INTERNATIONAL COFFEE DAY & OTHER STUFF

Don't you enjoy reading a good book with your coffee or cappuccino?  Today's a great day to celebrate International Coffee Day AND your love of reading with a FREE download! 

By the way, if you really want to meet a blogger who seriously loves her coffee, don't forget to stop by to say hello to Kim from the  caffeinatedbookreviewer.com. 

Signature has created a fact-filled infographic and Book Lover’s Guide to Coffee, which celebrates the elixir’s rich literary and cultural history. 

The Book Lover’s Guide to Coffee can be downloaded for FREE on  Signature , the website from Penguin Random House dedicated to books and culture, and includes original essays from respected authors, food writers, and reporters on the crossroads of coffee and literature, exploring its cultural significance and literary past. The guide’s essays cover everything from the history of coffeehouses, the people behind your daily cup of coffee, and more.  The infographic and guide also feature:

• A Timeline of Coffee and Book Pairings—trace the discovery and evolution of coffee from 10^th century Ethiopia to present-day, along with related reads.
  
• Famous Independent Bookstore Coffee Shop Combos—a list of destinations across the United States for the coffee-obsessed and bookish.
  
• Rituals of 7 Coffee Obsessed Authors—learn the quirky caffeinated habits of Marcel Proust, Gertrude Stein, Thomas Wolfe, and others.
  
• Illustrated Guides—learn to make the perfect brew and take stellar photos of coffee and books.

The infographic and link to download the guide can be found on Signature. 

DO YOU STILL USE THIS?

Fifty Cents from Staples

Yesterday I was in Staples looking for bargains for my planner, and came across a dictionary and this thesaurus.  I have them on my bookshelf, but these are much easier to carry around.

What really surprised me was the cost.  At $.50 each, I consider that a real deal and had to snag them right up.  I mentioned it to a lady beside me, and we both decided they were so inexpensive because everyone went online to get definitions these days.  Do you still use this fossil? 

EXTRA CASH
Are you looking to earn some extra cash for the holidays?  

Now is the time to hit up small department stores, event planners and photography studios for Mrs. Claus gig.  One place to try is www.CherryPhoto.com.

This is what you'll get from me. (lol)

I totally suck at wrapping gifts, so almost everything gets thrown in a bag. Whenever I try, the tape comes off, the end of the package is uneven, the paper is cut the wrong way, or something rips on the paper. I could go on and on.  But if you're one those wrapping gurus, you can get paid by speaking to the manager in a mall during off peak hours, or contacting Amazon, JC Penney, or other distribution centers.   You can even offer your services on Yard Sale sites or small boutiques.  If you're good at making packages beautiful and joyful, someone will notice and pay for your efforts.

In front of the Home Depot

In front of the Home Depot

PUMPKINS ARE EVERY
WHERE

One of my celebrity girl crushes is Martha Stewart.  I love when she bakes, her sarcasm is funny, her decorating skills are phenomenal, and she can do anything.  So of course, when I heard she was NOT on the pumpkin spice bandwagon, I grinned with glee.

No fan of pumpkin spice, I sure don't want it on pizza.  Yet yesterday on Good Morning America, there it was in all its glory - A Pumpkin Spice Pizza.

HAS A BLOGGER EVER MADE YOU ANGRY/APPLE CIDER FLOAT

The first time it occurred, I sort of ignored it as a fluke. It's never happened to me thank goodness, but lately, it seems as if there are more fights than usual among the blogging societies.  Many of the disagreements are politically or racially motivated, but quite a few are happening in the entertainment, beauty or book world.

There are literally millions of blogs in the world.  Some are small, others are quite well known, and a few make tons of money.

So if you visit plenty of blogs, at some point, you're going to end up running into some of the same people. Knowing that, I'm very surprised that one blogger would publicly bash another.  This includes complaining about how a blogger writes a review, how she's putting on eyeliner incorrectly, is a horrible person because of her political views, or that he or she is fat and needs to lose weight. 

I also once saw a post that copied almost verbatim from another blog!  What in the heck?!

Someone is going to see that post that you know, or even worse, you may see it yourself! This causes tears of hurt, or a lot of back and forth cursing throughout a blog between people. As I scroll through those posts, I end up feeling embarrassed and sad.  I just don't get it.

As bloggers, we love being stalked because of what we write about. But while flaming wars may be interesting to some, visiting someone on their blog for the purpose of verbal attacks, or using your own blog to bash another blog just seems mean-spirited to me. 

We may not always agree with a point of view, but kindness is key.

Are you already tired of pumpkins and want to try a new treat?  This recipes screams Fall, and is super simple to prepare.

APPLE CIDER FLOAT

INGREDIENTS
Vanilla Ice Cream 
Caramel Sauce
Sparkling Cider
Pinch of Salt

DIRECTIONS
Place 1 scoop of ice cream in the bottom of a chilled glass.  Pour in 6 ounces of sparkling cider, and top with another scoop of ice cream.  Add a pinch of salt to the caramel sauce, then drizzle as much as you like over the top.  Yum - you've made just enough for you to enjoy during a movie or while reading your favorite novel.

If you really want to be decadent, go ahead and add a shot of whiskey!

SIDE GIG SECRET
Unless you actually work for Uber, which launched in 2009, no one really knows how much the drivers earn per month.  But I've got the scoop. This side hustle may not allow you to quit your day job in most instances because on average, the salary per month is about $364.00. Also, Uber takes a 20% cut. A few score about $1000 per month, but according to Earnest Operations, almost 1/2 earn less than $100!

