tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-70369888313703750572024-02-19T16:55:19.936-08:00Under the Toronto SunAnything and everything that happens in Toronto.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger715125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7036988831370375057.post-50331713385224887012020-03-24T15:03:00.002-07:002020-03-24T15:03:31.121-07:00Thank you for smoking<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJF3dd7MXpfpvd5oRHwYl8UlxkeGZlgmJIM3XgLXtcsPJvkvVeBdkNzqweR_uI9Gn6SVc77KnQ3UFNpi_XS1NeF5MFZAlQKrISyivk17lzCHB-Ifae9eyCYgJ9TRIqz0f7K51A8VlOOoCp/s1600/0_nx3lOVsrb10pjkTo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="666" data-original-width="1000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJF3dd7MXpfpvd5oRHwYl8UlxkeGZlgmJIM3XgLXtcsPJvkvVeBdkNzqweR_uI9Gn6SVc77KnQ3UFNpi_XS1NeF5MFZAlQKrISyivk17lzCHB-Ifae9eyCYgJ9TRIqz0f7K51A8VlOOoCp/s640/0_nx3lOVsrb10pjkTo.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "Droid Serif", Georgia, Times, serif; letter-spacing: 0.187px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">This is not an anti-smoking but a pro-smoking message. You don’t see that one every day, do you? It’s true though, I’m as pro-smoking as they come and if you stick around I’ll explain why.</span></span><br />
<br />
<a href="https://vocal.media/stories/thank-you-for-smoking"><span style="font-size: large;">https://vocal.media/stories/thank-you-for-smoking</span></a><div class="blogger-post-footer">Author of
'Waiting for Silverbird'
'Voice of an Angel' and
'Kitten Diaries'.
To get a preview of these books please visit
www.wix.com/connymanero/home</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7036988831370375057.post-41436019288002303672020-03-10T09:20:00.000-07:002020-03-10T09:20:01.046-07:00Why do it yourself if others can do it for you<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivo-syUF_SSKaFHMfzmsAKZXmRmXaVWbJp1Fk_Nf0d5Ug0RtDRK5F47Jkenbh1ieCy0pvA0WVTnQVXmoQw-_IqozQl3FwS_jmMzwbFppp1GqDhVMyd-cJu7XscW7TWABSL_crn48clVqXq/s1600/0_VR2rGyCF5Q5QPcsC.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="844" data-original-width="1500" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivo-syUF_SSKaFHMfzmsAKZXmRmXaVWbJp1Fk_Nf0d5Ug0RtDRK5F47Jkenbh1ieCy0pvA0WVTnQVXmoQw-_IqozQl3FwS_jmMzwbFppp1GqDhVMyd-cJu7XscW7TWABSL_crn48clVqXq/s640/0_VR2rGyCF5Q5QPcsC.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Droid Serif", Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: large; letter-spacing: 0.187px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: blue;">We’d been talking about a vacation, a real vacation, for years. So far, when we took time off work, we stayed home because we have four cats and we have nobody to look after them. But after a particularly violent illness, I decided we should take a vacation and as far as the cats were concerned, I would make a plan.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Droid Serif", Georgia, Times, serif; letter-spacing: 0.187px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Droid Serif", Georgia, Times, serif; letter-spacing: 0.187px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;">Continue reading at:</span></span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-size: large;"><a href="https://vocal.media/stories/why-do-it-yourself-if-others-can-do-it-for-you">https://vocal.media/stories/why-do-it-yourself-if-others-can-do-it-for-you</a></span><div class="blogger-post-footer">Author of
'Waiting for Silverbird'
'Voice of an Angel' and
'Kitten Diaries'.
To get a preview of these books please visit
www.wix.com/connymanero/home</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7036988831370375057.post-6134743540503236092020-02-13T06:26:00.000-08:002020-02-13T06:26:00.328-08:00Can Writing Coaches Be Trusted Or Are They Shameless Scammers<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcrJqdmHOY7mH2TbV6fVvJCiOtmNJUMrbD-wUTiu9kFz1FJ9C62v3qcBfE6i9KjbuGKBORvib_O8xQ5Y1IzLiFUfqVzpwpjYCk9bk_-REBGxkJKOiY3xujfeRyFNs7LfwYssdondtxCY9s/s1600/0_DFxahfrXUljhPjFV.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: blue;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1600" height="432" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcrJqdmHOY7mH2TbV6fVvJCiOtmNJUMrbD-wUTiu9kFz1FJ9C62v3qcBfE6i9KjbuGKBORvib_O8xQ5Y1IzLiFUfqVzpwpjYCk9bk_-REBGxkJKOiY3xujfeRyFNs7LfwYssdondtxCY9s/s640/0_DFxahfrXUljhPjFV.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><b><span style="color: blue;"><br /></span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: blue;"><b>Can Writing Coaches Be Trusted Or Are They Shameless Scammers</b><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: blue;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: blue;">They say that those who can’t do, teach. Generally,
people wouldn’t trust a plumber who has never touched a pipe and wouldn’t
dream of hiring an electrician who doesn’t know his way around wires. Yet where
it comes to writing, writers pay thousands of dollars to so-called writing
coaches without checking their credentials.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: blue;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: blue;">Anyone can call themselves a writing coach. Some
even reference articles online and books on Amazon, but have they written those
articles and books or were they ghostwritten by a talented writer?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: blue;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: blue;">One thing scammers targeting writers do very well is
talk. With their silver tongue, they can sell snow to an Eskimo.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: blue;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: blue;">Let’s take Michael for instance. Michael is active
on social media, promising writers that they too can make thousands of dollars
from freelance writing. He offers to be their coach.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; text-align: left;">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 30pt; letter-spacing: 0.75pt;"><span style="color: blue;">Writing Mentor – I Want to Help You Speed Up
Success & Make You a Wealthy Writer<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span lang="EN-CA" style="background: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.45pt;"><span style="color: blue;">Here’s the thing…
freelance writing is the easiest way to make money online fast. <o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyELErYnvPcrOYhFM7vkm8ZsDnJPvfk954dL9pAG86t23nVzEgxmm_QjEUGrYEyQciNoeMfQyFdyS9NHe6bUO0shx1cqmvUvCnCDFBdfmQutyTbAFPxP838i9vbcOs-AVesRjBbpSvltgw/s1600/writing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: blue;"><img border="0" data-original-height="512" data-original-width="768" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyELErYnvPcrOYhFM7vkm8ZsDnJPvfk954dL9pAG86t23nVzEgxmm_QjEUGrYEyQciNoeMfQyFdyS9NHe6bUO0shx1cqmvUvCnCDFBdfmQutyTbAFPxP838i9vbcOs-AVesRjBbpSvltgw/s640/writing.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: blue;"><span lang="EN-CA"><a href="https://inspire-your-success1.teachable.com/p/freelance-to-5k"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; letter-spacing: 0.45pt; text-decoration: none;"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shapetype
id="_x0000_t75" coordsize="21600,21600" o:spt="75" o:preferrelative="t"
path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" filled="f" stroked="f">
<v:stroke joinstyle="miter"/>
<v:formulas>
<v:f eqn="if lineDrawn pixelLineWidth 0"/>
<v:f eqn="sum @0 1 0"/>
<v:f eqn="sum 0 0 @1"/>
<v:f eqn="prod @2 1 2"/>
<v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelWidth"/>
<v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelHeight"/>
<v:f eqn="sum @0 0 1"/>
<v:f eqn="prod @6 1 2"/>
<v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelWidth"/>
<v:f eqn="sum @8 21600 0"/>
<v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelHeight"/>
<v:f eqn="sum @10 21600 0"/>
</v:formulas>
<v:path o:extrusionok="f" gradientshapeok="t" o:connecttype="rect"/>
<o:lock v:ext="edit" aspectratio="t"/>
</v:shapetype><v:shape id="Picture_x0020_1" o:spid="_x0000_i1025" type="#_x0000_t75"
style='width:468pt;height:312pt;visibility:visible' o:button="t">
<v:fill o:detectmouseclick="t"/>
<v:imagedata src="file:///C:/Users/SCALDW~1/AppData/Local/Temp/48/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image001.jpg"
o:title=""/>
</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><!--[endif]--></span></a></span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; letter-spacing: 0.45pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: blue;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: blue;">Whenever you see ads like this … RUN! Don’t believe
anything these ads promise you. The only purpose of these ads is not to make
you a better writer but to open your wallet. Ads like these won’t help you
become a better writer, but they will make the ‘coach’ richer.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: blue;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: blue;">If a so-called writing coach states that he made
$1,000, $5,000 or even $10,000 in one month, you can bet your bottom dollar
that he didn’t do it with writing, but by scamming folks like you.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: blue;">If you have a flair for writing and your ambition is
to be a freelance writer, or even write and publish a book, attend a real
writing course in a college or join a writing club. You won’t have to fork over
thousands of dollars and you will learn from a professor or someone certified to
teach.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: blue;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: blue;">You might argue that writing coaches have a website with
testimonials of past clients. Fake, all fake! The coach himself writes those testimonials
and if you see pictures of ‘past students’ you might find that they are family
members, friends or people who were paid to have their picture taken.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: blue;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: blue;">If you want to know how to be a successful writer
you can do so with minimal effort and zero dollars. I tested it on Google.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: blue;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: blue;">How to be a successful writer - <span style="background: white;">About 582,000,000 results</span> (0.59
seconds) <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: blue;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: blue;">How to write better - <span style="background: white;">About 2,970,000,000 results</span> (0.58 seconds)</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: blue;">How to be a freelance writer <span style="background: white;">About 209,000,000 results</span> (0.80 seconds)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: blue;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 32.25pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: blue;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 20.0pt;">How to market my
work </span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 20pt;">About 5,530,000,000 results (0.76 seconds)</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 32.25pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: blue;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="background: white; font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 20pt; line-height: 107%;">About 901,000,000
results</span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> (0.59 seconds)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: blue;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: blue;">Sue, a friend of mine, is a very successful
freelance writer but her success didn’t come overnight. For two years she
toiled with articles and product descriptions for a handful of dollars.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: blue;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: blue;">Her work got noticed though and she was contacted by
two websites who offered her a contract to write 20 titles per week. She earned
about $500 a week. When the contract finished she set up her own website and
offered her services to various organizations. Even though her rates were far
from cheap, her extensive portfolio gave her credibility. Within one year she
was so in demand that she had to take on two extra writers to cope with the
workload.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: blue;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: blue;">Stories like these you can believe. It takes time,
effort and considerable talent to earn a living as a freelance writer. Anyway
who claims that you can make thousands of dollars within no time with little or
no effort is lying. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: blue;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: blue;">Michael is from the only scammer who targets
writers. Kary Oberbrunenr is another one. He charges his ‘students’ a minimum
of $5,000 to join his so-called Author Elite Program. When I called him on it,
he said “I’m not asking for people to pay me $5,000, I’m asking to invest
$5,000 in their future.” Such baloney!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: blue;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: blue;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Shameless scammers they are and I hope you don’t
fall for their tricks. </span><span lang="EN-CA"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: blue;"><span lang="EN-CA"><a href="https://www.writersdigest.com/editor-blogs/questions-and-quandaries/dealing-with-editors/how-to-defend-yourself-from-writing-coach-scams">https://www.writersdigest.com/editor-blogs/questions-and-quandaries/dealing-with-editors/how-to-defend-yourself-from-writing-coach-scams</a></span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">Author of
'Waiting for Silverbird'
'Voice of an Angel' and
'Kitten Diaries'.
