Did you know that today November 3, 2008, is Cliché Day?  Well, it is.  Cliche Day, observed Nov. 3rd, celebrates the art of using phrases to death. According to Wikipedia,

A cliché (from French, pronounced [klɪ'ʃe]) or cliche is a phrase, expression, or idea that has been overused to the point of losing its intended force or novelty, especially when at some time it was considered distinctively forceful or novel. The term is most likely to be used in a negative context. It is frequently used in modern culture to reference an action or idea that is expected or predictable based on a prior event.

We use or hear clichés all the time.  I think probably one of the most used cliches I hear is "when pigs fly"; what about you?  Take this cliche quiz and see if you know the origins of some of the most popular cliches.  By the way, I got them all correct.

Since today is Cliche Day I thought I would share with you my 10 favorite (and the ones I'm guilty of using) cliches:

1. Growing like a weed - usually used when referring something in the early stages of development, like a child or a company, this phrase  means growing or developing rapidly.  I use this cliche in referring to my son often.
2. Rubs me the wrong way - irritates or makes angry; or gives the feeling of distrust.
3. Give it a rest - stop trying to convince someone of something. 
4. A piece of cake - very easy; not difficult.  I say this a lot to my son.
5. God willing (and the creek don't rise) - everything that can be done is being done and what's left is hope; or hoping that something does or doesn't happen.  I'm certain that this one is a Southern saying.
6. What goes around comes around - you got what you deserved; justice was served. 
7. Keeping up with the Joneses - trying to live like you have more than you really have; living like you think your neighbors live.
8. Your room looks like a pig stye - used to describe a dirty/mess room.  I use this cliche more than all others in describing my son's bedroom.
9. Better late than never - it's better to conclude something late than to never conclude it.
10. When it rains, it pours - everything happens at once.

Check out ClicheSite.com for a large list of cliches.  I would love to know what cliche you use the most.  So leave a comment and share it with us.  And be sure to use a cliche or two today in celebration of Cliche Day!

One of my favorite things about the month of October is Halloween.  To be more specific... the horror/scary movies that come on during the month of October.  Ever since I was a young girl I have been a fan of horror movies... the scarier the better. 

I don't know if you're old enough to remember when Chiller (Theatre) came on Saturday nights at 11:30 p.m; well sometimes my mom would allow  me to stay up late with my uncle (he stayed with us for a while) who was eight years older than me, and watch the first movie that would come on Chiller.  It was usually a double-feature; I could have watched both but my Uncle had specific rules to turn the TV off after the first movie went off. 

Also, who could forget Movie Macabre which featured campy B horror host Elvira, the Mistress of the Dark. They also showed campy B movie double-features.  I was/am a horror movie junkie!

So this time of year gets me to thinking about all the horror movies I love watching; which in turn, got me thinking about which movie monster, madman and/or mutant was the scariest.  Here is my list of the top 10 scariest movie monsters:

Freddy - In the Nightmare on Elm Street movies, Freddy Krueger kept many a teenager frightened to go to sleep.  The undead Krueger inhabits the world of dreams and attacks his victims while they’re sleeping. His weapon of choice: A leather glove, from which sprouted four 6-inch knives.  Of all the 80's horror movie monsters that were supernatural, undead or non-human, Krueger was the scariest.

Jack Torrance - The first Stephen King book I ever read was The Shining; I have been a King fan ever since.  One of King's scariest characters is Jack Torrance. As you watch The Shining you get to watch Jack's lapse into insanity slowly unfold.  How horrifying to watch a father try to kill his own child.  The scene where Jack uses the axe to break through a door and the creepy and famous line "Here's Johnny" was creepily and most excellently played by Jack Nicholson.

Norman Bates - Any man who is such a mommy's boy is scary, in my opinion.  Seriously, Norman Bates is scary because once again he is a flesh and blood human. Also the shower scene in Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho kept women from taking showers for years.

