Friday, June 29, 2007

The card.

I wish there was one credit card that we could use for everything including: balance transfer, rewards, and low monthly APR.

Unfortunately, we haven't found the miracle card yet!

We've always been quite thankful for having good credit and have worked hard to get it where it is now.

There are others who haven't been so fortunate.

The good news is that there are now Credit Cards For People With Bad Credit.

CreditCardSearchEngine.com offers a great website full of financial information for those who are struggling or have struggled in the past. They offer a search engine that will allow you compare the cards that might be right for you and your financial situation.

Thursday, June 28, 2007

Marketing your product.

I went to my acupuncturist the other day and we talked about marketing her website and services. She told me she had actually gone through China years ago to get her website.

The website is decent, however, you can tell that it's not updated on a regular basis.

I told her about how I was writing for companies and helping them promote their services and products through my blogs.

She seemed very interested.

I wonder if I should make her a deal and provide her with some trade for a few acupuncture sessions? I mean I am paying $60/session!

Wednesday, June 27, 2007

Microsoft in style!

My dad is an IT Director for a shipping company. He constantly tells me of the things he's doing in order to keep the computers up and running. His company always sends him to the Microsoft trainings and he got Microsoft Certified when it first became available.

I know he will probably be attending the Microsoft MGX Conference in Florida. I've got to tell him about Microsoft MGX Special Rate offered through International Plaza Resort and Spa!

Aside from the resort and spa offering massages and facials (which I'm sure my father WILL NOT be taking part in!) it is also within walking distance to convention center

Too bad I can't go just for the enjoyment of Florida weather and the spa services at the hotel!

This post sponsored by: InternationalPlazaResortandSpa.com

Burning up.

Today I decided to come back home after dropping Graem off at daycare. I figured as long as I have the air on I should be alright and able to sit back and not sweat while doing computer work.

Boy, was I wrong!

Even with the air going full blast and my laptop burning a hole in my ovaries I'm sweating beads!

I should have gone to my regular office at the Hilton.

Finally!

I'm totally a spoiled brat when it comes to appliances. At least I admit it, right?

Just last week we purchased a top of the line Whirlpoool washing machine. Our old washing machine worked fine but it was making our clothes smell like mold and baby barf.

We looked online for reviews of Whirlpool and Maytag washing machines. We really couldn't find a great website with opinions or customer reviews. We even went to consumer reports website and we've trusted their opinions for years. Who would have thought that a website would be able to charge you to see a review?

Now, I wish we would have known about krillion.com. They offer reviews of thousands of different appliances and it's easy to use and search. They also have information on how to order the specific machine if you are interested!

I love a place that offers one-stop-shop.

I guess that goes back to me being a spoiled brat!

Monday, June 25, 2007

Workin' like a dog.

Some days I wonder if I don't work just as hard if not harder staying home with Graem and trying to get all of my computer work done!

It's pretty hard to juggle the two and half of the time I feel guilty because I'm spending way too much time on the computer and not enough time with her.

I guess, I just have to chalk it up to this being better to the alternative which would be both of us working and Graem going to daycare full time.

Do you shop around?

If you are anything like a me you probably shop around for a good deal. I even shop around for good credit card deals too. Whether it's rebates, airline miles, or APR rates...it pays to get the best card for the purchases that you are looking to make!

That's why I'm glad that I ran across GoldStarCredit.net. You can access credit card, loan, debt help, mortgage, and other financial information all from their website!

What's great is that it's an easy page to navigate through and has tons of literature. I like the fact that you can compare credit cards and find the one that right for you!

We all need help and it's nice to know that such a great financial website is out there!

Stressed.

I must say that even though I'm no longer involved in corporate America I still get pretty stressed. Maybe it's because I'm not constantly around stress in my life so when one little thing comes along I worry way too much about it.

For example, this whole infertility thing and getting my period over the past few days has caused me so much anxiety. I feel like I can't sleep, I've got to read more about it, and now I have a fever blister on my lip!

I know, I should just relax, smoke a dubie, and let my body function!

Go figure...one thing in life that I can't control!

I did what?!?

When I worked as a Director of a healthcare agency we were constantly giving 30/60/90 day reviews to our employees. Then we would give an annual appraisal which was typically formulated for some kind of yearly raise.

Some people would walk in and had a pretty good idea at what their review would say. Of course, that's what I'd prefer because it would make my delivery pretty easy!

Then there were the people that were pretty oblivious to their surroundings and had no idea that they weren't performing up to par.

I think a good 360 degree feedback appraisal is one of the best because it allows employers and employees to communicate on all levels.

With Appraisal360.co.uk they offer some great appraisal programs that will not only help you manage your staff better but will also help with giving good news and bad news!

Workdays.

Just yesterday I was trying to explain to someone what I've been doing on the computer and how I've been making money! Of course, I have to talk about blogging, my healthcare consulting and how I juggle all of that with staying home with Graem 3 days a week!

It's been challenging lately because we are back at going to Syracuse a few times a week!

Busy!

This weekend we were so busy we barely had time to breath! We did a lot of fun things though. Saturday we went to the zoo and yesterday we went to our friend's place on the lake.

It's nice to have a packed weekend.

Of course, now I just feel like we need a weekend for our weekend!

Saturday, June 23, 2007

Show me the gold, baby!

After the market crashed a few months ago we have been looking for something new to invest our wealth into. We've looked at international markets and they're really unstable.

At this point I'm ready to invest some of my funds into gold bullion. The one thing about gold, silver, and other precious metals is that year after year they offer a consistent investment.

Not to mention, their demand always higher than the supply. Obviously, by using basic laws of economics you can see that this might be a good idea for the future!

Monex is an industry leader with gold, silver, and precious metals. You can buy the metals in many different types of ways and even store them through the provider.

This is a noteworthy investment and a great way to diversify your portfolio. Especially during these unstable market times.

Thursday, June 21, 2007

Exhausted.

With me getting sick, trying to get my period in time to do IVF, and working a lot lately with blogging....I'm exhausted.

