Weekly Beef

Harri Anne Smith's Got My Vote

2010-04-05T18:53:00.001-05:00

Growing up I was always told never discuss religion or politics, both lead to arguments. Since I've grown I've realized I will discuss religion and I'm proud to say I'm a Christian. A born again, saved by the blood of Christ, Christian. But when it comes to politics I sing a different tune.

I don't like labels, I don't follow one political party and I don't feel voting straight party line is letting your voice be heard, it's letting the party speak for you. I'm actually disgusted with politics and I can thank the campaigns, elections and elected officials for the last decade or so for that.

I don't consider myself Republican or Democrat, I vote for who I think is the best canadate for the job, the problem is that person is getting harder and harder to find. I'm proud to say I voted for Clinton the first time he ran, didn't vote for him the second time though. I voted for George W. both times he ran. I might have voted for Kerry because he had a plan, the problem is, he never told us what that plan was. I decided this last presidential election I was going to vote for anybody who ran against Obama.

OK, that's enough about who I did or didn't vote for in the last few presidential elections. I'm now going to focus on something in the state of Alabama. I'm sure the bingo fiasco has made the national news. Yes, Alabama has a few Bingo Parlors. They've been open for more than a few years and they have bingo machines. Dothan, Alabama opened Country Crossings several months ago and it's a huge complex with hotels, restaurants, theatres for country stars to perform and, yes, electronic bingo. All of a sudden the Governor wants to shut them down saying the bingo machines are illegal. When pressured about the other bingo halls, which have donated money to his campaigns, he finally caved and said they need to be shut down but he's not pursuing them as hard as he is Country Crossings. Now the people want a say in whether the bingo machines should be allowed to stay or not.

This brings us to Senator Harri Anne Smith. She's a Republican who's proven she doesn't cave under the pressure of the Republican Party. She goes with what the people who elected her to office want, she actually listens to the people. Two years ago in the election for state representative she backed Bobby Bright, a Democrat. She could have listened to her party and backed the Republican but she didn't feel he was best for the job where in her opinion Bobby Bright was. I can honestly say I had a problem recently and contacted Bobby Bright's office. They listened and called our house to discuss the matter with us. They followed up with a letter and in the next election if he runs again he'll probably have my vote.

Now, back to the bingo. They had a Senate meeting to vote on whether the people of Alabama get to decide on electronic bingo and Governor Riley who's Republican is against it. Harri Anne Smith is one of only two Republican Senators to vote yes on allowing us that right. Suddenly the Republican Party had a meeting and decided with a vote of 21 that she's not allowed to run for Senator as a Republican because she backed a Democrat TWO years ago. Of course this election comes AFTER the deadline to qualify with either party to run. This leaves her with two options. Quit or run as an Independent. From what I've seen she's got a lot of support out there from Democrats AND Republicans who want her to run and after the way her party treated her and you know it's because she didn't bow down to them and follow their command, I'm going to support her as well. She is a person who listens to the people and votes the way the people want her to, not some political machines who sit in their shiny offices and don't give a flying fig about the voters at all.

If you live in Harri Anne Smith's district and want to show your support and have her run as an Independent you can let her know by emailing her at HAS@harrianne.com, or call her campaign headquarters at (334) 699-3208, which will remain open while she makes this decision. Let her know what you want her to do.

People

2010-07-31T10:15:00.001-05:00

I know it's been a while since I've written anything but life's been good and I haven't had any complaints, well maybe one or two but nothing really major.

This is not really a complaint but more of an observations. Unhappy people. I'm not talking about the person who gets upset occasionally, I mean we're all human and do all fall short of the Glory of God. I'm talking about people who are NEVER happy. You know the ones, I'm sure you've even got a few friends or family members who fit into this category.

Why do some people think that the world and everyone in it is there for them? Something doesn't go as they expect it to and they're complaining for weeks or months. Someone doesn't do what they expect them to or what they WANT them to and they don't talk to them for weeks or months and maybe even years.

I don't know that someone could do something that's so awful that I'd cut them out of my life. People do drift apart and someone who's company you enjoyed and you considered a good friend may not hold that position any longer but it wasn't something they did but more of a mutual drifting apart. What I'm talking about is someone who says something you didn't like or did something you didn't like. Was it really that bad that you cut them out of your life completely and vow to never talk t them again? Think about it and I'm sure there are things in your life that don't please everyone. BUT do they get that upset and sit at home dwelling over it for the next 10-15 years or do they chalk it up to you being human and forget about it?

Then there are the people who aren't happy unless they're complaining and vow to make everyone as unhappy as they are. You know they say misery loves company. To be honest that's not the kind of company I want to be in. I don't shut that person out of my life completely but I may put a little distance between us and rather than talk to them on a daily basis it might be every 3 days. You know, sort of wean them off of you Then if I do talk to them and they get down I try to quickly change the subject to something more positive.

Yes, I know I have my moments where it seems like ALL I do is complain. To tell the truth, I can't stand to be with me when I'm like that. When that happens I TRY to remind myself of all the things I have to be happy and thankful for. You notice people don't talk about the good things happening in their lives, only the bad. Again, misery loves company. I'd once heard it said that out of one bad experience 100 people will hear about it. Maybe that's why the news is all doom and gloom. Why don't they report on that Good Samaritan. Oh there might be a short article about a person who did a good deed but it's usually buried on page 23 at the bottom of the page between the Obituaries and Classifieds.

