Photo memories

I read an article today that brought back lots of memories from my wedding. It discussed the differences between traditional wedding photography and photo journalistic b&w wedding photography and also the importance of hiring good photographers. We were lucky enough to have both present at our wedding. One of our college professors agreed to take black and white photo journalistic photos , which are candid and not posed. They record the event as it unfolds, much like a video, but with photographs.

We were very happy with the black and white photos, but I wish I would've had this article to read before we hired our traditional photographer. He was a friend of a friend of a friend, so we didn't know him at all. His portfolio only had two couple's wedding photos and his personality didn't suit us either.

As a result, we got very canned-looking photos with "fake" smiles because he would say "ready", we would smile, then he wouldn't snap the picture for another few seconds. We had an interview with him before the wedding, but didn't ask much about his background or schooling. We were in a time crunch to find someone since our first photographer choice was already booked, so we figured it would be OK. As I read in the article, however, I realized that your photographer is the most important person hired for your wedding. They will capture the event for all to see in the future. How do you want to look back on your special day? I look back with regret that we didn't have a better photographer.

Evaluation time

My husband had a revelation of sorts the other night when we were discussing our current situation and new goals. We like to have these types of big talks every few months to make sure we are on the same page, evaluate our lives, and to brainstorm about new ideas. We have both been feeling a bit "down" lately and weren't sure why since we live exactly where we want to be and are self-employed. We thought we would be happier once we moved here and got out of the "rat race" that is corporate America.

Of course, some of what we've been feeling is just "winter blues" and the weather affects our mood tremendously. But the revelation came when my husband said that maybe we feel bad because everything is so clear now. When you work the 9 to 5 daily grind, your mind is clouded with all these names, numbers, and acronyms that don't really matter in your life. You do the same thing over and over every day and you don't have time or energy to divert from your current mindset. So when you clear your head of all the extras, it becomes really apparent what is missing. For us I think part of it is not having many friends. We've met some really great people and I've met a few ladies I consider good friends, but my husband has been busy working on the internet so much he hasn't had a chance to meet many people. Since we moved away from all our family and friends in Colorado, we are missing connections with people.

We've only been here seven months, so in time we'll meet people. But sometimes it gets a little lonely. It is especially hard in the winter when you can't get out and hike or explore the town which is what we really love to do. Hopefully in the spring when I start showing my paintings in Basin Park and at the Artist Colony we will meet some fellow artists and possibly make some new friends.

Politics bore me

One sure way to make me fall asleep is hearing someone talk about politics. The most boring television and radio stations are the ones talking about news, politics, and the war. I know it's terrible that people are dying over there, and my heart goes out to them and their families. But I feel like some people are for the war, some are against, and we just keep hearing the same things over and over again. It all sounds the same after awhile.

One example of this is a liberal forum called News Nation where people can post about different news topics including the war and their opinions of Bush. The idea is that if lots of people join together, they can make a difference and change the outcome of the war. I visited the forum and read a few of the posts, and it looks to me like the posters are just re-hashing news reports with very long winded posts that have little of their own opinion. I assumed a liberal forum would be full of very opinionated people and more interesting to read. Unfortunately, this is not so.

Is Spring here?

All signs say "Yes"! The birds are singing, the squirrels are everywhere and the weather has been warm for a week, with the forecast looking good for the next ten days. The high temp has been upper 50s and 60s. My guess is we may have one more cold storm in March, but after that we'll be full swing in spring! Now I just have to cross my fingers that it is warm for my daughter's birthday party in March. It is much easier to handle lots of kids if they can go outside for awhile.

Cartoon controversy

The website of cartoon artist Oliver Gaspirtz is not for sensitive viewers. His humor is very crude at times, but also very funny. His talents have been recognized by many magazines and tabloids, as well as over a dozen books including Chicken Soup for the Soul. These types of jokes are the guilty pleasures of many people surfing the internet. Stop by for a quick laugh. Look at some comics, crude jokes, and catch up on your celebrity and political gossip.

Molars molars everywhere

We have known that our son is getting his 2 year-old molars in for awhile now, but we just discovered that our daughter is getting her 6 year-old molars now too. At least she isn't all cranky like him and can tell us what hurts so we can help. So far, she hasn't complained one bit. One day last week, she says, "Mom, I have these little holes in the back where my teeth are going to be." So I looked, and sure enough they were starting to break through the gums.

At that age, they are more fascinated with the procedure of losing teeth and excited about growing new ones that they don't worry about how it feels.

Laughter is the best medicine

The thought behind a medical website to inform people about the dangers of Asbestos is that people are more likely to read dry medical information if there are also jokes and humor on the site. The main page is very simple, with information about mesothelioma, a type of lung cancer that is caused by exposure to Asbestos. There are links to doctor jokes, funny pictures, and bizarre diseases at the bottom of the page.

The most interesting part was the list of bizarre diseases and disorders. If you want to find out what "Walking Corpse Syndrome" is or perhaps "Alice In Wonderland Syndrome" then you should check out this site!

St. Patrick's Day Parade

The next event coming up here in Eureka Springs is the St. Patrick's Day Parade. It will be on Saturday, March 17th at 2pm. From what I've heard from locals, this parade is a big one and a whole lot of fun. We're looking forward to it!! It will be the first day of Spring Break for the schools too.

Leica binoculars

At the end of January, there was a big bald eagle migration in our area. They have an annual "watch" over at Beaver Lake. But since the lake is so big, most people pay for a boat excursion to take them to the area with the most eagles. The tours were all booked in advance, and they are expensive, so we decided to skip it.

Maybe if we had a nice pair of leica binoculars we could've still seen the eagles from a distance. The Ultravid 8x50 BR Black Binoculars give you a sharp and steady image even under low light conditions. The large 50mm objective lenses pull in large amounts of light so you can still get a clear view in dark or shady areas. These are excellent for bird watching since birds are often in dense, wooded areas. They are fully waterproof and fog proof as well and come with a carrying case and neck strap.

Eagle Optics offers a full 30-day unconditional guarantee, plus they offer free UPS shipping in the United States.

