Sunday, November 27, 2011

Snapshot Sunday #4


As part of completing # 91 on my list (Complete the 100 Snapshots Challenge), I thought I'd share with you the snapshots that I've captured so far in a segment I'm gonna call Snapshot Sunday (catchy, huh?).  I shot most of these with my Canon Digital SLR camera.  However some of them were taken early in the challenge on my Kodak Easyshare.  I have done some slight editing using www.picnik.com.  I LOVE Picnik.  It's so cool!

To see the Snapshots from the previous weeks, go here.

Please do not use these photos without my consent and do not attempt to pass them off as your own work.  Thank you


60. Red




62. Rope




67. Smile




68. Smirk



70. Soul

Sunday, November 20, 2011

Snapshot Sunday #3


As part of completing # 91 on my list (Complete the 100 Snapshots Challenge), I thought I'd share with you the snapshots that I've captured so far in a segment I'm gonna call Snapshot Sunday (catchy, huh?).  I shot most of these with my Canon Digital SLR camera.  However some of them were taken early in the challenge on my Kodak Easyshare.  I have done some slight editing using www.picnik.com.  I LOVE Picnik.  It's so cool!

To see the Snapshots from the previous weeks, go here.

Please do not use these photos without my consent and do not attempt to pass them off as your own work.  Thank you


42. Sweet





45. Fall




46. Chair




51. Garbage




53. Teacher

Sunday, November 13, 2011

Snapshot Sunday #2


As part of completing # 91 on my list (Complete the 100 Snapshots Challenge), I thought I'd share with you the snapshots that I've captured so far in a segment I'm gonna call Snapshot Sunday (catchy, huh?).  I shot most of these with my Canon Digital SLR camera.  However some of them were taken early in the challenge on my Kodak Easyshare.  I have done some slight editing using www.picnik.com.  I LOVE Picnik.  It's so cool!

To see the Snapshots from the previous weeks, go here.

Please do not use these photos without my consent and do not attempt to pass them off as your own work.  Thank you

12. Growth




19. Within




23. Scar





33. Concrete




36. Yellow

Saturday, November 12, 2011

Songfest Saturday #2

It's week #2 of my Songfest!

This week I thought I'd share an artist whose music I have come to love.  Amazingly enough, I didn't actually find her myself.  Instead, Troy stumbled upon her music and bought her CD for me for Christmas a while back.  It was truly an amazing gift and I was overwhelmed by how much he "got me" by choosing to share her music with me.  She spoke to my musical interests (and my soul) in a language the I felt like I knew by heart.  Before I knew it, she had joined the short list of my go-to artists that I would search for on a regular basis.

Her name is Kris Delmhorst.  For the album that Troy purchased for me, Ms. Delmhorst took the lyrics to some amazing poetry and added her own music.  It's such a phenomenal thing when you love not only the music, but the lyrics as well.  That is when music REALLY speaks to me!  Here are a few of my favorites:



To check out her latest offering "Cars" go to www.krisdelmhorst.com.  It an album of songs by the Cars with her own arrangements and unique voice.  Check it out!

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

It doesn't hurt to ask!


This morning as I was going through my bills that need to be paid, I noticed that one of the credit cards that I have charged me a small finance fee despite the fact that I paid off the card before the end of last month.  The only thing that I use this card for is balance transfers and until this month, it was carrying a 0% finance fee.  I guess the 0% promotional rate expired this month, so they were charging me a fee based on the daily balance and my current rate on that card.

I have been a loyal customer with them for quite a while.  I always pay my bill on time and I am nowhere near the limit on that card.  (I could buy a VERY nice car with the limit on that card alone! - YIKES!)  So I decided to practice what I preach to my friends.  I am always telling them that if they aren't happy with the rates they are getting on their credit cards or the fees they are being charged, call them up and see what they can do for you.  If you are a good customer with a good record of payment, you are worth your weight in gold to them and they have a LOT of leeway as far as rates and fees go!

So, I called them up.....  On the phone..... And requested that they remove the finance fee (less than $7.00).  That is all.  I didn't raise a big stink.  I didn't get mad (it was only $7.00).  I simply asked if they might be able to remove that fee for me.

