The Daily Rant and Rave by Divaliscious

Skippy Auditions for a Commercial

2010-02-05T08:46:00.001-05:00

This is also funny!

VIOLENT and AWESOME Credit Union Commercial!

2010-02-05T08:45:00.001-05:00

Too funny - love the homemade feel of the commercial...

How to Avoid Being Depressed During The Holiday Season | eHow.com

2009-12-06T13:04:00.000-05:00

How to Avoid Being Depressed During The Holiday Season | eHow.com

need an essay or two? I would suggest not using these

2009-11-21T20:46:00.001-05:00

It is sometimes to funny to have our kids write bad papers, but when they are this bad (both kids and papers alike) it's getting scarier every day! Enjoy fun reading - p.s. bad language is used as well as poor spelling, contractions and improper grammar.

essay.jpg (JPEG Image, 503x4357 pixels) (click on image to read this kid's paper and have it zoom in...) *and pps - what about the professor's handwriting skills - also rather atrocious... just saying.

TARBOY - an epic, animated short film

2009-10-31T23:54:00.001-04:00

watch if you dare.... great music and story = even for kids!

Creepy, weird hippie yoga teacher / farmer

2009-10-31T16:52:00.001-04:00

all I can say is WTF~!

Time Management....hmm

2009-10-07T22:05:00.001-04:00

Time Management from Mind Tools - How to manage time and maximize effectiveness
Time Management
Beat Work Overload. Increase
Your Effectiveness. Achieve Much More.

This section of Mind Tools teaches you personal time management skills. These are the simple, practical techniques that have helped the leading people in business, sport and public service reach the pinnacles of their careers.

These are just some of the nifty things one can do when you dont want to do anything else....

Love reading? Neat nifty new book gadgets -

2009-07-21T12:12:00.001-04:00

interesting huh? what about these...

Need a light to keep your lover happy while he sleeps and you read how to improve your love life?

And what about a new corner bookcase in that empty corner of yours to keep your place looking clean and organized!

Lovers - A whole other story

2009-07-21T12:06:00.001-04:00

The 9 Step Guide For Handling A Cheater - The Fly Guy Chronicles

Have you ever been cheated on before?

Well judging from the letters and emails that I receive daily, it sure seems that way. And while the large majority of our correspondence focuses on ways to detect infidelity, dealing with an unfaithful lover encompasses more than just being able to detect the signs of a cheater. So with that being said, let’s unveil my Nine Step Guide For Handling a Cheater.

Step 1: Check your source.
Before you begin making wild accusations, ask yourself this: Where are your suspicions coming from? Did they originate from your Grandma Ola Mae’s dream book? (”Baby, I dreamed about peas and creamed corn last night, so that must mean Bobby is cheating on you.”) If that’s your only source, then try to find more reliable information.

Step 2: Make sure it’s not you.
Could it be that your mind is playing tricks on you? If you have a history of being an overly jealous lover, then make sure you are not prematurely jumping to conclusions.Read more by clicking link above...

How to Clean Your House in Ten Minutes | eHow.com

2009-07-21T11:22:00.001-04:00

How to Clean Your House in Ten Minutes | eHow.com

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How to Stop Loving Someone Not Worthy

2009-07-20T09:02:00.001-04:00

How to Stop Loving Someone Not Worthy

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Who knew there's a new twist to multitasking? Bake in your car while at work...

2009-07-17T11:42:00.001-04:00

HOWTO bake dashboard cookies while you're working - Boing Boing
this article I loved - not only does it provide real baking instructions - the it actually works!

Furoshiki gift wrapping - another way to recycle

2009-07-15T13:50:00.001-04:00

Hey who knew this even existed?

Today's Rant - Finding a Good Man and What About Love

2009-07-14T15:25:00.001-04:00

Today's rant and rave is about finding and keeping the one you love - here are a few interesting articles I have found here and there that I though to share with you my readers....

Key To Finding A Good Man? Self-Respect - YourTango - interesting article on remembering to take care of yourself to attract that special one into your life....

Discover Your "Type" (It Really Exists) - YourTango - find you your type of person who you should be seeking and not the ones that are so very wrong for you.

Latest Hot Books on this subject!

Have some more fun with lucky love candles!...

How to Write Directions for a Wedding | eHow.com

2009-07-08T11:13:00.001-04:00

How to Write Directions for a Wedding | eHow.com

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How to Avoid Harmful BPA Plastics in your Food Supply | eHow.com

2009-06-14T22:31:00.001-04:00

How to Avoid Harmful BPA Plastics in your Food Supply | eHow.com

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Lego Silence of the Lambs: Put the F-ing Lotion in the Basket

2009-03-23T21:35:00.001-04:00

Not for the religious ones...... but still hilarious for those who love musicals and happen to watch serial killer movies....

The T-Mobile Dance

2009-03-22T21:00:00.001-04:00

Has anyone seen this as of yet - A pal of mine just sent this - had to share - I had tears coming down my face from happiness... ok Im a sensitive chick - but this was wild - only the dancers knew what was going to happen - no one else....
your thoughts?

Meshugene Men

2009-03-03T11:23:00.001-05:00

I found this simply hilarious! What's your thoughts?

The Dinky Comes to USA - OK...

2009-01-09T19:10:00.001-05:00

Rare 'dinky' bird migrates to US for first time - Yahoo! News

So I am simply trying to read my Yahoo! news and find out that the Dinky Bird has come and flown across the US border from Mexico for the very first time....there are so many interesting points I found hilarious as I read the article - and I cite some here...

"The bird seems "very much out of whack," said John Arvin, research coordinator at the Gulf Coast Bird Observatory. "It moved over a lot of hostile-looking territory to get there. Why that happened is anybody's guess."

and

"Steve Matherly, from Houston, showed up in camouflage Thursday night after driving 3 1/2 hours for a glimpse early Friday.

"The dollars (spent to get here) per gram of bird is kind of amazing," he chuckled, as he looked around at dozens of other birders scanning the brush and chatting in hushed tones."

Well, I am glad frankly that the bird made it over the border, without being frisked, arrested nor forced to return to its original homeland. I never knew there was a dinky bird - now I have seen a few dinkies here and there, think I dated a few as well, and all I can say is that this Dinky is about the cutest dinky I have ever seen...

I rest my case....

~Divaliscious

Technorati Tags: dinky bird

Next Possible VP Palin Daughter's is Preggers...it just keeps getting better

2008-09-01T13:46:00.001-04:00

First was that wonderful photo of Palin sitting with dead, just shot and still bleeding caribou by her feet on the snow with young child by her side - for sport no less..... this only gets better people....now their 17 year old daughter is five months pregnant....what next? I dare not think...

Palin says 17-year-old daughter is pregnant - Yahoo! News

palin, daughter pregnant, unmarried 17 year olds pregnant
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Fun Musings of Surfing this week - Do You Know How Many Goats You Are Worth and More...

2008-08-31T10:03:00.001-04:00

As I surf the net - ok let me say this instead, when I am bored and start 'stumbling' - which is a great app by the way, I find all sorts of things. About every two weeks, I try and share some of the more interesting finds - so this is the results from this weeks surfing just to keep you amused...

Just in case you are curious, you can click on the link below, take a short 10 question quiz and find out how many goats you would be worth in terms of your dowery...just in case you were wondering...How Many Goats? What will your dowry be?

So you want a new way to present yourself to the world? Check out this way cool online CV to get that next job....VisualCV • Reinventing the Resume

In case you are wondering how to keep clean from reading all my smut on Mariah Carey or other failing starlets, learn how to make candles and soap from this well organized website...Candle & Soap Making Techniques

Wow, if you would like some Swedish Fun - I actually know the Hubby of the wife that makes these lovely toys for adult fun....gorgeous art for play I say!...Cense - Home Page - tell her that Divaliscious sent you!

Just in case you think you are an inventor, check this link to see if you idea has already been thought of.... all wacky I say...The weirdest inventions of all time | Humoric

And speaking of inventions, I dreampt this morning of a wacky cool bike/skateboard/skooter which I should go off and invent - it worked great in the dream...(ok I also had an odd zen-like stonehedge dream too - but we won't go there...)

Have a Divaliscious Day my Darling Young Ones!

cande and soap making techniques, how many goats are you worth, cense - gorgeous adult art toys, weird inventions
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Mariah Carey's Little Person and Expensive Napping Habits

2008-08-31T09:51:00.000-04:00

I got such a chuckle out of this one - except for when I learned she had a little person on the set of her latest video production and set giving her white wine at every turn when the glass was empty. Abuse to me is rather obvious...and I am not talking about the wine....

I frankly have never been an admirer of her or any of her antics....back when, say ten years ago, she is quoted on saying on a Music Awards show I was covering, "I want to be Divaliscious" - I almost wanted to sue for slander.

Now some of you do not know, but this is a name that yours truly came up with over 12 years ago....ran several web sites with this name, giving out free advice, divascopes, etc. and I even mentioned that anyone could be Divaliscious, it was more of a state of being....

I tell you this, Mariah Carey will never be Divaliscious, as much as John McCain will never be... thank my lucky stars! This sort of 'acts' does not do it for me....and I do not want to apologize for it either....I could rant on this one - but why give her any more attention and web time, but I will say this, I feel it is so disrespectful on so many levels in how she treats people. Just like I do not talk about Brittany anymore - like who even cares!!!?

We all know she (well frankly both girls) has had a hard time dealing with the ups and downs of stardom - so many starlets have had issues...but got to tell you, this one takes the cake for this weeks oops's! Oh Meow!

Mariah - Divaliscious you are not - so don't even try!

Click on link if you are curious about reading how one person who was on the production set saw things...
Manic Mariah's Little Drinkin' Buddy and $28,000 Nap - E! Online

mariah carey, little person abuse, how not to be divaliscious, expensive napping habits, john mccain
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90210 - You got to be kidding me

2008-08-28T09:23:00.000-04:00

Well for those of you who need to watch this show... I haven't a problem with you at all... get your fill as you see fit. As for the stars that were originally on the show, some have gone on to do some amazing things... though it seems that Luke Perry is still a hotty...in some minds....

Forget Tori! Luke Perry Is 90210's Most Wanted - E! Online

oh meow....not!

and do not even get me to talk shop about Tori...she has enough things she is going through....with a new baby and all.

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Machenzie Phillips Traveling Mishap

2008-08-28T09:17:00.000-04:00

When I recently heard this news, I was quite saddened. I really thought Mackenzie had left her drug use behind her, and kept it in the past where is should be kept. Seems as if the once-again troubled actress was traveling through an airport with drugs that looked a lot like cocaine and heroin, aka speedballing? Yikes! -

Please get some help...Mackenzie Phillips arrested on drug charge - Yahoo! News

machenzie phillips drug arrest
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Need To Learn How To Do Anything? Great Learning Videos

2008-08-19T10:21:00.001-04:00

There are a lot of how to sites out there, this one I found the other day is one of the best....

Hobbies & Crafts How To Videos - MonkeySee

Today's Funnies

2008-08-19T10:18:00.000-04:00

I had to share this link with you's all, I wish I had time to find them all, only a few I have seen before, and many new as well!
If you are curious to see actual advertising signs that take another look at how we see things, click on link...

Disaboom | amputeeveteran | 49 random laughs. No theme. Just because I can.

Obama Removes American Flag Symbol from Aircraft

2008-08-11T10:06:00.004-04:00

OK, well he didn't actually do this himself, but I was surprised I received a variety of emails showing that the planes tail no longer shows a symbol of the American Flag.

Please Obama, bring back the flag.....

Anyone else have thoughts on this?

For me, I believe in the American Flag, do not think it should be lawful to burn - to me it represents the entire freedom of speech - why burn its symbol?

ok just my two cents worth - what's yours?

Something Funny - Governmentium, New Element Has Been Discovered

2008-08-11T10:00:00.004-04:00

We all get email, and some unsolicited, but I have one friend who always has a few good ones albeit a bit Republican for me at times along with being anti-feminist, I allow him his say, since I do not have to face this person on a daily or even yearly basis. In fact, I think it has been over five years since I have even seen this guy.... ok like you care.... but this he sent me and I wish I came up with it:

OK I quote who ever wrote this, bravo!

Subject: Fw: BREAKING NEWS: New Element Discovered!

Research has led to the discovery of the heaviest element yet known to science. The new element, Governmentium (Gv), has one neutron, 25 assistant neutrons, 88 deputy neutrons, and 198 assistant deputy neutrons, giving it an atomic mass of 312.

These 312 particles are held together by forces called morons, which are surrounded by vast quantities of lepton-like particles called peons. Since Governmentium has no electrons, it is inert; however, it can be detected, because it impedes every action with which it comes into contact.

