Ms Wheelchair Massachusetts Seeks Contestants

www.mswheelchairmass.org
You could be the next Ms Wheelchair Massachusetts
If you are a woman who is:

• A Massachusetts resident
• Between the ages of 21 – 60
• Marital status is not a factor
• Using a wheelchair for 100%
of your active daily mobility

You could be crowned as the new
Ms. Wheelchair Massachusetts 2008!

Sunday, April 6, 2008
“Carson Place” at the Bayside Expo Center
180 Mt. Vernon Street
Boston, MA 02125
10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Ms. Wheelchair Massachusetts is NOT a beauty contest. Contestants are judged on their accomplishments, self-perception, and communication skills in the following:
• Personal Interviews
• On-stage Interviews
• Platform Speech

The winner will compete for the title of Ms. Wheelchair America 2009 in Maryland this July!

Entry fee is $150 per contestant. Contestants are encouraged to solicit sponsorship to cover this fee. Scholarships are available if this cost is prohibitive. Fee includes lunch for contestant and companion, pageant DVD, and an 8x10 contestant photo.

APPLICATIONS MUST BE RECEIVED BY MARCH 25, 2008

For more information or to apply, contact Autumn Grant email: mswheelchairmass06@yahoo.com.

Meet Ms. Wheelchair America 2008 and Ms. Wheelchair America 2007
at this year’s pageant!

It might be time

Last week I was watching the New Hampshire primary results when I began to notice that I could not quite be sure if a number was an eight or a six. Maybe it was because it was a small television and I was watching from bed at the time. Yesterday, I was outside playing with Cosmo and plane went by dragging one of those messages. For the life of me I could make out what it said, all I saw was red symbols. Perhaps the plane was just too far away. With two instances in one week, I began to think maybe I should start wearing my glasses. This is probably a great idea, but I have no idea where my glasses are at the moment. I really do not have a few hundred dollars right now for a new pair but I decided to do a little research. The result was a Great Discovery: www.ZenniOptical.com.
Zenni Optical in the manufacturer so they can eliminate the middleman and sell directly to the customer. I found some really cute frames in the $30 range, that's about one tenth of what I paid for my last set of really cute frames. With these prices, customers can pick up several pairs and switch them out during the week compliment their wardrobe.




This post contains sponsored material. I get paid to blog about items that I choose. Please read my disclosur policy at the bottom of the page.

Only half analog now

Well we did it, last Saturday we took the plunge into the world of HDTV. Kenny has wanted a HD LCD for a while (really who doesn't) but we finally found the set we wanted at a price that will work. We really debated about the size of the screen but in the end went with a 40 inch which actually fits perfectly in the living room, anything else would have been too big. We decided to spend the money on a quality set rather than a huge set would look out of place. I am really enjoying the picture and we even upgraded to the HD package with our cable company and as part of that now we get every channel on our provider and it only cost about $10 more a month because some of the services that we were paying for a la carte are now included.
Ok so know we have an HD Tv and an HD Cable picture, now we need a HD DVD player right? Yup, last night Kenny killed two birds with one stone and bought the Playstation 3 which has a HD Blu ray disc player built right in to it (Of course to get everthing to work in HD you have to spend an extra $120 on an HDMI cable).
So with all this HD how come we are still half analog? Well I still get stuck with an old tv in the bedroom. I saw a great 32 inch HD LCD last night that will go great on the bedroom wall but alas I will have to wait and save up for one in the bedroom. Till then I will remain analog.

Changes for 2008

As 2007 comes to a close many of us will start thinking about New Years' resolutions. I know one that is at the top of many lists including mine is to lose weight. I know I want to lose weight to help manage my disability and make sure that I am healthy but I also want to look nice in my bridesmaid dress in my sister's wedding in May. For me I will be focusing on adding 30 minutes of exercises 5 days a week ,making sure that I am eating at least three times a day and making wiser food choices. I think I am ready now. Some people have tried this approach in the past and may be considering more drastic weight loss programs including lap-band surgeon because of obesity. Please, whenever you are planning on making changes to your lifestyle or diet consult your doctor to make sure you are taking wise and appropriate steps. I do wish all of you the best with keeping your resolutions and I do hope to keep you updated on my own progress.


Part of this post is sponsored. I get paid to blog about items that I choose. Please read my disclosure policy at the bottom of the page.

