Happy Birthday America

 

"Happy Birthday America" by Christine Graves via NightCafe Studio

Happy 250th Birthday to the USA. 

This year marks a milestone for our country, and we couldn't need it more. No, this isn't going to be a political post, I don't do those. I try to avoid politics and that type of material like the plague. However, I'm thrilled to be celebrating our nation's birthday.

Here's the thing. I'm so old I remember the 200th birthday celebrations. Yep, I was 7 years old when our nation turned 200. No, don't do the math. Yes, I'm old. Our little community holds an annual summer celebration around this same time, so in 1976, the annual parade was all about the 200th birthday. I can't say I remember it all vividly, but I remember everyone waving little American flags, the Shriners throwing candy, and everyone having a great time. 

We've come a long way in the past 250 years. We went from a group of individuals trying to make a life for themselves in a new world to a nation of free-thinkers and dreamers. No, I'm not going to go into all the things we're dealing with right now. That's not the point of this post. It's about being proud of what we've created as a nation--one nation, under God.

Now, that being said, let me say this as well. We came here to be able to worship our religion as we saw fit. I'm all for that. I don't care if you're Christian, Muslim, Jewish, Hindu, or Pagan. If you feel close to your God, good for you. That's what it's about. I'm not an overly religious person, nor do I try to push my beliefs onto others. I'm a spiritual person, and I miss the spirit of what this country used to stand for.

As we blow out the candles and make our 250th birthday wish, my wish is this. I wish you all love, light, and happiness. I wish you peace and abundance. I wish you reconciliation with those you've lost contact with and I wish you joy in finding someone new. I pray you get that job. I hope you find your way in this world. I wish you to receive all the positivity in the Universe. 

May your Independence Day be exciting and fun, but please be safe. Let's not have someone go to the ER for blowing their fingers off. Even though we have the freedom to do so. 

Happy Birthday, America. May your flag fly forevermore. 

Until next time,
Mom Graves!!!

When the Universe Sends You a Message

 

"Shocked" by Christine Graves via NightCafe Studio

So, as I was working on upgrading the scenery around here, I decided that maybe I should look at some of the old pieces I left on this site. I knew there was a lot of stuff that had absolutely no reason for existing anymore, but I'm leaving it right where I found it. But here's the thing, I think I time-traveled.

Okay, let me explain. I found this blog on the 10th or 11th of this month...June 2026. I was excited and did a quick scan of the site, but didn't really look deep. I just knew I had to get something posted on this site and get it back into circulation. 

I posted my last post a couple of days ago, June 13th, 2026. I was so happy, and it just felt right. I didn't know why, it just did. But then, I got the shock of a lifetime. 

I was looking a little deeper at some of the stuff I'd posted in the past 19 years, then thought, "What was my first post???" It was just a little piece of fodder to get myself in the right frame of mind. But it wasn't WHAT I had posted that freaked me out, it's WHEN I posted it. The first post on this site was on June 13th, 2007. 

WHAT????

No, it wasn't on purpose. I had no idea I brought this site back to life exactly 19 years to the day after I'd first started it. That's when I knew I was on the "write" path. I've been saying for some time now that my calling is to bring back old-school blogging, and I think that was the Universe's way of saying, "No shit". 

In fact, when I created the image at the top of the page, I noticed the book at the bottom of the image said: "The Universe has a Sense of Humor". That sealed it. Now, mind you, the prompt I used in the AI image creator said nothing about adding any words. In fact, here's the full AI prompt:

A whimsical illustration of an older woman sitting at her desk, a look of shock on her face, and eerie wisps of mist surrounding her. 

That's it. That's the whole prompt. And this image is what came of it. Tell me that's not a sign. 

I now have 5 Blogger blogs up and running, the newest of which is about to turn a year old. I've been doing this for a long time. I remember the days of super bloggers. I have to admit, I made quite a bit of money blogging. I know that's not going to be the case this time around, but it wasn't just about the money; it was the creative freedom. But, yeah, the money was nice.

I've decided that this site will be geared toward the everyday stuff in my life, little op-ed pieces I find interesting, TV shows and movies I've watched, and stuff like that. Nothing fancy, just real stuff from off the top of my head. That's a little scary, if you think about it. 

I'm getting more and more excited about blogging again. Even if I only have a handful of readers, I'm still doing what I love. This is my calling and I think it's time to answer the call. Wanna tag along? Come on, let's see where we go from here.

Until next time,
Miss Chris!!!

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Wholly Buckets, I'm Back

Don't you just love it when you're purusing around the Internet, looking for some of your old work online, not really knowing what you're going to find, then...BAM...you find a blog you haven't posted on in 13 years. Wholly buckets. 

Okay, so hi. I'm Christine Graves (formerly known as Christine Senter), and I created this blog back in 2007...almost 20 years ago. DUDE!!!!!

