More Freebies!

Every once in a while I like to post a link where you can apply for lots of free products and coupons. Here's one that is chock full of ways to get tons of free samples and coupons for items you would like to try at a di scounted rate. One free sample I will recommend from this site is Oil of Olay Regenerist Serum. I have posted about this product and line previously and I must say, for the money, it is the best skin care line available in any drug or discount store. Now you can try a sample for free here http://styleforfree.com/samples.htm. Happy Shopping!

Stupidest Quote Of The Day

"You become short-tempered and your little charm goes, the little glow in your face goes". This is from Naomi Campbell. So, was she saying this about her past drug use or about all the times she's attacked people (allegedly)? Naomi has been accused no less than seven times of physically attacking and/or beating people. Remember the t-shirt that said "Naomi hit me....And I loved it"? Who was she mad at this time? Her housekeeper, of course (this is the second one who has accused her of physical abuse). Apparently, Naomi was upset because the housekeeper couldn't find the jeans she wanted to wear on "Oprah" so, Naomi threw her cell phone at her housekeeper's head. Can't wait to hear what Oprah has to say about THAT!

TGIF Comment Contest

Yes, it's already TGIF! Time sure flies when you're having fun. Today is the day I make a list of all the things I won't be doing this weekend like working, getting up early to go to work, doing my paperwork for work, picking out my clothes for work and the number one thing I hate most, driving to work. Unfortunately, I am going to have to cave in and finally clean my house before it's condemned by the board of health, but hopefully I will be able to enjoy the beautiful weather we are having here in the Northeast. Don't forget about springing your clocks forward this weekend (Sunday morning actually) which means we lose an hour of sleep, but gain an hour of daylight in the evening. Oh yes, and Blogmad is back in action so today (so far) is a very good day! How about leaving me a comment as to why you are happy it's Friday. The most original answer will get earn a link. Happy Friday Everyone!

Someone Broke My Blogmad

While attempting to surf blogs through Blogmad tonight, I was rudely (at least it felt rude to me) that the members' page had crashed and an attempt to automatically repair it had failed. Unfortunately, this is the problem with a new site in Beta stage. It's like moving into a construction zone before the construction is completed. In any event, while surfing blogs this afternoon I came across one post in a blog that said "wrongful death" and "DUI" were the most highly googled keywords. I'm not sure how accurate this information is, but, if it is at all accurate, I find it somewhat unsettling, to say the least. Is it because we live in such a litigious society or because we are all really irresponsible drivers? Something else to keep me up nights! In the meantime, I am working on a contest for my blog to drum up some more traffic and links. If anyone has had any success logging into Blogmad in the meantime, let me know. I sure do miss my Blogmad:^(

go blog urself

The title of this post is what's written on my well-worn mousepad. It was a gift from Rosie O'Donnell. Hers was the very first blog I ever read. In it, a reader could sign up for e-mails from Rosie (I have never received one in the last two years) and free gifts (all I ever got was my mousepad). Although I don't read rosie.com so much anymore, I happen to be channel surfing last night instead of blog surfing and caught an interview with Rosie picking on none other than Star Jones. Okay, so maybe you don't like Star, but Rosie is pissed off because Star lost all this weight and won't say how. Rosie claims that Star has had gastric by-pass surgery, but won't fess up about it and feels that shes as good as lying about how she dropped so much weight. Now, I really don't know how Star lost all her weight, but I do know that even if she did have gastric by-pass surgery, she would still have to live a healthy lifestyle and exercise in order to keep the weight off. If you don't believe me go ask Carnie Wilson who gained about eighty pounds during her pregnancy last year and is still struggling to lose that baby weight. As we all know, Carnie was more than forthcoming about her gastric by-pass surgery. She went as far as to have cameras in the operating room, documenting the whole thing live on her website. Too much information for me, but nevertheless, losing the weight was and still is a struggle. So what's Rosie's beef anyway? She picked on Kirstie Alley last year because she claims that Kirstie lied about her weight to begin with and that she was really much heavier than she led everyone to believe. She later apologized to Kirstie for her bad behavior, all of which is documented in Rosie's blog (www.rosie.com). In any event, Rosie must have expected a backlash from her attack on Star.....she turned off the comment feature on her blog. Guess she can dish it out, but can't take it!

Celebrate Mother's Day

It's hard to believe that Mother's Day is just around the corner. It seems like only yesterday that I was cleaning up all the dirty champagne glasses from New Year's Eve. After the parade of April holidays, it will be that time of year again when we celebrate our wonderful moms! So, how will you mark the occasion? You could buy your mom a nice box of chocolates. She will love you for it at first, but then curse you after her weigh-in at Weight Watchers. You could take her out to dinner, but she may insist on the early-bird special, and you will find yourself eating dinner at 3:30 in the afternoon. It's doubtful that she will go in for matching tattoos. Ditto on noserings. She still hasn't had her ears pierced and she's 83. All a mom ever really wants is to spend some quality time with her children and maybe some nice Mothers Day Flowers. At some point in time, it's really the simple things that matter most to moms. If she really wanted jewelry, she would buy it for herself and although, she may love the grandkids, she really doesn't want to spend a week with them at Disney world. So, keep it simple and affordable and send her some flowers. She will not only thank you for it, but she will spend all day showing them off to her friends, bragging about what a great daugther/son you are. So, before you drive yourself crazy trying to figure out what she wants, get her some flowers. I promise you, she will love you for it. I should know......I'm a mom!

The Best Anti-Aging Secret!

The best anti-aging secret is also the one thing that can prevent you from getting skin cancer. Years ago I had a friend from high school whose mom discovered a funny-looking mole on her arm. Unfortunately, it turned out to be skin cancer and it was so advanced that she died very shortly after her diagnosis. Years ago we baked ourselves in the sun lying on tin foil, covered in baby oil. Of course, there was probably more of an ozone layer protecting us back then. The sun rays were just as harmful, but now there's less protection between them and us so it's very important to use a sunscreen every day, not just when you go to the beach. The best protection is found in a higher SPF. Also, it's very important that you are protected from UVA rays (simply put, these will cause wrinkles) and UVB (simply put, these will give you a bad sunburn). Here's a mathamathical question: If your face cream has an SPF of 15 and your make-up foundation has an SPF of 15, does that mean that you have a total SPF of 30? The answer is no! You still only have an SPF of 15 and if you are out in the sun for any length of time, it needs to be reapplied on a regular basis.

Sleeping Beauty

If you find typos in this post, please forgive me. I didn't get a lot of sleep last night. It wasn't from insomnia (I'll get into that in a minute). Normally, my husband gets the kids up for school, but he's away so I had the honor of getting them up and out the door for their first class this morning. Needless to say, I was so worried that I would sleep through the alarm, I was up by 4:40 AM and never fell back asleep. I don't think there's a worse feeling than being sleep deprived. If you've ever had a newborn baby, then you know what I'm talking about. No sooner do you fall back asleep after the baby's been up for their 2AM feeding, when you hear their piercing screams again by 4AM. Some people can't sleep for no apparent reason, but there is always a reason for insomnia. I know, I've been there, done that and have the t-shirt to prove it as they say. Here are some things I've learned from having been to a sleep clinic: You know how they say that kids need a routine to help them get to sleep every night? Well, adults need the same thing. Create a routine for yourself every night and try to stick to it as much as you can. Use the bed only for sleeping and that other thing you do in bed (nod, nod, wink, wink). Nothing to stressful before bedtime like fighting with your spouse or paying bills. Do something passive, like reading or just watching some TV. Absolutely no caffeine after 3PM (this is a big culprit). If you can't fall asleep or if you wake up and can't fall back asleep after twenty minutes, get up and do something passive again like reading a really boring book or play a computer game until you feel sleepy again, then go back to bed (tossing and turning and worrying about not being able to sleep will just perpetuate the cycle of insomnia). If you really need to ask for medication, then do so, but expect your doctor to ask you a bunch of questions about why you can't get to sleep. There's almost always an underlying reason ranging from the physiological including pregnancy (no sleeping pills for you!) to menopause to a chronic medical condition as well as psychological which would include depression and/or anxiety. Whatever it is that's keeping you up nights, get a handle on it as soon as you can. The sooner you get treatment, the better you will feel and you can get a good night's sleep, which is better than winning the lottery (well, almost!).

Oh Yeah, And Another Thing!

If you are signed up with blogmad, then you've been surfing other blogs in order to rack up some credits for yourself. This is something that is fairly easy to do. I happen to actually enjoy reading other people's blogs. Most are, at the very least, half-way interesting and occasionally I will come across one where I'm so moved that I leave a comment. There are probably a lot more blogs from people young enough to be my kids, than people my own age, but I enjoy reading their experiences. It takes me back to a day before husband and kids, when the only thing I had to worry about was my hair frizzing. There are young woman who are getting married and are blogging each and every minute detail. There are woman who are still looking for Mr. Right and wondering if they guy is or isn't that into them. There are guys who just post pictures of not-so-great looking women coyly posed on unmade beds. There are gossip blogs that are very popular and personal diaries that are just too painful to read. There are political blogs with those leaning to the extreme right or left. You would be hard-pressed to find a moderate blogging about anything political. There are some really funny bloggers out there. These are my favorite. Anyone who can make me laugh will get my attention. So here's what I've learned; Angelina hasn't had her baby yet, What's-her-face hasn't converted to Scientology for couch-jumping boy and Jen has not moved to Chicago with Vince. Oh yeah, and here's my ebay store link http://stores.ebay.com/Susans-Spa_W0QQsspagenameZMEQ3aFQ3aSTQQtZkm

Money, Money, Money, Money...........Money!

