Update on the Giveaway to Sell Your Soul For

Just a little further note on that. The entry deadline has been extended until December 28, so there is still time to get in a few more entries. If you win, remember that you get the choice of a Kindle 2, an E-Reader of a Nook. Either reader is a good choice.

The nice thing about this contest is that you get a choice. How many contests do that for you? You win the prize, and you have no control over color, size or anything. The prize is what it is, but not with this giveaway. The choice is in your hands.

As I've mentioned before, the choice for me is easy. It's still the Kindle.

http://aparkavenueprincess.blogspot.com/2009/11/giveaway-to-sell-your-soul-for.html

The Giveaway to Sell Your Soul For

Anyone who has followed for awhile is well aware of my quest for three times: a Flipcam (not yet), a really good camera (not yet), and a Kindle. Here I go again. APrkAvePrincess and Matthew Carter, author of Liquid Soul, have teamed up for a wonderful giveaway. The winner gets to choose between a Kindle 2, an E-Reader or a Nook. For me, the choice is very easy. You guessed it: Kindle. My dream e-reading device. If it's good enough for Oprah, it's good enough for me.

How might you possibly win this giveaway you ask? Well, you have to follow the author and @APrkavePrincess. You have to follow her blog at www. aparkavenueprincess.blogspot.com. The link lists many ways to gain additional points for the contest, including buying the author's book, Liquid Soul.

I have the book, and it is entertaining. Imagine being able to literally become someone else, if only for a few moments, by making contact with their blood. The subject of Liquid Soul can do just that, and this "power" becomes an addiction for him. There is more to say, but trust me, buy the book and find out for yourself.

However, if you would, can you leave the Kindle for me?


http://aparkavenueprincess.blogspot.com/2009/11/giveaway-to-sell-your-soul-for.html

What Parents Will Do to Get That Christmas Toy

If you continue to dance on this planet long enough, you will get to see many trendy toys come and go. There will ALWAYS be a trendy toy, so take that Elmo and Zhu Zhu. Like many others, you will become the fond stuff of adult memories. Until then, parents will do what they can - short of wrestling with another parent in the aisles - to get that trendy toy for their child. As for the wrestling, well, I think some have resorted to that. Oh well.

Once upon a time, the Cabbage Patch Kid was THE toy. It was hard to find one, and when you waited to begin the hunt (like I did), trying to find one was even harder. Now, combine that with trying to find one for my chubby cheeked little chocolate angel was even harder. Did I mention that I have a son? There, you have it: I was looking for an African-American Cabbage Patch boy doll.

At the time, I worked for Sears, so I could get an employee discount on my purchases. I ordered my Cabbage Patch - backordered until Christmas. JC Penney - no luck. Spiegel? - backordered. Everywhere I tried - no little dude for my little dude. So, I gave up on that and moved on to other things on his list.

As luck would have it, I arrived home one day, and there was a box on the carport from Spiegel. My son was out with his grandmother, and I was so excited. Could it be? I tore open the outer box and opened it to find Jamie, my own little chocolate Cabbage Patch ..........girl. Oy, what to do, what to do?

I did what I had to do. I did a sex change on a Cabbage Patch doll. When my son went to bed that night, I got Jamie the girl out and took her ponytails down. Findng some thick thread, I stitched that doll's hair to her skull in rows and gave that girl an afro. The clothing, overalls, were unisex, so I didn't need to change that. I bought the new "Jamie" a basketball set of clothing and other sports-related cabbage patch stuff and made sure that the birth certificate didn't say anything about girl (it didn't).

On Christmas morning, EARLY Christmas morning, my son tore open the box that I had so carefully decorated and jumped on my bed with his new buddy Jamie. He was happy. He and his buddy had fun - and my sewing job held. I may have the only Cabbage Patch on the planet that changed genders, but you know what, my son didn't know. My mother, however, was very amused.

Boy, what we won't do to bring a smile to our children's faces.

The 3rd Day of "Tweet"mas - Jingle Tweets

Dashing through the streets
Had to tweet, what can I say?
Rushing through the streets
My contest is ending today!
Bells on corners ring
And I feel so bright
What fun it is to tweet and tweet
contests through the night.

