I just found out at a work meeting yesterday that we are not going to be getting our stipend anymore. That is basically saying we are going to be paid three thousand dollars less next year. In addition, we aren’t going to be reimbursed for our certification expenses anymore, which is another five hundred dollars. These are pay cuts that are really going to be felt as we are already trying to make ends meet every month, and are living pay check to pay check. I am making a list of all our expenses, such as direct tv prices and other areas that aren’t necessarily considered a need and see areas where we can cut back if we have to. At this point, I don’t want to make any changes. I just want to see what it all ends up being like, and then at that point make cut backs. I’m thinking things like eating out are going to have to go, which really stinks for me because I loathe cooking and grocery shopping, and I really despise dishes.

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You can buy a card for Easter, Christmas, Grandparents Day or Groundhog Day.  You can even buy a card to express your sympathy to someone who has lost a beloved pet or their job!

But the federal holidays such as Presidents Day, Memorial Day, and Independence Day just don’t seem to meet the requirements for spreading the celebration with a greeting card.

So, we have a sale!  Lots of sales!  Sales on clothes, cars, furniture and everything imaginable!

Banks are closed; large corporations are closed; all government offices and building are closed.  That leaves just one option – get out there and take advantage of those sales!  It’s good for you and good for the economy!

A young woman joked with her employer and asked him what he was going to give her for Administrative Professionals Day and he replied, “The same thing you gave me for Presidents Day – nothing!”

And yes, cards abound for the Administrative Professional Day (which used to be called Secretary’s Day and somehow turned into an entire week-long celebration)!

Have a wonderful holiday!

This site is for entertainment purposes only. No information provided is from a professional and should not be considered as such. You are advised to consult a professional for all matters. Please read the full Notice and Disclosure.

Rentals in Edmonton, Canada make a visit of any length more enjoyable.  Rent or buy, you’ll be able to find lodging to make your visit more memorable.

Canada is a beautiful country with undiscovered possibilities.  Jasper National Park is the largest national park in the Canadian Rockies, west of the City of Edmonton. The park includes the glaciers of the Columbia Icefield, hot springs, lakes, waterfalls and, of course, mountains.

Living in a major American metropolitan area all of my life it’s just amazing to me how easy it is to find some of North America’s rarest animals, including healthy populations of grizzly bears, moose, caribou and wolves while basking the the massive beauty that is Canada!

It’s a vacation of a lifetime if you value the beauty of so much nature!

This site is for entertainment purposes only. No information provided is from a professional and should not be considered as such. You are advised to consult a professional for all matters. Please read the full Notice and Disclosure.

For most adults, Business Casual means dress slacks and a shirt with a collar.

Well, yes, if you are a man.  What about women?

Working in an office environment where there is only occasional customer contact, is it really so important to be concerned with employees attire?  Unless your company requires a certain uniform, it can be a difficult  task to define and monitor employees’ attire, especially women.

I am sometimes appalled and even embarrassed by the attire of office workers.  While some stretch the khaki  and pull over to the limit with a pair of slacks that haven’t seen the business side of an iron since they left the factory and an offensive or ridiculous tee shirt, I find the women who seem to dress for every occasion except work to be the most out of place of all.

Yes, my knit slacks and seasonal sweater may be boring but I’m not here to entertain you.  I just need to vent so here it is:

• Unless you are a twelve inch Barbie doll or it’s Dress Like a Cowgirl Day, leave your pink, plastic, paisley cowgirl boots at home.
• Don’t wear a mini dress that looks like something you took off of a wingless bird with hairy feathers.
• Take your fishnet stockings with your overly ruffled tutu and yes, your boyfriend boots three block down.  The rodeo starts next week.
• How many times do you think you can bend over before they finally pop out of your shirt?  Your bra does nothing to shield the rest of us from your obvious excitement and your shirt, well, let’s just say it’s not cleavage everyone is staring at.

Those are just a few of my recent observations.  Women have stretched business casual past the point of absurd.

My final vent for the day:  if your skirt is wider than it is long, you need to see your tailor.

Look in the mirror – look in the mirror at the faces behind you as you pass.

This site is for entertainment purposes only. No information provided is from a professional and should not be considered as such. You are advised to consult a professional for all matters. Please read the full Notice and Disclosure.

