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Diggin it!

Sat, 12 Jan 2008 15:14:00 GMT

Finally the genius of Dave and Aaron can be known. InstantSpot is more than awesome now!! I love it! Your hard work and dedication has really paid off. Now who am I going to invite... who are the 5 lucky ones?

Online Dating Service

Mon, 02 Jul 2007 21:03:42 GMT

Now personally I have no experience with online dating, but I have numerous friends that participate and pay good money to use these services. One friend actually spent $900 just last year in dating services alone! That doesn't even count the babysitting, shoes, clothes, gas, meals or activities for the dates!

When I got married it was 1994 and the internet didn't exist, but times have changed! Dating has changed rapidly since the existence of online dating services. You can meet someone the first day of signing up. Coffee/drinks seem to be a great start. It's like a small meet and greet date - mini date if you will. It takes the pressure off of an actual date.

I've heard that you know if you have the right chemistry with someone within the first 10 minutes of meeting. I think that's why these mini-dates are perfect!

There are hundreds of dating services. Anything from Christian to fetish sites. It's amazing what's out there. There are even sites dedicated to one night stands! It's amazing how things have changed since I started dating.

The more known sites are eharmony.com, matchmaker.com, americansingles.com, date.com, firstclickfriend.com, friendfinder.com...

Then there are the fetish and more sexual sites like adultfriendfinder.com, hornymatches.com, alt.com, bondage.com...

There are also gay dating sites like outpersonals.com, gayfriendfinder.com, gaydatingonline.com, gaycupid.com...

Even seniors have their own dating sites like seniorfriendfinder.com.

There truly is something for everyone!

Some websites are free, or you can have limited access. Some sites charge huge enormous fees to join and you have to pay extra charges to get more and more access.

You have to be extremely cautious with online dating. Some people are not who they say they are and pretend to be someone they aren't. Just be extremely careful with online dating and don't get fooled into paying for something you aren't receiving!

I should also mention that my friend that spent $900 is not dating anyone at the moment and never got a solid relationship out of the money she spent. Most of the men had over compensated on their profiles and were not what they appeared to be online.

Good luck out there!

Criss Angel - MINDFREAK - divorce!

Mon, 02 Jul 2007 20:53:20 GMT

It looks as if Criss Angel, the Mindfreak has landed himself in divorce court. There are rumors and accusations that he has abandoned his wife of 5 years. She claims she hasn't gotten a penny from all his millions!

Criss Angel has also been rumored to be having an affair with Shrek the Third's Cameron Diaz! So far no word on if the accusations are true.

So will the Mindfreak on A&E be losing its luster with the fans?

Sophie Countess of Wessex Pregnant!

Mon, 02 Jul 2007 19:40:36 GMT

Queen Elizabeth II's daughter-in-law, Sophie Countess of Wessex is pregnant again. Sophie's husband, Edward Earl of Wessex, is the son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip. This is the eighth grandchild of the Queen and Prince.

Princess Sophie is now 42 years old. Is 42 too old to be having a child? How old is too old? Having a child at age 42 can seem somewhat unfair to a child, afterall when the child is 18 Sophie will be 60. Will she be able to be a grandmother that plays with the grandchildren or will she simply be too old?

On the flip side having a child at age 42 has its advantages. She has had her entire adult life to figure things out, settle her affairs and live her life. I guess now seems the appropriate time to move things along.

I just wonder how fair is it to these children born to such late-in-life mothers.

10 Tips on Conserving

Sun, 01 Jul 2007 20:48:57 GMT

1) Replace your incandescent light bulbs with compact florescent lights (CFLs). Look closely at labels when buying light bulbs. Those marked as CFLs last 10 times longer and use 66 percent less energy than incandescent bulbs while delivering the same light levels. As a result, CFLs accrue net savings between $30 and $45 over their lifetimes, depending on your cost of electricity, the wattage size of the CFL, and the lamp's lifespan (manufacturers make CFLs that last 6,000, 8,000, or 10,000 hours). The return on investment is 15 times higher than leaving your money in a bank account or the average return on Dows-Jones stock investments. CFLs also reduce the release of greenhouse gas emissions and are safer because they burn at a lower temperature (160° F or less) than incandescent and halogen lights, which can burn at temperatures up to 500° F.

