"Rock Of Ages"

When I got the email from One2One Network asking if I would like to review the soundtrack from "Rock Of Ages" I was so excited! This is just my kind of music!
With tunes like .....
"Just Like Paradise/"Nothin But A Good Time"
"Sister Christian"
"We Built This City"/"Too Much Time On My Hands"
"I Wanna Rock"
"We're Not Gonna Take It"
"Heaven"/"More Than Words"(one of my favs)/"To Be With You"
"Waiting For A Girl LIke You"
"Wanted Dead Or Alive"
"I Want To Know What Love Is"
"Come On Feel The Noize"/"We're Not Gonna Take It(Reprise)"
"Harden My Heart"/"Shadows Of The Night"
"Here I Go Again"
"The Final Countdown"
"Any Way You Want It"/I Wanna Rock(Reprise)"
"High Enough"
"I Hate Myself For Loving You"/"Heat Of The Moment"
"Hit Me With Your Best Shot"
"Can't Fight This Feeling"(Another Fav)
"Every Rose Has It's Thorn"
"Oh Sherrie"
"The Search Is Over"
"Don't Stop Believin"

What could make these songs better? They are preformed by none other than the cast of "Rock Of Ages" Including*******Constantine Maroulis finalist from American Idol. "New Line Records" did the CD so it is great quality, as always with them.

I really enjoyed listening to this sound track, it brought back some awesome memories of when my kid's were younger, and so was I. You don't have to be a child of the 80's to enjoy this music though, they have revamped the tunes a bit and they are so relevant for todays enjoyment too.

I am so stoked about this CD I would like for everyone to have the same listening pleasure I did so you can order your copy here http://tr.im/rviv

You can also see a preview of the music video here http://tr.im/rsVE

If you are lucky enough to live where you can see this show I would say go. It has been nominated 5 times for Tony Awards. I think you would enjoy the show. Oh if I were that lucky! I will just have to dream.

SoTalk To My Heart, tell me how you feel about Broadway shows, and how you think this one would be in particular. If you have seen it, or plan to please give us a review here.

Surfing the web stone age style

I remember the first personal computer I bought. It was a Tandy from Radio Shack. This was before the days of dial up, much less DSL, you could basically type with it, and play a few games, but my ex husband thought he was king of the techies with it, I believe I paid almost $2,ooo dollars for it because I had to finance it. Wow have we come a long way baby!

I have been upgrading over the years until I finally have been using the highest speed DSL that our local phone company offers to residential customers. This worked great for us for the last few years until last year when the local phone company sold to Windstream. I don't know what happened when Windstream took over, but it seemed we were offline at least twice a week sometimes for 8 to 10 hours, and when I would call to report the problem, I would be on hold sometimes for over an hour, I would just put the phone on speaker and go about my business until someone would finally answer. Then guess what, it wouldn't be an American it would be someone from over in India or somewhere, who barely spoke English, and they were trained to say the same script each time. "It appears we are having trouble on your line, it may be an hour or it may be tomorrow, we can't tell". Talk about frustration!

A couple of weeks before Christmas I was trying to finish my shopping, which I do online, and low and behold down the service went. I was in the middle of placing an order with Amazon, my favorite place to shop, http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/redirect-home/freelancebyu but if you shop there, then you know that the good deal you are buying
may be gone when you check back 10 minutes later, or the price may have gone up. The DSL went down at about 6:30 pm and we didn't get it back until around 11 the next day. Talk about angry, I was one angry bargain hunter. Luckily Amazon still had the items I was ordering at the same price, or I would have been on my phone companies door step.

What I did instead was decide to change services. Good idea huh? We'll see.... I have my TV connected to Direct-TV, I hate Time Warner as it seems they raise prices a couple of times a year. So I call Direct and ask them what kind of Internet service they have available. The saleslady was so helpful, she said what I needed was satellite, so I paid $200+ and set up an installation date which was Dec. 19Th. I was supposed to have the highest speed available through a service called "Wild Blue".

The first thing I noticed was the speed was not what I was used to, but I thought, well it was still tolerable. The 3rd day I lost my connection, my husband had been playing World of Warcraft, his favorite past time. He had stopped and gone to bed, that was when I lost my connection. I was ready to quit anyway, so I just closed my lap top and went to bed. The next day, I had been checking my freecycle site, and my email, all was fine. I stopped and started m dinner. Mean while hubby had gone back to WOW as it is called. Again the service went down. Well when I finally came back to my email. I had a notice from Direct-TV informing me I had been reported for "Fair Access Policy Abuse". I had no idea in the world what this meant, but I was soon to find out, and you talk about someone blowing their stack, I did.