I've already called my softball coach and told her we won't be attending the game tonight. Last night we tried to get into bed early but that ended up being 10:00 for Margot and 10:30 for me.

Then of course, Margot snored til 1:00am til I kicked her out of the bed!

You don't have to analyze everything!

That's what I have to tell my friend Diane. She overanalyzes EVERYTHING. It drives me crazy.

Lately, I've been looking to simply my life and I try not to make things harder than they really are.

When I used to work as Director of Marketing we used to always have events that required registration. It used to drive me crazy trying to get everything together for the event and not have people RSVP like was noted in the brochure or invitation.

Now there is program that provides an event registration system. It's easy to use for administrators and patrons alike.

THe great thing is that at any time the administrator can hop onto the website to see how many people have signed up for the event. They can also see where they stopped signing up and how much of the registration has been completed.

I think that's important information because you want registration to be as easy as possible and if you're losing people before they sign up ... they maybe something on the form needs to be changed!

RegOnline.com is easy to use and you can set up your account easily online!

This post sponsored by: RegOnline.com

Wednesday, June 20, 2007

Outta here.

Well, I think I've done all of the work online that I can do for one day. Not to mention, today there's no coffee in the office and so I'm getting pretty sleepy.

Good thing there's a Starbucks next door. I need to get nice and caffinated before I pick up Grammy because I'm sure she's going to be full of piss and vinegar!

That's the thing with being a parent ... you never get a day off!

Office Hours.

Well, I'm hanging out at my typical destination for office hours. You guessed it...the Hilton Downtown.

It's comfortable, has free internet, great telvision, good coffee and best of all --- FREE!

I call it my office and yesterday we even joked about bringing my bathing suit so that I could take a swim in the pool during my "coffee break".

Reno 911 is at it again!

I've been quite excited to get my hands on the new Reno 911! Miami The Movie and I went to the video store this weekend it was all checked out! I actually ended up getting a copy of it Monday after bribing the guy at the video store to hold the copy for me.

In order for me to get my Reno 911 fix I decided to check out their website and play one of the awesome games that's offered!

I chose to play the game Calling All Units: Mayhem. The game is pretty cool because you get to drive the police car and detect crime using the scanner. I've played a couple of times and each time end of crashing my car!

Game 1 Stats:
Cost to City: 111,000.00
Salary: $15,900.00
Bustin Bonus: 0

Game 2 Stats:
Cost to City: 113,000.00
Salary: $9,700
Bustin Bonus: 0

As you can see I'm progressively getting worse and worse at the game and figure I better cut my losses before it's too late.

I chose the game because I love driving games and typically I'm pretty good at them! Not the case in this instance!

Reno 911! Miami The Movie was absolutely HILARIOUS and had much of the same humor that you see on the television show. I loved the acting and the parodies were right on.

Let's just hope that they have extra copies of Reno 911! Miami The Movie on the shelves when you go to the video store!

I suggest calling head of time!

This post sponsored by: Reno 911! Miami The Movie

NICE!

Well, after eating lunch with Amy I decided to walk to my office. On my way I came across the box office and so I decided to go inside and check out the tickets to Beauty and the Beast.

We've been talking about how fun it would be to check out the play at the local theatre.

I ran into our friend Jen B. and she totally hooked us up with tickets!! At first I wasn't going to go because the tickets were $22 for adults and $16 for kids. So I figured why pay that much becacuse we probably won't even make much of the show.

Then Jen went to the back and came back and said "it's on me."

How damn cool! Maybe it's my lucky day?

Dreary.

I've wanted to change the living room around for a while now. It's painted brown with white trim and it seems a bit drab sometimes.

I've thought about changing it to a nice yellow or even a nice green!

Of course, I'd have to get new curtains and curtain poles too. The curtains are an off white and really wouldn't go with anything but the brown that we have now.

TerrysFabrics has a great selection of curtain rods and even curtains to match! I actually like some of their children's fabrics too!

This post sponsored by: TerrysFabrics.co.uk

I was right!

There were no teachers brave enough to call off today! Of course, I have yet to get my ass off of the computer and take the kid to daycare.

It's such a pain because it's 20 minutes from the house. Then I have to find a place to camp out for the day.

Today I actually have to go get fingerprinted for the adoption. I have to head to the Police Department!

Just if we had some extra cash...

I think we'd probably work on updating the interior and fashions in our house. It'd be nice to make things a little bit brighter than they are now! The living room seems a bit dark on those snowy days.

The upstairs needs some major love. I just noticed that our bedspread is tearing where the patches are quilted together.

I think the next time we buy a bedspread we're going to look at embroidered duvet covers ! It just makes sense when you have kids.

We're constantly getting our bedspread dirty and have to wash the whole thing. With a duvet cover you'd just have to pop the cover in the washing machine and dryer!

TerrysFabrics.co.uk offers a full line of curtains, curtain rods, bedspreads, and duvets!

It's your one-stop-shop when you want to redecorate your house!!

This post sponsored by: TerrysFabrics.co.uk

Tuesday, June 19, 2007

Unemployed?

Well, I'm guessing that I won't have a job tomorrow. If I do I'll be quite surprised!

Of course, I have tons of computer work to do so if I don't get a subbing job for tomorrow I won't quite be heart broken.

Today I think we're going to head out and go to the mall. We haven't been in ages and it's a nice (and cool) place to hang out in the summertime!

"24" meets "Alias"!

I'm always looking for a new show to start recording! With one of my favorites "Alias" ending a few years ago and "24" off for the summer I have a gap in my life for a good adventure series.

That's why I was glad to read USA Network's Burn Notice is starting June 28th. It's about a CIA operative, Michael Weston who has spy tools and techniques that would make Jack Bower and Sydney Bristow look like circus clowns!

If I were a spy I would need the following gear: monocular (this seems pretty popular among Sydney and Jack), costumes, a nice new Treo cell phone and PDA, a high power computer, a tracking devise (just in case I'm captured), a lamborgini (preferably red), and a new 51" LCD HDTV (for an added bonus).

