Finding Love On The Road

This is my dream come true. Wish it could happen for me. Sigh.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/TRAVEL/12/10/romance.on.the.road/index.html

I Am A Mad Men Fanatic

As I am watching this week's installment of Mad Men on On Demand, I am again transported. Transported back to the 60s, when work such as advertising was glamorous, women were gaining a foothold in the business world (but not enough) but there was also still discrimination against blacks and women. Jon Hamm is such a hunk. He almost makes all the negatives worthwhile. Like the cheating. But the little vignettes where his wife Betty is role playing. Is she complicit in his cheating? If you don't follow what I am saying, you must catch up on your Mad Men watching.

Beach Vacay Is Success

I just returned from a week at Destin, thanks to my parents. They let me stay at their condo in Destin. I invited two friends, and we had a blast. Not only did we grow up together, but we have common problems today. So it made for a great bonding week. We ate, we swam, we talked, we watched chick flicks. We will be friends forever. And we will be there for each other forever. And we will go to the beach again. Where I am reborn.

Help For Transferring Files

I don't know how many times a day we have trouble transferring a file at work. Granted, we have some of the older type computer equipment and such. But it has been hard. Occasionally, one of our clients has even mentioned that they might have to go elsewhere, if transferring files continues to be such a problem. That is never good. We need to be better at this if we want to keep our clients and grow our business. There is some new file tranfer software that makes this task much easier. I am going to suggest that we look into it. It is time that we upgrade and add to our equipment. This is not the time to get behind in something like this. Especially in our business.

Should I Mac or Windows?

I really love blogging and am planning to do more in the way of blogs and websites. I will need to get a new computer soon and have some major thinking to do. I started off with a Mac. Then our whole workplace switched to Windows. Except for a couple of our designers who kept the Macs. And that is when all the trouble started. You know--the hardship when you go between the two. So now I am used to Windows. But the Macs are so neat. And if I get one but have to work with people who have the other, what am I to do? Especially since I am working on my own now and don't have a whole IT crew at my fingertips like I used to. I may try to find solutions at appletalk problems. There is some software that lets you go back and forth with ease. That is what we should have had all along. Why do computer people make these so hard?

Wanting To Go To The UK

I have not seen Gerry for a while--he was my long distance English beau for a while--but we have started corresponding again. We had kind of a rough patch and didn't speak to each other for quite some time. I cut off the communication. But one time on a visit to see my sister and her kids, my nephew had on the shirt that Gerry had brought him when he had come to the states. Seeing that shirt made me cry and realize how much I miss Gerry. And that I am sorry we parted on bad terms. I don't know that we will ever date again, but I would like to keep in touch with him. Just for fun, I was looking up Manchester Hotels and found some websites for hotels over there. There is some good competitive pricing.

If I go to Manchester, I'd have to see Gerry of course. But I would also want to go to London, some small towns, and into Scotland. I might even see Ireland if I have time. This trip would be good for me--not only to renew my friendship with Gerry but to get the cobwebs out of my head. I have too many cobwebs in my head from studying for the bar exam, and the only antidote I know of is international travel! That will do the trick. And renewing friendships and maybe making some new ones along the way too will help as well.

Body Beautiful: Drink Your Milk

Luckily, I am a milk drinker. Even at my age. I don't drink it everyday or even every week. But once in a while I will buy some and just snarf it down. It is amazing how much milk I can drink with dinner. And the good news? It can help prevent heart attack and stroke? That is good news to my ears.

http://www.aolhealth.com/condition-center/heart-disease/news/article/_a/bbdp/drink-milk-live-longer/585708?icid=mainmaindl3link6http%3A%2F%2Fwww.aolhealth.com%2Fcondition-center%2Fheart-disease%2Fnews%2Farticle%2F_a%2Fbbdp%2Fdrink-milk-live-longer%2F585708

Online Dating Dealbreakers

This article is a hoot. It is a list of online dating dealbreakers.

http://www.thefrisky.com/post/246-automatic-online-dating-dealbreakers/?obref=obinsite

I might add a few of my own: boilerplate email messages; has poor grammar and can't spell; wanting to talk on the phone too soon; spend too much time talking on the phone; acting like they are interested, when they are just so lonely they just want a penpal; do doublespeak; yadda, yadda, yadda.

