Wednesday, September 9, 2009

Random Thoughts From People Our Age

This has obviously been floating around the internet, as I keep seeing tidbits pop up as people's facebook statuses. I did not write this (I take credit for nothing!) but it did arrive in my inbox with the elusive title "Random Thoughts from People Our Age". I am sure some of you have seen it before, but it really is deserving of our attention.
Again, not written by me. Taking no credit for this. Just shamelessly re-posting something I found absolutly humorous and very much true from the brain of someone my age! Ha Ha

Random thoughts from people our age...
-I wish Google Maps had an "Avoid Ghetto" routing option.

-More often than not, when someone is telling me a story all I can think about is that I can't wait for them to finish so that I can tell my own story that's not only better, but also more directly involves me.

-Nothing sucks more than that moment during an argument when you realize you're wrong.

-I don't understand the purpose of the line, "I don't need to drink to have fun." Great, no one does. But why start a fire with flint and sticks when they've invented the lighter?

-Have you ever been walking down the street and realized that you're going in the complete opposite direction of where you are supposed to be going? But instead of just turning a 180 and walking back in the direction from which you came, you have to first do something like check your watch or phone or make a grand arm gesture and mutter to yourself to ensure that no one in the surrounding area thinks you're crazy by randomly switching directions on the sidewalk.

-I totally take back all those times I didn't want to nap when I was younger.

-Is it just me, or are 80% of the people in the "people you may know" feature on Facebook people that I do know, but I deliberately choose not to be friends with?

-Do you remember when you were a kid, playing Nintendo and it wouldn't work? You take the cartridge out, blow in it and that would magically fix the problem. Every kid in America did that, but how did we all know how to fix the problem? There was no internet or message boards or FAQ's. We just figured it out. Today's kids are soft.

-There is a great need for sarcasm font.

-Sometimes, I'll watch a movie that I watched when I was younger and suddenly realize I had no idea what the f was going on when I first saw it.

-I think everyone has a movie that they love so much, it actually becomes stressful to watch it with other people. I'll end up wasting 90 minutes shiftily glancing around to confirm that everyone's laughing at the right parts, then making sure I laugh just a little bit harder (and a millisecond earlier) to prove that I'm still the only one who really, really gets it.

-How the hell are you supposed to fold a fitted sheet?

-I would rather try to carry 10 plastic grocery bags in each hand than take 2 trips to bring my groceries in.

- I think part of a best friend's job should be to immediately clear your computer history if you die.

-The only time I look forward to a red light is when I’m trying to finish a text.

- A recent study has shown that playing beer pong contributes to the spread of mono and the flu. Yeah, if you suck at it.

- Was learning cursive really necessary?

- Lol has gone from meaning, "laugh out loud" to "I have nothing else to say".

- Answering the same letter three times or more in a row on a Scantron test is absolutely petrifying.

- My brother's Municipal League baseball team is named the Stepdads. Seeing as none of the guys on the team are actual stepdads, I inquired about the name. He explained, "Cuz we beat you, and you hate us." Classy, bro.

- Whenever someone says "I'm not book smart, but I'm street smart", all I hear is "I'm not real smart, but I'm imaginary smart".

- How many times is it appropriate to say "What?" before you just nod and smile because you still didn't hear what they said?

- I love the sense of camaraderie when an entire line of cars teams up to prevent a dick from cutting in at the front. Stay strong, brothers!

- Every time I have to spell a word over the phone using 'as in' examples, I will undoubtedly draw a blank and sound like a complete idiot. Today I had to spell my boss's last name to an attorney and said "Yes that's G as in...(10 second lapse)..ummm...Goonies"

-What would happen if I hired two private investigators to follow each other?

- While driving yesterday I saw a banana peel in the road and instinctively swerved to avoid it...thanks Mario Kart.

- MapQuest really needs to start their directions on #5. Pretty sure I know how to get out of my neighborhood.

- Obituaries would be a lot more interesting if they told you how the person died.

- I find it hard to believe there are actually people who get in the shower first and THEN turn on the water.

-Shirts get dirty. Underwear gets dirty. Pants? Pants never get dirty, and you can wear them forever.

- I would like to officially coin the phrase 'catching the swine flu' to be used as a way to make fun of a friend for hooking up with an overweight woman. Example: "Dave caught the swine flu last night."

-I can't remember the last time I wasn't at least kind of tired.

- Bad decisions make good stories

-Whenever I'm Facebook stalking someone and I find out that their profile is public I feel like a kid on Christmas morning who just got the Red Ryder BB gun that I always wanted. 546 pictures? Don't mind if I do!

- Is it just me or do high school girls get sluttier & sluttier every year?

-If Carmen San Diego and Waldo ever got together, their offspring would probably just be completely invisible.

-Why is it that during an ice-breaker, when the whole room has to go around and say their name and where they are from, I get so incredibly nervous? Like I know my name, I know where I'm from, this shouldn't be a problem....

-You never know when it will strike, but there comes a moment at work when you've made up your mind that you just aren't doing anything productive for the rest of the day.

-Can we all just agree to ignore whatever comes after DVDs? I don't want to have to restart my collection.

-There's no worse feeling than that millisecond you're sure you are going to die after leaning your chair back a little too far.

-I'm always slightly terrified when I exit out of Word and it asks me if I want to save any changes to my ten page research paper that I swear I did not make any changes to.

- "Do not machine wash or tumble dry" means I will never wash this ever.

-I hate being the one with the remote in a room full of people watching TV. There's so much pressure. 'I love this show, but will they judge me if I keep it on? I bet everyone is wishing we weren't watching this. It's only a matter of time before they all get up and leave the room. Will we still be friends after this?'

-I hate when I just miss a call by the last ring (Hello? Hello? Dammit!), but when I immediately call back, it rings nine times and goes to voicemail. What'd you do after I didn't answer? Drop the phone and run away?

- I hate leaving my house confident and looking good and then not seeing anyone of importance the entire day. What a waste.

-When I meet a new girl, I'm terrified of mentioning something she hasn't already told me but that I have learned from some light internet stalking.

-I like all of the music in my iTunes, except when it's on shuffle, then I like about one in every fifteen songs in my iTunes.

-Why is a school zone 20 mph? That seems like the optimal cruising speed for pedophiles...

- As a driver I hate pedestrians, and as a pedestrian I hate drivers, but no matter what the mode of transportation, I always hate cyclists.

-Sometimes I'll look down at my watch 3 consecutive times and still not know what time it is.

