It’s My Imagination

Healthy Eating For the Holidays

Since being diagnosed with borderline high cholesterol a few months ago, I’ve really worked hard to eat a healthier diet and greatly reduce the fats in the foods I cook and serve my family. Because of my healthier eating, I’ve managed to lose 9 pounds and am not in need of lap-band. Now comes the hard part, the holidays. I have a pattern of eating way more than I should and foods that I shouldn’t when it comes to holiday foods. I just love all those pies and sweets too much!

So, I’m putting my goal in writing, right here, right now. I promise myelf that I will do my best to continue my healthy eating through the holidays and avoid those foods, no matter how much I love them, that are heavy in fats and cholesterol. My primary reason is of course the keep my cholesterol levels down, but also, I have to admit, losing weight has been a nice end result.

Wordless Wednesday – Computer Assistant

Frequent Flyer Miles

I’m getting such a headache from attempting to book travel on American Airlines using frequent flyer miles.  To begin with, we attempted to book our tickets several months in advance for a trip to California to visit my step-daughter and her family.  Unfortunately, by the time we were able to work out specific dates, there were no flights available for frequent flyer travel.  So, we put off our trip thinking we could go in the spring, maybe.

Well, something possessed me to get on line yesterday and check again.  Lo and behold there were flights available, and, they were decent flights and reasonable times.  Problem was, now we are 14,000 miles short of getting 3 tickets using my husband’s miles.  I have 16,000 miles myself, so I could transfer them to his account, but, it will cost $180 (still cheaper than buying an airline ticket), and, it takes 72 hours or more to post to his account.  Who knows if these flights will be available then.

In the end, if I do transfer the points, we will pay the fee of $180 plus $5 tax plus $25 service fee for using points (that’s per ticket).  So, that third ticket would cost me all of our points combined, plus $210 cash.   And, by the time those points post to his account, the flights may no longer be available, again.

So, since we have enough points in my husband’s account for 2 tickets, I looked up the cost of airfare for 1 additional ticket.  We can get 2 tickets using points and buy the 3rd for $299 (tax included).   I’m ready to just book it all!  Be done with it.

These companies call these things “Rewards”, but I’m beginning to think they’re a huge pain in the ass!

SecureZIP Express Software Give-away and Contest

PKWARE, the inventor of the .zip standard, is giving away a non-commercial use license of SecureZIP Express and the chance to win great prizes in their “Decrypt and Drive” contest!  SecureZIP Express allows you to compress/decompress and encrypt files that you want to store or send. Compressing files is the perfect way to save storage space, especially on flash drives and CD’s. Think about it, how much space could you save on your hard drive if your stored files were in .zip format. The SecureZIP Express software also includes a digital certificate so you can exchange files securely with others without using passwords. Only the person the file was encrypted for can open it when you use a digital certificate. The software is fully licensed for non-commercial use and has no toolbars or spyware!

For years, PKWARE has given free .zip software away and wants as many users as possible to receive the benefits of SecureZIP. Enter the PKWARE contest and you could win great prizes including a Honda scooter, bicycles, Wii games, gas cards, and more! Visit www.DecryptandDrive.com to play the game daily and/or download the free software. You need to have SecureZIP, and the digital certificate it installs, on the computer you play the game from. You can also get SecureZIP Express at www.securezip.com Good luck! SecureZIP Express is also available at www.securezip.com Don’t forget to play, and good luck!

iPod iTouch – My Research

My daughter is wanting the Apple iPod iTouch for Christmas.  So, I’ve started my research to find out what the iTouch has to offer and what the prices are.

The iTouch is now in its 2nd generation which means its been updated, but also that it may not fit in older docking stations, including the Bose Sound dock that my daughter uses for her iPod Nano.  That’s a definite down side.

The iTouch is available in 3 different sizes all of which have a 3.5″ touchscreen display. They also all have wireless internet, supporting sites such as YouTube and Facebook and can be used anywhere there is a WiFi connection. Just like an iPod, the iTouch has Mp3 capability and also allows for downloading and viewing of movies and television shows.  In addition, the iTouch allows for game play with hundreds of games available from the Apple store.

