Another Something to be Proud Of

Yes, St. Louis once again lands in the top 10 of another list cities don't want to be included in. What list you ask? Why the 10 Most Miserable Cities to Live In according to Forbes Magazine. Yippee!! The Gateway City ranked #10 scoring in the bottom half of all nine categories looked at for the Forbes Misery Measure. It was the only metro area to pull off that feat. Now THAT is something to blog about :-)

Photo courtesy of Forbes.com

Great Read

I really enjoyed reading Still Growing by Kirk Cameron. If you grew up loving Kirk, the teen idol, you will like it as well. He gives a lot of insight into what it was like to be a teen idol, how he met and fell in love with his wife, and how God continues to provide for him and his family even though he has been black balled by Hollywood for being a Christian. I finished the book in one weekend, I just haven't updated. Great book, and I recommend you check it out.

The Bachelor- Oh the Drama

Can they think of any other catch phrase besides "it's the most dramatic..."? Now it's the "potentially" most dramatic After The Rose ever. Gee, what does that mean? Well, it can only mean one thing. He proposes to Melissa and meets her parents for the first time at the After The Rose show. Now that I have spoiled the finale, here's what I think of the Deanna thing. She will tell him to make sure he knows what he is doing, and that she made a mistake sending Graham home so soon. We all know that is who she liked all along.

I'm sad to see Jillian go, but I think she is a strong woman and will get over it. I think J. let her go because it would be easier to say goodbye to Country Club Barbie (Molly) so he can propose to Melissa. Speaking of Melissa, did you notice how confident she was at the Rose Ceremony? I'm suspecting he told her on their date that she was "the one" because in all other Rose Ceremonies she has been a big bundle of nerves. Did you also notice the french manicure and her right pinky ring (they only showed it 50 times)? Remember I said the season preview shows the girl who gets proposed to having a french manicure and wearing a right pinky ring. Country Club Barbie has red fingernails. If I'm wrong, I'll admit it, but I will blame ABC for tricky editing.

One last thing... how many times do we have to see Trista and Ryan? We know they are happy. ABC could at least get new footage of them rather than showing the same stuff from 2 seasons ago.

Staying Busy

Hey All! I have had and continue to have a lot going on. Just a bunch of little things that have to get done so I don't have much time to write. So today I am cheating and will let you read my daily devotion that I get from Proverbs 31 Ministries. It is by Tracie Miles...

"Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus." Philippians 2:5 (NIV)

Is the glass half full or half empty? Is it partly sunny or partly cloudy? Perspective makes all the difference.

Even for strong Christians who are grounded in their faith, discouragement can easily sneak its way into hearts and minds as life deals us chaos. As we struggle with the challenges and difficulties of everyday life, or things that happened to us that were unfair or unwarranted, it is easy to get pulled into a habitual mindset of negativity. Just like that old song from the 80s says, we may find ourselves asking God, "What have you done for me lately?"

Our answer to that question will depend entirely upon our perspective. God does more for us each and every day than we deserve, but it 's so easy to lose sight of the good, because we are caught up in the reality of the bad. How do we combat this perfectly human attitude?

Prayer.

Resolve to have an attitude like Christ.

Take inventory of our every blessing.

Life. Your every breath. Your every heart beat. A spouse or loved one. Children. Clothes that need to be washed because God gave you clothes to wear, and a way to wash those clothes. Good health to help those whose health is failing. Trusted and educated doctors to treat you when you are facing health challenges. A house that needs cleaning. A car to drive. The ability to purchase gas for the car. A job to go to. The ability to be a stay at home mom or wife. Healthy kids who can play music or sports. Friends. Family. Freedom. Jesus. Eternal life.

What is on your inventory list today? If you were honest with yourself, would you say you have been looking for the positive aspects of the situations in your life? Are you considerin g how God could be using those things to draw you closer to Him? Or have you been primarily focused on the negative?

During times of negativity, we actually become our own enemy. We wage a battle in our mind because we look at our situation from our own perspective, instead of what God may be doing through our situation. So in order to change our minds, we have to choose to change the way we think – our perspective. Attitude is a choice.

Winston Churchill once said, "A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty." What do you usually see?

