Wednesday, October 31, 2012

All signup and ready to go.

NaBloPoMo
NaBloPoMo (Photo credit: underdutchskies)
November is National Blog Post Month.  I am participating through Blogher, and I am supposed to blog everyday.  OK, those of you who keep up with me know about me blogging in everyday, so this is a challenge for me.  I have only signup this blog, because it is a generalized blog.  My challenge to myself is to blog something in my blogs everyday for 30 days.  Humm, that means:

MDN Creates:  30 days of something that involves scrapbooking, making cards, journaling, scrapbook reviews and such.
Tricia's Baskets: 30 days of Longaberger action.
Simply Organized Crafts:  30 days of organizational tips, interior decorating, recipes, family type stuff.
Traveling to the Mouse's House:  30 days of Disney, Disney, and more Disney.
My Crafty Couponer Deals:  30 days of shopping deals, coupons, and Black Friday (Ohhh)
And on this one:  30 days of Inspirational, life, reviews of shows (I am trying to keep that to a slow crawl), and generic stuff.

It is going to be fun, and I hope I never run out of subjects to talk about.  So I am all signed up and I am ready to go. I will talk to you tomorrow.
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Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Hey, What are you reading?

NEW YORK, NY - JANUARY 19:  Apple's new iBooks...
(Image credit: Getty Images via @daylife)
Do you love to read?  I do, and I read anything and everything.  I have read how to books that can bore you to tears to incredible steamy love stories, that transform you to that moment in time, and then you forget what time it is.  I have also read erotica stories (you know, Zane and her stories).  I have gotten out of those stories, because well her stories leave enough for the imagination and then some.  Not only that, but even though God sees all, and knows all, I still may have to answer to that in Heaven, and I am not ready for that, LOL.
Anyway, since I got my smartphone last December, I started reading e-books, and I have switch them to my Ipad a few weeks ago, but I keep a copy of them on phone just in case.  I have found both the Ibooks and  Kindle apps for the Ipad very pleasing for me.  I have yet to try the Nook apps, and I will let you know what I think of it soon, or not.  I also have Overdrive, which allows me to borrow e-books from my library.  At first, when I was making a choice of what I was going to use for a e-reader, I thought that I was going to get a Kindle for the e-reader, and the Ipad for everything else.  I since learned that I do not need a separate e-reader to take care of what I need, which is to simply read a book.
So what do I have on my Kindle app?  I have all kinds of stuff from cookbooks to organizing to a sampling of this book:



Just got it.  It is part of my online reading group's book choice for the month.   I am going to read it, and if I like it, I am going to download a pay for the rest of it.
So again, what are you reading?  More important, is it a traditional book or do you have an e-reader?  I still go to the library, I still order books, and I still have my print versions of my magazine subscriptions, as well as the e-version of these same magazines.
So with that end, be blessed everyday, and I will talk to you real soon.
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Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Dependency on Techie.

