Sunday, December 16, 2007

Is That All She Does Anymore?

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It might seem as if I do nothing but enter sweepstakes lately. The truth is I just haven't been very inspired to blog much. My son, with my help, just won $1,000 cash from the Cavaliers! Go Cavs! He's thrilled to get such a big unexpected windfall. I am at least as thrilled as he is.

On a completely unrelated note, the weather outside is frightful indeed. We had an awful winter storm yesterday, which managed to change to rain at some point in the night or early morning. Now it's changing to a dangerous winter mix followed closely by another several inches of snow. Normally I would use this weather as a reason to hole up inside, enter more sweepstakes, and use the oven a lot. But not today. Just like yesterday, I need to get Allie to work and back safely. Oh what fun it is to drive in the ice and slushy mess! Yuch.

Friday, November 30, 2007

Winner Winner, Chicken Dinner!

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Okay, not really a chicken dinner. But I've been winning a lot lately. Since August I've won:
a camcorder from Dr. Pepper,
24 pairs of jeans for the kids from American Eagle,
30 shirts for them from Aeropstle, (along with assorted accessories)
72 free movie rentals from Hollywood video
4 iPod nanos
a Happy Feet cd
a Wii game
the World Series trip from Pepsi!
2 Dell computers from Coca~Cola (one for home, one for the school)
$450 cash for me
$100 cash for my grandfather

Not bad for the last few little months sitting at home with the new puppy.

Tuesday, November 20, 2007

Final Game of the World Series - Thank You Pepsi!!

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Luis Velez  Tammi Velez - World Series 2007
Pepsi took us to the final game of the World Series!!

We rode to the hotel with another winner from Pepsi. He had read the posts Jacqueline and I had made at Sweepsheet and knew who I was.

We got to the hotel hungry so we walked across the street to Jose O'Sheas. They served potato tacos, so of course I had to try one. And a raspberry margarita. The food was great. According to our shuttle driver it's the local favorite. I can see why. We ate a week's worth of food and went back to our room for a while.

The hotel shuttle took us to an outlet mall which is a circular mile. I found Spanx in NM and found Jelly Belly beans in Dr. Pepper and A&W rootbeer for Mike and Zack. Then we went to eat at the Keg. http://www.kegsteakhouse.com/ We've had steaks as good - but never a meal better than this. It wasn't even crazy pricey like some steakhouses. The bill for the two of us was just under $90 before tip. The bread was great, the Caesar salad was great, the salmon spring rolls were amazing and the steak and potato were fantastic. They do a cheddar cheese butter on the potato which made me even more stuffed than usual.

We went back to our hotel for the night after dinner.B y the end of this day we'd eaten 3 meals = about enough to feed a family of 4 for a week.

Sunday was game day and we had to meet downstairs at 2:00. I woke up at 5 a.m. starving. I never eat breakfast. The altitude or something made me ravenously hungry. I stared at my husband until he woke up. He wasn't ready to get up and eat so I paced around, read, and went crazy. Finally, we went downstairs and ate breakfast.

We stayed here .

There was a china convention going on in the hotel. The old ladies were interesting.

After breakfast we went back upstairs and got ready to go. We went down to the desk to ask for a shuttle and they said we had to wait an hour. So we went to the internet cafe and used some computers for 20 minutes. We met other Pepsi winners at the front desk. We were able to help them with their reservation information. The hotel didn't have a room ready for them so they offered us a ride to the outlet mall and we left with them. On the way back they showed us some sights we wouldn't have seen otherwise. They live about 40 miles away from the Denver.

I bought another pair of Spanx, and so did Linda, and I bought candy from Harry & David's and we went back to the hotel. We pretty much grabbed our bags to take to the game and went downstairs to meet the group in the lobby.

In the lobby we met the grand prize winner. She was a 22 year old girl who didn't realize she'd entered. This was one where everyone who used their supermarket card and bought Pepsi products was entered. She didn't believe it was real when the people called her so took three days calling Pepsi, etc. to verify it was legitimate. She took her father with her to throw out the ceremonial first pitch. When the MLB reporter interviewed him he cried.

The bus gave us a little tour of downtown and took us to Via for the pregame party.
We were here in the red room for our private party. There was a grand prize winner, 8 first prize winners, and the winning Pepsi sales guy. They had door prize drawings and Jacqueline and I each won a $50 Dick's gift certificate. Other people mostly won baseball caps, except for the grand prize winner, who won $100 gc to Dick's.

