Hey I thought I would let you in on a new .zip program I found.  It’s free to non-commercial users too.  It not only will zip a document but it also encrypts it.  I don’t know about you but I sure do like the sounds of free.

Now get this on top of that, PKWARE, the inventor of the .zip standard, is also giving you the license and the opportunity to win great prizes in the new “Decrypt and Drive” contest!  All you have to do is go to www.DecryptAndDrive.com and you could win prizes that include a Honda scooter, Wii games, bicycles, gas cards, and more.

You can get the free download at www.securezip.com and make sure to stop by daily and play the game.  Good luck because you could win some pretty neat prizes.

Photography is a hobby of mine and has been for years.  I got the bug when I was 13 and my parents got me my first camera.  Oh sure I took some awful pictures back then and that was before digital cameras.  So what that meant was I wasted a lot of money on some really bad pictures.  I took a photography class in college and discovered the pleasure of digital.  If you don’t like the picture, you just delete it.  If it’s a keeper, you can have it printed.  What’s easier than that?

I usually buy my digital cameras from 42photo.com.  I came across the web site by accident and fell in love all over again with photography.   I have bought several from them including digital video cameras.  I also like to give good quality cameras as gifts to special people in my life.  In fact, a lot of former girlfriends have some darn nice cameras thanks to me.  I really hope they kept them too.

Anyway, I have become somewhat of the official family photographer.  Every get together, I’m in charge of the pictures.  I have been known to take up to 300 pictures at one gathering.  Pictures are so important.  They allow you to keep family members close even after they are gone or if you move away.  I keep a photo album on my coffee table so when I’m home sick, I can visit for awhile.

My favorite uncle had to have dialysis for several years before he died.  Any time I donate anything, I always donate to the National Kidney Foundation.  There are several great Foundations that need donations badly.  Especially now that the economy has taken a sharp downward turn, that’s the one thing a lot of people cut out, donations.  That means that the most needy are having to do without even more.  Less donations, less help unfortunately.

A lot of people also have SUV’s or boats and other such vehicles that they are trying to sell but with little or no luck.  People just don’t want to pay much for anything that takes a lot of gas.  Well I have found a great way you can get a lot of tax credit and also make a difference in the charity of your choice.  Check charitydispatch.com and it will tell you about Washington DC Car Donation, you choose the charity and you get the tax write off.  Sounds like a good deal for a lot of people to me.

Even an airplane, motorcycle or a time share that you just can’t seem to give away can help.  The best part is how many people you can help when they are truly in need.  Think about it.  I donated my boat because first of all, I didn’t have enough time to go fishing to begin with and I wanted to do something good for others.  You can too.  It’s easy!

My family is all over the place.  Would you believe that we still write hand written letters to each other?  I know that sounds old fashioned but remember when you were young and you got a real letter from someone you loved or just someone you liked even?  Remember how special that made you feel?  Especially if the paper it was written on wasn’t just plain old notebook paper?

Stationary used to be something wonderful to give as a gift and still is today for my family.  I found some wonderful paper products online at paper-papers.com.  The paper and envelopes come in some beautiful iridescent pastel colors and also some bold and/or pastel metallic colors. You can find just about any paper and envelopes you want there too.  They don’t just have the standard 8.5 inch by 11 inch paper and standard envelopes.  They also have paper up to 19 inch by 25 inches.  They have recycled paper too which I think is wonderful.  More paper products should be recycled to save our trees to help with global warming too.

Anyway, if you need business paper, address labels, inkjet paper or paper in bulk, you just might want to check these guys out.  They even have wholesale paper too.

I really love watches.  I’m not sure why but I have a thing about watches.  I love to give them for gifts or maybe as a ‘job well done’ type of ‘thank you’ bonus.  Everyone needs to know when they have done a good job and you appreciate it.  What better way to show it then with a nice watch? I found the perfect watch site at thewatchery.com. I use this site it anytime I need the perfect gift in a watch.  They have the best selection I have seen at some of the best prices you can find.  They have sports watches, dress watches, you name it, they have it or so it seems.

Just to mention some of the brands they carry, they have Gucci, Bulova, Cartier, Longines, Seiko, and Citizen brands among just a few.  In fact, it would take too long to mention every brand they have available.  Most of them are available in both mens and womens styles so if you don’t see one you like in one brand, try another one.  You just might find something you like in a different brand. My favorite brand to give is the Citizen brand.  In fact, this is the one I gave my sister for her birthday.  What do you think?