I want to wish you all a very Happy Thanksgiving! I know those in other countries such as Canada don't celebrate when those in the US do but there is never a bad time to stop and be grateful for all that you have.

This year hasn't been a good one for me or my family but we've seen much worse. We're grateful for so many things and the mere fact that we have gotten through so many challenges over the course of the year is reason enough to celebrate.

Also, I can't help but to be especially thankful for both my sons but, this time, it's Dan I am lauding. His 24th birthday is on November 27 and let me tell you, there has never been a greater reason to be thankful than that kid. He's such a light in my life, such a great person. He's like bubbly champagne to our flat soda. His lust for life and his easy going nature plus his eternal optimism make me smile. He's the little boy I couldn't control. The one who flung peas in an old lady's hair at Denny's and the one who tossed a paper airplane into the coiffed do of a woman three seats ahead of him at a baseball game. He's the one who laughed so hard that we ended up all nearly crying on his first birthday when he saw a long dog toy stretch and then roll toward him. He's the one who has become not just a son, but a very close friend to me.

Dan and I talk about (almost) everything and he's been so good to me for no reason other than I am his mom. I adore him, cherish him, and beam with pride thinking of him. He's my first son and what an amazing person he became. I never would have thought when he was going wild climbing the walls with devil horns practically popping out that he would be the amazing man he is today.

Happy Birthday on November 27, Dan (Mr----X). I am a better person for having you in my life. I love you unyieldingly and will always back you up, no matter what. You're not just my son, you are so much more. And I thank God you were given to me.

We'll be celebrating Dan's birthday on Thanksgiving with the extended family and then again over the weekend with the immediate family. Whenever I get down, I only have to think about Dan and Chris and I know, somehow, someway, I done good. Those two boys....men...are amazing people and my reason for being.

Happy Thanksgiving again to you all and enjoy your families while you can. Ours is getting smaller by the year but we're holding on to who we have left. Enjoy the chaos.You never know when things may change.

Patty

November? How did THAT happen? This year has passed like a speeding train. I barely remember it!

I'm happy to say adios to October though. It was a rough month. My sister had major spinal surgery and I can't even express how worried and scared I was for her. But, after a very rocky day or two after the surgery, she is coming along slowly but surely. It hurts to see her wearing such a restrictive big neck brace and knowing she has so long to go before she is feeling better but she is a real trooper and isn't letting anything her down. My hat's off to you, Laurie!

Around here, things were busy too. We had a week long contest and, while I didn't expect or try to win, I did write a whopping 52 reviews in one week and that was during my sister's surgery and after when I was supposed to be taking care of her kids. Don't tell her that they took off for four hours and I didn't notice because I was writing reviews! Just kidding. Really. It was only three. ;)

November came in with a bang. Every year between November and December, I break a tooth, lose a filling, or have some sort of dental crisis. I have no idea why but it's one thing I can count on. This year, I got an early start with a filling falling out today. My dentist knows I'll be strolling in when the weather gets cold because, for some reason, my teeth revolt at that time. I wish I understood the connection but hopefully this is the last tooth mishap this winter.

OK enough rambling. I'm going back to writing reviews and reading and rating. Please take a moment to click on the YES button after reading a review to indicate that you read our reviews and that you got some info from them. We really thrive on knowing what we take the time to write about is being read and possibly helping others make decisions. You don't need to be a member or logged in to vote. Just click and go! See how easy that is?

New members, if you need help with anything on the site, you can always go to the discussion boards or come to any Community Liaison. Our badges are displayed when you hover over our main badge. Send us a private message or a public comment and we'll do everything we can to help with any issue we can. If we can't help, we know people who can!

Until the next blog,

Patty

Just a quick update. My sister, Laurie (LaurieM here) got through her four hour spinal surgery and is at home now. She really had it rough the first night and will have it rough for some time.The neck brace she has to wear 24/7 is hard and suffocating, her throat is swollen and she can barely swallow, and naturally she is in a lot of pain.

But I think the biggest hurdle is behind her and now, all she has to do is recover and not go against doctor's orders and do too much. Right now, she is in too much pain to be worrying about doing much but I know her. It won't be long before she gets antsy and you see here here and Lord knows where else.

I am just grateful that she made it through and is on the other side of recovery now.

As I mentioned in my last blog, please do take a moment to rate reviews you read. We all love to see that someone has read our reviews and you don't even have to be a member to rate. Just click YES when asked if the review was helpful. No is used for reviews that really are just mumbo jumbo or not on topic. If we gave you an honest, fair opinion, even if you don't agree with our conclusion, please click on Yes. That tells us you were there, you read the review, and you went away with at least slightly more than when you came to site.

Back to work for me!

October already! So far, I am controlling my SAD symptoms fairly well but I did gain two pounds since August from giving into carb cravings. I'll fix that this month. I have been working out and I have been using my therapeutic light albeit not as much as I should. I even have been taking brisk walks in the cool weather to get some fresh air and whatever sun there may be. I wish it was spring not fall though.

Onto other things. My sister, LaurieM here on VP, is having spinal surgery on October 14 and I want to ask you all to hold her in your thoughts. She's very brave to be going through the four hour operation and to know that recovery will be a long process. She needs to do this for her family and, mostly, herself. She'll be fine. She's the toughest person I know. She's my best friend and I hope that I can be of some help to her after surgery.

I want to thank everyone who has been taking time to rate my reviews and to comment on them. I know it's a daunting task to rate. I'm having trouble keeping up too! But those rates mean a lot to us all. Non-members, you can rate as well. Just click YES at the end of a review where it asks if the review was helpful to you. Please only use No if the review really, truly gave no info or was total gibberish (which we try to keep off the site). If you don't agree with our opinions, don't vote although I vote Yes often when I totally disagree with a reviewer's opinion. I am not rating the opinion, I am rating the review and, if it has helpful info in it, it gets a Yes vote from me and maybe a comment.