My life has been a whirlwind these past 19 years. Back then, I was a consummate content creator. I did a lot of ghostwriting, a lot of ad content, and I entered just about every blog contest online. You don't find those anymore. 

In 2012, my entire world flipped upside down. My husband and I got divorced, my daughter had a daughter of her own, and I ended up working three jobs just to make ends meet. I didn't have time to write anymore, so I just pushed it off to the side.

Less than a year later, I married husband number 2 and went from being a Senter to a Graves. And now? Yeah, we're divorced too. We had been friends in high school, and when we both found out our marriages of over 20 years each were coming to an end, we found solace in each other. Turns out, we were better friends than we were lovers. 

It took me almost 6 years, but I did manage to get back into writing. However, the online writing game had changed dramatically in that time and I had to start all over again. I can't complain, I think I'm doing better than I ever did before. I'm not making a living as a writer, but I am enjoying being able to write whatever I want and not worry about the technical end of it.

In 2018, I began writing for a place called Medium.com and I found my way in the writing world once again. I was writing a lot of fiction and poetry, then I landed a spot in a writer's publication and started doing writing prompts again. That's all it took. 

I'm not writing for Medium anymore as they're no longer as accepting of fiction writers as they used to be. They still allow it, but fiction and poetry tend to get buried a lot faster than boring, monotone non-fiction. 

When I left Medium, I was determined to keep writing but on my terms. I still have a ton of blogs, most of which I keep updated on a regular basis. Not always, but fairly often. I decided that I don't really care about the money anymore (yes, I got paid on Medium...until I didn't anymore), I just wanted to write.

Now, that being said, I will be adding Google ads at some point. I need to get this site updated and going again before I submit the site for monetization. I could probably do it now, with the age of this blog and the number of reads a few of the posts have, but that's not right. I want to do this the right way.

I won't lie, I have no idea where I'm going to take this site, but I'm going to bring it back to life. I figure if I can start keeping all my blogs updated and add a few Google ads, I might have a shot at making a little something. Don't worry, I have a real job. LOL

Once I have a game plan, I'll be sure to post it here. I found another blog recently that I'm going to use to post a lot of my fiction. I might come up with something similar for this site, but then again, I might decide to use it for other forms of creativity. Hell, I might just use it to write letters to fictional characters. It all depends on what the little person who lives in my head tells me to do. No, you don't need to call for help, I call the voice in my head The Muse, as she's the one who gives me some of my best writing ideas.

So, stick around and see where we go. I'll have the Muse come out and play on occasion, but fair warning, she's not the sweet little fairy everyone thinks she is. She's mean, and a drunk, and she goes missing for months on end. But...she's a helluva lot of fun. 

Let's have some fun, shall we?

Until next time,
Miss Chris!!!

I Am A Writer

There I said it.  I've always been told that if you really want something, you've got to profess it.  So that's what I'm doing.  And I am a writer.  I've been writing since I was old enough to realize that all my "imaginary" friends could be put to paper and a real world would emerge.

Though I'm not exactly back to the point I'd like to be, I'm well on my way.  The more I write, especially on this blog, the more my confidence is beginning to grow.  I'm loving it too.  I'm starting to feel like I'm accomplishing something real.  That's a huge deal for me.  I'm getting past that whole "I don't think I can do this anymore" stance.  I'm starting to get into this whole "I think I can, I think I can" mode.

I know I have a long road ahead of me, but it's one I'm starting to get excited about once again.  The more I work toward achieving my goal, the happier I'm becoming.  I just have to keep at a steady pace.  I want to just jump in with both feet and go for it, but I also know that with not writing for over a year, I've got to make sure I know the in's and out's of the industry.  One thing I have learned is that trends change quickly on the Internet.  What was the "in" thing a year ago may be a huge no-no today.

I will get there, one way or another.  It's going to take me some time to get there, but everyday is another step in the "write" direction.  I can't give up and I have to keep moving forward.  After all, I can do this because I am a writer!

Be A Freelance Blogger

In my ongoing quest to get back into this whole writing and blogging thing, I found a site that may well be just what the doctor ordered.  It's called BeAFreelanceBlogger.com and it's not your run of the mill type site.

I must say up front before you think about heading over there to check the site out, be prepared.  The site is run by a gutsy little lady called Sophie Lizard and she lays it on the line.  There is some strong language on her posts, but it's not for shock value.  She tells you the way it is and she doesn't leave anything to the imagination.  If you're not ready to hear all the things you didn't want to know, don't bother.

Now, with that being said, let's get to it.  This is the site you need to check out if you're serious about making money as a pro blogger.  She gives you great advice on how to find the markets that pay you real money for your blogging talents, as well as ways to improve those talents.  She makes it quite clear that the only real thing holding anyone back from being a well-paid blogger is their own inhibitions.

