival and I've got to tell you, my gal Suni did a bang up job! There was some great reading! You'll have to check it out for yourself, but carve out a few minutes of time, because you'll be hooked!

Drizzly Day

It's a rainy, hazy, foggy day here in my part of New Jersey. I intended on doing a few small errands, but staying inside comfortable and toasty is looking more appealing every moment!

I actually do have to head off in a bit to drop some stuff off at the post office, so I guess debating it is pointless! How do you motivate yourself to get moving when you know it's cold and icky outside, and warm and cozy inside?

Weekend Stuff

We had a really nice weekend, and went out for awhile both on Saturday and Sunday. Not a lot of excitment, but we got grocery shopping done, went out to lunch Saturday and on Sunday we did lunch and Target, as well as went and looked at cars.

Did you ever notice all the people looking at cars on Sundays? It cracks me up, but the reason we go, like most others is because we want to actually have time to just look around and compare the stickers without somebody hovering over us looking for a sale.

We're debating on trading our car soon, but we still haven't decided if it's the best answer for us.

Your Electronic Warehouse

Have you heard of Electronic Warehouse or Your Electronic Warehouse? They are a site where you can get all sorts of electronics and stuff for your home! You can get things like televisions, audio, camcorders and satellite radios. My husband and I were recently speaking about XM radio and satellite radios; and finding Electronic Warehouse is a great place to start looking at different options.

Did you know that Electronic Warehouse was honored with Monster Cable's E-Commerce Retailer of the year! That's quite an honor to score! You can check out their "learning page" and read all sorts of great information.

They also offer custom installation products as well as install services. I remember trying to install video game systems that left me feeling lost! I was on the phone with Sony one time, and they couldn't even help me. Turns out one of my connections wasn't pushed in all the way! This tiny little thing drove me crazy, and professional installation would have been the perfect choice for me on something like this. I hesitate to purchase new electonics sometimes because of the hooking up process! It can be overwhelming for someone who isn't good with these things. Knowing that they offer install services is something that I'll remember, and keep on the top of my mind! This is a one stop electronics store! While you're on their site, you can also check out music and entertainment! Want even more options, they offer grills and outdoor enterainment as well. This is a site that offers a vast assortment of choices.

Whether you're looking for an alarm clock or professional audio equipment, you'll want to bookmark Electronic Warehouse.

LoudLaunch - Compensating bloggers for their unbiased opinions, reviews, and analysis. View the LoudLaunch campaign release this post was based on.

Postie Carnival and Charities

The Postie Carnival I spoke of starts tomorrow. You can visit the link and see all sorts of great posts. Many are about charities, mine is not. I must have been in my own world, and did't pay attention, because I sent one in on my dog! *laughing, oops!

Either way, in honor of the Postie "Charity" Carnival, I'll be adding a charity post below! The topic I'd like to post on is Breast Cancer. I have a few links for you that you may or may not know about. The first I want to mention is "The Breast Cancer Site" which can be found by following the link. All it takes is one click each and every day! Did you know that it's free for you, and sponsors pick up the cost of the clicks. Everytime somebody clicks a percentage of a mammogram will be paid for to help uninsured and underinsured women get this valuable test.

TheBreastCancerSite.com

The next place I want to highlight is my friend Colleen's site, 3DayMom. Colleen is raising money for breast cancer, by participating in a 3 Day/60 mile walk. She did it last year as well. Here's the thing, she has to raise a lot of money. She's all ready started the process, and a simple little donation can help her meet her goal.

For Cancer facts and figures, you can go here.

Here are some other great links you'll want to go to for great information and support.

Y-Me National Breast Cancer Organization

Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation

Breast Cancer Support

Saints Win, Eagles Fall

Well, my Eagles lost the game. It was such a great game to watch, very close. I love to watch a great game, more than I like to see a team dominate, even if it's my team. It's no fun watching a one-sided game.

Garcia did a stand up job filling in for McNabb and came out looking great. Close, close, close game that ended as it ended! Maybe next year guys....Go Eagles!

Eagles Play Tonight

The Eagles will play the Saints tonight at 8pm...just wanted to say..."GO EAGLES!" You know what I'll be watching tonight!

Crowds and Congestion

I was down in the Levittown/Langhorne/Oxford Valley Mall area yesterday, which is where I grew up. It always blows me away how much traffic is there at all hours of the day. Maybe as a teen I didn't notice the traffic as much, but as an adult, the congestion always blogs my mind. It is one giant shopping area, with oodles and oddles of shopping strip malls all around the bigger mall. How can they all afford to be there? Not only is the mall there, but then every possible store you can think of is within a mile as well.

I always wonder if a Target and Walmart are next to each other, how do they both survive? If a Home Depot and a Lowe's are next to each other, how can they both get enough customers? Within 1 mile of each other, we have a CVS/Eckerd/and now a WalGreen will shortly....are there enough people? I guess so, since they are all still in business....

Plus-Size Customer's Remembered

I'm a plus size girl and sometimes it makes me self-conscious. I'm mostly used to living in this body, it's been 16 years of plus-size living for me. When I see companies remembering that plus-size clients need clothes too, I'm always happy. I went over to FeelFoxy.comtoday and they have this body shaper. They offer all the way up to size 3x so if you're plus-sized, they may have you covered. The boxy body shaper comes in different colors, but you have to select your size first to see what colors you can choose from. It shapes and contours your trouble areas like your tummy and your hips. One of the things that stood out to me when I saw this is the ability to wear a bra with it. They have an opening so it's not uncomfortable to wear both, and it will clear up the panty-line problem as well. Check out FeelFoxy.com and thanks FeelFoxy for remember plus-size customers too! This message has been brought to you by FeelFoxy.com

Bus Goes out of Control

We had a scary moment yesterday. At the Pennsbury school district a school bus went out of control and hit 17 students. I know somebody who goes to that school, and luckily they were okay. It was a sight on the news, a bus crashed into a fence, and we don't know what happened exactly yet, whether it was a mechanical situation or driver situation, but it certainly wasn't normal. Mechanical error is suspected, but they are doing some investigating still. It was so sad to see so the scene. You can read the story at ABC news by following the link above.

Coffee To Go

I saw this and thought it would make a great gift for coffee lovers. Take our household, my husband drinks coffee, but I don't and making a full pot seems like a waste at times. By having single cup coffee maker, he could make a fresh cup as he goes! One cup coffee makers are such a great idea! Did you ever see a pot of coffee that's been sitting for awhile? Why bother with that, when you can have a fresh cup each time. The other thought is that you can change the flavor with your mood! You can have a variety of flavors. Do you want french roast in the morning and decaf in the afternoon? It's no problem with a one cup coffee maker. My husband says he can't wake up without a piping hot cup in the morning. He even loves the way it smells! I know a lot of people talk about the aroma of coffee as one of their favorites. There is a list of different one cup coffee maker brands here, so you can check them out and compare them. This post has been brought to you by a1-coffee-makers.com

There's a Carnival Coming!

There's a carnival coming to town- a Postie Carnival! This is the entry I've submitted, and you can play along to if you're a postie! Head over here for directions and join in.

If you come back tomorrow, I'll share the fun list!

New Blogger

Well, I'm poking around in the new Blogger settings. I was so nervous making the switch because I have so many posts, and it seems to have gone smoothly and soooooo fast! It took less than 2 minutes to move two huge blogs! Way to go blogger! Happy girl here!

Pictures of LBI

I've been randomly posting some LBI pictures on my other site. I thought I'd bring some of the links here to share as well. If you're a regular to Long Beach Island, you might enjoy some of these...

One type of home on the island, another type of home on the island...That's what I love, the diversity!

The boathouse at Bay Village

The Beach House Restaurant

Ocean View, Good Eats at Copper Kettle Fudge

If you want to check out the little shack at the end of the island, Buckalews or The Blue Marlin, you'll have to pop on over to SurvivingNJ.com!

