Written Right: a writer's guide to more than writing

I'm reserving my personal view on this hot debate until later, but I want to comment on one aspect of the Giuliani dilemma.

Most everyone agrees that in the face of 911, Rudy Giuliani stepped up to the plate and led with courage, professionalism, empathy and skill. My concern is that the average American only sees that and is not looking at his overall skill set. And I don't really mean that to come off in a negative way, because I happen to think there are few polititians out there who have experince with running anything at all with a budget as massive as NYC's. He certainly has the hands-on experience to run a large venture.

It's just that I actually feel sorry for people who place their faith in anyone based on just one event or issue. I want to see people to embrace Giuliani for the whole man and using holistic opinions.

The internet has launched wealth and new job niches. A whole gneration is working from home. On the other hand, there is a huge surplus of high school snot-nosed brat and unexperienced college drop outs started SEO companies. Or, sometimes they just grab lapsed domain names with high page ranks and then proceed to sell links to their site for $10 a pop.

Think before you team up with someone you have only met online to help you optimize your site. You may find your future in the hands of children and sloppy layabouts.

I may live in the concrete jungle, but between Central Park and my frequent trips upstate, I get a lot of opportunities to indulge in bird watching and other wildlife spotting. Who would have thought I was a fan of this pastime? Yep, my parents were into nature and going on wildlife walks, camping, fishing, all the trimmings. It rubbed off on me and even now that I live in the City, I keep up on my hobby.

You need a good pair of binoculars to enjoy the wildlife the right way. Eagle Optics is one particular site that offers a vast array of choices, including nikon binoculars. Nikon's most popular line is the Action Series. They are designed to be used for long periods of time and still remain comfortable to use. Many of the models are even comfortable when used with eyeglasses. They're built with the classic porro prism design, which boasts superior resolution, high contrast and optimum brightness. With an ergonomic body and lightweight polycarbonate body shell, the Action Series is pretty much the best on the market, and all for a reasonable price.

Plus, Eagle Optics doesn't leave you hanging. The website has a series of links and articles with buying guides and reviews. Plus, their prices are more than fair and they have free financing on orders over $200. You can't beat that.


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There is a new Shadowlands event planned for March 17. Check out NYCDarkEvents.com for more information. It's a unique atmosphere and is rumored to be one of the hottest parties in New York. Don't miss it.

Despite how much of a circus it might seem to keep seeing Britney Speers in the news for her recent involvement with various rehab facilities, there is a positive side to the coverage. Any focus on drug treatment and the rehab industry in general is a great thing. I’ve assisted three of my close friends in finding their way to rehab throughout the past two years. Each one of them is happier, healthier and more focused than ever.

The Stone Hawk Rehabilitation Center is a Narconon program located near Battle Creek, MI. They have 24/7 nursing and medical staff on the premises. Additionally, several members of their staff have actually graduated from program at Stone Hawk. They offer a perspective on life and recovery that comes from victory and success. It’s important that anyone starting the journey to recovery be surrounded by people who actually understand where they are coming from and how they feel.

Aside from offering information about their recovery program, Stone Hawk’s site also has numerous articles on drug addition, detox, causes, treatment and recovery.

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I can never say it enough. If you're going to drink, please drink responsibly. By that I mean don't drive if you've had *anything* to drink. Do anything you can to stay off the roads.

I lost a friend I've had since high school to a drunk driver last night. She was simply coming home from the grocery store. Who would ever have thought she would never make it home to her husband. She was hit by a guy who said he had two drinks at a bar after work. Two drinks. If this is true, it's not as though he was even drinking to the point of being visibly impaired. But, he obviously was indeed impaired.

Life is a big unknown.

This is huge. Well, not literally. Literally it's compact and just the right size to put on your blog. In theory though -- HUGE!

You can put a widget right on your blog to share files with Box.net's newest little wonder. It's a handy little flash player that streams podcasts, music, photos, videos, and just about any other type of file. You get unlimited bandwidth and up to 1gb of files for free.



Free is, of course, one of the most lovely words in the world. So, run on over and try the box.net widget now. Yup, I said now.


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The whole Anna Nicole Smith thing is big here in the US, but in the Bahamas it's massive. Immigration Minister Shane Gibson resigned Sunday after all the speculation and about his relationship with Smith. He was the one who fast tracked Smith's application for permanent residency in the Bahamas.