To get a preview of these books please visit
www.wix.com/connymanero/home</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7036988831370375057.post-64213399011826383892020-02-11T09:02:00.001-08:002020-02-11T09:02:02.818-08:00Five Ways to Reduce College Debt<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC4GrTraPRAZUqem14kQUv8iz7KnYBUIfvrLm8Uj4Q0D5tuMFLhc9xh8Nt0GGjZQJrL3fnSoc0K2zJWwPm03y_1KHSkcqmsDtR9W_fXhUTEE24RNmagMj9sxW3w95BksmeUPW5JvDl09_-/s1600/money.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: blue;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1253" data-original-width="1600" height="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC4GrTraPRAZUqem14kQUv8iz7KnYBUIfvrLm8Uj4Q0D5tuMFLhc9xh8Nt0GGjZQJrL3fnSoc0K2zJWwPm03y_1KHSkcqmsDtR9W_fXhUTEE24RNmagMj9sxW3w95BksmeUPW5JvDl09_-/s640/money.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: blue;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: blue;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: blue;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: blue;"><b>Five Ways to Reduce College Debt</b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: blue;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: blue;">For a majority of students, going to college
and accumulating debt goes hand in hand. That is, if you don’t have a family who
can afford your education or you are not eligible for a full scholarship.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You have no choice but to figure out ways to
reduce college debt.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: blue;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: blue;">Delay
starting college<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: blue;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: blue;">You can wait a few years before going
to college and get a job.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you can
still live at home, you should be able to save for all or at least part of your
tuition fees.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You might not get your
dream job with only a high school diploma, but you will earn income.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: blue;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: blue;">Compare
colleges<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: blue;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: blue;">One of the ways to reduce college debt
is to pick a local college versus a more expensive one out-of-state.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By picking a local college, you’ll save on
boarding and the cost of living.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This decision
alone can save you thousands of dollars each year.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: blue;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: blue;">If you have no choice in the matter,
and you need to live away from home, get a dormitory room on campus or share an
apartment off campus with other students to save money.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: blue;">When considering local colleges,
compare their course structure and how much they charge for each credit. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One college may be cheaper than the other with
little difference in course quality. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If
you have your heart set on graduating from a particular college, start your
studies in a less expensive college and after one or two years have your
credits transferred to the other one.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: blue;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: blue;">Explore
your options<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: blue;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: blue;">Before you talk to a bank about a
loan, talk to the college administrator about their grants program.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some grants amount to several thousand
dollars and don’t need to be paid back.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: blue;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: blue;">If you do need to take out a loan,
don’t wait until you graduate to start making payments.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Loans accrue interest. Even if you can only
manage to pay off the interest, you’ll avoid having the loan snowball into a giant
amount when you graduate.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: blue;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: blue;">Textbooks
and materials<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: blue;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: blue;">Give preference to used textbooks,
keep them in good condition and sell them when you’re done with them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you’re planning on majoring in history,
you might want to keep those books.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But
why save books and materials from other courses if you won’t be using them.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: blue;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: blue;">Alternatively, you can try shopping online
or get electronic textbooks when available.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: blue;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: blue;">After
Graduation<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: blue;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: blue;">If you don’t have a job already, get
one as soon as possible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don’t hold out
for a career in your degreed field.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even
if a potential job is not what you studied for, a salary earned as soon as
possible will enable you to pay off your loans.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="color: blue;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: blue;">If you have a job, but you’re not used
to handling money, get someone to help you budget.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s easy to be tempted into having fun after
studying for four years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You can still
make paying off your college debt a priority and enjoy your life as well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s a good idea to talk to someone who can
help you plan a budget and give you the benefit of their financial guidance.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: blue;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: blue;">If you have multiple loans, talk to
your bank about consolidating your debt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>With all of your financial eggs in one basket, they might be willing to
negotiate a better interest rate.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: blue;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">One of the smart ways to reduce
college debt is by paying your loans on time, and if possible, paying more than
the required amount.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If nothing else,
seeing the amount of your loan go down will motivate you to keep making those
payments.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">Author of
'Waiting for Silverbird'
'Voice of an Angel' and
'Kitten Diaries'.
To get a preview of these books please visit
www.wix.com/connymanero/home</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7036988831370375057.post-7506521249124949982020-02-09T08:38:00.000-08:002020-02-09T08:38:52.503-08:00 In the arms of David Schwimmer<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUdVqPyEeqRfAxJuqF7jNK-tud9V1V9Cah5DO0s3F8LdDS5jiBRyIGnKkG3lb1Hrbl5VStHkmm0VzN4aA_9DoswS_X8lSYQ2M7DKbiMrpyCge9JeEPlHUFyhZm080PWl1OPFKXx0mFN0Ku/s1600/1_3KDAEqN5Ps-Qpdyhz6xiCw.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="478" data-original-width="850" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUdVqPyEeqRfAxJuqF7jNK-tud9V1V9Cah5DO0s3F8LdDS5jiBRyIGnKkG3lb1Hrbl5VStHkmm0VzN4aA_9DoswS_X8lSYQ2M7DKbiMrpyCge9JeEPlHUFyhZm080PWl1OPFKXx0mFN0Ku/s640/1_3KDAEqN5Ps-Qpdyhz6xiCw.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: #7161d0; font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><b>In the arms of
David Schwimmer<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: #7161d0; font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: #7161d0; font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">How many of us can
say that on Valentine’s Day, they were in David Schwimmer’s arms? I can. Our
encounter was very brief, only a few moments, but I <em><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">was</span></em> in his arms.</span><span style="color: #8f8f8f; font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" />
<br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" />
</span><span style="background: white; color: #7161d0; font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I was working for Warner Brothers at the time
and the news of David Schwimmer’s visit to our office, on Valentine’s Day, was
supposed to be hush hush, but traveled among the staff like wildfire.</span><span style="color: #8f8f8f; font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" />
<br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" />
</span><span style="background: white; color: #7161d0; font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Suddenly office cubicles were spruced up and on
the day of the planned visit the ladies showed up as if they were expected at a
red carpet event. Their hair was done, they wore a stunning outfit and those
who usually wore comfortable footwear had crammed their feet in elegant shoes.
They wore make-up; they wore jewelry and seemed to have taken a bath in perfume.</span><span style="color: #8f8f8f; font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" />
</span><span style="background: white; color: #7161d0; font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Whenever the reception door opened, heads
turned.</span><span style="color: #8f8f8f; font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" />
<br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" />
</span><span style="background: white; color: #7161d0; font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">But David Schwimmer kept everyone waiting, and
the later it got in the afternoon, the more hopes dwindled that the star was
not going to show up. It had happened before, other celebrities were expected
at the office from time to time, but very seldom did such a visit actually take
place.</span><span style="color: #8f8f8f; font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" />
<br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" />
</span><span style="background: white; color: #7161d0; font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Me? I got caught up in the excitement too but hadn’t
gone to any great lengths with my appearance. I had washed my hair and wore
stylish slacks and a nice top, but no more than that. If anything, as the day
went by, my appearance somewhat suffered. My top was half out of my slacks, my
make-up was not as fresh anymore as it had been in the morning, and I had
pulled my hair in a ponytail.</span><span style="color: #8f8f8f; font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" />
<br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" />
</span><span style="background: white; color: #7161d0; font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Shortly after four o’clock, my boss handed me a
package that had to be couriered that day.</span><span style="color: #8f8f8f; font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" />
<br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" />
</span><span style="background: white; color: #7161d0; font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">“I think it might be too late for that,” I told
her. “The courier deadline is at four o’clock.”</span><span style="color: #8f8f8f; font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" />
</span><span style="background: white; color: #7161d0; font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">“Try anyway,” she pleaded. “Hurry, run and see
if they will still accept it.”</span><span style="color: #8f8f8f; font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" />
<br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" />
</span><span style="background: white; color: #7161d0; font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">So I did. I scooped up the package and set off
to the reception area. In a mad rush, I flung the door wide open and mid-sprint
bumped into … David Schwimmer!<br />
<br />
My face was buried his shirt, my arms were around his chest and his were around
my shoulders. I was stunned and speechless. If he had asked me for my name, I
would have gotten no further than “Euh.”</span><span style="color: #8f8f8f; font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" />
<br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" />
</span><span style="background: white; color: #7161d0; font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I recognized him immediately of course, but he
was so different than I knew him as Dr. Ross Geller on the TV series ‘Friends’.
For one he was much taller than I had assumed and a lot — and I do mean a lot —
better looking. He wore black slacks, a lime green shirt and his hair was not
full of gel.</span><span style="color: #8f8f8f; font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" />
<br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" />
</span><span style="background: white; color: #7161d0; font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">He wasn’t a bit upset about our accidental
encounter. He merely smiled down on me and said ‘Easy there.”</span><span style="color: #8f8f8f; font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" />
<br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" />
</span><span style="background: white; color: #7161d0; font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I watched him disappear and remained frozen on
the spot. Only when the receptionist asked “Can I help you?” did I come out of
my dazed state. Could Lori help me? I didn’t know. Why was I there? I must have
come to reception with a purpose. The package right, the package! Oh who
cared about some stupid package when I had been in David Schwimmer's’ arms on
Valentine’s Day!</span><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br /><div class="blogger-post-footer">Author of
'Waiting for Silverbird'
'Voice of an Angel' and
'Kitten Diaries'.
To get a preview of these books please visit
www.wix.com/connymanero/home</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7036988831370375057.post-90461124540865620952020-02-08T11:07:00.002-08:002020-02-08T11:07:56.013-08:00If You Think Men Are The Only Predators In Chat Rooms, Think Again<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwxgvL5shf4zo9z9XKaP3CcD6D7aeSKsvD6x5G9h3g3nBEO46s3HfQ9kVRnXIgXsK5dZ3iTjOJfLeouRp3l4WkVX0wUm3HoyL6Xqw99DLXOTHISU7ZI7mbWduIIBHQhnAhQc-72QjT7E9v/s1600/0_z0OVs819Fh6LOpzB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwxgvL5shf4zo9z9XKaP3CcD6D7aeSKsvD6x5G9h3g3nBEO46s3HfQ9kVRnXIgXsK5dZ3iTjOJfLeouRp3l4WkVX0wUm3HoyL6Xqw99DLXOTHISU7ZI7mbWduIIBHQhnAhQc-72QjT7E9v/s640/0_z0OVs819Fh6LOpzB.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<h2 aria-label="false" class="element wsite-content-title editable-text cke_editable cke_editable_inline cke_contents_ltr cke_focus cke_show_borders" id="992646601129441083" role="textbox" spellcheck="true" style="background-color: white; color: #429dd1; cursor: text; font-family: "PT Sans", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 1.8em; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0px; outline: none; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0.3em 0px; text-align: justify;" tabindex="0">
<strong><a data-cke-saved-href="https://1290835-214030357856390.preview.editmysite.com/editor/main.php#" href="https://1290835-214030357856390.preview.editmysite.com/editor/main.php#" style="color: #429dd1; text-decoration-line: none;">If You Think Men Are The Only Predators In Chat Rooms, Think Again<br /><br />Young girls and mature women give open invitations</a></strong></h2>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #7161d0; font-family: Muli; text-align: justify;">I admit I spend a fair amount of time on Facebook playing Bingo. While the game is nice and relaxing, interacting with other players from all over the world in the chat rooms is often funny and uplifting. That is until some nut job starts making sexual comments or innuendos.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #7161d0; font-family: Muli; text-align: justify;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #7161d0; font-family: Muli; text-align: justify;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #7161d0; font-family: Muli; text-align: justify;">When this happens, members in the chat rooms are quick to give the sex talker the cold shoulder, tell him his comments are not welcome or report him for offensive language.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #7161d0; font-family: Muli; text-align: justify;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #7161d0; font-family: Muli; text-align: justify;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #7161d0; font-family: Muli; text-align: justify;">Yes, men are often thought of as being sexual predators and women are advised to exercise caution on websites and chat rooms. But what if the sexual predator is a woman or even a young girl?</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #7161d0; font-family: Muli; text-align: justify;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #7161d0; font-family: Muli; text-align: justify;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #7161d0; font-family: Muli; text-align: justify;">This week someone by the name of Nikki entered the room. She greeted everyone with a “Hi” and for the longest time remained quiet. That is until someone by the name of Adam made an appearance. Nikki’s interest was sparked and she latched on.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #7161d0; font-family: Muli; text-align: justify;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #7161d0; font-family: Muli; text-align: justify;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #7161d0; font-family: Muli; text-align: justify;">She started by asking Adam how old he was. He replied “24”. Her next question was “Where are you from?” to which Adam replied “London, UK”.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #7161d0; font-family: Muli; text-align: justify;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #7161d0; font-family: Muli; text-align: justify;">Nikki, obviously not a geography expert, asked where that was. She then said that she was from Alabama.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #7161d0; font-family: Muli; text-align: justify;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #7161d0; font-family: Muli; text-align: justify;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #7161d0; font-family: Muli; text-align: justify;">After some mindless chatting, Nikki asked Adam if she could be his girlfriend. Adam did not answer.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #7161d0; font-family: Muli; text-align: justify;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #7161d0; font-family: Muli; text-align: justify;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #7161d0; font-family: Muli; text-align: justify;">For the next five minutes Nikki posted comments such as “Adam are yu there?” and “Adam why dont you talk to me anymoor?”</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #7161d0; font-family: Muli; text-align: justify;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #7161d0; font-family: Muli; text-align: justify;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #7161d0; font-family: Muli; text-align: justify;">Eventually, Adam came back and asked how old Nikki was. First, she pretended to be 22, but eventually, she admitted to being 11. Adam must have heard alarm bells and seen red flags because for the next while he didn’t post any comments.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #7161d0; font-family: Muli; text-align: justify;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #7161d0; font-family: Muli; text-align: justify;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #7161d0; font-family: Muli; text-align: justify;">For a while, Nikki kept up her mindless chatter, to which nobody replied. She got annoyed and posted “If nobode wants to talk to me thats fine. Thats there choice. Im so bored.”</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #7161d0; font-family: Muli; text-align: justify;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #7161d0; font-family: Muli; text-align: justify;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #7161d0; font-family: Muli; text-align: justify;">I half expected someone in the room would suggest that Nikki study English spelling and grammar, but apparently everyone was too polite to point out Nikki’s spelling mistakes.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #7161d0; font-family: Muli; text-align: justify;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #7161d0; font-family: Muli; text-align: justify;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #7161d0; font-family: Muli; text-align: justify;">When Adam (who we all thought had left the chat room) won the 2nd price in Bingo his name and picture flashed across the screen and Nikki shot into action.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #7161d0; font-family: Muli; text-align: justify;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #7161d0; font-family: Muli; text-align: justify;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #7161d0; font-family: Muli; text-align: justify;">“Adam, why are yu ignoring me?” — “I mis you” — “Do you mis me?” — “Pleese contact me, my email adres is ……”.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #7161d0; font-family: Muli; text-align: justify;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #7161d0; font-family: Muli; text-align: justify;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #7161d0; font-family: Muli; text-align: justify;">Adam didn’t respond and Nikki wasn’t having it.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #7161d0; font-family: Muli; text-align: justify;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #7161d0; font-family: Muli; text-align: justify;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #7161d0; font-family: Muli; text-align: justify;">“Adam Im talking to yu” — “anser me, did yu rite my email adres down?” — “I want to heer from yu, I want to be your girlfriend”.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #7161d0; font-family: Muli; text-align: justify;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #7161d0; font-family: Muli; text-align: justify;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #7161d0; font-family: Muli; text-align: justify;">Adam couldn’t be persuaded. Whether he left the chat room or merely ignored Nikki, we’ll never know but there were no more posts from him.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #7161d0; font-family: Muli; text-align: justify;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #7161d0; font-family: Muli; text-align: justify;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #7161d0; font-family: Muli; text-align: justify;">Nikki then proceeded to tell the room that she was looking at shirtless pictures of Justin Bieber. One woman commented if Nikki wasn’t a little young for that and Nikki let fly with a series of insults and swear words that were censored by the chat room. At this point, I had enough of Nikki’s silliness and left the room.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #7161d0; font-family: Muli; text-align: justify;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #7161d0; font-family: Muli; text-align: justify;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #7161d0; font-family: Muli; text-align: justify;">The next day I played Bingo again and found myself in the same room as Jasmine. Jasmine stated that she was getting married in three weeks and that she was desperate for a fling before tying the knot. Would any man please contact her at … (she gave her email address).</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #7161d0; font-family: Muli; text-align: justify;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #7161d0; font-family: Muli; text-align: justify;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #7161d0; font-family: Muli; text-align: justify;">If some men are predators, it would seem that some women are too. The strange thing was that while women remained silent, men cautioned Jasmine about giving out her private information. They were rewarded by the comment “Mind your own business grandpa”.</span></span></div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">Author of
'Waiting for Silverbird'
'Voice of an Angel' and
'Kitten Diaries'.
