Gift Cards; bad Christmas idea.

Jes a reminder to everyone who's out there starting your holiday shopping..

if you tend to give gift cards around the holidays, you need to be careful that the cards will be honored after the holidays. Stores that are planning to close after Christmas are still selling the cards through the holidays even though the cards will be worthless January 1. There is no law preventing them from doing this. On the contrary, it is referred to as "Bankruptcy Planning". Below is a partial list of stores that you need to be cautious about. Also any cards you may have now and been saving them you may want to cash them in real soon.

Circuit City (filed Chapter 11)
Ann Taylor- 117 stores nationwide closing
Lane Bryant, Fashion Bug ,and Catherine's to close 150 stores nationwide
Eddie Bauer to close 29 stores
Cache will close 14 stores
Talbot's closing down specialty stores
Pacific Sunwear closed all d.e.m.o stores & unsure about the remainder PacSun stores
GAP closed 17 stores and plans to close 115 more stores
Footlocker closing 334 stores more to close after January
Wickes Furniture closing down and filed bankruptcy
Levitz Furniture closing down remaining stores (filed Chapter 11)
Bombay closing remaining stores (filed Chapter 11)
Zales closing down 82 stores and 105 after January but opened more outlets
Whitehall closing all stores (filed Chapter 11)
Piercing Pagoda closing all stores ((not sure abt this didnt see it on snopes))
Disney closing 98 stores due to new ownership.
Home Depot closing 15 stores
Macys to closed 11 stores
Linens and Things closing all stores ((not sure abt this didnt see it on snopes))
Movie Galley Closing all stores (filed Chapter 11)
Pep Boys Closing 31 stores
Sprint/Nextel closing 125 stores
JC Penney closing a number of stores after January ((not sure abt this didnt see it on snopes))
Ethan Allen closing down 12 stores and 2 service centers.
Wilson Leather closing down all mall stores
Sharper Image closing down all stores (filed Chapter 11)
K B Toys closing 356 stores (filed Chapter 11)
Dillard's closed 20 stores and plans to close more soon

OMG - this is ridiculous! the economy is jes HORRIBLE right now. I checked this out on snopes ((always do before sending out stuff like this.. gotta make sure my facts are strait)) and it's true. You can check it out more in detail and about all the store closings and MORE info here.

libra today:

You don't have to splurge at the spa to look and feel amazing. It doesn't hurt to indulge when you can, but eating antioxidant rich foods and getting plenty of rest and exercise will keep you radiant.

smh; damn. must've known i sure was gonna go get a manicure and pedicure today after work.

check out what your's says =) here.

11-26 Thought For The Day:

True love comes quietly, without banners or flashing lights. If you hear bells, get your ears checked.

DiAMONDS -

How to Spot a Fake Diamond:

While it's a safe bet that the blue box (Tiffany's) diamonds are genuine, many dishonest vendors sneakily rip off customers by selling similar-looking but much less expensive diamond-like stones. These criminals count on their not-so-savvy clientele to trust that their jewelry uses real diamonds. By neglecting to check out their jewelry before purchasing, many hopeful diamond buyers unfortunately end up spending their money on costume jewelry. The love in many marriages and relationships might be very real, but the diamonds in their jewelry are often not. Diamonds might be one of the hardest substances on Earth (real ones are nearly indestructible) but they're fairly easy to fake.

There are many synthetic stones that have very similar appearances to the diamond, including cubic zirconium (also known as CZ), zirconium silicate and white sapphire. However, there is one faux diamond whose appearance is almost identical to the real thing. To the untrained eye, a moissanite stone has the same shimmer, sparkle and brilliance of an actual diamond. It's nearly as hard as one, too. Diamonds might be a girl's best friend, but moissanite is giving it a run for its money. While moissanite is not as low priced as a CZ stone, it looks tremendously more realistic and it's still much less expensive than an actual diamond. This one-carat moissanite ring from Amazon.com is only $760. That's more than six times less than a diamond ring of the same size. If you're on a budget, you might want to consider this hidden gem.

Still think that only diamonds are forever? Make sure that your new bling is the real thing. Protect yourself by following these steps BEFORE purchasing ((or ladies check the rocks you got now)):

- Make sure that the diamond isn't damaged. Most diamond substitutes (except for moissanite) are made up of a much softer substance. This causes the stone to easily chip and scuff.

