Infiltration

When I sold my old truck to get my new car I had to laugh cleaning it out. Even though my husband never drove it somehow plenty of his things ended up in it. I found medical equipment under the passenger seat, rolled up elastic wrap in the backseat armrest container, and several bottles of motor oil that weren't mine. He manages to infiltrate every area of my life--not a bad thing--just humorous at times. I stood in the middle of the car dealership driveway with an armful of items looking at him and laughing at the perplexed look he returned to me as if to say he had no idea how it all got there.

I Love The Internet

I just became a 'fan' of Bob Harper and Jillian Michael's on FaceBook. The Internet is pretty amazing that way. There are so many ways to find support for efforts such as dieting, quitting smoking, and other things along with ways to follow favorite performers, make things, learn about things, and even... well, work. :)

Few and Far Between

After circumstances caused my son's previous job to evaporate along with his insurance he has been looking for low cost health insurance. Being young and generally healthy helps him in the mean time but good health insurance is so important even at his age. You just never know when an accident will happen and blow your finances out of the water. That's if you even have the money to start with which he doesn't. Hopefully he will either find insurance soon or get another job that has insurance for its employees. Those jobs are few and far between.

New Wheels

My son is here living with me but he doesn't have a car. Out here in the middle of nowhere that is a problem. Yesterday he came in and told me to come look at his new car. I was a bit surprised, but said okay and followed him out to the driveway where his new wheels sat: two of them. He bought a bike. It's pretty cool. He's out on it now giving it a 'test drive.'

Party Time

Is it really that time again? It's time to start thinking about Halloween parties and making Halloween invitations. Halloween is one of my favorite holidays. From childhood to retirement there is something for everyone to enjoy about Halloween. The only holiday that tops my personal list of favorites is Thanksgiving and that's because I get to eat. It is the only day of the year I will completely ignore any thoughts of dieting. On Halloween I still make myself obey my diet even with all that great candy floating around. What makes Halloween so great is the decorations, costumes, and eerie fun parties.

Hellboy Series

I'm watching "Hellboy II: the Golden Army" again. It's a fun movie with a great moral basis. Story lines like this impress me because they take something so mythical and entertaining, and embed a deeper sense of meaning to it that relates to everyone. I hope they continue with the series.

Diversity Online

AED sells automated external defibrilators. These are the things my husband appreciates as an EMT. The fact that they can be found online is yet another example of the amazing diversity that can be had on the world wide web. In a mere 10 years the online resources have burgeoned to overflow. I try to imagine what the world will be like in another 10. It boggles the mind. It is ripe for the picking for a fiction writer who loves to write science fiction that has a nudge from the real world.

Smoked

If you look at my banner above you'll see it is 86 days since my last cigarette! I'm truly out of the woods with the quit too. I say that knowing full well many people fall back weeks, months, and even years later so I am not letting my guard down. I mean, however, that the serious withdrawals have ended. The depression has lifted and I feel much better. It is allowing me to work again and I am getting back on track with my assignments. Luckily there have been lighter work duties I was able to continue with during the 3 months that I was having troubles or I would be broke. It was worth it though. I can honestly day it feels great to not smoke.

The Ultimate in Unique Cars

This is just perfect. I just now posted about having purchased a new car and ended up finding a link to show where I could convert my car into a fake Lamborghini with lambo doors. Ever since I saw the "Back to the Future" movies I've loved Lamborghini's. The only thing I loved about them were their unusual doors. No other car has doors that rise up in the air rather than opening to the sides. The website for the Lambo doors even shows a picture of my make and model of Monte Carlo with the Lambo doors installed. It looks sporty now. It would be the ultimate sport car with those doors.

Hard Work Pays Off

Okay I wouldn't have chosen to do this just now even though hard work does pay off but I got a new car. I was going to post a picture of it here but the upload won't work for some reason. Here it is:

It is a Monte Carlo. My very first sports car. I kept having the song "Little Deuce Coupe" running through my head as I was filling out the paperwork. If my truck had stayed fit I wouldn't have done this though. I had been thinking about getting a car instead of a truck for awhile but stopped myself when I thought about making payments. Since I couldn't help it anyway, and I need transportation I had to do it.