To quote an old cliche, today is the first day of the rest of your life, and it is never too late to become an optimist! I have heard it takes 21 days of doing something for it to become a new habit. The more you practice challenging your thought patterns, the more automatic it will become. Changes may not take place immediately, but over time, the challe nge gets easier, and optimism becomes the norm instead of the exception.

Are you willing to take the challenge to become an optimist today? The rewards of looking for God's goodness in every situation will be a healthier and happier heart.

Dear Lord, help me with my human tendency to be critical or look for the negative in situations. Forgive me for a lack of gratitude for all You have given me. Thank You for Your patience with me as I strive to be a Godly example. Guide my heart to recognize You at work, instead of seeing things from an earthly perspective. Lead me into a closer relationship with You by helping me remember to count my blessings every day. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

The Bachelor- Is It Over Yet?

I am looking forward to the end of this season. It is just becoming pretty boring. The same thing, over and over. I zapped through the majority of it. One thing that is clear is that the girls seem to genuinely like each other. That is a first. You could tell they were very sad that Stephanie was leaving. She is such a mom, and I think gave a lot of off-camera advice to the girls from someone who has "been there, done that, wrote the book, saw the movie". The girls not picked in the end will be heartbroken, but will all be happy for the chosen one (Melissa.) It has to be her because the girl chosen wears a pinky ring on her right hand, and unless they have done some fancy, schmancy editing, Melissa is the only one who does.

I find it interesting from the upcoming previews that Jason won't get to meet Melissa's parents because they don't agree with the premise of the show. Good for them. I would think most parents would have a problem with the show (at least I would hope so.) Most of the girls just come across as so desperate and insecure. I actually feel sorry for most of them. You can always pick out the "15 minutes of fame" girls though. Deanna was one of them. Speaking of... when is she coming into the picture or was all of that just more editing tricks??

A Word About Freefile

On a previous post I mentioned using the Freefile tax filing system available through the IRS website. I did say it was quick and easy. It is. However, if you have a Mac computer, the system is not compatible for the printing and sending of the forms. Luckily, Mike has Windows at work so we were able to get the forms printed. As for the Missouri forms, the fillable/calculating forms are not Mac compatible either. A little frustrating, but I am filling them out long hand and Mike will enter the data and print and send at work.

Some of My Other Names

I copied this from another blog I follow and thought I would try it out. Would love to hear what some of your other names are.


1.YOUR REAL NAME:
Rachel D

2.WITNESS PROTECTION NAME:(mother and fathers middle names)
Ann Fredrick

3.NASCAR NAME:(first name of your mother's dad, father's dad)
Emory Charles

4.STAR WARS NAME: (the first 3 letters of your last name, first 2 letters of your first name)
Dobra

5.DETECTIVE NAME:(favorite color, favorite animal)
Red Bear

6.SOAP OPERA NAME:(middle name, town where you were born)
Renee Evansville

7.SUPERHERO NAME: (2nd fav color, fav drink, add "THE" to the beginning)
The Blue Diet Soda

8.FLY NAME:(first letter of 1st name, last 2-3 letters of your last name)
Rins

9.STREET NAME:(fav ice cream flavor, fav cookie)
Chocolate Chocolate Chip (yum)

10.ROCK STAR NAME:(current pets name, current street name)
None Butterfield Court (still unsigned)

11. PEN NAME: (1st pet, street you grew up on)
Tiki Mo Fin Tarrytown (look for my next best seller)

12.YOUR GANGSTA NAME:(first 3 letters of real name plus izzle)
Racizzle

13.YOUR IRAQI.. NAME:(2nd letter of your first name, 3rd letter of your last name, first two letters of your middle name, last two letters of your first name then last three letters of your last name)
Abreelins

14.YOUR GOTH NAME:(black, and the name of one of your pets)
Black Buffy ( I don't have pets, but our neighbor had one when I was little)

15.DANCER NAME (favorite perfume/cologne plus favorite candy)
Romance M&M

Have fun!

Snow Day

It's day two of being homebound.  No school.  Too cold to go outside.  We did attempt to go outside, but it takes longer to get all the snow gear on than the amount of time we can stay outside.  Really not worth the effort.  We got about  6 inches overnight so hopefully by this afternoon the temperature will at least be bearable to make a snow angel or two.    Burrrrrrrr... and I can't make hot chocolate because suddenly our microwave has decided not to function anymore. But, it is 15 years old so I guess that says something.

