Get Your Tickets - The Easy Way!

Speaking of easy (okay, see my previous post), have you ever bought online airline tickets; or online tickets to the movies or maybe a theme park? I have. It's so cool just walkin' in right past that long sorry line with your ticket in hand; no waiting, no muss, no fuss. You can even wear a haughty little smirk on your face, or stick out your tongue if you've got guts and you're really immature.

In any case, did you know that now, through an online premium ticket broker, you can get tickets to sporting events, concerts, threatre productions, and even fabulous Las Vegas shows? You can get tickets to just about any kind of event online, which means you won't have to wait in that long line just to watch the guy in front of you buy the last tickets, or get stuck with the crummy seats in the binoculors section. Here's a tip: Premium Seats USA offers a huge selection of first-class tickets to concerts, sports and theater events nationwide. It only takes a few clicks, and walla! Your tickets are in the bag!

Just another way for the Link Lady to make your life a little bit easier.

Terrific Tax Tip

Here's a handy little tax tip, from yours truly.

I personally have done my taxes using a number of different methods; in fact, I still do. I do my children's taxes manually. No big deal, they are uncomplicated. I just have them send me their W2's and their state tax forms and booklets and I do them on paper. Occasionally I have bought software to automate the process of doing my own taxes and filing electonically. Some were pretty good, others were disappointing.

Now, it's gotten really simple. My married daughter and hubby (and I) are hooked on Tax Slayer. This is a super easy-to-use online tax preparation program that's free to use OR costs only $9.95 if you choose to e-file. You just answer a series simple questions; and you can enter the info and save your form to finish later if you wish. Simplest, cheapest, and best way to file taxes I've found, and I swear I'm not getting paid to say this.

Out With the Old!

So quickly, it's already New Year's Eve, and I haven't even had a chance to ask if Santa brought you lots of toys and goodies on his sleigh...

Well, did he?

I don't know about you, but I am very much looking forward to the upcoming new year. This year sucked, and I'm glad to be rid of it! And to celebrate, this morning I cleaned out my garage. The weather was frigid, probably 8 degrees F, but I didn't care. A friend came by with a trailer and we loaded it up with dead major appliances, unassembled furniture, rusty steel drums (don't ask) and broken down cardboard boxes! (Sigh!) It felt so good sweeping the dust and the dirt out onto the clean white snow. And now I have room for a car!

See, already I'm setting myself up for a much better new year. I makin' plans! Which might even lead to goals and - dare I say it? - resolutions!

Have a fabulous new year!

Great Last Minute Gift Idea!

Dear Last-Minute-Holiday-Shopper,

As Christmas approaches, we often find oursleves scratching our heads, pondering what to get that one person who stubbornly remains on our gift list. Either it's that relative who either has everything or who says "No, really, I don't want anything at all," OR who is never satisfied with what he or she gets. Come on, you know who I'm talking about!

I believe I can help you here... I may have the perfect solution: Dot Flowers. Now, right away you may be thinking, "Awe, my old man isn't into flowers, come on!" but flower delivery is just one facet of Dot Flowers. Granted, their Christmas floral arrangements are amazing, but if you want something totally unique and different, take a look at Dot Flowers' themed Gift Baskets. There is no way you cannot find something that will please your old man or Aunt Myrtle or anyone else on your list. We're talking gourmet foods and tasty cookies and fruit baskets and so much more!

The Dot Flowers website is super easy to use, and their customer service department is eager to please - they will make every effort to make sure you are pleased with your order. The best part is, you can stay at home! No crowds to fight, no bad wather problems, no lugging gifts back to the car (if you can find it). Just click on the link above, browse, and click-to-order! Bonus: no wrapping and no ribbon curling! What could be simpler? And, really. . . who doesn't adore getting a professionally delivered gift?

So there you have, priceless advice you can't get anywhere else.

Glad to be of service.

S. K. Sometimes-Expert-Gift-Adviser

Winter Wardrobe Idea!

Dear Link Lover,

It's been incredibly cold here in southeastern Idaho for the last week or so, and I mean cold!!!!!! With daily high temps in the single digits, I have given in to a new wardrobing system: I now wear (at least) two of everything. Two pairs of socks, two pairs of pants, two shirts. In fact, now I know why guys wear a undershirt under their SHIRT-shirt. To venture outside I now layer my heavy winter coat over a jacket or heavy sweatshirt, which I layer over a long sleeved shirt layered over a t-shirt. I also wear two mufflers, one under my coat and the other over it and around the breathing part of my face. And, of course, I wear two pairs of gloves. If I could wear two pairs of shoes, I would.

Remember the old Cosby show? The Huxtables were always wearing those heavy woolly sweaters during the winter. In one episode, Bill took a half an hour bundling little Rudy up so thick that her arms stuck straight out to the sides; and then, of course, she had to go to the bathroom.

Living in California, as we did for so long, you just can't appreciate the cold until you experience it for yourself. People around here take it in stride. In fact, they often walk around in t-shirts, as though they don't even notice the blue skin and the frost bite.

All I know is, if it's going to be this cold, there better be some freakin' snow around here by Christmas!

Yours,

S. K. Keepin' It Warm!

How to Start a Freelance Career

I am providing you with the following information because chances are, if you are reading this blog, you are also a writer-of-blogs yourself. And if you are a blog writer, chances are you wouldn't mind making some money from your writing; in fact, it is feasible that you are at this very moment engaged in doing just that through Google Adsense, product links, and who-knows-what other methods (with possibly questionable results). Chances are you would like to find high-paying jobs and clients worldwide if only you knew how to go about it. If this describes you, my faithful blogging buddy, read on, and you shall learn how to. . .

