I love doing my holiday shopping by the glow of my computer monitor.

By the way, if you said no, I am highly confused by you…  Because it either means you don’t like great deals (huh?) you don’t shop online (huh?) or you had all your holiday shopping done already weeks ago (I am a little jealous of you!).

Jealous or not, you know what?  This is going to be beneficial to you too, Timely Shopper, because this place has deals year round, as well as some great holiday deals to help with the ole’ hurtin’ on the wallet that happens around this time of year!  Something for all of us to take advantage of as the cheer of the holiday season sweeps us off our feet is waiting online…

Win Some Gorgeousness.

• I posted a review of this Wired Sea Cuff on my review blog – cleverly named: lotus reviews. I know, I know – my creativity astounds you.  The post is a giveaway post, so go find out what I think of the Wired Sea Cuff and then enter to win $50 to spend at Studio Jewel. (Ends TODAY 9pm CST)

(Coming up, I’ll be running review/giveaway posts about 2 different camera bags, as well. Keep your eye on the review blog if that kind of thing interests you. Subscribe here.)

• Because I know so many of you dig photography, I also wanted to tell you about a fun meme that a couple of my friends are doing.  It’s called “The Flip Side” and it gives you an opportunity to share a self portrait – reflection, shadow, or classic type portrait – every week.  This is a great incentive to practice the art of the self portrait if you want to increase your photography skill.  I am going to be playing along.

Selfies are Fun!

• The September issue of Room 704 is up. The theme is “Educate.”  I write/edit on that website, and I’ve got 3 posts there this issue, including one that basically outlines what a moron I was in grad school.  It’s fun to self deprecate.  At least, that’s what I keep telling myself.

• I’m still running like a mofo. I’m currently using the Bridge to 10K app (picks up where C25K left off and trains you from 5K to 10K level).  Running makes me feel powerful and strong.  Yes. It is hard.  But POWERFUL! and STRONG!  Also, my legs look insanely better than I think they ever have before.  EVER.  So there’s that.

If you want to stay apprised of all the fitness nonsense I get up to, join me on Dailymile.

• I’m going to be running the Austin, TX Komen Race for the Cure on November 7th.  I’ll be talking about that here again more between now and then, but for now, I’d like to ask you to go ahead and think about sponsoring me.  I’d really like to raise a good chunk of money.

• Oh, and my kid is apparently in training to be a shoplifter.  Go figure.

proudly showing me how he can hide toys in his hat

Happy Thursday!

I’ve made some wicked good friends. I’ve been reminded of how many amazing people exist out there, if only you look… kind, caring, generous people.  The sort of folks you love to see in the world.

If you’ve ever seen Piper, you’ll know that she shines like the sun and you can’t miss her.

And then you can’t stop yourself from doing a double-take and a triple-take.  And when you get to know her, you realize that her beauty starts from the inside and radiates outward.  She’s one of those people.

She’s had some rough freaking times lately.  Heartache of serious proportions.  A car on fire and ruined.  Hey, Universe? GIVE HER A BREAK, ALREADY.

A group of her friends online want to help her.  She needs funds for a new car, and to pick herself up and move on with her two sweet boys.  So a giveaway of sorts has been thrown together by several of us and Adam was awesome enough to get it organized and posted on his site.

Basically, you donate $10 to the pot to help Piper back to her feet, and you get a chance at winning a prize. The Grand Prize is an 8GB Ipod Touch, but there are several others.

I donated handmade paper as one of the items:

You can head over to Adam’s Post to see the specifics and the rest of the items you could win.  Please make your $10 donation and stay tuned! (And if you’d like to donate an item, he has instructions on how to do so there, as well.)

Help us get the word out by sharing this giveaway on Twitter, Facebook, and wherever else you can.

Let’s pick her up, guys.  Let’s each be one more of those people we love to see in the world.

News from Room 704 and Me:

Not attending Blogher 09, and bummed about it? Blogher@Home is hosting posts and giveaways to keep you entertained and get you in on the fun, even if you can’t attend! Check them out.


Friends of Maddie is kicking off a charity that will support families and babies by raffling a Netbook.  Your donation will honor Maddie, help families and babies who need it, and enter you for a chance to win.  Trifecta.

Sitting at home, but you still want swag?

Click the appropriate link below, pay flat rate shipping, and get entered to win swag collected for you from fabulous merchants/companies by The Purveyors of Swag (Room 704).

For $10.00, anyone in the USA and Canada can buy a ticket.
For $20.00, everyone else in the WORLD can buy a ticket.

Click to pay your shipping/buy your swag ticket:

US/Canada
International

One swag ticket = One piece of swag.

Who wins? EVERYONE who has a ticket.

You buy a ticket = You win swag.


We have LOTS of swag. The more tickets sell, the more we show you.

Swag Teaser List so far:

Elf Makeup Sets/Products & Accessories
Jewelry from RBH Designs
Assorted Children’s Books
Reusable Shopping Bags
Baby Products
$50 Crocs Gift Certificates
$50 Monkey Toes Gift Certificate
Nava Atlas’s Secret Recipes for the Modern Wife
Eden Fantasys Bullet Vibe

More to be revealed as tickets sell… so, so much more. Buy your ticket!


Still bummed you’re not attending Blogher 09, even though we’re throwing swag at you?

at least your bewbs aren’t going w/o you. like mine did last year.

If you’re STILL bummed… Dude. I can’t help you.

I mean. Bewbs. ^  At least smile. Sheesh.

But it can be easy to forget to do it regularly.  I know that a lot of people don’t like Mother’s/Father’s Day because of the excessive commercialization.  I’m not really bothered by that aspect of it – that the days are advertised and talked about just means I’ll remember to send something to the woman who spent hours playing in the sun with me, and the man who taught me how to love a garden.

That’s quite alright with me.

Yesterday, John let me play outside without worry, as he took care of household duties.  I mowed the lawn and played with my flower beds.  I watched him and Braden play together, talking of birdies and such.  It was really lovely.  (The chocolate cake I got to cram into my facehole last night wasn’t bad either.)

I can’t say I didn’t spend considerable time off and on thinking about things related to Mother’s day that are sad and which have no emotional or logical resolution that I know of right now.  Things related to what is and what is not, what could have, would have, should have been.  For myself.  For others.

But I also spent a lot of time being aware of what I have and being grateful.

And, you know, eating that chocolate cake.  Layered with chocolate mousse.  *drool*

And while I enjoyed my day, I knew that there was a photo magnet and card from Snapfish in my mom’s hands, and the same for John’s mom.  I know that even if I’m too much of a distractible, lazy douche to let them know every day, at least right now those two moms know I appreciate them.

I have a few things stashed away for June 21 (Father’s Day), too.  Snapfish also helped with that.  And there’s a $50 giveaway over here from them you can enter to get a jump start on your gifts, too.  You can thank me later. (With Chocolate Tall Cake from Ruby Tuesdays.  Just, you know, if you were wondering.  IT’S GOOD.)