Home Security

Did you know I was once a police dispatcher? I spent two years on the midnight shift fielding calls while you were sleeping. One aspect of police work that really was brought to my attention was home security. Alarm systems can help prevent theft and other harm. Whether you choose a silent alarm system or an audible system, you'll want to choose a company that you can trust. One name that's been out there for awhile that has a solid reputation is ADT Security. They offer Home Security Deals, and you can check them out through the link. If you've been considering a home alarm system, this is something I can guarantee makes a difference. Keep your home and family safe with ADT. This post has been brought to you by ADT.webequations.com

Surviving NJ and Books

If I haven't mentioned my site over at SurvivingNJ.com, let me tell you about it now. I finally caved and bought the domain and you can get to my articles, my New Jersey Fun Finder book and my other blog. There is also a section for other New Jersey books you might want to check out. Anyway, that's me, a Jersey girl surviving daily life.

If you are looking for my Skin Care Book, you'll want to go to SkinCareStudent.com

Unsigned Bands

If you love independent music or Unsigned Bands, you'll want to check out Unsigned.com. They just released their site this month, and are in beta, so if you pop over now, you could be there in the beginning and watch them grow! If you're a band who is indendent, you'll want to head over too! Unsigned.com is bringing you this post! They're ready to fly and want to spread the word on their great new site; won't you join them?

Utterly Geek

My friend Julie has a cool tech blog over at UtterlyGeek.com that you have to go check out. She doesn't talk over your head, she points out some neat stuff and puts in a language that even you and I can relate to. She found a neat story on pennies, takes a quick look at Gmail as well as a lot of other cool things. The other day, I was reading this blog that explained what somebody did with their programming; they lost me at the second sentence. Sometimes people forget they have an audience of all levels. My english comp. professor years ago, told me to write for an audience of 7-70. Don't exclude anyone, he would say. I think that's a great idea. That's what's so cool about UtterlyGeek..I can stay up on cool applications and products, as well as other stuff, and I can actually understand what I'm reading. I was just reading about the Sony UX Series on her blog, and man, I want that!

Investing

Do you ever think about retirement? I know when I was younger, it really didn't cross my mind. You would be told to put money away in your 401K plan and you'd appreciate it one day. The problem is when you're 20, you may not be thinking about the future. Well, I'm in my thirties and think about money and retiring now. One of the things that I was told was that my portfolio should be diversive. Don't stick to just one thing, and make sure you make safe investments. One area that's worth investing in is in precious metals and gold coin. There's a company that can help you when it comes to precious metals, and that's Monex Deposit Company. They can even help you store your investment or have it delivered to you. Monex.com is one site you'll want to check out. Invest your money in stability and precious metals. Monex has brought this message to you today.

New Jersey RoundUp

I was recently over at NJweblogs.com and was reading some blogs by other Jersey folk and I thought I'd bring a sampling of it here for you to see. Over at The Rix Mix they're looking at the word Surge...keep reading! At Cigarettes and Coffee you can check out the unique mashed potato cake! Blanton's and Ashton's is hanging with the dirty, damn hippies! What will you find when you surf through NJweblogs.com? (Besides me!)

My Son Finished

My son finished reading a book. No, it's not a big deal that he read a book, it's the book that he read. He was convinced he wouldn't enjoy the book, but he read it and he did. That's a great feeling. Is there a book that your kids were convinced they wouldn't like, but read anyway, finding they really enjoyed it? The book was "The 5 People You Meet in Heaven". :)

Looking for Storage?

I was reading a web release about a site called Moving.bz. They offer a site that offers all sorts of information when it comes to moving and storage. Say you need to store a vehicle for awhile, all you have to do is come to Moving.bz and click on vehicle storage. Pick your state and city, (I chose Doylestown, Pennsylvania) and in seconds I have a complete listing of places I can contact. One of the choices even gives you the option of a quick quote!

Maybe you want to transport a vehicle and aren't sure where to look. Moving.bz can help you out there. Click on their Auto Transport link and they have a large article of questions and answers to help you out! This is your one stop for all things moving related. This message has been brought to you by Moving.bz

Voting Lottery?

How do you feel about the idea of a jackpot for voting? Do you see it as clever or bribery?

A bill proposed by two Middlesex County assemblymen would authorize an annual Dec. 31 lottery drawing, with any registered voter who cast a ballot that year in a primary or general election eligible for the $1 million prize. Those who voted in both elections would have two entries in the drawing.

Do you think it will help get you to the voting office? Do you think people will vote wihtout thinking of their choices just to try for the money? Good idea? You tell me what you think....You can read the full story at NJ.com by following the link above. I'm on the fence about my opinion here.

TV Shows

I love that the reruns are over and shows are back on. "My Name is Earl" was just on and that show cracks me up. Is there a show you love? I told my mom and sister about this show, and they dont' watch it or can't get into it. My cousin loves "The Office", but my husband doesn't like it! Funny how we all have our own ideas of what we like. Either way, I recommend Earl, because it's just laugh out loud funny.

Rodeo Drive

Dr. Krieger of Rodeo Drive Plastic Surgery has gotten local and national attention from the media. They are on Rodeo Drive near all of the designer stores and boutiques. If you are interested in getting some work done while in Los Angeles, thing about Los Angeles Breast Augmentation. The Rodeo Drive Plastic Surgery center has an appealing and aesthetic feel and look. Dr. Krieger offers a high-end medical experience with a boutique like feel. I was reading a web release about this and this is a top of the line facility. It's a 5,000 square foot facility that is located at 421 North Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills. This post was brought to you by RodeoDrivePlasticSurgery.com

Speech and Speaking

Oh my goodness, my brain just about stopped on me during my last post. Did you ever look at a word, and you know it's spelled right, but you start to question yourself? For some reason, when I wrote the word "speech" it looked wrong, and I wanted to put an "a" in there like in the word "speak". I'm pretty good with spelling in general, but every once in awhile, I'll look at a word and go...hmmmm, doesn't look right today! Does that happen to you?

Speech on Record

Last night before the Presidential Address to the Nation, the news guy highlighted the speech showing the points that would be made. I asked my husband, why do we have to watch it, or how do they know what will be said before it's said? He said, it's to put the "Speech on Record". Weird...I think it's odd to have a news guy tell you what somebody is about to say! We turned the channel! You can see what we ended up watching here. I'm sure we picked the more interesting of the two. :\

Sleep Patterns

Last night I didn't get to sleep until close to 3am. This cycle is messing me up! I try to still wake at a decent hour so I don't end up on some weird sleep cycle. I'm glad my trip is coming up soon, because that should get me sleeping back on track again. I noticed that my patterns at night bring me to the computer when I can't sleep. Because of the instant gratification and interaction with others, I tend to not get sleepy. I'm going to try sitting elsewhere and reading when I can't sleep. I'll see if this helps me fall asleep faster.

I Love My Cat

This is my cat Sebastian. I love cats and dogs. I have two dogs also! Sebastian loves to cuddle and tease my one dog. We call him Sibs for short. Luckily he's litter trained and doesn't have problems, but if your cat has problems and you're noticingcat urine odor, there's a website with all sorts of information at Cat-Urine.net. This is actually a site for cats in general and it offers pictures, wallpaper, posters, quotes, videos and more. If you're a cat lover like I am, you'll want to check out Cat-Urine.net, and if your cat has that stinky little problem, they offer products to help you out. They also offer a helpful pet directory as well on their site. This has been brought to you by cat-urine.net

Backing Up Files

Did you ever have a time when everything froze up on your as you were just about to hit complete? That just happend to me, and I have to say it freaked me out! All my browsers locked up, my sites went down and I had to reboot my computer. I had hoped I wouldn't lose anything in the process and luckily I didn't. That reminds me...I need to backup some files! I always end up doing it "too late", but that moment just reminded me to back my stuff up again today! Have you backed up your files lately?

College Tonight

Do you find yourself sitting at your computer desk way too often, and not getting out quite enough? A college student had a brilliant idea and created College Tonight, LLC which is all about College Nightlife. It's all about socializing and getting people out there. They offer a huge list of supported schools, so check it out and see if your school is on there. There will be more added soon, so if yours isn't there yet, keep checking. They want to put the "social" back in socializing. They have all sorts of services such as their messaging service, and are hooking up with Juice Wireless to add a mobile component on January 29th!

College tonight has even gotten some attention from the press like CNN. Hurry on over and register today. This post has been brought to you by College Tonight, LLC

iPhone

SAN FRANCISCO - Cisco Systems sued Apple Inc. in federal court Wednesday, saying the computer maker's new iPhone violates its trademark.