-It should probably be called Unplanned Parenthood.

-I keep some people's phone numbers in my phone just so I know not to answer when they call.

-Even if I knew your social security number, I wouldn't know what do to with it.

-Even under ideal conditions people have trouble locating their car keys in a pocket, hitting the G-spot, and Pinning the Tail on the Donkey - but I’d bet my ass everyone can find and push the Snooze button from 3 feet away, in about 1.7 seconds, eyes closed, first time every time...

-My 4-year old son asked me in the car the other day "Dad what would happen if you ran over a ninja?" How the hell do I respond to that?

-It really pisses me off when I want to read a story on CNN.com and the link takes me to a video instead of text.

-I wonder if cops ever get pissed off at the fact that everyone they drive behind obeys the speed limit.

-I think the freezer deserves a light as well.

-I disagree with Kay Jewelers. I would bet on any given Friday or Saturday night more kisses begin with Miller Lites than Kay.

-The other night I ordered takeout, and when I looked in the bag, saw they had included four sets of plastic silverware. In other words, someone at the restaurant packed my order, took a second to think about it, and then estimated that there must be at least four people eating to require such a large amount of food. Too bad I was eating by myself. There's nothing like being made to feel like a fat bastard before dinner.

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Didn't Want The Weekend To End



When you can’t look over your shoulder to see a car in your blind spot because you are so stiff, you know it was a good weekend.

When you are so tired you order two Starbucks Venti CafĂ© Mocha’s for yourself during one drive thru trip, you know it was a good weekend.

When you sit in traffic for an hour on I-85 and it really doesn’t bother you, you know it was a good weekend.

Hey, guess what…..I had an amazing weekend!

I try not to re-cap my weekends on posts because at some point, let’s be honest, no one really cares every move I make. (That’s why I don’t get the use of Twitter! Twitter is ridiculous. NO ONE is that special that they think everyone in the cyber world wants to know that they “are on their way to the airport”, “enjoying an apple for snack”, “watching re-runs of Lost on TV.” Oh well, that’s another topic for another day. Twitter is stupid.)

Anyway, first off, it was a long weekend. Nothing can be better than a free vacation day! Thank you Labor Day! The weather this weekend was amazing so the girls and I spent Friday night on the porch of Selwyn Pub thoroughly engrossed in some of the funniest conversation possible. I love those nights when you are truly enjoying the company around you that you feel that you are the only people in the place. Thanks to Lauren, Kirsten, Laura, Jenna, and Amy for the entertainment!

My roomies are out of town this weekend so Friday after work I cleaned the BUH-JESUS out of the apartment until it sparkled. Now don’t get me wrong, I love my roommates more than life itself but…that feeling of waking up refreshed on Saturday with the apartment just the way you left it when you went to bed felt fabuous! I slept in that morning, only getting up at 9 to go get mani’s and pedi’s with the girls before taking it pool side for the afternoon. Saturday night eight of us girls attended the Taylor Swift concert in honor of Miss. Lucks 25th birthday. Gloriana and Kelly Pickler opened for Taylor and they were amazing! Wild at Heart is Gloriana’s new hit and probably one of my favorites on the radio right now. Kelly was way better than I had originally expected. She was so down-to-earth and easy with the crowd. The girl must have been getting voice lessons or something because she sounded ten times better than I have ever heard her! Now, this is just my own opinion but Taylor was just OK. The child has talent but I don’t think she was that entertaining. Then again, I am 25 and she definitely caters towards a younger crowd, but . . . I felt everything she said was so scripted. Oh well, still, all-in-all, not too shabby of a concert! As the rest of the girls headed home after the concert, I headed to BlackFinn for a couple hours to meet up with my diva’s from Raleigh, Miss. Resnick and Miss Vincent! I knew I would not see them the rest of the weekend so I couldn’t let them travel all the way to Charlotte without seeing their pretty faces!

Sunday morning I woke up early and headed to Rabun County, GA to spend some time by the lake with Josh and several of his high school friends. Since Atlanta and Charlotte are slightly separated and both Josh and I seem to be pretty busy individuals, whatever time we can try and spend together we might as well take advantage of it so . . . after thinking Josh told me the drive would only be 2 hours on highway roads . . . 3 hours later on a two lane winding road I was in GA playing horseshoes, tubing, enjoying cold beverages and grilling out. Lake Burton is absolutely gorgeous; with mountain peaks around every cove. Nothing like what you see here at Lake Wylie or Lake Norman…ten times more scenic and natural. Somehow Kim and I got to be guinea pigs in the day’s first tubing event which is pretty much what put me into the stiff casket that I sit in right now. While you are out on the water and several beverages deep it seems like so much fun to be tossed around like a rag-doll off the back of a boat, but a day later…not the smartest idea! I can’t move my head!

Josh’s friends from high school were very sweet and there is something comforting seeing someone else that has such close friends from high school like I do. Something about Josh makes me feel comfortable and content and I truly enjoyed every minute I was there.

Sunday afternoon I made the journey back to Charlotte after getting stuck behind both a dump truck, a girl on a dirt bike, and dead stop traffic on I-85, but, one way or the other, no matter how long it took me to get back, the entire “quick trip” was well worth it.

Upon my return to the fabulous Eastover Ridge, ten of my friends at the apartment were grilling out so I joined them by the pool for dinner and then closed the night out with a movie at the apartment with Dustin.

Words can’t explain how perfect this weekend was with a little “taste” of all my friends and activities. Sure, the GA trip was a tease because it makes me wish Atlanta and Charlotte were a little closer but…I guess you take what you can get when you get it. Happy Birthday to Luck Luck who celebrated her birthday and thank you for some of the most amazing friends who keep me entertained every second!

Friday, September 4, 2009

Now We Know Why America Is Fat

Last year at this time, I was reading articles about new fair foods which were totally blowing my mind: deep-fried pickles, deep-fried bacon, deep fried snickers….and then to top the list, deep friend peanut butter and jelly sandwiches on a stick! But this year, it has definitely gone a little far. The newest addition to our deep fried collection:

Deep-fried butter.

I am not joking. Let me say that again. ..Deep-fried butter. Actually, I didn’t have to say that again; my arteries yelled that out as they were slowly closing up even at the thought of consuming this new “treat”! This new concoction will be revealed at the State Fair of Texas in Dallas later this month. Deep Frying has become a friendly competition at the Dallas fair and this year’s fried butter entry came from Abel Gonzales Jr who was also the winner of past state fair competitions with Texas Fried Cookie Dough, Fried Peanut Butter, Jelly and Banana Sandwich and Fried Coke recipes. (Check out the video below to find out how Gonzales makes his deep fried butter!)

