What is it about guys, big trucks, and the huge off road mud tires to go with it. It is quite comical when driving down the road and you see a truck that has been lifted, way beyond what the manufacture recommends, the wheels and tires on that truck look like they are off one of those gold mining dump trucks out in Nevada.

photo credit: korona-pl

What kind of gas mileage do they get on that big ole thing? Those tires have to cost a lot of money. I know how much just the regular 15” 30,000 mile car tire costs. Then you have to pay to have it mounted and balance along with all that other stuff, it adds up quick. The guys that drive these kind of trucks must be trying to impress chicks. Or maybe they have a lot of money and feel the need to spend their money on something! The bottom line is there must be some left over little boy in each of those guys driving those trucks. To each their own.

When the first platform beds arrived on the scene in the 1980’s many experts felt they were simply created as a very cheap option for people who could not afford the traditional mattress, box spring, frame and headboard option.  But fast forward to today, and many platform beds are created with the ultimate comfort AND style kept in mind.  For many this unique bed design, along with an accompanying platform bed mattress, has become the primary sleeping arrangement in all bedrooms.

Since platform beds do not include a box spring of any kind, many different design and function options are available to consumers.  Many platform beds are designed in a minimalist style with a discreet frame that holds the bed a mere six inches off the floor and a very comfortable, yet dense, foam mattress on top.  This less pronounced bed design allows interior designers to create bed rooms with other features being prominent in them.

Barbie isn't the same as she used to be, years ago. Today she has new professions, astronaut, doctor, veterinarian etc. New professions, new businesses, new styles and a new figure. You can feel pretty good about giving a little girl Barbie to play with, despite the controversy surrounding her figure.

While Barbie may be a little out of proportion. Her clothing and style isn't out of fashion. There are so many styles of dress and Barbie clothes, that a little girl can pretty much open her own department store.

If you want to find some Chanel, there are those types available. Barbie can have fishing gear, fashion clothing, clothes for hiking, and any other activity you can think of, including bowling. There are little accessories to go with each out fit; shoes, purses, jewelry etc.

Remember how fun Barbie was? She still is. Pick up a Barbie for your little one.

Recently I set foot in a department store. You see, for the last 10 years or so I've only been shopping online, so heading into a department store is a relatively new event. The reason I made this departure from the norm is to find some flattering fits of dresses. As my behind has grown smaller from weight loss, I find myself in need of newer styles of fitting dresses. And so I went shopping for new outfits.

While I got an idea of what some styles looked like on (which was the point), I really didnt have much luck finding any dresses my size. See I'm a big girl, yes even after my weight loss. And all the stores had to offer were dresses size 8 and a few size 12, but the largest I could find (with any kind of selection) was a 14. I suppose that if you fit in those categories (like 60% of the population) that works fine, but I'd like to see shops offer a little more.

Looking for a dress styles that will take you from spring to fall? Work to vacation wear? Try a jersey wrap dress.

A jersey dress is made of cotton and Lycra and perfect for vacation wear. The material allows for breathability in the summer months, and for warmer weather, the tight weaving can be comfortable. If you choose a mid arm length sleeve, you will find the dress takes you all the way though from March to November. A warp style jersey dress will let you roll it up and take it on any vacation, free of wrinkles! Along with being wrinkle free and breathable, the fabric washes and dries extremely fast with no shrinkage.

Not only do jersey dresses come in various colors, length and sleeve styles. They also cost very little. If you're searching for the perfect ladies dresses, try the jersey wrap style.

Your son just announced is wedding date and the first thing that pops into your head is all the planning and notifying that needs to get done. When the excitement begins to wane a little, you probably come to realize you need to find a dress for the wedding. But be aware that you cannot pick your dress until the mother of the bride has picked hers, if you follow etiquette.

Mother of the groom dresses are always chosen after the mother of the bride. The reason is two fold. Firstly the bride's mother will have an idea of the dress, so she can match her colors to the wedding, and not outshine the bride. The second is that, generally speaking, the bride's parents pay for the wedding, so they get a lot of priority.

A simple phone call to the bride's mom will set you on the correct path to finding a dress that both suits you and doesn't outshine either the bride or her mother.

So you're on the market for some shoes with funk? Are you wondering what brands are gonna funk up your foot? Do you truly want funky shoes or are you just after a shoe with a little flair and pizzazz? There are plenty of both to fit every personality. From the wild and crazy to the professional business man or woman, we can all let some funky footwear in our lives.

For some truly weird and quirky shoes, try the Irregular Choice. Irregular is kind of an understatement as these shoes take funky to a whole new level.

One pair of the Irregular Choice shoes, called Sky Blue, comes in a lovely robins egg blue color. But the color isn't want kicks up these shoes. All over the shoes are little grey and pink unicorns.

So if you're looking for outrageous and funky shoes, look no futher than Irregular Choice.

When you are in debt with your credit cards, you can seek the help of the creditor to reduce the amount that you owe.  It does not always work, but the chances are good that it will.  They would much rather get something from you rather than nothing.  The IRS is a little bit harder to get away from than the credit card companies, but the same principle applies.  IRS debt reduction starts at the IRS website to see what kinds of things that you can qualify for.  This is especially effective if you can prove that you had serious financial hardship during the time you should have been paying your tax debt back.  It may seem strange turning to them for help, but it is one of the most effective ways.

It seems black is available by the truckloads for everything from shoes to pants. I can't walk into a department store without seeing black on nearly every shelf and rack. However, when it comes to shopping for kids clothes or a dance costumes, there are very few black ones. And trying to find a black tutu is almost like pulling your teeth. At one point, during my search, I got a surprised look for the clerk asking "black? What on earth would your four year old need a black tutu for?" Although I didnt say it at the time, I felt like screaming at her "Why is that important?". Instead I left in a huff to begin my search anew. This time on the Internet.

I began my search for the elusive black tutu and oddly enough I found it on nearly every dance site. It made me want to call around to local dance shops and say "see, it's normal to need a black tutu".

If you're out for a black tutu, I suggest coming in and sitting at your computer. It was infiintely easier to find mine for $6 at Amazon.com. Since I bought a few other things as well, I got my shipping free. Much better than dealing with that snooty clerk.

You can really make out if you learn how to look for larger lots of merchandise on eBay.  Often, people just want to get things cleared out of their houses quickly.  During these sometimes intense bursts of cleaning, they often throw entire wholesale size lots of merchandise up for auction on eBay without any consideration as to whether any individual piece holds value on its own.

Vintage doll clothing is a great example of this.  There are people on a quest for one matching Barbie shoe out there believe it or not.  Because small items like this are not available many places besides eBay, sellers can really clean up.  If you happen across a lot of Barbie accessories or any other small, doll related materials from the 1960s or 70s, be sure to have it appraised or at least do a search on eBay to see if it is valuable or not before throwing it away.  You can learn more at www.vintagedollsforsale.com.