A minute amount of Governmentium can cause a reaction that would normally take less than a second to take from four days to four years to complete. Governmentium has a normal half-life of 2-6 years; it does not decay, but instead undergoes a reorganization in which a portion of the assistant neutrons and deputy neutrons exchange places.

In fact, Governmentium's mass will actually increase over time, since each reorganization will cause more morons to become neutrons, forming isodopes. This characteristic of moron promotion leads some scientists to believe that Governmentium is formed whenever morons reach a critical concentration. This hypothetical quantity is referred to as critical morass.

When catalyzed with money, Governmentium becomes Administratium, an element that radiates just as much energy as Governmentium since it has half as many peons but twice as many morons.

I might like to add, that this is actually quite funny!

SpacePaintings.com - A Rave by Divaliscious

2008-07-27T12:35:00.002-04:00

I happened to be bored and went a stumbling... and found this video of a guy who can spray paint like no other... I found it pretty cool the way he layered everything... to create a final painting...

should you be bored and need a little something interesting to perk your creativity, click on link to view video.

Super Sprayer - Funny bloopers are a click away

Granite Counter Tops Emit Radon - Oh My! A Rant by Divaliscious

2008-07-25T11:48:00.001-04:00

I was simply minding my own bees wax this morning while preparing myself to walk my pet dog, Theo when my eared perked up to this latest news I learned on CBS' The Early Show today.

It seems that red, pink and purple colored granite gives off more than other colors of granite, but it is suggested that all granite tops be tested. What is the big deal you ask about Radon Gas? Radon Gas is a carcinogen that is causes cancer, especially lung cancer in non-smokers. Who Knew?!

Now one suggestion was to make sure the air in your kitchen is refreshed daily. But I would suggest reading the article below by clicking on link. It provide far more links to learn more about the potentially dangerous risk in your kitchen.

Granite Countertops A Health Threat?, Tests Show Some Emit Radon Levels That Could Cause Concern; Marble Makers Dismiss Fears - CBS News

I am one who does not have granite counter tops, nor marble for that matter. I do have a slab of marble for when I do pastries and fudge, but that's about it. My concern, and rant today is are we ever really safe in our kitchens?

Egad! It seems like everywhere we turn, there it another threat of some kind.

What are your thoughts on this and granite counter tops possibly emitting radon gas into your homes?

Health Sites I Really Like

2008-07-09T09:32:00.001-04:00

No one wants to feel sick, but it is interesting the amount of available cures and helpful hints many web sites can provide you. Here is a list of some of my favorite websites that I use on a regular basis or at least promote via conversations with people.

E A R T H . C L I N I C
Earthclinic.com is an amazing site which concentrates on old fashioned folk remedies and holistic cures for anything you can ever think of. You can even leave your feedback on how a cure worked for you.

When you may not have health insurance, this is a great place to start. No of course, you should know when you need to go to a doctor, but sometimes, minor ailments can easily be rectified with simple household products you may already have in your cupboards.

There are even cures for animal ailments. I find this site useful, very well organized and super easy to search for an ailment and its suggested cures...check it out today!

Natural Cures - Holistic Health for People and Animals
Here is another great site full of information with easy to understand text for us laymen.

Homeopathy Home - The Net's best homeopathic resource
This is also a great site with loads of easily 'searchable' information to learn more on how to heal one's self.

Happy healing healthily!

Dentist Woes - Follow Your Gut and Brush Your Teeth!

2008-06-23T10:51:00.004-04:00

This morning's rant is more of a suggestion to those weary when at the dentist than being one of my actual rantings. This is to help those of you to remember and listen to your internal gut feelings - then to follow through with them, which is exactly what I did this morning while at the dentist.

I have recently been at the dentist many times to get a lot of work done. And even wrote a blog post about how I must be putting their child through their next semester of private school. I have had a lot of work done and am currently waiting for my jaw bone to heal and build up itself so that I may have a few implants put in. Who hoo - sounds so exciting doesn't it? Not.

But this is where is all began. Though my teeth are now looking and feeling great, I had a retainer of sorts be made which helped temporarily replace the few teeth the dentist removed. Don't you just love that they remove teeth? Yikes, If that's not bad enough, after the healing process, you may not be able to chew food like you are used to. Well, this past Friday my retainer broke right into half in my mouth as I was chewing on something super soft - zucchini for pete's sake.

So as soon as I had the chance, I called my dentist to make an appointment. 9:00am Monday morning sharp I arrived. Then she was over booked, I waited. Though I didn't mind too much as the office was air conditioned, and I had the chance to catch up on my Women's Day Magazine issues I had missed. A full forty-five minutes had passed and was finally called in to one of the rooms. I changed the television channel to the Food Network and continued to read. And that's when the uneasy feelings started.

Should I pay attention to it? Why was I bothered? I knew I had complained in the past that the retainer hadn't fit properly, and that was due to an impression that they had taken, which was not of the best fit. I even had to use denture cream, which I already felt like a granny having to use, to make the retainer fit someone better and not hurt in my mouth. I was told by my dentist to allow me and my mouth enough time to get used to it - the retainer - 'what, you mean not the pain to get used to?! You just got to be joking!'

So after waiting another 10 minutes in the room, a woman came in who normally does the accounting. She mentioned that she was asked by the dentist to make and do my impressions, since the dentist was busy. Already, I didn't like this. I let her know that she needed the smallest of 'impression molds' to use in my mouth - despite the amount I talk, I actually have quite a small mouth. Who knew?!

She then asked me if this was a previous partial retainer that I had, or was it a retainer that was made 'here' at their offices. I mentioned here, and she immediately thought they hadn't charged me yet for this particular piece of dental equipment. I nearly went through the roof. Not only did I know in fact they did charged me, but couldn't she at least pay attention to what she was about to do versus worrying about money? I knew I had a couple of thousand dollars in their favor in my balance. Pulease!

She tried several molds which still didn't fit, and by this time, my stomach was about to give way. And after each time she left the room, I kept saying to myself, "If you don't feel comfortable with her to create the mold and impressions, then walk out!"

Finally, I followed my gut feelings, and felt bad about lying to her that I was feeling sick - though it wasn't too far from the actual truth. I assured her that I would have to come back and would reschedule. Without saying it, I wanted to add, 'with someone else who knew what they were doing!' The one thing I didn't need now was yet another retainer that wouldn't fit my mouth and break again all at my own expense. No wisdom tooth way!

So my advice to you, especially if you are paying crazy monies, listen to your gut feelings. If a dentist has an employee you are not feeling comfortable with, you have the right to get up and not take their 'so called service'. This is your mouth, your health and your wallet. Do not feel guilty about it.

There are many dentist's whose chair-side manners are excellent and my own dentist is one of them as with all her assistants. But to have the accountant come in - who I know works at four other dentist offices running their accounting, I am sure she also has some sort of dentist assistance experience, but her chair-side manners were not to my liking. Oddly enough, she seemed relieved too to not have to do the impression on my teeth.

So follow your gut, reschedule if you have to. Ask to speak with the dentist in private. It is in their best interest that you have a pleasant enough experience in their office, since of course they want any referral you could throw them their way. But this is your mouth, and when you are spending money like this, you should expect to receive the appropriate service for that you pay.

I am glad I followed my own gut feelings. And right now? I am calling them back to reschedule to do the impression and use the correct molds along with making sure the correct and skilled professional does the work. And you can bet your bottom dental dollar, I will speak with the dentist tomorrow about my experience - which I am sure will not be repeated.

Wednesday's Rant: Sharon Stone, Cameron Diaz

2008-06-04T09:46:00.001-04:00

Hellow everyone, hoping all is well with you all. So let me get right down to it.

This does not surprise me at all that Sharon Stone is not welcomed at the Shanghai Film Festival. Whether she is welcomed anywhere surprises me completely. I have learned a few things, and at times, keeping your own karma thoughts should be to yourself. So I wish her well with the tongue in her mouth! Enough Said...though if you are interested...
Sharon Stone not welcome at Shanghai film fest - Yahoo! News

Sadly the incredible designer Yves Saint Laurent has past away, I remember buying not only clothes but even make up back in the days. May he now watch over all the fashion blunders in the future and become a fashion angel to those who need it and him.
Yves Saint Laurent Dies At 71 - Yahoo! News

This surprised me but good. One I didn't know that Ed McMahon has been trying to sell his house for over two years, but since it's sadly close to Brittany's, you can imagine the paparazzi. Click to learn more.
Ed McMahon fighting foreclosure on his Beverly Hills home - Yahoo! News

Diddy and Diaz - I won't even go there... their names put together should tell you that it shouldn't be real and is just a rumor, or a one time diddy deal. - Heck maybe there's music in their future. Good luck to all that.

Monday's Madness: 2008 MTV Awards, Tatum Oneil

2008-06-02T09:36:00.001-04:00

It's been a few weeks since I ranted and raved, so here I go. Monday's Madness starts early here at the Divaliscious Den of Ditties.

Tatum O'Neil - As I woke this morning, I did my own best to keep my own spirits up and to put myself in a good mood, to learn this sad news regarding Tatum, my mouth literally dropped. It oddly put my problems into perspective (I have none now) when compared to someone who I thought was way past the 'just getting their act back together' thing! Whether it is a one time slip up, or otherwise, I hope she gets the help she needs asap,for her children's sake at least, let alone for herself. And lastly, I so hope the press doesn't have a field day with this. Click to read more....

Tatum O'Neal Busted For Crack! - E! Online

MTV Award Show - What a wild weekend it was over at Universals Studios - first the fire, that took out sets that will cost many pretty dollars to replace, and then without skipping a beat, the MTV Awards were some of the best ever. Now the people either had new directors running it, or the starts invited and involved really had an extra good time. It was a very different show as it seemed as time people were friar-roasting themselves, as odd as it seems, check this out if you like...I am sure MTV will re-air the show, so try and catch it if you missed it.

Over-the-top MTV Movie Awards have smoke, no fire - Yahoo! News

A New Journey - Over the weekend on CBS' Sunday Morning Show which is normally all about good news and is a nice change from the usual news, they ran with a story about the band Journey. Now I am one of those old enough to not only remember when those songs of their's were released, but also enjoyed them as well.

Now for some oddball reason, their former lead singer, Steve Perry, seems to not want to be a part of the band, yet that didn't stop the remaining band members to take it to the road in the past along with various attempts in finding that perfect lead singer to replace Perry's incredible tenor voice that the fans have come to know and love.

But what they (the band) found as the perfect replacement lead singer was right around the 'mouse' corner so to speak. In fact, it was a click of the mouse, a 2 hour research online and found and literally discovered on YouTube was Pineda. Pineda was working in the Philippines, where he is originally from, and was working as a lead signer in a cover band. Pineda has an amazing voice and an amazing ability to sound like various well-known singers from Sting, to Led Zep and of course so much like Steve Perry, the band immediately contacted him to arrange an audition which he passed with flying colors. So I say to the Band Journey, and their newest member, Bravo!
A Journey Back, New Lead Singer Helps Bring Legendary Rock Group Back On The Road - CBS News

Today's Rant by The Divaliscious

2008-04-25T18:10:00.001-04:00

This week's rants on the so called stars...

I guess Lindsey Lohan still loves to party - she's got a gal pal who loves to DJ, got a little cramp in the DJ booth - well before you know it, an arrest was made...Lohan-Ronson Club Crasher Arrested - E! Online

Now Gary Coleman (40 years old) is no longer Stroked, since he is getting divorced. Not only is he separating ways with his wife (22 years old) - I do not know which is worse of the three: getting divorced, being married to him in the first place or being on TV's Divorce Court (May 1st or 2nd) to let it all air out. Gary Coleman's Divorce Strokes - E! Online

Well, I am sure you have heard about it now, but you better pay the tax man, it seems at if Wesley Snipes cannot avoid jail time. Ouch!

Keep the plastic on your couches and sofas, it seems as if Tom Cruise will come to the Oprah show once again!

And Amy is possibly off the band wagon, sources say she not only behaved poorly the other night at London's night clubs, but move over Lindsey, she was arrested for assault...Report: Amy Winehouse arrested on suspicion of assault - Yahoo! News

Well so much is going on, I am afraid to look at the real news of the world...please you stars, think of better things to do with your time off! Try yoga!

More Fashion Hems Untrimmed at Fashion Runway

2008-04-12T11:07:00.001-04:00

It seems that Nina Garcia formally the fashion editor at Elle Magazine is looking for a different fashion way of life. You may recall that Nina Garcia was one of the judges on the famed Fashion Runway show that recently has taken its show off to Lifetime.

