Ten On Tuesday

This week's Ten on Tuesday is something that definitely won't take much thought for me! I would love to travel the world, and one day I swear I'll make it happen. I'm going to take a few months and just go anywhere I want.

10 Countries I would like to visit.

1. Spain (especially Ibiza)
2. Amsterdam (EDIT: Yes It's not a country!)
   
3. Ireland
4. England
5. Canada (It's cold, but I want to meet my neighbors!)
   
6. Australia
7. Italy
8. Greece
9. Germany
10. Israel
    

Power Supply Repair

One thing I can easily do is repair power supplies, but a lot of people don't realize how easily and cheaply they can be repaired. I know I've repaired quite a few computer power supplies, and when I worked for a manufacturing company, one of my main jobs was to repair and solder power supplies for electronic meters that our power companies use. Next time you have to have your power meter replaced on your house, remember those house I spent slaving away building and repairing them.

Anyways, sometimes it really can be cheaper to repair a power supply instead of purchasing a new one, especially when it comes to industrial applications. It's always handy to have someone like me close by with the know how to do it, but if you don't, there are options for you. You can seek out power supply repair through a company such as ACS Industrial. One advantage to getting your repair done by a company such as this is they often offer a warranty, which ACS does. If you work with industrial machines that involve power supplies, it's definitely worth checking out how much you can get it repaired for before spending $100's or ever $1000's on a new machine.

Meme Crazy

I'm totally in a meme mood tonight. I don't know why, but I've suddenly got the notion to make up for every meme I've missed in the past few weeks plus adding a few extras. Maybe it's because I've been so busy I really haven't had the time to participate in many memes lately, and I do love memes! If I don't post memes on my blog, I'll end up posting stupid quizzes as Myspace bulletins, so I'm getting control of this while I can with a few more memes!

Tuesday Twosome

1. Two refreshing drinks:
Iced Tea, Orange Juice

2. Two places that are always cool (home, mall, work, etc.):
At my dining room table in front of the AC, and my utility room is always freezing

3. Two ways you keep cool:
AC, Less Clothing

4. Two items of clothing/shoes that are a must (tank tops, shorts, etc.)
Baby T's, flip flops!

5. Two places you’d go on vacation to get away from the heat:
I can't say I'd want to get away from the heat. I love the warmth more than anywhere cold!

Psychic Readings

I've never been much for psychic readings, but I have a couple friends who swear by them. I need to introduce my friends to Online Psychic. For $1.99 they can receive a 5 day unlimited trial that gives them access to unlimited access to the phone system and mediums plus access to the site. That means they can get a psychic reading anytime they want no matter how many times they decide in the 5 days. If they aren't ready to pay for a trial offer or subscription, they can get their horoscope free in their email! You guys know who you are, so if you're reading this drop by and check it out before I have to myspace you about it!

TriClear

In my search for awesome beauty products I'm always looking for something that will treat acne. I've faced more acne products as an adult than I did as a hormonal teenager. I'm always looking for new treatments that will help because I've tried many that just haven't worked. As soon as I heard about TriClear I decided it's definitely an acne treatment I want to try. This is definitely a product I'm interested in trying, and now is a great time to do it. Right now you can receive a 7 day free trial of the TriClear system. All you have to pay is shipping.

Triclear is formulated from 3 products with synergistic science. All 3 products working together treat acne, clear up blemishes and provide control for excess oils to prevent breakouts. The products also sooth skin giving it a more youthful look and feel. The product works in 3 steps. First there's the purifying cleanser that removes dirt, oil, bacteria, and dead cells from pores. It also soothes skin with natural botanicals. Step 2 is a Silicol Dioxide Complex repair gel that absorbs excess oils, helps repair damaged skin, and treats acne. The final step is the revitalizing cream containing Salicylic Acid to reduce oil production. The cream also softens and hydrates skin to prevent breakouts.

Monday Madness

It seems as if the Monday Madness meme is running a little behind schedule today, and this is one day I've actually looked forward to completing it! Oh well, I'll have it up for you guys as soon as it's available to post!

Lindsay's Candles & Stuff

Another little sample from my Little Black Box I tried tonight is a Spa Soap sample from Lindsay's Candles & Stuff. Now, others might like this, but it just wasn't for me. Even though the smell isn't strong, I just really didn't like it, and that turned me off first thing. The website description says:

Spa Soap - scented with orange, rosemary and lemon essential oils.
This soap includes Dead Sea Mud to make your skin feel wonderful!

This might be something others enjoy, but it just wasn't for me. I didn't like the scent, and the texture was just weird to me. It might be because it sat on my porch in the heat all day before I was able to grab my box, but I just don't know. When I tried to use the soap, it crumbled in my hands rather than getting soapy or lathering. I was left with a really slimy feeling that I just really didn't like. I had to immediately rewash my hands with another soap.