I will be back after Laurie is home safe and sound, wearing the dreaded cervical collar she hates so much and complaining about not being able to go in 100 different directions like usual. I can't wait until she is on the road to recovery! I feel her pain if only by virtue of the fact that we're blood and best friends and we share everything - good and bad.

I love ya, Laur!

Today, I had an epiphany.

I was standing at the front door waiting for my little dog to do his business outside. He was on a run but I tend to stand there rather than sit down because he is an out and in kinda guy. My young cat came over and started to look out the lower window, standing on his back paws. I scooped him up and, together, we watched the wind blow through the bushes and trees and the little bugs flit around outside. We watched the cars go by and we eyed a big dog across the street to be sure he didn't even consider crossing the road and coming near Mickey who was still moseying along on the front yard.

As I stood there, alone except for my animals, I thought to myself, "I'm more content at this very minute than I have been in years."

Now, anyone who knows me knows I am a type A personality. I like to work on 10 things at once, be on the phone, glance at three TV shows in rotation, and shop until my wallet is empty and my credit card is full.

But today, standing there with this little cat who found everything so interesting, so worthy of watching and learning about, I realized life isn't about money or stuff or achievements or even a great pair of stilettos. It's just about being alive to stand at the front door, early autumn wind rustling lightly, observing life through the eyes of an innocent animal. Just as a child views life differently than we do, so do animals. They aren't caught up in trappings and stuff. They just want to be safe, eat, sleep, and maybe get loved a little now and then.

I think, deep down, that's really all people truly want too. They just get caught up in everything else and forget that life is pretty cool without the material trappings and the stress that comes with gaining, keeping, and getting more of those trappings.

Today, I took a moment to smell the proverbial roses and I liked it. I think I'll take more time to do nothing and not feel guilty about it. I've been calmer than usual all day and night and, for me, that's a miracle!

Take a minute to see the world through a child's or an animal's eyes. You may just want to do that more often!

I want to take a minute to address something that I feel very strongly about.

I have, in the past several months, encouraged anyone who read my blogs to become a customer of the clothing website, Red Tag Crazy.

I got great deals and the community was second to none. The staff was friendly and it was like a shopping party. I did receive some damaged merchandise but the prices were so good that I didn't get upset. I was compensated with RedTagCash (store credit) for the damaged items when I sent them back so there was no real issue there.

Lately, however, I have been receiving many more damaged items as well as experiencing items that I paid for not being shipped to me. The community has changed drastically as have the prices. Many items are doubled in price compared to just a month ago. I understand this is a VERY young, upstart online store and price adjustments do become necessary. I am OK with that. But the chat community is no longer a place to freely converse. People are getting banned for tiny things, things that they don't even realize are viewed as "disruptive or combative" in the eyes of the site's care team.

Rudeness has become the new customer service and higher prices and lower quality the new norm. The "care team" is said to be addressing the issues and has promised better service in the future. I sincerely hope for those still shopping there that it is true. I am not telling you NOT to shop at redtagcrazy.com. I am simply apologizing to those I referred over the months to the site and I am asking that you disregard any previous blogs I made praising the site. I once believed this new site would be the future of online shopping. I now strongly believe it will not survive the changes imposed by the owners.

If you choose to buy from the site, I hope you have the best of luck and that you get great quality and wonderful service. I am truly sorry if any of you shopped on the site due to my recommendation either here, in my reviews, on Facebook, Twitter, or anywhere else I may have advertised the site. I was excited to find such a great place. Now I am simply saddened to see it all crumble.

I will no longer buy from the site nor will my sister and many of my friends. It WAS great while it lasted!

If anyone knows of a great fashion site with good prices, please do tell me about it. I love to shop as you may have gathered from my reviews! :)

It was September 11, 1990. I had a very stressful day and was trying to settle down my wild 4 year old son and get him to bed. I sat down exasperated and BAM, my water broke three weeks early. I wasn't in labor but still had to trek to the hospital and stay there while they decided what to do with me. Finally they induced labor. I don't take any medications for pain so I was on my own. For 22 more hours. It was insane. They say you forget the pain of childbirth. Maybe due to the lack of drugs, I remember it all.

But at 10:06 p.m. on September 12, 1990, Christopher James Therre came into the word quietly and calmly weighing in a 8 lbs. 8 oz, just like his brother, and made it all worthwhile.

The next years would be both incredibly fulfilling and very stressful. Chris developed a severe seizure disorder which nearly rendered him incapable of doing anything at all. He was miraculously cured by the then controversial ketogenic diet at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore.

Now, my baby is a 19 year old man. He's 6'3" and nearly 200 pounds. But when I look at him, I see the little boy in the protective helmet trying to ride his Big Wheel only to have a seizure and slam to the ground. I see the little boy who trick or treated then gave his candy to the other kids because he couldn't eat any sugar. He never once complained.

I see the shy young fifth grader who said he was not like the rest of the kids and would never have any friends.

Now, he's got so many friends, I can't tell them apart. He's healthy, unique, intelligent, and so very funny. He's a straight edge by his own admission and is proud of his stance as am I. I, too, am a straight edge although I never really thought about it that way before.

Happy Birthday, Chris. You have done things that have made me proud and so grateful to have you as a son. You have grown into the man I hoped you would be when I was told you wouldn't live past age 6. I knew you would defy the odds. You're that kid. The one everyone wrote off but us. The one who said, "I'll just crawl on the floor if I have to so the seizures don't 'break my head' anymore," and did. The one who said, "Keep talking, Mommy, I will answer you when the (absence/petit mal) seizures are over. I hear you. I just can't move."  You're the one who said "I don't care if I'm not in with the 'cool crowd', I won't do what they do just to be liked."

My baby, my son, my adult child. I adore you. Here's to 99 more happy birthdays and one extra for good luck. Muah!

