Random Musings of a Curious Mind

FOX Reviews Zenni Optical

If you were wondering, as I have been, whether the glasses I talked about in an earlier post are really a good deal, I have an answer.

FOX consumer review program Deal or Dud? followed one mother's experience. The video details include the ordering process, issues with the family's optometrist, and the quality of the final product.

As you'll see in the report, ZenniOptical.com did a terrific job with the information that they were given. Both prescriptions were perfect. However, due to a lack of information from the optometrist and a wiggly little boy, there were issues with one pair.

Frankly, I was quite impressed. I've already found my favorite frames. (Okay I've found several favorite frames.) Luckily, I can afford more than one now.

Now, I'm off to get my prescription information.



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God Bless!

Jules

Private Jet Charter

Obviously, my business isn't large enough, nor do I travel enough to warrant a private jet charter. But wouldn't it be incredible!?

Just imagine the convenience of catching a flight when you want and not needing to work around airline schedules. Not only that, but many of these charters include catering and a private flight crew. (So much for a $5.00 bag of peanuts!)

Of course, it's not an incredibly inexpensive way to travel, but it's not as pricey as I imagined. When a company or organization has a number of people who need to be in the same place, at a specific time, it definitely makes a lot of sense.

Personally, I think it's a wonderful idea. Who knows? Maybe I'll even get to try it, someday.



Don't forget to visit JMark Afghans and My Gallery at Zazzle
We also have a page on Squidoo that supports the Genocide Intervention Network.
You can cast your Vote For JMark Afghans, etc.
at Independent Designers
We look forward to seeing you online.
God Bless!

Jules

Corporate Performance Management

In the world of corporate performance management, there are a lot of companies offering solutions.

For those who are looking for true innovation, do what RTI did and go to PROPHIX. The winner of the 2007 Innovative Solution Award for Corporate Performance Management offers groundbreaking and quantifiable value to their clients. From reporting and budgeting to analysis and forecasting to business process and sales performance management, find the solutions that allow your company to function as a collaborative entity.

With user-friendly services, training, and support, it couldn't be easier to engage your personnel in key business processes.


Don't forget to visit JMark Afghans and My Gallery at Zazzle
We also have a page on Squidoo that supports the Genocide Intervention Network.
You can cast your Vote For JMark Afghans, etc.
at Independent Designers
We look forward to seeing you online.
God Bless!

Jules

Mortgage Lenders

Before the wedding - which (again) was absolutely beautiful - we had been working on getting approved for a mortgage. This place is just too small and too expensive.

Now that all of the trip excitement is over, I thought it might be time to do a little more research. The industry is in such a state that finding reliable, honest mortgage lenders has become a challenge. Naturally, as first-time buyers, we don't want to get in over our heads.

There are a lot of places, with a lot of information. It's difficult to know where to turn. Although, I do like the sites that offer different mortgage calculators and explain the terms in detail.

Time to pull out the journal and start taking notes. Who knows? By the time I'm old enough to retire I might actually understand all of this.


Don't forget to visit JMark Afghans and My Gallery at Zazzle
We also have a page on Squidoo that supports the Genocide Intervention Network.
You can cast your Vote For JMark Afghans, etc.
at Independent Designers
We look forward to seeing you online.
God Bless!

Jules

The Best Buy

Everyone knows that I love to shop and that I love to shop for bargains. Looking for the best buy is always an interesting process.

I just love sites that offer weekly specials, above and beyond great prices. (Of course, they have to have great prices to begin with.) Then, it's just a matter of looking for what I need today.

Lately, I've been on a hunt for a decent desktop computer system. Since we don't need the latest and greatest system, it's actually a little more difficult to find the right computer. Many places put older systems on sale, as the new ones hit the market. But by and large, even these are more computer than we need.

At least, with the laptop working again, there's a little less pressure to get-a-computer-NOW.



Don't forget to visit JMark Afghans and My Gallery at Zazzle
We also have a page on Squidoo that supports the Genocide Intervention Network.
You can cast your Vote For JMark Afghans, etc.
at Independent Designers
We look forward to seeing you online.
God Bless!