Sophie also offers any and all readers a chance to download her e-book, The Ultimate List of Better-Paid Blogging Gigs, for FREE!!!!!  This is a killer list of sites that will pay bloggers to help out their readers.  All she asks in return is that you give her a helping hand in promoting the list.  Furthermore, if you think you have it in you, Sophie will pay you to do a guest post on her site as well.  It's got to be your best work in order to make the cut, but if you get it there, she'll pay you a mere $50 to do so.  That's damn good for those who don't know.

If you're looking for a way to make it as a professional blogger as I am, this is one of those sites you've got to check out.  You won't find a bunch of fluff and flash, but you will find the information that will get you one the right track to making it in this highly competitive field.

My plan for getting back into writing

I'm working hard at getting back into the swing of writing for money again, but I already know it isn't going to be easy.  First and foremost, I know that I'm pretty much going to have to start from square 1 and work my way back up again.  I only hope it doesn't take me another 10 years to get to where I was when I took my break.

So here are a few of the things I plan on doing in order to get myself back to where I need to be:

1.) Pinterest
I'm quickly becoming a huge fan of Pinterest.  My fiance' and I are getting ready to move out to his farm and I've been using Pinterest to find ideas on how to set up various flower and vegetable gardens.  As I was going through the millions of pictures it dawned on me that many of them were giving me little hints of inspiration for stories and/or articles. So now I check out Pinterest each day and just type in a random word in the search box to see what comes up and catches my attention.  I add at least 2 pictures to my new "Writing Ideas" board.

2.) Writing Prompts
The one thing I regret most about this past year is that I ended up losing all of my domain names for lack of funds. I couldn't afford to host them or even keep the names on hold so I had to give all of them up, including my very first blog ever, The Prompt Writer. I'd started that blog in 2003 and it had been my baby for a long time.  The thing that really gets to me is that I can't even go back in and rebuy the name. It's gone....forever. However, that doesn't mean I can't keep doing what I was doing there.  I can still sit back and try to come up with new prompts for myself and anyone else that might need a helping hand.

3.) Blogging Job Boards
As I said before, I know I can't just jump into the world of article writing again without finding my groove again. And I can guarantee that things have moved on in leaps and bounds in the past year. With that being said, there's nothing that can keep me from checking out the blogging job boards to see what people are looking for and practice on this site, or any other free site I create, just to give myself a little more practice before trying to land real jobs.  Who knows, it may work in my favor and I'll make a little extra dough on my own sites.

4.) Networking
Ok, before I say to much on this let me just say this is NOT my strong suit.  I've always had trouble connecting with like minded people that I don't talk to on a regular basis. I was lucky enough in the past to connect with a few individuals that did help me on my road to success, but I'm not sure I'll be able to have the same kind of luck. That being said, I am going to try and get into a few writing groups and see if I can't get caught up on some of the latest trends and find out where I need to go from here.

5.) Write!!!
I know it sounds redundant, but this is actually my biggest problem.  I've got to get myself past this feeling that I just can't do it anymore and find the strength and will within myself to just do it.  No matter what it's about, I just have to make myself write each day.

So there it is, my short term goal for getting back on the road to being a paid writer.  I'm not sure how much luck I'll have but at least it's a start.

Trying to swing back in

Well it's been well over a year since I last posted on this site but I think it's high time I did.  For the past year, I've stepped completely away from the writing game as my life has gone off in a whole new direction.

When I say I stepped away from the writing game, I mean that in every sense of the word.  I haven't written much at all since December of 2011. I won't get into all the sorted details but I am finding that it's not so easy to just jump back into the swing of things and pick up where I left off.

Up until that time I had been writing for several companies and individuals and making a nice little sum of money.  It wasn't enough to put me in a new house or anything like that, but if I decided I needed a new pair of shoes or wanted to pamper myself a little, it wasn't an issue. But now it seems to be all I can do to sit down in front of this computer and put out words that make any sense.

I've been thinking about getting back into writing again for some time but wasn't sure where to go to get started.  I didn't know who to talk to or if anyone out there could even help.  I've tried looking up places online but that didn't seem to help either. So this is my way of trying to find myself once again.

I've kind of revamped this site, not much but a bit, just to feel like I'm actually doing something productive.  I've posted something over at a place I'd written on some time ago called Gather.com, and then I decided it was time to just sit down here and write.  Not much in the way of thinking about what I'm writing, but just writing to say I'd actually written something today.

I don't know how well this will go, but I have to do something to get myself back into the writing game.  Even if it's only a slow start, I need to find a place to start.  So where better than my own little home on the web and in front of people who already know what kind of a dork I can really be.  So here we go....

