Friday's Feast #170

Appetizer
What is your favorite carnival/amusement park ride?
I love roller coasters of most any kinds!


Soup
How do you react in uncomfortable social situations?
I sprout wings and fly off to never-never land...was that out loud? Just kidding, I don't usually have those type of awkward situations, I try to relate to every person individually. Most of the time, all you have to do is ask something about them and then listen! Besides, the Christ in me drives me to commune with everyone!


Salad
On a scale of 1-10 with 10 being highest, how much do you enjoy discussing deep, philosophical topics?
I'd say about a 10 if I am interested in the topic! I'm a very opinionated person, so any time I have a chance, I like to trade thoughts with others, even the deep ones!!


Main Course
Did you get a flu shot this year? If not, do you plan to?
I did not, but I'm not usually a very sick person either. I'm all good!


Dessert
Approximately how many hours per week do you spend watching television?
Too many to count...seriously. Although I could really use a tv lift in my bedroom to make it less of a strain on my neck! LOL

Hip-hip, Hooray!!!

Bring out the salt shakers - or um, I mean, bring out the noise makers!!! It's the last day of the month of November and that means it's the last day of NaBloPoMo!!!

It has been fairly easy, with the exception of a couple of days. I was even out of town for a couple of days but was able to post the morning I left and the night I came back, so still well within the qualifying time frame.

I offered a prize, a six month wood level membership to GoldToken.com too! I think they will be drawing winners this week and varifying the blog posts to make sure they posted at least once per day, every day of this month. I hope I win something, the prizes sound great!!! I'd even like to win the prize I'm offering! LOL

I hate my home computer....

...making me sweat bullets. I was too busy today to post and then after getting home, I forgot to post which lead to an all out scurry to get a post up for today! I had 10 minutes before midnight to go, and my computer takes so long to boot up, I'm all out of time! GRrrrrrr.....but I did it! So take that NaBloPoMo! Woo!!!

Busy time of year: a reminder

This is a busy time of year for everyone. What with all the parties and family gatherings and shopping and food preparations, it's no wonder we keep 1/2 our sanity during these couple of months!

This post is just a reminder to make the time to reflect on the reasons why we go out of our way to celebrate this time of year. For me, it's all about the birth of Jesus!

So atleast once a week (or as needed) I like to take a few minutes and ponder this. Maybe I read Luke 2 or watch 'The Nativity Story' or something like that. Even looking at the lights on people's homes as I scurry about can be a reminder of the gift from God of Jesus, the Light of the World!

As we get older, they years and their holidays pass by with increasing speed. Sometimes you just have to force yourself to slow down and take it in! Enjoy your time with your family and not fret over all the little details! Trust me! And don't forget the peace of mind you'll get with travel insurance if you will be traveling this holiday season. No joke, I had it for my big vacation and it's a great stress reliever!

Wordless Wednesday - Feelin' queezie?

Guess what I want for Christmas...

No, not Super Bowl tickets! Although I would certainly take them if someone offered *wink-wink*

This year I want to get a professional clothes steamer, like this one:

Do you know of a good one? I am still looking around to find the best deal on the best one I can get my paws on. I used one of these when I worked at Fashion Bug unpackaging all the new arrivals and I really liked it. Right now I'm looking at the Jiffy brand steamers. Do you have one? They do such a great job of getting wrinkles out, refreshing the fabric and you can use them on more than just clothes too! Watch out cats, you'd better be good! LOL Just joking...maybe.

Tuesday nights are alright with me

Yesterday was Tuesday. You know what that means, don't you? No not a fun filled day of succession planning. It's the night for:

Me likey!!! I hadn't even heard of The Biggest Loser show until late last year and then I only saw a couple of episodes here and there. I thought, "What a great idea for a show! I've always said, I could lose the weight if the only thing I had to do was focus on working out and learning to eat right!" This show creates just such an environment. I even have my mom interested in watching it now. I went online to the website to find out about trying out for the new season (the one on air now). I don't have a video camera to take videos to submit, I need to recruit the help of my friends for that. Also, they film during tax season. Kind of a no-go around my office. My boss is flexible with some time off, but not during tax season. Although, when I approached him with the idea, he said, "Do whatever you have to do." Not sure he knew the time line though.