The lawsuit....came just a day after Apple CEO Steve Jobs unveiled the Apple iPhone in dramatic fashion at a trade show in San Francisco.

Okay, lawsuit aside (full story here). Have you seen the iPhone! Oh, this is the gadget people are going to want to have. It caught my eye immediately. I saw an ad on a blog I was on and my eyes were drawn like eye candy! What is that??????????? I must know more! And if this soon to be 40 year old gets excited, tons of others will too....teenagers, business men, gadget junkies, people who need to have the latest in everything and more. Keep your eyes out for this one, because it's going to be HOT! Okay...did you check out the link? Not yet....well, maybe it's better that way. Don't say I didn't warn you. I know what's going on my birthday wish list! :)

SiteAmount.com

There's a site you'll want to check out called SiteAmount - Discover what your site is worth. Hop over to the site, pop in your web address and your monthly revenue which I wrote "unknown" and out comes a report. I popped this address in there for kicks and giggles and saw that it has a page ranking of 4, along with how many links I have and it breaks it down based on search engines as well. The site at SiteAmount.com then gives you an amount your site would be worth. Now because this is blogger, obviously I can't sell this, but one of my own domains is something different. Do you want to know the value of your domain? What if I popped in SurvivingNJ.com which I own? The site takes a little bit of time to generate a report, but don't give up on it, the information will be there soon enough! Sure enough, a report pops up with my info and I've got an idea of what the site is worth. It's a simple idea and it's free to use! Ironically my other site is a PR4 as well. If you haven't checked out your site's worth, stop by and try it out. This post has been brought to you by SiteAmount.com

Length of Time

I had read in a popular magazine a few people who were highlighted on You Tube for having great videos. They mentioned one person who goes by the name of Brookers. She has a chip video that is clever, well done and funny. The only problem for me was it was a tad too long for my liking. I started to watch others by Brookers as well, and then moved on to a few more. That's when I realized it wasn't that Brookers videos were too long, it's that I have the attention span of a fly these days! Anything over 2 minutes and I'm outta there! In this age of multi-tasking, you may have my attention for a minute or two, but get your points across, or I may be out of there. Take for instance this post...if it was any longer, it would be overstated. :) I'm done.

Optics

Have you ever wanted night-vision? If you hurry over to the Hot Deals page of Eagle Optics, they are offering a super deal on a night vision monocular. They even offer 90 free financing on all orders over $200. EagleOptics.com has all sorts of great optics, including binoculars. My dad was never without his binoculars when we were at a ball game, down the shore or just out hiking. He was an avid bird watcher as well, so he kept them nearby! You can also check out the binocular accessories at Eagle Optics. Whether you're looking for rangefinders, binoculars, night vision optics or anything in that nature, Eagle Optics is your Optics Outfitter! This message has been brought to you by Eagle Optics

Yet Again, Here I Am With Insomnia

I was so tired, truly I was...in fact I climbed into bed at 10:30. Mmhmmm, Going on 12:30 now. I'm getting frustrated that I can't figure out what the change has been. The funny thing is, with giving up caffeine, I thought for sure that would help...nope...bloated up like a balloon and still can't sleep. :\ I'm hanging in there the best I can, but it's starting to bug me I can't fall asleep at night lately.

Tummy Honey

When you're a woman and pregnant, one thing you are obsessive about is wondering if you'll get stretch marks. The key to helping avoid them is to keep the skin moisturized and healthy, though some stretch marks may show themselves, they usually end up fading to a light silver color. Mother's Intuition has introduced natural based products that can help prevent stretch marks. Tummy Honey is the product you'll want to check out. Both Carnie Wilson and Gwenyth Paltrow have bougth it as well, and Carnie Wilson has even left a testimonial at their site!

Here's the best part in my eyes, it contains no petrolatum or atificial preservatives and it's also hypoallergenic! Tummy Honey from Mother's Intuition wants to help you prevent stretch marks! This message was brought to you by Mother's Intuition.

Riding Bikes

The little boy next door is learning to ride his bike with training wheels. This is a big step up from a big wheel. I remember when my boys were small and they would want to ride their bike on one of our walks. They always had a habit of deciding half way home to walk, and I ended up carrying the bike! Finally I made the rule that if you want to ride the bike, you have to ride it the entire way! Seeing my neighbor out there on his bike reminded me of that!

Back Up!

Blogger was down today due to a scheduled outage. Glad to be back! It's funny, I don't realize how often I write i here, until I can't get into it. Suddenly, that's teh time that you "need" or "want" to say something. Then it opens back up again, and I'm not ever sure what I was going to say! :) Thx Blogger, glad to be back up and running again.

I did get some work done on a website, but I'm perplexed because there is this single blue line that runs down the page and I can't figure it out! It's a simple little line...but for some reason, it's getting me. That's the time to walk away...go back later and I'll spot the answer easier! (I hope!)

Levi's Promotion

I read about a contest over at Levi's Jeans where you could win a $300 Levi's gift card. You get to make your own personal ad, it's so much fun! I don't know if I like the idea of winning better, or seeing myself that thin again! LOL

Either way, Levi's are the jeans I love on my guys and have such a classic look. They are my all time favorites! Do you want a chance to win? Head on over to Levi's and create your own ad, placing it in the public gallery. If your ad is the most watched ad between January 8-17th you could win!

Jets Comments

Hubby's Thoughts on the Jets:
Mangini has done a wonderful job and I think they finally have the coach that will bring the Jets farther along, possibly a Super Bowl at some point. He's excited for next year because they did pretty well this year and I think that it shows potential for next year.

My Thoughts:
Go Eagles!

Executive Positions

I was talking about recruiting a few posts ago, and started doing some online searching for more information. I came upon a web release for a company at http://www.aefeldman.com which is an executive search firm. They are recruiters who deal in risk management, human resources, technology and more. My husband is a contractor so we keep our eyes out on new information on these topics and now that I'm picking up freelance work here and there, we find that the more we know and the more we find on these companies, the more options open. This is a company that works to fill positions in the middle to upper management level and works nationally. Check them out today at aefeldman.com. This message has been brought to you by aefeldman.com

Diet Fads

Here are the top 10 single ingredient diet searches over the last week...

Cabbage Soup Diet
Grapefruit Diet
Maple Syrup Diet
Apple Cider Vinegar Diet
Cayenne Pepper Diet
Special K Diet
Cabbage Diet
Rice Diet
Green Tea Diet
Cookie Diet

Fads never seem to go away. Here's the list of the top 10 diet searches. YOu can read the full story at Yahoo. Have you tried any of those? I'm no good at sticking to these kinds of things. The #10 spot, the Cookie Diet, is about having them for breakfast/lunch and eating a regular diet. I just read about it in a gossip magazine. Think slimfast now with cookies. The cabbage soup diet is one I heard about for quite a time, and the Grapefruit Diet since I was a kid.

More Videos Out

A new video of Saddam Hussein's corpse, with a gaping neck wound, was posted on the Internet early Tuesday, the second leaked release of clandestine pictures from the former leader's hanging

In a news article by Yahoo, full story here, there's reporting of a new video out. Shame people crave to see these things. Why do people want to look? Did you ever notice an accident scene, people bend over backwards just to see. Why give it air time, why give it any time at all. This was a bad man...and what's done is done. Do people not believe he is gone? Sorry, it just grosses me out people have this need to see horrible pictures like this. I won't be looking.

Baltimore

Looking for real estate? If you're in the market for Baltimore Real Estate, Briarcliff Apartment's are one place I was reading about in a web release. What caught my attention was that they are not only fireproof but they are soundproof too! You have no idea how much I appreciate that. I lived in apartments before marrying and when you have thin walls and can hear everything that's going on at your neighbors it can lead to some awkward situations. Seriously, I don't want to hear your music at 2am, and I don't want to hear you yelling at your kids early Sunday morning either! Briarcliff Apartments are privately owned and managed too, so that's always a bonus! This message has been brought to you by GebhartProperties.com

Monday Night Television

I love the line-up on Monday night. The Class, Two and a Half Men and The New Adventures of Old Christine. They are laugh out loud shows to me, and why I'm sitting here writing instead of watching them right now is beyond me! LOL Maybe I should jump down and watch and come back and write a little later. Okay, maybe just one or two more posts, then I'll go see what I'm missing! Glad reruns are over...