No word from either parties, Nina or from Elle Magazine as to what happen for her to leave so suddenly. But I am sure she will do great things - she was been there at Elle since the year 2000, that even I would get a little crinkle in my fabric if I worked for just one company for so long.

Further more, neither Nina or the beloved Michael Kors have yet to sign up for the next season over at Lifetime. We shall see what happens - it would be a huge shame to not see them - I really feel they make up what I would call the right ingredients of people that only help make this show the huge success that it really it already.

Feel free to read more about it on E! News - Nina Garcia Out at Elle?

Technorati Tags: Nina Garica, Michael Kors, Fashion Runway, Elle Magazine

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Top Chef - a simple rant or is it a rave?

2008-04-09T23:48:00.001-04:00

Last night's episode had Ming Tsai guest hosting Top Chef's show on Bravo TV - and what a show it was....BRAVOtv.com : Top Chef : Season 4 : Home

If you caught the show - then go add your comments on their many blogs..
Here is an excerpt of what I shared as a response to Ming Tsai on his blog section for this episode:

Ming Tsai - I so miss you and your show on the other channel food network, but I have followed you on TV where ever you landed and have caught many of your other shows - your insight, knowledge of fusion cooking, and way of relaying your brilliance in a manner for all to easily understand has always brightened my own thoughts in creating sensational dishes...it was great to see you in top form on Top Chef tonight, your seasoned mature palette and obvious excellent cooking skills are top notch, I hope the Top Chef contestants took notice of your wise words of wisdom and take your words of wisdom forward another notch to their next challange...

Lastly, I caught your show and further genius in concentrating your successful restaurant in catering to those with special food sensitivities and I simply thought it was beyond brilliance - I know you will continue to go far in your success and in aiding other restaurants to take decent responsibility and note to their customers needs as you do today and every day at your restaurant.

It was great watching you on today's episode of Top Chef. It seemed like you had a lot of fun. Cannot wait to see what you do next! ~warm regards from Divaliscious writer of the Dinner and Jam blog.

Technorati Tags: ming tsai, top chef, blog comments, this weeks challange, bravo tv

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Today's La de da Rant: Fierce Fashion, Fashion Makers Casting Call - Take Note

2008-04-07T16:54:00.001-04:00

Since I am a total Divaliscious fan of Bravo's Project Runway, I was quite surprised to hear the news today that Lifetime TV got kudos to grabbing the next ~~hemline~~ season of Project Runway.

Though I must admit, the show's format has been copied almost word for word except for the subject matter for the likes of shows namely Top Chef and the now finished running of Make me a Supermodel. It was sort of weird too, to hear those famous words, 'Please pack your bags' - and the like and scoot on out of here, you've been voted off, etc....from all three shows mentioned above.

Now here is some other related odd news, Bravo's link to Project Runway is still calling for casting new fashion peeps for their next season despite the Lifestyle move: http://www.bravotv.com/Casting/projectrunway/index.php
should you be interested in joining and trying out.

For me, I'd rather stay home, catch it on my DVR and watch people simply squirm over the other's fashionista's 'les faux pas' and hilarious attempts to hem a skirt in chiffon with glue.

Here is a list of the locations of the casting calls for those of you who are fashion forward and feel you got what it takes - heck go for it:

LOS ANGELES

Friday, March 28th

Saturday, March 29th

Sunday, March 30th

9am-6pm

W Hotel Los Angeles - Westwood

930 Hilgard Ave

Los Angeles, CA 90024

(NOTE: NO neighborhood parking) - nice huh?

CHICAGO

Tuesday, April 1st

9am-6pm

W Hotel Chicago Lakeshore

644 N. Lake Shore Dr.

Chicago, IL 60611

MIAMI

Thursday, April 3rd

9am-6pm

Hyatt Regency Miami
at the Miami Convention Center

400 Southeast 2nd Avenue

Miami, FL 33131

NEW YORK CITY

Saturday, April 5th

Sunday, April 6th

Monday, April 7th

9am-6pm

W Hotel Times Square

1567 Broadway at 47th St.

NY, NY 10036

So that's my today's little rant - nothing too special, but if you want to read more about it - you can check out E! News: E! News - Project Runway Shocker - Heidi Klum

Technorati Tags: casting calls for project runway, heidi klum, bravo tv, top chef, lifetime tv

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Naomi Campbell Arrested at Heathrow for Spitting - Some Model Behavior

2008-04-03T15:41:00.001-04:00

Today's Gossipy Rant - Naomi Campbell - Sample This Naomi!

There are so many wonderful fashion people out there that simply do not have an issue with spitting - I got to hand it to you, Naomi you are getting a little big for your size O pants. What in the world are you thinking that you can just spit on anyone? And even spit on a police office who serves and helps to protect the public?

I have never been a super big fan of yours, but normally I would just keep my mouth shut from your prior craziness of throwing cell phones like Russel Crow throws phones at concierges. But in this case, I am not even going to pass judgement on you, I am simply going to pass on you - period! Get a grip Naomi regardless of how much money you make - your photographers will have to start using 'weather-proofed' cameras if you keep up this behavior! Ouch and oh yes Oh Meow from Divaliscious!

Sky: Naomi Campbell arrested at Heathrow - Yahoo! News
Click on the above link should you even care to learn more about her latest ~~triumphs~~ oops I mean tyrants.

Technorati Tags: naomi campbell, model behavior, daily rant

Move Over Brangalina - Jayonce IS the New Power Couple

2008-04-02T11:08:00.002-04:00

Of course it had to be on April Fool's Day, but sources say Jay Z and Beyonce strolled through the tome town of Scarsdale, NY and got them selves a marriage license...

I believe last night when I watched this news, I predict that their new combined
name will be Jayonce...You heard their new name here FIRST! Actually I thought about this last night... but I have so much other more important things to think about than a new contraction of their combined names.

That's all I got's to say...except congrats from Divaliscious to two great people! I am sure we will hear so much more about this in coming days!

Technorati Tags: jay z, beyonce, jayonce, brangalina, engagement news, entertainment gossip

Demi Moore a bit Demiless on Letterman Promotes Flawless

2008-03-25T17:11:00.001-04:00

I happen to love late night television. I do not have a favorite show, but do confess I do love my Monday Night Headlines with Jay Leno, which I caught last night. I then surfed over to watch Demi Moore promote her new movie "Flawless" which also stars Michael Caine on David Letterman's show. It was then I thought to write this post.

I was surprised at Demi's obvious nervousness last night on David Letterman's show. This woman is normally quite strong and exudes mountain's of confidence. She has been on his show enough times that I was actually stunned to see her keep flinching her hair away from her face. I wondered what was causing her nerves to be a jitter. You could hear it in her laugh, how reserved her speech was and how she really didn't barely mention the movie at all except at the end.

The one time she seemed to be 'herself' was when we did hear her speak about her leech therapy - now I have heard about leech therapy for sometime. No, I would not personally go about having leeches placed on my body. But, hey, when you are in the business of looking good, and frankly having to look not only good but excellent at any turn and time, I am sure many celebrities have tried many surreal therapies to make staying younger-looking longer. And in fact, leech therapy has helped thousands during life threatening surgeries. So, I am sure Demi knows what she is doing. It's her body, her mind and her life.

Now most people would have not even caught what I caught last night on Letterman, but the TV does not lie, and while watching her body language as she spoke, a lot was said than was unsaid. I am not about to propose anything that may or may not be happening in her life to cause this side of her to show...that is not my rant today. Nor is it my rant to chastise her in anyway either. In fact I believe Demi Moore has done some outrageous things that have brought good to all and she has done a lot more with her production companies than most people even know about. Here is where her success lies.

Furthermore, I am not trying to put in a dig at her actually, really I am not, but found myself wondering what's going on in her life that would make her act this way. Now I know doing press junkets to promote one's movies is never a fun task for actors and musicians alike, especially when it's one after the other. It can get easily very tiring, but she chose Letterman's show for the first large audience. And I assumed she chose this venue to help promote her new movie which has a fabulous look to 'it' with its filming style reminiscent of old-styled film movies, since she has always had great experience on Letterman's show.

Many people love her, and they should. But one last thing about her looks, I would have hoped her dress was simply one inch longer - the doll length is more suitable for Miley Cyress or one of Demi's daughters, I don't care about her knees, whether they showed wrinkles or not (they didn't!) and if they looked great (which they did) with I am sure a lot of work she must have done in exercise and possible surgery - but one inch longer in the dress length would have made the dress and her look more sophisticated, taller and lady-like. And lastly her hair, I wish she would have long bangs or something. She does have a rather good sized forehead, she has been wearing this look for sometime now, and could do with a new 'doo' - please Demi, I beg of you! You are a beautiful woman, but the Scarlet Letter filming is over, and so is that look.

I see she has donned on an accent for her new movie with Michael Cane, - "Flawless" we shall see if it pans out. In the movie clip we saw, she slipped out of the British accent several times. The look of the movie is great, though the story-line is a bit elusive since I believe it would ruin it for people due to the movie's twists and turns. I certainly hope is does well for them and all involved with the making of this film.

Here's a quick description of the movie that will be released this Friday: " Laura Quinn, a bright, driven and beautiful executive at the London Diamond Corporation finds herself frustrated by a glass ceiling after years of faithful employment, as man after man is promoted ahead of her despite her greater experience. Hobbs, the nighttime janitor at London Diamond, is virtually invisible to the executives that work there, but over the years has amassed a startling amount of knowledge about how the company runs. Hobbs has his own bone to pick with London Diamond. Observing Laura's frustration, he convinces her to help him execute an ingenious plan to steal a hefty sum in diamonds. But unbeknownst to Laura, Hobbs plans go even farther than he's let on, and together they set in motion a thrilling heist of dizzying proportions, the likes of which London has never seen. "

Oh Meow...what a way to start a Tuesday Morning!

Technorati Tags: demi moore, flawless movie, demi moore on david letterman

10 Fun, Artsy, Interactive and Interesting Sites on the Web

2008-03-04T09:45:00.001-05:00

I was surfing as we all do occasionally when we need to take a break and recently discovered one site that really enhances one's surfing experience. And upon recently finding stumbleupon.com my surfing days are refreshed with interesting websites I would never have found any of the the sites mentioned below using conventional searching terms. It is with stumbleupon.com that I found all of the following sites.

If you are interested, check it out, select your preferences and start stumbling - I found amazing food sites, art sites, photography and funny sites I couldn't keep bookmarking them. You are allowed to rate a site as well. It is also a social network, but frankly I haven't been feeling particularly social as of late (very anti-Divaliscious of me I know), but at least I am sharing a few things with you. You can also pre-select what sort of subject matter you would like to stumble upon.

Try it, it's free and fun.

I will try and create themes for my search results that I share here in my many blogs. Please note, no money is made by me for pushing any of these websites or by clicking on them either - a new window will open when you do click. I just thought they were cool enough to share - simple as that.

Today's theme: 10 Fun, Artsy, Interactive and/or Interesting Sites on the Web

Just in case you didn't know what to do with a one dollar bill, here's one thing you can do - though this would be fun with a $100- bill as a gift to a nephew whose been extra good this year..The Shirt
Think you know a killer just by looking at their photograph? Just by looking at these images, can you correctly select which of these are serial killers vs. serious computer programmers? This site is calling this their killerquiz.
Is your mouth full of food? Next time you feel like you need an extra piece of cheesecake, think of this chipmunk - funny and cute but oh so real photos: Chipmunk eating beyond belief.
Need something a little extra different for your artistic kid whose studying science? Then check out this, it was an interesting art project combining artists of all levels creating a periodic table of elements - as each artist has an element they chose, they then had to create a print representing the element. If you are interested, then check out the Printmaking Periodic Table of Elements Project.
Want a different life? Look at this then, and take a peek at one person's experiences at becoming Hunter S. Thompson's personal assistant. Warning: hard language used. I was a little shocked and learned I was and am very happy with the life I do have - no need to change - but if you feel your voyeur coming on and out a bit...check out Gonzo Girl - I was Hunter S. Thompson's Assistant.
Need a reminder? This site will not only remind you, they will nag you via email at semi-unpredictable intervals. Do you need some help for stopping smoking, eating better, etc. then this is for you. For nag-lovers everywhere...Get Your Nag On!
Need something artsy to do with the kids? This site has it all. Great site for older kids too when they have to babysit younger kids... simply print out the project and its directions, and voila - something almost anyone can do with paper or fabric. Site is called Yasutomo.com
Ok This one is fun - we have all heard of Mr. Potato, but have you heard of Mr. Picasso Head? I didn't think so. This site allows you to create your own Picasso's using pre-selected strokes and images of Picasso's own hand to create unique one-of-kind art - safe for all ages...Mr. Picasso Head
This is yet another fun interactive site allowing you to create art for
art sake. Safe for kids everywhere. Have fun selecting colors and types
of strokes and watch your finished art be re-drawn too. You can save
your art and look at others' art works. Artpad.com
Have you ever made art on a dirty car? This was simply amazing, you may never want to wash your car again, if this guy lived in your neighborhood. Some of you maybe have seen this already, but what this guy does with a paintbrush and a dirty car window is simply amazing: Never Wash Your Car Again Art.