To get a preview of these books please visit
www.wix.com/connymanero/home</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7036988831370375057.post-69177660935692157112020-02-07T10:22:00.003-08:002020-02-07T10:22:49.309-08:00There Was A Ghost In My Room<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="color: blue;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZlbspIUkqRAo87bJESVp3FIJ-PYqFIq-Oiq3Tv0LT3-lLUatQPneFBHvB5zAxze3sYNjeh_qKhpZVvOTsRZXH4WV7xjHTAJ9AgC-k4DzRToAD5xXb_zya-KncRNKC-ajZp7usl0X62Vy-/s1600/0_H3kXOR5aZK5S8g7p.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: blue;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1055" data-original-width="1600" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZlbspIUkqRAo87bJESVp3FIJ-PYqFIq-Oiq3Tv0LT3-lLUatQPneFBHvB5zAxze3sYNjeh_qKhpZVvOTsRZXH4WV7xjHTAJ9AgC-k4DzRToAD5xXb_zya-KncRNKC-ajZp7usl0X62Vy-/s640/0_H3kXOR5aZK5S8g7p.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 20.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"><b><span style="color: blue;"><br /></span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Courier New;"><span style="font-size: 26.6667px;"><b>There Was A Ghost In My Room</b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 20.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"><b><span style="color: blue;"><br /></span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 20.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"><b><span style="color: blue;">Not a word of a lie</span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 20.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"><b><span style="color: blue;"><br /></span></b></span></div>
<div class="in io ea ar ip b ff iq fh ir is it iu iv iw ix iy ef" data-selectable-paragraph="" id="5d56" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: medium-content-serif-font, Georgia, Cambria, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 21px; letter-spacing: -0.004em; line-height: 1.58; margin-bottom: -0.46em; margin-top: 2em; text-align: justify; word-break: break-word;">
<span style="color: blue;">It was late, it was raining, and I had at least a thirty-five-minute drive ahead of me to get home. When my friend Diane offered that I could spend the night in her house, I eagerly accepted.</span></div>
<div class="in io ea ar ip b ff iq fh ir is it iu iv iw ix iy ef" data-selectable-paragraph="" id="a783" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: medium-content-serif-font, Georgia, Cambria, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 21px; letter-spacing: -0.004em; line-height: 1.58; margin-bottom: -0.46em; margin-top: 2em; text-align: justify; word-break: break-word;">
<span style="color: blue;">Diane lived with her mother in a spacious country house. The obviously old furniture in the guestroom was not quite what I had expected in the otherwise modern home.</span></div>
<div class="in io ea ar ip b ff iq fh ir is it iu iv iw ix iy ef" data-selectable-paragraph="" id="b415" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: medium-content-serif-font, Georgia, Cambria, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 21px; letter-spacing: -0.004em; line-height: 1.58; margin-bottom: -0.46em; margin-top: 2em; text-align: justify; word-break: break-word;">
<span style="color: blue;">“It’s my grandmother’s furniture,” Diane explained. “When grandma passed away, my mom decided to keep her stuff for the spare room. The mattress is new though and the sheets are fresh, so you should be quite comfortable.”</span></div>
<div class="in io ea ar ip b ff iq fh ir is it iu iv iw ix iy ef" data-selectable-paragraph="" id="36e0" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: medium-content-serif-font, Georgia, Cambria, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 21px; letter-spacing: -0.004em; line-height: 1.58; margin-bottom: -0.46em; margin-top: 2em; text-align: justify; word-break: break-word;">
<span style="color: blue;">A few minutes after I had turned out the lights, I heard the door opening and softly closing. I was about to ask Diane if she had forgotten something when I heard her moving through the room, every so carefully as to not to disturb me.</span></div>
<div class="in io ea ar ip b ff iq fh ir is it iu iv iw ix iy ef" data-selectable-paragraph="" id="7f9a" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: medium-content-serif-font, Georgia, Cambria, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 21px; letter-spacing: -0.004em; line-height: 1.58; margin-bottom: -0.46em; margin-top: 2em; text-align: justify; word-break: break-word;">
<span style="color: blue;">I heard her by the vanity table, opening and closing drawers. By the linen cabinet, opening and closing drawers. Not wanting to make Diane feel bad for waking me up, I pretended to be asleep. But I smiled as I heard her rummaging, apparently, she could not find what she was looking for.</span></div>
<div class="in io ea ar ip b ff iq fh ir is it iu iv iw ix iy ef" data-selectable-paragraph="" id="5f7d" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: medium-content-serif-font, Georgia, Cambria, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 21px; letter-spacing: -0.004em; line-height: 1.58; margin-bottom: -0.46em; margin-top: 2em; text-align: justify; word-break: break-word;">
<span style="color: blue;">Suddenly I felt her sitting down on the bed. I stiffened as my body tilted towards the extra weight. Enough was enough. Diane and I were good friends, but we were not THAT close. Why was she sitting next to me? Was she about to put the moves on me?</span></div>
<div class="in io ea ar ip b ff iq fh ir is it iu iv iw ix iy ef" data-selectable-paragraph="" id="24b5" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: medium-content-serif-font, Georgia, Cambria, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 21px; letter-spacing: -0.004em; line-height: 1.58; margin-bottom: -0.46em; margin-top: 2em; text-align: justify; word-break: break-word;">
<span style="color: blue;">I have nothing against the gay community, to each his or her own, but I’m as straight as an arrow. I should do something before Diane touched me and as such prevent an embarrassing situation. I reached up and switched on the light. To my utter surprise, there was nobody in the room.</span></div>
<div class="in io ea ar ip b ff iq fh ir is it iu iv iw ix iy ef" data-selectable-paragraph="" id="fc8c" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: medium-content-serif-font, Georgia, Cambria, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 21px; letter-spacing: -0.004em; line-height: 1.58; margin-bottom: -0.46em; margin-top: 2em; text-align: justify; word-break: break-word;">
<span style="color: blue;">Had I dreamed this? Had I fallen asleep while Diane was in my room and had she left unnoticed?</span></div>
<div class="in io ea ar ip b ff iq fh ir is it iu iv iw ix iy ef" data-selectable-paragraph="" id="826a" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: medium-content-serif-font, Georgia, Cambria, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 21px; letter-spacing: -0.004em; line-height: 1.58; margin-bottom: -0.46em; margin-top: 2em; text-align: justify; word-break: break-word;">
<span style="color: blue;">“Did you find what you were looking for last night?” I asked her over breakfast.</span></div>
<div class="in io ea ar ip b ff iq fh ir is it iu iv iw ix iy ef" data-selectable-paragraph="" id="b1f4" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: medium-content-serif-font, Georgia, Cambria, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 21px; letter-spacing: -0.004em; line-height: 1.58; margin-bottom: -0.46em; margin-top: 2em; text-align: justify; word-break: break-word;">
<span style="color: blue;">“Hu?” Diane said, not understanding.</span></div>
<div class="in io ea ar ip b ff iq fh ir is it iu iv iw ix iy ef" data-selectable-paragraph="" id="d15d" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: medium-content-serif-font, Georgia, Cambria, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 21px; letter-spacing: -0.004em; line-height: 1.58; margin-bottom: -0.46em; margin-top: 2em; text-align: justify; word-break: break-word;">
<span style="color: blue;">“Last night,” I explained, “you were in my room, going through the drawers of the vanity table and the linen closet. I heard you but I did not want to say anything. I didn’t want you to think you woke me up.”</span></div>
<div class="in io ea ar ip b ff iq fh ir is it iu iv iw ix iy ef" data-selectable-paragraph="" id="c53a" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: medium-content-serif-font, Georgia, Cambria, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 21px; letter-spacing: -0.004em; line-height: 1.58; margin-bottom: -0.46em; margin-top: 2em; text-align: justify; word-break: break-word;">
<span style="color: blue;">“Girl I was not in your room,” she said with a shake of her head. “I fell asleep the moment my head touched the pillow.”</span></div>
<div class="in io ea ar ip b ff iq fh ir is it iu iv iw ix iy ef" data-selectable-paragraph="" id="b828" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: medium-content-serif-font, Georgia, Cambria, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 21px; letter-spacing: -0.004em; line-height: 1.58; margin-bottom: -0.46em; margin-top: 2em; text-align: justify; word-break: break-word;">
<span style="color: blue;">When I told her what had happened, Diane and her mother exchanged meaningful glances. “This is not the first time this has happened,” Helen, Diane’s mother, explained. “When my sister came to stay, she also told us that she heard noises in that room. Drawers opening and closing. We laughed with it, we thought Anne was imagining things. Then when my other sister Betty stayed here overnight, she too mentioned what you just did … drawers opening and closing and seemingly looking for something. We didn’t know what to make of it but then someone told us that that room might be haunted.</span></div>
<div class="in io ea ar ip b ff iq fh ir is it iu iv iw ix iy ef" data-selectable-paragraph="" id="5dd6" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: medium-content-serif-font, Georgia, Cambria, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 21px; letter-spacing: -0.004em; line-height: 1.58; margin-bottom: -0.46em; margin-top: 2em; text-align: justify; word-break: break-word;">
<span style="color: blue;">“And you put ME in THAT room!” I cried.</span></div>
<div class="in io ea ar ip b ff iq fh ir is it iu iv iw ix iy ef" data-selectable-paragraph="" id="ca25" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: medium-content-serif-font, Georgia, Cambria, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 21px; letter-spacing: -0.004em; line-height: 1.58; margin-bottom: -0.46em; margin-top: 2em; text-align: justify; word-break: break-word;">
<span style="color: blue;">“What other room was I going to put you in?” Diane asked. “I’m fairly certain you wouldn’t want to sleep with me. I snore.”</span></div>
<div class="in io ea ar ip b ff iq fh ir is it iu iv iw ix iy ef" data-selectable-paragraph="" id="fbc0" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: medium-content-serif-font, Georgia, Cambria, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 21px; letter-spacing: -0.004em; line-height: 1.58; margin-bottom: -0.46em; margin-top: 2em; text-align: justify; word-break: break-word;">
<span style="color: blue;">“What about another room?” I said. “You told me this house has four bedrooms.”</span></div>
<div class="in io ea ar ip b ff iq fh ir is it iu iv iw ix iy ef" data-selectable-paragraph="" id="cb9a" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: medium-content-serif-font, Georgia, Cambria, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 21px; letter-spacing: -0.004em; line-height: 1.58; margin-bottom: -0.46em; margin-top: 2em; text-align: justify; word-break: break-word;">
<span style="color: blue;">“Oh oh no,” Diane shook her head, “you definitely do not want to sleep in the blue room. That room is really creepy. That room is always ice cold, even in the middle of summer.”</span></div>
<div class="in io ea ar ip b ff iq fh ir is it iu iv iw ix iy ef" data-selectable-paragraph="" id="b52a" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: medium-content-serif-font, Georgia, Cambria, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 21px; letter-spacing: -0.004em; line-height: 1.58; margin-bottom: -0.46em; margin-top: 2em; text-align: justify; word-break: break-word;">
<span style="color: blue;">After breakfast, we went to the blue room together and I did not even have to go inside to feel how cold the room was. An icy chill met me at the door while I admired the room from afar. It was wallpapered with periwinkle blue flowers against a white background. Blue drapes matched the blue of the flowers, as did the coverlet and the rugs by the bed.</span></div>
<div class="in io ea ar ip b ff iq fh ir is it iu iv iw ix iy ef" data-selectable-paragraph="" id="42d2" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: medium-content-serif-font, Georgia, Cambria, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 21px; letter-spacing: -0.004em; line-height: 1.58; margin-bottom: -0.46em; margin-top: 2em; text-align: justify; word-break: break-word;">
<span style="color: blue;">When the ice white curtains fluttered in the breeze Diane turned to me. “Did you see that?” I had seen the curtain move. “The window is closed,” Diane said. “In fact, we can’t open it. I tried, my mom and brother tried, nobody can open that window, yet every now and then that curtain will move.”</span></div>
<div class="in io ea ar ip b ff iq fh ir is it iu iv iw ix iy ef" data-selectable-paragraph="" id="1661" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: medium-content-serif-font, Georgia, Cambria, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 21px; letter-spacing: -0.004em; line-height: 1.58; margin-bottom: -0.46em; margin-top: 2em; text-align: justify; word-break: break-word;">
<span style="color: blue;">We returned to the living room and as soon as politely possible, I left Diane’s house, never to return again.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">Author of
'Waiting for Silverbird'
'Voice of an Angel' and
'Kitten Diaries'.
