Round Cucumbers...?

I went picking some fruits of my labor the other day, and found the strangest thing! Maybe I thought I knew it all, but now I realized I don't. I found the most interesting looking cucumber, it was round and instead of the usual sharp little bumps it had thin hair like around it. So I left it alone and let it go for a few days, but then I just couldn't resist myself and picked it. I googled and learned that there are round cucumbers called lemon cucumbers and boy they are so sweet. I was just amazed, and in my salad it went that night. The taste was excellent to say the least and we couldn't get enough of it. I wish I had let it grown a little longer, but I just can't help myself. Once again, I went inspecting my plants to see if there are any more growing and to my surprise there are more blooms.

Aside from cukes, I have been able to have my tomatoes nearly every day. The plants have turned out to be very productive, but now I feeling the summer nearing an end and I am hating it. But at the same time glad because the kids will be back to school :D and I've had the opportunity to learn a little more about planting and where I could get a better crop. I now know where I get the most out of the sun and so that is where my plants will be next spring. We also had a chance to build a raised bed, and hopefully we can get to work on a few more. It has taken a little longer than I wish but I also want to make sure that we use recycled materials. Wood that otherwise would have ended up in the trash, of course free of paint and chemicals untreated wood. 

In other topics, I haven't been updating my blogs for the past week and I feel so bad about it. But I have and excuse ;) I have been working on the Real Housewives of Bravo website and also completing the training for my interpreting job. I start working next weekend and my shift goes from 7 pm to 3:30 am. That promises to be exhausting for the first few weeks, but I suppose I will get used to it. If you are bilingual and are interested in working from home, I can hook you up! Just leave me a comment, and I'll give you all the info. You need to be very well spoken in both languages, and it helps if you have a cultural background in the target language. Learn more about interpreting here and what equipment is required here.

Tonight is the first part of the Reunion episode for The Real Housewives of NJ and I should have a post up tonight. I didn't get a chance to watch last weeks episode of The Real Housewives of DC, it is on my DVR to be recorded tonight and I should have a post on that tomorrow. And well, I think that is all the updating I wanted to do for today. Hope you all have a wonderful day today, it is sunny here so I know I will.

'Til next time,

Lina
xoxo

Career at a Crossroad

I haven't blogged in a few days, between work and Real Housewives blogging and my lately lack of sleep my brain has been kind of fried! I am sort of stuck at a crossroad right now, and I don't know whether to be excited or scared. I applied to get a position as a Spanish interpreter with Language Line and the interview process has gone smoothly. I am literally ready to be hired, but I wonder if I can really handle it all? It is a great opportunity, as I would be working from home. I have also picked a part time schedule that will not conflict with my job at the post office, but I still wonder if I am over loading myself. '

One thing I have learned from working at the post office is that I am at their beckoning. The pressures of having to commit to "when needed" has now proven to be difficult, especially when I have 3 kids, no family nearby, and no baby sitter. So the sound of working from home sounds sweet right now, but I hold on to the future I could have at the post office. No matter, I am considering continuing my position there and taking on the new job as well. This could potentially mean more time for blogging *with a sly smile* during the periods that I have no calls and less sleep for me. 

What to do?????? 

I have made some exciting changes to my blog. With the addition of a Store page where you can find some of my work. All of my work is made individually for the person ordering it, so if you have any specific colors you want or whatever the case may be just ask me. The check out is safe and secure through Google Checkout, but if you do not have an account I can accept PayPal. 

Garden update: Tomatoes are delishhhh but with the last rain we got the wind blew my plants to the ground!! No biggie I have left them alone and let nature take its course. The cucumbers are simply delicious and juicy and I couldn't ask for more! 

'Til next time,

Lina

xoxo

Finding Real Work-From-Home Jobs Made Simple

Finding legitimate work from home jobs is like finding a needle in a haystack. It is nearly impossible to find the real deal when the Internet is flooded with tons of fake opportunities and scammers. For many years I have tried different opportunities and jobs from cold calling to SMS chatting, and can tell you that the jobs are out there you just need to know how to find them. Here is a breakdown from my past experiences of what is real and what is just too good to be true.

Too Good To Be True
• If they ask that you pay any kind of fees to sign up, or to send you materials, or to get you leads then it probably is too good to be true. Ameriplan, I am afraid falls into this bracket. You start at the bottom of the pool, and they give you their worst lead to get you to buy leads, up sell options that should be free.
• If they promise you a six figure income with very little effort, trust me it is too good to be true. Pyramid schemes are awesome at offering you riches that is if you can ever make it to the top!
• Exchanging checks is another scam that many people fall into. No one in their right mind will send you a check and trust you to cash it and send it to it’s destination!
• If they request your personal information or it seems like they “hired” you magically without an interview or any background, they are most likely identity thieves.
• Stuffing envelopes, assembling things, and craftwork are all scams!