It's September. There goes the nice weather, the sun, and my energy. But I am determined not to let Seasonal Affective Disorder get the best of me. If you get winter depression, winter blahs, or full blown SAD, I did write a review with several suggestions to feel your best all winter. Don't be SAD all Winter! Start Fighting Back NOW. I hope the suggestions help you!

This is the first year in almost 20 years that I haven't had to get a kid ready for preschool or school. My youngest son graduated in 2009 and is taking classes part time this year. I don't have to buy school supplies. I don't have to fill out 100 forms, I don't have open house to go to and I don't have to be sure the kid(s) wake up and get on that bus every weekday.

I think I'm going to love this! I feel like my tour of duty has ended. My 23 year old son started preschool at just over 2 and a half years old. He was (and is) super smart and he needed the stimulation and the interaction. My almost 19 year old also started at around 3 going to preschool. So, since then, my life has been about school. Did they do their homework, do they have clean clothes, do they have their text books, did they catch the bus, do they need lunch money, is it a snow day, are they doing OK in school, do they need any help, are they feeling OK, it went on and on.

The buses will be going by in a few days and my kids won't be on them. Weird. But not sad. My sons are moving on and doing well. They're taking life by the horns and doing what they want to do. I'm proud of them. And I can sleep in and not worry anymore that they did too and the bus zipped past our house without them on it!

I guess this is a new phase of my life! Wow. I look forward to this new phase and hope it brings new opportunities and opens news doors. I can again concentrate on myself after all this time but don't think for a minute that I am not totally involved with my kids' lives. They are every bit a part of my life now as they were when they were little kids. We're very close and I hope we stay that way.

I would be remiss if I didn't point out the new VIP system here at Viewpoints. Isn't it cool? Anyone can earn points toward badges and other things. Every year we start over so we're all on an even playing field. You can achieve whatever goal you put your mind to here. Just write thoughtful reviews, rate reviews, join in on some discussions, and enjoy helping others to make decisions. Having your say is so empowering. You can inform people about the good and bad of a product or service and help them to make important decisions.

There is a lot of info on the VIP program on the discussion boards as well as when you mouse over anyone's badge. Check it out and enjoy the new Viewpoints! It's a load of fun seeing points go up as you contribute.

Don't forget that Community Liaisons are here to help you every step of the way. We have badges under our profiles and we are listed on the discussion boards. Don't hesitate to come to us about anything VP related. if we can't help you, we now someone who can!

Goodbye, August. I will miss you. Hello, September. I'm ready for battle. :-P

I have returned from my family vacation in the mountains. I really enjoyed being with my husband and sons this week. The weather was perfect and we got to do just about everything we wanted to do. The guys even climbed a mountain! (I stayed behind to, um, make sure our stuff was safe. That's it. Ha!)

We awoke early one morning to a doe at our door. We fed her a sliced plum and she was content. One night, we saw a big bear clamoring through a local's trash bin. Although they locked it down, the bear managed to get it open and was feasting on garbage, making a big mess. He never even looked twice at us as we watched him from a few feet away (warily, I might add). We hiked along a "kiddie trail" as they called it (I was ready for a nap after that! I'm such a lightweight.) and signed a "rock wall" with a Sharpie at the end of the trail to let the world know that we were there. This year was the first year I made it to the end of the trail so I was finally able to sign that wall!

Those are moments that just don't happen here at home and I'm glad I got to share them with my sons who, at age 18 and 23, could have easily nixed the idea of going away together. They were more enthused than I was to go to the Adirondacks! I asked them if they would go back again with us again in October and they said of course. We'll always go together as a family. Maybe I'm sappy but that really made my day.

Kids grow up and go their own ways and, all too often, lose touch with their parents except on holidays and at large gatherings. I don't want that to happen with us. I want us to always be as close as we are right now. When they get married, their wives can join us and then their kids and...oh, I'm getting wayyyyyyyy ahead of myself! lol.

While we were gone, my sweetie of an abandoned kitty was neutered and he's doing fine. He's not letting me out of his sight and has been sprawled across me since I got home. My dog, who was at the same vet's being boarded and getting caught up on his shots, is on the other side of me. My kids aren't babies anymore but my animals sure are!

I managed to write some reviews while I was gone but couldn't rate much as I was using an air card and didn't have a lot of time. However, I plan to catch up on all your reviews this weekend so look for the phantom rates! :)

As always, I appreciate YOUR rates/votes and am always glad to see that someone has stopped by and paid my reviews a visit. Non-members, YOU can rate reviews as well so, after reading a review, if you were informed or helped at all, click YES at the end of the review when asked if the review was helpful. We all love to see that we helped someone make a decision, even if the decisions was to go against our advice! Everyone has different needs and opinions and we respect that.

And now, I'm going to get back to work. Playtime is over. 

Happy Birthday, Mom, August 15. I miss you and love you and always will. My birthday isn't the same without you here to share our days together.

Ahh, August. It once was my favorite month and now I see it as a sad one and one that signals the end of of summer. Around here, by the end of August, we're wearing fall jackets and have packed away our summer clothes.

My father's birthday was on August 9 and my mother celebrated hers on August 15. My birthday is on August 16. We always celebrated together so, now that both my mother and father have passed on, it's just me. And I don't celebrate anymore. I am, however, grateful for another year passing that I didn't!

I'm leaving for a short vacation in the mountains on Monday, August 10 and will be back on Saturday, August 15. I'm not sure if I will have Internet access where I'm going but I think I will. I have an air card which picks up signals almost anywhere so I should be able to get online. But I'm going to TRY to read and hike and enjoy my family and NOT be online too often. I really need the break.