So, not to complain too much. What good has happened in my life:

I've got a terrific husband who's also my best friend
I've got some great relatives and some have come back into my life after a huge blow up
I've got 2 of the most adorable puppies in the world. Stretch & Ellie
I've got a great stepdaughter and she gets to experience life in another country (see I'm not complaining that she lives so FAR away)
I've got the cutest, smartest granddaughter who speaks 2 languages from living in another country (again I'm not complaining that I've only seen her twice in her 5 short years)
I've got a terrific son-in-law who's funny and very outgoing
My son-in-law has one of the best younger brothers who we unofficially adopted into our family as our son. Now if he only lived closer and NOT in another country
I've got a beautiful home with a cotton out our front window and neighbors on the other 3 sides.
After breaking my foot a couple of months ago I'm no longer in the cast and it's healing.
I've got some great friends both old and new and I wouldn't trade the world for any of them
I live in one of the greatest countries. Despite all the negatives I hear and read about I'm still proud to say I'm an American
I serve an AWESOME GOD

I'm So Proud of My Computer Geek

2010-04-03T09:01:00.000-05:00

I'm so glad I married a Computer Geek. Yes, that's Don and I'm so proud of him. After working on that darn MSI TV @nytime TV card since Thursday afternoon with no luck and no help from their tech support he finally had a brilliant idea.

This morning I wake up and he's sitting at my computer working away. He got this idea to load the software into one of my partitions. Yes, when we built my computer he partitioned my hard drive into 3 partitions and decided to give it a try. Test 1, he rebooted the computer, started the program and, Houston, we have lift off. It started no problem. Test 2, repeat of test 1. Test 3, repeat of test 1 and 2. Now for the ultimate test. I rebooted the computer and YES, it worked.

My little Computer Geek knows more than MSI's tech support PLUS he speaks English.

Frustrated With MSI and Their Tech Support

2010-04-03T00:12:00.000-05:00

We bought 2 TV@nywhere TV cards by MSI for our computers. Since Don and I are both running WIN 7 we figured the same card should work in both computers. Boy were we wrong.

Don got his up first and had no problem. WIN 7 found the drivers and he was up and running in a matter of minutes. Me on the other hand had problems. WIN 7 said it was loading the drivers but when I launched the program it said no drivers were found. I downloaded the drivers on the disk with the card. It still wouldn't work. We finally got into the set-up menu and got it to scan the channels. Finally I had a picture and could watch TV on my computer. This was great.

Sorry to say my joy didn't last. I logged off for dinner and when turned my computer back on later and opened the program I kept getting error messages. "Interface Not Supported" and "List Index Out of Bounds (3)." A search of these codes gave us no answers. Next step, uninstall the software and re-install. Same problem. Now I'm unable to get into set-up to scan the channels unless I opened and closed the program over and over and over. I must have uninstalled and reinstalled the program at least 10 times in the last 2 days.

Frustrated we tried using Windows Media Center. That was also a bust as it wasn't able to detect the IR remote. We had the remote sensor attached to the computer in the only slot it could go but it was still undetectable. Next step, remove the card and try it in another PCI slot. Same results. Next step, use the other remote sensor and remote with the same results.

After playing around with it all evening I got tired and went to bed. This morning when I booted up the computer and tried the program I got the same results AGAIN. Getting frustrated I called MSI's tech support. They were absolutely useless. I get a guy who speaks very poor English and I have to keep asking him to repeat himself. I explained the problem and he's not really saying much. Finally he says to call the retailer where I purchased it to get an RMA and return it for another one. I asked if anyone else has had this problem. Response: "Not that I can remember." I ask if they have a log or record of complaints or problems people call in with. Response: "No, it's on case by case and I only know what I've heard." Now tell me, is this any way to run a tech support department? Shouldn't they be able to utilize the experiences and expertise of their fellow techs? There could be other's with the same problem and without them logging the problems someplace there's no way to fix problems.

As a last resort we removed the cards from both computers and swapped them. The card that didn't work in mine is working fine in Don's computer while the one that was working in his is giving me the same problems as the other one. I did start getting another error message intermittently and this is broken English "Cannot preview, maybe some program use same interface or something wrong...(1002)."

Now tell me is this the type of company you want to do business with? I know they won't be getting any more of my business after this.

Don't Label Me and Dump Me Into Your Category

2010-02-23T15:37:00.000-06:00

There are a lot or terms in the blogging world that define and put bloggers into categories. Mommy Blogger, Review Blogger, Pro Blogger (yes I know that's also a site or network). Some of these labels have gotten a bum wrap and are now negative. Why? Perhaps it's because some like to put themselves into that category and then talk down or degrade their fellow members.

I was on a site recently and the owner had a post declaring herself an expert. She defined herself as a "mom blogger" and expounds how many Twitter followers she's achieved, how much traffic she gets and even lets us know how much money she made off her blog last year. She went on to call companies "Pimps" and moms "Whores". She goes on to say that bloggers should NOT be giving away add space for free or cheap, they should not be doing product reviews unless there's decent compensation and the same for giveaways. This is NOT the type of blogging club I want to be a part of.

