Yes, indeed, it’s another blogging contest. This time the stakes are pretty high and it’s well worth the effort to enter. You can win $500 cash, sent to your PayPal account. Second prize is a BFG NVIDIA Graphics Card. That’s a pretty sweet deal, don’t you think?

So, you’re probably asking yourself right now, “Who do I have to kill to enter this great contest?” Well, it’s just not that hard to enter. There are only three rules.

1. Link to Business Blogger, the originator of the contest.
2. Link to Business Directory, and up and coming business listing site.
3. Write an original post from your blog about the contest. Post must be at least 250 words.

That’s not so hard, is it? You’ve got until the end of February to get your blog on and enter the contest. I have to tell you, I love contests. Or maybe I don’t have to tell you that! They are fun to enter and it’s loads of fun to read other people’s posts.

I urge you to enter. If they don’t get at least 50 posts from bloggers, the contest is off. You stand as good a chance as anyone to win, so what are you waiting for? Leave your comment and where you posted for the contest at Business Blogger.

I have to admit, Business Blogger is a pretty interesting blog to read anyway. Adding this contest to it is just icing on the already good cake.

So, what would I do with the money, if I win? I’d probably give it to my younger daughter, now 20 years old. Her dentist has told her she needs braces and she doesn’t have the money for the down payment on them. This would cover about half of the down payment, so it would help her a lot. She’s needing an implant in a space where no adult tooth came in when she lost a baby tooth. Her teeth have shifted to where an implant won’t go in there until she gets braces to line everything back up again. Her dental insurance doesn’t cover this, so it all comes out of her pocket. She can cover the payments alright, but she can’t save up the down payment soon enough to get started when the orthodontist wants to.

Tell me, what would you do with $500?

Technorati Tags: blogging, contest, PayPal, BFG NVIDIA Graphics Card, dental insurance, orthodontist

Posted: February 4th, 2008 under Flights of fancy, Blog building, Outreach.
Comments: 2

When my husband passed away in 2005, we were all terribly grieved. One of his nephews was especially broken-hearted. At the funeral, through tears, he told me he had wanted to come see Danny with the last trip other family members made over here, but waited. He planned to come on the next trip. There was no next trip, for Danny passed away before it happened.

I assured him that Danny knew he loved him, and that it was OK that he wasn’t able to come for that one last visit.

A couple of months ago, one of my brothers passed away in another state. It was sudden, and I haven’t seen him in several years. My sister was able to go see him a few months before he died, but she was extremely grieved that she hadn’t gone back soon enough. She thought she’d have more time.

I go to see my elderly Mother as often as possible, and I’ve warned the powers-that-be at work that I will go see her, whether I’m scheduled to work or not. So, they might as well arrange my schedule to make that possible or risk being short handed some days. However, I realize there will come a time when Mom won’t be there. Suddenly, she’ll be gone and I’ll be wondering about that one last trip to visit her, and why I didn’t go sooner.

But this morning, I was pondering these things and came to a conclusion. Whenever we last see a loved one was the last trip to see them. There are always deep desires to keep going back “one more time”, but we’ve already had our “one more time”. There really isn’t anything to regret or beat ourselves up over. We’ve done our best to be faithful and loving. We’ve done our best to show the person we care. We know we loved them. They know we loved them. “One last trip” wouldn’t have stopped the inevitable.

I know for myself, in relation to my Mother, I am greedy about the time with her. I want it all. There’s just no way to have it all.

Posted: January 29th, 2008 under Uncategorized, Flights of fancy, Outreach.
Comments: none

Before Christmas, I told you about winning a contest so that I could use the funds to give gifts to special people that I know. The fact is, I didn’t receive the funds right away. Neverblue Media Inc. is a big business and I suppose they had other things to deal with. I can understand that.

But, I did receive the funds in my PayPal account today! Yay! Since I had used my own funds to purchase these special gifts, I was glad to see that amount replaced this morning. If it never had been put into my PayPal account, I still would not have regretted this act of kindness. After all, that’s what an act of kindness is supposed to be.

Technorati Tags: Neverblue Media Inc., PayPal, act of kindness

Posted: January 15th, 2008 under Blog building, Outreach.
Comments: 2

In every community there are shelters for women and children who are seeking refuge from an abuser. They often leave their homes with little more than the clothes on their backs. When they arrive at the shelter, they are in need of the ordinary items. Things like toothpaste, a comb, deodorant. And things for their children, as well.

You can help your local women’s and children’s shelter immensely by donating new toiletries,