Job Recruiting

I'm always on the look out for job information and finding new places to find new jobs. If you're looking for Civil Engineering Jobs for example, you would head on over to CSIJobs.com because they are recruiters who help people find jobs. They are intensely involved in their jobs and want to match up the right prospective employee with the right employer. Their sales director has over 10 years of experience with recruiting. They take the database of propspectives and track down just the right candidate. They customize their searches and do it the good old fashion way by cultivating relationships, not by sorting through old resumes! This message has been brought to you by CSIJobs.com.

Simply Monday Thoughts

We had BBQ for dinner tonight. It was a nice dinner out. My hubby had to work all weekend, so it was a date night for us. I've got my hands full this week myself as I just opened another domain account and hope to start building on it. It's going to take me awhile to build it, but it will focus on health and wellness. I've got a few topics I'd like to cover on it. I'm looking forward to the new project and when it gets going a little more, I'll offer the web address here for you all to check out.

Properties Worldwide

If you are interested in real estate and property, then you'll want to keep Compass Worldwide Property in mind. They offer real estate globally! Whether you're looking for property in Morocco or in Caribbean, you've got to check them out. Investing in real estate is a great opportunity to make money, and knowing that there are properties waiting all over the world for you to choose from only sweetens the deal. Now Compass Worldwide Property is here to bring you those choices and make searching easy. Picture yourself vacationing in Costa Del Sol in your home just five minutes from the beach. Maybe you'll want to rent it out and resell in a few years for the income, or maybe you'll find your next incredible accommodation with a second home! Either way, Compass Worldwide Property is one site you'll want to check out. This message has been brought to you by CompassWP.com

Puzzle Key is on the Loose

The HP Camera puzzle is coming to a close and one lucky winner is going to snag $1000! Check out the information about the HP Camera puzzle and the puzzle key! People are scrambling to figure it out and looking all over. You won't find the HP Camera Puzzle Key here, but if you follow the link, you'll see a sample of it! Good luck everyone...I can't wait to see who wins!

Caffeine Update

Well, I've made it through the week without my caffeine, and funny enough I had insomnia last night. I know I was just over tired, but it is kind of ironic. I've stocked up on water, Crystal Light and Fruit2o. In fact, right now I'm having the grape variety. Good stuff. I love that they came out with another size bottle. I used to ge the big ones and there were medium ones, but sometimes I just want a little bit. I found a 10 ounce bottle size last night. This is a great little bottle for right before bed, or if I just need to take my meds.

Doing a lot of Lemonaide and Pineapple Orange Crystal Light as well. I think if I just stay prepared and get in the habit, soon enough the water and other choices will be my drink of choice and my Diet Coke will be left in the dust!

High Speed Internet

I'm not sure if I ever told you this story, but I used to work for the cable company for 5 years. I loved having access to free high speed internet. When I got married and moved in with my husband, he had dial up. Now let me explain something, going from dial-up to high speed access that is lightning fast is an amazing experience! Going from high speed internet access to dial-up was killer! I'm on my computer a lot, and wit high speed internet access I get twice as much done in half the time. Now, what's fun is I live in an area that is last to get everything! We finally got cable service, but I was reading about a company at MyBlueDish.com and they offer high speed internet access to people who can't access it! They deliver it via Satellite! 9 out of 10 of their customers would recommend it, but here's one of their key points. They offer the lowest price for satellite internet access. So if you're one of those people in an area that doesn't have access to high speed internet, you finally have an option! MyBlueDish.com is the answer you've been waiitng for!

Blog Subscriptions

I'm sorting through my bloglines playlist and I have the usual blogs listed, Problogger.net, CopyBlogger, The Best Week Ever, 1938 Media, and then a bunch of people that I've bookmarked along the way.

What I'm wondering is what do you have on your Reader/RSS Feeds that are must reads to you? I'm looking to add a few more and want to know what your cream of the crop/must reads are.

Thanks for your participation!

English as a Second Language

I've noticed in reading blogs that a lot of people are blogging with English as a second language or maybe third or fourth. Sometimes when you're learning a new language it's easy for them to mix up words or understand the natural dialect that comes along with the English language. Did you know that there is now a web site that let's you practice your English with real people? What an inventive idea! You can practice online, in person at social gatherings or face to face with somebody.

One of the most important concepts of learning something new is that the more you use the new subject, you have to use it often so that the thing that you learned sticks. So if English is your second language and you're having a hard time finding somebody to practice with, AnswerEnglish.co.uk has your solution! Take two minutes to check their website and you'll be glad you did! It will make the difference between learning and living the experience. This message was brought to you by AnswerEnglish.co.uk

Cereal is Different

I was eating a bowl of cereal this morning, and I'm still in the habit of reading the box like when I was a kid. Before I poured my milk, I popped one of the pieces of cereal in my mouth. Hmmmmm, somethings's different. I couldn't place it, but the taste was somehow flatter.

It would appear that they've healthied up my cereal! There are now no trans fats, and they are using whole grain in place of enriched white flour. You get 16 grams of whole grain per serving now. This is a good thing for my body, not so good for my tastebuds! During the first half of the bowl, I was thinking...not so sure I can keep eating this, it just doesn't taste right. Then by the second half of the bowl, I was like, I can get used to this.

So without even trying, I'm getting just a little bit healthier! Amazing what you learn when you read a cereal box. Oh, and did you know Snowboarder kelly Clark has a dog named Dumpster? I didn't either until I read it on the box! LOL

Goji Berries

Last week I was telling you about all the benefits of Goji Berries. There's a website at GojiBerries.us that has lots of great information. You can order Goji Berries from the Tibetan Himalayas! The more formal name for Goji Berries is Lycium Eleagnus Barbarum, so you may see this name other places as well. From the site of GojiBerries.us you can order Goji Berries as a dried fruit, or as a juice as well. There are differernt forms to take this product in that you'll want to check out as well. They also carry liquid vitamins that offer great benefits.

Did you know there are 41 different strains of Lycium Eleagnus Barbarum? The top quality strain comes from Northern Asia and Tibet. I know if I'm going to get a product that's going to help my health, I'm going to invest in one that is the best quality.

At GojiBerries.us, Goji Berries are available both retail and wholesale. So whether you're looking to get into the market and sell this nutrient rich product, or if you want the benefits for yourself, GojiBerries.us is a supplier you'll want to check out. There are testimonials as well, so be sure to read through them and hear what people are saying about GojiBerries.us

This message has been brought to you by GojiBerries.us

LoudLaunch - Compensating bloggers for their unbiased opinions, reviews, and analysis. View the LoudLaunch campaign release this post was based on.

Eagles Won the Game!

It looks like the Eagles took the game with a win of 23-20! Woohooo! Our next game will come January 13th as the Birds take on the Saints. The game will be seen on FOX at 8pm! I can't wait to see it!

To gear up, the Eagles official store is here. They also have podcasts and RSS feeds available so you can stay on top of the news. You can find info about podcasts and feeds here.

What a shame those lovely Giants won't be moving on...NOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I've got to tell you, that 2006 NFC East Champs Sweatshirt is looking pretty sweet!

What will you be watching next week? I know where I'll be!!! One step closer baby, one step closer!

Amazing Refund

What if I told you there was a site that can help you with Amazon purchases? When you buy something from Amazon, they have a policy in place where you can get a refund if the price drops. You get the difference in the price you paid, and the price that is now lower. Amazing Refund allows you to stop stalking the price changes! They do the work for you! They keep an eye on the prices daily and they'll by notifying you of the changes in prices. With that in mind, I'll be ordering my Amazon products through Amazing Refund, and I'll know I'll be paying the guaranteed lowest price on my Amazon buys. If the price drops, Amazing Refund will take care of it! They'll email you and let you know what to do. No more checking the price of the product you by wondering if you got the best deal. Now all you have to do is check your email, because Amazing Refund does it all for you! You can also check out their service for UK orders at Amazing Refund , which is their sister site!

This message has been brought to you by Amazing Refund.

Half Time Report

At halftime the Eagles and Giants are keeping it neck and neck. With 4 minutes left to play it's 10-10, Barber has over 96 years rushing and Burress is at 45+ yards in receiving. Manning is trying to show they're still in the game. Both teams are fighting it out and want the win, the question is who wants it more and who's going to go above and beyond to get the win.

