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Amazing isn't it?

cathyjourdan@yahoo.com (Cathy Jourdan) — 2012-05-27T18:44:13Z

Computers are just so common place that even their prices have come down. I remember when I go my first Apple 2E computer, I felt it was such a large investment. I was so careful with that computer to make sure that it would last me. Well, that was a joke, huh? Now, I don't even worry, if my computer dies, I just buy another and just about anywhere you look you can find laptops on sale . Cool, isn't it?

No longer a worry for me

cathyjourdan@yahoo.com (Cathy Jourdan) — 2012-05-27T18:40:02Z

I'm so glad I am retired. I no longer have to worry about resumes or wardrobe or politicing. It is such a nice feeling. All the years I worked people were always asking me to help them with their resumes because they thought I did such a good job. Well, I don't miss that either. Some still ask, but I am happy to tell them they can get their resume free at a site online. Is that cold of me?

Yay for her!

cathyjourdan@yahoo.com (Cathy Jourdan) — 2012-05-04T17:18:23Z

One of my good friends has always wanted to sell real estate. I told her it really wasn't that glamorous, but I guess you have to do it to know. Anyway, she called the other day and said she got her license! I'm proud of her because it is a difficult thing to obtain. Anyway we talked for a while and I told her not to forget to get errors and omissions insurance or to make sure that her broker has it, because so many things can go wrong. I know the market is slow, but I think she'll do fine and the market is bound to pick up sooner or later.

Random stuff

cathyjourdan@yahoo.com (Cathy Jourdan) — 2012-04-23T23:48:20Z

I think I need to have a sale. You know like a yard sale or garage sale. I have so many things. The problem is that is a lot of random things from barbie dolls, to fine china to gutterstuff . I'm not sure how to price the stuff either. I may do it here soon, though, before the weather gets too hot.

Gifts, gifts, gifts

cathyjourdan@yahoo.com (Cathy Jourdan) — 2012-04-23T23:44:32Z

I was sitting around thinking about years gone by and all the gifts I've received and all the gifts I've given. I'm looking at sixty so that is about 45-50 years of time. Well, I've given things to my parents, my siblings, my friends, my relatives. There have been birthdays, boyfriend gifts from girlfriend (me) and the opposite. It's amazing if you think about it. Next time I'm bored I'm going to see if I can calculate a dollar value received and given.

Wish I had a place

cathyjourdan@yahoo.com (Cathy Jourdan) — 2012-04-16T19:21:39Z

I was thinking how nice it would be to have an outdoor swing, You know, either the kind on the front porch or one that hangs from trees. Well, I just don't have a place. My front porch has a 20 foot ceiling and I don't have any big trees in my back yard. I know they sell those free standing ones, but those just aren't the same.

Maybe a guitar this time

cathyjourdan@yahoo.com (Cathy Jourdan) — 2012-04-16T19:18:04Z

I have been working very hard at learning the piano and I finally found a program that I could work. I'm getting this little urge to maybe add guitar lessons to my day. I was talking to my son and he said I should look at Godin Guitars. I was actually thinking something very basic just to learn on, but we'll see.

I can't believe I lost it

cathyjourdan@yahoo.com (Cathy Jourdan) — 2012-04-16T18:56:31Z

About six months before I ended up having to quit work, my husband bought me the most beautiful leather briefcase I've ever seen. I loved it! Well, when I left work, I filled it with some of my personal things and brought it home. It is gone! What the heck did it do, sprout legs and walk away? No one has seen it. I've looked everywhere. This makes me so sad.

Learn to play Piano at PianoFool

cathyjourdan@yahoo.com (Cathy Jourdan) — 2012-04-14T20:26:58Z

Today I want to tell you about a program I found on the internet, but first a little back story. I have always wanted to learn how to play the piano. When I was young like maybe 8 my mom signed me up for lessons. Well, it lasted all of four weeks because I got so bored.