Leatherface - What makes Leatherface in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre so scary, is that he is based on a true story.  To think that there was a man wearing a mask made of human skin, wielding a chainsaw and killing people that his family of cannibals directed him, really creeps me out.

Annie Wilkes - How can Kathy Bates be scary?  It's Bates character Annie Wilkes that's scary. In Stephen Kings Misery, Annie Wilkes is romance novelist Paul Sheldon's number one fan, unfortunately for him.  She is an obsessed fan that will do anything to keep him.  The scene with the sledge hammer still makes me wince.

Jaws - The reason Jaws is so scary for me is that it is a shark.  Something real and tangible.  I remember when I first saw Jaws, which happened to be on TV while I was babysitting a 3 year old that was napping.  I think I was thirteen and to this day I'm scared to get too far out in the ocean. When Jaws first came out their were many people who felt the same way.

Damien - How much scarier can you get than the child of Satan?  I think it is scary when the monster is a child.  How creepy to see a little boy or girl who should be innocent, look at you with lifeless or steely eyes.  In The Omen, Damien can send chills down your spine with the look in his eyes as he kills off those around him that could interfere in his reign over man-kind.

Pennywise - This one is almost a gimme, seeing that clowns can be downright scary in their own right.  However, Stephen King's malevolent, shape-shifting, child-killing monster in It is the scariest clown of all.  Pennywise is the ultimate child's nightmare!  I read the book before seeing the movie and if I had not already been scared of clowns before, I was after reading the book and definitely after seeing the movie.

Regan MacNeil - The twelve year old Regan from The Exorcist is scary because she is a child that is possessed by Satan.  There is something horrifying about a child being evil and Linda Blair played Regan in a way that reportedly caused heart failure to some of the moviegoers at the time, it was that frightening. I mean seeing a kid spewing pea soup, rotating her head 360 degrees and abusing a crucifix is pretty darn scary!

And the number 1 scariest monster/madman of all time (to me) is....

Hannibal Lechter - Lechter is horrifying because he IS human.  The scariest monsters to me are those that are of human flesh and blood.  Because they could be "real".  Not to mention Anthony Hopkins' portrayal of Hannibal the Cannibal in Silence of the Lambs was so eerily frightening.  And of course there is the thought that he would like to eat my liver with a side of fava beans and a nice Chianti.

So these are my top ten scariest monsters.  Who or what do you think is the scariest movie monster?  We hope to hear from you!

It has been awhile since I've listed my favorite blogs.  There are so many great blogs out there that I enjoy reading and it's hard to narrow it down but here are my top five blogs for this week:

• TopBusinessReviews.com - I have learned so much from the TopBusinessReview blog.  You can find so much useful information that will help you with your own blog.  With topics like "How People Fake Their Adsense Earnings" to "5 Elements of A Money Making Blog".  I highly recommend checking it out!
• WinningStartups - a blog that talks about businesses and their successes.  You can learn valuable information from reading how other business make it.  If you are looking to start your own business these stories will inspire you!
• Health Nut Wannabee Mom - the title of this blog is self explanatory.  If you want to live a healthy life and get inspired to be fit, you'll love Health Nut Wannabee Mom! 
• The Get Smart Blog - I enjoy reading this blog because it not only is informative but entertaining...and perfect for the well-rounded woman.
• Nerd Beach - I've actually mentioned nerdbeach before, but I am a bit of a geek girl and love gadgets!  The Nerd Beach blog is full of tech and gadget (and much more) posts.  From product reviews and newest gadgets to breaking tech news.

I hope you get a chance to check out these great blogs.  I do believe you will enjoy them as much as I do!  Check back often for my next favorite blogs.

Well it's here guys!  The final installment of my four part series on Work From Home Job Opportunities.  For a refresher, you can check out part one, two and three here.  In our last installment we will discuss my favorite way of earning a living from working at home...a POD (Print On Demand) business.

