Sunday, August 12, 2012

Your Opinion on Facial Creams

     The company I work for has taken on a new project and we are in the 1st phase. Would you be so kind as to complete the survey below and return to me really fast? It should only take a minute or two. It would be great to have them back by end of day Tuesday, August 14, 2012 so we can tally them on Wednesday.

    Be a part of a exciting new product!  Please leave your comments below or copy/paste and email to liberateyourskin@yahoo.com.  I'll be looking for your response!

_______________________________________________________
Facial Cream Survey
Be a part of a exciting new product!

Thank you for participating. This is a general survey of your perception and use of facial cream. The results will be used to validate a new facial cream product.

1. How often do you use facial cream product?
☐ Never
☐ Few times a month
☐ 1 to 2 times a week
☐ 3 to 4 times a week
☐ Once a day

2. What is the first brand that comes to mind when thinking of a facial cream product?

3. What brand or brands of facial cream do you use and why?

4. On average, how often do you purchase facial cream?
☐ Once every 2 to 3 weeks
☐ Once each month
☐ Once every 2 to 4 months
☐ Once every 5 to 12 months
☐ Never

5. On average, how much do you spend on facial cream each month?
☐ Less than $10
☐ $10 - $20
☐ $20 - $40
☐ $40 - $80
☐ $80 - $160
☐ More than $160

6. Where do you most often buy facial cream?
☐ Online
☐ Department Store
☐ Drug Store/Pharmacy
☐ Cosmetic Store
☐ Beauty Salon/Spa
☐ Other


7. Where do you obtain advice or learn about new skin care products? Check all that apply.
☐ Television
☐ Internet
☐ Magazine/Newspaper
☐ Friends/Family
☐ Beauty Salon/Spa


8. What skin conditions do you want to treat? Check all that apply.
☐ Dry Skin
☐ Oily Skin
☐ Acne/Blemishes
☐ Wrinkles
☐ Sagging Skin
☐ Dark spots/uneven skin tone
☐ Dark circles around eyes
☐ Puffiness
☐ Other

 9. I read the list of ingredients on the label before purchasing.
☐ Always
☐ Most of the time
☐ Rarely
☐ Never

10. Ingredients influence my purchasing behavior.
☐ Agree
☐ Neutral
☐ Disagree

11. When deciding to purchase a product, how important is price?
☐ Not Important
☐ Somewhat Important
☐ No opinion
☐ Important
☐ Very Important

12. When deciding to purchase a product, how important is the brand name?
☐ Not Important
☐ Somewhat Important
☐ No Opinion
☐ Important
☐ Very Important

13. When deciding to purchase a product, how important is an initial free sample?
☐ Not Important
☐ Somewhat Important
☐ No Opinion
☐ Important
☐ Very Important

14. When purchasing facial cream, how does packaging influence your purchase?
☐ Not Important
☐ Somewhat Important
☐ No Opinion
☐ Important
☐ Very Important

15. If/when purchasing online, does the package the facial cream arrives in matter?
☐ Not important that my product arrives in a typical brown delivery box
☐ Somewhat important that my product arrives in a tastefully done package
☐ Very important that my product arrives in a tastefully done package

16. Finally, and we hate to ask, but this information would be really helpful, please select your age range
☐ Under 20
☐ 21 - 34
☐ 35 - 50
☐ 51 - 65
☐ Over 65

I am sure once we go into production, there will oppotunities to sample the product!


Thursday, July 19, 2012

Mirror, Mirror

Next time you get in your car,
you might want to check your mirror! 

Wednesday, July 18, 2012

On the Way to Work

      On my way to work, I spied the following, a roadrunner, a squirrel taking a nap in the middle of the road (wink, wink) and a redtail hawk scooping up his breakfast. One would think that I live out in the country, but I live in a well established suburb of Dallas.
      By the way the usual sighting of the resident buffalo herd were no where to be seen. Who would have thunk it!

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Want Corn?

Preface:  I have the absolutely most wonderful husband in the world!  His gift is service and my gift is receiving that service! 

     Occasionally, there is a hick-up.  Sunday as I was napping (love those naps), Mr. Wonderful proceeded to cook dinner, corn-on-the-cob and chicken wings.  He decided that it was be great to deep fry the corn.  As I looked forward to a perfect, pure corn-on-the-cob, with salt and butter, he proceeded to deep fry the corn, with and without breading.
     Well, the unbreaded tasted a lot like popcorn, not quite popped and a little chewy.  The breaded corn was different.  But I am a purest. . . just give me corn, butter and salt - I'll do the rest!