If she wants to think of herself as a whore that's her problem but don't lump me into that category. I have a review blog, What's That Buzz, which I'm doing as a hobby. I started out giving my opinions on products I purchased and liked or even companies that wouldn't get my business again for one reason or another. I enjoy writing and don't consider it work.

A few months ago I started getting companies offering products for me to review. I was excited that I was succeeding in my HOBBY. Everyone likes to think they're doing something right and this was my validation. I don't need a paycheck for that. I know I didn't get a lot in the value of the products I reviewed but I was enjoying myself. As a matter of fact I gave away more than half of what I received. That gave me the warm fuzzies as it felt good to make someone else happy.

I don't do the reviews for the product, I do it because I enjoy it. If I don't want the product the company is offering I'll ask if they'll sponsor a giveaway and I don't charge for giveaways as some do. I enjoy seeing the comments people make and the number of entrants a certain product will generate. If the company isn't offering a product but I like what they have to say or they're giving back in some way, I'll write a post about it just because I WANT to. I don't charge for this. If a company is just starting out or struggling and I believe in them I will offer to write about them and put an ad up and you guessed it, NO CHARGE.

I signed up for Adsense but never made a dime and took it off. I have an Amazon affiliate but never made a penny. I don't care, I don't even know if it's still on my blogs since I forgot about it. I even signed up for Pay Per Post at one time and did a handful of their offers and made less than $100 in a year. Why, because I'm picky about what I write about. I'm not selling myself out and writing about penile enhancements or credit card companies if I don't want to promote them on my blog. I was actually embarrassed by some of the posts I'd put on Weekly Beef for pay. I stopped doing those because they didn't make me happy.

Today What's That Buzz has several reviewers and another one coming on in the next week or two. I've cut back on the number of reviews I'm doing and focusing on what I enjoy. Managing the site, giving to others, helping other bloggers and companies and I'm doing it for FREE. Why, because I want to.

A lot of people volunteer their time and I don't see anyone calling them Whores. It's not all about money and pushing to be the best and most authoritative sounding by tooting your own horn and yelling the loudest to get the masses to listen. Sometimes it's about working quietly and enjoying what you're doing and making people watch and learn. That my friend will make you a success in the end.

Going Outside My Comfort Zone

2010-02-07T22:09:00.000-06:00

I've been sitting here thinking about moments in my life where I went outside my comfort zone and really surprised myself. There have only been a handful of them but they are important moments in my life.

The most recent was in November. My stepdaughter, Lisa, came to visit with her fiancé, his 15 year old brother and our 4 year old granddaughter. On the way home from the airport I teasingly asked if they'd like a surprise wedding. To our surprise they both said "yes".

We put that aside until a few days later when she was asking what they needed to do and a few phone calls and several trips later we had their marriage license. Then came picking the day. My husband's ex lives in another state and his ex father-in-law is an ordained minister and Lisa wanted him to perform the ceremony so the day had to be chosen that he and her mother could be here.

Now the date was picked and we had the place for the wedding, my sister-in-law's new home on 9 acres with a 1 acre lake in the front. Beautiful place and we were able to throw the wedding together in 4 days.

That's not the part about being out of my comfort zone. That came the day of the wedding when Lisa's mother arrived. I was nervous, here I was meeting the woman my husband use to be married to and being me I was afraid of what she'd think of me. The one thing in my favor was the meeting was taking place at my house. It was on my turf and I put on all smiles and welcomed her into my home.

I knew the day wasn't about me and how I felt, it wasn't about her and how she felt, it was about Lisa and her day. I also knew once her mother arrived I was going to be another guest at the wedding as this is a day that's to be shared by the bride's parents. Whether I like it or not the two of them are stuck in each other's lives forever due to having a daughter and granddaughter. Along with that means she's also in my life even though that's minimal. After all, we've been married 6 years and I've spoken to the woman once when she called and I answered the phone and again the day of the wedding.

I know there are going to be other occasions where we may have a chance to meet but now I feel empowered because I was forced out of my comfort zone into a situation that I was dreading and I came out unscarred and better for it for now I know I can do just about anything.

Let's Show some Compassion

2009-12-16T12:30:00.002-06:00

I'm embarrassed to say I'm part of the blogging world or Twitter right now. The way people who are suppose to be adults are behaving is more than childish, it's bordering on being inhuman. Yes there's some or should I say a LOT of hatred out there about an incident or several posts on one blog and now everyone is out for blood.

Not only are there attacks on the owner of that original blog but there are attacks towards anyone who defended her or didn't speak out against her. It's the attack of one person that I find very inhuman right now very disgusting.

A mom blogger lost her son yesterday and there are those who are so filled with hate they're attacking her in this most painful time to the point of blaming her. I've never lost a child but I did watch my parents loose their son. It is one of the few true causes of a nervous breakdown. The loss of a child can tear a marriage apart and lead parents down the road to destruction. They need to be supported during this time and not torn down any more than they already are.

It takes a very shallow, bitter person to kick someone when they're down but when they're almost at the bottom it only takes a nudge to get them the rest of the way.