Speaking of Pepsi swag, they had lots of Aquafina sent to our room, and frito lay chips. They sent them up in a nice Pepsi messenger bag with a World Series t-shirt, cap, official ball with a serial number, a high quality golf shirt with a Pepsi logo, and some Quaker snack bars. We also got a $250 Visa gift card.

We all took coats, scarves, layers of clothes in our Pepsi bags because the weather was supposed to be even colder than the night before. We didn't end up needing the extra gear. A coat alone was enough.

Via is a block away from the stadium so we walked over and went in for the game. We found our seats, which were all the way to the top (2nd to last row) on the first base line and directly across from the jumbo screens.

I cannot begin to tell you how emotional it was. I wasn't expecting it to be emotional at all. From our seats we could see the jumbo screen, the city behind it, and the mountains behind that. Beautiful. We got in our seats about 20 minutes before sunset. Our guy threw out the Pepsi ceremonial first pitch, Hank Aaron presented an award, they brought out the biggest flag I've ever seen, they told about two police officers assisting at a scene where another motorist crashed into them and both police officers were hit. The little boy they were trying to help and one officer died. The other was in critical care for a while. He was at the game in a wheelchair. That officer, the 7 year old son of the officer who was killed, and the father of the little boy who was killed all threw out another pitch and I started welling up with tears. After that Air Force fighter jets flew over the stadium in formation and tears started streaming down my face. Trisha Yearwood sang the Star Spangled banner while I wept and watched the sunset.

Some time during the game Lonestar performed America the Beautiful. I rooted for both teams.

When the Rockies would score they'd shoot off fireworks When the Red Sox WON THE WORLD SERIES - nothing. No music, not fireworks, nothing. There were Red Sox fans there cheering, but that was it. I cheered along with them. It seemed strange there would be no fanfare, but there wasn't.

On the one block walk to the game we'd been asked to sell our tickets quite a few times. We joked about selling them to get $$ to take a cruise together. (Luis and I/Jacqueline and Dave) On the way out people were trying to buy our ticket stubs. I guess there really is a market for everything!

We went back to the restaurant and waited a few minutes and boarded the bus again. The driver showed us more sights and even stopped the bus at one point when people asked to get out and take pictures of the big bear at the convention center.

When we got back to the hotel I packed our stuff. Our flight was leaving at 10:05 and our ride was arranged for 6:00 am. We got up at 5:00 and got ready and left. We got to the airport, checked in, went through security, and had breakfast at a little bistro. It was wayyyyy better than the hotel restaurant. After breakfast I got a 20 minute massage from a giant man and we went to our gate - B82. Yes I said EIGHTY-TWO!

We didn't have to wait too long for our flight to leave.

When we arrived in Cleveland the girls and Tony Blair were waiting for us!!!

Thank You Pepsi!!! We had the time of our lives.

Wednesday, August 22, 2007

Thursday, July 26, 2007

Happiness Is... A Warm Puppy

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Oh boy, it sure is! Our new puppy is 3 pounds and a little ball of furry happiness.

Wednesday, June 13, 2007

Senior Year turns into Graduation

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Lately my life has been absorbed by all things high school. All things senior year, to be precise. There was prom; the dress, the shoes, the jewelry, the pictures, the corsages, the after prom plans. Graduation plans included a letter to the school explaining why we required more than the typical allotment of tickets, a white dress for underneath the white gown, white shoes, and reservations for a family dinner before the ceremony. (We wont even discuss the weight I gained. We certainly wont talk about how only one of my dresses fit me, albeit in a hideous way.) The only other minor disappointment was the lack of the appropriate Dr. Seuss for the evening. I wanted to read "Oh The Places You'll Go" to my little graduate at dinner. I managed to get the book and read it to her a day or two later.

It's been a fun time but it all went by too fast. Prom should be at least a month before graduation, in my opinion. This way there would be more time to savor each event. We still have a graduation party to go.

Sunday, May 13, 2007

Happy Mother's Day

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These were three of my favorites today at Post Secret .










Happy Mother's Day. You kept us alive when we weren't sure it was worth it. You encouraged us when we thought we didn't deserve it. You made us shiny and then praised us for shining. You stayed close while giving us space. You guided us while letting us make our own decisions. You gave us roots, then wings. You held your breath and held back your tears (or tried to, anway) when we actually spread those wings. You always welcome us back home, you always welcome us back into your arms. We know we are never out of your heart. We know we are your favorite. If we are the only one we know we would be your favorite, even if there were twenty of us. You are everything, you mothers of the world. You are all-everything. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

I Love you, Mom



And now for a mother who is not having a good day:
9 days ago a 3 year English girl was taken from her bed whilst asleep on holiday in Portugal. Her name is Madeleine McCann and today is her 4th birthday.
Since you never know who will read, where they will be, or who they will see, I think it's a good idea to put this on here. Feel free to put this on your blog, webpage, forums, etc. Please do.