Thursday, June 14, 2012

Day Lily Summer


Bright Yellow and Ruffles

It's been a day lily summer.  In the Spring several years ago we visited my hubby's parents in Camden, TN.  I love reading those little town papers.  They are really newsy, and fun even if you don't have a clue who they are talking about.  In the ads, I found one for day lilies and it was only about 30 miles away.
 
When we get to the field.  There are 3 houses and rows upon rows of daylilies!  They were blooming in yellow, pinks, deep red, violet, deep purple everything color under the sun.  And boy do those flowers love the sun.  The girl selling the lilies offered them to us at 2 for $5!  Now if you have every priced them, you are looking at $15 to $20.  I found a great deal!


Dark Red and Happy Orange

Now the inspirational part, as I was picking out the lilies I want she began.  Her grandmother owned the land.  Her and her husband had a floral shop and nursery, until they got too old to run it by themselves.  So began the "Day Lily" project.  She said her grandmother started buying day lilies on-line and her grandfather keep planting.  The rows began to mutiple and get ling and longer until the field was full.  Her grandpa had died the fall before we got there.  Her grandmother had all the day lilies mowed down so she didn't have to fool with them any more.  Well, low and behold when spring started the warming of the earth, the day lilies began to poke their green leaves, and right behind them came these.  Even grandmother was happy and saw it as sign that her husband was watching over them!

Pretty and Pink

Mellow Yellow and Pink Ruffles
















And so as the Fall of life comes, we also know that the birth of Spring will follow. 

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Monster, CareerBuilder, Indeed, LinkedIn - Unemployed, but still optimistic!

After being booted from JCPenney and my office on April 13, 2011 . . .
The mousey gray walls of my cube
were transformed with wrapping paper from
THE CONTAINER STORE
Did you even know they carry wrapping paper?  Yes, they do and it is delightfully different!

Life has certainly changed since April 13, 2011, when I was escorted to HR and told my position had been eliminated, along with about 5,000 others JCP Associates since January all across the country.  I had worked for JCPenney for 8.37 years, at least that is what they told me!

Read the rest of the story at I COULD USE A DEAL!

Monday, May 30, 2011

Memorial Day

What could be more poignant than Old Glory flying in the early morning breeze!


Thanks to all our veterans that have fought to make us free!
Thank you, Dad!  Thinking of you today and knowing what the Marine's taught you, you have put to good use by getting God's house all organized!  The white short sleeve shirts, then the white long sleeve shirts, the colored short sleeve shirts, then colored long sleeve shirts both in the same color order!

Saturday, May 28, 2011

I'm No Martha Stewart Beef Stew

I haven't made Beef Stew in a a month of Sundays, but with all this  icy, below freezing, snowy weather in North Texas, did I mention icy, it sounded like it would hit the spot!

Remember I don't have a sou chef or a clean up crew and I am not Martha Stewart!

The big pot is for the final product.  I took the cubed up beef and put it into a baggie with flour, salt and pepper and browned it . . .

in the frying pan with a little oil.



Ooops!  One for the doggies!  Don't worry, rinsed it off and just  like you have seen dogs eat worse things!  OOHHH!  Bad visual! 

I add the browned meat to the big pot with 1 can of Progresso French Onion Soup, 2 can of Campbell's Beef Consume and a couple of cans of water. 


I also add my carrots.  I like them almost mushy, but not falling apart.  Yes, they are out of a bag and already peeled, I just cut them in half.

I let the beef and carrots simmer for about 45 minutes.  Next were the spices;  garlic, 4 bay leaves, and pepper.  Be sure and take the bay leaves out before you serve.  Someone (hubby) may think you are trying to kill him, as they are poison if you eat them...but bring a really good taste to the stew. . .go figure! Correction - from my sweet mother-in-law - it is Bay Laurel that is poison, not Bay Leaves!  Even at 50+ you can learn something new!

I know, I know the spices aren't fresh.  Once again I am not Martha Stewart or for that matter, any Stewart!  Next come the potatoes.....I cut them in quarters and left the skins on, because the "butter gold" potatoes have thin skin and they don't come off like the bigger baking potatoes that some people use.  Anytime I use baking potatoes my sou chef (me) peels off the skin.

