The Art of Criticism

How Do You Stay Sane on Vacation

2009-11-12T11:14:00.002-05:00

I watch the Today show every morning and frequently visit the site for advice. I stumbled upon TodayMoms while looking for The Accidental House Wife. Videos, articles, pictures, and polls are available.

In the share section (at the bottom) you can share your family travel sanity savers! Like when the family browses hawaii hotels. How do you stay sane on vacation with kids, spouse, etc?

Mass Notification System

2009-11-09T10:15:00.002-05:00

A mass notification system is great for companies to get information to employees or customers. Reach more people by text messaging, e-mail, web, and voice communication. Advertise in a new way.

I was considering using a mass notification system to advertise my husband's painting company. A simple text sent to a local area is a great way to get information out. Who wants to sort through junk mail and unnecessarily cut down trees?

Vacuum as an Air Freshener

2009-11-04T09:59:00.002-05:00

Common home items have more then one use. Dryer sheets are not just for the laundry. They can be used in some pretty interesting ways.

Placing a dryer sheet in the vacuum can act as an air freshener. There's usually a small vent on the side of a vacuum where air blows out, wrap the dryer sheet around the air filter, and then vacuum as usual. Also, don't forget to rinse the air filter and central vacuum motor!

P.S.
If you prefer, there are vacuum scents available. Arm and Hammer makes vacuum cleaner air fresheners called Fresh-Ins. Products to go inside the vacuum bag itself are around the net too.

Pat Barry UFC 104 Win: Life Saving

2009-11-04T09:30:00.003-05:00

If you happened to catched UFC 104 on your home theater you would have seen Pat Barry defeat Antoni Hardonk. Barry was quite emotional after the win but that's expected after cutting weight and then being punched around a few times.

Who knew his life depended on that fight? Even UFC figthers are broke like the rest of us. In the Yahoo Sports article "UFC fighter was eating ketchup and rice before UFC 104" by Steve Cofield, Barry said he barley had money to eat, was 6 days from losing his apartment, and his truck wouldn't start. Pat Barry did an interview right before the fight on MMAScrapsRadio.com.

Luckily, he won the fight and 120,000. There's a funny story of Barry trying to cash the check in the Yahoo Sports article. Here's what Barry had to say:

"I go to the bank, I'm sweaty, I've got the black eye, I haven't shaven in two days, I'm strung out because I haven't slept, I have green circles under my eyes so I'm like 'Can I have a deposit slip mam?'. She gives it to me, I fill it out hand it to her. She looks at the deposit slip, then the check, then looks at me and says 'Excuse me I'll be right back.' Then a manager comes out, a guy in a suit and says 'What seems to be the problem?' I was like 'Well I have a black eye, that's the only problem I know this looks really ridiculous.' So he asks me for my ID, I hand him my license an he's like 'Your license says Pat Barry, but this check was written to Patrick Barry.' So I decided to be funny and tell him Pat Barry is in my trunk right now. He didnt laugh. So I told him take your time man do whatever you need to do because I have no where to go and my truck probably wont start when I go outside so you can just do whatever you need to do. An hour later he came back and everything was fine, the check was in my bank account."

Purina Tidy Cats brand Litter System

2009-11-03T11:03:00.002-05:00

I have been using my Purina Tidy Cats brand Litter System I received from BzzAgent.com for about 2 weeks. I was a bit scared of the transition to a new litter system for my 3 cats, but all went well. They recommend placing each litter box side by side and then stop cleaning the old box to transition to the new box. I simple placed the Purina Tidy Cats brand Litter System where the old litter box was and put a "potty" in it. They smelled it and went immediately.

Purina Tidy Cats brand Litter System has a bottom pull-out tray where a pee-pad is placed. Pellets are placed in the top to deodorized. Just scoop the "potties" after your cat goes. The pellets don't have to be changed but once a month or so, so that is a money saver.

I like the Purina Tidy Cats brand Litter System better then my old traditional system because litter is not track all over the house and my cats aren't standing in used litter. You can read more at BreezeforCats.com.

Kettlebells

2009-11-01T10:26:00.003-05:00

Kettlebells are a fun way to stay fit. Kettleworx recommends 20 minutes 3 times a week using their little kettle weight. Sounds easy and fun!

There are ten DVDs with over 200 exercises. They say it only takes 6 weeks. That's pretty fast! Cardio, core and resistance workouts are the best for the body.

There's three sizes to choose from so you won't have to lift a weight that's too heavy or too light. Kettlebells come in 5, 10 and 20 pounds. Start off light and move up to a heavier weight.

Weightloss Through Sports

2009-11-01T10:15:00.003-05:00

There are so many ways to burn fat. Some options are fat burner pills, Wii Fit, EA Sports Active, machines like BowFlex, getting a gym membership, etc. I prefer EA Sports Active and yoga.

