Craigslist Consultant

So, I’m not a huge shopper. I don’t like walking around the mall for hours to maybe buy something. I also tend to not buy anything unless it’s on sale. These are probably some of the reasons why I like shopping online so much better. I’m curious to know how much money I save by not driving everywhere. Seriously, gas is expensive. However, shopping from home and having it shipped right to my door. It doesn’t get any easier!

This week, I was browsing around and couldn’t believe some of these deals. You can get a netgear wireless router for less than twenty dollars! I wish I had found this deal before I bought mine. I bought mine from Walmart for around seventy dollars. There could be an extra fifty dollars in my pocket right now! And, the shipping on this product is free! I started thinking it was too good to be true, but a read a lot of the reviews on this product. Out of 122 ratings, it got 4.5 stars out of 5.

I also found a 100 Maxell 16x DVD-R pack for under $20! I recently just bought a laptop with a DVD burner on it, and I am so ready to use it. I didn’t think I would be able to find so many dvd-r’s for such a great price though!

Seriously, check it out! There are so many great deals on ipod speakers, tv’s, digitial cameras, printers, and etc. These weekly sale ads are awesome! I wish I had found this site sooner!!

The apartment complex I live at has it’s own gym….unfortunately, it’s disgusting. They don’t clean it, provide anything to wipe down the equipment, or keep the equipment tight. So, I’ve been looking into getting my own stuff. Did you know that there are nordic track promotion codes online? You can get some of their best stuff with these huge discounts. Check it out!

Spring Break is coming up, and I can’t wait! I just had the most stressful last couple of weeks and think that I deserve a break. I’ve been looking into Branson vacations. It’s a great area with tons of stuff to do. I’ve been there a couple of times, once with my dad and once with a class from school. It was a blast both times. We went to Silver Dollar City, a water park, and Ripley’s Believe It or Not museum. I would definitely go again!

I’ve been working out a lot with my friend, her boyfriend, and my boyfriend, Mike. My friend’s boyfriend has been getting kind of jealous of my boyfriend recently. They work out the same amount and yet, Mike has muscles twice the size as his. I keep telling him people’s bodies are different. Some people have higher metabolisms, some are skinny without trying, and etc. He just needs a little help. He said he’d thought about bodybuilding supplements before but they were too expensive. However, now there are all kinds of deals online. He’s thinking about checking into it again!

It’s time to try something new. I’ve done my homework and think I’ve found the right weight loss products. While it’s true that you still need to try to eat healthy and work out regularly, it’s also true that some people Need some help…like me. I’m working on a new and improved me! I want to go to the beach this summer with a smile on and not be nervous about the way I look!

I think my mom is going through withdrawals. We used to own horses out in the country. Now she lives in a small house in town. Every time we drive past this particular area she almost drives off the road because she is so caught up in staring at the horses. I never really got into it. I don’t think I’m much of a country girl though. My mom always said I didn’t like riding because I didn’t try to find the right riding breeches. Maybe she was right?

As I’ve mentioned before, I’m a full time student and work for the university. As well as having little money, I also have very little time for myself. I would like to say I work out three times a week and am in great shape, but it’s just not realistic for my lifestyle. I’ve looked into weight loss pills, but I don’t want to be scammed. Have you read the phosphacore reviews? I mean it doesn’t sound real and if it is, it definitely doesn’t sound healthy. But, don’t let me be the judge. You should do your own homework!

My sister is 26 and has struggled with acne her whole life. She’s had it worse than I have really. Her skin gets oily so fast. Well, I told her about how I’m really trying to take care of my skin and she said she’s found the best acne medication. It means a lot to me coming from her. It took her until she was 26 to find something that worked for her. I’m thinking I want to try it too!

I’m a graduate student. I work for the school making nothing, have ridiculously hard classes and no time for anything. Unfortunately, the bills keep coming and still have due dates. I would like to get another job, but no one wants to hire someone with my bizzare hours. What I need is to make extra income at home. I need to be able to work the hours I can and wouldn’t mind working from home. It makes sense.

I’m really caught up on taking care of my skin all of a sudden. Ever since that MaryKay lady came over, I keep noticing blemishes and such. I really need an acne solution that won’t dry out my skin but is still strong enough to get the job done. I want to feel confident about the way I look. You know?

