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Review of Map Communications

December 31, 2007 · by · Leave a Comment
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I might not be able to categorize my posts at the moment, but life has to go on, and eventually the bug will get worked out, I just know it. So in the meantime, I’m going to keep going with my scheduled reviews, and try not to think of having no categories as the end of the world. Because it’s really not, right? Right?

This review is of Map Communications, which is an answering service company. If you are a parent, I bet you have called your doctor’s office at least once after hours looking for advice from the doctor, right? And you probably got the answering service, who took your name and number and maybe some other information, and then they paged your doctor to call you. Unless your doctor’s office has their own after-hours service, they more than likely used an answering service company, like Map Communications.

Until I started researching this post though, I had never really thought about what other uses there are for answering services. Say you are a busy executive who travels a lot on business. Calls are coming in to your office, people need to reach you-Map Communications has live operators who answer calls with the fastest pickup times in the industry, and can route the calls live to your cell phone or deliver messages to your pager, cell phone, email, or fax. You can also set up voicemail service with the capability to connect to a live operator in an emergency.

In this day and age, business takes place 24 hours a day. It is practically unthinkable to NOT be reachable, right? If it’s important that your calls be handled quickly, professionally, and correctly, see what an answering service like Map Communications can do for you or for your business.

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Filed Under: Uncategorized ·

This is me, trying very hard, not to freak the frak OUT

December 31, 2007 · by · 8 Comments
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Last night I upgraded this blog to version 2.3.2 of WordPress. I lost all of my categories.

Let me repeat that. I lost ALL. OF. MY. CATEGORIES. Two and a half years’ worth of posts, now all labelled “uncategorized”.

WordPress Support’s suggestion was that I “drop all my database tables related to wordpress, check and rebuild them, and then run the upgrade again”.

I have no idea what that means.

Bluehost support says there is nothing wrong with my database tables.

I have no idea what to do except go through and re-categorize all those posts. I have no idea how many posts I have written-hundreds, for sure. Close to a thousand? Possibly. Great googley moogley, people.

If anyone knows what to do, and can explain it to my not-smarter-than-a-fifth-grader-brain, PLEASE speak up.

At least I get to create a new category for this post! Yippee.

P.S.-I created a category, the way you always do on the dashboard, by typing it into the box under “Categories” and clicking Add. Nothing happened. FRAK FRAK FRAK FRAK.

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Filed Under: Uncategorized ·

I have some serious thanking to do.

December 31, 2007 · by · 10 Comments
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That’s a weird word isn’t it, “thanking”. But titling the post “I have some people to whom I would like to express my thanks” just seemed awkward. So, I’m sticking to “thanking”.

As much as I love Owen’s Comment Email Responder Plugin, when a post gets a lot of comments it can be hard to reply to each one individually, especially when it’s Christmas. So instead I’m going to do my replying here in this post, and give some Linky Love to all my great blog peeps at the same time. Here we go…

For their wonderful wishes on my Merry Christmas post, I’d like to thank-

Betsy (Mom 2 3)-I’m so glad you read my post and left a comment!

Diana-Thanks! Good luck with your New Year’s Resolution, I’ll be checking in on you throughout the year :)

Anna-No, that doesn’t make you a stalker, just a really good online friend :)

JavaJunkie-Well geez, sissy, find me on Facebook and friend me! And we’ll see you on Tuesday, yay!

Paula-I think one of the first comments I ever left you was about how similar our kiddos’ hair is! Glad you are back :)