The only other thing I couldn't figure out, how do you pay your rent and care payment and all your other bills for those 3 months (hopefully I'd be gone that long!!) if you aren't working??? Any ideas? Anyone?

Red Rover, Red Rover...send Mary Alice right over!

So I have this friend, let's call him...'Patrick', who is running a contest on his blog to name a patron saint of his blog. That's great! He chose some worthy contestants and allowed his readers to choose a few as well. Through a system of voting, a winner will be chosen. One of the people he chose to contend for the prized spot, he was unable to find sufficient photos of online, so he wrote a post to announce the replacement of that contestant, Mary Alice from Ace of Cakes.

Shown here in red shirt, I really hope I didn't have to just tell you that!

Poof! She showed up!!! I believe she commented on his post proclaiming her dislike in being dropped out of the running like that. Did you hear what I just said? Mary Alice from Ace of Cakes commented on his blog! So cool.....

Boy was he right, pickins' are slim out there in the photo pool. After much searching, I have found a couple of photos of Mary Alice to share here on my blog in an effort to summon her to my humble blog. I need to check my term life insurance to make sure it's up to date in case she actually responds! I told 'Patrick'...if you build it, they will come...........

Mary Alice, if you are reading this: Thanks for stopping by! I love cake and Baltimore, too! I have a friend who moved there from here (St. Louis, MO) a few years ago and I just love to visit her there! The Inner Harbor is my FAVE, especially the National Aquarium. When all the white jelly fish are thick in the Bay or when they are having the live music like Alborada or Mystic Warriors (South American flute types) The music just fills the air around the bay and the boats. Love it!
I wish I worked with younger people...it looks like fun, really! Don't hate me for that curb photo above, I did not make it grainy nor did I write all over you in green. I found it on a Google search! LOL

Heads or Tails - Mark

This week on Heads or Tails, Barb @ Skittles Place suggested the topic of 'Mark'. Then she changed her mind, noticing the acronym for Heads or Tails to be the letters H O T. Well, I like the original topic, so I'm going with 'mark'.

I want to share some verses out of the Bible from the book of Mark with you.

Mark 4:36-41
³⁶And when they had sent away the multitude, they took him even as he was in the ship. And there were also with him other little ships.
³⁷And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full.
³⁸And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish?
³⁹And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.
⁴⁰And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?
⁴¹And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?

Or another good one I found in Mark is:

Mark 10:45
⁴⁵ For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.

Just a little drink for your thirsty soul today! Happy Heads or Tails day!!!

Cold air and dry skin

These two things go hand in hand (no pun intended)! I think the skinceuticals companies order cold dry air this time of year to boost their year end profits! LOL
I don't know about your area, but here in the midwest, we have to keep our beloved 'products' around us to keep from drying and cracking up! And don't even get me started on the itchy skin! It's this time of year, I want to crawl inside a lotion bottle and roll around naked every morning before I get dressed, once at lunch break and then again in the evening LOL

'Bout time to clean house around here...

Have you been Google-slapped too? I believe I just went from a PR2 down to a PR0. I don't mind really, since it was an across the board kind of spanking, but it is time to get some dirty laundry out of here. PR isn't important to me except when it comes to income potential. Otherwise, I am still going to conduct my blog in the manner I see fit.

I do paid ads on this blog for things like Las Vegas hotels or many other topics. It's has been great for me to share some paid link love and pass on some info on websites and services that I encounter or am introduced to. Recently I have been chosen to participate in some product sampling opportunities and frankly, I couldn't be more pleased! I have done paid marketing research in the past as a participant and I love sharing my opinions for profit!

Unfortunately, Google has been looking down on such paid posts, so I decided to go back and re-evaluate some of the posts I have completed. I am under contract to keep the previous paid posts active for only 30 days and I have let some stay on for almost a year now. So the archives will be shrinking a bit, but it's no big deal. Keep looking forward to all the good *NEW* posts to come.