- Make sure the diamond isn't too perfect. While you don't want nicks and cracks, most genuine diamonds have a few imperfections within the stone, even if they aren't visible to the naked eye. Ask the jeweler for his or her loupe and survey the stone under magnification. Ironically, a common faux-stone giveaway is its lack of imperfections. The replica is often just too perfect to be believed.

- Look for luster, brilliance and fire. Good diamonds aren't dull, and it's nearly impossible for synthetic stones to duplicate their natural sparkle. Try comparing the stone you're considering side-by-side with a diamond that you know to be real.

-- Ask if it is real. It sounds crazy, but asking, "Is this a real diamond or a synthetic stone?" might throw a scammer off his game. He very well may back down and tell the truth about the stone. If this happens, run, don't walk, out of the store and report your experience to the Better Business Bureau.

- Have the stone appraised. It's worth the extra expense to have peace of mind regarding this very important purchase. An independent appraiser (don't settle for the one that the store recommends) can put your mind at ease while giving you key details to help you to gauge whether or not the price you plan to pay is fair. You may even wish to take the investigation one step further by requesting a report from a grading laboratory such as the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) or the American Gem Society Laboratories (AGSL)

The process of spotting a fake diamond might be tedious, but with the improvement in look-alikes, it's important to take your jewelry store experience and the risk of fraud very seriously to make certain that your diamond purchase is as solid as a rock.

11-25 Thought For The Day:

No one is perfect... that's why pencils have erasers.

PSA: feet.

OMG. what is up with folks not wanting to take care of their feet??? I personally have a foot phobia and feet jes disgust me! So yesterday I was walking into the post office and this lady who was riding her bike goes in right before me. Well I have a bad habit of looking at people's shoes when the approach me or walk by. Don't ask why, that's jes me.. always peepin the shoe-game. But anyways I look down and I SWEAR I threw up in my mouth at least twice that quick!! Her heels looked like she had been playing in the rocks at a kids playground and had never seen an ounce of lotion in their lives! I mean doesn't that HURT??!! I know if my skin gets even slightly dry i go into freak out mode that quick! haha. Ughh.

THEN today I was at work and this lady walked by wearing some flip flops with her NASTY ASS HELLS hanging out the back of her shoes looking like they were jes SCREAMIN for a pedicure!

Therefore I am making a plea to the world: pppuuulllleeeeaassseeee if you are going to where sandals or shoes that show your feet PLEASE do the rest of the world a favor and scrub the damn calluses off them hoez and throw sum lotion on them! If that doesn't seem possible, do us all a favor and keep the socks nd shoes on!
Thank You =)

This has been a Public Service Announcement courtesy of JuJu. You can now resume to your regularly scheduled blogging.

my reflection.

its like im looking in the mirror and all i see is a reflection of myself.
but smaller and younger.
your attitude is a carbon copy of mine.
your facial expressions mock mine to a 't'.
you have a connection to my inner thoughts that amazes me.
i never would have imagined i could have done it.
but i have.
and will continue to do so to the best of my ability.
for you are a creature of me, that relfects me and embodies me.
you are and always will be, my lil angel; "BB".

U.M.C - CoMMoN.

common is def the truth. last seen him perform at the southern comfort musik festival in daygo this summer -- cant wait for his album to finally drop on 12.09.08!

dr. pepper; FREE.

Dr Pepper is making good on its promise of free soda now that the release of Guns N' Roses' "Chinese Democracy" is a reality.

The soft-drink maker said in March that it would give a free soda to everyone in America if the album dropped in 2008. "Chinese Democracy," infamously delayed since recording began in 1994, goes on sale Sunday.

"We never thought this day would come," Tony Jacobs, Dr Pepper's vice president of marketing, said in a statement. "But now that it's here, all we can say is: The Dr Pepper's on us."

Beginning Sunday at 12:01 a.m., coupons for a free 20-ounce soda will be available for 24 hours on Dr Pepper's Web site. They'll be honored until Feb. 28.

DR PEPPER EXTENDS FREE COUPON OFFER DUE TO CONSUMER DEMAND

Everyone in America has until 6 PM EST on Monday, November 24 to get a free 20 oz. Dr Pepper - That's 3 PM TODAY for us in California!

**be patient with the site, there's a lot of traffic on it due to the demand so may take a while, but it's legit.

Click here to get a Free Dr Pepper for a limited time.


The rich, bold flavor of Dr Pepper provides a taste like no other. That's because Dr Pepper is made with an authentic blend of 23 flavors, which gives you real refreshment. With Dr Pepper, there's more flavor, more taste, and more to enjoy. There's more to it.