The negative comments are blaming her for her sons death stating she wasn't watching him. She was on Twitter and giving her Tweets more attention than her son. One person even blogged about it giving a timeline of the tweets stating it took her 2 hours to read the tweets back to June. I have one question for you. Who was watching your children while you were busy looking for material for your blog? Who was watching your children while you were tearing someone apart?

Even during a war there is some compassion and peace between the enemies. Maybe not often enough or long enough but it is there. Could we please try to hold our snide comments and hostilities for a little while. If not out of compassion for another blogger how about doing it out of compassion for another human being.

Shellie, my heart goes out to you right now and I'm praying for peace and comfort for you and your family right now.

Why I HATE Walmart Pharmacy

2009-12-12T23:22:00.000-06:00

I miss the independent pharmacists. You know the ones, they know you by name and have a conscience. The ones that will listen to you and take the time to give you great service. Yes, I know, I'm always harping on customer service but that's only because it's an antiquated idea in business anymore.

I switched to Walmart pharmacy a few years ago due to the $4 generic prescriptions. I HATE Walmart's pharmacy, at least the one near my house. They are S L O W sometimes standing in line over an hour to pick meds and they don't listen to you when you talk to them.

Now in the past we've had problems getting scripts filled in a timely manner. I've taken written prescriptions and left them being assured they'd be ready in an hour. Knowing better than that I've waited a couple of days to pick them up. You guessed it, they're not ready. Go back a few days later to be told they had to order it. Well, why didn't you do that last week when I gave you the script.

Four days ago I dropped off a script for Trylite for a test I'm having done in three days. I went in today to pick it up and I'm told my scripts aren't ready because they're waiting to hear from the doc. I start to feel the hairs on my neck go up and I asked why. Well, we need new scripts for these 3 meds. The doc called those in 2 weeks ago and I picked them up already. I'm picking up the Trylite I dropped off Tuesday. The clerk goes back to the pharmacist. They don't have it in, they're waiting for it to come from the manufacturer. WHAT????? I need to take this in two days, when were you going to let me know so I could go elsewhere? Well, we do have the generic if you want that? Why didn't you just give me the generic to begin with?

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!! Poor customer service really pisses me off. I want my little corner pharmacy where Bruce and George are the owners and pharmacists. The ones who knew me by name and we trusted each other. The ones that would let me pick up meds for my mom and my dad would pay the next time he went in. George that I could call anytime with a question about meds and he'd make suggestions for cheaper alternatives. It's a shame that these chain and discount stores are putting those places out of business.

My 2010 New Years Goals

2009-12-07T20:26:00.000-06:00

With Christmas coming we know that New Years isn't far behind and that means New Years Resolutions. I try to make resolutions each year but they're usually so lame or unreachable that I fail by 12:01am on January 1st. I decided this year I would not make resolutions I can't keep but try to set goals that I can aim for instead.

My New Years Goals:

Make more time for Don. We have a great relationship and I love my husband with all my heart but I do think we could do better on the 1 on 1 time. I know there's only 2 of us 2 legged creatures in the house so it's usually 1 on 1 but there are so many daily distractions that WE get forgotten about. I will try to be more attentive and shut off the computer each day or evening to give Don my full attention
Update my seven, YES THAT'S 7, blogs more regularly. I love writing and there are you can't shut me up I just get distracted too easily and I'm the master procrastinator. Maybe they have a self help group for that.
I will strive to be more organized which will hopefully help me to reach my goal above easier. I'm a very disorganized person but this is ironic, I love to organize things. I make flowcharts and spreadsheets for organization, I just don't keep up with them. That goes along with my problem above, I procrastinate too much.
I will try to make a new dish for dinner at least once a month. Maybe experiment some and use things we've learned in cooking class. I love trying new things and we've found some keepers in my experimenting I just forget about it when the time comes to go grocery shopping.
I will set time aside each day for Quiet Time with God. I talk to God constantly but I it's usually on the run or when I think about it. I need to make a conscious effort to put Him first and consult with Him when making decisions. Have more of a WWJD attitude with things rather than winging it and turning to Him when I mess up.

I will work hard to make sure I can achieve the goals listed above. I know I'm only human and being lax doesn't mean I should stop trying. If I find my desk area is cluttered doesn't mean I've failed with #3 it just means I need to clean it up and try again. Nothing wrong with that. Nothing to beat myself up over and kick myself in the butt for.

So, what are your New Years Goals for 2010? I'd love to hear them.

I Outgrew This Type of Behavior in High School

2009-12-01T00:51:00.000-06:00

I like meeting new people and my husband says I like to talk. OK, he says I have that woman's disease where I talk incessantly. What better place to combine the two than forums. I have to be honest when went to my first forum I was shy, stayed in the shadows and just lurked. After I made my first post that was it, I was hooked.

I've met some nice people who have become online friends through forums. Several I've gotten to know better through emails and IM's and there's one woman that is part of my review team on What's That Buzz.

I've found that most forums have their cliques, people that stick together and have their own language. That's fine but the inside jokes can leave a newbie feeling like an outsider. Some or most of the people on these forums are very welcoming and some can be very standoffish. I like to contribute that to their being as shy as I am and focus on the ones that are welcoming.