Guest post written by my buddy

Angelo Cooper

Being out here in the islands everyone thinks it must be all play all the time. My friends on the mainland think I just spend all my time doing things like surfing and running and whatnot but that couldn’t be further from the truth – I do a lot of those things but I like to spend time indoors with my family like everyone else does and there’s a misconception that it’s always balmy here – right now it’s only about 60 degrees.

I got clear internet Honolulu for the house so I could watch TV on the laptop and generally just surf around – I do like to surf like some people suspected and I can use the web to check conditions at some of my favorite spots which is nice.

I love being able to say that I live in Hawaii but some people just don’t understand what that means. They’ve got a really idealized idea of what it is to be an islander and though it sounds nice it’s simply not reality as I know it.

This site is for entertainment purposes only. No information provided is from a professional and should not be considered as such. You are advised to consult a professional for all matters. Please read the full Notice and Disclosure.

A great Super Bowl Party menu takes more than tossing some pretzels and chips in a bowl with some jarred onion dip.

Great Super Bowl party foods require some planning but with a little bit of help with your menu ideas, you can wow your guests with snacks and appetizers combining the zest of Philadelphia Scrapple with the punch of fresh Wasabi, also known as Japanese Horseradish.

If you haven’t mastered the art of perfectly crisping Scrapple, read our article How to Cook Scrapple for some of the basics. If you’re ready to start testing some unique ideas for hearty party snacks, download a copy of Midlife Magazine’s eCook Book, How to Cook Scrapple and 20 Ways to Enjoy It.

Now, how are you going to jazz up your Super Bowl Party? Here’s a few appetizer ideas from How to Cook Scrapple and 20 Ways to Enjoy It:

Scrapple Stuffed Mushrooms – Easy to mix up, these toasty treats, topped with shredded cheese will be a big hit!

Scrapple Pizza Topping – Turn an ordinary pizza into a zesty, meat lovers delight!

Scrapple Bacon Wraps – You’ll have a hard time keeping the serving tray filled after your guests try these tasty morsels, dipped in fresh Wasabi sauce.

Scrapple Sushi – Your Super Bowl guests will become instant Sushi fans with the first bite! Make plenty!

If half time means meal time, why not try some of these menus ideas:

Scrapple With Sauteed Spinach and Cheese – Add a little veggie to your meal!

Scrapple Stuffed Cabbage – Make ahead of time for a warm and welcoming dinner that’s easy to make and easy to serve!

Scrapple With Biscuits and Gravy – Pull up the chairs, bring the napkins and enjoy this down-home recipe for Scrapple and Biscuits!

This site is for entertainment purposes only. No information provided is from a professional and should not be considered as such. You are advised to consult a professional for all matters. Please read the full Notice and Disclosure.

The country is just beautiful especially in the areas around Calgary which is just east of British Columbia and west of Saskatchewan.  Houses for rent in  Calgary can make it easy to find your next home in one of the most beautiful places in Canada.

I’ve done a bit of business with Canadian pharmacies – enough to rate receiving a calendar from them.  And what a lovely calendar it is!  And what a lovely country Canada is!

As far as the prescription drug business in Canada, they do a wonderful job.  There are limitations to the volume of medications you can purchase online but all in all, it’s a win-win situation.  Honestly, it is a mystery to me why a prescription drug developed by a huge pharmaceutical company is available to anyone in the world as long as it’s not being purchased in the United States.

Why does it cost one third the price for a generic drug bought through a Canadian pharmacy when the generic brand is not even available yet in the United States?  Why won’t my American health care plan pay for my prescription drugs obtained through a Canadian pharmacy?  In the end they would be paying one third the cost of what they are paying when I buy the exact same drug here in the United States.

Maybe someday I’ll drive to Canada and pick up my meds just to see the beauty of the country in something other than my lovely calendar.

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 My sister and I have always been best friends so it just seemed natural that one day we would go into business with each other. I love that I can trust her with anything and that she knows all my skills and weaknesses so all in all I’d say we make a pretty unstoppable team.

We both love to bake and always have so it’s nice that we get to spend all day every day doing what we love. We started our small cupcake shop at the start of the craze and we’ve over time morphed it into a more traditional bakery to keep up with changing tastes.

