Mar 262010

Everyone knows that having a garage sale is a great way to get rid of excess clutter in your home and earn a bit of cash in the process. It’s far easier to sell everything off at a single event than to list the items on an auction site piece by piece. In addition, when you host a garage or yard sale, you can personally interact with prospective buyers to put your sales skills to work or engage in some haggling. It’s a far better experience for everyone involved.

But in order for your garage sale to succeed, you have to get the word out to as many people as possible. In the past, this meant putting an ad in the classified section of the newspaper and/or posting little signs around the neighborhood. But no one reads newspapers anymore, and those signs have a very limited reach. This is where a website like GarageSalesTracker.com can come in handy.

At GarageSalesTracker.com, you can advertise a garage sale or yard sale for FREE up to two months in advance of the actual sale date. This gives you plenty of time to attract buyers and build up buzz for the big event. You can also post detailed descriptions as well as images for all the items you plan on selling, and also provide contact information for prospective buyers to reach you with questions or comments. Plus, if your sale happens to get rained out, you can simply change the sale date in your ad and leave it up for a bit longer. This is clearly a far more effective approach than those old newspaper classifieds!

Buyers can benefit from using GarageSalesTracker.com as well. The easy-to-use search function lets you filter upcoming sales by location or item, and each sale listing comes with convenient driving directions that you can print out. And since most sellers leave their phone numbers or other contact info, you can call ahead to make sure the item you want is still available before you waste your time driving all the way out to the sale.

If you’re planning on having a garage or yard sale soon, why not advertise it over at GarageSalesTracker.com? Chances are you’ll reach a far larger audience by posting your ad online than in a local newspaper, so give it a try!

Aug 012009

One of the things I hate about most modern movies is how long they are. Remember when 90 minutes used to be the rule of thumb? Now writers and directors take their sweet time telling a story, and most flicks come in at around the two-hour mark, with many more mainstream offerings pushing two-and-a-half hours or more. Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen is 150 minutes long, while Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is 153 minutes long. Johnny Depp’s Public Enemies clocks in at 143 minutes. That’s just three of the top 10 films from last week.

It’s hard to sit that long through a movie without a bathroom break, especially after downing a liter of Coke. But this website RunPee.com gives some very helpful tips. It cues you in to when a lull in the action is coming up, tells you how long the boring part lasts, and even summarizes what you miss.

What a great idea! I’ll definitely be checking that site before going to see any of these marathon flicks!

best-of-vegas-1

With the rough economic times, traveling and going on a vacation may seem to be a distant hope that is so close, yet so far away. Vacations CAN BE expensive…but they don’t HAVE to be. With the recent economic crisis, people are reaching out to find inexpensive ways to still sneak in that spring break, family vacation, or romantic getaway that they have been looking for. Many people are turning to discount travel websites to make these vacations possible.

BestOfVegas.com has the discount traveling down to a science. Under the umbrella company of one of the largest privately owned travel companies in the country, they have been providing their specialized Las Vegas travel site for over a year now.

BestOfVegas.com provides great deals to the best Las Vegas shows, nightclubs, tours, and hotels. It is your one-stop shop for everything that Las Vegas has to offer, and the best part about it all is that it is all about great deals in Las Vegas! With BestOfVegas.com you are provided not only with great customer service, but great prices as well. Due to their strong working business relationships with the Las Vegas shows, nightclubs, tours, and hotels, they are able to provide the best tickets and products available to you, the customer.

Whether you are looking for tickets to see one of the Cirque du Soleil shows on the Strip, some of the best magic shows in the country, Grammy Award winners LIVE in concert, or a show for the family, they are sure to have something for you (and at a GREAT price at that). If you are looking to expand your horizons outside of the Vegas area, look into their reasonably priced Las Vegas tours to nearby attractions such as the Grand Canyon, Hoover Dam, dude ranches, and MORE! Looking to hit the local club scene? They can provide you with front of the line passes to the hottest nightclubs on the Strip. And, if you are looking for reasonably priced hotel rooms to some of the best Las Vegas hotels (as the icing on the cake), they have that too. Your vacation is packed all on ONE website!

They are a great resource for everything about Las Vegas. The site is packed with exclusive deals that are available only on this site alone and tons of resource guides on restaurants, attractions, spas, and more as well. Now the only thing left to do is to pack your bags and head to Vegas!

I was lucky enough to receive a Burn Notice Press Kit containing the Season 2 premiere about a week ago. I wanted to watch it right away, but since the Season 1 finale aired way, way back on September 20, 2007, I figured it would be better to watch the last few eps of S1 just to refresh my memory about what was going on.