Vegas Baby

My husband and I are hoping to go to Las Vegas this winter. We are furiously planning ideas for Vegas vacations and hope to be there at the same time as the rodeo championship. I can't think of a better time to go to Vegas anyway, rodeo or no rodeo. Mid-December here means snow, bitter cold, and the blues. Getting away to the beauty, heat, and excitement of Las Vegas makes perfect sense. I'm hoping to catch some shows while my husband is occupied at the rodeo. We are going for four days. I will enjoy the rodeo for a day or two but he can go by himself after that.

Twittered Out

Everybody seems to still be stuck on Twitter and what a great communication tool it is. I was for awhile but after a few months I "Twittered out." It makes me smile, though, when I hear the name mentioned on a random commercial for a different product, or on a TV show, in a movie, or even in a comedian's routine. Twitter sure does get a lot of mileage. I got tired of trying to communicate every emotion, activity, or thought in 150 characters or less. I don't know why they have to limit it that much. There are plenty of other 'micro-blogs' that keep post limits short but not THAT short.

Small Perfection

When my husband bought a netbook last year I thought, "oh how cute, but too small for me." Lately I've given more and more consideration to getting one to use when I move about. Netbooks are super small laptop type computers. They are amazingly powerful for such small computers. They are better than blackberries, and those types of portable computers because they actually are a little computer. They are capable of running most of the normal programming you run on your regular sized laptop and have a normal keyboard--just smaller. We're not talking 'cell phone' small though. An average notebook computer is between 8 and 12 inches. My husband's is 9 inches. The hard-drive is pretty large, several gigabytes so there is plenty of storage space. They take a little getting used to in order to type comfortably but you can type with both hands in a traditional position so that is much better than small alternative computers.

SITC

I'm watching the "Sex in the City" movie over again. For awhile after it came out I watched it daily. I liked it that much. I haven't watched it now for months, but I haven't been able to convince myself to remove it from my DVR programming. I'm glad because I'm watching it today and enjoying it all over again. It is still one of my favorite movies of all time.

Complicated Furniture

Working, as I do, in my living room most of the time has let me forget about my office. A fact that came into startling relief when I went in there to work for a few hours yesterday. I really need a new desk. Searching for new office furniture can be fun. I enjoyed looking for hubby's new desk last year. What isn't fun sometimes is putting it together when it arrives. I prefer simple so that the construction isn't too difficult. Not that I have to put it together. Hubby does, but I have to help, and his was a nightmare. I have to admit that once it is done it is worth the hassle. His desk is lovely. Facing a move makes me quiver at the thought of having to tear down and rebuild his desk somewhere else. It is that much of a hassle to put together. It has hutches and sliding shelves and is very VERY heavy. It is enough to make me re-consider moving at all. I need to find something much less complicated.

Bad Day in the Big City

Boy, oh boy, yesterday was not a good day in the Chicago area. Besides that bank robbery in another news related break they announced authorities are still (read STILL) looking for an ARMED escaped prisoner who got away while being transported to something (didn't catch what, a court date I guess). Maybe I should reconsider moving back up there.

Making The Choice on Dish

My preference for TV is satellite. Where I am there are only a couple of choices. I suppose that's true no matter where you live. In Canada there is a great company called bell tv that has great prices on their equipment and subscriptions. There is a much broader availability of programming in my experience with satellite than there is with other methods of getting television signals. I'm considering moving back up to the Chicago area and have been looking at condos. Yes, this does related to TV signals. I'm debating whether to get satellite again up there which would mean hanging a dish off the balcony and disrupting the view. I've seen that. In fact it might even be difficult because there are a lot of trees right in front of one of the condos I'm seriously considering. It is a difficult choice because up there it is possible to find cable companies. In fact, they are probably more common. Down here where I'm at now cable is not an option. It's antenna or dish. (No contest, dish is far superior.) I still think satellite (via dish) is much better than cable but I might not have a choice.

High-Tech Theft?

I just turned on the TV for a minute and saw a news break that someone robbed a bank up near Chicago. Who does that anymore? I don't mean to sound flippant. I really mean it. In today's high-tech age it would seem pretty dangerous. I guess people still get away with it although I can't imagine how anymore. Besides, theft via computer is so much less hassle. You'd think these thugs would get a clue. LOL Not that I know how to do it, don't get any ideas. I just think if you're going to put that kind of effort into something why not learn how to do it high-tech?