I did all the research on things like small business xo and food permits and things like that and Kelsey was more into the décor and the recipes and dealing with the PR – that’s great though since it’s the best division of labor between us and we were able to totally divide and conquer.

I love her so much and I’m so glad we’re partners!

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Online gambling – Does it bring to mind the same glitz and excitement as you might find in a live casino?

Online gambling – Is it legal in the United States?

Online gambling – Why would anyone want to gamble online?

Online gambling – What kind of games can you play online?

Online gambling – How much money can you win?

These are all really good questions that you might be asking yourself.

If you’ve been to Las Vegas you’ve most likely seen or been to a casino.  There are slot machines at the airport so it’s really hard not to be exposed to the gambling atmosphere if you’ve visited Las Vegas.

If you’ve been to Atlantic City you may have come across some of the glitz and glamour that has long been associated with casinos.

And what cruise ship today does not offer a casino where you can drop a quarter in a slot machine for your chance at meeting Lady Luck?

But does online gambling offer the same thrills, glamour and excitement that keeps a gambler coming back for more?  Is online gambling really a good way to try your skills before making your debut at a live casino?

If you’d like to know more about what high profile characters are making a name for themselves at the gaming tables plus a little history pertaining to the legalization of online gambling in America, visit now and find out more about online casino gambling.

What games can you play online?  Visit now for more ideas.  In fact, visit now to find the answers to many of your questions about online casino gambling.

This site is for entertainment purposes only. No information provided is from a professional and should not be considered as such. You are advised to consult a professional for all matters. Please read the full Notice and Disclosure.

Shipping gifts or letters to a soldier stationed overseas

The large size shipping box which can hold quite a few goodies for your deployed soldier can be shipped for $12.95 when sent to an APO address.  This is a 12 inch X 12  inch X 5 1/2 inch box.

Here are some guidelines for shipping mail or packages to a soldier deployed overseas.

Do

• Use United States Postal Service shipping boxes – it’s cheaper than using your own boxes
• Cushion loose objects so they don’t move around and rattle
• Ship only to a soldier you know.  Items sent to “any soldier” will not be delivered

Don’t

• Ship anything religious, political or humorous – even humor varies across the globe
• Ship anything liquid, perishable or fragile
• Ship extremely valuable items
• Ship perishable food

What to send a soldier deployed to Afghanistan

• Flushable Wipes (i.e. Baby Wipes)
• Tissues
• Cotton Swabs
• Disposable Razors
• Chap Stick
• Air Freshener
• Entertaining Magazines (People)
• Books
• Feminine Hygiene Items

Postage and Forms

Postage for cards, letters and packages is the same as it would be if you were shipping to any address in the continental United States.

If you are sending anything other than a standard letter or envelope you will need to complete a Customs Form.  While this may sound intimidating, it is not.  For any ordinary package being shipped to your soldier you will complete your name and address and the soldiers name and address.  You can also briefly list the items in the package.

Customs Forms can be ordered online for delivery to your door or completed at the post office.  Do not adhere the form to your package until you arrive at the post office as it will have to be completed and stamped by the post office personnel after the box is weighed.

Please note, if you are sending candy, cookies or other non-perishable food items and you note that on the custom form, it may take a little longer to be delivered to you soldier as food items require additional screening.

This list will be updated as needed.  If you know a soldier overseas do not hesitate to send a little extra in your care packages as many soldiers who are fortunate enough to receive packages also work with the unit Chaplin to distribute any extra items to those who may be in need.

I’m the proud parent of a United States soldier stationed overseas who has left behind a wife and two children.  I’ve made it my duty to provide my son with weekly pictures, videos on HD memory cards or flash drives and as many Skype and Facebook connections as I can.

There is nothing in this world as exciting to me as watching my son watch his daughter eat her peas and carrots from the other side of the world through the eye of a web camera.  She’s only 18 months old so the man she knows as Daddy right now  is  an image on my monitor but she still gives Daddy a kiss when she sees him.

When she sees him in person next year, she’ll recognize him!

Can’t wait – we just can’t wait until they all come home.  While we are waiting, we’ll send them whatever they need!

This site is for entertainment purposes only. No information provided is from a professional and should not be considered as such. You are advised to consult a professional for all matters. Please read the full Notice and Disclosure.