Field trip tomorrow

The kindergarten class is going to the Walton Arts Center in Fayetteville tomorrow and I got my husband to agree to watch our son all day so I could go on the field trip with my daughter. We are going to see a performance of various Disney songs at the center. I'm looking forward to it.

The kindergarten kids are a bit more responsible and easier to take on a field trips than the preschool class we took last year, those field trips were a big headache. We're all riding the school bus to Fayetteville tomorrow, which will be an hour long ride. I hope I don't get motion sickness on the bus with all the curves in the road.

Widgets

If you are looking for a cool looking way to share files on your MySpace page or Blog, I found the box.net widget through PayPerPost. It is literally as easy as 1,2,3. Step 1, select the files you want in your widget. Step 2, login to your account. Step 3, upload! Once you upload, you are given the code to your widget so you can place it on your page. How easy is that??

Finally

The weather is so warm today!!! Last time I checked it was around 70 degrees. It actually felt more like a cool summer day than a warm winter day (if that makes sense!). It was beautiful. I felt like being outside all day. When I was inside, I did all kinds of "spring cleaning" in the house because I was in such a good mood. I'm not the only one, either. My husband organized his office and was talking about projects we want to do in the house when we have the money.

It is supposed to be like this for the rest of the week - yay!!!

All about wellness

Battle Creek, Michigan, has a long history of devotion to wellness. It was founded by the Kellogg family, who ran a health sanitarium and of course developed Kellogg cereals. They believed deeply in the benefits of saunas and holistic medicine to heal the body's ailments. Their tradition carries on today with a drug rehab center called Stone Hawk. It was started by recovered addicts who are grateful for the help they received and know the importance of helping others.

The center itself is situated in a park-like setting by a private lake. There are 13.5 acres of rolling hills and large oak trees. According to their website, Stone Hawk drug rehabilitation center is the most successful inpatient drug rehab in the country, offering a 76%+ success rate. This is probably due to their counseling methods. They don't believe in teaching morals or rules, but rather show the patient that they can achieve a lifestyle that fits their needs and wants without drugs or alcohol.

Blogletting.com

I have touched on the subjects of financial freedom and being debt free a bit on this blog, but if you are interested in reading more on that subject, I have another blog dedicated to voluntary simplicity and financial freedom. It is called Blogletting.com and the page was designed by my wonderful husband.

Stop by if you get a chance and let me know what you think of the design or any of the posts. I love comments!

Debt relief

As I have mentioned before, we have been out of debt (except for a mortgage) for five years now. We were lucky enough to be able to live with my in-laws for a year while we paid off all our credit cards with the help of a consumer credit counseling service. After educating myself some more on the best way to pay off loans early, we managed to pay off our student loans a couple years later.

If you already own a home, one way to pay off debt is with a Home Equity Loan. The interest rates are surely less than that of your credit cards and you can usually get a bit of extra cash in the process. The benefits of an Online Loan are the ease of the application and approval process. You will know much sooner if you qualify and what the cost and terms will be.

Happy Mardi Gras!

It's amazing to me just how much weather can effect your mood. We have been "cooped up" for a couple of weeks in the cold weather, but this week is gorgeous. Everyone is in a good mood and there are people outside everywhere. It's too bad this warm-up didn't start on Saturday. We had to miss the Eureka Gras parade because it was too windy and my son is just getting over an ear infection.

I'm looking forward to the Lovely County Citizen paper which comes out tomorrow. I'm sure they will have plenty of pictures of all the Mardi Gras events.

Flavored credit cards?

When I first saw the opportunity at PayPerPost entitled "Mint Credit Cards", that's what I thought. But this is a type of credit card in the UK. They have revolutionized the credit card in the UK by offering a card with the bottom right corner removed. This is the first change to the shape of credit cards in the UK for 37 years. Other than that, they also offer 0% interest on balance transfers until December, giving customers a chance to pay off high bills on other credit cards

In September 2006, Mint launched the Mint Gift Card, which is basically a pre-paid credit card that you can give as a gift. The recipient has the luxury of shopping anywhere credit cards are accepted and you don't have to worry about buying them something they won't like or won't use.

The pre-paid card would be a good thing to get for a teenager when they want to go to the mall. Rather than letting them borrow your credit card, simply give them a card with a set amount of money and they can't go over the limit.

Planning the party

My daughter's birthday is coming up, so we are planning her party. We were going back and forth over whether or not to invite her whole class. We finally decided to go ahead and invite everyone in her class at school, and also the three girls from her dance class, plus one other friend. I figure, since it is on the weekend, chances are not everyone will show up. Hopefully the weather will be nice and we can be outside for part of the time.

Oh well, even if everyone comes, it will be 18 kids for two hours at my house. I think we can handle that... (I hope!)

RayBan discount

I have noticed that the "Aviator" look is back in sunglasses... Did that look ever go away? Anyway, if you like the look, but don't have the cash, why not try RayBans at BestBuyEyeglasses.com. RayBans are unmatched in quality. Hey, they wouldn't be the world's leading sunglasses brand otherwise. But you typically have to pay the big bucks to get a pair. BestBuyEyeglasses.com has the lowest prices on RayBans anywhere, and they have an easy return policy.


These are more my style, the Wayfarers by RayBan. You can even have prescription sunglasses made simply by providing your prescription information upon ordering.

Bonus: to get an extra 5% off your online order, type discount code ETP 5P in the order form.

Save money, cook more, eat better

In my endless search for ways to feed a family for less money, I came across HillBillyHousewife. This site has shopping lists, recipes and meal plans on feeding a family of four to six for about $45 per week. Intrigued by some of the recipes (I've always wanted to bake my own bread!), I decided to give the plan a whirl. So far it is going pretty well.

My first loaf of bread is too dense and heavy, I need to let it rise longer next time. But the lentil chili was awesome, the whole family liked it (which never happens!). Tonight I am making black bean soup and it smells great, so I think it will go over well. Since we shop at local grocers, my cost for the week was a bit more, but still less than usual. Plus it felt good to have no "pre-packaged" prepared foods in the cart. I'll never worry about running out of food again, now that I know how to bake bread, tortillas, muffins, biscuits, corn bread, and more with ingredients I already have on hand.