Shantanu-Thank you for your kind comment! I wish you success in the New Year as well.
AverageJane-I’m sure glad we met at BlogHer, brief as it was. I hope I see you next summer as well!
Sheila/Kiki36-I’m glad we met on Maya’s Mom! I forgot to mention that one in my post. Happy New Year!
RampantHeart-Oh, I forgot to mention Bumpzee! I had to take the widget off, it slowed down my loading time. I’ll have to try putting it back on :)
RWA-It makes me so happy that you read my blog from way over there in the Heart of Dixie :) Happy New Year!
Graham a/k/a/JeanLuc-You have become a loyal reader and friend and I really appreciate it!
Holly-I’m glad we met through PPP and I hope we get to know each other better in 2008!
Lanna-Ahh, Lanna. I wish so much that we could meet in person! You are such a loyal reader and a good friend. I can’t wait for you to have that baby!
Becky-You were one of the first people who friended me on Maya’s Mom! You are so sweet, hope the boys and you feel better soon!
Val-I’m glad we met through PPP! You have so many great blogs. I LOVE the design of I know EVERYTHING, by the way :)
Izzy-My dear longtime blog friend! I’m so glad you are still reading, it was great to get a comment from you! I wish more great things for you in 2008, and I hope I see you at BlogHer!
Suzette-I can’t remember how I found your blog now ;) Thanks for the kind Christmas wishes! Happy New Year!
Felicia-Thanks for stopping by my blog! Yours is so much fun to read, I wish I had your crafting skills :) Happy New Year!
Drew-Happy New Year to you, Allison, and Eva!
Amanda-Happy New Year to you and to the Other Bear! lol
Karen-Ahh Karen, my dear friend, I’m so glad we met this year! I’m looking forward to many more IM chats with you in 2008 :)
Mr. Fabulous-Brad, you big sweetie, Happy New Year! I’m moving heaven and earth if necessary to get to PostieCon next year so we can have a drink together!
Mr. “OhBabyGifts”-Now, I gotta be honest, I usually delete comments that are left under the name of a website, and not a person. But you seem to be a regular reader, and your site has such great stuff, I’m making an exception. But could you start leaving your comments using your actual name? I don’t think your Mom named you “Oh Baby Gifts”, right? lol Happy New Year!
Tina-I’m glad we met as Posties too! I like all of your blogs :) Happy New Year!
Marie-Awww, you are the sweetheart! I hope you have a wonderful 2008!
Kamagong-And to you as well, thank you.

And now, to everyone again I say, Happy New Year! I chose this graphic especially for those of you who have just become new Moms (welcome, baby Jonas McLovin Fancypants-http://www.flickr.com/photos/once_more/2146695768/in/photostream/!) and those of you who will be a new Mom in 2008 (congratulations, Sophistishe-http://www.flickr.com/photos/sophistishe/2150822254/!)

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Filed Under: Things That Make Me Happy ·

The New Year’s Resolution Blogroll

December 29, 2007 · by · 26 Comments
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I made a doozy of a New Year’s Resolution this year. My family is going to commit to eating out only once a week, and save the money we would have spent on other meals out for a big vacation next December! Which means I will have to cook dinner six nights a week-yikes. But I can do it!

So here’s what I’d like to do. If you would like to join a blogroll of people who are committed to sticking to their New Year’s Resolution, whatever it might be, then write a post in your own words about it and add your name to this list, sending me a trackback. I’ll keep a list up at the top of the page in a tab labelled “NYRB”. Then, when you stop by to read my posts and you have a few extra minutes, you can visit the people on the blogroll and encourage them and cheer them on!

I was going to make a badge that we could all display, something like “I’ve Got A New Year’s Resolution” or something, but for the life of me, I cannot find a website with a badge generator that will let me make a 125 x 125 badge. My other New Year’s Resolution ought to be to finally figure out Photoshop LOL

So for now, just send me a trackback or leave your URL in your comment once you write your New Year’s Resolution post. I’ll remind everyone again on Monday :) We can do it!

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Filed Under: Born to Blog, Group Projects ·

Get more website traffic in the New Year

December 29, 2007 · by · 4 Comments
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Who wouldn’t like more traffic to their site? I know I would! But as we have seen with the recent Google smackdown, how you build your traffic and promote your site is extremely important. The experts at ThinkBIGSites.com can help you get more website traffic and improve your search engine rankings using a process that is quicker and costs less than 98 percent of their competition!

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So, what exactly is involved in building more website traffic? The first step is having a website that works. The designers at ThinkBIG create first-class, customer-centered sites that are easy to navigate and attract customers. How do you get the customers that will want what you are selling? With keywords that match what your customers are searching for. The right keywords used in the right places on your site will get you targeted traffic.

