Buyers beware!

My last post about being robbed in Brooklyn hasn't even been published long enough to get stale and a friend just called me to say he also has now been hit by card # stealing bandits!! Apparently having a fun day out on the town on someone else's dime is easier than ever!

Anytime you swipe a credit card or debit card, say if you're buying discount office supplies, it gets processed in mass transactions and those who know how to...can and will hack in and gain access to our card #s. Supposedly they don't have the actual expiration dates so a successful transaction on their end is not guaranteed. However, I don't think they care! If they go to one store and shop to their heart's content and get turned down every other time, they just move on to the next store of their choice. I'm guessing they are still happy with those odds. My friend got robbed in Virginia, still on the East Coast but I seriously doubt it's the same person. Unfortunately, there are more than a couple bandits among us. My friend vented, "$160 at Game Stop and then a nice restaurant after; sounds like a fun day...too bad I wasn't there even though I paid for it!"

He'll get his money back, I just hope it goes quickly. I was so very pleased with the way PayPal handled my fraudulent charge. I had the $ back in my PayPal account within 24 hours of it being cleared through and the balance from my PayPal account has now been completely deposited back into my checking account and it's only 4 days later (and the Christmas holidays were in there too!). All-in-all I was only "out" the money for about 6 days. Great job PayPal!

Something tells me, I've seen this before.

For the past few years, I have saved my own Christmas cards and collected them from anyone else who wanted to give me theirs after Christmas was over. "Why?" you ask? Well, I had this idea of taking the Christmas greetings and refurbishing them into NEW Christmas greetings!

At first I had decided to send the recycled Christmas cards back to the same people they originally came from the previous year. However, once I cut them down into usable 'parts', the signed portion has been disconnected and disregarded. Makes it virtually impossible to keep track of which ones came from where. Now, I'm not talking about recycled Christmas cards as in, made from recycled materials of various other kinds. I am talking about a more hands on and organic recycling, a transformation. Cutting the front off and putting it onto a back color and mounting it onto a new card altogether!

Only trouble is, it's an extremely time consuming process and I haven't yet been successful in completing enough of them to send them out. Normally I go out on Dec. 26th and buy boxed cards for cheap and put them back for the next year. But in an effort to ensure I would work on them enough throughout the year, I failed to buy any last year. Of course, I haven't had the time to work on them enough this year so...in other words, don't get your feelers hurt if you don't get a Christmas greeting from me this year. :( I'll try again next year so keep the cards coming and you may be surprised next year and think...something tells me, I've seen this before.

Happy 10th Birthday!!!

I'd love to wish a very special niece a very special 10th birthday today!! Gone are the days of your sweet little voice asking me to play Barbies, gone are the days of rocking you in my arms and looking down at your sweet little face. >SIGH<

You have grown up so fast and there's no turning back! Soon you will be concerned with finding acne products that work instead of tea parties and kittens :-/ I love you very much and I want you to know I will always remember how cute you were and you will always be my little princess, I love you!!!

All Aboard!! Chicago here we come...

A good friend of mine approached me recently about a possible train ride trip to Chicago and I couldn't be more excited!! Her daughter's 10th birthday is approaching and she really wants to get her a special item that can only be purchased in a couple of places and Chicago is one of them. I remember turning 10 (double digits!!) and I would have flipped my lid to take a train with my mom to Chicago to get a gift I've been wanting!I would just assume to hit a Big Sale at Mattel Shops here locally, to be honest. You can find great deals at Mattel and use the leftover savings to get fun wrapping paper or a birthday card! Now, don't get me wrong, I am in need of a small vacation...especially to a place I've never been before. Plus, I've always wanted to take the train to Chicago!! So I will 'get on board' and enjoy myself for the weekend. Chicago, here we come!