Give Me Five Monday Meme #4

Monday November 26, 2007

The 'Give Me Five' Monday meme is designed to share fun information with each other in a simple short list! Here's how it works. Each week, I will put out a random topic from my list of topics and you share 5 answers of your choice on the given topic and link back here! You can add photos, links or stories or just a simple list of your own of 5 things that relate to the topic as it pertains to you and your life experiences. It doesn't have to be in any order of importance unless otherwise specified.
Sign up for weekly reminder emails @ beccagirl@charter.net

Give Me Five pet peeves or dislikes associated with shopping.

1. I am not a fan of crowds. I try to avoid them at all costs. It's just very frustrating to move around in a store that is thick with people and carts. I never feel like I have the privilege of looking for what I need because I will inevitably be blocking someone else's view of something or vice versa. Also, it seems that when stores are crowded, other people who even wouldn't normally be fussy, take on a fussy attitude because they are frustrated too. Makes for an unpleasant shopping experience.

2. Not having as much money as I need/want for the stuff I want. Don't get me wrong, I am very thankful for what money I do have to shop with, but sometimes it's nice to choose something by likes and dislikes vs. what's the better deal cost-wise.

3. Not being able to find something I am looking for. I don't often visit stores I am not familiar with just because I dislike walking around in circles looking for items. It's a big waste of time. So I tend to revisit stores I'm familiar with.

4. I dislike watching the prices of everyday items going up and up. Like milk. Yeah, that's right, you heard me, milk. I could drink a gallon of gasoline cheaper than milk these days! What? Did the cows suddenly demand a raise or something?

5. Shopping is usually an enjoyable adventure for me. Sometimes I have something specific in mind and I set out to hunt it down and shop it out of it's hiding place. I also love to give gifts! So I get a little sad when I find out I can't give as much as I want because my funds are limited and with todays prices on things, you end up getting less for the same money...couple that with crowds and unfamiliar stores, hoo wee! So I stick to my budget, watch for sales, visit stores I'm familiar with and go at off peak times in an effort to keep shopping a fun adventure. I hope you can too!

NaBloPoMo - Keeping it alive!!!

As some of you may remember, I am participating in the National Blog Post Month. Which means, I have to post atleast once per day-every day of the month of November. So far this month, I have done this! No cheating, no changing dates or post times...I have kept it up each day of this month!

I am not at home and am unsure if I will be able to make it home in time to post from home today, so I am posting from my friend's computer (thanks guys!) in order to get my post done for today. This may not be much of a post, but it's all I got, so take that! :-)

Just a lazy day

Well, today was one of those lazy days for me. I didn't really accomplish too much...I did cat nap for a while, which is a prize to me!

Today would have been the perfect day to do so many things. I have curtains for 2 different friends to make, floors that need to be cleaned-VERY BADLY, a fish tank that is just horrible-poor little fishies, lots to put away, organize or otherwise clean, laundry that needs to be rewashed and more laundry that needs to be started and/or brought up and put away, I am hand making some of my Christmas cards this year, I could have gotten a great start on those or really I could have even finished them, I could have walked on my treadmill, I could have cleaned the bathroom and finally redecorated that room, I could have gotten all caught up on my bills and receipts with what has cleared the bank..all these things could have been done from the comfort of my home, without leaving and without getting out in that Black Friday shopping mess...no thank you.

But I didn't do any of those things. I didn't even pick up a pen and make a list of things I need to do! Instead I took the lazy way out and napped and watched TV. I didn't even take this down time to visit the blogs of my readers! All of you who come by and check in to see what's new at BeccA's Buzz and leave me comments, I didn't even take this time to stop by over your way!!! I'm a looser I guess...don't hate me, I'm weak. Tomorrow is a new day...let's see how it goes LOL

Happy Thanksgiving!

Today was a good day! There was much cooking, much food to eat and much good times with my family. My cousin invited me out to spend the day with her and her family. Her brother in law deep fried the Thanksgiving turkey and I must say it was yummy! I can't remember ever having turkey made this way before.