Thursday, May 10, 2007

Numi Flowering Teas

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Check out Numi's Website and see their flowering teas. What a neat way to celebrate being a woman with other women!

They have a few assortments available and offer boxes of just one variety. I wish I would have found them in time to give out flowering teas for Mother's Day. This is not a paid advertisement, just a really interesting, fun way to have tea. Look at the website to see a couple of them in action. They have a video.

Monday, April 30, 2007

Been There, Done That. Thanks.

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Sometimes when I read the secrets at postsecret I think "Been there". This was one of those times.

People will surprise you. When I was going through what was maybe the most heartbreaking time of my adult life I experienced this. Some of the people I would have expected to support me withdrew their offers of help and people who I thought didn't care for me rushed in and offered support. I guess we all have different qualities and they aren't always obvious to us, let alone others.

Everyone has probably heard the old saying about friends being for a reason, a season, or a lifetime.

Cheers to anyone who's ever been there for a reason.

Wednesday, April 25, 2007

More Practice: The Law Of Attraction

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I stumbled across this today and decided to give it a go. You can even read more about the law of attraction at this site.

Life Training - Online, a blog dedicated to self improvement and personal development is hosting a free raffle where you can win an 80GB iPod Video! Read this post to learn how you can enter.

Friday, April 20, 2007

Back From The Podoctor

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Podoctor. That's what I'm calling it, anyway. I sent my husband's iPod away to the Podoctor and it was returned today with a new lcd screen.

On a scale of 1-10 I give this company an 8. They did what they said they would do, when they said they would do it. In this case they sent a box to me overnight, which I sent back to them overnight. They fixed it and sent it out the day they got it, and I got it back the next day. I began my transaction with them on the 17th and got the repaired iPod back on the 20th.

One reason they only got an 8 is: When I called the first time the girl on the phone was less than helpful. It was like talking to a child rather than a business person. I called again and talked to a guy named Chuck. Chuck was polite, friendly and knew how to answer my simple questions. I give Chuck two thumbs up.

The other reason the score was an 8 is I sent the iPod to them in pristine condition and it came back with a few scratches on the shiny silver back. I sent it to them polished and nearly perfect. It came back with grubby fingerprints front and back and scratch damage on the back. Since it is always kept in the Acme Wallet, it's not a giant deal. I just don't expect to pay someone to repair my item and get it back in a way that shows carelessness. If it were my business, I would make sure every iPod got wiped well with a microfiber cloth before sending them back out to customers.

I am quite satisfied overall. I would recommend iResQ if you need to get an iPod repaired. I even upgraded my husband to the new, brighter lcd screen for an extra $5.

Wednesday, April 18, 2007

You Must See This!

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My friend brought this to my attention and it's way too good to keep to myself.


Sunday, April 15, 2007

Friday the 13th, Oh Lucky Day!

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Friday the 13th was a good day at our house. I dare say it was downright lucky.
The law of attraction strikes again! We got two movie cash certificates in the mail from 7-11, from the same promotion as the Wii! We also got a UPS delivery from the agency handling the Kellogg's sweepstakes. We won an Xbox360! The kids are jazzed about this win.
A big thank you to the folks at 7-11 and the folks at Kellogg's! What an extraordinary year it's been for the kids already where video games are concerned.
Every time I come across a chance to win something one of us would want I'm giving it a go, and it's paying off. Something else arrived yesterday which has me in quite a tizzy, but I don't want to say anything here until it's further along. Later in the week, perhaps.

Tuesday, April 10, 2007

View Outside My (Bedroom) Window

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One day I was sitting in my bedroom, typing away on my laptop, and heard "Thunk thunk thunk, thunk thunk thunk, thunk thunk". I did a little detective work and found the origin of the sound.

Here it was, this bird, trying to beat his froggy lunch into submission:

The bird won.

Thursday, April 5, 2007

I'm It?

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I've been tagged by world-famous Kevin Dixie of Fuel My Blog. This has never happened to me before, so I hope I have the right idea about what I am supposed to do. Here goes!

My mission, if I understand it correctly, is to "Name seven albums or tracks playing in my life right now".