Then of course, I would need guns, knives, and some good walkie talkies!

I probably wouldn't be too good at the job because I'm extremely clumsy, walk like a gorilla, and don't quite have the physical appearance of a ninja!

I should check out this website to get some tips as to Michael Weston's success!

I can't wait for this new show to start! It looks like I'm going to have to start paying attention to the good shows that are coming on the USA network! Most of the time it goes ignored since it's so high up in the numbers!

Monday, June 18, 2007

Just a little break ...


from the business side of this blog to show you some of our cool pictures from Cancun!

There's a picture of Graem in the swimming picture with her life vest saying that she's "Two years old".



Above is the family picture of us floating down the lazy river!

I'm ready for another vacation.

My life: the story.

Margot and I have been talking for years that we should write about a book about trying to conceive and infertility. The reality is we've been through all of the treatments, famous doctors, and still no baby.

Now we're entering into a new place in our lives and our story continues!

I'm always worried about rejection and I know that the Book Publishers business is a dog-eat-dog business.

I think I might be scared that they wouldn't like the book that I would have put my heart and sole into.

That's why I might prefer an online website that can help me get self published. AuthorHouse.com is a one-stop-shop for authors who want to get published. They offer all of the tools on their website from getting the book bound to marketing the book to the masses!

Maybe this is how we're going to be able to pay for our upcoming infertility treatment!

This post sponsored by: AuthorHouse.com

HOT.

I can't even get over how hot it is outside. I looked over at the thermostat and it's a good 91 degrees outside.

Margot just asked if we could go swimming outside and I was a bit hesitant at first because I'm still so worried about money. But I guess $13 to go swimming isn't going to make or break us.

We just have to watch the other big things that put us over like material items and eat outs! Just Friday we ended up spending $75 on dinner.

God, it was delicious!

My office space!

When I started my business I didn't know how big it was going to be. So I didn't want to over-invest and lose a lot of money.

However, lately I wish I had a meeting spot that wasn't my living room! It seems a bit out of the way for people, isn't handicap accessible, and doesn't look all that professional either.

At some point if my business grows big enough I might even look at getting Executive Office Suites.

BusinesSuites.com offers a full range of some great conference rooms and business suites. Too bad they only have offices in: Texas, Maryland, Nevada, and Virginia!

This post sponsored by: BusinesSuites.com

I don't think...

that I will have a job Wednesday. I mean what teacher in their right mind would call off on the next to last day of school?

Of course, I have been subbing a lot for teachers that are at training and seminars so maybe that will be the case.

I'll have to keep checking the computer database to see if they have any decent jobs.

If not, I'll just have to resume my office hours at the Hilton downtown! Can't go wrong with free coffee and internet service!

Traveling?

We absolutely love to travel. It isn't until we're on vacation or on the road that we realize how well we bond and come together as a family. Even a trip to the New York City to visit Margot's family brings us together.

We tend to sing in the car and tag team when it comes to taking care of Grammy. There's something to be said about leaving our lives in upstate New York behind to go to a new destination filled with new challenges!

Not to mention, when we go to New York City we feel that we're our own best friends! Especially when we're staying with Margot's family!

We are starting to think of our next vacation. I know you are probably thinking that we just got back from our Cancun, Mexico vacation but we figure that's what keeps us sane!

Margot's family in the Phillippines had mentioned actually going there and they wanted to take us to a nice beach resort. It sounds great and we'd get to spend time with her sweet family there.

What's hard of course is that we can't exactly plan because we don't know if we'll be pregnant or not!

We will probably stick to booking a United States vacation this year because we don't have to do too much planning and the flights are more do-able with kids!

I'm pretty darn good at finding awesome Cheap Hotels, cars, and travel arrangements! But just because they are cheap doesn't mean that we don't go for luxurious! When we went to Mexico we stayed at a 4 star, all inclusive resort. We paid just a little over $1,000 per person!



HotelReservations.com is a great website to shop for your favorite travel destination. I love how you can plan your your whole vacation online. You don't have to go through 3 different websites to book everything.

We actually used HotelReservations.com for our Las Vegas trip and everything went great. The website was easy to use and the flight reservations were about $10 cheaper than other competitors!

The trick to getting cheap accomodations is to shop around. HotelReservations is a great website to add to your list of travel websites!

This post sponsored by: HotelReservations.com

Getting a bit nervous...

So I must say that I've never been overly aware of the debt we have. Margot handles most of the finances. However, most recently our undertaking of $20,000 of debt is really making me anxious.

Maybe it's just that I'm constantly worried about something and this is the newest thing.

I just feel like we finally got our debt down and it was so nice ... only to have to owe $20,000!

I guess in the grand scheme of things it's just money. I just wish that we could get it paid off so that we can move forward and I don't have to worry about feeling guilty for it taking me $20,000 to get pregnant.

Saturday, June 16, 2007

On the market?

We have talked about either adding onto our house or buying a new house. What's hard right now is that the market is a buyers market - which of course, means that we wouldn't get as much for our house.

We have our local realtor keeping her eyes and ears open for us in case something spectacular comes up.

However, with a pretty limited budget I doubt that we'll be able to move anytime soon. I guess stranger things have happened though?

Plus, you never know when we'll strike it big and end up with wads of cash!

Recruit me?

I remember when I was in college I was constantly being recruited by some of the top financial institutions for human resources positions.

Now that I've been out of the workforce for some time I hardly ever hear from recruiting firms with the exception of the healthcare recruiter that I keep in touch with.

A.E. Feldman offers a top notch recruiting firm that specializes in risk management and financial services.

It just makes sense for a company to go through a professional organization that speclializes in finding the best talent available in a distinct field!

It's really a win-win situation! The employer gets a great person to work for them and the new employer finds a great job!

Friday, June 15, 2007

Okay, so she can't read...

but Grammy's only 2 1/2 years old! Margot swears that she was reading when she was 2. I'm not so sure how that's even humanly possible.

Maybe we should get Graem some Reading Tutors! That way she'd have no excuse not to be able to read by her third birthday.