Podcast

Some people prefer to do Podcasts instead of blogging for daily journal updates. I found a website that offers Free Podcast hosting and unlimited bandwidth and storage. Not only is the membership free, you can get paid by placing advertisements on your Podcast, which you can review and choose only the ones you want.

My only complaint about the site is that it is kind of confusing for someone like me who has never done a Podcast. Maybe a bit more explanation in the "About" section would help. But for people already familiar with Podcasting, MyPodcast is a really great deal!

Doing my own thing

Yay! My new laptop arrived today and I am up and running, blogging on it right now. It will take me awhile to get used to the smaller keyboard and to be able to type as fast as I usually can, but at least I can get on whenever I want and don't have to schedule time for myself on our home computer. Now it really feels like an office here with me and my hubby working side-by-side. Pretty neat!

Hopefully, with the extra blogging I will be able to do, we should be able to recoup the expense of it fairly quickly. Now if I could just get some open opportunities at Blogitive.com...

Review my post

As you have probably noticed, I have added a new button at the end of each post that says "get paid to review my post." This is a great new program through PayPerPost that pays the blogger and their reviewer $7.50 each when someone reviews your post and signs up at PPP. I have put this button on all my posts, not just the paid ones because it is open to all bloggers and all posts.

This affiliate tool is a great way to spread the word about PayPerPost and build blog traffic. And what better way for someone to sign up than to review any post they want and get paid $7.50? Some bloggers who aren't interested or just don't have the time to do sponsored posts can simply sign up with PayPerPost and put the button at the bottom of all their regular posts in the hopes that one of their readers will review it and then they'll both get paid. Some serious bloggers have spent years perfecting their page and have only specific topics they cover, so they don't feel comfortable putting any type of advertisement content on their blogs. This would be a great idea for someone who has a very high page rank with many readers, but doesn't want sponsored content on their blog.

The results are in

To quote the Lovely County Citizen: Eureka Springs Eateries Rock Arkansas Times Poll
Our little town recently won 13 of 22 state-wide awards in the annual Arkansas Times Readers’ Choice restaurant competition. Here's the list of winners:

• Autumn Breeze: Best Wine List
• Geraldis: Best Pizza
• Little Bread Company: Best Bakery
• Mud Street Cafe: Best Coffee

  “Runners Up” award winners and their categories include:
• Bavarian Inn: Other Ethnic
• Bubba’s: Barbecue
• Ermilio’s: Italian
• Mud Street Cafe: Breakfast
• Mud Street Cafe: Dessert
• Myrtie Mae’s: Family
• Oasis: Home Cooking
• Rogue’s Manor: Romantic
• Sparky’s Roadhouse: Hamburger

I am so proud of our hard-working restaurant workers! I am especially happy that Geraldi's got the recognition they deserve for best pizza. They've always been our favorite pizza!

Segmentation has some benefits

With all the changes taking place at PayPerPost lately, one of the biggest is "segmentation." This means that when an advertiser posts an opportunity for the bloggers, they can make all kinds of requirement specifications that they weren't able to pick before. For example, they can choose a minimum PR (page rank) for the blogger's homepage, they can choose only blogs about a certain topic, and they can exclude blogs from free sites like Blogger, Xanga, LiveJournal, and MySpace.

The downside for advertisers is that if they choose segmentation, the payout of their opp must be higher (I heard at least $12.50) per blog. This is good news for bloggers with a high PR, because some of the opps have been paying $1,000 per blog. That's some serious dough for a half hour of work! Now I just have to work really hard to get my page rank up so I can partake in the big bucks.

It is so great to make money blogging. I've really gotten into a groove with it now and I can do the posts much quicker than when I first started two months ago. In case you want to know, I have already been paid $335 and they owe me $300 to be paid once my posts are up for the required 30 days. I try to keep the "to be paid" above $300, so that means I'm making about that much every 30 days. Now that they have raised the daily post limit from two to three, that number should grow very quickly.

Another change at PPP is now we are required to have a disclosure on our blog (you can see mine in the sidebar), or we can put it within the individual post (as I will put at the bottom of this one). Some people made a big deal about it, but I would think most bloggers would like it since it explains that some of our posts are paid and they are still our own opinions. I think mostly advertisers were the ones who didn't like it because some of them even specify in the opp that they don't want you to mention it is a paid ad. They can't do that anymore and I'm glad because I always want to be honest with my readers.

I thought yesterday was cold...

... but today is much worse!!! When I dropped my daughter off at her bus stop, the radio said it was 13 degrees, heading for a high of 25 today. Wow, I didn't think it even got that cold here, but with all the "El Nino" trouble the world has had this year, I guess anything is possible. Hence the crazy snow in Denver and the off-season hurricanes in Florida and Louisiana.

There are some signs of spring coming, though. There are a lot of birds returning from migration and the sunset is getting later. I'm looking forward to a nice long spring when we can get out and hike and check out all the great lakes and rivers around here.

Absolute last chance

OK guys, this is your last chance to show her you didn't forget Valentine's Day. Sign up for your free 30-day membership at eCards. You can send risque, silly, animated, free funny eCards instantly. Forget about braving the cold weather and driving to a store to weed through the measly selection left there. It'll be slim pickins' for sure!

You have many more options at eGreetings.com. Plus, you personalize the card to say exactly what you want instead of all the "canned" greetings on paper cards. As a bonus, you can feel good about yourself for saving a tree in the process.

EurekaLoop

As I have mentioned before, my husband and I are trying to make our living off various internet ventures, and so far these have been slow to start, but a bit profitable. The problem is that everything on the internet fluctuates. One week will be very slow with hardly any income, but then you'll get a day where the money is just rolling in. So we have decided to offer Web Design, hosting, and logo design to local businesses.

The information can be found at EurekaLoop. This is also the place to go if you want to barter services with fellow Eurekans. Check out the "Service Loop" to set up a free listing for a service you will provide, or for a service you require from someone else. Neighbors helping neighbors!

Eyes

My husband has been wearing glasses regularly for about ten years. Before that, he only wore them for driving, but probably should have been wearing them all the time.