Cabins

I absolutely love the mountains. I love the fact that I live at the base of the Smokies, but it's just not enough sometimes. At least once every couple months we take a trip to Deal's Gap to ride the bikes, and at least once a year we try to hit up Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge. If you like visiting Tennessee, I strongly suggest a Pigeon Forge cabin rental. Most of the time you can get a very nice cabin for very decent rates, and if you like the attractions such as Dollywood, Dixie Stampede, and the outlet shopping, you can usually find cabin deals that include discounts at locations like these.

Advertising

I've had quite a few people ask me lately what I think the best program out there for blog advertising is. I honestly have to say my favorite by far is PayU2Blog. I'm not just saying that because they're paying me for this post. I'm saying that because they are a totally awesome company, and they are by far my favorite to work with. Other companies pay me for other content, and none have treated me as well as PayU2Blog has. They're support team is top notch, and I'm assuming it is just the same for advertisers. The PayU2Blog team really makes you feel like you're dealing with people you know. They're more than willing to jump in for any problems, and their service is top notch!

Wake Up SleepyHead

I've got a few more products to share from my Little Black Box, then I think I'll be done for this round. I've tried almost every product I received now except one. I received a Fizzy Foamy Bath Melt Powder from Fantasy Bath, and I can't wait to try it. The scent is called "Wake Up Sleepyhead" and I must say if I used this one in the morning I would be sure to wake up, but I don't know if I would be ready to jump up and start my day! The scent smells so wonderful that I would probably be too relaxed to want to do anything!

The website describes this bag as:

Yea, we know it is way too early. Yea, we know you didn't get enough sleep last night. But this will help clear the dreamy fog. Well, this and some breakfast and some hot coffee.

Grapefruit, lemons, lime, and tangerines. With a hint of vanilla. Water is a light cream color.

From what I've read on the website all these little bags as well as all the bath bombs made by Fantasy Bath are handmade. Each scent is hand mixed before it is added to the rest of the moisturizers to ensure the scents are perfect. No fillers are added, and according to the site these bags have more scent and moisturizers than most of the other handmade softeners out there. They better considering each bag costs $18 a pop! The upside to that is the fact that each bag is 3lbs which means you have multiple baths worth of product versus a one time use bath bomb.

Muttering Away

If you want to participate in Unconscious Mutterings, visit Lunanina.com.

1. Traditional :: values
   
2. Popeye :: spinach
   
3. Gin :: & tonic
   
4. Harsh :: abrasive
   
5. Topless :: Bar
   
6. The thing :: is...
   
7. Defiant :: unruly
   
8. Huge :: massive
   
9. Food :: Colombo's Italian Cheese Pie
   
10. Lenny :: Laverne & Shirley
    

Real Estate

Hubby has always had an interest in real estate, but I think that comes from being a carpenter and building multi-million dollar homes everyday. I've never really cared too much about real estate because I have a good house to live in, and the way I see it, my home should be more important to me than how it's valued price wise in the community. Spending the last few weeks helping my friend shop for a new house has opened my eyes to a whole new world. I never realized how stressful it is to purchase real estate, especially in this county.

We've ran into many problems lately with finding a home for her because of how outrageous some of the rules are when it comes to the value of the home. Apparently the homeowners of the last house we looked at can legally sell the house as having an above ground pool just because they left the deck they built around the pool that was previously there. The pool that was there is so old that the sides were caving in, so it was removed. We also ran into a lot of problems with people listing houses as 3 bedroom 2 bath, but because one of the bedrooms is located in the basement with no window, it will never appraise at the price needed for the loan company to approve.

I'm so glad I'm not looking for a house for myself! It makes me happier everyday to know I have a wonderful set of grandparents who gladly handed the keys to their old house to me just to have me close to home. I'm even happier knowing that when we eventually do have a house of our own, it will be one that we build on our own property, and I've got a family full of carpenter's to do it!

Multi-Million Dollar Homes

Hubby and I are always riding around checking out all the luxury home communities around us. We live in an area surrounded by lakes and mountains, so of course there are tons of beautiful homes. Hubby took me to his job site yesterday to show me the latest house he's working on, and I was absolutely blown away. I'm going to talk to the homeowner to see if I can snag a few photos to share here, and I'm hoping she agrees because I've never seen anything like this one.

The architect (who's name I still don't know how to pronounce or spell) is one of the top 10 architects in the world, and hubby's getting to work with him on a daily basis! Some of the angles on this home are amazing, and I'm glad I got to see it now. They just finished installing the roof, so now I can get an idea of exactly how the finished house is going to look, and I'm amazed. The house sits on a prime piece of property in the mountains of NC, and if the owners don't change their mind on anything, the materials to build it are going to cost close to $8 million alone.

Supporting The Blogathon

I had fully intended to participate in the Blogathon this year, but with all that's been happening, I just didn't have the time to do it. I was also going to take the time to find at least one blogger to donate to, but yet again it fell on a slow pay week for me, so I didn't get the chance to do that either! I found a nice little way to still support the Blogathon and a worthy charity over at My Thoughts, Ideas, and Ramblings. Lisa sells Lia Sophia, and this she is donating a portion of her sales through August 6 to one Blogathon blogger. I think it's a great idea, and I will definitely be checking out her selection of beautiful jewelry! If you would like to purchase an item, she wrote a nice blog post that tells you how, so stop by and check it out!