Work at Home and Earn an Excellent Income

Imagine being able to work from your own home, doing a job you love, and getting paid handsomely for doing it. Wouldn't that be great?

Well, the good news is that this is not just a fantasy. It is a prospect that is well within your reach. Today, millions of people worldwide have established highly-successful careers as freelance professionals. Writers, designers, programmers and many other home-based consultants have discovered that freelancing offers the perfect combination of freedom, creativity, flexibility and profitability.

So do you need years of experience and fantastic qualifications to join these lucky people? Not at all. You just need a skill that you can offer to potential clients, and the willingness to learn how to run a home-based business.

Of course, the biggest challenge for new freelancers is finding enough work to justify giving up a day job. How can you be sure that you will keep yourself busy with lucrative work? This used to be a concern, but thanks to the advent of the Internet, things are now much easier.

Now there are a number of job sites dedicated to helping freelancers find work and stay busy. Freelance Work Exchange, for example, brings you hundreds of fresh freelance jobs like these:

Write for Discussion Boards: $1200 per week, plus bonus

A writer is needed for an ongoing writing project. You will need to write copy to stimulate others into joining the discussion board. The writer needs to actively encourage regular and meaningful debate on the relevant discussion board, with some moderating of the content. You must have solid writing skills and good ideas.

Administer a Web Business from Home: $4000 per month

A successful e-commerce venture is seeking a part-time virtual assistant to act as a home-based office manager. You will deal with email correspondence, update site content and deal with general admin issues. You should have your own computer and Internet access.

Transcribe Author's Notes: $80 per hour, flexible working

A publishing company is seeking a freelance with an eye for detail to transcribe authors' notes and recordings for a range of ongoing projects. You must have a good grasp of English, be able to edit content into readable form, and be able to submit work from home by email.

You can sign up for a trial subscription for just $2.95, and get instant access to all the projects in the jobs database. So if you would like to get started on the road to freelance success right now, click here to sign up today.

Good luck to you!

S. K. Freelance-Linker

Education Made Easy

Remember the olden days when one had to walk to school barefooted in the snow up hill both ways? Neither do I. But way back when (I'm not sure when "when" was, exactly) kids apparently had quite a time getting an education because not only did they have the afore-mentioned transportation problems, but whenever there was a crisis on the home front, like the cows got out or Ma was sick and the young 'uns needed tendin', the kids were needed at home. In fact, back then, home came first; you went to school if you had nothing else to do - Pa's rules. (That's what they called Dad back then: Pa.) I know all of this because I read the Little House on the Prairie series and I've watched my share of TV. Also, I've heard these very same stories told by actual old folks, so I know they're true.

Compared to all that, getting an education nowadays is a piece of cake! Educational options abound for students of all ages, especially with the all of the new online opportunities. Internet-based educational programs (or "distance learning curriculums") such as Laurel Springs School provide kindergarten through high school students with high quality, yet flexible learning experiences.

Likewise, students no longer must leave home to attend college. Aside from attending the local community or junior college, online college opportunities now exist, making it easier than ever to earn a college degree, even while tending the farm or raising kids or working full-time at the gas station around the corner. Imagine the cost savings of staying at home and taking online classes that fit into your schedule as opposed to living in a dorm on campus (and eating cafeteria food)! Capella University is a fine example of a high-quality online university. Accredited and based in Chicago, Capella offers higher education programs in business, information technology, education, human services and psychology, as well as 76 graduate and undergraduate specializations and 16 certificate specializations. It doesn't matter where you live to attend - Capella serves students in all 50 states and in 63 countries!

Our world is quickly changing, and it's great to know that now, no matter where you live or what kinds of daily reponsibilities you have - you can still get a great education!

Identifying the Stupid Among Us... not that hard to do

Every so often, one must check out the latest stupid news. You know, news stories about people who have brains about the size of a grape; those folks who should never recreate. (If you are one of these people, please just move on to the next blog, because these will only be confusing to you.)

Found: a stolen ATM in the thief's backyard. Still full of money (maybe saving for a rainy day?).

Ignition: a woman smokes cigarrette while gassing up the car. Boom! No more car.

Pretty Pot: a mom lets teen grow a "nice looking plant." She's out on bond.

If you really want to see some "boneheaded" material (these are videos, folks), visit http://bonehead.oddballs.com/todays_bonehead.html

If nothing else, this is a great way to feel really, really smart!

Until Later,

S. K. Link-You-Up

My Apparent Disappearance

Dear Web Wanderer,

Where the heck have I been? How many times have you asked yourself that question? How many times have you visted this blog and found my last post of August 26 still residing here and wondered, what the heck happened to her? Where is that prolific, entertaining, fun-to-read blogger that I am so fond of? Well, I'm not dead if that's what you're thinking.

On the other hand, if "where the heck have I been?" is a question you've been asking yourself about your own whereabouts, maybe I can help you. Where are you now? If you are reading this it is safe to say you are using a computer. Is it your own computer? If not, are you at the library? (Look around you.) Are you at a friend's house, or using Mom's computer? If none of these possiblities rings a bell, chances are you are somewhere you are not supposed to be, and you need to GO. Come back later.

For the rest of you, let me apologize right here for my extended absence. Life has taken me in many new (and not always pleasant) directions, and meanwhile I have learned one basic eternal truth: it's hard to keep up with six weblogs when you have other stuff to do.

Please accept my sincere apologies, and I promise to keep you entertained much more frequently.

Sincerely,
S. K. Links-A-Lot