Cook some more until potatoes are fork tender.  Open two cans of green beans, sorry not off the vine!

The beans just need to warm up, not cook!  And that is how you make I'm No Martha Stewart Beef Stew!  But I do have to give credit to my dear Nana and her patience in teaching me how to make a wonderful beef stew!

Remember I don't have a sou chef or a crew to clean up . . .

But I do have a wonderful husband that can't believe that I can make this big of a mess! 
And doesn't mind cleaning up after his person Martha Stewart!



Monday, May 2, 2011

Administrative Professionals Week is April 24th – 30th, 2011

Come along with me for a week of
Administrative Professional Stories

Friday

Excuse me for the interruption, but life happens and some things take priority. . . so I am late on finishing this blog topic.
My last day of blogging on this topic is to say, “Thank you” to all my great bosses over the past 25+ years. I have always worked hard and have always been blessed with bosses that saw that and rewarded me well, with not only money, but their knowledge, their belief in me and their trust.

So thank you ALL!

Mrs. Davis – Sears, Memorial City, Houston, TX  (A very classy lady, who started me out on the right foot many years ago!)

Don Keding – Yellow Cab, Houston, TX  (My ex-uncle, but I think of him often)

Bob Howard – Howard Automotive Group, Edmond, Oklahoma


Bob and his ideas!  Well, I had one of my own.  Usually you get a 40th birthday "Over the Hill", but that was way to obvious!  I had an "Over the Hill" birthday party on his 39th Birthday.  There was a lady in mouning and a Preacher was reading his "obituary"!  See he wasn't the only one with ideas!  (Notice that computer, we've come a long way!)
My 30 year old daughter still talks about the Christmas he stopped by with a Teddy Bear that was as big as she was.  The Teddy Bear still has a home, in the attic at my house!
John Hawkins – Coggin Honda, Jacksonville, FL
John was the consumate professional.  He dressed to the nine's, I dressed to the nine's.  He always had the next great idea.  He was an expert at putting together teams.  Things ran so smooth, he could have played golf everyday.  Not John he wanted more, another challenge, another idea to implement.  He was very generous and introduce me and my daughter to some of the finer things in life.  His wife was a doll and we also had a special relationship.
John was taken from this earth to early at 55, but I think about him and know that he now watches over me!
Clariece Lewis – Coggin Honda, Jacksonvlle, FL (Retired and living the good life in Florida)

Charlie Barth – White Hawk Pictures, Jacksonville, FL (I count his daughter as a dear friend.)

Scott Gallagher – T2Labs, Jacksonville, FL (Scott also left us to soon. Bless him and his family.)

Dale McDonough – JCPenney, Plano, Texas (Retired)

Danay Navinsky – JCPenney, Plano, TX (I would have added Danay's picture, but she would have never forgiven me!)

Thursday, April 28, 2011

Administrative Professionals Week is April 24th – 30th

Come along with me for a week of
Administrative Professional Stories


Thursday
   Back to John, my great boss in Jacksonville. He and his wife were in a pickle and they asked if I would come out and sit with the boy’s while they went out and I could bring my daughter. We loaded up and headed out to his house at the beach. We got there, no problem, got the boys bathed and settled. My daughter was performing on Sunday, so we had to roll her hair in the pink sponge roller. Yes, this was a few years ago.
   When John and Tracye got home, he took one look at Jaclyn and busted out laughing and 2 seconds later Jaclyn busted out crying! So I’ve got my boss, who had had a couple of drinks, on one side and my daughter, who thought the world had come to an end, I didn’t knew whether to laugh, cry or RUN!
    We got everything calmed down and John and his precious wife insisted that we stay and have some “horse dovers” and a few glasses of wine. Well, we stayed until I couldn’t remember exactly how many glasses of wine I had . . .time to go!
    Backing out of the drive way . . .did I mention that I drove a company car . . . I hit the mailbox! Did I stop, no not me, I just kept on going, going and going ‘til I got home.
    Panic set in the next morning. How bad was the mailbox damaged, how bad was the car, oh, my gosh, the CAR. Was I going to have to pay for fixing the car, where would I get the money, oh, my gosh . . .was I going to get FIRED?
    I got up the nerve to call John at home, apologized about the mailbox and the car. Being the great boss he was, he just laughed and said, “I stood the mailbox backup and I’ll have someone look at car on Monday, so relax and enjoy the rest of your week-end.”

