people I've brainwashed

I've gotten a few people to drink the CafePress Kool-aid. They are now under CP control just like I am. When CP is down, we are down. When CP is hot, we are hot. Resistance was futile. Visit their stores.

• Equi-Sense Gift Shop

• T & C Designs

• Ladybrinx's Designs

I'll be glad to assimilate you, too. Just click here (you know you want to) and become a shopkeeper and make bejillions of dollars. Or just a few dozen, if you want.

not blogworthy

Time for a new blog name.

From what I've been reading (yeah, I do that sometimes) my key to success on the internet depends on me becoming a regular blogger.

If anyone is reading this at all, you know what a horrible blogger I am.

I guess I'll do what I can to change my apathetic blogging ways.

gaited horses on squidoo

I just finished some updating and changed the look of my Squidoo "lens" now that I'm learning the ropes. I guess it is kinda like a Wiki, although I'm not real familiar with those, either. The web is advancing faster than me, I'm afraid!

I haven't included all of them yet, and I've started a few that aren't ready to publish, but I am working on links to pages about EACH gaited horse breed, and then each breed page will have links to the registries, associations, breed profile and origin, etc.

Please check it out, and the breed pages linked to it so far, and let me know what you think. You can add your own links to the breed page lists, and also vote the links "up" or "down" depending on how relevant they are.

Thanks for taking a look. :) I love the gaited horses, but I am more familiar with some than others.

free prints

I guess I should blog about my free prints page. It is one of the main reasons I started freelief.com back in the day. (You know, like, the 90's.)

At freelief.com/freeprints I list all of the websites I've found that offer free digital prints, and then I also compile all of the coupon codes I can find for those sites, so you can get hundreds of prints for just the cost of shipping. I'm frugal like that.

Okay, I'm cheap. Really cheap. I'm not paying for prints when I can get them for free.

Most recently, I've used free print offers and codes to have "oversized business cards" made up for my kids' t-shirt stores. 50 for $0.99 shipping/handling at Winkflash with code. They are learning about marketing by using them as a promotional tool, handing them out at school to friends and teachers, tacking them up on the grocery store bulletin board.



   



I have also used free prints to promote my own freeprints webpage (ironic), advertise a horse for sale, and print full color regular business cards (you can fit three on a 4x6" print) as well as make photo postcards for thank you notes after the wedding.

Since my daughter is getting into scrapbooking and has her own new digital camera, I think there will be lots more free prints in my future. So I'll try to keep that page updated for all to enjoy.

new to squidoo

I made my first lens today.

I think I did pretty well considering I had no idea what a lens, or module, or plexo was.

Check me out on Squidoo. I think I will like the place. Once I get the hang of it.

my gaited horse

The weather was gorgeous today so I asked hubby to videotape me riding a few times up and down the driveway. Trying to get some critique of his gait from some folks online.

First video is a clip of Titan gaiting down the driveway, repeated in slow motion to see the footfall pattern.

Second clip, we are gaiting toward barn, and he is heavy on the bit, so I give him a chance to gallop and stretch his legs. I love his "fourth gear" ... kick once and hold on tight!

He was REALLY annoyed with the dog circling us and nipping at his tail!

face recognition software

This is not the most accurate little tool, but it sure is fun to play with.

Yeah, I look JUST like that second chick from the top left. Trust me.

Hubba hubba hubby. Now I know why I like the Mummy movies. That Oded guy could be his twin.

Use a few different photos of yourself for the best results. If it matches you with Angelina Jolie from more than one photo, you might want to take the next flight to Hollywood, baby!

family holiday project :)

INSTRUCTIONS FOR FLEECE CROWNS FOR CHEMO PATIENTS

Start with one piece of blanket fleece approximately 12 by 18 inches. Fold in half lengthwise. Cut strips 1/2 to 1 inch wide on the long side (open end) approximately 3 inches each in length and tie a knot in every other pair of strips. Put three matching holes in each short open end, at each top, middle and bottom. Take a strip of fleece approx. 1/4 inch by 6 inches and place through the three holes as if you were lacing a shoe and then tie.

The final product is a crown which goes on top of the child's head with the frayed part on top. The crowns keep the patient's head warm and many of the patients wear their crowns throughout their hospital stay. Note that when buying the fleece fabric it's best buy smaller prints or solid colors. (Large crowns are done exactly the same way only the measurements would be approximately 2 inches larger all the way around.)

