“Make new friends, but keep the old,
One is silver and the other gold.”

If you were a girl scout, or your daughter is a girl scout, you probably recognize those words. That’s because the making and keeping of friends is as important to your personal happiness as the acquiring of good investments is to your financial happiness. In fact, I’d go so far as to say friends are an investment in your future. Just like gold and silver are buried and hard to find, so are good friends. And just like metal is purified by heat, so the heat and pressures of life reveal the true nature of people.

There is one difference though. You can purchase silver as an investment, but no one worth their salt can actually be bought.

Today’s neat thing is family time. Now, I just realized that family time around here is going to be rare indeed for the next few months, as several of my children are involved in fall sports. I’ll be having to make extra effort to ensure we stay connected. I urge you to do the same as we head into this busier time of year. Whether you get away by googling vacation home Orlando or by making a weekly family night a priority on your schedule, remember it’s the people in your life that make it what it is.

This neat thing is probably mostly for those of you with children. But not necessarily. I’m thinking about the Wonderful World of Disney that comes on television. We enjoy watching it when we’re home and it’s on, because the movies are usually good ones. We laugh a lot, and laughing with people you love is just a really neat thing to do. I especially like it when they play older movies!

Now, sometimes (usually) they have ads for DisneyWorld during the movie, and it gets the kids thinking about how cool it would be to go there. So this post is actually a two-fer. Watch the movie with your kids, and then go here to book one of the Cheap Disney World Vacation Packages. Your kids will be so excited!

That’s kind of a weird title, isn’t it? But there are certain things we see on that just become part of our collective mental history, our American culture as it were, and I think that’s neat. For example what if I said vegameatavitamin? You said Lucy, didn’t you? What about gorilla on a suitcase? Yep, Samsonite. So what are some of your favorite American Icons?

I’ve got a secret for you – it’s now easier than ever to get paid for blogging. This company, Blogging Ads, is offering money if you’ll join their network of bloggers It’s easy, simple, and a quick way to make some money. And, if you’re a company looking to give your website an extra boost in the search engine rankings then you’ll certainly appreciate how easy it is to advertise on blogs. All you have to do is come up with an ad and Blogging Ads will let their network of bloggers spread the word about your company.

I love technology. Really. I giggle with glee when I see some of the stuff that is being thought up and manufactured today. I am constantly amazed by the cleverness of some people. (I’m frequently amazed by stupidity as well, but that’s another topic altogether.) VoIP phone systems are one such technological innovation. You use the telephone to talk over your existing internet connection. I’m not even going to pretend I understand it enough to explain it, but I am going to say this is neat. And there’s more! You can often get these phones and the service for less than a traditional phone would cost, because long distance is included.

Your poker game that is! This site of for poker fans, particularly those that like to play online. And there’s a lot more here than just games. There are resources such as how to build a poker table. You’ll also find a poker blog.

After you get through there, wander on over to the poker forum and make a friend or two. And set up a time for your own poker tournament. Just don’t lose your shirt!

I’m so lame that all of you probably already have this thing that I amn getting ready to tell you about. It’s still neat in my book, though, and in case you missed the title up there, I’m talking about digital photo frames. A digital photo frame is the neatest way to showcase your pictures. Yep, I said pictureS. You load your shots onto a memory card, slip the card in to the frame, and viola: Panorama means a whole new thing! Many digital frames come with the card. All you have to do is load your photos on it and you are ready to enjoy a slideshow of your favorite places and faces.

The frames start around $100, that’s a pretty good deal considering you can see all your photos that way, right? Yep, buying one digital photo frame is like framing ALL your pictures. How can you beat that?

Here’s an online university for you to check out. Columbia Southern University was developed as an alternative to the traditional universities. The classes are designed to fit into the lives of those who don’t have traditional work schedules, such as law enforcement professionals, members of the military or paramedics, and others with demanding and unpredictable occupations. You shouldn’t be held back from your dreams because you are doing a service for others, right? Finally! A school that offers what you want, when you want it. It can work for you while you keep on working! CSU offers several levels of degrees and certifications, and your program can be completed entirely online.

If you’re a student and looking to get some practical experience beyond the classroom, then you should check out the part-time jobs on SnagAJob.com. By getting a part-time job in the area you’re interested in, you can learn skills and lessons that homework assignments and textbooks won’t teach you. Plus, part-time jobs make great student jobs because of the flexible hours they provide. And we almost forgot to mention the best thing about getting a job – extra cash in your pocket.

This neat thing is for the hungry among you. Or the not so hungry, looking to get an appetite. Or the cooks who would love to be chefs! It’s the CSCA website, and it will make you drool! CSCA stands for the California School of Culinary Arts, and it is located in Pasadena. The school has several different programs, and financial aid is available. That picture is just one example of the delightful things you can learn to make.

These are among the neatest of neat things, because they just keep on giving. Long after teh goodies are gone the “baskets” part of holiday gift baskets is still visible, still being used, still reminding people that you care. For the cost of one gift, you can be thought of warmly for years to come. Whether you are celebrating a holiday, or saying thank you, whether the recipient is a man, woman or child, a gift basket is just plain cool. And because you can order so many different ones, you can select one that’s perfect for whomever, whenever.

PS: I am a knitting, sewing, reading, coffee drinking chocolate lover. Just sayin’