Plans for the weekend

This weekend is not riddled with clocking in and out at my second job. Yippy!! However, I do have a morning Miche Bag party to do. Not a big testosterone booster there but that's ok, I'm not trying to boost my testosterone these days :)
Sat. night will actually be spent being social this week, a very nice change from my past pattern of working. Girls night in has a 'baseball' theme this month. I'm not *too* big on baseball but will enjoy meeting the ladies and playing games nonetheless.

Sunday will be church followed hopefully by a visit to the Dalessandros??? Can I get a possible confirmation on that? And then to work at my first job for a few short yours but only because I was short on my time this week and I need to catch back up! It's tough to get 40 hours in when you can't get up in the morning and have something to do every night of the week! Throw in some doctor appointments and you're spending your Sunday evening filling in those last few hours, for sure. Oh well, still happy to be employed so gonna put a smile on and belly up to my desk!

The Friendship Factor by Brenda Poinsett

One of my favorite authors, Brenda Poinsett is celebrating the release of her newest book 'The Friendship Factor, Why women need other women.' The First Baptist Church in St. Clair, MO is hosting a dessert party to help launch the new book and we were personally invited by Brenda to come celebrate!

The flyer for tonight's party reads, "Join Brenda as she explores the needs women have to connect deeply with others, to share their burdens, to rejuvenate their souls, to reduce their stress and to connect for ministry. Let 'The Friendship Factor' show you what your friendships can truly become." I can't wait!

My favorite book of hers was called 'What will I do with the rest of my life?' and came to me at a desperate time in my life. It really helped move me past a dark time and for that, I love and appreciate Brenda! She has taught me many priceless things so I am excited to celebrate her new book which is also a topic that is near and dear to my heart. Congrats Brenda!!!

Cheating on my mind...

There are 2 people I know right now who are potentially cheating on their spouse or with someone who has a spouse. No wait, did I say *think*? I'm sorry, I totally meant, I pretty much know it's happening! They bring the person out into social situations and/or discuss their marital unhappiness publicly! UGH, I'm all discouraged and let down and disappointed and aggravated and on and on. I never thought they would be the kind of people who would do this. The saddest part is, they are not even trying to hide it really, as if nothing is the matter with it.

And now I'm drinking a Pepsi! See, it's spreading...I'm a loyal Coca Cola drinker! I want to run away and escape...perhaps I'll go in search of some good deals on Toronto hotels for the weekend.

Prayers for...everyone!

Hi all, I'm sure you've noticed by now that I haven't been blogging as much as I would normally like to. It's not like I've been distracted & out searching for the best eye cream for dark circles...but I could cause trust me, I got 'em right now!

No, since my last post about leaving on the road trip down to Branson, there has been alot going on in my world. Saturday night around 2:30 am, the otherwise dark Branson hotel room was illuminated by the light of my cell phone. On the other end was my cousin Lil' Tony who informed me that they airvacked my dad from the country to St. Louis University hospital with blood clots in his legs that had gone to his lungs and that he was doing very good at all.

So once I was home from Branson I spent every night that week at the hospital with him. They were trying to get his blood to a therapeutic level of 'thin' with the various meds so he could go home. He is home now as of last Friday, trying to adjust to new foods and taking new meds. So please keep him in your prayers, pulmonary emboli can be fatal. And I'm not so sure he is ready to meet his maker yet.

Friday also brought yet another trip to the ER for my friend Jen. She has been suffering with abdominal pains of various kinds and degrees for the past 2 years and they never seem to be able to figure out what's actually wrong with her. Needless to say they are extremely frustrated and disheartened. The ER sent her home with pain meds. Again.

Saturday, the pain was THE WORST and she went back to the ER begging them to help her. Ultimately, they sent her home with more pain meds. Again.

Sunday morning she collapsed at home and after arriving by ambulance to the hospital and running some tests, they discovered that things were all twisted up inside and dieing. Emergency surgery was a must and they hoped they would have enough in there that she could survive. That was a tough phone call to get, let me tell ya. I don't want to imagine the pain in her husband's heart and her family too. She came through that surgery ok and had another one on Monday to fix some more and seems to be recovering at a rate they are happy with. I will keep you updated a bit when I can.