Let me know if you liked any of the sites I found, or if you found a site you relish, let me know that too.

Tata all, happy safe surfing...

Books I am Reading and Raving About

2008-02-28T12:02:00.007-05:00

First of all, I am one of those people who love to read more than one book at a time. I have a few friends who seem not to be able to do this. I simply cannot understand why they can't multi-task their reading. Sometimes, I am in the mood for an interesting fiction novel or something easy to read like Nora Robert's latest book which I highly recommend: Strangers in Death
She is writing under her ghost name, but do give this good read a try! Or at other times I am reading something to help improve my life.

I just finished reading Peter Walsh's of TLC's Successful TV Show Cleansweep: It's All Too Much: An Easy Plan for Living a Richer Life with Less Stuff - and what I can tell you is that after reading just the introduction pages, I was off and running and organizing my bedroom.

The result? My bedroom now is organized with every item in it having a place it should have. It is so much easier to keep this way too. I have been sleeping better. I can find what I wish to wear, and instantly know if something is out of place. My boyfriend enjoys it too. Now, this is not to say my bedroom was anything like one has seen on Peter's Cleansweep shows at all. In fact, there was nothing stored under my bed (since I tend to follow feng shui rules) - but I notice I hadn't organized my dresser drawers in a long time, my jewelry wasn't neat or orderly. I found things I didn't know I even had! So this is a book I truly suggest for anyone who wants and wishes to get motivated. This book did the trick. And in no time flat, the top floor of my house is now very well organized. And oddly enough, even looking at the outside of the kitchen cabinets, I sense their inner peace - weird huh? Yes, I know, but I swear I can feel it.

I am giving this new book she's touting a try: Eckart Tolle's A New Earth. So far, I read the introduction (which was lengthy and wordy). A lot of what is in this book is rather obvious, but still I found the book to be interesting. I did sign up for the online work book and have been reading it when I can. Another friend of mine is also reading this and we plan to do the online workshops together at my place. She's mentioned it took the first 100 pages to have the book get interesting. So hang in there. Feel the peace within - lol.

One more book, and this one I really do like. We have all have heard about Wayne W. Dyer and his Powers of Intentions. This book is an oldie, but a super goody! You'll See It When You Believe It: The Way to Your Personal Transformation - I have found this book easier to read than Tolle's, but Dyer's messages are made very clear here - in that we are souls in the form of a body - not bodies with soul. An interesting twist with a Tao-ist theme. If you have never read anything about Taoism and wish to be enlightened - or rather live your life richer, this book is a great starter especially if you are a believer in The Secret. Yes, I have read and seen the so-called movie. In fact, it's one I re-watch when I feel I need to be reminded about how important my thoughts are in creating results in my life.

So, this posting is a little different than most, but felt it was time to share with you my readers, what I have been reading to myself at night before I am off to bed. So do yourself a favor and learn to be more Divalisciously at peace with yourself and with your life and household with some of these books. They just might inspire you like they did me!

Having Your First Ever Dinner Party? How To Tips and Hints

2008-01-30T12:28:00.000-05:00

Having Your First Ever Dinner Party?

Maybe you have even tried them in the past and are afraid of doing it again. Why? It’s so easy and so much fun! It’s a lot easier than you would think too! There are though a few good points to know and have under your belt to help make your next dinner party a success.

First of all, why have a dinner party to begin with? It’s cheaper than going to a restaurant, you decide how you want the party to go, and even if you not the best cook, you can still have a lot of fun as will your guests.

I have recently found several couples which we have now started rotating every two weeks at the others’ place for dinner. We all have great laughs, maybe even play a silly game such as scattagories which require group effort, mandatory uncontrolled laughs while the coffee and tea is being made.

So you want to have a party…
Please allow me to share some ideas with you that I have found to be hugely successful when creating my next dinner party.

These important tasks and tips when hosting your first dinner party will have a huge effect on the actual success of your party. As I have had too many dinner parties to count at this point, it has become one of my more favorite ways to entertain not only for myself but for others as well. I find my friends keep asking me when my next party is, since everyone has such a good time at my parties – and why is that? For following these few and simple rules.

Being Organized
This is quite frankly the best advice I can give right off the start. I recently, during this last holiday season had three parties only days apart – and it felt like I was doing extra amount of dishes everyday, but each party went extremely well and since some of the guests that came were to be at one or more of these parties, I carefully prepared each party menu so as not to repeat myself with the food menu or themes. In fact I planned each menu and grocery list simultaneously and a extra good time was had by all, including me!

Planning Your Party Stage
First grab a pad of paper and a good pen, sitting down with some coffee or tea and being relaxed, look at your calendar and choose a date far enough in the future to be able to plan everything you think you may need. Give yourself at least two weeks if not more if this is your first dinner party.

Make a list of guests you are willing to feed.

Take in consideration the type of personalities that may show up. Try not to mix the heavy drinkers that you know with the non-drinking ones, as example, since this can create awkward environments for all. This may sound silly, but personalities count in having a successful party.
Will children be allowed? And who will watch them and even entertain them if they will be a part of the dinner party. (Personally, though I love kids, but at Dinner Parties, not always since this is a time when adults are allowed to be adults – maybe have a babysitter and place the kids in one of the other guests’ homes that are close by for a fun all kid get together.

Decide what sort of party you would like.

Will it be a sit down? Will it be a pot luck? Will it have a theme to it (say an Asian feel, since the Chinese New Year is coming up) or revolve around a game of sorts on the TV? All these factors will play into what you might like to serve at your party.
Another type of theme could be the type of food - say all French if doing the beef dish as beef bourgeinon.
Decorate with images you can find on the internet and print out on your printer to help theme be decorated through out your house. You do not need a lot of money for this...use your imagination - and heck, get the kids involved.
You can also simply choose one color to help create a party theme feel, say red and pink for the upcoming Valentine’s Day or Green for say St. Patrick's Day, or light pastel colors for Easter.
Choosing one or two colors make their point best, then choose linens, flowersm papered napkins to reflect the colors you chose and place them around will really set your place looking like yo u are a complete designer you knew inside you already were!

Make a list of foods you might like to serve at your party

This is not a final list of course, but to use as a starting point. Maybe you have seen recipes on the Food Network channel on TV that you would like to try.
I usually do a combo for a sit down, having some finger foods to get the party when people arrive and getting the party rolling while what ever I am cooking or roasting is warming, resting, finishing up or being reheated before dinner is served.
This will allow your guests who may have come super hungry to have a little bite to eat.

Decide what sorts of drinks you may want to serve

There are a variety of budget-friendly alternatives that will help “stretch-out” liquor should you decide to serve any.
I like to present my guests with several options when they enter the “party area” of your home. Having drinks already prepared and ready to be poured help create your party theme right from the start: casual, elegant, theme-based, whatever!
Create a party "punch" of some sort or specialty drink - have them ready in a pitcher as people arrive such as pretty sangria that helps stretch "the wine" when budgets are tight.
Have pretty glasses that never get used decorated with little umbrellas or cut up fruit slices on a stir straw for extra impact.
Have a non-alcohol version of drink available too so that drivers can feel the fun as well without worrying about getting people home safe.

Lighting

Don’t forget the candles either, incense can be too strong for certain noses, but simple candles (being careful of pets of course and little kids especially) help create the atmosphere.
You can also switch out some of your light bulbs for interesting colored light bulbs – everyone looks great in pink

Preparing for your Party

What's Next To Do

Now that you have your guest list figured out, your theme selected and what sort of party you are throwing, send out those invitations.
Kindly ask guests to RSVP within one week prior of your set date to have the party so that you can get all the needed ingredients for your party in time without getting too much food.

Finalize your menu

Look at what you think you might like to serve at the party as food.
Have you tried these recipes before? I highly recommend doing dishes you have tried before and you have received compliments on, this is not necessarily the best time to do dishes that require a high-level of expertise and experience in cooking with odd ingredients that might cost you and arm and a leg leaving you no money left for alcohol and drinks or even party favors.
Create dishes that you know are already successful and crowd-pleasers.
You will have more fun at your own party and be more confident in what you are serving.
Simply decorate the dishes possibly a little more elaborately than you normally would with parsley, mint or basil sprigs and serve on those pretty platters you never get to use.

A Side story – my mother years ago used a caterer for a extra special event– and chose to hire a very well known caterer from Westchester, N.Y., but it was my mother who created the menu- the caterer owner was very surprised at my mom’s requesting some of the simplest of dishes – not only what it a huge success, the caterer owner then did an article in the New York Times commenting on how her clients were now requesting old-fashioned comfort foods – (our family only smiled knowing we were one of the reasons she said such a thing in the article – the owner knew this event was a huge success as well) – Point being, your menu does not have to be elaborate at all. If you make amazing mashed potatoes and meatloaf – then do that! Seriously!

Review your recipes from your dishes

are there any ingredients, especially spices that you will need to get in order to prepare these dishes – remember spices are costly, and keep that figure in your mind when preparing your menu.
When creating your menu, pay attention to any special detail like special cookware you might need, the required timing for when you should start and make the dishes paying attention to time when finished, if it can be reheated and monies needed for such.
I like to print out my menu for the guests who now have become accustomed and get a huge kick at looking at the menu (it’s also a conversation breaker in the beginning)
By having the menu handy for guests to read, I do this to also avoid anyone having issues with any guest who may have allergies I am not aware of - so many people are extra sensitive these days. Also make at least one or two side veggie dishes...you never know whose a vegetarian these days, either.
Create your list of ingredients you will need for your party. Why set yourself to freak out the day of your party when the cake fell or you didn't have a last minute ingredient you forgot you needed?

Organize your grocery list

Plan to purchase your greens only one or two days before since that broccoli will certainly look horrid if you purchased two weeks before for example. Who wants icky looking broccoli?!?
Serving meat? If you are need a special cut such as a crown roast (super easy to do!) You will need to ask your butcher to order one for you. That’s what they are there for, in fact, you can easily ask them for ideas too what to serve. And don’t forget your fish monger either!
Breads? Purchase the day of your party which includes any desserts you may serve that you are not making yourself.
Don't forget to add ice, flowers, papered napkins for the bathroom, and toothpicks to your grocery list.

Cooking and preparation

Several days and on the day before your party, do as much as you can in preparing your meals and dishes since this will allow you the time to clean and decorate your house and have fun the day of your party. Remember you are to have fun!

Cleaning House

Clean the bathroom your guests will use. If you want, purchase pretty colored napkins for people to wipe their hands with. Make sure you have some nice lqiod hand soap too, since today people seem to prefer to use that.
Clean your kitchen too, since inevitably people will come into this area to help you (let them!)
And clean the areas the gusts will see, such as the front hall when they first come in and the living room and dining room areas.
In a jam? Simply throw everything into a guest bedroom or closet, no one will know! Though I usually use entertaining as the reason to clean up my house!
Coats, decide where these are going to hang or be placed. Your bed is a great place too if you have limited closet space. - So you may want to spruce up your bedroom too if this is the case with your coat placements.

Almost Ready -What to Do the Day before and Day of Your Party

Day Before Your Party

Decorate the day before, choose your linens and colors if you haven’t already.
Check dishes and platters you have decide to use, are there any that are dusty from non-use? Throw them in the dishwasher or hand wash accordingly, so that everything will look extra pretty – this goes for those drinking glasses you got from your Aunt Alison last year you never use.
Choose the music you will want to have. Remember as the evening goes, so should the music. So start with pleasing music as people arrive, reving it up a bit during the appetizer and drink time, then calming it down for dinner time and lastly, maybe bringing it up a notch while serving desserts and coffee and playing any board games you might have thought of trying.
Review your grocery list. Are there any items you still haven’t already purchased?
Buy your flowers and set them out so they open for tomorrow. I also like to put a few flowers in unexpected places like the bathroom and front hall so that they carry the theme I have chosen – even if the theme is simply colored based.
Review your cooking times and set up a schedule for today’s tasks and tasks for tomorrow on the day of your party.
Make any dips that are sour-creamed base.
Make any dishes like salsa, chili, chowder or anything you are making that you know tastes better the next day.
Cut up any veggies you may use in crudite – but put them in a zip lock bag filled with some ice cubes and place into fridge. Then tomorrow, you will only have to place them on a platter and you will be ready to go.
Prepare any dishes or at least set them up – those that can be made but not cooked the day before, say for example stuffing, caserole dishes, etc.
Do any last minute cleaning you might have forgotten about.
Choose your linens, make sure the glasses, dishes and platers you have choses are clean and ready to use.
Prepare your specialty drinks expect for the added soda, seltzers or alcohol and ice. Placing them in the fridge will help save you time tomorrow.