My Latest Endeavors

Hey kids,

Just a real quick update on what's going on in my ever-changing world.  As a few of you may know, I've been given an awesome job at Blog Engage and it's been eating up a lot of my time (and no, I am NOT complaining).  I love my job over there, but I do miss taking out a little time here and there to write a post or two on my other sites. 

One of the things I do over there, is I write a weekly column called "What's Your Niche" and it's about finding niche topics that will help bring in a little money, but without blogging about the Make Money Online niche itself.  Too much competition in that one.

Anyway, in last week's post, I talked about how the Paranormal Field could be a very lucrative niche topic if were to be done right.  I was very happy to see the number of people who thought I was on to something, but what none of them realize (yet) is that I've just started a brand new blog with this very subject in mind.  Now please remember that this site is NOT done and not even close yet.  But I'd like to introduce you all to my new blog, Para-Mythic.  This site is all about the paranormal, myths, legends, stories, and whatever else I can conjure up in the future. 

I figured with all the different things out there that have to do with this subject, surely I can create a blog centered around the idea.  I plan on talking about different myths from the ancient world, discussing some of the various shows on television (the fake one and the reality ones), paranormal book sites, and a lot more.  If you have any suggestions, please feel free to share them here or there.  Either one will put a smile on my face. 

I invite you all to join me in my new venture, and to stop by Blog Engage and see what's happening over there as well.  I'm very excited about my new digs and I can't wait to see what my little pee brain can come up with in the end.  This is one of my most favoritest subjects in this world and the next, so let's see where we can take it, shall we?

Classic TV shows

Guest written by our friend Sergio Chaney


I love watching classic TV shows. Since we got satellite Tv by Direct TV, I have really been enjoying watching shows that take me back to my younger years. We used to watch Little House on the Prairie with our daughters when they were young. It is such a simple show, unlike a lot of trashy shows that are on TV today. I have also been watching Green Acres and I Love Lucy. I love the cleanliness of the comedy on these shows. My favorite I Love Lucy episode is the one where she is stuffing chocolates into her mouth because she can’t get them off of the conveyor belt fast enough. I laugh out loud at that episode every time I see it. I think that a lot of young people today do not appreciate true comedy. A lot of them watch Comedy Central, which shows a lot of foul-mouthed stand up comedians. That is not pure comedy to me. I would pick my older shows over Comedy Central any day. I am so glad that I am able to watch all of my old favorite shows on satellite TV.

My Favorite Piece Of Technology

I found a really cool blog contest over at Blogger Compete and had to get in on it.  It's sponsored by Justin Germino and his very cool technology blog.  Seriously, if you've never seen this site, go check it out.  It's an awesome site.

Anyway, this contest is about discussing my favorite technological gadget or software.  And though most people are going to talk about their Smartphones or some app they can't live without, I have to talk about my Amazon Kindle.  I LOVE my Kindle.  I seriously don't know how I managed to read a book before winning this awesome gadget, and yes, I said "winning".  I was lucky enough to win my Kindle in a book blog giveaway last year. 

The first thing I need to express is the fact that I am NOT a techie type of person.  I don't have a fancy cell phone, I've never purchased an app from the App Store, and I don't even have an iPod.  I do have an Mp3 player, but only because I couldn't find a Walkman anywhere.  So when I found out I'd won a Kindle, I was a bit freaked out.  What it I couldn't figure out how to make it work?  What if I couldn't afford any books for it, and if I could, how would I get them on the bloody thing? 

It didn't take me long to figure out how to work my Kindle.  It's pretty self explanatory, though there is a manual already downloaded into it when it first arrives at your home.  It comes with the Kindle itself and a USB cord that also converts into an AC/DC adaptor (all in one, very cool).
 

I was one of those people who was NEVER going to use an E-reader as there was no way it could be better than reading an actual book.  Guess what.  I was WRONG!!!!!  I've read more books in the year I've had my Kindle than in the 10 years previous.  I know, it sounds bad but it's true.  And I don't think I could sit long enough to read an actual book anymore.  It's nice to be able to take 8 or 10 books with me when we go somewhere and not take up a ton of room doing so.  According to the device, my Kindle will hold like 3500 books.  I've probably got about 300 or so in mine right now, but am always looking for new titles. 

The reason I have so many books is because there is a cool thing on Amazon I didn't know about; free e-books.  Seriously.  New authors are always trying to get their books noticed by the public and being a freelance writer myself, I have to give my fellow writers a shot.  Some of them need a little work, but for the most part, I've had a blast reading all these new books and am thrilled with a lot of these new authors.