Thursday my mom is going to have hernia surgery. Same hospital as Jen...how convenient, thanks guys! I'll keep you informed on her progress. When she gets out of the hospital she will stay with her friend Shirley again like she did the last time since we live on the second floor and I have to be at work during the day. Shirley has 2 steps into her house and is retired and can cook for her and everything! What a blessing to have wonderful helpful people in your life when things get tough. I need to take a lesson, I've been neglectful in that area and it's more than time for me to step up.

So please keep all these people in your prayers, I'll keep you updated as things go along.

Happy Birthday, Me!

Another year older.....another year full of things I wish I had done...things I wish I hadn't. I'm not going to talk about weight loss and diet pill reviews or anything like that. My life isn't all about my weight!

At this point all I can do is learn and move on. Turn the page on yesterday. Much too often I pick it back up and drag it around like a ball on a chain locked to my ankle. Some things happen that I can't control and some I can. So when I can't I will have faith that I will be ok through whatever plan the Lord has for me. Even if it hurts me in the moment.

Lots to look forward to!! Dinner with my momma tonight at Red Lobster, dinner with various ladies in my life at the Old Spaghetti Factory tomorrow night, Little House on the Prairie tickets with friends on Tuesday at the Fox Theater, Thanksgiving, trip to Branson with momma over the holiday weekend and then starts the busy and wonderful month of December with all of it's merriment! Holiday parties, caroling, hot chocolate, being with friends and loved ones... who could look forward to all that and not have a smile on your face?? Do yourself a favor, try to see the brightside of things, even if it hurts. ;-)

A rough start

Well, this was a busy weekend. Some good things happened and some not so good things happened. I'm sick, sort of...it seems to just come and go as it pleases. I got to work over 16 hours this weekend for my second job, which is great. I hadn't gotten any hours in over 3 weeks!

Also, had "good" fun at some friends' birthday party, it's always nice to get together and jibber jabber. The kiddos had fun at the playground. Had me some grilled hot dogs...love them! Could have done without the bee problem, but hey they have to eat too.

Sunday brought more "good" to the weekend in the form of a vow renewal ceremony for the Quinn family. 15 years and 5 kids later :) They decided they did in fact want to stay together for the long hall. The theme was 'A cord of three strands is not quickly broken'....the third (or first, depends on your point of view) strand would be God, of course :)

The "not so good" for the weekend ended up being a broken window on the parking lot afterwards. I hope the criminals had fun with their bag full of crocheting, magazines, books and raisins which were for the car ride from/to Kentucky. The happy couple's brother and sister in law and their kids were supposed to head home Monday morning but were going to have to get the window fixed first now. Crime is so annoying.

After this long weekend, Monday morning came crashing down on me. A rough start indeed, it was hard to get out of bed today....so I just had to force myself up, slapped on some wrinkle cream and poof! I'm ready to start a new week. I guess.

New addiction: Restaurant City on Facebook

Ok, here I go again! No, not shopping for much needed lighting for my way too dark apartment, I'm spending my free time (and some not 'free' time) playing yet another Facebook game!!! This time, it's not farms and crops, it's chefs and menus!!

Journeyman's Inn 7/8/09

Restaurant City is a really fun game by Playfish, kinda like a Sims game. You have employees that you have to assign jobs to, a restaurant to name and decorate and also make functional, a menu to gather ingredients for and restrooms to keep clean so your customers don't complain and give you thumbs down. It's great! I'm having a blast with it trying to keep my approval rating up as high as I can get it. The highest I've had it was right around 48 and the highest possible is 50, so that was a good day. Of course you get a bigger restaurant and more employees as you get more and more gourmet points for serving customers who pay $2 each or the meal. Your employees have individual energy levels that you have to maintain at a decent level, otherwise they begin to work more slowly and your customers will complain and leave, giving you a thumbs down LOL

If you are on Facebook, why not check it out! And if we are friends, we will get 1 free ingredient the first time we visit each other's restaurant! :)

'My Life in Ruins' - a movie review

I went to see the new movie 'My life in Ruins' on Saturday night with a friend. I had been seeing the previews for it for a while now and I was really looking forward to it.