Day of Your Party

Why all this planning and preparing? So you can enjoy your dinner party of course!
If you are stuck in the kitchen, your guests will have to entertain themselves which can be awkward if there are a few newbies in the group.
Buy your last remaining fresh ingredients like the bread and vegetables.
Buy more ice than you think you need, especially true in the summer season.
Buy your flowers in you didn’t get them yesterday (you should have) to allow them to open in time for your party. Even a flowering plant is pretty. I like to put several around the house with one color using them to enhance my theme.
Prepare any appetizers you might need such as crudite.
Set out any cheese you will be serving at least one hour before your guests arrive, since cheese should be served at room temperature which is also when it tastes at its best.
Light any candles 10 minutes before guests are to arrive, and put on music.
Take a deep breath, know your guests can easily arrive later than you have planned – as mine always do.
So don’t start cooking the last minute part of your dishes until they have arrived.
As people arrive, take their coats, show them to your table you may have set aside for drinks and tell them to help themselves while putting away their coats.
When introducing people, say things like, "Oh John, let me introduce you to Susan whose in town for the mac convention - don't you love your mac, John? " Then walk away...let them chit chat about macs for awhile - this way the new people will have something to talk about versus just sitting on your couch hoping that the TV was on...
Serve finger foods and appetizers that can be served cold and/or at room temperature while you take a quick step into the kitchen to heat up any warm appetizers and begin to reheat your main dish if you are doing it this way.
Very important! Go with the flow...you may have planned one thing, but something can come up...I have had my peeps show literally one hour late..which would not have been good for the soufflé I had prepared...but I knew better, and had the prepared soufflé waiting to go in the oven when the guests did finally arrive.
So have some flexibility since people may not be ready to eat just yet, and wish to chit chat before sitting down to the table.

Have fun, it’s your party, you did all this great planning, no one will noticed you didn’t shake out the carpet, these are your friends, they love you for who you are and not what you are trying to be. And by the way I did received many oohs and ahs since the soufflé has such a wow factor.

Feng Shui for Beginners Part III - Your Bedroom and Getting Ready for the Chinese New Year

2008-01-14T08:51:00.001-05:00

SO you think you are having a good New Year? Well, luckily, the Chinese New Year starts on February 7th of this year. And after researching a variety of resources, I have come up with a list of things we all should do prior to the New Year. Some of them I found very interesting as I was unaware of certain rituals people follow and lo and behold, they do make a lot of sense in ensuring a good and prosperous year ahead.

The Chinese and other followers of Feng Shui practices do a lot to prepare for the New Year. There is so much information out there I almost didn't know where to start. In my last article, I mention the amazing properties of Sea Salt and the article prior to that talked about incense - if you are interested, here is some very affordable incense I use for purification purposes: Morning Star Sandalwood Incense (50 Sticks). Today I will help list things one ought to do PRIOR to the Chinese New Year.

By attacking some of these chores, as they will be for some, starting this process now will help ensure you have completed them by February 7th. So do yourself a favor and get out your calendar. Mark down the calendar when the Chinese New Year will be. Oddly enough, I have found several dates for the Chinese New Year - and I know they celebrate all week, so it was confusing to me as well. I have read it starts on the 4th, the 5th, the 7th and 8th. What gives with that? Maybe they wish to start celebrating early or making sure we have all completed the tasks at hand prior to the Chinese New Year.

What I have read has consistently mentioned the importance of completing these task prior to the start of the Chinese New year since you don't wish to bring any of the "bad luck" you may have had with you forward to the New Year - so here goes anything and everything....

Use your calendar to help mark down the necessary tasks I am about to mention will help you keep on track of this project - and hey who doesn't enjoy a calm and organized living space?

Clearing up the Clutter

Yes, I know I discussed this before, but it really is the most important task of all. And why bother you may ask? But getting rid of things that are no longer needed in your home will allow for new things to come into your home this includes most importantly good chi. As of today, we really have only three more weeks along with a couple of days to get these task completed, hey please do not think I have it all together either - I too must do a lot of work. Writing this article I am sure is cathartic for me in reminding me what I actually will need to accomplish for me to also ensure good luck for the coming Chinese New Year.

While you start these tasks, remind yourself frequently you are removing any unwanted negative energies and wash your hands frequently. You will see it will get easier as you go along through the piles of debris. In fact you will be amazed as to what you have collected over time.

You are going to need the following items:

garbage bags
incense - burning
nice happy music you enjoy
lights turned on
cleaning products, to wash your windows, dust your furniture, vacuum/mop to clean the floors -especially the dust bunnies under the bed!

Bedroom:

Starting with this room might be the easiest, since when you start with the other rooms, you will have created a serene place to relax once you are finished and it will help start the process to have all the other rooms in your home clutter free. Get out garbage bags. One bag is for donating items. The other(s) for trash. Hey, you have seen enough of those TV shows that help people who are totally disorganized. And you can see what they go through, usually they never go back to their tired and disorganized ways. And hey, how many times have you bought something only to realize you had a duplicate already? It's a waste of money - and who wants that? No one.

Starting in the closet:

Donate any clothes you simply have not worn for a year.
Throw out any that are stained, torn, ripped, faded, etc. It is auspicious to only wear clothes that are clean, unstained and in good shape. Wearing torn and ripped clothes only brings in ripped and torn energy - you want that?!? Exactly what I thought, no, of course not.
Look at those shoes too. Do any need to be repaired - well get them repaired! Toss any so old, they are screaming to be let free of their burden. Are any too small, hurt your feet - off they go for donation.
Put back that you wish to keep in an organized fashion - you will now know where to find anything you need in your bedroom closet.

Windows and walls

Wash windows inside and outside (if you can) - as this will allow the light to come in more freely - it's scary to see the amount of dirt which accumulates within the year. Vacuum/sweep the walls for any cobwebs or dust bunnies and do not forget the corners and behind any doors.

Furniture and Bed

Clean thoroughly all furniture with polish, dust that TV, etc.
Organize any wires hanging around the TV and equipment.
Get under that bed and get any dust bunnies from underneath it. If you use under the bed for storage, now is a good time to look through those boxes, and remove/toss and donate any unnecessary items.
Lastly, move around the furniture just a bit. Even an inch one way or another will help stimulate chi and assist in refreshing the chi in your sacred bedroom.

Good practices for your bedroom

Do not have any mirrors facing the bed as this promotes outsides influences (infidelity) in one's relationship
Do not have the bed where your feet hang out facing the door out. This is very bad luck as it is thought to "send you to the other world"
Keep out any aquariums in your bedroom - again it soaks up any good chi.
Keeping a symbolic turtle and placing it on your dresser for example is said to being good luck this next Chinese New Year.
TV's are said to be like mirrors, and this is a tough one, since so many of us fall asleep with the TV on, but it is said, it should be covered up when one goes to sleep since it reflects - much like a mirror - see number 1 above.
Hanging crystals in the windows helps bring in good luck as the multi colors reflected from the sun help new and good chi to come into your bedroom.
Open the windows wide at least once a week, to not only allow fresh air into the room, but it also helps any stagnate chi get the heck out of your bedroom.
Selecting the right kind of art is very important to Feng Shui practitioners, make sure any art on the walls especially of your bedroom, are happy and joyful looking. In other words, a picture of a horse reared with a grimacing face of fear would not at all be auspicious nor would it bring any good luck.
If you are single - try and not make it too feminine, and by the way having room in your closet and drawers will actually help bring in the room for your new partners clothes. If they are stuffed to the gill, where the heck will you have room in your life for a partner?
And lastly remember to keep this place serene. This is your night sanctuary. A place where you should have only good things happen it.

I have already attacked most of my bedroom, though I do still need to go through the storage boxes but this have to wait for later today.

Well, I am off to the Dentists for a tooth pulling - whoo hoo! Sounds like so much fun! But alas, I am getting even my mouth ready for the New Year - so that it too will bring me good luck - lol.
As always, stay tuned, my next article will discuss the living rooms and hallways.

Feng Shui for Beginners Part II - Sea Salt

2008-01-10T12:22:00.002-05:00

Today's Subject: Sea Salt and Attracting Wealth Tips

Hello there once again! I hope you enjoyed yesterday's posting that mentioned a few ideas to help bring in prosperity and more love into your life. I actually went out yesterday and purchased sea salt to help clean my crystals and add good luck to my home. I will share more about the ideas of Sea Salt and its purifying abilities among with sharing even more ideas in bringing wealth into your life.

So what's the big deal about sea salt, and won't any kind of salt help? Nope. Sorry to inform you, but it has to be sea salt. It has to do with the negative ions from the moving sea that will help stimulate negative chi to move on and help attract the good kind of chi these exercises are determined to offer you. Table salt simply does not have these purifying properties.

So where do we start today? Let's first start with getting you some sea salt. Click here for the lowest prices I found on the web: Sea Salt, 2 lb. Sea salt is an all important tool in applying Feng Shui exercises and tasks to your rituals in help healing and clearing while cleaning chi around you and your home. You can find sea salt at your local grocery store, and do yourself a favor, do not try and get around by using table salt or even kosher salt - both of which I love using in my cooking - but this is for Feng Shui use. Of course, by all means, if you are buying the sea salt, use it freely in your cooking. I prefer to use the course sea salt as with all the types of salts I may use.

So you have now got your Sea Salt, what next? Here are a few tips on how Feng Shui practitioners recommend their clients to use in helping bring their clients luck and wealth.

Place a teaspoon of sea salt and wrap it in plastic and place in your wallet in a secret compartment. Replace every ten days to ensure its potency. This is said to bring the owner of the wallet wealth...
Place sea salt on the center and back side of your entrance door, this is said to also bring luck and wealth to all those who enter - and yes the changing it every ten days rule also applies here as well in ensuring its potency of bringing wealth luck and good chi.
Also if you really are in a jam, placing sea salt in all the corners of your house - simply use little plastic containers - say the ones you may get when you ask for salad dressing on the side at a restaurant. Place the sea salt in them, cover them if you can, then place them in every corner wherever two walls meet. You may need an extra box of sea salt for this - but since sea salt is relatively inexpensive and you are in need of attracting wealth, this really helps absorb any negative energy you house may be harboring. Again, change every ten days.

The best time to do any or all of these tasks is on the start of the new moon. Since energy grows as the new moons grows into a full moon, where as energy dies down after the full moon.

There are many other uses for sea salt besides making your dishes taste great while helping bring wealth luck to you and into your home. Remember that yesterday I discussed the importance of cleaning up and removing any and all clutter from your home just prior to the Chinese New Year. This is also the best time to take any crystals, quartz and stones you may use to bring good energy into your home.

Wash them with soap, then, place in a bowl of salted water made from sea salt. If you can, even better is to let them soak overnight under the light of the full moon. The next day, you should also allow at least four hours in the sun to finish the cleansing process. This is said to remove last year's energies and replenish to good chi in your crystals and stones you have placed in your home.

The use of sun catchers also work great as do crystals that reflect all the colors of the rainbow. By hanging these in your windows where the sun shines in, the multi-faceted colors help keep and bring good chi into your home. This is especially important in your home office and bedroom along with your kitchen areas of your home.

As of this month's new moon, I did several of the rituals I have already mentioned here. I placed a dark blue mug and filled it to the brim with sea salt and placed it in my kitchen in a dry area which is said to bring happiness to couples. I also grabbed a little sea salt and placed it in plastic and placed it in my wallet. I also marked on my calendar when the ten days will be up so that I can recall to change the sea salt. I also did a few other rituals which I have been doing for months and that is going around on Fridays with burning incense to each of the rooms in my place and blessing each room and all who enters with health, happiness and harmony along with prosperity.

