I Need a Vacation

I'm laughing a little bit because I was reading someone else's post about the mistakes they've made freelancing and one of them was lowering their price for the promise of more work in the future. I had to laugh because I am approached occasionally with just such a proposition and I do my best to diplomatically turn them down. The laughter is because I've made that very mistake in my past as well, and that promise of more work is often empty, or at least, much shorter lived than the client lets on.

Reading about other's foils and missteps as well as having a bit of a trying atmosphere lately myself makes me really think about how much I could use a vacation. I'd love to get a cabin from Carolina Designs and enjoy a relaxing weekend with nothing but the sounds of the ocean and the smell of a cool breeze. There's a lot to do in North Carolina, but I just love water and privacy. You can get a lot of that in North Carolina's Outer Banks.

Corner the Name Market

Well see now I know I've been doing the work at home thing all wrong. What I should do is when a new social media comes out, pick a user name that will be very sought after at some point. I say this because someone just sold their Twitter name @Israel for SIX FIGURES. Considering how easy it is to open multiple accounts, you could corner a market and make a killing!

The Best Acne Control

When I was growing up the best acne cream was usually the only one as well. There weren't many products on the market, and other than going to the doctor you were stuck with hoping it worked. Now there are so many products it is hard to find the one that will work best for your skin and type of acne. It might be tempting to assume that the old days were better. You didn't have a lot to consider you took what you could get and were happy for it. It wasn't though because one product doesn't work for everyone. It isn't a one-size fits all world--especially when it comes to acne control. What is important today though is having a place you can trust to get the information you need for a good choice of acne products. That will give you the ability to buy with confidence and get the results you need.

Tides of Freelancing Change

I love my job. Well, I 'still' love it even though it has been a bit of a drugery lately. Such is the nature of freelancing. I keep reminding myself of the one aspect that is unwavering and makes me grateful for the work is that I work from home. I write for a living. It isn't always subjects I like, and the work isn't always as easy to find, but it's there. I guess right now I'm mostly just feeling a little sorry for myself without reason. I know these things come in waves, but the tide is out a bit right now. One of my major companies is showing signs of dying, although it may just be growing pains (I hope). In the past these things didn't bother me much, I just rolled with the flow, but the past two years have been so good that the downturn is making a much bigger impact. Hopefully it won't last long. It usually doesn't.

Weight Loss Help For Men

Most women have a hard time feeling any compassion for men trying to lose weight. In today's society male obesity is just as common as women's thanks to lifestyles that are much more sedentary, and food that is fast and everywhere. However, history shows men have a much easier time of losing weight. Still, they need help, and at www.fatburnersformen.org overweight men can find information on helpful products for weight loss help. The website has reviews on products giving in depth information regarding safety, effectiveness, customer satisfaction and repeat orders. That information can help men find a fat burner that will work and they can feel comfortable ordering to help them lose weight.

Entourage Blues

When I first watched it last Sunday, I was feeling very positive about the season finale of "Entourage." However, constant rehashing of tag lines from the show, and bad links to wrong videos for it have left me with a slightly less positive feeling. I've liked the show since I started watching it, but last season (not this past one, the one before it) made me feel a little indifferent. The current season just past helped revive my enjoyment of the show and I liked it again. Maybe it was simply slight of hand. I have to now remind myself what I liked about the finale, like Ari on the brink (really this time) of losing everything, Vince on the brink of losing everything, and E on the brink of losing everything... all three for different reasons. In fact, in a comical twist of HBO fate, Drama is the only one who is NOT teetering on the brink of extinction at the moment, and has the promise of a brand new hit show in his hip pocket.

Feel Good About Undereye Creams

There are many types of under eye creams. They promise everything from reduction of wrinkles to elimination of dark circles. It is difficult to know which ones are good, which ones aren't, and what to buy. A website like www.undereyecream.net is a great help, and it's free. They review brands of eye creams based on ingredients, effectiveness, side effects, what customers say about it, and finally, maybe the most telling truth of all: reorder rates. Using a site like this can give you the information you need to make a choice you feel good about.

