While many people are out partying tonight, let it be known that a few people choose to stay in.

I enjoy staying in. I will probably watch a movie or play a game of Wii bowling. Whatever I do I know that I don’t have to be around anyone loud or obnoxious.

I do not remember the last time I went out on New Years Eve. I don’t know why, but it’s the one holiday I prefer to stay home and not have to deal with so many people. Tonight is amateur night for so many who do not regularly drink and it’s a bad combination.

I remember being young and then waking up the next day feeling horrible. I’m done with that scene. Plus I really can’t drink tonight because I plan on playing taxi driver for my son and a few of his friends who are attending a party. I plan on taking them and more than likely picking them up. It’s what I do and another reason for me not to drink.

Anyway I want to wish everyone a safe and Happy New Year.

It’s not all about going out, sometimes staying in is all you need is a post from: Original Cyn

Yeah, Charter and KMOV reached an agreement. I’m so glad, especially with so many entertaining shows to air on CBS after the first of the year – People’s Choice Awards and the Grammy’s.

KMOV announced Monday that they’ve reached an agreement with the cable company and service will not be disrupted after Dec. 31. Visit KMOV to find out more.

After blogging the other day about this issue there were many of you who had some things to say. Well I’m interested again in what you think about the deal. What do you think will happen in the long run? Will rates go up or was it all a ploy? Hoping to hear from you.

KMOV will remain on the air is a post from: Original Cyn

Did everyone have a nice holiday? I did. I’ve spent the past four days doing pretty much nothing, but for the next six I plan to finish my to do list while I’m on vacation.

With New Year’s right around the corner I know many people will be making resolutions, most of which they cannot keep. The No. 1 of all time is “lose weight.” This year I’m vowing to create a list I know I will be able to complete. I’ve already started working on it.

1. I plan on cleaning out my closet and donating all the clothes and other items I no longer wear to charity.
2. Create menus for the week so that my son and I have a schedule of “what’s for dinner?” It gets hectic with both our schedules and I would like to get a head start.
3. Document my valuables. I need to create a list of all the things I have in case of an emergency.
4. Do something new once a month. Try out new foods or other activity.
5. Do more activities that relieve stress — scrapbooking, reading and painting. It’s amazing how an hour or two lost in such an activity can get rid of tension.

I know I will add more items to my list, but for now it’s a start. I want the resolutions to be ones I know I will keep. I will start with the little things. Then again I can always keep adding to the list.

So what are your New Year’s resolutions.

Not everyone has to resolve to lose weight for the New Year is a post from: Original Cyn

Merry Christmas.

After opening your presents most of you will probably finish the day lounging around the house watching television — more than likely Christmas movies. Before leaving work on Christmas eve for a week’s vacation, my co-workers and I talked about our favorite Christmas movies. Let’s say that their taste and mine don’t quite mesh, but hey that’s how it always goes when it comes to picking out holiday favorites.

OK, most of my co-workers chose A Christmas Story as their favorite flick. Not me, for some reason I’ve never liked that movie. I enjoy Home Alone or something much older like Shop Around the Corner.

Here is a fun list of films that you may enjoy:
Animated
How The Grinch Stole Christmas
Polar Express
Charlie Brown Christmas

Comedy
The Ref
Trading Places
National Lampoons Christmas Vacation
Jingle All the Way
Surviving Christmas
Bad Santa
Mixed Nuts
Home Alone
Santa Clause

Romance
Holiday Inn
White Christmas
A Family Stone
The Shop Around the Corner
Love Actually
Just Friends
The Perfect Holiday

Other and Unusual
This Christmas
Gremlins
Reindeer Games

So what’s your favorite holiday movie?

Movies add more merriment to your holiday is a post from: Original Cyn

It’s official. Christmas is here and by tonight some of us will opening our presents from family and friends. I’m excited. Although I know some of the gifts I’m getting (come on when you reach a certain age you basically tell your family what you want to make it easier on everyone.)

The other day I mentioned family being a pressure cooker during the holidays. Well when you make the decision to cancel your holiday tradition because no one actually seems to care, well it relieves some of the steam. I decided not to host my brunch, because I didn’t want everyone to rush off soon after. Now I get to enjoy a stress free day at my parents.

What I am really looking forward to though is today — Christmas eve. This afternoon my son and I will go to my aunt and uncle’s house and spend it with an extended family of people. I enjoy going to their house because unlike many people who argue during the holidays, I’ve never seen it happen at their house. I don’t know why, but I guess it’s because everyone who comes enjoys spending time with one another. My aunt and uncle have always been great at opening their home and their hearts and I think that is what makes it such a special holiday.

Tell me about your Christmas. Is it good or bad? Does your family cause you stress or are they a lot of fun to be around? I want to hear how your holidays have been.

Good, bad and the ugly, How will you be spending the holiday season? is a post from: Original Cyn

As I was watching the news on Saturday night I found out that KMOV will no longer be carried by Charter Communications after Dec. 31 because the two companies cannot reach a programming agreement.

So what does this mean? Well it means we will no longer get Channel 4, a CBS affiliate, if we are a Charter Communications cable subscriber. Visit KMOV to find out more on the deal.

This upsets me greatly because I don’t want to have to change my service because I have internet and cable television with Charter. But I may look at switching my service because there are quite a few shows that I watch at night the CSI series, NCIS, Criminal Minds and comedies such as How I Met Your Mother and Two and Half Men.