It’s a good thing I did that, because the S2 premiere, called “Breaking and Entering”, picks up right where S1 left off. Namely, Michael is sitting in his car in the back of an 18-wheeler waiting to find out what’s going to happen to him next.

I don’t want to go into too much detail about this episode since it hasn’t aired yet (I’ll save that for my recap, which will be posted Friday morning), so let me just say that it was every bit as entertaining and engrossing as the better eps from Season 1 were. We see Michael use his ingenuity and past experience as a spy to help him get out of tight situations; we meet a new character who is obviously going to play a major role throughout the season; and of course we reunite with series regulars Sam, Fiona, and Madeline.

All in all, “Breaking and Entering” was a fantastic way to kick off the season! Be sure to tune into USA Network on Thursday July 10 at 10pm/9C to catch the action, and check back here on Friday morning for my detailed recap!

With the summer finally here, my family plans to spend a lot of time out on our dirt bikes and ATVs. We love to go for trail rides in approved recreational zones, and often spend hours upon hours riding through the woods on Saturday or Sunday afternoons.

Since it’s quite easy to get separated from the group or veer away from main trails, it’s important for us to have some way of communicating with each other in case we get lost or injured. Cell phone service is nonexistent in the woods, of course, so we have to carry walkie talkies instead.

We’ve had our current set for about 10 years now, and only have two units (when we need three), so it’s definitely time for an upgrade. That’s why I was thrilled to see this Bellsouth Two-Way Talk Radio as one of Buy.com’s Weekly Deals.

This Bellsouth Two-Way Talk Radio is a small, compact communication device that would be perfect for our needs. It features 22 channels, is voice activated, can operate in both GMRS & FRS frequencies, alerts users to calls, has a backlit LCD display, and boasts unparalleled sound clarity. Plus, it has a removable belt clip, so we can easily attach it to our riding gear or stow it in a tool pouch.

Right now, the Bellsouth Two-Way Talk Radio is on sale at Buy.com for just $10! That is an unbelievable price, and means we would be able to get three units (one for each of us) for less than we’d usually pay for a single walkie talkie from other stores! Toss in free shipping and it’s no surprise that this product is currently the #1 seller on Buy.com.

I better go on over and place my order before these things get sold out!

May 302008

Last night was the two-hour season finale of Lost, which was actually a continuation of episode 4×11, titled “There’s No Place Like Home”. As longtime viewers have come to expect from a Lost finale, a couple of questions were answered, but many more surfaced in turn. There’s no way I’d be able to recap everything that happened in the two hours, so I’m just going to post a few thoughts here.

– Desmond and Penny were never a favorite couple of mine (this just doesn’t seem like a show where couples or relationships are even important), but it was still nice to see them reunite. I didn’t swoon or tear up or anything like that, but was glad that at least someone got a happy ending — at least for the time being.

– So it was Locke in the coffin from way back in last season’s finale! Most fans guessed it was either him or Ben, so the reveal wasn’t quite as shocking as it could have been. Since I’m not exactly a Locke fan, I didn’t care that he was in there. It did make me wonder, however, why he ended up leaving the island. I guess he had to move it again?

– Speaking of moving the island, I’m sorry, but that was just about the dumbest thing I’ve ever seen on network television. Ben goes down a shaft, turns a frozen wheel, and causes the whole island to get swallowed up in the ocean?? WTF? Dumb.

– Sun’s reaction to Jin’s death (if he actually did die in the explosion) was heart-wrenching. The actress did a tremendous job of conveying her utter helplessness in that scene on the helicopter. Poor Jin… now that was one character that I actually did like. It figures he would get written off!

– Hmm, it seems that Charlotte has a bit more of a backstory than it appeared at first. I’ve read some theories saying that she’s actually Annie, Ben’s long-lost childhood friend, the one who gave him a hand-carved doll for his birthday. I guess that would make sense, since the producers of the series have said that Annie will end up playing an important role.

– So is half of the action next season going to take place off the island while the other half takes place on? That’s going to be weird. And now it looks like Jack’s mission will be to try to convince the rest of the Oceanic 6 to go back. Oh, and don’t forget that he and Ben have to lug John’s dead body around. Sounds like fun.

That’s about all I remember from the two hours right now. I have to say that most of the finale was pretty boring, but the few answers that we did get made the whole thing worthwhile viewing. I can’t believe we’re going to have to wait until February for new episodes! That damn writers’ strike cost viewers at least 9-11 episodes this season!

If you like card games but are getting tired of the usual poker and blackjack options that most online game rooms offer, then I’ve got a cool website for you to check out. It’s called Spadester.com, and is dedicated to bringing players live, nonstop gaming action around the clock. I just spent a few hours going over the different aspects of the Spadester.com site, and can tell you that it looks great. This is definitely the place to be if you’re into playing spades online!