Camped Out

I just saw a commercial that really left me with a strange feeling. It was "Thelma" from the old series "Good Times". Wow, hadn't seen her in ages other than on reruns of the show. She looked good. That was a crazy good feeling knowing she looks good, (actually much better than she did back then when she was Olive Oil thin), and looks healthy (not all that normal for sitcom stars of that day). The strange feeling was her commercial repititon of the theme song as a poem sort of (combined with scenes from the show and the actual theme song). Back then, the 70s, the song was very pertinent, and 'modern' if you will. It meant something. It brought a lump to your throat. Now it's just 'campy'. However, you can watch the show, listen to the song, and knowing its genre and age still get those feelings of appreciation and emotion. But listening to someone NOW reciting campy lyrics with a sort of tongue in cheek feeling makes you wonder if she feels as silly, or uneasy as hearing it made me feel.

Healthy Diet Pills

Today's diet pills are much safer than the diet pills I used to take some 30 years ago. Today's diet pills are herbal weight loss pills. They are made with natural ingredients instead of the sometimes toxic chemicals the old diet pills used to be made with. Combined with a diet vitamin supplement, diet pills can help provide a healthy, well-rounded eating plan to lose weight safely and effectively. Make sure you do the research about any type of diet pill you are interested in and get the proper foods for a healthy lifestyle.

Dog Crazy

I'm not the only one with a crazy dog. I just talked to someone else on Twitter whose dog wouldn't let them alone cause they wanted to play. Then James on Facebook showed a picture of his attempt to feed the family dogs with dog food all over the place. Pets are a big part of our lives. They bring so much to it, and ask so little. Sometimes it is hard to remember all they want is our love when we feel a little taxed by their energy and rambunctiousness. It also reminded me of how much time I spend on Twitter and Facebook. You can get really carried away with the newer social medias. Blogs are easier. When they first started, they were the only real social media around. It as easy enough to keep in contact with readers with one or two posts a day, or even a week. But now with Twitter and FB it is a constant barrage of minute details of everyday life from... well everyone all at once.

Fish Oil and DHA

DHA is an essential oil that includes omega 3 fish oil. DHA is important to include in any diet plan, but even more-so during pregnancy. Make sure you get prenatal vitamins with dha when your doctor prescribes a vitamin for you during pregnancy. Studies show that DHA helps brain, eye and heart development and health.

Prenatal vitamins with DHA are even more important for pregnant women than non-pregnant women, and men too, because women are warned off of eating too much fish during pregnancy because of pollution toxin concerns. That means they may not be getting enough of the omega 3 oils that are so important. DHA replaces that oil so they can get what they need safely.

One Off of Well Off

A recent article says that the median household income in the US in 2008 was about 52k. However, it showed comparative incomes in various cities from 2010 and 52k doesn't cut it. In some it comes close, but in most of the big ones from Chicago to San Francisco to New York it is grossly inadequate. 52 THOUSAND dollars a year is FAR BELOW medium income in those places! 52 THOUSAND... I can't even wrap my head around that. I know I'm old, but when I was growing up, if you made 52k a year you were not just well-off, you were downright rich. I wouldn't expect that to be "rich" level now, but it sure seems like it should still be well-off.

Diet Pills that Work

Do diet pills really work? It can be confusing at times to wade through the massive numbers of available products on a store shelf, or website. If you want to know what you are getting you have to find good reviews and information before you buy so you can make the best decisions. Keeping your expectations in line, and knowing that just about any diet pill will only work if you do too, and getting information on most effective diet pills 10K can help you get the best results from your healthy eating plan and lifestyle.

Batty Growing Up

I got this cute picture of Batty growing up. She's five months now and getting a thick grown up coat, although it's still pretty short. At least she's not bald now. I can't wait to see her long flowing full-grown adult coat.

For Sports Lovers Everywhere

It may be a little early to be thinking about Christmas, but regardless of what holiday it is, or if you have a sports fan in your family with a birthday coming up, a personalized footballs is just a great idea for a gift. Sports fans will love them, they make great bedroom theme accessories, or a desk or den decoration. Give them to your sports fan for an office topic starter, or just to brighten their day. If football isn't there thing, give them a baseball, basketball, frame or any of the many other sports memorabilia you can find at stores like Re Sports, Inc. It's a great concept with an endless amount of uses.