Any effect so far? Well, yes! I am pleased I was finally able to purchase today some very needed domain names prior to them being picked up by others. Some of these will be very important to me in the coming months as I have several projects I am now organizing and the need for these domain names in setting up these works online is extremely important. My outlook is very good and confidence high. I also noticed that my fellow and love of my life was suggesting new and interesting dinner ideas to help spruce up our dinners at home last night. Our relationship is smoother than ever and I am more confident with every day passing that I am in a "right and good" relationship that is healthy and harmonious. And hey, who doesn't want that in their life?

As for now, I am off to prepare for his returning home today as we are off to Pennsylvania tomorrow and look forward to having a weekend away (our first serious road trip) with another couple we enjoy spending time with. I am sure we are all to have fun! I'll need to pack some of my sea salt as my boyfriend and I are planning in taking purifying baths together...ahh the delight of a bathtub and the cleansing properties of sea salt! More to follow next week and as I always say...stay tuned...

Divaliscious Feng Shui Tips

Fen Shui for Beginners

2008-01-09T11:15:00.000-05:00

Today's comment is not a rant at all, but in fact a rave. A rave on Feng Shui practices and behaviors. I have been applying Feng Shui practices to my business and to my home and personal well being for over three years and can say it does work. It definitely does work and does wonders for one's personal spirit.

But that means you must be at one with yourself. So many of us are too tired to apply anymore energy into anything but the essential tasks at hand from getting the kids to school then running off to work, to dealing with the late report that was due a few days ago to a grumbling boss only to come home to a house that you thought you cleaned only a few days ago, and somehow a tornado has hit the inside of the house.

Well just reading and typing that last paragraph, I know I hit home with several of you, maybe you are experiencing more debt than you would like, a broken relationship, etc. I have found a variety of useful websites so that you can get your Fen Shui on the fly and not be bothered with spending the extra dollars and time that we barely have to expend ourselves with to help assist you with your Feng Shui well being.

I promise you will at least enjoy doing some of the so called exercises in and around your home, and will share where I got this information from so that you too can get the books I have found so useful and this article will probably be at least a three parter. You simply cannot begin to get all the details one needs to have a more zen-filled life that brings more harmony, health and prosperity into your life in one simple article, let alone let people understand the workings of ying and yang that I am sure people have done several dissertations on.

Some of these suggestions are going to be so obvious, you may think why bother? But everything is interconnected - and hey you learned that one in your Freshman year in college! - So here goes anything...and well everything.

Before you start - some pointers on Feng Shui

Feng Shui can be practiced by anyone and everyone. In most cases, it does not cost a thing or can cost very little investment. You can do a lot of the interesting practices to help bring a better balance to your life. I would certainly assure you that your attitude will certainly have a lot to do with the success as you practice some of these interesting 'chores'. Hey who doesn't need more health, harmony and happiness in their lives as we live in these trying times?

I will also note that some of these practices or 'rituals' is what they really are, are going to sound quite silly. But if it's to promote all things good into your life, why not give it a shot and a good try? What have you got to lose? Nothing!

1) For starters, as you start these tasks of clearing away the clutter in your home, wash your hands often, as you attack a pile of papers that need to be addressed or any other task suggested here, remind yourself you are ridding your home of stagnant chi and you are creating a harmonious energy flowing home environment. This will only help your momentum keep going.

2) I would also suggest to put on all the lights in your home while you do this. Brighten up your world. This also helps see what you are doing, to locate those dust bunnies that just have to go while literally enlightening your home environment. Isn't is amazing for whens it's raining outside how just putting on the lights makes you feel safer more lively in your home? This applies very well when you are clearing your home for a better energy of chi to flow smoothly throughout your home which is the whole point of this exercise.

3) Open your windows. Let the fresh air flow throughout your home. Use of a fan may help for those that only have windows on one side say like in an apartment. The idea here is to have the air circulate and be refreshed. This brings in fresh chi into your home, which is essential as you move things about.

4) I would also burn incense as well while doing these chores, use something like sandlewood that helps to purify the surroundings.

Chine New Year will start on February 5th of this year.
While researching this article, I learned a few things that people do and not do as the New Year approaches, and since some of us are behind in our tasks, I mention them here now in January so that we can get ahead on them slightly since some of the tasks at hand will take more time than you anticipated. But I assure you, as you start to do some of these things around your house, you will notice subtle differences in your attitude (it will become more loving and generous) the energy of your home will greatly change (happier and livelier energy creating a harmonious environment for all to enjoy) and lastly all this work will get easier as you progress.

Many people who follow Feng Shui practices, will do a complete clean up of their home from top to bottom for when the Chinese New Year hits. This includes moving even is so very slightly the furniture that hasn't been moved at all for a year. The main idea is to move the stagnant energy that might be lingering in your home from the previous year. And even moving them literally once inch one way or another will help change the energy.

Here are just a few of my fave Fen Shui Rituals to get the fen shui ball rolling for this New Year...

1) Your Entry into Your Home/Apartment:
This space should be free of clutter. This helps good chi enter the home. This means no stacked piles of papers that need to be recycled, no pile of shoes littering the floor. In fact, haven't you noticed at least in the movies how people take off their shoes when entering an Asian house. You do not wish to bring in any "bad luck" or bad chi that came from the outside into your home. So start wearing slippers and shoes that are only used inside the house. The good part of this is that your floors will stay cleaner - that I am sure of.
The other reason besides helping keep your house cleaner, having the entry way into your home being clutter free is to help the good chi roam around this area. You will see this issue being pointed out again and again when it comes to applying feng shui practices in your home and in your office areas.
Now, some of us have kids and the entry way is where we leave all sorts of things that are needed for school, do your best to create bins for them to leave their school bags in or a sitting bench that has storage, etc.

2) Creating a Loving Bedroom Space
This one is interesting and is quite simple. Mind you I will be sharing many more tips about the bedroom and for each room in your house, I simply wanted to list a few tips here to help get you started. Make sure any mirrors in your bedroom do not directly face your bed. Now what you do with watching yourself and your partner on your own time is one thing. But when you are not doing "it" in this way (which is none of my feng shui business quite frankly) make sure you face the mirrors away from looking at your bed. This helps keep matrimonial faithfulness. Or in other words, having a mirror facing your bed can actually bring outside energies into entering your relationship.

Trust me, this one works. As I have experienced the mirror issue vs. marriage faithfulness personally. Hence, why I am mentioning it here first.

Also keep the bedroom clutter free. This is to be a restful space. Sweep under that bed and get all those cobwebs out from under it and just watch the change in your love life!

3) Keeping that Kitchen Clean and Clutter Free
We spend so much time in our kitchens, this is essential place to start allowing good chi to roam free around your living space. As this will help affect everything. Attack that fridge, I do this every week actually, and I really dislike doing the dishes, but as I look at the pile, I always remind myself of its positive energies if its clutter free and clean.

Always throw out old food that has gone bad, by keeping them in your fridge you are only helping stagnant chi remain and grow like the mold on that cheese that's been sitting there on the back top shelf of your refrigerator.

Do your best to create a space where all papers go and come. This would not be in the kitchen if you could handle it, my feng shui suggestion. Its amazing how we collect paper in our world. So create a place in your home where these will stay so that you have only one place to attack your paper pile - and cleaning this pile should be done weekly if not everyday.

4) Attracting more wealth into your life and career
There are so many rituals to help bring wealth into your life, but I will only mention a few here as I will list many more in the next part of this article.

1) I love this one: Take some incense, light it, and using a figure eight or rather an infinity sign on its side, go from one room to the next letting the smoke hit every corner of every room. As you go about the rooms in a clockwise direction you are to say a mantra for the things you wish to materialize. You are to do this seven times, and yes its going to be silly, but I tell you this works. It's been amazing when I needed more clients and had a cash flow problem, I would do this ritual and literally within hours I had results, in some cases, I had results in minutes as the clients would be calling me for orders....

The mantra can be something like this, and I quote: "I bless this house with loving energy for all that enters, and who live here, including (list occupants and don't forget the pets). I bless myself, and ..... with prosperity, health and happiness. The happiness, healthiness and prosperity comes to me now."

And as I mentioned, circle the inside of every room clockwise with the lit incense while saying this mantra. Remember the mantra can be anything (positive) that you would like in your life, say a new job, a better job, a happier home environment, etc. just make sure you know its possible, have faith, yes, faith regardless of your religion or lack of in knowing all is possible if you simply ask for it with the right attitude. Help yourself and you will receive help.

2) Another is using Sea Salt filled in a black or dark navy blue ceramic mug and placing it in your kitchen. Change this every ten days and start this on the new moon. This practice is to help kill any bad luck you may be having and is said to help seriously bring happiness to couples.

3) Lastly, and I love this one, get some dirt yes earth dirt from someone who is wealthy - or a pebble could work too, and place this in a little plastic baggy and keep it in your wallet. This is said to help bring you wealth like this wealthy person has.

Well what else can I say? But, Good Luck! And let me know if you tried any of these rituals and their workings on your life and career.

A Happy New Year Message

2008-01-04T11:05:00.000-05:00

Today's rant is simple. Why do we have to improve ourselves? Why do we even try? Why do we even write out the same resolutions every year?

I looked up at my list, I could have used the same list from several years ago, and quite frankly, even a few decades ago. Is that embarrassing for me? Well, of course it is. But as I age with every New Year since it's my birthday, I become more wise, but obviously not wise enough to have earned the ability to write new resolutions!

Though I know it has become human nature to want to improve ourselves, for our children's sake, etc. - though I don't have any of those, except for the pets. We, it seems always wish for a few of the same things over and over again: a better job, to lose weight, more wealth in our lives, a new love, better communication with our loved ones, a great vacation, etc. This list could go on with specifics, but you know what is on your list. And I am sure there is one item I listed above that is on your own list. I know it is, so don't even try to hide it.

I start this year one year older than last, though as always, I feel this is the year I am finally going to do something about it or them, my long list of resolutions. Though I do believe there were a few years there that I did not actually write them down, what for - I asked myself? Especially since it seems it's always the same list. I should just change the year.

Oddly though, writing out 2008 was easier this year than last. It usually takes my into March when my hand finally decides it's the next year and stops making mistakes, I know I am not alone in this. But that's how it goes.

Let's all hope for a great year, in getting the exercise we need, to ability to lose and keep those extra pounds off, and the verve and energy to at least try to stop smoking , finding that great job, saving more money, etc. May you all at least complete your list and have success in at least a few of those resolutions on your list! I know I am going to try once again!

Happy New Year 2008!

My New Life as a Dental Patient

2007-12-04T15:44:00.000-05:00

Now I wish my teeth looked like this, but alas, they don't. So I have finally come to terms and have decided to help my Dentist put their child through private school. I had no other choice. I will not go into all the lurid details of what's wrong with my teeth - at least I have some teeth left for her to work on and for me to be billed for in helping offset the cost of sending her child to private school. There are also new teeth she will create for me - sounds like so much fun!

This information of my sponsoring her child came to me rather unintentionally. So there I was sitting in her office as she went over the plan of work detailing every cavity that would need to be reworked, while I looked up at her books and saw the application and details to which school she was hoping to send her child. Now the funds she has received I could have bought myself a very very nice used car quite frankly. Or, I could have gone kept going around trying to avoid root canal, let me see which is more painful....hmm.

She would also tell me that by adding a few implants now would help prevent any further bone loss, especially for someone so young as I. Now one, when did I become so young as of late? And two, I'm losing bone - I thought that happens only to "older" people? Yeesh. So I am fortunate enough to have said funds to help put their child through schooling, the least my dentist could do is at least introduce to me the child I will be putting through their first year of private school. And if the dentist was really nice, she let me tell the kid how to pass those horrid exams. See I too went through private school. Somehow, though they never concentrated on making me brush my teeth. You think with the cost of said dental work they could have warned me, or at least prepared me better.

Oh well, so here I am, a proud sponsor of a child I will probably never meet while I get new and fixed teeth I can use to chew food with. Now of course, I've been going to see the dentist twice weekly for at least several months now. The one crown looks like great work with one root canal she completed after I came to her with horrendous pain. Do, do yourself a favor and see the Dentist at any first sign of pain. If I told you what I went through, you would actually laugh at me much more than you already are. It was actually quite funny. But that's an entirely different day and night saga that lasted a few agonizing weeks.

Office Organizing Update

2007-12-04T10:38:00.001-05:00

Well this is what it looked like awhile ago. I have made some changes, but hence when I return from the dentist today, I will up my ice tea intake and get quite caffeinated! To the left are my "dream boards" which you may have seen exampled on "The Secret". I hadn't actually looked at them lately, and I discovered when I did look at them recently, that several of my so called "wishes" had actually came true. I was amazed. It made me think this stuff actually works.