I will be checking in though, if at all possible, and writing a review or two as well as rating as many as I can. I really think we need to rate more and not assume others are doing it because I have seen such a drop off of rates on reviews I rate as well as my own reviews that it shows that others aren't doing it. It seems there are just a few "committed" raters here and they can't possibly get to all the reviews on the site. I know I can't! So please take a few minutes and give out some Helpful Votes. You know you like to see that someone found your review helpful. So do we all!

And now I am off. I have to pack, prepare the dog and cat for their little vet vacay (One is being bordered, one is being neutered.), and get as much work done as possible before I leave.

The day after I get home, I'll be another year older. ACK! But it sure beats NOT being another year older, right?

Until I return, rate, rate, rate, and of course keep, writing those great reviews!

Summer is speeding by and I don't feel like I have had any summer yet! When the weather has been good, I have been so busy that I couldn't enjoy it. When I had some time, it was raining. Lots of rain this year!

I got a surprise the other day. I had written a story about my inherited hearing loss for a website in 2005. I wrote it for free to simply vent about the situation and come to terms with it in the best way I know how. Through writing.

A publisher of medical teaching books contacted me recently and asked if they could use the story in their upcoming book. I immediately thought of those scam poetry books that make YOU pay to have your poem published  in a book that never sees the light of day. I wrote back saying I wouldn't release my work for no compensation but thanks anyway.

Well, to my surprise, they pay 10 cents a word, And my article is 2300 words. I also get a byline of course and a free book which will be printed in early September. 

I have been published many times but it is rather unusual for a book or magazine publisher to approach a writer especially about a four year old personal story written for no other reason that to share with the world a situation that was happening at the time. Very cool.

Never think you can't get published. Never think that you aren't "good enough" to see your name in print. You are. You just have to love writing, to write from the heart, and to get out there and post your work where it can be seen. I used to write a story, send it to a magazine for consideration, immediately start a new story, send that out, start a new one, etc. When I got rejected (as I so often did), I sent the story back out to another mag. And I kept going until I was published. Every time I saw my work in a magazine or book, it gave me a thrill like no other and it still does.

Nothing is better than writing. ALMOST. Heh.

On a VP note, why the drop off of rates? I have been around rating (often phantomly but I do try to let you know I was there somehow) and have seen much lower numbers across the site when it comes to helpful votes. Come on people! I know it takes time to read and click that Yes button but don't we all deserve a little recognition from our peers? Let's vow to take some time to read and rate not just newbie work but people's work that have been around a while. It's no fun to write a review only to have it skipped over by the community so let's work together to not let that happen to anyone - newbie or veteran!

I am now off to.....read and rate! If you feel a ghostly chill and see a new Helpful vote without a comment, it was me. I generally don't comment on every single review I rate,. I just can't and you don't want to read some "I was here" nicety. But chances are I WAS there!

Non members, YOU can vote too! Just click the YES button after reading a review. We appreciate your feedback!

And, of course, I must once again post my link to Red Tag Crazy. Friday is another special sale day and next weekend is going to be a big event that the site won't divulge secrets about. Get $5.00 credit off of your first purchase by going though this link. http://www.redtagcrazy.com/refer/4811

One deal on designer clothing and accessories every 30 minutes or less 24/7. And now, men's items are popping up! Fun stuff and prices are so low, you'll never need to shop at WalMart for clothes again!

I just had to tell you about yet another sale at RedTagCrazy. This site sells designer clothing at very deep discounts, one item at a time. Saturday (Today), EVERYTHING that is being sold is under $10.00, all day and night long! You think you can't afford designer clothes? Think again!

Sunday, July 12, the site is having a crazy sale day. These events give consumers super deep discounts on everything. Sizes and colors may be limited and you have to have a fast trigger finger to snag the items you want but it's worh it. I can't get over the brand names and the low prices.

Now, here's what you do. You have to register before you can buy or chat on their real time chat board. Use this link: http://www.redtagcrazy.com/refer/4811 when you register. That will give you an instant $5.00 credit toward any purchase at any time you choose to make one. It will give me $5,00 credit only if you buy something.

Or you can simply put my email address: wotf_patty@msn.com in the "promo code" section of the registration page. You'll get your $5.00 immediately credited either way.

If you REALLY want to pinch pennies, after you set up your account, log out and go to http://www.dealsucker.com/cbuid/h/NzI0MUI5NDQ5RDE5QkI

This is DeaslSucker.com. They give you 2.4% back when you click through them to make a purchase at RTC. They also give you cash back at lots of other sites. You only need to go through them once and you can shop all day and they will track your purchases and credit you. I pay for my shipping at RTC with the cash back I get so it's not too shabby! (I have reviews of both RTC and DealSucker.com posted if you care tio learn more.)

I hope to see you in "Chick Chat" this weekend. The girls will help you to choose the right sizes and they will amuse you and welcome you. I'll be there under the name PattyT. Look me up and say hi!

JULY?? You have GOT to be kidding! Summer is half way over and I haven't even stepped out the door. That's not good. :(

Wanted to tell you that Red Tag Crazy is having a big special sale today (Friday, July 3). All they told us was that the items were "vintage" style and that there is a contest in which everyone wins!

If you haven't been to the site, check it out. They have new deals up every few minutes and all are high end designer clothing and some shoes (Handbags are coming, maybe today!) for up to 90% off retail. I have saved SO much money on that site.

If you are new to the site and want to check it out, you can use this the link below. If you choose to register (You don't have to buy anything when you register. You can chat with the chicks on there though once registered.), you will be credited $5.00 toward your first purchase and I will be credited with $5.00 when and if you make a purchase. It's small but it's better than nothing, right? And for the low prices, $5.00 goes a long way!

Here is the link. Join me in Chick Chat on the site (I am PattyT) and have fun talking about everything from clothing to relationships to anything goes!

http://www.redtagcrazy.com/refer/4811

My son's graduation ceremony is finally over. For a while, we didn't even know if he would graduate because he was going through a "no homework" phase. Then he thought he may have summer scool to make up for some things he missed and graduate in August. I kicked him into high gear after getting all his back assignments and making him do every last one of them including 10 hours of community service needed to pass "PIG" (Politics in Government).