Yes, I'll have to admit that my Kindle is my tech junkie have-to-have.  I never thought I'd have one, but now I couldn't see myself without it.  And a special thanks to Justin Germino for hosting this killer contest.  I guess I didn't realize just how addicted to my Kindle I was until I started writing this.  And if ya'll want to get some really awesome blogging tips, go check out Justin's site.  It's one of the best I've come across.  I promise you will learn something from his site, whether you try to or not.  LOL

5 Ways Blogging Is Like Being A Parent

I had the honor of being accepted to a site called BloggersCompete in which myself and other bloggers work toward winning a blogging contest or two---or more.  They are always looking for bloggers to join the site and compete for prizes and cold hard cash. Check them out and and see if you too can join the fun and win some cash.  The following is my entry into the 5 Ways Blogging is Like_______ contest.

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People compare blogging to a lot of things, but if you really think about it, it's a lot like raising a family. Being a mom, I know full well what it takes to watch your babies go from helpless beings who can't do anything without you to full-fledged adults who need to face the world without you holding their hands. Here are 5 ways in which blogging is like being a parent.

It's up to you to come up the perfect name
Naming your new blog is a lot like naming your new baby. You want a name that the world will remember, but won't think is too strange. You want something that is easy to spell, but still maybe just different enough to set them apart from the rest. And you want something that feels natural when spoken.

You become protective of your baby

As you start to put your new blog together, you start to become attached to certain things. And when someone comes along and criticizes any part of it, you become defensive and are ready to fight. Even if that person was only trying to offer some help to bring your site up to the next level, you feel as though you've been personally attacked and your site is being punished.

You're always trying to keep things neat and tidy
You know you have to add content and ads and other such things, but you don't want your blog to end up looking cluttered. You might find a couple new themes to try on, you rearrange your sidebar widgets and ad spots, and you try to make sure your posts are well written and in order. And as you add new elements to the site, you work to make sure they fit in with the other things already in place.

You're always trying to come up with ways to make everyone happy

As you add your posts, you want each one to be received by the public with open arms. You go out of your way to write in such a way as to make you readers happy, but then you worry that the search engines won't like them. So you work toward writing for the search engines and find that your readers aren't happy with the content. But over time, you find a happy medium that makes the readers and the search engines happy with what you present to them.

As your site grows and becomes more popular, you realize all it was worth all the hard work

In time, you see that your little blog has taken on a life of its own. You don't have to coddle it quite so much anymore and you find that there are a lot of people coming by to see your site. You realize that your baby isn't so little anymore and that there are others out there who like hanging out on your blog. It's at that point that you realize, like any good parent, you've done your job and you've done it well.

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If you liked this post and want to try your own hand at winning a blogging contest or two, or if you just want to engage with bloggers who have similar blogs as yours, check out the site and see if your blog has what it takes to join in with BloggersCompete.com

Let's Win Some SuperPoints

I have found one of THE most addictive time consumers ever.  It's called SuperPoints and it's easy to do and can help you win money and prizes.  Seriously, if I can do this, anyone can.  There's nothing to it but to sign up and push a button.  Let me explain.

SuperPoints is a site that allows their users to earn points and spend them on a whole slew of items.  Depending on the amount of points, a person can win gift cards, electronics, and even cold hard cash.  The trick is to get members to sign up under you, and the more who sign up under you, the more you win.  That's right.  For every member you get to sign up under you, you get a percentage of their points.  So the more friends you have, the faster you earn your way into the big prizes.

You may have noticed I just used the term "big prizes".  That's right, boys and girls, you can win items such as Amazon Kindles, iPods, or even laptops.  There a lot of stuff in their Network Store.  And all you have to do is earn the points.

So, how does one go about earning the points???  Easy.  Every day members are allowed up to 30 clicks on the Super Button.  This button can give out 1,2, 5, or even 50 points at a shot.  I don't know how high the amount goes, but I have won the 50 point amount.  The button doesn't give out points on every spin, but it's still fun to try.  Other ways of earning points include completely various offers and just watching different videos.  I mean, how easy is that?

So come on, join me and lets see just how many cool prizes we can walk away with before it's all said and done.  Remember, you can trade those points in for cash too.  Kinda like winning free money just for playing online.  Right on!!!!

Win An iPad2 or $500 Cash

Hey kids!!

I know it's been a day or 12, but like has been going a thousand miles an hour this month.  Between getting things ready for school to start and trying to keep up with 2 blogs in the NaBloPoMo challenge, I've been slightly busy.  But then I say a new-ish contest out there and I had to tell everyone about.  It's a chance to win either an iPad2 OR $500 sent to your Paypal account. 




This giveaway is being hosted by Mama B Blog, Baby Dickey, and Little BGCG.  These three ladies were lucky enough to represent Shari Criso and her My Baby Experts web show at BlogHer '11.  The show is a live web show, the next of which will be on August 23rd from 9-10pm EST.  If you're a new mom or about to become one, RSVP for the show and get in on all the latest in the mommy world.

