And now for something compleatly different...

Hi all, I know I have been MIA.  Once I got out of the habbit of blogging it all just kinda went down the tubes.  I have decided to try something a little different, Bernie from over at One Mixed Bag has been using a site called Bubblews.  It is a site where you can share news and blog posts that you write and get paid for doing so, which is kind of nice, I never went into blogging to make money, but if I can make a little pin money I am all for it.  After all, if I didn't they wouldn't call me the Coupon Queen. ;) 

I will still post here as well, and try to be more dillagent about doing so in the future.

Thanks for sticking with me everyone!!

C.Q.

Friday's Freebie...

If you love reading and have a Kindle or the Kindle app then this is for you!  Get a free book every day if you want at eBook Daily.  I have found a few books already that I can't wait to read, and these are not the books you usually find for free, these are new and current in a variety of genera like romance, mystery, science fiction and biography, there are even self improvement and children's books.  Its free to join and free to download the books. 

Have a great Friday!

C.Q.

Thursday's picture perfect deal...

The picture...

This time of year I start to think about getting away from the winter blahs.  I took this picture a few years ago of FMNH PR 2081, most folks just know her as Sue, the T Rex at the Field Museum in Chicago.  Sue was 28 years old when she died, making her the oldest T Rex to date.  I love visiting Sue when I feel like I am getting old, she is a great reminder of what determination looks like.  Her bones have reviled that she lived though an injury to her right shoulder, a torn tendon in her right arm and three broken ribs.  These injuries appear to have happened at the same and during her life to be injured even slightly usually meant certain death. She also survived infection in her right leg and either infection or infestation of parasites in her skull.  She had arthritis in her tail and a case of gout as well as extra bone built up and stress fractures due to her massive weight.  Most people don't see her as an inspiration, but I sure do.

The deal...

Red Lobster has been running their 30 shrimp for $11.99, but this Friday that gets even better!  Just print the coupon and bring it in for their one day only anniversary deal of 45 shrimp for $11.95.  The price is a little higher in Hawaii and Time Square, but still a great deal.

Hope you are all having a wonderful week!

C.Q.

Friday's Freebie...

Today's freebie may help you stay on track to a healthier you in 2013!  Just head over to Centrum and request a sample of their new Flavor Burst Chews.  Just fill in the form and wait 6 to 8 weeks for your sample to arrive in your mail box.

Have a great Friday!

C.Q.

Thursday's picture perfect deal...

The picture...

The temperatures here are starting to warm up, but in December we had a real cold snap and this little Chickadee was in our lilac bush plumped up as big as it could get to stay warm in the cold wind of the afternoon.


The deal...

Did you make a New Year's resolution to get into shape?  Are you a fan of The Biggest Loser and love Jillian Michaels?  If you answered yes to any of these questions you may want to check out the huge sale on Jillian Michales workout DVDs at Amazon.  Everything from her 30 day shred to the Yoga work out is half off.  If you are looking for her books these are also on sale and everything is available using your Prime membership to get free shipping and 2 day delivery so you can stop putting it off.

I hope you are all having a wonderful week!

C.Q.

Life can give lemons....

I know you have all heard the phrase "when life gives you lemons make lemon aid ; but sometimes that's not always possible without a little help from friends and people who care about you.  I am guessing by now that many of you who are in the blogging community know about our blogger friend Nina's horrible start to the new year, if you haven't here it is in her own words from the family's Caring Bridge site:

"Saturday January 5th, Tom left after lunch to ride snowmobile a little bit; he was going to visit a friend just outside of town.  Around 3pm he had still not returned and he had not sent any messages or called. This was VERY unusual for Tom and I was worried.  Normally he'll be out for 30-45 minutes and always, ALWAYS sends me random text messages. I called friends that Tom sometimes rides with to ask if he had been by.  I hopped online to see if he used our checkcard anywhere; maybe he stopped for something to eat or there would be another clue.  At 4:30pm there was a loud knock at the door.  My stomach dropped.  I knew it would not be good.  I knew it.  The county sheriff told me that Tom was in an accident and was to be air lifted to HCMC."

Tom had just started a new job and doesn't qualify for FMLA yet so there are going to be some rough times ahead with everyday bills, that's where we need to help Nina make some lemon aid.  If you can go to the Give Forward site set up for Tom and Nina and give even a little bit; together we can all make a big difference and give Nina one less thing to have to worry about over the weeks to come.  Tom has many hurdles to overcome and I know how much we have all enjoyed reading The Adventures of Artsy Nina, so let's make this an adventure with a great ending!

And as Nina herself said in her last blog post: "Hug your kids, your husband, your mom, your dad, your neighbor, your friend.  You never, ever know what that next moment might bring."

Thank you everyone for keeping the family in your thoughts and prayers.

Michele Trautlein

Wednesdays learn and earn...

~WORD OF THE DAY~

• cathexi
\kuh-THEK-sis\   ~ noun

Definition: investment of mental or emotional energy in a person, object, or idea

Examples: "The veil that hides Laura and her eyes, her hair, her smile (and its counterpart, the glove that veils her hand) becomes the object of Petrarch's cathexis...." — From an essay by Margaret Brose in the 2010 book The Body in Early Modern Italy 

"The plot of this French film diverges from ... most American film we are force-fed in that it deals powerfully with subject matter that counts. It treats an almost unrecognized aspect of WWII in Europe, eliciting a strong cathexis from the viewer, who learns so much that he never knew before this celluloid feast." — From an article by Marion DS Dreyfus in American Thinker, April 8, 2012

Did you know? You might suspect that "cathexis" derives from a word for "emotion," but in actuality the key concept is "holding." "Cathexis" comes to us by way of New Latin (Latin as used after the medieval period in scientific description or classification) from the Greek word "kathexis," meaning "holding." It can ultimately be traced back (through "katechein," meaning "to hold fast, occupy") to the Greek verb "echein," meaning "to have" or "to hold." "Cathexis" first appeared in print in 1922 in a book about Freud's psychological theories (which also established the plural as "cathexes," as is consistent with Latin), and it is still often used in scientific and specifically psychological contexts.

Find more great words at merriam-webster on line.

~THE REBATE~

Getting a little cabin fever?  Why not get out and enjoy a free game of bowling complements of Musselman's Apple Sauce.  All you need to do is print out the voucher from Musselman's and bring it with you to the bowling alley along with your proof of purchase (Proof-of-purchase is the entire back panel of a Mussleman's® single serve apple sauce cups package; must include the Musselman's® logo and UPC symbol to be valid.)  To find a participating bowling alley near you just visit GoBowling.com and click on the tab to find an alley near you.  There are some restrictions on time and the voucher is subject to lane availability and you can use only one voucher per day.

Have a fantastic day!

C.Q.

Happy New Year!!

 

2012 was a very different year for me, one filled with everything from fear and doubt to joy and peace.  Looking back though I would have to say it was mostly a fun year.  Having something like cancer enter you life really reminds you how precious time with friends and loved ones is; and with that reminder I strengthened friendships with the people already in my life, rekindled friendships from my past and met some new great people who I now consider friends as well.  I took time and every opportunity to do things, both for the sheer joy of it as well as to spend time with the people who mean so much to me.  I hope 2013 will be a year filled with more joy and less fear, more smiles and laughs and less tears, and I hope your new year will be everything you hope and more. 

I have made two New Years resolutions, one to just be more active, that in turn will help my over all health, the other is to go back to blogging.  I will be posting at least 3 times a week again baring any unforeseen issues and I look forward to reconnecting with my blogging community.

Peace and Joy for your New Year,
Michele