Tidy Bowl Has No Idea What to Name Her Blog

Spanish Class

2012-01-27T16:45:00.000-06:00

Thanks for the post, Nora Howe

I’m taking a Spanish class in college. It is required for my degree, which I guess is pretty useful since a lot of people I will come in contact with will only speak Spanish. It is not that hard of a language to learn, if you ask me. I’d love to be able to travel to a Spanish-speaking country, because I heard being emersed in the language is the best way to learn it. To this end, I actually watch Spanish shows on my direct tv Baltimore. It has really helped me pick up on the language and the “slang” of the language. I especially like to catch a movie I am familiar with, and then watch it in Spanish. It helps to know the context, or remember what they were saying in English. I actually have a solid A in the class, and while the teacher is great, and I do study hard, I really think viewing Spanish programs on a regular basis has helped me and given me an edge in the class.

audio equipment

2012-01-25T21:44:00.000-06:00

I spent the day today volunteering at my church. I've been familiarizing myself with our audio system, which is really pretty fantastic. There's quality equipment everywhere you look... everything from projectors to amps to a yamaha gigmaker. It's a lot of fun playing with everything. I mean, I could never afford these things on my own- and I really don't have a "need" to buy them, either. But they're still fun to use and explore on my own!

what happens to old ballparks

2012-01-16T22:29:00.000-06:00

Did you know you can buy all kinds of jewelry made out of parts from old major league ballparks? Apparently when they take out the chairs or whatnot, they reuse them by making ballpark cufflinks and necklaces and bracelets, then sell those to sports fanatics who are willing to pay ridiculous amounts of money for a scrap of the old ballpark. I'm all about "reduce reuse recycle", but this is just kinda dumb...

furniture

2012-01-16T22:24:00.001-06:00

When I was in college, just outside of town, there was a shop that sold amish furniture. It was really nice stuff... far nicer than what you'd find at Ikea or even at a lot of furniture specialty stores. Most of it was solid wood furniture, really well built, the kind of thing that would become a family heirloom!!

furniture

2012-01-16T22:24:00.000-06:00

construction

2012-01-16T22:20:00.000-06:00

I have never been much of a fan of construction-type things... the kind of stuff you'd do in a shop class, with power tools and whatnot. Once when I was on a mission trip, my team and I built some wooden shelves... mostly I did the sanding. :) So it's very safe to bet you will never find me wearing a miller welding helmet or playing with power tools!

Extravagant Renovations

2011-12-28T21:56:00.002-06:00

The Author of this post is Solomon Dejesus

My husband and I just renovated our home, and nearly went broke doing it. One might think that I’m the spender in the family, but my husband is the one who went really crazy. I know that we are planning on staying in this home for a long time, and it’s important to be comfortable, but some of the things he wanted were outrageous. We installed a huge home theater with 12 individual recliners, and a projector and screen. He also just had to have a fancy TVin every room in the house, which I thought was absolutely ridiculous. I had a hard time fighting him on things though since I was spending a little outrageously on my dream kitchen. When all was said and done we went $20,000 over budget, and I was afraid we wouldn’t even be able to afford to install the security system we talked about when we started the project. Thankfully when I searched adt price we found a package that suited us and that we could afford. There is no way we could have this amazing house without an alarm system!

cookies

2011-12-28T19:53:00.001-06:00

I have made a ridiculous number of cookies in just the past couple of weeks. With the holidays, there have been plenty of sweets around my house. It's a good thing though! I love baking, so I'm glad to have an excuse for it. Plus I love "sharing the love", so to speak, so it's a lot of fun to visit friends with a cookie delivery!

drug abuse

2011-12-03T13:28:00.003-06:00

I read yet another article today about how prescription pill abuse is at an all time high... necessitating rehab places that can offer rapid detox for opiates, among other things. Kinda crazy... sad. But not totally a surprise, I guess... I mean, drug abuse has existed almost as long as people have existed, so it's not a surprise that addicts are finding new ways to feed their addictions.

big box retailers

2011-11-23T21:42:00.000-06:00

I've been shopping for workout clothes again lately, what with the coming of winter. I buy my workout clothes cheap, at big box retailers. It really irritates me that I wind up buying most of my clothes at Walmart... I buy there because they have better quality and cheaper clothes than comparable retailers (Target and Kmart), but their parking lot is such a mess around here that I really try to avoid them as much as possible! Kmart is so much easier to get in and out of, plus I can almost always find good kmart coupons in the Sunday paper. But alas, as long as Walmart is cheaper, they'll keep drawing me back... sigh.

winter

2011-11-16T20:05:00.001-06:00

I know it can't be avoided, but I am NOT enjoying the coming of winter! I love the warmth of summer, and it's just hard for me to enjoy when I have to exchange my tank tops, shorts, and flip flops for jeans, t-shirts, and Lucchese Boots. As it gets colder, I'll have to layer long-sleeve shirts and other warm clothes. And, brrr. I just don't like it! :)

Taking in some culture with a Grease play

2011-11-07T21:22:00.002-06:00

Guest post written by Angelina Cox

I'm not someone that you could say likes to take in a whole bunch of high brow culture. You certainly won't see me going to the opera or going to some fancy art exhibit, much less buying anything at one. But one thing that I really do love doing is going and seeing some musicals. I don't get to do it that often because of my mommy and work schedule, but it really is a great thing I have to say.

I first heard that there was going to be a Grease play in our area a few months ago. As soon as I heard about that, I went online to see if I could buy some tickets for it immediately so I wouldn't miss out on seeing it. When I was online doing that, I ran across some info on miracle ear and after I read through ti some I decided to switch over to some new hearing aids. I wasn't very satisfied with the ones that I'd been using.