Oh, Jingle tweets, jingle tweets,
Tweeting all the way,
Oh what fun it is to tweet
on Twitter every day.
Jingle tweets, jingle tweets,
Tweeting all the way,
With a little pluck
and a bit of luck
Good things might come my way.

A year or so ago
Of Twitter I'd never heard
but soon I knew it well
Now Twitter is the word.
I can wake up in the morn
and turn up on machine
It puts me in my happy place
and from it I'll never wean.

Oh, Jingle tweets, jingle tweets,
Tweeting all the way,
Oh what fun it is to tweet
on Twitter every day.
Jingle tweets, jingle tweets,
Tweeting all the way,
With a little pluck
and a bit of luck
Good things might come my way.

2nd Poem of "Tweet"mas - Let Me Tweet

(sing to the tune of Let It Snow)

Oh the weather outside is freezing
My hair could use some teasing
Warm sockies upon my feet
Let Me Tweet! Let Me Tweet! Let Me Tweet!

Rain shows no signs of stopping
Man my joints are popping
Been up so long I am beat!
Let Me Tweet! Let Me Tweet! Let Me Tweet!

When a contest is going on
I am not going out in the storm
I'll just sit at my screen and tweet
that way I know I'll be warm!

My love of Twitter's not dying
I love it - I'm not lying,
So while I sit here in my seat
Let me Tweet! Let Me Tweet! Let Me Tweet!

Twas the Tweet Before Christmas

Twas the tweet before Christmas, when all through the net
contesters were tweeting, hadn't given up yet
The coffee cups sat by laptops with care -
would not want to spill any liquid on there.

The spouses were nestled all shug in their beds,
while visions of prizes danced in contesters' heads.
My "twiend" in her pj's and I in my gown
tweeted with one hand (we had this stuff down).

When out on the web there arose such a clatter
my eyes jumped to the screen to see what was the matter.
Away to my columns my eyes flew in a flash
Scrolled down my Tweetdeck - up and down in a dash.

The moon reflected on new-fallen snow
that couldn't compete with my laptop's glow.
when what to my wondering eyes should appear
a direct message from out of the clear.

Wasn't there before - showed up so quick
I knew in a moment that I had to click!
More rapid than disco, my heartbeats they came
and I whistled and shouted, "That winner's my name!"

A Gift Card, some jewelry, some shoes, I'm a Vixen!
Come UPS, FedEx, down below Mason-Dixon!
To the top of the stairs and knock on the door!
Bring me my prizes and please bring me more!

As lines of tweets during a party do fly
when you are so lost, you just look to the sky,
You tweet and you hope that the hosts will pick you.
but everyone else is thinking that too!

And, if in a twinkling, your name does display,
all that confusion is oh so okay!
You get back to the keyboard instead of turning around
If you left for a moment, you just might lose ground.

So you tweet during the night with your socks on your feet
You tweet and try not to ever leave your seat
A bundle of prizes you're trying to win.
You try to walk away, but your head starts to spin!

Your eyes - how they twinkle! Your smile is so merry!
and winning that prize is life's sweetest cherry.
So whether you're new or longer to the show.
We keep right on tweeting - even when the Internet's slow.

The dog sits there barking, leash in his teeth
You made him your avatar, wearing a wreath.
His cute little face and his round little belly,
didn't stop you from having peanut butter and jelly.

You dressed up your kitten like a cute little elf.
I dressed up m Furbys as they sat on the shelf.
A wink of the eye and a shake of the head,
I was feeling so sleepy, thought I'd pass out dead.

Didn't say another word, but got right back to work,
If I missed another contest, I'd feel like a jerk!
Put my fingers on the keys as I wiggled my nose
and I tweeted and watched as the lines of text rose;

I needed caffeine - heard the tea kettle blow,
poured another cup of tea and got back with the flow.
Twas the tweet before Christmas , by the computer light
Happy season to all, each and every tweet night!