This giveaway is open to entrants worldwide and will run through August 30th at 11:59pm EST.  This is a big giveaway so get in while you can as there are already thousands of entries into this one.  It's important to note that a winner chosen from either the United States or Canada will have their choice of either of the two prizes, while an entrant from anywhere else in the world will only be able to win the cash.

Summer Giveaway Hop

One of my all-time favorite book blogs is co-hosting a killer week long giveaway.  I'm a Reader Not A Writer and BookHounds are holding the Summer Giveaway Hop.  This giveaway event has more than 300 other bloggers involved, all of which are holding their own giveaways.  Now mind you, there is absolutely no way I could ever enter that many giveaways in a week's time, but I'm going to jump into as many as I can.  I love a good giveaway and this one's gonna be killer.





The thing to remember about this giveaway is that it only lasts for a week.  From today through this coming Sunday night, 316 sites are going to be giving away some really cool books and other likewise items.  Be sure to check out the two sites co-hosting this event to get a full list of participating sites.  Now if you'll excuse me, I've got some entering to do.  And so do you, so hurry up and get over there cause I can't do this one on my own.  LOL

Not really into books that much???  Well then maybe you'd be more interested in the Boost Your Buzz event going on thanks to Survey Junkie, Simply Stacie, and Little Yaya's.  So what's with this one?  Well one lucky person is going to win $1,000 to be sent via PayPal.  There are a bunch of blogs also involved with this one, but getting in on this one is as easy as joining someone's social media group, following them,  or subscribing to their RSS feeds.  Head on over to any of the girls' sites and fill out the forms.  Who knows, you could win the whole thing.  But it ends on August 15th, so better do it now!

Giveaway Round-up 7-27-11

Hey kids, it's time once again to list of few of the giveaways going on right now around the blogosphere.  I love a good giveaway and some of these are just awesome.  And as always, if you happen to notice that this post changes from time to time, it's because I'm still in the middle of updating the page.  So let's get started.

The first one on our list today is from a site called Etsy D-Listers.  I love the creative edge of Etsy shops, I just can't afford to put my own things in there right now.  But I do support all those who do and this giveaway is way cool.  They're not just giving away one item, they're giving away a total of 3 boxes filled with cool items.  From handmade water bottle covers to jewelry to full-size tote bags.  There's a lot of stuff in this one.  Including some gorgeous boxes to hold the stuff.  This one ends August 4th.

Any book lovers out there???  If so, you need to run over and check out Luxury Reading.  She's having a huge book giveaway.  One lucky winner is going to win 1 book per month for the next 6 months.  Way cool.  I love a good book, but this would be a dream come true for me.  So head over there get your name in the hat while you can because this one ends August 31st.

Having problems with that PC running slow?  Mommy Loves Giveaways is giving away the System Mechanic 10.5 software package.  This baby will clean up your computer, get rid of any nasties hiding in the shadows, and will even make playing games a more enjoyable experience.  But you'd better hurry because this one ends on August 6th.

Here's another book giveaway for you.  But this one will have 2 winners and I'd love to have either one.  This one's going on at one of my favorite sites, Paranormal Haven.  This is one of the very first book blogs I'd ever joined and I'm so glad I did.  The girls are giving away all kinds of cool stuff, but I'm hoping for prize pack #2 as there's a bunch of t-shirts I'd love to own.  This one ends on August 10th so go get in while you can. 

And finally, you've got to go check out my girl at Boobies, Babies, and a Blog.  She's giving away 2 items (2 winners, kids) from Vedette Shapewear Store.  After seeing what the review pieces did for her figure (not that she needed any help) I knew I had to get in on this one.  I've never owned a corset, but I may have to change that now.  This is an easy one to enter and will be open until August 18th. 

So there you go, kids.  Get on over to some of these and get your names in.  Because like every lottery winner has ever said, you can't win if you don't play.  Have fun and good luck!!!!!

Get The Scoop On The Coupon Scoop

For just over a year now, I've been blogging in the ranks of the “Mommy Bloggers”. And though the name sounds like a bunch of cackling women with babies strapped to their hips, I assure you they're anything but. One of the main things I'm learning more about is couponing and one of the sites I've found that has to do with the in's and out's of couponing is TheCoupon Scoop.

The first thing I noticed about this site is that it's so unlike any of the others, I had to make sure it was up to date. It's not all dressed up and filled to the rim with ads pointing to other sites. It's all about the articles and that's a huge plus in my book. A lot of those sites take so long to upload that I get bored and move on. Not this one.

The first article to catch my attention was on how to tell is your coupon codes are a scam. The reason this caught my eye is that one of the grocery stores in my area quit accepting printed out coupons because of the number of fake ones. So I wanted to know what to look for when using online coupons. I love shopping online and know that you've got to watch for expiration dates or whether there's a limit on number of usages per code. However, I did not know that some sites expect you to pay a fee in order to see the promo codes. Yeah, that would scream scam to me too.