I'm not sure if I should take that to mean the music I've been actually listening to or the music that would be playing in my life if it were a movie. I guess there aren't rules about one list of seven, so maybe I'll go wild and dazzle you (okay, myself) with more than one list.




The songs I've actually been listening to lately, according to my iPod:
1. Chariots Rise - Lizzie West
2. The Day We Met - Lizzie West
3. Tower of Song - actually the whole "Essential Leonard Cohen" album
4. Stolen Car - Beth Orton
5. The Corrs Unplugged album
6. The DeLovely Soundtrack (Love Cole Porter)
7. Coming Up Close - Til Tuesday






The songs they will play in the movie when Rachel McAdams plays me:
1. Halo - Texas
2. Stolen Car - Beth Orton
3. Everybody's got a story - Amanda Marshall
4. Forgiven, not forgotten - The Corrs
5. Good Mother - Jann Arden
6. Fix You - Coldplay
7. London Rain - Heather Nova

Now that you've seen my lists I'm sure you'll be sending me links to music less than a decade old, links to radio stations, the cd version of mixed tapes, etc.

Oh, and now I am supposed to tag 7 people to do the same thing. Isn't that special?
Here's the lucky 7, in no particular order:
(to be added later)

The Law Of Attraction:

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I managed to attract another iPod towards our house, which is always a good thing! I've also managed to attract a Longchamp pliages duffel, a mini basketball, a Serena Williams pill case with a little satin bag, and a Cavaliers hat and huge t shirt. I actually managed that last one twice, (three times if you add the same hat and t shirt they gave Zachary when he won 4 floor seats and got to be a rebound kid, or whatever they called it. It was a fun night!)


I am ready for a nice big fat old win now, the kind I'll be hesitant to say much about because, sometimes, people get that pinched look when I have something really neat and tell them I won it. My husband and children understand and enjoy the stuff. Ditto my mother. I have an aunt who likes to enter sweepstakes online, so she 'gets it', too.


It's fun, I think. We all decide how we will fritter away our time. Of course I don't win something every day or anything like that, but I figure it might give me some return on the investment of my time. More than playing some solitaire or tetris. Besides, it's great fun when the doorbell rings with a surprise box. It's fun to anticipate the things we know we won while we wait for them to arrive.

Tuesday, April 3, 2007

Surprise, Suprise, Surprise!

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I am nerdier than 44% of all people. Are you nerdier? Click here to find out!

It figures, I guess? I'm so hip, so cool, you'd never think I was, as the site so gently pointed out:

54% scored higher (more nerdy),
2% scored the same, and
44% scored lower (less nerdy).

What does this mean? Your nerdiness is:

Somewhat nerdy. I mean face it, you are nerdier than about half the test takers.

Sunday, March 25, 2007

Off The Map

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For the second time this year I have seen a movie about a quirky family with a bunch of rich characters, each and every one full of love. The first one was "Little Miss Sunshine", the second was "Off the Map". To say this film is set in rural New Mexico is to put it a little mildly. I love stories which are just strange enough to be believable. This sure fit the bill. I definitely recommend you add it to your queue!

Tuesday, March 20, 2007

Tuesday Is Trash Day

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True enough, Tuesday is trash day at our house, but we weren't counting on this being ready for the trash just yet. This morning, when my husband did search and rescue for his iPod video, it was a little too late.

Is there an iPodmedic in the house?
The outer part of the iPod has nary a scratch, it was in the trusty Acme wallet. But the inner crystal is cracked and hemorrhaging.

Monday, March 19, 2007

Happy Birthday, Baby!

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Yesterday was my daughter's birthday! We celebrated her with this Alice in Wonderland cake and a couple of chocolate oreo mousse bombs. Thanks to the folks at West Point Market for the great desserts!

Friday, March 16, 2007

Fun Friday Finds

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Our local grocer runs a "Pick 5" all the time. You choose any 5 items from their special selection with a Pick 5 sticker on it and pay only $19.95. This used to be filled with great finds. Now it's usually enough beef roast for one person, less than two pounds of ground beef, sections of trail balogna worth only four dollars in the first place, etc.

Every once in a while there are cuts of meat labeled around the 7-8 dollar price range. Today there were six hams, around 9 pounds a piece, with a price tag around $30 each. So... 6 hams at $4 each = $24 for six hams, a $180 value!

I grabbed all six of them. I kept one for our house, gave one to my daughter's boyfriend, and sent the other four to my grandparents. Viva la ham! (?)

Thursday, March 15, 2007

Terrific Thursday Treasure

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If you have kids who have handheld video games, here's the best trinket (at an amazingly low price) you'll ever find to accessorize.