It seems that with the satellite services, you are only allowed so much use a month, and when Direct-TV checked mine we were at 150%, at that point we were cut off from service and would not be allowed back on line for a month. I was trying to find out what we had done to abuse our service, and the tech I had on the phone was doing just that, talking techie language, I asked him to speak everyday language and explain to me and he couldn't. I said give me your manager please! By then I was ready to go through the phone line after him. So much for my religion, I had lost it! Well as it turned out, Wild Blue does not support gamers, so in 3 days, my husbands WOW addiction had put us way over the usage allowed. I was at a loss as to what to do because we were supposed to have an 18 month contract, I was furious because the nice little sales lady had never mentioned the Fair Access Policy, the installer was supposed to have left us a paper explaining the policy, he did not. As I told the manager, I would have never purchased something that wouldn't support gaming, that would have been stupid on my part, I may be many things but stupid is not one of them!

As it turned out the nice sales lady was told we were using DSL so she should have never sold us the service she did. So Direct-TV let me out of the contract, and she is trying to get me a refund, I hope she does or I will be back on the phone blowing my stack. So that left me with going back to DSL with my phone company, the glitch was they couldn't reconnect me until the 5Th of Jan. in the mean time I would have to go back to dial up. Talk about a rude awakening! You don't realize just how fast DSL is until you have to go back to dial up. I felt like I was back on the old Tandy. We just got everything back to working order tonight, something had happened to our router while we were disconnected so they had to bring us another one out yesterday, then our wireless connection wouldn't work anymore so my husband had to buy another one of those thingies. I told you I am not a techie.

I learned something from this experience. My temper has gotten me in some bad spots, and this was another one. I need to wait a day or two when I am angry, and think things through before making rash decisions, weigh the pros and cons of what I am going to do. Now if I can just follow my own advice, who me?

I had another situation come up a few days ago, with our bank, they wouldn't let me deposit my daughters check into our account, because she is not listed on the account. They had been letting me deposit it for 3 months and all of a sudden I couldn't. Temper flared, I said some not so nice things to the teller, that I will have to go back and apologize for, and started to change banks. I got in my van and started to go to a different bank, and all of a sudden I regained my sanity. I have direct deposit at my bank, I have several payments that come directly out, my account is tied to my Paypal, etc. Now That is just too much to change over a check, that will be cut off in Sept. anyway.

Talk To My Heart. Does your temper get you into trouble like mine does me. What have you done while angry that you regretted later, or cost you more money or something else than it was worth. Tell me about it so I won't feel like the only dip stick out there in cyber land. I look forward to reading your responses.

What Chrismas Means To Me

Well it is December 20Th, only 5 more days until Christmas, or as the retailers would put it;
"Only 4 shopping days left until Christmas!"
Is that really what we want Christmas to mean? Is that the memory we want our children to have when they are grown?
Christmas....We all know what the true meaning of Christmas is suppose to be, and is; The supposed date for the birth of our beloved Saviour, Jesus Christ. That is what it should be and it is in my heart of heart's, but Christmas has become so many more things to us too.
Christmas is the time when we show our loved ones how much we care, a time to spend special time with family and friend's, to eat special goodies that are made with love and care.

So what has happened to what Christmas is supposed to be? We tell our children what they are supposed to feel about Christmas, that it is better to give than receive. Then we turn around and spend hundred's, sometimes thousand's of dollars on toy's and electronics that they will play with for a week and throw in a corner and forget. In the mean time, children all over the world go to bed hungry at night.
Oh I am not judging fr I am just as guilty as anyone else. I am like every other parent, I want my children to have the latest gadgets and gizmo's, I want them to be happy and "Love me", cause I am the coolest thing since marshmallows, when I buy them what they want, or what they think they want.
So I am asking myself this early morning; "what does Christmas mean to me?" Not what everyone tells me it is suppose to mean, not what I tell my children it is supposed to mean, but what does Christmas mean, in my heart of hearts?
Christmas, is a song that sings of a future, where all are equal, no one lacks food, or clothing, there are no tears from the loss of a loved one to cancer, or aids. It is the promise of a future for our children that is filled with love and forgiveness for our brothers and sisters that are bound to us by this thing called humanity. Christmas to me is hoping there will be no more war, but knowing there will be, so the hope turns to peace, so that our men and women serving in the Middle East will be able to come home quickly and be with their families, that the escalating war in Afghanistan will be stopped, so no more innocent lives will be lost.
Most of all Christmas to me is the joy of seeing a family together. The smile on my child's face, when she sees the Christmas lights lit on all the houses and trees, in that smile of a seven year old is pure innocence, it can't be bought, sold or traded, and it is all mine for a few more years.
So in this season of giving and sharing, think of the things that really matter to you. Not what can be bought in a store, not money, or even gold. Let our mind's go back to the innocence of when you were seven, think of the thrill you felt when you saw the light's, when you sat on Santa's lap, the first snow flakes of the year falling, your Mother and Dad's unconditional love.
Talk to my heart. What does Christmas really mean to you?