My cousin is about 3 months pregnant with there first baby. We are all so excited! It's so cute to see them going through all the changes new parents experience. Planning the nursery is going to be fun. I feel honored, they have asked me to join in the planning and participate in the redecoration of it all. I already have some ideas, they are going with a Raggedy Ann and Andy theme. I love that!

Yes, it was a good day today...I may need some hydroxycut after eating all day long like I did, but it was all sooo good!!

Wordless Wednesday - Hunting Season CLOSED

Hospital for the Holidays

Something we all dread: a loved one unexpectedly in the hospital during the holidays. I have not had the displeasure of this experience in many years, thank God!

My friend's mom was taken to the hospital with some issues yesterday and they are still sorting out what's going on and working out a treatment plan to get her back up on her feet and home where she belongs. I told her if she wanted some attention, there are better ways than this!

For all those people out there who wish they were at their homes or even an Orlando vacation home instead of a hospital room this holiday season, this is my post to let you know I am reminded of all the suffering and I will remember all of you in my prayers. We certainly have a lot to be thankful for this holiday season, if we are not in this situation. Remember that others are and pray for them!

A much overdue gift for Christmas

My mom has this friend...well, she's a friend to all of us, really! Her name is Joyce and bless her heart, she is a widow now for many years. She lives on just her income, and she always tries to be a good steward with her money. I have seen that woman cut the corners off the corners, if you know what I mean. She rarely shops for the 'extras' and when she does, she's perfectly happy visiting resale or goodwill type shops. She always finds nice items!

Joyce & My mom @ lunch in 2004

Well, this post is to show my excitement and support for her decision to do something extra nice for herself! She decided to buy new bedroom furniture! Now, this might not sound like a big deal, but we are talking real furniture here, something she has never had! I believe she was making do these past few years with hand-me-downs from her son as far as a bed goes. Well, once she decided to treat herself to a new bed and dresser and such, she realized the walls needed to be painted, which then made her realize her old shag carpeting needed to be replaced! Girlfriend is getting a whole new bedroom!!! Yay!!!

She has already painted, ripped out the old carpet and had the new floors installed. Her furniture is set to be delivered this weekend. I think I will go over and see it on Sunday after church. I don't know if it's contemporary bedroom furniture or more traditional, but she is so excited about all of it and so are we! She totally deserves this for her life, she is a fine lady who would give you the clothes off her back if she thought you needed them, it's nice to see her get such a great gift, from her hardworking self!!! Congrats, Joyce!!

7 Random Things Meme

I know, I know, I just got done saying I didn't want this to turn out to be a 'meme-ful' blog. But there is a difference between participating by choice (which I do on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays) and getting tagged for a meme! I don't often get tagged, so I enjoy them when they come along. So here goes!
Bola who blogs from across the pond in Africa has tagged me for a '7 Random Things about Me' meme. Here are the rules:

1. Link to the person that tagged you and posts the rules on your blog.
2. Share 7 random and or weird things about yourself.
3. Tag 7 random people at the end of your post and include links to their blogs.
4. Let each person know that they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

So here are my '7 Random Things about Me'

1. I am horrible at remember what's going on with other people! I mean that, I don't like that about me. If I have a friend who recently went through something or a family member of theirs did, I ALWAYS forget to ask how they are and so on...I suck.

2. I sometimes say I don't like things that I actually do like. No, I wouldn't call it lying, I would call it 'disillusioned'. Example: I always used to say, "I hate U2!" But once I found out all the songs they sing, hello, I love those guys! What is wrong with me?

3. I am a sinner. I always say and do things I wish I didn't. Everyone sins. Thank God for his grace through my faith in Jesus Christ, or else I'd be a goner!

4. I am an obsessive type person. Once I get my sights on something, I can't let it go easily. I need help Lord on this one too!

5. I miss being a kid sometimes. I can watch kids play and learn and wish for just a day, I could have that same wonder and joy!