POD is a system whereby you can get t-shirts and other gift items printed by another company.  These companies  sell your design on tee shirts, tote bags, coffee mugs, journals, and much more plus they deal with all the logistics including packaging, shipping, payments and even customer complaints.

Most people don’t have the finances to set up their own t-shirt printing company so these Print On Demands have created a way for people to do so with little or no start-up costs:

1. ArtApart.com - use your own artwork, text or clipart and sell t-shirts; it's free.
2. Bountee - great way to showcase your original artwork and make some money;  it's free.
3. Cafepress - use your artwork, graphic designs or clipart on t-shirts, home and office supplies, greeting cards and much more for to sell; you can get a basic shop for free or Premium Shops cost $6.95 at the monthly rate, or as little as $4.99 per month at the yearly rate.
4. CustomDesignPrinted.com - use your own artwork, graphic designs and clipart on a variety of t-shirts and gift items, such as watches and cuff links; for a limited time they are offering free stores.  My understanding is it is more for creating your merchandise to sell yourself (like for online auctions - like Ebay or real life markets, etc.).
5. E-shirt.com - sign-up for your own FREE T-shirt store in seconds.  Upload designs and set your own profits (All FREE).
6. Printfection.com - same as all above.  You upload your designs on a variety of products, create your own store and sell them for a profit; it's free as well.
7. RedBubble - feature several different products (including t-shirts), but the emphasis is on artwork.  They feature framed and canvas prints so if you are a gifted artist you can sell your art on Redbubble for free and get commissions .  They also have a creative writing area where you can read and share poems and short stories.
8. Shirt Magic - design and upload your images onto products that you put in your own store and sell for a profit; also free.
9. Shirtcity - open your own shop with your own designs and sell your creations from your own site or blog; for free.
10. Skreened- open up a free account and add your designs to your shop and sell for a commission.  They only have t-shirts but all of them are American Apparel; made in the USA.
11. Spreadshirt - open a free shop to showcase your designs to be sold on a variety of t-shirt products.
12. Zazzle - add your design to many t-shirt products and gifts for sale for a commission.  They are free and instead of a shop you set up a gallery, to showcase your designs.

I personally have a shop at Cafepress where you can Create What's On Your Mind at CafePress and just started with Printfection and Zazzle.  That's the other great thing with these POD websites...you can have as many as you want.  In fact, the more shops you have with different Print On Demand companies the better chance your designs have to be seen.  Now don't get me wrong, selling your designs through a POD website isn't easy.  You have to create your designs upload them, which is the easy part; then you have to tag them and write descriptions.  It is very important to write good keyword rich content describing your designs for SEO ( search engine optimization ) this is how your designs will be found through the search engines like Google, Yahoo and MSN.  You also have to get traffic to your shops.  Without traffic - no one sees your designs which equals no sales.

The other good thing about PODs is that you don't need your own website.  You open up your shop within the business you choose, like Cafepress.  So people will find your store by typing in www dot CafePress dot com/YourShopsName.  If you have your own website or want to have your own domain name you can sign up for web hosting at companies like Web Hosting - $6.95/mo! .  This way you can mirror your shop...so your POD shop on say Zazzle will look identical to your domain name.  This way you can add your tees from several Print on Demand shops all together on your own website,  as well as other affiliate programs or services. 

If you have artistic abilities...maybe you paint landscapes in watercolors or you have great computer graphics skills, or maybe you are like me and have creative ideas but no artistic abilities you can do text designs or use clipart.  Check out 1 Million Clip Art Images at Graphics Factory.  

If you are wondering if you can really make money from PODs, I'll tell you... YES you can.  I am pleased to say I opened Be Shirt Happy up ten months ago and am doing very well.  My goal is to make the equivalent of a full-time income from my shop by the first of next year.  See anyone can create designs and sell them on merchandise.  And each of these PODs are very user friendly.  If I can do it, anyone can do it!

