Meet Allllllllllviiiiiiin!!! Check out those baby blues!  This is little Alvin! He’s a lab mix and has 6 brothers and sisters at the Greenville Humane Society right now. He looks like a baby bear doesn’t he?! $89.50 from the Greenville Humane Society, already neutered and ready to come home! You can also call the GHS for more information at 864-242-3626.  Watch video of Alvin above!

Also, coming up is Sips for Snips to benefit the Greenville Humane Society.  Thursday, April 23rd.  I’ll be there and I would love to meet you.  Call the GHS for tickets, 864-242-3626 or visit their website, click here. 

PLEASE VISIT WWW.RECOVERY.GOV

I have to say, I was so pleased with what President Barack Obama had to say during the Address to Congress… and all Americans… last night.  He really rejunvinated my spirit and hopes for immediate, calculated actions for the recovery of our ecenomy.  I almost felt bad for not voting for him.  Well…. maybe that’s a stretch, LOL.  He spoke about things that I wanted to hear.  Addressing these companies that have already received some stimulus bucks and all they did was tip their glasses back with it.  That burns me up.  I applauded him when he spoke about keeping our jobs in the United States.  I applauded him for really pointing the finger at parents who aren’t as involved as they should be in their childrens education.  I applauded him for telling these kids who drop out of high school that they not only give up on themselves, but also on their Country!!! 

I applauded our President after the Address to Congress when I visited www.recovery.gov.  WOW!  I hope he sticks to the timeline.  He did say that he wanted a “transparent and accountable” recovery and reinvestment.  Well it’s there at www.recovery.gov.  NOW, it is our turn to hold our President accountable.  He’s shown us his timeline and plan, now he wants to hear from us.  I encourage you to sign up to receive updates from this site that has been created for US!

PLEASE VISIT WWW.RECOVERY.GOV

There have been times, those times when I feel like a little pig wrapped in saran wrap under the heat lamp, that I have almost seriously considered calling up NutriSystem, Jenny Craig… all those diet places that supply the food for you at cost.  I feel sometimes I can’t dish out adequate portions.  Sometimes, I just load up and sometimes it’s too often.  So I get to thinking, yeah, I’m gonna have somebody else “prepare” my food for me, with the correct portion to start.  That way I don’t load up with too much food. 

But… I came across this.  And this opened my eyes and shut my mouth.  Why would I spend all this money, when I know, deep inside, that I can lose wieght if I truly put my mind to it.  Maybe you struggle with the same thing… and maybe this will help you make a decision.

HOW MUCH LOSING 30 POUNDS COSTS (MSN.com)

• Jenny Craig: Jenny Rewards, priced at $399 or $359, is a 12-month program that rewards dieters’ efforts and weight loss with discounts on food. There’s also an at-home option that is similar except you also pay for shipping and have consultations by phone.
• NutriSystem: This at-home system will appeal to those who don’t like to cook. It involves eating the company’s prepackaged meals exclusively. The 28-day program includes breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks (you may add fresh vegetables, fruit and dairy). Cost of losing 30 pounds: $1,199.80, including all food, except fresh fruits, vegetables and dairy.
• Weight Watchers: This is one of the most popular diets in the world, probably because there’s no such thing as taboo food. The diet is based on portion control and involves weekly support meetings. Registration is between $15 and $20, depending on location. Weekly meeting fees range from about $10 to $15, again, location-dependent. The standard monthly plan for Weight Watchers Online costs $46.90 the first month and $16.95 for subsequent months. Plan to lose 1 to 2 pounds per week for 20 weeks to reach a 30-pound weight-loss goal. Cost of losing 30 pounds: $214.80 to $299.80, depending on location, or $97.75 online, not including food.
• The Zone Diet: This well-rounded plan is based on a 40-30-30 ratio of daily calories obtained from carbohydrates, proteins and favorable fats. Signing up for the 30-day “Chef Selected” plan will cost $39.99 a day plus a shipping charge, which is $3 for customers in most cities and $10 for those in other areas. If you want to try it out for two weeks, you’ll pay $44.99 per day plus shipping. The average Zone dieter loses 8 to 10 pounds a month, and it will take three or four months to drop 30 pounds. Cost of losing 30 pounds: $3,869 to $5,159, which includes $3 a day for delivery.

Walking into the house and seeing this last night…. I don’t know how both John and I kept our cool, but we did!

I guess this was Tink’s project for Thursday.  To utterly destroy out laundry room closet door.  I have no idea why she did this.  Girl ain’t hungry!  And it’s just so odd because she’s a GREAT dog!  If she has to go to the bathroom in the morning and John and I are still sleeping, she’ll sit and whine until one of us wakes up to let her out.  Daisy on the other hand… ahhh, but she’s learning.

If you have any advice for me, or can tell me why our 5 year old fabulous Tink would do something like this, comment.  I need all the advice I can get.  Tink and Daisy are home during the day by themselves and I leave music on for them.  Perhaps it’s boredom.  But Tink hasn’t done something like this since she was a puppy. 

Awww, Tink… why?

I have got to tell you, one of my FAVORITE shows that I can not miss is the brand new LIE TO ME starring Tim Roth.  It’s on after American Idol Wednesday nights.  This show is AWESOME!!!  It’s crazy how they interject current events, I mean really current events, into this show. 

It’s ”based on the most cutting-edge research used by the TSA and homeland security” not to mention that Tim Roth is HOT.  (He’s up there with Keith Urban on my list, and that’s a tough one to climb!)  If you’ve seen the Mentalist, which is a really good show too, you find some similarities but according the actor Brendan Hines, he says “The difference between the two shows is that our show [Lie To Me] is based on actual science, while ‘Mentalist’ is, I think, more of a scam.”  Tim Roth’s character can detect lies through body language.  Tightening of the brow, you’re lying.  Pursing of the lips, you’re lying.  It’s crazy, because now I watch the show and try and detect who’s lying!! 

