Life on Florida’s West Coast

Christmas Ads Now

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It’s been clear that retailers are starting to target consumers earlier and earlier for years. When I was a child, Christmas décor and items did not make an appearance in store until after Thanksgiving. In recent years, Christmas items came out as soon as Halloween items came down. This year, though, most of the stores around here set up their Halloween and Christmas displays side-by-side the very same week.

Tonight we watched It’s The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown and it was chock full of ads pimping the new Christmas toys. It was nearly unwatchable, because my daughter is very susceptible to commercials right now. There is a reason that her general TV viewing includes only Noggin, PBS, Disney and the pre-school On Demand channel.

So, as we slowly enter a depression, as people have less and less in savings, the retail world is bleeding us dry earlier than ever.

When it comes to teeth…

One of my teeth started to hurt this past weekend. It’s not a sharp pain. But I don’t want to ignore it, wither. It feels like it is one of the teeth I had worked on last fall. At the time, I had a small cavity and put off the dental appointment to get it fixed for three months while my insurance issues after my divorce were worked out and running smooth. That was a mistake. In those three months, the cavity just happened to get into the soft part of my tooth and narrowly missed the root. The dentist was able to save my tooth, but only with heavy reconstruction.

And, it took a LONG time to pay off the bill, despite the fact that I have dental insurance. My insurance just did not cover much and I was expected to pay a very large part of the bill. I am a little concerned that when I go back I will be looking at yet another large bill.

Now, like I mentioned, I have dental insurance. It can be a hassle, because I have to use a doctor who accepts the plan, they have to file forms, my insurance company can deny claims and there are limits on what procedures are allowed.

A different option, which I am now looking into, is a dental plan. A Plan will differ from Insurance in that the Plan is network of dentists and services I can use to receive up-front discounts. DentalPlans.com, for example, partners with over 30 regional and national discount plans and more and 100,000 providers in combined networks. As an alternative to insurance, any dental plan I choose would have an annual membership fee and then grant me access to dental services with discounts anywhere from 10% to 80%, most typically in the 50% range.

My dental insurance costs me about $216 annually just for the premium. I changed to a less expensive plan this past enrollment period. It was costing about $450 annually. Keep in mind that is just the premium. I still needed to pay deductibles and non-covered services and procedures.

I’m going to do some more research on discount dental plans. There are a lot of choose from and they all have slightly different benefits. All in all, though, it might be a better option for me.

Healthier and Healthier…

…instead of spookier and spookier.

I used to give out great, big chocolate bars for Halloween. I believe in skipping right over the cheapie Sweet Tarts and weird little peanut butter taffy wrapped in orange and black wax.

Last year, though, I moved to little packages of Goldfish, Teddy Grahams and pretzels. This year I am talking it one step further and passing out the little coupons you can buy 12 for $1 at McDonalds. Kids can redeem them for apple dippers, drinks, cookies, and fries. It one more way I am not contributing to that first night of over-consumption of food. ?

Passing On Family Jewels

The chain of how precious heirlooms are handed down is an interesting thing. I have some items that belonged to my grandparents, my great-grandparents, and even my great-great-grandparents. I have clocks and vases and bonnets and aprons. I have Bibles and books and diaries. I imagine passing these along to my own daughter, along with some of my favorite things from my life. I imagine her passing them along to her children and so on.

But, sometimes the chain misses a link. Then what?

I have a jewelry bag full of amazing pieces that belonged to my step-father and his family. I have a pocket watch and class rings and cameos and cufflinks. My step-father did have one son and a one grandchild and one great-grandchild, but somehow these items came to me when he realized how little they wanted to do with him even in his dying days. I did not know the people who gave the items to him. I did not know his mother or his grandmother. The jewelry means something to me, but my daughter was only 9 months when my step-father died and she has no emotional connection to him.

Is the magic in these items lost? Will they live on to mean nothing to anyone? I feel a sort of guilt over it. I feel a responsibility to make them matter. So, I went to my mother and we talked about it and I asked if it would be alright to send these things to my step-father’s niece, who loved him dearly and still writes my mother and who is named after her grandmother whose cameo I have in my jewelry box.

I think this is the way I am going to go and it takes a great burden off my heart.

