New napkin rings and wishful spring thinking

Guest post written by Colleen Marshall

I've kind of got cabin fever right now because I'm all played out when it comes to snow and it's too cold to really leave the house unless I have to. So I'm really just leaving the house for work now and enjoying being lazy around inside. But being stuck inside has me dreaming of sundresses and picnics. I thought that instead of just dreaming about them I might do some fun spring-y crafts that could be put to use in the coming months once the warmer weather does roll around

But if I'm going to go to all that trouble of making a craft, I thought that it would be best to make something that I know I'll use but that I already don't have one of. I went online to look at some of my favorite craft blogs for some inspiration about what I could make. While I was online doing that I ran across the website http://www.clearwirelessinternet.com/clear-coverage.html. After I read a little bit of it, I ordered an internet package from it.

I found the idea to make napkin rings. Surprisingly, that was something that I don't have and I made them with some bright beads and they look like spring!

Bike commute advice from an expert

Guest post written by Colin Davis

Back when my dad started biking to work, he was the first person that I'd ever heard to do that near where we live. The streets also weren't as bicycle friendly so I thought he was kind of crazy. Well it ends up that he was just way ahead on the biking to commute trend that's really popular everywhere across the country now.

I recently decided that I'm going to start riding a bike to commute to work every day now so I was emailing back and forth with him asking about what kind of bike I should get and any other helpful info when i just happened across some direct tv internet deals and decided to take advantage of them after reading up on them.

Just like I expected, my dad had plenty of bike commute tips for me, including putting my briefcase into a waterproof backpack to wear whiel I ride so that none of my stuff inside of it would get messed up without sacrificing the professional look of carrying around a briefcase.

The Greatest Birthday Present Ever!

Contributed by Wallace Stafford

I have always been a huge fan of Nascar but never was able to make it to a race because of work and my children. This year that would all change. For my http://blog.wholefoodsmarket.com/2010/08/30th-birthday-trip-winners/ my wife so kindly got me tickets to see the upcoming race last week. I was beyond excited, all I could do was kiss and hug her until she was sick of me! The day of the race I woke up really early due to the anticipation and I made a scrumptious breakfast for my wife and I. On the way out the door I shut all the windows, locked the doors and set the home security alarm(click here for Home Alarm Systems packages CA). People around here can be hard to trust at times. The ride was a little over an hour long but my wife made it fun and very entertaining. Once we arrived at the race way we found our seats and got food for the show. My wife is not really into racing but she made herself seem excited just to keep me in high spirits.

The Event leaves something to be desired

I appreciate the guest post, Graig Brooks

I'm not sure if the was a show I was more interested in seeing during their fall television premire than "The Event". As I sat down to watch the fall premiere on my satellite tv from tvbydirect.com, equipped with an HD picture and a DVR that I always use in order to record the first five minutes of the show without watching I got more excited.

Why do I let it go for five minutes you ask? That way I don't have to watch as many commercials. So as the show began, I couldn't help but feel a little let down. Part of the problem was that I had watched the five minute trailer for the show the network had released late in the summer. It appears that they put every exciting moment into the trailer, making the show a mish mash of dull interludes and stuff I had already seen. The intrigue was still there but it was somehow muted by the fact that it was basically there for the second time.

Certainly the event that the show is built around, that happened almost at the very end of the show will have me coming back for the second week, but my first reaction to the show is they may have bitten off more than they can chew. It is hard to have a show that is keeping people on the edge of their seat while simultaneously developing the myriad of characters they have. We will have to wait and see.

Scooby Doo Halloween Program

Thanks for the guest post by Laura Mitchell

My favorite children's Halloween program is Scooby Doo Halloween, which is a great prime time special to watch on satellite TV from tvbydirect.com. This is my favorite because my son loves Scooby Doo and it is fun watching him enjoy Scooby Doo and the Scooby Doo crew's adventures. Some how when a ghost is on Scooby Doo, it is never scary to him. He is only 2 years of age but some how never gets scared of the ghosts or mystery. He lights up and gets all excited, as the ghost appears and the Scooby Doo crew, which includes Fred, Velma, Daphne, Shaggy and Scooby tries to unravel the mystery.