Other deep-fried creations to be showcased at this year’s state fair include:

• Green Goblins: Cherry peppers stuffed with spicy shredded chicken and guacamole, battered, deep-fried and topped with queso.
• Twisted Yam on a Stick: A spiral-cut sweet potato, fried on a skewer, then rolled in butter and dusted with cinnamon and sugar.
• Fernie’s Deep Fried Peaches & Cream: Served with a side of vanilla buttercream icing for dipping.
• Texas Fried Pecan Pie: A mini-pecan pie battered, deep fried and served with caramel sauce, whipping cream and chopped candied pecans.
• Country Fried Pork Chips: Battered, thin-sliced pork loin deep fried and served with sides of ketchup or cream gravy.
• Sweet Jalapeno Corn Dog Shrimp: Shrimp on a stick, coated with a sweet and spicy cornmeal batter, deep fried and served with a spicy glaze.
• Fried Peanut Butter Cup Macaroon: A peanut butter cup wrapped inside a coconut macaroon, fried and then dusted with powdered sugar.

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Thursday, September 3, 2009

I LOVE THIS SEASON


So I have been a little “under the weather” the past couple days. I diagnosed myself this morning with tonsillitis with the help of WebMD.com! Ha Ha
But….that is not going to stop my mood for today! . . . at least I have one thing to look forward to tonight:
NCSU FOOTBALL!
I can’t tell you how excited I am that the season is beginning. I love NCSU Football about as bad as I love jewelry (you know that’s serious if you have seen my jewelry collection!) I will say it again…I LOVE NCSU FOOTBALL! It probably takes up half my heart! There are not even words to say anymore to explain my enthusiasm! I will be a diehard fan until the day I die.

Well tonight it starts and it is on like Donkey Kong! (Don’t make fun of me!) Being that it is a Thursday and I cannot attend the game in person, we have a group going to watch the game at Wild Wings downtown and cheer on our Pack. I am actually nervous for our guys as if I were stepping on the field with them. I hope they come out tonight and start the college football season of right!

To all of you that get to go to the game: I am truly freaking jealous. NC State football is the one reason I did not want to move away from Raleigh. If I could, I would get married on the field of Carter Finley! (Jackie, I hate you :) ) If you have never been to Carter Finley or the fairgrounds to tailgate, you are not experiencing life. It is a thrill to feel the hype that fills the stadium; it’s crazy! I miss you Raleigh!

LET’S GO WOLFPACK!

Even the beginning of this article puts a tickle in my heart!

HAYNES: View from the Booth
By Tony Haynes
RALEIGH, N.C. – Each week before NC State football games, I'll run down some of the things we'll be watching for from our booth on the Wolfpack Sports Network. This week, South Carolina pays a visit to the ever-evolving and improving Carter-Finley Stadium for a much-anticipated battle between two schools that were once ACC rivals. This year actually marks the 40th anniversary of South Carolina's only ACC title and the 30th anniversary of the Wolfpack's 1979 conference championship.

The two programs are virtual mirror images of each other. With 529 all-time college football victories, NC State has just two more than South Carolina. And the series between the two schools stands at 26-26-4. You can't get much closer than that.

And while a little historical perspective is always enlightening, nothing that's happened before will have any impact on what happens on opening night in 2009. Not even South Carolina's 34-0 win over the Wolfpack last August will be terribly significant come Thursday.
With quarterback Russell Wilson improving through the entire 2008 campaign, the Pack became a totally different team than the one the Gamecocks shutout at Carter-Finley Stadium.

"I just want our players to know this is a very good team that we're playing," said Steve Spurrier, starting his fifth season at South Carolina. "Sometimes people have a tendency to go by the score of last year's game, when really you can't. NC State became a much better team as the season progressed and they were much stronger at the end of the season. That's something most teams hope to do. Hopefully, we'll become a much stronger team at the end of the year."

Something the Gamecocks didn't do last season. After winning seven of its first 10, Spurrier's bunch finished up at 7-6. NC State was 6-7. Both teams lost in their respective bowl games.

Wednesday, September 2, 2009

How Not To Act Old


A couple weeks ago one of my co-workers came up to my desk. He stood there for a minute, told me to pick up my cell phone and start to send a text to any one of my friends. I had no clue where he was going with this but I did what he said and started a text to Blair. I had gotten no further into typing “hey sister” when my co-worker told me to stop, and to himself he said, “Crap, I am old!”

Come to find out he had just finished a book his daughter had made him read called “How Not to Act Old.” He said he didn’t believe majority of the stuff he read in the book was true but wanted to find out for himself on several of the theories. Well #54 on the list was “Learn To Text With Your Thumbs.” It says that classic old people behavior is to dial and text with your index finger! I had proved this theory correct. I started texting to Blair with only my thumbs – which I think is the ONLY way to text! It would take you light years to “hunt and peck” with your index finger!

Anyways, today he brought me the book and wanted my opinion on several more. He left the book with me in case I wanted to look through it for a good laugh, and a good laugh I got! Let me share with you several other topics the book points out on How Not to Act Old… (This book is written by a late 40ish year old woman)

#21 Don’t Smoke Pot
It’s not the smoking of marijuana that’s the problem, exactly. In fact, if you know where to get some, can you please let me know? No, the problem is calling it “pot.” Pot is what old hippies called it. What we called it when we used to smoke it every day. Nowadays, it’s called “weed.”

#4 Don’t Fear the Waxer
Listen, you can have all the work in the world done. You can get Botoxed and Restalyned till you’re smooth as a balloon; you can have your boobs lifted to your chin and your tummy tucked into your backbone.
But if you don’t wax down there, anybody who gets close enough – and that includes the entire locker room at the gym – is going to know you’re old.
Waxing is one of the major differences between young and older women. We came of age feeling it was sacrilegious to so much as pluck one hair; they decided to shear most of it off. And when we thought maybe we’d surprise our husbands for our twentieth anniversary, we were nervous. We saw The 40-Year-Old-Virgin, after all. We knew it was going to hurt, plus be embarrassing, plus who knew what kind of diseases we might pick up.
If you are a Waxing Virgin, don’t be afraid. It’s not that bad. And the alternative is even worse: old below the belt.