2) Turn down the thermostat just three degrees in the winter and up three degrees in the summer. You can prevent the emission of nearly 1,100 pounds of carbon dioxide annually.

3) Inflate your car tires. When walking or biking isn't feasible, you can do something to better protect the Earth while driving. Take a step in the right direction by inflating your car tires. Pumping them up can improve your gas mileage by about 3.3 percent -- a savings of about 7 cents per gallon. It's the right thing to do for your wallet and the right thing to do for the Earth.

4) Turn down the hot water heater. Set your water heater to 130° F. While you're at it, turn down your house thermostat during the winter to 55° F when you go to bed or leave home. These simple actions can have enormous positive consequences, preventing the emission of more than 1,100 pounds of carbon dioxide over the course of the year, while cutting your energy bill by more than 10 percent. And that's just from you! Get your friends on board, and the benefits will multiply.

5) Choose your seafood wisely. We can't afford to wait until 2008. The world's seafood will be entirely depleted by 2048, according to an early November report in the journal Science. That means the moment to shape up is now. By buying and eating certain types of seafood, you can discourage harmful fishing practices and avoid the more depleted or threatened species. Take a look at Seafood Choices Alliance or Seafood Watch to make smart choices.

6) Purchase EnergyStar-labeled appliances. EnergyStar products are among the top 25 percent most efficient and can provide a 30 percent return or better through lower utility bills.

7) Wash and rinse in cold water. If everyone in the United States alone switched to cold water with their washing machines, we could save about 30 million tons of carbon dioxide each year -- and more than $3 billion in energy costs, collectively. And what's more? Cold water cleans your laundry just as well as hot water.

8) Buy locally produced meats and produce. Sounds like a good idea, but you don't know where to start? Just type in your zip code on Local Harvest's website to see a list of farms and farmers' markets close to home, as well as nearby restaurants committed to supporting their neighbors. Buying locally produced food cuts out the middlemen and the vast amounts of energy required to get your products onto store shelves. Most produce in U.S. supermarkets travels an average 1,500 miles before it is sold!

9) Drink more water from reusable glassware. It's great for your bank account, your health, and your planet. The average American consumed more than 400 beverage bottles and cans in 2006, leaving behind wasted glass, plastic, steel, and aluminum. That adds up to excessive amounts of fossil fuels and hydropower for mining, processing, refining, shaping, shipping, storing, refrigerating, and disposing of those materials. Of course, changing your drinking habits both at home and at work is applicable to just about every other habit, as well. You've heard it before and you'll hear it again: Reduce, reuse, and recycle.

10) Walk, bike, and carpool. In the United States, the car represents one of the largest sources of greenhouse gas emissions. However, you don't have to give up your car for a healthier planet, just expand your transportation options. You can significantly reduce your emissions by commuting to work. Try combining trips to minimize emissions, which are greatest at the beginning of a journey before the engine has reached optimum temperature and efficiency. When purchasing your next car, make it a fuel-efficient one. Hybrid cars can get twice the fuel efficiency of the average new car, cut greenhouse gas emissions by half or more, and reduce urban air pollutants. Carpooling saves energy, cuts on additional pollution, and allows you to take a turn as a passenger instead of driving everyday. Car-sharing (not pooling) is available in numerous U.S. cities. Car-sharing enables you to rent a car just when you need it. Each car-share vehicle displaces four to eight privately held cars, requiring less parking area and creating less road congestion. If you live within an hour's bicycle ride to the office (~10 miles), consider biking to work one or more days a week.

Are Democrats Greener?

Sun, 01 Jul 2007 20:18:29 GMT

It has been said that Democrats are Greener then Republicans. Do Democrats care more about the Earth than Repubicans? Democrats as a whole have more of a stamp on getting the U.S. to turn around to the Green movement. Republicans as a whole are still old-school with their gas guzzling vehicles and a waste approach to their lives.

