Ann

Who is the one friend that you have had for the longest time?

Andy Rooney's Tips for Handling Telemarketers Three Little Words That Work !! (1)The three little words are: "Hold On, Please..." Saying this, while putting down your phone and walking off (instead of hanging-up immediately) would make each telemarketing call so much more time-consuming that boiler room sales would grind to a halt. Then when you eventually hear the phone company's "beep-beep-beep" tone, you know it's time to go back and hang up your handset, which has efficiently completed its task. These three little words will help eliminate telephone soliciting. (2) Do you ever get those annoying phone calls with no one on the other end? This is a telemarketing technique where a machine makes phone calls and records the time of day when a person answers the phone. This technique is used to determine the best time of day for a "real" sales person to call back and get someone at home. What you can do after answering, if you notice there is no one there, is to immediately start hitting your # button on the phone, 6 or 7 times, as quickly as possible This confuses the machine that dialed the call and it kicks your number out of their system. Gosh, what a shame not to have your name in their system any longer !!! (3) Junk Mail Help: When you get "ads" enclosed with your phone or utility bill, return these "ads" with your payment. Let the sending companies throw their own junk mail away. When you get those "pre-approved" letters in the mail for everything from credit cards to 2nd mortgages and similar type junk, do not throw away the return envelope. Most of these come with postage-paid return envelopes, right? It costs them more than the regular 37 cents postage "IF" and when they receive them back. It costs them nothing if you throw them away! The postage was around 50 cents before the last increase and it is according to the weight. In that case, why not get rid of some of your other junk mail and put it in these cool little, postage-paid return envelopes. One of Andy Rooney's (60 minutes) ideas. Send an ad for your local chimney cleaner to American Express. Send a pizza coupon to Citibank. If you didn't get anything else that day, then just send them their blank application back! If you want to remain anonymous, just make sure your name isn't on anything you send them. You can even send the envelope back empty if you want to just to keep them guessing! It still costs them 37 cents. The banks and credit card companies are currently getting a lot of their own junk back in the mail, but folks, we need to OVERWHELM them. Let's let them know what it 's like to get lots of junk mail, and best of all they're paying for it...Twice! Let's help keep our postal service busy since they are saying that e-mail is cutting into their business profits, and that's why they need to increase postage costs again. You get the idea ! If enough people follow these tips, it will work ---- I have been doing this for years, and I get very little junk mail anymore.

We All Need Each Other A mouse looked through the crack in the wall to see the farmer and his wife open a package. What food might this contain? The mouse wondered - he was devastated to discover it was a mousetrap. Retreating to the farmyard, the mouse proclaimed the warning : There is a mousetrap in the house! There is a mousetrap in the house! The chicken clucked and scratched, raised her head and said, "Mr.Mouse, I can tell this is a grave concern to you, but it is of no consequence to me." " I cannot be bothered by it." The mouse turned to the pig and told him, "There is a mousetrap in the house! There is a mousetrap in the house!" The pig sympathized, but said, I am so very sorry, Mr. Mouse, but there is nothing I can do about it but pray. "Be assured you are in my prayers." The mouse turned to the cow and said "There is a mousetrap in the house! There is a mousetrap in the house!" The cow said, "Wow, Mr. Mouse. I'm sorry for you, but it's no skin off my nose." So, the mouse returned to the house, head down and dejected, to face the farmer's mousetrap alone. That very night a sound was heard throughout the house -- like the sound of a mousetrap catching its prey. The farmer's wife rushed to see what was caught. In the darkness, she did not see it was a venomous snake whose tail the trap had caught. The snake bit the farmer's wife. The farmer rushed her to the hospital , and she returned home with a fever. Everyone knows you treat a fever with fresh chicken soup, so the farmer took his hatchet to the farmyard for the soup's main ingredient. But his wife's sickness continued, so friends and neighbors came to sit with her around the clock. To feed them, the farmer butchered the pig. The farmer's wife did not get well; she died. So many people came for her funeral, the farmer had the cow slaughtered to provide enough meat for all of them. The mouse looked upon it all from his crack in the wall with great sadness. So, the next time you hear someone is facing a problem and think it doesn't concern you, remember -- when one of us is threatened, we are all at risk. We are all involved in this journey called life. We must keep an eye out for one another and make an extra effort to encourage one another. REMEMBER,,,, EACH OF US IS A VITAL THREAD IN ANOTHER PERSON'S TAPESTRY; OUR LIVES ARE WOVEN TOGETHER FOR A REASON.

I am so very sorry !!!

I'm so very sorry.

When I get together with really close friends, I have a hard time listening instead of talking. I'm usually a very good listener but when I'm with friends I love, I tend to just bubble over and I have a tendency to interrupt when others are talking.

Sean Connery really makes my heart race. I wasn't so mad about him when he was younger, but this picture just drives me wild!!! Whatcha think gals????

Who makes your heart go pitter-patter? The answer to this question must be a famous person from television, movies or a musician.

So Very Happy For You!!! You're going to love having a little girl to spoil. My son thought he wanted a son until Ella was placed in his arms for the first time. Now, she is a complete daddy's girl! I am so happy for you!

What do you consider to be your one worst habit?

