Walmart has a massage chair near their pharmacy for people to try out. It really feels good to sit in it and let the rollers go up and down my back. Most people who know me, know that I have had a ruptured disk and it was bad for about a year. It caused me a lot of pain not just in my back, but in my hip and all the way down my leg. It was so bad, that for months I could barely stand to ride in a car or walk very much. It even kept me from traveling to Mississippi to Danny’s family get-together for Christmas that year. He didn’t go either because he didn’t want to leave me here, alone.

Now that I work on my feet for many hours, there are a lot of days when the pain returns. By the time I get home from work, I can barely stand to put one foot in front of the other due to the back and hip pain. I have to work to pay bills, but I’d love to have a Human Touch massage chair to rest in when I get home.

This chair, the HT 7450, adjusts to fit your own body, and you can set the massage and heat to suit your own needs. It’s called a Zero Gravity chair because you don’t get undue pressure on the parts of your back and legs that cause you pain. Also, it doesn’t just have rollers. It uses compression, percussion, rollers, and kneading to help sore, tight muscles relax and to relieve pressure on aching joints.

I could definitely fall in love with a chair like this, especially when I’ve worked overtime and I’m particularly sore and tired.

Technorati Tags: Walmart, massage chair, ruptured disk, HT 7450

Posted: November 29th, 2007 under Shopping, Review.
Comments: none

Yesterday, we had lunch with Elizabeth. She requested that I bring along my laptop, which I did. We ate at Wendy’s and just after we ate, I got the laptop out for her to use right there at the table. It was so cool that we could connect to the internet using the AirCard so she could order photo greeting cards from Walmart online.

My sister took some digital pictures of Elizabeth, Josh, and Tilley (her chihuahua) over the Thanksgiving weekend, then sent them to me in email. E picked one, chose a card design, and created a personal message on it. Then she ordered the cards using the one hour photo option. Altogether, the whole process took under 15 minutes because I had a 3G connection speed, and she was able to pick her cards up when she got off work yesterday afternoon.

Getting this laptop is about the best thing I’ve done, I think, and going with a wireless connection through AT&T just tops it off!

Technorati Tags: laptop, AirCard, Walmart, digital pictures

Posted: November 29th, 2007 under Flights of fancy, Tech, Shopping.
Comments: none

OK, this is really too cute for words. You can get your favorite photos transformed into Photo Blankets! I love this idea! You can also get a photo pillow or photo pillowcase made from a photograph of a beloved person or pet at FotoBed.com.

Ordering is super easy. In just three steps - choose the product you want, upload a photograph, checkout - you can be on your way to having a pillow, pillowcase, blanket or duvet cover with a photograph printed on it. It’s machine washable, too, which makes it easy to care for. A huge plus, as far as I’m concerned, since I tend to avoid anything that needs special handling.

Right now, you can buy one 54 inch by 70 inch blanket and get a duplicate for free. They always have the duplicates for half price, but getting one free means you could use the second one as a gift. Heck, use them both for gifts! If you’re like me, though, you’ll want one for yourself. The hardest part will be deciding which of your photos you want to use.

Oh, and you can get a photo shower curtain made, too. That’s a pretty neat idea and you’d have a shower curtain that’s quite unique. I think I’m going to tell Elizabeth about this. It might be something she’d like to order for herself.

Technorati Tags: photo pillow, photo pillowcase, FotoBed.com, photo shower curtain

Posted: November 29th, 2007 under Shopping, Review.
Comments: none

Heifer International is my favorite charity. Why? Because they don’t just send food to poor places - food that quickly runs out and leaves people hungry again. They don’t send things that rust or decay, and people wind up still being just as poor and needy as they always were. Heifer International sends livestock and teaches people how to be self-sufficient.

The cattle, goats, rabbits, poultry, and even honeybees they give to the poor around the world and even here, in the U.S., provide families with the means to improve their lives, create a sustainable lifestyle, and generate income that can lead to a better life, education, and a spirit of entrepreneurism. A $250 donation will send a female goat, already bred, to a family. They can use the goat for milk, cheese, and soap making. They give the first offspring to a neighbor so the neighbor can also grow and improve. After that, all the offspring are theirs to use for the production of meat, milk, and other items. Even the hides can be used.

But they aren’t given livestock and left to fend for themselves. No, they are educated in how to take good care of the animals and how to keep them without depleting natural resources around them.

If you’re wanting to give to a charity that really helps those in need over the long run, Heifer International is the one to give to. Click the banner at the top of the page to learn how you can donate and how you can spread the word.

Technorati Tags: charity, Heifer International

Posted: November 28th, 2007 under