I had this “free” gift certificate from a MaryKay consultant which basically means a reason for her to come to my house. Then she claims my friends and I will all get free make-overs(which consisted of us all using the same three products). I asked this professional what she recommended for my dry skin. She said that it seemed like I had some sun damage to my skin and should consider specific kind of lotion. It was an anti-aging lotion. I asked her if I was too young for such a thing. She said that if I want my skin to be healthy later I need to take care of it now! While she wasn’t a great salesperson, I think she made a good point. But, if I’m going to get an anti aging product, I’m going to get the best kind!

My friend’s sister has some sort of disease that messes with her thyroids, digestive system, and makes her fatigued all the time. It makes it hard for her to live really….work, pay bills, and etc. Unfortunately, she doesn’t “qualify” for the social security disability. Her family wants to get a lawyer but is afraid that it will take years and cost even more money. What they need is to work with Allsup. They employ over 600 professionals to work with people going throught this process. And, the people that work with them have a 98% success rate. Now that’s what I’m talking about!

So, I am completely addicted to America’s Next Top Model. I love it! I’ve seen most of the episodes, but still tune in for the rerun marathons. Besides all the drama on the show, the pictures at the end really are like art. Honestly, some of the girls on the show are not that good looking, but the photos they produce are amazing. I mean how do you make someone look so different in a photo?

Anyway, I think it’s neat that the chick that used to have some kind of skin disease won one of the seasons. I feel like it’s motivating to the people that have flaws that they can’t really help. I think some people could just use some acne scar removal and would make amazing models. It’s crazy how much something like that would boost your confidence about yourself.

I love things that are on sale!!! You can get so many good deals online, it’s ridiculous! And, a lot of them have free shipping! I’m always looking for deals on flash drives, CD-R’s, and good antispyware software.  It’s important to make sure you have the most up to date software for you computer to make sure it’s protected.  Better safe than sorry. Also nowadays, with the development of technology comes the increase in price too.  It’s nice to find a place to get quality items and a decent cost.  But, it’s even better when it’s on sale! And, any kind of additional convenience factor is always a plus for me. I like sites that are easy to use (easy to find the sales), have everything I want on one site, and deliver to my home.

In particular, I cannot wait for Sherlock Holmes to come out! You know that it will sell out fast in stores. I’m planning on pre-ordering mine! This movie was probably one of my favorites in a long time. It’s nice that I can pre-order it to make sure one is available for me. And, I can have it sent to my home, so I don’t have to fight off people in stores or wait in a line! Excellent!

Now all I need to do is get a blu-ray player. Then this movie will be even better! My friend has one, and it’s amazing.  You see things on a blue-ray player that you didn’t even know existed on a regular dvd player.  For example, if you’ve ever seen the movie Monster’s Inc., the big blue hairy guy looks amazing on a blue-ray player.  You can see each hair folicle the way it was designed to look.  I can’t wait!

I definitely have the cutest niece and nephews in the world. I love getting pictures from my brothers through email or facebook. However, my poor little computer doesn’t have enough memory to store them all. I need to buy memory fast! They live so far away that I don’t want to miss anything if I don’t have to.

It seems like ever since Thanksgiving, I’ve been traveling a LOT. I’ve been packing all my stuff in this big reusable grocery bag. ;-P I’m thinking it’s not going to last very long in these weather conditions. Maybe it’s time to up grade my luggage sets. What do you think? I think I deserve something nice that will keep my stuff in good shape too!

Well, it’s about that time again. My job at the university will end, and I need to find a summer job. If you think it’s surprising that I’m looking already, don’t be. With this economy and living in a college town, it’s going to be hard. I’m going to use every outlet I can for this job search. Looking in the newspaper isn’t enough anymore. The internet is where it’s really at nowadays!

I’m currently a student at a brick and mortar university. It’s nice and has it perks, but it also has it’s downfalls. Students can’t really pick when their lectures are going to be set. Most of the time, I find that I have three random hours in the day. It makes it difficult to find a part-time job, let alone a full-time job. I can’t apply and say, “Well, I can work three hours here and two hours there.” I like the idea of an online university. You still have tests, homework, and deadlines, but for the most part, you can work at your own pace. And, it doesn’t interfere with your LIFE.

Also, places like Western Governors University is supported by over 20 major corporations. It’s an accredited school that allows you to learn where you want and when you want.