Mugwort Maggies

*UPDATE*

I no longer support this e-tailer. I placed an order on January 14th for 3 sample sizes of laundry detergent. After several email attempts at contact I have not received my product, any email responses, or a refund. As you can see in the comments someone else also has experienced the same problem. I only lost $10, but I don't want anyone else losing any money either!!!!


I read about Mugwort Maggies Apothecary awhile back on RP Soapworks, and I know I was ready to go out and buy some of the homemade laundry detergent samples offered, but I was flat broke that week. I had completely forgotten about that until I received my Little Black Box this week and saw a nice sized sample of Lavender Laundry Detergent packed among all the other wonderful things.

Aside from the fact that my photo is absolutely horrible, this stuff is really wonderful. My sample is Lavender, and it smells absolutely terrific. I was going to quote the description of the laundry detergent from the Mugwort Maggie's page, but the description is just too long for me to do that. Instead let me give you a quick overview.

All Mugwort Maggies laundry soaps are made by hand and contain no chemicals or fillers like normal laundry detergents. This means not only does it take a much smaller amount (about 1 tablespoon for small-medium loads), but it's also much more gentle. It's perfect for washing children's clothes as well as cloth diapers. The laundry detergents are made from all natural ingredients and are both chemical free and vegan. They are also 100% free of petrochemicals, phosphates and dyes, are biodegradable, and are nontoxic. This stuff is also 100% safe for your septic systems and drains.

A full size bag of Mugwort Maggies laundry soap is 22.5 ozs. That's enough to clean 48 loads, but the package is less than half the size of traditional laundry detergent because of the fact there are no fillers or chemicals. A full size bag costs $9.00, but you can also order sample sizes for $1.75 a bag. Each sample bag will wash approximately 5 loads of laundry, and there are so many wonderful scents to choose from!

I dove right in and washed a load of sheets to see how they would turn out, and I have to say they came out smelling absolutely wonderful and brighter than I've seen them in a long time! My sample bag will probably be completely gone by tomorrow, but I will definitely be ordering more. I plan to order quite a few more sample bags so I can test out some other scents.

Hockey's Future

If you're a hockey fan, I've got a site for you to check out. It's called Hockey's Future, and it's chocked full of tons of stuff for the hockey fan. Check out the top 50 prospects, the top NHL Org. Rankings, and the ISS Top Ten. You can also participate in the HF Hockey boards with other hockey fans, get up to date news on your favorite team, and find out about the hockey draft. There's also a chat room so where you can interact with other fans. Both hubby and my father in law are big Flyers fans, so I'll definitely be passing this link on to them. They'll both be interested in checking out the 2007 Flyers draft review.

If you're interested in the sport of hockey, but you just don't know much about it, you can learn everything you ever wanted to know about about drafting on the Draft FAQs. While you're enveloping yourself in all the information you could ever want to read, don't forget to check out the Hockeys Future radio station! There's definitely something for everyone on this site from the new fan who doesn't know much about the sport to the avid fan who already knows everything! Go ahead and check it out today and tell me what you think!

More Products From My Little Black Box

You're just dying to know what else I got in my Little Black Box this month aren't ya? There are so many wonderful things, and they all look so pretty that I've had a really hard time touching them! Before I start listing a few of the other products I received, let me give you an update on some of the others I've already mentioned.

I decided to replace my normal morning face wash regimen with the Country Hill Acne set I received, and I have both good and bad things to say about the products in the set. First of all, I just love the way it has made me skin feel, and using the soap, toner, and acne cream really has cleared my face up. I suffer from a lot of acne problems especially during the summer months, and this stuff really has helped. The only negative thing I have to say is that the toner smells horrible! It has a soured smell that my husband refers to as wet stinky feet. Thankfully after the toner dries the smell goes away, but it was rough getting used to it the first two mornings I used the stuff!

As for the wax melts from Can Do Candles, I decided to have a little Christmas in July, so I burned the gingerbread man since he already had a broken leg. Hubby walked in from work and got all excited because he thought I had gingerbread cookies baking. He really did want the cookies, but he was happy enough to settle for the wax melt because it just smelled so good! I have to admit, it did make me a little hungry, too!

As for a few of the other things:

From Chunky Butt Candle Company I received a Pi-Lattes scented wax melt. This melt smells wonderful! It smells like coffee, and I love coffee smelling melts. The smell isn't very strong, but it does put off a nice scent. Right now I've placed it in my utility room on a shelf over the litter box, and it's working as a nice air freshener in the tiny room.

I also received a nice size container of wrinkle serum from Youthful Essentials. I'm still debating exactly what to do with this because I'm still young enough that I don't have to worry about damage repair for a few more years, but I do like to use products that give me a little bit of wrinkle prevention. The citrus smell of this wrinkle serum is very delightful. It contains the peptide Carnosine which is known for skin cell rejuvenation and restoring skin to a youthful appearance. I may try this stuff, but I might pass it along to my mom and see how she likes it.