A Letter to the Cigar Smoking Bots

Dear Cigar Smoking Bot,

It fills my heart with glee to wake up on a Friday morning to see you. It was bad enough before when I would check my list of followers only to see your face (I would say smiling but I can't tell because you're kinda busy). When a person is new to Twitter, seeing the follower numbers do a jump is exciting (okay, it's still exciting), and we just want to see these people who think that we might be interesting enough to follow. We smile at our new found sense of worth until the follower page opens, and there you are, the cigar - smoking femme fatale. It was my daily duty to delete you because once I went a whole three days without looking at the list; I was greeted by a low row of that - nothing anyone wants to see on an empty stomach.

Now you have changed your tactic. I open up Tweetdeck and there in my replies column you sit in your full-color glory; worse yet, when that notification box pops up, you're practically eye-level with me. I may never have breakfast sausage again - even the vegetarian kind. I can't get away from you.

What do I want from Twitter? I want a place where I can chat with my friends, enter my contests, listen to my music and live in peace. Dear little bot, I will never click on your link, I don't like your language, and if I want to see a naked star, I'll go to the movies or turn on cable. I hope that Twitter can pull the plug on this little bot and all her little bot buddies.

So little bot, here's a suggestion. Go away. Leave me and my friends alone. Go hassle each other with a little bot on bot action (wouldn't that be a sight). Be fruitful and multiply somewhere else.

On a positive note, I haven't had a corn dog in months.

10 Things I'm Thankful For On Twitter

Thanksgiving is that magical time in between Halloween and Christmas - unless you're a retailer, and it's that little bump in front of Black Friday. Either way, we all have something to be thankful for. Here's my somewhat irreverant but totally me list.

• I am grateful for the break that Twitter gives me from school work. Yes, I might finish my work quicker, but I'd also need more haircolor to cover up the grays.

• I am thankful for all the nice people who want to help me make money while whitening my teeth with these "secret" methods that every 4th person seems to know but me.

• I am thankful for the music loving sites out there like @freeonlineeradio and @blipfm who let me play music my way because of their wide selections of music.

• I am thankful for the shoe-loving people out there who have allowed me to feel good about not knowing (or wanting to know) how many pairs of shoes I have.

• I am grateful for the education that I receive daily about stuff like Zhu Zhu pets. I heard about here before I ever saw them on TV.

• I am grateful for emoticons and avatars and all the other pictures that make Twitter fun. Sometimes I forget who I'm talking to - especially close to holidays, but love the pictures.

• I am thankful for Twitter parties. Nothing says concentration like lines and lines of rapidly moving text to make you really, really focus (and develop strong bladder muscles).

• I am grateful for all the nice mobile Twitter clients that allow me to take my addiction on the road. It's all about productivity, isn't it? Why should the bathroom stop me from tweeting?

• I'm thankful for features like "Block and Report Spam". It is my personal weapon of choice against the hordes of "cigar smoking Britney bots" out there. Nothing say #win like watching that avatar disappear.

• I am grateful to know that, no matter what time of day, someone is on, tweeting about their day, some contest, a recipe, non-exploding sweet potatoes and any number of things. It's an insomniac's delight.

So, what are you thankful for?

From the Dr. Oz Website: Gisela's Recipes for Success

Top Ten Signs of Twitter Contest Addiction

1. Every message ends with one or more hashtags.

2. You stop blow-drying your hair because you thought you heard the ringorang bell.

3. You need extra caffeine the next morning because one of your contests was ending. tweet tweet zzzzzzzzzzzzzz

4. You wake up early so you won't miss that pesky twrivia question - and then you wonder you are dragging through the day.

5. You check your Twitter client while you're waiting at the stoplight, at McDonald's, at Starbucks and in the bathroom.

6. You discover that Twitter is good for weight loss because you find yourself running to the computer whenever you hear the tweet.

7. You do your nails in between tweets. You eat between tweets. Heck, you live between tweets.

8. You consider the breadcrumbs on your keyboard as signs of your dedication to your contests; besides, it was a long night.

9. You hit the refresh button constantly (or check who the company recently followed) so you won't miss the winner's name all the while chanting "please be me, please be me".

AND THE BEST WAY TO TELL THAT YOU ARE ADDICTED TO TWITTER AND CONTESTS IS....