Jules

Phentermine

I certainly wish that I had found this site a few weeks ago.

ConsumerPriceWatch.net has done all of the research and taken the guesswork out of choosing an effective diet pill. To start, they ranked the 200 top-selling diet products, based on a strict 12-point rating system that includes value, ingredient quality, safety, and weight-loss potential. If that weren't enough, they then scoured the web for the best available prices.

Take, for example, Phentermine. Until I found this site, I didn't know that it really isn't all that good at helping you lose weight, which would have been enough to know. ConsumerPriceWatch.net didn't stop there. They listed 10 products that work better.

If you're in the market for unbiased, clear-cut information about weight-loss products, this is the place to start.



Don't forget to visit JMark Afghans and My Gallery at Zazzle
We also have a page on Squidoo that supports the Genocide Intervention Network.
You can cast your Vote For JMark Afghans, etc.
at Independent Designers
We look forward to seeing you online.
God Bless!

Jules

Laptop

It has been a stressful time around here lately - to say the least. It started with a break in the cord on the desktop monitor, progressed to the desktop CPU, and culminated in my crashing the laptop. Because of the business, we cannot be withtout a computer.

As much as I love shopping, looking for another laptop has been an adventure. There are zillions of sites with millions of deals. Since we don't need the latest and greatest system, it's actually a little more difficult to find the right computer.

Luckily, we had the software that came with the desktop. Our neighbor was kind enough to go online and download the drivers we needed, so - as you can see - we are back in business. Now, we just have a dead desktop to replace.

Maybe I can talk Mark into that one!?



Don't forget to visit JMark Afghans and My Gallery at Zazzle
We also have a page on Squidoo that supports the Genocide Intervention Network.
You can cast your Vote For JMark Afghans, etc.
at Independent Designers
We look forward to seeing you online.
God Bless!

Jules

Pet Supplies

Along with the rising cost of . . . everything, is a rising cost in caring for our cat, Paka. It's amazing how much prices have increased lately.

The stores where I usually buy my pet supplies now charge 35% to almost 100% more on different items. So, you know me, I've gone shopping. After all, cat food and litter is not a luxury item - gotta have 'em every day.

After the scares we had from the melamine in pet foods, it's difficult to be sure that products are safe. But that doesn't mean that we need to be held hostage by manufacturers.

It's possible to find natural, healthy safe foods out there. Tell the companies that support pet owners how much you appreciate them, by buying exclusively from them.



Don't forget to visit JMark Afghans and My Gallery at Zazzle
We also have a page on Squidoo that supports the Genocide Intervention Network.
You can cast your Vote For JMark Afghans, etc.
at Independent Designers
We look forward to seeing you online.
God Bless!

Jules

High Risk Health Insurance

Given Mark's health - liver cancer and transplant, lung cancer - his only option is high risk life insurance. This...


Don't forget to visit JMark Afghans and My Gallery at Zazzle
We also have a page on Squidoo that supports the Genocide Intervention Network.
You can cast your Vote For JMark Afghans, etc.
at Independent Designers
We look forward to seeing you online.
God Bless!

Jules

House Hunting

Just the other day, I saw a cute little house for sale. The location was perfect: within walking distance of several local stores, a heartbeat from Michael's school, and about 1/2 block from the freeway. It had a huge paved area in front, nice yard in back, and chain-link fence surrounding the property.

Before I even called the realtor, I was imagining teak patio furniture, desert landscaping, tearing off the hideous 'lean-to' on the south side, and getting a puppy for Michael and Mark. My imagination saw a huge kitchen with tons of counter space, 2 bedrooms, and - blissfully - 2 bathrooms. Then, I talked to the realtor.

Suffice it to say, the patio furniture and puppy are not in our immediate future and that is one delusional property owner.




Don't forget to visit JMark Afghans and My Gallery at Zazzle

We also have a page on Squidoo that supports the Genocide Intervention Network.

Be sure to Vote For JMark Afghans, etc.
at Independent Designers

We look forward to seeing you online.