I really was quite glad that I went and saw it with my best friend. It reminded me just how much I loved the movie and it was a great girls' night out!

house

2011-11-07T20:53:00.002-06:00

Stupid Blogger. I just composed a nice long post about an episode of House and doctor uniforms and all kinds of other medical goodness, and Blogger deleted it. Boo.
http://www.blueskyscrubs.com/categories/Scrubs/Scrubs-for-Men/

There was another earthquake a few minutes ago. I guess my house must be really well-built, because I didn't feel it. I haven't felt any of the earthquakes in the past couple of days. I have a lot of friends who are acting frightened and nervous because of all these earthquakes, but I'm just... not! For starters, these earthquakes have NOT been severe or caused major damage. For another thing... if it happens, it happens. You just deal with it. Being frightened serves no good purpose!!

jewelry

2011-11-02T20:25:00.000-05:00

I'm not a huge fan of jewelry, but I keep thinking that one of these days I should find a couple pieces of jewelry and wear them more regularly. Something like stainless steel necklaces or rings, maybe. The big thing for me is that any jewelry has to be more or less waterproof... I don't want to have to take them off and put them on again every time I exercise or shower. I have one silicone bracelet which actually works well, and it would be awesome if I could find a couple of cute silicone thumb rings.

rv memories

2011-10-12T20:29:00.000-05:00

When I was young, my grandma and grandpa had an RV. We all called it the camper. It was small, at least as far as RVs go, but it was really different and a lot of fun. I remember exploring it, climbing into beds that were up high or down low, all the different nooks and crannies. I suppose it was pricy to own, with rv insurance and all that, but it sure made for some good memories.

iphone

2011-10-12T20:28:00.000-05:00

I still am seriously considering buying an Iphone, but since no one is offering a really good deal on an Iphone 4 (with the recent release of the Iphone 4s), I’m toying with the idea of just buying an ipod touch 8g. Can’t really decide though… I’m not sure what I would like more. I don’t know how much more my current phone will last, but on the other hand I hate the idea of spending so much money…. Argh, choices, choices.

clothing

2011-10-11T21:00:00.000-05:00

I think the best time to get dressed is anytime the clothes are fresh from the dryer. It feels so nice to put on heated clothing, especially if you're already a little tired or worn out. Of course it's not possible to have fresh hot clothes all the time, which is too bad, but as it gets a little cooler outside, that is definitely a special treat for me!

veterinarian

2011-09-30T20:25:00.000-05:00

I remember when I was about twelve years old, I was dead set on becoming a veterinarian. It's funny how life changes... I planned to get allergy shots to treat my allergies, and I would get to spend every day in Veterinarian Jobs with dogs and cats. Mostly dogs, though! I still love animals, and I still spend as much time with my friends' dogs that I can. But life has certainly led me on a very different path!

writers block

2011-09-26T15:53:00.000-05:00

I have writers block today. It is seriously frustrating to stare at the monitor and think of nothing that I can writing about anything. I resort to doing strange little articles about strange subjects like opiate detox treatment, which actually pays pretty well, oddly enough. Oh well. I guess that is the strange life of being a writer. Que sera sera.

writing and netbooks

2011-09-26T15:49:00.000-05:00

I am writing so much more lately. I love it, but I can't help but wonder if I shouldn't invest in tablet netbooks to make it a little easier on me when I'm sitting in a recliner or otherwise not at my desk. It's hard to justify, though, since I really should replace one of my laptops soon. I hate the idea of buying a laptop AND a netbook at the same time!

bathtubs

2011-09-21T20:15:00.000-05:00

My old apartment had a clawfoot tub. It was really not a very nice bathroom, or even a very nice apartment. It was in desperate need of remodeling! But I have fond memories there. It was an old home, but it was a cozy home, and it was my home.

Mom's Challenge

2011-09-02T15:25:00.002-05:00

Guest post written by Kevin Beach

My mom is about as into technology as a caveman and I was determined to try and up her tech quota. She didn’t even have a cell phone when I got started with her! I took her to the Verizon store and got her a nice flip phone (start her off easy, that’s what the clerk told me) and she’s finally gotten used to that. I got her a plasma TV for the house and she likes that a lot too but she doesn’t really understand the concept of Direct TV which I got her to go along with it. The next step I think is taking her to an Apple store and getting her a Mac but for the time being I guess I’m going to have to be okay with her not able to email. I have a feeling teaching her how to use a laptop is going to be a really, really uphill battle that will spawn not just a few fights so I’m saving that one until I’m ready.

barcode scanners

2011-08-25T20:11:00.000-05:00

We have a Honeywell Barcode Scanner at home that we use to scan everything we buy, then send that information to a consumer group that compiles information about consumer purchases. But I gotta admit, I'm getting a bit fed up with it. It is irritating enough to ALWAYS scan every single purchase, but I can handle that- it's their website that drives me nuts. Very poor design and it loads sooo slowly!

tshirts

2011-08-25T20:08:00.000-05:00

Anyone who knows me knows that I live in t-shirts and jeans- unless it's hot outside, in which case I'll likely be in a tank top. I have a decent-sized collection of funny t shirts and I always wear them out. Once in awhile I'll donate some of them to a nonprofit, but most of them get worn out before I can do that!

smoking

2011-08-17T16:05:00.002-05:00

I do not smoke, which may be why I do understand why people smoke. I've read a lot of articles lately about these upcoming warning labels on cigarettes, how they'll be very graphic and the cigarette companies are upset about them and how they might scare some people away from smoking. (DUH! that's the point!) Plus since I work online, I see posts in forums and whatnot of people looking for stuff like cheap backwoods cigars... and I just don't get it!

mountains

2011-07-26T00:27:00.002-05:00

I'm spending the week in Rocky Mountains, which is a pleasant break from the oppressive heat of Missouri! I'd almost forgotten that it could get so cold, and I love it. It feels so good to be outside and almost wish for a heavy coat or womens boots. Of course, I know that come winter, I'll grow tired of it quickly- but for now I'm just soaking it up as much as I can!

life insurance

2011-07-08T20:05:00.002-05:00

All the new hubbub about health care is so irritating. As far as I'm concerned, nothing has changed. I have a preexisting condition and, in spite of being healthier than countless of non-preexisting-condition people, I'm "uninsurable". I qualify for high risk coverage at $400 to $500 a month. I don't even spend that much on health care in a YEAR, so it's easier for me to just be uninsured. Seriously- from looking at life insurance online quotes, I know that strictly speaking, it is more profitable for me to be DEAD than to have health insurance. What a world!