10. If you have ever felt that sense of "What do I do with myself?" whenever Twitter is down (and did I mention hashtags?)

Twitter's True Value

Waiting for the moments to tick by was murder. "Is it over yet - why isn't it over yet?"My friends know that,for three weeks in a row, I had entered the Fiji Water Facebook contest to win a gift card to Benihana. I had to create a haiku - a three line poem with very specific syllable lengths. Whoever had the most people to click "like" under his or her haiku would win the gift card.

Week 1 - left in the dust. Resolved to start earlier. (started too late)
Week 2 - Started earlier, smoked in the end by late entry. (started too early)
Week 3 - my friends convinced me to try again, and I put my poem in about two days before the end (timed just right).

Was the lesson proof of my mantra of Never Give Up, Never Surrender? Not quite.

The lesson learned was about the true value of Twitter.

The true value of Twitter is in the connections that you make with others - the friends that you make. I've been on Twitter for awhile, and at first, I had no earthly idea what it was about. I didn't know what to tweet and who to tweet it to, but slowly, after looking around and finding things that interested me, Twitter finally started to make sense.

The day I started entering contests was the beginning of a new experience for me on Twitter. I started seeing familiar names, and we started talking. Any time of day or night, someone was on that I could talk to, or just vicariously enjoy their tweets. Contest people are a community unto themselves, and even when we are all chasing the same prize, we understand that most of us are not going to win. We are happy for the winner, and happier still if it happens to be one of our ever-widening circle of friends. We support each other.

Such was the case when I entered the Fiji Water contest for the third time. My contest buddies convinced me to try for the third time because they were sure that I could win; I wasn't convinced. I enjoy playing with words, so I entered because the challenge of coming up with another haiku was more than my brain could ignore. I went to the site and sat there with my finger poised over the "Share" button. Should I? Should I wait? Yes, and no - now or never time. I hit the key, and there it was, for all the world to see.

I told my friends that it was there, and they went to work. The message started going out, telling followers that their friend was in a contest and needed their vote. I kept getting messages from people telling me that they voted for my poem, or that they had their husbands or boyfriends vote for it too. If they could do that, I could work hard too, so I went to Facebook to look for votes.

I learned some great lessons along the way. I learned that if you ask people for help, they're happy to help. I learned that, more often than not, if you ask for their vote, you get it. I learned that my bright, funny twitter friends are the most supportive group of people that I may ever meet.

After a day of down-to-the-wire updates and probably a thousand page refreshes, the time finally ran out. The third time did prove to be the charm. Thanks to Fiji Water for your contention that 3 can be a lucky number. Most of all, thank you to my friends. I couldn't have done it without your encouragement, your cheerleading and your votes.

That, is Twitter's true value.

Tomatoes for Dessert? Green Tomato Pie

A sweet tomato pie? Yes, there is such a thing, and it is absolutely delicious! It specifies green tomatoes, but I have made it with ripe tomatoes too, and it's just as good. I included the recipe for pastry too, but if you want to save time, just get the ready made dough and roll it out. No one will ever know!


Pastry
2 2/3 cups Gold Medal® all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup shortening
7 to 8 tablespoons cold water


Filling
1 1/3 cups sugar
¼ cup plus 3 tablespoons Gold Medal® all-purpose flour
1 ¼ teaspoons ground nutmeg or ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
4 cups green tomato slices, cut into fourths
1 ¼ teaspoons grated lemon peel
¼ cup lemon juice
1 tablespoon butter or margarine

Directions

1. In medium bowl, mix 2 2/3 cups flour and 1 teaspoon salt. Cut in shortening, using pastry blender (or pulling 2 table knives through ingredients in opposite directions), until particles are size of small peas. Sprinkle with cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing with fork until all flour is moistened and pastry almost cleans side of bowl (1 to 2 teaspoons more water can be added if necessary).

2. Gather pastry into a ball. Divide in half and shape into 2 flattened rounds on lightly floured surface. Wrap in plastic wrap; refrigerate about 45 minutes or until dough is firm and cold, yet pliable. This allows the shortening to become slightly firm, which helps make the baked pastry more flaky. If refrigerated longer, let pastry soften slightly before rolling.