Fighting the Flab

I'm kind of hoping I don't need extra help in the appetite suppressant area as I try to lose these extra "I quit smoking" pounds. If I can't though I am going to have to do some studying on how to make the best choice. It is really confusing in a sea of weight loss aides and medicines. At least online I can visit the various sites and see which ones will suit me best. The ones that include metabolism nudges help those of us like me who are also going into the perimenopausal years and also find their metabolism more stagnant thanks to not smoking any more.

Shirley Jones: Mamma Partridge and Gramma Callahan

I'm so glad I have "Ruby and the Rockets" on DVR. It's a cute but somewhat lame vehicle sitcom for Alexa Vega and I'm sure pre-teens adore it. She's cute and not bad in her role either. For me (the over 40's bunch who grew up on David Cassidy's Partridge Family) the reason I watch is a little different: David and his half-brother Patrick Cassidy co-star in the show as well. It is even produced by half-brother and former teen heart throb Shawn Cassidy.

All that makes it a show I watch every week even if it is a little too cheesy. This week, though, it was so worth the DVR space because SHIRLEY JONES showed up in the role of grandma (aptly, David's step-mom, and Patrick's mother in real life and on the show) bringing up old memories of momma Partridge as well. It was really fun to watch.

One Wagon At A Time

Now that I've quit smoking I'm even more on the lookout for the best weight loss pill. I knew I'd gain some weight when I quit but it sure is hard getting control of it. It is a lot harder than I thought it would be. I really need the help of a solid diet aide to give me strength beyond what I possess on my own. I'm already using all the strength I have to keep from lighting up. I don't want to end up gaining all the weight back that I lost two years ago, but I'm getting really close. I need to get it under control and FAST. It would help too if I could convince myself to exercise again. I've fallen off that wagon as well as several others just to hang on tightly to the one wagon that I can keep my grip on right now-not smoking.

The Music Died For Me

June 25, 2009 is a day that will have a vast impact on my life forever I think. Of course, not just mine, but for me, like many that is the day the music died. American Pie, a song from my youth talked about the similar emotion when the plane went down that killed Buddy Holly, Richie Valens, and 'The Big Bopper' (Jiles Richardson Jr.). That is the feeling I have now that Michael Jackson is dead. While the death of Holly and the others was accidental, Jackson's was not and that makes it even worse for me and many of those who cherished his music. No matter why, it was too early. He wasn't exactly 'young' but he had a lot of life left, and a tour in the works that would have made another big impact in a lifetime of big impacts. Even now, after two months the pain still feels raw, and listening to music is difficult. I was too young to understand the impact felt by those in Holly's generation, but June 25th is the day the music died for me.

Impact From Everything

skin id is an acne product from Neutrogena. That is a company that has a long history of helping consumers with skin care and problem skin. It is another of those names that bring back long histories of memories too. When a product or a company has been around as long as you have even if you haven't used it you are bound to have memories on account of it. Slogans and commercials become a part of your lexicon and jingles ring in your ears and sometimes are as popular as commercial music. That's how powerful an influence products and companies around us have on our world and the lives we live. It's not just our senses that bring sharp focus to our lives like smelling an aroma from the past, or seeing an old familiar face, it is also images, words, and sounds.

My Office Helper

Johnny is my constant work companion now. He can be a bit annoying and get in the way but he's so cute when he does it I can't really get mad at him for it. He even dances to music and kisses the computer screen. Johnny:

It would be a little more helpful if he wouldn't jump from me to the covered keyboard. I use my external keyboard to work. It protects my laptop, but when he jumps on it I have a lot of letters to delete.

Spice and Sugar are happy to stay on their play stand, but not Johnny. He wants no part of that thing. He only wants to be with me. Sugar and Spice:

One For Memories

When you hear a name from you past it really triggers a host of memories. I remember Clarks shoes and when I saw an ad for them today it brought back tons of memories from my early childhood. One of my very first pair of shoes I bought with my own allowance money was a pair of Clarks. I still remember what they looked like. They had a two inch heel in a loafer style and made me feel so grown up. I was in Jr. High and needed to feel like I fit in... they helped me do that. The same great shoes only, of course, more modern and available online. My favorite way to buy anything nowadays.