Here are a list of Democrats that are trying to make a difference.

Arnold Schwarzenegger
Wangari Maathai
Ken Livingstone

Marina Silva

Helen Clark

David Cameron

Peter Garrett

Greg Nickels
Margot Wallstrom

Stephane Dion

Angela Merkel

Barbara Boxer

Xie Zhenhua

Stavros Dimas

Rocky Anderson

So is it true? Are Democrats Greener than Republicans?

Wht does it mean to be green?

Sun, 01 Jul 2007 20:15:06 GMT

Lately I've seen everything with "Green" used. Green Movies, Green Restoration, Green Remodeling, Green Flowers, Green, Green, Green!

Now don't get me wrong, 'Going Green' is a good thing, but is it just a fad? Is it here to stay? Could our world be changing for the better? I know I would rather buy something that supports helping the Earth.

More of the summer...

Sat, 30 Jun 2007 16:27:24 GMT

So far this summer has been very different from what I expected. We went to Six Flags in St. Louis three times and we went to the Six Flags in Arlington just once so far.

I have been scared to go back to Six Flags because of the rain! Oh my goodness the rain! The DFW area has had rain for 86 days straight now. I know when we get there it will just pour on us. I guess it's not a bad thing though, at least the rain cools us off. ;)

So now I'm thinking of going to Six Flags in New Jersey in July/August. My sister lives sort of near New Jersey. It would be a ton of fun. I think I'll get season passes for Six Flags from now on. It totally pays for itself.

When we lived in St. Louis we got Six Flags season passes during the summer and we had a blast each time we went. When we moved to Texas we didn't realize Six Flags was so close so we never got season passes. Now that we know things will be different from now on.

Summer

Sat, 02 Jun 2007 18:57:54 GMT

The summer is supposed to be filled with fun in the sun, but my summer is going to be rushing from one state to the next! We are headed to St. Louis about 4 times, Galveston and Pennsylvania. Hopefully we can do everything I want to.

Here are the places I am hopeful we go:

Six Flags over Arlington

Six Flags over St. Louis

St. Louis Art Museum

St. Louis Science Center

St. Louis Zoo

The City Museum in St. Louis

Hershey Park in Pennsylvania

Galveston, Texas

Moody Gardens in Galveston

Body Worlds

Fri, 25 May 2007 15:21:32 GMT

So Michelle and I took the kids to the Body Worlds exhibit yesterday. It was AWESOME to say the least. The human body is an amazing thing! My girls were fascinated and loved it! The girls also say they want to donate their bodies to the exhibit! lol

There was a baby room in the exhibit, babies of all stages. 16 weeks, 20 weeks, 24... and so on. There was also a woman that was 8 months pregnant and the baby was inside of her. That was so tragic! But I think it gives you a great understanding of the body and it puts all the knowledge that books give you into perspective. I would actually love to go back and see it again and take my time and read every single thing. Maybe in St. Louis?

Toxic

Fri, 18 May 2007 15:32:48 GMT

What is a toxic friend? Does anyone else have one? Have you ever had a friend that calls to talk about themselves? Rant on and on about their never-ending relationship drama? Lies about anything and everything?! Schemes and manipulates every angle of their lives? Does anything to get out of work? Never does anything for anyone else? Pawns their children off on others?

Toxic people are terrible and sadly I don't think they ever change.

How have I been?

Thu, 17 May 2007 20:52:33 GMT

The answer would be "not well." I have been a little absorbed with my mom. She has ALS, Lou Gehrig's Disease. She has gone down hill pretty rapidly over the past few months. I plan on spending a lot of time with her this summer.

See... I blogged and it's just depressing. lol

Waiting to Talk.

Wed, 28 Mar 2007 14:05:02 GMT

I believe there are 2 types of people, the ones that wait to talk and the ones that listen. The ones that wait to talk are the ones that will butt into your conversation or when you pause for the slightest moment when talking they jump in to say what they've been wanting to say. It's so annoying!

