Seriously?? Going AWAY??

I do apologize for not being around much lately...I have been on another planet. Dying. Or at least, I felt like it.

Perusing around the web this evening, I have discovered that not only is Google Friend Connect going away...but so is Google READER! Now, this is a huge deal for me and I am quite sure, many of you as well. I had a mild heart attack after hearing this news and decided I had better hop to it and fond a fast answer!

Guess what Friends?? I have found my fix!! It might just work for you too! Hop on over to Feedly.com and it will AUTOMATICALLY input ALL your Google Reader Blogs! I am doin' my HAPPY DANCE now!! Crisis averted...at least for now.

While I was under the weather, the girlz do nothing but guard my bed. Most of the time anyway. Little Miss Independence...Chloe...decided to go check out her toy box in my office...this is one she hasn't been in lately.

Here is the aftermath...

Google Friend Connect...To Be or No???

There has been much discussion in the blogosphere regarding Google Friend Connect.

It appears to me that many of us that have been experiencing problems with Blogger...are probably having these issues because Google and Blogger are working on a new Google Friend Connect...called Following. You can read more about it here!!

Since I am on the Blogger Platform and have been since the very beginning (four years ago) I was freaking out because I thought I'd lose all of the Followers I had managed to build up over time. So, I started adding widgets to my blog...I created a page on Facebook and added the Networked Blogs Badge.

Now, I can heave a sigh of relief as I have discovered that my followers will not be affected by these changes. Wordpress was interesting to me and I had considered making that move...but to be perfectly honest, I'm just afraid to move platforms. There's been so much time and energy channeled into this blog, that I cannot even imagine it all being wiped out in an instant! I know it can be.

I just don't want to think about it!

In other news, PICNIK is going away!!! How awful is that???? I loved Picnik!!! I've found a ton of new photo apps on my iphone, but I'm going to miss Picnik!!

I'm Back!

What a whirlwind of a month and a couple of days...but a great time away!!


Tons and tons of laundry and unpacking need to be done and I must catch up on blog reading.  One thing I was not at all happy with was internet service while I was away.  These fabulous resorts advertise wifi..only to find out that they throttle the crap out of it so you can not really DO anything!  It is annoying to say the least!! 

I am trying to catch up on reading blogs...and promise I will get to you as soon as I possibly can!  I have missed you all!!

You Really CAN Find ANY Thing On the Internet!!

I sat down tonight to try to create a little button on my blog.....

You know the one I mean.....like EVERYBODY is doing these days...

The little button one can place on the sidebar so others can GRAB it!!

I DID it!

YAY!! And it's really not that bad!! It took me about an hour of fiddling back and forth with the html code...which I'm not that familiar with...

But I GOT it!

I Really GOT it!! And YOU Can Too!!

Check it out HERE!!

My thanks to Squidoo!!

Now...

If you so desire...

You can look right over there on the right sidebar and take that little button for your own blog...

If you want....

How fun is that??

Has the Internet helped YOU find something lately?????

Artful Blogging

I don't know if everyone feels the same way that I do, but here we are at the end of January and I am asking myself....how did we go through an ENTIRE month already??? But...here we are!

As some of you who have been reading for awhile already know, Artful Blogging is one of my most fave reads of the month!! This issue is not an exception. I love it! I have a few bloggers that I prefer over others. This issue sure gets the creative juices flowing though!!

Here's one to take a look at: LilyBeanPaperie

or if you are like me and LOVE COLOR, check out ArtsyMama!!

And this one looks rather interesting as well...Scout!

Artful Blogging and a Little Link Love

Every now and then I run across a magazine that I truly fall in love with....and I have done it again!! It is called Artful Blogging

This magazine will give you all sorts of ideas and I could just go on and on....so check it out for yourself! I think you'll love it as much as I do!!

And I'm going to also give a shout out to Posie Gets Cozy....her site is amazing!!

I can spend alot of time over on that site!! Tons of great ideas and inspiration!!

My List of 100 Things About Me...

Everything you always wanted to know about me...but were afraid to ask..