Several months ago I found a forum that I really liked. I was learning a lot about doing product reviews and SEO and felt they were a great community. As with most communities there was some drama but that seemed to have started before I joined so I pretty much stayed away from it. This past weekend I found myself in the middle of new drama in that community and even though I did my best to stay out of it I now find myself totally out. Yes, I was kicked out of the community and from what I understand it's because I posted on another forum. Come on now, how petty can you be?

I'm not going to get into what the drama was about or how it started but if you've been anywhere in the blogosphere this past weekend you've no doubt read all about it and yes, I was a part of HER community. This really blew up on Thursday or Friday and by Saturday there were threads on most other forums as well as Twitter and I'm sure most other social networking sites. There were posts on blogs that came out on both sides. There was talk of police reports, lawyers and death threats but I tried my best to stay out of it. While I was laying low I was reading and learning more and more about the personalities of those involved as well as those involved in the previous mentioned drama.

I was on another forum and posted, nothing negative, just saying that even though I didn't approve of what happened I still enjoyed the community and felt I was learning a lot from the members there. About an hour later I found I was blocked from the community and from the owner's blog. Today I heard that anybody who posted on the other forum was kicked out of the community.

While I was trying to decide if I wanted to remain a part of that community or leave the decision was taken away from me. I'm not upset by being banned since I outgrew schoolyard antics many years ago but I am angry that a community/forum/website/blog owner can decide where on the internet I can go, who I can socialize with and where I can post.

The Uninvited

2009-11-09T10:49:00.004-06:00

I don't want anybody or anything in my house that I didn't invite. That includes anything that flies, crawls or slithers. You getting the idea here

When I was younger we had a mouse in our house. I remember my mom standing on a chair and yelling for my dad. Years later we had mice. Mice is more than 1 and I remember the first time I saw one I jumped up on the table and yelled for my dad. Dad tried to get rid of them by setting traps but it didn't work too well. For every 1 he caught there were dozens more offspring running around.

After dad had passed away and I was living with my mom and we had a bird in the house, in addition to the mice. No, not one we kept in a cage, this was a Starling and it looked huge. Supposedly they get on the top of the chimney to get warm, pass out from the fumes and fall inside, into the house. That thing was in the house for 2 days with me running around with a jacket over my head until we could get it outside. Hey, don't laugh, didn't you see Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds? I did.

After mom passed away I was still in the same house only this time it was mine (I'd inherited it, mice and all). My bedroom was originally on the second floor until I saw a mouse in there one night. I quickly moved down to the main level and slept with a light and the TV on. If the TV was on I couldn't hear them. One morning I wake to the sight of a squirrel in my house. Yes, a grey squirrel. I remember my mom always telling me they were nothing but rats with bushy tails. I also remember a neighbor getting bit by one when I was little. I borrowed a trap, locked it in the kitchen with the squirrel and left the house for a few days.

I've since moved from Chicago to Southeast Alabama where there are different creatures and the usual ones are BIGGER. I've seen roaches (down here they call them Palmetto Bugs or Water Bugs) as big as a small child and fire ant hills the size of a Volkswagon Bug. Yesterday I walked into the living room to see a huge Gecko or lizard. Did I tell you I HATE them. I put them in the same category as snakes and we all know what the snake is capable of. If not read Genesis. Anyway, as I jumped on the sofa I was yelling for Don. Being my hero he came and rescued me from the brink of a heart attack and caught that thing and sent him packing. But being the man that he is he did laugh at me and tell me it was only a little Gecko. I DON'T CARE!!! I didn't invite it into my home.

I'm getting rid of that WELCOME mat at the front door.

Photo Credit: stock.xchng
Photographer: Subliminl

Happy Birthday

2009-10-15T18:02:00.004-05:00

Happy Birthday to me, Happy Birthday to me. Yup, my birthday's in 2 days. I'm going to be a whopping 52 years old. What!!!! Did I just say that out loud. You didn't hear me did you. I meant to say I'm going to be 29. Yeah, that's right, 29.

Well, Don got me my birthday presents a little early this year. I'd seen a Lenox ring I wanted. Two entwined hearts with our birthstones and our names engraved down each side of the band. It's called . the Two Forever Ring.

Then we saw a loveknot with both birthstones. This is called the Eternal Embrace Pendant.

Now came the difficult decision, which one did I want. I left the decision up to him and guess what? He got me both. Why you ask, because I'm worth it. Hey, those are his words not mine.

Don't I have the most wonderful husband in the whole world?

My Weekly Beef: Facebook is Really Pissing Me Off

2009-10-09T20:32:00.000-05:00

I'm a little upset with Facebook right now. I have a new review blog and I'd read a few days ago that it's a good idea to create a Fan Page for your blog or website. I set out trying to create a page and found out you can't have 2 pages on the same account. That's no problem, I have several email addresses so I'll just use one of my alternates to create that Fan Page.

The first one I created wasn't working right so I decided to start again. I deleted the page but when I tried to create another Fan Page using that same email address it just reactived the page I wanted to delete. On to email address #3. Same problem. Now I'm on my last spare email address and finally got the Fan Page to look the way I wanted it to. It was working and I created the button for my blog and added a couple of updates on the wall.