To get a preview of these books please visit
www.wix.com/connymanero/home</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7036988831370375057.post-51830446689456271932020-02-06T09:33:00.001-08:002020-02-06T09:33:15.513-08:00You Want Me To Do What!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvM4iHvtdafXwhxh47_F6wBvO3PULDCyTlBs_enXVuJylz773Py2IaJYQZwZn-7U-MIvoP2YI6CIhgn5Yz2o4pUiXmKE2SLIovdnR4Q3MGfHZU6pCfoQMMsAOlbgRFDJ7QiSl_C6b9efYH/s1600/0_LWt6VESSZQkoZx6c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvM4iHvtdafXwhxh47_F6wBvO3PULDCyTlBs_enXVuJylz773Py2IaJYQZwZn-7U-MIvoP2YI6CIhgn5Yz2o4pUiXmKE2SLIovdnR4Q3MGfHZU6pCfoQMMsAOlbgRFDJ7QiSl_C6b9efYH/s640/0_LWt6VESSZQkoZx6c.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<h2 aria-label="false" class="element wsite-content-title editable-text cke_editable cke_editable_inline cke_contents_ltr cke_focus cke_show_borders" id="437596477866240428" role="textbox" spellcheck="true" style="background-color: white; color: #429dd1; cursor: text; font-family: "PT Sans", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 1.8em; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0px; outline: none; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0.3em 0px; text-align: justify;" tabindex="0">
You Want Me To Do What!<br /><br />Even at gunpoint, he refused</h2>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #7161d0; font-family: Muli; text-align: justify;">Having always worked in a private office or a cubicle, an open plan office didn’t appeal to me. Sharing limited space with eight or ten total stranger was about as appealing as sour milk. Then again, I was unemployed, the agency offered me this job, and any job is better than no job.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #7161d0; font-family: Muli; text-align: justify;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #7161d0; font-family: Muli; text-align: justify;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #7161d0; font-family: Muli; text-align: justify;">On my first day, I was introduced to nine men and one woman. Their ages ranged between 35 and 50 and while some were Canadians, others hailed from France, England, Iraq, Egypt, and the United States.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #7161d0; font-family: Muli; text-align: justify;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #7161d0; font-family: Muli; text-align: justify;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #7161d0; font-family: Muli; text-align: justify;">Every day, usually around 3:00 p.m. it was this American who entertained us with his stories. His name was Phillip, a jovial, middle-aged man, born and bred in St. Louis, Missouri. As a financial consultant overseeing several accountants, he had traveled the world and had learned from his mistakes. Assuming the role of a harbinger, he warned us about the dangers of an outdated passport photo.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #7161d0; font-family: Muli; text-align: justify;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #7161d0; font-family: Muli; text-align: justify;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #7161d0; font-family: Muli; text-align: justify;">“I can’t stress the importance of up-to-date identification enough,” he informed us. “Never mind if you don’t look beautiful or even remotely attractive in your passport picture. Be honest and look closely at your passport, or other identification pictures. Are you recognizable in your photo?”</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #7161d0; font-family: Muli; text-align: justify;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #7161d0; font-family: Muli; text-align: justify;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #7161d0; font-family: Muli; text-align: justify;">Phillip then proceeded to relate his experience during a holiday visit to Israel fifteen years ago. His audience hung onto his every word.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #7161d0; font-family: Muli; text-align: justify;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #7161d0; font-family: Muli; text-align: justify;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #7161d0; font-family: Muli; text-align: justify;">“If I had known then what I know now, I never would have traveled with an outdated passport photo,” Philip began. “I had no trouble leaving for Tel-Aviv from St. Louis and was treated with professional courtesy by all. Unfortunately, when I returned to the States, I walked into a nightmare.”</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #7161d0; font-family: Muli; text-align: justify;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #7161d0; font-family: Muli; text-align: justify;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #7161d0; font-family: Muli; text-align: justify;">He recounted that the trouble started at Ben Gurion airport when he handed his passport to the customs officer for inspection. The male officer took one look at his photo, then he carefully looked at Phillip, and his brown withered face morphed into a mask of hostility.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #7161d0; font-family: Muli; text-align: justify;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #7161d0; font-family: Muli; text-align: justify;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #7161d0; font-family: Muli; text-align: justify;">“What is this?” he barked.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #7161d0; font-family: Muli; text-align: justify;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #7161d0; font-family: Muli; text-align: justify;">“My passport,” Phillip had replied politely.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #7161d0; font-family: Muli; text-align: justify;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #7161d0; font-family: Muli; text-align: justify;">“</span><em style="background-color: white; color: #7161d0; font-family: Muli; position: relative; text-align: justify;">Your</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #7161d0; font-family: Muli; text-align: justify;"> passport?” the customs officer had said in a mixture of disbelief and contempt. “You want me to believe that this is you? This is not your passport. Look at this man. This man looks nothing like you.”</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #7161d0; font-family: Muli; text-align: justify;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #7161d0; font-family: Muli; text-align: justify;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #7161d0; font-family: Muli; text-align: justify;">Phillip smiled at first because the customs officer had a point. In the passport picture, he was a few years younger and sporting an afro. Times had changed, an afro was no longer fashionable and as such Phillip wore his hair shorter and less voluminous.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #7161d0; font-family: Muli; text-align: justify;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #7161d0; font-family: Muli; text-align: justify;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #7161d0; font-family: Muli; text-align: justify;">He was taken aside and led to a tiny windowless room. A hermitage it seemed, dark, dusty and threatening. After a while five men walked in, four surrounded him with guns, while the fifth one starting firing questions at him in a language that he didn’t understand. When Phillip said that he didn’t understand them, the leader of the group turned to English and instructed him to remove his clothing. Phillip thought this rather odd, but complied, all the while trying not to panic.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #7161d0; font-family: Muli; text-align: justify;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #7161d0; font-family: Muli; text-align: justify;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #7161d0; font-family: Muli; text-align: justify;">When ordered, at gunpoint, to remove his underwear too, he was not so compliant. More so, he was now severely ticked off and at a point where he didn’t care anymore what happened.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #7161d0; font-family: Muli; text-align: justify;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #7161d0; font-family: Muli; text-align: justify;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #7161d0; font-family: Muli; text-align: justify;">“You want me to do what! No !@#$ way!” he swore. “There is no !@#$ way I’m taking this off. You can !@#$ shoot me if you want, but I’m not taking off my underwear!”</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #7161d0; font-family: Muli; text-align: justify;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #7161d0; font-family: Muli; text-align: justify;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #7161d0; font-family: Muli; text-align: justify;">Much to his surprise, within minutes he was let go. From what he was told his attitude and bad language had saved him. Apparently, only real Americans can swear with such gusto and resist getting naked even at gunpoint.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #7161d0; font-family: Muli; text-align: justify;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #7161d0; font-family: Muli; text-align: justify;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #7161d0; font-family: Muli; text-align: justify;">Needless to say, as soon as he arrived home from his holiday he had his passport picture updated. He urged us to do the same.</span></span><div class="blogger-post-footer">Author of
'Waiting for Silverbird'
'Voice of an Angel' and
'Kitten Diaries'.
To get a preview of these books please visit
www.wix.com/connymanero/home</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7036988831370375057.post-58387841526921839872020-02-05T10:41:00.003-08:002020-02-05T10:45:46.483-08:00The Locks of Love Scam<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk1m7B65uoLoq4J4Iqfn7my86N76CMHxXCHkQg-Bmvpn1_jO3gRyYSX2STUvlDh4MhZCLcYsQk0ocHbU7nc5nbXXN-a51_HGaD-FzYRH0DYu_WHYhtY7T1bWaDYtYfqJrA5kHF21uVMT7I/s1600/0_3yqngF0nQDPsoAlF.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: blue;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1015" data-original-width="1600" height="406" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk1m7B65uoLoq4J4Iqfn7my86N76CMHxXCHkQg-Bmvpn1_jO3gRyYSX2STUvlDh4MhZCLcYsQk0ocHbU7nc5nbXXN-a51_HGaD-FzYRH0DYu_WHYhtY7T1bWaDYtYfqJrA5kHF21uVMT7I/s640/0_3yqngF0nQDPsoAlF.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
</span><br />
<h2 aria-label="false" class="element wsite-content-title editable-text cke_editable cke_editable_inline cke_contents_ltr cke_focus cke_show_borders" id="447404498496740982" role="textbox" spellcheck="true" style="background-color: white; cursor: text; font-family: "pt sans", arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 1.8em; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0px; outline: none; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0.3em 0px; text-align: justify;" tabindex="0">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue;">The Locks of Love Scam</span></h2>
<h2 aria-label="false" class="element wsite-content-title editable-text cke_editable cke_editable_inline cke_contents_ltr cke_focus cke_show_borders" id="447404498496740982" role="textbox" spellcheck="true" style="background-color: white; cursor: text; font-family: "pt sans", arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 1.8em; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0px; outline: none; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0.3em 0px; text-align: justify;" tabindex="0">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue;">They can't be trusted</span></h2>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><span style="color: blue;">Locks of Love poses as a charity organization that accumulates and donates human hair to be turned into
wigs for cancer patients. In principle, this is a noble thing to do for a good cause, but as with so many good causes, one can’t take anything at face value.