NATIONAL COMIC BOOK DAY & SOME OTHER STUFF

The cool thing about being a reader, is that everyone in this complex frequently leaves magazines and books at my door that they don't want, and I love it! (lol)   I was also lucky and won 1 book each from the thereadingfrenzy.blogspot.com 
and delightedreader.com. Then I won a neat coloring book

with bookmarks from Nancy Herkness via a Facebook event.  Yay and Thanks!!

Did you collect or read comic books as a kid?  I did all the time.  Some of my faves were Archie and The Green Lantern, but I even managed to snag a few True Confessions too. This was during the time that they were $.15 and $.25.   They're packed away in sealed plastic bags these days, but every once in awhile I pull them out to admire.

Also, way back in day, I collected Playboy/Penthouse Magazines for the articles (lol).  Actually, as a collector of pop culture stuff, I thought they would be worth money one day.  Latoya Jackson, Vanessa Williams, Anna Nicole, Farrah Fawcett,  Pamela Anderson, and Bo Derek are just a few that are stored away.

People always laugh when they hear this, because I'm the girl who gets embarrassed by those who give too many sexual details during conversations, or when I see men purchasing condoms in a store. My face turns red every time.

I've had several offers to sell.  Some want one or two magazine, others want just 10 or so, etc.  The deal that really made me giggle though, was $10 for all 30 magazines.  Say what? (lol)

It's hard to believe, but Facebook has over 1.90 monthly users, and continues to grow by  people per second!

The very first Batman comic book from 1939 originally sold for just 10 cents.  It became so valuable that it sold for more than $1 million dollars!  Batman ended up becoming one of my favorite superheroes.  I've collected action figures, trading cards, all the dvd's, playing cards, clocks and napkins and tons more tied to this phenomenal hero.

I've been a fan of The Price is Right for years, and when someone wins, I get just as excited as the audience on television.  Last week, history was made when all three spinners got a $1.00 and won $10,000 each!  They all had to spin again to break the 3-way tie, and two people spun $1.00 again!!!!  Can you believe that?!  I was literally screaming and jumping around in the living room with glee.

LOL!  I'm done for the day, guys.

TEA TREE SHAMPOO & TIPPING FOR BEAUTY

I always get a kick out of trying new things, so when given this product in exchange for an honest review, I was definitely on board.

NATURAL TEA TREE OIL SHAMPOO from Maple Holistics is cruelty free, paraben -free and gluten free, has therapeutic benefits that improves hair and scalp health, and helps prevent flaking and dandruff.

My hair is very thick and curly, but it tends to be dry, so I wondered if  this would work better than name brand shampoos.

I'm a big scent person, so the first thing I noticed right away was the smell of lavender and rosemary, which I loved.  The instructions tell you to massage a quarter sized amount throughout the scalp, but I promise that a dime sized amount of this shampoo created this luscious lather that made me feel as if I was in a high-end salon.  The experience was so surprising and luxurious that I just wanted to hang out in the shower for a few hours.

I did finally get out and dried my hair.  The best way to describe it would be - moisturizing magic! My scalp didn't feel dry, and the curls were bouncy and soft.  To get that effect normally, I typically add hair lotion, which I didn't have to do.  YAY!

If you'd like to try this for yourself, they have a sale going on here at tea tree shampoo .  But if you'd like to check out other products they have, here are some free samples .   

WHAT DO YOU THINK?
If you remember, National Cheeseburger Day was Monday, September 18, so some friends dropped off a few burgers for my enjoyment.  One friend that I've known for about 13 years or so, decided to take me out to Cookout to choose what I wanted.  I've been trying to stay away from fast food, but hey, I wasn't going to complain about all that yummy goodness, right?

The woman at the window taking the order was absolutely gorgeous, and her smile was infectious.  So much so, that when the food arrived, my friend tipped her $7.00 on a $12.00 tab.  I watched the shock on her face as she told him that no one had ever given her a tip.  Of course, once he left the window, I had to ask why he tipped her so generously.  Imagine my surprise when he responded, "she was really pretty, and I could tell she needed the money". Huh?

Some people get into blogging for profit, but it's not that easy to make money.  There are some that make thousands of dollars a month, most you've probably never ever heard of.  

But #1 on the list, according to Forbes, is a site that's very familiar to everyone.  They are so popular, that The Huffington Post earns $14 million dollars a month!

Have a relaxing day!

NATIONAL CHEESEBURGER DAY - YAY!!!!!

If you've been stalking this blog, you already know that I love anything that has to do with cheeseburgers.  That's the one food I've eaten as a kid that has never changed in my diet.  I can cook them every day, watch them being made on television, or enjoy them at a restaurant.  

To celebrate this day that was made just for me, let's glorify in some cheeseburger love.

Cheeseburger cookies

Cheeseburger Nails

Cheeseburger Apron

Sleeping on a Cheeseburger!

This is a cool cheeseburger cake

More cake!

Cheeseburger  and French Fries

Cheeseburger Hat

Cheeseburger and food pillows

Cheeseburger Pillow

Cheeseburger Salt & Pepper Shakers

Cheeseburger Sneakers

My face if the world didn't have cheeseburgers

Care for some bacon with your cheeseburger?

This is one of my personal cheeseburger recipes for dinner.  You can never have too much pepper. (lol)