The next day when I went to log on to the Fan Page the fun began. I couldn't access it. I went to my personal page where I'd linked to the new Fan Page and got to it just fine but then I noticed the problem. My Blog's name is What's That Buzz but I named the page Product Reviews - Contests - Freebies & More and the name on the account was mine, Dee Landry. Now the name on the account is Beth Johnson. Who the heck is Beth Johnson. I went to the Account Settings and it was my email address but someone else's name. I requested to change my password and received the email with the link to do that. I then tried to find out how to contact Facebook.

After much looking and reading through FAQ's I got to a contact form, filled it out and sent it off. I received the generic "we've received your request" response and it did say to change my password which I'd already done. It also said I could respond to that email which I did. I explained the situation and that my account seemed to be linked to someone else's. If I leave the wall at all I can't get back to it unless I log out and back in again. The name on the account isn't mine, the profile page is a generic blank page without my graphics or updates AND there is no way for me to update in any way.

Several days went by and I get no response except for the original computer generated "we received your request" email so yesterday I sent off another one again explaining the problem and still no response. Not a we're working on it or sorry, nothing.

So, as I said I'm a little upset with Facebook right now and if this continues it will evolve into more than a little and erupt into furious. So, I guess this great networking site is OK as long as you have no problems but once you do it's not so great anymore and if this doesn't get resolved soon I may be upset enough to cancel both accounts.

Pink Out The Wiregrass for Breast Cancer Awareness

2009-10-02T15:16:00.000-05:00

October is Breast Cancer Awareness and Don and I were honored to attend the unveiling of the largest pink ribbon at Southeast Alabama Medical Center (SAMC) in Dothan, Alabama.

We first heard about the ceremony from the instructor of our cooking class Chef Michael. Michael came to class a few weeks ago wearing a pink apron which he received as part of the Real Men Wear Pink campaign at the hospital where men from the area were invited to come and wear pink in to show their support and encouragement for the women in their lives to have breast exams and mammograms. In addition it was to spread the fact that men can also be victims of breast cancer. It's rare but does happen.

The hospital is also promoting another campaign, Pink Out The Wiregrass or Pink Out Day. Yes, this part of Southeast Alabama is referred to as the Wiregrass. On October 1st men, women and children were encouraged to wear pink to show support of Breast Cancer Awareness.

The ceremony yesterday was attended by breast cancer survivors and we got to hear a few stories where early detection saved lives. Of course, being me I did cry a little. The hospital has 3 ribbon angels of various colors on the side of the building in support of other cancers but the new pink ribbon towers above the rest. I'm not sure if that was intentional but it wasn't meant to diminish the other cancers out there any cancer is serious and of great concern to everybody.

Don informed me before we left that he's a Real Man but he won't wear pink. He did take one of their pins and put that on though.

Before, during and after the ceremony we were reminded of family members who are cancer survivors as well as those who lost the fight. If you haven't yet had your yearly mammogram please take the time to get it done this month. Just because you can't feel a lump doesn't mean you're safe. Early detection is the key. If you don't believe me go to any cancer center and speak to the women and yes men who are going through chemo or radiation, I'm sure they'd tell you the same thing.

Opening Ceremony

Sea of pink, most are cancer survivors

Pink fountain outside Womens Center at SAMC

Finding the Good in the Midst of Tragedy

2009-09-20T13:33:00.000-05:00

Yesterday we had a death in the family, Don's uncle. Today Don and I were talking about how different people impact your life and when they're gone what affect that can have on your emotions. Of course that got me talking about my parents and brother who have all passed away and I got emotional. Later as I was thinking about the loss I felt I started thinking about the positive's that have happened as a result of those deaths.

My brother was 19 years older than I was and he protected me. He also pushed me to do better and even though I miss him terribly I learned a lot when he was alive. He taught me how to get around my parents when they wouldn't allow me to do things I wanted and he gave me the courage to ask questions. My brother was gay and he taught me to look beyond labels, to be more tolerant and accepting of others.

When dad died I realized that I was strong and I could take on the leadership role in the family. My mom was 16 when she married dad and they were married for 54 years so she had no idea how to function without him. I willingly took on the role as head of household. I could tackle anything because of the skills my dad had taught me.

Mom was the last to go. She was from a large family with 10 brothers and sisters. All but 1 had gone before she did so she was the last one left with the old family stories. I have a cousin, Elsetta, 2 years older than I am that's the family geneologist. Elsetta moved from Chicago to Missouri when I was 5 and we never spoke to or saw each other after that. Mom and Elsetta wrote to each other all the time and I'm sure it was the family history that fueled that relationship but I'm sure mom's goal of keeping the family together helped somewhat. Mom's death was the catalyst that brought Elsetta and I into each others lives again. After not talking to her for 31 years I had to answer her last letter to mom and let her know what happened. After that we talked and emailed constantly. Through Elsetta I met Don so I guess you could say if mom hadn't died I never would have met my husband and best friend.

Seven years after Elsetta and I were reunited I did something childish and stupid. Elsetta responded in an equally childish manner and we didn't speak for 7 1/2 years. I'm wrong there, we did speak a couple of times but no relationship mending was going to happen. Elsetta's mom, Aunt Grace, passed away earlier this year and I did something my pride had been keeping me from doing. I called her and that call was the beginning to a new relationship. So, I guess you could say, if Aunt Grace hadn't died we wouldn't have talked as openly as we did and we wouldn't be friends again. Now we can't go a day without AT LEAST 1 email passing between us but usually it's in the double digits.