If You Give a Pig a Party

If you and your child loved If You Give a Pig a Pancake and all of the other books in the series, you’ll love If You Give a Pig a Party. This time, the little pig from the pancake book, along with her human friend, is back and she is bringing all of her friends. The cast is fleshed out with the stars of the other If You Give… books. Moose is there with his Muffin. Mouse I there with the cookie. You’ll also meet Dog, Cat, and Snake.

We loved the book and today Gigi and I had the pleasure to see a live-action version of the story at one of our local theaters. Gigi’s pre-school class went on their first field trip to see the play. The Hall was chock full of thousands of cheering children. It was a blast, to say the least. Seeing something on a massive stage makes me miss my home theater system just a little less.

I’m even more tired than usual!

Kids and Halloween Costumes

I am on the fence about Halloween. When Gigi was born, I vowed not to even expose it to her. In the end, she ended up figuring out all about Halloween from other family members, school, friends and the TV. So, I do allow her to pick a princess character to dress as each year and we go to one of the big, local celebrations so she can collect candy. I let her have one night where she can ingest as much sugar as she likes, even if it does make her almost literally bounce off the walls.

Gigi wore an Ariel the Little Mermaid costume this past weekend. Her little seashell bikini top was actually quite a demure undertaking, since her entire top half was neck to wrist fabric in a flesh tone. She did not have a shoulder or belly button in sight. I cannot say the same for some of the other kids her age I spotted on Saturday night.

I saw a sexy witch and some belly-ringed “rock stars”. There were belly dancers and nurses in high heels. The odd part is that not one of the costumes I just named was on a little girl over the age of 6. I kid you not.

I saw pre-teens in French maid outfits and at least one girl who was barely in puberty, dressed in a Playboy bunny outfit. There were latex-looking dresses and other “sexy” stuff.

I was listening to an article on one of the cable news stations and the designers and retailers in the Halloween costume industry are BLAMING the parents, say we drive the sales, we buy them for own children and actually demand the styles.

Huh?

I’m a parent and I would never demand a sexy costume for my daughter. Once she turns 18, it will be her choice, but I won’t be walking into a store and shouting that I want a sexy costume for my girl.

Yikes. Who ARE these parents they are talking about??

DIY Credit Repair

Banks are tightening up mortgage-lending standards and as a direct result, credit-repair companies are seeing a rise in business coming from people who need to clean up their credit reports so they can obtain a mortgage. If you watch TV commercials, you might be apt to believe that these companies are your only chance at redemption.

But, credit repair companies don’t actually offer everything you need in order to repair your scores. You need to tackle the issue from multiple angles, become educated in the industry, and above all else – persevere. In the end, you can do it yourself.

There is no quick fix. Instead, one of your best bets is to find lenders willing to work with people who have bad credit, make payments on the new accounts in a timely and responsible manner and then slowly watch your credit score repair itself. Sites like BadCreditOffers.com are basically a clearinghouse for finding products that are appropriate for your needs. Home loans, personal loans, car loans – you name it and there are companies you can go to and find programs that allow you to borrow, despite your current credit rating.

Take the initiative and you will find that with a little work, you can raise your own credit score.

Constant Attention

If you asked me to name the one thing I find most exhausting about being a parent, I would say that no matter what else I am doing I have one eye and at least half my brain on Gigi.

If I’m cooking, I am also listening to make sure I hear normal noises. A silent moment sends me into the next room to see if she is OK. If she is in the tub, I make sure whatever I am doing is either across the hall from the open bathroom door or within good hearing distance. If we are in public, it is even more taxing, as I am always completely aware of where she is and how far from me she is physically.

It’s exhausting, but it is worth it.

Tonight, right here in town, a 14-month-old boy has died after wandering onto the lanai of his home through a sliding glass door that had been left open. He fell into the family pool, which had no barrier or pool alarm.

Inside the home were several member of his family. It is estimated he was in the pool three to five minutes before he was found and pulled out.

Do some dishes or run the vacuum and see how fast three minutes will go. How about while you on the phone with someone or focusing on getting a bill paid? Time flies and all of the sudden something tragic can happen if you have a child in your home.