The differences in size mean the differences in the amount of data that can be stored and a difference in price.

• 8 GB – 1,750 songs, 10 hours of video, priced around $229
• 16 GB – 3,500 songs, 30 hours of video, priced around $299
• 32 GB – 7,000 songs, 40 hours of video, priced around $399

The iTouch can be used with headphones or without and comes with a built in speaker.  If you purchase a new iTouch you will receive the iTouch, earphones, a USB 2.0 cable, dock adapter, polishing cloth (to shine up the silver casing) and a quick start guide.

The only downside (besides possibly not fitting in currently owned docking stations) is that it is only available in silver/black as pictured.

Yardwork and Fire Ants

It was a beautiful day here in north Texas and I decided to take advantage and get my prescribed dose of vitamin D by doing some work outside. So, armed with small and large trimmers as well as yard shears, I headed out into the back yard. We have several yucca plants out near our patio that had bloomed and needed the dead stalks cut off. This is not easy task because yucca plants are very stiff and the points of the leaves can break through your skin and cause bleeding, so, I have to be very careful as to where my hands and arms are in proximity to those pointy leaves.

I then used yard shears and trimmed the ivy like plant that grows abundantly at the base of the yucca, again, making sure not to get myself poked. I was just about finished when I stuck the pointed end of my shears into a mound of dirt and a gazillion little fire ants came pouring out. The mounds was completely covered with plant matter and I would have never seen it. I came very close to sticking my hand in that mound and that would’ve been disastrous.

I felt helpless and thought about arming myself with Galco holsters to hold guns loaded with fire ant killer. Unfortunately, I have to be careful what I use in the backyard because our little dog might get into it. Of course, right now I have to watch that she doesn’t get into the ants. But, except for the area right around the ant mound, I was able to get quite a bit of clean up done outside.

I hope this good weather holds on for another week or two at least, it’s really quite enjoyable!

Wordless Wednesday – It’s All About Comfort

Tags: puggle, puppy, Wordless Wednesday

Win a Digital Photo Frame From Benspark & Edge Tech

Last Christmas, we gave my mother-in-law a digital photo frame as a gift and I’ve wanted one for myself ever since. I’ve just entered this contest to win a fabulous digital frame from Edge Tech Corp.. This photo frame not only displays digital photos, but also plays avi and mp3 formats! Check out this video and then visit BenSpark, aka Drew to enter for yourself.

Win an Xbox 360® From Charter

Do live in a Charter service area? If you do, this post is definitely for you, so read on!

Just in time for holiday gift giving, you can visit the Charter website to sign up for service or simply visit and register to win the Charter Communications Xbox Sweepstakes.  This is a fantastic prize pack that includes:

Prize Pack Details:

• XBox 360® Pro Console
• XBox LIVE Headset
• Wireless Controller
• Component HD AV Cable
• 20Gb Detachable Hard Drive

Charter offers great services like HD for television.  If you’ve never seen HD t.v. you should know that there is a definite difference, in fact, the picture is 6 times sharper than a standard t.v. signal.  My husband loves watching football games in HD, the colors are so much more vivid and he claims he can see the individual blades of grass on the football field!

If you’re looking for super fast high speed internet, check out Charter.  Whether you use the internet for downloading photos and videos or for playing games, high speed internet will make your internet so much more efficient and enjoyable.  Right now you can sign up for a Charter service and try it risk free for 30 days.  You’ll also be entered to win win 1 of 45 Xbox 360® consoles that you can either keep or give away as a holiday gift to someone special. Charter will be giving away one console every day until December 15, so what are you waiting for?

Time Change

Good morning!  I hope you remembered to set your clocks back one hour.

I actually remembered to change my bedside clock last night, but, apparently the change didn’t hold, so my alarm went off before it needed to.  I then fell back asleep and was awakened by my daughter this morning, 30 minutes AFTER I was supposed to get up.  Needless to say, I am now running behind.  Thank goodness she was running ontime and made it out the door just as the school bus was coming by.  Otherwise, I would’ve had to take her to school in my pajamas!

I’ve got a pile of paperwork to clear up today, so think I’ll get started.  Have a great day!