Every year on Oscar night an actor who came from nothing takes the stage to accept his award. He's the guy who tries to inspire the audience, explaining how he grew up in the hood, or without a father. You feel for the guy. Even if you think he possesses little talent, you have to give him kudos for breaking out of the bubble of poverty and abuse to pursue his dream. He closes … [Read more...]
Keeping Myself Out of Jail
If the headline of this post scares you, it should. Last summer I received notice that my Sunpass (electronic toll-paying device) failed to record a transaction. The notice demanded I send $5.00 to my county toll enforcement office. I did as instructed and moved on. In January I was stopped in a city 130 miles away, and was advised I was driving with a suspended license. At … [Read more...]
Too many cookies spoil the… nothing!
It's that time of year again. With the holidays approaching, people are eating up bandwidth and ripping through gas, hitting the stores for the best possible deals. Each year I spend countless hours in the kitchen baking cookies, pies, and just about anything else that requires setting the oven at 400 degrees or less. But it's not just about making my family fatter (trust … [Read more...]
H 2 Oh? How Little Changes Can Accomplish a Lot
Clean water. It's a staple in every living being's life. And yet, so many are doing without. There are more than 4,200 bloggers writing about water today as part of Blog Action Day 2010, many of whom are bringing attention to the filth other countries find in their drinking water, and how there's a dire need abroad for clean, potable water. I have opted to take a different … [Read more...]
10 Things You Do That Drive Me Nuts
Okay, not nuts, because I try not to let people's lack of respect or common sense take over my emotions. Still, there are plenty of people out there who either don't get it, or just don't care. Unfortunately, those of us who grew up learning old-school have to wonder how so many think our actions or inactions don't affect others. Here's 10 things people do that make me wonder … [Read more...]
The Real Cost of Using In-Flight WiFi?
As I write this, I’m sitting in seat 28E on a US Airways flight. Many of my fellow passengers are connected to the GoGo wi-fi, which runs $4.95 for the leg, but I’m just using Microsoft Word. When I first bought a laptop I envisioned the freedom of working from anywhere, including 30,000 feet above the ground. I had three spare batteries, and fantasized about all the work I … [Read more...]
Blind Ignorance: Accusations Fly Due to Lack of Research
If you were raised by the rule that says respect is a key factor in any relationship, including those you may share for just a moment as you pass each other on the street, then chances are you expect a certain level of tact when discussing topics in professional forums. Emphasis on the word expect, of course. After my blind husband, Joe, reached out via Kickstarter to help … [Read more...]
Impossible is not a fact. It’s an opinion…
What we can do is limited only by our drive to succeed. Despite all the feel-good stories - most popularly told to us via YouTube videos - we, as humans, still tend to make excuses for not even taking a chance. It seems only when we're faced with dibilitating circumstances, or even death, that we wake up and realize that life is short and if we want to make our mark on the … [Read more...]
Pledge & Win (Kickstarter & Starbucks)
What's better than helping a blind guy realize his dream? Helping him and winning something cool - like a $25 Starbucks gift card. Okay, so I like Starbucks, and most of my offerings here are for coffee because, simply put, not everyone needs discounts on my services and just about anyone likes coffee, tea or Frappuccinos. I realize that not everyone who reads this blog is … [Read more...]
My Blind Husband Directed a Film, Now Kickstarting Completion
In case you didn't know, my husband is blind. Not legally blind, but 100% - can't see anything - blind. It happened in 2002 as a result of diabetic retinopathy. He adjusted rather quickly - that is, he found ways to make do around the house and using the Internet. All of our kitchen appliances have little "dots" on various buttons (the minute button on the microwave; the … [Read more...]
Guess & Win
UPDATE: Voting for this contest is now closed. Stay tuned to this site for upcoming contests. When will I post my 2500th tweet? You're guess is as good as mine. But, if you guess right, you'll get a $25 Starbucks gift card. All you need to do is post a comment below with your guess of DAY and TIME. The closest guess (even if over or under) will be awarded the prize. Please … [Read more...]
You Know You’re Addicted to Twitter When…
Solitaire. Mario Kart. Farmville. Twitter. It's so easy to get addicted to, well, just about anything these days. Am I a Twitter addict? Perhaps, but only because I think it benefits me both personally and business-wise. I'm not a huge "needless chatterer" on social media, but I'm willing to bet a majority of you can relate to one or more of the following. … [Read more...]