It's that time again! Time to discuss this week's discovery. This product is nothing new. In fact, it's been around since 1886. It's "Ding Dong! Avon calling!" While the company started out as a perfume company, and later changed it's name in 1939 to Avon Products, Inc., it now sells a wide range of hair, make-up, skin care and jewelry lines.As far back as the 1950's Avon has typically employed more women than men within their company. Women were their main target audience so who better to have running the show? It was in the 1970's that the company, which had now reached worldwide distribution, started to branch out into working on women's causes and events. Avon sponsored marathons, built a women's 'Cultural Center' in Japan for outstanding women in the community, and started converting … [Read more...]

So I signed up for a blogging advertising type thingy recently. All in hopes of maybe making some money. My first assignment is this- write about Advantage One Insurance. Hmmm... and tie this into my blog. Well for starters, insurance is extremely important. It's how I knew H must really care about me. He bought me health insurance for a few months when I was unemployed. That isn't cheap. He was just sick of me spending my small bank roll on random medical emergencies that we all get. So taking a look at this site, I notice that they even have cigar insurance. Well don't that beat all. Cigar insurance. … [Read more...]

I admit it. I'm officially old now. I'm a New Englander at heart, though not entirely puritanical. In some ways yes, I can be a traditionalist. "There's a shocker!", I'm sure H is saying. So what I'm trying to say here is, is that I'm a devout listener of NPR. Yup, that tune to the BBC World News rings in my ear each morning and it makes me smile, I confess. I like Carl Kesell and Terry Gross. I find "Wait, Wait Don't Tell Me" hilarious and I'm positively giddy when I get to listen to 'Fresh Air's' entire program as well as 'All Things Considered'. I've crossed the threshold into adulthood I guess. So this morning as I was doing the morning commute into the 5th ring of hell, a.k.a. work, I was quite pleased to hear a story being done out of the UK on a topic H and I are quite adamant … [Read more...]

I found this online this morning and it just struck me as so odd. Does anyone else find this just a scootch bizarre? I included a link to the whole thing in the title since I'm only doing excerpts. What I've Learned: Burt ReynoldsActor, 70, Jupiter, FloridaInterviewed by Ross JohnsonI was number one five years in a row at the box office. But what's really stunning is that no one until me had ever gone from number one to number thirty-eight in one year. Yeah, the seventies can do that to a personGod forgive me, but I love the attention of people. Is that why he did Cannonball?Your bullshit detector gets better with time.I could have won millions of dollars in lawsuits about the AIDS rumors back in 1984. I survived it by my father's philosophy: "I'll piss on your grave." Classic … [Read more...]

It’s hard to believe it has already been five years. So much has happened in the last few years. Today, we remember and pay tribute to those who lost their lives that tragic day. I think focusing on the good that these people did is better than focusing on the tragedy and negative feelings we may still harbor. Today, I pay tribute to Tyler Ugolyn.Tyler was just 23 and had recently begun working at the World Trade Center for Fred Alger Management, Research Associate. Though I did not know Tyler personally what I have learned is that he was a very bright light in the lives of those he touched. He loved his family and friends. He played basketball for his high school in Ridgefield, CT where they have now created a memorial to him. He attended Columbia College where he played for two … [Read more...]

In four days the 2996 project will be complete and live out on the web. Please don't forget to check back here and the various other sites to remember and honor those who passed on September 11th. I'm currently compiling any information I can on Tyler right now and also adding a little something about someone else, Judson Cavalier. If anyone wants to add anything in please let me know. I'm trying to do my best with my limited computer knowledge. Never Forget … [Read more...]

Last night I was invited out to a 'Girl's Night Out' with some of the women in my neighborhood. They have a little group of varying women who go out every Thursday doing various local things. Sometimes it's dinner or drinks, other times just dessert or a movie. This was the first time I was invited and I was a bit leary but really wanted the chance to get to know more people I live near to just have girl time. It's so rare the older you get.Around the end of the night and a few glasses of wine later the topic came up about women who berate other women. How we are all guilty of it and judging on how we look, our career choices, the Mommy Wars, whatever. It's been a topic of this blog this week and in the past. It's something I feel really strongly about. It's one of the major factors I … [Read more...]

This week I'm asking you to go over to Motherhood Uncensored. September 6th's post about judging is something I've talked about on this site a few times. I think in most cases she is spot on. We all judge, it's human. What we don't do is accept. At least that is my stand point. So for my product of the week I'm going to try not to judge/berate other women for their choices. It's something I try to do each day. It's something I've asked others to do for me and this blog. We do what is right for our families and ourselves. If it works and we are happy and can honestly stand by and uphold our beliefs then go on with your bad self! If not, you might get judged just a scootch. Don't say you ain't been warned. … [Read more...]

Either way I'm not getting much sleep these days. Last night was night six in "Let's Prove that Sleep Deprivation Really is a Form of Toture." I swear there are hidden cameras in my house filming my manic decline from lack of sleep. Maybe it's just my lack of sleep paranoia though that makes me wonder about the cameras.After putting T.D. down for the night around 8 p.m. I decided it would be a grand idea to put myself to bed. I would read a teeny, tiny bit (Augusten Burroughs, 'Magical Thinking') and then fall into a blissful deep sleep. Nice idea. Not what happened. H came home and told me to go to bed. But, I stayed up watching a wee bit of Colbert until I really decided, "yeah, I do need sleep." Off I went. Alone. Keep that in mind. It was 8:40 p.m. Keep that in mind too. I … [Read more...]

Chheeeeeepppppppp!Cheeeeppp!About three minutes go by.Cheeeeeepp!There it is again! "What is that noise?" I say aloud in a whisper to no one in particular. It is 4 a.m. and the house is dark and silent. It was cool outside last night so we left the windows open.It's not a cat or a bug. Must be a bird.Eee eeeeee eeee ppp!Ok! I'm awake now. The hell?! H is now also awake and grumbles to me, "Thanks a lot! Thanks for waking me up at 4 a.m.!" "What is it?" I ask.H: "It must be T.D. snoring."Ummmm... ok. A baby that makes high pitch chirpy/muffled cry sounds. I begin to think of that email forward that cirulates about the serial killer who plays the crying baby noise outside windows in hopes of luring out unsuspecting female victims. Great! Now I'll never sleep. H: "Close the … [Read more...]