The Spin CycleMarch 2013 - The Spin Cycle

Archive for March 2013

I’m at Sverve – Where Bloggers meet Brands

By Sue · Comments (6) · March 28th, 2013

Happy Thursday, friends. Today I’d like you to follow me to Sverve, my very favorite place on the Interwebs.

Heard of it? No? Well. You’re in for a treat, then.

If you’re a blogger, or if you’re a brand looking to work with bloggers, you need Sverve in your life. Heck…even if you’re neither…just come along for the ride and learn about the neatest thing on the Web since sliced bread.

Which, I realize, is technically not on the web.

But I digress.

Follow me to Sverve’s blog by clicking here, or on the Sverve button above. All will be explained when we get there. I’ll bring the wine. xo

Comments (6)

The Perfect Plan – A Rescue Story

By Sue · Comments (49) · March 21st, 2013

I crafted the perfect plan.

Remember, friends?

After having our sweet Macy put down in September, my family endured a long, lonely fall and winter.

The void in our home was so great, it was actually tangible. The silence? It was audible.

And all the lonely while, I crafted the perfect plan.

Taking everyone’s ‘druthers into consideration, I decided that a purebred Doberman Pinscher would be our next pup of choice.

His name would be Redd, a nod to Otis Redding and Red of The Shawshank Redemption.

We would find a well-respected breeder through an extensive search and visit his farmhouse estate in June, once school had let out and the weather had turned warmer and more pet-friendly.

We would select the pick of the litter and raise a show-worthy dog with an impeccable pedigree.

Yes. It was the perfect plan.

But…friends?

Guess what I forgot to include in the plan?

Compassion. And Love at First Sight.

My plan sprouted wings and flew right out the window

When my family and I were hit smack in the face by those two forces that make the world go ’round.

So we will not have Redd the Doberman come June.

No.

We have Gwen the Rescue Foxhound-Beagle Mix. As of this past Sunday.

And now, in retrospect, I’m quite certain…

No. Absolutely certain…

That the good Lord, in His infinite wisdom and with His ultimate sense of humor, chuckled at my folly

When I crafted the perfect plan.

Note: Gwen is a rescue from A Place to Bark. We cannot thank them enough for their tireless efforts. Please take a moment to read about them on their web page and to follow them on Twitter and Facebook. I received no compensation for writing this post. I just felt it worthwhile to share this wonderful organization with my readers.

Inspired by a post from Mama Kat’s Losin’ It.

Comments (49)

Six Things They Didn’t Teach Me in School (or how to survive an eardrum perforation)

By Sue · Comments (29) · March 14th, 2013

First: A bit of business…Thank you to everyone who entered the Bling it Up CafePress Giveaway! Click here and scroll down to view the winner in the Rafflecopter box of the giveaway post. I’ll be emailing the winner today to obtain shipping address information. I hope that they enjoy their Spin Cycle charm bracelet as much as I do.

And now…Back to our regularly scheduled post, inspired by the most excellent Mama Kat:

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You know that poster, All I Ever Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten?

Cute, right?

Quaint. Amusing. Touching.

And a total load of hooey.

As the past few days of my life have run their course, it has become clear to me that there are some things that simply cannot be taught in school.

No way, no how.

They must be learned, first-hand, on this roller-coaster of motherhood.

And I present them to you here:

Six Things They Didn’t Teach Me in School

1. Eight year-old boys are the most oddly fascinating creatures. They tend to do all sorts of absurd things, like getting low-lying tree branches poked in their left ears while playing in the snow with the neighbor boys.

2. If your oddly fascinating creature is hysterical, though his ear may look perfectly fine to you, you must trust your gut and seek medical attention. Even if it’s seven o’clock on a school night.

3. As any emergency room physician will tell you, there are are three teenytiny cartilage-y bones that connect your eardrum to the inner ear. Break one? And it’s an instant, major hearing loss that requires surgery to repair.

4. It is possible – albeit rare – for a branch in the ear to bypass all three bones and poke a neat little hole in the eardrum that can be as painful as all get-out but, thankfully, is likely to heal on its own in time.

5. Prescription medication, followed by a post E.R. trip to McDonald’s, does wonders for painful eardrum perforations.

6. There is such a thing as a Magic Get-Well Chair. It works best when it has been designed by the oddly fascinating creature’s older sister. And it does work, friends…if the proper amount of love goes into the design.

Comments (29)

Bling it Up: A CafePress Giveaway

By Sue · Comments (18) · March 7th, 2013

I love me some bling.

If it sparkles and shines? If it dangles from my earlobes or makes a clinkety sound when I raise my glass of Cabernet? I’m all about it.

And, in my mind, the only thing better than bling?

Is one-of-a-kind bling.

And the only thing better than one-of-a-kind bling?

Is one-of-a-kind-that-I-designed-all-by-my-big-girl-self-bling.

Booyah.

Now. I know what you’re thinking, friends.

Wait. Actually, I don’t. I’m just going to give you a topic to think about:

Where does Sue get one-of-a-kind-bling-that-she-designed-all-by-her-big-girl-self?

Answer: CafePress.

Ever checked them out?

No?

What’s wrong with you people?

CafePress is where the world shops for and other gifts that express people’s personalities. They’re the leader in on-demand printing…my go-to source for millions of one-of-a-kind designs on every topic you can imagine -and some you can’t – from political expressions, unique bedding, funny T-shirts & stickers, to all sorts of merchandise with personalized designs.You can find themed gear from major brands, and you can also make your own personalized gifts with their easy design tool that even I can wield with ease.

Check it, homies:

Introducing The Spin Cycle Custom Charm Bracelet. Squeeeeeeeeeee!

I love this thing more than life itself.

That was an exaggeration. I like living more than this bracelet. But the bracelet is a close second. And what’s more? It was a cinch to design. For realz. Click here to check out how easy CafePress makes it to create your own custom jewelry.

Surely you know someone…a fun friend, a sassy sister…a cool co-worker…who would love to have one of these. Heck…maybe you’d enjoy wearing one.

Unless you happen to be a man. Or a ferret.

Or a male ferret.

Anyway.

The groovy folks over at CafePress will send a Spin Cycle charm bracelet to one lucky reader…use the RaffleCopter thingy below to enter my giveaway! As always, RaffleCopter and I encourage virtual ballot box stuffing in the form of multiple entries.

Good luck, friends!

Disclosure Statement: I was provided with a CafePress gift card in order to design this piece and complete this review. All opinions are my own. Continental U.S. residents only, please.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Comments (18)