My grandpa asked me how come people from my generation talk so quickly. He said that people older talk much much slower. I think it's because people seem to be more selfish. Nobody tends to engage in conversation anymore, they just wait to talk. They all want to be heard and not be ignored. My grandpa thinks I'm right! ;)

Silence is Golden

Tue, 27 Mar 2007 19:48:39 GMT

Have you ever wanted things to be silent? Right now life is golden!

Roller Coaster

Tue, 27 Mar 2007 17:23:00 GMT

It's been a while since I've blogged and have been a regular on here. I haven't abandoned InstantSpot though! ;) I've just been so side tracked with everything in my life. There are a lot of evil people out there that just want to destroy you for no reason other than pure fun. And it's so sad that so many people are so miserable they take pleasure in trying to make someone else suffer. But in order to get down I guess I would actually have to do something wrong.

The only thing that gets me down is the thought of losing my mom. I get very concerned about how long she has left on this Earth. I think it could be years, but I really don't know. She has ALS. She is still able to walk and has the function of her hands. She can still eat solid foods too.

My girls were sad when they left their grandparents. (We went to visit them over Spring Break) My girls are usually ready to head home and play with their friends. But now they are getting older and they are realizing that her time is limited. Plus my mom talks about her illness and her untimely death 24/7! ;)

Boy oh boy life is a roller coaster!

Life... what not...

Thu, 15 Mar 2007 13:40:28 GMT

I have been really busy with life. It has me racing a million miles an hour it seems. Sometimes it really gets me down. You know I need to blog when I'm in a good mood. LOL

So anyway... I was thinking of getting away for a weekend... or even a night, but Dallas is so freaking far away from anything and everything. So does anyone know anywhere good to go that is sort of close, like within a couple of hours to drive?

Been a while

Tue, 20 Feb 2007 16:50:16 GMT

It's been a while since I've blogged. I've been so busy with finishing up a school yearbook, then the kids and I got sick... now I'm training for a new job. It's been too much stress. But I will be adding to my stupid callers soon!!

OH SNAP!

Sun, 04 Feb 2007 03:15:47 GMT

My daughter has been saying "Oh snap!" (she just turned 7) So the other day I asked her why she said snap. She says to me, "well because it's better than the c word." I think to myself 'c word? Oh shoot!' I ask her, "what C word?" She looks at me like 'duh'... and then says, "you know cr" and is motioning her hand forward like 'come on!' LMAO It dawned on me!! "Oh CRAP!!"

BUCK FUSH

Thu, 11 Jan 2007 05:34:39 GMT

I saw the funniest bumper sticker today... "BUCK FUSH" I think that's very subtle that makes such a statement. ;)

Teachers

Thu, 11 Jan 2007 05:04:42 GMT

I've been having a hard time dealing with one of Keara's teachers. It seems like there is a lack of communication! I just remember things so differently as a child. We went to school, we came home and played. Life was so simple. Now They go to school, get home after 3:00, do homework for 2 hours, shower, eat, go to bed. If I let Keara skip homework then she gets to play. She's only 9. I think kids should be allowed to play every day. It's totally unfair. What does this say for society that complains children are growing up too fast? Well I think this is a contributing factor. Don't treat them like adults! School isn't a job! So why should they not have any fun? Why should they have to wait until the weekends to play? I just hate how things are now. I don't want my kids to remember their elementary days as work work work with no fun.

Why is it that parents are treated badly? We are expected to be there for everything and give anything they ask for. And we have to do it with a smile and without an opinion on the matter. If we do, then we are just bashing the teachers.

But back to the communication with schools... I don't think there's very good communication between parents and teachers. Teachers just assume that parents aren't involved or don't want to know... or else think parents know everything about their child, but yet think it's ok for kids to totally slack off. But a good form of communication is not sending home a sliver of paper with a brief description of something your child has done wrong with a line to sign at the bottom. What happened to a phone call?? Does it take that much time out of a teacher's life to make a phone call??

I'm just tired of all of it.