Lately, he has been thinking about laser eye surgery and has started researching the different techniques. Upon reading about Lasik Eye Surgery, he is thinking he would prefer a method that doesn't actually cut the eye surface. I'm sure there is one that only uses the laser flashing into the eye, without cutting. I know the qualifications for different procedures depend on what type of correction your eyes require. I will research this more at Encylocentral.

By the time we save up enough money or our insurance will cover part of it, maybe there will be an even more unobtrusive method of correcting vision problems.

Happy Valentine's Day!

This is the coldest day we've had since we moved to Eureka Springs. The high today is only 35, and tonight it is supposed to get down to the teens. I guess this gives us a small taste of what our relatives in Colorado have been dealing with for over two months now. But we are not buried in snow like they are, we just had a very slight dusting of snow this morning. I'm glad they didn't cancel school, since the kids love to exchange Valentine cards with their little friends. I will head over there later to join in the festivities.

Oh, my youngest had the fever again yesterday, so I went ahead and took him to the doctor. They tested him for the Flu, which is going around and luckily it was negative. He actually has ear infections in both ears. So he is on anti-biotics now and a decongestant. Due to our current insurance, this ended up costing me $96. I can't wait until the kids are covered under the ARKids First program! I should be hearing from them in the next couple of weeks. Hopefully no one gets sick before then...

T-Moblie rebate

Attention all cell phone users! I know a lot of you already use T-Mobile phones and service, so if your contract is up before March 31st, you should check out the $50 rebate you can get if you order a new T-Mobile plan online. The plan must be at least $34.99 per month, but the last time I checked, that's about the lowest they go anyway.

You just visit the T-Mobile phones website and plug in your zip code to see the plans available in your area. It's that simple. Plus, they have great gear to go along with your myFaves phone or virtually any other cell phone out there. If you are in the market to pick up a new cell phone or thinking of changing your current service, why not see what T-Mobile has to offer in your area? Even if T-Mobile won't work for you, the website has all the other plans listed there too, complete with cash back offers depending on the phone and plan you choose.

Speaking of T-Mobile, is Catherine Zeta-Jones still their spokesperson? I haven't seen her on any of their website advertisements. We don't watch TV, so I wouldn't know if she is on the commercials.

Paid Blogging

I just wanted to write a quick post about the differences between the two big paid blogging sites (PayPerPost vs. Blogitive), since I am now a member of both. The biggest difference is in the layout of the opportunities. At PPP, you have to view the entire list of available opps, and choose the ones that you qualify for based on PR, blog subject, etc. At Blogitive, they show you only the ones that you qualify for and you choose to accept or reject them.

At PPP, once you click "Take this Opportunity," the system holds it for one hour while you type your post and submit it. When you accept an opportunity at Blogitive, they hold it for two days while you type your post. In this regard, I must say Blogitive makes me feel more relaxed, while PPP makes me feel a little nervous and rushed. It usually only takes about 15 minutes to type a post, but you never know when you will be interrupted by one of your kids or if the phone will ring and then you might miss the one hour deadline.

At Blogitive, you can "Accept" all the opps on your list, then take the two days to do them all. But if you click "Take this Opp" at PPP on more than one, you are really in a crunch to get them all done within the hour. PPP has a limit of three opps per blog, per day and requires only one non-paid blog post in between paid posts. Blogitive has no limit of opps you can take per day, but they require two in between blog posts between their opps. They don't specify non-paid, though, so I usually do a Blogitive post, followed by a personal non-paid post, followed by a PPP, then another Blogitive post. That system works great, provided there are posts to take. Blogitive had five opportunities for me on the first day, but since then have had none. As I've mentioned before, PPP fluctuates all the time, but they always come back up after only a couple of slow days.

Another plus for PPP, the payouts are almost always more. Blogitive pays $5 per post and they always require 100 words. PPP varies by advertiser, but the minimum is $5 and 50 words. I've been paid $15 for 50 words before and that is awesome. But sometimes the advertiser wants 300 words for only $5, which is hardly worth the time. Overall, I prefer PayPerPost for now, but I'll keep you posted...

Playtime

One thing you can always do indoors when it's cold outside is play games. When was the last time you sat down with your family and played a good old-fashioned board game? It's always great fun, yet families would rather sit in front of the TV together, which is a far cry from "quality time".

If you are a serious gaming family, you may even consider purchasing a Poker Table and gaming chairs. That way, if you are in the middle of a game and dinner is ready, you don't have to pick up everything and move it off the dining table. The poker table is always stocked with cards and chips and ready to go.

Winter woes

Like I've mentioned before, it is very hard to find something to do with small children at home in the winter. Eureka Springs has a place called the "Fun Spot" with arcade games and go-karts, but they are closed in the winter. I would think that enough locals would use it in the winter that they could stay open, but maybe it's not cost effective for them.

I would like to check out the museum, but I don't know if my son would behave. Based on how he acts at the library, I'm scared to try the museum. Turpentine Creek Wild Cat refuge is open year-round, but we can only go on semi-warm days since it is outdoors. At least it is free for locals which is really cool. The ESNA railroad will give a free ride to locals, but they are closed in the winter too.

We find that there are too many things to do during the spring and summer, but not enough to do during the winter, when you really need to get out!

Slippery soap

Speaking of obsession, soap operas are the ultimate in housewives' guilty pleasures. They watch every day, but probably are embarrassed to admit it to their husbands. But if their husbands ever watched even one episode, chances are he would be wondering what will happen the next day. Soap operas are great at leaving you hanging, wanting more.

One of my earliest memories of television as a young child was the soap opera All My Children. My mom watched that one faithfully for about twenty years. When I saw a website devoted to All My Children listed at PPP, I had to check it out. I am surprised to see many of the same actors and actresses are still going strong! They look like they've hardly aged at all. They must have really good make-up artists behind the scenes. This website lets you read about all the episodes, including future episodes (appropriately called "Spoilers"). You can go to the message boards and chat with fellow soap addicts. You can also peruse the news area to read about which stars of your favorite soap made headlines and when they will be making any public appearances.