So, the next thing I did was look to see if these people had a Facebook page. I was a little shocked to NOT find a link on their site, but that didn't stop me. I headed over and looked them up and sure enough, there they were. The Coupon Scoop does have a Facebook page and interesting enough, it's actually more spruced up than the site is. I was totally shocked at that, but “liked” them anyway.

The same was true for their TwitterPage. They do have one, but it's not linked up on their site. The cool thing, though, is that they've got way more updates on the Twitter page than they do on either the website or the Facebook page. I'm not a huge Twitter bug, but I did like that they keep theirs way up to date.

If you're looking for a place that offers a ton of coupons to be used both online and off, this is NOT that place. But if you're looking for some insider information on the world of couponing and the dos and don'ts, then you've come to the right site. It's not pretty, but it's informative and sometimes that means more to the reader than all the bells and whistles in the world.

Mom And Dad

*The following is a guest post from Jo Levy*

Thanks for the guest post by Jo Levy

My parents have both passed away in the past three years and it has been a trying and exhausting time. They lived about 200 miles away from me and my other two siblings are even further away. We know we have to eventually begin the process of sorting out and dispensing the items at their home but it has just been impossible for the three of us to adjust our schedules to get together to accomplish this daunting task.

We are lucky that Mom and Dad had a great neighbor who has been checking on things at the house and staying in touch with us. Because it is common knowledge in the community that no one lives in the home, we decided that it would be prudent to get a security system installed. I researched them on www.Allhomesecurity.comand found a suitable one.

My brothers and their families plan to meet me and my family there next weekend and we are going to clean out, clear out and sort out all the things left there so we can move forward. I am ready to get this part of it behind us and savor our good memories of Mom and Dad.

Content Marketing Advice From Engaging Professionals

My interests in blog posts run from where to find the best coupons to how to create award-winning content. So when I came across a blog called Engage, I was thrilled because of the diversity of topics found throughout the site. Though all the posts are based on creating a better blog through the content of the site, there is a lot of information packed into one little place.


Engage is the blog of TMG Custom Media Group. They're a company that helps other companies find a voice in our technologically advanced society. That voice might be in the form of a magazine, a video feed, or digital feed. But it's their blog that offers the most help to individuals and companies alike. Not so much with services, but with information. There are a ton of articles that cover everything from content marketing to avoiding distractions.

As I ran through the site, I came across an article about how to employ the values taught in Scouts to our social media rituals. Honestly, I thought it was one of the best articles I've read in a long time. It's not a long article, but it says a lot in very few paragraphs, and that right there is the sign of great writing. And no, if anyone is wondering, I'm not being paid to say any of this. Being a Scout leader for 13 years, I know all about the views held by the organization. Applying those views to our online lives not only makes sense, it could mean bringing more people to your virtual doorstep.

Another thing that really impressed me about Engage The Blog is that it's not just maintained by a single person. There is an entire team of TMG professionals who add their voices to the collective. As a group, they've created a site that offers a deeper insight for the reader. They offer different ways of seeing a situation so anyone who stops by can understand different ways of making their own blogs a better place to visit.

I figured that being a company that specializes in media outlets, they had to be set up on Facebook, which they are. The cool thing is that even though they showcase their site and blog, they also show off the fact that their associates are real people. I think it's cool that managing editor, Andi Gabrick talks to her plants, because I do to. LOL

The best way to find the latest updates on Engage and TMG is through there Twitter page. I've seen companies that post tweets several times a day, but these people update theirs several times per hour which tells me that they're not only constantly evolving, but striving to stay active with their clients/readers/and professionals.

There is a lot more to see around Engage The Blog. I've already added it to my favorites and subscribed to their email updates. I really think I could learn a lot about content management and marketing from this site, and I think you could too. But check them out for yourselves just to make sure. I think you'll find something there that speaks directly to you.

Blog Engage---Engage With Bloggers

Hi kids, found a really cool new site and just had to come tell you about it. The site is called Blog Engage and I'm kinda digging it. Why? Because it's got the basic elements of a blogging community, but this one isn't for the average Joe...or Josephine. This one is kinda big-time kiddies. Let me explain.

Blog Engage is a paid membership blogging community. I know, I know. Paying to hang out with a bunch of other bloggers doesn't sound right, but this place is a little different than most. There are some elements that most will recognize, especially anyone who's ever worked an article with Digg. It's much the same as the members of this community will vote on, or Engage, the articles of other members. So, for instance, if I were to add an article about finding free business books online, the other members of this site can either vote the article up or down, (my biggest fear EVER).