#55 Don’t Drink Cosmopolitans
I know they’re delicious. I know they’re fun. I know the “girls” in the Sex And The City movie tried their darnedest to help revive the Cosmo trend they launched when they were in their thirties.
Martinis may be back. Sidecars and Negronis may be back. The friggin’ Pegu Cocktail may even be back.
But Cosmos have become the official cocktail of menopausal women. If you’re a huge fan of the Cosmo, you can youngify it somewhat by turning it into a frozen drink: fresh-squeezed lime, a splash of cranberry juice, a little simple syrup, lots of vodka, and ice in a blender. Mmmmm
Or you could always knock back a Red Bull and Vodka. Or order a so-old-its-young-again drink like a Manhattan or a Mint Julep. Or try one of these lethal-sounding young cocktail recipes:

Kamikaze
Mix 2oz. vodka, 1 oz. triple sec, and 1oz. fresh lime juice. Shake all ingredients with ice and pour into old-fashioned glass with ice cubes

Amaretto Sour
Mix 2oz. Amaretto, 1 oz. simple syrup, and 1 oz. fresh lemon juice. Shake all ingredients with ice and strain into a sugar-rimmed glass

Irish Car Bomb
Fill a shot glass with half Bailey’s Irish Cream (this goes on the bottom) and half Jameson Irish Whiskey. Pour a bottle of Guinness into a pint glass or beer mug until its three-quarters full. Once the Guinness settles, drop the entire short glass into the beer and chug. If you don’t drink it fast enough, it will curdle and taste worse the longer you take to drink it.

Tuesday, September 1, 2009

Not Just A Road Map

click to view larger

A simple road map of Charlotte right? Isn't that what it looks like to you?

I was sitting in the Wachovia Atrium today enjoying lunch with four of my fellow gentleman coworkers when the subject of Sex Offenders came up after referring to the two old sketchy men sitting in the middle of the Atrium playing guitars (If I were to be having lunch with my girlfriends we would never even wondered onto this topic!)

As we started to discuss, I became curious about what kind of people live in my area and the areas in which I go running in on a regular basis - especially when I run alone at night. So I returned to my office and went on the national registry to view the sex offenders in Charlotte. The map above was my search result.

The key to the map:

Offense Against Children:
Red = Offender Home
Maroon = Offender Work

Rape
Yellow = Offender Home
White = Offender Work

Sexual Battery
Light Blue
= Offender Home
Dark Blue = Offender Work

Other Offense
Light Green = Offender Home
Dark Green
= Offender Work

I don't know about you but I was not the least bit shocked about my findings. I watch the news enough to know that there are some seriously sick individuals out there. I zoomed in on this map and went through the roads that I run in the Charlotte area and have familiarized myself with some of the faces of these people and the houses they live in. (If you are actually on the website and click on the colored squares in the map, you will receive profiles of each sex offender and their specific address)

I know when it comes time for me to buy a house, this website will definitely be something I will check before I start my search. You never know who the "typical" guy next door could really be!

Check it out for yourself and see who is living in your area:

http://www.familywatchdog.us/

Monday, August 31, 2009

Kids Rock!

(I pulled this from another blog....just had to share bc these kids are wonderful!)

These kids are simply wonderful. They remind me that kids have immeasurable talent that, if tapped into, can be unleashed as amazing expressions of their unique abilities. Seriously, if I ever have kids and they want to learn music, this is the way I would want them to learn. There’s obviously a time when these kids get serious with their instructor and learn, but the end result is expressed in enjoyment and fun!

These kids are called the PS22 Chorus and I am pretty sure you could watch most of their videos and be pretty impressed. I watched this video this morning when I got to work and it reminded me that I honestly need to have fun in everything I do. You can’t take life to seriously! Even though it’s a nasty day outside here in Charlotte today, these kids have brightened every moment! I think I have watched this video at least 10 times!

They do all kinds of pop-hits so if you want to watch more of them, go onto UTube and search for PS22 Chorus. It's worth a little 15 minute break at work - trust me!




And I will add a couple more for your enjoyment!




Thursday, August 27, 2009

" I Get By With A Little Help From My Friends"

"What would you do if I sang out of tune,
Would you stand up and walk out on me?
Lend me your ears and I'll sing you a song
And I'll try not to sing out of key.
Oh, I get by with a little help from my friends
Mm, I get high with a little help from my friends
Mm, gonna try with a little help from my friends"

Honestly, it’s been one of those weekends/weeks. I don’t know what has been wrong with me but I have been in a really funny mood lately. This past weekend, even though I had a girl’s night at the movies on Friday, hung out by the pool all day Saturday and went out with friends Saturday night, and.. hung out with Dustin all day Sunday….I honestly felt slightly lonely (geeze, that’s hard to admit) But, I don’t know why. How could I be lonely when I was surrounded by people ALL weekend? Who knows.

School started this week and work has just been work but, I have to snap out of it. I want things I can’t have and I think that is my problem. Kind of like the blog post I posted two weeks ago where I found myself wishing away time so that I could be at a certain place in life…well now I am finding myself wishing I had things I can’t have because of circumstances out of my control and it’s really getting me down. I want a relationship I can’t have but have no clue where it’s going or really what it is because of stupid geography. I want a job I can’t have because I can’t afford to stop the one I have now in order to go back to school full time. Therefore I am having to take my happy sweet time and work on it slowly but surely from one semester to the next. I want all my friends to live in Charlotte. Even though I do have good friends here, I don’t have anything quite like the support system I had at home or in Raleigh. I have my girls here who I can depend on and love 100%, but I am being selfish and I want ALL my girls here. (I know. I can get over this one; you don’t have to tell me because this is never going to happen….but again, I can always want.) I want more hours in a day but I can’t have that either. On the way to work this morning I heard the song “Don’t Blink” by Kenny Chesney and it made me mad that the days go by so quick. I feel like I go to work, come home, do homework, go to the gym etc. etc. But what am I doing to make a difference in the world? What am I doing to help someone else? I want to see my family but I have this, this and this to do this weekend. I need more hours in a day to do everything I want to do!

I think I have just diagnosed my mood this week. I want things I can’t have. I want a relationship, I want my happy career, I want my friends and family, and I want time…but no matter what I do, these are all out of my control to a certain extent and it really just stinks.

Several months ago I booked a flight out of Charlotte. It was on a whim; just a thought at the time while sitting at work. But, this flight could not have more of a reason now that this week has finally approached. I booked a flight to D.C. to visit one person that means more to me then she even knows. I leave today at 5 for a weekend with her that I already know is going to be more than I could ask for!

