6 Road Trip Essentials

Hey everyone! Don’t fret, summer’s not over yet! Technically, it’s not over for at least another two weeks. So you still have time to get those road trips in! Actually, the early stages of fall are some of the best times to go. The air is crisp, and it’s not too hot. It’s actually my favorite time of year. If you do have a little bit of road trip fever left in you, here are a few essentials that you should definitely have with you, courtesy of Shine!:

• GPS: this one is a no-brainer. The days of reading a paper map are behind us, electronic is the way to go! My GPS has gotten me out of SO many sticky situations, so it’s a staple whenever I go ANYWHERE.
• Cooler: Save money (and calories) on fast food joints by packing some yummy road-trip snacks
• Pocket Camcorder: Why lug around your pricey camcorder? Pocket ones are lower-cost, kid-friendly, and designed to record footage you can quickly upload to a Website — and even show on a big screen. Most cell phones nowadays have pretty decent cameras on them, so you won’t even have to worry about an extra expense.
• Portable DVD player: For the kiddies on the longer road trips.
• Solar Charger: Taking a solar charger along on your getaway can help you avoid the dying cell phone disaster. It draws power from the sun to amp up nearly any device.

Happy trails!

photo credit: Jimmy_Joe

Electric Cars in Memphis?

It looks like the Memphis area officials are in favor of bringing electric cars to Memphis. Members of the Mid-South Council to Help Advance the Regional Growth of Electrification, or CHARGE, wrote U.S. senator Lamar Alexander in support of a bill aimed at increasing the use of electric vehicles.

Electric cars certainly have their benefits. For one, they’re more economically efficient, they help you to save money on cars, and they don’t release as many gases as regular cars. The reason for the want to switch to electric cars is simple, according to Co-chairman of the Energy Security Leadership Council, Fred Smith: “after terrorism and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, our increased dependence on petroleum represents the biggest single threat to our nation’s economy and national security.” Summary: electric cars means less dependency on petroleum, and our economy should start to rise again.

What about you? Do you think that the switch to electric cars will be more beneficial to our economy?

photo credit: shannonkringen

Never Say Never: Invest in Renters Insurance

Renters insurance is the easiest way to make the most out of your comfortable Cordova living. It protects your belongings against unforeseen disasters, and gives you a great peace of mind when they occur. If you haven’t thought about renters insurance for your apartment before, now is definitely the time.

If you have wisely invested in renters insurance, you don’t have much to worry about. Many people don’t take advantage of renters insurance because of a common myth: the cost. Renters insurance is surprisingly inexpensive. For a small fee a month, normally between $10 and $20, you can save thousands of dollars in case you have to replace your belongings. In all honesty, I’d much rather pay about $10 a month than to pay over $200 to replace a lost television or over $500 for a new laptop.

Renters insurance also covers liability for anything you’re found negligent to have caused an accident or a fire. Basic renters insurance may run you as little as $100 a year. In my opinion, that’s a small price to pay for piece of mind and the reassurance of securing your precious belongings. This video shows what happens when people choose not to invest.

How do you get renters insurance? National insurance sites like State Farm and All State all carry policies. You can also visit the Country Squire Apartments leasing office, and they’ll be happy to get you on your way to a higher piece of mind in no time.

Grizzlies Continue to Build Their Roster: Acie Law Signs Contract

Hey Grizz fans! You’ll be excited to hear that Acie Law, former Atlanta Hawk, Warrior, Hornet, and Bull,  has signed with the Memphis Grizzlies to bolster their point guard position.

Though Law has been in the NBA for three years, he’s had limited playing time. Grizzlies General Manager Chris Wallace acknowledged this, and built from it. He figured that the 25 year old, 6-3 veteran has plenty time to show his true potential and will be able to do this with the Grizz.

The Grizzlies signed Law to a one-year contract Thursday, bringing their roster to 14 players. I’m thinking that this may be a good thing. Law is still a young player, and probably has a lot of skill that was overshadowed on the other teams. The only thing that concerns me is attempting to build a player when the team itself needs rebuilding.

Wallace surmises that he didn’t stay with one team long enough for his full potential to shine through. I see Acie Law getting playing time this season as Vasquez is still out, recuperating from surgery.