So, much like Marilyn Monroe, Smith is causing a big backlash in the government of at least one nation. All of this after her parting. Gibson is concerned he has caused his country embarrassment. Maybe it's just me, but I think he drew less negative attention to the Bahamas than he did make it a place in the spotlight. Now, more than ever, the media is flooded with stories about how this star and that star are finding peace in their lives by living in the Bahamas. It's made it all that much more attractive to me.

Despite the biting cold and the nasty weather, you still need sunglasses all year 'round in this city. And while I'm not a slave to fashion in the eyeglass department, I do like Raybans. There is just something comforting about the classics.

I like the selection of RayBans at BestBuyEyeglasses.com.They have the largest selection at great prices and I love a company with an easy return policy. Right now, get an extra 5% off already discounted prices with coupon code ETP5P.

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Most businesses in the US don't take President's Day off anymore. The banks take it off. Government offices are closed. But, here I sit, plugging away at the new issue of the magazine and so far each and every client, writer, photographer, or associated business I need to contact is working today.

My sister has classes today at her college. My friend's kids are in school today.

So, let me ask you this: who in the world is it helping if only the post office and the banks are closed? Talk about gumming up the works.

It’s pretty much a given that you can get a brand new cell phone for free if you are a new customer with any given mobile service. Every time I turn on the TV, I see an ad for the hottest new phones and when I squint at the fine print I can see the free phone only comes with a new service plan. Once you’ve been a customer for a while, it can be just like pulling teeth to get your carrier to even give you a sweet deal on a new phone. Little less a new one. Is there any wonder why some people are walking around with cell phones so out of date they practically need a backpack to lug them around? My mother, for example, has duct tape around hers and a cracked LCD cover. It’s like Franken-phone. Seriously. Someone needs to give the woman a new phone.

Wirefly, though, has all kinds of goodies in store for their customers when they renew their contracts online through their site. You can get a new phone for free, as well as bonus freebies like a headset. If you look at their page for Sprint cell phones you will see that they are advertising a free Katana for new or current Sprint customers. That’s a $279.99 phone. AND, it comes in pink. I use Sprint, so you can bet your sweet patootie I’m checking this deal out as soon as I hit submit. Sprint is now starting their unlimited nights plan at 7 pm. I have to pay extra for that on my current plan. Time for a new plan, wouldn’t you agree?

Wirefly also has some outrageously great deals for other cellular carriers. They represent more companies that any other site out there. That means more options, more choices and more phones to choose from.

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I couldn't be more irritated. 2003's CAN-SPAM act says that unless the sender has permission, they cannot send unwanted text messages (or e-mail) to my wireless device. Nonetheless, I woke up this morning to yet another text spam.

Why should I have to pay my wireless carrier to place a spam blocker on my account? Looks like either way you view the issue, I'm paying. I either pay for the block or I pay each time a text message tumbles into my account. I'm held hostage.

I'm looking at the most amazing little security system online at Lasershield.net. I don't own a house. I rent an apartment in the city and it doesn't have a built-in Home Security System. I've always just assumed I have to accept that fact.

Lasershield is a portable security system. It's perfect for my apartment. I just watched a testimonial from Yvonne on their website. She's also single and rents. Pretty much the same situation as mine.

Despite being portable, Lasershield is just like any other monitored security system. It's just as effective as a wired system. It's available at retailers like Comp USA, Home Depot, and Sears. And, the monthly rate for monitoring is about $20. That's less than eating lunch out one day at the places where I tend to go.

Plus, I can take the entire system with me if I move.

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If any of you are joining me and the girls tonight, just know I am heading out in a very few minutes and shall be there soon. :)

To the rest of you: Happy Valentine's Day. Whether you love it or hate it, it's still going to cost you a fortune in flowers. ;)

I know I mentioned that I'm getting together with some of my girlfriends Friday to do taxes, eat, and have some very needed drinks.

I wanted to get a start on planning the drinks, since they quickly become the focus of our girls-night events. Have you seen Daucourt Martin's pink drink recipes at XRatedFusionLiqueur.com? Yum. I'm going to pick some up so I can make this:

French Kiss
1.5 oz X-RATED® Fusion Liqueur®
1.5 oz X-RATED® Vodka
Shake over ice and serve in a martini glass
Drizzle black raspberry liqueur down sides of glass

This post brought to you on behalf of Daucourt Martin Imports

Do you think there is anything wrong with a guy buying a diamond for his gal from an online auction site that exclusively sells diamonds from broken engagements?

I know that when you try to sell a diamond back to the store where you bought it, you're only going to get a fraction of the cost back. So, it seems reasonable to sell the rings online and possibly get a higher price. That sounds logical and simple, I suppose.

