NAILS DONE

Post contributed by Hilton Miranda

After looking at clear TV packages I decided to bundle my services and use their television. I am glad that I did because now I only have one bill to deal with and actually ended up saving myself a lot of money each month. I save enough money every month that I can spend it on one of my favorite things that I quit doing when my parents cut me off. I used to like to get my nails done every two weeks. It costs about forty-five dollars. When I got on my own, and wasn’t getting any help from my parents, there are places that I was forced to cut back. 

Personal grooming was one of them. Not that I don’t tend to my nails, but I started to learn to do them myself. I could get all of the supplies that I needed to do my nails for a lot less than it cost me every week to get my nails done. Problem is, that my nails would always chip after the first day I painted them. When I saved the money by bundling, that was the first thing that I wanted to do. It just makes me feel so much better about myself!

Real Housewives

Posted by Heriberto Fuentes

I really enjoy watching the “Real Housewives” shows. I think all of them women on those shows are so ridiculous. They all have more money than they know what to do with and I think I enjoy watching it so much because it is so farfetched from my own life. The women on these shows spend their days either on a yacht, shopping on Rodeo Drive, or eating at the nicest restaurants in New York, and all of this is paid for by their husbands. For whatever reason I can never remember what time the new episodes come on each week.

I have Expert Satellite so I can watch all of the episodes from each city on demand. I can keep up with the lives of all of these wealthy women never miss an episode. I would love to be able to live the lavish lives that these housewives live. However, I am far from being able to live that life. So, for now I will just have to live vicariously through these women on tv.

Puppy Problems

Authored by Raymond Whitney

We got http://www.wildbluedeals.com/satellite-internet/indiana/ not too long ago. It really came in handy the other day when I needed to get in touch with our vet and couldn’t. Our dog , a three year old beagle, started to loose a lot of hair over the weekend. It really startled me because he has never been sick or lost any hair in patches like that ever. I used satellite internet and searched all of the vet websites. I came across a website that had a vet available twenty four hours a day. I was able to chat with the vet and also e-mail her pictures of my dog. She said that it was probably an allergy and asked if some mimosa bushes were blooming in our yard at the time. We recently moved and have mimosa bushes and they were actually blooming! Surprisingly, our little dog was allergic to the bushes. He must have eaten some of the blooms and his hair started to fall out. The vet suggested what we should put on our pup and also how to keep him away from the plant. I was so glad we had the internet!

Bunk Bed Envy

Guest post by Rob Lobitz

When I was a little kid -- and maybe even now, sometimes -- I always sort of envied the other kids who had to sleep in the top bunk of a bunk bed. There was just something kind of exciting about the idea of being able to look out over the world while you relaxed and began your little nightly journey to the land of dreams. It is especially funny as I am now usually a scaredy cat who is terrified of heights and hates even going up a ladder, but the kiddie-me was what people here call a tom boy who loved climbing trees and anything else that went up high. My poor mom and dad were constantly terrified! I wasn't an easy child to raise.

Still, the whole bunk bed thing can get a bit interesting as you get older. I had one friend who stayed at home until she was in her thirties. She was a successful lawyer but she was still sleeping in the top bunk of her bed until her (first) marriage!

Anyhow, I've been thinking more about bunk beds, and twin over full bunk beds -- they're the ones that are bigger on the bottom -- because some of my cousins' families seem to be growing like crazy with kids popping out everywhere and making a big mess. They've been complaining about space a lot, and I that's what these kind of beds are good for. Some of the ones I've seen on line look especially nice and like either boys or girls would really like them. I guess the difference would be whether the blankets would have R2D2 or Bella and Edward on them!

Who knew?

Thanks to Darwin Barton

Who would have thought a few years ago that I was going to be knee deep in boxes? Everyone in my life knew how much I loved my house and living in Chicago so the last thing anyone thought is that I would be moving but when this new job offer came along I just had to take it, even if it did mean leaving behind everything I’d loved before. I’m really starting to get used to it here and I actually kind of like being out of the city although there are some things I do miss. My new place has satellite star internet and a big bay window and it’s even got a view of the lake so I guess all in all it wasn’t a bad trade off for that cramped one bedroom I used to live in. I’m starting to feel at home although there will always be a special place in my heart for the Windy City and I go back to visit as often as I possibly can!

Joe's Mistake

Guest post written by Olga Quinn

What was my husband thinking when he climbed that ladder? I yelled after him to get down but by then it was too late…Joe fell and broke one of his vertebrae and now he’s totally laid up for about 6 months until his back heals and he can go back to work. He’s been driving me crazy since I’m a stay at home mom and have to listen to him complain all day long and I even had to go to http://www.direc.tv to get TV for the house so he’d have something to do other than bug me all day! That seems to keep him occupied most of the day and don’t get me wrong, I love being able to spend more time with Joe and bond on a level we haven’t been able to in years. I hope he heals up soon, though, because he’s going to make me crazy here all day long and I’ve got things to do to keep this house in order every day!