I think it’s also a great program for people that have been out of school for a while, and don’t want to go back with a bunch of young, drama-filled students. There are online mba programs in Master of Business Administration, M.B.A. Information Technology Management, and M.B.A. Healthcare Management.

I say, Check it out!

Sarah Silverman stopped by the RS offices yesterday to treat us to an impromptu song about stopping by the RS offices. She also gave Peter Travers a rundown of what we can expect on The Sarah Silverman Program this season (an episode devoted to Sarah’s mustache, a show about the conflict that arises when she and her sister open competing Holocaust memorials), and opened up about her love of *Damages* and *Precious*, feeling manipulated by *Up*, and the types of film roles she’d like (Helena Bonham Carter in *Fight Club*) as opposed to the ones she gets offered (“You’re the bitchy girlfriend that he’s with before he realizes what love could be”). Watch the full interview now!

There’s some bad news for all you who wanted to kill time at the multiplex this weekend before the Super Bowl: In this installment of *At the Movies*, Rolling Stone’s Peter Travers says it’s a bleak, bleak week for new films. You pretty much have two new flicks entering theaters this weekend, and they’re both pretty awful.

Let’s start with From Paris With Love, which is not a foreign film about romance in France as the title suggests. Instead, it’s an action flick starring John Travolta as a spy who assassinates people in increasingly bombastic ways. The title is a take on the James Bond film From Russia With Love, but From Paris misses the mark big time. Travolta is in his full zany Taking of Pelham 123 mode once again in this film by Pierre Morel, who in 2008 directed Liam Neeson in an action film called Taken, which Travers says is far superior to this film one.

Yesterday, in my Oscar predictions blog, I feared the worst and begged the Academy not to give a spot among the 10 nominees for Best Picture to *The Blind Side*, a football family drama of more than usual puking sentimentality. So, of course, the Academy put it right in contention, along with nine rather reasonable choices (*Avatar, District 9, An Education, The Hurt Locker, Inglourious Basterds, Precious, A Serious Man, Up* and *Up in the Air*). Why *The Blind Side* wasn’t replaced by something serious (*The Messenger*), stylish (*Star Trek*), hilarious (*The Hangover*), romantic (*(500) Days of Summer*), innovative (*Where the Wild Things Are*), Clint-ish (*Invictus*) or just plain not brain-dead, I can’t tell you. You tell me. What movie would you put in the spot unfairly occupied by *The Blind Side*?

Peter Travers unleashes his anger at *The Blind Side*’s nomination in a special edition of “Damn You, Hollywood!”

Ten shots for Best Picture, and *The Blind Side* gets a nod? What about smaller movies, like *Moon* with Sam Rockwell — did you ever think of nominating him? Tilda Swinton in *Julia*? Abbie Cornish in *Bright Star*? How about some fresh thinking? Watch Peter Travers’ full rant above.

Plus, check out what Travers thought would get nominated for the 2010 Oscars.

Photo: Winter/Getty

On Tuesday AM, the Academy of Motion Picture Old Farts & Sciences will announce its 2010 Oscar nominations, including 10 candidates instead of the usual five for Best Picture. Here are my predictions in the major categories with some side notes on long shots and who will get royally screwed. Play along, why don’t you? And feel free to tell me where I’ve screwed up big time.

**Best Picture**

• *Avatar*

• *The Hurt Locker*

• *Up in the Air*

• *Precious*

• *Inglourious Basterds*

• *An Education*

• *District 9*

• *Up*

• *Invictus*

• *A Serious Man*

**Maybes**: *Star Trek, The Hangover, (500) Days of Summer, Fantastic Mr. Fox, The Blind Side* (please gods of cinema, don’t let this happen!)

**Most Deserving But It Won’t Get In**: *The Messenger*

This weekend marks Mel Gibson’s big return to the silver screen, and Rolling Stone movie critic Peter Travers is here to tell you his take on the vengeance flick Edge of Darkness. It’s been a long time since we’ve seen Gibson — Signs in 2002 was his last major role — and the man we used to know as Mad Max, Brett Maverick and Martin Riggs doesn’t quite have those matinee-handsome looks anymore that made him a star all those years back. Still, Gibson is effective as a Boston cop who seeks revenge against those responsible for killing his daughter before his eyes.

