Needing A New Dining Table

I am wanting a new dining table. Just don't have the money for it right now, but am starting to look around. I like some of the small, squarish dining tables--think they are called cafe tables. Not sure about that. I might want to get a smaller type of table that is actually an extendable dining table. I have a small condo and don't have much room, but would like on occasion to have dinner parties. So an extendable table would work for me.  Another item for the wish list! At some point, I probably need a new sofa and a new chest and desk for my guest room, but those are on the list too!

I Love My Dell Mini

I have a Toshiba laptop that I used in law school. It served me well, but I had so many problems with it. It was slow, it would overheat, and I had to take it in for work too many times. I still have it, but I only use it as back up for my mini. Before I bought my Dell, I researched different laptops and decided that a netbook would probably suffice. I actually love it--it is small and lightweight, and I can even put it in a large purse. I haven't tried to download heavy duty software, so I don't know how that would work. That might make my mini slow and probably would work better on a more powerful computer. But so far so good. I love the flexibility it offers me.

My Former English Boyfriend

I met a sexy Englishman in Paris, and we were an item for several years. We are not anymore, but are still friends, even facebook friends! He works in construction, and I remember trying to figure out how to get him some construction jobs here in the U.S. I thought I had some leads, but it all came to naught. He reallly wasn't going to move here or quit his job. And that was probably OK. But I am glad we are friends.

What Do You Do If Your Boss Is Creepy?

I don't mean creepy in the serial killer way, but creepy in the micromanaging way. Eek. He gives me the creeps and makes my skin crawl. And oh yeah. I happen to be related to him. Lucky me. I am looking for other work, but hard in this economy.

I Love My Disability Practice

I have been licensed as a lawyer for a year and I now have my third disability client. I won for my first client on a disability appeal, and that was so satisfying! I now have two other clients. I was hoping the second one would get approved before going before a judge, but no go. We are hearing bound. I have a third client, but her case has hardly gotten off the ground. I would love to get more clients, and I spread the word as much as possible. I love helping people get their disibility benefits!

Why Do I Love The Real Housewives?

I love all of the Real Housewives series. Except Atlanta. I never saw the original season, and for some reason, I can't get into it. I think it is because I don't know the back stories. But I love all of the other series. I am watching Beverly Hills right now. I guess I am just a voyeur. I love to peek into other peoples' lives.

Getting Crazy For Business Opportunities

I used to work at a business school and boy howdy, I was exposed to people coming up with business opportunities all the time. It was so exciting to see people come up with new business plans all of the time and make boat loads of money. They acquired a toolkit in school that they could use in any setting.

That environment rubbed off on me, and I went into business. But now that I am blogging, and it has become a business, I can tell that I am more aware of business opportunities. There are so many exciting things out there and ways to be entrepreneurial. I feel like I am only starting on my business journey.

Melanie's You Have A Brand New Key

The singer Melanie from the 1970s, or was it the 1960s seems to be having a comeback lately. I have heard her name a lot, and then there is the commercial on TV with the baby in the runaway scooter toy that is careening to the tune of "You Have A Brand New Key." Can't tell you how much I loved that song as a kid. I think I used to rollersake to it.

We Are Being Watched. All Of The Time

I have heard that we are on security cameras all the time. And especially in Britain, where people are photographed on security cameras all the time, more than any other country. But to me that is OK--we need to be able to feel safe. And I think security cameras are more good than bad. Just think about all the crimes they have helped to solve!

Keep Seeing Such Nice Cars Around Town

Our town has always had some pretty rich people, and some pretty rich cars to match. People new to town would look around at the cars driving around and be amazed at the wealth here. Despite the economy, there are still these amazing cars on the road, so I think our town has escaped some of the economic downturn--still affected but maybe not as much as some other places. I saw a local ad for Ferrari parts recenlty, and I had to chuckle. To need Ferrari parts, you need a Ferrari, and that means you make serious bucks. I am not there yet.

Ok, My Bad Elance Review Wasn't That Bad

I freaked out earlier today, because I had gotten my first bad Elance review, out of five reviews so far. It made me scared because I am just getting started and getting up some steam. I was afraid it would keep me from getting more jobs, and it is important for me to build up that income stream.

Well, I saw the review, and it was middle of the road. She praised my work, but counted me down on the schedule. And that was fair. So even though it has lowered my score, if anyone looks into it, they will see that the review is not that bad. Relieved.