Free Motorcycle Bulding Course

Anyone who reads any of my blogs should know by now that I'm a big motorcycle enthusiast. I mostly deal with the sports bike side of the road, but I also like cruisers and choppers. I've been wanting to purchase a mini bike, but I've had a hard time deciding on whether I want to buy a mini sports bike or chopper. My cousin has an awesome mini chopper that it's a ton of fun to ride.

I immediately thought of this same cousin when I saw a mini course in how to properly build a chopper frame. He's wanted to build his own custom chopper for awhile now, so I thought this would be perfect for him or anyone else who's interested in motorcycles such as I am. This is also something I know hubby would be extremely interested in. The free course discusses 9 common problems when Building A Custom Chopper Frame along with how to avoid them, and I think it's a cool read for like I said anyone interested in motorcycles. I signed up for the mini course, and I'm going to print out the mini guide for both hubby and my cousin. I know they're going to love it.

The Capo's Mistress Hardback Release

You may remember a few months back I told you about book called The Capo's Mistress by Richard Harris. At that time the audio book release on Amazon was coming soon, and the author was giving away free downloads of the audio book on his website.

The book is no longer available for download, but it's now out in hardcover format! It's been a few months, but I've been waiting for this. I listened to some portions of the audio book, but I just can't stick with an audio book for too long. I've been waiting for the hardback release so I can finish the book.

If you don't remember the book, or you're new to my blog, let me give you a little info about it. The Capo's Mistress is a mystery/thriller set in Las Vegas featuring Mike Driscoll, an ex-cop and recovering alcoholic and Mary Carter, a beautiful showgirl who's gotten herself caught up with the mob because of a bag she threw into the lagoon at the Treasure Island hotel. The two cross path's in Virginia City, and soon not only does Mary have Mike in her bed, but she convinces him to do her dirty work.

If you're looking for a new book to pick up, The Capo's Mistress might just be the one for you, and right now you can Register for a chance to win a free signed copy until September 30, 2007 via the author's website, richard-harris.com. This is one contest I'm definitely entering, but if you don't want to wait for a copy, you can also order The Capo’s Mistress at Amazon.

Technorati Tags: book review, The Capo's Mistress, Freebie, Contest, Free Signed Copy, Richard Harris

Carry Bag

I've been looking for some kind of case or carry bag for my mp3 player. I've got a small sandisk one, so it's not like it takes up a lot of room, and my motorcycle jacket has a nice little pocket for it, but sometimes I just don't want to wear my jacket when we're just cruising around. I'd like to have some type of little bag that fits on a belt or clips to my pocket. I tried using the armband, but it just flaps around too much on the bike. Does anyone know of someone who handcrafts small bags I could possibly use for this? I've checked Etsy for a few, but I haven't found anything I like.

Plays With Mud

If you like handcrafted stuff, you should check out Plays With Mud. I haven't ordered anything yet, but when I found the site, I immediately saw a couple things I want. I love headbands, especially handmade ones, and there are some really pretty patterns to choose from. The pottery Paula S. Weigel makes is absolutely beautiful. I especially love the platters she makes.

Freeze It

I got another product sample in the mail a few days ago that I finally got a chance to try. It's called Freeze It, and it's supposed to be like BioFreeze. I've never tried BioFreeze, so I can't compare the two, but I can tell you the product is very similar to IcyHot, only better. I've used IcyHot many times for muscle and joint pain. Hubby uses it on an almost everyday basis, so I was glad to have the chance to try Freeze It.

The main difference I see between IcyHot and Freeze It is the smell. I HATE the smell of IcyHot, but Freeze It has a very light menthol smell. It didn't feel greasy like the other brands I've tried, and there was no super intense burning sensation. I actually didn't apply the product to myself. I applied it to hubby's thigh where his tool belt often causes a lot of muscle pain. He loved it. I also put a little on the back of my hand to see how it would feel, and I really do like it. I like how the gel goes on and soaks in extremely fast, so you don't have a huge mess while you wait for it to dry. Hubby was able to get dressed about a minute after I applied it.

I would definitely recommend this product to anyone who suffers from joint pain, muscle pain, or arthritis. A tube is about $10, and I'll definitely be picking up some once I run out of samples. I'm definitely willing to pay $10 for a pain relief product that not only works, but lasts.

A SALE!!!!!

If you love perfumes, you really need to go visit my friend Lisa and Raspberry Patch Soapworks right now. She's having a perfume sale! There are tons of goodies from tons of places I like to buy from such as The Ivy Keep and Woobie Bath. Almost everything she's selling was used as a one time tester so she could write a product review on her blog. They're not brand new items, but they are well cared and like I said, only used once. Besides that, these are great prices! Pick up a few items on sale before she runs out! I know I'm definitely going to be scrounging through my change. I already see one item I really really want!