On the other end of the game, though, nobody better ever let me know I'm being given a cursed diamond. It would freak me out.

I like my e-cards risqué. Betcha never would have guessed that about me, huh?

I told mom it was a self-portrait. She choked on her coffee.

Egreetings.com has a 30-day free trial and a ton of free funny eCards. I have been sending out some of the funniest cards I've ever seen. Of course, my goal is to make sure the people I send them to will blush just a little. They have birthday cards and "just because" cards, but today I focused on the good old-fashioned Valentine's Day cards.

He looks like my ex.

A full annual subscription to the site is only $13.99 and from what I’ve seen today, I can tell you I’ll more than likely pony up for the site.

Chin people always freaked me out as a kid.

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You can only imagine the piles of candy and cookies sitting around the office today. Most of the girls who were sent candy for Valentine's Day pretend they don;t ever touch the stuff and chose to set it out in the conference room. Guess who ate a good bit of it.

Yep, that's me raising my hand. :)

I'm pretty ok with extra calories on a daily basis. I hit the gym pretty hard when I feel like it and I'm not afraid of a couple extra pounds. And, I like candy. I really do.

Nonetheless, someone needs to call me right now and keep me from putting a bunch of the stuff into my tote.

I work with a lot of men and I like to let them see the edgy side of who I am. I actually give copies of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue to about a dozen of my male friends each year. It's become a sort of running joke, as well as something they expect. I can see a great opportunity to develop a sort of Pavlovian experiment with them one day.

Anyway, today marks the 43rd annual issue. It's almost as important as any other holiday to a lot of the guys I know.

This year, in preparation for the magazines I will be handing out today, I decided to get into the spirit and download a little eye candy for my desktop. Of course, it serves two purposes. The guys who come into my office appreciate it, that's a given. It gives me a chance to be "just one of the guys". For me, though, I keep that Heidi Klum wallpaper up there to remind me that even a chick who has given birth three times can look amazing. I'm more motivated to make it to the gym more often. :) They have mobile phone content, too. Maybe that would motivate me more.


Who could blame the guys for drooling on my keyboard? And, will I ever actually see a day when I that many of my own ribs?

And speaking of the models in the issue: why the hell did Bar Refaeli dump Leo? I thought he was a total catch. Maybe I should keep up on the gossip a little better.


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I fully support the folks who run this city wanting to promote safe sex and all the things that go along with it. But, New York City brand condoms? Their own brand of condoms. Ew.

What does it say about a city that has an "official" condom? What does it say about Valentine's Day that they think this is the best day to unveil them? Is it appropriate that I just used the word unveil in the asme paragraph as the word condom?

It all makes me feel a little like I need to run home and take a very hot shower.

I'm not so into soaps, but it's become a sort of in-thing in the office to follow The Young and the Restless. I can't even remember how it started, but now one of the editing assistants e-mails everyone a daily update (since none of us actually are home to watch it) and we have these quasi-serious water cooler discussions about the various plotlines and untied threads of the story. It's a hoot and takes off a lot of work-related stress.

My little thrill is to keep astride of the Young and the Restless Spoilers and shock everyone with my usually spot-on "predictions".

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I am still at the office. Deadlines can be wonderful motivators, but this one hit us all out of the blue. Everything got moved up a week due to some sort of advertising campaign. So, here it is closing in on 10pm and I'm buring the midnight oil, so to speak.

The unpaid intern went out for sandwiches, so at least I'm full and fed, but I could use a foot massage and some neck work right about now and I'm pretty sure asking the intern to do that is not cool, even if he is a cutie.

I'm on the hunt for a new cellular service. I love my actual phone, but the company I have my service with is just flat out the pitts. The dropped calls alone are costing me what feel like a literal arm and leg. So, no matter how cute my phone is and how many exciting little extras it has, it's driving me insane. I actually had a waking delusion the other day about tossing the thing out the cab window in a flourish of surrender.

In the past, when I have started looking around to switch carriers, I just get frustrated and give up. There are so many choices and it's hard to compare them in your head when you have to go from store to store to get the details.

I found a tool on Wirefly's website that I can use to compare cell phone plans and carriers. It will also filter in the kinds of options I'm actually looking for in a plan. They have a great article about how I can keep my current cell phone number, which is really cool since if you use creativity, the numbers spell out something slightly suggestive on the keypad. ;)

Using Wirefly's site is going to save me the time I would have spent hoofing it around The City going to store after to store and trying to keep a million plan details straight inside my mind. This way, I'm actually using a break I have at work to quickly compare plans and carriers. Wirefly says they represent more carriers, phones and plans than anyone else and have guaranteed lowest prices. Sounds like a no brainer to me.

