madameblogalot

A friend of mine just told me she thinks they will be getting a house soon. She is very happy as she has three young kids of her own and now her teenaged stepson is living with them too. Now is a great time for their family to get a new house. I would think that the First Time Home Buyer Tax Credit that is still available will really help them out as well. This young family is one for whom this kind of credit makes sense. They are a young family with both parents working and doing the best they can to provide for their kids. I know the $8000 credit will only benefit them. I hope this all works out for them!

For his birthday, my son’s only real request was a car. The one he has been driving has been on its last leg since it was flooded last April. It still has that wet car reek, and it doesn’t run well. We told him we could not nor would not get him another. Since then, the Jeep has pretty much quit. Even my husband agreed our son really should not drive it. So now my son is in the market to look at used cars. He has enough money in the bank to look for an affordable older car.

I found one website where you can search through the models you want, looking for used ford cars, used volkswagen cars or whatever other model you are interested in. Unfortunately for my son, these cars are located in the UK. But I know this type of service is very convenient for those who would benefit from such an easy search tool. I like how you can just get a quick look at the car and its info before having to contact the seller about it.

Since I have my orthotics now, I had to get some neutral fit shoes to accommodate them. I went to the running shoe store we usually buy from. I told them what I needed and they showed me four pair to choose from. I actually ended up getting the men’s version of a New Balance model. Afterward, I stopped by Academy to look for a pair of walking around shoes. I noticed they had the exact same pair of shoes I had just bought. For $35 cheaper! I was torn. I wanted to get the significantly better price but I wanted to give business to the folks who had spent time helping me out. So after calling my husband and figuring out how to best handle it, I went back to On The Run and talked with them. They matched Academy’s price! If you are in my area and need a good place to buy running shoes, be sure to head to On The Run. They’ll do you right!

I just came across a video blurb for Raj Patel’s newest book The Value of Nothing. I have never read or heard anything put out by Patel, but I found the ideas presented in this new book to be very thought provoking.

Patel strives to bring out the ideas of over-consumption, something that I do believe most of us in modern America struggle with. I like how he juxtaposes the value we have placed on certain items, such as factories vs. forests and “value meals” vs. vegetables and fruits. Just from watching the video, I would be interested in the reading through the book to see what ideas he is really presenting. I don’t want to go to an extreme, say, where the trees or animals have more value than a human life, but I do think it’s time the pendulum gets balanced.

I think that it is time to re-evaluate where we all are in our lives, in history and what kind of legacy we want to leave those coming behind us. I don’t think that all of what has brought us here is evil, but I do think it’s important to see how we got where we are and how we can improve on areas that need improvement. I think that is part of learning. I tell my daughter that is exactly why we have to study history.

I know we will not be on this earth forever. I do believe it too will pass away. But as long as we are here I believe we are called to be the best stewards of it that we can be. I am going to check out the chance win a copy of this new book. It should at least provide some very interesting reading and some really good things to think about.

As I stated before, rodeo season is gearing up! The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo is now just 35 days away. Though I have not talked to anyone personally who has already purchased  this year’s Houston Rodeo tickets , I have no doubt there are those who have! Many of the headline acts were announced earlier this month. Some of the big names include Kenny Chesney, Alan Jackson, Tim McGraw, Darius Rucker, The Jonas Brothers and Demi Lovato, and The Black Eyed Peas.

This line up is a far cry from the groups I used to see perform at the HLSR in the Astrodome. I remember seeing Anne Murray and The Oak Ridge Boys back in the day. Although I have taken my kids several times, I have not attended the concert and rodeo events since they’ve been moved out of the Dome.

But the HSLR still brings lots of fun for the whole family. There are lots of livestock to see, the pig races are always fun. Watching the littlest cowboys and girls in the stick horse rodeo is cute. There is lots to more to see and do at the HSLR. Check out the events calendar and concert lineup for full info.

With January comes the first announcements of who will be headlining the local rodeo in March. The Livestock Show and Rodeo is a big deal here. And not just for the performers. Many of the people in our area really do want to see the rodeo! And there are quite a few who take part in the show and rodeo. I know a guy who used to be a rodeo clown. And lots of the kids here participate in riding events, calf roping, and showing the animals they have raised.

Those folks who follow the actual rodeo events will be pleased to know that the National Final Rodeo tickets are already on sale for December. Once you’ve attended your local rodeo, then you too might be hooked! To make sure you don’t miss out on the best in bull riding, steer roping and wrestling, bare back riding and bronc riding, barrel racing and all the other excitement the rodeo finals bring, be sure and stop by the NFR Tickets plaza to be one of the first in line for the tickets!

As part of yesterday’s Martin Luther King Jr.’s day of observance, there was a group of protestors gathering to speak out against Planned Parenthood’s largest center opening soon in Houston. Part of the protest was about the abortion services provided by the organization, while the other side of the argument stated the group was targeting minorities (based on the location of the new facility.)

I have long teetered between the services Planned Parenthood provides. I think we should all be cognizant of “planning parenthood” and know that everyone is not. I did find it interesting that the protestors say the center is targeting minorities.

I think that no matter what ethnic group you belong to, you should be able to have access to full disclosure of information regarding your health care and the options available. Sort of like the site I saw providing disclosure of yaz side effects. There are lots of women using these types of pills. Full testing is difficult with birth control pills. And these kinds of pills are not always used to prevent pregnancies (some girls use them to control acne.) No matter the case, I think that side effects should be made known to people using any product, no matter the ethnic group, no matter the socioeconomic group, no matter the place they are in life. It is imperative in cases like this that people be able to make an informed decision.

In training for our triathlon, my husband and I are using different methods. Since I cannot do any running until I get my orthotics, I am using the elliptical machine for my run training. My husband, who is now suffering from shin splints, uses the treadmill regularly. While I don’t favor the treadmill except on very cold or rainy days, it is a very valuable tool for those who use them.

Treadmills are great for training when the weather outside is not good for running. It is good too for those like my husband who cannot withstand the daily pounding on the concrete. Many folks love the treadmill so much that they invest in buying one for their home. If you are looking to Buy Cheap Treadmills you have a couple of options. The cheaper treadmills I’ve heard about are the foldable type. These are easier to store away but do not provide the reliability and functionality of the fixed treadmills. For me, I think the fixed treadmills would provide more of the function I would look for. And since we would use it nearly every day, we would likely go with that option if and when we ever choose to purchase a treadmill for our home.

As for now I will continue training on the elliptical in hopes that will keep my endurance up until I can get back on the run!

I have a friend whose brother met his wife through a internet site. I find that very interesting. Especially since these two individuals are from different countries. I wonder just how that would work in a relationship. It seems that I am not the only who would wonder such a thing. I read a quick overview of a research review Oxford University Internet Institute conducted on meeting, dating and marriage in the digital age. It addresses the ins and outs of building intimate relationships based on online social networks. As the internet plays more and more role in our everyday life, I think studies like this will bring out some interesting finds.

We have always worried about money. But the end of the year always seems to magnify these worries. And with college looming on the horizon, the worries seem to be more frequent. As if that is not enough, one worry that we always face is no retirement. There is no retirement plan for those in my husband’s chosen life work (at least not a physical retirement plan!) So when we think of our years left on earth after we get through raising kids, it seems fairly daunting. I have heard about Annuities. Since I don’t understand what they are really all about, I was glad to find a website to help explain them! I was even able to see the different annuity calculators they provide. I think it will take more time for me to understand this option, but at least I can browse the site at my leisure. It even provides the disadvantages some face by using annuities.