Service Warranties--A Blessing For Vehicles

I will have my car paid off in July and I can't wait. Another $400 in my pocket every month! But the bad problem is that my car extended warranty expires about the same time. And boy have I had to use it the last couple of years. It was a life saver for sure. I will never get another car without one. I just don't have thousands of dollars sitting around for car repairs at a moment's notice.

I have seen some ads on TV for other car warranties that I might look into when this one expires. I don't think I could a 5th wheel warranty, since I think that is for RVs, but there are some others out there. I don't mind paying a small monthly amount in order to know that I am covered when a big repair may come due.

Got My First Bad Rating Through Elance

I am bummed--I think I have gotten my first bad review today through Elance. I am saying I think I have, because my rating went down today, even though no negative review has been posted yet. I called Elance to talk about it and to find out what is going on. They said sometimes the profile takes a while to catch up to the rating. So even though I can see my rating has gone down, I won't be able to see the review until midnight or so.

I know why I got it. I was supposed to write 4 blog posts a week on a law topic. They told me it would take 30 minutes. Are they crazy? To figure out what to write, research it, write it, tweak it, and then post it to the blog? More like a couple of hours of work. And all for $10 a piece to boot.

I was late on some of the posts. Give me a break. They got quality work, and they had a queue of posts backed up for days. If I was late, it didn't really matter.

I was an editor for years, and as long as my writers gave me quality work, I would work with them on the schedule.

No more $10 blog posts for me, meaning the kind where you have to do research on a certain topic. That is a slow death for sure.

Body Acne--What Can You Do About It?

I never knew you could have acne on places besides your face until I saw a man with acne on his back. I thought--how painful that must be! And embarrassing! And what do you do about it? And then recently I heard there is such a thing as body acne wash. I guess you use it like acne face wash. Acne is such a useless problem. Why do people have to get it? At least you grow out of it.But until then, you just gotta endure.

My Dog Is Chewing Up The Constitution

I'm sitting here blogging and I hear my dog tearing paper. I look down and he is tearing into my pocket Constitution--the small mini versions. I discovered it too late to make him stop. I won't even fuss at him. I know he gets bored being in the house too much. He chewed out the pages with amendments 13 though 22. I wonder what that means?

I Am Looking A Little Better, But Have To Keep Working On It

I am slowly getting my looks back. I am a nice looking woman who put on too much weight in law school. And then I didn't look so good. I have been wondering why I wasn't losing when I wasn't eating junk food anymore. My diet isn't perfect, and I am not exercising much, but hey--cutting out junk food would be a big step when I ate so much of it in law school and when studying for the bar. But my clothes are fitting better and I seem to have more energy. So, I am feeling pretty good about everything. Now I need to learn how to lose belly fat.

Making Progress With Losing Weight

There is always that moment when you are trying to cut back on your food, and watching what you eat, and maybe even exercising, where you feel like you are finally making progress. It takes a long while, and you are afraid it is never going to happen, and then SUDDENLY! You see you have lost weight. You can fit into your clothes better. That happened to me last week. I hadn't noticed because my stomach is still hanging out there, but I have lost weight on my back. My bra fits nicely, no fat hanging around the bra, and my waist feels smaller! I still need a weight loss program because of my stomach and hips, but at least I am getting there!

U2 At Vanderbilt!

I just found out that U2 is going to play July 2 at Vanderbilt stadium, and I am so there! As an alum, I get to buy an advance ticket. I have never forgiven myself for not going to the Rolling Stones concert there. I did go to the Pink Floyd one at the stadium, and it was great. Can't wait. Gonna buy the tickets tomorrow.

I'm A Flag Football Maniac

Thanks for the article from Rubin Osborne

It's fall. Do you know what that means? It means it's football season. And this is meant in more ways than one. I'm a flag football fanatic. In other words, I play as much flag football as I possibly can. The only dilemma I have with the game is a good dilemma. I never know if I should play cornerback, which I probably should, or rush the QB, which is a lot of fun. There's a simple solution on offense - I play WR. I can't play QB for my life. I can throw a baseball or any other round object well, but not a football. I don't know why, but those are the facts and I have to live with them. WR can still be fun. Once I catch the ball, I always try to make the first guy miss. This can be done with a hop-step, a fake lateral, a spin move, and more. Prior to catching the ball is also important. If the defense is in a zone, I love just finding a hole in that zone and staying there until my QB finds me. It's pretty simple. If the defense is playing man, I think I have an advantage.

I'm so into flag football that when I turn on my satellite tv from http://www.directstartv.com/directv_programming/directv_seasonal_sports.html and watch the NFL games, I'm constantly trying to see and remember new moves. These guys are the best football players in the world. If I can mimic their moves in my flag football league, I can do some serious damage.