He did that and then he had to take an advanced math test (Math B) to qualify for an advanced degree. He said he knew NOTHING on the test and he might as well not even bother going. The day of my mother in law's funeral, we drove him to school and said, "Take the test, do the best you can, and that's all we expect."

To my delight, I got a call that he did welll on the test and would be receiving a Regents dimploma with Advanved Designation. Don't know what it means really but it's RAD (Get it? Regents Advanced Designation?).

THEN...I got a letter saying the kid owed money for a book he lost and he could NOT graduate with his class unless that was paid and we had about 12 hours to get the money there. The school offices were closed and it looked bleak BUT THEN, we managed to get a teacher to help us and the book was paid for.

At 7:30 on Friday morning, Chris left to go to graduation practice. He returned around 10 saying that there were almost 900 graduates. GAH.

By 4 pm., we were fighting wicked Friday traffic making our way down to the big auditorium that wrestling, music, and theater shows as well as other big shows are put on. It was NOT the Carrier Dome, thankfully

By 6, the commencement started. By 8, they FINALLY called his name. I cried. Eventually we met up and went to dinner where we all (Hubby, our son Dan, Chris the graduate, and myself) overate as none of us had eaten all day and, at last, the men are asleep and I am chillaxin at 4 am. Saturday morning,

Oh, how I'd love to spend the weekend at the lake! But I have so much work to do, I simply can't. I'll be catching up on all your reviews this weekend and writing more of my own. With wakes and funerals and running around getting physicals for life insurance and graduations and 100 other things in the past couple of weeks, it's fair to say I'm so behind that I'll be meeting myself on the way back!

But it will all get done and then...I'm taking a Patty Day. Gonna sit in the sun and just relax. Let the world spin without me for 24 hours. Cyberspace will survive without me (but will I, without IT?).

Thanks for understanding my not commenting as much on your reviews. I promise, unless more unexpected things happen, I'll catch up on everything this weekend.

I'm so ready for July. It's a very busy month but I can handle it. I just have to manage my time properly. Good luck with that, Patty! Haha,

And now, I am off to read, rate, write, summarize,and do what I do!

PS: RIP David Carradine, Ed McMahon, Farrah Fawcett, and Michael Jackson. MJ's passing is surreal. SO surreal and I know the doctor did it, Maybe not on purpose, but he enabled... I won't get started on THAT now but I'm sick of people dying because those around them can't say NO. They see dollar signs and do anything for them. Even when they know what they're doing is potentially lethal! Grr.

And so it goes. My mother in law's funeral was today and the service was beautiful. I only hope she was able to look down and see what a great job her son did pulling it all together and standing on the podium calling her an "angel on earth" which, to him, she really was all his life. I can only hope my sons will respect and love me as my husband did his mother.

Now that the sad stuff is over - or at least the formalities of the sad stuff anyway - it's time to shift our focus onto our youngest son's high school graduation on Friday night. I am so nervous! It's very different when your baby is graduating, I think. This is a kid who wasn't even supposed to LIVE past 6 or 7 years old due to seizures but not only did he live, he thrived, stopped having seizures at age 5 (thankfully, due to the ketogenic diet) and is one of the smartest and wittiest people I know.

This week is going to be very, very busy so I will have to catch up on everything I missed over the weekend. I'm still here, still reading and rating, still reviewing, etc. I'm just not as visible as I was because everything is so rushed right now.

It will soon slow down, I HOPE!

If you see a "phantom rate" - or a number of them - know that "Patty was there" but didn't comment. :)

By the way, I wanted to wish all of you dads out there and all of YOUR dads a belated Happy Father's Day. Once again it was a bittersweet day for us, with both of our dads gone but our sons made THEIR dad happy by going golfing together and bestowing gifts upon him. It's funny how life is really just a big circle and things keep going round and round. Hope every dad had a great day on Sunday!

RIP Barbara Therre June 13, 1928-June 17, 2009

My mother in law died suddenly in the nursing home she was living in just a couple of hours ago. The entire family went to see her on Saturday for her 81st birthday and she enjoyed the chocolates we gave her and got to see all of her grandkids and even a great grandchild. She was surrounded by love and, although she wasn't quite aware of everything going on, her bright smile and remarks told us she knew...

She wasn't sick and had no particular health issues. But today, my husband got a call that the staff had found his mom "unresponsive" and blue. They administered oxygen and she was resting comfortably they told him. As he was driving there to see her, I got the call that she had passed away. We still don't know what happened and we may never know. 

I am so grateful that her last days were filled with her family around her and that she was able to enjoy her birthday cake. Barb was the last grandparent my kids had and the last parent my husband and I had left. A sad day, today is, but yet the knowledge that Barb didn't suffer like the my parents and Don's father is comforting.

I feel so torn because my son is graduating from high school next week, a feat that I thought would never come to pass. He's a man now and I'm so very proud of him. My happiness about his accomplishments this past year is tempered by my sadness over the loss of my mother in law.

She was proud of Chris. Proud of all her grandkids and her great grandson. She was VERY proud of her son, my husband Don. She adored him and he took good care of her. She's at rest now and I'm sure she'll be with her beloved husband and my parents watching as our son receives his diploma wearing his cap and gown next week. He will be honored for his major accomplishments in the hydrogen fuel cell car project he participated in and I will cry. Again.

A busy two weeks is upon me so forgive me if I slack a little bit. I'm going to try to keep rating and writing and doing what I do but there's so much happening that I may end up playing catch up in July.

And now I'm off, we're making funeral arrangements and graduation arrangements at one time. Kind of funky but this is life. And it's death. And it's always, always complicated.