Free $25.00 Shopping For You At Bidz

Hi all I got this code from a freebie site that I visit, and wanted to pass it along to you. I love this site, especially at Christmas and Birthdays. You can get jerwerly at 1/3 the price or even less sometimes. It is all good quality, I order for my children and family. Hope this helps save you some money during the Christmas shopping season. Here is my friend and mentor Anjie's link for Bidz.
http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/click?id=EqcdkoI2zWE&offerid=90206.10000006&type=3&subid=0

And here is the code to use for your $25.00 shopping money, just put the code in at checkout.
Use code SCARY25
Valid 10/30 - 11/2
Talk To My Heart, Let me know what yyou bought with your free $25.00, and who it was for. I just love what I call "Found Money".

Free Cell Phones and Service for Low Income Families

Thanks so much to our friend Marie over at http://freelancingrammie.blogspot.com/ she found this wonderful program to help low income families.

SafeLink Wireless is a government supported program
that provides a free cell phone and airtime each
month for income-eligible customers.

I sincerely hope that some of you can use this program and that it will be a blessing for someone. Things are so hard these days, even for two income families, and I know that some can't even afford home phone service, so this is a great program.
Talk To My Heart, let me know if you or someone you know cold benefit from this program, or if you know of similar things being offered, and I will publish your thoughts and suggestions here.

Remember Halloween is Friday, look out for the ghosties and goblins!

New Use For Vicks Vapor Rub

I said in the title this is a new use for Vicks, maybe I should rephrase that. It is an old use, but done in a different way.

I have used Vicks every since I was a child. It was the cure all for stuffy noses and hacking coughs for my parents. My parents couldn't take us to the doctor every time we had a cold, as a matter of fact we had to be about dead before we went. If we got a cold out came the Vicks, it was rubbed on our chests, and on the upper part of our lip, right under our nostrils.

Now it did a terrific job of opening my sinuses, but have mercy it felt like it was gonna burn my lip off some times, because of the Mentholatum. By the time it stopped stinging, you were either "cured or killed," as they say.

Well now someone has come up with a way to get the benefits without all the fuss and muss, so next time I have a cold I will be trying this. Hope you enjoy, and please if you give it a try, Talk To My Heart, let me know how it works for you and your family.

Subject: VICKS VAPOR RUB INTERESTING

During a lecture on Essential Oils, they told us how the foot soles can

absorb oils. Their example: Put garlic on your feet and within 20 minutes

you can 'taste' it.



Some of us have used Vicks Vapor rub for years for everything from chapped

lips to sore toes and many body parts in between. But I've never heard of

this. And don't laugh, it works 100% of the time, although the scientists

who discovered it aren't sure why. To stop night time coughing in a child

(or adult as we found out personally), put Vicks Vapor rub generously on the

bottom of the feet at bedtime, then cover with socks. Even persistent,

heavy, deep coughing will stop in about 5 minutes and stay stopped for many,

many hours of relief. Works 100% of the time and is more effective in

children than even very strong prescription cough medicines. In addition it

is extremely soothing and comforting and they will sleep soundly.



Just happened to tune in A.M. Radio and picked up this guy talking about why

cough medicines in kids often do more harm than good, due to the chemical

makeup of these strong drugs so, I listened. It was a surprise finding and

found to be more effective than prescribed medicines for children at

bedtime, in addition to have a soothing and calming effect on sick children

who then went on to sleep soundly.



My wife tried it on herself when she had a very deep constant and persistent

cough a few weeks ago and it worked 100%! She said that it felt like a warm

blanket had enveloped her, coughing stopped in a few minutes and believe me,

this was a deep, ( incredibly annoying!) every few seconds uncontrollable

cough, and she slept cough-free for hours every night that she used it.



If you have grandchildren, pass this on. If you end up sick, try it yourself

and you will be absolutely amazed at how it works.

Teaching Our Children To Be Civic Minded Citizens

It is almost time for the 2008 Presidential Election. I don't think I have ever missed voting in an election since I turned 18. They had just changed the law, to allow an 18 year old to vote, (for you youngsters, it used to be 21). I was so proud the first time I stepped into a polling place, I felt like I was grown and finally 100% American. You might say, "but you were born in America." Yes I was, but there was just something about voting that first time that confirmed it in my heart and mind, my chest was bursting with pride.

