12.30.05
Posted in News at 11:47 pm by Paloma Cruz
Just today, a coworker was telling me that she’s thinking about donating her old junk heap to a charity since she’s bought a new car. Then I read this.
Houston charity gives more than it receives
– reported by KHOU CBS Channel 11(1)
[snip]
Car donations used to be among the popular ones until this year when the IRS changed the rules. They’re more strict now and fewer people are willing to give up vehicles to charities. Except for one.
[snip]
Like many similar ones, Giving Heart gets people to donate old cars. But unlike many charities, it rarely sells them “as is” at auto auctions.
Instead, the Houston based organization gets them repaired, detailed, and then top dollar at a car dealer.
“We want to raise as much money as we possibly can for charity. That’s what it’s all about,” said George McLure, Giving Heart of America’s president. “And in addition to that give our donors a maximum tax deduction because for a lot of people that’s an important consideration.”
For example, the charity was given a maroon 1998 Ford Taurus in November. It was hardly perfect. The car had front end damage apparently from a wreck. A local body shops gave Giving Heart a discount to fix the car. A detail shop did the same thing to make it shine. Now it’s going up for sale.
“There’s no way it would have gone for more than $500 or $600 max,” McLure said. “We do expect now to get $5,295. I would be surprised it it goes for less than that.”
[snip]
About fifty vehicles are either under repair or up for sale by Giving Heart of America right now.
* * *
Reminders:
- KHOU CBS Channel 11 requires a free registration.
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12.26.05
Posted in Family at 11:26 pm by Paloma Cruz
I’ve spent the day in family drama. Damn, we almost made it through one holiday season without a war. But, no, can’t do it.
It started with a loud loud loud argument with my brother. Selfish a**hole is upset that I’m asking him to pay me back some of the money that he owes me. With the death of my father my mother’s income has been cut. Of course, it’s going to fall to me to make sure that everything gets covered.
In two months I pay off my car. Taking care of Mom after that won’t be a financial burden, really. Until then, I need some help.
It’s not like I’ve asked him to contribute to her wellbeing. I’ve just asked him to pay me back some of the money he owes me, which he’d already promised to do anyway.
Perhaps later I will blog some about the content of the argument with baby brother. I’m too upset right now to do that.
Having Linda come after me later about how I treated him, that I didn’t need. I never saw that fight coming at me. I tried to get out of it. Really, I did. But she kept coming at me and I let her have the fight she so obviously wanted.
It got ugly fast.
It ended with my screaming at her, in the parking lot in front of my apartment as she was getting into her truck, that she wasn’t welcome back in my home. And I told her husband that they were not going to get in the way of my relationship with their children. I promised to make their lives hell if they tried.
Not a good day.
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Posted in Retail Therapy at 7:18 pm by Paloma Cruz
I love silver jewelry. I adore silver jewelry. I prefer silver to gold anyday. I have earrings, chains, charms, bracelets, rings and other things. All in silver.
So I’m always on the lookout for new and interesting places to buy accessories to add to my collection.
Special thanks to
Shop Girl for sending me to J. Silver. I haven’t bought anything yet, but am sure that I will.
There are pieces to suit every budget, too, making J. Silver a good spot for quality jewelry, including precious and semi-precious pieces, throughout year.
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12.25.05
Posted in Retail Therapy at 8:23 pm by Paloma Cruz
I’m putting the Lenovo Yogatop on next year’s Christmas list… my birthday present list… my list of things I want for Valentine’s Day.
This multi-functional laptop is realised through the inclusion of an innovative soft hinge technology support that allows for three modes of self locking position: as a general laptop, tilted at 300 degree angle as a table display screen and bent over at 360 degree angle as a drawing pad. In keeping with the flexibility of use and transport, the Yoga laptop is designed with a detachable keyboard and wireless mouse.
I found this via Gizmodo, one of my favorite daily stops.
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12.22.05
Posted in Uncategorized at 4:19 pm by Paloma Cruz
The Container Store (online) is selling this neat little Handbag Hanger that’ll make a great stocking stuffer. I have one of these. I bought it at Claire’s Boutique a few years ago. Every time I use it at a restaurant, I get a compliment from a woman at a nearby table.
Of course, mine isn’t as nice as this… and it wasn’t quite this expensive. But, at $14.99, it’s still worth the price.
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Posted in Retail Therapy at 1:56 am by Paloma Cruz
Shop Girl offers some last-minute shopping tips. My favorite:
Go early, or late, and let someone else do the parking.
Of course, I think I’d prefer to let someone else do the shopping.
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12.15.05
Posted in Family at 4:16 pm by Paloma Cruz
My father passed away recently. Right now I don’t have the words to express what I’m feeling. Later, I expect, I will be able to share.
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