My favorite characters on the Scooby Doo Halloween show is Shaggy and Scooby. They make such great friends and they seem to be the characters that my son relates to the most. In the Scooby Doo Halloween program, the Scooby Doo crew goes to visit Velma's aunt. While visiting Velma's aunt and enjoying the town's Halloween celebrations a ghost appears. This is the beginning of the mystery. Of course, since this is Scooby Doo, it is more fun and entertaining than scary. It is a very enjoyable children's Halloween program for kids of all ages.

Sounds of the Wild

A mother was reading a book about animals to her 3 year old daughter.

Mother: "What does the cow say?"

Child: "Moo!"

Mother: "Great! What does the cat say?"
Child: "Meow".
Mother: "Oh, you're so smart! What does the frog say?"

And this wide-eyed little 3 year-old looked up at her mother and in her deepest voice replied, "Bud."

Packing light

Guest post written by Charlotte Henries

I have quite a big problem. I have way too many clothes and shoes, so packing for trips can be really tough. There have been several times when I've gone somewhere with a carry on bag and then once I go through airport security they tell me it's too big so I have to have to end up paying to check it because I bought too much stuff and tried to pack it into the same small suitcase.

But I'm hoping those days are gone. After taking weekend trips where I have to do that too many times, I've bought some new luggage off of clear 4G Internet that can supposedly fit more stuff in it.

I thought that in combination with that I would for sure be able to do some light packing and end up having to pay a whole lot less for my luggage.

I'm going to visit one of my friends out in San Diego in a few weeks so I'm going to try out my new packing ideas soon. Let's just hope I can do it and save some money on checking bags.

That's What She Said!

Thanks for the article from Glenda Hanson

I love The Office. It is the best show on television. I look forward to Thursdays at 9 pm so that I can catch an all new episode of The Office on direct tv in jacksonville! The show's re-runs are ok too, and I have seen most of them but still enjoy the humor, regardless of how many times I have seen the same episode.

Michael Scott, who plays the worlds worst boss on the show, is a riot and shares many similarities with bosses that I've encountered in my day. Fortunately, I have not had a boss that encompasses all of Michaels, um... "qualities" in a single person. But he is so entertaining to watch! His attempts at humor include incorporating "That's What She Said" into any conversation, among other failed humor attempts.

Dwight Schrute is probably my second favorite character. He plays a nerd who is oblivious to how nerdy he is. He does the most inappropriate things, and other characters can mock him without him catching onto their stunts. The writers who created his character are brilliant.

Jim and Pam, the only sane couple of characters on the show, are a riot. They are the ones to which I can relate best, and they poke fun at all of the quirks of their co-workers on the show.

If you do not already watch this show, start immediately. It will not disappoint.

The Discovery Channel in High Definition

I appreciate the guest post, Jamie Guy

The best channel to watch in HD is The Discovery Channel. My family loves watching it together on weekends via our DirectTV. Our favorite programs are the nature specials. High definition makes us feel as though we can see every hair on the animals and every leaf on the plant wildlife. We feel as if the animals and plants are right there in our living room.

The Discovery Channel has a new series on sharks. I have set the DVR to record it this week. I can't wait to see the deep blue sea in high definition, as well as the beautiful sharks. I'm afraid the program may frighten my three year old, so I'll have to watch him with special care and see how he responds to it. If he doesn't run away screaming, then he may enjoy it.

My son loves apes, and he loves to watch gorillas and monkeys on The Discover Channel in high definition. My husband thinks that big cats are fascinating. He loves to see tigers and leopards in HD.