And they did!  After looking at my history with them, Ron, the very helpful customer service man said, "Why, yes, Miss H.  I would be happy to do that for you!"


So, now that I'm $7.00 ahead, I'm going to use my credit card "winnings" to go buy lunch.  It will be the yummiest sandwich ever!

Monday, November 7, 2011

Bah Hum Bug

Ok, people!  It's November 7th.  NOVEMBER.  For those of you who are counting, that's nearly 50 DAYS until Christmas.

I love Christmas.  I really do.  But I think the advertisers have gone too far!


I realize that the period from Thanksgiving until Christmas is when the retailers make their real money for the year, but while watching TV tonight, I saw no fewer than 5 Christmas commercials.  SERIOUSLY!

It was bad enough when there were Halloween decorations out in August, but how about we at least get to show our appreciation with Thanksgiving before we are bombarded with Christmas music, clanging Salvation Army bells and repeated airings of "It's a Wonderful Life"?

I'm just saying.

Sunday, November 6, 2011

Snapshot Sunday #1

As part of completing # 91 on my list (Complete the 100 Snapshots Challenge), I thought I'd share with you the snapshots that I've captured so far in a segment I'm gonna call Snapshot Sunday (catchy, huh?).  I shot most of these with my Canon Digital SLR camera.  However some of them were taken early in the challenge on my Kodak Easyshare.  I have done some slight editing using www.picnik.com.  I LOVE Picnik.  It's so cool!

Please do not use these photos without my consent and do not attempt to pass them off as your own work.  Thank you

1. Safety 


5. Open


7. Love


8. Touch


10. Blue

Saturday, November 5, 2011

Songfest Saturday #1

I don't know about all of you, but sometimes on the weekends, when I SHOULD have some free time for perusing all of the lovely blogs on my blogroll, I don't seem to have that time.  Instead, my Saturday usually gets filled with laundry, dishes, taking the dog to the park, cleaning up the mess around the house that I made during the week and any and all other projects that haven't been crossed off my to do list.  So instead of bringing you a long-winded post, I thought Saturday afternoon might be the perfect time to share some of my favorite music.

As anyone who knows me can attest, I'm a big fan of rooting for the underdog and that extends to the artists who fill my MP3 player.  I LOVE finding artists that hardly anyone has heard of.  It's a great way to find undiscovered talent when they are in the phase where they truly appreciate their fans.

I had the pleasure of going to see "The Civil Wars" last night with a friend.  They are an amazing duo made up of Joy Williams and John Paul White that is fun and funny.  (Yes, John Paul does look an awful lot like Johnny Depp!)  I'm sure I've share them with you here before.  Here's one of my most recent favorites of theirs.  It's called "I've Got This Friend":



Their opening act was Milo Greene made up of 4 guys and a girl.  They are in their mid-twenties and a real pleasure to listen to.  They have a mini CD consisting of just 4 songs, which feels like an appetizer to a meal I can hardly wait to taste!  It's great to see them in the formative stage.  I just know they are gonna go somewhere!  Give them a listen:

Friday, November 4, 2011

Beautiful boots!

I recently went to the Chicago for a special trip.  Stay tuned for more on that!  It was very exciting!


While walking around the Windy City, I noticed LOTS of people were wearing boots.  Some were your standard UGG boots, but others had lots of laces and buckles and bows.  They were made of suede and leather; had wedge heels and "break-your-neck" heels.  At first I thought it was odd because it wasn't that cold, but clearly I have missed the fashion bandwagon and boots are BIG this year!


The boot fashion show continued tonight when I attended a concert.  All the cool girls were wearing them!


For a girl with big calves, this is a heart breaker!  I would LOVE to own a pair (or a closet full of) amazing boots.  Alas, my feet are a tiny size 6 1/2 and I have calves the size of tree trunks!  No fair!


So I'm on the hunt for some fabulous boots that will make me look amazing, fit my foot and calf and not break the bank.  Have any thoughts on where I should start my search?

What hot fashion trend are you on the look-out for?

Thursday, November 3, 2011

Are you guilty of downgrading your dreams?