What In The World Is Wrong With Sharon Angle

She really says the most stupid stuff. Please people of Nevada--see through her,

For The Best Beach Trip, You Need The Right Beach Parapharnalia

I live to go to the beach. I really do. I have been to the coast two times since August, which is a lot for me, and I could go right back. On my last trip, I noticed that some people near us had a beach cabana tent which was bright and colorful. I am a big believer in having an umbrella or tent out there to protect yourself from the sun and so you can read better.

I also spend a lot of time floating in the water. Well, either floating or jumping the waves. Everytime I go to the beach, I have to track down a raft. I have a favorite kind, the denim kind, because they are hardy and don't tear. I have seen some people use foam pool floats and I might check those out. Of course, there are also inflatable water floats. As long as someone else is inflating them, I could use them!

When I am down there, I also love to walk around the neighborhood and see  all the lovely homes. Most of them are rentals, but they are gorgeous. Worth a mint, I am sure. Most of them have individual pools or
hot tubs, and have wonderful porch and patio furniture. I heard someone mention agio outdoor furniture the other day, as well as some other kinds. I am going to start looking at outdoor furniture and see what kind I like best and what is affordable.

I Think I Have Lost A Little Weight!

I have been feeling a little down lately, because I still haven't lost weight or gotten in shape. Granted, I am not exercising as much as I should and am not formally dating. But I am not eating junk food like I did in law school, and that by itself should have shed some pounds.

But I did feel a little better the other night, when I realized I have tightened up in a few spots: on my back and my hips. I can feel the difference in those areas. So I am feeling better. It is just that my stomach doesn't look better, so that is why I have still felt discouraged. Still looking for a product like diet pills or thermogenic fat burners or something like that that can help speed up the process. I am ready to look good and be healthier, and it can't start soon enough for me.

Dems Picking Up Steam?

Watching the news the past couple of days, it looks like the democrats are picking up steam. I hope so, as we need to win. Maybe people are waking up from their stupors. I can't believe people would fall for that Tea Party crap. And what a joke O'Donnell is. When did ignorance become so desired? It is like the stupider you are, the better the tea party crowd likes you. We need to keep the democrats in power!

My Niece Is In Her Terrible Teens

My niece is 15 and she is in the throes of teenism. Boys, school, grades, sports, acne. We are facebook
friends, so I get to see her updates, and her ups and downs. Boys, she writes, and I know what she means. They can be frustrating. We had a phone conversation last night, and she said she is still concerned about her skin, and that she has started using an acne serum. I hope that works for her, as she has had trouble with her skin. But she will out of that phase in a couple of years anyway, so she won't have to deal with acne much longer.

Vote Dem and Save Our Country

I have a hard time believing that the Democrats will do so badly when you look at the quality of the Republican candidates. They are just plain stupid. It is concerning to me that the Repubs think ignorance is such an important quality. And for those dems out there who are disappointed in Obama, please vote dem anyway. If you are disappointed now, think how much more so you will be under a repub congress and senate. Plus Obama will get his groove on.

Looking for Halloween Costumes

Written by Shannon Tillman

I couldn't help but be excited this year when Halloween rolled around. I love all the spooky stuff. The only problem is trying to figure out what kind of costume I want to wear. Normally I'd so something classic with a twist. I like the idea of a vampire this year, but all of the twilight stuff kind of ruined it for me. Vampires should not sparkle in the sunlight.

Since I had no other ideas yet, I chose to head out earlier to find an idea. After I set my home security alarm (Detroit ADT HOME SECURITY specials) I considered what I wanted to do this year. Over the last few years I had been everything from a zombie samurai to a bondage demon. That had been a rather daring outfit to say the least!

I went to several costume shops and chain stores but nothing seemed to be coming to mind. I didn't want to be cheesy and pick a movie costume. There are a lot of people that like to be Freddy Kreuger or Na'vi from Avatar. What I wanted was something traditional but unique.

It took all day searching and I never found what I was looking for. However, despite my failure I will persevere. There are thousands of costume ideas. I simply need to settle on one and make it happen.

The next few days I squeezed in some shopping time as well, while trying to figure out what I wanted to be. It wasn't until the idea of Avatar crossed my mind again that I finally hit on one. I didn't want to be a Na'vi, but a catman oriented concept wouldn't be a bad one. In the end a few more ideas came and I ended up deciding on a ludicrous but interesting design. In some ways it would be like a grown up version of Puss N' Boots. A cat-pirate might be just the way to go this year.