To Do: Complete the 1040-- Check

I just finished our federal 1040 form.  Once I receive an official statement from our credit union, I can send it in.  Since the majority of the numbers can be retrieved online now, it is a pain to have to wait for the paper record trail, but good to have.  I highly recommend the free file through the IRS.  Very simple.  Very quick.  Now, on to the state forms.  

The Bachelor Week 4 Almost Famous

Once again, Jason has proven to be a stand up guy.  Why put off the inevitable and give some of these women false hope?  I was laughing at the Rose Ceremony.  Poor "You're going to give me a rose, or else..." Lauren didn't get a rose.  She obviously thought this was all a game.  I mean, how dare Jason change the rules and not give out three roses?  He didn't want someone dominating him and telling him what to do.  Imagine how she would treat little Ty.  And, did you catch her song during the credits "I Want to be Famous."  Maybe she should have tried out for Idol instead, but she wouldn't have made it to Hollywood.  How dare you not give me a Rose!  I am going to be Famous!!

Speaking of Ty, good thing Psycho Shannon won't be meeting him.  What a roller coaster of emotions she is.  One minute she's laughing, then all of a sudden crying, then puking, then laughing... get this girl some Prozac.  I knew she was going home when she tried kissing him, and he pulled away.  Final nail in her coffin.  So glad he said adios to her, and what was with her dress at Rose Ceremony?

Cue the Psycho music

I'm not going to talk about Megan.  As for the final five... Stephanie.  When is Jason going to realize there is no romantic chemistry there?  Watching their dancing was painful.  She does have at least one more one-on-one date left with Jason (I will explain this in a minute), so she will be around at least another week, but I don't think she gets the final rose.   Melissa is quickly becoming the sentimental favorite.  She really, really likes him.  If she's not the one left holding the final rose at the end, look for ABC to tout her as the next Bachelorette.  Jillian is still a favorite as well, but she did not get much airtime this week.  Could the General Hospital proposal be foreshadowing something to come?  Molly, well, I just don't like her.  Finally, there is Naomi.  The race is on, and she is definitely coming on strong down the final stretch.  Oh, and I guess we still have to include Deanna since none of those scenes have aired yet.  

I have saved all of these episodes on DVR so last night after the show I went back and watched the season previews from the first episode.  Mike said I was obsessed, but he was watching the preview with me and helping me pick out the little details.  Four eyes are better than two.  There is still a scene/date to come as Stephanie and Jason are driving some kind of boat together.  Jillian should make the final three because there is a scene with her (in a bikini) and Jason on the beach... these getaway dates usually aren't until the final three.

Here's the good stuff.  According to the season preview, the girl that gets the proposal is clearly shorter with dark hair.  They show him holding/spinning a girl around on the side of a mountain after he has proposed.  That rules out Stephanie and Molly.  It only shows her shoulder/arm and hand.  Her shoulder is tan and thicker/muscular.  Again, couldn't be Stephanie because she is a stick and so is Molly.  The "proposed to" woman also has a french manicure and a freckle or mole on the left hand side of her forearm.  (This sounds obsessive, but you are still reading :-)  Melissa has stubby fingernails, but I guess she could get a manicure.  So, when you are watching over the next few weeks, keep an eye out for a mole/freckle on the left forearm, and that's the girl!  From the women remaining, I think it looks like either Naomi, Jillian, or Melissa.  I am going out on a limb and predicting it is Melissa, but I secretly want it to be Jillian.  

Did they show this scene last night?

The New Miss America

Congratulations to Miss Indiana, Katie Stam. She was crowned Miss America last night in Vegas. Katie is a student at the University of Indianapolis and grew up in Seymour, Indiana. I think this is the first time a woman from Indiana has ever won a pageant. If it isn't the first, it has been a long, long time.

I wasn't able to watch the pageant this year because we don't have TLC network anymore. Thank goodness there is YouTube. I was able to see her talent, evening gown, and fitness (aka-swimsuit) competitions as well as the crowning in less than 5 minutes.

Photo courtesy of missamerica.org.

Product Recall- Throw These Out!!

I got a recorded message from Costco Headquarters today reporting that the Zone Perfect Bars in Chocolate Peanut Butter Flavor have been recalled. This is because the factory these are made in uses the peanut butter that has been recalled for salmonella. I usually buy these at Costco, but since they weren't in the January coupon book, I didn't. It was nice of Costco to make the calls because I never would have known about it. So, if you have these Zone Perfect Bars, you should be able to return them to Costco or other store for a refund.

