New Star Trek Sweepstakes

I just found a new sweepstakes that looks like fun:
Learn about Star Trek(r) and enter the New Frontiers Sweepstakes for a chance to win a trip to the Star Trek Hollywood Premiere with 3 of your friends or a Zero G flight for 4.

Toy Giveaway

I forgot about a contest sweepstakes that could benefit someone. YIPES! Go to the GEEKS.COM website at: http://chris.pirillo.com/2008/12/15/receiving-the-gift-of-giving/#comment-701034 for instructions on how to enter. Sears has donated three great packages and Chris Pirillo is the Elf in charge of deciding how best to distribute them. This is another great "sharing" sweep. How fun!

Joy Journey Continues

There are four total stops on the Joy Journey. When you give joy, you can't help but feel it yourself. I started out wanting to provide HOPE and it is doing more than that.

This morning I ventured out to the Zonta House, which is our battered women's shelter here in Baton Rouge, LA. After I won the HP Share the Magic Giveaway from DTEMama (http://www.dtemama.com/) I had contacted them and told them they would be a part of this...so when I phoned earlier, they were aware of why I was coming. It was no less exciting. I met with Martha Forbes, the Executive Director and Vickie Peay, the Program Director to give the Entertainment Laptop and a dvd to them. They were very appreciative - very. They reiterated how much good this piece of technology will be for the children who end up there with their mothers. Isn't that wonderful?

Upon leaving I started to wonder what else I can give to them or do for them in the future. I will have to think about it but I would imagine that individual things that would be personal for a woman, possibly warm blankets and then some children's things might be on my list in the future. Again, I am so very glad I chose this organization. To donate to them just send an email to exdir@bwp.br.coxmail.com. I am sure they'll get back to you.

Now we wait for Christmas. I know that the college student's mother has received the equipment. I mailed a letter the other day.

Lastly, I did "give" my husband the desktop computer but we've been too busy to open it so far. What a great Christmas. Thank you HP and Corina.

The Joy Journey

The Joy Journey began yesterday afternoon. I phoned Marie of http://www.mariescakesonline.com/ and asked her to meet me at Calvin's Grocery. She sounded puzzled when I spoke to her but agreed to meet me. I arrived first and soon after she came bounding down the aisle to where her cakes stand is and greeted me. I started off by reading a synopsis of what happened with the HP Giveaway and Down to Earth Mama (http://www.dtemama.com/). I read what Corina at DTEMama wrote and what I had written. Marie kind of just stood there dumbfounded. Finally, I said "Marie, this computer is YOURS!" She started crying and then told me she had talked to her husband about getting a computer for Christmas and decided that it just was not in the budget for now. Marie was totally overwhelmed and very, very grateful. I heard from her and her husband several hours later as she was trying the new system out.

I can't tell you how exciting it is to give away something like this. I definitely chose the right business owner to give this to.

(By the way, DO try Maries Cakes. They are wonderful!)

We Won the HP Giveaway!

I can hardly believe "we" won! I heard from Corina at www.dtemama.com (Down to Earth Mama Blog) earlier today and the word excited hardly describes how I feel. I truly feel as though God has graced me to be able to give such a gift. I spoke to the Executive Director of the woman's shelter and to the mother of the College student. The mother was crying with joy for her daughter and this will be given to Christmas morning. She just kept saying "Merry Christmas" to me. The woman's shelter was shocked and very pleased. Once the equipment arrives, I will go and meet with them. The woman business owner does not know and I'll keep it a secret until I give it to her before Christmas. I know she will feel as blessed as I do. And finally, my husband could not believe it. What a blessed Christmas gift to be able to actually 'give'. I feel certain that the hope I wanted to pass on, will be multiplied ten-fold.

HP Giveaway Magic

“I’ve come a long way baby”…in just a few hours. The HP Magic Giveaway contest (http://www.hp.com/united-states/campaigns/blogger-magic/blogs.html ) or promotion really made me get in touch with myself. “DTE Mama's*” contest was great. It did what I think she intended it to by making me focus. I’ve never had to look at a gift this way and I am glad now that I spent the time. I know that I’ve seen Oprah give money to her audience at times and they had to “pay it forward” and report back to her. I never put myself in their shoes until this evening. It was HARD TO DO! There are so many well deserving people and groups to give things to but I narrowed mine down to four basic areas. First, I want to pay recogntition to our Capital Area Family Violence Intervention Center, the Zonta House. This is a place where victims of domestic violence and their dependant children who are homeless and in need can go temporarily. We do not do enough for our sisters who have to make the impossible choice of leaving an abusive situation.

Secondly, I am very impressed by Kristen Cipriani who is a college senior this year and has been accepted for her masters and intends to go on to get her PhD. I know a computer won't pay her tuition but I think it would help lighten the load a bit.

Thirdly, I would gift a system to Marie Dixon who started a company called Marie's Cakes. She now has a small website called www.mariescakesonline.com. I believe in her and her products and know how difficult navigating the waters with a small business can be.

Lastly, I am so very proud of all my husband Pat Shingleton does for the community. Every week he is involved in something different...from Pat's Coats for Kids to driving children around in a fire engine after visiting with Santa to daily mass to untold volunteer speaking engagements. I know he could use this.

My theme is giving hope. No matter who "wins" the actual HP Giveaway Magic from DTE Mama, I believe that anyone who entered has to be a winner.


*Down to Earth Mama's Blog (http://www.dtemama.com )

Nothing Green about Daytona

The greening of America is a good thing when you think of it as not being wasteful. I can remember my mother washing aluminum foil off, smoothing the wrinkles out and putting it back in the drawer to be used the next time. That type of recycling is common sense however, we abandoned that practice for many years.

"New" became the big thing. Our children were raised on it and when you multiply how many of us there are now, you easily see how problematic this amount of waste must be to our environment. We each need to use what we have.

It is too late to remind America how to do that?

I was drawn to write about this after I saw something promoting Daytona. How ironic. How iconic of our times. A form of entertainment which draws huge crowds to see cars drive very fast and use a dwindling resource which is now priced over $4 a gallon*. If you argue that oil is not 'endangered', you have to at least agree that it is the new "GOLD"...Texas T (Thank you Jed Clampett).

It is like the "bullfight in America"...ours done with petroleum and cars. How long will this be something crowds want to see? What is the demographic makeup of the people who are drawn to this?

I am far more concerned with the longevity of our planet than to be interested in burning fossil fuels for entertainment.
*June 2008