Hello My Name is Lisa...

Lisa, next time you are in NYC - sample sales 50-80% off almost anything you can imagine (except baseball equipment!) - very dangerous site! check - nysale.com

NYM

I am already mapping my plan of attack, I'll be in the City next week.

GO NAVY!!!BEAT army!!!!!

Hello, my name is Ann (or Zippy as my close friends know me) and I am a $$$$ good shopper if I do say so myself! I am very proud of myself for starting my Christmas shopping off by only buying items on sale namely at our local JC Penney's store on Friday and today. I think I got some real bargains this weekend and I am well on my way to a record-saving Christmas shopping season! I am really concentrating on avoiding "impulse buying" and I am proud of my self-control so far. If only I can keep it up for 3 more weeks!!

Good luck, ladies, in your Christmas shopping as well!

Ann

Hello Lisa and Ann ...

Welcome to the meeting. My name is Mary Ann (a k a Loopie) and I too am a shopaholic. Unfortunately for me, my disease lasts 12 months a year ... I don't need a holiday to shop.

In the spirit of the season ... cheers !!!

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C'mon guys ... let me out !!!
I just wanna see a game !!!
H-mom
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We learn a lot from crayons:
some are sharp; some are dull; some are pretty;
some have weird names; all are different colors.
And they all have to learn to live in the same box.

Greetings to my fellow "money management challenged" friends! The problem with me is that I "manage" to spend my "money" without ANY "challenge"! Also, altho I am thrilled when a good bargain crosses my path...I don't let the lack of a bargain hinder my purchases (much to my husband's chagrin!). I am the type that when I want something....I want it NOW! I think I should nominate myself for president of this club!

Ann

At least you bought Christmas gifts..I dropped like 6 bills and the only gift I bought was a birthday present for my friend.

But I got the baddest Kenneth Cole leather jacket for only 140 bucks

GO NAVY!!!BEAT army!!!!!

Kathy ...

I would vote for you but I'm from California and in 2 years, I might have to vote for your recall if your deficit gets too big ...

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C'mon guys ... let me out !!!
I just wanna see a game !!!
H-mom
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We learn a lot from crayons:
some are sharp; some are dull; some are pretty;
some have weird names; all are different colors.
And they all have to learn to live in the same box.

I hate shopping...............

Is this heaven?...

Mary Ann (H-mom),

If in two years the ONLY thing that has gotten too big on me is my "deficit", then I'll be one happy woman! As for the "recall"....believe me when I say my husband has threatened me (and my Visa) with that, MANY times already!

I'm starting my Christmas shopping tomorrow....so why is it I spent 300 bucks on my son yesterday???? Because he hasn't been home for more than 2 hrs since school started. Because he's broke, and I happened not to be yesterday. Because he looked like he hadn't had jeans in well over a year...because he hadn't. Because his cupboards were bare, and a guys gotta eat...yipee, he's gained 10 pounds and is on a roll. And last but not least, I enjoyed every second of the spending spree!

"There's no crying in baseball!"

It is getting bad when you here..."Good evening Hecht's customers it is now 11:45 the store will be closed at Midnight please bring your purchases to the cashier"....I NEED HELP!!!

GO NAVY!!!BEAT army!!!!!

Hello. My name is Pam.

And I'm in denial...I'b being forced to attend this meeting to avoid future "CHARGES"...

that is...on my credit card...!!

Happy to see that I am not the only one on this site who has started holiday meltdown ... looks like a lot of us are reaching that edge.

Have to finish my shopping today, oh my ... have to finish today ... company is coming .. today not tomorrow .. company coming ... must shop ... must wrap ... bake .. clean .. shop ...

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Have a blessed Christmas.
H-mom
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"For unto you is born this day ...a Savior ..."

Highlandermom,

....which accounts for the lack of activity on the ladies forum lately! Too much to do. Why do the men seem to have no problems keeping up with their posts? I'm sure there will be a good explanation.....

luv ...

I know the explanation but I dare not comment here or another "war" will start ... but a big hint would be: BECAUSE WE ARE DOING ALL THE WORK ...

See ... I told you melt down was starting ... doggone it ... I hope Santa isn't reading this board. I wouldn't want him to think I was being naughty ...

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Have a blessed Christmas.
H-mom
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"For unto you is born this day ...a Savior ..."

So, you all think you're stressed out? Here's a little test just to see if that's true...

READ BEFORE SEEING THE PICTURE

The following picture was used in a case study on stress level at St.Mary's Hospital. Look at both dolphins jumping out of the water. Both
dolphins are identical.

The researchers concluded that a person is under stress if he/she finds both dolphins look different. If there are many differences found between both dolphins, it means that the person is experiencing a great amount of stress.

So, if you see too many differences between the two dolphins, you are advised to go home immediately, pour yourself a large glass of wine and take a rest.

Please click here to view the test picture:

http://webpages.charter.net/hkirtley/stress/stress02.jpg

-----------------------------
Has spring training started yet?