2011-07-08T19:56:00.002-05:00

I actually still have one more vacation this summer, but I think I am all vacationed out! I'm not even tempted to go to the mountains or to the ocean or to branson lake homes or any of it! It's been tons of fun but I'm exhausted from all the driving and the information overload. Hopefully my next vacation will be easier!!

cellular

2011-07-08T19:53:00.002-05:00

After another vacation to the East Coast, I am learning a lot about wifi and 3G and even wilson cellular boosters and how those relate to my cell phone. I can't wait until the wifi and so forth proliferates to the midwest so that we can also take advantage of all their benefits. But until then... at least we have 3G! It's certainly better than nothing!

announcements

2011-07-08T19:42:00.002-05:00

Spring has come and gone, and with it the season of graduation announcements. I actually escaped rather unscathed- not too many announcements, which means I didn't have to buy too many gifts. Now we're heading into the season of fall weddings, so we'll see how many invites for those I get. None of my close friends are getting married, so I'm sure that any invites I get will be the ones from people I've only met once or twice, who are desperately trying to get as many gifts as possible.

Making the site transactional

2011-05-28T14:32:00.001-05:00

Thanks to Roman May

My furniture store had always had a website, but it was only last year that we decided to make the site transactional. We knew we had to do something to take business to the next level, and allowing our customers to purchase online just made sense for us. We did a lot of research about online credit card processingand I think we've chosen one that works really well for us. Business has nearly doubled since we opened it up online and we now have clients from as far away as California! I never imagined we would be a national business, but it looks like that's exactly the way things are heading. I don't care who buy our product as long as someone is buying, so making it easier for customers to find us online was definitely one of the best decisions we've made yet. Things are looking up, and only going to get better from here! Who knew that 2011, in these terrible economic times, was going to be the best year yet?

cleaning up from the storms

2011-05-28T14:27:00.003-05:00

I am so thankful that we have not had serious damage from the recent storms in the midwest. Between the tornadoes and floods, there are a LOT of homes that need a LOT of repairs. I can't imagine dealing with all the work they will need- from repairing water damaged floors austin to professional odor removal austin to rug cleaning and repair austin. Just lots and lots of things to fix. Not to mention the HUGE number of things that will be totally destroyed. I can't imagine losing everything like that. So difficult. I try not to be materialistic but there's something comforting in my "stuff".

self employment

2011-05-24T21:02:00.003-05:00

Owning and operating my own business is certainly a challenge but I wouldn't trade it for the world. There are so many decisions to be made, some harder than others, but always something- everything from small stuff like Address Plaque to big stuff like major bills and insurance payments. It's a whole new unique kind of challenge, but it's a good challenge too, and I love it.

morning yoga

2011-05-24T20:49:00.002-05:00

I had an early morning today, as I usually do on Tuesdays. I went to a yoga class at my gym that started at 5:30. As usual, I woke up between 4:15 and 4:30, then dressed and drove to the gym. After the class, I stopped at McDonald's for breakfast, then picked up the dog for a walk. The early mornings usually mean I don't get much sleep the night before, so I get pretty much nothing done in the rest of the day, but it's worth it. I mean, I've given up trying to find diet pills that work, and this keeps me healthy.

insurance

2011-05-17T17:59:00.002-05:00

My car insurance will be coming due pretty soon. I'm thankful that I have a good insurance company and a quality car. Insurance is expensive enough as is; I can't imagine if I had to pay for, say, motorhome insurance or some other huge expense! Shoot, I wouldn't have a larger vehicle like that just because I simply would not be able to afford it!

numismatics

2011-05-17T17:56:00.003-05:00

The other day, my grandfather was telling us that he sold several pieces from his large coin collection. Some of the pieces were simple; quarters and dimes and nickels and pennies, perhaps from many years ago. There were a few morgan silver dollars and other silver dollars, as well as some gold coins. He didn't become a millionaire or anything but he got a respectable amount for those coins!

outdoors

2011-05-09T15:34:00.002-05:00

I am not really an outdoorsy person. Lately I've been running and doing more and more outdoors stuff, but overall I prefer to stay indoors in a pleasant, climate-controlled environment. Even stuff like four-wheeling, where you're still in some kind of technology environment, is not my kind of thing. I don't like to worry about maintenance, like ATV Tires and stuff. Plus, if I am going to be outside, I like to enjoy nature and the environment. Nothing more than an mp3 player for me!

cameras

2011-05-09T15:30:00.002-05:00

I've been thinking about getting a new camera for a long time now, but it is a HARD decision to make! There are so many options available- everything from SLRs to point-and-shoot, Kodaks to Canons to even fuji finepix. Plus there's so many applications for all those different types of cameras. Quality is great- you can take really good photos with reasonably cheap cameras. It's nice to have so many choices, but it's also a little overwhelming!

tomorrow's to do list

2011-04-28T22:36:00.002-05:00

Tomorrow I need to run to the store and buy more face wash for adult acne, among other things. What a crazy week this has been! I also have a bunch of books that are due back at the library, and I am really hoping to be able to go to the gym tomorrow also. Though with so many things to do, I am afraid that the gym will be at the end of my list!!

freemasons

2011-04-28T22:30:00.002-05:00

Lately I've been doing a lot of research about the Freemasons and all the symbolism in freemasonry. It's really interesting- it's so full of symbolism and history. Some of the symbols are things we see and use every day. Like there are a bunch of symbols that are also used in jewelry- how many of us realize we are wearing masonic jewelry? Crazy!