Sorry for the title, but I'm still hooked on 'The Apprentice' and the theme song! Are you looking for ways to make some extra money? Maybe you are a SAHM (stay-at-home mom) or a college student or an out-of-work actor. If you have a blog, then it's probably one of your goals to have your blog work for you. Having a creative outlet is wonderful, but having that creative outlet make some money at the same time is better than sex (well, almost). I've already told you about Blogitive (www.blogitive.com), which will pay you to include one of their advertiser's links in your post ($5.00 each), but here is a place where you can earn some more money by completing free trial offers and surveys. Yes, you will get paid! Some of the offers are paid for (in other words you invest a few dollars and get back money for doing so), while others are completely free. Another blogger turned me on to this and so far, she has made over $100 in three weeks just completing some offers and signing up for things. It was that simple. They also have several ways to pay out and you will see the cash immediately (for most offers), hence the name InstantProfitz. You can check them out by clicking on the blue banner on top. It's absolutely free to join up so you have nothing to lose and maybe some extra cash to gain.

Driving Miss Lazy

I realize, with this post, that I am totally digressing from my usual topics, but it's been one of those days. If you have kids, then you'll appreciate this, if not, then hopefully your 25 seconds will be up soon and you can move on to another girl's blog wherein she spends no less than six posts bitching about her crazy boyfriend. I am a mom of two teenagers, neither of which has their license. In some ways that's a good thing. Afterall, most people behind the wheel think it's their God given right to multi-task while I am chauffering my kids to and from their various appointments. There are also those who believe that any and all traffic rules do not pertain to them in any way, shape or form. It is perfectly okay for them to run stop signs, red lights and do at least 15 miles over the speed limit in a school zone. True enough, I have no life right now to speak of. My only lot in life is to drop off and pick up and I'm pretty much on call 18 hours a day. Nevertheless, it would be wonderful if I could get to and from my destinations without needing a stiff drink or a Xanax when I return home. Finally, what is it that is so damn important that you have to talk on your cell phone while you are driving? When I see you talking on your cell phone in your car and you're laughing while you're driving, then it is apparently not an emergency. Get a clue already! You cannot drive and talk on the phone at the same time no more than you can drink and drive! I would like both my children to reach adulthood without the trauma of ever having to experience a car accident. Now, if you don't mind I have to bring my soapbox in for reupholstering.

A Free Offer From Joyce Vedral!

I'm posting an e-mail I received from Joyce Vedral. I've written about her before. She is a personal trainer who specializes in helping women incorporate strength training into their exercise program. This is very important, especially if you want to prevent bone loss. I know it's not something you want to think about, but it's never too early to prevent bone loss and strength training is a great way to begin. Here's a message from Joyce: I will give you your choice of two free items in a minute but first: YOUR ACCOUNT with yourself--By now you may be saying, "I've accounted to myself enough. I attack myself for not working out."
I've found the two most common reasons for that are: 1. You hate some of the exercises. 2. You still don't have your STOMACH in shape.
So if you open this e mail and order anything up until MIDNIGHT SUNDAY I'm giving free YOUR CHOICE-- either JOYCE EXPLAINS video which has up to 20 substitutes for exercises you hate or can't do-and a 10 Day emergency diet that makes you look ten pounds thinner in ten days, or GUT LOVE HANDLE POOCH BUSTERS VIDEO which will finally get that troublesome stomach flat.
To get your free video, order any video or DVD item and write FREE JOYCE EXPLAINS or FREE GUT in the message box that comes up in the same frame as when you are asked which credit card you are using. Do not click on the free Item-JUST WRITE IT IN THE MESSAGE BOX.
If you forget e mail me immediately at jvbody@aol.com. REMEMBER ONE OR THE OTHER, YOU CAN'T HAVE BOTH GUT AND JOYCE EXPLAINS.
Click on the Go Shopping button or call the toll free 1-877jvedral to get started. Love Joyce at www.joycevedral.com Go Shopping

TGIF

This morning I'm at a loss to create a topic of interest. I guess you could call it blogger's block. I know I'm not alone. After surfing so many other blogs from Blogmad, I can see some blogs haven't been updated since February. I've only missed a few days of blogging since I started back in January and that was due to a change in jobs. What I noticed from those days, was a sharp drop in traffic. Afterall, who wants to read the same thing over and over again? Today, I dedicate this post to TGIF. After having returned to a full five-day work week, I am overjoyed at the coming of friday. Some things I won't be doing this weekend is working, laundry, cleaning, helping my kids with homework, waking up early, going to sleep early, wearing anything other than my jeans, t-shirts and sneakers, running around like I'm ten minutes late to everything, and eating a meal standing up. One thing I will do this weekend is post in my blog!

The Survey Says......

Here is something I started to do when I got fired from my last job. I really wasn't sure I wanted to work for anyone else, so I explored ways of making money at home. This blog and my ebay business were a couple of sources of income, but I also was told to join a few survey websites which claim to pay money for my opinions. True enough, I've made a little money on the side from doing this, but you have much more of a chance of winning prizes or, at least, perhpas winning giftcards for all kinds of things. In any event, I though I would pass this on to my readers since a lot of people really like the freebie stuff I've posted. Also, if a survey website asks for money, run in the other direction. They should be paying you, not the other way around. http://www.surveyclub.com/

How Much Plastic Surgery Is Too Much?

If you had been reading my blog on a regular basis, then you already know that I'm a big fan of Barry Manilow. He was on 'American Idol' this week and, I believe, did a great job coaching the contestants in interpreting the songs from the 50s. Now, I'm reading lots of comments about how bad he looks. One internet news site called him "scary facelift guy". At some point in time, he crossed over the line from looking natural to looking like he went a bit too far with all the pulling and stretching. There's only so much you can do to a face before a person begins to look like they need a plastic surgery intervention. I was watching Lifetime's series on Women and one segment was on women who are addicted to it. One woman had so much surgery that she literally ran out of doctors who would operate on her. Imagine, being blacklisted from plastic surgeons in Beverly Hills! I feel bad for anyone who needs to continuously 'touch up' their face with surgery and injections in order to feel good about themselves, but it makes me wonder if the face they see in the mirror is the same face that everyone else is looking at. I would never compare Barry Manilow to Michael Jackson, but I would use MJ as a perfect example of what can happen to a person who has lost touch with reality regarding his own image, which can only lead to a conclusion that too much of a good thing for one person can end up being another person's nightmare!

What's In A Number?

I was watching a piece this morning on numbers. I know, it's sounds boring and it would be to me, especially since I was a lousy math student. This piece was about the numbers that you see on the cover of magazines. You know, the ones that promise you 380 beauty secrets to the stars or 500 different sexual positions that will rock his world. Then there's the top 123 best bikes or the 27 best car buys. My favorite is always about anti-aging and will read something like 125 ways to look and feel younger. Apparently, these numbers mean something to magazine buyers: the promise that they will get to the heart of the matter in a short time and that there times won't be wasted on a lot of fluff they don't need to know. When I got finished watching this piece, I wondered if the same is true for blogs. After perusing so many blogs through Blogmad, I see the numbers game is also quite popular here as well. There's a hundred things about me game (this feels overwhelming to me even though I'm sure I could probably come up with a hundred things about me....after the Valium kicked in). Then there's the tag game which requires you to tag four blog friends and then come up with a list of four things in fours. I've also seen Thursday Thirteen (or the other way around) and I'm not sure what that's about. There are probably other numbers games that bloggers play, but since I'm still new the blogging world I'm not sure what they are. I guess I'll have to read another 153 blogs to find out!

Now Back To Our Regularly Scheduled Program

Since this is billed as a beauty blog and I do promise to reveiw products I've used that won't empty your change purse, there is one product that I've been using that I absolutely LOVE!!! It's called Neutrogena Pure Glow. What is it you ask? Well, this is a cleansing product that comes in the form of a cushy little two-sided cloth that slips over your fingers. The beaded side, when moistened, will do the job of cleansing off your make-up while gently exfoliating. The striped side will leave a light moisturized feeling over your skin after you've cleansed. These are not only reasonable priced ($7.99 in most drug and discount stores), but they are amazing for travel. They come in a great plastic storage case and since they are completely dry, there's no need to worry about what will happen to them should they accidentally slip out of the case and into your make-up stash or suitcase. I highly recommend this product!

Goodbye Chicken Little

Well, tonight was the elimination round for 'American Idol' and our hometown boy, Kevin Covais, got the lowest votes. Of course, I know that Kevin was not in the same league as the other contestants, but still, there's something about that boy that you just can't help, but like. Kevin is so famous on Long Island that he even got a fairly nice spread in Part Two of today's Newsday. I know all of Levittown and probably most of Long Island kept him going as a contestant up until now. He may not be the next American Idol, but here he's a big star. Let's just hope he can still be in his high school musical, when he returns home tomorrow.

Don't Break The Chain

Remember years ago (okay some of you are not so old and probably don't remember when there was a time BEFORE e-mail), when people would send you chain letters. Those letters held promises of huge sums of money headed your way IF you passed the chain on. If you broke the chain, you would surely suffer from the worst luck imaginable and probably burn in hell for all eternity. Fast foward to the present, and chain letters are still alive and well on the internet. Oh how it makes me crazy to receive one of these chain e-mail that informs me that if I don't forward it to at least five people, I have no friends and people probably don't like me. There's the one about the bogus virus that made you delete things from your hard drive that you really needed to make your computer function. There's the e-mail about some kid that needed a heart transplant and money to make it happen (but, there really wasn't any kid at all). I especially love the e-mails from some sheik in the middle east who has money stashed away in some bank in Africa and he'll pay me a hundred thousand dollars if he can transfer the money into my bank account, only he'll need my social security number and every credit card number I have in order to complete the transaction. Being an ebayer, I'm constantly getting e-mail that my account is in danger of being frozen if I don't update my credit card number with them. Same for Paypal. Do these morons think I was born yesterday? Clearly, if I remember a time before e-mail, I wasn't!