**UPDATE: This offer has now closed.

11-24 Thought For The Day:

Fear less, hope more; eat less, chew more; whine less, breathe more; talk less, say more; hate less, love more; and all good things are yours.

~Swedish Proverb

UNT!TLED; bff.

lately i have been doing a lot of thinking and i feel its time i go and re-evaluate some "relationships" and people in my life. it's like im at a point in my life where i know so many people, yet most of the time feel so alone. i could count the number of people who whole-heartily care about me on one hand; & that's including my family. i am surrounded by sum great people in my life but most of the time everyone is so caught up in their own worlds they forget the simple things or people in their lifes. i'm the type of person who doesn't let people in very easily, but once you are in i expect you to be there; or at least act like you care at times. there's some people who claim to be "this" - or claim to be "that" but where are you really at?? i don't need or want any part time friends in my life. with that being said, i wanna thank you BFF for always being there. No matter what. You have always held me down and stuck by my side no matter what. Just like all BFF's we may have a disagreement here or there but nothing or nobody has ever or will ever break us. i couldn't do it without you in this cold harsh world. so with that being said i'm gonna go into low-key mode. it's just me and you BFF. love you.

M·A·C -n- Hello Kitty Collection

So I tuned into LaaLaa's blog today to find out whaat??; all my prayers had been answered!! haha.

MAC Cosmetics has teamed up with Sanrio Global Consumer Products to create a Hello Kitty color cosmetics collection. The line will arrive on MAC’s Web site Feb. 10, in North American stores on Feb. 12 and into overseas stores in March.

“MAC has been mining pop culture since the brand was founded,” said John Demsey, group president of the Estée Lauder Cos. Inc. “This is a sexy and innocent fashion line, and a true MAC moment. In these times, everyone can use a little fun — and a little Kitty.”

“To me, MAC Hello Kitty embodies the ultimate beauty icon,” said Jennifer Balbier, senior vice president of product development for MAC Worldwide. “She’s sweet and sexy, slightly edgy, and appeals to a wide range of customers. We wanted to reflect that through a sweet side, but also something slightly mischievous when it came to the colors. I started out by creating a palette of pinks, since they fit and always trend well in the spring. And this look is so much about the eyes that we did two eye shadow quads.” The Lucky Tom quad has violet blue, brown, gold and pink-coral shades, while the Too Dolly palette has mint, blue-silver, pale pink and magenta shades.

“We incorporated glitter eyeliners because she loves anything that twinkles, and we took the coral and hot pink theme and did pretty, poppy [colored] blush,” added Balbier.

While this collection is intended to have a sophisticated presentation, MAC hopes to appeal to younger fans with two shades of lip conditioners.


The Hello Kitty offerings fall into two collections:
The Hello Kitty Colour Collection & the more high-end Hello Kitty Kouture.

Hello Kitty Color Collection:

LIPS

6 lipsticks ($14)

6 lipglass ($14)

2 tinted lip conditioner ($14.50)


EYES

2 palettes ($38) -- Lucky Tom Quad: violet-blue, brown, gold, and pink coral shades; Too Dolly Quad: mint, blue-silver, pale pink, and magenta shades

2 pigments ($19.50)

2 reflects glitter ($17.50) -- blue and pink

4 glitter eyeliners ($16.50)

black mascara ($12)

false eyelashes ($12)


FACE

2 beauty powders ($22) -- a coral, poppy colored and hot pink blush

3 nail polish ($11)


Hello Kitty Kouture:

2 Dazzleglasses ($28) -- with reusable silver chain pendant encrusted with Swarovski crystals

3 Sheer Mystery Powder ($90) -- silver compact with Swarovski crystals; Available only in MAC Stores and maccosmetics.com

(Available at MAC stores, maccosmetics.com, and Nordstrom only)

Plush doll ($42)

3 brush collection ($49.50)

(Available at MAC stores and maccosmetics.com)

mirror ($22)

beaded bracelet ($34)

(for maccosmetics.com)

tote ($45)

soft vanity ($55)

And Demsey promises the surprises aren’t over yet. “There will be more products to come in the next three months with this partnership,” he said.