Getting Started

Getting started on the site is a very simple matter that can be completed in just two or three steps. The first thing you need to do is download and install the special Spadester software that will allow you to connect to their game rooms right from your own home. There’s no adware or spyware in the software, so you don’t have to worry about anything like that.

The second thing you need to do in order to start playing at Spadester.com is create a new account. This merely consists of coming up with a user name and password, as well as a valid email address for confirmation. Once you finish this step, you can immediately begin playing spades for fun.

If you’d like to put real money on the line, you’ll have to go through one additional step, which is to deposit funds into your account. Spadester.com accepts several different credit cards, and all transactions are completely secure.

Game Options

To keep things fun and exciting, Spadester.com offers its players three different game options: Individual, Cutthroat, and Partnership. In Individual games, you play at a table against three other people. Cutthroat games are made up of three individual players and have slightly different rules than Individual games. And Partnership games consist of two pairs of partners playing against each other (four players total).

The rules for all of the different game options are clearly spelled out on the site, so you’ll be able to find out exactly what’s required before you sit down to play.

In addition to these three game options, Spadester.com also hosts tournaments and freerolls (tournaments with no buy-in or fees), giving players even more variety and opportunities to win.

Tutorials and Guides

If you’re brand new to the game and are trying to learn how to play spades online, then Spadester.com is all you really need. That’s because they have tutorials and guides posted right on the site to help beginners learn how to play spades and how to use the Spadester.com software program. Navigating the lobby, choosing a game and joining a table, player rankings, and a spades dictionary are just a few of the informative pages designed to get you up to speed as quickly as possible. Everything is written in a clear, concise way that is easy to understand, plus there are plenty of graphics to help illustrate the concepts even further.

Promotions and Bonuses

If you’re anything like me, then playing a card game for fun just doesn’t cut it for very long. In order for the game to be truly exciting, I need real money at stake.

Spadester.com understands that most players are like this, so they offer regular bonuses and promotions to sweeten the pot even more. For example, new players get $4 so they can try out the site without putting any of their own money at risk. In addition, there’s a 100% Welcome Bonus, referral bonuses, and special weekly deals available exclusively to members.

Extras

Besides all the features I’ve talked about above, Spadester.com provides a number of extra benefits to members. Among these are a discussion forum where you can talk about game tips or betting strategies; strong support staff presence; and chat capabilities. Moreover, I was particularly impressed by Spadester’s commitment to transparency, as outlined on their Fair Gaming page.

The Bottom Line

After checking Spadester.com out thoroughly, I have to say that it has everything that I look for in an online gaming site. From comprehensive instructions to prominently displayed contact information, and easy-to-use software, there’s no doubt I’ll have a great time playing spades over there!

We like to take a family vacation every summer, so we’re always looking for interesting new places to go. We’ve been to all of the good theme parks, tourist attractions, historical sites, and museums in a 300-mile radius (give or take), which means that we now have to travel a bit farther away from home to hit someplace worthwhile. When a friend of mine recently suggested Branson, I initially dismissed the idea since we’re not country music fans. But after doing a bit of research, I’ve learned that there’s far more to Branson than just music and shows.

I checked BransonGetaways.com for activity ideas, and found plenty of options that my family would love. For example, we’re all big on roller coasters and rides, so Silver Dollar City would definitely be tops on our list of Branson attractions to visit. This 1880s-themed park has 25 rides (including several for smaller children), tons of restaurants and specialty shops, and of course a bunch of fun shows to help keep us entertained.

Other Branson-area activities we’d be interested in include Go-Karts, miniature golf, natural caves, and shopping.

BransonGetaways.com makes it easy to put together a complete fun-filled family vacation from beginning to end, including special packages that feature lodging, shows, meals, and more. From useful maps telling us how to get around the area to discount tickets and affordable accommodation, everything we need is right on the website. Plus, if we have additional questions, helpful staff members are standing by to share their knowledge and expertise.

The more we look at what Branson has to offer, the more we want to drop everything and go there now!

Apr 302008

These days, there are so many different credit cards to choose from that it can be a nearly impossible task trying to sort through them all to find the best one for your needs. Between the various rewards programs, balance transfer opportunities, and other specialty cards, there’s quite an overwhelming amount of information to sort through. That’s where a website like CreditCardSpecialist.com comes in handy.

CreditCardSpecialist.com is a site that offers free financial information and advice, as well as comprehensive credit card comparisons. The site is extremely well organized and easy to navigate, making it a simple matter to search for and compare available credit cards.