If I left off any PODs let me know and I'll add them.  Also if you have any questions concerning PODs let me know and I'll do my best to answer it.  I hope to hear from you!  Enjoy life!!!

If you feel fortunate and blessed in your life as I do, I hope you can take the time to post a blog listing the 7 things you are most thankful for.  You can copy and paste this post if you want and just replace my list with yours. 

I am thankful for many things, but playing by the rules, here are my seven:

1.  For my son.

2.  For my husband.

3.  For my family (parents).

4.  For my friends.

5.  For my health.

6.  To be able to work from home.

7.  For a God that loves me so much that he sacrificed his only son that I may have eternal life.

Join me in giving thanks today and share what you are grateful for.  Hope to hear from you!  Enjoy life!!!

I discovered this older meme on five things you want your kids to learn before they grow up and wanted to share what I hope my son learns before growing up.  So here goes:

1. To enjoy being a kid  - play and laugh every day because once you become an adult it may not be as easy to do with all of lives responsibilities.
2. To know how to take care of himself -  I want him to know how to cook for himself and do his own laundry so that he doesn’t NEED someone to take care of him.  In addition, when he gets married someday, he can do his part to make it a 50/50 relationship.
3. Who you are on the inside is far more important than what you wear or have on the outside - I want him to know the importance of honesty and integrity and that materialism means absolutely nothing.  What is on the inside IS what counts.
4. Never be afraid to ask questions - I want him to never feel embarrassed to ask a question. 
5. It is okay to make mistakes - we are only human and  mistakes are a part of life.  However, please, learn from them.  Just remember to take the mistake, learn from it and grow into a better person because of it.

Okay, I literally could write all day about the things I want my son to ‘know before he grows up’.  However, the rules of this particular meme were to write down 5 things so I’ll stop now. If you would like to join in and do a blog on the ‘5 Things You Want Your Kids To Know Before They Grow Up’, consider yourself tagged! 

If you would like to share something you want your kids to learn share it with us.  Hope to hear from you!  Enjoy life!!!

I have a secret; you can look slimmer, longer and leaner, without losing an ounce!  How you ask?  By following these 10 simple tips for dressing skinny:

1. Wear proper undergarments - bras and panties that are too small make lumps under your clothes.  Underwear that fits properly gives a smoother, thinner silhouette.
2. Go monochromatic - when you wear one color or variation of one shade from head to toe, it creates a long lean line (translation: thinner).  Wearing one color creates an unbroken line and a thinner, sleeker you.  Two colors, by the way, will cut you in half and give you a much wider profile.
3. Wear v-neck tops - to create an illusion of a longer neckline that will give you an overall slimmer look.
4. Avoid pleated pants - regardless of how slender you are, pleated pants do not look flattering on any figure.  They add bulk to your middle and make you look bigger.  Wear smooth flat front trousers instead.
5. Wear A-line skirts - they skim over your hips, making you appear more streamlined.  An A-line skirt looks flattering on any type of figure.
6. Wear straight-leg or boot-cut pants - they make legs look thinner than tapered or wide leg pants.
7. Wear pants on the long side with heels -  will give you a longer, leaner appearance.  If you are petite or short, don’t wear cropped or Capri pants with flats because they will make you look squat.
8. Look for jackets that fall below the hips - they elongate and slim the body.
9. Avoid baggy clothes - many women think that wearing baggy clothes will hide their lumps and bumps.  However, baggy clothes will actually make you look bigger.  Wear clothes that fit properly.  Not too big or too small.
10. Play up your best feature - if you have heavy hips and waist, keep the focus on the top.  Wear great makeup and get a flattering haircut so people will look at your face.  If you are top heavy but have great legs, play them up.  Wear a skirt with high heels.

So if you have a little extra weight and you want to look thinner now, follow these tips and you can look 10 lbs lighter instantly.  If you have tips on dressing thinner, we would love to hear them.  Hope to hear from you!  Enjoy Life!!!