The movie was no disappointment! It was full of funny blurbs and Nia Vardalos was beautiful and witty as usual. I don't know if she's been working out and eating right or if she's taken some Atrophex or what, but she had a great figure in this movie! Her clothes fit her really well and she was not overly skinny. Her skin was pretty and her hair was healthy looking too! She looked great and the part was a great part for her. It wasn't exactly like the part she played in 'My Big Fat Greek Wedding' so that was nice too.

I also really enjoyed the scenery of Greece, the ancient cities and ruins were wonderful! I may never actually get to visit there, so I really enjoyed the many stops along the tour route. Overall it was a great movie to go see with a friend. There is a bit of a love story that sprouts up and for that it might actually make a good date movie, as well. I'm glad I went to see it!

Pet Peeves. Yeah, I got em'

I have a few pet peeves, I think we all do. As much as we try to be tolerant of other people's habits and quirks, sometimes things bug us and we just can't help it. I'm sure if we could list all our pet peeves we'd end up with a list a mile long!

Today I'd like to mention just one special pet peeve of mine. Any guesses? No, it's not people who look down at their hands while they play piano. No, it's not when people text while driving, although that is high on my list.

Today's pet peeve has to do with telephone calls. Here's the situation, they either:
1. Never have their phone on
2. Never answer the phone when you call
3. Never call back when they see the 'missed call' or
4. Never return your call when you leave a message!

UGH! Seriously...maybe it's the Italian in me, but that is sooo disrespectful. Nothing says, 'you aren't important like to me' like not being answered or called back. Especially if you leave a message saying hey, I need some information you have. I understand people are busy...what, like I'm not?? I guess some people just don't put the same importance on the certain things we do but it really does get under my skin when it happens over and over again with the same people.

Wow, what a beautiful day in St. Louis!

I can't wait to get outside...I slept in this morning but now I'm ready to get out and about :)

On today's agenda is to vacuum my car, pick up a get well card for a friend in the hospital, meet up with some friends and go visit her in the hospital, dinner with friends and then I'm open! I'm in a great mood, had a great pancake breakfast and I'm ready for just about anything! Well, not shopping for wholesale computers, I'll save that for a rainy day :)

I've missed my blog, haven't posted in a while. Funny how Facebook seems to grab all my extra online time these days....but I'm happy to come back and blog too. How about you? What are your plans for this beautiful day? Anyone having a bbq they'd like to invite me too? LOL

Time to party!

Well, this past Saturday got off to a great start! We had a rummage sale to benefit the women's ministry at church and for no more than we had, we did great! Can't complain there.

Next, it was time for my friend's son's 5th birthday party. They make a lot more 1st birthday decorations than they do 5th birthday decorations...but I think that's because by the time they are 5, they have specific things they like and you go for those kinds. His party theme was Transformers....too fun! It was a simple yet fun party and everyone had a great time, especially the kids who played and played!

While I was at that party, I got invited to another party for later on that night. A girls night in type party. It was my first time to be invited and I have had reservations about it in the past and was actually kind of relieved I hadn't been invited yet because if I decided not to go, that would possibly cause offense and I wouldn't want that. But where I am right now, I felt comfortable enough to say yes and it helped my other friend since this was also her first time to be invited back since her reuniting with that friend again and she needed someone to drive her with her sight being what it is right now. So it all worked out. Although I wasn't sure it would for me since I had been up since 4:45 that morning to open the rummage sale, ack!

