You've Got A Friend...Or Do You?

My sincerest apologies for not posting more regularly. This is the product of a computer with severe problems as well as having some problems of my own. I will try to update more regularly and thanks to all those who have read past posts and left comments. Today, I'm writing about friendship. I've written on this topic before, but studies persist that we, as individuals, have less friends than our parents and less time to spend with them. As a result, we are more isolated and that can lead to other problems like depression and anxiety. Unfortunately, we use the computer to substitute for real-life relationships, but nothing can take the place of a warm touch or comforting smile. So, walk away from your computer and reach out and touch someone today. You'll not only be doing something wonderful for someone else, but you will get some benefits too! Peace!

Valentine's Day Wish

After consuming large amounts of Valentine's Day chocolate, you may be feeling a little like an elephant. With bathing suit season just around the corner, you may be fearing the worst under those harsh lights in dressing rooms all over the country. Fear not! Leslie Sansone, who is well known for her Walk Away The Pounds in-home walking program, now offers you Walk Slim. This new and improved in-home walking program guarantees that you will walk off one meal a day, providing you follow the program and you will definitely see results in ten walks. I've followed her programs in the past and I can tell you that they really do work. The brand new Walk Slim program is available for under $40. You can get more information about it at ttp://www.lesliesansone.com

A Life Less Ordinary

If anyone had written a novel about a woman such as Anna Nicole, no one could ever believe that such a story could have been true....but, sadly, it is. What should have been a wonderful life filled with all the great things that success brings, turned out to be a human tragedy almost from the beginning. I'll spare you the details since you've been bombarded with them since the afternoon her death was announced as breaking news on CNN. If Anna Nicole slipped away thinking that she would fade into oblivion, then she couldn't have been more wrong. What remains after her untimely death, is just more speculation for the masses as to the identity of her baby girl's father, her inheritance from her late husband (if there is ever a final decision) and lastly, who gets possession of her so that she may have a proper burial. She remains controversial even now. It has been said that she so wanted to be just like Marilyn Monroe. I guess in some aspects she achieved that, but Marilyn was laid to rest lovingly by friends and an ex-husband who put flowers on her grave until he died. So, who will put flowers on Anna's grave? Hopefully, someone who loved her for who she really was and not the caricature she became.

Ageless Beauty

Diane Keaton has been a well-known actress for almost five decades now. She originally came to fame as Woody Allen's muse in 'Annie Hall', but her first television appearance was on a commercial for an anti-perspirant. Fast forward to the present and Diane is still playing lead roles in romantic comedies. In her latest movie, playing opposite Mandy Moore entitled "Because I Said So", she plays an over-bearing mom who proves that you can still find love at any age. What's most admirable about Diane is that in an industry that almost demands plastic surgery and Botox, she has refused both. She is living proof that beauty can be achieved naturally. L'Oreal believes in her so much that she is now appearing in both print and television ads for their calcium-fortified skincare products. Diane has also proved to women that you don't necessarily need a man to have a fulfilling life. Although she has been romantically linked to both Woody Allen and Warren Beatty, Diane has never married, but she is a single mom to two children whom she adopted at birth. She truly is an ageless beauty!

A No Brainer For Valentine's Day

Who doesn't love Valentine's Day? It's a day to celebrate romance or just to acknowledge someone who is special to you; your mom, sister, best friend or co-worker. For some, it's also a birthday celebration. So many people were born on Valentine's Day. I am one of them! It's great for me, but for those who have to celebrate both occasions, it could be costly, but it doesn't have to be. While I might like a nice piece of jewelry for my birthday, I still want the traditional Valentine's gift of fresh flowers as well. Valentine's Day is probably one of the busiest days of the year for most florist and purchasing Valentines Day Gifts can be a nightmare, but it doesn't have to be. Dot Flowers is literally buzzing with fabulous flower gift ideas as well as gorgeous gormet gift baskets perfect for anyone on your list. What's great about Dot Flowers is that they don't just sell flowers. If your sweetie would rather have sweets, you can order a beautiful basket of gourmet cookies or yummy snacks. Dot Flowers will help you select a personalized gift for your special someone whether you've been married for 25 years or if you are looking to make a good impression with someone new. Their Field Fresh flowers are delivered straight from their grower's farms to anywhere in the United States of America. Their prices are so reasonable, you can afford to buy more than one gift or treat yourself to something special.