With the Ring Boy You get 10 game tabs and the ring for $3.95 or 5 sets for $14.95, both with free shipping.

I've bought a few of these, and they're great because all the games are on the rings instead of in the couch, car seats, etc. For car trips, especially, this is great. No more dropping one little cartridge and looking all over for it. The ring is very lightweight, so it doesn't feel cumbersome, even if you play with it attached.

*I think this is also a good idea for all those plastic cards we have to carry now. Blockbuster, grocery store discount cards, drug store discount cards, insurance cards, prescription cards, airline and hotel cards for points, etc.

Tuesday, March 13, 2007

Tall Tuesday Tale... sort of

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The following is a copy of a lunatic letter I sent to the people at Pentel in a desperate attempt to get refills for my favorite pen. Do they care about their (scarily) loyal customers? I think not.

They have not even bothered to send a canned reply. Uncaring group, they are!


Dear Pentel-People,

The one, the only pen I've ever used that was perfectly comfortable, perfectly fluid, always reliable, beautiful, and trustworthy has run out of ink.

This pen is like an appendage to me, I fell in Love with it, and, like a true girl in Love, I have eyes for no other. I can not be swayed.

This pen is the Pentel B460. It's a stainless steel click pen with a black rubber grip that's not too big, not too straight, not too soft, not too hard.Like that one bowl of porridge dear, sweet Goldilocks finally ate, it's just right. It's righter (sic) than rain. It's the bed Goldilocks could finally fall asleep in.

I'll admit I've tried. I've tried writing with other pens. My husband bought me two pens from Tiffany & Co. Those pens are pretty, and people gush over them, but they're all fluff and no substance. In my mind, my heart, my hand - there's only one pen for me. My B460 is best friend material. (I mean, "The Courtship of Eddie's Father" - People let me tell you 'bout my best friend - type of material- Gee, I hope whoever reads this is old enough to remember that show, but I'm probably going to seem totally insane anyway, so it's of minimal importance.)

Please! I need these refills or bears might eat me!

Now, I might sound a little melodramatic to you, but I've searched for years, in several countries, in several languages for these refills, all to no avail. Between you and me, I think there is a world-wide conspiracy to keep me from my beloved refills. If I don't get them, three bears might eat me! Goldilocks - she had a happy ending. What about me, Pentel-People? Can you help me have a happy ending? I don't want to waste your time with just a silly little refill - I'll buy 10 - I'll buy 20! I want to write with this pen for the rest of my life!

I need refills for this pen. I've become like a crack-addict and the Pentel KFLT8 refill is my drug.

Now, to you Powers That Be at Pentel, this request may seem silly. To people who know me, this request may seem silly. But to anyone, anywhere, who's ever had a favorite thing that couldn't possibly be replaced, this request makes perfect sense.

I'm a pen-nobody. They will never write about me in "Penmanship Monthly" or "Cosmo Pen". I can't influence millions, or even thousands, or even hundreds to use any certain pen. I might have influence over tens of people - I can be crafty that way. But, even though I'm just a wife, mom of 5, and seemingly insane woman who's almost 40, for heaven's sake, ranting about a pen in an email to a bunch of people who grace the cover of "Pen" every month, I hope my gratitude alone will make it worth your while to help me find refills for my trusty Pentel B460.

Please, can you help me?

Pretty Please?

Pretty Please with sugar on top?

Sincerely,

My Name
xxxx My Rd.
My City, XX xxxxx-xxxx

(xxx)xxx-xxxx
(xxx)xxx-xxxx <--- my super-duper top secret cell phone number!

Monday, March 12, 2007

Magical Monday Memory

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One
of my all-time favorite days was when the kids and I went to the square and took these pictures. They were all having a great time enjoying each others company. I remember at the time thinking they were getting so big. Now I look at these pictures and ask myself how I didn't see how little they were. I guess this is what it is like being a parent. The oldest is now a college sophomore, the second oldest will graduate high school this year, another will be a high school senior next year, and the youngest starts high school next year. Don't ask me where all the time went. I really don't know.

Sunday, March 11, 2007

Shocking Sunday Secret

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I chose a sad secret this week. I always hope the sad ones are a lie, but I know better than to believe the fantasy I try to feed myself.

It reads:
"My husband beats me. When people ask about the bruises I tell them that I take kick-boxing. They are nice and pretend to believe me."

Note to 'friends': Don't pretend to believe your friend when what they really need is your help. It's not so nice.

