Sweet Catastrophe

Finding myself telling so many people about this, I’m realizing that it just isn’t common knowledge that tons of United States Postal Service locations offer a 24-hour kiosk!

Since I don’t know how setup varies by location, I’ll just tell you about ours.

Right next to the mailboxes is a little computer station. It’s a touch screen setup and you get, from what I’ve looked through, all the same options you get when you speak with a teller. There’s even a place next to the computer that weighs your package for you to determine postage.

For me, I generally stop by to mail letters at night. In the digital age, I don’t mail things off very often, so it’s just not cost effective for me to buy stamps since the price is always changing.

There’s a minimum of $1, so the computer will prompt you and ask if you’d like to purchase 3 stamps, or go back and choose different options. When it’s all said and done, you swipe your debit/credit card and your stamps, or postage for a package pops out!

It’s a very easy process with clear, simple, yes or no questions. Due to popular demand, ours in town has even been fitted with headphones for the older group around town who have trouble reading the screens, sort of like a reverse closed captioning thing.

I was a bit intimidated at first, worried that I might choose incorrectly and end up with an $8 stamp for a 13 ounce envelope, but once I stepped up to the computer I saw that it was fairly close to idiot-proof. Since then I haven’t stood in a Post Office line. I just stop by after hours when it’s eerily quiet and get in and out!

You can check for a 24-hour kiosk near you by clicking here and choosing Automated Postal Centers from the first drop-down menu. I’m sure once you’ve given it a shot, you won’t stand in anymore teller lines either!

These are just really cute. Excuse the formatting, I pasted from an email and just did minimal cleanup.

What Love means to a 4-8 year old . . .

A group of professional people posed this question to a group of 4 to 8
Year-olds, ‘What does love mean?’

The answers they got were broader and deeper than anyone could have imagined.

See what you think:

When my grandmother got arthritis, she couldn’t bend over
And paint her toenails anymore. So my grandfather does it
For her all the time, even when his hands got arthritis too.
That’s love.

Rebecca - age 8

‘When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different.
You just know that your name is safe in their mouth.’

Billy - age 4

‘Love is when a girl puts on perfume and a boy puts on shaving cologne and they go out and smell each other.’

Karl - age 5

‘Love is when you go out to eat and give somebody most of your French fries
Without making them give you any of theirs.’

Chrissy - age 6

‘Love is what makes you smile when you’re tired.’

Terri - age 4

‘Love is when my mommy makes coffee for my daddy and she takes a sip before giving it to him, to make sure the taste is OK.’

Danny - age 7

‘Love is when you kiss all the time. Then when you get tired of kissing, you still want to be together and you talk more.
My Mommy and Daddy are like that. They look gross when they kiss’

Emily - age 8

‘Love is what’s in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and listen.’

Bobby - age 7 (Wow!)

‘If you want to learn to love better, you should start with a friend who you Hate.’

Nikka - age 6
(we need a few million more Nikka’s on this planet)

‘Love is when you tell a guy you like his shirt, then he wears it everyday.’

Noelle - age 7

‘Love is like a little old woman and a little old man who are still friends even after they know each other so well.’

Tommy - age 6

‘During my piano recital, I was on a stage and I was scared. I looked at all the people watching me and saw my daddy waving and smiling.
He was the only one doing that. I wasn’t scared anymore.’

Cindy - age 8

‘My mommy loves me more than anybody
You don’t see anyone else kissing me to sleep at night.’

Clare - age 6

‘Love is when Mommy gives Daddy the best piece of chicken.’

Elaine-age 5

‘Love is when Mommy sees Daddy smelly and sweaty and still says he is handsomer than Robert Redford.’

Chris - age 7

‘Love is when your puppy licks your face even after you left him alone all day.’

Mary Ann - age 4

‘I know my older sister loves me because she gives me all her old clothes and has to go out and buy new ones.’

