Stay warm this winter

When thinking about home heating this winter think about gas wall heaters.
They're great if something were to go wrong with the furnace--not all of us have signed up to get emergency repair with our utility companies across America. You automatically have back-up heat with a gas wall heater.
Portable room heaters are great if you don't have the space in your home for a fire log burning or even a vent free fireplace. You should consider a wall heater as an alternative heat source. A wall heater will make your rooms more comfortable on a cold winter day, and can even save you quite a bit of money on your heating bill.
I use a portable room heater when I'm downstairs to save on my winter heating costs. I make it a point to keep the thermostat at 68 degrees--like recommended but that definitely means wearing a sweater and using a safe, clean and efficient portable room heater.

What to tell the children?

My 9-year-old son on Friday saw that the Zoe 101 girl who says she is 16 announced her pregnancy.
I said she ought to be ashamed. Take into account that I'm talking to a 9-year-old.
I know that girl has more than enough money and support from her family to do as she pleases. When you do on your own dime, you are grown and can do as you please. She can become emancipated and live her life as an adult legally if she chooses to do so. She is grown--even at 16.
However, my little boy is a child. He didn't seem to see anything wrong with what Ms. Spears was doing. He thinks he is grown anyway so I let him know the whatfor.
"When you are old enough to have sex you are also old enough to pay your own bills and have a place of your own in which to have said sex."
I also told him if you are old enough to have a baby you are old enough to care for said baby. I'm not going to do it.
He was astonished.
"All I did was ask what was wrong with it!"
He finished putting on his school clothes and went on about his day as a child.
But now, at least he knows.

Call the World for Pennies From The USA

Lots of people like my blog so incidently, I have made friends all over the world. We keep in touch frequently but this holiday season, I'm going for a visit.
People like us need a reliable international calling system that doesn't tie us down with long strings of numbers to remember and all of that. I found out about Mobile Talk Packet 8 Voice over Internet protocol. It's low-cost international calling from your mobile phone--it works with over 400 models. Usually, I'd be tied down to my home phone to use a service like this.
First, sign up and activate your account then download the MobileTalk application. In most cases, your phone will receive a text message with a link.
Whenever you make an international call (dialing starts with 011... or starts with '+'), the MobileTalk application will automatically route the call to the Packet8 network and you will save up to 90% or more on your international cell phone calls.
It's the best thing to do if you have even one friend overseas, across the pond or what have you.
There is no calling card needed (I'd lose it) PIN numbers (I'd forget it) no data plan, no connection fee, you don't need a hot spot and you get high quality digital calls.

So Few Days Left till Christmas

Running out of gift ideas? Here are some last minute gift ideas.
If it is for the guy or girl who has everything, then look towards service industry based gift ideas like spa gift certificates (for the full package) or mani/pedi gift certificates. Buy the person something you know they will use--like their favorite music or an MP3 player. Depending on how old they are, it may take a few days to get it going but it's not that hard to download music from one of the popular sites.
If you can swing it, jewelry is always a favorite--diamonds are a girls best friend.
How about a neat as seen-on-tv appliance for the chef in your life? It would be a fun and practical gift to give.
How about something really neat for the car? A CD holder or cup that fits in the cup holder--can't have too many of them.
Maybe along with the cup (a nice one from Starbucks or something) a bag of their favorite coffee beans.

Step show anyone?

As a college student, I saw that there were lots of fraternities and sororities that would have these custom greek t-shirts made up with their line name and their name after going over, on the shirt. They were so cute. The Delta Sigma Theta, Alpha Kappa Alpha and Sigma Gamma Rho sorority sisters would have either red and white, pink and green or blue and gold t-shirts and lettering while the fraternities would have purple and gold or black and gold or red and white or blue and white to represent Omega Phi Psi, Alpha Phi Alpha, Kappa Alpha Psi, or Phi Beta Sigma on their shirts.
Of course, the fraternity and sorority members would have more than one shirt. They would get shirts made especially for steps shows or if out-of-town brothers and sisters were visiting and they would compete with each other to see who could come up with the most imaginative shirt.

Yeah and --So What, seriously!

My little brother must have told my parents about my blog www.imadeamesss.com because I got the lecture from Mom about don't film inside the house or write about them--she and Dad.
Well I do anyway because I figured how would they know? Well, I used to tattle all the time on my little bro (he's 31 and way over six feet)when we were growing up so I guess he feels turnabout is fair play--even if 20 years or so have passed.
I ought to take my Kanye West CD back. He commandeered it several weeks ago to my chagrin. Nah, I'll take it on the chin. That CD brings him so much enjoyment and he has never appreciated my taste in music before that CD.
Hey, did y'all hear that the Fox Cable News offices have had some sort of chemical explosion? I heard it on CNN. The news is being broadcast as usual on Fox and they mentioned the explosion in passing only. Wow. Talk about serious journalists. That's old school right there--I mean City News Bureau of Chicago type old school journalism.
I never shared my CNB stories with y'all--have I?

Get Clean for the New Year

I used to work at a drug rehab facility. The work was fulfilling but tough. Many of the clients had been trying for years to get and stay clean and most were successful.
Stone Hawk drug rehabilitation center claims more than a 76% success rate. Participants discover that they can develop a lifestyle that fits their needs and wants without drug addiction or alcoholism.
However, the motivation to change the drug-abusing behavior, the degree of support that the individual receives from family and friends, and whether there is additional pressure from outside sources to stay in treatment such as the legal system or child protective services, all play a role in recovery.
A treatment plan needs to be established and followed so that he or she knows what to expect during treatment and it is also important that the drug treatment center provides “aftercare” to ensure that the patient is still following their treatment plan after being discharged.
The Stone Hawk Rehabilitation Center is located in south central Michigan, approximately 1-1/2 hours west of Detroit and 1-1/2 hours east of Chicago in Battle Creek, Michigan.

I can cook!

See, this is why I cannot lose weight. I just made Chicken and Dumplings with Yukon Gold potatoes cut up into tiny bite sized pieces and Chicken'n Turkey Chili at the same time. I In different pots of course)
I started early this morning. I boiled in a pot four chicken quarters with Old Bay Seasoning for about an hour. Then I divided it into two pots. I couldn't make up my mind which I wanted to prepare so I made them both. OMG the dumplings (made with butter) are so tender. The broth is perfect--not too thick and not too thin. Perfect.
The chili has ground turkey, black beans, Great Northern beans and a secret ingredient. It is perfection. Found only on www.imadeamesss.com.

Why be fat?

Yeah well, while living in Florida, I was in a bathing suit a lot--like everyday almost because the ocean is right there and it's beautiful. I could have stood to lose a few--if you get me--but I didn't. I could have driven over to a tampa weight loss clinic and had the
Journey Lite Laparoscopic Adjustable Gastric Banding which is also known as LAGB or the LAP BAND System procedure.
Maybe Trick Daddy and I would have hooked up that time on South Beach. I met him in the News Cafe during Black Music Week. Instead he took one look at me and said no, I could not roll with him and his crew. The extra weight made me look too old.