The new chair has arrived

Just as it was promised my new chair arrived yesterday with all of the bells and whistles. Of course that pure fact that it is new has Cosmo freaked out beyond belief and then add in the fact that the seat elevates the feet elavate and the whole chair reclines and we had some moments last night when he would not come near me. I would love to start using the chair full time immediately but it will likely be a few weeks before I make a full switch. I still have to get some alterations done to the chair and possibly my van so that I can drive from it. Once the driving aspect is cleared up then it will become my primary chair. I amj very excited about the new chair and really hope that it will help alleviate some of the pains that I have been dealing with lately. I'm also hoping that the feet elevation will help with the cold that I constantly expereince. I also love the new perspective that the elevated seat gives me, last night I was actually able to grab a bag off the top of the refrigerator and open up one of the high cupboards in the kitchen. Of course I immediately let Kenny know that I will not be any more productive in household duties ; ). By the way I go tmy chair in orange.

engagement rings

There has been a lot of talk of engagement rings in the Grant household lately and that is because my sister is getting married. For the moment she has been using my grandmother's engagement ring as stand by until she finds the one that she wants. I am going to suggest that she look at some of the diamonds on the James Allen website, because there are some truly exceptional pieces there. You can choose from more traditional styles or you can even design your own ring to fit your style and budget. Even if she decides to buy her ring else where she can still find a lovely wedding ring at James Allen.

Giving up on Reality TV

I think it might be time to give up on some reality tv shows. I was very disappointed this season with America's Next Top Model and with Tila Tequila's Shot at Love. And even though I did not watch it the Bachelor was a bit of a fiasco. I think I need to stick to reality shows like the Amazing Race where the winners are based on accomplishments and not subjective opinions. You always want the best person to win and that can only be done based on merit, not the opinions of others. I'm not going to put myself through it anymore on tv shows that put the fate of the contestants in the hands of celebrities and the like, let people earn their titles.

Sweet Revenge

They say that revenge is sweet but this is something I have never really dabbled in. Of course when something bad has happened to someone who has wronged you , sometimes we smile a little, because they ultimately got what they deserved but I have never caused that bad thing to happen.
I remember when I was about 10 years old I saw a movie with Stockard Channing called "The Girl Most Likely To...". It was about an "ugly" girl who was the subject of much ridicule, harassment and practical jokes. Years later she gets plastic surgery and is now beautiful and decides to get revenge on some of the people who hurt and teased her. I think I recall one scene when she basically gets a girl to do a back flip out of a window and I think she gets someone else to jump out of a plane with faulty parachute one. Since it was so long ago the details are vague but I certainly remember the premise of the movie;she took her revenge with a shot of death

On December 21st Sweeney Todd opens in theaters with a story line that also focuses on revenge. In this movie the main character played by Johnnie Depp is out to get revenge for his false imprisonment and what happened to his wife and child because of it. I won't give out too many details here but you should definitely visit the official Sweeney Todd movie site and visit Sweeney Todd on myspace to get feedback from other fans. I am not sure that the television commercials for this film do it any justice, I have a much stronger desire to see it after visiting the film site.

A kitten

I have been bugging Kenny for weeks now about getting another cat. Yes I know we have three and a dog but I want another cat. The three cats we have come with Kenny into our relationship and they have never developed a strong bond with me. It isn't that they do not like me that just prefer him. I get so jealous when I see one of them all curled up with him and I just want a cat to come sit with me and cuddle. I know it has a lot to do with losing Fawn and the on going health issues with YinYang. I also know it is part of the mother in me that wants to mother another cat. I'm not exacctly sure how Cosmo would react to a new cat. He loves the other cats but with a small one that will likely get a lot of attention from me , he may act different.
Today I started big by asking for four kittens and hopefully I will convince Kenny to get just one by the end of the day.
All I want for Christmas is a little cat.....

If I could

If I won the lottery or suddenly received an unbelievable salary there are many things that I would love to do with the additional money. First and foremost, I would give back as much as I could to my parents. Raising a child with a disability is far more costly, not just in expenses but in loss of work and other resources. I know it would take a lot to pay my parents back for all the sacrifices they made for me, but I would definitely try. Even if I just won a small amount I would be sure to send my parents on a much deserved vacation. My father has always wanted to go to Key West and I would love to make that happen for him.
Making this dream come true may not need to involve a huge raise or the lottery at all, if I am the lucky subscriber to the Trusted Travels newsletter from Trusted Travels and Attractions; Once you sign up for the newsletter you’re automatically entered to win 4 free tickets to attractions and tours in one of 21 different cities.
I would love to take my dad to Key West and explore as much as we can of what the city has to offer. There are so many tours and attractions available it would be hard to decide what to do first. I think my father would particularly enjoy the West Caribbean BBQ Sunset Sail; mostly because he loves to eat and he loves the ocean and I think it would make for a fun but relaxing evening. I have always wanted to visit The Ernest Hemingway House and Museum to see all of the six toed cats.
Even if I do not win the contest, I definitely have a resources now for all there is to see and do in Key West and hopefully find a discount or two along the way.