The other day as I was driving home, I had to take a detour around some traffic.  As I cut through a neighborhood near my house I drove down a street that I'd never been on.  As I rounded the corner onto this street, I saw a gorgeous house.  It was a beautiful shade of brick red with white shutters and a lovely white picket fence.  The second story windows were complete with flower boxes bursting with mums.  The lawn was well-manicured and it looked like the owner truly loved their house.  As I drove down the street, I thought, "I would love to have that house."


As those thoughts floated across my mind, they were nearly instantaneously erased by a voice that told me that I would never own a house that lovely.  Instead, the voice turned my attention to a house that was down the street.  It was a shade of brown that could only have been called "Cow manure".  It looked dank and dreary and simply depressing.  Judging by the exterior of the house, the floor plan was awkward and too large to be a ranch style home.  That insidious internal voice told me that that ugly brown house was something I should settle for instead.  How depressing.


This mere 10-second conversation in my head has had me thinking for several days.  It seems to me that for nearly my whole life I've been settling for less than what I truly want.

When I wanted the hottest new toy as a child, but I couldn't wait long enough to save up the money, I would instead buy the knock-off that was poorly made and didn't last as long.

When I went to buy my first car, I wanted a cool red car that was sporty and fun.  After all, I young and what better time is there to be sport and fun?  I ended up with a beige sedan.

When I wanted love and marriage and a family, I stayed with a man for seven years even though he told me in the beginning of the relationship that he wasn't ready for those things.  I was sure that he would come around. I was wrong.

Instead of holding out for those things that I truly want, I invariably settle.  The question that has been going around and around in my mind these last few days is "Why?"  Why do I settle for second best instead of holding out for that brass ring or red convertible or the love of a truly amazing man?  And the answer I keep coming back to is "because I don't deserve the best."

The fact that this thought goes through my head on an apparently regular basis and that I've been living my life a certain way because of it infuriates me.  The world does a pretty good job of trying to keep us and our dreams in check.  Why am I helping it out?  Why am I downgrading my dreams?

Despite the fact that I'm in my 30s and still single, I hold out hope that when I am ready for him, a truly amazing man will come into my life.  Not an ok guy.  An amazing guy.

They say that knowing is half the battle, so now that I know how I've been short-changing myself and downgrading my dreams, I'm gonna do my best to stop it.  Right now.

How about you?  Are you guilty of settling for less than you truly deserve?  What are you going to do today to change that?  How will your life look different after this realization?

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

Oprah's Life Class Part 1

Have you all been watching Oprah's Life Class?  It's on OWN TV, which I actually don't get because I don't have digital cable (perhaps Ms. O could do something about the availability of her channel), but I've been tuning in to the webcasts on Friday nights.


I've been a fan of Oprah for a long time and I generally liked the direction her show took.  Over the course of the 25 years that she was on the air with the Oprah Winfrey Show, I feel like she used the platform she had to truly help people become their best version of themselves.

Her Life Class picks up where her show left off and over the last 3 weeks the topics that she's covered have really made an impact on me and the way that I've been looking at myself, my life and the people in it as I live each day.

As this month's NaBloPoMo proceeds, I'll share more about the lessons I've learned as well as an exciting event that took place just a few days ago.  Stay tuned for more....

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

I think I can...I think I can....


I have a confession to make.  I hope that you won't judge me, but I have to put it out there.

I have a fear of failure.
It's true.
But that's not the worst part.


Apparently I also have a fear of success.  UGH.

#4 on my list (Make one blog entry every day for a month) has simply been taunting me since I put it on the list.  Nearly every month of this year, I've been telling you all that this month is when I'm gonna get that crossed off of the list.  And every month I invariably fall on my face around day #5.  It's horrible.  I'm sure by now all of you as my loyal readers (all 2 of you) have realized not to believe me.  You are a wise lot.

I really do have the best of intentions, I swear!  I simply run into brick walls of obligations, excuses and writer's block.  I either have plenty of ideas and no time to write or plenty of time to write and nothing to say. (It's really more the first than the second because heaven knows I usually have PLENTY of things to say).

So, I hate to do this, but I'm gonna give it another go.  This month is the official anniversary of NaBloPoMo, so I really am gonna give it the ol' college try!  I have tons of items from my list to update you on and I'm even working on some themes for the days of the week to give me a bit of a jumping off point.

Thanks for hanging in there with me.  You all are the best!

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