Score Learning Centers would be the perfect place for us to go! We'd have to wait til she turns four though.

This post sponsored by: Score Learning Centers

What a mess!

We should have known that all of our money laundering tactics to get the fertility center paid and the mortgage paid would have foiled at the last moment.

Gotta love it when your credit card puts a $1,500 payment through TWICE and it comes from your checking account.

So of course, we ended up bouncing the damn mortgage. The good thing is that Capital One is going to pay all of the fees since it's their error.

What a damn mess. What were we thinking?

Need help?

At some point Graem's going to start Montessori school. We're thinking about enrolling her when she turns four. Of course, we think that she's an absolutely brilliant kid. We could be a little biased!

One thing that would really help her would be an Innovative Tutor. The Score Learning Centers offer tutors and summer kids to help kids achieve academic excellence!

Now if we just lived in a rural area that had a Score Center...

This post sponsored by: Score Learning Center

Super Sub.

I'm exhausted! Let me just start by saying that those kids wear me out!! I'm talking WHIPPED!

I had another great day subbing for the same elementary school that I subbed for Wednesday.

The kids are so sweet and I could really take every one of them home. I found out that the teacher had a death in the family and that's why she wasn't there this week.

Next week is the last week of school and so I don't know if I'll have a subbing gig or not. Those kids are going to be baaaaaaaaaaad!

Thursday, June 14, 2007

Russians know love!

When I met Margot over 10 years ago and she took me home to meet her family I was shocked to see that her Chinese father was dating a Russian woman! Supposedly, he had done a breast job on her (she was an exotic dancer) and the rest is history!

They are still together and for better or for worse.

At first we questioned if she was one of the Russian Brides you about about from Russia! But she actually moved to the states prior to meeting Manny!

LoversPlanet offers profiles of Russian women that you can look at, write, and even meet! It's Russian dating at it's best and it's a great idea for people that are on the search for a foreign bride.

It's a win - win situation!

The summer is here!

We're currently trying to figure out what types of hobbies, sports, and educational programs to enroll Graem into. This year our options for Summer Program are pretty limited but over the years I'm sure we'll have more options.

When she turns four I'd love for her to attend an educational summer camp sponsored by Score Learning Centers.

They cater to kids 4-14 and can teach your kids reading and math. Of course, we'll also have to get her into a good soccer or hockey camp too!

This post sponsored by: Score Learning Centers

My sub job this week.

Well, I didn't realize it but the other day I had signed up for three days of subbing! I guess there's now an option for teachers to do a couple of days at a time and not each day as a single day.

I get to the elementary that I'm suppose to be subbing at and they tell me that I'm not suppose to be there! So, I look online and I'm suppose to be at a different school 30 minutes away.

I get in the car after calling the school to tell them I'm going to be late. I get there and the kids are so awesome. I really like this school because it's small and has a lot of support staff. Plus, the classrooms don't have more than 15 kids. Perfect.

The kids give me high fives and hugs at the end of the day and I could see why teachers love what they do.

Tuesday, June 12, 2007

Ready for the summer?

Every year when I was a kid I used to go to Summer Camps. Most of them were through the church and I always had a great time!

Since Graem is quite the intelligent kid I think she'll probably enjoy going to a learning camp! In fact Score Learning Centers is hosting camps for kids 4-14 years old.

They have a great reputation for teaching kids the essentials and are backed by the Kaplan name.

This post sponsored by: Score Learning Centers

We figured it out.

After stressing out like crazy we've finally figured out what we're going to do about the $20,000! We're going to actually put it on another credit card to get the $150 worth of rewards and then we're going to use the check from CitiBank to pay off the credit card instantly.

I'm sure it's probably money laundering at it's best. But the reality is we're just trying to make all of this work and the inconvienence of CitiBank taking so long to process the check sucks!

Watch out, Reno!

There's a new movie coming to the big screen (in your house!) and I'm pretty pumped about it! Check out one of my favorite scenes here!

Who would have guessed that there'd be a movie to Reno 911! Right when you figured you couldn't get enough of the show... You've guessed it - Reno 911! Miami The Movie.

I'm guessing this is going to be a hilarious movie and probably bring in tons of money within the first few weekends on DVD. It's due to be released June 19th.

The movie will probably keep mocking a few of the female police officers with the whole idea that they were manlier than the male cops!

The acting is great and the story lines are pretty hilarious too.



I can't believe that such a great movie is going to be direct to DVD. What a special treat to not even have to leave the house to check out the newest:Reno 911! Miami The Movie!

Of course, most silly movies don't need much introduction and you can just hop right into watching the movie without much history.

Maybe that's the joy of a silly comedy? Simple minds - simple concepts, right?

Well it's booked.

I went ahead and accepted a job tomorrow at the elementary school. I think I'm teaching 1st - 3rd graders. I hope the class is good or else... I'm going to be doing a lot of yelling!

Just joking. I hate yelling and I'm not sure the kids would listen anyway! They probably get enough of that at home.

When I was younger..

and even recently I thought at some point I'd want to go to Law School get my degree and work in litigation nailing people against the wall and making tons of money.

Now the whole profession of being an attorney is being exposed!

Check out The Truth About The Lawyer Mill!

It's a look at the industry and how all of the law students were promised jobs in big firms making tons of money, only to be welcomed by a dog eat dog scenario where there are too many attorneys out there trying to make a buck!

When I was younger my mother used to work for an attorneys office and she used to discourage me from saying that I wanted to be an attorney. She worked for a "Christian Attorney" and basically said that he was a snake!

Also, even though he was associated with the church that catered to over 20,000 people and they referred to him first --- he still didn't have a whole lot of business.

Maybe it's the whole fact that Christians avoid divorce at all cost!

Remortgaging?

When we were went to the bank last week we looked for the best way to get our hands on some fast cash! We considered doing a remortgage but they couldn't offer us any good rates.

Many people are able to get some pretty decent bad credit remortgage offers! So we were shocked with our good credit they couldn't do better.