I am in big trouble ... I may need an intervention. I've spent over 600 bucks on my 06 son so far, and haven't bought a thing for the 04 ... gotta go shopping tonight! It's hard not to go overboard for my younger one, though. He suffers from the dreaded GAS, which Hot Mama understands ... Guitar Acquisition Syndrome. So if I'm buying musical equipment, that's educational, and I can't be blamed, right? No new guitars this time (he has "Acquired" 3 in the past year) ... just recording equipment, a guitar pedal, guitar books and CDs, etc.

URKillingMeBlue, thanks for the test, it made me feel better. They both looked exactly the same to me, so I must be okay.

I STILL hate shopping....

Is this heaven?...

I agree with HighlanderMom that shopping is a yr. round addiction, but I am a clearance sale shopaholic. I go straight to the clearance racks. You won't believe how much $$$$ I've saved my husband over the years. Now if I could just remember where I've stored all those good deals that I've stashed away for future use. My house isn't that big-you'd think I'd be able to remember. Darn it though, my kids don't subscribe to this shopping philosophy, so they are always in the latest style with their last year style mother. Oh well, more $$ to spend on that new technology bat or chest protector!!

MN-Mom and Hotmama

I would love to know if you have
purchased any quitars on-line,
and if so where?

______________________________
By the time you learn how to play the game...
You can't play it anymore ~ Frank Howard

Dolphins ... what dolphins?

(Does this mean I am in trouble?)

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Have a blessed Christmas.
H-mom
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"For unto you is born this day ...a Savior ..."

MN-mom ...

I think, for the time being, this would be a good avatar for you ...

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Have a blessed Christmas.
H-mom
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"For unto you is born this day ...a Savior ..."

H-Mom, good suggestion!

Chill,

Yes, I have purchased lots of guitar gear, and one rather expensive guitar (Gibson) in my son's collection, online. (Anyone not interested in musical equipment, you can stop reading here ... this post will probably bore you!)

I buy from www.guitarcenter.com (well, actually when you get there you click Buy Online and then it forwards to guitarvision.com or musiciansfriend.com ... they are all related).

But my son usually goes to the local Guitar Center and tests the equipment first, then we either buy there, or go to their online store as mentioned above. (It would feel unfair to test the equipment at their local store and then buy from their competitor, but I think it's fine to buy from THEIR online store after testing locally.) One nice thing about the online site guitarcenter.com AKA guitarvision AKA musiciansfriend, is that their merchandise is returnable. If you buy a guitar, play it when it arrives and it's not what you expected, return for a refund (in new condition, of course). They even sell some refurbished or scratch-and-dent equipment with the same satisfaction guarantee. Also, I have called their customer service when I wanted some help on choosing between several selections for a gift, and the young musicians who staff their phone lines have been really helpful.

We have also made a few purchases on eBay of guitars and guitar equipment ... bought a used amp that was a brand name my son knew very well, from a seller who had good feedback ratings, and paid about 1/3 of comparable retail, maybe less. It works great and was a good purchase. Also bought a used "specialty type" guitar on eBay out of curiousity, which was a decent bargain for price. It seems like most brand-name guitars selling on eBay draw heavy bidding and sell for almost as much as the new-but-discounted price you can get at guitarcenter.com. I have also bought several violins on eBay (for me) ... I had varying levels of satisfaction with the violin purchases.

I've rambled on for quite a while, but if you have any specific questions about guitar purchases, send me a PM. I play guitar a little and hear my son talk about all of his preferences, so I'd be happy to offer our opinions about various equipment you might be considering.

MN Mom- my husband has been playing in a rock and roll band for - well forever! He recently sold a lot of equipment on E-bay and had great success with it. He's also bought some there and been pleased with it. He always checks the sellers ratings and then does business.

amom,

That's fun to hear that your husband plays in a rock and roll band ... PM me with some info sometime, maybe a website if there's any info about them online. Two of my brothers-in-law played in rock bands for many years. My 15-yr-old son has played several instruments in public many times since age 8, but he is preparing for his first public gig with a rock band in January -- just a half-hour set before the school dance (then a DJ will do the rest of the dance). But he played a guitar solo before the basketball game Friday night, and when the crowd went nuts, he played part of a song with the guitar behind his head ... didn't miss a note! He really loves an audience.

M-N -

I think Guitar-center knows my credit card number by heart, between my husband, my step-son and now my youngest.. they should..

My youngest started playing about a year ago.. finally his "music" sounds like "music" LOL

_______________
"Baseball, it is said, is only a game. And the Grand Canyon is only a hole."

"JustMom"

Thank you MnMom
I have given the guitarcenter website to my son...he has looked at musiciansfriend before.

Now I need to talk to HotMama about a purse

______________________________
By the time you learn how to play the game...
You can't play it anymore ~ Frank Howard

I truly do hate shopping...but I'm DONE!!!

Is this heaven?...

I'm finished! But now I must buy a birthday present for my twin sister...so we've decided to take each other to the movie this Friday..eat lunch...and buy each other a gift (one we get to pick out)...

But she's made me promise to NOT talk about baseball/college/scholly's/BK's workouts/

Now what in the world will we talk about?