God Bless!

Jules

Don't forget to visit JMark Afghans and My Gallery at Zazzle
We also have a page on Squidoo that supports the Genocide Intervention Network.
You can cast your Vote For JMark Afghans, etc.
at Independent Designers
We look forward to seeing you online.
God Bless!

Jules

Possible Identity Theft

I got an interesting letter in the mail this week. It seems that the company I worked for, back in 2003, got hacked recently. Still investigating the extent of the incursion, they wrote to warn me that my personal information may have been stolen.

If that were the extent of the letter, it probably would have been sufficient to alert me and I could have taken steps to monitor my credit records. But my former employer went far beyond a simple notification. They set up a free, one-year credit monitoring account for me - on their dime - that includes $25,000 identity theft insurance and a team of fraud resolution representatives, should there be a problem.

One of the reasons I really liked this company was the way they treated employees. It's nice to know that hasn't changed.






Don't forget to visit JMark Afghans and My Gallery at Zazzle

We also have a page on Squidoo that supports the Genocide Intervention Network.

Be sure to Vote For JMark Afghans, etc.
at Independent Designers

We look forward to seeing you online.

God Bless!

Jules

Don't forget to visit JMark Afghans and My Gallery at Zazzle
We also have a page on Squidoo that supports the Genocide Intervention Network.
You can cast your Vote For JMark Afghans, etc.
at Independent Designers
We look forward to seeing you online.
God Bless!

Jules

Budgeting

I read a headline, recently, that made me shake my head and laugh. Apparently, people are now going to have to try this odd concept - budgeting. Really? Well, some of us have been doing that our entire lives.

Growing up in households that could barely make ends meet, Mark and I understand the concept of stretching a dollar until it hurts. In my case, no matter what my income was - or wasn't - able to cover, I still managed my finances with a fairly strict budget. It's amazing what you can do.

For example, I paid off a 60-month car loan in less than 48 months by budgeting a few dollars extra each month and making the payment a few days early. I didn't miss an extra five or ten dollars, and it made a HUGE difference in the loan. It's almost embarrassing the collectibles and sci-fi movies I was able to buy - after covering rent (on a 2-bedroom-with-den apartment), utilities, food for 2 people, food and vet bills for 4 cats, and car payments - while making less than $30K per year.

Do you want to live a comfortable life? Learn to live within your means by budgeting and choosing wisely.






Don't forget to visit JMark Afghans and My Gallery at Zazzle

We also have a page on Squidoo that supports the Genocide Intervention Network.

Be sure to Vote For JMark Afghans, etc.
at Independent Designers

We look forward to seeing you online.

God Bless!

Jules

Don't forget to visit JMark Afghans and My Gallery at Zazzle
We also have a page on Squidoo that supports the Genocide Intervention Network.
You can cast your Vote For JMark Afghans, etc.
at Independent Designers
We look forward to seeing you online.
God Bless!

Jules

Sticker Shock

Slowly, over time, many of the items we purchase on a regular basis have risen in price. By and large, with the exception of gasoline, not in huge jumps; just pennies here and nickels there. One becomes blind to the changes.

Today, I stopped by the old "dollar store" that I frequented for years - before they moved down the street - and was shocked by the changes. They still carry some of the items that I used to bring home on a regular basis - but at a 20% price increase. Many of the things that I knew I could buy for less, aren't there anymore. Probably because it's impossible for the owner to get them at a price he can afford.

Our president claims that the economy might be in trouble. Hey, George! Come shop with me on my budget!






Don't forget to visit JMark Afghans and My Gallery at Zazzle

We also have a page on Squidoo that supports the Genocide Intervention Network.

Be sure to Vote For JMark Afghans, etc.
at Independent Designers

We look forward to seeing you online.

God Bless!

Jules

Don't forget to visit JMark Afghans and My Gallery at Zazzle
We also have a page on Squidoo that supports the Genocide Intervention Network.
You can cast your Vote For JMark Afghans, etc.
at Independent Designers
We look forward to seeing you online.
God Bless!

Jules