On the other wall which is not seen has art from other people placed all over it. This room was meant to inspire.

Quite frankly it has become such an eyesore that it is hard at times to attack it. Especially since I have attacked this room plenty of times in attempts to organize it once and for all. And oddly, it has looked better each time. But yet, never is quite finished - just like cleaning house. Just when you finished one room, the other rooms calls for help. So I got to do something and fast!

I made up my list of "to do's" for today, and oddly, not one item (of a listed 20 or so items) did this list mention coming into this room. How odd and easily we procrastinate doing things we wish were done for us. For example, I am blogging while I should be getting ready for the dentist. Actually, they are a short five minutes away and I usually have to wait five or so minutes anyway. And why is it, that the Dentist asks you a question, with their fingers in your mouth along with various dental instruments, and these questions require at least a thesis to answer? How can one do this with all that in your mouth? I ponder that one all the time. It's simply funny. Well off I am to go to the dentist and be back to organize the office today.

Starting My Diet Now Before the Holidays Get Me Any Richer

2007-11-20T18:03:00.000-05:00

I start this posting session with just finishing a phone conversation with a health club sales person who is eager of course to take my money and hopefully take some of my fat. I am proud of people who can manage to eat healthily. And what about those people who seem never to gain any weight despite what they eat? You know those types. Ugh! Lucky them I say. These of course are the same people who can take any item off a clothing rack regardless how ugly, throw it on, and voila, they look like they are on their way to the next red carpet event.

I had an aunt, not biological, but that's not important now to this story, who was one of those Truman Capote's fag hags, when such a term was used. She was an accessory to the "couple" and was aptly dressed for the occasion for which she joined the two men on their "outing". These are only some of the stories she shared with me including this one: she was one of those slender ladies who later wore a minimizer bra when she was already a size A cup. I didn't get the need to make her already small sized breasts even 'smaller" She had the looks and grandeur of Audry Hepburn and lived her life accordingly filled with a rich life of important galas and fancy dinner guests.

Again, lucky her. She was one of "those" people. She was anorexic long before is was popular to be anorexic. Now for me, I was never one of those gals. I was always a healthy up and down weight girl growing up way too soon before my very own eyes in womanly development. I started growing breasts by fourth grade, and after much pleading, my mother finally took me to Macy's for my first bra, which was a full size B, thank you very much. If you only knew the embarrassment to finally getting a bra when you really really needed one. Ouch! But enough of my emotional preteen stress I may have grown up with.

Though that same Aunt did give me this advise when I told her how I was having trouble with her sister, my Mother tantalizing me with brownies when I was trying to lose or keep of the weight - she said, "screw your mother, be skinnier than her!" Sounds like there was always competition between those two. Can you imagine anything like that being said to you?

Now despite my early growth spurt, us American women somehow always have a hard time loving our bodies, not all of us have this problem of course, nor am I particularly blaming any one company or person or even a family member. I would love to learn the mystic of French women on how they manage to have their cake and eat it too attitude. I recall one trip to Paris at 15 years of age. I was inside a changing stall requesting yet another larger size of pants. In New York I would have been a missy size 11, but there was no such size available to me at this store nor at any other store in Paris. And of course, this time in fashion was attributed to those skinny legged jeans which of course just came back in style 2 years ago, which brought back to me, my Paris changing room nightmares I had while there 20 years prior.

Then again, once at around the age of 19, I found myself back in France. This time in the French Riviera. I can still see it in my eyes now. A woman roughly 60 years of age, all tanned of course, in a bikini, with all her stomach and stretch marks to see, but she proudly showed them off as if to say...I am proud of these and I do not care about my slouching and droopy stomach. I was simply amazed. So now I am in my forties with the same stretch marks, and there is no way in Hell I will ever find my body in a bikini. - And that's whether I ever get tanned again or if I am in France again.

Confused? Yeah, so am I. How did I get this plump, which is a very nice way of calling the size that I am currently. I have been up and down my entire life and have lately decided enough is enough. So I have made the appointment with the health club for Monday and I am sure I cannot wait (umm i mean weight) to see myself getting weighed. But I did get a Doctor's check up first, I am all cleared for exercise, so that's one thing I did right. Nor am I all psyched up to grab that old bathing suit to swim with all my thighs hanging out for the pool swans to see, but I must forget about them and focus simply on me. And this I think is where it starts to get dicey for us Women. To start thinking about ourselves for once.

In fact, I think this is where it basically starts for all of us women. The fact that we do not think about us, but put people higher up on a pedestal than we need to. Some of these celebrities have had plastic surguries, all sorts of things sucked out of them, plumped back in and stuff lifted, not to mention the 24-7 on call chefs at their disposal. But this is what we have to compare ourselves to. Can you recall the first time when you were a kid wishing you were different than you actually were, do you recall when looking at your girlfriend and wishing your hair was like hers, or that you wished you were taller, or (insert whatever your wish was). We start so very young today wishing we were someone else but ourselves. Our true selves. I find this so sad, and to think I have always known this, I still find myself wishing something else different of me.

If we only knew how much those glossy magazines get airbrushed, how spider veins seem to vanish, breasts and rumps get plumper and seem to defy gravity for those in their 60's which is now the new 50. Thank God, I have something to look forward to when I turn 50 in eight more years - I will still be in my "forties" but yet, still past Jack Benny's age of 39. Hmm...Go Figure, literally.

We (us women) give and give to others and forget to give to ourselves unless of course if its that big ice cream bowl at the end of the night, or the occasional bowl of popcorn. So with all this giving and it being time for Thanksgiving, I have decided to give myself at least a two month try at a local health club and see if I can give myself some time on one of those exercise machines and get my arms to less jiggle and my tummy to less juggle and my thighs to less jelly. And if all goes right, I will finally start the new year with giving myself I truly need, a new lease on life!

Stay tuned, to see how I do on my first day after initiation. Or if I stay with this program at all.

Finding Time - Or how to squeeze an hour into 30 minutes

2007-11-14T18:23:00.000-05:00

Do you ever have the feeling you don't have enough time in the day. Do you find yourself boggled by the amount of blogs you have and forget about keeping up with all the blog subscriptions you have. And what about reading your emails, let alone the daily paper. Are you feeling overwhelmed by the amount of information that is coming your way? Lest shall we say do you feel completely inadequate to keep up with the young Jones across the street who have outsourced their reading and updating of all blogs?

Well if you said yes to any one of those questions above, you are not alone! That is for sure! I just saw some short story (that's all I had time to while watching the morning news) of some guy's new book on how to have the four hour work week. He outsourced almost everything except for having sex with his partner.

Yeah, a four hour work week, get real? Some of us barely even have a 50 hours work week, and what about the people who work from home now? Are their work hours not over exceeded by 60 more or so? Of course! So all I have say to this is man Time Flies when you are trying to get things done.

My recommendation is simply to forgo making the bed, outsource everything to someone feeding your pets and family, let someone else sleep with your partner, in fact you should simply outsource your going to the bathroom - that would save at least 20 minutes in a 24 hour period, for sure!

In fact, outsource this blog! Tootle-loo - my five minutes of your time is up!

Update on my Office/Art Studio Organization Project

2007-11-08T18:08:00.001-05:00

I was aware that this project would turn into several, and was even prepared that I was going to have a big mess on my hands prior to things getting cleaner and more organized. There is so much to attack and several very large projects that just had to be broken down; and that’s what I did, OK I admit, I am still doing this "breaking it down to smaller projects" part.

I recently moved and as people do, I was rushed at the last moment. A huge office and art area had turned into literally a nightmare. It was like one of those scenes from those organizing T.V. Shows that forces people you can only assume show how and at some point in their lives simply gave up trying to tackle their pile of stuff. In some cases, you cannot even walk into the room; people just throw stuff onto other piles.

I knew I was in trouble when I had the thought I could be a good subject for calling up one of those shows. But due to the pending move, there’s was no way in hell that I was going to give these T.V. people a call, in fact, let the truth be told, I should be terribly embarrassed I was even thinking of approaching them in the first place, since it was all my fault that the place I had once called an office had gotten so out of control.

I had duplicate file folders where I once or twice or even thrice tried in attempting to organize my every-growing stack of papers. Another example is of my photo collection is truly over whelming. I have boxes upon boxes. All types of paper for the printer for various uses, and do not even ask me to locate my tax files from previous years. I have since decided to get it together with that one!

So I am now tackling what I should have tackled a year ago, since it’s been that long since I have moved. So once I moved, a lot of the junk came with me by default, only because I didn’t make the time then to bring only the reverent to this new place I call home. I was good with the art work, furniture and other house hold belongings’ making sure it was perfect in condition so to speak, in great working order and it was something that I actually use every day or nearly every month.

Yes, life get’s in the way and telling you the truth, I have actually reorganized my office art studio layout several times along with tackling the room’s contents. There is still so much stuff left over though, I have succumbed to being extra harsh on myself this time so that I can have a great productive and creative 2008. At least that’s my plan and I am sticking with it.

But, as I got to it today, I noticed it was getting easier and easier at every boxes’ turn. I would look through and simply toss that which would never be used in the future. I would put in a shoe box for a later project all my business cards and telephone numbers I had collected. I would also only allow myself a certain area of table top space to sprawl out the stuff before putting the few things I was going to keep away in their proper place. Ironically right now and I promised myself I wouldn't be like her, I remind myself of my own mother – Gasp! “Put things in their proper place and once all done, your place will be well kept and clean looking”.

I love the look of those photos in magazines like Architectural Digest and Real Simple Magazine since, that Zen feeling that you could just drop yourself in some comfy sofa with the shaggy coated dog that never sheds who obediently brings you your slippers, while your partner fixes you some hot tea and brings it to you while rubbing out the tense day you may have had from your shoulders. Keep dreaming! Well, what if I did keep dreaming?

So far, I have thrown out three large bags of stuff that no one could ever use. Collected all the old magazine issues and will send them out to the local health center that could easily need some fresh magazine material in their offices. Furthermore, I lessened my quantity of ribbons by two-thirds. Yes, I really got rid of the ribbon. I hated to throw that out, but I had to just be ruthless.

I also went through my entire pile of art pens and reorganized my pen caddy. Putting the funky scissors for scrapbook in one spot along with the jewelry making tools, I started seeing the benefits of all this organizing. So much so, in fact I was able to tackle the upstairs junk drawer. I put the little items with like items in small ziplock bags, brought down more tools that were put together with other tools.

One rule I have found golden is that once something is in your hand, put it back, create a place for it with other like items, and don’t diddle daddle or get sidetracked (which I can easily do) - just put the item, piece of paper where it is supposed to be. I accomplished more today in only four leisurely paced hours than I did in six months of anxiously thinking about this project. I am more energized to attack even more tomorrow.

By tackling even the smallest of projects, you will be able to tackle the larger ones. And in fact, by placing the like items with similar items, such as creating a gathering place for all those business cards for networking purposes, they are no longer cluttering every surface space. And I can now set aside an afternoon to just tackle the business cards, whereas before I wouldn’t even know where to start looking for a contacts calling card.

So now I am off to my Open Mic gig at Susan's Restaurant, I am relaxed and now inside I will come home and already my place feels lighter and slightly enlightened in spirit. Now let’s hope a good crowd comes for tonight’s gig and I will have had one successful day!

Peace, over and out.

Today's Rant - New PC & Related Issues

2007-11-07T10:26:00.000-05:00

I'm all for the latest techno equipment. Its unbelievable how we have evolved - does anyone remember when AOL 3.0 came out? And how (sadly) we were so excited about it...then there was the 5.0, then 6.0 - wow - Now where is AOL? Though I do hear they still have great filtering of email's, but I was recently working at a firm that sent their customers via email links to their proofs online. Everyone who had AOL had issues, they couldn't get their printing proofs. Mind you, their customers were across the United States of America and not everyone has updated to the latest versions of anything.

And this is where I start my story. So I purchased a new laptop - very happy with it, for what's it worth, I had to get a few things fixed prior to it working properly - Note to Microsoft, please fix all Vista issues prior to sending it out onto the store shelves - why let your customer's suffer unneccesarily? - Just a simple point I am making. I had issues that when I went for help; services and companies such as GoDaddy.com and Optonline.net couldn't or hadn't even learned how to handle my issues due to the nuances of Vista. I was plagued with the Blue Screen of Death. Well, that's what I learned through my research this issue was called.

The Blue Screen of Death - you would think that with that name is really did something, like catching terrorists. Nope, in fact it kept your PC in a frozen state of mind. Having said all that, it wasn't my only issue. Yes, I have many issues, but that's not important now, nor is it your concern, and lastly, no - you cannot help me.