I'll be out for the second half of the game and I'll have to grab scores on the radio as I drive, so with that said, this is NOT the game I want to walk away from! I don't have a choice on timing though. What'cha going to do?

Halftime Score: 10-17 (Philadelphia ahead)

Eagles Playing Now, Working on a Win

The Eagles are finally coming back from a not quite hot first quarter, but the Giants are showing their weakness. Yes they scored early, but it doesn't look like they'll keep up the momentum. That's good news for the Eagles as they are locking the pieces together and are going to start clicking now. I'd put it on the Eagles to come ahead and win this one. Time will tell, and it's still early. Westbrook all ready has 80 yards at this point...look for more.

Score at this point: 7-7

Walmart Ads

The nation's largest private employer says it creates tens of thousands of jobs a year, offers employee health plans for as little as $23 a month, saves "the average working family" more than $2,300 a year through its low prices and is a major contributor to local charities with donations last year totaling more than $245 million.

In an article about Walmart on Yahoo news, it discusses how they will be putting out some ads speaking of the good they do as employers and highlighting things like their helathcare options and such. Walmart has taken some big hits lately with different topics, but is it really that new of a target? Everytime one comes into a neighborhood people dispute it and dispute it, but you never see an empty parking lot.

We have 2 within 15 minutes of our house and a third in the other direction will be less than 15 minutes away as well. It's coming into a very congested traffic area as it is, and my concern is the amount of traffic it will bring. Otherwise will I stop and shop there...yeah, I probably will.

Fresh and Ready to Go

Valentine's Day is right around the corner. Do you have any ideas yet on what you're going to do for your sweetie? I was reading a web release and came across a place that sells fresh flowers called BeyondBlossoms.com. They offer a dozen roses for under thirty dollars! That's a great deal. So many other companies charge so much more. The other thing is that they are offering the lowest prices and fresh, fresh flowers and awesome arrangements; heck it's even their mission statement! Everybody loves flowers, and they are such a simple gift to order. Let someone you care about know you're thinking of them. Send them a great bouquet of roses! This message has been brought to you by BeyondBlossoms.com

Taunting Trash Bags

Little dog lost, otherwise known as Boo or Buster was barking the other night. There was nothing there...finally I discovered what was tormenting him. The neighbor had put their trashbags out on the curb. Could he seriously, okay, way a minute, this is our beagle, he barks at anything and everything, so why does this even surprise me??? *sigh*

Love that little dog, but boy howdy does he like to bark, and I'm one of those considerate neighbors who doesn't leave my dog out barking all day to disturb the neighbors. I bring him in if he's barking....just seems like no matter what he's going to bark. He can happily sit on the patio and just bark into the air or night, just to "hear himself talk".

Othrwise...he is a great family dog and a bundle of love and joy, so I guess if this is his one problem, it isn't so bad. Could be worse, eh?

CTS Wholesale Sunglasses

Do you sell products for a living? Maybe you have a store on Ebay, maybe you have a small shop set up down the shore, or maybe you own a bunch of stores! Either way, you'll want to check out CTS Wholesale Sunglasses. They have hot new styles for 2007 and selling sunglasses is a great way to make money. Whether you're looking to promote mirrored lenses or a hot new style, sunglasses are a great market to get in. Think about it, how many pairs of sunglasses do you own? I own about 5 pairs of sunglasses. I'm either sitting on them, losing them, or just looking for a great new look for a pick-me up. I like to keep them in my purse, in all my cars and well, okay, maybe I have an incredible love of sunglasses, but who doesn't?

At CTS Wholesale Sunglasses they are ready to show you the hottest styles people will be grabbing up. Sunglasses are something that people buy all year long. Most people think of summer, but what about winter glare? I wear mine all year round, and I'm always looking for a great new pair of sunglasses. They even offer a limited edition style at CTS Wholesale Sunglasses. You can buy them online or call in and order, which ever is easier for you. CTS Wholesale Sunglasses

LoudLaunch - Compensating bloggers for their unbiased opinions, reviews, and analysis. View the LoudLaunch campaign release this post was based on.

Between the Toes

So the dog comes in this morning, plops up on the bed and procedes to flop down right next to me. I wake up to a huge paw in my face. She wants me to pet her foot. Yes, my Grace has a foot fetish. She is obsessed with her paws being pet. I was talking to some friends and mentioned she likes you to rub between her toes, and they laughed and said it sounds dirty!

I can tell you why I think she is obsessed with her feet. She was a rescue dog we adopted when she was 2 years old. When she was found, she had a CB cord around her collar and near a truck stop. Nobody could find the owner, and he probably had to continue on his route after searching for awhile. Not sure if she was a trucker's dog or not, but she that's what they were presuming. If she was, she probably loved to sit on the front seat with him, and rest her paw in the center. While a trucker was driving, I'd presume he could pet her paw well....so hence, we think this may be why she has a foot fetish!

She loves to jump on the bed to wake me, drop her paw in my face and once you start petting her, she nuzzles in and is happy. Did I mention she is a moose and weighs a hardy 120 pounds?

Stock Photography and Royalties

I was over changing some things at the spa website I do and had to update our monthly specials. One of the things I do with the monthly specials, because they change all the time, is get stock photography. I use the stock photography to give the site the right feel. There are so many different sites to choose from these days. One I found is called ShutterPoint Photography.

Whenever I find a new site, I like to poke around a little bit, and one of the things I found is they pay 85% royalties to their photographers. That's the highest payout on the internet! Do you take pictures? Have you thought about stock photography? It's such a brilliant way to make money. You can upload your work and even have it critiqued by the community. Either way, you can upload your photography, and offer it out. Each time somebody uses your work, you get 85% of the royalties!

I'm a writer, so I know how important royalties are! When you're being offered bigger royalties, they add up quickly. Why would you want to go anywhere else and not be paid the full amount of royalties for your work? It's your work, you should be paid for it! Freelance photogrpahers have to check out ShutterPoint.com You'll be happy you took the time to see the difference. I've included a comparison chart for you, so you can hop over and take a look at it.

This message has been brought to you by ShutterPoint.com

My Phone Bill

My husband is activating his new phone. I finally dropped him off our regular plan..oh wait, don't panic, it was his idea too. He uses the phone about 3 minutes a month. I'm paying out the wazoo for that, so we ended his contract and he's doing the prepaid variety. Pay for a year up front, get "X" amount of minutes.

Hope it works out okay...he's activating it now. I'm so happy though because my phone bill is now cut in half! Woohoo....good feeling. Moved my mom to prepaid as well...and we're talking my bill dropped big time! It seemed like a nice gesture at the time, but sitting unused for 2 years, I paid for that. Glad it's done...

LeadMaverick

There's a new business to business community you need to check out because it may be the answer to increasing your SEO and ranking, as well as hook you up with some great information and services. LeadMaverick.com is a Business to business internet directory that offers both a paid and non-paid version of their services. If you opt for the paid service, they'll remove the ads, lets you brand your page, and you'll have access to highly detailed information. Non-paid customers are still just as important to LeadMaverick.com and you'll be treated with the same quality respect as the paid members.

They offer screenshots so you can check them out to see what your listing would look like, as well as testimonials. They even offer a price comparison so you can see how they rate against other subscriptions. They have cost per click and their prices comes to about only 55 cents a day and the best part is there isn't a limit on how many words you get to describe your company.

LeadMaverick helps you get exposure and ranking in the search engines. SEO is crucial for sites and you want to gain ranking naturally and organically. Having the right listing in the right directory can help you. They even have a free evaluation period, and it's a big one. You'll have to check it out for yourself, because if I told you, you wouldn't believe me, it's that good!

Check out LeadMaverick today and watch how much it helps! This message was brought to you by LeadMaverick.com

My Favorite Movie List

I've been tagged by Ray from Kentucky! Thx for thinking of me. :)

It's all about favorite movies, and I have to say, you may be a little taken back by my highly intense phsychological driven thriller and intense literature pieces that I've chosen, but alas...we are all just people. With that said, here is my list:

1. Something About Mary - my all time favorite! It makes me laugh everytime I see it...because there's Something About Mary! :)

2. Bad Santa- was a dark comedy that left me breathless from laughing

3. Airplane/Naked Gun series- because I'm a class act

4. Toy Story- I'm a mom and I've watched this one over and over...and I never got sick of it...that says something. All the others, I would cringe if they were played "yet again".