6. I miss playing tennis and/or racket ball. I have no partner for either at the moment.

7. I think I'm ready to move on to a new romantic interest. It has taken me a while to get past certain points, but I think I'm about ready! Lord, your move on this one too!!!

Ok, now to pass on the tag:
Sandee @ Comedy Plus
Jane @ Cozy Reader
Misty Dawn @ My dogs keep me sane
Barb @ Skittles Place
Alison @ Cherished moments with my 2 angels
CR Morris @ Cheaper by the half dozen
Deb @ Mom of 3 girls

Pain Relief for a friend

I recently was chosen for participation in an opportunity to receive a sample of a product called Freeze It. I received it a couple of months ago, when I was so terribly busy coming and going with my big trip. I remember while I was gone, thinking, "I sure wish I had those samples with me, my knees are killing me!" Not to mention my shoulders from carrying my way too heavy luggage all around.

When I realized that in all my busyness that time had expired on my opportunity and I missed out on conducting a proper review of the product, I was so disappointed! I don't often suffer from aches and pains, certainly not chronic either, and of course I didn't want my samples to go unused. So the first person I thought of was my good friend Jen.



Jen is such a sweet hearted person who is always willing to offer a helping hand. She is a special friend and great example as a mother and wife who even does what she can as an At Home America home style specialist to add to her family's income. She takes care of her husband, her children, her house, her friends, her family and her business despite all she contends with physically. Some days are better than others or her. I have watched her suffer from the effects of Fibromyalgia for quite a few years now. For those of you who don't know, I will insert information on it provided by wikipedia:

Fibromyalgia is a chronic syndrome characterized by diffuse or specific muscle, joint, or bone pain, fatigue, and a wide range of other symptoms. It is not contagious, and recent studies suggest that people with fibromyalgia may be genetically predisposed. It affects more females than males, with a ratio of 9:1 by ACR (American College of Rheumatology) criteria. Fibromyalgia is seen in 3% to 6% of the general population. Recently there has been an increase in the number of diagnoses, which is assumed to be associated with better identification of the disorder. It is most commonly diagnosed in individuals between the ages of 20 and 50, though onset can occur in childhood. The disease is not life-threatening, though the degree of symptoms may vary greatly from day to day with periods of flares (severe worsening of symptoms) or remission. The syndrome is generally perceived as non-progressive, yet that issue is still debated. Fibromyalgia may actually be composed of several clinical entities, ranging from a mild, idiopathic inflammatory process in some individuals, to a somatoform disorder resulting from clinical depression in others, with probable overlaps in between. Current diagnostic criteria are insufficient to differentiate these entities.

It was hard for her to even get a proper diagnosis because a lot of people don't believe Fibromyalgia is even real! I must admit it took me a while to finally accept all it's wide range of issues too. So I offered my samples of the gel to her and she gladly accepted them! She has used this product in the past and her husband even told me how they both thought it was a better pain relief gel than others they have tried. One of the reasons being that 'the bedroom didn't smell like a men's locker room if she used it at bedtime!'

And according to the website, I can think of several obvious ways she would get relief from it's use. She often has hip joint pain from just sleeping, her shoulders and the back of her head muscles get tensed up and pull on her facial muscles sometimes and I've seen her rubbing pain relief gel types on her knees before!

I would really really like to win this contest, so I could pass my year's supply of Freeze It on to her! I literally can't think of another more deserving person to get it! With a 3 1/2 year old toddler and a 1 year old baby (both boys, too by the way!) to take care of every day, you are talking about one lady who would put all that pain relief gel to good use!

Birthday photo

I thought I would share with you a photo from last night's birthday dinner. I went with my mom and met my brother and his girlfriend out at Joe's Crab Shack in Chesterfield, Mo.

My mom and I had gone there to eat recently and after being seated at a table, were basically deserted! We actually got up and left after sitting there for a long while without so much as even a drink waiter coming by. We then went across the street to eat at the Old Spaghetti Factory.