Red Tag Crazy - Crazy Deal Sale!

Today all day! Friday, June 12. Red Tag Crazy is a one deal at a time designer clothing site that sells for 50-90% off off retail prices. You will NOT believe the prices! Today, everything is going FAST and, because it is a Crazy Deal Day, sales are final. They're usually not. So know that most items are true to women's sizes except for Zlush brand that is a junior's line which runs one size small in general.

Save $5.00 on the first purchase by using this link when you register at RTC. You'll give me $5.00 too if you buy something. You will have that $5.00 there after registering to use whenever you want. Today, tomorrow, next year. You'll use it TODAY!

http://www.redtagcrazy.com/refer/4811

You know I never solicit or advertise anything here but this sale is way too good to pass up. If you don't want to use the link above, that's fine. Just enjoy the sale. I did write a review on RedTagCrazy.com. Check it out and I am in NO way affiliated with them. Just buying every designer piece I can for prices that I usually pay at WalMart.

It's nearly June and I haven't yet felt the SAD "awakening" that I usually do at this time of the year. People affected with Seasonal Affective Disorder have a tough time in the winter months because of the lack of sunlight. They feel like hibernating essentially. Generally right around mid-May, the awakening happens when we get our energy back and we find ourselves looking around and saying, "Wow, look at all I have to do. I'm going to get it all done and then go out for a run after!"

That isn't happening for me yet. I'm still sleepy and lethargic although my mind is once again racing which is the start of my body catching up with it.  I hope that by this time next month, I'll be "summer Patty" with more attention span and more energy.

That is not to say I am not here all the time because I am. This is one of my homes away from home (along with twitter, which is insanely addictive). I am writing, reading, commenting, doing all the usual stuff but I may not be commenting on EVERY review I rate. If I am rating a bunch of your reviews, I'll comment on a couple of them and then rate the others. Just know...Patty was there. :)

Non members, you can rate our reviews too? Well, you can click that little green YES (or No) button to let VP know if our reviews have been helpful. Remember, it isn't whether you AGREE with our opinions, it's whether we informed you of those opinions in a manner that made you understand why we rated as we did.

I wanted to take a second to thank vivasuzi (http://www.viewpoints.com/aboutme/vivasuzi) for running a cool "Dancing with the Stars" contest and for keeping track all season long of our picks and pans. And for my very own special mirror ball trophy which you can admire here: http://img34.glitterfy.com/139/glitterfy223444297D30.gif - We don't JUST review stuff here. We hang out! If you're on the fence about joining the site, just do it. We're the friendliest bunch of shopaholics you'll ever meet and I really mean that (The friendly part, not everyone here is a shopaholic here....much.).

Here's to sunny days, sweepin' the clouds away!

Mother's Day is tomorrow and I'd like to wish all of you moms out there the very best day of all. I also would like to wish YOUR moms a Happy Mother's Day.

Mother's Day is bittersweet for me. My wonderful mom died in 1996 after an amazingly courageous and very draining four year battle with the aftermath of two brain aneurysm operations. She was hospitalized for the entire time except for three days when she went to a rehab facility. They messed up and gave her oral pills, which she could not swallow, and she ended back in the ICU with aspiration pneumonia. She was really on her way, we thought.

Through my mother's experience, I realized that you simply never know what tomorrow will bring. You can't be sure of anything in this life. Love the people around you all the time, remind them often, and know that anything can happen in the blink of an eye. Enjoy the time you have with your loved ones now.

And again, to all you deserving moms out there (and me too! lol) HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY! It's a wild ride but so worth the worry and stress when your kid(s) make you smile from your heart.

This is a busy week for me and I will be all over the place catching up with work I should have done all month long. I wish I could stop procrastinating! I bought a book on how to stop and I swear, I have been putting of reading it. It sounds funny but it's TRUE! I look at the book and think, "I'll get to that tomorrow." Well, tomorrow's always a day away.

We're getting inundated with new reviews and new reviewers and that's great. Welcome to all the new members and please, stick around and enjoy the site. Jump onto the discussion boards and have some fun or ask some questions. If you aren't sure about how to do something here, you can always ask on the boards or even ask a member who has a bunch of reviews posted already. The members here are helpful and want you to succeed. That is why I love it here. We don't compete. We work together to make Viewpoints the best site that it can be. It starts with management and trickles down to the members. It's more of a family than a "I have more reviews/Helpful Votes/views than you" type of place. SUCH a change of pace from other sites, believe me.

Not a member? You can still click YES when asked if a review was helpful. We all try hard to bring you our honest experiences and,even if you don't agree with what we say, it IS what we experienced. If you read a review that you don't agree with, jump in and write a review of your own. We love to have all points of view so consumers can get as many opinions from people as possible. This helps them to make an informed decision. And that's why we're here!

And now, I am going back to procrastinating. I'll get around to reading that book...um...tomorrow. Yeah, tomorrow! :)

I don't recall a time I was ever so proud of my son Chris as I am right now. I said in my last blog that he was off to California to enter the Shell Eco-marathon in Fontana. I had NO idea the scope of the trip he was about to embark on.

He and eight others worked tirelessly on a hydrogen cell fuel car, building it from the ground up. They were one of only five high schools from across the world to participate in this competition which encourages young adults to make the most fuel efficient cars possible in three different categories of fuel. Most teams were from colleges like UCLA, LSU, and Penn State. 50 teams in all converged on the track to compete.

Well, after a rocky start on his trip (a missed flight, a bad motel stay, getting hit with high speed sprinklers that knocked over their tents, super high heat, etc.), the competition took place today. I sat there watching the updates with knots in my stomach. Refresh, refresh, refresh. Then I saw it: Fuel Cell Award - Cicero North Syracuse HS 2nd 1431.3 MPG ($1000)

Chris' team did it! They came in second to Penn State University and managed to make a car that actually gets 1431 miles per gallon! When he left, he told me there was not a chance that they could possibly place. There were so many colleges and technical schools competing and their school got a late start and couldn't even paint the car. They ran out of time! I told him it didn't matter. They were making history just being there. But, as I watched the Twitter updates of the awards ceremony, I was filled with pride and awe when I saw that the CNS team came in second. It's such a huge accomplishment and one I am just so happy to see my son involved in.