If this is happening to you (or any kind of physical, verbal, or emotional abuse) then you need to contact your local battered women's shelter.

Before you say "No, no, not me, I can't go stay at the BWS" let me tell you something else:

They are not going to pressure you to stay with them. They don't have an infinite amount of money to spend on people, so they're quite willing to help women who don't stay there. They help you get a protection order. They offer you things like food and toiletries. They can send an advocate to court with you. They might find you an attorney who will help you at a reduced cost, or even free.

Before discounting their help, just call and talk to them and see what they can do for you. When so much else hurts, it can't hurt to give them a try. The worst that can happen is you hang up the phone no better off than you were before you called.

Please, ask for help.

Saturday, March 10, 2007

Simple Saturday Suggestion: Work From Home

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I file this thought of mine under the category of "It Seems Really Simple To Me" aka "Even a dummy can figure this out.":

Why doesn't our government (or anyone, for that matter) put pressure on businesses to implement more telecommuting? I mean, the technology is there. Pretty much anyone has it these days. So, why are every Tom, Dick and Harry still schlepping out to their automobiles and driving to work five days a week? Why aren't more and more desk workers spending anywhere from 1-4 days a week working from home? Here are some benefits I could see to this:

1. Less traffic in any given rush hour
2. Less wear and tear on vehicles for workers
3. Less auto accidents
3.2 Leading to less injuries/deaths
3.3 Requiring less emergency services
4. Less fuel consumed by Americans in general
4.2 Leading to less dependency on foreign oil
4.3 And less global warming
5. Families wouldn't need as many vehicles
6. Cost of auto insurance would be less with fewer cars and less accidents
7. Less energy used in the workplace
8. Less maintenance necessary in the workplace
9. Commute time could be dedicated to more work or more family time
10. Less kids home alone after school
11. Less stress

I can't find a single reason not to allow for most workers (besides service workers) to work at home at least part of the time. So why aren't there large numbers of people out there promoting this cause?

Thursday, March 8, 2007

Ghostess With the Mostest?

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The other day I brought home a bag of things from the drugstore. After that we went out shopping and came home with a few bags of stuff. The bag from the drugstore, with all the contents, has disappeared. I had put it on my bed. Now it's just - gone. Where oh where could it be? I ask because we have a lot of things disappear and reappear in this house. Strange things. Things we've looked for repeatedly later show up in a place we've looked. Even places we've looked in teams. Retainers have shown up in a retainer box I'd checked with Allison - twice. Earrings have shown up in a previously searched spot after being lost for months. There are other examples. Suffice it to say - we feel haunted by a mischievous ghost. I can't figure out what a ghost would want with a box of Tampax, some nail repair, and a nifty pen-sized spray of hand sanitizer/lotion. If you want to help me find it, leave a note saying where you think it is. If you are right, and I find the bag because of your suggestion, I'll send you a $5 gift card to Home Depot.

My friend has 'George'. She finds giant toenails in the mostly unused 3rd floor of her house. But that's a story best told by Manda herself.

Wednesday, March 7, 2007

Top Personal/Lifestyle Blog - Fuel My Blog

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   Somehow I managed to beg for enough votes to be top blog on the personal/lifestyle page today. Since this may never happen again, I want to document it. Thanks for helping, and please click on the fire every day if you can.

I think I will celebrate this little victory (I'll take them where I can get them, thank you very much) by scouring the internet for another set of highballs.

Saturday, March 3, 2007

Good Things DO Happen To Good People!

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I went to Indexed today, as I do every day since I discovered it and saw this! Jessica Hagy got a book deal with Penguin's Viking Studio. Congratulations Jessica!

When I Say No I Feel Guilty... Do You?

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Do you end up doing what other people want you to do because you don't want to be thought of as a jerk, a meanie, or just downright rude? Do you often hear yourself saying you'll do something you absolutely do not want to do? Do you fail to look out for your own best interests in the same way you'd counsel anyone you love to do?

If you are sitting there nodding your head in agreement you need to buy this book. I read this book many years ago and sometimes I go back to it and read parts of it again. I'd suggest it to any other person on the planet.

The author deserves a gold medal in the humanities.

