Check this out:

I like books and I thought this one looked interesting. The "Romance" genre isn't one I've delved into but I'm up for about anything. If you read it when it comes out, feel free to comment. I plan on reviewing it.

I'm Back!

So, I was off for a month, focusing one something else. Fortunately, there aren't a ton of dedicated readers sending me a barrage of emails missing my posts. LOL That being said I must tell you about my latest find... an eco friendly, back friendly yoga mat from EcoWise Fitness. It's hands down the BEST mat I have EVER used. The mat helps you stabilize yourself while doing the more difficult moves... like Tree Pose. It came with a really cute carrying bag. The only problem with the bag is that it's difficult to fit a rolled up mat in it. I struggle getting it out and in.

I won mine from DoYourPart.com along with a super Giam yoga bag and some other goodies. You can visit them here:

http://doyourpart.com/
Or "like" them on Facebook!
http://www.facebook.com/doyourpart

Win an iPod Nano!

So, I'm going to do a giveaway... there is a catch though. If I can get at least 800 people to sign up with nomorerack.com using this link:



http://www.nomorerack.com/?cr=15585

by February 7th, one of my readers will win an iPod Nano. You must sign up using the link, confirm it and then wait! That's all. you don't have to make a purchase. Plus, you get a $10 credit to your nomorerack account just by signing up! Simple! Please post here letting me know that you signed up!

The drawing will be held on February 7th at 5pm CST using random.com. The winner will have three days to respond to the congratulatory email or this site.

Good luck!

Did you know Aveda has a Birthday Club?

I love Aveda products. I don't love their price. If you sign up at http://www.Aveda.com you will receive valuable coupons and gifts throughout the year. I signed up and got a printable coupon for a hair smoothing trio. I simply take it to my nearest Aveda Salon (Charles Thomas in Farmington, Missouri) and redeem it. You also receive cards in the mail throughout the year for Pure-Fume, lotion samples and other goodies. Become a fan of Aveda on Facebook and you may get a nice treat in the mail!

http://www.facebook.com/Aveda

Why You Shouldn't be Taken in by "Team National"

Shortly after the election, a friend contacted me to "share" an opportunity. This required that she come to my house, have me listen to several phone calls and watch a DVD. It didn't pass my sniff test, so I told her that I wasn't interested in it. I haven't heard from her since.

Four weeks ago, one of my husbands co-workers asked him to watch a DVD. My husband brought it home and asked me to watch it with him. It was a DVD for "Team National". I told my hubby that I'd already seen it and thought it was a load of crap. For the last four weeks his co-worker has hounded him about coming to his house to hear about this great "opportunity". As reluctant as I was, I figured it would be great to put this to bed once and for all.

We went, heard the phone calls, watched the DVD and listened to the nice man try to sell the snake oil. My opinion isn't changed. Here's why:

"Team National" sells you a membership that allows you to take a 1%-30% discount with select companies. You must order online through your personal webpage. You are not provided an instant discount, but are sent a rebate check. If this sounds to you like eBates or Blastoff, it's because it's the same idea.... only eBates and Blastoff are free. Did I mention that a two-year membership costs roughly $795 and a lifetime membership is $2200? In fact, most of the stores on the "Big N Marketplace" through Team National, have coupons available for the same discount and many have them for higher discounts.

Here comes the fun part, you can SELL Team National and make a lot of money... according to the nice man giving the spiel. If you can sucker two people, then four more into buying a membership you can make $1500. Our host from last night has been hammering away at this for five weeks and has yet to complete this. While it is accomplish-able, do you really want the guilt of selling something to someone that they can readily get for free? It's a morality question, in my opinion. I have no desire to dedicate my life to annoying the hell out of people pestering them just so I can earn some payola.

In my opinion, this is a 100% legal pyramid scam. It's a MLM. Be careful what you attach your name to and be careful not to purchase something that is already free for the asking.

Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder

I haven't blogged here for a long time. I took a hiatus to run for public office, lost, and now I'm getting back into the swing of things. Today is a day for a new start. Today is the day I would have been sworn in had I won.