My post the other day on 'muffin tops' got me to thinking about pet peeves and then I ran across the idea for a pet peeve meme.  Therefore, I thought I’d get a few things off my chest and talk about my ten pet peeves.  So here are my current top ten pet peeves:

1. Muffin top - I truly hate to see girls or women wearing tops too short with too tight, too low-cut pants and showing their stomachs hanging out.
2. The thong or panties showing  - need I say more?
3. Tattoos - or what is adoringly referred to as a tramp stamp.  If you don’t know what I mean, the tattoo is on the low back so it shows above their too low, too tight jeans.
4. People that talk on their cell phones loudly in public - I do not want to hear other peoples personal conversations.
5. People that pull out in front of you in traffic and then drive slowly.
6. People who drop by without calling first.  It is usually family members that do this.  However, the polite an considerate thing to do is call first.  I may not be home or I may be busy.
7. People that brag and talk about themselves or what they have.  I'm truly happy for you, but people who toot their own horns aggravate me.
8. People who leave shopping carts in parking spots.
9. People who let their kids scream and run around in restaurants and stores.
10. Loud music in restaurants - I want to be able to have a conversation while I’m dining.

I must admit that it took me a little while to think of ten.  Because it really takes a lot to upset me, as well as, a lot to get me mad or bother me.  I usually don’t let things get to me.  I can say that I strongly dislike or get aggravated by the above 10 pet peeves!  Do  your own 'pet peeve' meme on your blog and leave a link in a comment so we can all share our pet peeves.   Hope to hear from you.  Enjoy Life!!!

I can’t remember where I got this idea from but I thought it would be fun to do.  Okay my favorite bands may actually be different then what I’m listing here but I am not thinking too hard on my answers.  I am typing the first band that comes to mind…

A - ABBA
B - Beatles
C - (The) Cars
D - Dave Matthews Band
E - Eagles
F - Foo Fighters
G - Green Day
H - Hootie & The Blowfish
I - Iron Maiden
J - Journey
K - Kinks
L - Led Zepplin 
M - Matchbox 20
N - Nickelback
O - OutKast
P - Pink Floyd
Q - Queen
R - Red Hot Chili Peppers
S - Soul Asylum
T - Tom Petty
U - U2
V - Van Halen
W - (The) Who
X - Xscape
Y - Yes
Z - ZZ Top

I must confess that I could not think of a band that started with the letter X so I did cheat and look it up.   However, I was not familiar with any of the bands I found so I couldn't say any of them were a favorite. With the exception of three or four bands, these are my favorite bands.  If you have a blog join me in doing your own favorite bands from A to Z.  If you do a list, leave a comment with a link back to your blog so we can check out your list.  Hope to hear from you!  Enjoy Life!!!

Seven Things That Scare Me:

1. Rats - Okay this is my biggest fear!  I think it may be a phobia, because even the thought of these nasty creatures can make my heart rate faster.
2. Elevators - to clarify, it really isn’t the ‘elevator’ per se; it is being inside an elevator with just one other person (a male).  For one thing, a woman can’t be too careful now a days but also when you’re inside an elevator with just one person it is awkward.
3. Ferris Wheels - I hate sitting at the top waiting for people to get off. 
4. Losing someone I love - this one is self-explanatory.  No one wants to lose loved ones.
5. Going blind - of all my senses this is the one I would hate to lose the most.  The thought of not seeing my beautiful son’s face scares me.
6. Snakes - not as scared of snakes as I am rats but they do scare me.
7. Developing Alzheimers - or dementia.  The thought of not remembering things or loved ones is terrifying to me.

Seven Things I Like:

1. Creating designs - I really enjoy creating designs for my Be Shirt Happy shop!
2. Rainy nights - okay not the song.  I enjoy sleeping with the window open on a rainy night.
3. Reading - one of my passions since, well…since I can remember.
4. Laughing - I often do this at inappropriate times.
5. Writing - a wonderful outlet.
6. Italian food - to be honest I enjoy all good food!  However, I’m slightly more partial to good Italian food.
7. Coffee - enjoy a good cup of coffee first thing in the morning.

