Think Thanks

If you noticed, no post yesterday. I was too busy with my “pity party”. LOML* has been gone too long, and I’m going out of my mind.

I’ll try to have something special next Thursday. Since it will be Thanksgiving, I’ve had a bit of inspiration on the topic. Just you wait and see!

Today is “Feel Good Friday”

• For some reason cute animals just make me feel good.
• I don’t know if you heard about the incredibly romantic guy who found and lost the girl of his dreams. Well, he found her.

Now, as Thanksgiving approaches and we all start to think about all the things for which we are thankful. Take a moment to think about and help those who are not as blessed. It won’t cost you a thing but will make you “feel good” to participate in these programs.

• The Breast Cancer Site will give free mamograms to women if you just click a button. You can even sign up for e-mail reminders to go and click. I know my mom and I participate in this daily.
  
• I just LOVE quizes. With this one, you can kill two birds with one stone, giving and getting. You can play to increase your vocabulary AND help rid the world of hunger at the same time by winning Free Rice. It is such a WIN-WIN situation.
  

How’s that make you feel? I know MY pity party’s over now.

*LOML=Love of My Life

Lots-O-Links

Who's ready to get WILD? It's another "Wild Wild Web Wednesday" (it is Wednesday right?)

I was able to gather some interesting links for you to check out:

• You think you like my blog? Well, what if you were able to read the blogs of your other favorite celebrities.
• If you are just as big a geek about Lord of the Rings as I am, making an exercise goal related to it would make you excited too.
• I haven't seen all of them yet but here are the alleged 50 must watch videos online.
• You know those late nights when the infomercial products actually look like a good idea? Now you can find out what other insomniacs thought about their late night impulses.
• When you're in high school, your parents tend to embarrass you. Because of his mother, this boy will probably be the king of the school.
  
• There are some weird toys out there.
• Even not been able to find the word to describe something? That word could very well be on this extensive list.
  
• Check out these neat staircases.
  
• Use flickr to
  


I hope you enjoy these links and that they help you have a really Wild Wednesday on the Web!!!

Your Favorites Where Ever You Roam

It’s another "Techie Tuesday" and I’m back at work, so I am definitely in tech/geek mode (despite the migraine that is attempting to debilitate me). I do apologize for my lack of posting interesting subjects over the weekend and yesterday. Without LOML* at home, I don’t know how to act or what to do with myself.

I’ve already suggested the use of several of my favorite tools: Radio sites and bloglines. Similar to bloglines is del.icio.us. However, with del.icio.us you can tag entire sites, not just blog feeds. Basically, this is like the favorites button on your browser. Yet, you can access this list of sites anywhere you can access the Internet. It is a social site and you can see what other people have tagged and how many other people have tagged the same sites as you. I do not use it in a ‘social’ aspect at all, only for keeping up with sites that I may want to visit later. Del.icio.us is owned/managed by Yahoo! And can be added to your Yahoo! Toolbar or simply added to your toolbar for easier access, if you like. I do like having it right there so I can tag sites immediately. LOML*, on the other hand, doesn’t like to have his on the toolbar as he feels it clutters up his workspace.

On a personal note, working at home yesterday was a bit surprising. I’m not sure if it was the lack of interest I had in the task I brought home to do, the other things I had on my mind, the not feeling well, or just working at home in general. I found that I could work for an hour to an hour and a half before I got restless and had to do something else for a few minutes. Perhaps I do this at work and don’t notice. However, I even felt guilty for doing things like getting a snack or going to the bathroom and didn’t want to claim my time for those activities. Though, I knew these were activities I would normally perform at work at not need to clock out to do. I really did have a hard time working overall. I have worked at home in the past and been quite productive. I was just moody, distracted, and ill yesterday I guess.

*LOML=Love of My Life

And He's Off

It's been a whirlwind weekend. I'm about to take LOML* to the airport (again) so he can start working for his new company. He's still in a daze and can't believe he has the job of his dreams. I can't believe I'll be here all alone. Those of you who know me, though, know that I'll find something to do and won't stay bored for long. I can always entertain myself quite nicely. However, if you want to help me keep my mind off his absence, please do not hesitate to offer an invitation.

On a crafty note, I have started a new necklace that uses pretty fall colors and will share an image later. I did have something for a Sunday post and may share that later as well.

Anyway, we're about to be off, so please keep LOML* in your prayers. This flying back and forth makes me nervous. I hope to post more for y'all later!


*LOML=Love of MyLfe

Good in the World

I asked everyone last week for suggestions on what my Friday theme could be. Yet, I received none. I have still been turning it over in my head, and you should head some of the things that have been echoing around in there.
When I woke up this morning I thought, Friday is a great day. It's the gateway to the weekend and means that tonight, after work, you can have some fun. It's a day that everyone looks forward to all week. It just makes you happy, makes you 'feel good'. As such, Friday's theme (for now) will be "Feel Good Friday." Hopefully, I will be able to add to your Friday with some tidbits to help make the most of your good mood or maybe even put you in a good mood.

Today, I want you to reflect on even in dark times, how much good there can be in the world.
For proof, reflect on these instances:

• A 14-year old punk kid saved the life of an older gentleman
• Even animals get in on the good deeds, like these dolphins who protected a surfer during a shark attack
• In fact, animals will even depend on each other like these two

Remember - "It's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice." - Josianne Barnabe'

Now if that doesn't make you feel good - I don't know what's wrong with you!!

Picture This

I am feeling much better this evening so I wanted go ahead with another "Thrifty Thursday". I am absolutely stoked (yes, I said stoked) about this week because I am actually prepared for this post. So, "what are we thrifting," you ask. Well...Picture frames.
There are so many things that you can do with a picture frame.