1. I love my Bichon Frises and will never ever be without at least one in my life
2. I absolutely LOVE shopping and could spend every waking hour doing just that
3. Riding my scooter is one of my favorite things to do
4. I am a mother, a wife, a sister, a daughter, a niece, a cousin
5. I have been divorced once
6. I am a creative person
7. I am stubborn at times
8. I am a night owl and never go to bed before 3am
9. I am fiercely loyal to people and causes that I believe in
10. I hate lying
11. I smoked pot in high school
12.,I used to have cats, but found out I was highly allergic and had to give them away but I still love them
13. It is hard for me to trust people
14. I have been abused
15. I have many secrets
16. I used to take allergy shots for a multitude of allergies
17. I suffer from migraines
18. Sometimes I open my mouth when I shouldn't
19. I don't always say what I mean or mean what I say
20. Blogging is a favorite hobby of mine
21. I spend way too much time worrying about things I cannot control
22. I'm still friends with all of my in-laws
23. I suffer from several autoimmune diseases
24. I miss being able to physically do things I used to be able to do with ease
25. I'm very glad that I have a driver's license
26. I pray that they discover a cure for Alzheimer's Disease
27. I have fibromyalgia
28. I hope and pray that my daughter has a fulfilling life
29. I wish I could have had more heart-to-heart talks with my mom before she passed away
30. I miss my grandmother alot
31. I wish I did not think about the past as much as I do
32. I am a fan of both Celine Dion and Shania Twain
33. Tim McGraw and Faith Hill are two of my most favorite country artists.
34. I am a pessimist
35. I hate politics
36. I am absolutely, positively addicted to coffee
37. If I'm missing my mojo, I work really hard to get it back!
38. I crave alone time
39. I need music in my life
40. I find it difficult to share my thoughts
41. I hate winter
42. One of my favorite actresses is Julia Roberts
43. I hate games of any kind
44. My current favorite author is Jodi Picoult
45. I have no desire to vacation outside the United States....with the exception of Bermuda and Canada
46. Toronto and Niagara Falls both hold very special memories for me
47. I hate summer
48. Some people think I am funny
49. I wish someone would invent a cure for cancer
50. There are times I wish I had less responsibility
51. Sometimes, I wish I could be a kid again
52. I have some regrets
53. I am not afraid to die, but I hope that I do not suffer
54. I have been on one cruise and will never go on one again
55. I have spent time vacationing on an Island and loved every single minute of it
56. Bermuda is one of my most favorite places
57. Key West is a favorite vacation spot
58. I wish I could cook!
59. I love Mexican food
60. My greatest achievement is my daughter
61. I am the third of four siblings....one brother and two sisters
62. My favorite animal is the dog, particularly Bichon Frises, Newfoundlands, and Labrador Retrievers
63. I am very glad that I can swim
64. I pray that no one close to me suffers from cancer ever again
65. I have alot of favorite movies!
66. I am afraid of driving over bridges
67. One of the hardest things I've ever done is to quit smoking
68. I hate arrogance and narcissism
69. My sister and I go to the movies every Tuesday night
70. I am absolutely passionate about napping
71. Paper Crafts and Cardmaking are my favorite hobbies
72. I love spending time at our cottage
73. I can only do karaoke if I have been drinking
74. My favorite colors are pink and purple
75. Fall is my favorite season
76. I no longer drink alcohol of any kind
77. I love to collect inspirational quotes
78. I was the fastest typist in my high school
79. I used to work for the school newspaper and I loved it
80. I do not mind washing dishes
81. I enjoy doing laundry
82. I read alot every single day
83. When I was a child, I decided I wanted to be a secretary
84. To some degree, I think racism is still a problem in our country
85. I rarely ever cry
86. I wish I did not have to take medication for my autoimmune diseases
87. I love the internet and have learned so much
88. I will never forgive adultery - EVER
89. I'm a huge fan of Classic Coke
90. Birthdays are very special to me and I think it's important to celebrate them!
91. I am still in contact with my best friend from high school
92. I am sometimes a leader and sometimes a follower
93. I love to travel and see new things
94. I am a Virgo
95. Manners are extremely important to me
96. I do not tolerate rude people
97. I have an addiction to acrylic nails
98. I do not like pedicures
99. I prefer working for men rather than women
100.I absolutely LOVE chocolate

Attention All Twitter & Plurk Users!

There's a new gig in town! And it is called Cherple!!

Can you even stand it?? As if we have absolutely NOTHING else to do in our lives....do we really need another Social Networking Tool??? I'm thinking NO! I have trouble as it is keeping up with my various emails, Facebook, Twitter, Plurk, not to mention blogging.

But someone has apparently decided that we need another tool....so if you try Cherple...please let me know what you think!

One Person's Trash Really IS

another person's treasure!! My good friend, Lisa, had posted a question on her blog the other day asking about uses for corks. So....because inquisitive minds want to know....I started researching! Check out Terramia and all these great ideas!!!

Blogging is a GOOD Thing!

When I first started blogging, I just wasn't sure what I was doing. Actually. Lord knows, I still don't. But I have learned one thing. That blogging has brought me some very good friends - blog buddies. Some people may laugh. Some people won't. Because they don't understand. They don't understand the pure camaraderie we bloggers have with one another. I'll give you an example. I have a blog buddy in Virginia. This particular blog buddy happens to own a bichon. This bichon has had very bad experiences with separation anxiety. I would call it a situation where this bichon was traumatized. I will do whatever I can to help my blog friends. So, I made a few contacts and voila...thank the Lord...Sophie has a great, SAFE place to stay!!

Secondly, my good friend, Mary, over at her blog, is celebrating her one year blogiversary!!! Happy Blogiversary Mary!! And she is having a Blog Give-A-Way to celebrate and we all get to participate!! WooHoo! So, head on over to say Happy Blogiversary to Mary.