My husband likes jujitsu. Sports are also a great way to lose weight. Hockey, soccer, volleyball, football, baseball, etc. are available in kids and adult classes/teams. Plus, it's a nice way to meet new people.

Jobs in Finance

2009-11-01T09:56:00.002-05:00

There's an easy way to find jobs in finance. FinancialJobBank.com is like Monster or HotJobs, but it's focused on jobs in finance. There's also an advanced search option to only look at jobs by city, company, or industry. You can read the Job Seeker FAQ, post a resume, or search the list of jobs.

Career advice and help articles are available to read. Continuing Education is a good option too. There's a Free Career Evaluation forum on the Career Advice page.

Eye Cream

2009-11-01T09:34:00.002-05:00

I can't help but to worry about the wrinkles around my eyes. Not sure why that's an issue for me? There are wrinkle eye cream reviews to read to help make a decision on the right product for individual needs.

The top five wrinkle eye creams according to eyecream.org are Prototype #37-C, Dermavexin, Prevera, Elemis Pro-Collagen Wrinkle Smooth, and Freeze 24/7. These are based on consumer reviews, quality, power, results, safety, and then overall value. Make those crow feet disappear! LOL

Fall 2009 Shoe Trends

2009-10-27T09:22:00.002-04:00

There are so many great shoe trends for this Fall like MBT shoes. There are boots, Mary-Jane's, and heels in a variety of designs. Square toed heels, fringe on boots, and triple buckled Mary-Jane's are just a few options to name.

Heels are always in. This Fall, look for open toed, reptile leather, two-toned, or a tapered heel. Get a nice pair of stockings too. Wearing open toed heels and stockings with a pattern are in style this Fall.

Boots are a Fall fashion staple. Lace-up, fringe, and scrunch boots are totally hot this season. Alexander McQueen, Bottega Venetta, Derek Lam, Dolce and Gabanna, Donna Karan, Galliano, Karl Lagerfeld, and Prada are just a few designers with great boot designs.

These aren't your mama's Mary-Jane's. Funky Mary-Jane's are in style for Fall 2009. Triple buckles, pointed heels, and a variety of colors are available.

Truck Accessories

2009-10-19T08:54:00.002-04:00

Truck accessories make great Christmas gifts. My husband loves his truck. There's so many things to chose from too.

I'd like to get him a GPS this year. He bought new floor mats recently and already has a new K&N exhaust, and light covers. Even if you don't know much about cars or trucks, accessories are pretty easy to choose. Just pick the right model whether it's a Nissan, Toyota, Honda, Ford, or other.

Home Fitness

2009-10-19T08:15:00.002-04:00

There are so many good home gym choices on TV. Even the ones with the cheesy infomercials can help in weight loss. My husband does jujitsu and his friend bought a PX90 to help build muscle. There is also other options like Bowfelx, Total Gym, and Weider.

I love the Tower 200 commercial featuring Randy Couture. Recruiting an MMA fighter to star in the commercial with defiantly sell your product. Chuck Norris I am sure has sold a lot of Total Gyms.

There are many reviews on home gyms around the net. I like to read reviews before I make a choice on a product. No pain, no gain.

Be Healthy: EA Sports Active

2009-10-15T12:24:00.000-04:00

EA SPORTS Active

I noticed that Wii Fit Plus came out recently. I use to have Wii Fit, but I traded it in for EA Sports Active. I find that EA Sports Active is a more intense workout. By the third exercise I am sweating. EA Sports More Workouts is suppose to hit the selves soon. It's suppose to focus on abs and other exercises.

I like EA Sports Active because it gives me motivation and regularity in my workouts. There are easy, medium, and hard settings, so you can adjust according to your ability. Different times are available too. You can even customize a personal workout.

I must say it's the best exercise equipment/plan I've ever had. I did the 50 minute workout on easy yesterday and my whole body is sore. No pain, no gain. Use a combination of exercise and healthy eating to lose or maintain weight.

Football News

2009-10-06T11:54:00.002-04:00

Speaking of rack mounts, it's been an interesting football season thus far. Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Pittsburgh Steelers, and other teams being plagued with injuries. On a good note, the NFL players wore pink gloves, shoes, hats, and more to celebrate Breast Awareness month.

Luckily for my favorite team, the Atlanta Falcons, we had a bye week. Our next game is Oct 11 against the San Francisco Forty Niners. May the force of Matt Ryan's throwing arm be with us and no injuries occur.

Atlanta Thrashers Blog

2009-10-02T18:34:00.002-04:00

If you love hockey checkout my BlueLand Fan blog. It's all about the Atlanta Thrashers! News, videos, and pictures of the games I get to go to this season. Yeah, I am a hockey fanatic. Believe in Blueland!