2011-04-20T21:14:00.002-05:00

Lately I've been getting into photography again. It's a lot of fun but also challenging. It can be tough, sometimes, to find things to photograph, particularly when I don't go out too much. Sometimes I'm tempted to go someplace where I know there will be lots of color, like a park or the zoo. The zoo, especially, would be really cool on a sunny day... lots of light and colors, interesting peacock alleys, animals. Maybe one day soon...

braces

2011-04-20T21:08:00.003-05:00

Since I've started running, I've given the concept of a knee and/or ankle brace a whole new respect! When my legs are just that sore, a brace of some sort sounds awfully tempting. Luckily my upper body has remained relatively pain-free, so I haven't needed or wanted a shoulder brace or anything like that... yet!

surgery

2011-03-30T21:00:00.003-05:00

I am very lucky in that I have never needed abdominal surgery. In fact, the two surgeries I've had were both VERY minor. When I was a baby, I had chronic ear infections, so the doctor put tubes in my ears. Then, in my late teens, I had oral surgery to take out my wisdom teeth. Both are pretty common procedures. I suppose, health-wise, it's good that I've never had any abdominal cuts. Cost-wise, it's DEFINITELY good. But I have to admit that sometimes I think a surgery would be kind of an adventure!

Bowling with My Brother and Our Families

2011-03-16T21:13:00.002-05:00

Guest post written by my buddy Aldo Mays

My brother and I love to go bowling together because it reminds us of the days when we were kids. Our parents used to take us to the local bowling alley to bowl, play games at the arcade, and of course, to eat hot dogs and nachos. We try to go together a few times a year, taking our kids with us as part of the tradition.

Last weekend, we had my brother's family over for dinner before heading to the bowling alley. My wife made a big pasta meal and a delicious chocolate cake that was a huge step up from the days of bowling alley hot dogs. After we ate, we set our home security alarm from allhomesecurity and drove in our minivan to the alley.

Naturally, trying t! o figure out all of the shoes sizes for the kids was slightly chaotic, as well as trying to find balls that were lightweight enough for them to use. My brother and I both brought our own shoes and I borrowed a ball from him to play with. He's also in a league, so he has several balls that are really high quality and personalized with our last name. I think that ball may have actually made all the difference in my game. I bowled a 215, which is the highest I've gotten in a long time!

pizza

2011-03-16T21:09:00.002-05:00

Two days ago my family watched a really interesting documentary about pizza. I never realized pizza had so much history! Everything from its original creation, to the addition of tomatoes, to the "Italian" pizza made with tomato sauce, cheese, pepperoni, and basil, to modern franchises like Pizza Hut and Dominos. Did you know it used to be a poor man's food? Seems like lots of foods we love now were once created by and consumed by the lowest class of society!!

taxes

2011-03-16T21:05:00.002-05:00

Tomorrow I will do my taxes, and I'm hoping I don't owe much this year. I'm self employed so I have to send a check to the IRS every quarter (every three months) to pay for my contribution to Social Security, medicare, SSDI, etc. There's a chance that I've paid enough to merit a refund this year (which would be wonderful!!) but I'm not getting my hopes up because just as good of a chance that I will owe! :(

optometrist

2011-03-05T20:28:00.003-06:00

Pretty soon I need to schedule another appointment with my eye doctor. I am lucky to have an eye doctor who is really one of the best around- not just in my opinion but also according to many major publications and organizations. The office has state of the art welch allyn equipment, and the doctors and optometrists are just brilliant. I visit roughly once a year so that I can get another prescription for my contact lenses, and it's one of the few doctors visits that I don't mind paying for!

health insurance

2011-03-05T20:25:00.002-06:00

It is sure interesting to see how all this health insurance reform is developing. It isn't difficult to find people who believe we need to reform the health care industry, but there are just so many ways to do it and it's hard to know what will work and what won't. But speaking personally, I wish they would come out with catastrophic coverage insurance, like NC short term health insurance, because that's all that is needed for people like me who are overall pretty healthy anyway.

mesothelioma

2011-03-05T20:20:00.002-06:00

Mesothelioma is such a funny disease. Sad, of course, and I don't mean to make light of anyone who suffers from it. But it's one of the few diseases that can be pointed to a single, specific cause (exposure to asbestos), and because of that, litigation attorneys are going nuts. It's their bread and butter to attack companies and corporations who may have exposed someone to asbestos at some point once day long ago. That's kinda sad in itself, because I wonder if that's really what our founding fathers had in mind. But that's the way it is.

diet and fitness

2011-03-05T20:16:00.002-06:00

I think the diet and fitness industry is so humorous in its redundancy. You know, everyone is looking for the new magic pill or potion to make losing weight easier (like adapexin-p), but unfortunately that just doesn't exist. The only way to lose weight is diet and exercise- hard work. But people are still looking for an easy escape, and that's why we keep seeing new books and diet plans and pills!

self employment

2011-03-05T20:12:00.002-06:00

I love being self employed, though even then, there are benefits to remaining a small business instead of trying to grow into something large. Larger businesses require larger and more complicated performance management software, although those also bring the potential for selling the business someday and receiving a tidy profit. I suppose both ends have their pros and cons. Either way, I am happy where I am and I look forward to this future.

printers

2011-03-05T20:00:00.002-06:00

My father found a sale on hp printers in an advertisement and has started looking for a reason to buy a color laserjet printer. It's kind of a silly thing to want, because we really don't have a use for that, but the price has definitely come down over the years. Hard to believe that these printers, which used to cost thousands of dollars, are now only a couple hundred at most!

insurance

2011-03-05T19:53:00.005-06:00

I don't have a lot of money, and I am so glad I have a good insurance company and don't have to worry about finding a cheap auto insurance rate. That's one less thing for me to worry about, and one less cost I don't have to struggle to pay. Plus auto insurance is so important- not only because it's illegal to not have it, but just in case you get in an accident, whether it's your fault or not, or even if the other driver is uninsured- auto insurance guarantees you won't go broke just recovering from that!

baby gifts

2011-03-05T19:45:00.002-06:00

It seems like I've had just so many friends who have had babies over the course of the past year! I'm happy for all of them, of course, but I'm glad the year is done and the babies are born, because I am just out of ideas for unique baby gifts! The babies are all cute, though, so it's okay- they are totally worth it!