Friday, March 2, 2007

The New And Improved Fuel My Blog

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To improve is to change;
to be perfect is to change often. — Winston Churchill


If Winston Churchill knew what he was talking about, Fuel My Blog is the perfect pink-faced infant. Only born in December, Fuel My Blog is already undergoing a huge overhaul.
Today is the day of the big re-launch for Fuel My Blog. It's a new site, yet it's been redesigned, revamped, made over, fixed up, updated, reincarnated. Well, let's just say it's been improved. If you don't already have your blog listed at Fuel My blog, you should get over there and do it!
As of today there will be a forum, making the website truly interactive. There was a site blog, where one could leave comments, but a community can really take shape when there is a forum in place. Come on over to Fuel My Blog and read the bogs you find interesting. Read the forum. Write in the forum. Add your blog. Have fun!

Thursday, March 1, 2007

Meijer - The Grocer Who Cares?

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How's this for a grocery store (or any store) caring about the consumer? I was perusing the Meijer website today and stumbled across this:

The Program covers leading, oral generic antibiotics with a special focus on the prescriptions most often filled for children. The following are FREE with your doctor's prescription, regardless of insurance or co-pay:
Amoxicillin
Cephalexin
SMZ-TMP
Ciprofloxacin
Ampicillin
Penicillin VK
Erythromycin

Wednesday, February 28, 2007

Wednesday Deals... Thank Goodness I've Nothing To Do Today!

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Today is the only day this week I'm not buried in appointments. I have an extensive list of phone calls I need to make and take, forms to fill, important things to get in the mail, etc.

What I want to do is pull my soft pink blanket up around my barely-connected head and sleep. I've been able to get little sleep the last 4 nights because someone in the house has been snoring. Anyone have any cures for snoring? I can't wear ear plugs because sometimes I'm the only one in the house who can wake up to a noise. Some of them can sleep right through an alarm right beside their head on a regular basis. I'm afraid to leave my life in the hands of the sleep-deaf.

I've already seen to one of the things not on the list, only to find out something which was promised to have been done days ago isn't even in the works yet. It's not a big deal, but I had hoped to make the list shorter and shorter as the day wore on, not longer. Let's hope the rest of the day is more fruitful. This also adds something to my list which wasn't previously important enough to be list-worthy.

I'm feeling a little like the red guy already!

Oh boy! I've called the dentist. They haven't called back. It's been hours. What takes so long? I did the taxes. At first I thought we were going to have to pay 22 dollars and some odd cents. Now it looks as if we are getting a bit of a refund.

Then... I called Case Western Law School. After calling nearly 3 weeks ago and leaving a voice mail for a woman who doesn't work on Fridays, I decided it was time to call again. See the little red guy? ALL of his cousins came out for this one. The lady was extremely rude. She was so rude I thought I was going to have to pull out my snooty 'tude with her. That's the one where I get very calm and speak slowly and deliberately until the person gives in and decides to be nice. Not only was she rude, but I ended the call with nary a lick of information. Of course, Miss Nice did not identify herself.

This turn of events has put me at a dead stop as far as the FAFSA is concerned. I think the FAFSA folks think it's a big deal whether it is two family members who will be attending Univeristy for the year, or three.

I've left another voice mail for Kelly - the only way you can contact her, apparently. There's no way she answers that line - ever. I'm still waiting for her to call me back since yesterday. I guess I'll eat lunch and move on to the rest of the list. I wanted to have the important things done first. So much for the plan according to me.

Saturday, February 24, 2007

Mmmm Mmmmm Machu Picchu Restaurant - Cleveland, Ohio

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After walking around the auto show all afternoon, we were ready to eat. We had decided to try Machu Picchu restaurant in downtown Cleveland. We'd enjoyed Peruvian food in Caracas at El Tizon, and missed it.

We started with "Papa a la Huancaina" (thick slices of boiled potato topped with a Peruvian yellow cream sauce. Served cold with a slice of egg and an olive) Then, we had this great dish called "Lomo Saltado". It's a big plate with a bed of french fries (the kind where you take fresh potatoes and cut them by hand and fry them) Then, on that bed of french fries there's stir fried beef, peppers, onions and tomatoes. And a big beautiful scoop of white rice in the middle. It's perfection! Anyone who chooses to eat fries and great rice at the same meal wins my love. The presentation itself was so pleasing I decided to actually use the camera in my phone. If I can figure out how to get the picture to my computer I'll post it here later.

Oh, I almost forgot to mention the lovely little rolls they brought us! They were so good we ordered a dozen to bring home.

Thanks Peru, for offering us such tasty treats!

Update: I managed to get the picture sent from my phone to my email. The picture doesn't do it justice, sadly. It was much more colorful than this picture shows. In order to be fair, we'll go again soon - when we have birthday dinner for my daughter in a couple of weeks.