The Golden Globes

Guest written by our friend Mason Abbott

Watching The Golden Globes on DirecTV is always an entertaining time. The Hollywood Foreign Press (whoever they are?) honors both the television and film industry on the same night. It takes place live in the middle of January and is telecast in more than 150 countries. Unlike the Oscars they hand out awards for Best Comedy Film, Actress and Actor. Also, in the television category of supporting acting the nominees are from all the shows and movies on tv. It is a fun environment with dinner and drinking done throughout the broadcast. There is no host and the presenters vary from year to year based on who gets nominated. The best presenters are usually the comedians because you never know if they will stick to the script or not. Also, the nominees might not be in their seats when their name is called like Christine Lahti who was in the bathroom when she won for Best Actress for Chicago Hope. During the commercial breaks the actors get to mingle and congratulate each other. It is a very relaxed evening and they usually honor people that don't normally win. For example, Anna Paquin won Best Actress for True Blood has never even been nominated for an Emmy. It is always fun to watch and see who will win.

Jerry Springer for the Win!

Guest post written by Joseph Finch

I hate to admit it but the Jerry Springer show is sort of a guilty pleasure of mine. This show is often the same concept repeated over and over again. Generally, on every show there will be a woman that was born a man. There will be 'hot' lesbians. There will also be someone cheating on someone else. This sort of formula would theoretically make the show seem stale and boring considering it is the same stuff with different people day in and out. However, it does not become stale. Each individual or couple that comes on the show is a unique and interesting slice of America. Whether they are white trash supremacists or they are women born as men and somehow having sex without their partner realizing it doesn't matter. The end result is a show that continues to be awesome on a daily basis.

When I sit at home fiddling through my satellite tv channels I got from http://www.expertsatellite.com/ I always stop and enjoy Jerry Springer when I find him on. Daytime television is generally boring for me, but this show keeps me coming back for more every time. I'm not sure what it says about me as a person that I enjoy watching another person's misery. I get over that minor sense of guilt readily, however. These people didn't have to put themselves on television in the first place.

American Idol Family

Guest post brought to you by Tim Mundi

My wife and I limit what our nine and twelve year old daughters can watch on the TV since we don't want them to grow up thinking the television set is another member of the family. We let them watch a few shows in their age range and they enjoy watching American Idol with us. I think we all agree that it is by far our favorite show of all. It allows us to spend quality time together enjoying family programming with one another. We enjoy guessing who is going to sing what song, what genre will be picked for the following week, and who will be voted off the next evening. Sometimes we will actually deliberate and cast a vote ourselves but more often than not, we leave that to the other viewers.

Our favorite winner so far is Carrie Underwood but there are plenty of others who we enjoy listening to as well. Kris Allen and Lee DeWyze are both favorites in our house as well, and we do enjoy past contestants such as Jason Castro and Melinda Doolittle. While we don't always enjoy the musical guests on the Elimination show, we do enjoy the commercials the contestants make and we are always looking up their songs on iTunes. One thing I am grateful for is the package we have the direct tv channel lineup, and we can DVR the shows, since they do tend to run over. We are already looking forward to next season!

Fun!

My bff’s and I are going to have a date this coming Saturday. We haven’t seen each other for almost 48 years LOL (just kidding). All of us are excited because we are going to watch Eclipse. We are not going to miss this film for anything, right girls? Team Edward or Team Jacob, which team are you?

Boost Your Site

I am thinking of launching a new blog site and I may need some new templates. One of my friends refers me to free link building tools. I am super excited because I can really use it and this will improve and help me promote my soon to be very own website.

They also have a free registration account for beginners like me. Pretty good I might say. I can’t thank my friend enough for introducing me to this company.

My Favorite Programs on TNT

Posting by Alex Mosel

I watch TV shows and movies on directtv via satellite dish. One of my favorite channels to watch is TNT. I watch movies on TNT, as well as shows like The Closer and Memphis Beat.