no-cable-tv
(Photo credit: hjl)
I never knew I would be one of them.  I am wondering how did it happen this way.  I thought I was careful not to let this happen to me.  I thought I was old enough to know better but I wasn't.  I am just like everyone else in this country, and perhaps the world.  Today, I was heating up my lunch.  I had stopped working long enough to make lunch. Well actually, it was a frozen entree.  I had followed the instructions to the letter, "5 mins", that is all the package said.  I turned on the microwave, and before the lunch was finished, it happened.  My microwave oven quit on me.  It was over 10 years old, and I knew I had to replace it soon, but I was hoping for a nice Christmas present from the folks.  I could not ask them, because dad had just bought me an Ipad 2, and told me that it was my early Christmas present.  So I did what every too lazy to turn on the oven person would do, I ate it as is. Now I have an oversize timer, because that is the only thing that works on the microwave.  Yes, I am a dependent of the microwave.
About 2 hours ago, I was watching a you tube video when all of a sudden, Google Chrome quit on me.  Ok, I started it back up.  It would not connect to Facebook, which I use as my go to home page. Next, I tried to retrieve my email on Outlook, it would not connect either.  Skype crashed as well as Windows Live.  I got into a panic, which I quickly recovered, long enough to notice that my WiFi had crashed (tried it with my Ipad, and could not get connected).  I tried to call my cable company (I have Time Warner), but my home phone was disconnected, and I got a busy signal from my smartphone.  I thought they cut off my cable, but the television was working, and since when Verizon and Time Warner was one in the same company. (It could happen, but not that fast, unless I was asleep under a rock).  So I turn off the computer.  I shut it completely down, let it purge data (or whatever this thing does when it is in the off position), and then I restarted it.  Now it is acting like nothing happened.  I have my phones working perfectly, checked email, and of course I am writing this post.
I finished doing almost everything a few moments ago, decided that I was not sleepy, and wanted to play a game of Free cell solitaire on this machine.  As I reached up with the mouse pointer to grab the Ace of Diamonds, it dawned on me about the last few hours of technology disasters, the incident with the microwave and now my computer system, IPad, and phones, we depend too much on technology.   I am old enough to remember the phone attached to the wall, with an actual phone company servicing the phones, not a cable company.  My parents did not have bundled packages containing cable, phone and internet access when I was a child.  They do now.  Not only that, my grandparents, who are now gone, warmed stuff in a pan on the stove, that was gas powered.  I refuse to touch a gas stove, being afraid of leaving the pilot light on.  There was no such thing as a microwave oven in the house. If they wanted information, they turned to the local news, the library, or the next door neighbor.  Everyone had a nosy neighbor.  I can barely remember my neighbor's name and what shift she works.  We talk, but I am usually running out the door or in the door from somewhere.  I live in an all electric home, which is fine for me, until one winter 2006 when the lights went out, and I could not get any heat to save a life.  I had to have someone help me get my car out of the garage, because I have a door opener, and I am too short to reach up, pull the lever to release the door, so I can left it up manually, back the car out, and then let the door back down manually.
Do not get me wrong, I love technology, but sometimes I wonder if I love it too much.   I had problems this past weekend with same cable company.  They said they did not receive my payment, and they called to leave a message on my phone (home land line phone).  It was done electronically. I had to call some stupid 866 number, verified that I was the owner of the bill by pressing a number on the phone, enter the amount of the check on the phone and the date paid, which was the 17th.  Then I got back on the phone, called the number I usually dial when I am having tech problems, and told a human rep that I want a human being to call me next time they are having problems.  The reason?  In case I have questions.  No VRU (Voice Response Unit) will ever answer questions and help you understand the situation. It is always push 1 for this, push 2 for that.  I realize that they want to expedite problem questions to the right people, but when I worked in customer service call centers, I had to know everything.   Now if I have a question about something, if these people do not know the answer to that question, they will transfer you in a heartbeat, which is usually to someone else who does not does not know the answer either.
Well it if you do not mind, it is time for me to go for another round of solitaire or read a chapter of an ebook I downloaded with Ipad before I close my eyes in my non-tech bed.
Be blessed everyday.

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Thursday, October 11, 2012

Spell out your conditions....

English: Greenholme Bank. Greenholme Bank is n...
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)
When you have a membership.

5 minutes ago, I logged on to a site that I joined about a month ago.  I fell in love with this site, because of the content and the way this community gets along.  I will not say which site it is and here is why.  The reason I will not, is because the same people who own this site are the same people who I want to advertise with.  Now my only complaint about this community is they did not spell out word for word what the conditions are for joining the community.   When I logged on, I found out that I had to pay $4.95 for a monthly membership, which was not asked for when I first joined the group.
Do not get me wrong, I do not mind paying the amount, but I would like to have been more prepared for the payment.  Had I known about paying for the membership, I could have set the money aside in my savings account, and transfer it back into the checking account when it is time for me to pay for it.
Today, people for the most part do not have disposable income to just spend on a membership.  I would like have options, instead having a monthly fee, I might have wanted to pay for a membership every 6 months or once a year.  There are all kinds of ways to work this.  not only that, this is a mom's group, so you know that funds might be on a premium.  These are just suggestions.  I am in the process of creating a community and I will run it the way I see fit.  Yes, there will be a free membership as well as a paid membership.  This is not coming until 2013, so stay tuned.  In the meantime, I do not have the right to tell a person how to run their community website.
I did renew the subscription.

Have a blessed evening.