Of course I’m not home during the day, but for those of you who are and watch daytime television by Charter, you will no longer be able to view your favorite SOAPs such a The Young and the Restless.

What’s even worse is that you will not be able to watch the nightly news with the Channel 4 news team.

OK so what can you do? To let Charter know how you feel here are a few contact numbers:
Charter Communications offices: 314-965-0555

Charter Customer Service: 1-888-GET CHARTER (1-888-438-2427)

Charter E-mail:SteveGM@chartercom.com

All cable subscribers need to voice an opinion to Charter because if we don’t we will no longer get to watch our favorite CBS programs. Remember this only effects Charter Communications customers and not other cable distribution companies.

No more KMOV, Channel 4, on Charter is a post from: Original Cyn

I’ve said before that the holidays are not my favorite time of year. I’m starting to crack from the stress of it all. I love my family, but sometimes I feel as if I’m the one who makes the effort when it comes to considering everyone’s schedule.

Oh my parents are fine, but it seems that our families Christmas schedule revolves around my brother’s family. My brother is typically on vacation during the holidays, however my sister-in-law sometimes works and therefore we plan according to her schedule. I don’t think they realize this sometimes and how much it bothers me.

When you are a single parent everyone naturally assumes that you want to travel to their house rather than host an event in yours. There are probably some single parents who feel this way, but I love to entertain even if my house is on the smaller size compared to the rest of my family.

In the past few years it seems as if I keep rearranging my schedule to accommodate others and I’m tired. When my son was little I started a tradition of hosting brunch on Christmas day and for years it worked out nicely. My parents and Cole’s father (of course he’s always been invited)
attend.

I don’t recall my brother and his wife ever attending — even before they had children. Then two years ago my sister-in-law asked if we could change our plans and come to their house for Christmas. I understood because she just had my niece one week before the holiday.Then last year we held the brunch at my parents because we all spent the night on Christmas eve.

OK, so this year I had planned on having brunch, which is usually at 11 a.m, but my mother tells me she is cooking Christmas dinner for 2 p.m. so that my brother and family can come early and then get back home so the kids can play with what “Santa” brought them. My sister-in-law also has to work the day after and this part I get. So here is my thought — why hold brunch? My parents have to leave my house by noon or 12:30 to get back to their house in time. (they live 30 minutes from me.) They don’t get to enjoy any time at my house and would have to rush so there really is no point.

Maybe I’m being a scrooge who knows, but I enjoy having family at my house and it seems they they never want to come and when they do they never want to stay.

Because of the pressure my son has noticed my mood changes and has even taken some hits (not literally.) I just want the holidays to be over so I can go back to my normal routine.

So what is you family like during the holidays?

Family is pressure cooker during the holidays is a post from: Original Cyn

OK here is the latest Feb Femmes video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Jill and I had a lot of fun. We enjoyed meeting Katy Kruze and Joyce Schanter. Katy is a DJ on KSHE95 and 97.1 and Joyce is a former ad rep at KSHE.

Jill got to know Katy from covering several events and when she invited us to the jewelry party, we thought what a great opportunity.

So ladies, if your a Fab Femmes and have a party of some type, you too could be featured in the Web show. Just shoot Jill or I and invite and we will see what we can do.

A little “Bling Bling” is a post from: Original Cyn

If the state were making a list and checking it twice I bet that Illinois’ governor would find his name at the top of the list. Of course there would be others in Illinois who would find there name up there with him too.

Rather than look at those who have been naughty this year, why don’t we concentrate on all those who have been nice. Since it’s that time of year I think we, the people, should recognize those who do so much for others. I want to say each year I meet so many wonderful people and it’s hard for me to pick one person so I am asking all of you to help me create a “Nice” list that I can include on my blog. Tell me the people you think have went out of their way to do something special. It doesn’t have to be big either. Sometimes the smallest gestures mean the most to people and you don’t even realize it.

Last week as my mother and I were shopping and I dropped my coat that I had hanging over a bag and didn’t even realize it. A woman shouted at me and handed me my coat. I appreciated her actions, because I probably wouldn’t have noticed until I was leaving the mall and it was cold. On the same day my mother and I noticed that someone left the door open on their van and we closed it. It was filled with holiday items and no one was in sight. We thought we would be nice. I don’t know how many people would do that, but it’s how we are and I know without them even realizing it we did a good thing. Could you imagine coming out of a store and all your packages of vehicle being gone?

So let’s say goodbye to the Grinch this year and focus on the people who are our everyday Santa. So send me those names and lets start our own list.

Have you been naughty or nice? is a post from: Original Cyn

I’m sure by now many of you are in the Christmas spirit. You’ve already decorated your home — both inside and out — went shopping and wrapped a few presents under the tree and are listening to that merry music we only hear this time of year.

It’s hard for me to get into the spirit of the holidays when there is no snow on the ground. I don’t know why, but if the white powder falls before the 25th I get excited about the day. I think because it reminds me of being a kid.

There is nothing more beautiful than watching snow fall to the ground and blanket everything to where it looks picture perfect. It doesn’t matter if its day or night the wintry weather just makes me want to curl up on the couch and drink hot cocoa too and listen to Christmas songs.

My favorite CD is Harry Connick Jr.’s When My Hart Finds Christmas. What your favorite holiday CD or song?

I’m dreaming of a White Christmas is a post from: Original Cyn