I'm Tara Connor And I'm An Alcoholic

Miss USA, Tara Connor, is out of rehab and she's talking to anyone who will listen. A tearful Tara Connor, has appeared on several entertainment news shows, admitting on camera that she is an alcoholic and a drug abuser. She admitted that she's been using alcohol as a coping mechanism since she was a teenager. She finally was forced to face the issue when photos and stories emerged highlighting her problems. Rather than forcing her to give up her crown, Donald Trump, who owns the Miss USA pagent, had Tara admitted into a rehabilitation program to deal with her addictions. We all know what happened next with Rosie O'Donnell making a mockery of the whole thing, but unfortunately, it backfired for her. By giving Tara a second chance, Donald Trump has actually given hope to hundreds of girls just like Tara that may be suffering from the same addictions. She will always struggle with her problems, but by being forced to deal with them, she has brought the issues into the forefront so that others can use her as a role model. No one is perfect and it's time that we look at these pagent winners as human beings who can do a whole lot more to mentor young women when they let them see that they too have made mistakes.

Getting Rid Of Cellulite

In the dead of Winter it would seem unreasonable to think about cellulite. However, before we know it, Summer will be here and with that comes the annual trip to the stores to find a suitable bathing suit. Those horrid, little dressing rooms with the worst possible lighting will do nothing to boost your self esteem, especially when you see your cellulite. Make no mistake, cellulite is not a problem of over-weight women. Thin women are actually more prone to cellulite than over-weight women and over 80% of all women have some cellulite. The question of whether you can rid yourself of cellulite altogether is easy to answer; you can't. You can, however, do simple things to reduce the appearance of cellulite that won't cost you a fortune. For one thing, you can change your diet by eating whole foods (fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains and lean meats). By eliminating salt, sugar, alcohol, caffiene and nicotine, you eliminate the toxins that build up in the body and are stored in those unsightly fat deposits. Also, exercising can help build muscle which burns fat and fills in areas once occupied by mounds of cellulite. Massage can also help eliminate toxins from the body as well as body brushing which you can do at home, in the shower, with a soft bristled brush. Use a extra-firming body cream every day to help reduce the appearance of cellulite. Cellulite creams and supplements are pretty much a waste of money so don't go spending hundreds of dollars. In the meantime, medical procedures that are somewhat affordable for those who have extreme cases of cellulite, have been developed, but you may have to wait until more physicians use them regularly.

Saving Money With Ebates

Did you just recieve your W-2 information in the mail and think to yourself, "Is this all I made last year"? I know I did and with one child heading off to college in the Fall, I need to find the best ways to save money when I shop. If you read my blog regularly, then you know I'm all about shopping, but I like findest the best prices for the things I want. One way to do that is to shop with Ebates. This website is fabulous! So much so, that CNN calls Ebates "A No-Brainer"! When you shop online with Ebates you can take advantage of coupons and specials at over 800 popular stores while earning up to 25% Cash Back with your purchases. Furthermore, Ebates will take the cash discount and turn them into a check which they will mail directly to you (yes, that's right! It goes back into your pocket, not theirs). One of my favorite stores is Target . I can get all the things I normally would shop for in their store, by ordering through Ebates. Ebates will give me 4% back when I shop online for my favorite Target items and I don't have to pay a membership fee to Ebates because it's free! Also, I can download the Moe Money Maker from Ebates and Moe will remind me about all the great deals I can take advantage of at Ebates. I love this idea so much, I just had to share it with you! You don't need anything more than an e-mail address to join Ebates so sign up. Valentine's Day is just around the corner and since you're probably still paying off your bills from Christmas, then join Ebates today and start the new year off by saving money for next Chrtistmas. Happy Shopping!