Only time will tell whether Acie Law will be an asset to the team. Let’s go Grizz!

photo credit: wikipedia

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Finally! A Break From the Heat! Cooler Weather is Ahead!

Finally! I can stop feeling like I’m melting when I’m walking down the street! Well, at least for a while.

“A front heading through the area on Monday will bring a bit of relief from the heat after hitting the region with a few showers and thunderstorms“, National Weather Service meteorologist Scott McNeil said.

By tomorrow, daily highs should fall to the low 90s. Trust me, that’s a big improvement. Starting tomorrow, things should get more comfortable. That’s a relief. Have you ever been outside and it’s been so hot that you can SEE the heat? Horrible. So lower temperatures are surely welcome! Here’s hoping that they stay for a while.

What have you been doing to beat the heat?

Top 5 Guy Movies of All Time

Hey fellas! I know that there are certain movies that you can watch a million times in two days and never get tired. I know that whenever a male celebrity’s house was featured on MTV’s cribs, he had to show his colossal DVD collection, and it had to include ‘Scarface’. So tell me, is it a man law to have this in  your possession?

Even so, I’ve stumbled upon a list of 50 best guy movies, but I’m showcasing the top 5 here. Let me know if you have any to add to the list!

1. Dirty Harry
2. The Godfather
3. Scarface
4. Die Hard
5. Goodfellas and Animal House (Tie)

photo credit: Jack Brodus

Turn an Old Book Into a Secret Hiding Place

Have you ever seen movies where the main character had their valuable stashed away in a cool looking secret hiding place such as hollowed out books or soda can safes? Well, this video teaches you how to make your own secret hiding place!

3 Things Not to Say to a Hearbroken Friend

We’ve all been there: the messy breakups, the seemingly unending heartbreak. Rough times, man, rough times. These are the moments where  you just want a shoulder to cry on, and an ear to bend. If you’re on the recieving end of these conversations, you have to proceed delicately. Be honest in  your approaches, but don’t make your friend feel dumb. Here are 3 things not to say to a heartbroken/newly single friend.

• Don’t say: “I’m glad you got rid of him/her. I never liked him/her anyway”.
• Why: The friend will wonder why you had the false admiration for the person while you were together; they’ll wonder what else you’re lying to them about
• Say instead: “I’m sure you’ll find someone who will give you exactly what you want/need.” This way, the focus is on bigger and brighter things and not what she/he just lost.

• Don’t say: “How can someone as perfect as you be single?”
• Why: Personally, I hate when people say this. It makes you feel like something is wrong with you; everything looks alright on the outside, but when you get in a relationship something goes wrong. Just stay away from this sentence all together.
• Say instead: “Seeing anyone?” This way, you can judge how one feels about their love life. If they’re tight-lipped, just move on.

• Don’t say: “You were too good for him”
• Why: This may seem like  you’re saying he/she has bad taste. Or it could be a confidence booster. Make sure you really know your friend before you drop this statement.
• Say instead: “His/her loss!” I think that’s pretty self explanatory.

Do you have any to add?

Coming to Theaters This Weekend!

Okay, so I’m uber excited. Call me a kid at heart, but I must see “Shrek Forever After” this weekend! I’ve been in love with the Shrek franchise ever since it began, so I’m almost sad to know that it’s ending. Oh well, everything comes to an end sometimes right? Check out the trailer below!

What to buy the happy couple

Wedding season. The season of something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue. While you think that the bride is having a time trying to get everything organized, you may be in a little tizzy yourself: what do you buy the happy couple?

A better question is, if  you are in the wedding party, do you have to buy anything at all? Come on, now. When in the wedding party, if the bride or groom is not taking care of it, you have to buy your dress/suit, shoes, females have to get their hair and nails done, and when you add in whatever types of quirks that the bride and groom wants, you’ve already spent a mini fortune.

Therefore, you don’t necessarily have to purchase a gift. If  you still feel obligated, budget your money accordingly and see what funds you’ll have left over. Even if you can only get a little book of love poems, it’s the thought that counts.

Happy shopping!

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