I Promise This, Promise This

Neighbors

nobody@vox.com(Charity) — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 19:48:59 -0800

Ever have one of those neighbors that after a while, you begin to wonder if they've somehow managed to get some pretty good life insurance quotes on you and have decided to actually take out a policy on you? I mean, we're talking a neighbor who comes outside whenever you do and watches you - whether you're getting your mail, walking your dog, or putting out the trash? Yeah, I have one of those neighbors. The strange thing is, though, it's only me he does that with. My best friend and her mom go outside, with my dog or without, and he's never there. When I go out there, it's like he feels compelled to stand and watch me.

Seriously, I hate the feeling and I think he's creepy. So do my best friend and her mom. *shudders*

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I'm Sick of Computers

nobody@vox.com(Charity) — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 23:33:21 -0800

Over the past few weeks I've been dealing with a lot of computer related issues. These things range from helping my best friend back up her files on her computer using my portable hard drive (and wishing we'd done an online backup instead) to realizing in the middle of doing a system restore on her computer that she needed a new power cord, I'm good and sick of computers.

Right now we're both having issues with Facebook. We try to load the apps that have a full screen option up in full screen and get nothing. We try to go to Playlist.com and pull up one of our playlists to listen to, nothing. We're so not in the mood for any of this. Here's to hopoing tomorrow goes a little bit better. No computer issues that we can speak of and we can just do what we want/need and get on with our lives.

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High School Sports

nobody@vox.com(Charity) — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 16:57:58 -0800

You know, I've noticed as of late that there is a large emphasis on high school sports programs. Due to the current economic state, I know of several families in our area who formerly seemed to churn out athletes from their households regularly who are no longer participating in these activities. Apparently the cost of the various gear items they need is simply too great for their parents to continue paying out on them. It saddens me to see that even the cheerleading program has suffered because the parents can't afford to purchase the good quality cheerleading shoes that are required.

The sports that seem to be standing the test of time are sports in which only a minimum of equipment must be purchased by the parents. A lot of the team sports are largely handled by the school - uniforms, balls, etc are usually provided - players usually need only provide shoes & socks - but some of the individual sports are suffering. I know one of our high schools may not have a swim team next year because parents have to purchase all of the equipment for that themselves and may are not willing to do so.

But even when the schools do provide the equipment, I'm noticing that the football teams are getting smaller, the http://www.shopwiki.com/wiki/Soccer teams are getting to be completely non-existent, and frankly, the basketball teams are starting to suffer as well.

What I find funniest about this is that the volleyball teams are booming, and there hasn't been any sort of issues with the late spring/summer teams for baseball & softball. I just wish there was a way to keep these sports programs going without having to sacrifice other things. I realize the reason is that families are cutting back and the school districts are dealing with ever-dwindling budgets, but really - there is nothing in a school system that is not important. Music programs are already being cut all over the country - we can't let sports be next!

Perhaps this is a good time for some comparison shopping on the parents and the schools' parts. Get online! Check places like good old Shop Wiki and others and find out where you can get the best prices. Just because you have to order it doesn't mean you won't get a better deal than if you shopped locally! It is time to take our school programs in hand and see what the problems are - then fix them! If it's equipment purchases, look at other options, if it is teacher/coach salaries, see what can be worked out! But keep these programs running!

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Have You Ever Noticed?

nobody@vox.com(Charity) — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 13:51:38 -0800

If something gets sent to a collection agency, those agencies are a bunch of morons? I mean to say that the policies these agencies have are moronic at best. I have dealt with several who have idiotic policies such as only being allowed to set up payments by automatic bank drafts every two weeks, only being allowed to accept payments if done as a check by phone, etc. I have exactly ONE bill in collections that sends me a bill in the mail. Guess which one is going to get paid? Exactly. Why?

Because I don't have a bank account at all. No savings, no checking. I can't do checks by phone, I can't do auto bank drafts. If they can't send me a bill with an address I can send a payment to by money order, then they don't want my payment obviously. I am not going to get a bank account that I do not want in order to satisfy them. If they truly want the money, they will work with me on MY terms and get their money. Otherwise, forget it.

The other annoying thing - NO PHONE CALLS. I'm not going to answer, I'm not going to call you back if you leave a voice mail because I do not conduct business by phone. Only in writing. I've been burned too many times before on payment arrangements made on the phone where I keep my end of the arrangement, only to have the company turn around and state that I didn't or raise the payments on me and then say I didn't keep the arrangement. Sorry, not going to happen.

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Advertising Your Blog or Website

nobody@vox.com(Charity) — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 14:53:20 -0800

One of the things I see a lot of on Twitter, which I love being on Twitter (@KeepOnBooking if you want to follow my inane ramblings on there), but one of the things I see a lot are tips and tricks on how to advertise your blog or your website. Anymore it's more about advertising your blog, as it seems that everyone is an expert in something or other and has a blog about it. I have a couple of "specialized" blogs myself, although I plan on downsizing my blog collection pretty soon here.