There are also a ton of accessories and ring tones to choose from, all right on the same site. It's a lazy, I mean buzy girl's dream come true.

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Ok, the phone just rang. I am quite literally typing this as I speak on the phone, because I want all of my friends who read this to know that when I talked about bad timing being a major part of my life, I was right.

Just last night I made a solid promise to go out with three of my girlfriends who don;t have dates for Valentine's Day. I debated doing this, because I love the thrill of not knowing until the last minute whether I'll have a date for the quasi-holiday.

And I don't break promises. Ever. Even if it quite literally may kill me. And right now I think I very well may perish. ;)

Yep, it's HIM. The guy from the office 4 floors down. The one I see on the elevator and when he's not looking I close my eyes and just breath in his scent. The one I said wouldn't in a million years even notice that I'm alive.

Turns out he DID notice and he asked one of the girls in the office my name. And now he's calling. And. Wait for it. Yep. He asked me to go to dinner tomorrow and because I am such a good friend and I promised to go out with my lonely-hearts friends, I cannot go and must tell him the truth.

-----
The call is over and I am finishing up the post. I did have to say no and I will go out with the girl, but it turns out I did not have the fortitude to tell him the truth. I told him my dad is in town and he and I have plans. I'm such a coward.

:)

But I DO have a date for Saturday.

I have already had a rough enough day that I'm willing to dress up like the janitor and sneak out of this place.

You know what I do when I need a pick-me-up? I close my office door and poke around on gaspirtz.com. The guy is seriously funny. Sometimes it's the simple joke that gets me laughing. Plus, his stuff is way dark and irreverent. I very much get that kind of humor. :)

Some cartoons are meant for grown-ups and Gaspirtz has his finger on that pulse.





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Isn't there some sort of law that syas I should have my W2 forms by now? Some of my girlfriends and I are going to get together Friday night and play some games, eat some good food and do our taxes together. Mari is a tax attorney, so she may hav a few pointers for me. But, if I don't have all my paperwork I might have to go off the last pay stub I got in 2006. Except,...I don't get paystubs! I'm a direct deposit girl, baby. *sigh*

Cross your fingers that the mainman will bring me some nice tax papers by Friday.

It is cold here. C.O.L.D. Absolutely frigid. We have enough snow to last us several years and one of my aunts is upstate under hundreds of inches. That hardly even seems possible, does it?

So, I have been casting about for idea for a VERY warm, very needed vacation. My fingers are *this close* to booking a Mauritius Flight on The Dial A Flight site. I'm in no mood to mess around with details. If I'm going to get out of here, I want it to be an all inclusive vacation where all I need to do is pack my bag and enjoy the ride.

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I was just looking back over my last post where I mentioned dating sites for fetishists. And before you utter that *ahem* I just know is on the tip of your tongue, I have never personally visted a dating site for fetishists.

But, I do have a friend who used to do fetish modeling. She is out of the industry now and works as a VJ in The City. Nonetheless, she still maintains a lot of her old business contacts and was invited to a fun little fetish fasion show last night. And guess who she took as her guest.

Yes, me. ;)

I actually had a great time. It was eye-opening, to say the least, but everyone treated my blushing state of shock with such a delightful sense of fun and irony. I think they thought my initial discomfort was cute. And, with such an effort to make me feel comfortable, I was soon having a blast.

My friend, Maxie, and I were talking today about all the dating sites out there for BBW, fetishists, single parents, etc. If there is a sub-group out there, they seem to have their own dating site. We started wondering if there were any dating sites out there catering to helping a gal find a nice old-fashioned Jewish boy we can take home to mom. I mean, sure there are scads of them in The City, but they don't seem to be crossing our paths.

So, check this out. Here is a site specifically for Jewish Singles. Could that be any more perfect after the conversation I *just* had with Maxie?

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Entry Moved

I'm having a craving that I cannot really put my finger on. It's been nagging at me all day. It fluttered in the very back of my mind during this morning's staff meeting. It pressed clother to my temporal lobes while I was interviewing a best-selling author pre-lunch, and it threatened to tickle my foremost thoughts just as I answered a phone call from the potential man-of-my-dreams a few minutes before I got off work.

So, tonight I am reading through Pencil Thin and I finally seize a fully formed thought: Chocolate!