That is why I go to bed each night fatigued and ready to let my mind have a break from the constant multi-tasking. Keeping an eye on my daughter is something I will never stop doing at the level I do it now – no matter how much it wears me out and divides my focus.

Nursing and Fashion Can Mix

I nursed by daughter for close to three years. I started out with an array of nursing bras, gowns, and tops. Quickly, though, I moved to sports bras and t-shirts. That was mostly because it was so hard to find decent looking nursing clothing. I got so fed up with wearing the same things over and over that I just gave up. I wish someone would have pointed me in the right direction at the time. I was way too tired to shop locally and often did not have time to spend surfing the net to find items.

I’ve since found a lot of great online resources for nursing mothers. One is NursingPJs.com. Their maternity and nursing selections have more variety than I can even describe. I see some of the more classic styles, like I was either given or was able to find in my local stores. On the other hand, there are dresses and tops on this site that I would have given my right arm to have while I was nursing.

The thing is. You cannot get by on just a few items. If you are nursing, you are going to leak – even if you wear nursing pads. Leaking means sour milk, which means frequent laundering. Clothes wear out a lot faster than you like when you are going through a couple of shirts a day. You want to be a fresh, clean mommy don’t you?

I have a friend who is nearing the end of her pregnancy and we’re putting together a little baby shower. It is her second child, so she does not need as much. She does, however, need some attractive nursing clothes, especially nursing pajamas. It can be as simple as having a nice tank top that buttons at the shoulder strap, like the one I pictured in this column. It’s all about access, baby! ;)

Make the Clothes in the USA

Today Gap Inc. is lamenting in the press their shame and disappointment that one of its Indian vendors used an “unauthorized” subcontract who, in turn, used child labor to produce clothing for Gap clothing stores.

They say they have fired the Indian company.

Here’s an idea” make the clothes in the USA instead.

You get what you pay for, folks. If you are going to try and cut costs (and eliminate jobs for American workers) by hiring a cheapie Indian company, then you are going to risk that the work ethics of that country are going to enter into your equation. Is it really any surprise to any of the execs at The Gap that (gasp!) India has sweatshops?

What kind of numbingly brainless people are running Gap Inc.?

“It’s deeply, deeply disturbing to all of us,” Gap President Marka Hansen said.

I’ll bet.

It’s disturbing now that your cost-cutting tactics have come back to bite you in the ass.

Hansen is busing passing the proverbial buck, blaming his vendors and their sub-vendors. I don’t hear him taking any of the blame for making poor business decisions, though. If The Gap would employ American workers in American factories located IN America, the standards American consumers expect could be better regulated.

Keep in mind that The Gap also operates Banana Republic and Old Navy stores when you are out doing your shopping. This is just one more reason to seek out product Made in the USA.

The Art of Time

I realized the other day that I do not have a single digital clock in my house, unless you count the fact that my cell phone displays the time. Otherwise, all of my clocks are the classic style with hands. In fact, most of mine are also antiques. My favorite is a mantel clock my great-grandparents owned. It’s still in perfect working condition and sitting out in the living room as I speak.

I think clocks can be art. There is no reason for your timepieces to stand out starkly in your home when they can become a part of your décor. They are also a necessary part of our lives, because while we often like to relax without a thought to the time, tempus fugit and before you know it you need to be out the door and on your way to something important. That Latin phrase, by the way, was one of the few that has stuck in my mind since I took Latin way back in 1984.

All of that aside, I actually need a couple of more clocks in the house. I don’t even have one in the bedroom. I have the ability to get up without an alarm, but it helps if I have a clock I can see from the bed. I’m looking for a classic piece to put in there. In the meantime, I’ve been contemplating buying one of the grandfather clocks I’ve been eyeing lately. I did not grow up with one in the house and come to think of it, most of my relatives did not have them either. I remember being absolutely fascinated with the grandfather clock in my childhood best friend’s house. I would just sit and watch the pendulum sometimes. That particular clock was from Greece and it was just stunning, very ornate and heavy.

I’m interested in a more contemporary style of grandfather clock, myself. I do not mean modern. I still want a classic line, like the Hermle Contemporary grandfather clock I am linking here. I want a lighter feel to the piece and less of the ornate features. I still want the design to feel timeless (heh), though.