Protein Shakes

I used to date a guy who was into bodybuilding. He was always getting me to help him make protein shakes. Now, if you or someone you know is looking for a protein shake you have two choices. You can make your own, or you can buy a pre-made concoction like muscle milk. He preferred to make his own, so here's a handy little recipe you can try for a really delicious protein shake to help you with your fat loss and lean mass gain.

Tangerine Cream:

* 12 oz. Tangerine Diet Rite
* 4 Ice Cubes
* 1 to 2 tablespoons heavy cream
* 1 to 3 scoops vanilla protein powder

LBB Is Here!

My Little Black Box arrived today and it smells so wonderful! There are tons of goodies in it this month that I'm dieing to try. I'm trying to get pics of everything to go along with this post before I end up using half the products! That doesn't mean it'll happen though! Some of this stuff is just too yummy not to rip into, and I'm like a kid in a candy store! I've already opened all the pretty packages. It's like Christmas morning once a month! I can't help but to rip the packaging off and jump right in! Here's a sneak peak of a few of the products in my box this month. I will be back later on today to share a few more!

WoobieBath-
There are some nice little scent samples from WoobieBath.com. The scents are exotic sands and frosting. As soon as I snapped the photo, I ran off with the Frosting sample. I had to pour it in my mist fountain!


Can Do Candles-
There's a very delicious smelling goody bag from Can Do Candles packed full of full size wax tarts. They all smell so awesome, and are in such cute little shapes like buttons and a gingerbread man. Unfortunately the gingerbread man is missing a leg, but I think that's due to the fact that I let the box sit on the porch half the day and he may be slightly melted. Oh well, he's going to be completely melted very soon!

Aroma Soy by Grazia-
This is just the most wonderful smelling little tart. Normally I don't like lemon smells because it reminds me too much of cleaning products, but little tub of Lemon Drop is a very nice lemon scent. Her card says most of her customers say her tarts are some of the strongest they've smelled, and I will have to agree that this one is packed full of scent. I'm going to take Grazia's advice and place it on my bathroom counter as an air freshener until I'm ready to burn it. She's already cut nice little holes in the top of the container to let it breathe.

My Lip Stuff-
I loooove lipgloss and chapstick so I was really happy to find another lip balm sample in my goodies this month. This one is called Apple Pie A La mode, and it's from the My Lip Stuff Limited Edition Scents of July collection. Of course you know I ripped the package open as soon as I saw this one and it tastes wonderful! My lips are really thanking me right now, and this little guy has a permanent home in my jeans pocket.

Country Hill-
There's a nice 3 piece Acne Solution set from Country Hill this month. I think I'm really going to love this considering how prone to breakouts I am. There's the Acne Blemish Cream, Gentle Acne Toner, and Acne Cleanser Soap.

Unconscious Mutterings

Yes I'm muttering away again. If you want to mutter with me, check out LunaNina.com.

1. Deputy :: Dog
   
2. Name :: Jenn
   
3. Arrested :: Never
   
4. Trade :: Show
   
5. Old :: Fashioned
   
6. Fingerprint :: Unique
   
7. Dwarf :: Dopey
   
8. Newspaper :: Print
   
9. Gabriel :: Angel
   
10. Certificate :: Birth
    

LBB On The Way

I just ordered my second Little Black Box, and I can't wait to see what's in it. That means I'll have tons of samples to try, then I'll be sharing them with you guys once again. I'm so glad Lisa got me hooked on these things. My sister in law had told me about them once before, but after the first couple she stopped receiving them. I remember all the awesome samples she used to pass on to me like hand made lip glosses and wax melts. If you haven't heard about the Little Black Box, definitely check it out if you're into handmade stuff!

While you're waiting on me to receive my awesome box full of wonderful stuff to share with you guys, check out this Bush furniture. You might see something you like. I know I saw quite a few things, but I've got to stick to my budget now that we've got a new car payment. That means I'll be cutting my spending by more than half. I know, it sucks!

Yummy

If you love to cook, you're going to love Plaincook.com. When I saw this blog today my mouth started watering. There are tons of recipes for you to try, and I like how it's easy to find the recipes you're looking for via tags. Apparently today's subject was ice cream, and seeing as how it's the middle of the summer, ice cream is exactly what I want. I especially love the "Easiest Ice-Cream Recipe" because it not only sounds really delicious and easy to make, but you don't have to have an ice cream churn to make it!

As far as the site goes, the layout is very easy on the eyes. Everything is easy to read, and the header image makes me hungry every time I see it. There isn't a lot of stuff clogging up the sidebar like other blogs (including mine) so it's easy to find the archives, tags, and past recipes.

We've got a birthday coming up in the family, so depending on how creative I feel, I might attempt to make Mandarins and Ice Cream Cake Recipe versus the regular old out of the box cake mix cake I normally make. It might be fun!