Lauren - age 4

‘When you love somebody, your eyelashes go up and down and little stars come out of you.’ (what an image)

Karen - age 7

‘Love is when Mommy sees Daddy on the toilet and she doesn’t think it’s gross.’

Mark - age 6

‘You really shouldn’t say ‘I love you’ unless you mean it. But if you mean it, you should say it a lot. People forget.’

Jessica - age 8

And the final one — Author and lecturer Leo Buscaglia once talked about a
Contest he was asked to judge.

The purpose of the contest was to find the most caring child.

The winner was a four year old child whose next door neighbor was an elderly
Gentleman who had recently lost his wife.

Upon seeing the man cry, the little boy went into the old gentleman’s yard,
Climbed onto his lap, and just sat there.

When his Mother asked what he had said to the neighbor, the little boy said,

‘Nothing, I just helped him cry’

I’m going through all my drafts right now and clearing out the ones I know I won’t be using. I found one I should’ve posted weeks ago–you guys are gonna love this–

And while we’re at it, earlier this week we found a dancing seal!

Almost too much awesome for one post =)

Have you upgraded to Office 2007 yet? No? Why not? Oh yeah, Office is ridiculously expensive.

I found a little deal a while back that I keep forgetting to share though. The Ultimate Steal is a deal from Microsoft. Current U.S. students can buy Microsoft Office Ultimate 2007 for only $59.95.

The only requirements are a valid U.S. email address ending in .edu and that you be actively enrolled in at least 0.5 course load. (Their words, I’m guessing you have to be enrolled for at least half-time status.)

You purchase your license and download. A backup disc is also available for a fee, and if you ever need to re-download the software, or you have problems with your original download, they offer a variety of ways to grab it again.

The deal is valid from September 2007- April 30, 2008.

I’m signed up for a Microsoft survey program that runs in the background on my computer–after 3 months I’m supposed to be eligible for a free Microsoft product of my choosing, but I think if I wait for that, I’ll be cutting it close to the deadline for this deal, so currently, the plan is to use some of my small bit of excess financial aid this semester to get it. I really need it to be able to do all my ACED assignments at home, anyway and classes end in April.

So check it out guys! Seriously, it’s like a 90% off discount…just on the Office website, it’s $679.95 to buy new and $539.99 to upgrade… so yeah, you’re saving a little bit of money…it’s honestly one of the best deals I’ve ever found.

I actually clapped for these guys sitting here at home in my seat. This is great!

“The original members of Straight No Chaser perform their comedic version of “The Twelve Days of Christmas” at the Musical Arts Center, Bloomington, Indiana. December 7th, 1998.”

Link for my LJ pals.

I just wanted to take a moment and let you guys know a little about Car Angel. Car Angel is a non-profit organization that takes car donations (and other donations, of course) to “help single mothers, homeless, teen and adult rehab, food distribution and orphans.”

They use donations to create children’s dvds, anti-drug videos and prison literature. To date, they’ve given away over 2.4 million videos.

I know it’s not a common thing to have a car you can just donate, rather than sale, but chances are at some point in you’re life, you’ll be left with a car that just isn’t worth the hassle of selling. This would be a great alternative. They make all the arrangements for pickup, repairs, title transfers–everything. It’s something to consider as an option, and you’d be helping yourself as well with a tax deduction come April.

Here’s an example of some of the dvds they produce. This one is a religious story, with Spanish subtitles.

Ultra-runner Tim Borland is running 63 marathons in 63 days in order to raise funds and awareness for the A-T Children’s Project in their quest for a cure or life-improving therapies for ataxia-telangiectasia (A-T). A-T is a rare, neurodegenerative disease that affects children, giving them the combined symptoms of cystic fibrosis, muscular dystrophy, cerebral palsy, and cancer. Children with A-T — born seemingly healthy — are usually dependent upon wheelchairs by the age of 10 and often do not survive their teens.To run with Tim, join a tailgate party, or make a donation, please visit the A-T CureTour website. There, you can also view the daily video blog produced by filmmakers who are making an independent documentary on the A-T CureTour and enter a contest to Win a Nintendo Wii.