61 Degrees

Funny how 61 degrees in the summer feels like it is about 30 and 61 degrees in the winter feels like it is about 80. I could not believe it when I left the house this morning rarely would I call 61 degrees warm, but today it felt warm.
Winter becomes more tolerably when you a few nice above average days thrown in to thaw out. I am also happy because my furnace gets a little break. I received my first "winter" gas bill yesterday and while it was not outrageous it did nearly quadruple from the previous month.
I am going to start researching affordable options for improving my energy consumption and to try to save money on heating this winter.

Gothic Love

If you are a goth living in a big city then you probably have no problem meeting other goths, whether it be at clubs, at school or through your friends. However there are people who identify with a gothic culture that may not live in an area where there are people who are into the same things. Now there is a website that focuses on Goth singles , where a goth might just find his or her perfect match. I personally think that these niche websites are great for people with what some may consider an alternative lifestyles.
If you consider yourself a goth and you are looking for friends or a potential new relationship, be sure to check out goth personals. You already know that someone has interest in the gothic culture and you do not have to go digging through profiles to find another goth.
Darkyria.com is place for people involved in Goth, Dark, Fetish, Vampire, Heavy, Extreme Music and Alternative Culture to find other like minded people. If you like someone you can send them a wink, you can also have the Dark Cupid help find your soulmate or just explore the profiles of 1000's of singles for free. The site is also very visually appealing and has forums and a world map seeker as well.


This is a sponsored psot, I get paid to blog about items that I choose. Please read my disclosure policy at the bottom of the page.

Got a new phone

A couple of weeks ago while my cousin was cleaning our house, the phone accidentally feel off of the wall mount and into a bucket of water. Needless to say that phone no longer works. One of the Christmas gifts I had asked for from Kenny was a new home phone that was compatible with my bluetooth ear piece. I really love the bluetooth capabilities of my cell phone but since I do not get a signal at home I can not use it. With the death of the old phone this now opened up the door for a new phone even before Christmas.

I did some research online and decided on an AT@T expandable 5.8 digital phone. It had everything we were looking for and more. Kenny wanted a phone that you dial out from the base as well as the handset and this phone has a fully functional base indluding speaker phone, answering machine and programmed directory. I want a phone with speakephone and one that I could pair my bluetooth ear piece with so I can talk hands free in a variety of ways. I got that and then some, this phone allows you pair up to 8 bluetooth devices including cell phones. When I make a call I can decide if I want to come from my cell phone or my landline. I think this is a great feature because in some cases it can really save you money, you have the convenience of your landline but you can use the free minutes from your cell phone. If I did not have unlimited long distance on my land line I would take full advantage of this feature.
So far the quality of the phone has been great and we haven't hit any dead spots in the house yet. One draw back is that the directories in the base and the handsets exist independent of each other, so right now I have program everything in three times if I want full access to it. I am willing to put up with that for the other features.
Now I have to think of something else that I want for Christmas, since I already received the phone.

Keeping warm

On Saturday, Kenny and I were out and about and happened to be in the area of some major shopping plazas. Because of the increased shopping traffic many of the plazas had police out on the streets assisting to direct traffic. I think we went past the same spot twice about two hours apart and noticed the same police officers were still on duty standing out in the cold. The thing was looking at them they did not appear to be cold at all, they actually looked comfortable standing out in the 30 degree weather. That is when I realized that their winter clothes as actually designed to worn out side and are not just part of a flashy wardrobe.

Now I hate the cold and if I can find something that can keep me warm, then I am all over it. I immediately went home and did a search for police gear. And while I was able to find things like Galco holsters , I was also able to find tactical jackets and outerwear. I need to do a little more research before I decide if I want to purchase a new coat but this is definitely a resource that I will keep.



This is a sponsored post, I get paid to blog about items that I choose. Please read my disclosure policy at the bottom of the page.

Change of pace

What a difference a long holiday weekend makes... For the last three weeks I have been booked solid with appointments from 9:30am to 4pm everyday with a a half hour for lunch. I was literally squeezing people in between appointments if the first appointment ended early. It was non stop madness because of registration.

Today I get into to work and I have three appointments on my calendar and one of them was a no show. I literally did not know what to do with myself. I was so used to rushing through emails that even today when I had time to really respond I was flying through them. It seemed like most of the other advisors had similair days today with the exception of one who was still booked solid. It is funny how that happens, I guess different majors has different characteristics and some tend to be procrastinators.

Tomorrow calendar wise looks to be like mcuh of the same except we have a staff meeting as well. I guess it will take me a while to get used to the ebbs and flows of the new job.