The Wizard Of Blog

I love being a blogger! It not only allows me the chance to create something that is unique and mine alone, but I've met the most amazing people through blogging. Just this morning, I attempted to get to the www.blogmad.net site and I got the message "Cookies are invalid". Being the techno loser that I am, I had no idea what this meant and what I had to do to fix it. First, I checked my son's computer to see if it was their problem and not mine. Sure enough, when I pulled up blogmad, it came up fine and dandy. I raced downstairs and turned off my computer, turned it back on, checked my firewall, checked other browsers, and generally drove myself crazy, all while trying to get ready for work. Finally, I called upon the blogging community this morning, and a very nice person told me to delete my cookies and voila, it worked! A thousand hugs to all you bloggers this morning!

In Pursuit Of Some Fake Rays

There was an article I read not too long ago about a woman who is suing a tanning salon. Apparently, she was told by the owner of the salon that the tanning booths were completely safe and that there was no way she was exposed to any harfmul rays that could cause skin cancer. Fast forward a couple of years and she is diagnosed with the worst kind of melanoma and she is only in her late twenties. Now she is suing the tanning salon for not disclosing the actual harm that tanning booths can do to unprotected skin. This is a very sad story and cautionary tale. Being a freckled-face girl, I obviously am not one to tan naturally and through most of my adult life I've worn sunscreen. Now I wear it everyday, not only to protect my skin against the harmful rays of the sun, but to slow down the aging process on my face. However, I do love to get some color, especially in the summer. In pursuit of a natural-looking, fake (talk about an oxymoron) tan, I've tried everything from over-the-counter tube tans, to spray tans, to specialty products that claim to produce the most natural-looking tan ever (they didn't). I finally found something I love and I love it so much I'm on auto-delivery for it throughout the summer. That something is called Tantowel. It's a neat little (or big, depending on which size you use) towel that comes wrapped in foil. You can use two small towels or one large towel for your whole body and, when used regularly, you will begin to see the most natural-looking, fake tan ever. It is truly the best product for self-tanning, particularly for legs. It leaves your skin soft and claims it exfoliates with use. So far, I've not seen this product in a store. You can order it through the tantowel website, but the best place to get it is on www.hsn.com (Home Shopping). Tantowel now has a product just for the face, similar to the over-the-counter glow products that are all the rage now, but their facial product contains Retinol, which not only gives you a great, soft glow, but is a skin care treatment as well. Happy Shopping!

Music and Passion

I don't usually post things like this in my blog, but since this is a sweepstakes that can win a trip for two to Vegas to see Barry Manilow at the LV Hilton, then I thought I would pass this on to my readers: Manilow: Music and Passion” DVD Sweepstakes!Enter today for your chance to win:-Two tickets to see “Manilow: Music and Passion” at the Las Vegas Hilton.-Two domestic round trip airline tickets to Las Vegas.-Hotel accommodations at the Las Vegas Hilton for two nights.-A copy of the new DVD, “Manilow: Music and Passion” AUTOGRAPHED by Barry!So, how do you enter? It’s easy! Simply, purchase your copy of the new DVD “Manilow: Music and Passion” via STARZ.bz and you will automatically be entered to win the sweepstakes. Click here now: http://www.starz.bz/barrymanilow/product.cfm?product=1678The sweepstakes ends at midnight on April 4! Don’t wait! Enter today!Please Note:-No purchase is necessary to enter.-Customers who have all ready pre-ordered the DVD, “Manilow: Music and Passion” will automatically be entered into the sweepstakes.

I Was A Fool To Let You Go!

A thousand apologies to my original tagger, Aurelia at www.reallifesolutions.blogspot.com. Consider yourself tagged Aurelia!

Stupidest Quote of the Day

"I continue to stay young, right? I continue to produce children, I continue to stay young". So says Donald Trump, after the birth of his fifth child, a boy, named Barron William. Oh please!!! The only reason why you got such a beautiful woman to marry you was your money honey! Sorry, just had to vent about that!

I've Been Tagged

Since I was tagged yesterday by http://mmadsimple.blogspot.com/, I thought I'd play the tag game today. Four jobs I've had: Legal Secretary, Mommy & Me Teacher, Guidance Counselor Secretary, Daycare Provider; Four Movies I'd Watch Over and Over: When Harry Met Sally, Fried Green Tomatoes, Gone With The Wind, The Wizard Of Oz, Four TV Shows I Love To Watch: American Idol, Desperate Housewives, Gray's Anatomy, The Sopranos; Four Vacations I've Taken: Las Vegas, Mexico, The Bahamas, Bermuda; Four Tunes that I Sing In My Head: "Copacabana", "I Will Survive", "No Woman, Don't Cry", "Amazing Grace"; Four Of My Favorite Dishes: Eggplant Parmesean, Lobster Tails with Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Chili with Cornbread, Baked Ziti; Four Books I Have Read More Than Once: "She's Come Undone", "Johnny Got His Gun", "Franny and Zoey", "Guilt by Association"; Four Places I'd Rather Be: Sleeping, Eating In A Restaurant, Walking on a beach, Sitting in the audience at a Barry Manilow concert. My other three tags are: www.earthlydreamcandles.blogspot.com, www.chefmichele.blogspot.com, www.dollarfifteen.blogspot.com

When Rosey Cheeks Aren't A Good Thing

Having never experienced Rosacea, it's hard for me to understand the suffering that millions of people (mostly women) go through trying to deal with this skin condition on a daily basis. After doing a little research on this topic, the one thing I've learned is that this is a very complicated skin condition that is exacerbated easily from various triggers differing from person to person. Although I've known several people through the years who have suffered from Rosacea, I've never met anyone who was able to successfully treat it. To this day, treatments for Rosacea vary on the professional level and opinions differ as to what works and what doesn't. Since the condition is rooted in very sensitive skin, it is important to use a skincare regimen that is designed for sensitive skin. Several skincare companies are now touting skincare lines for people who suffer from overly sensitive, reddened skin and they don't contain the same ingredients that you would find in other products that treat acne, even though Rosacea sufferers do suffer from acne as well, from time to time. Eucerin is one such company, but there are others that are following in their footsteps. The two dermatologists that brought you Proactive, now have a line of skincare for sensitive skin as well. Since there doesn't seem to be a cure for this condition, women often find themselves looking for a make-up that will cover the condition well enough to ward off any embarrassment they experience. Several companies like Dermablend and Sheer Cover are designed to help deal with these kind of conditions, but results vary from woman to woman regarding the effectiveness of the use of these cosmetics. Bottom line is, that most people have to experience trial and error before they not only find what works best for them, but what triggers the outbreaks of this condition. http://www.dentalplans.com/Dental-Health-Articles/At-First-Blush-Dealing-with-Rosacea.asp

Hey All You BlogMad People!

If you want to make some money from your blog and you've been waiting forever for your Andsense ads and affiliates to cough up some dough, then here's something you will want to investigate. www.blogitive.com is a great site that will pay you to write a post with one of their advertiser's links. You can make $5 a post and they payout once a week. I've already made over $35 in just a couple of weeks by writing posts that include their advertiser's links. It is true that I am shamelessly plugging them because if you use me (wachit@AOL.com) as a referral, I will also make $5, but I wouldn't want you to miss out on this opportunity. It's great for those of you who like to be creative and love a challenge. Go for it!

Blogmad.Net

If you haven't already signed up with them, then now is the time to do it. They went public today and if you surf other blogs you will earn double the credit, but only for a short time. You need no invite now, just click and join. By the way, I'm totally addicted to everyone else's blogs. I love anything with photos (I'm envious because I am so technologically challenged). Some blogs are so funny, I could cry and some others are so sad.....I could cry. Thanks to all you incredibly, entertaining and creative bloggers. You rock! www.blogmad.net.

The Top Ten Things That Have To Go

Today is the first day of Spring (although you certainly wouldn't know it by the temperature...a chilly 42 degrees). With it though, comes my need to ditch stuff that I no longer have any use for or wear. It's not the Spring cleaning I yearn for (who yearns to clean I wonder?), but my urge to purge is based on my need to shop to replace all the stuff I want to get rid of. My top ten will include clothing I no longer wear (for at least one season), but will be donated, not thrown out. I must discard old make-up and the first to go will be all those eye shadows I've collected along with lipsticks that are hiding in the bottom of unused pocketbooks (also to be discarded). Then there are all the pairs of shoes I haven't worn in years. These I find the hardest to part with for some unknown reason, but my closet is not exactly equipped to handle anything else at the moment, so this is a necessity. I will also clean out my pocketbook (the one I'm currently using) as well as my car, which doubles as a trash receptacle for my kids and all of their friends. I already cleaned out my desk so I'm good there, but that drawer in the kitchen that everyone has where all old pens, pencils, business cards, chinese food menus and expired coupons get tossed, needs to be dumped in a major way. On second thought....maybe I'll get my husband to do that one!

I Blog Therefore I Am (Or Maybe Not)

I just finished reading an article in today's Newsday entitled "Fame and Fortune: They're in the Blog". This article mainly focuses on those superstar bloggers, who broke out of mainstream writing (those trying to get published) and turned to blogging. These are not your run-of-the mill bloggers like us who are just trying to get enough traffic to generate some income from our affiliate programs. No, these are would-be authors who wouldn't have a chance in hell, prior to blogging, to get a publishing deal, but now they are blogrebities with books or blooks, as some are called. One such such writer, who quit her day job at a law firm to blog and then got a book deal to write a novel based on her blogging journey, says she feels more legitimate as a writer because she will be published. She claims that other bloggers have said the same thing to her...that they feel like fakes because they are only bloggers and not published writers. Then there's the blogger who blogged about how she made every recipe of Julia Child's in her tiny aparetment in Long Island City and finally was able to get a book published on her experiences. Then there's the notorious senate aide or blogged of her sexual escapades during her days in Washington. Frankly, she was making enough money from some of those long lunches (nod, nod, wink, wink) that she really didn't need a book deal at all. Of course, the article mentions those blogging superstars, Arianna Huffington and Jeff Jarvis, who both have gotten quite a boost because of their blogs, but there's little or no mention of the rest of us who blog just because we can. For me writing is a great creative outlet. If I never have a book published it won't break my heart at all. How about you?