Holiday Cards

2009-09-27T11:21:00.004-04:00

Tis the season for many parties like Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and special occasions in between. Of course, you'll need custom invites to all of your shindigs. Don't send out one of those embarrassing christmas cards.

Go to PearTreeGreeting.com and make a nice custom holiday card with your family photo on it! There are lots of cool fun cards for kids like the Ghoulish Greetings Halloween card. Most people save their holiday cards, so it's critical to have a good looking card.

Seo Tools and Tips

2009-09-26T12:27:00.002-04:00

If you want to better your blog to reach more people and get a better page rank, using SEO is the secret. Search Engine Optimization is about using the right keywords in your blog. Everything from title tags to keywords used in your blog post.

Luckily, there's seo tools. Using a plugin for your blog is simple and an easy way to boost your blog. Did I mention that it's free? Yes, I love free stuff!

Weight Loss Pills

2009-09-20T11:37:00.003-04:00

Want to compare weight loss pills all in one place? At weightlosspills.net you can compare many weight loss pills fast and effectively. You can read reviews, product information, compare prices, and more!

The top five pills are LipoFuze, Nuphedragen, Clinicallix, Orovo, and ZCA Stack. They are all based on weight loss power, speed of results, product safety, long term results, and overall value. You can read and compare the results to find the perfect pill for you.

Party Invitations

2009-09-20T11:25:00.003-04:00

You may need a lot of party invitations soon as the holidays are right around the corner. You can shop by theme or by special occasion at invitationconsultants.com. There are lovely invites for everything!

Dinner parties, sporting events, weddings, birthday parties, graduation, and more! You can personalize them with a photo too. Stationary and envelopes are available to match your invitations.

Acne Treatment Reviews

2009-09-16T10:59:00.002-04:00

Get reviews of all of the acne treatments available at one place AcneCuresRevealed.net. Each product is judged on safety, ingredient quality, side effects, acne fighting power, customer feedback, and
overall value. The top five acne treatments are Pronexin, Acneticin, Orovo ACNE, Oxycerin, and Asso Soap. There are also acne treatment articles for you to read. You can learn about acne pills, diet, causes, blackhead, pimples, skin types, and more!

Diet Pill Reviews

2009-09-16T10:47:00.002-04:00

Diet pill reviews are available at DietPills.org. The top three diet pills are Apidexin, Phenphedrine (ephedra-free), and Liporexall (ephedra-free). The criteria is based on consumer ratings and expert analysis. Each diet pill is judged by weight loss power, ingredient quality, company reputation, long-term results, possible side effects, and overall value. After you try a product, you can review the diet pills yourself.

NHL PreSeason 09-10 + Free Webcasts

2009-09-15T21:09:00.000-04:00

Watch live video from PUCK_U_SPORTS on Justin.tv

It's finally here! The 2009-2010 NHL preseason has started. Don't miss a thing! Keep up with the NHL 2009-2010 schedule.

If you don't like to miss a game, you can watch free NHL webcasts. I like to keep up with the New York Rangers and Atlanta Thrasher games that aren't broadcast in our area. Since DirecTV doesn't have Versus anymore, we have to switch satellite companies.

Maytag PuriClean Water Filter

2009-09-15T08:45:00.002-04:00

The Maytag PuriClean Water Filter removes Lead, Cysts, Chlorine, Off tastes, Unpleasant Odors, and Sediment right from the refridgerator. The model is ukf7003axx. The cool thing is you only have to change the filter every 9 months and it's pretty affordable at $25.40.

I am sure most of us don't even think of filtering the water that comes out of the refridgerator. Maytag is a common household brand, so you can be sure it's a good quality product. Drinking water from home saves money and the environment.

Health Insurance

2009-09-15T08:34:00.002-04:00

Medicare supplement plans are available at GoMediGap.com. You can get fast and free quotes. That's one great reason to shop online. Compare prices of many companies or products before you buy without wasting time, gas, or money.

There's a frequently asked questions section, so you can better understand what you need. Plan A or B, what a supplemental plan is, when enrollment is held, etc. It's Medicare made easy.

Atlanta Falcons

2009-09-14T09:29:00.002-04:00

The Atlanta Falcons played the Miami Dolphins yesterday. It was quite an excieting game. Get the game break down at AtlantaFalcons.com. The next Atlanta Falcons game is Sunday 9/20 at 1PM Eastern against the Panthers.

You can also keep up with the action on FaceBook. With the Atlanta Falcons Football Club, you can watch interviews, get game highlights, news, and more! In the media center, you can checkout their YouTube channel, video, audio, photos, blogs, messageboards, and download plugins for your browser. And don't forget to start your Fantasy Football team, if you haven't already.