Annual Cruises are a Relaxing Time

Post contributed by Leonard Phelps

Every year, my girlfriends and I go on a summer cruise for a special week of girls only bonding. We take turns picking a location each time and this year, it was my turn. I chose to take us to Mexico for a week of sun, fun and beaches!

Before I left, I spent an entire day packing. I tried on all kinds of outfits, trying to pick my favorites for all of the events on the ship. There were going to be formal nights as well as casual parties, so I had to be well prepared! After I finished, I went to bed early to rest up. The next morning, I got up and put together the last of my bags. I set my home security alarm (ADT PULSE COST) and was ready to go!

When we all arrived at the port we were departing from, we were so excited to run into some other friends that we hadn't seen in years who were going on the cruise with us. We knew it would be a great time! They took us all to our rooms and then we set sail. We've only been on the ship for a few hours, but it's already so peaceful to be on the ocean and away from the stresses of real life. Annual cruises are my favorite tradition of all time.

$40 a Day

Content by Kyle Lowe

One of the best shows on the Food Network is "$40 a Day." This fabulous show is hosted by the lovely and charming Rachel Ray. Rachel Ray makes a great host for this show, because she is so personable. She truly has a way for connecting with audiences and ordinary people. This show exposes a person to all sorts of bakeries and restaurants in the United States. I love watching this show on my satellite tv from http://www.Direc4U.com for learning all the different types of bakeries that exist in the country.

I am literally obsessed with baking and finding bakeries that offer the best deals on sweet treats. My friends think I have an addiction to all things baking. Whenever I walk into a store, I simply can not walk out without having bought out the entire baking section of that store. This show is great, because it shows people how to work with a limited budget. Because I travel a lot on business, I often find myself eating out all the time. From this show, I have learned how to save so much money. I have learned which bakeries in New York City offer the best deals on baked goods and other sweet treats. This show is so much fun for the ways in which it teaches people how to save money and eat like a king!

New Year's black eyed peas

Guest post written by Lucy Clark

No I'm not talking about the hip-hop group, I'm talking about the actual food. See, it's been kind of a family tradition to have a special good luck lunch on New Year's Day complete with black eyed peas and other certain dishes for good luck. But now it's time that I teach my kids how to fix these dishes, or at least get them to try and see how I make them and somewhat assist.

My daughter and my son both don't cook anything besides frozen pizzas, Lean Cuisines and microwave chicken nuggets, but then again I've always cooked for them so they've never really had a reason to have to cook much themselves. I was online looking at recipes and thinking about how to teach them how to make them and when I was doing that I came across some Portland clear wireless internet offers. I read some information about them and ended up signed up for one of them for our home internet service.

When I told my daughter that, she was really interested in learning how to make New Year's black eyed peas because apparently that's her favorite New Year's dish, which I didn't know until now!

Beauty stocking stuffers

Guest post written by Carolyn Hayes

All of my siblings and I are coming to our parents' house for Christmas which I'm sure is going to be a little hectic and scary. But we're the only ones with a kid so it won't be as crazy as it would be if there were other grandchildren. But while I was out buying some stocking stuffers for our son, I got inspired to buy a few to put in everyone else's stockings.

Before my trip to buy stocking stuffers, I had gone online to get some ideas for what to get my son, husband and brother. While I was doing that I came across some direct tv internet bundle specials and after I looked through them, I signed us up for one of them.

I knew to get some beauty stocking stuffers for my sisters and I, so I picked up some nail polish colors and some Burt's Bees chapstick, which I swear by. I also got some good smelling aftershave for my husband and brother. If I had my way, IÕd give my brother a new haircut as a stocking stuff. But unfortunately, thatÕs impossible.

First Thanksgiving Dinner

The Author of this post is Timothy Malone

Today I decided to write about Thanksgiving dinner. This will be my first Thanksgiving dinner at my new place in Phoenix and I want to make it as memorable as possible. I'm accustomed to spending Thanksgiving at my parents place in Tucson, but I decided to invite them here this year to commemorate the purchase of my first home.

I'm also inviting a few close friends over. I was able to convince them to bring some goodies. My best friend Lisa will be bringing the pumpkin pie while my friend Angela is going to be bringing wine. I called my mom up for her gravy and her stuffing recipe last week and plan on picking up all the food about a week before Thanksgiving day. I'm still trying to decide on the entertainment for the day. I know my dad will be preoccupied with watching the football games, but I'm not sure how I can keep my mom from invading the kitchen. I really want to do as much as I can by myself and let my mom relax and enjoy the meal. I figure I'll do most of the prep work in the morning before my parents arrive and that the actual cooking will only take me a few hours. It'll be a long day. Definitely plan on kicking up my feet and relaxing while watching some Direct TV after dinner.