No Rest for the Wicked

I built two new websites in the last two weeks. That is like working overtime and not getting paid for it--yet anyway. It takes time to build websites and have them pay off. I had a lot of the material for both of the sites sitting and waiting to be used. So I just got around to using them. It is still a lot of work to get things working right, however. Normally when I do something as intensive as building a website I give myself time off my 'job' of writing, but right now I have house taxes due in a month, and I just can't afford to take time off. So I really feel like that old saying "there's no rest for the wicked" really is true.

Getting the Best Auto Insurance Deals

Everything costs so much nowadays and driving a car is no different. Between the price of gasoline, the cost of licensing, and the high cost of insurance it is a luxury to be able to drive at all. Therefore, it only makes sense to make sure you get the most affordable insurance. Look for cheap auto insurance online and compare companies for the value. It is important to get a company you trust to be there if you have an accident, are injured, or injure someone else, but you don't want a company that is going to charge you exorbitant amounts to do it. You can check out several companies and compare their services side-by-side online without the pressure of sales people. That makes it easier to make sure you are getting the best deal. Good, affordable car insurance makes it possible to keep costs under control and continue driving.

Captain Batty

Batty getting ready to take over driving on the boat on Labor day 2010

Cyber Monday?

Now, I know I'm a little behind the times when it comes to trends, as a rule, but you'd think that anything to do with "cyber" anything I'd catch on to fast. Apparently in 2005 (yes, that makes me five years slow to the uptake) the National Retail Federation determined that "Black Friday" wasn't enough... now we have Cyber Monday. Traditionally, "Black Friday" the Friday before Thanksgiving has always been the 'kick-off' for Christmas shopping, and one of the biggest shopping days of the brick and mortar retail year. Well, apparently, the Internet spawned a slight deviation of that and buyers flock to online stores on the following Monday looking for specials and extras. So this is also the day when most online retailers create incentives and specials to entice the buying public. For someone who does most, if not all, of their buying online, you'd think I'd know that. Guess I have a new reason to shop now. All hail, Cyber Monday!

Scuba Diving in California

The warm and hospitable Pacific Ocean lines the entire 770 miles of western coastline of California. Scuba diving is one of the many popular water sports in California: it is best enjoyed in the ocean settings where coral reefs, and exotic marine life live in a vast and alien world; a place we can only visit with an air tank on our back. In order to dive you need scuba diving certification to prove you know how to survive in the deep blue sea.

Who Can Get Certified?

Open water certification, meaning the ability to dive unassisted divers must be at least 13 years of age. Younger children from 10 to 13 can get junior scuba certification in order to dive with a parent or instructor. Younger children can begin training at the age of 8 in a pool setting, but not in open water.

Classes

Classes for a scuba diving certification consist of several levels of training starting with passing a written test either online or in person at the diving center of your choice. The next level is pool training where divers where appropriate equipment in a controlled, pool setting. Finally, open ocean diving with instructors.

Length of Training

After written work, the physical water training consists of two or more weekends of physical in the water training depending on the school’s schedule. First water dives take place in a pool with full gear, and students must also prove a proficiency in the water. Later dives occur in open water ocean settings.

Cost

Scuba diving certification courses are expensive due to the very nature of the training. All necessary gear is usually purchased by the students, but tanks are issued for each dive by the school. Open water diving training requires open water boats and a crew to pilot it. Scuba schools in California routinely charge $250 to $500 for a basic course. Some offer extra training for additional fees.

Licenses

Make sure any Californian scuba training company offers licensed instructors. There are several affiliations that train the qualified professional divers who teach the courses. Those professional organizations are PADI, the Professional Association of Diving Instructors, for accrediting instructors such as NAUI, National Association of Underwater Instructors, and SSI, Scuba Schools International. Anyone taking an accredited course receives a life-time PADI C-card. There are two levels of licenses, a basic license that gives divers the fundamental approval to dive with an instructor or professional diving coach on hand, and an open water license that means they are capable of diving alone without supervision.

Schools

Near Los Angeles:
Eco Dive Center
4027 Sepulveda Blvd.
West Los Angeles, California 90230
310-398-5759
http://www.ecodivecenter.com/content/scuba-certification-in-los-angeles--padi-open-water-diver--scuba-training-in-los-angeles-ca

Near San Francisco:
Bay Area Scuba Diving
390 Lang Road
Burlingame, CA 94010
650-469-1954
http://www.bayareascuba.com/