I made a cool earring organizer.

Some ideas I found include:
1. Making a serving tray by adding handles and a nice image. The image can be interchanged for themes, seasons, holidays, etc.
2. As suggested in this book, you can use a large, empty picture frame to display bulky and decorative items. The author uses one to display her collection of teacups and changes these out per the season.
3. Place mirrors in several picture frames and make a mosaic of them on the wall or use a large one to accent around a light in the ceiling as suggested in this blog post.
4. Make a coaster out of a small frame or use one of the other suggestions on this earth friendly site.
5. Even Real Simple has the great idea to make a fridge magnet along with a few other great picture frame uses.

I even came up with these on my own:

• Re-do an old, ugly frame by painting/white washing, staining, gold/silver leafing to just your style.
• Write/ type up an inspirational or funny quote and frame it.
  
• Place some money or a gift card in a small frame as a new way to present a gift. This makes it two gifts in one, which is even nicer.

Picture frames are often easy to find in thrift and discount stores. You probably have a few even sitting around your house that you don't use. Go get one or eighteen and make something spectacular with them.

Crafty Hope Apologizes

I'm sorry! I know I've been faltering in keeping this up, but I am sick. I will try to post something more interesting tomorrow. I've just been so tired! While at work, I make lists of what to post, but can't seem to get up the energy to put it up here. I'm also anxious about LOML* leaving next week. I'm usually the one who goes out of town, but not for a WEEK!! If anyone wants to keep me company, lemmie know!! Hopefully, I won't feel as rotten as I do now.

I would like some comments to know what you do want to hear from me and if you even like what I am posting. Give me a clue!

*LOML=Love of My life

Listen Up!

It's "Techie Tuesday"!!! Whew, today I can let my geek self out for some air.

I want to tell you about two online radio services that I've discovered. These are both free and seem to be run on visual advertising.

The first one is AccuRadio. I JUST found this one the other day and liked the fact that you have choices of the type of station to which you can listen. Types of stations included are holiday, jazz, decades (includes the 50s, 60s, 70s, and 80s), county, showtunes, and many more. You can de-select artists that you do not want to hear and skip past songs you don't like. I find all of that very appealing. However, there is a very short ad/station identification message every three songs or so. The other problem I found was that you could only de-select ten artists. Again, I just found this station so I do not know much about it.

The other service is Pandora Radio. I have been using this service for several months now and really like it. You are able to create your own station by entering an artist or a song you want to hear. The station will either play that song or artist or one that is similar, and then others like it. You have several options: give the songs chosen a thumbs up (to hear more like it) or down (to indicate that you do not like it), add more songs to the station, and create other stations. The service walks you through it pretty simply. If you turn down too many songs, it will deny your ability to skip forward after a while. I really like this service overall, and it's really easy to use.

Halloween Laughs Late

Ok, so I didn't feel like posting when I got home last night. I'm ready now!
I bring you "Made Me Smile Monday" on a Tuesday! How unique is that?
Here are some of the things that made me smile or laugh over the past week:

• This Marie Antoinette action figure from Entertainment Earth
• The fact that I put on and wore my shirt to the airport, home, and then to work before realizing it was backwards.
• This joke/e-mail from a friend:

There is a dangerous virus being passed around electronically, orally, and by hand. This virus is called Weary-Overload-Recreational-Killer (WORK).
If you receive WORK from any of your colleagues, your boss, or anyone else via any means DO NOT TOUCH IT. This virus will wipe out your private life completely.
If you should come into contact with WORK, put your jacket on and take two good friends to the nearest grocery store. Purchase the antidote known as Work-Isolating-Neutralizer-Extract (WINE) or Bothersome-Employer-Elimination-Rebooter (BEER). Take the antidote repeatedly until WORK has been completely eliminated from your system.

• The Pet-Category Winner from Etsy's Halloween Costume Contest

• How smart some children are nowadays.
• The real meaning of friendship.
• Getting that extra hour because of daylight savings
• This video of scaring trick-or-treaters with an ooga horn
• These images as e-mailed to me by a friend

I hope these make you laugh as much as I did.

Strike One

It's my second "Made Me Smile Monday" and I do have a few things for you, yet I left the list at home and am at work (shhhhh!). After I get off work, I have to immediately go to Mobile for a meeting, visit with my mom, and then I will be home. Let's see how I feel this evening before I promise the giggle goodness that is "Made Me Smile Monday." I am sure you all needed a good laugh (as it is Monday), and I do apologize if I do not get it up until tomorrow. I'll work on getting better at my planning these posts!!!

Fondue or Fon"don't"?

It is "Somthin' Yummy Sunday" again. Instead of a recipe for you today, I wanted to quickly review a restaurant. On Friday, LOMI*, another couple, and I went to The Melting Pot for dinner. None of us had ever been there and were therefore "fondue virgins" as the waiter called us or "noobs" as I called us. We thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

We went with the Big Night Out special which included a cheese fondue appetizer with bread, apples, and raw veggies; a salad; a selection of entree meats and veggies; and chocolate fondue with a selection of yummies to dip. We were able to select the type of cheese for the appetizer, the type of salad we each wanted, the selection of meats and cooking style for the entree, and the type of chocolate for dessert. It was a little pricey and a long process overall but well worth it. The company was great, our server was friendly (he popped our fondue cherries gently), and best of all- the food was YUMMY!

We are all ready to try making our own fondue at home now, I may even break out that fondue set I received as a wedding present and always swore to use.


*LOML=Love of my Life