Celebrity obsession

Upon hearing the news of Anna Nicole Smith's recent sudden death, I found myself wondering why people are so obsessed with her - and with celebrities in general. I mean, they are just people like us with really good personal trainers and hair and make-up artists. We've all seen the shows where people get "make overs" and in the end, they look just as fabulous as a celebrity. So what is the obsession?

Is it just the fact that we've seen them on TV or a movie screen, so if we see them in public or even in a magazine it seems surreal? My husband plays music and has a few very devoted fans around the world. He once got a letter from a girl in Russia that was very over-the-top, saying how much she loved him and on and on. I remember thinking that I was glad she lived so far away. I can't imagine getting letters like that on a daily basis, like some celebrities do.

If you pick a career in the limelight, you can never have a private life again. This is just the price of fame and fortune. I say, no thank you.

Business real estate

Back in college, when I worked temporary projects at big companies, one of my more memorable projects was with USWest (phone company) in the real estate department. Mostly I was just there to file and try to organize all the paperwork. Let me tell you, it was a big mess! Maybe if they used a Real Estate Management Software like Siterra, their system would be much more streamlined and they could actually find what they were looking for.

Siterra keeps track of which leases are coming up for renewal, option dates needing to be addressed, and even when the elevators were last inspected. The software can figure out statistics of the per-employee cost of having your building in the suburbs versus downtown, or how much your company would lose if you were forced to postpone moving for a week, a month, or even a day. The system is totally web-based, so there is not even the hassle of installing it.

Looking forward

Although I am enjoying the time I have here at home with my son, part of me is looking forward to when he starts pre-school. He loves interacting with other kids and I think he gets bored with me. It is especially tough in the winter, when we can't get outside to play. Kids really need that break in the day.

The pre-school program at the elementary school is full day, so my husband and I would have the whole day to ourselves. This would give us the chance to pursue selling artwork downtown together during the day. I would feel much more comfortable if he was there with me. Plus, he can help me carry everything. Ha!

Business loans

Although working from home is great, I also think it would be neat to open up a business of our own someday. Something about the "tactile" nature of it appeals to me. Having a physical space of our own that we organized and set up for customers to see and appreciate.

If we ever decide to go for it, we would look into Business Loans online. The application process is easy and much faster. They even offer loans with no application fees - probably due to the lack of paperwork when filling out forms online.

Good news!

PayPerPost just announced that they upped the maximum number of paid posts per blog per day back to three. It used to be three, but then they got slow and lowered it to two maximum posts per day. I hope this means they are expecting lots of new advertisers and opportunities. Today, the number of opportunities available has quadrupled since this morning, so that is a very good sign.

I will be a blogging "mad woman" now, especially when my new laptop is delivered later this week. Yay!! Since I won't have to split computer time with my hubby, we will both be able to do more paid blogs per day. He already has three different blog sites approved, and I am waiting for my second blog site to be approved. So now he can take 9 opportunities daily and I will be able to take 6. Woohoo! We may just be able to survive on paid blogging alone! Of course, the affiliate marketing sites will still be up, which does bring in money here and there too.

Crime rate

We are very lucky here in Eureka Springs to have a very low crime rate. I think it is mostly because the town is so small, everyone knows everyone, and neighbors look out for each other. Crime rate was one of the criteria we used in choosing our perfect town.

Some people feel more comfortable with a security system for their home or business, even if the crime rate is low. I saw this Florida Security System with many features consumers should look for when comparing different security companies. One very important fact that they mention is that all their installation and service technicians drive trucks and wear shirts with the company logo and identification. I never thought about that before, but it is a very important point to consider with all service people who enter your home.

Weird sicknesses

There is a strange sickness going around right now. Last Wednesday, my daughter suddenly got a high fever at school and was complaining of head and stomach ache, so I had to pick her up. She slept most of the day, threw up once late in the afternoon, and felt better almost instantly after that.

Yesterday, my son woke up from his nap with a very high fever of 103. I gave him Tylenol and it went down in a few hours and he seemed to feel better. Then at dinnertime, he started feeling hot and acting crabby again. He wanted to go to bed right after dinner, so we let him. He woke up a couple of times during the night, but that is nothing unusual.

This morning he was fine, then this afternoon he woke up from his nap with a high fever of 103 again. This is so weird, I've never seen only a fever with no other symptoms before. I hope he recovers as quickly as my daughter did.

Lighting improvements

An interesting thing happened when we decided to upgrade our outdoor lighting fixtures. We purchased the ones we liked and were excited to see the change it would make in the "curb appeal" of our home. Then we got a big surprise when we removed one of the lights on the front of the garage, to the side of the door. It doesn't have any electrical wiring in the wall there! The light fixture that was there before was just for decoration, complete with a light bulb and everything. We could not believe it.

So now, if we want a light there, we will have to wire it and put an electrical box, a new switch, and who knows what else. Fun.

In the meantime, we are planning to update the kitchen lights. Hopefully we won't find any surprises there, but you never know... I did find a great website with all kinds of indoor and outdoor lights. Their selection is much larger than what you typically find in home improvement stores, and the prices are comparable. Since we live about an hour away from any home improvement stores, any amount we would pay for shipping would still probably be less than the cost of the gas to drive that far.

One plus for Wal-Mart

As you may recall, we are boycotting Wal-Mart because of their questionable practices and the effect that huge super stores like Wal-Mart have on small communities and their shops. They force many "mom and pop" stores out of business.

I did find out about one good program Wal-Mart sponsors, though. According to my vet, if you go into any Wal-Mart early in the morning on the 1st of any month, you can get a "spay and neuter" voucher from the customer service desk. The voucher states that Wal-Mart will pay for half the price of the procedure for your pet. They are only allotted a certain amount for each month, so that's why you have to get there early.

We are getting our puppy spayed next month, so I will go to Wal-Mart on the morning of the 1st and get a voucher. I'm not sure if this offer is good in all states, or just Arkansas, since this is Wal-Mart's headquarters. I'm sure you could just call ahead to your local store to make sure.