Happy Spring!

Today is the first day of spring! Of course, here in the Northeast, it might as well be January 20 instead of March 20. In fact, it was warmer in January than it's been in March. Okay, enough complaining about the weather. I love spring. A lot of people think about all the planting they will be doing during this season and are planning out their flower beds as I write. Not me! Don't get me wrong, I love flowers, but I only spend all of about an hour and I leave the rest to the landscaper. My mind is on other things.....like shoes! I love all the sandals for the season and I'm thinking about that more than anything else. I really don't spend very much money on clothes anymore. I'd rather spend my money on make-up (but you already know that if you've been reading my blog) and accessories and, of course, skin care. I don't splurge big on accessories. Who needs Fendi or Coach. Most people think you wearing fake anyway so why bother with the real thing. In fact, I'm all over that need to impress anyway. For a short time, I sold those "designer inspired" bags and I got so sick of it that I run in the other direction from it now. Just point me in the direction of the nearest flea market and I'm happy! Happy Spring everyone!

Paging Jack Bauer

Are you a '24' addict? If so, you're not a lone. This can't even be called a guilty pleasure. It's more like a national obsession. My family loves this show so much, that they record it eventhough they are home and watching it....while it's recording. I'm ashamed to say that I just don't get it. In the four or five seasons it's been on (see, I don't even know how long the show has been on the air), I think I've seen about three episodes and I don't have a clue what's going on. All I know is, don't f.... with Jack Bauer! Here's a little something that's been going around the internet. Enjoy!
If you wake up in the morning, it's because Jack Bauer spared your life.
In chess, Jack Bauer can checkmate you in 1 move.
When Kim Bauer lost her virginity, Jack Bauer found it and put it back.
If everyone on "24" followed Jack Bauer's instructions, it would be called "12".
Jack Bauer removed the "Escape" button from his keyboard. Jack Bauer never needs to escape.
Jack Bauer makes onions cry.
Jack Bauer killed 93 people in just 4 days time. Wait, that is a real fact.
Upon hearing that he was played by Kiefer Sutherland, Jack Bauer killed Sutherland. Jack Bauer gets played by no man.
Jack Bauer's favorite color is severe terror alert red. His second favorite color is violet, but just because it sounds like violent.
If Jack Bauer was in a room with Hitler, Stalin, and Nina Meyers, and he had a gun with 2 bullets, he'd shoot Nina twice.
Jack Bauer was never addicted to heroin. Heroin was addicted to Jack Bauer.
Jack Bauer arm once wrestled Superman. The stipulations were the loser had to wear his underwear on the outside of his pants.
Don't ask what Jack Bauer would do for a Klondike bar...
Jack Bauer doesn't miss. If he didn't hit you it's because he was shooting at another terrorist twelve miles away.
Jack Bauer's gun is actually a water pistol, but the water shoots out in the form of bullets. Why? Because the gun is being held by Jack fucking Bauer.
If you get 7 stars on your wanted level on Grand Theft Auto, Jack Bauer comes after you. You don't want to get 7 stars.
If Jack says "I just want to talk to him/her" and that him/her is you... well amigo, you're fucked.
1.6 billion Chinese are angry with Jack Bauer. Sounds like a fair fight.
Jack Bauer once forgot where he put his keys. He then spent the next half-hour torturing himself until he gave up the location of the keys.
Jack Bauer does not sleep. The only rest he needs is what he gets when he's knocked out or temporarily killed.
When you open a can of whoop-ass, Jack Bauer jumps out.
Jack Bauer's family threw him a surprise birthday party when he was a child. Once.
While being 'put under' in the hospital, Jack Bauer can count backwards from 100 every time. This annoys the doctors.
David Spade always says 'yes' to Jack Bauer when he wants to redeem his credit card miles.
Jack Bauer literally died for his country, and lived to tell about it.
Jack Bauer has no problem following orders, unless you tell him to do something he doesn't want to.
Everytime Jack Bauer yells "NOW!" at the end of a sentence, a terrorist dies.
As a child, Jack Bauer's first words were "There's no time!"
Jack Bauer isn't hiding from the world, the world is hiding from Jack Bauer.
Children don't believe in Santa anymore because they know Jack Bauer killed him. The few people that believe in Santa know that Jack Bauer is torturing him.
If Jack Bauer had been on Oceanic 815 there would no Lost.
Jack Bauer can sneeze with his eyes open.
Guns dont kill people, Jack Bauer kills people.
Killing Jack Bauer doesn't make him dead. It just makes him angry.
Jack Bauer shouldn't be compared to Jesus. Jack rose from the dead not once, but twice.
When life gave Jack Bauer lemons, he used them to kill terrorists. Jack Bauer fucking hates lemonade.
Jack Bauers calender goes from March 31st to April 2nd, no one fools Jack Bauer.
Superman wears Jack Bauer pajamas.
If it tastes like chicken, looks like chicken, and feels like chicken, but Jack Bauer says its beef. Then it's fucking beef.
Lets get one thing straight, the only reason you are conscious right now is because Jack Bauer does not feel like carrying you.
Jack Bauer played Russian Roulette with a fully loaded gun and won.
Osama bin Laden's recent proposal for truce is a direct result of him finding out that Jack Bauer is, in fact, still alive.
Jack Bauer once won a game of Connect 4 in 3 moves.
Jack Bauer is the leading cause of death in Middle Eastern men.
Jack Bauer once double teamed a girl.. by himself.
When Jack Bauer was a child, he made his mother finish his vegetables.
If Rosa Parks was in Jack Bauer's seat, she'd move to the back of the bus.
Jack Bauer won the Tour de France on a unicycle to prove to Lance Armstrong it wasn't a big deal. He thinks yellow wristbands are gay.
Simon Says should be renamed to Jack Bauer Says because if Jack Bauer says something then you better fucking do it.
Your attraction to Jack Bauer in no way affects your sexual orientation.
If you can lead a horse to water. Jack Bauer can make him drink.
There are no such thing as lesbians, just women who never met Jack Bauer.
When Google can't find something, it asks Jack Bauer for help.
Jesus died and rose from the dead in 3 days. It took Jack Bauer less than an hour. And he's done it twice.
When the boogie man goes to sleep, he checks his closet for Jack Bauer.
Jack Bauer has been to Mars. Thats why theres no life on Mars.
It would only take 1 bullet for Jack Bauer to kill 50 Cent.
If Jack and MacGyver were locked in a room together, Jack would make a bomb out of MacGyver and get out.
People with amnesia still remember Jack Bauer.
If you spell Jack Bauer in a Scrabble game, you win. Forever.
"Jack Bauer" is Arabic for "I'm fucked".
What color is Jack Bauer's blood? Trick question. Jack Bauer does not bleed.
Sun Tzu once wrote, "If your enemy is weaker, conquer him. If he is stronger, join him. If he is Jack Bauer, you're fucking dead."
If Jack Bauer was gay, his name would be Chuck Norris.
The bumper sticker on Jesus's car reads, "WWJBD?"
You walk into a bar and Jack Bauer's your wingman, you're probably gonna get laid.
Strippers tip Jack Bauer.
When President Palmer quit to start doing Allstate commercials, it took him 43 takes before he could stop saying, "You're in good hands with Jack Bauer".
Men are ok with their wives fantasizing about Jack Bauer during sex; because they are doing the same thing.
Finding Nemo would have been vastly more exciting had Jack Bauer been looking for him.
Due to Jack Bauer, no one looks forward to the weekend anymore, they look forward to the weekend being over, and watching 24 on Monday.
It is a known fact that when Time magazine awards "The Man of Year*", there is fine print on the bottom of the cover that says, " *besides Jack Bauer."
When Jack Bauer goes to the airport and the metal detector doesn't go off, security gives him a gun.
Jack Bauer once ate an entire bottle of sleeping pills. They made him blink.

Blog Mad

Yes, I know, I already told you about Blog Mad, but I'm telling you again, because if you own a blog you do not want to miss out on getting in on the ground floor. The concept here is similar to Blog Explosion. Surf other blogs, earn credits and get your blog surfed which equals more traffic for you. It's a win/win situation and costs nothing to join. Go there now and join 'cause I said sohttp://www.blogmad.net/?ref=29730264fb3970b

Double Your Guilty Pleasure!

Seen and heard.....American Idol Contestants were seen in the audience at Barry Manilow's Las Vegas Hilton show this saturday night. They were there to watch and learn from the master himself. Barry's former back-up singer and vocalist coach to the AI contestants, Debra Byrd, performed with Barry on stage during his show. Now, lets hope those AI contestants learned something last night! You can see Barry perform this week on 'American Idol'!

Love Your Body

Want to love your body more? With swimsuit season just around the corner, we would all like to shed some weight and get back into shape. The folks at diet.com (see the banner above), want to help you get there the safest and healthiest way possible. They believe that your personality is the key toward helping devise an eating plan that is right for you and you alone. However, you will be anything but alone when you join diet.com. You will get all the support and help you need to lose the weight. There are specialized meal plans, buddy help, and so much more. So, take the personality quiz (it's free) and see how your personality can change the way you eat! http://www.diet.com/member/take_consultation.php

What's New At Sephora

Sephora has some wonderful new products almost every day of the week! This week check out Cosmedicine MegaDose Skin Fortifying Serum ($40). From Benefit, you will find a wonderful little trio of gorgeous nude eyeshadows for the spring ($22). Not to be missed is Big Fatty Mascara from Urban Decay ($17). For those who want to really make a big splash, try Stila's Line & Shine. This kit includes a black pencil liner and Swarofski crystals ($17). Finally, there's a brand new fragrance called Burberry London, which is supposedly modern, yet sophisticated. Happy Shopping!