3. Heat oven to 425°F. With floured rolling pin, roll one pastry round into round 2 inches larger than upside-down 10-inch glass pie plate. Fold pastry into fourths; place in pie plate. Unfold and ease into plate, pressing firmly against bottom and side.

4. In large bowl, mix sugar, 1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons flour, the nutmeg and 1 teaspoon salt. Add tomatoes, lemon peel and lemon juice; toss to coat. Turn into pastry-lined pie plate. Cut butter into small pieces; sprinkle over tomatoes. Trim overhanging edge of pastry 1/2 inch from rim of plate.

5. Roll other round of pastry. Fold into fourths and cut slits so steam can escape. Unfold top pastry over filling; trim overhanging edge 1 inch from rim of plate. Fold and roll top edge under lower edge, pressing on rim to seal; flute as desired. Cover edge with 2- to 3-inch strip of foil to prevent excessive browning.

6. Bake 35 to 45 minutes or until crust is brown and juice begins to bubble through slits in crust, removing foil for last 15 minutes of baking. Serve warm.

Soup's On - in the Tomato Soup Cake!

Tomato soup for dessert? Absolutely. Try this cake recipe and enjoy the taste of a moist spice cake. Don't like tomatoes - no problem. The spicy taste is there but it's not tomato-ey at all.


INGREDIENTS
2 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/3 cups sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 can condensed tomato soup
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
1/2 cup water
1 container cream cheese frosting

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Coat two 8-inch round cake pans with nonstick cooking spray and lightly flour.
2. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, allspice, and cinnamon; mix well. Add the soup, oil, eggs, and water and beat until well combined.
3. Pour into the cake pans and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pans, then remove to a platter and frost with the cream cheese frosting.

Chocolate Cake to Die for - Heavenly Tomato Cake

What you will love about this cake is the way that the tomato juice moistens the cake without adding a tomato taste. Bake it for the holidays and answer that chocolate fix!



Ingredients:
1/2 c margarine
1/2 c shortening
2 c sugar
2 eggs
1/4 c cocoa
2 c flour
1 tsp. soda
1/2 c tomato juice
1 c hot water
1 1/2 c miniature marshmallows
1 tsp vanilla

Directions:

Cream together margarine, shortening and sugar. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Sift together cocoa, flour and soda. Add to creamed mixture mixing thoroughly. Combine tomato juice, hot water and marshmallows; add to bater. Add vanilla. Batter will be think and marshmallows will come to top. Pour into a 15 1/2 by 10 1/2 by 1 in pan. Bake in 350 degrees, preheated oven for 35 minutes. Ice while hot.

Icing:
1/2 c margarine
1/4 c tomato juice
2 tbsp water
4 Tbsp cocoa
1/4 tsp salt 1 box powdered sugar
1 c chopped pecans toasted

combine margarine, tomato juice, water, cocoa and salt; heat until boiling. Pour over powdered sugar and beat well. add nuts and spread on hot cake.

Adventures with My RubiksTouchCube - Week 1

This was the sound that greeted me once I figured out how to scramble the cube. Brainiac that I am, I tried to do something with the colorful cube before I read the little manual that came with it. Mistake. If you want to get the most out of the experience, read the manual.

The first thing that you hear is the little digital tune that it plays when you turn it on. It sits there in all its brightly lit wonder, daring you to scramble it and see if you can solve the mystery that is the digital cube. If you dare, you push the "S", and in 40 moves, the cube scrambles itself. Let the solving begin.

Unlike the old Rubiks cube that you manually moved rows around on, there are no moving parts with the RubiksTouchCube. Like my favorite iPhone, you move the rows by sliding your finger across the row that you wish to move. Hint: Only the rows on the top move, so if you want to change the ones on other sides, you have to turn the cube over to that row.

Each side of the cube has one symbol embedded into the center cube. These symbols allow you to turn the cube on and off, adjust the sound, undo scramble, hint and solve. So, you don't need to feel totally helpless. The cube will give you hints; it's hard to miss something blinking at you. If you give up, the cube will solve it for you. That in itself was amazing to watch.