Finding A Pet For A Child

My best friend has been thinking about getting a dog for her son, and she came to me for advice. She knows I love dogs, and she thought I would be good at helping her pick one out for her son. He's 4, so she decided she wanted something that wasn't going to be really hyper around him, and she doesn't want something that's so big it's going to knock him down. I admitted that I don't always agree that big dogs shouldn't be around small children. It really does depend on the nature of the dog as to how they will react, but in the end it will of course be her final decision.

I would like to see him get a bulldog. My friend grew up with boxers and bull mastiffs, so she knows how hyper mastiff breeds can be, but she's never had much experience with bulldogs. She's been around my Olde English Bulldogge, Bubba, quite a few times, but he's still a hyper puppy. I suggested if she were interested in a bulldog that she should look for an older one that's past puppy hyperness and already has experience with children.

I grew up with a Basset Hound named Dutchess Katarina and a Mastiff mix named Bogie. We had those dogs when I was about 3-4 years old, but I can still remember them. Actually I've noticed through the years that when I think about our family pets, I tend to think about those two more than any of the other dogs we had when I was growing up. I think it was because at such a young age I bonded with them on a different level. I think it's a good idea for my friend to get a pet for her son, but I told her not to rush into it. I'll help her do some research, and we'll find the dog that's right for them.

I know quite a few of my readers as well as fellow bloggers are also big pet lovers. If any of you have any information you could share, especially those of you with dogs and small children in the same household, I would love your input. Because I don't have children yet, that's one area I don't know much about. I'm just relying on common sense here.

Search Engines

When it comes to search engines, I know the favorite among many is Google, but I'm curious to know how many people rely on other search engines for the majority of their searches. I know there are many times that I'll run a search such as "vacation home Orlando" on Google, and I won't find exactly what I'm looking for. I'll run the same search on a few other search engines to find what I want. How many of you still do that or have you chosen one search engine that you use mainly for every search every time?

Unconscious Mutterings

This week's word association is kind of a shock for me. We've been looking for a Chevy Blazer for the last 3 weeks now. We looked at 2 previous Blazers and struck out. We applied for 2 car loans and struck out. The third car loan was approved, and this morning hubby said he just wished something would give us a sign that maybe we'll actually get this 3rd Blazer. Well, as soon as I went to copy my words for this week's Unconscious Mutterings, I saw the last word on the list is Blazer. Is that my sign? Maybe the 3rd time's the charm.

Anywho, if you want to play along, you can grab your words at Lunanina.com.

1. Situation :: Sticky
   
2. Theme song :: Night Rider
   
3. Kelly :: Barbie's Little Sister
   
4. Club :: Music
   
5. Swerve :: Drunk
   
6. Couch :: Potato
   
7. Bigfoot :: Hairy
   
8. Arbitrary :: Law
   
9. Inventor :: New Product
   
10. Blazer :: Hopefully will be mine soon.
    

Auto Accessories

If you're looking for some auto accessories for your vehicle, check out the Buy Auto Truck Accessories website. Since I'm looking at getting a 2000-2002 Blazer, I've been looking for a Billet Grille, and I can't believe how unbelievably cheap this site has them for! They've also got the floor mats I want for about 40% cheaper than I found them on another site. I'll definitely be adding this one to my bookmarks, and if I get my Blazer I'll be putting in an order pretty soon.

Finances A Mess

I've spent a lot of time going over our finances this week. Hubby works a full time job, but he also does a lot of his own contracted work on the side. That means I have to keep up with his finances for that portion of his work throughout the year, otherwise we'll have a huge mess come tax time. Now that I'm self employed, I've got double the finances to sort each week, and unfortunately I've been a little slack on hubby's stuff. I spent 4 hours yesterday just straightening hubby's mess of receipts and printouts. I'm thinking it might be about time to invest in some sort of financial reporting software to help keep things more organized for us.

Financial Responsibility

A lot of parents have a hard time teaching their kids to control their money. Thankfully I came from a family where my dad limited my spending and taught me the value of a dollar. I received a set allowance, $60 every two weeks. It had to cover my school lunch as well as any of my activities on the weekends. Sure, I received extra money for special events, holidays, birthdays, and vacations, but I had to learn to budget my money wisely the rest of the year. It would have been nice if my dad had also had a way to give me a credit card, too, without having to give me a real credit card. Then I could have learned about credit and debit.



PAYjr Visa Buxx is now offering parents a way to do just that. Not only can you teach your kids responsibility through a pre-paid Visa Buxx card, but you can also make it fun! PAYjr allows your kids to upload their own images and design their own card to make it personal and unique! I think it's a great idea, and I'm even considering getting hubby a PAYjr Visa Buxx card so I can limit his spending! Haha I'm sure he would love that!

It Won't Go Away!

You know what I miss? I miss the days of email with a handy little "block address" button. It didn't work very well for removing spam, but it did work for unwanted emails from specific people. I know I used it many times when I would receive weird emails from people who found my yahoo profile. I also used it to block a few ex boyfriends, but those days are long gone. I haven't really even thought about that button over the past few years because I haven't needed it. If I received an email from someone I didn't want to talk to, I would just delete it. Chances are after never reading or replying to their email, they would go away, until now.