bathrooms

2011-03-05T19:40:00.002-06:00

I need to get upstairs and clean out my bathroom. I'm honestly not as good as I'd like to be about keeping my bathroom clean. I've gotten better over the years, plus I got a cabinet- kinda like a robern medicine cabinets- and that's helped me to keep it clean. But I definitely have room for improvement! Too bad I don't make enough money to hire someone else to come clean it for me!

jewelry

2011-02-28T15:33:00.002-06:00

One of these days I need to head upstairs and get back to cleaning out my bedroom and office. It doesn't help that the room is so small and that I need to cram so much into it. My dresser is small, and it's a good thing I don't wear a lot of jewelry, because it barely has enough room for my jewelry holder box.

rain boots

2011-02-28T15:29:00.002-06:00

I never owned a pair of kamik rain boots, and I can't say that I ever really saw the appeal. Maybe it's because, around here, when it's raining hard enough to really be able to splash in the puddles and have lots of fun, it's usually accompanied by lightning. Lightning makes it quite unsafe and inadvisable to run around outside! far better to stay inside and not risk getting electrocuted!

fire damage

2011-02-23T14:24:00.002-06:00

I read an article recently about a huge apartment fire in Austin. What a mess! Luckily there were no injuries but so much damage!!! Residential fire damage Austin... they will need lots of rug & upholstery cleaning austin and professional odor removal austin. It's just remarkable how much damage can be caused by a single flame. I'm incredibly thankful that I haven't been faced with those troubles before and I pray I never will be!

Such a huge experience. It's kinda crazy how, we can build houses and businesses and skyscrapers, and we can fill them with all kinds of "stuff", lots of belongings, and in just a few minutes, a fire can destroy all of them. Unbelievable. Humbling, I think... that we can do so much yet we are still at the mercy of God and nature!

acne

2011-02-23T13:55:00.002-06:00

I may be 27, almost 28, years old but lucky me, I'm still searching for an effective natural acne treatment. It amazes me that I've had so much trouble finding it, and it kind of also amazes me that it's such a big deal in our society. Maybe it's just me, maybe it's an appearance thing, but I really don't think it is a huge deal to have a pimple here or there.

vitamins

2011-02-23T13:50:00.002-06:00

I think our society's latest obsession with vitamins and supplements is kind of comedic. For one thing, I think a lot of people want to take vitamins to replace a healthy diet. For another thing, people are always searching for a "magic pill" to cure disease and make them live longer. But the reality is, if you need a vitamin, most of the time, regular multivitamins are perfectly sufficient!

prenatal vitamins

2011-02-23T13:45:00.002-06:00

I had a friend who had a baby a few months back, and went through all kinds of issues with her pregnancy. It just makes me glad that 1)I'm not pregnant, and 2)I don't have to deal with all those issues with pregnancy and medicines and finding prenatal vitamins with dha. I'm not against pregnancy, it's just that I think it's a huge hassle when you're dealing with all those problems!

running

2011-02-23T13:35:00.006-06:00

I am running more and more lately. I'm still struggling to figure out the vitamins and supplements, and also the fuel during the runs- like what I should eat and when- and of course the hydration issue is a huge thing too. It's really quite scientific- figuring out what and when and what works best. click here for more info!!

jobs

2011-02-23T13:32:00.003-06:00

Today I went out for lunch at Mcdonalds. They had a "help wanted" type sign that said, look online at mc-something or other dot com to see open management jobs and restaurants that are hiring and such. Every now and then when I see those signs, I think about applying, though I don't think I will. But it's certainly a position with interesting potential.

computers

2011-02-14T21:42:00.002-06:00

I'm not in a place to buy a new computer right now, but I sure wish I was. It would be tons of fun to shop for and to buy one or two super nice gaming computers. The shopping is half the fun, plus the potential for playing the games and the fun that could be had is just fantastic! If only!

running in hawaii

2011-02-03T20:05:00.003-06:00

Since I've become a runner, I've begun thinking of homes and vacations in a whole new way. Now, I look at a location and wonder how good that location might be for running! It would be just so phenomenal if I could afford to buy a house in Hawaii and run on the beach every day. Or I could run up and down the volcanoes in Hawaii. Or just trail running on the different islands in Hawaii! I've actually never been to Hawaii but I can just imagine how wonderful it would be. Warm air, dewy sweet, with cool ocean breezes... that would be phenomenal.

jewelry and crafts

2011-02-02T20:30:00.002-06:00

Over the past few days I've had lots of fun with embroidery and crafts and jewelry making suppliesand such. Snow days can be so much fun!! Since we couldn't go anywhere, we just relaxed and enjoyed being alive and safe, and it was so nice. When nature slows you down, it's good to pay attention!!

muscle vs. fat

2011-01-12T14:30:00.004-06:00

I have worked so hard to exercise and I get so tired of seeing people selling fat burners to people like me on twitter. For starters, exercise tends to burn fat but since you also gain muscle mass, it takes time for it to have a significant impact on weight. For another thing, the real issue isn't a number on a scale but percentage of body fat! In the end there is no magic cure!

home insurance

2011-01-12T14:17:00.002-06:00

I am so glad I don't have to deal with finding good homeowners insurance rates. There are so many crazy things going on in the world right now and you just can't protect against everything- floods in Australia, massive amounts of ice and snow in the north, mudslides in the west... it's such a mess out there and insurance would be so expensive! How do you protect against everything?

diet pills

2011-01-12T14:12:00.002-06:00

I read yet another article today about the dangers of even the most effective diet pills. Especially the most effective diet pills- since a lot of those pills use unhealthy methods of shedding weight. Plus they're usually not even permanent- stop taking the pills and the weight comes right back! Better to just diet and exercise- it took time to gain the weight and it will take time and hard work to lose it!

diet pills vs exercise

2011-01-12T14:01:00.003-06:00

Do you remember awhile back when Phen Fen was such a rage? I don't know why. I guess I just don't understand people who turn to pills like Fenphedra. Maybe part of it is because since I've started running, I've just fallen in love with it. It feels so worthwhile and so much more fun than taking a diet pill!

NYE champagne cocktails for everyone!