Remortgageguild.co.uk offers advise and quotes online for people with bad credit and looking to mortgage or remortgage their homes.

If you're in the market --- check them out. Shopping around could be the difference between thousands of dollars in your pocketbook!

HOT.

It's really hot outside. I was shocked when we stepped out today and instantly started sweating.

Of course, it is the middle of summer and this is weather I should have expected quite a bit earlier.

Stupid Citibank.

Well, I was suppose to get the check for the IVF sometime over the next few days. I'm getting really nervous because without it I'm going to have to figure out how to get $20,000 before Thursday at 12:30.

The thing is they won't let me start the meds prior to paying.

I called up Citibank and told them that since they told me it would take 7-10 days that is what I had planned and if it doesn't get here by the 10th day then I'm screwed.

I asked if they could offer me the same 0% interest deal if I used the credit card for a purchase and she said no.

Crap.

I guess at this point I really can't do much except hope and pray that the damn check comes tomorrow.

No jobs yet?

Well, I just checked the subbing board and there's only one elementary job available. It's located in the next town over and that's opposite of where I have to take Graem for daycare --- so that's not going to work for us.

I hope there's an opening for tomorrow --- we really would like to have some extra cash.

Just scan it!

The other day when I went for bloodwork at the hospital I noticed that they had installed new scanners that automatically take your card and scan the full thing into the computer system.

It was so much better than the old method of punching in all of the numbers. Half of the time they didn't get the right numbers and it meant that I'd get a huge bill in the mail with wrong insurance information.

Now Medicscan offers an easy to use scanner for medical offices and hospitals. You put the card in the scanner and within seconds it scans your card and makes a copy of the image. It can then export the image to the destination that you have specified.

Finally, something that makes so much sense, saves time and money is available.

Maybe this means that insurance premiums and the cost of healthcare will decrease?

This post sponsored by: Medicscan-store.com

I guess I'll sub.

Well, it looks like things are not exactly going the way that I had planned. I have yet to get the damn check for the IVF procedure and I literally only have til tomorrow.

So of course, I'm freaking out.

I was going to skip subbing in thoughts that I might have to go to Syracuse to fill out the contract and give them the check.

Now I figure that the mail doesn't come til later anyway.

Hopefully, I can get a subbing job that ends early, come home, check mail and if it's in the mail either head up tomorrow afternoon or I go up Thursday.

Monday, June 11, 2007

It's the moon!

Graem absolutely loves looking at the moon and the stars at night. In fact, almost every day she tries to find the moon during the day time.

When she gets older I can't wait to teach her about the stars and astronomy. What's cool is that it will be something new for me too, so we can learn together.

They have a great exhibit at the Science Center the last time we went and it showed the different stars and their relation to the different planets.

I've just come across the meade my sky. It's an LCD screen and provides an easy to use computerized telescope!

Supposedly, it's perfect for the youngster who is interested in space and the workings of the universe.

Although, this is probably a few years out for Grammy...I'm sure our friend's kid, Fisher would love it!

This post sponsored by: OpticsPlanet.net

Just another day in paradise...

I don't know what to think of everything that's going on. It's weird cause when I use to work in corporate America I used to stress out but I didn't have the anxiety I have these days.

Now I'm worried about getting the infertility taken care of. Worried about getting pregnant, worried about not getting pregnant, worried that I'm not a good enough mother to Graem, worried that I spend too much time on the computer.

I guess it's always something...and I can just aim to be a good parent and to take it easy.

Website Optimization Firm

There are so many online companies out there that are trying to market their websites to potential consumers. The problem is they put tons of money into their website and they end up marketing it to absolutely noone! They don't know where to begin.

I think most people that have online businesses (unless they are into technology) are in the same boat.

That's why I think it's essential to hire a website optimization firm to handle your online marketing!

ThinkBigSites.com offers a great firm that has professional and unique experience in working with customers to market your website. They know what search engines to put your website on and they can get 95% of their customers to be the top ten listings with 90 days of starting.

That's absolutely unheard of and takes tons of time and money if you don't know what you're doing!

It's all about exposure and who better to go to than the professionals who have proven themselves time and time again!

Get more website traffic and be well on your way to running a successful and profitable online business!

Capella and Monster!

I just wrote about how I was going to start looking for a job. Typically, I go to Monster and look for employees and through employee profiles. Of course, the jobs are always located every place other than upstate New York!

I was happy to see that among one of the profiles was Capella University! Capella has made quite the name for themselves as offering superior online education.

They've also been in the news lately and really have a fabulous reputation for producing students that are qualified and achieving great things in the world.

Maybe my next place of employment should be Capella! I wonder if I'd get free classes?!?!

Going back to work?

I've been thinking about getting a full time or part time job lately. I'm going to the school districts Wednesday and figure that I can see what openings they might have.

THe hard part is I can imagine I'm going to get paid pretty crappy and by the time we put Graem in daycare and I no longer have time to blog...I can only imagine that we'd be making less and I'd be spending less time with Graem.

The other side is that I'd probably have infertility coverage and we wouldn't have to take out a loan to move onto the next IVF.

I'll miss not being home with Grammy.

Nothing yet.

I just checked today to see if there was any type of subbing job available and there isn't.

I'm guessing it's going to be slim pickings over the next few days. Darn.

Of course, at this point I'm seriously considering looking for a full-time or part-time job that offers benefits.

Once again I've been fighting with Margot and she makes me feel like staying home with Graem seem so trivial.

I love Universal Studios!

When we went to Orlando a few years ago with Uncle Bobby and Auntie Cate we went to Universal Studios. We had a great time! It was more of a grown up Disney. Of course I did all of the rides and games and we even ate at the Emeril restaurant!

Margot's aunt and uncle purchased the Universal Studios Tickets so we didn't to fork out the money. My guess is they weren't cheap!

When we go to Orlando in a few years we are going to check out OrlandoFunTickets.com. They offer a great website for tourists to get the best deals at Disney, Universal, Restaurants, and local lodging.

Who knows...we might even be able to pick up some Cheap Universal Studios Tickets?