I love watching movies on TNT. Their slogan is "We know drama", and I think they provide a great range of dramatic movies and action movies. They often play old favorites that I've enjoyed for years, such as Titanic, Misery, and A Few Good Men.

The Closer is my favorite TV show on TNT. Detective Brenda Johnson is funny and likable. I also like that she's from a Georgia town not too far from where I grew up. Detective Provenza is also fun to watch. The storylines are easy to follow and my favorite part of every show is watching Brenda interrogate her suspect.

Memphis Beat is a new show on TNT. I watched the pilot episode last week and I plan to watch again this week. Alfre Woodard is one of my favorite actresses, and I'm glad that she's returned to television.

Warcraft Td's

Just done playing td with hubby in battlenet, I kicked his behind once again nyahaha. He is doing pretty well though. He keeps telling me that I am ruthless but hey it’s a game and I don’t want my ass kicked like what he did to me yesterday. He’s the one who teach me how to play those td’s, and it’s literally his fault teaching me ROFL. Goodnight everyone.

My Ipod

This guest post compliments of Stacey Merket

Technology is changing every day. There are so many new and exciting things on the market that it is very hard to keep up with them all. What I did to ensure that I will be able to keep up with everything that is going on with technology is that I recently signed up for direct tv and clear internet. I recently purchased my very first iPod. The iPod is the greatest thing I could've ever purchase. I am able to listen to all of my favorite songs whenever I want to. I went on the computer and I downloaded a variety of my favorite songs. I really enjoy working out having my iPod in my ear. You can take it everywhere it is so mobile. It is hard to believe that something this small can hold so much on it. The really cool thing about owning in iPod is that when I'm at home and I want to listen to it and not be bothered with having it plugged in my ears, it can put on the docking station. My boyfriend purchased the docking station as a Christmas gift because he thought I would really enjoyed having it to go along with the iPod. This is one thing that I would recommend for anyone who is a music lover. It is really cool when I'm in the car with friends and they are listening to music that I do not like, I just turn my iPod on and plug the ear phones in my ear and I'm jamming to my own music.

Kitchen Passport

Blog post written by Debbie Lammers

Like most people, I learned to cook at the feet of my parents and grandparents while the family meals were made each night. I strayed far from my childhood home of Queens, New York. Unfortunately, being so far from the east coast means that the ingredients I grew up with are not easily found at my local super mart.

Good thing I live in the age of digital video recorders and over 200 channels available through my DirecTV subscription that I got from one of the best satellite tv providers, DirecTV. Whenever I need inspiration I turn to my favorite chefs: Ina Garten, Rachael Ray, Tyler Florence, Alton Brown and Ingrid Hoffman. These folks are the reason I’m often trying something new in the kitchen and with their different styles I know I won’t get bored.

I especially look for the episodes where they are making something I might know how to make well. Finding good variations can be a life saver. I also look to them when I want to try something completely different like pretty much anything Alton cooks or Ina’s many chicken variations.

The other thing watching the cooking shows is good for is the escape. Cooking gives you a passport you can use to be a world traveler. In one week I found myself on the beaches of Puerto Rico, among the Mayan ruins in Mexico, and watching the sunset in Italy.

Stressed :((

My Wednesday is not so bad but work is stressing me out. Omg I really need another vacation from everything. I just want to be in some place that is quit and full of flowers dream, dream ,dream LOL. Hey who knows it will happen soon. Anyways just 2 more days and I am going to have my 3 day weekend yuhooo. Do you guys have any plans for 4th of July?

Car Insurance

I am going to take my road test real soon and hubby is already looking for the best car insurance. I know there are a lot of them out there but we want the one that can save us money primarily during hard times like right now. I am glad that I found carinsurancerates.me they offer a much lower rate.

I know hubby is worried of me driving but I really got to do this. Especially that I am working I don’t want to bother him every morning to take me to work anymore. Wish me luck everyone.