Not Just a Physical Attraction

I mentioned to someone on a quit smoking forum yesterday that when you are in the process of quitting, especially in the first few months it is best to avoid making any life changing decisions. Everything is raw and on the surface. Nerves are frayed. Anxiety and depression make you crazy. I've considered changing jobs, selling my house, leaving my husband, all kinds of things in these last few weeks, none of which are within normal parameters for me under normal circumstances. That's not to say I won't sell my house, it's a possibility but the reasons are wrong at this moment. They aren't the same as the reasons usually considered. The fact that the house selling question is lumped in with other impulses that aren't normal make it obvious that thoughts along those lines are not consistent with regular thoughts of the same nature. When you are quitting everything is in overdrive, or under-drive. Not at the same time, of course, and that makes it worse. One minute you are spinning out of control, and the next you are laying in bed not wanting to think or do about anything. If all of that makes you think quitting isn't worth the effort perhaps it is time to change the way you think... all of that is the very reason you should. That's how much of a hold nicotine has on your mind. It's NOT just physical.

What If

I did a calculation about how much money not smoking would end up saving me over the next 20 years and it turns out it will be enough to pay off my mortgage. How cool is that? Along with some money recently earned I may not have to wait 20 years to pay it off too. What that also started was a question about if I still needed to spend the hundreds of dollars a month on home insurance. A knee-jerk reaction might be no, but then again, just because there's no mortgage to pay off, what would replace the house if something happened? What would pay the bills if someone got hurt on our property? Those things don't happen every day now, and wouldn't happen every day if the house was paid off, but they could still happen and without insurance we'd either have no place to live, or lose the house and maybe even more.

Long Way From My Definitions

I added my 'quit-ometer' at the top of the page here right above the posts colum so it is always immediately viewable. I need to keep it at the forefront for myself and want to keep it at the forefront for those that visit me too. It is still a hard struggle and I have a long way to go, but to steal an old adversary's one-time ad line: I've come a long way baby.

Smoking is another thing that has long been a definer for those that do and those that don't. Smoking no longer defines me.

What Defines Us

I do everything on line and that includes buying most of my pet supplies. Most of the supplies I buy now are for my many birds, although I still have cats too, and will probably inherit my mother-in-law's cat when she passes. That's about it for now although I'm still considering a dog. I miss my dogs and yet at the same time have a few too many memories to get another one. In some ways replacing a pet is like replacing a spouse when one person in a relationship dies. It feels like a betrayal until some point when the pain has deadened enough to allow another to come in and fill the empty spot. While I sit here trying to think about a particular character and how to turn them into flesh and blood on a page I think about the things people do that define them. For those of use that own and love one or more animals pets are part of what define us.

Real Seasons

The fall lineup is gearing up for a start and I can't wait. I have a full rotation of shows I watch in each season but it seems like there are always a couple of filler weeks that are just boring. What surprised me most is that a new season of "So You Think You Can Dance" started up already last night and the last season just ended a few weeks ago. I'm thrilled and stunned all at the same time. I know how the seasons and show rotations are done now a days but I can't help it, everytime something like that happens I spin back to my childhood (of 4 channels to choose from) and long, long seasons that really were 'seasons' and did not repeat until the following year. Is it so hard now to keep our attention... have we become so fickle that we can't remain loyal to a show if it is gone for more than a few weeks? Yeah, I guess we have in a world of millions of choices.

Rite of Passage

This morning marked a passage of time. I closed my novelist website. It wasn't paying off. I still make sales but none of them are sent to the sales sites from my website. It was more of an ego stroke than business move so it was time to go. I haven't even worked on it for over a year. More than that actually. Still, it is a sort of a sad passage. I don't write fiction anymore so that is another reason to not keep it around even though old work still is available and sells. Maybe someday, when I'm able to play around again and seriously take the time to write fiction I can reopen it. I have thought a bit about using one of the free sites that are so readily available to keep a link up online. If I can find the time to set it up I will probably do that. Until then... I bow my head and take a moment to remember a fun and exciting time that has passed.

Sakwinder Narwal is a Lesson in Passion

When you work for yourself, or own a company and have others working for you, it is tempting to forget to take a break and be yourself. You can actually lose who you are while finding success. Smart business people know that to be truly successful you have to be well-rounded and nurture ever aspect of your life. Sakwinder Narwal is inspiring in that he is a successful person who knows how to delve into every aspect of his life with great gusto.