For the dead of winter, Edge of Darkness is an “OK B-film,” Travers says, with director Martin Campbell adequately turning his epic six-hour British miniseries into a sub-two-hour revenge film. Still, the third act sort of falls off the rails as Gibson’s own policeman operates outside the law, but if you’ve really, really missed Gibson’s onscreen persona these past eight years, then you should probably go check out Edge as Mel doesn’t disappoint.

Since January is traditionally the worst month for new film releases, this week’s At the Movies is a guide to what not to see this weekend. Rolling Stone critic Peter Travers’ Scum Bucket runneth over starting with The Tooth Fairy, starring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson as a hockey player whose
punishment for telling a girl that the tooth fairy doesn’t exist is a two-week community service as the fairy. Yes, it’s for kids, but that’s not a good enough excuse for how horrible this film is.

Similarly terrible is Extraordinary Measures, starring Brendan Fraser and Harrison Ford. In this film, the man who played Han Solo, Indiana Jones and Blade Runner turns in a Lifetime-worthy performance as an eccentric doctor who helps Fraser create a cure for Pompe disease. It’s based on a true story, and while the reality of the story might be riveting, the film itself is TV movie quality.

Since January is traditionally the worst month for new film releases, this week’s At the Movies is a guide to what not to see this weekend. Rolling Stone critic Peter Travers’ Scum Bucket runneth over starting with The Tooth Fairy, starring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson as a hockey player whose
punishment for telling a girl that the tooth fairy doesn’t exist is a two-week community service as the fairy. Yes, it’s for kids, but that’s not a good enough excuse for how horrible this film is.

Similarly terrible is Extraordinary Measures, starring Brendan Fraser and Harrison Ford. In this film, the man who played Han Solo, Indiana Jones and Blade Runner turns in a Lifetime-worthy performance as an eccentric doctor who helps Fraser create a cure for Pompe disease. It’s based on a true story, and while the reality of the story might be riveting, the film itself is TV movie quality.

Can’t make it to Park City for this year’s Sundance Film Festival? Peter Travers has you covered: Follow him on Twitter this weekend for the latest updates and insights from this year’s fest.

It’s still January *At the Movies*, and even though the month is regarded as a proverbial cinematic cesspool, Rolling Stone movie critic Peter Travers has found a pair of worthwhile films hitting theaters this weekend, including Denzel Washington’s Book of Eli. In this post-apocalyptic action film from directors the Hughes Brothers, Washington plays a ruthless killer in possession of civilization’s last Bible. The film is full of religious parables, but counter-weighted by copious amounts of ultra-violence.

Much like we saw in The Road, the apocalypse will evidently come with desaturated colors and sepia tones. Still, this is the first Hughes Brothers film in over a decade, and Denzel as always steals each scene. During Oscar season, it’s OK to look past a film like this, but in the dog days of January, Book of Eli is one of the better pictures out there. Also worth checking out: Fish Tank, a nearly great small British film about a teenager’s trials and tribulations.

The Monday box-office reports are sounding like a broken record. Yes, it’s *Avatar* again, the smash hit from James Cameron’s blue period scoring a worldwide total after just 24 days in release of $1.3 billion. That makes *Avatar* the No. 2 movie of all time at the global box-office, topped only by Cameron’s other intimate epic, *Titanic*, which topped out at $1.8 billion. Result: *Avatar* is gaining fast.

Last week, I asked you to weigh in on *Avatar*’s chances of winning the Best Picture Oscar this year, and whether you think it deserves to win. The response was heated and divided. Most of you enjoyed the movie without thinking it belonged in the Oscar time capsule.

Daybreakers star Willem Dafoe stopped by the Rolling Stone offices to answer Peter Travers’ burning questions this week: why is he the only vampire actor to be nominated for an Oscar? Why is he called Willem? And perhaps most importantly, why does he defend Body of Evidence? “Sometimes movies are taken and held up as whipping boys and people pile all their envy, confusion, anger, jealousy on it,” he says.

Dafoe reveals he wouldn’t want to be frozen in time (“The fact that we don’t know when it’s going to end makes life a good game”), admits playing creepies even gets to him (“*Antichrist* haunted me”) and explains how the epic death scene from Platoon went down. Watch him slap a tambourine in precious parts of his body and tangle with Travers in the latest edition of *Off the Cuff*.