The Real Deal
• Some great companies that I have come across will run background checks on you with out asking you for a dime. This is to ensure they are hiring the right person, and that the contractor will protect all private information being handled over the phone or online.
• SMS chatting include innocent, flirty chatting to sex chat. Trust me, they are out there and they are real. My suggestion on this type of opportunity is to go with a company overseas, like in the UK (NoGoats). The reason I say this is because in the US the FCC is very strict and demanding with companies within the US providing these services. It becomes costly for the companies therefore your chances of making a nice extra income are diminished greatly. Sex chatting is really a great way to make some extra income, bare in mind that NO work at home opportunity will truly make you rich, but you CAN make a decent living doing them.
• Freelance writing, photography, IT, typist, medical billing, transcriptionist, etc. are all great positions for telecommuters.

In conclusion, my personal experience is this there are opportunities and there are jobs. Make sure you understand the difference; obviously an opportunity is just that. I can personally recommend the following companies:

• West At Home Agent – you are a hired as an independent contractor to answer the phone to all kinds of calls including infomercials, HSN, cell phone companies, to name a few. This is inbound call telemarketing position, I call it telemarketing because you will have to pitch up-sells to the customers calling in. Because sensitive personal and financial information is handled, West will run a background check on all new contractors.
• If you are bilingual, then why not make it into a career? Language Line services will hire you as an interpreter. You are hired as an employee, depending on the language and the country, to work from home or as an independent contractor. They also hire for in call center, it all comes down to the language you are able to offer. Your pay will be based on the minimum wage plus premium minutes. Again, this is not a get rich quick scam, it is a real job and you will earn a salary from home. They will run background checks as sensitive information is constantly being exchanged between the interpreter and the client. They handle all kinds of calls such as 911, Social Security, customer service, cell phone companies, and the list goes on and on.
• Blogging – is another way to make some extra income, however it takes a lot of time and passion to make it work. Building a blog requires tons of dedication, and constant content update. If you are not patient, then blogging may not be your cup of tea. Also keep in mind that you will not get rich doing this, you will make a few extra bucks. Of course if you have a very special niche and can stand out from the rest, the possibilities are endless.

Finally, do your research! Research, research, research! Until you are certain that the company is reputable and legitimate. Be sure to have a quiet place and any equipment needed to work the jobs you are interested in. Don’t fool yourself into thinking you will become a millionaire working from home, it just doesn’t work that way. And for goodness sake, be sure that you will love your job; no amount of money can replace happiness.

Check out this website it provides you with a list of companies to seek work from, some of which I am familiar with. Browse around it, it goes into details as to what works and what doesn’t and you can make an informative decision. Hope you find this post helpful, and if you are really passionate about working from home don’t give up!

Free Gift Cards!!

I wanted discuss this a little further so you get a better idea as to how I get my gift cards. I have been an active member of My Points since 2007. To this date I have earned over 31,000 points, and of that I have redeemed 27,000. In just a few words, My Points is a company that connects merchants with consumers through their websites, emails and consumer opinions. In return the customer is rewarded with points that can be traded for gift cards. Here is how it works:

1)   Signing up for my points is easy and free - You can Google it and go straight to their website or if you have a friend that is already a member, why not ask them for a referral? They will thank you for it!

2)   How to earn points - Earning points is as easy as reading your emails!

• Your first stop is to fill out your profile, and you'll be earning 60 points just for doing so.
• Make sure you scroll down on your email for the offer, you get 5 points just for clicking on the email or more points if you follow through with the offer.
• You get points for shopping online, make sure to access the stores website through My Points in order for the purchase to qualify. 
• Answering surveys can earn you 50 points if you qualify, but if you do not qualify you still will get 10 points.
• Other point earning opportunities include referring friends (that has gotten even more exciting earning you 10% off your friends' earned points), signing up for emails, bonus offers, printing coupons, downloading the search bar, daily Spin 'n' Win, and more!

3)   Redeeming your points - Is just as hard as deciding where you want to shop! With over 70 participating merchants, it's hard to choose where you want to spend your hard earned money. You can start redeeming for gift cards as low as $10 or as high as $100, some stores however, will only go up to $25 such as Overstock.com. Your options are endless, from clothing, to shoes, to electronics; My Points is the place to be.

A few things to keep in mind when signing up with My Points are:

• You will be getting emails from them daily, so make sure to read them and delete them daily so your mailbox is not flooded.
• Before you can redeem for the first time you have to have made at least one purchase through My Points.
• Spread the word! Referring friends will yield you more points and your friends will thank you for it too!
• And if you decide to sign up for My Points, let me know. I don't mind a referral or two ;)

Hope you find this blog informative and helpful. If you are already a member of My Points, what do you like about the program? What have you redeemed for so far?