Blogging Madness

There's a new kid in town that is promising to direct more traffic to your blog. The kid is still in the beta stage, and you need to ask them to send you an invitation so you can join their directory, but early reports from new members are promising. For more information go to www.blogmad.net. There are probably lots of message boards for bloggers, but there are two I frequent to learn more about the tools of the trade and how to use them. One is a google group (bloghelp@googlegroups.com). There's lot of information regarding troubleshooting and it's also a great way to post your blog(s). It never hurts to generate more traffic. One of my all-time favorite group of bloggers can be found at www.WAHM.com. This group was formed to help work-at-home moms network, but their blogging folder is one of the most informative and useful around. You have to join WAHM in order to access their message board (same for the blog help group at google), but networking with other bloggers is a necessity in order to maintain a successful blog. For instance, go visit other bloggers blogs and leave a comment there with your blog URL link. It's not only proper etiquette (as long as it's not spam), but it's a good way to increase traffic to your own blog. Happy Blogging!

Bath & Body Works

If you are a fan of Bath & Body Works, then you will want to get over there to check out some of the great deals they have on their top-selling items. Some of their best fragrant body splash sprays are on sale for $5 each. That's a savings of over $5 off the regular price. Their C.O. Bigelow lip balms are on sale as well for $5 each as well as many other products. Check out the wonderful, new skincare regime from renowned dermatologist to the stars, Dr. Patricia Wexler. You can get her starter skincare kit for only $45.00. Available from April 3-April 23, you can receive a free True Blue Spa or Breathe product with any $10 purchase. These products are valued up to $15 each. If you can't get out to shop, then visit them at www.bathandbodyworks.com. Happy Shopping!

More Fabulous Freebies!!!!

I've scoured the beauty boards to get some great freebie information for you. First and most exciting, Benefit Cosmetics will give you a free lipstick with any order over $50, plus you'll get free shipping with any order over $45. This is one of my affiliate programs, so you can order right from my blog. Here's the information on how to get your free lipstick: Enter the code of your choice below at checkout for your free lipstick. LP06 - Cherry shade LP05 - Spicy Mauve LP04 - Cocoa Rose. Go to www.drugstore.com. Nivea will give you the most adorable totebag for free if you order two or more products at drugstore.com. Finally, if you've been wanting to try the new skincare line from Eucerin, you can get free samples by going to www.eucerinus.com. Happy Shopping!

How To Get Blog Traffic To Flow Your Way

Since I'm always looking for ways to increase traffic to my blog, I thought I would share some things I've learned along the way. You probably all know about blog directories and I will share a link with you with over a hundred resources, but first be careful who you share your URL link with. There are some bad scams out there that will promise you the world if only you will sign up with them. You should never have to pay anyone to increase your traffic. There's lots of free sources to help increase traffic to your blog and they are all legitimate. As I've written before, pinging is also a way to increase your traffic every time you update your blog. I love www.pingoat.com. I use it every time I add a new post to my blog and it only takes about five seconds. One of the best pieces of advice I've ever gotten is to exercise patience. Increasing traffic doesn't happen overnight and any source that says it can is looking to scam you. Don't get discouraged and keep posting. Here's a link that will set you in the right direction http://www.masternewmedia.org/rss/top55/

Guilty Pleasures

Guilty pleasures! Everyone has them. Some can be harmful, while most others are harmless. Chocolate is one of my guilty pleasures, but too much of it would be a bad thing in more ways than one. Reading tabloids is yet another guilty pleasure of mine that takes me away from all the things in my life that worry me so much, I lose sleep! One of my guilty pleasures is reality TV, and my favorite of all reality shows is 'American Idol'. If I have a nightly meeting and I think it will cut into my favorite guilty pleasure, I break out in a cold sweat. First of all, Kevin Covais is a neighbor....well, sort of. It's one of those six degrees of separation things. He lives one town over from me, across the street from one of my good friends. Needless to say, all of Levittown and surrounding neighborhoods has been keeping Kevin from being eliminated from the final twelve. My husband works out with one of his teachers and, although they are proud of their hometown boy, he was slated to be the lead in their high school musical, and they wish he would just come home already! I haven't formed any attachments yet to any of the final twelve, so I've shed no tears yet over the eliminations, although I was shocked when Gideon was sent packing. I loved his voice.......and his dimples. I love Mandisa's powerful delivery and Taylor's passion for music. When I'm watching 'American Idol', I am blissfully happy, without a care in the world. This coming week I will be doubly blissful! My favorite performer/singer, Barry Manilow, will be the guest when the finalists will be performing hits from the fifties and, I suppose, Barry will be singing one of the songs from his latest hit record 'Greatest Hits of the 50s'. You may disagree with me about 'American Idol' and Barry Manilow, but you know you have your own guilty pleasure like listening to 'Foreigner' or watching 'I Love the 80s' on VH1. Whatever it is, enjoy....and don't feel so guilty about it!

How To Become A Pro Blogger

Do you want to be a successful blogger? Then check out the link below and go to it everyday and read every word this guy writes. He is a wealth of information. If it weren't for him, I wouldn't be blogging at all, or for this long.....Oh, but first check out my blog!http://www.problogger.net/

Blogging Celebrity Style

Well, the biggest news today is Us Weekly's attempt to keep up with Brad and Angelina through the blog they've set up just for the couple's alleged impending wedding. Photographers have been scooping out George Clooney's beautiful home on Lake Cuomo (is that Como or Cuomo as in Perry Cuomo?)...anyway, there is no sign of Brad, Angelina or even George. The hotels are empty and there is no telltale signs of any wedding anytime soon in that region of Italy. There are so many things about this that entice and repel me all at the same time. Why should I care about them anyway with all the serious stuff that goes on in the world? Maybe, the point is to escape from all that other stuff that gives me a huge anxiety attack. Maybe, that's why I am drawn to the tabloids at the supermarket checkout counter like bees to honeysuckles. I don't really care about any of these people and nothing they do will have any kind of impact on my life, yet I really do want to know if they will, in fact, tie the knot. They are so incredibly beautiful. Can you even imagine what their kid will look like? Silly stuff really, but at the end of an incredibly stressful week, I look forward to sill stuff as long as I can have some chocolate on the side! http://www.postchronicle.com/news/entertainment/tittletattle/article_21210859.shtml#continue

Some Quick Beauty Tips

Here are some quick beauty tips to wake up tired, dry skin. First of all, drink lots of water. Contrary to anything you may have heard, drinking water (at least eight glasses a day) is necessary to not only keepin the body properly hydrated, but the skin as well. Here's a little beauty secret....keep a bottle of water by your bedside and drink a little before bedtime and during the night. It really does make a difference! Exercise at least thirty minutes a day a few times a week. Exercise gets the blood pumping and it will give your skin a natural glow. If your eyes are looking especially tired and the skin around your eyes looks particularly dry, consider getting an eye gel and keep it in the refrigerator. Apply a little of the gel through out the day to wake up those tired-looking eyes. Invest in a good concealer! Don't spare any expense. In fact, your concealer is far more important than your foundation. Try Physician's Formula, which offers several kinds of concealers for various types of problems and use a primer underneath your concealer so that it glides on. Always avoid tugging or pulling around the eye area. Invest in a good pair of sunglasses and wear them all the time when you are outdoors to protect your eyes from UVA/UVB rays and to keep you from squinting too much. Always remove your make-up thoroughly before you go to sleep at night. When you wake up in the morning, forget about rewashing your face (unless you need to exfoliate that day). Instead, splash your face with cold water and then apply your favorite moisturizer. Your skin will immediately plump before you have to apply your make-up for the day. Try to avoid caffeine as much as possible through out the day. Caffeine fights hydration. Try to stick to plain water as much as possible throughout the day.

Be Good To Yourself....Inside and Out!

I feel I have to reiterate this sentiment since I just lost someone who was a beautiful person on the outside, but neglected to take care of herself on the inside. As a result, she died an untimely death yesterday. All of her suffering could have been prevented had she been as careful about her body as she was about her appearance. She was a heavy smoker who, after one bout with cancer, still could not quit. She rarely, if ever, went to a doctor and ignored aches, pains, weight loss for no reason, and incessant coughing. Even after her second bout with cancer, she still looked for excuses not to take her medication and didn't eat properly. Being a diabetic, this was like playing Russian Roulette with her destiny and, unfortunately, she lost yesterday. Don't let this happen to you! Get your yearly check-ups and follow the doctors orders. Get your mammograms and your colonoscopies. Take a few hours out of your life to get a stress test and don't neglect your teeth either. Dental problems are sometimes an indication of a much greater health problem. Please, for the sake of those who love you (and we all have people who love us), take good care of yourself.

More Freebies!

I'm going to continue to include links for freebies. Here's another great site to check out:http://www.freeworldz.net/freebies/beauty/ .

So Where Do You Keep Your Make-up?

If you're anything like me, and have tons of cosmetic and skin care items, then you probably suffer from the same issues as I do....where to store all this stuff? With all the products and knowledge that I've acquired over the years, I still haven't really found a good method of keeping things neat and orderly on my dresser. It is the one place in my house that I virtually ignore because the task of sorting, purging and rearranging is overwhelming to me. Even though I just sorted, purged and rearranged my computer work space, nothing compares to the accumulation of all my beauty products. So what's a girl to do? Are there really any great storage products that can neatly store everything from lip pencils to foundations to creams and serums? I've yet to find anything that can do it all and I've resorted to buying storage units that were meant for other purposes like craft supplies. I've even thought, in a moment of desperation, of buying a truck tool box, to be able to neatly sort and store all my items. At some point in time, I'm sure someone has tried to come up with an idea that would work for women, but so far that hasn't happened, in my opinion. If it had, wouldn't it be plastered all over infomercials? Afterall, we're all suckers for those infomercial items, especially when they are willing to remove one payment if you call in the next fifteen minutes. With all my complaining about storage, you think it would slow down my accumulation, but it hasn't. I still love cosmetics and skin care. It's my passion to try new products, write about them and share them with other women who are equally passionate. However, I'm always looking for new things to solve my storage problem, so if anyone has any ideas I haven't already thought of, drop me a line! I'd love to hear from you.