Spring Break

If you are planning to go on a vacation with a group, why spend more money on individual hotel rooms when you can rent a large house where you can all stay together? You can split the rental cost with the other travelers and save money. With Spring Break coming up, hotel space will be limited in most beach areas, but house or condo rentals could be a great option.

Spring Break is a great time for a family vacation when you have children in school, but we avoid travel during that time for fear of large groups of high school and college students in all the beach areas. We like to relax on vacation, not get wild and crazy. Some areas have beaches, but are relatively undiscovered by the usual Spring Break crowd.

Take South Carolina, for example. Not many people think of the beaches there, but Myrtle Beach vacation rentals are very reasonable and the area is not crowded with tourists. They have listings of houses and condos for rent with all the information you need to compare properties. They list the square footage, how many bedrooms and bathrooms, property amenities and features, and the rental prices by season. You can then call or email the owner directly for more information or to book your stay. Typically, people probably reserve rooms in a hotel because it is easier to make a reservation and you know what to expect most of the time. This website takes the guesswork out of vacation rentals and makes it as easy as booking a hotel room. You can look at pictures of the property and find out anything you need to know before you decide which one will work for your vacation.

Holistic medicine

It is unfortunate that we feel embarrassed to tell our regular doctor about the herbal supplements or the holistic medications we take at home. Why is this? Our doctors should know everything about our health. Yet some doctors will make you feel silly for using alternative methods of medicine. Why does it have to be so "black or white?" Why can't the two go hand-in-hand? It seems like you have to go to a holistic medicine doctor who uses only alternative methods, or a regular doctor who practices traditional medicine.

It is very unusual for a traditional doctor to prescribe a natural supplement to cure your ailment, when in fact, that could be just what you need. But some herbal medications are dangerous for certain individuals and can counteract prescription drugs, so your doctor really must be informed if you choose to try an herbal remedy. The trick is to find a doctor who is open to natural remedies and can help you choose the ones that could benefit your health and well being.

Increase your PR

For those of you who don't know, PR means PageRank. PR is a hot-button topic for bloggers these days, because a lot depends on how high your PR is. Usually, the blogs or websites with a high PR have been established for many years. There are some tactics to improve the PR on any blog, however, and many bloggers are eager to try anything since a higher PR means more readership and more money if you participate in paid blogging.

According to Google's system of ranking pages, they place a higher importance on links to your page from other pages if it is within the text, rather than in a "blogroll" or "links" area on their site. This is where paid blogging can work for you in the opposite way than what you are used to. Usually, you get paid by companies like Blogitive to write about web releases for their clients. But you can actually sign up as an advertiser to get other bloggers to write about your blog in order to increase your PR through link popularity. Of course, you will have to pay for this service, but if it means you can take more paid blogging opportunities with many different companies, the cost will be well worth it in the long run and it will pay for itself in no time.

Eureka Gras events

With Mardi Gras just around the corner, Eureka Springs has scheduled some events for the occasion. The Masquerade Ball will be held on Friday, February 16th at 8:00pm at the Basin Park Hotel. Cost is $10 per person. The parade will be next Saturday, February 17 at 2:00pm. There will be the Krewe of Krazo and the Krewe of Barkus featured, along with other miscellaneous parade happenings that have not been mentioned. The Krewe of Krazo is the float with the King and Queen on it, who were announced last month. The Krewe of Barkus is open to all dog owners who want to be in the parade with their pet. The dog must wear a costume, and the owner is encouraged to wear one also. They will give awards to the best dressed pooch.

There will be a Sunday Jazz Brunch on February 18th at 11:00am at the Crystal Dining Room in the Crescent Hotel. On the actual Mardi Gras date of Tuesday, February 20th, they have a "Second Line" Krazo Krawl procession starting at 4:00pm at the Pied Piper Pub, working its way to Chelsea's - stopping at all the bars in between.

PayPerPost changes

Last week, PayPerPost implemented many new changes to their system. They are still working out the bugs, so it has been pretty frustrating to use since Monday. One of the main changes is the segmentation of the opportunities. Advertisers can now choose from several options that they did not have before. They can choose a minimum PR (page rank), they can choose not to accept blogs from certain free blogger sites, and they can even choose what the subject of our blog has to be about to take their opp.

The result has been that there are many fewer opps that I am qualified for since my blog is fairly new and is on blogspot. I have created another blog at its own website, but it is still in the approval process and since they are working on all the new system problems, I don't expect PPP to be approving new blogs anytime soon. As for PR, both of my blogs is still a 0/10. It just takes time to get your PR up, plus some self-marketing which I may have to do so I can continue blogging for money.

Precious metal

I have read lots of books about finances and increasing personal worth. I understand the stock market pretty well now, whereas before it was totally foreign to me. One thing I was still unclear about was precious metals. Many books say that investing in gold or silver is a very good investment, but they give no details on how to go about actually doing it. I recently read a web release about Monex.com, where you can buy US gold coins, silver coins, as well as platinum and palladium.

You can order the metals for immediate personal delivery or arrange for convenient and safe storage at an independent bank or depository of your choice. For safety reasons, you cannot place your order online. You must call a Monex Deposit Company account representative to buy or sell precious metals. The website is very informational and answers virtually all the questions you may have. Of course, the account representatives are available to answer any questions that are not covered on the website.

With the fluctuation of the stock market and the changes that take place in the world, one thing you can always count on is the value of precious metal.

soap

Since Days of our Lives first aired in 1965, chances are they have plenty of devoted fans. I remember in High School, there were some girls who would go home during lunch hour to watch "Days". I personally have never watched it since it came on around lunchtime and I was never a big soap fan, but I know many housewives who are addicted to the show. If you have ever watched soaps, you know that even if you only miss one episode - you could miss a big change in the storyline.

For those who must miss a show, now they can simply visit the Days of our Lives soap website. The site has daily updates so you never have to miss a beat. They also have a news room, which features news about the stars and their public appearances. There are message boards where you can discuss the episodes with other devoted viewers, or get caught up on the latest gossip. The "Spoilers" section lets you know what is going to happen in upcoming episodes.

Registration is free, so if you love your soaps, you should join Soaps.com to get the total experience.