I haven’t been this excited about a show in quite a while.  I look forward to it every week.

And here’s the kicker for you!  Tim Roth’s character (Dr. Cal Lightman) is based on that of clinical psychologist Dr. Paul Ekman. The Oakland-based scientist—whose books include Telling Lies, Emotions Revealed and Unmasking the Face—is an expert lie detector who’s advised everyone from the Secret Service and the Department of Defense to Pixar on the science of reading facial expressions. Ekman’s research indicates that our facial expressions for emotion are innate, universal and nearly impossible to conceal. From the U.S. to Japan, Africa and New Guinea, happiness, anger, surprise and despair trigger the same facial muscles. It’s an idea that Darwin hypothesized but had been largely dismissed by scientists who, before Ekman’s research, believed that facial expressions are culturally determined.

Give this show a try.  It comes on Fox after American Idol on Wednesday nights.  I promise, you won’t be disappointed!

  (sorry the pic is a little dark)

This beautiful girl won’t stay long at Greenville Humane Society. Abbie (she also has a brother at GHS needing a home too! I bet they would love to go to a new home together!) is a Lab mix, 2 months old and $79.50 from the Greenville Humane Society on Furman Hall Road in Greenville. Call GHs at 242-3626 for more information. You can also watch video of Abbie above.

She is a wonderful gal pal.  Walking the halls here at the studio, she stayed right by my side the whole time.  She is trusting and ready for adventure, wherever you go she’ll go!  She is a girlie girl too!  She likes to be held and share her affection. 

One more thing, thanks to all of you who went down to Soby’s last Thursday evening.  Remember they were doing a special fundraiser for the Greenville Humane Society, 1/3 of all sales at Soby’s between 5p-8p went to GHS.  Soby’s presented a check for $925 this week from your support.  THANK YOU!

So today President Obama signs the $787 billion economic stimulus package.  We’ll see how it goes.  As of right now, 2:27pm on Tuesday the DOW is down 248 points.

A couple things I want to share, I was talking with my Aunt who works in relocation earlier today, and she sees firsthand what’s going on with the housing market.  It’s crushing, but at the same time…. WHAT OPPORTUNITY!  You truly can buy a house and make mortgage payments that are the same or even less than what you are paying in rent!  Honestly consider buying in this type of market.  Interest rates are way down and for first-time home buyers, you can get a tax credit, possibly up to $8,000! 

As far as the job market goes, I just sit here and close my eyes and shake my head.  It’s bewildering.  Maybe that’s easy for me to do because I have a job right now.  Honestly, my heart goes out to those who have lost their job.  But here’s something for you…  I am so pleased to work side by side (literally) with our News Talk station, NewsRadio W.O.R.D.  On their website they have begun a WORD Job Connection section where you can view jobs here in the Upstate or post positions here in the Upstate!  If you are looking for a job, then check here, www.newsradioword.com and click on WORD Job Connection. 

I love it, anything we can do to help via our type of industry, we will do.  Carpe Diem.  And for those of you looking for a job, remember that is your full-time job right now, so try not to get frustrated.  That brings to mind what my Dad shared with me a few weeks ago.  (And he was so surprised that I actually remembered what he said… ahhhh, Dads)  In this kind of ecenomy is when we see ideas come to fruition.  New businesses begin and some established businesses flourish.  Just like kids need a good kick in the behind every now and then, sometimes we professionally need to feel that crunch and tension to really get us moving. 

It’s another Wet-Nose Wednesday at Magic!  Thanks for stopping by my blog today.  This here is Chubs.  A Rottie mix!  She is precious.  $89.50 from the Greenville Humane Society.  She’s already been spayed, as her 2 sisters who are also up for adoption at GHS.   Please watch video of Chubs above!

Little Chubs just wanted to snuggle.  She’s lovable.  And by the size of her paws, she won’t be too big. 

The Greenville Humane Society also has some fabulous long-sleeve, short-sleeve shirts, mugs, sticks… and all your purchases help out the Greenville Humane Society.  This is one of the shirts I bought.  Great print, comfortable and it fits nicely.   I was tugging on it a little so you could see the logo better.

Also something else very special, Thursday (2/12) night, Soby’s is having guest bartenders Joe Erwin and Roger Beasley from 5-8pm.  Please come by and get some food and drink.  One third of the proceeds from their stint behind the bar will go to the Greenville Humane Society!  Soby’s is located in downtown Greenville across the street from the Westin Poinsett Hotel.

Thanks for stopping by!  Stacie B.

Hi Everyone!

Don’t forget our FREE History of Love party at the Upcountry History Museum tonight, 5:30-7:30pm.  It is free, but donations will be accepted.

Tonight we just gather together for a good time.  If you haven’t visited the Museum yet, now is the perfect time!  Learn about the history of South Carolina… on our dime! 

If driving into Greenville from I-85 and I-385, stay on I-385 as it goes into the downtown area and changes into East North Street then Beattie Place in front of the BiLo Center. Continue as the street name changes to College Street; cross over Academy Street and pass the Hughes Main Library on your right. At the next light turn right onto Atwood Street and the Museum parking lot will be on your right.

There is a disturbing incident in which Bruce Springsteen fans were charged higher than norman prices for concert tickets at a website called Tickets Now, which is a ticket agency owned by Ticketmaster.  The problem was that primary tickets were still on sale when fans were being sent to the site which was selling seats for a markup.  Looks like the Federal Trade Commission will begin an investigation, which it should.   Just be vigilant when you order your tickets for the E Street Band concert in Atlanta at Philips Arena on April 26th.  It will be something very special…..Lee