A website optimization firm like ThinkBIG can do everything from freshen up your current logo and design to creating something entirely new. They offer domain name registration, web hosting, website maintenance, a complete marketing strategy designed to get traffic to your site, stats analysis-pretty much everything you need to run a successful website!

Best of all, ThinkBIG offers a FREE website analysis with recommendations on how you can increase visits to your site. Visit ThinkBIGSites.com for a free quote on the services you need to get more website traffic, and have a more successful New Year!

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Filed Under: Sponsored Posts ·

Win a free year of Netflix and a year’s supply of popcorn!

December 27, 2007 · by · 71 Comments
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Oh YEAH, baby! When I got the email asking if I would be interested in sponsoring this giveaway, I just about fell off the couch! One of you is going to win a year’s supply of Orville Redenbacher’s Natural Popcorn AND a 12 month subscription to Netflix! Holy cow!

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Orville Redenbacher’s Naturals is a new line of microwave popcorn with no artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives in four great flavors-Simply Salted, Simply Salted 50% Less Fat, Buttery Garlic, and Buttery Salt and Cracked Pepper. The winner of this giveaway will get a coupon book good for one free box a month!

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If you haven’t heard of Netflix, it’s an online DVD rental service with over 90,000 DVD titles available. You create an online list of titles you want to see, then Netflix ships them to you with a prepaid envelope for return. There are no due dates, no late fees, and no shipping costs. For this giveaway, you will get a 12 month Netflix subscription that lets you have two DVDs out at a time, which normally costs $13.99 a month!

Here are the rules-

1. Because Netflix is only available in the USA, this giveaway is open to U.S entrants only. You are welcome to comment on this post if you don’t live in the U.S., but I will be checking each entrant’s blog or website to make sure they are located in the U.S.

2. In order to receive an entry into this giveaway, you must write a post linking back to my blog AND to www.orville.com. I will be visiting the site of each entrant to verify the links. If I do not see both links, I will send one reminder email, and then unfortunately will have to remove the entry from the giveaway. It’s only fair!

3. If you do not have a blog or website, you can earn an entry into the giveaway by either posting about the contest on a message board or social networking site in which you link to this post and to www.orville.com, OR by emailing two people and telling them about this giveaway. Please indicate in your comment which one you did, leaving a link to the message board or social networking post if possible. We want to spread the word about Orville!

I realize this is short notice, so spread the word! I will choose the winner of the giveaway on Friday, January 5th so that your first month’s subscription can start on that following Monday (there are five weeks in January). And good luck everybody!

Edited to add: By request, I am allowing additional entries in this giveaway if you do the following:
If you post about the contest including the links to me and to Orville.com on more than one blog, leave me one comment per blog. For non-bloggers, for each message board or social networking post that you do, you will get one entry, as long as you provide me with the link. Sound good?

This contest is closed, congratulations to the winner, Mamabug!

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Filed Under: Contests and Giveaways ·

Three plus four equals AWESOME

December 26, 2007 · by · 6 Comments
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I just found out today that when my husband took all three of the kids out Christmas shopping for my gifts, he took them to four different stores. FOUR, people. That’s a LOT of times getting Kaitlyn out of her car seat and putting her back in it. That’s a lot of telling Nathan “no, you can’t get something, we’re shopping for Mom”.

I asked him why they went to four stores, and you know what he said? “I just kept looking for the perfect things for you”. Awwww. He is the sweetest. And he chose really great things, too-the new Dean Koontz hardback (Barnes & Noble), a snowman ornament (Target) snowman salt and pepper shakers (Kohl’s), and snowman earrings (Cracker Barrel).

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His gift from me was the new 5 disc HD-DVD Bladerunner box set, which I let him open on Christmas Eve so we could watch it while we finished wrapping presents. They took the original prints of the movie and transferred them to HD, so the movie looks like it was just made. I highly recommend it if you are a fan of Bladerunner!