Now I freakin' have to go out after midnight and buy some cocoa powder to feed my cravings.

I finally did it.

I had heard it changed Gwenyth Paltrow’s life. Hey, what’s good enough for “trendsetting” Gwennie is good enough for me. All I can say is that it’ll be a cold day in hell that drives me to do it again! Oh, the agony, the humiliation, the...the confusing sense of sick satisfaction.

Besides, the other day's face waxing fiasco actually turned out to be quite fulfilling...after the angry, red welts went away. My lipstick seemed to stand out more and that one stubborn little whisker on my chin no longer taunted me as I looked in the magnifying mirror. In a nutshell, I felt good about finally doing it. So, when the wax chick suggested it to me I gave it some serious thought last night – and I’m not even going to go into the kind of creepy dreams it inspired.

So, you have to try and imagine it. There I was, laying flat on my back in a small white room, under glaring lights. And, there is Helga (I swear her name was *actually* Helga) peering at my most intimate of intimates, a place only me and my dear Ob/Gyn have seen in the past two months.

Yes. I finally had my first Brazilian Bikini Wax.

And you know, I’m not sure I believed Kiwi when she told me that a Brazilian Bikini Wax entailed removal of every last hair on your nether regions, save an odd looking strip down the center. I mean every last poor, pitiful hair. Smooth as a baby’s bottom is the way Helga put it when she was finished torturing me. I’m not so sure I want my goods confused with a baby’s bottom. And on top of that I can’t imagine being Helga. I mean, she spends her day immersed in the unmentionables of the ladies of The City on a daily basis. And I used to think being a dentist was disturbing.

What is with those Brazilians and thier waxing techniques! It was not a glamorous experience and no I am now more determined than ever to meet that “man of my dreams”, or at least the man of my fleeting thoughts. I need to show the new do off ASAP.

I was waxed in places I had no idea could grow hair. I mean, really really, well...places I thought were unwaxable by virtue of their nature. And to make matters worse, I was too red and irritated afterwards to put my panties back on so I tucked them demurely into my bag and hightailed it(boy, does that word have new meaning) the 15 blocks back to my apartment with just my little, tiny skirt between me and the world. How oddly liberating.

Until...a man shot out in front of me from around a corner, nearly causing me to bump right into his back, nose embedded in his sweaty blue jogging suit. I stumbled slightly on a dog leash and looked down at the cutest Jack Russell puppy. Oh my God. I looked up at the back of the head of the man holding the leash. I looked back at the puppy. Oh my God, again! It was that actor from my building and there I was prancing around with my panties in my purse and a skirt that would reveal my brand new wax job with even a slight wind.

No way I could say hello. I ducked around the corner, hoping he would not recognize me as the bumbler from yesterday. What kind of sick humor does Fate have?! Two days in a row, both at horrific timing. Fate is a very mean lady indeed.

So, made a beeline for my favorite bakery, that cute little Greek place on the corner, and had Maria load up a plain brown bag with pastries, anything with chocolate, lots of sticky, syrupy loot. It wasn’t until I was galloping back to the apartment, panties still in my purse, sweets bulging from the brown bag, that I realized I am a dyed-in-the-blue drown-my-sorrows kinda’ girl. Feeding my emotions, that’s the name of the game. So, what the hell – I stopped by the grocer and got a box of Shells and Cheese to top it off. May as well wallow to fullest extent.

I’ll do double time on the stair master tomorrow.

I have a theory that revolves around leg shaving…or the lack thereof. Not shaving and men. I have a strong feeling it’s more like an inborn knowledge all girls come into this world knowing. If I am going on a date and I want to make sure I don’t slip up and end up in bed with the guy way too soon, I make sure I go on that date with my legs unshaven.

I read somewhere that some women protect themselves in the same manner by not cleaning their apartments before the date, so they are not tempted to bring their man back for a drink. But then, where does that leave you if your date has, in fact, a spotless apartment of his own? So, the legs it is. If I go on the date with stubble, there is no way I am removing clothes in front of anyone else that night. My own personal chastity belt. If I shave before a date I’m in for trouble.

Now that whole theory goes out the door if you’ve been with a man for a while. You get to that point, you know, when you slide into bed at night, hairy legs and all. You get to the point where your man does not care, he accepts your legs for all they’re worth. That’ a nice feeling, a feeling of infinite acceptance.

I know you all missed me. Blogger was having weird outages for a couple of days, so I decided to give my fingers a rest. :)