Ped Egg--Does It Work?

I have really gotten into getting manis and pedis, but can only afford them once a month, if that. So I have been dying to get a Ped Egg to pamper my feet in between salon visits. On a recent trip to Wal-Mart (yes, I have to admit I occasionally shop at Wal-Mart) I put a Ped Egg in my cart. I couldn't wait to get home to try it.

Long story short--I am not sure it works. Well, it works, but I am not sure it works well. The blades on the egg are a little smaller than I thought. Sort of like a little cheese grater. I have been rubbing it on the bottoms of my feet, and some sand-like substance is coming off. But has it made my feet smoother? Not particularly. I have always had somewhat hard heels, even as a child, so maybe something about my makeup makes the egg work less well. I'll keep trying here and there. But it is not the quick fix I hoped it would be.

Coming Awake After A Long Winter's Nap

Yes, I graduated from law school a year ago, and I found out I passed the bar exam about a month and a half ago. I was sworn in in front of the state's supreme court last week, so I am legal. I am done with studying, at least that kind of studying for a while. Now I am back to my real life. So far that has consisted of cleaning out my closets for the first time in at least 6 years, and taking big garbage sacks of clothes to Goodwill. It also means trying to get my condo back in shape. Do a little freelance work. Blogging more. And getting back in shape. I took my dog Stoopot for a longer walk than usual last night. I need the exercise and so does he, so I want to do this almost every night. I need to get back in shape, both for my health and my dating life. I look so much better with the pounds off.

Hair Color-A Little Dab Will Do Ya

I have been lucky that my hair did not start growing gray until recently. My mom and best friend both went totally gray in their 20s. That would be hard, in my opinion. Of course, they started coloring their hair. I felt good that mine stayed dark brown. Only in the last couple of years has mine started getting a little salt and pepper. Unfortunately, it started in the front of my head. With studying for the bar exam, I did not have time to investigate hair color. Even though my hair was pretty salt and pepper, it did make me feel a little dowdy. I talked with my hairdresser, who kept making coloring your hair seem like the Manhattan project. I was getting very frustrated, but I wasn't ready to run to the drugstore and get some bottled color though.

Alas, I have a solution! When I went last for a hair cut, my hairdresser offered a solution. He gave me a mousse like product that you put on after you wash your hair. It is not as permanent as bottled color or coloring from a salon, but he thought it would help transition me into hair color.

I have put it on and I can't believe the difference it makes. I have a new kick in my step, and I am getting looks from guys again. My hair looks beautiful. This mousse is also cheaper than getting coloring in a salon. So far, it seems to last through one shampoo, but after the second shampoo, you probably have to reapply it. But it is so easy, that is not a problem. Vive la difference!

Upgrading My Blogs

I am looking at the possiblity of upgrading my blogs. That means a number of things--redesigning them, writing more, linking more, getting a new host, new domain, etc. I have put off these decisions because I have been too busy studying for the bar exam. But now that I have passed (!!!) I can spend more time on this hobby of mine. I am just now venturing out--talking and emailing with some people who have expertise, starting to read up on different technology, and looking at some new webhosting possibilities.

To be honest, the thought of switching all of this exhausts me. Which is nothing new. Because of work and law school/bar exam study, everything has been exhausting me. So what is a little more exhaustion????

The main thing, I hear, is that if I make some of these changes to my blogs, it will open up new and more possibilities. I am all about new and more possibilities, for my blogs and otherwise. I have loved my blogging and think I can take it to a new level. So a little time and money investment now could really pay off down the road. I am going to read up on how to maximize my blogs with different hosting services.

My Reality Show Faves

Updates on my fave reality shows:

Rock of Love--Bret is down to two finalists, and I vote for Mindy. She seems pretty cool and is the favorite, I think. Last night he got rid of Jamie, whom everyone said was fun, but that just did not come through over the screen.