In any case, one of the things I've found to be a good way to get your blog/website out there is to submit the link to a free web directory. This works for me. It may not work for everyone, but it does work for me. I find the biggest problem with those people on Twitter is that they talk about the methods that work for them - which is obvious. But the thing is, each of these so-called experts acts as though the other methods, the ones they don't use, won't work. That isn't necessarily true.

I use the free web directories. But others might not get as good results as I have with them. Note - I don't currently use any other than My BlogLog and Blog Catalog at this time. But when I did use them, they made a huge difference in my traffic. Others find that posting every blog post link to Twitter is best for them. Some cross post to LiveJournal, Vox, Blogger, and other free blogging services to reach a broader audience. Believe it or not, some people actually will not read blogs that aren't on their preferred platform. I know a couple of people who only read LiveJournal blogs. So there you have that. LOL

So when it comes to advertising your blog/website - find what works for you and do it. You'll be happy you did instead of going with what the "experts" tell you to do.

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Time for Dress Up

nobody@vox.com(Charity) — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 14:43:56 -0800

So part of the holidays is dressing up. You see women wearing holiday flair like it was something they do every single day. They wear the finery of the season - bells, Christmas lights, and ornaments, miniature of course, like they'd wear them any other time of year. Yet any other time of year, they'd be embarrassed to be seen in anything so kitschy as that. Men seem to find more and more excuses to not have to purchase new tuxedo jackets even if their old ones do not fit them anymore after a year's worth of eating far too much at holiday dinners and barbecues during the summer months. But of course, most men will think of any excuse not to wear a tux, even if the dinner they paid umpteen hundred or thousand dollars to a charity to attend demands black tie dress. :)

Do you like to dress up for the holidays? Or do you prefer to simply stay at home in sweats with a pan of homemade fudge?

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Scare Tactics

nobody@vox.com(Charity) — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 18:39:34 -0800

I'm watching Scare Tactics on SyFy and frankly, I'm thinking that some of these "accomplices" should get some current life insurance quotes because I think some of them might just get killed by the people they set up. Case in point, the groom who set up his bride - I'm highly doubting that she was happy at all - after all she told him he wasn't getting any that night. LOL! I love watching this show because some people are just hilarious when they find out they're on the show.

I fear my friends setting me up for that show, I really do. Namely because I've got enough fears that they could really capitalize on some of them. Such as heights, flying, spiders, snakes, and claustrophobia. Ugh. LOL So yeah, I'm afraid that they'll try setting me up on Scare Tactics. You ever been afraid your friends would set you up for something?

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So Much For That

nobody@vox.com(Charity) — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 19:59:17 -0800

It is one thing to want to get our old high school gang of friends together for a dinner to catch up. It is another entirely when no one can get together on the same damn day. We suggested Dec 2, but no one can go then. So we switched to Nov 30, but some of us don't get money until Dec 1. So we switched to Dec 1. Now NO dates in Dec will work and it HAS to be on Nov 29 or 30. That's great, except there are three of us at least who can't do it on either of those days. Between working and/or not getting paid until Dec 1, there are three of us at least who will not be there. I guess it doesn't matter that we're not all going to be there.

The funny thing is - the three of us that won't be there, are the outcasts of the group anyway. Go figure.

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Writing is Writing

nobody@vox.com(Charity) — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 14:05:27 -0800

You know, one of the things that drives me nuts is when people say that writing is only writing if it's going to be a book. So people who create newspaper articles aren't writing them, they're creating them? Bloggers are not writing, they are blogging? It doesn't matter if my subject is a novel for NaNoWriMo or if it is a blog post on a car blog that extols the virtues of the latest truck accessories it is still writing.

The act of putting words down, whether on a computer screen or on paper is writing. It doesn't matter to me what the writing is. Blog post, news article, novel, non-fiction book, biography, etc. It's all writing. Poems are writing. Words on a page/screen are WRITTEN. It is not that hard to figure out that concept but then you get these yahoos who say you aren't a writer unless you're writing a book. Whatever. I blog, I'm writing. I create an article, I'm writing. I write a book, I'm writing. End of story.

What do you consider writing??

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And again...

nobody@vox.com(Charity) — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 21:18:59 -0800

I am so wishing for less commercials that are for products that not everyone is going to need. I am sick of commercials for male enhancement products, commercials for ED remedies, commercials for asthma medicines, COPD medicines, etc. I understand that the drug companies want people to have their doctors prescribe these medications to them, but good grief. Does my TV time, what little of it I actually use have to be filled with it? I mean, I see acne products, heartburn relief products, and everything in between every night when I watch TV. I can't get away from it. Even on Hulu and that, the ads might be for stuff like that. It's unbelievable!

With certain things, I am of the opinion that if you need it, you'll find it. If I need medication for a condition, I'll ask my doctor to help me find the right one for me. And I don't need my man to be enhanced. If I'm with him, then I love him regardless. Yeesh!

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