This disease affects an estimated 1 in 40,000 children, but it’s predicted that many who die young aren’t properly diagnosed–therefore it may be much more common than we know.

There is no cure for A-T, and there is currently no way to slow the progression of the disease. At this time, treatments are directed only toward partially alleviating some symptoms as they appear. Because A-T is a rare, “orphan” disease, very little research data is available on pharmaceutical therapies that may aid these children. Physical, occupational and speech therapy are used to help maintain flexibility, gamma-globulin injections help supplement the immune systems of A-T patients, and high-dose vitamin regimes are being undertaken with some moderate results.

November is the month for National Memory screening day. Free screenings are occurring across the nation throughout the month–I took a look at some of the dates/locations and it appears they’re all 4+ hour windows for you to go in and participate.

You’ll meet in private with a clinician. A series of questions/tasks will take place to test memory, language skills, thinking ability, etc. The clinician will review your results with you and discuss whether or not a follow up with your physician is advisable for more extensive testing. Your results are confidential.

I strongly suggest looking for the nearest screening and taking your loved ones. I don’t think anyone realizes just how strong the impact of Alzheimer’s can be until it’s too late. We’re experiencing it all now with my grandfather, and it’s really like he’s two different people. He’s still in earlier stages, so he really slips in and out of it, but when he goes, he’s just not my papa and it tears us all apart. He even got so angry last week that he slapped my grandmother. I admire her strength. A few hours later he held up his hand to do it again and she didn’t move; she just looked at him and said, “Johnny, if that’s what’s gonna make you feel better, just do it.” Later on when he was back to himself, he remembered what happened and got so upset. I can’t imagine what it’s like to know there are times when you can’t control yourself anymore.

The successful aging tips located on their site are actually some I think everyone should take a glance at. They’re pretty good guidelines for anyone’s mental health at just about any age.

Seeking the cure for Alzheimer’s is important, but we can’t forget those already suffering. Consider a contribution to Alzheimer’s Foundation of America to aid in the care of those already afflicted.

My grandfather is still in a place where we can take care of him, but with his attitude towards life right now, I fear it won’t be long before we have to place him in someone else’s hands.

If you ever need a laugh, might I suggest a YouTube search? Just type in screaming frog and go to town. I laughed until I snorted. It’s so bizarre that they can make such noises!

Here’s one to get you started.

Last week I was given a chance to try out some self defense products. I was really interested considering, sometime last year, I had my mace taken away at a concert. If I had been really insistent, I probably could’ve gotten them to place it somewhere with my name on it, but I mean, I was trying to get to my spot to watch Lifehouse and you just don’t have time for such trivial things as safety when you’re talking about getting front row; though, mace probably would’ve come in handy…hmm.

Anyway, I live right next to campus, which means I don’t have to pay for a parking permit or fight for a spot, but it also means I have to walk through the park every day, which is great most of the time, but not when I’m walking home from an event or study session at night, or when/if I take another night class. We have a couple of drug dealers who work in our park. They don’t hang around and solicit or anything like that, but the park is where they make their exchanges.

I also have to walk by a particularly rough frat-house. They’re not so bad, but the kind of people who come to their parties can be downright intimidating.

So obviously, safety is definitely a concern at the front of my mind. I was hoping to get a new can of mace, but I got a pretty cool product to check out.

Mace Hot Walkers are 1lb hand weights to carry when you’re out, well, walking! One weight has a can of mace hidden inside, where it’s easily accessible immediately. Interestingly, the other weight is also hollow in the top half, an the top comes off (not easily) so that you can drop in keys, or money.

Even though I should, I don’t go walking. I’m actually thinking about getting a bike though. Anyhow, I’m sending these off to a friend who’ll get plenty of use out of them, and I’ll definitely rest better knowing she’s safe from angry retired grannies when she goes for a morning run!