We're taking a new approach to this blog. I'm re-vamping it to help other S.A.Ms make the most of their monthly budget. I want to help you find the best deal on products you use every day. I want to offer reviews of products, honest reviews that actually tell you honestly about a product... not pander to the company who's product I'm reviewing. I hope you enjoy it.

Carrie

Two Posts In One Day?

Yeah, I had to come back to vent. Sometimes, I meet a person and from the get-go I want to slap them. It may be phone conversation or face to face... they need slapped. Such is the case with Liam. He's working on a project that I am working on. He's about fifty steps behind me and keeps telling me things that I knew months ago... like he's got an inside scoop. While I normally find people like this mildly annoying and a minor irritation (the Try Too Harders) he's just super annoying. I want to hit him. Hard. With a blunt (sic) object.

I don't have the time or energy to do Liam's job for him, nor do I want to. In fact, when I meet up with him for the first time this weekend, I may be so obnoxious and rude to him that it will cause him to cringe in a corner and cry at the mere mention of my name. To top it all off, I'm off the sauce. I quit coffee today and tomorrow, the first day of Lent, I'm giving up wine and rum. Seeing that those are the only two spirits I enjoy drinking, I'm in for a rough 40 days.

Back In The Saddle Again

I know, most of you are thinking "She's forgotten about us. Her life is sooo great now she doesn't need an outlet to vent her frustrations with the mental midgets of society and home." Friend, that simply isn't so. I've just been busy. I've had so much crap to do that I haven't had time to write about all the daily stupidity that flavors my life. Things like watching Inglorious Basterds with my s/o and having him say, "That isn't how Hitler died. He died of natural causes. I don't understand this movie." Really? No, really? Did you really just say that? It's a freaking Jewish revenge film, not a G-D biography. We aren't watching A&E... we rented this. The little gems that make my everyday life sparkle are amusing, I know, but lately I haven't been in the mood to share them. This has resulted in yelling until the veins pop out on my forehead, family avoidance and whispering... "Your Mom is having PMS please don't make her mad." I need to vent. Writing is my vent system. It's the HVAC of my mind.

Look for more, mostly amusing and sometimes sidesplitting posts soon.

The Second Half of Chapter 1

Introducing: Mrs. Darcy

OMG! WTF?

So, I live in a small town. Everyone knows everyone's business. By business I mean, when the mayor's wife was busted for TWELVE counts of felony attempting to illegally obtain a controlled substance... the whole town goes into spastic fits. The phone lines melt and the interwebs are slow as hell from all the activity. It's insane. Granted, our mayor is "notorious" for certain "activities" that may or may not be illegal... I never pegged his wife for a dope-fiend. She works for the hospit... oh, I get it now. Hmmm... I'm a little slow to the draw lately. I get it now.

Miss Me?

I have some new and exciting news... I have a job. Well, not a job job... it's more fun than that. I am the Director of Marketing and Sales for Prepcasts SEMO division. That was a mouthful. It's kinda like I'm the boss of the salespeople/person. We hired a new one today and will, hopefully, hire a new one tonight. What do I do? you ask...

Well, I get advertisers to advertise on our broadcasts. We broadcast sporting events via the interwebs... we have video and audio. Everything we record is archived and can be watched/listened to later. We have signed some really great advertisers and hope to sign more soon. There are 270 basketball games booked with us right now. I have been a busy little "B".

More later...

Just in case I'm accused of being biased...

I don't like Obama and Biden either. I'm apathetic and will probably vote for Bob Barr.

Makin' fun of the election. Ur doin' it right...

So, I am tired of the election... really tired. Yesterday, a campaign worker for McCain called me to ask if they could count on my vote. I giggled... a lot. Now, generally, I vote for Republicans or more moderate conservatives. However, I am finding it difficult to see any redeeming or likable qualities in McCain. He gives me the heebie jeebies and so does his "Stepford Wife". Sarah Palin makes my head feel as though it will asplode. The arrogance that just seems to drip off of the two of them makes me very angry. I explained at length to the poor worker that I would not be voting for McCain and the reasons why. I'm not going to list them for you because it's early and I cannot brain this early in the morning, but I can assure you the list was lengthy and funny as hell. She giggled and agreed with me! It's just a job!

So, this morning I got in the interwebs to look at LOLcats and I find this little gem, ready to caption. Enjoy.