THIS is what motherhood is all about. I'd cry but I will wait until late tomorrow night when Chris steps off the plane and I greet him at the airport. Oh no...now I have to worry about his plane trip back home! A mother's worry is never done! lol.

Now, back to work. Did you see all the new reviews piling in? I am reading and rating and commenting as fast as I can but wow. So many new reviews in all categories. We're growing by leaps and bounds! That's a very good thing! :)

CONGRATS CHRIS AND THE CNS TEAM!

I just waved goodbye to my youngest son, 18 year old Chris, who is leaving on a jet plane to go to the Auto Speedway in Fontana, CA to race the hydrogen fuel cell car that he and eight others made this year on their own time. This car took months to prepare and hours upon hours of hard work and now, all that work is being paid off by seeing the car in competition with others across the country.

As I waved goodbye to my son, duffel bag in hand, ear buds blasting his favorite music as always, I tried to smile. He's about to embark on an adventure. But, although I was smiling and waving, my heart was racing. He's never been so far away alone before. Alone without me. Alone without his family right there.

I know kids his age go to foreign countries and move across the country to live but Chris is different, at least to me. When he was four years old, he was stricken with ravaging seizures. Seizures so intense and so multiple that he barely had time to breathe before another took over his body. We went to hospital after hospital and he was put on over 16 medications and nothing even slowed down the seizures. Finally, we were told that there was nothing that could be done and to cherish the time we had with him. Each seizure was ravaging his body and damaging his brain. He wouldn't be with us long.

Well, a miracle happened back in 1994. We found Johns Hopkins Hospital and the ketogenic diet. Our insurance denied us but we sold what we could, borrowed what we had to, and went to Baltimore. 18 days after Chris started the diet, he had his last seizure and has not had another in 13 years. He is on no medication and he has no damage at all from the thousands upon thousands of seizures he had.

But as I watched him walk away, all grown up, ready to take on this experience, all I could think of was the little boy he once was and how close we came to losing him. To be honest, I'd keep him home where I could see him forever if I could but clearly, THAT isn't going to happen and surely isn't healthy for him. But that fear grips me still. Years after the inconclusive tests, five different hospitals, the sorrowful looks on the faces of the doctors who treated him, the year long precise diet that took all we had to stick to, and the holding of our breath to see if the last seizure really WAS the last seizure, I can't help but feel afraid. Afraid something will happen and I won't be there. Afraid...of...the unknown.

I know he'll be fine and will come home late Sunday night with stories and pictures of his trip and it will be a great experience. I know this. But until Sunday night, I don't think I'll do much breathing. I feel like holding my breath will make time fly - or something. Everything is on hold in my head until Chris gets home. But I have to work and I have to live so I will. I won't call him every five minutes and I won't obsess about what may be going on. He's having the time of his life and I'll hear all about it soon enough.

Now, I shall immerse myself in work. Is it Sunday night yet? :)

I want to wish those who observe the holiday, a very HAPPY EASTER.

This is a weird year for me as far as Easter goes. My kids are grown up at 18 and 23 and are insisting they do NOT want an Easter basket. This will be the first time that they won't be getting one. I always made them one filled wth candy and snacks they liked as well as gifts. This year Dan wants baseball cleats and Chris wants a PSP game and beef jerky. Weirdness.

My sister Laurie and her family are in Mississippi for the week and I won't be with them this year. Another first.

My older sister will be with her own grown children so my little nuclear family is on its own this year! I miss big family get togethers even though, when we had them, I thought I hated them!

Nonetheless, I feel blessed to have my husband and sons by my side and even my best bud Mickey, my scaredy cat Princess, and my terror of a 9 month old kitten named Boo. Or Baby. Or whatever we feel like calling him. And there are times we call him names I won't type out. lol.

I hope all of you reading this will have a wonderful holiday if you observe it and a wonderful weekend if you don't. Get together wih your family and enjoy the madness! I always wished I could have a quiet holiday at home without all the mayhem, kids running around, people all around, noise, etc and now that I have that this year, I can't wait for the next holiday when were all together driving each other nuts again!

And now, I am off to make little Easter bags for my kids. I don't care how old they are, they secretly want at least a LITTLE something Eastery. Marshmallow chicks? Check. Hollow chocolate bunnies in boxes? Check. Score Bars for Dan? Check. Fruit Roll ups for Chris? Check. Easter grass that everyone hates? Check. Ahhh...I feel better now. :)

Don't forget the reason for the holiday!

I was just playing an April Fool's Day joke in my last blog when I said I was leaving the site as you see below. But I wanted to write a new blog right away so no one actually believed I was leaving and taking all of my reviews with me! lol.

I really, really enjoy Viewpoints. I enjoy how the staff interacts personally with the members and how we are all very much a part of shaping the site. On many websites, the members get swallowed up by the rules, the red tape, the powers that be, and the detachment that takes place when a site starts to grow. But not Viewpoints. From day one (and I was here practically FROM day one), the staff here, including Matt who one would think wouldn't have time for us little guys, Jolie, all the tech guys, and, later on, Meredith jumped in as friendly as the rest, were open and inviting to us all. As the site grows with members and staff, the tone hasn't changed one bit.

I go straight to the people I need to go to and they answer me personally and right away. I never have to wonder if they got to my email or if they even care what I have to say. They prove to me every day that they all do care what I have to say and they listen to my suggestions. They listen to all of our suggestions, ideas, frustrations, and questions and they address them in a very swift fashion.