Will I Have Good Enough Credit To Buy A House?

I won't be buying a house for a couple of years, but I am already worried about qualifying and getting a good mortgage. My credit is improving, but it is "not there" yet.

I am hoping that in a couple of years time, I could qualify for one of the
mortgages for people with good credit. I don't know how much headway I can make in two years. My credit score is OK now, and it will only be better in two more years. I am not adding to my debt at all.

I need to start doing research on how to get a mortgage with good credit. Get well versed on the different
requirements and kinds of mortgages. I hear now that it is hard to get a mortgage if you are self employed. I guess I can't hang a shingle yet.

If I could get a mortgage for people with good credit, I would be happy the rest of my life, or at least until I buy the next house!

Weepy Over Toy Story 3

Let me be clear--I have not seen Toy Story 3. But I was listening to an interview on NPR today with the
producer or the director or some such, and heard the storyline. It gripped my heart. It is all about toys who
feel obsolete after their owner grows up and goes off to college. They are headed for the dump, but get saved and find a new life in a daycare. Alls well that ends well. But the story is so poignant. And something i thought about much as a child. Even toys don't want to feel unappreciated and forgotten.

Need To Manage My Stress Better

I haven't been to the Y in a couple of weeks, and I can tell the difference in my stress level. Except for the week I was on vacation recently, my stress level can spike high quickly. Even today, on a weekend, I was getting ready to host my book club. I was way behind in fixing dinner and I was getting strressed. Very sweaty. Finally, I caught up and was OK. I really need to have a mantra to say at times like that. And go to the Y.

Can't Wait To Play Wii Tennis Again

I am going to visit my sister over the holidays, and they have wii! I played for the first time at their house last year. They have a couple of games--bowling is too boring, but tennis was fun. I didn't play enough while there, so am looking forward to it again. I want to really get better this year. As a matter of fact, I may buy my brother-in-law some wii accessories for Christmas. I think he would like that a lot.

Too Much To Do This Weekend

I am getting overwhelmed--I have to clean almost my entire condo and cook dinner for my book club tomorrow night. And oh yeah, finish the book. I have to vaccuum, clean the carpet, wash dishes, dust and move stuff around  Cook lasagna, and oh yeah, finish the book. And some other stuff in there too, like finishing a freelance article. Sometimes I do too much. I need to watch that.

Health Insurance For the Self Employed

I am at the point now where I could think about going out on my own--hang a shingle as a lawyer--and try to make it as a lawyer, with a little side income as a writer and maybe a mystery shopper. Could I make it? At this point, it would be hard. But what give me pause is losing my benefits. I would have to pay for my own health insurance, and that stops me dead in my tracks.

Actually, only being out of law school a couple of years stops me dead in my tracks. I still have too much debt, but that will be different in a couple of years. I would have to find affordable health insurance but that still has good medical benefits.

I am sure I won't try this for a few more years until I have more experience and clients under my belt. Maybe by then health reform will result in more affordable health insurance.

New Avenues For Writers

Old dogs can learn new tricks. At least some of us. I was trained as a newspaper reporter, then moved into magazine writing and editing. I loved my career. It was fun and I got to experience a lot of things and had access to people I would have otherwise. I would still be in my magazine career (and loving it) if I hadn't gone into business a few years ago. I find that I miss writing. But what can I do now? Well this is one avenue--blogging. I love it and wish I could spend more time on it. I went to a digital conference today and learned even more. Podcasting! Podcasting is a little like blogging, except it is audio. But you can do it in your free time and make money with it. I got a good source to learn more if i want to follow this path.

Need Rubber Stamps For Christmas Cards

I am wanting to be creative this year with my Christmas cards, so I may try to buy some custom rubber stamps with a neat Christmas design on it and make them myself. I read an article about this a few years ago and thought it sounded like a great idea. Not only would it be cheaper than buying cards, but they would be
unique. I love Christmas cards and always want to send out the exact one. Maybe this year, I can make the exact one.

Going To A Digital Conference Tomorrow

Can't wait--going to a digital conference tomorrow. I hear there are hundreds of people attending. Funny--a few years ago, I never would have thought to go to something like this. But now, I am all into it. I will learn how to make my blog better, and also info about podcasts. I might need that info someday. I would love to meet some interesting people there.

Renting Cars To Go Out Of Town

My car is getting up in miles, and I only have 6 more months on my warranty. So after that 6 months period is over, I may start renting cars to go on long distance trips to save on miles and in case the car breaks down. If a rental car breaks down, I can just walk away from it. No worries. I am going to check out prices with
alamo car rental as well as other car rental companies to get the best price. Once I don't have a car payment anymore, renting a car to go on vacation a couple of times a year will not be a big deal.