Whether it is deep-sea fishing for shark, or playing the harmonica to competition level Sakwinder Narwal makes the most of everything he does. He puts every fiber of his being into doing what he loves as if it were the most important thing in his life. That makes him very good at what he does--big or little. Of course, when your passions involve fighting fish as fierce as redfish who can deliver a punch like a prizefighter and don't give up easy it's a good thing Sakwinder Narwal puts as much power into his passion as he does.

Don't Freak Out

Humor like this brings a smile to my face. It's no secret that HBO's "Entourage" is one of my favorite shows lately. The current season is on so I have been watching it every week. Not always on the day it plays but it's on my DVR list. This week it wasn't on. It triggered a little bit of a freak out, I have to admit it, although until I went to HBO's website to figure out what was going on I didn't recognize the response as a 'freak out'. I simply was confused because nothing had been said about a season finale, and the last shown episode didn't resemble a finale. I was a little worried, I admit, of the possibility of cancelation even though I think it's a popular show. What I got when I reached the website (see it wasn't too much of a freak out, it took me until today to look, and Sunday is the regular day for the show) was this:

Funny stuff guys. At least, "whew" they're coming back!

Amos Tamam Always A Step Ahead

It makes sense. In today's world of credit, email, online payments, and debit cards it only makes sense that you want to pay for all of your travel expenses with a credit or debit card. Amos Tamam has been hard at work making that possible and it's about time. Thanks to the Veriphone machine that Amos Tamam invented to allow businesses to safely accept credit cards taxis can now accept them as payment too.

It started as an experiment in Chicago, and Las Vegas, and is citywide in New York and is planned to spread nationwide as the program progresses. It may take awhile before people truly catch on to the ability to pay by credit card being brought to taxis by Amos Tamam, but with increasing prices, paying by credit card at parking meters, and other new methods of taking payment where only coins or cash were allowed before take hold the taxi veriphones are going to be a huge hit.

Lucky Timing

Quote of the Day
Success is simple. Do what's right, the right way, at the right time.
Arnold H. Glasow

The quote of the day that appeared today on the sidebar of my blog here struck me after talking about things that hold us back. When you first read the above quote it sure makes sense. Seems simple and straightforward... then you think about it. That happens a lot with 'smart sayings' when you take a few minutes to evaluate them they don't always make sense. This one makes sense but isn't practical. Of course to be successful you do the right thing--and you do it at the right time. That, however, is certainly easier said than done. How do you know something is the 'right' thing. I'm not talking morally. Most of us have a fairly good moral compass if we're not serial killers or morons. I'm talking about a more subtle form of 'right'. How do you know if you're doing what needs to be done? And the right time. That right there just kills the whole saying. There is no way in the world you know when the exact right time is. That's where luck comes in. Any one who is successful--if they are honest--will tell you it is a lot of hard work, a great deal of risk and guts, and a WHOLE LOT OF LUCK.

YMT Vacations Are The Way To Go

Everybody talks about family vacations, but families aren't the only people that need a break. When people like me want a vacation and it's just me and my husband it's much harder to find a great deal on vacation packages. YMT Vacations makes senior travel affordable and fun. They have worked up great vacation packages for people who just want to get away and have a vacation at a great price.

YMT Vacations offers packages to Hawaii, Alaska, the Middle East, Europe, and wherever you can imagine yourself relaxing and enjoying your time away. There are land vacations and cruises. YMT Vacations offers something wonderful for every possible desire. If you're an adult who wants a great deal on a fantastic vacation check out YMT Vacations.

State of Play

This is an excellent movie for anyone who loves thriller/suspense/policital movies but it is especially good for any writer's who love those types of movies because it centers around a couple of journalists in political Washington DC and a big scandal that they get wrapped up in trying to find the truth. One journalist played by Russel Crowe is a jaded old hand, the other, played by Rachel MacAdams is a young, somewhat naive but determined new staff writer. Both work for a Washington paper that is somewhat a mix of honest news and tabloid fodder thanks to new owners who want only to make a profit regardless of the sensationalism... all of it led by a weary editor in chief... Helen Mirren. The amzing actors mentioned are only a handful of the star-studded cast that fill out this fantastic movie. It is worth every moment spent watching and keeps you on your toes the whole time.