Always looking...

for a good deal.

Sometimes it doesn't even matter if I need something. If I have coupons - I'm getting it!

I wish I would have come across this Target Coupon a few weeks ago! They are offering an online coupon of $5 off a $50 purchase.

When we were looking for a shower gift for L&L and debated buying it online this would have been really helpful! They were offering free shipping on the item and an extra $5 off would have been perfect!

CouponChief has been bookmarked on our computer for some time now. They offer great coupons and I love that they are working codes so you don't have to worry about them being expired or not working!

This post sponsored by: Coupon Chief

Jobs?

Well, I'm looking to sub this week both Wednesday and Friday. I think there are only 8 more days of school and so I'd like to get in at least two days of subbing.

Of course, I'm on pins and needles about the check that I should be getting in the mail. It might mean that I have to take a last minute ride to Syracuse to drop off payment for the upcoming IVF program.

God, just more reason why I should be working my ass off!!

Debt.

We're in the middle of taking out a loan to cover infertility costs. I wish at some point when we were younger we would have looked into doing a school loan consolidation. That way we might have been able to negotiate lower interest rates and terms.

It's interesting because over the years you seem to learn a little bit more about finances! Had we known everything that we know now...we'd probably have never gone into debt in the first place and have a huge savings and retirement.

Of course, all we can do now is plan for the future and hope that we're doing the right thing and making the right investments.

Easier said than done with this stock market!

Just Friday I lost $700!!

Saturday, June 09, 2007

How are you using your phone?

When I worked in management and saw the financials I couldn't believe how much we were spending on telephone services a month! I always wondered if there was a way for us to get cheaper services but never had the time or services to do an audit.

We should have probably done a telecom audit because I'm sure there are better services available that would have been able to save us a lot of money in the long run.

Not to mention, it would have been great to see if the night staff was sitting on the phone all night or making long distance calls!

Incontienence

When I was the Executive Director at the Assisted Living Residence we dealt with incontienence on a daily basis. About 80% of the residents needed assistance with toileting and going to the bathroom.

Many residents found this to be embarassing and as a loss of their independance. Many times we would have to talk with the resident because they would not realize that there was a problem.

The good thing is they now offer tranquility diapers which do a great job and can be delievered privately to the loved ones house or apartment. That way they can get what they need without having to purchase them in the store or in front of their peers.

This morning ...

I woke up and I seriously felt so hung over. I had a headache and I felt like someone spiked my grape juice last night!

When we were younger and used to go out on the weekends I never got too out of control. However, there was the occassional drunken stupor down the Ithaca Commons!

I think the reason why I hate getting drunk is because the next morning is pure hell.

Now there's hangover cures that can help you with the morning after!

Hmm...maybe I'll drink more now without having to worry about the next day!

I'm dying...

to get a washing machine and new home furniture! The couch in our living room is in need of some major love. Graem has barf and peed on the couch and I've tried over the years to wash the cushions.

The most recent time resulted in one of the cushions not going back to normal. It's way fatter than the other two! Of course, it would have to be the middle cushion.

I'm holding out for us to remodel the upstairs and get a family room! I know when we move upstairs we'll want to get a nice larger couch that is super comfy.

Of course, we should purchase tires for the car, and a washing machine before we consider furniture!

I should do this.

When I first started my business I decided that it would make great sense to use my cell phone as my business line. I put it on all of the print collateral. Over the years I wonder "What was I thinking?"

In my line of business people are constantly talking and many times the conversations can be extremely lengthy!

Since Margot and me share a phone plan many times it can use most of our minutes and even cause me to go over.

At some point I probably need to consider switching over to VOIP Small Business phone systems. There really wouldn't be much to my phone system maybe a phone upstairs and downstairs. The thing I would really benefit from would be the great rates, automatic billing, and cost effective phone systems.

XpanderCommunications.com offers some great deals on phone systems for small businesses. I was shocked to hear the low rates that they offer.

Thursday, June 07, 2007

The new rave...

Obviously, I'm a firm believer in internet advertising. I think it works amazing for so many companies out there.

E-Commerce has opened up the way we do business -- for the better!



AdVolcano.com are the professionals when it comes to online advertising. They know what they're doing and they offer fixed rates and and website targeting.

Before you spend tons of money on online marketing -- make sure that you're getting your moneys worth. Go through a professional firm who knows advertising.

This post sponsored by: AdVolcano.com

Physical Education!

I'm pretty pumped that I'm going to be subbing again for a PE coach. Maybe it's the lesbian in me but I love teaching PE. Most of the time it's like all day kick ball and by the end of the day I am dead beat.

Not to mention, it works wonders on this girlish figure!

Man, if I could land a full time job as a PE teacher I'd have a great body and wouldn't have to worry about dieting!

Maybe that's the next occupation I'll have...

In my spare time...

I've become addicted to online spades and speed. Of course, I've also realized that I've been wasting my time. I could be doing something more productive and play online where I actually win something!

whogets.com offers a great website where you can play games and enter contests to win big money and prizes.

Check it out and just remember me when you win all that cash!

This post sponsored by: WhoGets.com

Taxes.

Margot just called to tell me that she has a huge paycheck and got a nice raise. But that she worked more this week and because of taxes she's literally making just as much as had she not worked as much.

What in the hell is wrong with the system?? Tax the hell out of the people that work their ass off?

I think we should all become cracked out welfare hookers. Hmmm...maybe I'd get pregnant then.

My computer is possessed!

SPY SWEEPER IS THE MOST AWARD-WINNING ANTISPYWARE SOFTWARE!!!

A few years ago our old laptop (the one that Grammy flooded with bottled water) ALWAYS got viruses. Margot blames me for going to dirty websites but I think it's just the nature of the beast when you have a computer. *wink*wink*

At one point it got so bad that we actually had to invest in a Spy Sweeper software. The computer wouldn't start because we had so much spyware and trojan viruses!

At one point you'd start the computer up and it would instantly open up dozens of windows.