I ended up going to that party after the first party and had fun at both. We ate food and played games and it was nice to see some faces I haven't seen in a while. I'm talking about both parties :) So, party on!

You can find me on Facebook!

Ok, I finally caved in and joined Facebook. Now, I'm totally addicted! I'm finding myself not even checking my email as much as FB. And the best part? I've been reunited with an old best friend that I had grown apart from years ago! When we were friends last, she had 2 sons around the age of 6 & 5....the oldest is graduating high school in May and she has another son who's now 7!!! It's just wonderful :D

It's also amazing to discover that I only joined Facebook about 3 weeks ago and when I searched for her, she wasn't on there. Last week, she joined and looked for me right away and there I was! Even more amazing is to see how the Lord is working in my life. I had always been left with a sour taste in my mouth at the idea that there were these people who had left my life thinking I was a bad person and Sheila has just proved that wrong! She has proved to me that even though we have all made mistakes and lost years of history because of ill feelings, we are still left with a lifetime of great memories still to make! What a wonderful feeling to regain a lost and broken friendship. Praise the Lord, you are so good to me. I can't wait to meet her/them all over again!!!

Big weekend coming up

This is going to be another big weekend for me. No, not like 'I need some diet pills' big, more like it's going to be chock full of activities.

Friday night, I'm going to visit my friends and have dinner. Then it's home and into bed for me!

Saturday day, I am going to a seminar called Journey to Financial Freedom. I can't wait, Crown Financial Ministries is a wonderful and rich source of articles and planning tools and downloadable resources to help you get a grip on your finances and take the driver's seat for a change. If you're anything like me, way too much debt controls my life and I am seeking to make some serious changes to gain control back. Check out the website and see what you can start doing today to honor God by being a good steward of the resources He has provided you. Life doesn't have to be so burdened by money woes!

Saturday evening, I'm going to a fund raiser for the Friends of Missouri Midwives. Funds are needed for legal expenses to forward the legalization of Midwifery in Missouri. The fund raiser is a screening of the movie Orgasmic Birth. This powerful documentary has been featured as 'Birth's best kept secret' on 20/20. Birth has been portrayed as something you dread and not something that certainly can be a beautiful and even an enjoyable experience. I think it's wonderful to show women that they can give birth in other ways and give them options that are less commonly practiced. If you would like to come along to the screening, you may purchase a discounted ticket in advance from the Free the Midwives website.

Saturday overnight, I *may* work, believe it or not, at my second job. One of the other ladies called me a few minutes ago to ask if I could work both Friday and Saturday overnights for her. As much as I need to work both nights, I know there is no way for me to fully benefit from the financial seminar if I am 1/2 asleep from working the night before. Since my education on financial freedom is of utmost importance right now, I feel as though I really need to pass on the Friday night shift in order to be fully aware and on point for taking advantage of every moment of the seminar. Oh yeah and I paid $25 to register for the seminar already, that would be wasteful to sleep through!

Sunday is of course, church day. We also have a Valley Girl Women's Ministry meeting afterwards. I need to make a desert tonight for that....mental note: need to go to store on my way home from friends' house. So, what are your weekend plans?

Room for improvement?

Today I went to visit one of our church families who's youngest child had a double valve replacement surgery on Friday at St. Louis Children's Hospital. I'm happy to report the little guy is doing well. The family waiting room on the other hand, left a lot to be desired!

There were people/parents laying around on the couches covered up trying to sleep, other people coming in and out for the snack machines and still other people sitting around with their family members trying to have conversations that didn't disturb the sleepers. I would have thought, for a top notch children's hospital, they would have a little better accommodations for the parents of the sick kids. I mean, I don't expect them to have nice individual rooms like a hotel in las vegas but *something* better than a large communal lounge room. It just seemed so impersonal and un-family friendly to me.

Wanna get away? Me too, here's the scoop!