My Lunch Hour

This guest post from Daryl Glass

Lunch hour is sacred for me. It's time to unwind from a harried morning and purge myself in preparation for the activities, challenges and whatever problems the afternoon brings. Usually, I go it alone. I'll grab a bite from a drive-through joint (unless I brought something from home) and head for a quiet corner of the park.

Reading is a favorite activity of mine during the fleeting quiet time. Occasionally, I'll not even crack a book open and just people watch instead. They watch me and I watch them; I sometimes wonder if their minds are as blank as mine during the process. I guess it's a form of meditation for me.

On those occasions when I want to be around people during lunch, I go to the Japanese restaurant and get something to munch on. I'm surrounded by strangers - no co-worker shop talk for me. I'll sit and idly eat while catching up on the latest news coming over their directSTARtv station.

No matter what I choose to do, it always seems to work. I slowly get back to the job, get my mind in gear and pick up the rhythm again. My soul and spirit cleansed from a peaceful hour, I am able to pick up the tasks with a renewed vigor and sprint to the finish of the day.

County Fair Here I Come

Contributed by Alvin Graves

Each and every year I attend about 3 county fairs. I attend the one for my county and the two for the surrounding counties. My favorite fair is ht Geauga county fair. It is in a more rural setting and is pretty large. What I love about fairs is looking at the exhibits they have. This is where prized animals are shown.

Another thing I love about the fairs is buying some of the locally grown produce. They have stands set up with some of the best locally grown food you can find. I like to load up on some of the delicious apples that they have there every single year.

Another great thing about the county fair are the pony rides for the kids. My children can't get enough of riding the ponies. They usually ride the ponies four or five times. They also get their picture taken with the pony. After my kids are done with the ponies, it's treat time. They usually want a big cup of lemonade and some cotton candy. Sometimes they might want a funnel cake also. After a fun day at the county fair we come home and relax by watching best choice tv until we fall asleep.

Johnstown County Fair Starts Today

Guest post contributed by Mae Sweet

I can't wait, I am so excited. The Johnstown County Fair starts today and I will be there with bells on. I am a cotton candy lover and I usually eat one as soon as I get there. Of course then I need some fresh sweet tea to wash it down! I usually don't like to go on too many rides, but the Ferris wheel is one that I do love to ride. I try not to eat too much cotton candy until after the ride!

I also love to play all the silly fair games. Ring toss and the one you try to get a ball into the little fish bowl to win a gold fish. I only take $50 with me to the county fair, if I took more I would probably spend it all. My daughter and son usually go to the county fair with their school friends. They say they don't want to be seen at the fair with their mom!

I did enter a pie this year. I actually entered a cherry pie and a chocolate pie. I couldn't make up my mind which one to make, so my husband said make both! I did, and they both look delicious. If I win I am going to go home, get myself a big slice of pie and watch direct tv!

Cooking Shows on DVR

Guest post written by my buddy Aldo Mays

The DVR service on my satellite tv from http://www.directstartv.com/directv_equipment/directv_dvr/directv_hd_dvr.html is simply great. I am a cooking-show fanatic, and I am always trying to catch the latest shows, episodes, and recipes on Food Network or Food TV. At times though, I may not be able to watch a particular show as it airs, so this is where the DVR comes in handy.

Whenever I have a social obligation to attend to, I set the DVR to record any show that I want to watch before I go. For instance, I recorded an episode of Paula Deen's cooking show, in which she was making this fabulous recipe for Deviled Eggs. The DVR is convenient and fast as I was able to set up the recording within minutes of heading out the door!

I also use the DVR to help me as I cook meals I learn about through the show. I can record a show, then as I work in the kitchen, I can rewind or fast forward certain parts to make sure I mix the batter properly or to make sure I'm using the right ingredient.

Overall, my DVR has helped me become a better cook and has helped me keep up with my favorite cooking shows. I'll be using this service extensively in the coming years!

Hell's Kitchen

Content by Edward Massey

I love to watch Hell's Kitchen. The show just started it's eighth season. I watch the new episodes every week on my satellite television from www.bestchoicetv.com/satellite-tv/fl/. They started with 16 contestants. The contestants are competing to become the head chef at LA Market. The winner would be making $250,000 every year.

In the first episode they went to Hell's Kitchen blindfolded to meet Chef Ramsey. They were divided into male and female teams. They had 45 minutes to prepare their signature dish. They had to present it to Chef Ramsey to taste. Some of the dishes were good. Some were average. Sabrina started yawning in the middle of the competition. This made Chef Ramsey. He told her she could leave the kitchen if she was tired. She said she did not want to leave. He moved on to Antonio's dish. He thought it was horrible and started vomiting. Then he passed the plate around to make everyone taste it. This was very funny.