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Monday, October 8, 2012

Down in the Valley

Cover of "If you Think You Have Depressio...
Cover via Amazon
Usually, I write on things that are happy, calm, and serene, with a little bit of chaos in the middle. This is a different type of post I am writing about.  The very idea of something that upsets a person scares most people, and when bad news comes, they do not want to deal with it.
Let me ask you two questions, have you ever been depressed, and if so, how have you dealt with it?   I asked this because there are two kinds of depression, the kind you can get out of, the kind that you can't.   I am not a psychologist so I cannot give you a solution to a problem that is as deep as depression.  We all have problems, and if you are not careful, these problems can take you there, and keep you there.  We all have been upset about that problem, only to pick yourself up, and move one when the problem is solved.
If you find yourself not able to pick up your life after a problem, there is a test on the Mental Health America website you can take here, If you can answer yes to questions such as "do you have little interest or pleasure in doing things?", Are you having problems sleeping or sleeping too much?", or "Feeling bad about yourself.", then maybe you should talk to someone.
The first thing is to admit you have depression, which is not easy.  Admitting to anything that hurts a person mentally or physically is not well taken by some people.  No one likes to go to the doctor or to seek anyone that is professional because we are human.  I think it is within our genome to take control, stew about it, and then come up with an excuse on why action was not done before.   Well, I am here to tell you that it is never too late for you to seek help.  If you are still alive, it is never too late.  People also feel ashamed about getting the help they need, no matter what the problem is.  Going to someone helps you sort things out in your life. These people do not judge, it is confidential, and you may not need any medication.   Your depression may not be a true definition of the word, but it helps to find out what the problem is.  Counselors are a source of resource information.  You can just go to a counselor for starters, and then from there, if it requires further looking into, then you may need a specialist.  Only a specialist is allowed to prescribe medication.
There is one thing about this test I would like to suggest, that is,  this test is only to find out if you think you have depression.  Never give a self-diagnosis to yourself.  If you have a bullet in your head, would you look on the internet and then attempt to take it out yourself?  No, you would not.  Well, treat the test as that, find out, and then go to someone, even if is a counselor. I am sorry I am repeating a lot of things, but I thought it is important to get it into your head if you or someone you love has depression.  If you are not sure or you do not want to take the test, that is ok, there should be a 24/7 hotline for you to call in your local area.  This call can be just to help you make that decision.
I am saying all of these things because I have a personal story...My mother and father had to make this decision about my oldest nephew.  he was 15 at the time, and it happened after his birthday in 2011.  No one, not even me knew what was going on.  You know, children, especially teens can have this problem too.  Since my parents are his legal guardians and my nephew went from doing things with his friends at church,  not returning calls from his father, stepmother, or his friends at school, to stop giving me advice on my computer (which he is brilliant at, as well as drawing).  His drawings started becoming dark, and he deleted his Facebook page.  Mike started sleeping a lot, and we were all getting worried about him.  Here it is a year later, and he is not his 100% self, but he is back to functioning.  He visits his father and stepmother, plays with his little brother (who is crazy about him), he is back to drawing happy pictures, into skateboarding, has a facebook page (I am not his friend on there still trying to find it), telling me things about my computer again, and somewhat of a typical teen (again, he is not 100% himself).  he does still see a counselor, but he is currently not taking any medication.  The counselor is there to help Mike sort things out in his life.   he was behind in his schoolwork at the time of his diagnosis and now thanks to going to a different school (one that allows him to go at his own pace), he will be graduating so far the year that he is supposed too, which is 2013.   Now, I am hoping this trend will continue with him, but he has had some setbacks along the way, and I am sure that he may continue to have some in his path, but that is when he can talk to his counselors about those setbacks, and they can combat them together.  I have no doubt that God had His hand in it too because we are a praying family. All of us, including our church family.
So there is light at the end of a dark tunnel, and you can get your life back, with or without medication.  The main thing here is never giving up and never give in to your depression.  Remember that it is ok to feel a little sad sometimes, but it becomes a problem when it starts to consume your life, to the point where you stop your routine, and your basic living.  This is the time to get help, and getting help is a freeing thing.  Remember if you know someone that has depression, take it slow, do not judge, and they will get help when they are ready for help unless it is a child, and then there is some intervention you must do on your part.  Children and teens have stress and problems too.  This is the time for parents, grandparents, aunts, and uncles to act and act fast, but it is never too late.

Take care, and be blessed every day.
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Wednesday, October 3, 2012

How to get started as a writer

Writer Wordart
Writer Wordart (Photo credit: MarkGregory007)
I was wondering how many people write just for the heck of it?  I know I do it.  I write when I want to get something off my chest, like needing money, because some company took money out of my bank account without asking me.  Now I am scrambling for funds without asking my parents for the third time this week.
I write because I want to inform people about something I hold near and dear to me, like paper crafting, my family, and God.  I also like to inform people when to stay away from doing  something stupid, like letting this company get to my funds.
However and whatever feelings you have about the subject of writing, if you want to get started, the best place is to get started with a subject you know about.   I started out with a journal.  I would write down my feelings about life in general.  How I see the world.  Pretty much like I am doing now.  I would vocalize what I liked and what I did not like.  It may be current events or just something.  The reason?  I want my children to know what life was like before they were born and what mommy was like before I became mommy.
You could become a freelance writer.  The best place is to learn how to research, and we have all done that at some point in our lives.  With freelancing, you get paid for the experience.   publishers are always looking for people who can just research and write.  along those lines, here is a book I found very helpful.  You can access it here.  Become an SEO writer, who write using specific keywords in an article.  A Blog writer where you will post to blogs.  There are so many writers until I cannot get to all of the positions in this once little post.
To help get you started, look at this free book here.  It is 10 lessons on how to get started writing, and
Steven Edwards will teach you how.  Once you learn, just jump into it, and write to your heart content.