Isn't it amazing the wonderful people we meet through our blogs??

And that's a good enough reason for me.

Non-Bloggers Just Don't Get It

People that don't blog just don't get it. I've been sitting here trying to fix this computer for EVER it seems. I think a reliable computer is a necessity in today's world. Think of all the things we rely on the computer for these days. When I was little, I used to watch a show called The Jetsons. It seems so surreal at the time. Now, it's reality. Well, most of it...LOL!! I MISS blogging when I can't use my computer. I have it working for right now. Not sure how long though. My husband is NOT a blogger. Never will be. Just doesn't get it. Does not see the need to waste time and/or energy on blogging. Guess that means I'll be dealing with this old dinosaur for awhile. Or longer.

In the midst of all the computer crap, my cell phone went south too. What ya think of this one....cute??? I LOVE it! It's not my usual color, but it has a full QWERTY keyboard that works very well for my new hobby....texting!

Let me know what y'all think!

No Bloggers Here...

I am absolutely convinced that there are NO bloggers in my immediate vicinity!! I read about all of these Blogger Conventions and Blogger Breakfasts / Lunches and Bloggers Anonymous....nothing around here. Not. A. Thing. NADA. I've searched and searched and have found absolutely nothing. Makes me sad. But I have lots of happy stuff going on in my life to keep me WAY more busy than I seriously need to be. So who gives a shit?

It's My Blogoversary...# ONE

I guess it was a little over a year ago that I started reading other people's blogs. First I read just a couple, then a couple more, then I had an unending list of blogs that I kept up on....just hopping from one to another, but of course I had my favorites! I decided to give it a try myself...ya know...just publish a couple of words here and there...babble on about random stuff. It seems I can always find something to ramble on about!! :) I must thank Joy as her blog became my Very First Favorite!! (hmmmmm...do you think it had ANYTHING to do with the fact that she owns Mushu??? and Mushu looks suspiciously like Chloe???) And today, I consider her a friend! Isn't it amazing the impact the blogosphere has on all of us today??Besides, it IS fun!! And addicting. My house is probably a lot less tended to. But my head and my heart feel better!! My name is Jeanne and I am a blogoholic!

I have found a wonderful sense of community out there in the blogging world! I am so glad to have become acquainted with all of you!!

I am so thankful for those who comment regularly! You make my day! Since I have joined Blog365, I'm hoping I can keep up with the challenge of blogging every day. So far, so good!!

Here’s to another great year of blogging!!

There are days I HATE BLOGGER!

One of the things that is most irritating to me is that when people comment on my blog....I cannot just hit reply and comment back. The email just has the persons name and "no reply-blogger".

GRRRRRRRRR!!!!

Very Frustrating!! So...it's not that I don't want to talk to you, it's just that by the time I go to your blog and start reading, I forget what I wanted to comment back about!!

I'm thinking about going with typepad, but haven't figured out how easy it will be for me to switch over. I love being able to change my backgrounds every couple of days....

You should live here...everyone's always tripping over furniture!!! :)

Guilty Pleasures

My husband and I were watching the evening news last night and they came on with each of the Democratic candidates, asking each one what their Guilty Pleasures are....

We got the usual answers: Chocolate, Wine, Cigars, More Chocolate, Ice Cream, More Cigars....Imported Cigars....Dark Chocolate.

He says...your Guilty Pleasure is blogging. Yeah, ok, I'll go along with that as I love to read blogs! Now him...he has NONE.

Can you imagine....NO GUILTY PLEASURE!! No Hobbies. Nada. Not A Thing.

And this man says he's retiring as of December.

Oh, ok.

Good Lord. Heaven Help ME!

Reasons I Enjoy Blogging

1. It gets things that are bothering me out of my head and that is a good thing.
2.Networking
3. I communicate ALOT better in writing than I do in person!
4. It is interesting...one has to admit.
5. It is a place for non-judgemental thoughts.
6. I can be me.

Ah Ha! Another Tool for Blogging!! Check this out!!

http://www.widgetbox.com

You Are Lightning

Beautiful yet dangerous People will stop and watch you when you appear Even though you're capable of random violence You are best known for: your power Your dominant state: performing

What Type of Weather Are You?

You Are 20% Left Brained, 80% Right Brained

The left side of your brain controls verbal ability, attention to detail, and reasoning. Left brained people are good at communication and persuading others. If you're left brained, you are likely good at math and logic. Your left brain prefers dogs, reading, and quiet. The right side of your brain is all about creativity and flexibility. Daring and intuitive, right brained people see the world in their unique way. If you're right brained, you likely have a talent for creative writing and art. Your right brain prefers day dreaming, philosophy, and sports.

Are You Right or Left Brained?

Your Personality is Very Rare (INFP)

Your personality type is dreamy, romantic, elegant, and expressive. Only about 5% of all people have your personality, including 6% of all women and 4% of all men You are Introverted, Intuitive, Feeling, and Perceiving.

How Rare Is Your Personality?