I guess I've learned that everyone in your life has a purpose when they're alive but they also have a purpose in their passing. It's OK to feel the loss and grieve but in that grieving start to look for the things they continue to do. Look for God's hand in bringing something good out of what you can only think of as a tragedy. God doesn't want us to be sad and unhappy so He'll always bring good into our lives whether we see it immediately or have to wait a while for that cloud around us to fade.

A New Blogging Friend

2009-08-25T22:13:00.000-05:00

I found out a while ago you can make some decent friends if you'll just take a risk and make yourself available. I've met some people in the last few years through the internet and some I'm still in contact with even if it's just a "hi how are you doing" type of email.

I recently met someone named Dee through a blogging forum who asked for help and even though I'm still a novice I offered whatever help I could. Through private messages on the board that merged into emails that eventually went to IM's we decided to start a product review blog together. As we were starting that blog she was getting the finishing touches on her own blog and today she opened it up to everyone.

Cocktails With Mom is the result of her hard work and it's a place for women to hang out and talk or as Dee says, Relax, Relate and Release. On her blog you'll be able to read as well as join in on conversations. So, why don't you go on over and join the party. The doors are open and all are welcome. Even though the name is Cocktails With Mom, I don't think the mom thing is a requirement but having fun is.

P.S. While you're at hop on over to What's That Buzz and check out our new joint venture. It's still in the beginning stage so it's not perfect yet.

Thank You

2007-08-15T23:44:00.000-05:00

Thank you for visiting Weekly Beef. Your comments, questions and suggestions are appreciated. I receive many emails and try to respond in a timely manner but it may take a few days.

Contact

2007-08-15T23:38:00.000-05:00

The Orphan and The Squeak Toy

2009-08-12T23:12:00.007-05:00

If you've read this blog long enough you've seen me refer to my 2 puppies Stretch and Ellie from time to time. They even have their own blog, The Adventures of Stretch & Ellie. Yes, they're that smart, well one of them is anyway.

If you've read their blog you know that Ellie tends to have more common sense than Stretch and she's, well, smarter. That's not to say Stretch is lacking in the personality department she's just a little, short in the gray matter at times.

Ellie is very lovable and squishy. She even squeaks when you rub her in the right spot or give her a hug. I call her my little Squeak Toy. Stretch is lovable but it seems she yearns love more than anything and no matter how much you give her it doesn't seem to be enough. She acts like the ugly stepsister or the outcast. I call her My Little Orphan. Stretch also has this bug eyed look as if she's getting in trouble for something. For that Don calls it her Barney Fife look. You know the one "nip it, nip it, nip it in the bud."

Stretch is starting to pick up on some of Ellie's habits, maybe it's in hopes that she'll get the love and attention Ellie gets if she acts like her, I'm not sure but it is rather funny and pitiful. One example is, Ellie has an anxiety problem and will run and hide if there's a loud noise and she'll want to be held and shakes if there's a storm. Stretch was never afraid of storms but now she's right there next to Ellie, shaking like a blender on high.

Tonight Don was taking the garbage out and he went through the garage and out the garage door to the front. Ellie is smart enough to know when she sees him go to the garage to run to the front window and watch him. Not Stretch, she's sitting next to Ellie staring at the wall between the living room and garage. I don't know if she's really that dense or if she thought if she' focused hard enough she'd have x-ray vision.

You know thinking about it Stretch is perfect just the way she is. She's got personality plus and we love her to pieces, I just wish we could make her believe it.

Where Everybody Knows Your Name

2009-08-03T19:30:00.002-05:00

A trip to the grocery store today reminded me that courtesy is not a long lost art as most would lead you to believe.

How many times have you gone into a store and been run over by carts? How long have you looked for an item going up and down the aisles feeling like you're on a treasure hunt and the treasure is no where to be found.? How many times have you gotten to the checkout and had a cashier who was busy talking to someone else and not paying any attention to you at all? You can stand there for 5 minutes holding out coupons or cash and she's so preoccupied she's totally oblivious to you.

I must say there's a little store not too far from my house where that doesn't happen. It's the local Piggly Wiggly in Headland, Alabama. I think a pre-requisite to work in that store is a friendly, courteous personality. The manager will greet you as you enter the store remembering you from previous visits. As you're leaving he'll make sure you found everything OK. Walking up and down the aisles it's not uncommon for someone to ask if you need help finding anything. I've been at the checkout when I mentioned to the manager I couldn't find something and the next thing I know there's an employee standing there with said item in hand for me. They have baggers who not only bag your groceries but empty your cart and carry the bags to your car and load them in. All this is done with a smile and kind words.

If any of you think courtesy is a lost art just head to Headland, Alabama and you'll find it alive and flourishing at Piggly Wiggly.

Relative or Family?

2008-07-23T12:40:00.010-05:00

Is there a difference between relatives and family? That may sound like a redundant question, after all, aren’t they the same. I don’t think so.