So, how have I done after a week? I almost had it solved. I had the top and bottom squares all in one color. However, on each of the remaining four, the center square was the wrong color. I was proud of myself, so proud that I just didn't understand why I could not just do the same thing the next time.

The bottom line for the RubiksTouchCube? It is a big, beautiful, colorful cube of fun. I think that my son and I are going to have to share.

Under the Dome Giveaway by RKCharron

Imagine if you awoke to find your community enclosed in a dome? No one can get in, and no one can get out. Resources are dwindling, and nerves are frayed. The citizens of Chesters Mills have chosen sides, and the fight for the soul of the town is on.

Sound exciting? It was to me, so that's why I entered the Under the Dome Giveaway sponsored by RKCharron. It is the Collector's edition of the book, and for a Stephen King fan like me, that is a wonderful prize. After all, anyone who follows me on Twitter knows that I've been trying to win one from ScribnerBooks since they started giving them away. Still bookless, but still trying.

If you'd like a chance to win this collector's edition, just click on the link, follow the instructions and Good Luck!

To enter the contest, click the title of this post. It will take you to the giveaway page.

My "Fall" Friday

I sat there on the sidewalk, wondering if anyone saw me. The first thing I looked at was my phone; face down on the sidewalk, I didn't want to pick it up and see a cracked face. That was a win - my phone wasn't broken. I didn't notice until I got back into the department that I noticed that I broke a nail.

What did I do?  I did a face plant right on the sidewalk after getting out of my car. My stupid flip flop got caught and I went flying. So there,  I am right on track - one bandaged thumb,one scraped knee one scraped elbow and nothing broken except one for one chipped nail.

Why am I on track? I have one good fall every 10 years or so. I didn't notice the pattern until I was out of high school. There was the waxy floor slide and wall bounce of junior high, the "I almost drowned" fall off a guy's shoulder during a game in a college pool, the platform shoes butt plant at my state director's feet, and now the flip-flop fiasco of my 40's. It's just me, and so far nothing has been hurt but my pride.

At least one good thing came out of it. While I was icing my knee, there was a loud knock on the door. It was the FEDEX guy with my RubiksTouchCube. Maybe someone did see me fall after all, and gave me a little present for my "boo boo". It's pretty enough to make me almost forget my knee.

Papa and Me - a Ghost Story

When I was a little girl, I had a favorite great-uncle who used to come by for visits very often. We all called him Papa. He was a tall man with a ready smile, a hearty laugh and big hairy arms. He would take me for rides and play horsey with me. He was a character, often slightly inebriated, but harmless and always fun. I was never in any danger with him, and he would have protected me with his life.

Papa died, and my mother and great-grandmother thought that I was too young to understand what death was, so they didn't tell me. That lack of information is what set off the turns of events that made them believe that there was much more to the universe.

A few days after the funeral, my great-grandmother was in the kitchen when she heard a commotion in the living room; I was yelling about something. She put down her dishcloth and ran in to see what had me so worked up. When she came in, she said that I ran to her and told her that I had been telling Papa to get out of her chair and he wouldn't move. Her chair was one of those vinyl plush chair that let out an audible "whoosh" when you first sit down. In the midst of her telling that it wasn't possible, she looked at the chair and saw an imprint that looked like someone was sitting there. She told me that it was alright, and she left.

When my mother came home. my great-grandmother told her about it, and my mother asked me about my day and I told her all about Papa and his visits. She tried to tell me that Papa was gone, but I wouldn't  hear it. She told me that I shouldn't make up stories and that Papa would not be coming anymore. It was one of those arguments that little ones have with their parents, and it ended with me doing what little ones do when they're frustrated; I cried and told her that she was mean. She put me to bed still sniffling.


My mother finished up and went to bed. She liked to sleep in total darkness. As my mother relates it, she was sleep and felt the covers being tugged. Being half asleep, she said that she thought I'd gotten up, so she mumbled something about going back to bed. It was then that the covers were yanked off the bed and something grabbed her ankle. She looked down and saw two hairy arms in the darkness - and nothing else. She knew those arms anywhere; they were Papa's. She screamed, and when my great-grandmother came running and switched on the light, there was nothing there - nothing at all, just my mother and the covers on the floor. 