MOB; gimme!!!

a few more "must have" items to add to my collectionn from Married to the Mob! i'm leaning more for the first jacket versus the Hellz Bellz black one.. hummm decisions decisions!!

my Fall/Winter wants; hellz bellz.

and my ABSOLUTE FAV mz minnie and dauche have already posted this jacket on their page giving it it's props but i def think im abt to cop it!!! Don't be surprised when you see me around town in it soon ;)




hellz bellz is def on they shxt!! you can check these products out and more on karma loop!

addicted; already!!

YO!!! you def need to go check out Nellz Stories "The Good Life". She's only on chapter four.. nd I am already addicted!! Keep up the good work ma, can't wait for chapter five to be posted!!

11-21 Thought For The Day:

The most important thing in life is to learn how to love; and to let love come in.

1.99?? word!!

i damn near had a wreck on my way home today!! i was driving down the road and in the corner of my eye i caught a gas station that had some 1.99 gas!! it's still almost 2.30 by my job so to see gas 30 cents cheaper i was all on it!! i drove down a lil further and noticed another gas station at the same price and thought to myself.. YES that's what im talkin about! hahaha.. better fill up before they change their mind again and gas goes back up to almost 3 bucks!

T Pain; Karaoke.

There's been lots of controversy over the whole "auto tune" on all the new hits lately. So leave it up to T Pain to make a song to officially dis all these other rappers so called swagger-jackin his style. He def gives props that he is not the original one to come out with this.. but he def made it what it is.

T Pain is now going as far to even say that other rappers should pay him royalties. He said Diddy did it, everyone else should follow. He states: "Diddy actually gave me royalties on this album just for using Auto-Tune. He signed the contract and everything. If I can do that with Diddy, somebody else better be signing something. It's Diddy. He didn't have to involve me at all. I'm writing and producing on his album, and he gave me extra royalties on top of that for using something I just brought back."

T Pain specifically dissed Ron Browz, saying he used the auto tune poorly. And especially dissing the new hit "Pop Champagne".

T Pain's latest album "Thr33 Ringz" came out last Tuesday and is debuted at #4 on Billboard albums sales chart. For those of you who are T Pain fans, make sure to go cop that. It def features a variety of guests and is featured to be more up-tempo songs than his last cd, which btw I loved!

Listen to both and judge for yourself..

11-20 Thought For The Day:

If you surrender to the wind, you can ride it.

Beautifully; skinny. GROSS.

I am sitting here watching last Sunday's episode of Desperate Housewives that I missed and can't help but notice as Bree ((Marcia Cross)) is talking just HOW SKINNY she is getting! Now she's always been a very small person as it is, but lately she seems to be getting even bonier. As she was sitting there carrying on a conversation I couldn't even pay attention to what she was saying because all I kept staring at was her bones damn near ready to pop outta her chest and collar bone!


I started to google it so I could find a pic of it to post on here for discussion.. no luck there. But I did come across this pic, and several others like it. And surprisingly with all these pics woman were actually talking about how BEAUTIFUL it was and how much they envied this look and strived to become this way!

Are you serious??? Is this what "beauty" is now defined as? If that's the case I don't think I want to ever be "beautiful". Just so sad if you ask me.

BB StoRM;.

It's finally almost here!! Yay!! For you Blackberry fans!! The first touch-screen BlackBerry smartphone will go on sale in the US November 21st!

The phone comes pre-loaded with consumer-friendly applications such as Google mail and maps, Yahoo's Flickr photo-sharing service and a specially adapted version of social network Facebook. And if you are already a BB user you know about all the other features you can add to it!

The BlackBerry Storm's touch screen indents slightly when it is pressed, and keys on the on-screen keyboard light up when hovered over, reducing the potential for mis-typing that many users experience with touch-screen keyboards.

Will Blackberry measure up to the iPhone and G1 rival?? We will just have to wait til this Friday and find out! This is a def MUST HAVE for me!

Check out the website for more details and information.

11-19 Thought For The Day:

Club Glare. Every Friday.

A07 Entertainment & One Ent.
invite you to:
CLUB GLARE
Located inside Aubergine Nightclub

Aubergine Nightclub located 500 4th Ave, Downtown San Diego


Send first and last names(as many as you like)
2.
Deadline to signup for guestlist is 5pm(NO EXCEPTIONS)
3.
To get on the free list reply to this message or click here






A07 Entertainment
RiseA07. wordpress. com
"When you seek change, you rise"

11-18 Thought For The Day:

RIP Billy.

Most of you from back home have already seen these pictures and know what's going on.. but for those close in my life out here in California.. I want you to see them.

