DO YOU READ THE ENDING OF A BOOK FIRST?

When I was very young, I started reading Barbara Cartland and Harlequin romances voraciously. Eventually, boredom set in because they all seemed to be similar, so I changed it up a little. Who did I switchover to?  The very great Rosemary Rogers, of course.  Back then, the cover on Sweet Savage Love was considered a little racy, so I used to hide it in a school book, but not before reading the ending first.  I had to be sure her book was nothing like what I'd been previously reading, and it was definitely different...and hot!

A few years later, a good friend told me that people who read the ending of a book first couldn't keep secrets, so that cured me of not reading a novel from start to finish moving forward.

What about you?  Do you dare to read the last page first before grabbing a new book, or is that taboo?

GLUTEN FREE GLADNESS
Are you removing gluten-free products from your diet, or adding more organic?

Get HUGE savings on both at Big Lots.  The difference in prices from mainstream stores for some of these items is pretty amazing!

DISNEY GUEST SERVICES POSITIONS
Are you a fan of Disney?  Do you prefer to work from the comfort of your own home?  Do you live in NC, SC, Nevada, Georgia, Texas or Florida?  If you don't mind making the customer's experience one that they'll never forget, sign up to be a Guest Services Representative. Apply here 

WOULD YOU BUY THIS HOUSE?
If you have $250 Million sitting around, head out to Los Angeles, CA to purchase this over the top 350,000 square foot home that's been on the market for quite some time.  They'll even throw in 7 staff members to help you keep it all clean!  What else is included for all that moola?  Six bars, 12 bedrooms, 21 bathrooms, a massage room with spa, a home theater, a bowling alley, and a beautiful infinity pool that looks like it lasts forever.  But don't take my word for it. Bask in all the luxury and glitz below.

DO YOU STILL NEED A LICENSE TO GET MARRIED & SOME OTHER STUFF

I wrote this back in 2016, and since we're in the wedding season, thought I'd repost here.

There is a lot of history tied to wedding licenses - some good and some not so good, but the law requires a couple getting married to have one even if it's a hassle  In the state of North Carolina, 18 is the legal age to get married, and those under 18 require the consent of their parents. If one person wants to sign the license and the other half of the couple is busy and wants to come to the courthouse later, that is not possible. The two must apply for, and sign the application together. Mandatory forms of documentation to prove identity would be a driver’s license and SS Card, and the fee is $60.00.

If you get cold feet and want to hold on to that piece of paper for a while, just know that there is an expiration date. The license expires after 60 days and the process would need to be repeated, along with paying that same fee again.

The rules differ from state to state, and a few examples are listed below, and I was surprised that more states don't need blood tests anymore.

District of Columbia (Washington DC)

1.   Blood Test Is Required

2.  A 3-Day Waiting Period is Required Between Applying For and Receiving the License

3.  Can Get Married Immediately

4.  License Does Not Expire

Montana

1.  Blood Test Is Required for Women

2.  No Waiting Period Between Applying For and Receiving the License

3.  Can Get Married Immediately

4.  License Expires in 180 Days

North Carolina

1.  No Blood Test is Required

2.  No Waiting Period Between Applying For and Receiving the License

3.  Can Get Married Immediately

4.  License Expires in 60 Days

New York

1.  A Sickle Cell Test is Required for African-American and Hispanic Applicants

2.  No Waiting Period Between Applying For and Receiving the License

3.  Can Get Married 24 Hours After Receiving the License

4.  License Expires in 60 Days

NOLA.COM

CHER'S THE BOSS

Did you see Cher on the Billboard Music Awards?  If not, you missed a huge treat.  Born in 1946, she still looks almost the same as she did during her variety show years ago.  She is so phenomenal, that she can brag about being the only entertainer to have hit number one on the Billboard Charts in each of the past 6 decades!  Wow! 

One of her best friends, who is definitely no longer on the "D" List, is one of the funniest ladies on the planet - Kathy Griffin. 

FREEBIES

If you're hooked on freebies, a good place to find some really neat stuff is from Craigslist. Many years ago, a lady who lived up the street from me posted an ad giving away a 7ft tall Teddy Bear.  It was so big that it barely fit in the back seat of the car. Normally, something like that would cost well over $100.00, but I snagged it for FREE.

PICTURES
Do you like to take pictures and do it well?  You can get paid by selling your work by downloading Foap and Pixender for free as an app on your phone.  These companies are looking for unique, candid, natural or thought provoking photographs that happen at parties, weddings, school /family events, animals or everyday life while it happens.  They don't want those posed pictures that we see in magazines or portraits.  How much can you earn for doing almost nothing?  The rates start at $5, and can go as high as $100 per pic!

Dudevon G

HOTEL YOU GOTTA TRY
If you ever make your way to Denver and want to try something entirely new, book your room at The Crawford Hotel in the Denver Union Station, which is rated by US News as one of the best hotels in 2017.  Then take just a few steps to the Cooper Lounge where you can bask in the luxury of marble, silver trays, plush seating and plenty of crystal that resides in Union Station.  This cocktail lounge is so exclusive and pricey that Yelp gives it 4.5 stars out of 5.

Donald M.

Jennifer B

Tracy B

Amanda H.

The room rates for this glamorous hotel start at $429 per night up to the Graduation Package that includes Dom Perignon,  to $799. This is the perfect example of getting what you pay for because you'll truly be pampered.  Check out these amazing pics.

MOVIE NEWS
There's still nothing wrong with hanging out at the movies solo, in addition to doing the Date Night thing.  You save money, and don't have to worry about being pawed.When I was a kid, I went to the movies alone all the time, because guys just wanted to try to sneak in kisses right in the middle of the good parts! (lol)

Anywho, if you can't get enough of Tom Cruise, he'll star in The Mummy on June 9 next month, and I'm doing the happy dance because Mission Impossible #6 releases in July 2018.  I watched the old Mission Impossible series with Peter Graves from way back in the day, as well as all the modern ones with Tom Cruise.

Other spy movies being released this summer are Atomic Blonde and Villa Capri. 

HAVE YOU EVER BEEN CALLED NOSY?

Before I answer that dicey question, let me give you some background.  Years ago, when I was much younger, my life revolved around a ton of activities that included 2 choirs, a band, a PT job, the YMCA, and a whole list of other things.  Being so busy caused me to frequently keep strange or erratic hours.

Even though the next door neighbor was my mom's age, she seemed to know everything about me, which seemed a little weird at the time.  If I came in at 2:30am in the morning, the next day at 9am as I was leaving to do something else, she'd mention that I got in pretty late. When I came home from work, she was often in the upstairs window with a cigarette waving at me.  Say what?  Does anyone remember Gladys from "Bewitched" from back in the day? I'm not kidding when I tell you that this neighbor always knew what I was doing with my day!

This went on for years until I joined the USAF, and ironically, I ended up picking up some of the same habits.  I'm not hanging out in windows stalking people, (lol),but I'm the person who asks a lot of questions.  This is mostly because I'm always really interested in hearing romantic or funny stories, and I love soaking up knowledge about really cool stuff.  Sometimes, I need to know why a person made a particular decision about something.

I think being a nosy person has its ups and downs.  If there's a crime in the neighborhood, the nosiness pays off, but if you're cheating on your wife or husband, you're definitely gonna get busted.  Now that I'm older, I can't say that it bothers me as much as it did when I was a kid.  It's a good way to stay in touch.

Anywho - what about you?  Do you know all the dirt on your neighbors, or do you pretty much keep to yourselves?