I love watching Chef Ramsey. He is very strict and yells and curses a lot. It is funny watching the people make stupid mistakes. Chef Ramsey is aggravated quite a bit on the show and constantly yelling and cussing at the contestants. I love Hell's Kitchen, it is a great show.

Cooking Without Electricity

Guest post written by Brian Workman

The Amish cook without electricity and yet they are able to eat some incredibly flavorful foods. They always fascinated me on how they live a simple, tough and meaningful life and I would have never guessed that they had tasty foods to eat. I expected it to be bland and without flavor, but after watching satellite tv from www.direct.tv, I was completely wrong. In the heart of Pennsylvania an Amish woman and her family had opened a roadside restaurant and one of their best selling items was a pumpkin custard pie. I had to try it.

The custard is amazingly simple to make. I had bought a pie crust from the store and filled it with the custard filling: equal parts milk and pumpkin, light brown sugar and regular sugar, one tablespoon of cinnamon, half a tablespoon of ground cloves, one tablespoon of flour and three eggs to bind the wet ingredients together. You can add a tablespoon of pumpkin spices that already have a bunch of spices combined, and this really increases the flavor of the custard.

Bake for forty five minutes at 350 degrees or until the center is firm. Too much wiggle in a custard as it's baking and deeper inside the custard will not be cooked through enough. Serve by itself or with whipped heavy cream, this is perfect for any occasion.

Cooking Something New

Thanks for the guest post by Eugene Fulton

Edited by ME

I have a cabinet full of spices, pastas and everything else in between. Sometimes going through a recipe book is just plain boring and I wanted to find something different that wasn't in the cookbooks. I like the cooking channels on satellite tv from expertsatellite.com because they offer great recipes that are made right before my eyes. I can actually see what it is that I'm supposed to be doing.

Bingo, I found the recipe for me. It was great timing because I had a ton of pasta in my pantry and didn't want to make the same old, same old. Having another tomato sauce recipe to make seemed rather blaze to me but garlic flavored breadcrumbs sprinkled over a buttered pasta seemed easy and delicious. I had the bread to make breadcrumbs, I had both fresh and powdered garlic in my cupboard, and a wealth of pasta to chose from.

So, I took a few pieces of bread and put it into a food processor or blender to shred the bread. After, you can put them out on a plate to dry a bit if you'd like, but it is very easy to skip that process. Toast in a pan with butter and some olive oil, then add garlic. Toast until it become infused with the seasoning. Cook your pasta, drain, add butter and breadcrumbs. Viola!

Going to a Professional Football Game

Guest post contributed by Teodoro Martin

Most people enjoy going to professional football games for the sport and the action. I, on the other hand, go for the food. I love concession stand food so much, it is near being considered and addiction. Hot dogs and beer on tab, in my eyes, is better than filet mignon.

The cold air and the hot food adds a little bit of adventure to my dining experience, along with wrestling through the crowds and keeping yourself, and your food, in one piece. I have tried many times to recreate the same experience at home while watching football on my satellite TV from www.tvbydirect.com, but my hot dogs and beer are just never as good. I don't know if it is the environment that makes them taste so delicious or just the challenge. Either way, I would battle through angry crowds to get my concession stand meal every day if I had the opportunity to do so.

I may pack on the pounds as hot dogs and beer is definitely not the healthiest diet, but it would be worth every ounce of fat gained. Maybe getting through the crowds and repeatedly climbing up and down the bleachers cancels our some of my ridiculous, game time calorie intake, but for some reason I am sure the two things so not equal out at the end of the day.

Tuscany, Italy

The article written by Victor Flowers

As you know, I love to cook and as I was watching my cooking show on my new tv from www.bestchoicetv.com, I got the wonderful idea that for our anniversary this year, we should go somewhere to truly romantic and experience the best Italian cuisine there is; so we decided to fly to Tuscany.

Now Tuscany, Italy is known for it's historical, natural, and romantic atmosphere and for rich, home cooked Italian food, so it was the perfect place for us to go. When we arrived we decided to stay in a few of the charming 'bed and breakfast' hotels that are scattered throughout the countryside. By staying in one of these, we got to experience the rich, rural life in the country, but then we were also able to drive to any one of the cities in Tuscany, like Umberto, Valentina or Stefano, in less than an hour, and go sight-seeing.

We were really lucky in that we went into Piazza Santa Croce one day and found a Chocolate Fair going on for three days! The fair took place under huge tents and they had the best, most decadent treat ever, chocolate! They had chocolate from Florence and Tuscany, and then, there was also more chocolate from France, Spain and Belgium.

We enjoyed everything on our trip, but I think the Chocolate Fair took us over the top. Maybe we'll get to go back again someday.