ToolTip of the Week: Paint.net

Love it! This is such an awesome piece of graphic editing freeware.

Paint.NET

In honor of Halloween I created my fiery 'ScrapGoddess' heading with it in like 2 minutes. They have all these great tutorials people have posted in the forum so anything you could want to do there is probably a tutorial for it.

I didn't want to go completely digital with my scrapbooking, so I have been reluctant to invest a huge amount in graphics software. However, I wanted to start adding digital elements to my photographs such as text or effects. I also didn't want to spend a year learning how to use it. This is perfect for me. Tons of simple techniques and plug-ins, but also has more advanced functionality there if you want it.

Hoops and YoYo

I got a Hoops and YoYo e-card from my Scrap Etc secret sister and I was peeing my pants laughing! I had to call my sister and show her, and then she was peeing her pants laughing too.

I think these guys are freaking hysterical. Go to Hallmark and check them out. They are so stupid they are funny.

Big Spenders from the East

My Dad always says (when I'm spending more money on something than he thinks appropriate) that there is no need for me to be the 'Big Spender from the East'. But I think that is hard when you are actually from the east coast. Everything costs so much more here, that when you go somewhere else the sticker shock causes you to buy more than you really need.

For example, my DH and I went to visit my Mom and Dad in upstate NY this weekend and we went to a farm stand to buy Apples and Pumpkins to take home to NJ. Apples were like 20 cents a pound. Pumpkins were 21 cents a pound. In NJ, the cheapest you can find pumpkins is like 59 cents a pound. And apples in NJ are at least $1.39 a pound even at the pick-your-own places.

I'm ashamed to admit it, but we bought 3 bushels of apples (about 150 pounds).

*grins sheepishly*

But honestly -- how could I resist????

I'm going to make applesauce. I brought a big basket of apples in to share at work. (in a festive longaberger basket no less) I brought some back for my sister and she's going to make cranberry applesauce. I brought some back for some friends. I guess I just wanted to share my good fortune with everyone :) I mean really ... I bought 150 pounds of apples, 2 big pumpkins, 1 medium pumpkin, 5 small pumkins, 2 dozen cider donuts, and a gallon of apple cider .... and all this glory was only $58.00!!!

Maybe someday I'll be able to repress my 'big spender' tendencies and be frugal when visiting other locales. Probably not, but I'll keep working on it.

I am a Goddess!

I started to recognize it in college. My friends called me the 'Software Goddess'. Now I just go by plain 'Goddess'.

I think all women are goddesses. I joke a lot about it with my friends and at work ... but I am serious.

According to Miriam Webster... A definition of goddess is "a woman whose great charm or beauty arouses adoration". The meaning of charm that I like to use is "a trait that fascinates, allures, or delights".

We all have traits like that. I choose to celebrate my own, and admire others. I frequently tell my friends they are goddesses and for what reason I am currently admiring them. Its one of those uplifting things that doesn't take much and you don't know what a difference you might make in someones life by sharing your admiration for them.

There are traits of course that I should not be admired for (such as my dietary habits :) ... chocolate is one of the four food groups, right? ). But, I just have to keep working on them. I will take inspiration from the Goddesses around me who have conquered these issues already.

My male friends want me to tell them they are a 'god'. I tell them sorry -- this is a girl thing. :)

What a tangled web...

Why do people lie?

To make them appear different than they really are.
To escape consequences from their action or lack thereof.

Lets examine a divorced woman in my sphere of acquaintance. This particular woman has a 6 year old child living in her home. She receives enough money from the father in child support and other compensation to 100% pay for the mortgage, utility bills, medical insurance for the child, day care, and 2 extra curricular activities per year for the child. On top of that, the woman received extensive formal education and professional training while she was in this marriage including several college degrees. This education allows her to command a very comfortable salary as a physical therapist in a state which has the highest average salary in that field according to the United States Labor board. The salary she recieves is enough to allow her to do things within the last 6 months such as fly herself and two of the children across the country for Spring Break, pay an extra $2000 on her mortgage, and to have a new pool installed.

Why then, would this woman ( I hesitate to call her 'mother' as her actions are other than motherly) call her older children on the phone (the ones not living at home) and inform them that Dad has left her with nothing and doesn't give her enough money to even be able to pay for _______ (milk, heat, clothes, internet, ... insert your favorite in the blank). She also informs them that because of her destitute position, she will have to move out of state and she will lose her house.

This woman tells her religious leaders that she is having trouble making ends meet. She convinces her babysitter that she doesn't have any money to pay her, causing the babysitter to say to the father when he picks the child up for visitation "She pays me when she can. She doesn't have very much money."

Lies, lies and more lies.

I don't know exactly why she lies. But lets make some guesses:

She doesn't want anyone to believe that the father has any good in him.
She thinks she can hide the fact that she is as much to blame for her marriage dying as he is.
She is trying to create excuses for her other vile actions (such as alienating the children from their father).
She is completely psychotic and has lost touch with reality. (my favorite)


This woman's actions are selfish and deceitful. She is consumed with her own anger and self-importance. She refuses to step back and see the harm that she does her children every day. Her lies will come back to haunt her some day. Lies always do.

For Sale By Owner

On my way to work today, I drove by a beautiful motorcycle in someone's front yard with a 'For Sale By Owner' sign next to it.

It made me wonder why it was being sold. Had the person become too old to drive it safely? Had they had an accident? Maybe it became too expensive to maintain or the owner needed the cash to pay off some bills. Maybe the wife gave the husband an ultimatum that it was either her or the bike!

I saw an older gentleman drop his motorcycle making a turn last night at a stop sign. The man waiting at the stop sign in front of me hopped out and offered a helping hand to get the bike set back up. The older gentleman looked a little shaky, but he hopped back on and after a moment to gather himself together, he sped off into the dusk. Will he think of selling his bike because of this incident? A minor accident, but will it cause him to doubt his ability to continue to ride safely?

My friend works for the state of Pennsylvania teaching motorcycle safety -- he and his significant other ride together and they love it. They go on weekend bike trips with friends or on their own. He says that there are people who don't own much else in life, but they have a bike because it is such a big part of their life. He would give up a lot of things before giving up his bike.

So I wonder why this bike was being sold. I think it would have to be a pretty good reason. Maybe I'll have to give them a call.