Seven Random Facts About Me:

1. I was eleven years old before I learned how to ride a bike - sad but true.
2. I love watching scary movies by myself - don’t get me wrong, I enjoy watch scary movies with my hubby but as strange as it sounds I do enjoy watching them by myself.
3. I am stubborn - anyone that knows me understands.
4. I am learning html - and not too shabby either.
5. I daydream - and I dream big!
6. I sing in the car - whether I’m by myself (my apologies to my passengers) or not.  I have had many one-woman concerts.
7. I cannot figure Facebook out - I’m trying but just haven’t got there yet.

Seven Things I Do Well:

1. Decorate - I think I’m pretty good at interior decorating.
2. Research - I research things all the time.  I love the Internet and all the information that is at my fingertips.
3. Drive - I think I’m a good driver.
4. Cook - I enjoy cooking and my husband seems to think I’m a good cook.
5. Remember useless trivia - I seem to retain a lot of information that more than likely would be useless to anyone.
6. Dance - this one is subjective.  I do enjoy dancing though.
7. Make boo boos feel better - according to my son, I do this very well!

Seven Things I Can’t Do But Wish I Could:

1. Speak Spanish fluently - I can speak some Spanish but would like to speak it fluently.
2. Speak Chinese - I find it an interesting language.
3. Know Sign language - I see a trend here.  My top three have to do with communicating.  I guess I want to be able to communicate with more people.
4. Sew - I can sew a button on, what I mean is to make an outfit or a quilt.  Really sew!
5. Swim - nope I don’t know how to swim and wish I could.
6. Paint - no not walls, but as in an artist.  I would love to be able to paint landscapes in watercolors, etc.
7. Play the piano - I would like to be able to play any musical instrument but the piano would be my first choice.

Seven  Amazing Experiences:

1. Having my son - The most amazing experience of my life; hands down!  No experience will ever come close to this one, no matter how great.
2. Meeting my husband - I didn’t say our wedding day (even though it was an amazing day), because meeting him was a unique experience.  I had never met a man like him before and in fact, six of these seven amazing experiences happened since meeting him.
3. Seeing Les Miserables - okay this may seem silly to some, but this was a beautiful and moving experience for me.  I didn’t see it on Broadway but it was done in the round with a superb cast!  I was so moved during the experience!
4. Snorkeling in the ocean at St. Johns - Caneel Bay - we spent a week in the Virgin Islands and the vacation was an amazing experience, however, the first time I snorkeled in this beautiful clear ocean with hundreds of fish swimming around me was a phenomenal experience.  As I mentioned above, I can’t swim, so it took a lot for my husband to convince to try snorkeling in the first place.  I finally realized that I didn’t need to swim and that I could breathe underwater with the snorkeling gear on.  It was like being in another world.  It was so peaceful!
5. Graduating from college - this was a personal goal for me.  You see I was the first person to graduate from college in my family.  That day will never leave me.  I graduated with honors but that feeling of accomplishment that I felt that day will always be a part of me.
6. Having 20+ women at my baby shower tell how they knew me… - during my baby shower, all the women there ( my mother, aunts, my two best friends, friends and neighbors), went around the room and spoke for several minutes on how they knew me and what I meant to them.  It was a beautiful and moving tribute that needless to say, left me in tears.
7. The birth of my first niece - my sister’s daughter (my first niece and my mother’s first grandchild) was an amazing experience for me.  She had/has a special place in my heart.  She grew up, moved away, and now has a little boy of her own.  I wish her amazing experiences!

Now you know more about me then you probably care to but this was fun (and surprisingly hard) to do.  I won't tag anyone but if you like, leave a comment or copy and paste this post and fill out your own 'sevens' list and let me know so I can read your post.  Hope to hear from you!  Enjoy Life!!!