Free Cosmetics

Hey All! Many of you may remember that class action lawsuit against several cosmetics companies several years back. It is finally over, and you can now grab a freebie while supplies last. The distribution of freebies started on January 20th so hopefully they aren't all gone. Better call the store before making a special trip. The freebies have been carefully selected, and a lot of them I wouldn't waste my gas to get. This Vera Wang Princess Body Splash is one of the freebies. And, Lancome does make great mascara. If nothing else, you could always get a perfume or something and regift. (Tip: I would not get the Estee Lauder Night Repair Wrinkle Cream and regift it, you could really offend someone ;-)

Here is the Free Cosmetics Settlement link.

Let me know if you get some.

The Bachelor- Week 3 Finally A Dramatic Rose Ceremony

One thing I can say about Jason is that he is not all about the "hot chicks."  Was Natalie not a piece of work?  I had to zap through parts of their "date" so I didn't have to listen to her.  Glad she was sent packing, and her tirade afterward showed the kind of person she was.  The words "shallow", "conceited", "annoying", and "insecure" come to mind.  

The date with Stephanie was sweet.  Jason (the producers) bringing her daughter to see her was a touching moment. Did she get to keep the Lego rose?  Truthfully, I don't see this blossoming.  The chemistry for them seems very forced.  And, she seems so much older than him even though she isn't.  

On to the Rose Ceremony...  Megan is a witch, but she sure makes for entertaining television.  Erica had to go, and it was obvious blue dress girl was leaving because I didn't even know her name.  The funniest part was when Shannon got sick from all the drama and cat fighting.  We (yes, Mike has been sucked in- hee hee) were watching this with closed caption on, and when she goes to the bathroom it says, "Shannon retches", "Shannon coughs", "Shannon retches".   It was quite amusing.  She is only gonna last another week because she iS CRAZY!!   

It is going to come down to Jillian and Melissa with Naomi as the dark horse.  No one else comes close.  As for Natalie, she belongs on the show immediately following The Bachelor, True Beauty.  (Although she would have already been eliminated.)  That show is hysterical!!  

Time to Shock the World!!

Go Cardinals!!!

The Bachelor- Week 2 From Make-up to Silicone

This week's Bachelor episode had a little less make-up but much more silicone.  What was with all of the obvious implants?  Many of the girls brought out their trampy side, apparently to see who could deliver the best kiss.  One thing that is becoming increasingly clear is that the disclaimer that shows up during the credits, "producers advise Bachelor who to choose, but ultimately Bachelor has final say" (or something like that), definitely holds true.  Several are only being kept around for ratings- Megan- the f-bomb thrower, Shannon- the psycho dental hygienist who is so irritating, Erica- someone to get a rise out of Megan.  I don't see Jason ending up with any of them.  

Did anyone else about cry hearing Stephanie tell about how she learned her husband was killed in a plane crash?  Heartbreaking.  I like Stephanie.   I do.  Unfortunately, she is very much a Southern Belle gal that I really don't see making it in Seattle long-term with none of her family around.  I don't see the chemistry with Jason either.  They seem more "friends."  My wish for her is a possible Bachelorette spot, or that she will find her Prince Charming elsewhere.

I am starting to suspect Nikki is some kind of plant to spy on the other women.  Her main role has been to tell Jason what is going on in the house, and who the women are that are faking the mother role.  It's like she is a best friend.  She is gorgeous, and he seems to have no interest in her, which is why I think she is a plant.  Or, she is who he ends up with, and the producers are editing very carefully to make her look really nice and sweet and not overexposing her.  

Jillian is still my favorite.  Their one-on-one date seemed to go incredibly well, although I would have preferred to see someone other than Robin Thicke for a private concert.  *Note to husband, Mike: when you take me to a private concert, make sure it isn't Robin Thicke.*  She seems very genuine and at least has more than mush for brains like some of these "women."

Kudos to Melissa for going up in the Goodyear Blimp.  I would have been TERRIFIED.  Only if it was a mandatory task on the Amazing Race would I do that.  