5. I'm torn between Forrest Gump and Shrek....

There you have it. Don't care for scary movies, action ones thrill me, but can't rewatch them...dramas, only sometimes. You'll always see me in the comedy section. I love to laugh, it's good for the soul. You walk out of a movie, or finish watching a movie with a great feeling.

Thanks again to Ray over at Freshblogger for thinking of me. It's my turn to tag a few people, so Julie, Terri and Marcus you've been tagged.

Sleep and Other Stuff

It's 11:53 and here I sit wondering if I'll get to sleep tonight and if I'll sleep well. I never even used to think about sleeping. I just did it. It seems that these days I have to think about sleep. Last night I dropped at 10 and didn't wake up until close to 10 this morning! Other days, I can't sleep until 2.

I've eeked out the caffeine, though I don't think that's actually the issue. I haven't changed my caffeine intake in years. I do think ridding myself of it is a good move though, and tomorrow will be my first caffeine free day. I had just one small bottle of Diet Coke this morning so I'd ease off slowly. After 3 days of weening, tomorrow I'm done.

PetiteHandsandFeet.com

I came across a site that is home-based and just adorable! Notice something special about the picture? This is from PetiteHandsandFeet.com. These are custom made pieces of love! They create keepsakes out of children's hands and feet! They are available to those around the Houston metro area.

They start out using clay and create unique pieces using the hands and feet of your little loved ones as inspiration! These are handmade and would make superb gifts for grandmoms, or great reminders of your child's youth.

You know what's really fun, you can host a house party for friends! You even get a free piece for hosting the party up to a $35 value! If you want to get an idea of some of the previous pieces made, check the photo page out here!

You can also keep your eye out for future displays at craft shows. They will announce them as they are scheduled.

If you have any questions you can easily contact them by email. Jump over to their website at PetiteHandsandFeet.com and check out their contact page for information. Because they create custom works of art, you'll need to schedule an appointment to have work done. They have a form you can easily fill out to set something up. They also offer gift certificates. Mother's Day will be here before you know it, and you could give Mom the perfect gift! Dad, set up an appointment today to get your little one's hands and feet custom made into a piece of artwork!

LoudLaunch - Compensating bloggers for their unbiased opinions, reviews, and analysis. View the LoudLaunch campaign release this post was based on.

Growing Up...Big Cats

We watched a show tonight called Growing Up: Black Leopard. It followed the path of a leapord who was born at a rescue facility, and taken into the household to raise for fear the father might injure the new cub. Over the course of an hour, it showed this itty bitty baby black leopard go through the process of trying different milks, where he showed allergies, they had to switch him from goat's milk to cow's milk and finally to puppies milk.

Watching him interact with the family reminded me of my own cat, but this is a wild animal being handled by people who work with large cats. Their sanctuary is mostly filled with those tigers, lions, bears and such of people who bought one of these wild animals when it was small and couldn't handle the needs of the large animal. There were tons and tons of them. How sad, and why anyone in their right mind would think that a baby tiger cub would be able to be domesticated in say an apartment when they grow to hundreds of pounds is beyond me. Regardless, it was mentioned numerous times, this is not an ordinary circumstance, please stop trying to raise wild animals.

*sidenote...remember that guy from the NY apartment with the big ole tiger and such in his apartment?? What was he thinking????

Anyway, they followed the year of his raising up until his release to a 20 acre piece of sanctuary set aside for himself (Eddy) and two other leopards.

It was a lot of fun to watch this show and with rerun season upon us, I was thrilled we came upon it. If you get the chance to watch this show, it was really enjoyable. It was on Animal Planet.

Muscle Cars

There was a show about the Corvette on the Speed channel tonight and it got us talking about our previous cars. The first car I owned was a shiny red 1983 Chevy Camaro. It was sweet. The year was only 1985, so I was styling and my high school friends were loving my car. In 1983 there were 154,831 Camaros in production. How did I figure that out? Over at thirdgen.org there's an awesome forum board and great info on all of the great hot cars. Think back to the Trans Am, Camaro, Firebirds, Iroc-Z28's and you'll be whisked to your youth. What guy or girl didn't want a car like this after Burt Reynolds took off down the highway in his gorgeous hot black car in Smokey and the Bandit. Remember them rolling that beauty off the truck? That's the feeling you get when you see something incredible. These were the cars guys drooled over and girls wanted. I had one of these muscle cars baby and I loved it! The message boards over at thirdgen.org are hopping and whether you're interested in a remote mount turbo system or just talking about cars in general, there's a great conversation going on. There are topics like detailing, interior, bodywork and more. So whether you're into restoration, electronics or audio; you'll find everything you need at thirdgen.org.

This message has been brought to you by ThirdGen.org

Rerun Season

I hate rerun season. We sit through a few weeks of boring reruns. It can be a great time to discover a new show, but when there's nothing on you like, it drags! American Idol starts their new season in January, and I suppose we'll have to wait until sweeps for the good episodes to come back on.

Hubby can sit through reruns over and over, but not me. If it's not fresh material, I have a hard time watching it.

Speaking of reruns, I think he's seen every Seinfeld episode like 50 times each! LOL I could NO WAY, no how watch a show over and over like that.

When I was a kid I could do reruns much more and would watch repeats of things like the Brady Bunch, What's Happening, Happy Days and Laverne and Shirley. Oh well, guess some things change!

Fish Talk

If you love fish and aquariums's you'll want to check out the Fish Tank Forums. You can get to them by going to fishtankforum.com and check out the different topics. Interested in starting a paladarium? What is a paladarium? It's part aquarium and part terrarium! See that, you learn new terminology here! Whether you're looking to start up your first aquarium or are an avid fish lover and just want to know more, this is a great place to start. They have both general talk as well as more specific topics such as fish tank maintenance, salt water tanks, fresh water tanks, plant life and more.

I saw the most gorgeous tank ever at a billiards hall in Bensalem. The gentleman had a saltwater tank that easily spanned 12 feet long and held the most vibrant life between plants, fish and coral I had ever seen. I could only dream of putting together something that spectacular.

My brother-in-law used to run two 6 foot fresh water tanks as well. He acquired them from a seafood restaurant that went out of business. It was amazing how large some of his fish got!

No matter what your level, this is the place for you to check out. The fishtankforums.com is your one stop spot for fish talk!
This message has been brought to you by FishTankForums.com

FireFox Newbie

I downloaded FireFox a little bit ago, but haven't really played with it too much. I did pull it up today and was looking at some different add-ons. I like that it has plug-ins and skins and such. The next task was reading tons of pages about other people's favorite add-ons. I've added about 5 so far, but not sure how many I actually want. I don't want to become dependent on a list of say 23 different plug-ins. I like to keep things pretty streamlined.

I'll still be playing between my Firefox and IE for now, but I'm going to give FF a little more time and see how it feels to me. What amazes me is how different pages look in both windows. Things look "smaller" in FF text wise. I'll have to play around with all of that...

Flowers and Gift Baskets

I'm not sure if I mentioned that one of the things I got for Christmas was flowers. It was a gorgeous assortment mixing lilies, roses, carnations and another flower I don't know the name of. I love the smell of flowers. I would get right in there and smell them up close; absolutely gorgeous. I was just reading a web release about a company that sends out fresh flowers and gift baskets called Dot Flowers. You can find them at www.dotflowers.com. They offer gourmet gift baskets which and all sorts of flower arrangements. These are things that everyone loves to get. They offer complete satisfaction, and want you to have a winning experience. This message has been brought to you by dotflowers.com.

Steve Irwin's Last Moments

The only remaining copy of footage from the wildlife documentary Irwin was making when he was fatally stabbed by a stingray barb last September has been handed over to Irwin's widow, Terri.

In a story on E! News, found here it discusses Steve Irwin's final moments on tape being passed back to his widow. All other copies of the tape have been destroyed. I would hate to see something like that being sensationalized and am glad it won't be on YouTube or some "scary videos" show on Spike TV or something.