How could one administrative assistant be soooo lucky!

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Administrative Professionals Week is April 24th – 30th

Come along with me for a week of
Administrative Professional Stories
Wednesday
   Once again, a, “You have got to be kidding!” story! Once again, Bob was my boss. You have to remember that this was the 1980’s, when we were secretaries and no one knew what a sexual harassment law was!
   Bob had a friend that was turning 40 and he wanted to make sure he didn’t forget his 40th birthday. Bob had an idea (again). Have a party, buy lots of liquor, find 40 black roses, a black Rolls Royce and, of course, the obligatory plastic blowup doll! Guess who was in charge of this affair (again) Moi!   
   Bob had a dealership friend that just so happen to have a 1960’ish black Rolls Royce. My connections helped me get the black roses. What to do about plastic blow up doll? Visualize this: A 5 foot tall blonde behind the extra large steering wheel, of this very conspicuous big black Rolls Royce. With gallons of liquor in the trunk and the black roses on the passenger’s seat . . .get ready.
   I am now at a filling station, using the air hose, remember when they used to be between the gas pumps . . . In the backseat, I have the “doll” blowing it up and trying to make sure no one sees me! Thank goodness I had my raincoat with me to cover up the “doll.”
   So here I go driving down the street, looking like Cruella d’Ville, except I don’t have puppies to hide, I have a blow up doll to deliver!

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Administrative Professionals Week is April 24th – 30th

Come along with me for a week of
Administrative Professional Stories
Tuesday
     As I am sure every admin can tell you, there are times when you look at your boss and say “You have got to be kidding!”
     Once upon a time there was another boss, Bob.  He was single and wanted to impress his current girlfriend. He came up with this great idea and just knew that I could make it happen. The day – Thursday.  The idea – Dinner for two at his home with butler service. The event – Saturday.   Great, no problem, I’ll just whip it up and make sure everything is perfect! Bob had no idea of what menu he wanted, just when and where.
    This is where the “you have got to be kidding” comes in. I was fortunate enough to call a remarkable catering company and they took on the dinner!  They did an outstanding job!

Monday morning came around and he slipped me a $100 bill for job well done!

Monday, April 25, 2011

Administrative Professionals Week is April 24th – 30th

Come along with me for a week of
Administrative Professional Stories
Monday
After spending the last ?? years (you really didn’t think I would tell you) as an Executive/Personal Assistant, I have received some great stuff for Administrative Professional Week. It used to be called Secretary’s Day; yes I have been around that long!
I have received all the usually fare, flowers, gift cards, Godiva Chocolates. In a lot of cases, I was the one that picked out the gift and made sure that all the admin’s in the office were covered. Yes, I always made sure that the gift was something that I liked . . . did you expect anything different! Please. . .
I worked as an Executive Assistant for a great guy for 8 years, who has since passed, way too young. Rest in peace, John. He NEVER got mad at me, but just once, he did and it was bad. We had special guests coming in from out of town and I was never told that they were to be in our office at 9 am; therefore, he did not know. Once they got in the office and were settled in the conference room, he closed his office door and read me the riot act. Come to find out, the visitor’s admin had not called to inform me that they would be in the morning. The last we heard was the appointment was at 2 pm, so I had planned to call her that morning to confirm the time, but didn’t get a chance.
Well, once the meeting was over and everything was sorted out, and since it was Administrative Professionals Week – I got a $500 bonus . . . I am thinking it was just a little out of guilt! We never once had a cross words again!

Would like to share your Admin Stories?  Just leave in the comments below!

Friday, April 22, 2011

Job Hunting - 1st step to looking your best!

In my quest for a job, in my mid 50's - did I really say that?  I'm looking at doing a few things to enhance my natural beauty (lol).  Whitening my teeth is #1 on the list and what a deal. 

Click and find the great deals in your town!


Monday, April 18, 2011

Giveaway: Royal Wedding 64 GB iPad 2 with Wi-Fi + 3G Ends 4/30

My friend, Jeanine, over at I Could Use a Deal and Southern Bella’s Ways To Save, are giving away a brand new iPad 2!  Follow the instructions and start entering today!

Sunday, April 17, 2011

A New Opportunity Awaits!