Real Housewives--Real Housewives of New York City is my fave reality show right now. Talk about cat fight city! But the people are interesting, and the snark fights seem believable. The Real Housewives of Orange County is good too, but to me not as good as the New York City version. I watched the preview of the Real Housewives of New Jersey, which is going to start in May. It looks like a real snooze. And my first reaction was, "Is the Sopranos starting up again?

Matchmaker Millionaire is good. I love the scenarios and Patti is good. What is with her male assistant's hair though? It detracts from teh show.

Bicycling For Exercise

An old friend of mine at dinner the other night asked if I would be interested in biking with her. I said yes, definitely. One problem though--neither of us has bikes right now! She said she is going to start watching for sales, and I said I would do likewise. I have some other expenses that will have to come before buying a bike and told her so, but the idea of riding a bike really appeals to me. It would be a good purchase for me. There are some good places to ride near where we live. Riding a bike seems so freeing to me and is such great exercise. I will have to get up to speed about bike info. I know there are some good stores out there where you can buy bicycles and bicycle pedals and parts too. I'll have to do some research.

To Live Longer, Be A Flourisher

Here is a good article from MSNBC.com today. Signs that you will live longer than you think. It has some good habits that tend to make you live longer such as prefering to walk, eating purple food. I do like burgers, which is not good, and I drink more coffee than tea. Tea is the winner. But I do flourish. And that is a winner.

http://health.msn.com/health-topics/slideshow.aspx?cp-documentid=100216496&imageindex=1


And while you are at it, check out these superfoods:

http://health.msn.com/nutrition/slideshow.aspx?cp-documentid=100159956&imageindex=1

Increase Blog Traffic Through Acobay

I need to increase my flagging blog traffic. It is my fault for not posting more (drat that bar exam study!) and because I haven't been paying attention to blog directories and such. I'll have to look into using a unique networking site.

I Love Subtle Whiffs Of Perfume

I have never used perfume a whole lot, but in recent years I have come to appreciate the subtle whiffs of good perfume. I don't even own much perfume. Someone gave me a bottle of Abercrombie and Fitch perfume a few years back, and I love it. I wear it on special occasions. I kind of got out of the habit of wearing it everyday at my previous job, where the office B**&%^itch was allergic. I don't even know if she was really allergic to perfume, because she complains about so many things anyway. I felt like it was just one more thing to gripe about to make others miserable. But I didn't feel like I could wear it there. But now I really enjoy wearing it when I dress up and go out. It makes me feel pretty and sexy. I have found a new perfume blog that I am going to read and learn more about other brands.

I Started Exercising! (Again)

I have now exercised 3 days in a row. I want to hear applause. That is not much, I know, but it is for me, who has been out of shape for a long time due to law school. And studying for the bar. I figured that excercising, even though it takes time out from my day, would actually make me feel better and brighter for the bar exam. This is only my third day--two days on a treadmill and one day on a gazelle--but it is true. I feel better! I don't look better yet, but that will come.

If You Need To Weigh Yourself, You Might As Well Have Cute Scales

Someday I will have to weigh myself again. I don't know when that day will come, but I have been putting it off as long as possible. To help get the nerve, I might need to get some cute scales. I found some scales that are cute, and they come in a midnight blue color. I also need to get some food scales. I want to start cooking again, and I always have to guess at weights and sometimes I use too much and then overeat. Food scales will also help my weight for when I get on my cute personal scales!

Melissa Gets Kicked Off Rock Of Love For Criticizing Bret

I am loving this new season of Rock of Love. Maybe it is just the distraction from studying for the bar. I don't know. It is just fun to watch. In the most recent episode, Melissa got kicked off. She is the one who gave Bret ultimatums from the beginning. Well, apparently she has a boyfriend, and some of the other girls heard her complaining to this boyfriend on her cell phone. She was saying that Bret was old and had bad hair. Ack! Her hair wasn't so hot either.

Lap Band Surgeries A Good Alternative to More Invasive Procedures

I am nowhere near needing weight loss surgery, and hope I never do, but I have several friends who do need it. I have talked with one of them about it, and she wants to have it, but her insurance won't cover it. She is going to save up money to have it done, and then save up more money to have the body lift to get rid of the excess skin. So, obviously she won't be having it for a while.