The Key To Relaxation

For those of you who have trouble relaxing at the end of the day due to too much stress, this may have an impact on your sleep. As a result, you may spend more time tossing and turning, rather than getting a good night's rest. Before turning to sleeping pills, try this relaxation technique: Find a quiet room and turn off the television and block out other noise. Lie down on a couch or your bed so that your body is fully supported. Make sure you are wearing the most comfortable clothing you own....your pajamas will do fine. Darken the room you are in or lower the lights at much as possible for your own comfort level. Try to stay focused on all the sensations that come from letting yourself go of the day's tension and be aware of any physical sensations in your body. Once you feel ready, you will began progressive muscle relaxation by working on one set of muscles at a time. Start with your feet by curling your toes tight for a few seconds, then relax. Continue up your legs by tightening up your thigh muscles, again for a few seconds, then releasing. You will continue to tighten and release each muscle group, all the way up to your face. Do this every evening, at the same time to get yourself into the habit of relaxing before trying to sleep. I started doing this almost ten years ago and I've taught my own kids how to do this when they are feeling stressed out over school. It really works on relaxing both your mind and your body to prepare you for a good night's sleep!

Where Do All The Beautiful People Go?

Spring break is just around the corner for my kids. Of course, with spring break, comes thoughts of vacation. It's been years since I was young and single, so I wonder, where do all the beautiful people go when they want to get away? Years ago the Bahamas was a huge draw, but now it has become as overcrowded as Jones Beach, only without the tolls, so that's no fun! I used to love to cruise, but since there are now reports that a lot more people go missing while cruising and never turn up again, I won't be sporting any life preservers any time soon! I'm a nervous enough mother of two teenagers, without having to worry about them disappearing during the hairy chest contest! No more will I take a road trip with my kids. Yes, they are older, but with age comes terminal boredom. There aren't enough DVDs, CDs, Ipods or video games to keep my two from complaining about either being too bored or too hungry. I could see myself opting for a Vacation home Orlando style in the very near future. I would love to have a home where I can go to on a regular basis to get away from it all! I would have my privacy and wouldn't have to deal with trying to find a hotel with all the ammenities that each and every family member requires in order to be happy. I could even use it as a getaway for me and my girlfriends when we need to escape our husbands, kids, pets and bosses. So, who really cares where the beautiful vacation afterall. They can have St. Bart's! At this stage of my life, I'd much rather share a blanket with Mickey Mouse than with Brad and Angelina!

More About Stress

I just got some very bad news about a family member. As a result, I find myself in a very stressful situation, thinking about this person's future and how it will impact everyone else in the family. Over the years, I didn't always choose healthy ways of coping with stress. I was a smoker and an emotional eater, but I've since quit smoking and have found other ways to cope with stressful situations that won't compromise my own health. What I have learned is that although I cannot control all aspects of my life, there are still many other things in my life I CAN control. By exercising control in some areas of my life, I am able to alleviate stress and feel more empowered because, from what I've learned, stress if about feeling helpless, hopeless and unempowered. It is in stressful times like these I will make a point to eat healthy and exercise. One very tried and true method of relieving any anxiety brought on by a stressful event is deep breathing. Here are some tips to doing it correctly so that you get the most benefits from this: Step 1) Inhale naturally through your nose (it is important to do this slowly and make the breath as deep as you can without causing you discomfort). Step 2) After holding your inhaled breath for at least five seconds, exhale that breath slowly. Do this ten times. Try to do this with your eyes closed, but if this is uncomfortable for you, then just lower your eyelids a bit while you are doing this breathing technique. Try focusing on your breath and nothing else. There is an actual physiological reaction in the body while you are doing these deep-breathing exercises that helps bring on a calm, both physically and emotionally. I will discuss further, in one more post, about progressive muscle relaxation.

Blogging for Dollars

One of the best sources of income for bloggers is Blogitive. If you really want to make money blogging, then Blogitive is the place for you. I really can't say enough good things about this site. While other avenues take sometimes months to produce any money at all, Blogitive is immediate gratification. It's also a great creative source for those of us who really enjoy writing. So, while I get to do something I really love, which is rewarding in and of itself, I also get the opportunity to make some money as well, which is truly the icing on the cake for me. One thing I've learned is to take the time to ask questions and be an educated consumer when it comes to adding links to your blog. I can honestly recommend Blogitive as a very good source for making money from blogging. I've had nothing but good experiences with them. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain by signing up with them! I've been through several affiliate programs over the last few months and waiting for readers to click or click through to a purchase so that you actually make enough money for them to pay you can literally take forever. With Blogitive you can actually get paid almost immediately and you don't have to worry about whether or not readers will click on your affiliate ads. So, while you may enjoy blogging as a creative outlet, like I do, you can also earn a little extra money while doing so.

Another Way to Destress

One of the major causes of stress, is clutter. The ability to be able to reduce clutter can, simultaneously, also reduce the amount of stress in your life. Since this is a daunting task for many people, I have come up with a list of strategies to help you eliminate some of the clutter, and hopefully, will also help reduce some of your stress as well. Forget about cleaning out your closets first. Instead pick a highly visible area, like your dining room table or desk and focus on that first. If you need incentive to keep the area clean, take before and after photos and keep them handy so that you can stay motivated to keep the area clean. Finish each project before starting another. While you are cleaning up your clutter, sort everything into empty cartons. One would be for the stuff that is to be immediately thrown away, while the other box will be those items which you want to save. Make sure you set aside a separate pile or box of things that need to be addressed immediately, like bills that need to be paid. Make sure you follow through with these items as soon as possible. Unpaid bills are a great source of stress and attending to these immediately is important. Make up your mind that you will use these places for their original intentions. For instance, the dining room table is for eating, not for storing your unread mail and unopen bills. Make separate areas for those things or immediately discard or recyle that which has no place in your life. Keep the area continuously clean by surveying from time to time. I recently redecorated my office and cleaning and reorganizing my desk gave me such a huge relief. Not being able to find things like my address book or my checkbook was making me crazy so using these techniques really did help reduce stress in my own life. A little hint....I went to the dollar store and bought a few small plastic bins which I store in a cabinet in my office. I put things in their like my kids' school calendar, address books, stamps, envelopes, stapler, tape and various papers I need for the different jobs that I do. This was a great way for me to personally organize myself.

Surviving Stress

Not everyone has the luxury of taking a long weekend at a spa to unwind and rejuvinate from the daily stresses of every-day life, but there are things you can do at home that will help you regroup and refresh for whatever lies ahead.
*Breakdown whatever you have to do into smaller tasks.
*Try not to take things personally (this is a hard one for a lot of people, including myself). Often, other people's comments are not meant as digs.
*Make time for hobbies......don't wait until summer vacation to do things that give you pleasure.
*Apologizing when you're wrong, helps give closure and relieves a stressful situation with a loved one.
*If you see something funny in a newspaper or magazine, cut it out and put it somewhere where you can refer to it occasionally for a laugh break during a stressful day.
*Cut down on the caffeine intake during the day and none at night.
*Remember that you are a good person and that you can't please everyone all of the time. Cut yourself a break!
*Give yourself at least five minutes a day to just do nothing.
*Learn to pace yourself. Don't take on too many obligations and learn to say "no".
*Try to find humour in things you can't control.
* Remember to count your blessings and be thankful for what you have.
*Eat healthy and make the time to exercise and get a good night's sleep.
*When you awake in the morning, take a few deep, cleansing breaths and stretch! Try to repeat this a few times a day!

Making Your Blog Work For You

Blogging has become somewhat of a passion for me. It has given me a creative outlet for something I really love to do, which is writing. I never seem to run out of ideas for posts and I am inspired by the comments and e-mails I have received over the last few months validating what I write about, including my expertise in skin care, cosmetics and exercise and, even my opinions. I've been blessed enough to meet some of the most amazing people in the blogging community who have shared ideas and tips on how to continue to create a successful blog. Many of these people have tapped into resources that have not only earned them respect, but income as well. Isn't it a wonderful thing that people can make money at something they feel passionate about? There are definitely some wonderful ways to make money blogging. The most important information I can share with you on this topic is to network as much as possible. Message boards for bloggers are a wonderful way to share information and resources for anything to do with blogging. Honestly, the best information I have received over the last few months has come from other bloggers that have befriended me. Blogging is the new frontier and as it continues to grow, so will the opportunities to make money. The other thing I have learned with blogging, is to be consistent and patient. As a result, my efforts are now beginning to pay off in more ways than one. I've not only started earning some money from my blog, but I've gained loyal readership over the last view months. As a result, I am inspired to keep blogging. It's something I really love doing. There are so many things in life that we have to do that don't give us half as much pleasure. It's nice to finally find something that is not only fulfilling, but rewarding as well.

More Freebies!

