What my smile says about me
I've mentioned the importance of keeping a positive attitude a couple of times in previous blog posts. I'm lucky. Generally, I look like a happy person. People have always perceived me as a 'glass half full' kind of 'gal.' I would venture to say that it's generally true, when I'm in a good mood. I smile a lot. The reason my username is "OneGreatSmile" is not because I'm conceited. It's practically become my calling card, because it's something that people notice about me right away. My parents spent tons of money on a good orthodontist, and I spent (and continue to spend) a fortune on bleaching and whitening toothpastes. Personally, I'm critical of my

I'd Rather Get Into Harvard
The news on our economy just keeps taking on one spin after another. And each slice takes on a life of its own. One day you hear, jobless claims are down and Obama promises to make more jobs. Then it's more people's claims ran out but Congress enacted an extension. But none of the stories ever tells the whole story. What everyone who heralded the news of the extension (and the related homebuyer's credit) didn't learn from ANY articles on the internet, is that this act only helps a miniscule number of the people running out of benefits. Anyone whose account runs out the Friday of that week (January 1) is out of luck. Unless Congress adjusts the dates in all those bills t

If You Don't Have Anything Nice to Say...
... then don't say it!!!! No one likes to read negative blog posts, myself included. Unless one has a solution to a customer service issue, a fix for a bugged gadget, or a cure for the economy, posting a rant or complaining about how bad things are is not going to fix whatever it is. Therefore, today's post is finished. I don't want to have to read it, let alone write it. Let's just say things could be better. And since I don't have a solution to any of the things bothering me, I'm better off not spreading any venom. That's what a real journal is for. Today's mood: not so bright.

Timing Is Everything, Never say Never, and other adages
I usually roll my eyes at clichés. But lately, I'm realizing that most of them have permeated our vernacular for a reason. THEY'RE TRUE! It seems like every time I turn around these days, one after another, these phrases are proving themselves to be scarily accurate. I used to say I never win anything. Well, I sure can't say that anymore. From the time 19 years ago that I dropped my name in a bucket and won a Mazda Miata two weeks later, to yesterday's unexpected Blackberry car charger through a twitter promotion, my luck, now more than ever, has really turned a corner. One of the things I am able to do with my time is take t

Loyalty, Royalty and Comfy Ts
Every day at around the same time, I go to check my mailbox. From bills, to unemployment paperwork, to the latest contest goodie (which I seem to keep winning!), there's always something waiting for me. Of course, bills are not my favorite thing. I'm constantly trying to find ways to trim my budget, since I've got limited funds coming in. My internet contract is up in a few days, so I started looking into ways to cut my costs on that particular 'utility'.  Let me put it this way, there is a company out there that does absolutely NOTHING to keep its current customers from leaving. I won't mention names,