This was Billy's car after he left a party and wrecked. I know we all think it will never happen to us, but life is not guaranteed. Please be careful and use caution if you have been out drinking or partying.

Life is too precious to be careless with it.





Click HERE to see more pictures.

RIP Billy Redmon.

i ♥ Dallas.

Okay so this blog is a lil later than i intended but i still had to make sure to come thru and show love!!! So i turned on the radio the other day (z90 to be exact) and to my suprise the NFL boys were on the radio! Damn D's song! I almost fell outta my car when I heard it! I knew Cali was late on getting the hits but THIS is MY SONG!! haha. This song has SUCH a southern play to it, i would have NEVER dreamed of hearing it out here on the radio! But glad i did! First we took over with "My Dougie" ((shout out to Lil Will from Agg Town Baby!!)) and now Damn D is on making a name for himself! All i can say is Dallas, Texas keep doing your thing it is def your time to shine! haha. and to the haters.. "HI HATER".

Speaking of Dallas, I may be coming home soon, and probably for good... stay tuned.

11-17 Thought For The Day:

Decisions become easier when your will to please God outweighs your will to please the world.

11-14 Thought For The Day:

A person often meets his destiny on the road he took to avoid it.

b!tchazz-Ness.

"It;s amazing to me homie
that ni&&as you fcck wit dawg
you don;t know the truth about these ni&&as
till yall fall out. The more you show a ni&&a
the more dangerous he become to you homie."



..obviously i kept it too real..

lesson learned.

big Ups!

welcome a07s newest member dauche to the fam!!

stay tuned as a07 rises to the top.

aubergines club glare. be here on fridays.

Be Here Tomorrow.

[[:get at me to get listed:]]

11-13 Thought For The Day:

Never give up on someone you cant go a day without thinking about.

11-12 Thought For The Day:

No thoughts from me today. It's a sad day.

Til Next Time.

One Way North.

The Good Life Exclusive!
NOVEMBER 20!


CLICK FLYER FOR MORE INFO!

rumors;.

the shzt u hear about me may be true; but then again; it could be as fake as the B!TCH who told you.


[[:PEOPLE:]] spread rumors in TWO SECONDS flat.. he did this & she did that.. well i dont give a FCKK. Now go spread that.


btw.

you and ur rumors have something in common. you both get around.



TR!CKAZZ.

11-11 Thought For The Day:

Forgiveness is love in its most noble form.

Good Cause. Please ClicK.

Here's a your good deed for the next couple of days and its EASY.

The Breast Cancer site is having trouble getting enough people to click on their site daily to meet their quota of donating at least one free mammogram a day to an underprivileged woman. It takes less than a minute to go to their site and click on 'donating a mammogram' for free (pink window in the middle).

This doesn't cost you a thing. Their corporate sponsors/advertisers use the number of daily visits to donate mammogram in exchange for advertising.

Here's the web site! Pass it along to people you know.

http://www.thebreastcancersite.com

11-10 Thought For The Day:

You never know how strong you truly are until being strong is the only thing you have left to do.

i want!!

Hello Kitty Red and Black GSX R1000.. ummm i want i want!!

Beyonce; if i weRe a boY.

Love this video and song. Speaks some truth. Sometimes you dudes just don't know how much you hurt females and see nothing wrong with what you are doing.



Take notes fellas.

11-06 Thought For The Day:

With money you can buy a house; but not a home.
... you can buy a clock; but not time.
... you can buy a bed; but not sleep.
... you can buy a book; but not knowledge.

11-05 Thought For The Day:

Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.
- Matthew 5:44


** Thanks Nena =]

UNT!TLED; Karma.

Attention CH!LD'REN: I suggest you don;t play games with b!tches who can play them better. As the saying goes; play with fire & your gonna get burned. You may try to sit there & ruin my life as you see fit, but trust you can NEVER break me. At the end of the day, the joke remains on YOU. Go play your little kiddie games with someone who has time for them. Karma is a b!tch. What goes around comes around. Trust God will handle you. I have to stop myself & pray on the situation because God is the only one saving you right now. Trust that. I will be the bigger person in the situation. Whatever satisfaction you feel you have gained after doing what you did, do you really feel satisfied?? I doubt it. Because in the end you are a lonely b!tch. So keep prying on people and sleeping your way to where you are now because in the end.. that's all you will ever be or have in life.

11-04 Thought For The Day:

Vote.


'Nuff Said.