My position was eliminated at jcpenney along with two other coworkers (maybe more) . . .  But these things I know:
  1. God has a plan.
  2. When one door closes another opens, but man it is gonna suck waiting in that hallway!
  3. I went through financial hardship in the early 90's and managed to survive.
  4. You can't take blood from a turnip.
  5. God has a plan.
If you are in the DFW area and have a lead for an executive assistant, just send me an email and I will forward my resume.  I would be most grateful!

To all my Jacksonville friends, does your company have a Dallas office? Could you recommend me?
Always remember, God has a plan!  (That reiteration is for me!)

Sunday, April 10, 2011

Prayer for Women's Conference in Iraq

I have a dear friend, Colleen.  Colleen is a missionary in Jordan.  She has a love for educating Middle Eastern women about God's love for them.  I only worked with Colleen a few years, but her ministry has keep us in touch beyond those years.  She is in Irbil, N. Iraq this week to help with a women’s conference for pastor’s wives.  Please pray for her safety, her health and all women are brought closer to God's sweet love.
Her March newsletter is below...
March 31, 2011
Catching up with Colleen


II Tim 1:7 - For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. 2 Timothy 1:7
Dear Friends,
    It has been a stressful couple of months here and not because North Africa and the Middle East have turned upside down! Just like with any job there is a lot of work to do and not enough people to do the work. I have been in the office and my apartment the last 3 months writing reports to donors, proposals for future donors and just about any other kind of paperwork you can imagine.
    I am ready to get out and be with the people and I get that opportunity in April. I will be going with 2 other AWT staff members to Irbil, N. Iraq to help with a women’s conference for pastor’s wives. I will be doing the audio and video recording (new skills I am learning). Also, a woman from Ohio whose son was killed in the war has a heart to minister to Iraqi women, so she going with us. She will stay with me from the 7th until we leave on the 11th.

     As far as the unrest in this region, Jordan still remains the most peaceful. Last Friday there were demonstrations in 3 parts of the city. I got caught in traffic where university students were expressing their support of the King. It was the tail end of the event and the only problems it caused were traffic jams! Fortunately, the majority of Jordanians support King Abdullah, so that means less trouble!

Colleen is on the far right.
Blessings,

كولّين
Colleen

Prayer Requests:
 Please pray for all the details to come together for the Iraqi conference (logistics and finances) and safety for the women that will be attending. The conference will be from April 11-13 and the theme is “Jesus is the balm of our soul”. A Lebanese Christian counselor is the main speaker.
 Praise that my residence visa was renewed, so I am legal for another year.
 Please pray for me to learn how to manage my stress with living and working in a different culture. I was having chest pains and I knew it was stress but did go to the Dr. to make sure. He did all the typical tests and my heart is strong, I just need to take better care of it.
To learn more about the ministry follow this link:  http://www.awtministries.com/english/main.php
If you would like to be a part of this ministry, tax deductible gifts can be made to Christar, P.O. Box P.O. Box 850357, Richardson, TX 75085. You can put “for account #413” in the memo section of the check. You can also give online at http://www.christar.org/.

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Happy Birthday to My Big Dog!

Nitro was a purchased, even though he was a mutt! His momma was a Black Lab and daddy was a Harlequin Great Dane. There were 8 puppies. They had just been to the vet for their 8 week shots. They were sleeping very happily on the front porch of their temporary home. So choosing a puppy was not easy, no one ran to you, no one licked your face. So I began to look at their precious faces . . . one, two, three . . . four was a cutie, she was black and had a white circle around her eye . . . if we chose this one, her name would be "patch". . . five, six, seven and then number eight . . . Looking into his face, it was perfect, a little like a dane and a little like a lab. Jet black with a patch of white on his neck. He was our choice and my husband named him Nitro.

We got him June of 1999. My only child, a daughter was graduating from high school. I knew in my heart of hearts that her transition into the next phase of her life would be quite an adjustment for me. So, Nitro became my constant companion and buddy.
Around his 10th birthday I began to worry that his days were numbered. "Big dogs don't live long" was the mantra of the masses. Today is his birthday - he is 12 - he is showing his age, but has not ever stopped greeting me at the door, listening to my triumphs and troubles. I have cherished every extra day that the masses told me I would not have.


HAPPY BIRTHDAY, NITRO!

Saturday, March 26, 2011

Pampers! 100 Free Points!

All you new mommies and I know several!
Join Pampers Gifts to Grow Rewards program and receive 100 free points toward your purchase of Pampers goods.
Click Here--->
 http://partners.mysavings.com/z/7464/CD4345/

Pampers