In fact a person, a wonderful person normally, did help me get my old files from the old burnt PC over to the new laptop - but not without us screwing up my new versions of Dreamweaver and Photoshop. Nice... I am still trying to get over that one. It was partly my fault so I can't blame this person entirely. But as I look out the window - an actual one, I see wind blowing the trees around and I know change is inevitable.

I was able to find most of my files, but nothing is organized anymore, so I revert to what I mentioned before about organizing your office and home. Do the same with your computer. And wow does it take up a bunch of time! But get rid of all those files that will certainly never serve you well.

Start with one folder then another. Attacking one folder daily, will allow you the presence of mind that within one month, without much effort, your files are all nicely lined up and you will easily find what you are looking for. Especially for such storage cows like me who have all sorts of files for the various businesses I run.

Think about it - look at the emails we generate - why let them take up so much space. Do you ever need that many from your Mom - hey no offense to your Mom by the way, and I am very proud that your Mom is even PC/MAC literate or for that matter you are even communicating nicely with your Mother. But back to storage issues.

I know people who use external storage like it was going out of business. Why do we think we need such storage in the first place? Remember the old and original PC's and how slow they went. In almost every job I had in a office, I was there upgrading equipment like you change the water jug every 2 weeks - at least that's how it seemed.

And I am no techno guru...I have simply been fortunate enough to be slightly young enough to get on the ride of this technology-driven enhancements to our work environment. In fact, while I was still in high school, we had terminals hooked up to a Riverdale School System. I was im'ing back in get this (and I date myself too) back in 1980.

In fact it was then I almost got expelled from High School since I had learned a little about programming (back when it was basic and the beginnings of pascal and dos - yikes) and had broken into some kid's account from a different school. Not only did I use up all his time allotted - at my school we had no limitations, but were encouraged to learn all about computers. I even changed his password, the twerp that he was. His password, and I can still remember it because I thought for such a nerdy-sounding guy, the use of 'James Bond' as a password was literally ridiculous. So after my almost expulsion from school I decided to stay clear of programming and stay inline with my artistic side and try design instead - this was before we even have the easy HTML editors we have now in place.

Try writing straight HTML code now with Java, XML, etc. - forget about it...your eyes alone would get dizzy. And yes, I know there are still purists out there, and I applaud you all! Bravo!!! Encore!!!! Woo hooo...

But I digress, as I usually do. So get into that PC/Mac of yours, and start deleting files you will never ever need. Keep several copies of your files on DVD's in several places, in case of fire or emergency. I would keep several copies, one in the bank, yes in the bank's safe deposit box, your office, besides someplace in our house.

Think of sadly, all the disasters that have happened as of late. Image what people lost in the fires out west or down south with the floods. Your computer has become a life unto itself which contains so much information, that being without one - which I was for two whole years would truly unbelievable and a serious hardship.

And believe me you, for someone who made and still does makes a living working online, to be without a computer is truly something. Image having to go to the library to send out your resume ever time? Or the need to pay for faxing away from home. When you are looking for a job, not having a computer at your easy convenience at home is disturbing.

I know several people who will never touch a computer, don't have one, nor care to. And they are my age (early 40's) - yes these people do exist, and no I will not become one of them. Do they live happy and productive lives, yes! Will they stay my friends, of course! And if they ever need a helping hand when they do decide to get a computer, yes I will be there.

Leah's Daily Photograph

2007-11-04T14:00:00.001-05:00

Just one of my images I took the other day for future painting....I really like how the birch trees reflect in this lake's water - Autumn in New York is always wonderful....

With this new blog, I will hopefully put up a new image every day for people's enjoyment.

You can check out the daily image at http://the-daily-image.blogspot.com/

Daily Rant - Organization

2007-11-04T11:52:00.000-05:00

Today's Daily Rant -
Organization & Why is it so hard to stay organized? A Simple How To Get Started...

I just don't get it. Why does it take such effort to stay organized. We all enjoy it when our kitchens are clean, the bed is made, when we have clean clothes in our drawers and lastly, when our offices or our work areas are organized.

The obvious benefits are a more calmer state of mind for which one can truly be highly productive - at least that's the goal. The mind can make waves after completing such organizational tasks...and when you really get down to it, it only takes us a few minutes to tackle our messes. And why do we have so much stuff to begin with? Is it our need to keep things we really don't ever use around us to keep us safe? What drives this factor in us humans, I really don't know. All I do know is that I keep procrastinating in tackling some of the easiest of tasks. Am I afraid of success? Scared of nothing to do once I am finished - or am I destined to always have a long "things to do" list that's never completed?

I do know from experience, that once I do start getting organized, the sense of accomplishment is amazing. Yet so simple. I am in fact, proud with glee with the simplest of accomplishments. I am ready to tackle just about anything else which requires far more concentration. But alas, I stay frozen in my predicament. So I write today to admit to my faults and to quite frankly, get my rump into gear. There truly is much I need to do around this place I call home. And if and when I get organized, it is easier to live life as it is meant to be.

Mind you, I have friends who truly would need at least a month of constant cleaning and getting rid of junk and even have heard stories of worse calamities of how people live. I don't leave garbage or food or clothes on the floor. I can usually find something I am looking for within a few minutes. But in this era of time, even minutes looking for something is truly a waste of precious time.

I will share this though, and this is truly a reason to attack one area of your apartment or house today or sometime this week that needs going through: the energy in your home will be lifted. If you are feeling as of late, sick, run down, tired and abnormally blah - get to that office home desk...and start organizing. You will truly be astonished you kept so much stuff in one area or room to begin with and wonder why it took you so long to actually attack this precious and at times, daunting task. The obvious benefits are a calmer sense of serenity if your home or office that will allow you to live like you wish to and not long to live like. It might even get you going and inspire you to attack larger projects, say like that closet you are afraid of opening the door to or the garage. But let us first start small.

Are you a paper clutterer? What about someone who keeps umpteen amounts of plastic bags - now for me, I have an excuse - those plastic bags kept in one bag hanging on my baker's rack is handy for those picking up doggy piles the law tells me to. But do limit your excuses.

Today I will personally be attacking my boxes of art supplies and the like. I have one box - which was already downsized from several which contain only ribbon. I am not currently in the gift basket business - and why in the world do I need soooo much ribbon? I know how I collected it, since stores were going out of business and I could never afford so much ribbon at those bottom-low prices. But I would never know that I would end up with not one but three boxes full of ribbon. Well, I have been thinking of ways give these supplies to some school for use. Heaven knows our schools are in dire need of art supplies and the like.

So as I attack the box of ribbons, I suggest to you make three piles when you start to organize. 1) The Keep Pile - this is stuff that you actually use right now or will in this next year. This also includes papers necessary for tax reasons 2) The Donate Pile. These are items that can easily be used by others - they are in great condition, and a school or other business. - Hey there could be even a tax break for such giving. 3) The Toss Pile. And though this seems obvious, there is so much we have in our homes that could find a new place. Say like the garbage can?!? If you haven't used an item for say two years - ask yourself, what is the cost of buying it new if you need it again, can you borrow one or rent one in exchange of getting rid of this one item? And look at how much valuable space its taking up in your area and home! When you know the answer to these questions, you will be able to decide to toss the item like wet icky smelly garbage.

Yes, its very hard at times to get rid of things we have been attached to. And what about items large like furniture that has outlived its life - or even worse, an item that reminds you of a negative person in your life or has a negative attachment to it? Why in the world would you want to keep that in your special place that should be zen-like and bring you peace? You will be utterly amazed when that one item is removed from your place - you will actually feel a lift of spirits in your home. I've held on to things that belonged to one person or another and when I gave them away, not only did I not have to look at that item that was so not me, I wasn't feeling that negative vibe every time I went by that object. Try it with one thing - and tell me how I saved your life!

This always reminds me of George Carlin's comedian bit about stuff and our fascination of our belongings. "Its my stuff, but its your shit". And why (I paraphrase), he asks, "do we get more stuff (or shit if it's theirs) so that we have to move to a bigger place?" I respond with several suggestions to get out of this rut.

Watch some of those programs of T.V. that help people get organized. Get motivated. And maybe just start small. One recent magazine article I read was truly empowering. Throw out 20 things around your house. This does not include 20 issues of National Geographic Magazines. Yes, a shame to throw out, but a school could use these for a collage project, for example. And it would only count as one item - yes, I know it's more than one - but it's one item for the sake of this exercise. Now, go to your junk drawer - how many wine corks do you actually need and how many wine bottles do you normally have half open to have five wine corks for safe keeping - this would could count as another one item of twenty to be thrown out. And what about those pile of broken baskets or clothes that are stained and you will never wear again. There are so many places one could start this simple task. But the effects are amazing once they are out of your home.

I have attempted this simple exercise and do try to do it once a month. I also have learned from experience, that the more often you do these tasks, the easier it is to decide what to throw out and what not to keep around making dust and fire hazards in our homes. So I just finished taking photographs for the before....of my art studio and office. This is to embarrass myself into actually getting today's chore finished. I know I will be happy and enlightened once that area is organized.

This is so I can be proud by the end of this day when I have hopefully finished this task. This task has daunted me with enough anxiety for weeks now, which I know has delayed my many more important projects that need to assist me in bringing home the bacon. So I end this rant with one thing: get started! Even if its only a little at a time. You'll be proud that you did - and think what you can accomplish afterwards? You won' even know how good you will feel until it's completed - really...get going!

Daily Doings

2007-11-04T11:26:00.000-05:00

I've lately have been memorized with the beautiful reflections seen around my neighborhood in lakes and large ponds. I don't know what it is exactly but I have been taking many photos. I first noticed this attraction to water reflections several years ago as I still have trouble painting water reflections - but alas I digress. Back to my water reflection comments.

It must be my earning to see inside myself I guess. But that's so obvious. What I really would like to do is take many of such photos, select my favorites and enlarge them for my next art show. And when that will happen I am not sure just yet.

But I am happy that I just finished my first art photography book - see link above titled, "Peekskill au Natural -A Place for Reflection" Its a short glimpse of my walks recently and images I took that show the incredible beauty in a small city that often gets lost. This one book is one of many I plan to put together. But I am first smart (I hope of course) enough to limit their themes and to select one theme for each book. For each one will have its own purpose.

I am supposed to be putting my 2008 Hudson River Sunset Calendar together and I will be working on that this afternoon. I'll make sure to put up a link to that calendar once available.

As I rework my art studio from confusion to hopeful organization, I have been reading several useful books to assist in me keeping creative throughout my day. Well off to work I go....Chat with you all soon!

Leah

Daily Rant

2007-10-23T08:20:00.000-04:00

Well, I actually have nothing to rant about except that I was over-zealous in my thinking yesterday. The boyfriend ended up being busy with a laptop...fixing it and I don't think he had time to see my e-mail I sent him which included a new song I wrote for him.

I guess that's why I was so out of sorts last night. I was really pissed that it was laughable. I did try to tell myself to chill, "Chill Leah, Chill, feel like a cool peppermint patty, with the cool wind blowing through your hair." I did not stand on any furniture in doing this, since my dog doesn't know how yet to call 911 if I fall. I don't climb on anything except the low riser bed I have since I refuse to lay there on the floor with a broken ankle, with the dog probably ending up peeing on me while I am incapacitated.

So today, as the dog starts to cry to go out again, I have many things listed on my so called "to do list". I am not sure where to start - here, there, anywhere or simply say - screw the whole thing, let your house be dirty - whose coming over anyway? Who are you trying to impress? Joking aside, I will get to some of those items on the list. They are actually mandatory.

I did practice my music last night, it did feel good. Reminded me if I even wish to get ahead, practice, practice, practice! Ugh.

So I started this blog to help me actually, it's not purely for your laughing enjoyment, but hoping I would come up with a subject, eventually, to start my book on. While writing my daily rants, i figured it would come out naturally. I have several ideas. One is "true stories" - all pretty hilarious, and i am concentrating more on this idea than the others. Than there's the story of my love life - also a comedy albeit all true. Then the last idea - well there are others, but I had thought about writing some fiction - which wouldn't be too hard, since I could take a lot from my own life and that of others. Of course there's the cookbook idea, and other how to books - but all demand time to write and to do something about it. I can't just sit here and blog my life away...or can I?

I know some of you out there in blog land make some dough doing what you like best to do...goofing off. OK I was only kidding, don't get so defensive on me. And don't yell all at once. My ears can only take so much yelling at any one time.

I think I'll start a posting for the true stories...I think that would be a good idea, see if I have enough for a small treasure trove of happenings in my little wee life that's important enough to share with the world.