Lauren and I have been friends since pre-school and she has always been by my side. She is who I need now to pull me out of my funny mood and honestly, I think only her and D.C. are the cure for this diagnosis! Lauren is such an amazing and genuine friend that even though we live 400 miles from each other, distance doesn’t change a thing.

Today is technically my Friday and my hands are trembling right now in anticipation to get up to DC and spend the weekend with my fabulous Homey G Funk! We pretty much have the whole weekend planned (shocker I know, Lauren and I already have things planned?! Ha ha surprise surprise!) This mini-vacay is coming at such the perfect time and I can’t wait to spend the entire time with Muse!

As I was packing last night and having my own therapy session with myself as the doctor, trying to diagnose myself with what I just did in two seconds above as I let my fingers on a keyboard explain my head, I came across one conclusion:

Sometimes, you just need to stop. Stop nagging, stop asking, and stop whining. Just stop. Leave the issue with the Lord. Sometimes being pushy just prolongs the process. Act only when all signs point to readiness and quit worrying.

Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him. Psalm 37:7a

Happy “my Friday” Friends!

I will leave you with several pics of the D.C. visit with Lauren last year! Get excited Washington, here I come!

(click on each picture to make them larger)

A note from the Author: Two posts today.. and sorry that this one was so long, but...I just had to share with you the one below as well; I couldn't resist! Enjoy!

My Heart Melts

There is one thing that makes my heart melt (and probably will scare the poop out of my future husband) and that is babies. I want to eat them to pieces! If we are anywhere and there is a baby in the room, you can bet that I will be the first person to hold it and I have a hard time giving it up! I LOVE them - even if they are crying; doesn't seem to faze me! Therefore, I just had to share these picutres with you off of a friends photography blog. Is this not the most precious little boy you have ever seen! He is perfect in everyway; look at his little face! I want to bite his little ears off they are so tiney tiny! I want to eat his little face! awww how precious! (Please still bring your babies around me, I promise I won't hurt them!)

Meet Nixon:
Click on the picture's to make them larger
(trust me, you want to see these in full screen...awww how sweet!)





I already know my poor kids are going to be so tired of a camera in their face!

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Ouch...


Why do we do it? Honestly. I can’t even stand up right now. No matter how bad I have to go, I don’t even want to walk to the bathroom. They are red. They hurt. It’s not fair.
Cute shoes. That is what I am talking about. I feel pretty, sexy, hot when I wear cute heels to work. I feel professional and surprisingly more intelligent! But crap.

Yesterday I wore my pretty red heels with a cute little dress. Some of the guys I worked with wanted to go out to lunch so I decided to make the trip. Two blocks away from our building they finally decide we are going to go to LoLa’s in the AT&T building. If you are not familiar with downtown Charlotte let me just tell you that LoLa’s is a good 4 blocks over and 8 blocks down. Not only is it a long walk, but it is 90 degrees outside. Therefore, 4 blocks over and 1 block down my feet are starting to rub. I slow the group down as I am trying to walk on my tip toes to avoid the motion of my feel going in and out of the peep toe of my shoe. Not working. I grit my teeth and bare it. But, the only thing I can think of is “I have to walk back. Ugh” I left work yesterday with four band-aids attached to both the outside and inside of the front of each foot.

Today, I wore my shiny Jessica Simpson black pumps – looove them, especially since I got them on sale!... Plus, they went great with my pink silk shirt and black pants. Aaron emailed me this morning and wanted to go to lunch! I responded with a yes and let him choose the location. Bad Idea. He chose Nix Burger Bar. I love that place but…it is 10 blocks over and 2 blocks up. Ugh, not again. So out the door I headed in the 90 degree weather, feet heating up every step I took. The blisters from yesterday were back and they were growing brothers and sisters with every step. And again, all I could think was “I have to walk back, crap.”

When lunch was over, I started the journey back to the Duke “Jail” that I call home five days a week. I swear while we were in Nix the temperature rose 10 degrees in 45 minutes because my feet were sweating this time (I know that’s gross but I am not going to lie.) The “brother and sister” blisters I had before started having twins and I have never been so miserable in my life. Every inch of my foot that touched my shoe felt like someone was holding a lighter on top of it.

On yeah, and not only were my feet hurting, but I was “adjusting” my walk so not to make too many movements in my shoe . . . and . . . as I was in front of Jimmy John’s Subs, concentrating hard on the task at hand, I literally walked right out of my shoe - Actually walked five steps out of it as I left my little Jessica Simpson back on the sidewalk. It wasn’t a horrible move though because a very nice AND nice looking young man in a black pin stripe suite with royal blue shirt and shaggy brown hair picked my shoe up and brought it to me! – What a way to make friends!

Therefore, besides making cute friends on the sidewalk and looking hot in peep toed shoes in the summer…why in the world do we beat ourselves up like this? I look like I just got done running from China to Africa barefoot! Ouch.

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

In My Opinion.....

I hate physically going to the mall unless I am shopping for nothing in particular. I also like to shop when I have endless hours to wonder aimlessly. Therefore, lately I have turned my focus to online shopping. For Sharon’s wedding, I wanted a new dress to wear to her bridal luncheon, a new one for the rehearsal dinner and a new one for the wedding (I know a little much, but please notice I said "want" not "need"!) . Three dresses to find at the mall, not going to happen, especially on a budget and a little time constraint. BlueFly.com and Overstock.com came to my rescue! Three fabulous dresses and a little bit of altering – BINGO!

Leann’s DVD player broke the other day so I decided that I would replace it. It was a Wednesday afternoon and there was zero free time in the future to shop around. I went online to Best Buy, picked out a DVD player, placed my order to be picked up at the closest store, and ran by that afternoon and scooped my purchase.

I needed new sheets. I was using old ones from home that just were not making the cut anymore. (Plus the yellow and purple flowers paired with my white furniture made my room look even more like a child’s nursery!) Again, I made this decision on a random Tuesday afternoon. I was impatient to actually go to the store and look, so I went online to Target.com and ordered a new set. (I think a lot of my online purchases come from a lack of patience to look around!)

As I was making up my bed this morning, all I could think about was how much I loved my new sheets! 700 thread count is like a mini heaven! What made my buy these sheets? The reviews online! Everything I buy online I buy because of a solid review from previous buyers. I have heard the rumors saying that many of the online reviews are fake, written by someone that produces the product. But let’s be serious, if the product had one star and five bad reviews, you wouldn’t buy it. I know I wouldn’t. It’s funny though, out of all the items I buy online, I have never reviewed a single purchase! I want to start; I want to help people make easier decisions – especially if it is something that I truly love and believe in…like my sheets! I want my opinion to be heard (shocker, I know!)