Two women were playing golf. One teed off and watched in horror as her ball headed directly toward a foursome of men playing the next hole. The ball hit one of the men and he immediately clasped his hands together at his groin, fell to the ground and proceeded to roll around in agony.The women rushed down to the man, and immediately began to apologize. 'Please allow me to help. I'm a physical therapist and I know I could relieve your pain if you'd allow me,' she told him. 'Oh, no, I'll be all right. I'll be fine in a few minutes,' the man replied. He was in obvious agony, lying in the fetal position, still clasping his hands together at his groin. At her persistence, however, he finally allowed her to help. She gently took his hands away and laid them to the side, loosened his pants and put her hands inside. She administered tender and artful massage for several long moments then asked...'How does that feel?' He replied, 'It feels great, but my thumb still hurts.'

Very good answer, Deb. Like you, I think it would have to depend on the age of the person. I would have to know that they didn't want their underwear showing...lol!

Below is a wonderful poem Audrey Hepburn wrote when asked to share her 'beauty tips.' It was read at her funeral years later. For attractive lips, speak words of kindness.. For lovely eyes , seek out the good in people. For a slim figure, share your food with the hungry. For beautiful hair, let a child run his/her fingers through it once a day. For poise, walk with the knowledge that you never walk alone.. People, even more than things, have to be restored, renewed, revived, reclaimed, and redeemed; never throw out anyone. Remember, if you ever need a helping hand, you will find one at the end of each of your arms. As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands; one for helping yourself, and the other for helping others. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I'm grateful for Katie and Rick and all the hard work and perseverence they've shown in getting this board back up and running!!!

Nick, I'm sure it was your mom. These type of things happen to me all the time. Enjoy the moments, as they help you to know she is there with you!!!

If someone's underwear was showing, would you tell them? Besides the plumbers, I think they all know.

I am so grateful for the great friends I have on this MB. I know that no matter what I'm facing, I'm never alone as long as I can log on and sign in!!!

I am so happy that you have such wonderful memories of this day. When we lose someone we love, our lives are forever changed but the momories will be with us forever!

I am so very, very sorry.

I have done this quite a few times in my life but the recent instance was the wildest yet. Dick and I were babysitting little Ella on a nice Sunday afternoon. She was sleeping peacefully in her crib,so we thought we'd sit on the patio and enjoy the nice breeze. When we closed the sliding glass door behind us, the security bar fell down and we couldn't get back in. My cell phone was in the house, so I couldn't call for a locksmith or call my son to come home. The neighbors weren't home and I had no car keys. So, Dick walked down the street and tried to call my son. He was in a movie and had his cell phone turned off. So, the next call was for a locksmith. All this time, I spent praying that Ella wouldn't wake up. All ended well.

Have you ever accidentally locked yourself outside your house? Tell us about this adventure.

8 Ways to Create A Positive State of Mind 1. Be thankful for just having a life! Be happy you can breathe, walk, talk, love and smile. When we stop to reflect the abundance that we have we begin to see the riches of life. 2. Focus on the simple things in life. Complication seems to torture us in our lives where simplicity comforts us. When we focus on the simple things we focus on true life. 3. Try not to worry! Once we realize that worry really can't change an outcome we begin to see that worry is another learned and useless behavior. It doesn't do us any good to worry. 4. Show your love to someone. Love is the most precious and powerful gift we can bestow on anyone. It has this unique refractory component as well. Expressing love is the chore of our being. 5. Help others with pain. When we help others it helps us too. Try helping others and you will help yourself. It is an amazing result. 6. Live for the moment. We may live for many years, but we really live for moments. Be thankful for all the special moments in your life. Realize when you are having one. 7. Appreciate the experience you gain. Everyday there is so much that you learn. Life is about learning. 8. See your challenges, whether they are big or small, as a test. Life is one big exam that never stops. When we stop and smile in the middle of one of life's tests then it is the equivalent of a passing grade!

I think I may have posted this a long time ago, but it always makes me smile!!! When I'm an old lady, I'll live with each kid, And bring so much happiness...just as they did. I want to pay back all the joy they've provided. Returning each deed! Oh, they'll be so excited! (When I'm an old lady and live with my kids.) I'll write on the wall with reds, whites and blues, And I'll bounce on the furniture...wearing my shoes. I'll drink from the carton and then leave it out. I'll stuff all the toilets and oh, how they'll shout! (When I'm an old lady and live with my kids.) When they're on the phone and just out of reach, I'll get into things like sugar and bleach. Oh, they'll snap their fingers and then shake their head, (When I'm an old lady and live with my kids.) When they cook dinner and call me to eat, I'll not eat my green beans or salad or meat, I'll gag on my okra, spill milk on the table, And when they get angry...I'll run...if I'm able! (When I'm an old lady and live with my kids.) I'll sit close to the TV, through the channels I'll click, I'll cross both eyes just to see if they stick. I'll take off my socks and throw one away, And play in the mud 'til the end of the day! (When I'm an old lady and live with my kids.) And later in bed, I'll lay back and sigh, I'll thank God in prayer and then close my eyes. My kids will look down with a smile slowly creeping, And say with a groan, "She's so sweet when she's sleeping!" God Bless All Moms and Grandmas Everywhere!

I'm so grateful that I can go through this day, knowing that I have God with me.

Two little kids are in a hospital, lying on stretchers next to each other outside the operating room---the first surgeries of the day. The first kid leans over and asks, "What are you in here for?" The second kid says, "I'm in here to get my tonsils out and I'm a little nervous." The first kid says, "You've got nothing to worry about. I had that done when I was four. They put you to sleep, and when you wake up they give you lots of Jell-O and Ice Cream. It's a breeze." The second kid then asks, "What are you here for?" The first kid says, "A circumcision." Whoa!" the second kid replies. "Good luck buddy. I had that done when I was born. Couldn't walk for a year."