She apologized to me for not believing me. None of us, including me, ever saw Papa again. My mother was happy about that; can't say that I blame her.

Breast Cancer Affects Us All

On most years, on one Saturday morning in October, I put on my comfortable shoes, my pink sweatsuit and my t-shirt to walk in the Komen Race for the Cure. It is important for me to participate any way that I can because I have been affected by breast cancer. For the record, I have never had it, and hope to never have it. However, that has not stopped this disease from affecting me.

Two of the ladies in the picture have both had breast cancer. The one in the foreground with the beautiful fuzz growing back on her head was my friend Pat. I met Pat years ago at church and liked her from the beginning. She was this quiet, calm person. I did not know all of her story - not until we started working for the same agency. It was then that I found out that cancer was something that she had fought twice before and was now fighting for the third time. She had worked with it, raised a son with it, seen the birth of her grand-daughter with it and never stopped smiling. Even when she lost her hair, she had accumulated a collection of hats and scarves for going out.

One of our state-wide television stations wanted to feature Amazing Arkansas Women. I sent in the article that I had written for our local newspaper, and Pat was chosen. A large group of co-workers and family showed up to shoot the piece. We stayed and walked in the Race for the Cure. For months after that piece was done, Pat could be anywhere in the state and people recognized her. It was wonderful, and she beat the cancer again.

A couple of years after that, the cancer came back again, and we all rallied around her as always. By this time, the sister of her daughter-in-law had been diagnosed with breast cancer, and one of Pat's best friends had to be treated as well. We had many reasons to walk that year, and we did; she couldn't, so we walked for her too. What we didn't know was that she was still our Pat, still stoic and forever planning. By the time we knew about her Stage 4 cancer, she had already engaged hospice services.

A group of friends and family were with her day and night. Since I was one of the shorter people, I curled up and slept on a loveseat. It wasn't the most comfortable thing but I didn't care. I sat holding her mother's hand on the night Pat left us. The pain that she had felt in those days was over.  The strongest person I have ever known was strong until the end.

No, I've never had breast cancer, but it has affected me, and it always will. Every year, whether I am able to participate in the race, I celebrate the lives of each and every survivor - and of the people who faced it on their own terms and lived their lives on their own terms - people like Pat. You go girl!

"Kindling" My Imagination

It was a day that the great-grandmother and the mother of the little girl would never forget. How does a child just disappear from home without a trace?

The house sat on a quiet street in a small Mississippi town. The three bed residence was home to a great-grandmother, a mother and a 4 year old child. The great-grandmother was the little girl's daily caregiver while the mother worked. Since the child had a way of playing hide and seek, Sarah did not think it strange when she first called her great-grand-daughter and received no answer - until the third time that she called and still no answer. A chill went up her spine and she moved quickly through the house, looking in every room. She looked outside and opened the door and went outside, calling the child's name as she went. Her voice became shriller with every call, and her heart beat faster in her chest.

The next door neighbors heard her calls and joined in looking for the little girl. The family's pastor stopped by and helped by going door to door asking if anyone had seen the three year old. The great-grandmother did the thing that she dreaded doing: she picked up the phone and told the mother that she needed to come home because the baby was missing. The mother sped home as quickly as she could, and with tires squealing in the driveway, threw open the door and ran inside to face worried faces. She couldn't sit down. The mother needed information.

Just as the mother was about to abandon herself to total worry, she noticed what appeared to be a puff of air under a bed skirt in the bedroom at the back of the house. With all the doors open, the mother could see the end of the bed in that room, and it just seemed peculiar to her that any breeze would make that bedskirt move. She turned slowly and walked toward the bedroom, moving as quietly as possible. Lifting up the bedskirt, she was confronted by a pair of big eyes -and her brand new Kindle.