In a tribute, the road that runs near the well known Australian Zoo he founded was renamed "Steve Irwin Way". He was a man who was passionate about his love for animals. I loved his shows and specials. But this tragic tale's ending is now safely tucked away with Terri Irwin; as it should be.

Do Dogs Smile?

I think they do. I can tell when my dogs are ultra happy. My one girl Gracie just gave me a big ole grin with her tail wagging. It's different than her mouth open...it's in her ears and her eyes, her mouth is a cerain way.

Heck, my Beagle gets dimples when he smiles.

If you're a dog owner and a pet lover, you'll know what I'm talking about. If not, you'll think I'm crazy! hahhaa...It's okay, I know of what I speak!

Anyway, it's just one of those questions. If your child asked you "Do dogs smile?"
How would you answer? I'd answer yes! Wish I could snap a pic of them doing it, but you know they'll never cooperate!

The Dating Passport

Online dating has become much more acceptable as a means of finding partners. One of the problems with online dating that you may not have thought of is that some people use fraudulent photos or information. One of the ways that you can fix this problems is by using a Dating Passport. I was recently reading a web release about a company who helps dating sites work around the problem of something being fraudulent. There is a solution that will give your site more credibility. By accessing the Dating Passport you can let people feel assured that your site is credible and people are who they say they are. This brings things to a whole new level, and honestly, if I were to go back into the dating pool, this is one of the things I would look for. I would want to know that the site I'm looking at is looking to stop fraudulent activities.

Don't get me wrong, there are great people out there. In fact I met my husband on line and we've been together for 7 years now. It was a great experience, but I did come across some less than honest people in my quest for love. Knowing that a site took the time to keep their site fraudulent free would certainly earn my attention and dollars. If you're running a matchmaking site, or a site where people can find activity partners, don't you want people to walk away satisfied....knowing that the people on your site is who they say they are?

Now that my mom is back in the dating world, this is something I worry about. My mom has just started dating again after being widowed. I lost my dad 4 years ago, and my mother is somebody I'm very protective of. She was looking at different online dating sites to meet people, but the one thing you always worry about is are people who they say they are. Are you? Think about it, all you have to do is upload a photo and write whatever you want in most of the sites out there. How do you know that people are who they say they are? This concerns me and knowing that a site took the time to rectify this issue would make all the difference to me. Sure I want my mom to meet somebody nice, but at what cost? When you hear a friend or somebody is online looking for love, you may not think twice about it, but when it's your mother, you think extra long and hard about these things.

Pretty soon, you'll know the difference between a good site and a not so good one, because the Dating Passport will be the difference. It will become the standard that everyone looks for. Are you going to be the site that is left behind because you didn't think it was important? I wouldn't want to be that way. I'd want to lead the pack and say, I want our members to be the best and be who they say they are. It's totally up to you, but I know my standards and I know what I'm looking for in a site that my mom can use and I'm comfortable with.

This message was brought to you by The Dating Passport

LoudLaunch - Compensating bloggers for their unbiased opinions, reviews, and analysis. View the LoudLaunch campaign release this post was based on.

Rise to the Top of Search Engines

Have you heard of the company USWeb? If you're involved in search engine marketing, this is a company you'll want to know more about. They have been in business since 1995 with offices across the country. They are known for their vast experience in this area. Here's the thing, you can have a business online, but if you can't market it and get it to the top of the search engines, you're not going to be getting all the traffic you could be. Traffic is what converts into sales and leads. It's the new year, try doing things differently, and accept that there are ways to further your success. USWeb is a company that can help your company be seen. They can naturally help your business rise to the top where it belongs. Isn't it time you checked out USWeb?

This message has been brought to you by USWeb.com

Happy Birthday Julie, How Old????

Shouting out a Happy Birthday to Julie, because she's keeping track! LOL

Nah, but she did teach me a new trick to birthday counting. I may have to keep it in mind when my 40th rolls around in June. I know how old she is, but I'll never tell!

Happy Birthday Jules. :)

LBI Picture Quiz

Do you recognize this? It's another picture from my LBI trip this weekend. I know some of you will immediately know it. Come on, you can do it...think Bay Village...Schooner's Wharf! Okay, you knew you recognized it and maybe the name escapted you. Maybe you'll recognize the next picture I put up!

One thing I love about this area in the winter time is how empty it is. One thing I don't like....public restrooms are closed! LOL

Lottery Spendings

I guess you have to play the lottery to win the lottery! The mega jackpot will be up over $100 million dollars. The next drawing is on Friday. What would you do if you won that kind of money? Here's what I'm thinking...

Pay off my home and do some traveling with my husband
College Funds
Pay off my families debt
Charity
New Cars for the entire family

What would you do with $100 million dollars? It's okay to dream...but like I said, you have to buy the ticket to win. I don't generally buy lottery tickets. It's one of those things I think about, but rarely do. I hear $100 million dollars and go, oooh...I should buy a ticket, and then I go...well...I probably won't win! LOL

Stock Options and a Trial

I came upon a web release about stock options today. It was an interesting read, as I'm not at the top of my game in this area. Luckily my husband loves staying up with the stock market and knowing about different stock option opportunities.. I'll have to tell him about PowerOpt.com. The president of this company has been a stock trader for over 40 years, and that's the kind of experience you want on your side. They are offering a 14 day free trial that is full access. That's awesome, because usually when you check out a site, they give you limited access and you don't know if it's what you want in a site. This one has over 200,000 options you can analyze! Since my husband is an analyst this is right up his alley! I would like to learn more about this topic though, so if we sign up for the free trial, I'm heading right to the tutorials so I can learn more. What will you do with your free trial? This message has been brought to you by PowerOpt.com

Selling the Goods

Pop icon Whitney Houston has essentially forfeited the contents of an Irvington storage facility after failing to pay at least $150,000 in fees, according to an attorney for the warehouser. The contents -- pricey touring equipment and musical instruments, plus beaded catsuits, monogrammed velvet bodysuits, rhinestone belts, a leather whip, pantyhose and other unmentionables -- are to be auctioned off next week.

In a story on NJ.com by Vicki Hyman it would appear there will be an auction of Whitney Houston's stuff.

Whitney Houston was a raging success in the 80's, and her rendition of the "Star Spangled Banner" sold oodles of copies, but the last 10 years or so have not been so kind. Numerous news stories and a reality tv show did not show her or her estranged ex in the best of light.

Whitney may not still be known as a raging success, but maybe the auction will be. Time will tell.

Spending Time Online

I'm happily going along in my day when one of my favorite sites goes down! Oh my gosh, my head was spinning! How does it go down right when I am using it! Here's the funny part....I didn't realize how much I could accomplish and get done if I wasn't on that site for a short while! *smile*

It's funny how dependent we become on message boards, chat rooms, online gaming and other sites that we use to entertain ourselves. The problem is we don't generally realize how much time we spend on them, until they are not there!

I just found it interesting that when I couldn't reach one of my regular sites, I missed it! I guess I'm a creature of habit! I like to go back to the same places often...

Loud Launch

There's a new company I want to tell you about called Loud Launch. One of the things that's becoming a hot trend is something called word-of-mouth buzz. This is when a blogger discusses a product, website or service and let's you know what's new, hot or interesting. Loud Launch has gotten involved in this industry and wants to be a full disclosure company that lets people know that there's a great press release to read, and spread the word on some great products and services in the process. They want to connect bloggers and advertisers. For advertisers, they can set up an account with as little as $50 and create as little or as much buzz as they would like. In the disclosure link, you can follow it and you'll get to read the latest press release on that particular product or service being mentioned in the "buzz". For more information on LoudLaunch.com, just click on the link.

LoudLaunch - Compensating bloggers for their unbiased opinions, reviews, and analysis. View the LoudLaunch campaign release this post was based on.

Hidden Cameras; Fair or Not?

What do you do when you want to catch a thief? Do you want them to know you're going to catch them red-handed? Or do you want to be as inconspicuous as possible so you have evidence? I remember when I worked as a police dispatcher and I used to debate over the difference of an audible burglar alarm and a silent one. Chase him away, or leave time for the cops to come and catch him to get him off the streets?

Either way, you want what you have to work. In the instance of catching a thief, if they don't know they are being watched, they are more likely to be caught, and let's be honest, if they are doing nothing wrong, nobody will be caught. That's where Hidden Camera technology comes in.