I signed up for an email newsletter awhile back that was supposed to be about SEO and blogging. It didn't take me long to realize the newsletters contained more junk than information I could use. After a couple more newsletters, I tried to unsubscribe. I kept receiving 2-3 newsletters a day from this group, and I figured like a lot of the other newsletters, I would have to wait so many days for the system to boot my email address out. After a month, I tried to unsubscribe again, and yet again I was told I was successfully unsubscribed.

It has now been two months since I first tried to unsubscribe. I've tried many other times to do it again, and I've even sent the newsletters to my junk mail filter, but they keep coming through my regular mail to no avail. There was also another option to unsubscribe by email. I've sent in a request many times, but of course I'm still getting the newsletter. I finally sent a few more not so nice emails to the webmaster of the newsletter, and still I've received no response, but I'm still receiving the newsletter!

All I want is for it to go away! I don't want to open my e-mail everyday to find at least 2 or 3 more newsletters that I've got to take the time to delete. I really do miss the days of that handy block button. Out of curiousity I checked some of the old email services I used to use that I regularly used the block button with, and I didn't realize until today that Gmail, Yahoo, Aim webmail, and my Charter mail have all removed or never had the button to begin with. Oh, what I'd do to see it return!

Learning Through Closed Captioning

Closed captioning has been around for over 20 years in the USA, and it still intriques me as to how wrong it can be. This service was originally created to give the deaf a means to watch tv. Those who cannot hear can read along with the television. I've used close captioning many times when I've wanted to follow what's going on with a show, but I didn't want the noise. It was especially handy in college when I had to watch medical videos for one of my biology classes, but I didn't want to wake up my roommate.

Unfortunately the service still isn't perfect. The bad part is the fact that it's not always correct. I could be watching something that is supposed to say "Hi, how are you?", but instead I would be reading "Hi, are you sdfjiewoauparllll". It also still blows me away that not all cable channels have adopted closed captioning. Some channels provide captioning for certain shows and not for others. You would expect that considering the service has been around for over 20 years, closed captioning would be available on everything.

There is another great use for closed captioning. Almost every alternate language channel out there provides closed captioning for every show. A friend of mine has two children ages 5 and 7, and every day she let's her children watch cartoons, but not just any cartoons. Her children watch Spanish cartoons with English closed captioning turned on. You would be amazed at how much Spanish these children have learned.

This just goes to show that closed captioning is a valuable resource that has been around for many years. Even if it doesn't work perfectly all the time, it is still a great help to those who need it, but also provides many other additional uses.

Contests!

It's time for a Geeky Speaky giveaway again, and Colleen's got some great stuff this month! She's giving away a Phillips 512MB MP3 Player for the grand prize and a Clean DR Screen Cleaning Kit as the booby prize. Both are great prizes that I wouldn't mind getting my hands on. I would really love to win the MP3 player.

Hubby and I both have MP3 players right now, but I've got a Sandisk 512MB and he's got a Sandisk 256MB. Don't get me wrong, I love my Sandisk, but hubby can't stand the fact that his is so small! We use them mainly when we're on the bike, and hubby ends up listening to the same songs over and over. He can't store the variety he would like. Just about every other day he's in here complaining that his MP3 player isn't big enough, and he's got to switch out his playlist again. If I won this Phillips 512MB MP3 player, I could give hubby my Sandisk 512MB, and I would have a brand new one for myself! You didn't really think I would be willing to give him the new one did you?

If you want a chance to win either of these prizes, head over to Geeky Speaky for a list of rules and ways to enter. It's fun to participate, and you've got nothing to lose! All the Geeky Speaky prizes are tech related, so if you're looking for something in a more general category, you can also check out the contest on Simple Kind of Life. The contest is the same, the prizes are different. It's that simple!

We're Going To Florida!

I also found out yesterday that hubby is going to be participating in a track day event at Jennings GP. That's so awesome because not only do I finally get to go to a track day, but I'll finally get my Florida vacation I've been begging for. My best friend does the track days at Jennings a lot, and she says it's the best track for motorcycles around. That's because Savannah and Road Atlanta are built for cars but also allow motorcycle events. Jennings is a motorcycle only track, so it doesn't get beat up and grooved out in the corners by 4 wheeled vehicles.

I'm so excited! I think he decided to participate in a September track day, so that gives me time to come up with a 1 piece set of leathers. Right now I have a textile jacket and leather chaps, but to participate in any track event you must have either a 1 piece leather race qualified suit or a 2 piece race qualified suit that completely zips together around the waist to form a 1 piece. A good suit will run you at least $600, but I'm hunting Ebay like crazy right now. I really want to participate in a 2-up session which means they allow a passenger for each bike. It's only $50 extra, and if we're already paying $150 for the full track day, we might as well pay the extra $50 so I can ride, too!