To me, that's priceless. It's so rare to be a part of a website where everyone gets along and there isn't any backstabbing and no drama. Trust me, a site like this is a rare find and I am well aware of that and thankful to be a part of it.

I am here for the long haul and enjoying every minute of my tenure here.

So now...go gimme a Helpful Vote on one of my reviews! Hahaha.

It is with great sadness that I have to announce that I will be leaving Viewpoints effective immediately. I will be taking down my reviews as well. I hate to do this but I just feel it's the right thing for me to do at this time. Maybe, at some  point, I will return. But for now, I guess I can only say one thing ...
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APRIL FOOLS!!!

I am NOT going anywhere. I love Viewpoints and won't leave until I'm dragged off the site kicking and screaming. Bwahaha. Did you actually believe what I said? Sorry about that. Heheh.

Now, please go and leave me a Helpful Vote on one of my reviews. ;)

A little trivial rambling: I found an Avon rep and got the product I wanted for half price! Gotta love that!

I just spent five hours watching Discovery Health's trauma, ER, and mystery diagnosis shows and I'm terrified to move in case something like I watched happens to me. Good choice for a Saturday night, right? Sheesh.

I'm catching up on member reviews, meeting new members, and writing more again. I'm enjoying learning about all the products and services I didn't know existed but the downside is that I tend to BUY stuff I didn't know existed if the review I read is convincing enough. And many have been lately!

Non Members! Did you know that you can vote whether a review is helpful or not? You don't have to sign up or do anything but chick the YES button after the review where it asks if the review was helpful. Of course, you can clock the NO button but please do so only in the case where the review you read is truly not helpful. Even if you disagree with an opinion, the review is still helpful if it gives the experience of the reviewer and does so in a way that helps consumers understand why the reviewer had a positive or negative experience. If you disagree, please join and write your own review! The more reviews and opinions, the better for consumers who are trying to make wise choices based on honest experiences.

If you have any questions or want to communicate with anyone here, you will need to join and then you can leave a comment on any review or on anyone's profile page. You can even leave a private message for a member. Jump in and join. We have discussion boards that are both informative and fun and a lot of ways to connect with people as well as win sweepstakes and other recognition. See ya around the site! :)

Do YOU sell Avon or know someone who does at a discount? I'm interested in trying  a couple of new pricey products and I know some Avon reps give discounts to their customers. I used to have a great rep but she vanished. Leave me a comment if you are an Avon rep or know someone who is - who gives discounts! I want to try these new products but not for the face value prices. If I like them, I will be glad to continue buying from the rep and will use the rep any time I buy Avon products.

Having said that, it was warm out today and SUNNY. Mickey and I went out and took a walk in the sun and we both needed that. The end of winter is coming (although I expect at least one more heavy snowstorm) and I'm soooooooooo ready. I even cleaned my toilet and bath tub today! Isn't it amazing what a little sunlight will do for a person who has SAD? It's truly an amazing thing to watch myself bloom like a flower in the spring and wilt like one in the fall.

Helpful votes! I want some! Non-members, just click YES if you read any of my reviews and it gave you any info even if you don't necessary agree with my opinion. If you don't agree, please jump in and write your own review of the product or service. The more reviews, the better so consumers can compare and decide whether they want to try a product or service based on varying opinions.

RIP Andrew. You would have been 34 years old today. Died March 13, 2009.

Wow! it's MARCH already! Time "marches" on, indeed! Only about six more weeks before the sun starts to shine more and my SAD starts to lift. SAD is Seasonal Affective Disorder. It's a real affliction that is caused by the lack of natural light. Most people get winter blahs but people with SAD get winter "All I want to do is sleep and cry" disease. lol. I laugh because I have had this for several years - probably all my life but no one actually put a name to it - and I know how it goes. I reach a low in January and February, start to feel a bit better in mid to late March, get some energy in April and BOING!!!! Feel better in May. Suddenly everything is easier, more fun, less stressful, and just all around better. Weird, weird affliction SAD is but there are ways to help yourself out. I am just too blahh to do anything to help myself out. Ha!

But anyway! I have been branching out and writing reviews in other areas than beauty, exercise, and wellness and I like it. But I feel somewhat inadequate when talking about things like electronics since I know so little techy stuff. Then again, if my reviews help the average consumer looking for a simple opinion on a product, maybe they will appreciate my non technical approach. I hope so because I plan to review several things that I normally would never tackle. Things that come with a "user's manual" and that have "specs". Oh the anxiety!

Non members - you can mark our reviews helpful or not without having an account here. Just do it! No personal info required. I just hope people realize we all have varying opinions but, if they read a review and found anything in that was helpful at all, we appreciate the helpful vote. We all try very hard to be upfront and honest as well as informative. Our experiences may not mirror yours and, if not, please join (It's painless) and write a review expressing your point of view. The more info people have, the better able to make a buying decision they will be.

Hi Kids!

My migraine is backing off and I'm happy to report that I am in full write and read mode. I'll be reading YOUR reviews and rating them all week. Gotta catch up with all my pals and all the great new writers here.

Non-members! Do you know you can rate our reviews Helpful (or not)? Just click on the YES (or no) button after the review when asked if the review was helpful. Please don't rate no if you don't agree with the opinions because, really, opinions are just that. Better than rating no, jump in and write a review and tell us your experience! If you find that the review is informative (even if you don't agree with the conclusion), please take a moment to rate us Helpful. We thrive on feedback and love to see those Helpful votes go up!

Thanks to all who expressed concern over my computer virus and then my major migraine. You guys are awesome!

Patty

I'm down and out with a neck injury related migraine. I'll be right back after my head allows me to move, see, and function. Well, at least 2009 isn't shockingly different from 2008. So far anyway. Gimme a day or two and I'll catch up with you all. My brain is willing but my head will not cooperate. Ugh.