A relative is someone you have to claim whether you like them or not. You don’t have a choice and no matter how hard you try to get away they’re always there, intruding in your life.

Family, are the people you choose to be in your life. You want to be around them and you welcome them. They are there for you when you’re feeling down. They will lend support and a helping hand even before you ask and you’ll willingly do the same for them. They don’t have to be related to you to be family.

I come from a large family or should I say, I have a lot of relatives. I only had one brother but my mom had thirteen brother and sisters. A lot of them were married at least once, some two or three times. With those marriages came children. I have cousins, second cousins and cousins once or twice removed all over the country. Most of them I knew once upon a time. Other’s I’ve never met or just recently met. Most of them I wouldn’t recognize if they were standing in front of me. The majority of them are relatives.

My family is small. I have my husband, sister-in-law, brother-in laws, a couple of cousins a step daughter and granddaughter. My mother-in-law was someone I never met face to face but I talked to her on the phone frequently and I considered her family. My parents and brother are gone but they will always be my family. I also have friends I’ve known for over 30 years and others I’ve met recently but they are people I respect and enjoy being around, they are family.

You only have to share a blood line with me to be considered a relative but you have to share a place in my heart to be considered family.

Texting Can be Hazardous to Your Health

2009-07-14T22:22:00.004-05:00

I'm sure you've read or heard bout the Long Island girl who fell in a manhole cover while texting. The city has opened an investigation and her mother is faulting the city because they removed the manhole cover THEN went to get the orange cones rather than have the cones there BEFORE removing the cover. Yeah, I agree that was lax on the part of the city workers but the young girl should be held accountable for her part in this. She admitted she was walking and texting and not paying attention but later said if there was an orange cone there she would have seen it. If you can't see a big hole in the ground what makes you think a warning cone would get your attention.

I'm sorry, I do believe the city workers were wrong in leaving the manhole unattended while the cover was off but if the girl would have been paying attention to where she was walking rather than texting this wouldn't have happened. If she would have tripped over a curb, a crack in the sidewalk or walked into a car would they then blame the city or the car owner for parking where she was walking?

This is another example of people not accepting responsibility for their own carelessness, ignorance and stupidity.

Gotta Love Some People: It's Illegal to Kill Them

2009-07-05T23:03:00.002-05:00

It always amazes me how stupid or maybe it's clueless some people can be. I often wonder who they made it to adulthood much less to be loose in the world.

It's 10:30pm and I'm awake on the computer. The phone rings, it's a long distance wireless number but I'm in a good mood so I answer the phone. The woman on the other end asks "who are you?" I politely ask "who are you looking for?" We go back and forth like this a few times when she says "I'm looking for my sister." I tell her she's got the wrong number. This woman then asks if a Steven something or other is here. I inform her again she has the wrong number. It's at this point the woman calls me a liar and asks why I'm getting involved in this. I very nicely told her I didn't know who she is and I was going to hang up which I did.

Don wanted to know why I was so polite to this woman and why I didn't just hang up in the beginning. I was in a good mood and sometimes it's nice mess with them and see how far they'll go. It's been 30 minutes and she hasn't called back so she either realized I was telling the truth or she dialed again and this time got the number she wanted.

It still amazes me how someone with the IQ lower than one of my dogs can figure out how to use a cell phone and why she's not tied down in the padded room for the night.

Thanking God for Little Annoyances

2009-06-30T21:55:00.003-05:00

Today is my mom's birthday and this year is like last year and the year before. I think about her all day and the things I miss. I don't plan it that way but sometime during the day the date will enter my mind and the thoughts start. Have you ever noticed it's the little things you miss the most. Mom's French Toast, the way she sat in the chair watching TV, bingo on Friday's.

This then brings Don to my mind and all the things I love about him. It also brings the little annoyances to the surface. You know those little things that just bug you and you think you're going to pull your hair out if it happens again. The next time you run across one of those little annoyances stop and think, is this something I'm going to miss if he wasn't here? You'll probably find out the answer is yes and I'm sure there are things that annoy him as well.

I get annoyed when Don puts something on the shelf where I put my soda bottle or when I'm communing with the dogs and he's in another room and calls them. Of course they'll run to him. When that happens and I'm ready to scream I realize those are a couple of those little things I'd miss and soon I'm smiling about it and thanking God he's here to annoy me with it. It's those little things that remind me I'm not alone and there's someone willing to share their life with me, annoyances and all.

Don, I love you and don't want you to change any little thing you do, no matter how much I complain about it. Just keep on bugging me and I'll keep smiling and loving you more.

Ghost Whisperer - Is This the Beginning of the End?

2008-11-07T20:10:00.003-06:00

I’m a Ghost Whisperer fan and I was NOT pleased with tonight’s ending. I had a feeling it was going to happen and I was expecting to see him standing next to Melinda but I was still upset when it happened and yes I was crying. How dare they kill Jim.

The show is as much about Melinda and the ghosts as it is her relationship with her husband. She finally agreed to have a baby and they were trying to start their family and now this. I don’t know if the show will be the same. Did they “Jump the Shark” and is this the beginning of the end? I hope not but I don’t know how they’ll be able to get past this.

Share your views and vote in the poll.

For updates on Ghost Whisperer visit my new blog TV Chat

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