Cute Bedding

We drove down to a friend's house last night who lives a couple hours downstate, and we went out on the town for a little while for him. We haven't seen him in ages, so it was nice to get to hang out with an old friend for awhile. It was getting pretty late, and we ended up stay there so we didn't have to drive back so late. We stayed in his daughter's room which has one of those really cute wooden bunk beds with a twin on top and a full on the bottom. I fell in love with the bedspread. I know it's kids bedding, but it was just so adorable. It was a metallic blue with stars on it, and I love celestial things. Our bedroom is decorated in celestial pattern right now, so if it wasn't a kid's bedspread, I'd probably be running out to buy one for our bed. I'm still debating on purchasing one for the daybed in the guest room. At least I could justify it by telling hubby I'll use it when we do have kids!

Cleaning Out My Books

I'm thinking about signing up with a book exchange. I've got tons of books laying around here, and honestly I'm running out of room to put them all. I thought about Ebaying some of them or maybe selling a few on Amazon, but I always have a problem letting go of my books. That's why I've thought about looking into a book exchange program of some sorts. At least I would feel like I was passing it on to someone else who would really like to read it, and I would get something back in the process. Anyone know any really good book exchange programs to use? Preferably free?

I'm also thinking about giving away a few of my books through a blog contest, but considering we all probably like to read different things, I'm not sure how this would work. I'm thinking about making a list of some of the books I have, then running a contest where the winner can choose a number of books from the list. That way participants would be able to see a list of books I've got before they decide to participate. I don't know, it's still just an idea floating around. I'll figure it out later.

Happy 4th!

I hope everyone's having a wonderful holiday! Happy 4th of July! Hubby and I are getting ready to go buy our fireworks!

Termites

One thing I'm glad we don't have to worry about is termites or other pests in our home. Thankfully hubby's best friend is an exterminator, so our house gets treated twice a year for free. If it wasn't for that this house would probably be eaten alive with termites considering how old it is. If you're experiencing problems with termites, you might want to check out Termites Guide, a helpful recourse on how to get rid of Termites. There's lot of different products used to get rid of them. Most come in the form of either a bait, liquid, or borate treatment. If you're having a problem with termites, just remember the quicker you act the better off you are. Termites can do a lot of damage in a very short time!

Monday Madness July 2nd

Today it's all about laundry, something I'm all too familiar with.

1. Do you do your own laundry or do you send it out?
I do my own laundry. I'll send something to the dry cleaners maybe once a year, but I try to buy things that don't need to be dry cleaned.

2. Do you laundry at your home or a laundromat?
At home. I remember the laundromat days when my washer died, but thankfully my grandma bought me a new washer for Christmas last year.

3. Are there certain articles of clothing that you need to have dry-cleaned on a regular basis?
Only one of hubby's Ecko sweaters, and a few articles of our riding gear. Everything else is either machine or hand wash.

4. How often do you do laundry? Is there a certain day of the week that you consider "laundry day?"
I do laundry everyday. You wouldn't believe the amount of laundry 2 people can go through in this house on a daily basis!

5. Do you iron your clothes as you pull them out of the dryer or do you wait until just before you wear the clothing to iron?
I hardly ever iron anything. Actually, I have 2 irons that I received as wedding presents. I've used one of them maybe twice. The other one is still in its box.

6. Do you hang your clothes outside to dry or do you dry them in a dryer?
I do both. If the weather's nice I hang them out to cut down on the power bill. If it's raining (like today) I'll use the dryer.

7. Do you own things that need to be hand-washed or do you try to avoid buying things that you can't wash in the washing machine?
I don't mind hand-washing. I normally only have to do that with some of my winter sweaters though. I try to buy machine-wash stuff.

If you want to play, head on over to the Monday Madness blog!

Anniversary Present

Hubby promised he was getting me a new wedding band this year for our anniversary, but the problem is, I have to pick it out. He's afraid I won't like it. My original rings are still nice, but we didn't have a lot of cash at the time, so we bought something small. We also settled for a ring that would work, but it's gold. I hardly ever wear jewelry, but what I do wear is silver, so I really can't wear my band with anything else at the same time.

I think I'm going to pick out one of the bands like they have over at Danforth Diamond. They've really got some beautiful rings, and I really like the 14k White Gold 2.5mm V-Shaped Contoured Wedding Band. Actually it looks just like my current band except it's in the white gold like I originally wanted. For $30 more he could go ahead and make it Palladium.

Unconscious Mutterings

I decided to pick up an old meme I used to participate in again called Unconscious Mutterings. I used to have so much fun doing this one, and I'm not sure why I ever stopped! Considering I have to be up at 7am, and here I am wide awake at 1:30 am, I would really like to be unconscious about now!

So anyway, this meme is about free association. You just say the first thing that comes to mind after reading each of the words.

1. Partner :: lover
   
2. News :: inaccurate
   
3. Foam :: packaging
   
4. Paycheck :: money money money!
   
5. Me :: myself and I
   
6. Eight :: ball
   
7. Dairy :: cow
   
8. Exciting :: riding the bike
   
9. Hockey :: puck
   
10. Socialite :: more money than I'll ever see