How was your Christmas?

I hope you all had a very Merry Christmas (or Happy Holidays ... whatever you celebrate!). I know I did. I got to spent time with some family I haven't seen for a while. It certainly was nice.

Did you exchange gifts with your family/friends? One of my favourite gifts this year was a new camera from my dad. I've been out looking for a new camera for the past few months so I was excited to get one from him! He knows cameras very well so I'm sure he picked out a good one for me! I'm excited to start using it! Some other cool gifts that I got included a computer game, a movie, and some clothes. I gave out a lot of homemade calendars this year which was fun! I also gave out a couple tickets. I gave my boyfriend tickets to a concert later on this year (also one for me, so I can go with him!!). I got my parents tickets for a comedy show. They are really big on comedy. I can't say it's my favourite thing, but they enjoy it, so they will have a great time together. I promised my sister a shopping trip. Mostly because I'm the one of us with some style, and I'm hoping she'll pick up on it soon!

We also had some delicious food! My aunt made some turkey and mashed potatoes - it was amazing! I'm still full from the meal, and it's two day later!

I hope you all had an amazing Christmas! I hope that you at least got to spend some time with loved ones.

Soon it's New Years Eve! Does anyone have any plans yet? I am hanging out with my boyfriend and we're probably going out clubbing or something (typical). I'm sure it'll be a good time. And I will definitely report back!

Merry Christmas ... and Happy New Year ... it's almost 2011! Feel free to post about how you spent your Christmas or your plans for New Years Eve!

Food and Activity Tracker - Amazing Site

I have just found an amazing website! For those of you who want to eat right, lose weight, gain muscle, etc., this is the perfect site for you!

http://www.mypyramidtracker.gov.

What does this site do? Well you can input what you ate during a day and what kind of exercise you did during the day. It calculates the health values. It calculates the nutriet values. You can see what nutrients you need to eat more or less of.

I love the ease of adding foods in and it just keeps track of everything and calculates everything for you. That way you can see what you need to improve on! I just found it a couple days ago and I plan to continue using it. I'm going to input all my activities at the end of every day. I'll see how I can improve my eating pattern! I'm just very excited about this and feel that it can really help me out in my quest to become fit and healthy.

Perhaps this will help you, perhaps not. I'm hoping you at least take a look at it because, well, it is an amazing and very helpful site!!

The Breach of Confidentiality

The reason for this post? I feel very violated due to something that someone very close to me did. It wasn't just a friend though. It was my own mother. It wasn't just anyone she talked to, but a police officer.

I'm not a bad person. I've made some mistakes in the past. Maybe pretty bad mistakes. I can't say what it is on here but it's something that I have fixed (made right) and also something that really only hurts me. It doesn't affect anyone else. It's not something terrible like murder or theft or anything like that - so don't think I'm a bad person!

I got really worried and scared one night so I called my mom, just because I needed to get it out. I felt a lot better about it after I told her and I made sure she knew that I was in the process of solving the problem.

Nothing stopped her from talking to the police about it though. The police can't charge me (thank goodness). But, if things go wrong, they could in the future. I have to be insanely carefeul now to make sure I don't do anything close to that again. I thought that my own mother would at least respect my privacy. Maybe even help me through this. No. She tells the police. I don't know if she wants me scared or in trouble. She definitely got me scared, but I'm not in trouble. I can't believe she would do this to me though. I thought we were close. She told me that I could always call her if I was scared or needed any help or anything. That is why I called her at that moment. But I certainly won't anymore.

Bottom line, be careful who you talk to, you never know who could turn on you.

How To Find A Perfect Last Minute Gift

Face it, Christmas arrives before you even realize it's coming up. I start planning for Christmas months early but there are always a couple of last minute gifts to get. The gifts I"m talking about here are more "a 'week before Christmas" rather than "a day before Christmas" ideas.

1. Buy tickets. This can be for almost anyone on your list. Remembert to buy two tickets though. He or she will want to go with someone! Unless you know this person's schedule though, make sure you book it for at least a month after Christmas, so he or she can book it off work or change plans if necessary. It works great for a boyfriend, giflriend, spouse, parent, or sibling.

2. Donate to charity. Giving $30 - $50 to a charity in someone's name is especially nice. You can often give specific gifts which are lots of fun. I donated a goat from CHF to my parents one year. It is nice to pair this with a small gift as well (so the receiver actually gets something). But it is a perfect gift for someone who has everything they need, like parents!

3. Purchase a spa kit. Spa kits are very popular around Christmas time and you can get them in most department stores. Everything is prepackaged and put together so you don't have to do any work. It is a great gift for almost any female.

4. Gift a bottle of wine. Or another type of alcohol that is preferred (maybe your dad loves Crown Royal? maybe your sister loves Jack Daniels?). Go for that. Wine is a safe bet though because, even if the receiver doesn't like that wine, it is still good for guests and dinner parties. Great for anyone of age and who enjoys a bit of drinking.

5. Pick up a gift certificate. It isn't too hard to pick up a $30 - $50 gift certificate to a clothing store, electronic store, or even a department store. For someone who is hard to shop for, it is a great idea because he or she will be able to choose her own gift. This is not a good idea for a boyfriend, girlfriend, spouse, or parent. It is recommended for a sibling, friend, child, niece, nephew, or grandchild.

6. Homemade cookies or chocolate. Yum! If you can bake, this is the way to go. Who can resist chewy homemade chocolate chip cookies? Fresh, rich chocolate mints? This is a great gift for anyone on your list but I have found that it is usually a winner for a boyfriend, girlfriend, or spouse.

Happy Shopping!

November 2010's Best Songs

1. Rihanna - Only Girl

Incredibly catchy. Has some good remixes as well. Definitely a popular song these days - one that you should not miss out on!

2. Ducksauce - Barbra Streisand

Unique ... that is the most common word used for this song. Great beat. Definitely a club song. It makes you want to get up and dance! Still unique and random.

3. Wynter Gordon - Dirty Talk (Laidback Luke Remix)

It has to be that remix. I mean, the song is pretty awesome, but that remix is the best!

4. Keshia Chante - Table Dancer

Beautiful song. She has an incredible voice that fits this type of music for sure. It is a song that just catches your attention when you hear it.

5. Stromae - Alors On Danse

Wow, enough said! Amazing beat. It just makes you want to get up and dance! Personally, I can't get enough of this song! Perfect at a club or a party.