We had the kids make a bunch of these this weekend when we got together for Thanksgiving. We learned the hard way that the material only stretches one way, so we have lots of "baby" sized crowns, so watch out for that or make them a little longer than 18-20 inches in length. The kids really had fun doing this, and many of them want to make another one to keep for themselves!

idea from here

Michigan's Proposal 3

How many people will vote no on Prop. 3 because doves are "peaceful" and give not a moment's thought to diving into their Thanksgiving turkey?

Vote based on fact, not emotion. Vote yes on 3.

The lies and rhetoric of the anti-3 crowd do not phase me in the least.

HSUS is about a baby step behind PeTA. They oppose legislation that would strengthen penalities for animal rights terrorism. Make no mistake, they are 100% anti-hunting. No matter how many times Pacelle eats his words in order to keep donations flowing in.

3600 miles

My sister and family crossed the country on bike this summer! 3600 miles in two months. I am so proud of them all.

Check out the trip journal.


Washington, June 9:


Maine, August 9:

myspace

Going to try out this myspace thingie.

Tom is my only friend ... please add me!

freelief.com designs

;)

double pirate wedding

Now that I've had a few days to collect my thoughts and catch up, time to share my eventful wedding weekend. :)


Prisoners brought in. In shackles. By executioner. (Nice touch, eh?)


Brides enter. Whispering and giggling the whole way.


Will ye have each other?


Attempting to get through the vows without losing it ...


... unsuccessfully.


Aye, pirate and wench.


Lightning and thunder during the other couples’ vows was a nice touch.


Happy pillaging!


Our treasure chest runneth over.

These are all stills from the video, our photographer didn’t show up. Had an absolute blast despite everything that could have gone better. It stopped raining long enough for the ceremony to be held outside at the lake. Tons of great food, way too much rum, debauchery well into the next morn. Lots of our friends want to have a big group campout at the same place next year. :)

United 93

I hope to see it and I hope it is as good as I expect it will be and I HAVE NOT FORGOTTEN.

http://www.apple.com/trailers/universal/united93/

I got married.

Did I forget to mention that?

No, it isn't summer yet. But we are still getting married this summer. June, actually.

We just did the legal stuff, got that out of the way. January 4.

The fun stuff is going to be in June. ;)

the Dove women

Real women have real curves.

I'm not fat, but I'm well padded in all the appropriate places for an avid horseback rider.

I think I went straight from girls 14's into juniors 7/8. Woke up one day with hips, I did. Now I'm trying to figure out the logic behind the small leap from juniors 7/8 to women's size 8. I think it has something to do with sitting in front of a computer all day for a living, and a little to do with having two children. But probably mostly due to never learning how to cook and eating far too much junk food.

Not that a women's 8 is big. (Marilyn Monroe had more badonkadonk, depending on what source you believe.) Just that I don't feel like me in this body. I am convinced I should be the size I was in high school, when I could still eat an entire pizza for dinner, and still look good in acid washed miniskirts and big hair. (At least I thought I looked good. For the 80's.)

I exercise ... you can call walking to the office from the farthest parking space in the lot that, right? I lift weights ... horse hay, laundry baskets, groceries, the occasional sleeping kid. I work out every day ... lots of stretching and aerobic breathing to get a size 10 body into those size 8 jeans I refuse to give up.

Now I just need to eat better.

rwerwertwererwearcreearrawre

Sorry, a bit of chocolate fell on my keyboard.

today

I drove in to work with my hard rock music cranked up loud, screaming through speakers not meant for quality output at that volume, trying to convince myself I'm not old. "Survival of the Sickest" is blaring and I'm singing along, much to the amusement of the truck drivers I fly past at 76 mph on the interstate.

It is the 5th anniversary of my 29th birthday. For someone once convinced they wouldn't make it to 21, that's old. But for someone who has only really lived for the past five years, it's young.

The worst of it all ... a woman's greatest fear: I look my age. I don't get carded, and I couldn't pass for early twenties, even with my flare leg mid-rise jeans and slim stretchy print tops and chunky heeled boots. I hope I don't look like I'm trying too hard to look young ... but I sure don't feel mid-30's. I don't feel like a soccer mom, either, but there's my Vue outside ... a cross between a station wagon and a small SUV. I have parent-teacher conferences today with my son's 5th grade teacher (wasn't he just 5 yesterday?) and my daughter's 2nd grade conference (gosh she was just a baby) is the day after tomorrow.