One has to look a little closer to determine if Locks of Love can be
trusted.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><span style="color: blue;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><span style="color: blue;">By Locks of Love own
admission, the organization is extremely hesitant to process hair that is
received in the mail. In an email, a Locks
of Love spokesperson stated that human hair is known to contain any number of
parasites and has to go through a cleansing process before it can be used. This cleansing process he stated is rather
expensive and Locks of Love cannot afford this process.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><span style="color: blue;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><span style="color: blue;">As such, hair that is
received in the mail or dropped off at the office, <b>is sold to wig
manufacturers in California</b> who have facilities to cleanse hair. Most of the hair ends up in the wardrobe
studios of Hollywood where it is worn by the actors and actresses or is sold to
European wig manufacturers.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><span style="color: blue;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><span style="color: blue;">Family members or friends
of a child with cancer often donate their hair in the hope that a wig can be
created of their hair. This is not a
realistic expectation. Eight to ten
ponytails of a similar color and texture are needed to make one wig. The bottom
three inches are cut and throw away. Hair that has been permed, straightened or
colored is also throw away.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><span style="color: blue;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><span style="color: blue;">Lock of Love’s claims that
wigs are donated to children suffering from cancer is less than true. In general kids with cancer are rejected for
a wig as their baldness is temporary.
Their baldness is a direct result from chemo and radiation
treatment. Once the treatment has been
concluded, the child’s natural hair grows back.
As such, the hair loss is temporary and the child does not qualify for a
wig.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><span style="color: blue;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><span style="color: blue;">One insider stated that
Locks of Love doesn’t give wigs to kids with cancer, Locks of Love simply uses
them to create sympathy with the public.
<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><span style="color: blue;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><span style="color: blue;">Only children suffering
from Alopecia and other long-term hair loss conditions are being considered,
which are very small in number. For the
Alopecia patient to receive a wig, the parents of a child can apply but are
not guaranteed to receive a wig. The
parents have to write a 2,000-word essay stating why they think their child
qualifies for a wig, send a photo of the child and need to pay for the wig in
accordance with their earnings. Children
of families that have an income of $100,000 or more are not illegible. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><span style="color: blue;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><span style="color: blue;">Lock of Love claims to be
a not for profit organization, but that is not quite true either. Take a look a financial statement for 2009
from the BBB (Better Business Bureau) and draw your own conclusions.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><span style="color: blue;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: blue;">Total income $1,925,345 <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: blue;">Program expenses $1,041,105 <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: blue;">Fund raising expenses $20,185 <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: blue;">Administrative expenses $230,207
<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: blue;">Total expenses $1,291,497 <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: blue;">Income in Excess of Expenses $633,848
<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: blue;">Beginning net assets $4,586,851
<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: blue;">Ending net assets $5,220,699 <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: blue;">Total liabilities $11,144 <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: blue;">Total assets $5,231,843<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: blue;"><br /></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: blue;"><b>If you’re thinking of donating your hair … DON’T!
You are being scammed!</b><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "muli"; text-align: justify;"><br /></span></span>
</span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; color: blue; font-family: "muli"; text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.connymanero.weebly.com/">www.connymanero.weebly.com</a></span></span></div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">Author of
'Waiting for Silverbird'
'Voice of an Angel' and
'Kitten Diaries'.
To get a preview of these books please visit
www.wix.com/connymanero/home</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7036988831370375057.post-77722626266059744422020-02-04T08:38:00.001-08:002020-02-04T08:38:42.679-08:00Six Worst Valentine Gift Ideas<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB-umYMuqRORTvcXDz9Jj2wOrcwazN2h6ilKZ2uGr9Ly9LNIj4PxAQrF8sqvhiMCYjaJS0bTkjRY8qRNELJsm0TcX3LACfguGTHUSB3LrRWl8Hc699sAE0G0ayOC_GKCAHPt7pe3LoyjMn/s1600/0_67xsBRUNGB4_vYl3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB-umYMuqRORTvcXDz9Jj2wOrcwazN2h6ilKZ2uGr9Ly9LNIj4PxAQrF8sqvhiMCYjaJS0bTkjRY8qRNELJsm0TcX3LACfguGTHUSB3LrRWl8Hc699sAE0G0ayOC_GKCAHPt7pe3LoyjMn/s640/0_67xsBRUNGB4_vYl3.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<h2 aria-label="false" class="element wsite-content-title editable-text cke_editable cke_editable_inline cke_contents_ltr cke_focus cke_show_borders" id="415206911726831907" role="textbox" spellcheck="true" style="background-color: white; color: #429dd1; cursor: text; font-family: "PT Sans", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 1.8em; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0px; outline: none; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0.3em 0px; text-align: justify;" tabindex="0">
<strong>Six Worst Valentine Gift Ideas<br /><br />Yes, there is such a thing as the wrong gift</strong></h2>
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #7161d0; font-family: Muli; text-align: justify;">As Valentine’s Day is the most romantic day of the year, it is only logical that a gift for your loved one should be romantic too. So think for a moment and don’t let your heart speak louder than your brain before you whip out your credit card.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #8f8f8f; font-family: Muli; text-align: justify;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #8f8f8f; font-family: Muli; text-align: justify;" /><a data-cke-saved-href="https://medium.com/writers-blokke/worst-valentine-gift-idea-68b575987e5d" href="https://medium.com/writers-blokke/worst-valentine-gift-idea-68b575987e5d" style="background-color: white; color: #429dd1; font-family: Muli; text-align: justify; text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #c23b3b;">https://medium.com/writers-blokke/worst-valentine-gift-idea-68b575987e5d</span></a></span><div class="blogger-post-footer">Author of
'Waiting for Silverbird'
'Voice of an Angel' and
'Kitten Diaries'.
To get a preview of these books please visit
www.wix.com/connymanero/home</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7036988831370375057.post-77730129103806644152020-01-31T08:58:00.002-08:002020-01-31T08:58:33.415-08:00Statue of Liberty Facts<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFKdCCTx3iOBIyUegEQnfpYvkBzFdZ0G_86RawRkG277U_LP_Z4X8CYtUEq116GTvPMGvWrVJi-uymzcOEwUCNstLfoGlhrRGj5G12FQezeVLDzR_diRSOJv8SOaPqU-9zZdY9VlsdilxM/s1600/0_YtrqJV0XdXEiwq-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFKdCCTx3iOBIyUegEQnfpYvkBzFdZ0G_86RawRkG277U_LP_Z4X8CYtUEq116GTvPMGvWrVJi-uymzcOEwUCNstLfoGlhrRGj5G12FQezeVLDzR_diRSOJv8SOaPqU-9zZdY9VlsdilxM/s640/0_YtrqJV0XdXEiwq-3.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<h2 aria-label="false" class="element wsite-content-title editable-text cke_editable cke_editable_inline cke_contents_ltr cke_focus cke_show_borders" id="274090817652847095" role="textbox" spellcheck="true" style="background-color: white; cursor: text; font-family: "PT Sans", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 1.8em; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0px; outline: none; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0.3em 0px; text-align: justify;" tabindex="0">
<strong><span style="color: blue;">Statue of Liberty Facts<br /><br /> The most photographed woman in the world</span></strong></h2>
<span style="color: blue; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; color: blue; font-family: Muli; text-align: justify;">Liberty Island, in the harbor of New York, is the home of the Statue of Liberty, also known as Lady Liberty. Millions of emigrants have looked up to her as she welcomed them to their new home, symbolizing hope for all.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #8f8f8f; font-family: Muli; text-align: justify;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #8f8f8f; font-family: Muli; text-align: justify;" /><a data-cke-saved-href="https://medium.com/writers-blokke/statue-of-liberty-facts-f47848d83b6a" href="https://medium.com/writers-blokke/statue-of-liberty-facts-f47848d83b6a" style="background-color: white; color: #429dd1; font-family: Muli; text-align: justify; text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #c23b3b;">https://medium.com/writers-blokke/statue-of-liberty-facts-f47848d83b6a</span></a></span><div class="blogger-post-footer">Author of
'Waiting for Silverbird'
'Voice of an Angel' and
'Kitten Diaries'.
To get a preview of these books please visit
www.wix.com/connymanero/home</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7036988831370375057.post-54999492308922849302020-01-30T08:25:00.000-08:002020-01-30T08:25:08.426-08:00Pet Sitting Facts<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib3OufaG6ZDVSY3tw5IrcRaHi4ij7UUY9gn2AZ17MbTG1de0T0Ijwnup2PV-KDf9jih4iwQtCc9LweYJJ2lh8Qz1peGRZxrtmNTqfXyShMdRrRf3t9txs_X4BjyCxK0_z3xd8FDfXGSc9I/s1600/IMG_20190721_103126_1920x1080.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib3OufaG6ZDVSY3tw5IrcRaHi4ij7UUY9gn2AZ17MbTG1de0T0Ijwnup2PV-KDf9jih4iwQtCc9LweYJJ2lh8Qz1peGRZxrtmNTqfXyShMdRrRf3t9txs_X4BjyCxK0_z3xd8FDfXGSc9I/s640/IMG_20190721_103126_1920x1080.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
<br />
<h2 aria-label="false" class="element wsite-content-title editable-text cke_editable cke_editable_inline cke_contents_ltr cke_focus cke_show_borders" id="888326545649046217" role="textbox" spellcheck="true" style="background-color: white; cursor: text; font-family: "PT Sans", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 1.8em; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0px; outline: none; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0.3em 0px; text-align: justify;" tabindex="0">
<strong><span style="color: blue;">Pet Sitting Facts<br /><br />Make sure your furry kids are in good hands when you’re away from home</span></strong></h2>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<strong><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;"><br /></span></strong></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; color: blue; font-family: Muli; text-align: justify;">When business or pleasure takes responsible pet owners away from home, they worry about their pets. With no family or friends to take care of their furry kids, an alternative has to be found. A pet sitting service is one option. Before making this important decision, consider the following pet sitting facts.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #8f8f8f; font-family: Muli; text-align: justify;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #8f8f8f; font-family: Muli; text-align: justify;" /><a data-cke-saved-href="https://medium.com/writers-blokke/pet-sitting-facts-cf3417c0b381" href="https://medium.com/writers-blokke/pet-sitting-facts-cf3417c0b381" style="background-color: white; color: #429dd1; font-family: Muli; text-align: justify; text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #a82e2e;">https://medium.com/writers-blokke/pet-sitting-facts-cf3417c0b381</span></a></span></div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">Author of
'Waiting for Silverbird'
'Voice of an Angel' and
'Kitten Diaries'.
To get a preview of these books please visit
www.wix.com/connymanero/home</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7036988831370375057.post-18976212237763115892020-01-29T13:45:00.002-08:002020-01-29T13:45:16.616-08:00Can Cats Talk<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgge8NhcuCdxm_Fg7o9rsHFVYBpKpz3bO0NkofZWHl-9a1-nQc6c4n_rcJTZrGoOQOdLMDpRGQfN-WMCvve7opG9iroEEXL2zktdwjrG52kNuLu1BBt1HJA049dw3E8Qs46iFLIn1Kdw01i/s1600/IMG_20190714_130113410.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgge8NhcuCdxm_Fg7o9rsHFVYBpKpz3bO0NkofZWHl-9a1-nQc6c4n_rcJTZrGoOQOdLMDpRGQfN-WMCvve7opG9iroEEXL2zktdwjrG52kNuLu1BBt1HJA049dw3E8Qs46iFLIn1Kdw01i/s640/IMG_20190714_130113410.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<h2 aria-label="false" class="element wsite-content-title editable-text cke_editable cke_editable_inline cke_contents_ltr cke_focus cke_show_borders" id="178180971897204968" role="textbox" spellcheck="true" style="background-color: white; cursor: text; font-family: "PT Sans", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 1.8em; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0px; outline: none; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0.3em 0px; text-align: justify;" tabindex="0">
<span style="color: blue;">Can Cats Talk<br /><br />You bet they can</span></h2>
<div>
<span style="color: blue;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: blue; font-family: Muli; font-size: medium; text-align: justify;">Do you have cats that ‘talk’? No? Consider yourself lucky. Every night Greyson chatters to the point that my son, or I, or both of us yell “Greyson! Enough!” or “Greyson, shut up!”<br />Actually, I have four cats: Charlotte, Holly, Halley, and the aforementioned Greyson. Each of them produces a unique sound.<br />Charlotte is an old cat, she could be 14, 16, or even 17 years old, I’ve lost count along the way. Overall, Charlotte doesn’t say much, she rarely produces a sound, but when she does she sounds like a sheep with laryngitis.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #8f8f8f; font-family: Muli; font-size: large; text-align: justify;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #8f8f8f; font-family: Muli; font-size: large; text-align: justify;" /><a href="https://medium.com/writers-blokke/can-cats-talk-ff17028d207b"><span style="color: red;">https://medium.com/writers-blokke/can-cats-talk-ff17028d207b</span></a><div class="blogger-post-footer">Author of
'Waiting for Silverbird'
'Voice of an Angel' and
'Kitten Diaries'.