I don't know if that is the feeling everyone gets when they vote, but that feeling has never left me. Every time I vote it reaffirms the fact I, Marilyn Oliver am an American.
My oldest adopted child just turned 18 in October. I started telling her the importance of voting last year, she has only been with us going on 3 years, or she would have heard my spiel all her life.
Anyway I didn't wait for her to register to vote, I registered her online myself, cause she is quite a procrastinator. She was thrilled though when she got her Voter registration card in the mail about a month ago.
I don't stop there, when I went to vote in the primaries, I lugged all four of my girl's with me, took them all into the voting booth, so they could see what the process was. The people at our voting precinct didn't know quite what to think when I walked in and told them I would be taking the girl's in with me, but they were troopers and when we got done, they were each given an I voted today sticker, they all wore them out with pride in their eyes.

If you haven't figured it out by now, I am very patriotic. I still get a tear in my eye when the National Anthem is played, and we say the Pledge Of Allegiance to our flag. Nothing makes me angrier than to hear someone put down this great country of ours. I am one of those people who feel like if you don't love our country, then please go find somewhere you can be happy. We have so much freedom, and opportunities in this country, I don't think you will find that anywhere else in the world, we are blessed beyond what we deserve sometimes. We all take what we have for granted, and it seems the only time we think about it is when we see pictures of starving children in other countries, or when a freedom that affects us is going to be taken away. Friends that is why you should vote. If the things you believe in are there for you now, and someone who doesn't share those same beliefs is voted into office, then chances are what you hold near and dear may be gone, if that person has enough influence.

OK off my soap box and back to the kids. As I said I start brainwashing my kids to be patriots from the time they are old enough to listen. I don't take toddlers with me to vote, they can be distracting, but I do let them know Mommy is going to vote, and try to explain what that is. I usually start taking them with me to the polls at 4 or 5, and while they don't understand all that is going on they do know we are doing something very important. When I was in school we were taught everyday how important being an American was, and how important our civic duties to this country are. Kids today don't get that in school, it might offend someone else belief system. (Refer back to how I feel about if you don't love it leave it.)

What are these civic duties that we should be teaching our children? Well of course voting, jury duty, serving our country with military duty when called upon. Those are just some of the things considered civic duty, but I would also throw in some others here, how about the battered woman or child? Report the abuser. Did you see someone steal from the store you are shopping in? Report to the management. Civic duty means being responsible, not just for yourself, but for your fellow man.

Please teach your children to be good responsible citizens, they are our future, if we don't guide and lead them in the right direction, who will? I received a good article in my email the other day that also kind of goes along with my blog today. It was from Good Housekeeping, and I am including a link here for you to read it if you chose. http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/family/activities/prep-kids-election-time

I was listening to the news today and found out one of the candidates will be in our town this Saturday. This is the first time that a Presidential candidate has been right here in my town that I can remember, if any were before, I was too young, or working and didn't know. I am not going to say which candidate, because my party preferences should not affect how someone else views this blog. To me it doesn't matter what party you are as long as you vote. Anyway, as soon as I heard about the rally I called to find out if there were any tickets left, they said no, but they were expecting some more in if I could stop by later. Well by the time I could get there they were all gone again, I was so disappointed, I told the lady how much I wanted to be able to take my children, and how important I felt it was for them to learn early. She said well, maybe another location had some, and she called for me, they did have some left, but only a few, if I could get there they were mine, but they could not hold them. I headed out crossing my fingers they would still have seven when I arrived. I stopped to get gas a couple of miles up the road, and my cell phone rang, it was the lady I had just talked to, I had given her my number just in case the other location was out, and they by chance got some more in. She said we have 750 tickets on the way here, if you can come back here in about an hour, I will put seven aside for you. I was elated. I headed back and stopped to pick up a few things from the store to defray my wait. When I go back to the head quarters the tickets still had not gotten there, the lady was gone I had spoken to, but another lady remembered me, and motioned me to come back and have a seat she said they will be here in about 15 minutes. There were a few other people waiting, and the crowd was slowly building. When the man walked in with the tickets, I was told I could only have four, well I knew it was one of those fight or flight moment's. I said to them, look I am not trying to be ugly, but I was called back here by the other lady and was promised there would be seven tickets waiting for me, as I have five children as well as myself and my husband. The other lady said, "she promised you seven?" I said yes when she called, she said "OK give her seven, but after that only four per person." See perseverance pays, not only did I get seven tickets, the T-shirts that they didn't think would come in until the next morning arrived at the same time, so now my husband and I have white ones to wear, and my daughter who thinks pink is the only color in the world has one in pink, oh was she so happy! "Mom, can my boy friend come?" I explained I could only get the seven tickets but if he wanted he could check to see if they had any more tickets. Well as luck would have it my 14 year old has a best friend who he has not seen in months, due to visitation with his father. He called and begged for my son to be able to come for the weekend, that freed up a ticket for her boyfriend, so that will make it even more special for her. He is 18 also, I hope he registered to vote, if not he will get Momma Marilyn's civic lesson on Saturday.

Well everyone Talk To My Heart, how do you feel about voting, and civic duties in general? Give a comment and let me know.