Amazing Miners Rescue

I was glued to the TV watching the Chile mining rescue. I can't believe they were stuck down there for 70 days, and that they looked so good when they were brought up. What a great plan they came up with to get the miners in shape, eating right, and ready to come up to the surface. Very coordinated and very scientific. It was very emotional to see every miner brought to the surface.

The Wonderful Pittsburgh Steelers

This guest post from Margaret Mills

Since my husband has lived in Western Pennsylvania his whole life, it is only natural that he is a huge Pittsburgh Steelers fan. After I married my husband, ten years ago, I quickly became a Steelers fan. We try to go to all the home games, but if we can't we watch the professional football games at home on our satellite TV from expertsatellite.com.
One of the reason that I love going to watch football in Pittsburgh, is because my husband and I always go shopping before the game in downtown Pittsburgh. We go shopping, before the games, in an area close to Hines Field called the strip district. The strip district has everything and anything that you could want to buy. Of course my husband and I love to buy all of our Steelers gear there. When we are there we also buy lots of Steelers gear for all of our friends and family who live out of state.
One of the reason that I like the Pittsburgh Steelers so much is because of the players. A lot of the players are not only great players, but they are also nice people. Many of the Steelers like to give back to the community during their off season. I have seen Steelers raise money for many different charities in the Pittsburgh area. My husband and I try to attend charity events that a Steelers player is sponsoring.http://www.expertsatellite.com/

Money Problems Abound

I got a frantic phone call from a friend roday who lives in D.C. who just lost his job. It was a little bit of bad judgment. He gave up one job for another, and then the second one didn't turn out the way he thought. So they mutually partked ways. But I can hear the panic in his voice. He doesn't have a job, he lives in one of hte most expensive cities in the country, and he has bills to pay. What is he going to do?

I have not lost a job, but I have been in panicky money situations before. Mainly a lot of debt. And you get panicky when you get behind and start getting those phone calls. Those darned phone calls.

What can you do? Well, let's talk first about what you might not want to do. When you are looking for financial help, make sure you know what you are doing. Realize that there are no government debt consolidation programs. Remember that and you will be fine.

There are credit card debt settlement programs, however, They help you negotiate your balance with the credit card companies.

There is legitimate debt help out there. Just make sure you don't panic and take your time to research the different ads and offers. Make sure you can find real help for your situation.

I Want A Nice House!

Maybe with the downfall in home prices, I will be able to buy a nicer house. I really want a house, and I am way behind the curve. Well, not as much behind the curve as some people because I do own my condo, but I need a house.

The  homes in my neighborhood are still too pricey for me. Can't believe it. I don't wish anyone ill, but do wish they could be more affordable. I guess whatever price range you are in, there are still homes that are out of your reach. For example, there are some Paradise Valley Homes for Sale (Paradise Valley in Arizona is where the likes of Stevie Nicks and Linda Ronstadt live). They may be on sale, but are still too pricey for some people, I guess. Including me.

I want to make a bunch of money and then buy a really nice house somewhere--hopefully in my neighborhood!

Looking Young and Fresh

As I mentioned in my last post, everyone wants nice looking skin. The skin around the eyes is particularly
fragile, so you have to work to keep it looking young and fresh. To keep your eyes looking nice, you might want to find the best eye wrinkle cream. If you figure out what that is, let me know!

Everyone Wants Nice Skin

Whether you are a teen or a middle age person, everyone wants nice looking skin. If you are a teen, you want clear skin and might read an acne treatment review to find out about the latest treatments. If you are an older person, you might read about how to keep your skin wrinkle free. Whether you are the former or the latter, nice looking skin is the key to looking good. We all strive for it, and some of us attain it, if we work hard enough. One key is to drink lots of water and exercise. Also use sunscreen--that is key.

Money Trouble

I am one of the ones maybe doing better now than this time last year, or the year before. The reason being I am paying off my debt. And that is good and is putting me in a better position. I am also making a little moneyh practicing law part time and doing some other freelance work on top of my regular job. So things are OK right now.

But it wasn't than long ago, when I was wonder how I could get one of those peronal loans with bad credit; Sometimes you just have to have a little money to tide you over. And you are too embarrassed to ask a friend or family member.

I know there are some online sites where you can get 500 dollar loans. If I wanted to get a $500 Dollar loan or any loan like that, it would be good to get it online for the convenience and privacy it affords.