To get a preview of these books please visit
www.wix.com/connymanero/home</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7036988831370375057.post-385369946719069842020-01-28T09:45:00.003-08:002020-01-28T09:45:47.730-08:00Interesting Facts About Cats<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9psvkKG8vuk3kQc5-DWo_4RkFgjr-Wi34Sfe7TXQZj8_V-yGL6EGyQw7kJToHmiV0oQQo51n5fE08-wez_-2ipe3dJnZehBUaPsivBB4dnYOFLoBtQS43JdftapFwsTcaonIqcIsUCfdu/s1600/0_61MCNG4zi4C9KD9Y.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9psvkKG8vuk3kQc5-DWo_4RkFgjr-Wi34Sfe7TXQZj8_V-yGL6EGyQw7kJToHmiV0oQQo51n5fE08-wez_-2ipe3dJnZehBUaPsivBB4dnYOFLoBtQS43JdftapFwsTcaonIqcIsUCfdu/s640/0_61MCNG4zi4C9KD9Y.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "Century Gothic", sans-serif; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;"><b><span style="color: blue;">Interesting Facts about Cats<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "Century Gothic", sans-serif; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;"><b><span style="color: blue;"><br /></span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "Century Gothic", sans-serif; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;"><b><span style="color: blue;">Responsible cat owners spay/neuter their pets</span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "Century Gothic", sans-serif; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: blue;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: blue;">Kittens are adorable and have a way of stealing
someone’s heart merely by being cute. When kittens grow up and turn into cats,
some of that cuteness disappears and personality takes its place. People who
love their pets, want to know more about them and wonder about interesting
facts about cats.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: blue;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://medium.com/writers-blokke/interesting-facts-about-cats-6594010e3fe9">https://medium.com/writers-blokke/interesting-facts-about-cats-6594010e3fe9</a></span></div>
<br /><div class="blogger-post-footer">Author of
'Waiting for Silverbird'
'Voice of an Angel' and
'Kitten Diaries'.
To get a preview of these books please visit
www.wix.com/connymanero/home</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7036988831370375057.post-54132497383942480312020-01-27T19:53:00.001-08:002020-01-27T19:53:09.252-08:00How to Install Hardwood Flooring<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs2f2dZBxQRvjhZlp6aAoViBf02W4LcBsmknLmG6JCJVZp6twkPMzW2UgcpXQi6nqO2Ujk3rcmqdRykWfJ1wC2Vp27mQhzq5idcYrSDVoqKwG9N1FwxN7Ic1bng-Rao2UVRHZH0PXjcXMH/s1600/0_G7wgY-sYgnGiWkUE.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs2f2dZBxQRvjhZlp6aAoViBf02W4LcBsmknLmG6JCJVZp6twkPMzW2UgcpXQi6nqO2Ujk3rcmqdRykWfJ1wC2Vp27mQhzq5idcYrSDVoqKwG9N1FwxN7Ic1bng-Rao2UVRHZH0PXjcXMH/s640/0_G7wgY-sYgnGiWkUE.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 20.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"><span style="color: blue;">How to Install Hardwood
Flooring<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 20.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"><span style="color: blue;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 20.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"><span style="color: blue;">It’s not as easy as you
think<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: blue;">Dull, downtrodden flooring can ruin the look of
your house or condo. When considering a facelift for your home, hardwoods or laminate
flooring is the perfect solution. Wood offers a warmer aesthetic than ceramic
tiles and they are relatively easy to keep clean. Before installing hardwoods
or laminate, familiarize yourself with the various types of lumber and tips for
installation.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: blue;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://medium.com/writers-blokke/installing-hardwood-floors-yourself-fd8017f44220">https://medium.com/writers-blokke/installing-hardwood-floors-yourself-fd8017f44220</a></span></div>
<br /><div class="blogger-post-footer">Author of
'Waiting for Silverbird'
'Voice of an Angel' and
'Kitten Diaries'.
To get a preview of these books please visit
www.wix.com/connymanero/home</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7036988831370375057.post-43473863704308751372020-01-27T10:02:00.004-08:002020-01-27T10:02:52.836-08:00How not to care what others think<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtKJpUX0kgMsqCk7pjmJkBsqx04WmQyVnHpaFSh65muMFHq8VFsfPfPaEawz5BnKLyzeVJMDxZh5cIdcYKnG4jYqMZAMCCZxxSBoE5FraR-lARxFdWrjzhr5vXEPtBVAwkrzZsG-EqAmMw/s1600/birthday-connie-211737.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtKJpUX0kgMsqCk7pjmJkBsqx04WmQyVnHpaFSh65muMFHq8VFsfPfPaEawz5BnKLyzeVJMDxZh5cIdcYKnG4jYqMZAMCCZxxSBoE5FraR-lARxFdWrjzhr5vXEPtBVAwkrzZsG-EqAmMw/s640/birthday-connie-211737.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: medium-content-sans-serif-font, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif;">
<div class="ia ib dt ar ic b id ie if ig ih ii ij ik il im in" id="aacb" style="box-sizing: inherit; font-family: medium-content-title-font, Georgia, Cambria, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 40px; letter-spacing: 0px; line-height: 1.23; margin-bottom: -0.27em; margin-top: 0.78em;">
<h1 class="ic b id io if ip ih iq ij ir il is dt" style="box-sizing: inherit; font-size: 40px; line-height: 48px; margin: 0px;">
<span style="color: blue;">How to Not Care What Others Think</span></h1>
<div>
<span style="color: blue;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="it ib av ar aq fd iu iv iw ix iy iz ja jb jc jd je" id="9d12" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: medium-content-sans-serif-font, "Lucida Grande", "Lucida Sans Unicode", "Lucida Sans", Geneva, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.394; margin-bottom: -0.42em; margin-top: 0.79em;">
<h2 class="aq fd iu jf iw jg iy jh ja ji jc jj av" style="box-sizing: inherit; font-size: 24px; line-height: 32px; margin: 0px;">
<span style="color: blue;">There is a balance between achieving confidence in your decision-making process and not become a self-centered</span></h2>
<div style="font-size: 24px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: blue;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-size: 24px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: medium-content-serif-font, Georgia, Cambria, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 21px; letter-spacing: -0.084px;"><span style="color: blue;">Most people consider their family and friends’ opinions on everyday life. Whether selecting an outfit, choosing a career, or making a large purchase, it’s normal to care about what others might think. Or is it? Whatever the decision, shouldn’t it be your choice? How to not care what others think requires insight into yourself and a strategy, but it can be done.</span></span></div>
<div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.54);">
<span style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.84); font-family: medium-content-serif-font, Georgia, Cambria, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; letter-spacing: -0.084px;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div>
</div>
<a href="https://medium.com/writers-blokke/how-to-not-care-what-others-think-d291baced6b1"><span style="font-size: large;">https://medium.com/writers-blokke/how-to-not-care-what-others-think-d291baced6b1</span></a><div class="blogger-post-footer">Author of
'Waiting for Silverbird'
'Voice of an Angel' and
'Kitten Diaries'.
To get a preview of these books please visit
www.wix.com/connymanero/home</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7036988831370375057.post-82599506225311635322020-01-24T07:37:00.000-08:002020-01-24T07:37:36.317-08:00The Day I Tried Making Cupcakes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNkkrgfgM0LZqZghyphenhyphenZ5rpP0PhS0RA90mezyviYLjHDzp4MOjls9pfn5RW3x7-dk9GKVkRIwMo3AddJs1VSIS0InUgZnXFDpf_d4zLsUrKheRXU_Vn_XJmvoxiJUf7OobnHBba1GopxQ_D-/s1600/P1070012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNkkrgfgM0LZqZghyphenhyphenZ5rpP0PhS0RA90mezyviYLjHDzp4MOjls9pfn5RW3x7-dk9GKVkRIwMo3AddJs1VSIS0InUgZnXFDpf_d4zLsUrKheRXU_Vn_XJmvoxiJUf7OobnHBba1GopxQ_D-/s640/P1070012.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: medium-content-sans-serif-font, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif;">
<div class="ia ib dt ar ic b id ie if ig ih ii ij ik il im in" id="85db" style="box-sizing: inherit; font-family: medium-content-title-font, Georgia, Cambria, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 40px; letter-spacing: 0px; line-height: 1.23; margin-bottom: -0.27em; margin-top: 0.78em;">
<h1 class="ic b id io if ip ih iq ij ir il is dt" style="box-sizing: inherit; font-size: 40px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 48px; margin: 0px;">
<span style="color: blue;">The Day I Tried Making Cupcakes</span></h1>
</div>
</div>
<div class="it ib av ar aq fd iu iv iw ix iy iz ja jb jc jd je" id="5042" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: medium-content-sans-serif-font, "Lucida Grande", "Lucida Sans Unicode", "Lucida Sans", Geneva, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 24px; line-height: 1.394; margin-bottom: -0.42em; margin-top: 0.79em;">
<h2 class="aq fd iu jf iw jg iy jh ja ji jc jj av" style="box-sizing: inherit; font-size: 24px; line-height: 32px; margin: 0px;">
<span style="color: blue;">The oven looked like a washing machine</span></h2>
<div>
<span style="color: blue;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: medium-content-serif-font, Georgia, Cambria, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 21px; letter-spacing: -0.004em;"><span style="color: blue;">I’m considering buying a bread maker. I do say “considering” though because I have some serious reservations.</span></span></div>
<div>
<div class="lt lu dt ar lv b iu lw iw lx ly lz ma mb mc md me" data-selectable-paragraph="" id="2a29" style="box-sizing: inherit; font-family: medium-content-serif-font, Georgia, Cambria, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 21px; letter-spacing: -0.004em; line-height: 1.58; margin-bottom: -0.46em; margin-top: 2em;">
<span style="color: blue;">I read the reviews of a particular bread maker online, and the opinions on the quality and performance of the machine varied. One person was thrilled with her bread maker, the other would have just as soon thrown it out the window. One said she had success from the first try, the other had to throw the first four loaves she made in the bin.</span></div>
<div class="lt lu dt ar lv b iu lw iw lx ly lz ma mb mc md me" data-selectable-paragraph="" id="2a29" style="box-sizing: inherit; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.84); font-family: medium-content-serif-font, Georgia, Cambria, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 21px; letter-spacing: -0.004em; line-height: 1.58; margin-bottom: -0.46em; margin-top: 2em;">
<a href="https://medium.com/journal-of-journeys/the-day-i-tried-making-cupcakes-fee216b47d04">https://medium.com/journal-of-journeys/the-day-i-tried-making-cupcakes-fee216b47d04</a></div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">Author of
'Waiting for Silverbird'
'Voice of an Angel' and
'Kitten Diaries'.
To get a preview of these books please visit
www.wix.com/connymanero/home</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7036988831370375057.post-33081061952691920492020-01-23T09:51:00.000-08:002020-01-23T09:51:55.070-08:00Moments of Confusion<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWbg-6RD28JF2MhaKtZi7Uufw4zaaoeLiwe7zGE5yQIbhKP4LJClzDSlyI0hzEKqsWD3BiXIm2wWSilqwkQFTkrDAUW-6wJ_UqdeTb15YUz4GB04HlDHe_Qc29i23CfT1xgX2ZGTqclPsa/s1600/0_ZcTfllzgDcb1hkNl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1060" data-original-width="1600" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWbg-6RD28JF2MhaKtZi7Uufw4zaaoeLiwe7zGE5yQIbhKP4LJClzDSlyI0hzEKqsWD3BiXIm2wWSilqwkQFTkrDAUW-6wJ_UqdeTb15YUz4GB04HlDHe_Qc29i23CfT1xgX2ZGTqclPsa/s640/0_ZcTfllzgDcb1hkNl.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: medium-content-sans-serif-font, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif;">
<div class="el em ea ar en b eo ep eq er es et eu ev ew ex ey" id="55f4" style="box-sizing: inherit; font-family: medium-content-title-font, Georgia, Cambria, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 40px; letter-spacing: 0px; line-height: 1.23; margin-bottom: -0.27em; margin-top: 0.78em;">
<h1 class="en b eo ez eq fa es fb eu fc ew fd ea" style="box-sizing: inherit; font-size: 40px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 48px; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: blue;">Moments of Confusion</span></h1>
</div>
</div>
<div class="fe em av ar aq de ff fg fh fi fj fk fl fm fn fo fp" id="656c" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: medium-content-sans-serif-font, "Lucida Grande", "Lucida Sans Unicode", "Lucida Sans", Geneva, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 24px; line-height: 1.394; margin-bottom: -0.42em; margin-top: 0.79em;">
<h2 class="aq de ff fq fh fr fj fs fl ft fn fu av" style="box-sizing: inherit; font-size: 24px; font-weight: 300; line-height: 32px; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: blue;">You might be able to relate</span></h2>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: blue;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: medium-content-serif-font, Georgia, Cambria, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 21px; letter-spacing: -0.084px;"><span style="color: blue;">We’ve all known moments of confusion. Times when we go to the kitchen or bedroom to get something, and don’t remember why we went there in the first place. Or looking for reading glasses while wearing them. But at the Manero house, confusion takes on a whole new meaning.</span></span></div>
<div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.54);">
<span style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.84); font-family: medium-content-serif-font, Georgia, Cambria, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 21px; letter-spacing: -0.084px;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<a href="https://medium.com/writers-blokke/moments-of-confusion-1a12e8d7d25b"><span style="font-size: large;">https://medium.com/writers-blokke/moments-of-confusion-1a12e8d7d25b</span></a><div class="blogger-post-footer">Author of
'Waiting for Silverbird'
'Voice of an Angel' and
'Kitten Diaries'.