Friday, August 21, 2009

Friday Funny

Wow, it's been a week; seriously. I feel like I have been around the block and back, twice! Thank Goodness It's Friday.

Just thought I would leave ya for the weekend with two of the funniest videos. Most of you have probably seen them already but I promise you will laugh again. Many times you will find me pulling "one liners" from both of these clips!

HAPPY WEEKEND!

BonQuiQui @ King Burger


LaSara

Thursday, August 20, 2009

Time Flies When You Are Having Fun


It is already August 20th. Where the hell did the year go! Honestly, it seems like just yesterday that I was surrounded at Common House with a boyfriend, my Eastover Friends and my oh-so-amazing college diva’s ringing in the New Year in nothing but all out party style! I have ended a year long relationship, gone back to school part-time, married away several other friends, taken several fabulous vacations and it all seems like yesterday. I know we all say “this year flew bye.” But honestly, this year has flown by…its already August 20th! GEEEZE

This all hit reality yesterday and today when “planning” went into full swing for the fall festivities. College football stole my heart my freshman year at NC State. Tailgating at the fairgrounds and enjoying a cold “beverage” with friends all while wearing my most comfortable jeans and either a GAP Favorite T or an NC State T-shirt….doesn’t get better than that! Being able to watch the season change on football Saturday’s at Carter Finley is a feeling I wish I had year round! Coupled with football games, there are birthdays, bridal showers, engagement parties, holidays, and bachelorette weekends. (My co-workers tell me that I can solve the problem of “overbooking” myself on the weekends if I would just get rid of my friends! NOT GOING TO HAPPEN! They are my life!)

Anyway, I got into work this morning and added all of my “FUN” activities to my calendar and my head started spinning. CRAP – lots to do this fall. I am already planned well into December! WHERE DID THIS YEAR GO?!

Weekend 1: Aug 27 – 30: Washington DC to Visit Lauren

Weekend 2: Sept 4 – 6: Taylor Swift Saturday with the Girls in Charlotte for Jenna’s B-day

Weekend 3: Sept 11 – 12: Raleigh for NCSU football and Jackie & Resnick's Bday OR CLT for Jenna's Bday

Weekend 4: Sept 18 – 20: Either stay in Charlotte or Raleigh for NC STATE football

Weekend 5: Sept 25 – 27: In Charlotte for Kirsten and Reece’s engagement Party

Weekend 6: Oct 2 – 4: In Charlotte for Laura Faust’s B-day and the Down Syndrome Buddy Walk

Weekend 7: Oct 9 – 10: Either stay in Charlotte or Raleigh for NC STATE football

Weekend 8: Oct 16 – 17: Raleigh for a “Stock The Bar Party” for Ashley and Paul

Weekend 9: Oct 23 – 25: Ashley’s Bachelorette Weekend!!!!

Weekend 10: Oct 30 – Nov 1: HALLOWEEN

Weekend 11: Nov 6 – 8: Ashley’s Ornament Shower in Charlotte

Weekend 12: Nov 13 – 15: Raleigh for an ADPi girls Reunion Weekend and NCSU Football vs. Clemson

Weekend 13: Nov 16 – 18: A “Breather” Weekend! yeah

Weekend 14: Nov 26 – 29: Thanksgiving in Kernersville and Raleigh for NC State Football vs. UNC!

Weekend 15: Dec 4 – 6: Ashley and Paul’s Wedding

And….. We are up to Christmas and planning our next New Year’s Party. All of a sudden, come February, I turn 26 and another year of my life is behind me. SCARY FAST!

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Which One Would You Choose?


Sad times, but I think the dentist removed my sweet tooth; really mistaking it for one of my wisdom teeth. If I didn't lose it while removing my wisdom teeth in high school, I must have chipped it and filled it in with part of a salt lick! If it's not ice cream, I really don't care for a sweet treat.....seriously sad times...
The downside of my predicament, I love to bake! I love to get in the kitchen and make a total flour mess!

On that note:
There is one blog that I stumbled across that I absolutely love and constantly have the urge to try almost every idea this chic has! Its http://bakerella.blogspot.com/

On Sunday the author posted a recipe called "Monkey Business" and it is a recipe for Banana Cupcakes with Creamy Cream Cheese Frosting. This is one of those recipes where I just "want a bite!"

Ariston came into work on Monday and informed me of a new desert he had tried over the weekend that was to die for. Of course I had to look it up and not to my surprise it was a recipe by my all time favorite leading kitchen lady, Paula Deen!
It sounds like so much fun to make! (I think I am drawn towards deserts that are not rich but full of unique flavor!)

Since my sweet tooth is not that strong but I still have that urge to bake, my co-workers and neighbors are getting lucky this week! There is just one problem....which one should I attempt first?!

Monday, August 17, 2009

Black Gold

Several weeks ago I posted about some of my favorite shows on TV - Ice Road Truckers and Deadliest Catch. Well the creator of those shows is at it again!
Let me introduce you to Black Gold! Forget cheesy reality like The Bachelorette, Black Gold just jumped to one of my top two fave shows (still miles away from Friends, but in the upper half!)

Yesterday was a rainy Sunday afternoon. I opened the blinds so I could watch it rain and crawled back into bed. As I was flipping through the channels, I ran across Black Gold on TruTV. Instantly I was addicted. Again, don't ask me what draws me to shows like this but I find them 100% entertaining and secretly wish I could do these jobs one day! (I know, a little strange for a girl but hey, I am who I am.)

About 30 mintues later Dustin called and was bored. He came over and laid down beside me, and within two minutes he was just as addicted as me and we started to pickout our favorite dudes and decided which rig we would want to work on! (I would soooo work for Justin!)

Dustin and I literally laid there and watched as the Black Gold marathon continued until 3pm and we decided to take a field trip to Ikea (we will save that for tomorrow's post!)

I will leave you with a little Black Gold sneak peak of the new season starting this week! Anyone want to watch with me Wednesday at 10?!

Friday, August 14, 2009

Deal or No Deal ?

The following article was posted in the Greensboro/Winston-Salem news this morning about JetBlue offering a month of unlimited flights for $599.

JetBlue Airways is offering an “all you can fly” offer. The airline is selling all-you-can-fly tickets for $599 per passenger, allowing for unlimited travel between Sept. 8 and Oct. 8.