Photo of painting

In a previous post, I mentioned finishing another painting, but I was having trouble with my digital camera and couldn't post a picture. Since I have blogged a lot since then (gotta help pay the bills!) I decided to put the picture here in a new post, rather than going back to the previous one and adding the picture.

Because of the flash, the blue in the painting looks much more turquoise. The actual painting is more of a "denim" blue. The title of the piece is "Winter."

Mail order brides

Speaking of searching for a soul mate, another road less traveled is the business of Russian mail order brides. Yes, I was surprised to find them on the internet, but mail order brides are still an option. The term is dated, however, and it is basically a dating site with Russian and other Eastern European women. Why Russians? Well, they are brought up at a very young age to strive for marriage and a family first and foremost - only afterwards do they think about a career. To Russian women, dating is essentially the search for a husband, no games, no gimmicks. The divorce rate with Russian women is significantly less than with marriages in America, the United Kingdom, and Australia.

So if you like beautiful exotic women who are intelligent and have strong family values, and you are ready to get serious about finding a wife, a Russian bride could be waiting for you.

Interesting billboard

When driving past the Alpen Dorf Motel on highway 62 heading east from town, we noticed a strange message on the billboard out front.

It reads:
Mate Wanted
Female
Inquire Inside
P M K I


In this week's Lovely County Citizen newspaper, they actually have an article about the owner of the motel and his odd billboard. The article is titled "Signs of love are everywhere." It states that Jimmie Hathcock, owner of the Alpen Dorf, put up the sign in the hopes of finding his soul mate. The sign has been up for six months with no luck, but Jimmie hasn't given up and his hopes remain high.

We also found out what the PMKI stand for in the sign. Petite, Motivated, Kind-hearted, and Intelligent. Well, it is definitely an interesting approach - he gets points for creativity. Maybe when he finds his lady, the sign will change to read something like: Soulmate found - Thanks for looking.

Anxious to get outdoors

We checked out some books on hiking in the Ozarks from the library. There are so many hiking trails in this area, and many of them are family-friendly. Since we have a toddler, either the trail must accommodate a stroller, or be short enough that he can walk it without getting tired. In a few years, we will be able to tackle many more trails and that will be nice for family outings. Both our kids are nature lovers and get a kick out of hiking adventures.

In "Buffalo River Hiking Trails" by Tim Ernst, they review the Ozark Highlands Trail, which is actually 165 miles long! It starts near Mountainburg and runs across the Ozark National Forest to the Buffalo River near Woolum. A survey of "Backpacker" magazine readers rated the OHT as the number one hiking trail in the United States. Since it is so long, it is necessary to camp along the way, so we will probably have to wait at least eight years before our kids would be up to the whole thing. We could at least do part of it and build up to the rest over the years...

Get paid to shop online

Everyone loves a great deal and I have found a great one for you. Ebates is a new concept in online shopping. They actually give you cash back on your purchases - up to 25%! How do they do this? They get sales commission from their partners and rather than keeping the money, they mail it directly to you in the form of a rebate check. Their site also has the best coupons and discounts around and membership is free. What have you got to lose? Most people shop online these days, and rather than spending all day trying to compare prices, shop Ebates and know you are getting the best deal, plus cash back on purchases!

The website is very organized with the stores (over 800!) listed in any category you could possibly want. They even have deals on apple products including the iPod and the new iPhone. You must check out this site before you spend another dime shopping online.

Cheers!

The last time we went to Florida, we spent the whole time in Disney World. There are always people from all over the world there, but we happened to notice that time just how many British people were in Disney World. When we went to the water park especially, all we heard were English accents. I've heard that people from places like England, Scotland, and Ireland are buying property in Florida to enjoy the beach, the sun, and the local area attractions.

Yes or no?

Since my husband and I have gotten into the paid blogging business, we have been struggling for time on the computer. He uses it also for other business, and for music, so it is hard for us to split the time on the computer to do all the blogging we need to do. We are considering buying a laptop so I can work on blogging and not have to worry about when the computer will be available.

I hate to spend the money, since we are struggling to make enough to live on as it is, but I think it would really help us in the long run. I could do more blogs to make more money and not have to worry about interrupting him while he is working. Plus, we can spend more time together while we are both working. Another plus is that I could work from the laptop anywhere in the house, which is convenient when you have kids.

I think we're gonna go for it - this purchase is more than justified.

Kind-hearted fashion

The story of Peter Belisi and Belisi Fashions is very inspiring. Peter started as a bartender in Palm Beach, struggling to provide for his family. He served the people he admired, the rich and successful. He was searching for an "edge" to start his own company. So, with any extra money he had from bartending, he invested in a tie collection. He took pride in never wearing the same tie twice, and his clients began to look to him for inspiration. His idea for Belisi Fashions started with his appreciation for fine ties.

Belisi started selling high-end quality ties, and now offers scarves and handbags as well. They strive to create luxury with meaning and want to give back to society. According to their web release, "Belisi stands for good living: great style, quality accessories and giving back to the community."

Did you forget?

With Valentine's Day just five days away, it may be too late to mail a card or set up a flower delivery for that special someone. What's a procrastinator to do? Send them an eCard. Egreetings.com has a huge selection with a variety of funny, risque, and off-color animated eCards, such as the Cupid pickup lines eCard.



They offer a free 30 day trial membership with no limit on the number of cards you send during that time. After that, a yearly subscription is only $13.99 (much less than buying and mailing paper cards for every occasion). You can go to their site and create personalized animated greetings for everyone on your list to be sent out on specific dates so you'll never forget a birthday again.

rolling right along

I am happy to report that I have finally been approved at Blogitive to do paid blogging through their system. I had submitted my blog for approval twice before and was rejected because my blog wasn't popular enough yet. Their system is very different from PayPerPost and I haven't decided which one I prefer yet - pluses and minuses on each. But it's all good, now I can make even more money with my blog.

Just call me little miss work-at-home mommy. :o)

Orlando vacation overdue

It has been three years since our last Disney World vacation, and we are thinking of going this summer, before my son turns three. The last time we went, our daughter was that age and although she had a great time, we spent most of our time in the Magic Kingdom park since most of the rides are kid-friendly and she knew the characters. Since we bought the package deal with passes to all the parks, we felt like that was a waste. We could've only bought tickets for Magic Kingdom and still been happy.