So it was a great Christmas. I’ve been busy cropping and editing photos and uploading them to Flickr, and I’m setting them all to public, so if you want to see them, go to my Flickr page (or my Flickr badge near the bottom of the right sidebar). I’d love to see yours, too, so if you have some Christmas photos to share, leave me the url in your comment. Oh, and tomorrow? I’m giving away a BOB time manager AND…a year’s supply of Orville Redenbacher popcorn and a year of Netflix! OH YEAH!!

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Filed Under: I love the Holidays ·

Great home decor at Alice’s Cottage

December 26, 2007 · by · 10 Comments
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What comes to mind when you think about country home decor? Houses decorated with stuffed geese wearing bonnets? Quilts hanging on walls, covering toasters and tea pots and feather beds? Alice Backman, who designs the beautiful and practical country home decor available at AlicesCottage.com, sees country decor as items that are useful, beautiful, classic, and timeless.

When Alice and her husband moved from the city to a small rural village, she combined her love of nature and rustic design with her newfound love of country life in to a full-time business. Her company is now internationally recognized because of her way with fabrics, and how she uses nature inspired themes to create both home fashions as well as gifts. The site carries everything from table runners and tote bags to note pads and recipe cards, and my favorite-mug mats.

Okay, so now you are wondering, what is a mug mat? It’s like a fabric coaster for your mug, only the tea mug mats are filled with spices, so the heat of the mug releases a delicious aroma throughout the room. There’s also my favorite, coffee kitchen decor. I really want one of the coffee mug mats, filled with coffee beans, so that wherever I set down my mug, the room will smell like coffee!

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Take another look at country decor, I think you’ll be surprised. Any of the items for sale at AlicesCottage.com would make a great gift for someone else or for yourself! The prices are unbelievably low (those spiced mug mats are three dollars each!), and you will be supporting a true mom-and-pop operation as well. And feel free to send me anything from the coffee products page for my birthday next month, too :)

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Filed Under: Shopping ·

Merry Christmas from Table for Five!

December 23, 2007 · by · 30 Comments
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To All Of My Friends:

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Whether you are a Mommyblogger, a Postie, someone I met at BlogHer or at the Memphis Car event, whether you read my blog every day or only once in a while, whether you have my blog on your blogroll or in your feed reader, whether you have me faved on Technorati or as a friend on Facebook, whether you joined my neighborhood on BlogCatalog or my community on MyBlogLog, however you got here and for whatever reason you keep coming back, I just want to say…

THANK YOU!!!!

Thank you for reading, for commenting, for your emails and IMs, for your support and your encouragement and your friendship. You all mean so much to me, I really mean that. From the entire Edwards Family, otherwise known as the Table for Five, we wish all of you a very Merry Christmas!

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(it would have been perfect if Chris was in the photo too :) )

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Filed Under: I Like Meeting People, I love the Holidays ·

Review of The May Firm

December 22, 2007 · by · 8 Comments
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I’ve really been feeling the love over the last few days, and I sincerely want to thank everyone who replied to my request to come leave a comment so I could make sure the Comment Luv plugin was working. I’m happy to say it is! And thank you also for your nice comments on Nathan’s birthday post-I hardly recognize that 31 year old lady with the short hair in those photos-oh, right, it’s me! lol

And now, a review. Not that this is a subject that anyone wants to think about, but the sad fact is, that marriages end in divorce, and when there are children involved, the situation has to be handled with the utmost professionalism. A firm in Texas called The May Firm specializes in Family Law litigation and appeals, with an emphasis on child custody disputes, marital property division, and appeals. I hope that anyone reading this who knows someone in the Dallas area that needs a dallas divorce lawyer will call The May Firm for help.

The president of The May Firm is Michelle May O’Neil, who is also a a certified family law specialist. She is a nationally recognized dallas family lawyer who is also licensed by the United States Supreme Court. Attorney Ashley Bowline also works for The May Firm as a dallas divorce attorney. These lawyers and there staff are there to help clients get through an emotionally difficult time as they file for divorce, custody, and property, and the website has many testimonials from clients who felt they received much-needed strength and support.

I’m posting this review as a way to spread the word about The May Firm, and I hope if you are reading this and know someone in the Dallas area who needs help with a divorce, that you will consider contacting The May Firm for help.

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Filed Under: Reviews ·
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