Did I Mention That I'm Fat?

My youngest child took my picture the other day when I was burning leaves in the front yard. It confirmed what I already knew. I am fat. My worst fear is indeed coming to fruition, I am starting to look like a relative of mine and it's not a good thing. So, I joined the gym. I figure if I'm paying for it, I'll be more likely to follow through. Fit 4 Life is the gym I joined. For a mere $35 per month I can work out all I like and tan my fat so it's less obvious... black is a slimming color.

My first day:

Circuits. Resistance Machines. The Hill to No Where. I did this in the morning and then after supper. (I weighed in and got measured too... 172lbs! I'm such a fatass.)

Day two:

I got called to sub, so the morning workout was pretty much shot. I went before church and did a set of the circuits. I got on the scale and guess what? 170lbs! I've lost two pounds!

So, now I'm feeling inspired. I have a goal and it's to lose 30lbs by December. If I lose 5-7lbs per week working out two times per day I can lose the weight I want by December 6th.

Cannot Brain Today

I really do have "The Dumb" today. With so much going on right now, I can barely think. The stock market is tanking, gas prices are falling, father-in-law had a heart attack, grandmother died, Pumpkin Fest is tomorrow, I have to pick up 42 pies, I have to pick up a tricked-out truck... I don't know if I want to be happy or sad.

The trip went well. I met my BFF's family. Interesting folks. They would frighten a lesser person. Next time I have to bring the uniform. The uniform consists of a hoodie, jeans and clean tennis shoes, pajama pants optional. I bought a bunch of Christmas stuff and some for myself. The trip was fun and I got to gamble, drink and eat foot-high pie. Really. FOOT HIGH PIE.

Oh, did I mention that yesterday, on our weekly excursion to the library, my wedding ring snagged on my bookbag sending the diamond flying through the air? Yeah. It. Sucked. Thank God it was insured.

So Long, Farewell, Auf Weidessein.... Goodbye!

We are leaving soon! I am so excited to be getting away for the weekend with no kids, responsibilities... et al ad nauseum. Think of us while we're on the road. My hubby asked me before he went to work, "Where is your life insurance policy? You know, in case you die in an accident." Such sweet sentimentality.

Oh, Tomorrow, Will You Ever Come?

I am waiting patiently in anticipation of tomorrow. It's the day. No kids, no husband, no housework, no whining, no worries... Utopia. It's been nearly nine years since I've gotten to have a girls getaway weekend. How is that possible? I don't deer hunt.

Anyhow, I have cash and no worries. It's time to do some serious Christmas shopping!!

Brrringgg......Brrrrddddingggg.... Your Home Planet Is Calling

Oh, yes... my home planet is calling. I hear it beckoning to me all the way from Indiana/Ohio. It's saying, "Come on home girl....". Wait, that's just Heart. Sorry, my bad. It's actually Vera Bradley and she has a very loud voice. The annual Vera Bradley Factory Sale is this weekend in Indiana. As an added bonus, about an hours drive away is the Country Living Fair. ROADTRIP! I get to leave, childless mind you, on Friday morning and return Sunday evening. I am so stoked. My good buddy, Amy will be driving and we will be staying at her dear, sweet sister's house. The best part? Are you sitting down? My hubby is giving me money! Not Monopoly money or the Post money you get in the paper... actual money! With the way the economy has been I should get some huge bargains. I'm thinking Christmas in October. Pictures to follow.

Pray for me, I teach High School home ec. tomorrow.

Here's Your Friggin' Bailout!

So it failed in Congress... amazingly. I was actually hoping the plan to bail out Wall Street, AKA "The Worst Idea Evah", would tank. What is it with politicians? The solution is staring them dead in the face and yet, they can't see it. What is this wonderful solution you ask? Give the money to the CITIZENS. If we were to give each household that filed taxes last year a check for $400,000 it would actually save a couple billion dollars and it would have the added bonus of boosting the financial market. People would pay off their mortgages, especially those facing foreclosure, and they would buy new cars. It's a genius of an idea. So simple. We would stimulate the economy and keep people in their homes. Too bad our ELECTED OFFICIALS are too stupid to figure it out.