According to their latest news release, Kissimmee hotels reminds visitors that there are plenty of other things to do in Orlando. There are 52 theme parks total and don't forget - the beach is only a 40 minute drive away for some "down time." Since Disney World is the biggest draw to the area, most other attractions are family friendly as well. They say if you haven't visited in the last three to five years, you should come and see all the upgrades to the area. With so many theme parks around, the competition is stiff, so they constantly add new rides and shows to keep up - which is good news for you and your family. There will always be surprises when you visit Orlando.

Farmer's Market

Another great thing about Spring is the start of the Farmer's Market season. I can't wait to get fresh, locally grown fruits and vegetables again. They taste so much better and cost a lot less. Plus, it's a great way to meet fellow residents. The Farmer's Market starts in April and it is within walking distance from my house. Looking forward to it!!

Few visitors

We moved to Eureka Springs seven months ago and have had members of our family visit three times so far. We are hoping to get more family and friends to visit us this year. We want everyone to experience Eureka and fall in love with it like we did. We discovered Eureka in the summer of 2004 when we were on a trip to find a town we might like enough to call our new home. We were just checking out the Ozarks, mainly in Missouri. We didn't even plan on coming down this far South, but I ran across a website that mentioned Eureka Springs and when I saw the pictures, I just had to see this town in person.

When we got to Eureka Springs, we were amazed. It looked even better than the pictures (which never happens). We wanted to stay longer, but our hotel was in Mountain Home, which is a three hour drive away. So we could only stay for a couple of hours our first time - but we knew we'd be back.

Fast forward a year and a half, and we came again in February of 2006 to check it out in the winter. We figured we would meet more locals if we came during the winter, which is very slow for tourism. We met several nice people, but didn't get to do much because we came during an ice storm. We still liked it though. Then we went home and did lots of thinking and evaluating. We decided to go for our dream and make Eureka Springs our new home. Our next trip was in April of 2006 for the purpose of buying our house. The process went smooth and we found a house in a great neighborhood.

The only problem is that we are about 800 miles away from all our family and friends in Colorado. The drive is about 13 hours, so most people split it into two days of driving with a stay in Wichita, Kansas along the way. I suggest making Hotel Reservations and car rental reservations online. That way, you can compare prices and get the best deal. Most companies offer specials you can only get if you book online. And if any relatives decide to fly instead of drive, they can book Airline tickets online as well. Their prices are very competitive, you can save up to 70% if you book your whole trip with them (airline, hotel, and car rental packages). They also offer worldwide travel deals. So when we're finally ready to travel overseas, HotelReservations.com can get all aspects of our trip set up without breaking the bank. We've booked all our vacations online for the past five years and have never had a problem.

If you are still skeptical about booking travel online, they also have a toll-free phone number you can call to book your trip through a live agent 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and still get the great online prices.

finished another painting

This time, I went in a totally different direction with my painting. I didn't paint from life or a picture - I painted from my head. I just went loose and painted what I felt. It was very liberating, I think I will paint like this more often. I had been working on another version of the statue (on canvas this time) that I painted before in my sketch book. I was getting frustrated with the constrictive nature of painting something to make it look realistic, so I took it off the easel and painted this new one just for a break.

I'm going to really have to get moving if I expect to finish 10 paintings by Spring. I have set up a painting schedule for myself, so I will have time every night if I need it.

Debt free and loving it

We got into some trouble with credit cards when we were in college and working part-time. We just didn't have the money to make ends meet, so we would use credit cards - bad idea. So we ended up using a credit counseling service to help reduce the debt and eventually paid it all off and have remained credit card debt free for ten years now. Once we graduated, we were able to work full time and pay off all our student loan and car debt as well. I just hate the feeling of owing money and paying money towards interest.

Since credit counseling services make you cut up your current credit cards, not all people feel they can go that route. If so, perhaps a Credit Card Debt Consolidation loan is the answer. You can get a lower percentage rate and eliminate credit card debt much faster than if you pay the revolving interest on the cards each month.

First big commission check - woohoo!

We got our first substantial check ($250) from the affiliate marketing websites that have been in place for a few months now. The reason it takes so long to get paid is that since you are dealing with stores, even if you provide sales leads to their site and someone buys something, they have to wait 30-60 days to make sure the item doesn't get returned before they will release your commissions.

Now that the initial waiting period is over, we should get the checks regularly now without waiting. We are expecting an even bigger check this month and hopefully sales will increase with each month until we can live comfortably without digging into our savings. My husband ordered business cards that will arrive this week, so he can get the word out about his web and logo design skills to hopefully bring in some local business here too.

Egypt at sunset

One of my big lifetime goals is to travel the world. Of course, I want to go all over Europe, but I am also interested in exotic countries like Egypt and India. I found an Egypt travel photo site listed on the opportunities at PayPerPost so I went to check them out. I didn't know that seaside towns like Aswan Egypt were so popular. From the pictures, it looks like some other tourist destinations you would find in places like Mexico. Looking at these pictures makes it more accessible to people like me who only think of desert and pyramids when they think of Egypt.

Fresh food?

Last night, I tried to order a pizza from our favorite place, Geraldi's. No one answered the phone, so I guess they were closed. Then I tried to call Sonny's and they didn't answer either. Usually both places are open all weekend. I finally found a place that was open, and ordered a pizza from Forest Hill restaurant. It was very inexpensive - $8.50 for a large pepperoni! The taste wasn't that great, though.

Then I got to thinking, if a restaurant owner decides to stay open in the winter and they are so slow, how can they possibly keep their food fresh? Since the tourism fluctuates, how do they know how much to make or order? I would think a lot of food would be wasted and have to be thrown away. Then you have to consider the staff. Do they keep full-time waiters on staff "just in case" they get any customers?

Unfortunately, I think it is probably in a restaurant's best interest to close for at least two months in the winter. Apparently, the residents of Eureka Springs don't go out to eat very much. This is a good thing for families, but a bad thing for restaurants.