New York-based JetBlue (NASDAQ: JBLU) offers daily nonstop flights between Raleigh-Durham International Airport and three destinations: New York, Boston, and Fort Lauderdale, Fla. The airline also provides service to 46 other markets, including Las Vegas; Orlando, Fla.; San Francisco; Puerto Rico; Bermuda; Seattle and the Bahamas.

The airline does not fly out of Piedmont Triad International Airport.

The deadline for the purchase of the unlimited-flights package is Aug. 21. Individual flights must be booked at least three days before departure.

The airline has also said it will gauge demand to see how long it might offer the all-you-can-fly deal.

So on the surface this seems like an amazing deal if you are someone like me who has friends spread out over the US, or if you are a retire looking to visit several destination hot spots within the month of Sept. and Oct. It would be worth the money to hop on a plane every weekend and jet set to the next city I have a friend residing in, spend the weekend, and then fly back on Sunday; something I would definitely try to accomplish one month for this deal!

But, what is the guarantee that you can book flights when you want them? You have the flight there that you want, but can’t get a flight back, what do you do? Will it then cost you more to buy a one-way-ticket back?

This might be useful for a company like ours where we have employees who fly very frequently between Charlotte and Cincinnati, but what is it worth to the common traveler?

Thursday, August 13, 2009

A Little Photo Dump of the best summer!

(click to view larger)
This time two years ago was probably one of the best summers I have ever had. I had just moved to Charlotte in July but still went back and forth between Charlotte and Raleigh hanging out with friends!
"Back in the summer of '07..oh it was the best time of my life!"


(click on any photo to see it larger)
We spent way to much time on the lake!

This was a normal look at our apartment on Thursday nights... Kenyon and Charles kept us entertained!

Best "Blind" roommate I could ever find!
A little stress relief from the workday..
My Thunda also moved to Charlotte that summer!

We got lucky with the best neighbors in Eastover Ridge!
We all had just started working so the poor people had to put as many people in a cab as possible!
A night out on the CLT town!
After moving to Charlotte, some how I never could get Anna or Charles out of my bed on a AA5 night out!
Raleigh was a hard place to move away from :(

One of our last nights out together in Raleigh before we all parted ways for different cities :(
It was exciting to move to Charlotte, but sad to leave everyone in Raleigh
A night out with my new Roomies!
Move in Day to Eastover Ridge 3306-336! July 2007 It was not a normal night out unless we ended up over at Alan's after the bar playing Rock Band
Every Saturday was spent on the lake at Charles'

Michael and Lori even joined us this year at Beach Music Fest in Stuart, VA!
My brother-in-law in his tank-top at Beach Music Fest
Beach Music Fest in Stuart, VA !



Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Any Friends Interested?


While I was working at GE Aircraft during college, one of my fellow co-workers was a professional skydiver and he worked part time for Carolina Sky Sports in Louisburg, NC videotaping guest jumps.
Skydiving was something I had wanted to do for a long time s, for Christmas that year I convinced my college boyfriend to jump with me. We decided that this would be our present to each other instead of spending hours at the mall shopping for just the right thing. (Can’t you feel the love; we wanted to throw each other out of a plane!)

So Slade and I jumped one afternoon (of course strapped to an instructor) and it was amazing! The best part was my co-worker agreed to jump with me and video the entire thing for free! So as I was doing a little cleaning last night I found the DVD and it made me ready to go again! (I will see if I can post the video tomorrow, it’s pretty cute!)

I am now searching for any friends that maybe want to set a date in September or October to go back with me!!!! Let me know if you are interested! You won’t regret it!!! (We also don’t have to go back to Louisburg, NC; anywhere in the southeast will work for me.)

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Patience...Gotta Have It


Patience. I have to make it my new practice. Over the past two weeks I have spent too much time focused only on the future and not on today or tomorrow.


I paid my tuition bill on Sunday and found myself lying in bed that night, hoping for this “phase” of life to hurry by as fast as possible so sooner than later I can wake up every morning and adore the career I have ultimately chosen. Patience.


Sunday night, Dustin and I grabbed dinner together at Sundries and our main topic of conversation was the house that he just bought. We discussed furniture, wall colors, blinds, etc. (In my head I know what I want his house to look like!) It was so nice outside that after dinner we decided to go for a little ride over to the new house for me to investigate! It is simply precious and I am so happy and proud for Dustin because what a major accomplishment - he has purchased a house on his own! As we were headed back to Eastover, I started to get a small envious feeling. I wish I could buy a house right now and somewhat “ground” myself in one location. But what if I am not meant to live in Charlotte for the next 20 years in a house I have purchased? What would I do with it then? Would that be a huge financial mistake? What if I meet someone that doesn’t live in Charlotte or what if I take a job outside of Charlotte in another school district? That night in bed, I started praying so hard that all these questions would be answered sooner than later. I felt like I was ultimately praying this part of my life away. Patience


I have been single now for awhile and I found myself yesterday wishing away this time of “waiting” to meet "him" in hopes I can catch up to the rest of my friends who seem like they are taking a joy ride on the “life” train as all the pieces fall into place for them (every single girl out there would be lying if they said this thought has not crossed their mind once!) Patience.


I have to stop. I have to have patience. I have to realize that all these factors are out of my control. This is what God has planned for me and only he knows the reason why before I can see it. . There is a reason that the activities that are occurring in everyone else’s lives, that I long for to happen in mine, have not come alive yet. I have to have patience. I have never been a patient person and this is going to be one of the most difficult things I will do this year. I need to learn to live each day as it is in front of me instead of wishing away the time until I can see things a little more complete and grounded. Patience. I can’t play this time in life as a waiting game. I have to take what is going on now, run with it, and hopefully everything else will fall into place! Patience. I have to learn patience.

Friday, August 7, 2009

All SMILES

ITS FRIDAY! AND I AM ALL SMILES!
Headed to the lake this very second to meet Kenyon, Kirk, Rackin and Josh for a little fun weekend!

Love you friends!

Thursday, August 6, 2009

Rock Star, Porn Star, or Killer ???

So I get picked on at work since I am the youngest in the crowd. Everyone places bets on whether I will know an event, a band, any famous person etc. So when I walked in the door this morning, I was asked by one of the traders "Who is Charles Manson?" Not really giving a rats butt or wanting to think twice at 5am, I said "A singer." (I really had no clue who he is!) My answer was followed with an "awww poor Blain." Well I will let you know that Charles Manson was a killer, not a lead singer of a famous band!
So...I continued to get joked on all day and when I got back from lunch I had a test awaiting me on my desk. The test was entitled: Rock Star, Porn Star, or Killer??? The instructions were to go through and circle whether I thought the person listed was a rock star, porn star, or killer.
As you know me, I am always up for the challenge and HATE to be defeated so I took the test. Come to find out, I am not as sheltered as most people think I am! I got 13 out of 15 of the people right! Yeah, go me!