Only 5 days left until I'm outta here for a few days! I'm going Eastward to visit some friends and then ride back to St. Louis for them to visit here. I am planning to leave on Tuesday, flying out to Baltimore, Md. On my first full day there, depending on weather, I'm hopefully going to drop off my friend at her office, park at a train station, connect with the metro and then on into DC for a couple of museums. The first one would be the National Museum of the American Indian:

On a leisure drive through DC about 3 1/2 years ago with a friend, we drove past this beautiful organic building amidst the gray granite and marble government buildings near the Capital. It's sandstone walls seem to ungulate in contrast to everything around it. Upon inspection of the NMAI website, my anticipation grows! It has 4 levels and 2 theaters and lots of exhibits to take in. I am told that I have Cherokee Indian in my heritage, although it would be distant, I have always had an affection for American Indian culture and traditions. I'm very much looking forward to this experience.

The second one I'd like to see in DC is the National Museum of Crime and Punishment. This is right up my alley!

The NMCP website describes how the museum shows us the history of everything 'crime' from medieval knights and pirates to modern day serial killers and computer hackers! They also cover punishments, crime fighting, csi topics, the actual America's Most Wanted studio and many fun interactives from police line ups to high speed chase simulators, FBI shooting ranges to an autopsy for those of us who are forensically intrigued. You can even have your child fingerprinted for real!!!

*If* I can fit both of these museums into 1 single day spent in DC, I plan to spend day 2 of my trip more leisurely in B'more. I'd love to visit Mary Alice from Ace of Cakes at the home of Charm City Cakes. What a photo op that will be, even if I don't go inside and disturb them (I'd hate for Jeff or Duff to throw me out!) I can still go by there and snap off a couple of photos for myself and get a feel for it. *Hey, Mary Alice, if you're reading this, let me know if it's ok to stop by next Wed. Dec. 17th or Thur. Dec. 18th :)*

Next, I've discovered there's an Ikea store in B'more! Hello, I would love to wander around there for a couple of hours or so....I have a feeling I could get into much trouble there though LOL

The last couple of days will be spent driving to St. Louis, Missouri from Maryland with my friend so she can have a visit here. We plan to stop in Cincinnati overnight enjoying a short trip to the Creation Museum. I can't wait!! I've wanted to go to there since I heard about it the first time! What a privilege to be visiting during the Christmas season, too. They have a free live nativity from Dec. 12, 08 - Jan. 4, 09 called 'Bethlehem's Blessings'. I'll take lots of pics and give a full report when I get home. Pray for good weather for the trip to and from. I'll keep you updated and I'll try to post here while I'm gone too.

'If money were no object' shopping

Ah yes, holiday shopping is here again. I really dislike how commercialized and consumer oriented the holiday season has become. I feel like we have lost sight of traditions and the pure enjoyment of the magical season by stressing out about what to purchase for people that we can afford on our budgets. If it's true that "It's the thought that counts." Let me be the first one this year to pick out some gifts from my heart and not my wallet. If money were no object, I'd start off with this:

My nephew is crazy about some super heroes and Star Wars and he also loves fish! What could be better than his very own 1.8 gallon R2-D2 interactive aquarium that buzzes like R2, has a rotating head at voice commands, a motion sensitive light, secret feeding compartment, filter and has a real working periscope to enjoy the underwater inhabitants!? I'd definitely get him one.

For my mom, a house of her very own, in a safe place, that is all one level so she doesn't have to do stairs with her knees hurting her. For my friend, some fine corsets to celebrate her new body with her husband. For my boss, I'd get him a paid vacation to somewhere he can't take work with him. He needs a break, 21/7 year after year after year is about to kill him. That would not be good for me or my mom or him or his family either, I suppose. Anyway, I could go on and on. It's fun shopping when all you have to do is consider the person and not your budget! So, there are my thoughts, sorry I didn't wrap them this year but I hope you enjoy it anyway! Ok, back to reality now.