In offices, employees are caught doing things with hidden camera technology all the time. Now hidden cameras are tiny and not even noticable. Do you know if you're being watched? Did you know that there are light fixture hidden cameras, sprinkler ones like this one, cameras in clocks and picture frames. You'd better make sure you're on your best behavior; you may very well be on hidden camera!

How do you feel about this kind of technology? Is it a violation of your rights? Do companies have a right to know what their employees are doing? Do you have a right to know what your babysitter is doing when you aren't there? It can bring up strong feelings, but when your conscious is clean, there's nothing to worry about. One last thought, when you are being taped on a telephone conversation by a company, it lets you know. How do you feel about NOT knowing you're being watched?

This post has been brought to you by BrickHouseSecurity.com

Sleeping Patterns

Whoa baby did I sleep in! My schedule is getting all mixed up and my sleep patterns are getting pushed later...go to bed later, get up later. It's crazy how easy it is to get off pattern. I know that setting a routine and going to bed at the same time really helps you stay on a pattern, but what do you do when you go to bed and just lie there? I can only stay in bed for an hour or so if I can't sleep...after that, I'm up and outta there; it can be so frustrating! I never had problems with sleep before and it seems it's on and off these days. I guess I can't complain too much over a couple months when my sister has had problems sleeping for years!

PBR Debuts in Madison Square Garden

Professional Bull Riders are coming to town baby! Madison Square Garden is hosting the PBR with the Versus Invitational this week! Are you ready for the ride? Jan 6th and 7th is going to be a crazy fun experience at MSG in New York City! This is their debut at Madison Square Garden! Who says city folk can't get rowdy at the rodeo!

Here's the thing though, all these other events leads up to the finals in Las Vegas in late October and early November. Can you imagine going to Vegas and watching the finals as they all give it their best shot! Who do you think is going to win the title this year? Want tickets to the finals? Call (866) PBR-SHOW and you might be able to score PBR Finals tickets if you hurry!

This is the "Built Ford Tough" series and it's going to be a hot one in 2007! The top 45 riders who make the most money go to the finals, and that's going to be one hot show. Imagine being caught up in the action and adrenaline waiting to see who wins each go round...man or bull! Watching those brave bullriders hang on- totally hot! This is one tough sport and one that gets you going!

Imagine getting to see it front and center first hand, rather than on television. That's what I'm talking about, the energy going, the adrenaline rush, the crowd going wild. Who wouldn't want to experience the World Finals in Vegas?

This message has been brought to you by teamonetickets.com

American Idol is Coming

Are you an American Idol fan? Do you watch the show, or are you a closet watcher, telling your friends you don't watch, but you secrety do? January 16th is the start of it all! Season 6 here we come! Can't wait, can't wait, can't wait! Some how or other for about 3 years in a row, I've been away during the finals...actually, I end up being down LBI! Wonder if I'll be watching the finals from home or the shore this time? Are you ready???? OH I SO AM!!!!

Anna Nicole's Paternity Test

She has until the end of the month to submit to the DNA testing...What do you think the results will be? It's not going to change my world, but now that it's in the news....and not much else is...I'm getting a little curious. Okay, I admit it...I'm ready to know.

Larger Sizes

I was really happy to see a company that offers products for a woman with a large chest area. This is a problem you don't think about unless you're like me and have a large chest. Finding good products that offer great support is important and when I hear of a company that caters to this, it makes me glad to see companies are understanding women come in all shapes and sizes. If you're a harder to fit size, due to being larger than standard bra sizes, this may be just what you're looking for. These are made specifically for cup sizes D to G.

LoudLaunch - Compensating bloggers for their unbiased opinions, reviews, and analysis. View the LoudLaunch campaign release this post was based on.

LBI Memories

Do you remember Buckalews before it was redone? I was talking with the lady from The Engleside one day while I was visiting, and we were mentioning how much it's changed over the years. Some things remain the same and seem like they always will, but so many places and things have changed. Do you remember the two theaters? One is left near the Acme, but one turned into a lumber place across from Buckalews and the other is a spa now! LOL

What do you remember about how the island used to be?

Texas has so Much to Offer

I spent most of my life in the Northeast between New Jersey and Pennsylvania, but a few years back I went to Texas for a short spell. I have to tell you, I fell in love. I had a friend who lived in Houston, I visited Galveston, I stayed in Amarillo for awhile, and I went to Dallas. Here's the thing, Texas is so many different things. I loved how Amarillo was open and country, and then I came into Dallas and it was a mondo-big city with everything you could imagine! I couldn't believe how many highrise buildings and Dallas Condos there were. I didn't realize how massive this city was! It was so cool and had so much to offer to so many people. There's so much great real estate there as well, whether you're looking for North Dallas Condos, Uptown Dallas Condos, or Downtown Dallas Condos you can find them at highrises.com. Now if only they didn't have the Dallas Cowboys there....well, being a Philadelphia Eagles fan that is a small bit of an issue. Besides "The Boys", Dallas is a busy, fun and exciting city with great weather and lots to do. If you're considering moving to the Dallas area, check out highrises.com. This message has been brought to you by highrises.com

A Small Piece of LBI

I have a few more pictures to share with you from my trip down the shore on New Year's Eve. We were eating lunch at Buckalews and a couple girls came in to make reservations for THAT NIGHT! They had 12 people and were surprised when they were told it was a full house all ready and they were completely booked. I thought it was odd people would wait until the last minute to make reservations, but I guess you don't expect the shore to be packed in Dec/Jan!

Anyway, this is a pic of the little shack at the end of the island. :) Old Barnie usually gets more attention, so I thought I'd take a pic of the "other end" of the island!

Registering Domains

So I’ve been playing with names that I want to register, and I’m not sure if I want the title of the new site I’m building to have the keyword in it, which would be smart SEO wise, or if I want it to have a little more personality. Kind of torn here…kind of torn. I prefer names that have a little bit of catch to them, but on the other hand…the keyword in the title is smart…OY! How will I decide…maybe I’ll do both ideas and split them. One as an info site, one as a personal one….decisions, decisions…I’ll have to sit on this a few more hours or days until I decide

Magazine Prices

I went to the drugstore yesterday and picked up 3 magazines that I don't have subscriptions to. It cost me close to $12.00! I have to order the subscriptions to these, then it will cost me 1/3 of the price as buying them in the market. Usually I buy subscriptions, but for some reason, the last few I've been picking up at the store, I haven't gotten yet. I need to get over to MagsDirect.com because they have hot deals on Magazines! I hate paying $3-4 dollars a magazine when I know I can get them for sometimes $1 a magazine by getting a subscription. They have so many different topics to choose from like fitness, gardening and more. Time to order some magazines! This message has been brought to you by MagsDirect.com

Aura Reading

I wentover to ImproveYourAura.com and uploaded a pic to see what it said about my aura. Here's mine...what will yours say?

Goji Berries

I came across some information on Goji Berries and Juice this morning, it caught my attention. The site talks about the relationship of an acid or alkaline diet has on your system. One of the things it mentions is that having a lot of acidic properties in your blood isn't good for you and can cause some problems. They mentioned that diets full of vegetables and the such cause you to have more alkaline in the blood, which is healthier for you. The Goji Berry is something new to me, and while reading about it I learned that these have 20 times stronger than wheat juice in producing that alkaline effect. They are extremely nutrient dense and has been used in non-traditional medicine for years. This is something I'll be reading more about! It's the new year, a great time to start anew and take your health more seriously. What do you know about the Goji Berry? Check out GojiBerriesJuice.com for more information!

This message has been brought to you by GojiBerriesJuice.com

Thanks with a Shout Out

I wanted to send out a special thank you to a couple of girls who did something special. I was really excited and wanted to share that I'd sold 5 books on Dec. 29th, so I went to one of my local online hangouts and mentioned this small accomplishment. My books sell in a trickle of 1 or 2 here and there, but on this day I had sold 5! (Self-published and proud of every single one!)....so anyway, a little later that night, turns out they decided to show me some link love and mention my books in their blogs!

Thanks to Suni, Amy and Marissa for this sweet mention. I was really touched that they wrote and promoted my book. Suni even put one of them in her sidebar. Above and beyond girls, thanks for thinking of me. Show them the love and go check out their awesome sites. :)