This website is such a great idea: ePassport Photos

You upload your own digital photo and then crop and resize the picture using their tools. They take your photo and arrange it into 6 shots on a 4×6 jpg which you can print yourself or get printed at your local store (My preference is Costco). All for free!

The website also has tools and guidelines to make sure you are complying with passport rules. If you don’t trust yourself, you can also pay $6.95 and have them inspect it, print it, and have it ready for pick up at Walgreens the next day. It sure beats standing in line!

Top 50 greatest trailers of all time (according to IFC) – I love trailers.
Speaking of movies….Cody Diablo to adapt the Sweet Valley High movie – o-m-g. I am SO excited about this. When I was a little girl I would read a SVH book a day practically. I loved those twins!!!!!
People of walmart – This reminds me of home (I’m from Oklahoma)
Really bad engagement photos – I loved this link. It’s almost as good as the gallery of roller coaster souvenir photos from last week!
The deal with disability – the blog of a person with cerebral palsy. Pretty interesting read…it made me look at disabled people in a new light.
Fancy fast food – makeovers of fast food items into gourmet meals!

Fake 3D crater designed to slow down London cyclers

Did you know it’s better to do certain things at certain times? According to this MSN article, the best time to:

Wake up….is 20 minutes later than you intended. It will make you feel more rested for the rest of the day. – Uhh this seems a bit obvious but I agree with it wholeheartedly!! :)

Weigh yourself….is right when you wake up. It will give you the most accurate reading.

Put on sunscreen….is 30 minutes before you step outside. It takes that long for the stuff to soak in.

Get your daily dose of sun….is in the morning. It will signal your body to stop producing melatonin (which will make you more awake) and increase production of Vitamin D

Eat breakfast…is within 15 to 30 minutes of waking up and no later than 8am. Whaaa?? I don’t even wake up until after 8am!

Take a power nap….is in the afternoon. You will feel more rested, refreshed, and alert. Hmmm shall I forward this article to work??

Exercise…is between 5-6pm. Your body will be at its maximum efficiency!

Drink a glass of cranberry juice…is at night so it can hang out in the bladder and fight off bacteria until the morning

Apply antiperspirant…is at night since your body’s temperature lowers allowing the antiperspirant to fully absorb by the next day. This was surprising to me.

Scheduling a surgery….is before noon. Studies have shown there are less complications then.

Scheduling a root canal….is between 1 and 3pm. Local anesthesia lasts 3 times as long in the afternoon.

And here is an interesting excerpt about the women’s monthly schedule. Guys…you can skip this one :)

Hormones fluctuate wildly over the course of the month, creating great — and not-so-great — opportunities for a variety of health moves. Day 1 of your menstrual cycle is the day your period starts, so schedule these actions accordingly:

Before your period – DAYS 23-28:
Stay out of pain. Avoid procedures like a root canal or a bikini wax: They’ll hurt more now. “Endorphins, serotonin, and dopamine” — all natural feel-good chemicals — “typically plummet right before your period,” says Rebecca Booth, M.D., author of The Venus Week. Reschedule them for ovulation time (days 13-15), when, according to a University of Michigan study, we produce the most endorphins to offset pain.

During your period – DAYS 1-3:
Get busy. It may not be the most convenient time, but orgasms — always great — are even greater during your period. That’s because they cause a spike in serotonin, which is naturally running low just before and during the first three or so days of menstruation. Some women even enjoy a heightened libido just before their period, thanks to a drop in estrogen and a rise in testosterone.

After your period – DAYS 3-13:
Do a breast self-exam (BSE). A post-period rise in estrogen returns your swollen, tender breasts to their most supple state, making it the perfect time to check them for unusual lumps and bumps. Although experts don’t insist on a monthly BSE anymore, when you do feel your breasts for changes, do it at this time of the month — differences will be more detectable.

After ovulation – DAYS 14-23:
Plan to quit smoking. Women who try to kick the habit now, after ovulation, may be less likely to succeed — possibly because they have worse withdrawal symptoms, according to a recent study from the Medical University of South Carolina. So set a quit date during the first half of your cycle (days 1-13), and use these next two weeks to get psyched and gather the support you need to stop smoking for good.

Have you ever shopped at Amazon and been short a few bucks for that free shipping? (The minimum you have to spend is $25). Rather than shell out the $7 to pay for the shipping, why not get something for it! With this site, Amazon Filler Item Finder, it’s easy to find something cheap and useful so that you qualify for the free shipping.

You just enter in how much more money you need to spend and the category you want to shop in and it spits out items that fit your criteria.

Freebieville is also another good site to check out. They have a preset list of cheap fillers from .02 to $6.

It’s been awhile since I had my roundup of random tips….

How to fold a fitted sheet – this has always bugged me! looks simple enough though

Tips for raising your FICO credit score – this is something I should be doing now that I am shopping for a home

How to naturally reset your sleep schedule overnight – this would be great for traveling. I wonder if it really works?

10 ways to look good in photos

Label party drink glasses with window markers

How to soften new sheets – I need to buy new sheets to try this out

Insider’s secret weapon for wine stains: oxyclean

How to remove refrigerator odor – this is also supposed to work for smelly trash cans

Keep mosquitoes away with beer bottles

Buy your prescriptions from Costco – and save!

Just got back from my Mexico cruise. It was pretty fun. I feel like I’ve gained 20 pounds though.

While on the cruise, I found out our ship’s crew is ranked #2 in the industry. My first cruise was also on this ship and the crew was just as fun and friendly as the first time. I really don’t know how they stay so happy and chipper even though they are on a boat for 6-9 months out of the year. It’s amazing how good customer service can make your vacation that much better.

Us during the safety drill.

It was a short one…just 3 days with 1 stop in Ensenada, which I’m not particularly fond of but I love how everything is so cheap!

Wish I had taken more pictures!

From this msnbc study they’ve deduced the 12 things that people who live to 100 usually have in common.

1. You’re the life of the party
2. You run for 40 minutes a day
3. You like raspberries in your oatmeal
4. You feel 13 years younger than you are
5. You embrace techie trends
6. You started menopause after age 52
7. You make every calorie count
8. You had a baby later in life
9. Your pulse beats 15 times in 15 seconds
10. You don’t snore
11. You have a relatively flat belly after menopause
12. You get your blood tested for vitamin D levels

I think I’m looking pretty good so far. Except for the whole running thing. ugh…I need to start exercising again!

You can read more details about these here.

Gallery of Roller Coaster Souvenir Photos – If you have some time this gallery is totally worth sifting through. Some hilarious photos!
People V. Jackson – The whole child molester thing is like a distant memory to me. If you had any thoughts that maybe he was one, this wikipedia article should clear it up.
MonaVie Scam? – I’m linking to this article by Lazy Man and His Money because he’s been getting a cease and desist letter from MonaVie and because I think it is in a way a scam.
How a guy infested himself with hookworm to cure his asthma – wow, this story is c r a z y!
How to increase the chances of someone returning your lost wallet – baby pictures
A Foodie’s Take On Cheesecake Factory – Yes, CF remains one of my favorite chain restaurants! Try the shrimp scampi…sooooo good.

This picture is SO cute.

Here is a handy dandy chart if you love beef! It shows every cut of beef and how to prepare it.

You can click here to view a larger version.

I like these collection of wallpapers…. and they have the monthly calendar displayed on them!

And yes there are less cute-sy ones! hehe. check out the rest here
.