Just in Time for Halloween

Here is a grisly story for you, just in time for Halloween.

All around the Tampa Bay area, one of the more compelling news items this weekend has been the story of Kevin Wade Daley, a 50-year-old Citrus Springs man with something seriously wrong inside his brain.

Daley struck up an internet friendship with a St. Petersburg man and at some point he asked the man to help him kill someone for the express purpose of having sex with the corpse. In fact, Daley had already targeted a young man who did work around his neighborhood. Initially, though, he had mentioned going to St. Petersburg to commit the act.

Thank goodness the St. Petersburg man called the police and reported the impending plans to commit necrophilia. Citrus County Sheriff’s deputies arrested Daley on Friday and charged him with criminal solicitation to commit first-degree murder.

There are people out there in our world who need to be locked up indefinitely for the good of society. Daley is one such person.

Your Kids Are NOT Always Right

There is something to say about a parent who goes the extra mile to back up their child. You love your kid. You don’t want people to take advantage of them. You back most anything they do. I think this is universal for most parents.

But, it can go too far. Take as an example this Florida story I just read. Joe Salter’s son, Tommy, graduated from Georgia Tech and to celebrate he went to Club 10, a nudie bar in Fort Walton Beach. According to Joe Salter, Tommy told the strip club employees he could only spend $600.

Then, Tommy went on to rack up (heh) a $53,000 bill that that. According to the club’s owner, Tommy purchased at least 19 bottles of champagne that each cost between $150 and $2,000. Sounds like Tommy likes his lap dances.

Daddy, though, is disputing the charges on the American Express card, saying employees at the bar took advantage of his son. Although Tommy signed each bill and even initialed itemized receipts, Daddy says it is not his son’s handwriting.

Of course, he is overlooking the fact that his son was probably tipsy and sexed-up, so his handwriting could certainly have taken a beating that night. Employees at the club maintain Tommy was lucid the entire evening.

And get this: American Express has already decided in Club 10’s favor. I’m sure it’s not the first time they have seen the charges that result when a young boy walks into a strop bar and starts thinking with something besides his brain.

My message to Daddy: wake up and realize that kids do not always walk on water.

My message to Tommy: try celebrating with a nice dinner and friends instead of some coke whore’s boobs next time. It’ll save more than face.

Image Hosting Option

A lot of my readers come here from my website Girly Things, which is a depository for free hair bow instructions. I also have a mailing list for close 1000 member who make and sell hair bows, most on auction sites like eBay.

One question that comes up a lot is the issue of image hosting. When you run an auction online, it’s common knowledge that items with a lot of sharp, detailed pictures do better than those without. In order to include multiple images in your auction, you need to find a service for file hosting somewhere. If you do not maintain your own website, this can be an issue. There are a lot of services to choose from, but I wanted to chime in about one of the smaller, more personal options: File House.

File House is specifically for image and sound hosting. The owner of the site handles all accounts personally and offers timely, one-on-one customer support. If you’ve used any of the larger services, you’re familiar with long wait times for support tickets and the frustration of confusing site tutorials. File House works to eliminate all of that. In fact, File House feels so confident that you will like their services that they offer a month-long free trial. Just contact them for details.

One of the added features I like a lot about the File House service is the selection of free auction templates. A pre-designed auction template can take a lot of the stress out of making sure your actions are eye catching and easy to read. You can also find free software tools and html tips. Check it out. It’s a great option.

Hold Off on Daylight Savings Time

In years past, October meant it was time to “fall back”, pushing out clocks back an hour and adhering to the rules of daylight savings time here in the United States, as well as in other parts of the world. Last year, the government starting looking at some of energy issues and reevaluating the reasoning behind daylight savings time. DST in our modern times is a convention of the last century and it came into its current incarnation in 1916 as a wartime measure aimed at conserving coal.

Starting in 2007, most of the U.S. and moved the end of DST from the last weekend in October to the first Sunday in November. In the U.S. this was in part due to the Energy Policy Act of 2005.

So, this is all to say that our clocks will not fall back in the next hour, but rather at about this time next weekend, Saturday November 4 (which for some strange reason I have always remembered is Ralph Macchio’s birthday).

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