Webroot spy sweeper seems to be the best way to kill spyware! Not only does it make your computer run smoother and faster. You have the piece of mind that you're not going to lose something on your computer of importance like documents, pictures, or financial information.



Not only was it easy to use ... but it wasn't too expensive either. It was a heck of a lot cheaper than having to buy a new computer! Now if I oculd just get my new computer up and running without too many profanities flying from my mouth I'll be in good shape!

You think our computer story was bad...you should hear how bad Margot's dad's computer got!! Who knows what he might have been looking at!

Gotta get the job?

Well, I'm going to have to check online tonight to see if there's a subbing job out there for me. I have a feeling that there will be TONS. Yesterday I looked and there were like 40. I don't even think there are that many subs out there!

Wednesday, June 06, 2007

Of course she's going to be good at math.

I'm very glad that our little Grammy is half Chinese. This can almost insure us that she's going to be at least half way decent at math and science! Of course, it's also a good sign that her donor was a microbiologist too!

If she ever needs Math Tutors we'd want to turn to the professionals. Score Learning Centers offer tutoring for kids 4-14. They are part of the Kaplan companies and know how to teach kids and adults alike!

Now, if they could just built a center in Ithaca, New York - we'd be all set!

This post sponsored by: Score Learning Center

I'm so full.

Well, instead of actually getting off my ass today and getting groceries I hung out at the hotel, ate their free cookies, and drank their delicious free Starbucks coffee. I was able to get some work done - so all was not lost.

Of course, we did spend some of my earnings tonight when we went out to Viva. I had a small salad with a side of beef. It was perfect and it was priced right - $4.50! Margot on the other hand blew the budget all together by purchasing a pricey Mexican imported beer for $3.50.

What in the hell was she thinking?

Doesn't she know how hard I have to work for my money??

Our smart kid.

I'm constantly amazed at how smart Graem is. Today she started reading a book to a little girl at the book store. Of course Graem is 2 1/2 and the other girl was about 6. She wasn't really reading but it sounded like she was!

At some point we might think about hiring Math Tutors when she gets a little bit older. We are going to enroll her in Montessori over the next few years and figure every little bit of help that she can get would really be beneficial.

Score Learning Centers offer some great tutors and they've been in the business for a very long time.

They know kids!

This post sponsored by: Score Learning Centers

Subbing ever again?

I'm guessing that over the next week or so that subbing is going to be pretty limited. I mean what teacher in their right mind would call off on the last week of school.

Hmm...maybe that's when they *should* call off!

Damn, what am I thinking wanting to sub the last week of school? They should pay double.

Capella University!

Online universities seem to be a dime a dozen these days. When looking for an online education it's important to make sure that the university is accredited and that they reputation is stellar.

A few years ago when I looked online for an MBA program I was shocked to see how much they cost! Not only that...but I had sales people that were calling morning, noon, and night to try to get me to sign up.

Talk about a major turn off?

Capella University has been in the news lately and I'm so immpressed by the stuff I've read. They are also a member of the New Media Consortium! That's where accredited universities and colleges gather and trade ideas on universities in the media!

Collateral

I have brochures and rate sheets from a few summers ago and I think I'm good to go when I have free days available and Graem's in daycare. I've debated back and forth if I should get pens or magnets or something so professionals could have something to hang onto.

But I figure because I'm a mom and pop business that I just need to be myself and hopefully, that will be memory enough for them to send referrals my way.

It's the little things in business that go a long way! Now if I could just remember everyone's names and their families names!

Whipped.

I must admit I was quite glad not to get the call this morning to go sub. Although, I would have taken it and taken Grammy to daycare earlier. I was exhausted. Margot's been sleeping with Graem and I don't go to sleep until she comes to bed.

Last night it was around 2am and the night before it was around 1am.

Which of course, means that I'm getting about 5 hours of sleep each night. I'm a big girl and my theory is there more of you there is ... the more sleep you need!

Trading?

I really let Margot do most of the finances. She's the one that does the investing and takes care of our retirement and 401k programs. She also pays all of our bills. I figure if there's something going on or we need more money she'll let me know!

There are so many different strategies to investing and I didn't even realize that they all have their own names! Recently, I've discovered the iron condor! PowerOpt.com describes exactly what is entailed in this investment tactic.

PowerOpt.com also offers a great website where you can compare, find, and analyize option investments! Right now they are offering a free 14 day free trial period!

This is something worth checking out! If it works for you keep it and pay the monthly fee -- if it doesn't you can cancel at any time!

Must sub Friday.

Well, I think I only have three more days to sub and although I had all intentions of subbing today -- the offers were few and far between. I was sure I was going to get called this morning but I didn't!

I don't know if any teachers will call off with there being only a few days left in the school year -- here's hoping!

Finances.

So I'm always paranoid that I'm not doing my part when it comes to finances. I mean, I stay at home and even though I blog throughout the day and earn money that way...I'm constantly worried that I'm not making as much as I used to when I had a corporate job.

Now with us taking on a big loan --- I'm more than ever concerned about finances.

Why can't we be independantly wealthy? Where are those rich relatives??

OH MAUI.

I know it's not fair for me to ask to go on vacation so soon after getting back from Cancun but the past three or so weeks have been such a killer for everyone.

Margot has been super stressed at work and we hardly ever see her. I've been trying to get our next infertility treatment together. Graem's been pretty out of whack because of the anxiety that she's getting from both of us!

I'm ready to stay in a Maui Condo fully equipped with beach and hot tub on the deck!!

We've talked about taking another sunny vacation and what time would be better than now. GebhartProperties.com offers residential and commercial properties for sale. They also offer some beautiful rental properties too!

No sub for me today.

Well, I kept hoping that last night I'd get the perfect job and it never happened. I kept getting a job at the local high school - however the hours were 7:45am - 3:00pm. Those hours didn't allow me to drop the kid off plus it's a much longer day the other schools!

No use in working more and getting paid the same! Plus, Margot would have had to go into work late today and she's been trying to put in as many hours as possible for her deadline.

