HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

A 2008 Christmas Story

Although this has nothing to do with uscity.net, I felt compelled to add this to my blog this year. Merry Christmas!

This year as we reflect on the story of Mary and Joseph's journey toward Bethlehem, many of us can relate to them passing through uncertain terrain and worrying about the future. The financial crisis our country is going through affects some more than others, but everywhere there is anxiety threatening to divert our attention from the blessings we do have.

Christmas surprises are all around us. An acquaintance of mine is a single mother, who had a good paying job, and just finished getting her college degree while working fulltime in November. Everything looked great. Then came a very disrupting diagnosis from the doctors. She is very ill, an illness I cannot pronounce or even try to spell. Basically, they are trying different types of drugs to stop the progression. And two weeks ago, she got laid off – showed up for work, was met at the gate by a security guard who looked her name up and his 'list', and then handed her paycheck to her and said “we will call you if you are needed in the future.” She was not even allowed back in to get her things from her locker.

I talked to her and she told me that this time in her life had been a revelation – in the midst of all her problems, she sees glimmers of hope and knows without a doubt (for the first time in her life) that she is NOT alone. So many people have stepped up to help with the rent, help with her healthcare, buy food, offer a shoulder to lean on, say prayers with her and for her - AND her daughter will be having more presents under the tree than she ever has. The mother of one of the families who has helped her, (even though her own husband had been laid off in Mid-October) told me that this year is not the year to scale back and tone down. This year is a time for lavish, extravagant gifts of sharing, friendship, joy and most of all, hope. If you can give hope to someone, you are not only asked to, but you are required to.

This kind of sharing is what it's all about in my book.

I hope you all have the opportunity to share something this season and I wish you love, peace, blessings and joy this holiday season.

Merry Christmas,
Pam

Last Minute Gift Ideas from CD Universe

Christmas is coming on fast for most of us and if you are looking for a great gift for anyone on your list, try checking out CD Universe. With music for everyone, they offer Christmas music from Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin to Harry Conick and Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, along with new releases and top sellers from every genre.

One of my favorite Christmas traditions is watching It’s a Wonderful Life on Christmas Eve while doing my last minute wrapping. Make someone happy with a holiday movie they will cherish forever. CD Universe has movies galore – for the kids (and the young at heart, like me): Shrek the Halls, How The Grinch Stole Christmas. Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer, Polar Express. Charlie Brown. Alvin And The Chipmunks - A Chipmunk Christmas, Bernstain Bears' Christmas Tree and many more. For the older ones on your list, try: Christmas Story: Ultimate Collector's Edition, Elf. Scrooged, National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, and two of my favorites - Miracle On 34th Street and It’s a Wonderful Life. If Christmas movies are not what you are looking for, try their newer releases, like Sex and the City, Dr. Seuss' Horton Hears A Who! or Indiana Jones and Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.

CD Universe also offers games – top sellers this season are: Call Of Duty: World At War, Hooked w/ Fishing Rod Bundle for the WII, Kingdom Hearts Re: Chain Of Memories or WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2009.

There are 11 days for Christmas delivery, so shop now and even if you get down to the wire, like I did last year, you can always email someone on your list a gift certificate, right up until Christmas Eve!

Discount Dental Insurance Plans

We have a listing at uscity.net that I would like everyone to know about – we all want to be as healthy as possible, right? Maintaining healthy teeth and gums is vital to our dental health and wellbeing, yet many people forgo the dental care they need due to the high costs involved. Discounted discount dental plans are dental insurance alternatives that start at only $79.95 PER YEAR and provide discounts of 10% to 60% on most dental procedures.

With 100,000+ participating dentist and dental care specialist listings in a combined network of 30+ affordable discount dental plans, its easy to find a dentist and plan in your area. We want to help you save money on your dental care by giving you the power to compare and choose from the best discount dental plans in the nation! Discover the advantages of dental insurance alternatives by joining a discount dental plan.

With the cost of health and dental insurance on the rise, you will find the plans here as or more affordable than most. Right now, Dental Plans is offering new members 3 additional months FREE. Join any one of their money-saving annual discount dental plans and receive 15 months of savings on your dental care. There is also a vision care plan on the site.

Click anywhere on this post to visit the website and check it out for yourself.

Fleetwood Mac Reunited

Fleetwood Mac has announced it is reunited and going out on the road.

The supergroup is launching its tour at Mellon Arena in Pittsburgh on March 1. The tour coincides with a new greatest hits compilation called Unleashed that contains never before seen footage and previously unreleased tracks.

"We love our band and think the title of the tour - Unleashed - perfectly describes how we all feel when we get on stage together, especially in 2009," the band said in a joint statement. "We're so happy to get back out on the road, perform everyone's favorite songs and see our fans."

Tickets go on sale Dec. 15. Dates include Chicago, Detroit, Washington D.C., Boston, New York and Canada.

Just click on this sentence for more ticket info!