To get a preview of these books please visit
www.wix.com/connymanero/home</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7036988831370375057.post-61532603275694525202020-01-22T08:25:00.001-08:002020-01-22T08:25:38.350-08:00Five Health Benefits of Coconut Water<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaoi3VZOTFoXl8K964gXgbOuYaT3Hr9nVFzTBf76p7zAXkIFvvteLTrRSY4RhNoxG30b5ia1WLzpmCn9kFWggJRnwHVotMbOoPBZoGFC9klHTt-ZiTusC8Hh7cIJgATMgMnjQWwRjxRARf/s1600/P1070012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="902" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaoi3VZOTFoXl8K964gXgbOuYaT3Hr9nVFzTBf76p7zAXkIFvvteLTrRSY4RhNoxG30b5ia1WLzpmCn9kFWggJRnwHVotMbOoPBZoGFC9klHTt-ZiTusC8Hh7cIJgATMgMnjQWwRjxRARf/s640/P1070012.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: medium-content-sans-serif-font, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif;">
<div class="el em ea ar en b eo ep eq er es et eu ev ew ex ey" id="9d95" style="box-sizing: inherit; font-family: medium-content-title-font, Georgia, Cambria, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 40px; letter-spacing: 0px; line-height: 1.23; margin-bottom: -0.27em; margin-top: 0.78em;">
<h1 class="en b eo ez eq fa es fb eu fc ew fd ea" style="box-sizing: inherit; font-size: 40px; line-height: 48px; margin: 0px;">
<span style="color: blue;">Five Health Benefits of Coconut Water</span></h1>
</div>
</div>
<div class="fe em av ar aq de ff fg fh fi fj fk fl fm fn fo fp" id="10b1" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: medium-content-sans-serif-font, "Lucida Grande", "Lucida Sans Unicode", "Lucida Sans", Geneva, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 24px; line-height: 1.394; margin-bottom: -0.42em; margin-top: 0.79em;">
<h2 class="aq de ff fq fh fr fj fs fl ft fn fu av" style="box-sizing: inherit; font-size: 24px; line-height: 32px; margin: 0px;">
<span style="color: blue;">So much more than just a drink</span></h2>
<div>
<span style="color: blue;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: medium-content-serif-font, Georgia, Cambria, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 21px; letter-spacing: -0.084px;"><span style="color: blue;">In recent years, bottled water has become a popular drink. It’s tasty, refreshing and doesn’t contain any calories. Other than hydrating your body, water doesn’t offer additional nutrients. Health benefits of coconut water, on the other hand, count quite a few.</span></span></div>
<div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.54);">
<span style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.84); font-family: medium-content-serif-font, Georgia, Cambria, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 21px; letter-spacing: -0.084px;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.54);">
<a href="https://medium.com/writers-blokke/five-health-benefits-of-coconut-water-40c2fe9fc5c8">https://medium.com/writers-blokke/five-health-benefits-of-coconut-water-40c2fe9fc5c8</a></div>
</div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">Author of
'Waiting for Silverbird'
'Voice of an Angel' and
'Kitten Diaries'.
To get a preview of these books please visit
www.wix.com/connymanero/home</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7036988831370375057.post-53733048962881293582020-01-21T07:58:00.000-08:002020-01-21T07:58:41.035-08:00Signs of a Grieving Cat<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: medium-content-sans-serif-font, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Open Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif;">
<div class="je jf dt ar jg b jh ji jj jk jl jm jn jo jp jq jr" id="2019" style="box-sizing: inherit; font-family: medium-content-title-font, Georgia, Cambria, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 40px; letter-spacing: 0px; line-height: 1.23; margin-bottom: -0.27em; margin-top: 0.78em;">
<h1 class="jg b jh js jj jt jl ju jn jv jp jw dt" style="box-sizing: inherit; font-size: 40px; line-height: 48px; margin: 0px;">
<span style="color: blue;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ-2VB_scFetRwI2m4Ytl4ZwR3f_xPp8rp1Z0nNTOIG5rwBdgARzP0TKBQGht5j7E1Bc2BLelzyL8Sl5LjUQ_PejYgJ7AaFf72Ns00exAelXYhPqOs7a1IMEjX6_FXD4PnvQX2n-9wTpak/s1600/0_rhR0dm9NnF4eMa91.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1063" data-original-width="1600" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ-2VB_scFetRwI2m4Ytl4ZwR3f_xPp8rp1Z0nNTOIG5rwBdgARzP0TKBQGht5j7E1Bc2BLelzyL8Sl5LjUQ_PejYgJ7AaFf72Ns00exAelXYhPqOs7a1IMEjX6_FXD4PnvQX2n-9wTpak/s640/0_rhR0dm9NnF4eMa91.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
</span></h1>
<h1 class="jg b jh js jj jt jl ju jn jv jp jw dt" style="box-sizing: inherit; font-size: 40px; line-height: 48px; margin: 0px;">
<span style="color: blue;"><br /></span></h1>
<h1 class="jg b jh js jj jt jl ju jn jv jp jw dt" style="box-sizing: inherit; font-size: 40px; line-height: 48px; margin: 0px;">
<span style="color: blue;">Signs of a Griev</span><span style="color: blue;">ing Cat</span></h1>
</div>
</div>
<div class="jx jf av ar aq fd jy jz ka kb kc kd ke kf kg kh ki" id="29e4" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: medium-content-sans-serif-font, "Lucida Grande", "Lucida Sans Unicode", "Lucida Sans", Geneva, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 24px; line-height: 1.394; margin-bottom: -0.42em; margin-top: 0.79em;">
<h2 class="aq fd jy kj ka kk kc kl ke km kg kn av" style="box-sizing: inherit; font-size: 24px; line-height: 32px; margin: 0px;">
<span style="color: blue;">If you’re sad, chances are he’s too</span></h2>
<div>
<span style="color: blue;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: medium-content-serif-font, Georgia, Cambria, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 21px; letter-spacing: -0.084px;"><span style="color: blue;">Because cats are considered wild and independent creatures, some cat owners don’t pay attention to how their pet behaves when a companion passes away. They are often too upset about the loss themselves to consider if cats grieve too.</span></span></div>
</div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<a href="https://medium.com/for-the-love-of-animals/signs-of-a-grieving-cat-26f1c5b9571b"><span style="font-size: large;">https://medium.com/for-the-love-of-animals/signs-of-a-grieving-cat-26f1c5b9571b</span></a><div class="blogger-post-footer">Author of
'Waiting for Silverbird'
'Voice of an Angel' and
'Kitten Diaries'.
To get a preview of these books please visit
www.wix.com/connymanero/home</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7036988831370375057.post-21825747371946654322020-01-21T06:52:00.000-08:002020-01-21T06:52:23.021-08:00How to recognize good pet food<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE3VFgGsIyfU_27zE8x93BE8WE8MmNTCkgP5_IOVE3N6usJ0Vlxq8y1bEIcpuwauJgIQr-zltv8fL3f2AiSOSQN1C5fsb9_tuBqHMVlaw1AdAJhXtzMHdIbJkuQ1fAX3qqG2gU15rFgcXm/s1600/0_FjVsyrJx7eDr2eio.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE3VFgGsIyfU_27zE8x93BE8WE8MmNTCkgP5_IOVE3N6usJ0Vlxq8y1bEIcpuwauJgIQr-zltv8fL3f2AiSOSQN1C5fsb9_tuBqHMVlaw1AdAJhXtzMHdIbJkuQ1fAX3qqG2gU15rFgcXm/s640/0_FjVsyrJx7eDr2eio.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<h1 class="en b eo ez eq fa es fb eu fc ew fd ea" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: medium-content-title-font, Georgia, Cambria, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 40px; line-height: 48px; margin: 0px;">
<span class="bl" style="box-sizing: inherit;"><span style="color: blue;">How to recognize good pet food</span></span></h1>
<div>
<span class="bl" style="box-sizing: inherit;"><span style="color: blue;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div>
<h2 class="aq de ff fq fh fr fj fs fl ft fn fu av" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: medium-content-sans-serif-font, "Lucida Grande", "Lucida Sans Unicode", "Lucida Sans", Geneva, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 24px; line-height: 32px; margin: 0px;">
<span style="color: blue;">Would you want to eat what you put in their bowl?</span></h2>
<div>
<span style="color: blue;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: medium-content-serif-font, Georgia, Cambria, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 21px; letter-spacing: -0.084px;"><span style="color: blue;">Most cats and dogs have a soft basket to sleep in, a juicy bone to chew or plenty of toys to keep them entertained. When it comes to feeding their pets though, owners are frequently uninformed. What are good pet foods to buy? There are many products available and they all look appealing, but before buying, take a closer look.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://medium.com/writers-blokke/how-to-recognize-good-pet-food-2dfd6c3f8774"><span style="font-size: large;">https://medium.com/writers-blokke/how-to-recognize-good-pet-food-2dfd6c3f8774</span></a></div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">Author of
'Waiting for Silverbird'
'Voice of an Angel' and
'Kitten Diaries'.