Tuesday, June 05, 2007

It's so nice outside...

that I love spending any extra time I have outdoors! Our friends L&L have a great deck and it's fully equipped with an outdoor fireplace and hot tub.

It's perfect for those cold and hot evenings! I actually like the fire in the summer because it tends to keep away the bugs.

We always start out hanging out on the deck eating dinner, move into the hot tub and then we warm up right by the fire.

At some point we're just going to have to build our own deck, get a hot tub, and get a nice fireplace.

I guess it's all a matter of time and money!

Monday, June 04, 2007

Yikes.

Well, we just found out that Margot's work is now going to be issuing paychecks every 2 weeks. This of course comes at a pretty hard time, considering that we're only living on one paycheck.

She only got a weeks notice too. Her boss asked her personally if that was going to be alright this week and going further. Of course, it would have been pretty embarassing had Margot said "yes".

If we get really desperate I guess we could look into getting an online payday loan.

The whole idea is that you take the money out and then you pay it back when you get your paycheck. Typically the rates are higher than regular loans but the whole idea is that it is a short term loan and you pay it back within the week or month.

It's a nice option to have ... however, I hope we won't have to use it!

Finances got you down?

We are in the middle of quite the undertaking. We're in the process of getting a home equity loan from our local credit union to cover our upcoming infertility costs of $20,000.

We have exceptional credit and much to our surprise when she pulled up our credit report it was a 797 out of 900! There would have been a time a while back when we might have had to considered secured loans since we had way too much debt and not enough income!

Of course, we're always looking for the best financial situation available. We also want to make sure that we are able to handle the debt that we take on and that we can pay it off in a timely manner.

It would have been great if we were able to find personal loans with decent finance charges. However, all of the loans that we looked at started at around 7-9%.

We even looked to refinance the house and roll in the debt but that wasn't a good option. We got such a great deal on our initial mortgage that we couldn't even begin to get into another mortgage at the same or better rate.

1Mortgagesuk.co.uk offers a great website full of useful financial information. Whether, you are buying a house, looking to refinance, or taking out a secured loan -- they've got it all!

This post sponsored by: 1Mortgagesuk.co.uk

Working like a dog.

I've been working like crazy today cleaning the house and trying to get everything in order. It seems like when the house is neglected it's just murder to get things back on track. Of course, I also tried to make some phone calls in between.

Oh yeah...then there was the kid too who would take toys out as I put them away.

Making money.

Well, I calculated it all last night and I'm going to be making some major cash this week with my blogging. It came close to $450 for the week and that's just Pay Per Post. That's not including LoudLauch, PayU2Blog, Blogitive, ReviewMe, or any of the others that just might have an offer.

Damn...all of that money from the comfort of my couch.

Impressive.

No jobs yet.

I just checked the substitute online system and it doesn't look like they have any offers quite yet for Wednesday. Most of the time I have to wait til Tuesday to know if I have anything.

Surprisingly enough I thought teachers wouldn't call off on the last two weeks of school. Maybe that's when the kids are at their worst and the smartest time to call off!

Bahston!

Real Estate in Boston is constantly in high demand. In fact, I have friends that were looking for a house for over a year and they had quite a bit of money to spend on the perfect house.

They ended up purchasing a house in burbs of Boston for a mere 1.2 million dollars!

If you're ever looking for South Boston real estate then Seaport Reality Group is the perfect match for you! They have many agents that have practiced for years and really know how to get you the house in your dreams.

The also have a great website that's easy to navigate and you can even search open houses and MLS listings.

They make buying a house as easy as it gets!

Subbing.

I plan on taking as many subbing jobs as I can over the next two weeks. With Margot only getting paid every few weeks and us needing tires and a new washing machine --- we need money!

How's your game?

A few years ago I used to be a pretty avid golfer. I truly enjoyed going to the corporate golf tournaments. Not just for the beer and free golf either! There was a time when I was actually pretty good at golf.

I actually ended up purchasing some new golf clubs about two years ago. I went to the sporting goods store and wanted to buy a new pair of women's clubs.

I did a swing test and was told that I had one of the fastest and powerful swings they had ever seen with a female.

The golf pro suggested that I go with some men's clubs. They are a bit heavier and seem to do the trick just great!

If the weather would ever clear up and it'd stop raining I'd love to head out on the course and take Graem out. Of course, I can only imagine that we'd get through a few holes before she would get bored!

Saturday, June 02, 2007

Where are your leads?

I'm constantly looking for sales leads for my healthcare consulting business. Most of my referrals come from word of mouth or from referrals from the social workers.

I've also tried to get into the community and pass out brochures and information. It's been hard since I'm not marketing the services all of the time since I have the baby on my off days.

That's why it wouldn't be such a bad idea to go through Martin Worldwide for a list of interested parties and leads that might turn into clients. They actually have a demographics database where they can search the particular demographic and people that might be interested. For example, I can have them search a listing of all of the adult children who live in Tompkins County.

This might be well worth the month!

Ithaca Festival

I've learned over the years that the Ithaca Festival is really a great place for people with services and products to be! Not only does it show that you are active in the local community but you get tons of exposure. Yesterday, I saw booths for some services and thought it was a good idea.

Who knows...maybe in the next few years I'll even get a booth for Senior Solutions!

2 more weeks.

Well, it looks like I have about two more weeks of subbing before school is out for the summer. I've really enjoyed my subbing times and it's allowed me to see what schools are out there and what they offer.

Friday, June 01, 2007

I'm always wondering...

if I should go back and get a masters or phd. Years ago I used to say if I won the lottery that I'd go back and get an MBA or a law degree. Now getting your online phd has never been easier.

Capella University offers an extensive and impressive list of programs and you can receive a Bachlors, Masters, or Phd.

Their programs are designed with the working professional in mind. You can do the coursework when your schedule allows.

The great thing about Capella is that they are accredited and really have the attention of business and industry leaders. There are many employers out there who are sending and paying for their employees to gain extra knowledge and obtain higher degrees of education.

Of course, you also have to sign a contract with the company that you won't just gain the education on their tab and leave!

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