2011-01-12T14:00:00.001-06:00

Guest post written by Mitch Richardson

Sometimes I feel kind of left out in my circle of friends because I don't have kids like the rest of them. But I try not to feel down because I can go on vacations or go out without having to worry about a babysitter or changing dirty diapers. So when I mentioned that I might be having a New Year's Eve party at boys' night a few weeks ago, I got everyone's support on the matter.

I think that the party is going to be much larger than I had originally thought or expected. I keep thinking of more people I should invite or friends keep texting me and asking if it's okay if other people can come. But I have the space, so the only thing that I'm worried about is having enough food and drinks. I was searching for a caterer a few weeks ago online when I came across some info about wireless internet companies and after I read through it a little bit, I switched over to one of them.

I want to at least make sure that there will be a NYE champagne cocktail for everyone there and of course enough drinks and food to go around otherwise.

mice

2011-01-09T15:04:00.001-06:00

Is it "mice" or "mouses", when you're referring to computer mice? (mouses?) Anyway I was just thinking about how much nicer they have become. The old-style mice/mouses, with bearings to signify movement, were good but they got so dirty and hard to use. The new laser mice are accurate and faster. Plus now you can get good wireless mice/mouses, which are fantastic!

jewelry

2011-01-09T15:01:00.002-06:00

My sister is much more of a "fashionista" than I am. Maybe it's because I work from home- I almost never dress up or wear makeup or fashion jewelry. Just not my thing! But since she works in an office 5 days a week, she dresses up every day. And I guess it's because she dresses up so much- she also dresses up on weekends too. I'm an underachiever!

projectors

2011-01-09T14:57:00.003-06:00

Now that I have left my old church, it is so nice to not have to worry about taking care of a projector or needing to find the best price on projector bulbs or anything like that. From what I've heard, the situation is kind of falling apart without me, but it's their loss. Meanwhile, it is nice to have so much more time for myself!

It always seems to tastes the best on New Year's Eve

2011-01-09T14:55:00.000-06:00

Guest post by Toney Elliott

On New Year's Eve, my sister, her husband, their children and I, all eat Chinese food. We place an order a few hours earlier in the afternoon, for the food to be delivered at around 7:00 PM. It's the only time of the year that we order lots of different items from the menu of our favorite Chinese restaurant.

My brother-in-law picks me up at my house around 0:00 PM. When I hear Jack beeping the car horn outside my house, I first make sure I have set my home security alarm from www.INHOMESECURITY.net before going out for New Year's Eve. We stop at the grocery store, and pick up some horns and poppers for the midnight celebration. The kids love making all that noise and confetti mess.

Then we finally arrive at my sister's house, and by now it's usually starting to snow a bit. We spend the afternoon watching movies and playing games with the kids. Later in the evening, Marge and Joe, long time friends of the family, always come by for a visit. We play cards, share a few glasses of wine, and celebrate that we all made it through another year. They leave and to go back home for the night.

The Chinese food arrives late. It's funny, but some how it always seems to tastes the best on New Year's Eve.

my "office"

2011-01-03T16:00:00.003-06:00

We've been fixing up so many things around this house- everything from door handles to fresh coats of paint. Specifically I've fixed up my bedroom-slash-office, and I'm really pleased with the results so far. I still have more things to do to fix up this room, but it's becoming quite functional and pleasant. Plus I always seem to need to clean more things up, pick up more gizmos and gadgets from schlage hardware or some other hardware sotre... there's always more to do! But still, I am pleased!

Is He Really A Fugitive?

2010-12-20T15:06:00.001-06:00

This guest post from Lewis Beck

First he was Hon Solo. And that was one heck of a role. I mean, come on, let's face it, Hon Solo is one of the coolest characters ever created. Everyone loves a good guy with a rebellious streak. And Harrison Ford fit that role so well. But I don't want to get off track here. Harrison Ford wasn't only great as Hon Solo; he was also incredible as a falsely accused man in The Fugitive.

From what I understand, The Fugitive used to be a great television show. Well, the old-timers can say whatever they want, but there is no possible way that the television show compared to this movie. First of all, they didn't have the technology. Secondly, this was a movie with an all-star cast. Not only was Harrison Ford in it, but so was Tommy Lee Jones. Facing these two off against one another was a brilliant move. They both sold their roles to a tee.

Are you familiar with the one-armed man? If not, you have to check out The Fugitive. This movie is action-packed. I know it's not considered a new movie anymore, but it's still better than almost every action movie released today. I just watched it for about the tenth time last week on BestChoiceTV. And you know what? If it's on next week, I'll watch it again. It's one of those movies where you can pick up something new every time you watch it.

weight loss

2010-12-18T21:59:00.003-06:00

I'm tired of reading about wannabe weight loss solutions, like http://www.naturalfatburner.org. Call me a skeptic, I guess. I just don't see how anyone can have long term sustained weight loss without big changes in their diet and exercise- lots of exercise! But that's just me I guess...

sailing

2010-12-18T21:56:00.003-06:00

It's only been a few months since our time on a Royal Caribbean cruise ship, but we're already starting to think about taking another cruise- probably Alaska this time. Their people are so kind, and it's a great way to figure out a vacation. Plus I just love sailing. It's a bit geeky, I know, but it sure is fun!

lofts

2010-12-05T16:42:00.002-06:00

I just discovered that the loft beds I adore are a type of atlantic furniture. How cool! I would love to get one, even though I don't *really* have a reason for it. I mean, it would be a neat way to fit more stuff in my room, and I guess I always could use that. Plus I love the concept of sleeping up high- loft beds, the top bunk of a bunk bed, that kind of thing. Kinda silly but I love it!