I also watch the health channel a lot, and they do a lot of shows on obesity and weight loss surgery, etc. I have learned that lap band surgery can sometimes be a better surgical choice, since it is not as invasive as gastric bypass. If you are interested in a lap band procedure, you need to choose a doctor who has a lot of surgical experience and offers a good aftercare program. .

A New Year, A New Me

As I mentioned in an earlier post, I just got back from a cruise. I was worried because I wasn't "cruise ready." Meaning I am overweight and out of shape. Not bathing suit ready. Well to tell you the truth--I shouldn't have worried. No one else on the cruise ship was in shape or bathing suit ready either. It took me half a week to get my nerve up to put on my bathing suit and get in the pool. But I did it, and I actually looked better than most people there. That is not to say that I still don't need to get in shape. I do! Luckily I have a free three month gym membership waiting for me. I am hoping to start this weekend. I need to feel those endorphins!

Shoes, shoes, shoes

I gave a friend at Christmas a little pillow that had inscribed on it: You can never have too many friends or shoes. Very true on both accounts. I really need to update my wardrobe, including shoes. Being in law school for four years and then studying for the bar cuts down on your money and shopping time. Plus, you really don't need all the fancy shoes and clothes when your nose is in a book all of the time. But when I am done studying, I am going to update my wardrobe for sure. Shoes included.

I have been looking at a few shoe websites and love the dani black shoes. I have seen them mentioned in Elle and Marie Claire magazines and others. They are great! The website is easy to navigate, and you can look at all the cool styles. I mostly wear flats, and they have some really cute styles. I need to branch out more and wear more heels. They have those too! The owners of daniblack have a lot of history with the shoe business. The husband and wife team are also connected to Schwartz and Benjamin, a longtime New York shoe manufacturer, so they know shoes. And they know what we want to wear!

Hope My Relative Is OK

I hate to get bad news. I just got home from vacation and found out that a favorite relative of mine may have a problem. She had been feeling dizzy (unbeknownst to me) and had gone to the doctor. They did a cat scan and found a mass. They don't know what it is yet. She just found out about it last week, and another relative told me last night. She is someone I lean on, rely on, love a lot. I don't know what I would do without her. I pray that she is OK and that it is nothing. At least nothing bad.

Getting Your Paint On

Have you ever just wanted to splat someone with paint? I have, and I could do it now. Get my paint on. Get my paint all over you. There are a variety of paint gun packages out there. Check out jt paintball. Paintball sounds better than exercising to take care of some of that adrenaline!

Back Home Again

I have just returned from a much needed vacation. A much needed vacation. I was on a cruise and loved it. My lungs have been screaming out for sea air for some time now, and I got a lungful last week. It was lovely. Even sailed to another country. I could have been on the ship for a few more days actually. I was really sad to get off the ship. But I have to say coming home and getting welcomed by my three furry friends tonight was awesome. I love them. And I am glad to come home to my doggy and kitties. kissy kissy.

Rating Excercise Programs: Which Ones Are Best?

Well the answer to my question in my last post is no. No I cannot make my legs look better in 20 days, because I have only exercised once. ONCE! And I am going on a cruise and will be embarassed to be seen in a bathing suit. Well, I won't let that stop me. I love the water and sun too much to stay away from it. But I am not going to make a point of parading myself around. Nosiree! I am mad at myself about this--but to be honest, I haven't had time to exercise with everything else going on in my life. I know that is everyone's excuse, but it is kind of true in my case. I probably won't have time to exercise until March, but then watch out! I will be an excercising fool.

Meanwhile, I need to figure out what would be the best exercise program for me. Looking at the site Exercises Training Programs I see a lot of different ones listed. I'll make my way down the list and see what they say about them. What appeals to me right off the bat is the Ultimate Leg, Hip, Thigh, Tummy and Butt makeover. But maybe I should stick to the Busy Woman Fitness E-book Workout Program, with my life craziness and all. The Anti-Aging Fitness Program also sounds important. They all sound good. But nothing is more important than just doing something. Which I will--in March!