To get a preview of these books please visit
www.wix.com/connymanero/home</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7036988831370375057.post-55633577214213687402020-01-20T08:22:00.001-08:002020-01-20T08:22:07.849-08:00Harry and Meghan Living like Regular People<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtDN04uYoJP8qikbZ9YKz7ioUZSTWZi3sGlZNYhPqWS4Tn1Fed200hItqCYazHL3xBFJVcITPbIlfPF_pyVcJKMXeNgmE9ZJrhAuKRxGN6qcEMpyBVu97_VNo7dOoU5zQ7MRnCgTTtG6dP/s1600/1_za3giTByHcZs9AVJaWeLdw.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtDN04uYoJP8qikbZ9YKz7ioUZSTWZi3sGlZNYhPqWS4Tn1Fed200hItqCYazHL3xBFJVcITPbIlfPF_pyVcJKMXeNgmE9ZJrhAuKRxGN6qcEMpyBVu97_VNo7dOoU5zQ7MRnCgTTtG6dP/s640/1_za3giTByHcZs9AVJaWeLdw.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: medium-content-serif-font, Georgia, Cambria, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 21px; letter-spacing: -0.084px;"><b><span style="color: blue;">How long will it last … a month, a year?</span></b></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: medium-content-serif-font, Georgia, Cambria, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 21px; letter-spacing: -0.084px;"><span style="color: blue;"><br /></span></span>
<div class="jo jp dt ar jq b jr js jt ju jv jw jx jy jz ka kb" data-selectable-paragraph="" id="c8f9" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: medium-content-serif-font, Georgia, Cambria, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 21px; letter-spacing: -0.004em; line-height: 1.58; margin-bottom: -0.46em; margin-top: 2em;">
<span style="color: blue;">“Harry, it’s time.”</span></div>
<div class="jo jp dt ar jq b jr js jt ju jv jw jx jy jz ka kb" data-selectable-paragraph="" id="e485" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: medium-content-serif-font, Georgia, Cambria, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 21px; letter-spacing: -0.004em; line-height: 1.58; margin-bottom: -0.46em; margin-top: 2em;">
<span style="color: blue;">“Time for what?”</span></div>
<div class="jo jp dt ar jq b jr js jt ju jv jw jx jy jz ka kb" data-selectable-paragraph="" id="b12d" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: medium-content-serif-font, Georgia, Cambria, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 21px; letter-spacing: -0.004em; line-height: 1.58; margin-bottom: -0.46em; margin-top: 2em;">
<span style="color: blue;">“To get up, it’s six.”</span></div>
<div class="jo jp dt ar jq b jr js jt ju jv jw jx jy jz ka kb" data-selectable-paragraph="" id="85c9" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: medium-content-serif-font, Georgia, Cambria, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 21px; letter-spacing: -0.004em; line-height: 1.58; margin-bottom: -0.46em; margin-top: 2em;">
<span style="color: blue;">“Six? Six o’clock! Meghan are you crazy. Wake me in about four hours.”</span></div>
<div class="jo jp dt ar jq b jr js jt ju jv jw jx jy jz ka kb" data-selectable-paragraph="" id="e295" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: medium-content-serif-font, Georgia, Cambria, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 21px; letter-spacing: -0.004em; line-height: 1.58; margin-bottom: -0.46em; margin-top: 2em;">
<span style="color: blue;">“No, Harry, we wanted to live like regular people, remember? Regular people get up at six o’clock.”</span></div>
<div class="jo jp dt ar jq b jr js jt ju jv jw jx jy jz ka kb" data-selectable-paragraph="" id="d35d" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: medium-content-serif-font, Georgia, Cambria, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 21px; letter-spacing: -0.004em; line-height: 1.58; margin-bottom: -0.46em; margin-top: 2em;">
<span style="color: blue;">“They do?”</span></div>
<div class="jo jp dt ar jq b jr js jt ju jv jw jx jy jz ka kb" data-selectable-paragraph="" id="613e" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: medium-content-serif-font, Georgia, Cambria, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 21px; letter-spacing: -0.004em; line-height: 1.58; margin-bottom: -0.46em; margin-top: 2em;">
<span style="color: blue;">“Yes. They get up to go to work and you have to get a job too.”</span></div>
<div class="jo jp dt ar jq b jr js jt ju jv jw jx jy jz ka kb" data-selectable-paragraph="" id="66f4" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: medium-content-serif-font, Georgia, Cambria, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 21px; letter-spacing: -0.004em; line-height: 1.58; margin-bottom: -0.46em; margin-top: 2em;">
<span style="color: blue;">“Doing what?”</span></div>
<div class="jo jp dt ar jq b jr js jt ju jv jw jx jy jz ka kb" data-selectable-paragraph="" id="2c43" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: medium-content-serif-font, Georgia, Cambria, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 21px; letter-spacing: -0.004em; line-height: 1.58; margin-bottom: -0.46em; margin-top: 2em;">
<span style="color: blue;">“I don’t know. What are you trained for?”</span></div>
<div class="jo jp dt ar jq b jr js jt ju jv jw jx jy jz ka kb" data-selectable-paragraph="" id="5819" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: medium-content-serif-font, Georgia, Cambria, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 21px; letter-spacing: -0.004em; line-height: 1.58; margin-bottom: -0.46em; margin-top: 2em;">
<span style="color: blue;">“I was trained as a soldier and can fly a helicopter.”</span></div>
<div class="jo jp dt ar jq b jr js jt ju jv jw jx jy jz ka kb" data-selectable-paragraph="" id="ca87" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: medium-content-serif-font, Georgia, Cambria, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 21px; letter-spacing: -0.004em; line-height: 1.58; margin-bottom: -0.46em; margin-top: 2em;">
<span style="color: blue;">“That’s nice dear, but I don’t think there are many jobs for helicopter pilots. What else can you do?”</span></div>
<br />
<a href="https://medium.com/writers-blokke/harry-and-meghan-living-like-regular-people-9b405047633">https://medium.com/writers-blokke/harry-and-meghan-living-like-regular-people-9b405047633</a><div class="blogger-post-footer">Author of
'Waiting for Silverbird'
'Voice of an Angel' and
'Kitten Diaries'.
To get a preview of these books please visit
www.wix.com/connymanero/home</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7036988831370375057.post-81390375683891023542020-01-19T09:50:00.001-08:002020-01-19T09:50:51.230-08:00Five Ways to Improve Weight Loss<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifJX_DCIsqA6gKyGxvyw8xYYZBCI9hwYf4OmNGk84ImbrlD5OPbBlZg5Dmh-GVbCsSnwVyKhyphenhyphenoJXKQaDrsleejeaMI3BnFvZexioPNjbEFZoYlJ9fAVr_dv93ReY54pGflvev1AQualSQk/s1600/0_k3irpPjxzDgPrpqT.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1152" data-original-width="1600" height="460" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifJX_DCIsqA6gKyGxvyw8xYYZBCI9hwYf4OmNGk84ImbrlD5OPbBlZg5Dmh-GVbCsSnwVyKhyphenhyphenoJXKQaDrsleejeaMI3BnFvZexioPNjbEFZoYlJ9fAVr_dv93ReY54pGflvev1AQualSQk/s640/0_k3irpPjxzDgPrpqT.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<h1 class="en b eo ez eq fa es fb eu fc ew fd ea" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: medium-content-title-font, Georgia, Cambria, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 40px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 48px; margin: 0px;">
<span class="bl" style="box-sizing: inherit; font-weight: inherit;"><span style="color: blue;">Five Ways to Improve Weight Loss</span></span></h1>
<div>
<span class="bl" style="box-sizing: inherit; font-weight: inherit;"><span style="color: blue;"><h2 class="aq de ff fq fh fr fj fs fl ft fn fu av" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: medium-content-sans-serif-font, "Lucida Grande", "Lucida Sans Unicode", "Lucida Sans", Geneva, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 24px; font-weight: 300; line-height: 32px; margin: 0px;">
There’s no need to starve yourself</h2>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: medium-content-serif-font, Georgia, Cambria, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 21px; letter-spacing: -0.084px;">When you first begin a diet, the pounds seem to melt away. As time goes by you may notice that the scale is hardly moving. Along with a sluggish scale, your motivation may hit a snag too. What you need is an effective plan, and five ways to improve your weight loss results.</span></div>
</span></span></div>
<br />
<a href="https://medium.com/writers-blokke/five-ways-to-improve-weight-loss-a7b93dd1aa95">https://medium.com/writers-blokke/five-ways-to-improve-weight-loss-a7b93dd1aa95</a><div class="blogger-post-footer">Author of
'Waiting for Silverbird'
'Voice of an Angel' and
'Kitten Diaries'.
To get a preview of these books please visit
www.wix.com/connymanero/home</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7036988831370375057.post-42410247027654253662020-01-18T11:02:00.000-08:002020-01-18T11:02:09.449-08:00Five ice breakers for quelling the first date jitters<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8lzDCROIyLAlRaKgpYfQ5ZcrXDrLViIaTKNmp39_78mpguV9yoZboG-8lsZYAPcmS5ouLvsmhBKtTncAaPrQ_52AFsrwXr_hEmo0t8RFZ8rVqZj1-Kca_C1D4srRBwEBcX06lpLCKrxnL/s1600/0_aUZFQvlCNtqBOdun.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8lzDCROIyLAlRaKgpYfQ5ZcrXDrLViIaTKNmp39_78mpguV9yoZboG-8lsZYAPcmS5ouLvsmhBKtTncAaPrQ_52AFsrwXr_hEmo0t8RFZ8rVqZj1-Kca_C1D4srRBwEBcX06lpLCKrxnL/s640/0_aUZFQvlCNtqBOdun.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<h2 class="aq de ff fq fh fr fj fs fl ft fn fu av" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: medium-content-sans-serif-font, "Lucida Grande", "Lucida Sans Unicode", "Lucida Sans", Geneva, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 24px; font-weight: 300; line-height: 32px; margin: 0px;">
<span style="color: blue;">These five ice breakers might put you at ease</span></h2>
<div>
<span style="color: blue;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: medium-content-serif-font, Georgia, Cambria, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 21px; letter-spacing: -0.084px;"><span style="color: blue;">A first date is difficult for men and women alike. As if where to go, what to do and what to wear isn’t nerve-wracking enough, there are the uncomfortable questions and awkward silences. To ensure that your nerves don’t get the better of you, the following are five ice breakers for quelling the first date jitters.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://medium.com/writers-blokke/five-ice-breakers-for-quelling-the-first-date-jitters-732bea9fb842">https://medium.com/writers-blokke/five-ice-breakers-for-quelling-the-first-date-jitters-732bea9fb842</a></div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">Author of
'Waiting for Silverbird'
'Voice of an Angel' and
'Kitten Diaries'.
To get a preview of these books please visit
www.wix.com/connymanero/home</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7036988831370375057.post-87588391031610374212019-12-26T10:25:00.000-08:002019-12-26T10:25:29.078-08:00Belgian Endive in Ham<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFyCIg6buP2q9wUip0H6stxsI4v3Zx4y7dgBRvG3z-zXIPhW_iAwpAXov0R5xIdskAkT1S7EFx4ef6tY_8ZqhAk837UuJ5LcJiTOvGZHt89dQP_Ir44P-x-gs3RxPb60wTejBHU5z9I6vQ/s1600/Chicory-Rolls1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: blue;"><img border="0" data-original-height="483" data-original-width="857" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFyCIg6buP2q9wUip0H6stxsI4v3Zx4y7dgBRvG3z-zXIPhW_iAwpAXov0R5xIdskAkT1S7EFx4ef6tY_8ZqhAk837UuJ5LcJiTOvGZHt89dQP_Ir44P-x-gs3RxPb60wTejBHU5z9I6vQ/s640/Chicory-Rolls1.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: blue;"><br /></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: blue;">Between You, Me and the Lamp Post</span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: blue;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: blue;">Belgian Endive in Ham<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: blue;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: blue;">Not many people are familiar with Belgian endive
and even less know how to prepare it. It’s no big mystery really and you
certainly don’t need to be a kitchen princess to prepare this dish. All you
need are these step by step instructions and you’ll be ready to surprise your
family with a unique European dish.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: blue;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: blue;">Ingredients
for four people<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: blue;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: blue;">4 sticks of Belgian endive<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: blue;">4 big slices of cooked ham<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: blue;">Flour<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: blue;">Butter<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: blue;">Cheese<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: blue;">Breadcrumbs<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: blue;">Salt <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: blue;">Water<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: blue;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: blue;">Preparation<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: blue;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: blue;">Wash the Belgian endive under cold running water.
Don’t cut off the stems. The stem is what keeps the endive leaves from falling
off during the cooking process. Place the endive in a pot, add plenty of water
and a flat teaspoon of salt.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: blue;">When the water boils, turn down the heat and let
the endive simmer until soft by the stem. To test, insert knifepoint near the
stem of the endive.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: blue;">When soft, scoop the endive out of the pot with a
fork and place them in a strainer. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: blue;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: blue;">Prepare
the sauce<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: blue;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: blue;">Melt a tablespoon of butter in a saucepan and add
four tablespoons of flour over moderate heat. Stir with a whisk. Add the water
in which the Belgian endive was cooked until the mixture is thick and smooth.
Add a generous helping of cheese. If the sauce is too thick, a little bit of the
endive water.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: blue;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: blue;">Prepare
the Belgian endive<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: blue;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: blue;">Roll each stick of Belgian endive in a slice of
ham and secure the ham with a toothpick.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: blue;">Place the endive in an oven dish. Pour the cheese
sauce over the endive in ham. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: blue;">Grill in the oven until the breadcrumbs are golden
brown.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: blue;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: blue;">For those who are in a hurry, white sauce or
cheese sauce from a packet works just as well.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: blue;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBMY1ZAGNeVl-KcH_8bCSqjFNHlEV9mgfgf_rsReGcPzkOT-JUnDuGWwKYAZdsHATp9If3YznNYjeA153Mv6N3E0xPCKPF6PUFdE5M2AIf6zw3nExu5I0stOudc8CZEY7CIIN04QOy_Ox0/s1600/posters-old-street-lamp-at-night.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: blue;"><img border="0" data-original-height="449" data-original-width="595" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBMY1ZAGNeVl-KcH_8bCSqjFNHlEV9mgfgf_rsReGcPzkOT-JUnDuGWwKYAZdsHATp9If3YznNYjeA153Mv6N3E0xPCKPF6PUFdE5M2AIf6zw3nExu5I0stOudc8CZEY7CIIN04QOy_Ox0/s640/posters-old-street-lamp-at-night.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic",sans-serif; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: blue;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">Author of
'Waiting for Silverbird'
'Voice of an Angel' and
'Kitten Diaries'.
To get a preview of these books please visit
www.wix.com/connymanero/home</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0