Family Tradition

2010-12-05T16:38:00.001-06:00

The article written by Frances Blevins

Every Thanksgiving, my family and I will go to my parent's ranch. My brothers and sisters bring their families too. We all bring side dishes and pies, knowing that the main meal will be deliciously provided by our mum. After a nice meal, we all gather in front of the fire to discuss how big of a tree we need this year. You see, my folks live on a farm where there are tens of acres of trees. We all decide how big or little our trees will be, then we get bundled up to go chop them down. Dad always makes sure to set the security alarm (ADT Security deals) before we leave. Aside from Christmas tree traditions, he has always taught us about being safe as well. While it may take most people just a bit of time to pick and cut their tree, it usually takes us hours. That's why Mum always loads up a large thermos of coffee and another thermos of hot chocolate. Sometimes we'll even have a bonfire after the trees have been selected. There's just nothing like the crisp air around the heat of a large fire. The one thing that makes it so wonderful is that I am surrounded by the ones who mean the most in the world to me. I wouldn't trade this Christmas tradition for anything in the world.

vaccines

2010-12-05T16:27:00.002-06:00

When I was a kid, I was given the full vaccination schedule. Measles, mumps, rubella, diptheria, tetanus, the whole nine yards. I actually have many vivid memories of my mother taking me to the health department, where she got the vaccines for free. All the nurses there were very nice, though I was always afraid because of the needles and such.

My most vivid memory is of my oral polio vaccine. I had a very sensitive gag reflex, which was a bad combination. After the nice nurse in the burnt orange scrubs shoved the oral vaccine down my throat, I promptly vomited on her cheap scrub top. Luckily I'm sure she had plenty of clearance scrubs, but I felt bad!

When I grew up, I lived overseas for a time and saw people dying from the same diseases against which I was vaccinated. That's why I just don't understand why some parents refuse vaccination. There is no reason to allow people to die of these totally preventable diseases when you have the option of getting a vaccination. No reason whatsoever!

weight loss

2010-12-02T19:35:00.002-06:00

I was out running again today, but I've been less and less motivated lately. What I wouldn't give for a magic weight loss pill like lipofuze. Unfortunately those are expensive and generally useless. But I bet you could ask anyone who is on a diet, and they'd all agree- we would go for a magic weight loss pill in a heartbeat!

blackheads

2010-12-02T19:32:00.003-06:00

I had a flare-up of my acne last week- a whole colony of blackheads on my chin. Grr. I need to find some kind of blackhead removal treatment. It seems like I've finally gotten the angry red pimples under control- just still struggling with the less-visible blackheads. I guess that's kind of like, two steps forward, one step back. Oh well, I'll take whatever I can get!

scrubs

2010-12-02T19:27:00.002-06:00

I am tired and very grouchy today. I just want to lay around in comfy medical scrubs and do nothing. Unfortunately I can't really do that, seeing as how I need to earn money to pay bills and I can't earn money laying around. Too bad though! I would sure love that! Ah well. Work is necessary. Such is life.

Thanksgiving At The Ranch

2010-11-28T22:14:00.000-06:00

I appreciate the guest post, Jenny Caldwell

A lot of people have thanksgiving dinner traditions but few of them include a trail ride, cattle round-up, and grilling steaks outside on Thanksgiving. While the grilling part might be fairly common I'm certain the other things are rather unique to my family. We're cattle raising folk and while it's not necessary we love to do a little work in the morning while our special ladies cook a good down home meal for us. Fried chicken, mashed potatoes, sweet potato pie, I drool thinking about it half the time.

We go out while dinner is cooking and we trail ride on horse back. Some of this is for fun and some of it is to check out the other pastures since we normally move the cows and horses around this time. The grass is largely dying in the larger pastures and it's easier to feed them in the smaller ones.

Once we're done messing around with the animals we come in, get cleaned up, and have a good time with the family. Half the time the house is filled with people we haven't seen all year. After dinner we sit down and watch direct star Tv, usually a ball game. Eventually we get together and just talk or play games, depending on what we feel like. The best part of the day is just getting together with people I haven't seen since the last Thanksgiving. It's nice to get in touch with the family.

shoes

2010-11-28T22:05:00.004-06:00

I was thinking about buying new shoes today. I went for a run and was having more trouble with the arches of my feet than usual- inflammation, like plantar faciitis-type pain. Plus, I've had these shoes for awhile so I need to replace them before too much longer anyway.

Finding new shoes is so frustrating sometimes, though. It's trial and error, which can VERY expensive, and then once you've found a pair you like, it becomes incredibly hard to find that type of shoe again! Thank goodness there are good online shoe stores with huge selections. Sometimes I am not sure if I would have any shoes without them!

home ownership

2010-11-22T21:38:00.003-06:00

I am not a homeowner. I think owning a home would be neat, but at the same time, I don't look forward to all the responsibilities that would come with home ownership, like taking care of a lawn or taking care of the home in general. Not to mention, around here, I'd have to worry about flooding, and then I'd have to deal with flood damage and professional carpet repair austin or professional hardwood floor cleaning austin. Plus, any damage at all and I'd have to pay for professional odor repair austin.

Ah well- I think I like where I am for now!

ingredients

2010-11-16T14:43:00.002-06:00

I'm amazed by all the recipes I've created and how much I've learned how to cook. It's interesting, the more I learn about cooking, the more I become aware of the ingredients in the processed foods that I eat. Many of them are good or at least (arguably) not bad... others are definitely not good. And most of them are just fine as long as they are taken in moderation! (like glucomannan!)

acne

2010-11-16T14:34:00.002-06:00

Hard to believe that I'm 27 and still have problems with acne. I am glad, though, that I have it mostly under control with over the counter medicines, and I don't need to take Acneticin or any other prescription medicines. Now if only I could get rid of the hormones that cause it to flare up once every month! Ah well- I still really can't complain much, I've seen many people who have it much worse!

cyber monday

2010-11-16T14:24:00.002-06:00

I still can't believe it's almost Christmastime. I need to figure out my Christmas gifts for my family! Black Friday is just around the corner, but I've never enjoyed shopping in that huge crowd (or waking up at ridiculously early times), so I'll be looking for Cyber Monday deals. Maybe personalcreations.com Cyber Monday deals. This year, Christmas really has snuck up on me!

The Boston Celtics are ready to play!

