Don't give a blah gift card...

Many of us take advantage of the gift card when it comes to holiday shopping. It's a way to show a person you care enough to give them a gift but also to let them pick what they want. Rather than give a traditional card, through Gift Card Lab and Visa you can personalize a gift card, you can upload your own photo for the design or use one of the many designs on the website and personalize it from there. It's a nice additional touch to let that person know that you were thinking of them...

Amar and another interesting Global Post...

As I've written before, I've been following the writings and adventures of Amar C. Bakshi in the PostGlobal series on the Washington Post. Yesterday Amar posted another experience that I recommend as a thought provoking look into how others see the United States this time from Pakistan. It's entitled, American Arrogance -- Or Just Self-Awareness?.

It's a question I have asked myself at times as far as how many US Citizens are more self absorbed with their own self importance rather than taking a larger view. We've discussed here more than once the fact that we place a much higher value on American lives than we do of those of other nations, especially those in the Middle East.

What I found especially interesting was that the knowledge that this self-centered behavior exists in other nations, it just appears that we as Americans seem to get quite a bit more focus on that trait. I think it would be hard to argue it is not in part due to our own behaviors as well as how we are portrayed by the media in other countries.

Missy, thought provoking and entertaining...

One of the things I really enjoy about being a blogger is visiting other blogs and getting a chance to review them. There are several reasons I enjoy visiting Missy's Blog.net, one might just be that I also happen to think that Matthew McConaughey is pretty darn good as an actor and not so bad to look at either. Of course I'm happily married and I have a husband who reads my blog so I'll leave it at that, except to say I enjoy visiting Missy's blog...

Now, on to other content, Missy can go from the serious, like her soon to be coming post on how women who decide to not have children are discriminated against as one example, then to a post like this one where she is having a conversation with herself. I know that conversation, I've had that conversation, and it made me smile to know that I'm not the only one out there.

Missy creates a welcoming feeling with her blog so that even if you are a new reader, you can join right in. I enjoyed this sponsored opportunity to review Missy's Blog.net and I recommend that you stop by and visit her. You'll find posts that are thought provoking and ones that are entertaining...

Fun with Pet Photos

Those of you who know a bit about me know how many pets I have and how I like to have fun with pet photography, such as the one below that I used to try to entice Ted to come visit me. Granted, it didn't get Ted to visit, but it was fun. Thankfully my pets are camera hogs so taking pictures of them is much easier than taking pictures of my children at times. For me the trick is to talk to them but quickly snap the picture before they come too close to me or end up being head butted by one of the cats that assumes that since I'm right there, they might as well rub their head up against my face with the camera...