We were hoping for better service at Joe's this time around. Which, I guess we did get. But when you are paying $23.00 for a bucket of bbq'd dungeness crab, you want it to be cooked right. Mine was NOT. The crab meat inside was brown and hard and dry....WAY WAY WAY over cooked. So they sent it back...which means I had to sit and watch everyone else eat. Dude! It's my birthday!!

In the end, I got fresh crab...it was less overcooked than the previous batch, but still slightly overcooked. All in all it was an ok evening. I probably would have been happier had we went across the street again.

Meme blog

I realized recently that I seem to be participating in alot of memes. It appears as though this is becoming one of those 'meme theme' blogs. You know what I mean, one of those blogs that only has meme's and no real content.

So here is my pledge, for every meme I participate in, I will also post one original content post. You should also take into consideration that these will possibly include paid ads, so don't be surprised if I happen to mention equestrian riding apparel or some other off the wall topic. :-)

Birthday gifts: Real and virtual

I wanted to share with all of you, the most special presents I've gotten so far for my birthday. This year has proved to be a very special year in the gift getting department. No, it's not leather lingerie, I mean, "Get serious!" But first, a couple of virtual presents I got today from fellow bloggers. Thanks Sandee and Misty Dawn who posted this yummy looking cake and these lovely flowers on there blogs for me. Much appreciated!

Back in reality, this year I was given a gift that will last a lifetime. The wonderful memories and experiences will be in my heart always. When I was on my trip to Florence, Italy, my friends surprised me with a combined early birthday and Christmas gift! I had wanted to take some sort of a mozzarella making or cooking class while I was in Tuscany but didn't have much luck researching the various classes. I gave up looking but my friend did not!

As an early surprise (and boy was it!) I was treated to an Italian Immersion class! I met up with a small group of four women. A mom and 3 daughters there as a gift from the daughters to the mom for her birthday last January. You will NEVER believe where the mom and one of the daughters were from...ST. LOUIS! Well, technically, Webster Groves, but that's part of St. Louis too! I couldn't believe it...and it just goes to prove my mom was right, you can't talk about anybody! We met our instructor, Marizio and we took a tour of the Mercato Centrale (or the Central Market).

This is where all the local restaurants get the fresh ingredients for the day's menu. They have everything from horse to hair, chicken to cow, dried fruit to dried pasta, oils and spices to fresh pastries...you name it! And there was a second floor dedicated to fresh produce of all kinds.

One of the vendor's gave us a short tutorial class on balsamic vinegars, olive oils, truffles and parmesan cheeses. This woman had a great presentation and lots of great information!

Next we met with the rest of our class members and made a rendezvous with the taxi driver. We rode in a van out to a villa on a hillside in Signet, a neighboring town to Florence. The villa was beautiful and boasted some nice views! We were left outside to wander around before the class began. There was another couple who had made the journey to the villa for the class on their own. Everyone was so nice! And better still, everyone was so on board about taking lots of pictures!

Once we were brought inside the kitchen, we found the room quite large and welcoming. There was a large fireplace on one end and a very long table set for all of us in the center. We met our other instructor, Liza. What a wonderful lady! She was informative and patient and smart and funny!! I took lots of pictures.

A lot of the photos came out blurry in the faces or hands. Everything was moving so fast. The class lasted all day, more than 8 hours altogether! We were given the recipes for all the dishes we made including: tiramisu, Sausage and cheese crustinis, fresh pasta for lasagna, fresh pesto for the gnocchi, a black olive chicken dish, and even how to use that weird Italian coffee maker!





We had one at our apartment, but didn't really know how to use it. After this class, we had the best coffee ever! I still want to get one of these for my house...

The class was alot of fun and yummy! I will always remember it and smile. The taste of Tuscany shall live on in my heart and my memories! Thank you so much A and P for the very gracious gift that only you could have given me!

I sure wish I could remember everyone's names...for that I feel bad! I did make some great friends that day...even if we were only friends for one day. Speaking of friends, my friend A also sent this to me today. It's called 'The Flea' and was just about my favorite pieces at the Uffizi Gallery in Florence. (I like it because I think she looks like me)