How well do you think you could do?! Try the test below! Circle one!
(PS - check out two names on the list. As soon as I saw them I said: "Well Ted Bundy was on Married With Children and John Holmes was a man at my church that sang in the choir!" and yes, that got my co-workers at me again!)

Rock Star, Porn Star, or Killer ???

Lee Harvy Oswald -- Rock Star, Porn Star, Killer
Kurt Cobain -- Rock Star, Porn Star, Killer
Freddie Mercury -- Rock Star, Porn Star, Killer
Jenna Jameson -- Rock Star, Porn Star, Killer
John Allan Muhammed -- Rock Star, Porn Star, Killer
Marilyn Chambers -- Rock Star, Porn Star, Killer
Bon Scott -- Rock Star, Porn Star, Killer
Chrissie Hynes -- Rock Star, Porn Star, Killer
Lou Gramm -- Rock Star, Porn Star, Killer
Jeffrey Dahmer -- Rock Star, Porn Star, Killer
Ron Jeremy -- Rock Star, Porn Star, Killer
Steve Perry -- Rock Star, Porn Star, Killer
John Holmes -- Rock Star, Porn Star, Killer
Ted Bundy -- Rock Star, Porn Star, Killer
Ted Kaczynski -- Rock Star, Porn Star, Killer
You always have to add a little humor to the work day!

Wednesday, August 5, 2009

Dolla Dolla Bill Ya'll: Want more $$$$ ?


So I read this article today and actually enjoyed it. Some useful info so I decided to summarize and share!

ENJOY!

The secret’s out: We’re in a recession! No matter how stable your financial situation, we are all looking for ways to find extra money.
A few bucks here or there may not seem like much, but if you make a conscious effort, the dollars can add up quickly.
Here are a few ideas that will get you started without forcing any huge life adjustments.

Negotiate a Lower Interest Rate
If you keep yourself out of debt and pay your bills on time, you are a credit card company’s dream!
They do not want to lose you, so that means you have the power. Give them a call to negotiate a lower interest rate on your credit card and pocket the savings. You may run into some resistance at the start of the conversation, but if you remind them how reliable a customer you have been and that you have no problem walking away, you should get what you want.

Join Netflix
If you regularly rent movies from the video store or go to the theater, joining Netflix could save you a hefty sum. Choose from over 100,000 movies, and they’ll be delivered right to your door within a day or two, along with a prepaid envelope to send them back. You can keep each movie as long as you want.
You’ll see a bunch more flicks, and it’s a lot cheaper than renting one at a time from the store or buying those incredibly expensive theater tickets (and getting tempted to buy that overpriced popcorn and candy!). A painless and fun way to find extra money!

Cut the Cable
Having the premium movie channels may be another way to stay out of the video store and the theater, but are you really getting your money’s worth?
Go through the premium channels you subscribe to and make a list of the ones you never watch. Call your cable company and negotiate for a deal so you are only paying for what you use, which should make your monthly bill a little less hefty.

Bring the Party Home
So many of us meet at a restaurant or bar when we want to spend time with our friends, but why not get together at your home?
Get a couple bottles of wine and a few hors d’oeuvres or make a nice meal. A game of Pictionary, as corny as it may sound, is always a good time, and it’s a whole lot cheaper than going out. If your friends like the idea, convince them to take turns playing host.
Spending quality time with friends while saving big bucks? Sounds like a perfect night to us!

Use Your Own ATM
We’ve all been there. You’re out and realize you don’t have any cash on you, and the most convenient ATM is not your bank’s. The two or three dollar charge for using the machine is steep, but not that big a deal, right? WRONG!
These fees may seem small at the time, but they can quickly add up to hundreds of dollars. Take the time to do a little preplanning before you leave the house, and use your own bank’s ATM. The extra money you’ll save can go a long way!

Quit While You're Ahead
Looking for extra money? Sell your lousy investments. Chances are, with the way the stock market is going, you have a few stocks in your portfolio that you wish weren’t there. It’s tempting to ride things out and hope they’ll turn around, but at least consider whether you should sell these investments.
Even if you don’t make a ton of money, it’s better than losing even more further down the line. Plus, there may be a tax benefit to taking those losses.
Of course, don’t make these decisions on a whim. Consult your financial advisor to discuss whether it’s time to dump some of that dead weight.

Cash In Your Savings Bonds
Remember that savings bond Grandma gave you all those years ago? Go find it and cash it in! It’s free money just waiting to go into your bank account. If you’ve been hanging on to it for more than 30 years, it’s not earning one red nickel, and even if it still has some appreciation left, it might be wise to use it in a pinch. Another quick way to find extra money!

Review Your Insurance Policies
Most of us are pretty thorough when we are choosing an insurance policy, but when it comes to renewing it or paying the monthly premium, we tend to stick with what we have and just pay the bill.
But your insurance is a huge expense and often a place where you can find some extra money. Sit down with your insurance policies and figure out if you are paying for insurance coverage you don’t need. Chances are your priorities and needs may have changed since you originally bought the policy, and making a few adjustments could save you major money every month.

Sell Your Gift Cards
Gift cards can be terrific presents to receive, but only if you want to buy something from that particular store! How many times have you been given a certificate to a store where you don’t shop or that’s nowhere close to your home?
Don’t let that card take up space in your wallet — sell it! You can turn those gift cards into cash by selling them on e-Bay, plus it keeps you out of the stores and away from tempting, unnecessary buys!

Cut Up Some Credit Cards
If you have any credit cards that make you pay a fee, you can find extra money right now by getting rid of them! There are plenty of credit card options that give you great benefits with no annual fee.
Some annual fees may seem worth it if the benefits are something special, but most times paying an annual fee is just silly! It’s an expense you can eliminate with a single phone call today.

Read 'Em and Sell 'Em
Instead of using the books you have already read for decoration around the house, go to cash4books.net and make a few dollars. All you have to do is type the book’s information into the web site to find out how much you can make. Maybe some of those classics are worth hanging on to, but if you’re like us, books you’ve already read just sit around and collect dust.
It’s a no-brainer — sell ‘em!