Since some of my readers are asking for more freebies links, here is one that's pretty neat! Enjoy! http://www.sassysue.com/skincare.htm

Here Comes The Bride

Spring is just around the corner and with it, comes wedding season. All those June brides are still scrambling to put the finishing touches on their wedding plans. By now, they've already spent a small fortune on the big things, like the reception, their dresses and their honeymoon and they may be thinking to themselves how they can save a little money at this point instead of spending more of what they don't have. More and more, couples are being held responsible for their own wedding costs. Their own parents are still paying off their mortages and debt and they just don't have forty or fifty thousand dollars to spend on their childrens' wedding. There are ways to save some money. When I got married, I actually made my own floral centerpieces instead of having the florist do it for me. By doing this, I saved myself a ton of money, which I used for my honeymoon. I also bought Cheap Wedding Favors, instead of very expensive ones, and they were just as useful and appreciated as the latter. Since we hired a hall that didn't require us to use their caterer, we shopped around for catering and got the best deal we could, without skimping on the quality of the food. We did the same thing with the DJ. We were lucky enough to have a friend who is a very good photographer and he took our wedding photos as his gift to us, so we saved quite a bit of money there as well. In the long run, we were able to put a down payment on a house and put some money away for other things like family vacations and a college fund for our kids. So, my advice to all the brides-to-be is save money where you can. The less debt you begin your new life with is more likely to insure a happily-ever-after ending!

What Do You Want For Mother's Day?

It's hard to believe that Mother's Day is just around the corner. The card stores are already displaying cards from sons, daughters and husbands. It got me thinking how I would like my family to remember me. I have more than enough bottles of perfume and although a girl can never have too much jewelry, I actually do, a lot of which I don't even wear. I would never want my family to buy me clothes. I don't even like buying me clothes lately since everything that's contemporary is made for my fourteen-year old daughter. I wouldn't want them to buy me make-up because that's a very personal thing and only I should be buying that for me. I don't want gift cards. I hate gift cards. I think gift cards say "I don't have time to shop for you, so I'm buying you this....go get yourself something nice!". I don't need a camera (I just got one for my birthday and I still can't figure out how to use it). In fact anything that's technologically challenging is not a good gift for me and says "I bought you this gift, but it's really what I wanted for myself!". Nothing practical like a vacuum cleaner or an iron (that would suck!). Mother's Day Gift Baskets are always nice, because it really can be specialized to what I really like. For instance, I love candles and bath and body product. These are something that I wouldn't have to share with anyone else and they make me feel like I deserve to be pampered, which I do! So think about what you want for Mother's Day and start dropping hints now. By the time Mother's Day rolls around, everyone should have gotten the idea!

Blogging Traffic

I think one of the most frustrating things for any blogger is drawing legitimate traffic to your blog. Blogrebities hardly have to worry about where their traffic is coming from. They are the darlings of the blogging world and traffic is hardly a concern for them, but with millions of blogs fighting for attention, it's hard to come up with ideas for drawing potentional fans to a blog. There are a myriad of blogging directories available. All you have to do is google for them and up comes pages and pages of them, but which ones work best? Blog Explosion is very popular and even with their pending sale, they will still probably come out on top as one of the best blogging directories available. Of course, there's always Technorati, which helps you get linked to other blogs....so far I've only garnered one little link, but it's more than alot of other blogs have. I've recently learned about pinging from another blogger and I favor www.pingoat.com. Every time I update my blog, like I'm doing now, all I need to do is go to Pingoat and ping and it will automatically send it out to all the major directories. I've found this to be very helpful. Finally, I've found www.Instantbuzz.com which is yet another way to draw traffic to my blog. It doesn't cost anything to sign up and basically, you earn credit for free advertising for your domain or blog and you end up with lots more traffic. Where blogs are concerned, this is probably the only time that people love traffic!

Wireless Blogging

As blogging continues to grow in popularity, more and more wireless services will be offereing plans that include a way to blog by phone. Don't get me wrong, I love blogging and I love reading other blogs and have made some good friends in this community, but is blogging by phone really necessary? Aren't we encouraging people to become more withdrawn from society and more likely to become reckless drivers (no one but me takes that law seriously!). I guess if one cell phone company offers it, then everyone else has to follow through as well since this is one of the most competitive markets there is, but still I think at some point everyone has to walkaway from their respective technology and just enjoy......silence!http://www.wirelessweek.com/toc-newsat2direct/03/09/06

Your Beauty Destination

Since I have to get off to work early tomorrow I decided to blog tonight with some great values at Ulta starting this Sunday. If you love Bare Escentuals, then Ulta is the place to go. Ulta now carries over 150 Bare Escentuals products starting at $11 and there is a Bare Escentuals starter kit worth $110, for only $45. You will also find some great new products from Urban Decay, Bourjois and Too Faced. Freeze 24-7 has a great Miracle Kit including anti-wrinkle cream, anti-aging eye serum, Icecream, moisturizer and lip plump. There are some great new fragrances from Clinique too! Ulta has their own brand of cosmetics which are very nice and if you spend $17.50 from their exclusive line, you will receive an 11 piece make-up kit worth $60 absolutely free. Check out great new items with buy 2, get one free exlusives from Physicians Formula and Vital Radiance. You can check out more great products and Ulta's in-store spring events at www.ulta.com. Happy Shopping!

Get Over It!

It seems like every day of the year is National or International whatever day. Yesterday was International Women's Day, and QVC celebrated all day with their female entepreneurs. Today is National 'Get Over It Day'. This is the day that you, me and your mother should just get over whatever horrible thing you've been through in your life and move on. Actually, I've pretty much always had that mindset. Somewhere in my life, something told me it was a really bad idea to continuously see myself as a victim. There's a limit on how much time you can spend feeling sorry for yourself and probably even less time that other people will have the patience to sympathize with you. There's nothing unhealthier than walking around with a black cloud over your head and nothing more draining on your friends and family than constant sulking about what shoulda/woulda/coulda been. I work with kids with cancer one day a week, voluntarily, and I feel pretty humbled when I leave that hospital. I'm not just doing something nice for them, but I'm giving myself a gift by taking my energy and putting someplace where it's needed, instead of using it to mull over all that's wrong with me and my life (thankfully, it's really not that much). So today people, give yourself a break, and just get over it!

More Freebies

So many readers wrote to me that they love the idea of finding places to receive free products so I'm going to try and include them when I can. Today I found a great place where you can get free samples of products for both men and women. When it comes to trying either cosmetic or skin care products, try to get samples first so that you don't have to waste money on any full size product only to find that it didn't fulfill its promises. http://www.freakyfreddies.com/beauty.htm

Barry on PBS

If you've been reading my blog then you already know I'm a fan of Barry Manilow. Most public broadcasting stations will be televising his 'Music and Passion' special on Thursday, March 9th. If you haven't seen his Vegas show, then you are in for a treat. Check your local listings for time or go to your local PBS website for more information.

Here Comes the Sun - Part Two

Since I won't be able to post early in the morning as I usually do, I decided to write my morning post tonight before I turn in. My topic was inspired by the beautiful weather today and the promise of more beautiful, sunny days to come. In the past I've written about the importance of exfoliating the skin on your face so that your skin care products will work more efficiently. Now, I want to remind you about the rest of your body. Since natural tanning is no longer an option for most of us because of the harmful rays of the sun, a lot of us will be turning to self tanners and I'll be writing about the best ones in the future. Before you can self tan though, you absolutely must exfoliate all over. Start now so that by the time you begin to self tan, your skin will be smooth and even allowing the self tanner to glide on easily without streaking or blotching. You don't need to go any further than your local drugstore to find great body washes that are geared toward exfoliation, but truthfully all you need is a loofah sponge to do the job. They are very inexpensive and can be purchased almost anywhere. Years ago you could only purchase them in speciality shops and they were a fortune, but not anymore. You shouldn't use it every day though and be very gentle in the beginning. Scrubbing too hard with a loofah can irritate your skin. Use it a couple of times a week with a moisturizing body wash and always use a body cream or lotion afterwards. If you do this on a regular basis, by the time you are ready to self tan your skin will be ready for it and you can avoid the embarrassment of streaking. Happy Shopping!

Freebies!

Since I love the idea of trying stuff for free before purchasing, here's a link on how to get as much free stuff as you can before making your decision about purchasing the whole enchilada! http://www.all-free-samples.com/beauty/

And the Blooker Goes To.....

Blogging has become so popular that many bloggers have been offered book deals. As a result, these books or blooks have their own award category whereby they can receive the very first Blook Award. There have been at least fifty entries, many from the United States, but the UK is a hot contender in this category which includes books on everything from where to eat very cheaply to 'my life as a prostitute' type books. Everyone and everything else has their own award ceremonies, so why not bloggers? http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/4780774.stm

Body Glow Products

Jergens started it and had such a huge success with it that now other companies are following in their footsteps. L'Oreal, Vaseline, Banana Boat and Caress all have their versions of a body glow product to help ease you into the summer months. These are not fake tanning products...well, sort of, but not really. These lotions, creams and even soaps contain a small amount of tanning product which will gradually give you a hint of tan that doesn't scream, "I have a fake tan"! Most products are available in drugstores, discount stores and even grocery stores and sell for under $10. I've been using them all winter and frankly, the CVS brand is a bargain for half the price of all the other ones. It's rich and creamy and does exactly what everyone else's does for less money and I love saving money! Jergens now has a glow for the face now as well. All these products come in varying shades of light to medium to slightly darker, but not too dark because it's not supposed to look too fake. The only way they could improve these products is to add an SPF component which would make it absolutely perfect!

Spring Cleaning

Spring is literally just around the corner. Barring any freakish snow storms, we should be seeing the little heads of croakuses popping up any day now. With spring comes the task of purging our closets. The rule of thumb years ago was if you went two seasons without wearing it, then get rid of it, but truthfully, if one season passes and you still haven't worn it, then you probably won't so get rid of it. If you need a little incentive, just remember that there are thousands of hurricane victims who are still trying to put their lives back together and there's a dire need for gently used clothing. So, start going through your closets and drawers, even if it's a little every day, and begin bagging all those things that you no longer care for or don't fit you anymore. If you still need an incentive, just think of all those sales and all the great clothes you can get for spring/summer to fill all that empty space in your closet. Whatever you do, don't hold on to something for sentimental reasons, unless it's your wedding dress of course! I've watched enough makeover shows to know that nothing ages a person more than outdated clothing. Contemporize your wardrobe as much as you can, without trying to look like your fourteen year old daughter. Buy youself a great pair of jeans that fit you well and get some great basic t-shirts to go with them. Express yourself with great accessories like shoes/sandals, belts, bags and jewelry. Happy Shopping!