Harley Swiftdeer Reagan

Knowing, or thinking you understand the problems you face in your life is not always enough. It is important to find someone who can help you overcome your obstacles, whether they are caused by outside forces or yourself. Harley Swiftdeer Reagan is a healing master who can help you find your path and stay on it to a successful outcome.

Harley Swiftdeer Reagan gives seminars and talks on the sacred sexuality and the Warrior's Path. The ideals behind his teachings are interesting and the beauty behind the native American way of thinking about our sexual selves is an important message. Part of our block to perfecting what we can be is the way we destroy what is natural and beautiful in our own beings.

I look forward to learning more about Harley Swiftdeer Reagan and his passion for teaching others to find the warrior within themselves. In doing so they find the harmony of existance. It is a beautiful thing.

Stopping Short

Things that hold me back. There are so many different things that I do that I've noticed really infringe on my ability to get ahead. Most of the time the blocks are self-emposed. I think 90% of success is a mental outlook and way of looking at things. Some psychologists say some people have a fear of success. I wonder sometimes if that's true. It doesn't seem like something anyone should be afraid of but it does seem like right when I am on the edge of getting a truly successful venture going I just stop. That's me. Others I know have a similar problem it seems but they don't all cause the effect the same way. For some it looks from the outside like unseen forces are at work to stop them making things happen that destroy their efforts. It isn't like that for me. For me it is simply stopping when I should be going full steam ahead. Or minor problems will make me just give up. It's a personal flaw but I do see it. I wonder how many people have a similar problem and simply do not see it for what it is. Maybe we could all be massively successful but we just stop outselves short.

What is Holding You Back?

I often talk about the technical or stylistic side of writing. On the practical side, however, it is important to have a good place to write. There are two sides to consider when you choose your writing area: function and atmosphere. Atmosphere is different for everybody. Some writer's can work in a busy area, with loud music, with the television blaring, and some need total silence and solitude in order to build their inner fantasy. Function is pretty much universal. You need a place to house your computer that is also good for your physical placement to protect your hands and wrists, back, and mental attitude. You need proper light fixtures that are well aimed to give you good light without creating a glare on your screen. Daylight is great but most of us burn the midnight oil and staring at a bright computer screen in a dark room is much harder on the eyes than if there is a light nearby. If you are having a hard time concentrating, or getting in the mood to write check out your writing area and see if it is holding you back.

Distraction

I found a distraction that is a lot of fun. It helps to take some of the pressure off during the day when I feel tense. It seems all of the social sites have game programs that are free to play on them. I am hooked on Mafia Wars on several sites, Special Forces on two, and Vampire Wars too. There are a couple more, too, that I visit throughout the day when I need a break and a little mindless diversion from thinking about words. If you play any of those games on sites like mySpace, Facebook, or Tagged look me up. Always looking for more family, clan, or what have you.

Free With Benefits

Here's something for all you entrepraneurs out there, and writers looking to figure out how to drive traffic to your websites, book sale pages etc... SEO usually costs quite a bit and figuring it out seems futile. The free web directory not only gives you a free place to add your information, boosting your exposure for no charge, it also gives you SEO help... all free. You can't beat that. It is difficult to break Google's algorithm code, but it is a sure bet that the more your name is out there, the more links you have, the better. The more pointers to your site, sales pages, or articles linking to you that are out there the more likely it is that the vast expanse of people on the internet will find it. It's hard for anyone to find your item in a sea of items without pointers. This gives you one more pointer, for free, and a extra benefits in their SEO tools as well.

Hit or Miss

One of the shows I enjoy watching now is "Entourage." It is very realistic, as far as a fiction account can be and still be commercial. It is funny, witty, and occassionally sarcastic. I hope it remains on for a long time to come. There are several shows coming up this fall that I can't wait to see. It is always interesting to see if the new shows can live up to their hype. "Trauma," and "White Collar" are two shows I'm eagerly awaiting, along with Jay Leno's new early late night show on NBC. The first two look very interesting but those things easily go down hill quickly. Jay on the other hand appears to be leaning toward using his tried and true format from his tenure on the "Tonight Show" (which I no longer like at all with Conan). If Jay does that he's a sure fire hit.