Later when I was about 14, a friend of mine tried to teach me to no avail. I just couldn’t get my fingers and hands working. Finally when I was about 30 years old, I signed up for lessons and the teacher started with scales and notes and music theory! I hated it! I just wanted to learn how to play songs. I resigned myself to the fact that I was not ever going to play piano.

Fast forward to retirement. My husband and I had a house built and there was a room that should have been a formal living room. It is bright and airy and has tall ceilings. I just didn’t know what I wanted to put in that room. In my mind’s eye I just kept seeing a baby grand piano. After a lot of talking and then searching online to find the best deal, we bought one. OMG it was beautiful!

I played around on it and searched high and low on the internet trying to do any and all of the online classes. No luck….I was discouraged but still not unhappy that I owned a piano.

Well, I was on YouTube one day and came upon a guy named Tim showing some things on the piano. His company/program is called PianoFool. There was just something about watching his one video that piqued my interest so I just had to try it.

So, let’s take a look at his program. I am a bit of a slow learner when it comes to the piano, but I have to tell you that this is the best program I have come across. Tim speaks my language and that is, learn how to play songs! I love it and I CAN PLAY a song now! Check out this video to see me play.

Now, you may be thinking, “oh big deal, she can play one song.” Well, let me tell you, I now know that by the time I complete the three other segments, that I will be able to play just about any song. It took me a little under a month to learn what you are seeing on the video, however; this program has shown me a method that allows me to play other songs as well which is so cool. When you are finished you will have the skills to go out and figure out how to play what you want to play like a pro.

PianoFool gives you the most direct approach to playing and Tim demystifies what you are actually doing. It is step by step with written instructions including diagrams and he shows you on video how to do it and how it should sound. Each section should be practiced for five days, so you should know your song in about a month.

There are four popular songs to learn and then when you are finished you will know all of the chords and how to play them like a pro on any song. It’s actually foolproof. If you have always wanted to learn to play the piano, then I would highly recommend you visit http://pianofool.com.

The program is inexpensive and downright cheap when you figure that you are going to learn in a month what some people take two years to learn. I am so excited that I would really like to tell you more about it, but I don’t want to give away his trade secrets. Visit his site and you will see more of what I’m talking about.

Right now, though, I need to go work on my next song! Here are a couple of links for you: Check out the Core 4 program.

You can get a free video lesson and Chord Chart by going to: http://youtu.be/H9eSG6ookdE

http://www.pianofool.com/pfp1_cbdl/files/Crucialchordchart.pdf

Enjoy!

Recycling jeans for an apron

cathyjourdan@yahoo.com (Cathy Jourdan) — 2012-04-03T18:46:23Z

Guest post written by Jacqui Halson

There's no use in buying something that you can easily make and have fun with it. I'm not quite Martha Stewart. I'm not a DIY-er on quite that level, but I really love making all types of little things for crafts on the weekend with my kids.

Every once in a while I realize that there's something I need to make. That happened with needing an apron and realizing I could have a lot of fun with making one on my own. I started looking up apron patterns and found some stuff on debt settlement family. Our family is in debt and it makes me nervous so I was glad that I I saw that and I think that we're going to use it.

I saw where someone used old jeans to make an apron and thought that sounded pretty cool and durable. It would be great to use just for crafts, period. So I'm going to focus on making one of those and maybe some matching ones for my daughters to use when they're ÒhelpingÓ me in the kitchen.

Housewarming

cathyjourdan@yahoo.com (Cathy Jourdan) — 2012-03-28T16:10:49Z

Today I thought I would surprise my son and his girlfriend since they are just about settled into their new home. I had some housewarming gifts delivered for them. I think when they get home tonight they will be surprised to find them and I think I did a good job of listening beforehand. The gifts I got where exactly what they said they needed! I hope they like them.

Migraines

cathyjourdan@yahoo.com (Cathy Jourdan) — 2012-03-28T16:07:25Z

Boy oh boy, migraines run in our family. My mom and both my sisters suffer with them. I thought I had escaped this malady but lately I have found out that I did not. I am blessed though because I only get ocular migraines which have no real pain, just flashing lights in front of my eyes. Hopefully they never get any worse, because my one sister's have gotten so bad she is considering Migraine surgery . Not sure what that entails but it doesn't sound so good.