Believe it or not

People you meet on the Internet will often try to give you advice.

Really.

Even if you weren't asking.

Take what you can use, and leave the rest.

No sense getting your knickers in a twist over advice YOU think is silly, bad, wrong, harmful, outdated, dangerous, callous, insincere, inappropriate ... get it? It's just advice. You get what you pay for. Snopes it, Google it, rub it on down ... makes no matter.

Are you really up for giving yourself an aneurysm over advice you got on the Internet?

had a GREAT weekend!

We camped with horses at Ionia for the second time. It was our new horse's second trail ride and he did great. ONE good spook, at a deer just off the trail so he's excused... my old horse would have done the same. (We didn't see it... hmmm)

Saturday we rode out in the morning for a good 12-14 mile route. Once we got out a ways, Westley kept saying, let's stop here, or look at that meadow ... I chewed him out about leaving the marked trail. That's bad. ;)

Finally we got to the "outlook" just past marker 8. The trail was completely closed at the top of the hill, with new wood posts and caution tape blocking the way. I was trying to refigure our route when he said something about stopping and taking a break, something about his knee. I'm thinking okay (whatever you big wuss) and got down and looked around at the view.

Well he came over to me and pinned me up against one of the posts. He was fiddling around with something in his pocket. I said "What are you doing?" (thinking he was doing something else altogether) and he said "Proposing."

One of my very best friends in the whole wide world (I have been blessed to have no less than four people I'd call a BEST friend, most of whom I've known since before high school, and still talk to regularly) asked me to marry him! I hugged him and kissed him and he said "Is that a yes?" and I said YES and cried a little tiny bit but don't tell anyone because no one saw it. *grin*

Anyway he pulled out a ring and I was shocked ... amazed really ... he's been complaining about not having the money for a ring and a wedding (we've been talking about getting married for 2 years but he'd not officially asked) and so for a temporary ring he made a braided horsehair ring with hair from all three of our horses and also a little from his own ponytail. It could not have been more perfect. Fits right and everything. HE HAD NO IDEA that I've been talking to someone about horsehair bracelets, and getting a gift for him made from some tail hair from his first horse... JUST this past week! That's just the funny connection we have.

You couldn't have smacked the smile off my face all weekend long. :D

xpButtercup
aka Westley's FIANCE!

P.S. Next summer!

Freecycle.org

I have given away and received many fine things through Freecycle!

I have received a 21" computer monitor, works great!! (This thing was $4K when new!) I then freecycled my 15" monitor to a good samaritan group. I recently gave away a bunch of CD-ROM games and young children's videos, and a Halloween costume.

Once I asked for items to be used for a rummage sale fundraiser for Relay For Life, and received a truckload of items. That was neat.

Freecycle is great for dealing with items I really don't need, but don't want to throw away, and aren't worth dealing with eBay for.

Keep useful stuff out of the landfill. Find a group near you.

Livestrong and eBay

I got my Livestrong bracelet back in August from a co-worker. I have worn it from time to time, but not as a fashion (or 'compassion') statement. Before the Tour, people didn't know what it was for, and I could tell them about my experiences with family and friends fighting cancer.

But the bracelets sold out, and demand was high. People decided to buy bulk and sell them on eBay. Why not, if it's legal? The Lance Armstrong Foundation (LAF) still gets their $1 and the message is sent farther and wider. I blame the people buying them off eBay more than the sellers. If people are too lazy to google "livestrong" and see that they can get them for $1 from LAF, that's their ignorance. If they are buying them to be hip and cool, so what? The middleman is entitled to profit from their trendy need.

I am a supporter of the American Cancer Society (ACS) and Relay For Life and have used eBay to raise money for my chosen cause. Any of these sellers could say they are giving $5 or 50% or something to LAF for each sale, but then it is left to their conscience. If I sell something on eBay to raise money for ACS, I have them make a check out to ACS and send me a separate one for shipping costs. And not $5.99 when it costs under $2 to ship.

eBay is not unlike a big flea market. No one has to bid. They make that choice. The sellers know that if they don't offer what's hot, someone else will.