Mary Kay

If you have been wanting to try an at-home microdermabrasion product, then here's your chance to do it for free. Mary Kay will send you a free sample of the Time Wise Microdermabrasion duo which includes the scrub and serum samples. I have to tell you that I have tried this sample already and it is fabulous. There's no other product you can buy like it because of the intensive serum that is part of the two-step program.
http://www.marykay.com/AdSample/main.aspx

Dove Calming Night

You know that commercial with Felicity Huffman about Dove Calming Night products? Well now you can receive a free sample. Just click on the link below! https://www.dovenight.com/Main.asp?sBanner=none&sPage=none

Rare Minerals

You all know how much I love Bare Minerals, but now you can take a look at a brand new product from Bare Escentuals called Rare Minerals. This product is specifically designed to be applied at bedtime. It contains over thirty mineral elements to help fight all the signs of aging including diminishing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and increasing skin's firmness. You can take a look at this brand new product from Bare Escentuals at Sephora and don't forget to take a look at all the other great products from Sephora including Sephora's own lip plumper for $10. Happy Shopping! http://www.sephora.com/

Finding Your Blogging Niche

Here's a link to a great, but simplied way to find your way of niche blogging. http://www.speroforum.com/site/article.asp?idCategory=32&idsub=130&id=2813

Diet.Com

Are you the type of person who has failed at every diet you've tried? Are you the type of person who doesn't want to drive to meetings every week and stand on a scale in front of other people? Maybe, you think there's no other answer, but there is....Diet.com. This is a unique and wonderful website that can help people lose weight without having to go to meetings outside the home, without having to spend thousands of dollars, without having to buy their food and without having to sacrifice an entire food group to reach a goal. Here, you will find everything you need to be successful in your quest to lose extra pounds, all without having to leave your home or spend thousands of dollars. There are meal plans, message boards and the most up-to-date information about weight loss all in one place. Click on the link below to read the testimonials and then click on the button at the top of the page to take a free personality test from Dr. Kuschner, the genius behind Diet.com. There is a way to lose weight and keep it off at Diet.com. http://www.diet.com/html/testimonials.shtml

Dana Reeves

Sadly, Dana Reeves lost her fight against lung cancer. She was a beautiful, courageous and articulate woman who wanted to continue her husband's quest for stem cell research. Ironically, Dana was among the growing number of non-smokers who get lung cancer. There is no known reason for this and more research needs to be done in order to find better diagnostic tools for early detection like we have with breast and prostate cancer. More women die every year from lung cancer than from breast cancer because by the time it is discovered, the cancer has already spread too far. Dana leaves a young son, Will. He is in my thoughts and prayers this morning.

Gay After Tomorrow

While snooping around for some gossip about the Oscars, I found this short film by a guy named Lou Benedetti, who has a movie coming out in April called 'Revoloution'. Anyway, if you go to this link and click on 'Gay After Tomorrow', you will get a sense of Lou's bizarre sense of humour as he takes a poke at the Oscars and Jon Stewart. http://www.revoloutionmovie.com/loushorts/#

Mascara Update

I just found this link for the ten most popular mascaras. As you can see, 'Kiss Me' came in at number one. I would have to concur, but there are some other great mascaras on this list that are easy to find in the stores and not at all expensive. Rimmel, which is now available in Ulta, makes an incredible mascara for only a few dollars. http://www.splise.com/mascara/category_2346.html

Blushing Isn't Just for Brides

In a previous post, I talked about bronzers and I still think that bronzers are a nice way to add a little color to the face, especially during the final days of winter. However, if you aren't sure about using a bronzer, at least consider using a blush, if you aren't already doing so. As we age, our face starts to loose color or our color becomes uneven or sallow looking. Other than foundation, blush is another way to bring back some of our youthful glow. Again, I highly recommend Physician's Formula for their blush compacts. They tend to be a mixture of colors and that is really what works best for the face anyway. Experts like to use at least two layers of a sheer blush in two separate colors to make the blush appear to be more natural looking. If you are using a powder, make sure you have a good quality brush made specifically for blush application. When in doubt, go to a store that specializes in cosmetics like Sephora or Ulta and ask one of their sales assistants to help you choose a good quality brush for applying a powder blush. If you opt for a cream blush, the most important thing to remember is blend well. You can use a sponge applicator, but fingers work best for blending any cream make-up, whether it's blush, foundation or eye shadow. Again, if you're not sure about color, you can always ask for a demonstration in application and most if not all of the sales assistants at specialty stores or cosmetic counters will be happy to help you! Happy Shopping!

Brokeback Oscars

So, who slept, I mean saw, the Oscars presentation last night? Although, it was one of the shortest telecasts of the Oscars I can remember seeing, I thought it was one of the most boring Oscar shows I can remember. Poor Jon Stewart! I really think he cannot be blamed for the lack of spark. He did his best to try to keep the show humorous and topical, but the audience was not cooperative (did you see Charlize Theron glaring at him?) and, he has big shoes to fill from previous hosts who had better chemistry with the audience like Billy Crystal. Still, I loved the opening and I enjoyed the Colbert Report's take on marketing Oscar hopefuls. I was thrilled that 'Crash' won for best picture, but astounded that the choice for best song. Who cares how hard it is for a pimp? The other two songs were far more relevant to the rest of the world. Besides who could understand their acceptance speech? All in all, it was beautiful in terms of the gowns, the hair, the jewelry and I loved the classic tux look on the men. I'm sure there will be lots of Monday morning quaterbacking taking place on last night's show, but I'm glad it's over and I'm looking forward to 'Desperate Housewives' and 'Grey's Anatomy'!

It All Starts With the Foundation

Make-up foundation is something that has confounded women for years. Finding what's best for you and your skin type is nothing short of a miracle sometime. Personally, I opt for two choices, my first being a sheer cover from Revlon's Age Defying line. It gives me enough daytime coverage, but still lets my freckles show through and I like my freckles. On the other hand, I need a little extra something for evening wear and I use Bare Escentuals mineral foundation over my sheer foundation. This gives me a much more finished look, but still without looking too heavily made up, which I hate. Ater a certain age, wearing too much of any make-up is a very bad idea. Less is more should be the mantra of every woman over the age of forty. For those who need more information about foundation, here's a very helpful link http://www.cosmeticscop.com/learn/article.asp?PAGETYPE=ART&REFER=MAKEUP&ID=35

Predicting the Future

So, do you have your favorites picked out for tonight's Oscar show? I know I do. I love the movie 'Crash' and I think it should win for outstanding film, but also know how heavily 'Brokeback Mountain' has been campaigning for this win. Sorry, but besides the hunky cowbays and beautiful scenery, this movie was a big snore with a capital 'Z'! I would love for Paul Giamatti to win for 'Cinderella Man', but think Jake Gillenhal will probably win for the movie with the greatest snooze factor. Still, I'm going to watch because I love the hair, the make-up, the fashion, the bling and I love Jon Stewart. I still think no one can beat Billy Crystal as a host for this show, but maybe Jon will surprise us all! http://www.mlive.com/entertainment/kzgazette/index.ssf?/base/features-2/1141558240148500.xml&coll=7

What's On VH1

Don't you love VH1? I'm hooked on their reality shows like 'Celebrity Fit Club'. I also love the 'I Love the 70s, the 80s, the 90s', etc. TV, in general, is not always entertaining. How many more versions of 'Law and Order' can we endure and how many more seasons can we squeeze out of Donald Trump? Although I love 'American Idol', there really aren't too many other reality shows that I enjoy watching, but I have to say that VH1 puts a totally different spin on reality television. To read more of what's in store on VH1, just go to the following link http://sev.prnewswire.com/entertainment/20060303/NYF08603032006-1.html

Choosing the Best Mascara for You

When it comes to choosing a mascara that's just right for you, a person could go stark raving mad just trying to read the packages. Usually, the print is so small (especially on the back of the package) that it's hard to figure out if it's smudge proof, water proof, budge proof or bullet proof. Can you wash it off with water or do you need a special make-up remover? What color is best for you, black, blackest black, blacker than black, black/brown? There are three brands of mascara I really love. None of them are easy to get nor are they inexpensive. Mirenesse is a wonderful mascara from Australia that has a completely different concept. The mascara itself forms little tubes around each eyelash and they can be removed with just a tissue. There's not smudging or runing ever. You can read more about it at www.mirenesse.com or go to www.hsn.com where the whole line of mirenesse is sold. A similar product sells in several upscale cosmetic stores like Sephora, called Kiss Me. The concept is the same as Mirenesse and the price is around the same (they both sell for over $20). You can go to www.qvc.com to fiew the Kiss Me products, but truthfully, I buy it from Ebay where it's a lot cheaper. Laura Geller makes a wonderful mascara and again, QVC is the place to get the best prices on any of Laura's products. Usually, if you buy one of her kits, which are great buys, there's a mascara in there and you can try it, but it's one of the best mascaras I've ever used. For more information about mascara go to this link http://www.free-beauty-tips.com/mascara.html

When to Toss Your Make-Up

There's been some news lately as to when to toss your make-up. Years ago, experts felt it was best to toss your make-up within a few months after purchase, if the items were not used up. Now, it seems that the shelf life of most make-up is actually a lot longer than first thought. Some make-up, including lipsticks, can last for a couple of years. The one item with the shortest shelf life is still mascara (4 months tops), but even there some experts feel that if the product is still good, then why toss it? Read the link and see for yourself what the latest news is about discarding your make up. http://beauty.about.com/od/makeuptrickstips/a/shelflife.htm