2010-11-16T14:19:00.001-06:00

Thanks for the post from Rashad Townsend

This is basketball season in Beantown. The Boston Celticss are on the warpath to try to regain their NBA title status. They have a tons of talent on the team. But it all starts with the coaching.

Doc Rivers has this team right where he wants them. He has some fantastic and exciting players that will make watching the preseason and the regular season a treat. Doc was once a great NBA player himself so he knows the in's and out's of the game.

Shaquille O'neal will stand guard in the paint along side with standout Kevin Garnett. Those are some real forces for other teams to contend with. Shaq has all the experience in the world to help the Celtics return to championship form.

Paul Pierce and Rajon Rondo make up more pieces to this dynamic puzzle. They will offer some great outside shooting by Pierce and some great slashing moves by Rondo. Ray Allen is another seasoned veteran who will offer another threat to opposing teams daring to take the Celtics on.

This is a real star studded cast that will make watching pro basketball a real treat this year. And, I love to watch Preseason NBA Basketball on satellite tv from www.expertsatellite.com.

christmas cash flows

2010-11-16T14:07:00.004-06:00

Oy, I'm feeling schizophrenic today. Hard to focus on anything.

Thinking about signing up for another blogging for money program. One more form of income. The only problem is that I struggle enough to find a topic to write about, and I'm not sure I could consistently think of something to say on a topic like age of war or boxhead 2.

Ah well. Luckily this is not a terrible problem to have. I'm just trying to find more ways to earn money so that I can prepare for buying Christmas gifts for my family and friends. Fall is always a more difficult time of year for me!

car insurance

2010-11-10T20:50:00.002-06:00

There is a really annoying car insurance commercial on right now. But, annoying though it may be, I'm not too surprised... It's one of those no-contract, "buy insurance by the month" places, for people who buy insurance just so they can register their car. Given the state of the economy, I would bet that a lot more people are choosing not to pay their car insurance bill. It's not right but... that's the way it is.

pleasant fall weather

2010-11-10T20:43:00.003-06:00

I am loving this pleasant fall weather. It's warm enough that I can go for a run in a tank top and shorts, but cool enough that I don't get hot while I'm running. It's so nice I almost wish I could just move my life onto the porch... relax in adirondack chairs, pull my butcher block outside and cook out there, install utility sinks so I could do my laundry out there... There's a light breeze and it just feels fantastic. Unfortunately I know that winter is just around the corner! and once winter gets here, I'll have to put away my tank tops and wear long sleeved tshirts or maybe even sweatshirts. :(

City Stage Is A Gem In Springfield, Massachusetts

2010-11-09T20:06:00.000-06:00

Thanks for the article from Alex Holland

Robert and I have been going to City Stage for over 10 years. To us, it's second nature. But it's amazing the number of people who don't realize Springfield, MA has it's own theater.

As patrons of the theater, we like to espouse the importance of experiencing live drama. We've had fund raisers for the theater, and have written letters to the local papers, encouraging people to go.

If we have out of town visitors, we always try to bring them to City Stage. Of course we bring them out to dinner, first. That's the other wonderful thing about downtownSpringfield: the restaurants are fantastic! All we have to do is set the home Security systems and we're off to share a wonderful time with friends.

But the theater is what surprises people the most. It's located in a beautiful Greek Revival building right next to its twin, City Hall. The two buildings present an imposing view as you're walking up the marble staircase, one that never fails to impress. I heartily recommend anyone who visits Springfield to visit City Stage.

Bringing Home Some Color

2010-10-30T22:03:00.001-05:00

Guest post by Gerard Mcdaniel

Fall is our family's favorite time of year. Leaves are changing color and the weather is perfect; it's never too cold or too hot to be uncomfortable. The beautiful colors outside seem to offer all the necessary warmth.

Yesterday, our family decided to embark on an adventurous journey by waking a walk through the neighborhood to enjoy the wonderful Fall season. Before heading out the door, we made sure to set our home security alarm from SecurityChoice.com and then we were ready to begin!

As we walked down the neighborhood to explore, my husband and son were busy picking up colorful leaves of all sorts. My son especially enjoyed jumping all over the leaves and listening to the loud crunch they made beneath his toes. I had my camera with me, of course, to capture a portion of these magical moments to be able to look back on them later in life. Finally, when my husband and son had a nice collection of unique looking twigs and beautifully colored leaves, we decided to head back home.

Once at home, we decorated a vase with leaves and placed the twigs inside to bring some of the Fall season and colors indoors to enjoy.

office decor

2010-10-30T21:54:00.004-05:00

I've pretty much given up on decorating my office. Seems like it's all I can do to keep it clean, much less create some kind of office décor. I painted it last year, and that's pretty good for me! Besides, I am such a functional personality- I don't like to put things in there just to have something that looks pretty. Everything in my office has to serve a purpose beyond aesthetic beauty!

flash drives

2010-10-30T21:50:00.004-05:00

I was cleaning out one of my drawers the other day, and I realized I just have way too many usb drives! I mean, I have flash drives of all different sizes, and I'm surprised by how many I have. It's crazy how quickly they add up. Plus they're just SO cheap nowadays that it's so much easier to buy a new flash drive... and I guess, the next thing you know, you just have oodles of them. Oh well!

Friday Night Get Togethers

2010-10-25T20:31:00.001-05:00

Content by Mauricio Benson

My friends and I all share the same favorite reality show, "Big Brother." Every time the show comes on we have a get together at my house and order either chinese food or pizza. The show starts at 8:00 p.m. so everyone shows up around 7:00 to order dinner and get a comfy seat. Once everyone is settled in I turn on the sattelite from TVByDirect.com to get the show started. This season has been completly amazing and so far has kept us on the edge of our seat. This past show was devastating and we sat around my house for an hour after talking about the shows outcome. My sister took off in a rush because she was irritated with who had to leave the house, the rest of us thought the situation was a little humerous which upset her even more. She is always over-dramatic when it comes to tv shows, she really lets it ruin her night and sometimes ours if her attitude gets out of hand. Hopefully next week she learns to ease up everyone here, because we are not doing the voting!