So now you're thinking, “Yeah, so why do I have to pay to do this”. Well there's more to it than just getting voted on or getting to vote. There's the idea of having your blog seen by hundreds, or even thousands, of people. Blog Engage sponsors several contests throughout the year and the money collected via the memberships is used toward prizes for the winners of those contests. Throughout the rest of 2011, Blog Engage will be holding monthly contests. First prize is $200, second and third prizes are $100 each, and fourth and fifth prizes are $50 each. Also included in the prize packages are RSS feed syndications and contest sponsorships.

Yeah, okay. So what's all that about? Let me go in deeper. There are 5 different membership packages available. These run from $19.95 per month to $1.99 per month. I'll even give you the run down on what comes with each package. Check it out!!

The Bronze Membership---$1.99 per month
Your articles get submitted into the Blog Engage community every 8 hours, but that's it. Not a bad deal as all your stuff is still getting seen.

The Silver Membership---$3.99 per month
Your articles get submitted to the community every 3 hours, but that's it. A little better than before, especially for those who write multiple posts per day.

The Gold Membership---$4.99 per month
This option gives you 1 niche category as well as submits your articles to the community every hour. Now the site says that there is no contest sponsorship, but I don't think that's right as this month's contest has several Gold sponsors and offers 50 points per reviewed site. So let's just go with that. LOL

The Platinum Membership---$9.99 per month
This package allows you up to 3 different blog feeds and allows you 3 different niche categories. Plus your site will be featured as a contest sponsor and your articles will be submitted every hour.

The Business Membership---$19.99 per month
This is the big Kahuna. This membership allows you to showcase as many as 5 different blog RSS feeds, allows you 3 different niche categories, makes you a contest sponsor, and submits your articles to the community every hour.

One thing I should mention here is that all of the above memberships can either be paid on a monthly or a yearly basis.

So now that you know all that, let me tell you about the coolest part; being a contest sponsor. Once you've signed up and become either a gold, platinum, or business member, your blog will be showcased in the monthly contest.

Each month throughout the rest of 2011, various blogs will be posted for participants to review. The more blogs reviewed by members, the better their chances at winning one of the prizes offered. Business membership sites are worth 150 each, platinum sites are worth 100 each, and gold membership sites are worth 50 points each. Each member of Blog Engage has the same amount of chances to win, it all depends on how many sites each person reviews and whether or not they add the contest ads to their sites. It's best to just check out the contest page and read all the rules and options.

Finally, Blog Engage has just started a new program in which new members don't have to join a set membership, but can pay a one-time fee of $29.99. This is help bring in new members that can help drive more quality traffic to various blogs and their posts.

Seriously, for anyone who's interested in taking their blog and their work to new levels, Blog Engage is the way to go. Whether through one of the 5 membership offers or the one-time fee, it's worth the money to have quality traffic driven to your site and have real people read your work.

The Freedom Giveaway

I have another awesome giveaway event for all of you.  This one is being put on by Simply Stacie and I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and is called the Freedom Giveaway.  There are a total of 215 blogs involved in this event and each is holding their own giveaway.  Though I can't talk about each and every one of these sites on this post, I do want to post about a few of them.  I will mention that Stacie is giving away $50 Amazon Gift Card, and Kathy (aka Reader) is giving away a $10 Amazon Gift card OR a book from the Book Depository worth up to $10.  Here are a few of the other blogs joining up in this giveaway event.

Marcia Lynn McClure Fans is giving away a copy of this author's latest book called, Sudden Storms.  I'm not a huge romance novel fan, but this one sounds pretty good.

Truly Bookish is giving away 2 books--Born At Midnight by C.C. Hunter and Nailed by Jennifer Laurens.

One A Day Y.A. is giving away a copy of the Young Adult novel, Flying Blind by Deborah Cooke.

Miranda Hardy is giving away a $15 gift card to Barnes & Noble, and so is A.G. Wright.

Taming The Bookshelf is giving away winner's choice of a $20 Amazon OR Barnes & Noble gift card.  For those outside of the US, she'll be giving away a $20 purchase through The Book Depository.

Heather from Acting Balance is giving away a $15 gift certificate/card to Amazon, Barnes & Noble, OR The Book Depository.

Reflections of a Bookaholic is giving away a $15 certificate to either Amazon.com OR  The Book Depository.

Makobi Scribe is giving away a $50 Amazon Gift Card.

Linda's Lunacy is giving away a $25 Amazon gift card.

Confessions of a Bookaholic is giving away a copy of Supernaturally by Kiersten White OR Forever by Maggie Stiefvater OR Wolfsbane by Andrea Cremer.  The winner's choice will be provided by The Book Depository.

Still Blonde After All These Years is giving 1 winner a total of 11 books---a prize worth over $250.00.

The Flashlight Reader is giving away 3 books--Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson (signed), Trapped by Marc Aronson, and David by Mary Hoffman.