The Rose Ceremony was a big yawn.  I was proud of the girl who left to be with her dying grandma.  The not-so-surprising reaction of several women was really disturbing.  Glad she's gone.  One less competitor.  Don't know why she left.  Classless, truly classless.  

I wonder when Deanna is coming back...

Thank You to Perrin...

My friend, Perrin, sent this link regarding the new lead laws and resale shops.  The CPSC must have posted it later in the day that I did my post.  I bet they were getting a lot of calls/emails.  This law looks to only pertain to toys and furniture, especially those items that have been recalled.  As long as stores aren't selling those things, they should be fine.  So, it looks like you are safe to clean out those closets of clothes and resell what you can.  

2009 Action Plan For Your Finances

For anyone interested... from now until January 15th, you can download a free copy of Suze Orman's 2009 Action Plan by clicking on the link.

I don't agree with everything she says, but you can always take bits and pieces of the advice to fit your situation.

New CPSIA difficult to interpret

I heard a disturbing news clip last night regarding the new Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act that goes into effect in February of this year.  So, I went online and read the Act (or most of it since it was a lot of legal mumbo jumbo- yawn.)  Apparently, "all children's products" for those 12 and under must now be subjected to lead testing and certification before they can be sold.  This pretty much covers anything and everything used by anyone 12 and under, including furniture, toys, games, books, jewelry etc.  The only things currently exempt are children's video games.

Because I am an avid shopper and seller with consignment shops, this could be very disturbing news.  If all clothing has to be tested, these shops will no longer be in business.  They will not be able to accept any clothing (or toys, books, etc.) if they have to spend money to have it tested for lead before selling it.  I certainly can't afford to have stuff tested before a garage sale or selling it on ebay.  It would cost more for testing 2 or 3 items than I would make in 10 garage sales or ebay listings.  

The economic consequences of this could be disastrous for some.  Not only will these shops go out of business, and you will have clothes you can't get rid of (because Goodwill won't be able to take them either), but the prices of these items will all increase because companies are certainly not going to eat the cost of testing, they will pass it on to us.  As if prices of children's items aren't high enough as it is.  This would also affect small businesses that make clothes or baby items in smaller quantities for specialty shops.  It would become very costly to have each item tested before they could market it to stores.  I'm all for things being safe, but if clothing is included, I think that is overkill.   

You can click the link below to read the local article...

Fox 2 St. Louis

Anyway, I wrote the following inquiry to the CPSC and will let you know if and when I get a response... 

"There is no specific mention of clothing that I can find. Does this Act pertain to children's clothing also? Does this mean people can no longer sell children's clothing or toys at a garage sale or consignment/thrift shop without a lead certification on each item? If that is the case, small businesses and non-profits like Goodwill will no longer accept any children's items of any kind because they do not have the financial means to test products they receive. Are we then supposed to just dump them in the garbage to rest in landfills, or will there be even more government regulation on how we are to dispose of these items? Your prompt response is appreciated."

The Bachelor- Recap

Ugh... if last night was any indication of the direction of this show, "ugh" is all I can say!  Most of the girls looked like they just returned from a 1980's Mary Kay convention.  What gives with all the make-up??  And, some of them appear to have already had plastic surgery or botox.  

Luckily, Jason said goodbye to most of these 

bozos.  I did not like the "twist" they threw in, having all the girls vote on who they wanted to leave.  Obviously, they voted for the chick, Megan I think,  dropping the f-bomb every other word.  Then came the twist.  The girl with the most votes gets a rose and gets to stay!!  Really??  What!!??  I'm sure that's the kind of lady Jason wants raising his child.   None of the girls really stood out so early on, but my prediction of Jillian was spot on.  I think she will be around for awhile.  I also like Melissa (from Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders-Making The Team.)  She's just cute as a button.   Nikki, from Chicago and Miss Illinois, could do better than Jason in my opinion, and I wonder why she is even on the show.

Unfortunately, the real craptastic part of this show is that it appears Deanna is back.  What??  You dumped Jason, now you want him back?  My spoiler prediction for this show is

that Jason and Deanna do get back together and get engaged.  The timing of her break-up with Jesse was in line with the taping of The Bachelor.  Yuck, Barf, Gross-- if it ends like I predict, I am so done with this show.  And, no thanks to Casey D. and Kelly Ripa for dragging me back into this show several seasons back!!  

Nikki Melissa

Jillian