Friday, February 23, 2007

Making My List... Obsessing Over it

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I know they say Santa made his list and checked it twice... but come on - really? Is that enough?
When I make a list I must check it compulsively. I've been told by close family members that I am even compulsive about my list making. (They're just jealous. It's totally healthy to make the same list every day.) One of my lists is Things I Want To Win This Year. So far, I've won some things; a Wii, gift cards, and cash (for furniture). I want to get the things on my list this year, I'll have to kick into high gear.
I'm thinking karma, because I got what appeared to be junk mail 3 days ago. It was a plain business envelope from Chrysler. I opened it and it was two tickets to the auto show this weekend. I'm going to go and enter every drawing I can find. I want to win a red Chrysler Town and Country. Wish me luck!

Thursday, February 22, 2007

This Is What A Little Bit Of Heart Will Get Ya'...

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Thanks to Kevin at Fuel My Blog and everyone who voted for me I have a new set of beside tables I Love!


Another word of thanks to Bombay Company online for having the tables on sale for less than their clearance price with free shipping for President's Day. Not only that, but they arrived the day after I ordered them. I can't ask for better service than that!

I'm delighted with my tables, and did the "Hooray for my new tables dance" last night.

Can you tell I'm happy??

Baby Love - The Little Sister Protection Program

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This is our snookums. She's the baby of my cousin. She has an older sister who is 4. I had two girls, then two boys. The 'Little sister' of my brood has recently claimed snookums should come and live with us, in the Little Sister Protection Program. She's snuggly and smiley and as sweet as can be. Her older sister is adorable, too. According to my daughter, the big sister can't be in the Little Sister Protection Program. It's against the rules or something.

Love Lives Here:

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This is the old hog house at my grandparent's house. We all call their estate "Home", even though it's just the two of them actually living there full time. The sound of the gravel in the drive under the tires of an incoming car is unlike any other driveway in the world. There are 8 grandchildren and 16 great grandchildren so far, and each of us feel connected in a special way to everything about this place.

I got my first crush on Johnny Cash, listening to him at their house. I remember a blizzard in the 70s when we grilled steaks in the fireplace. We've eaten a metric ton of homemade ice cream and fried fish and noodles. The whole place is magical - it's like our own private DisneyWorld. There are tractor rides instead of teacup rides, there's sledding down the hill instead of roller coasters. There are always magical characters at meal time, with no special reservations required. There's a parade from kitchen to front room, which never stops. Music can, at times, be provided by the player piano.

Tuesday, February 20, 2007

Index this!

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I found a great new blog today and believe I could sit here and look at every post before moving to do anything else! Here is a sample of some of her work: "Perception As Diagnosis"

4D - Best Ice Cream Ever!

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The best ice cream I've had anywhere in the world is in Venezuela at 4D. Since it's pronounced in Spanish it sounds to my ears like "Quatro Day". The yummiest, most flavorful ice cream anywhere. Great berry, hazelnut to die for, and I wouldn't throw a stick at their chocolate either. The whole family was always happy to stop and grab some 4D. If you're ever in Venezuela, don't miss this wonderful treat!

Monday, February 19, 2007

Do You Know The Secret?

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This is the best information you'll ever get. I thought it was pretty much the way life worked, and never realized it was supposed to be a secret. Rhonda Byrne fills us in on "The Secret". There's a book, a dvd, and a twenty minute online video you can watch - a preview of the dvd. You can watch the whole movie online for 4.95. If you want to buy the dvd after watching it, you can take the 4.95 you paid to watch it off the price of the dvd. Who could ask for a better deal?

The Secret was also covered on an an Oprah show. It's in segments. This is the 1 of 5. This is not to be confused with the actual video. They are two different things.

New Secrets Every Sunday

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Post Secret has new secrets each Sunday. There were 4 or 5 secrets I really appreciated this week.


It reads:
"I randomly met this girl on the train and took her picture. I wonder where she is now. It's been 5 years."

Saturday, February 17, 2007

iLove

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Since we're iPod crazy, I thought I'd mention a few of my favorite finds.

iPod Lounge is a great resource for anyone with an iPod. It has tons of information, downloads, ads directed to iPod users, articles, reviews and forums. They even have an iPod book download. Free, of course!

Then there's the U.S. constitution on your iPod, also free. The geek in my is truly tickled by carrying a copy of the Constitution of the United States on my iPod.

Then, as if this wasn't exciting enough, we have Encyclopodia.
It's Wikipedia for your iPod. Also a free download.

I'm sure there are more great places I don't know about - feel free to leave links and descriptions in the comments.