Have a blessed day.
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Monday, October 1, 2012

20 little things I love about Fall

Fall at Alum Creek State Park
Fall at Alum Creek State Park (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Just as I am starting to give you writing prompts to inspire your journals or blog posts, I also get inspired on this blog on topics that other people write on their blogs.  This prompt is from The inspired Room.  This is a blog created by Melissa who like to find things that inspire her.  This is one I wanted to do as a last minute prompt, because Fall (Autumn) is one of my favorite seasons (Winter is my least favorite).  So here is my list of favorites in no particular order:


  1. Next to pink, fall colors are my favorite palette.
  2. Bonfires are a marshmallows (and a girl's) best friend)
  3. This is the beginning of snuggle season (which last through February of the next year.
  4. Leaves for jumping into (not racking).
  5. Apple cider
  6. Thanksgiving
  7. Giving thanks (even though you should do that all year long, after all, you are alive)
  8. Back to School and meeting new teachers (not a fav among children)
  9. Sweaters without coats season
  10. The United States gets to put on a show with her fall colored dress.
  11. Turkey
  12. Harvest and Halloween parties
  13. Perfect outdoor weather in Ohio (It is not too hot nor too cold)
  14. Warm PJs, a good book, and you.
  15. Movie night
  16. Carving pumpkins
  17. A nice warm bed with enough blankets to heat a city block.
  18. Snuggling in that nice warm bed with enough blankets to heat a city block
  19. My first year of snuggling with an Ipad and a blanket and reading an e-book.
  20. Fall pictures
So if you want to join me in putting down your little list, you can do it here, or go to The Inspired Room and link up your list.  You may win something from her.

Until next time, be blessed everyday.


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I had to write something

35 - Get Ready, Get Set, Write
35 - Get Ready, Get Set, Write (Photo credit: Holtsman)
Hello, rather good morning and happy October 1st.  It is 1:37 am on a Monday morning, and the daily activities have not started in my neck of the woods.  People here are getting settled down for sleep, have been sleeping, or like me a chronic night owl.

I have had a very busy week last week, and I have not posted like I should.  Last Monday, I got crazy so to speak, and cleaned one corner of my house.  I am trying to organize my life so I do not have to look at the living room the way it is.  I just took a pile and started pitching stuff.  I have not been looking at it anyway, so unless it was important, in the trash it went. (I meant the paper.)  I will be doing more of the same this week. It is so freeing.  
Tuesday was a lazy day.  I mostly looked at email.  No big on that, except it should have been more of the same from Monday.   Wednesday, hum, cannot remember Wednesday, except I went over to my pastor's house for bible study.  She is still recovering from her foot surgery.   Thursday was a long day.  My sister wanted to borrow $2, so I went by her apartment to give it to her, on my way to the Jeffersonville Mall (now called Tangent Mall-Jeffersonville).  I was working to get some sales at the Longaberger at Home showroom there.   This was my first time doing it at that location. I am usually at the flagship store-Homestead in Frazeysburg, Ohio.  The drive was easier, and I will defiantly go back to work there.  It rained so we did not have too many people come in.  Friday I was preparing for my open house on Saturday.  Once I was finished with that, I had to go to J C Penney's to get something for my Keurig coffeemaker.  If you want to brew regular coffee grounds in this coffeemaker, you need the adapter for it.  It is a filter with a holder, and all you do is take out the K-cup housing and put the adapter.  Simple, right?  Nope not at all.  I love this coffeemaker, but mine is 10 years old, and the adapter is made for the newer Keurig machines in mind, so adapted the adapter.  I am using the filter in the K-cup holder, and saving the adapter part for the day I get a new machine (this one is on it's last leg).  Saturday was the open house, and I had a ball presenting the new Longaberger products to friends and family.  I had a no-order party, where you just come to look at the products.  I will get about 3 or 4 orders at the end of the week.  Sweet, huh?
Now for this week.  I have cards to make, orders to take, websites to update, and maybe some blog closings. (not this one).  Oh, now I remember last Wednesday.  I had a meeting with an online creation consultant.  She looked over my businesses, blogs, stores, and websites, went over a plan of action for me to do, in order for me to have a more organized business model and more social media presence.  I am to concentrate on 3 niches (paper crafting, Longaberger products, and writing).  Sounds fair enough.  I need to complete my websites, switch my blogs over to WordPress, and create a shopping cart (which part of it should lead back to my Longaberger My shop and part to my Etsy Shop).  It was a wonderful meeting.  She also said that the products should lead towards problem solving for the customer instead of just shopping for something that they can get elsewhere.  I need to be leading the person to my site.  So that is in the plans.  This is going to be fun.
So I have another assignment for your writing prompt:   How was your week?  Do you have any action plans for this week?  Did someone show you how to do something different in your life, business, or on your job that gave you that "ah ha" moment?  It does not have to be so elaborate, and it is not always that "big lighting strikes you from the behind" moment, for it is the little things that make you think.  It would be fun for you to  read it back in your journal a month, a year, or even 10 years from now to see that moment in your life history.

Be blessed everyday.
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