Are you looking for 0% Credit Card Deals or instant approval cards? CreditCardSpecialist.com can help point you in the right direction. Perhaps you’d rather have a rewards card or a low-interest rate card? Or maybe a card for people with bad credit is in order? No problem! The best deals are presented in a table form, thus allowing you to make comparisons very quickly. (Click for larger.)

Moreover, if you come across a credit card offer that you like at CreditCardSpecialist.com, you can immediately apply online. This convenient feature helps ensure that you don’t lose track of all the good deals that you find.

Overall, I found the website to be a terrific resource for finding the best current credit card offers on the market. If you’re looking for a new card, I’m sure you’ll discover the perfect one at CreditCardSpecialist.com!

greystitle.jpg It’s been a heck of a long wait, but Grey’s Anatomy finally returned with a new episode on Thursday night called “Where the Wild Things Are”! I know I’ve been down on Season 4 for the most part, but there’s no question that I missed this show while it was off the air, so I was very happy to get back into the swing of things. I didn’t watch a single rerun during the writers’ strike and therefore forgot nearly everything that was going on before. Fortunately, it didn’t take very long to get back into the swing of things.

Most of the episode focused on a competition that the Core Four (Meredith, Izzie, Cristina, and Alex) were having whereby they received a certain number of points for performing various tasks. For example, a suture was worth one point, observing a surgery was worth three, and solving a medical mystery was worth 80.

Apparently, the contest had been going on for two weeks already, during which time they all lived at the hospital in order to be on hand the minute something good went down.The winner — Meredith — ended up receiving a sparkly pager giving her first dibs on any surgery that passes through Seattle Grace for the next three months.

Here’s what else happened:

Meredith: She’s currently seeing the hospital psychiatrist because she hasn’t been able to sleep in five weeks. She doesn’t want to believe that the problem is Derek’s new relationship with Rose, but the signs are all there. On the professional front, she lost her mind and joyfully exclaimed, “Tumor!” when one of her patients ended up suffering from more than just a hand wound, and then she made up for it by potentially discovering a way to treat that kind of inoperable brain tumor. Of course, she needs Derek’s help to run the clinical trials, so….

Cristina Cristina is still trying to figure out a way to get Hahn to like her, but hasn’t been able to make any headway. Meanwhile, Hahn is now Callie’s new BFF, and they sit and socialize in Cristina’s apartment — while excluding her from their gossip sessions.

Derek/Rose/Sloan: Derek and Rose are still going strong, much to the amazement of Sloan. He’s especially baffled by the fact that Derek spends so much time with Rose despite not having slept with her yet. Sloan thought that he and Derek would be hitting the bars and picking up women together, so he’s very disappointed with the latest developments. As for Rose, she inadvertently lets it slip that she “loves” Derek at a time when Meredith happened to be within earshot.

Lexie/George: They moved into a roach-infested apartment together, with George complaining about it the whole time. Lexie decided to try to make the most of the situation by stealing stuff from the hospital to decorate and furnish the apartment with. George ends up appreciating the effort, so he vows to stop complaining so much and just enjoy things for a change.

Izzie: Made yet another huge misstep by putting a patient through $120,000 worth of painful, unnecessary tests all in the hopes of uncovering some hidden ailment so she could win the competition. The Chief chastised her a little bit, but not nearly as much as she deserved.

Alex: Didn’t do much of anything this week. He did have one nice scene with the Chief, where he refused to accept the “underdog” label, insisting that all he does is try to make the most out of whatever hand he’s dealt.

My Reaction: This was not a great episode, but it was a lot better than most of the stuff that has gone before it here in Season 4. I loved seeing Meredith, Cristina, Izzie, and Alex competing with each other again. That was such a key element to the success of Season 1 and Season 2, in my opinion, so it was great to see that aspect back again.

I find Meredith and Derek to be infinitely more likable when they’re not a couple. I didn’t roll my eyes at them once during the entire ep, which is a good sign for sure! Hopefully, they’ll stay separated at least for a little while longer. I have a feeling that creator Shonda Rhimes thinks of them as the show’s super couple, so her ultimate plan is probably to have them together, but for now, I’m glad they’re broken up.

Izzie… what is going on with her? She has fallen so far in the past two seasons that I’m really having a hard time believing she’s still a doctor. I don’t follow GA gossip in the tabloids or anything, so tell me: does Katherine Heigl want out of her contract so she can pursue film roles? It seems that the writers don’t know what to do with Izzie at this point, and they’re letting her stagnate just to make it easier to get rid of her later on. Who knows, though.

Anyway, I’m happy that Grey’s is back, and I can’t wait to see what happens next week when Addison returns for a visit!

© 2010 Reviews and More Suffusion theme by Sayontan Sinha