Holding out her hand to the child, she enticed her to come out from under the bed. Kindle in tow, they went into the other room, where the mother presented the quiet child to her great-grandmother. Because they were so happy to see her, she didn't get a spanking. She just got a good bath and a story read to her from one of the many e-books that the mother had loaded onto the Kindle.

Even children know that Kindle is a great way to read. My inner child would love a Kindle. How about yours? What do you say #SquareTrade?

The story is partially true - the little girl was me, and if Kindles had been around when I was that age, the whole thing would have definitely happened. - @contestgrl

I Am A Gas Gardener - and You Should Be Too

A while back, a friend of mine sent me a message about how she had earned a gas card playing a trivia game called gasgardentrivia. The site was called Gas Garden. Gardening for gas - what was that about? However, since two of my favorite things were involved - trivia and saving money on gas, I had to give a try. Besides, anyone who could come up with "gardening for gas" must be a pretty creative person.

I went to www.gasgarden.com  and was pleasantly surprised by the bright colors - and the colorful rows of gas cans "growing" in the garden. I immediately signed up, followed  www.twitter.com/gasgardentrivia on Twitter, and started playing. I got caught up in the number of games available for new signees, and competitive type that I am, I played every one. I was never bored, because variety was the name of the game. I played every game available in one sitting because I was having so much fun!

Here are the great things about gas gardening: You earn points for every successful completion of a game. Once you reach the set point levels, you can get your gas card, or bank your points as you garden for a bigger card. I chose to do that and am currently working towards my $10 gas card. The fan favorite - the "spot the difference" pictures are bright and bold and fun! I have seen nothing but positive comments from fellow "gardeners".

The best thing about Gas Garden is the head gardener herself, Gabbie Lauderdale. She is the brains behind the games and is a welcoming and active presence. She is very responsive to her users and cheers us on as we work in our gardens, inching ever closer to those cards. From personal experience, I can tell you that she is a pleasure to chat with.

Are there any negatives about Gas Garden? None, except you might need to use a magnifying glass on some of those pictures because Gabbie does a great job of inserting little changes.

As for me and my gardening, so far so good. She hasn't stumped me yet, and I've only had to use the magnifying glass once.

To start your own garden, look at my fave site links, click on Gas Garden and start gardening today!

Giveaway Addict: {Review} Rembrandt ~ Two Winners {Giveaway}

Giveaway Addict: {Review} Rembrandt ~ Two Winners {Giveaway}

www.rembrandtwhitening.com

You have a chance to win a tube of the New Rembrandt Intense Stain Toothpaste and Rembrandt Plus Peroxide Whitening Mouthwash from the Giveaway Addict and Rembrandt. Why not give it a try? Whiter teeth await.

Great Prize for a 30 Rock Fan

I'll admit it. Tina Fey is amazing, and she's one of the reasons that I became a fan of 30 Rock. When my friend, @abitnerdy, told me about a 30 Rock contest at @SFMovieBuzz, I was all for it! All I had to do was complete a sentence about a crazy boss. Well, I had a former boss with some issues that gave me a lot to work with.

We had these long, rambling meetings that drove us all nuts. We would do anything to get out of the meetings. One of our favorite things that we liked to do with this boss was put the pictures in the conference slightly askew. During the meeting, we would just glance at the pictures with a confused look on our faces. Once she saw the crooked pictures, she would lose her train of thought and end the meeting. She would have to fix those pictures.

Thank you @SFMovieBuzz. You rock! - and so does 30 Rock!!

Welcome!

Welcome to my first blog!

I've called it Cre8tive Tales - Ramblings on an Online Mind because I'm almost always online! I am a self described Twitter Addict who loves contests, shoes, trivia, music, reading, horror movies, and all sorts of things. If you've read my @theshoegrl or @contestgrl updates on Twitter, you already know that I ramble on about whatever subject strikes my fancy. Sometimes I'm serious and sometimes I'm not, but I'd like to think that somewhere during those posts is something for everyone.

I love talking to followers and have made some great friends online. I also am in school online (another reason for living online). Maybe I should have used the schoolgrl name? You never know - she might show up one day - if the names isn't already taken.

BTW, I am new to blogging, so expect changes (and oopsies)! Hope you enjoy it!