Conferencing

cathyjourdan@yahoo.com (Cathy Jourdan) — 2012-03-28T16:02:55Z

All of my family is in Ohio with a few scattered throughout Florida. I call them all regularly and I have used some video messaging programs so I could see them, but you know what? I found that using a web based video conferencing program is actually better. They all seem to be able to use it easier and the quality is awesome. Glad I figured this out!

I don't want to but...

cathyjourdan@yahoo.com (Cathy Jourdan) — 2012-03-28T15:59:38Z

I guess I'm just going to have to break down and go to the office supply store. I hate going because I'm cheap and everything is so expensive. However, the ink on my printer is just about dried up and I'm out of paper as well as some other random things I need to get to get ready for the upcoming art show.

A roof rack now?

cathyjourdan@yahoo.com (Cathy Jourdan) — 2012-03-18T17:11:19Z

I know I've spoken about it before but I have to bring it up again. My son is totally obsessed with shopping. Now technically I don't think he'd be considered a shopaholic because he can afford the shopping that he does and it doesn't cause him any problems, but it drives me crazy. I just can't believe that someone constantly needs new things. Today he dropped by and to me to come out and check out his new whispbar roof rack . Oh Lord, what could he possibly need one for? Who knows.

Pool Supply

cathyjourdan@yahoo.com (Cathy Jourdan) — 2012-03-03T16:16:33Z

I remember a few years back my youngest son thought about starting a pool supply business. I think we kind of discouraged him but I don't remember why. I hope that he doesn't remember that in a negative way. The reason I bring this up is because he just got a pool installed at his home and he borrowed my phone book to find pool supplies.

Roll Tide

cathyjourdan@yahoo.com (Cathy Jourdan) — 2012-03-03T15:59:28Z

The Author of this post is Solomon Dejesus

Roll Tide! That crimson spirit is infectious. I think it flooded the entire internet with commercials and cartoons when Alabama took sweet victory over LSU. Elephants and tigers battled it out and the pachyderms won. Can you imagine this epic battle in the wild? Crazy! Of course, Directv tuscaloosa was there to offer all the commentary channels and angles a Bama fan could want as well as all the other game day channels necessary to feed the craving for pigskin. I am absolutely amazed at the amount of sports programming Direct TV has to offer. You could literally watch football 24 hours a day 7 days a week and still see something new or at least at a new angle. Not that I would want to see that much football, but having the ability to trace the Bama season play by play would actually be pretty interesting after the season’s victory. I see a possible career change in my future: watching Direct TV and writing football columns for the paper. Perfect.

Amish Furniture

cathyjourdan@yahoo.com (Cathy Jourdan) — 2012-02-18T21:19:39Z

I've always heard that some of the best American made furniture is amish furniture . I don't know if its true or not, but I am checking it out. I used to like real fancy, carved furniture with a lot of brass and marble, but these days I find myself more attracted to plain, sturdy furniture. I like the simple, clean lines and so I think when I go to Ohio next time, I'm going to go to the Amish country to check it out.

Flexible metal hose

cathyjourdan@yahoo.com (Cathy Jourdan) — 2012-02-18T21:14:54Z

I'm so tired! My son and his soon to be wife bought a house recently. They were really frustrated because it took forever to close. Well, they finally made it to closing and she had to be out of town. Then, they worked through that with overnight mail. However, the day after they closed my son found out he had to go out of town. To make a long story short, my husband and I have been working over there to help them out. Sadly, just like always, I am the gopher. Today I had to go buy some flexible metal hose . I have no idea what for.

How can that be?

cathyjourdan@yahoo.com (Cathy Jourdan) — 2012-02-10T16:40:56Z

My friend and I met for coffee the other day and it was so nice to see her again. She has been living up north and finally came back home. Well we were comparing my electric bill with her nj electricity bills and believe it or not, hers were way cheaper than mine? How can that be? Are we being ripped off down south?