Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides 3D Blu-ray five disc set »

When Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides came out this summer in 3D, I didn’t go see it. I loved the original movie and enjoy Johnny Depp’s Jack Sparrow character, but I felt burned by the last two sequels. When we were sent the 5 disc 3D blu-ray edition I put in my 3D disc, turned on my glasses, and hoped for the best.

Read more...

Out with the Old and In with the New: Anolon Cookware Review »

Over the years we extend the lives of pots and pans far past their expiration date. With minimal sentimental value and a decreasing track record of usefulness, the set of skillets and pans I received as a wedding gift reached the point of no return.

Read more...

Movie Review: “Real Steel” »

I’ve always been a fan of boxing. The pageantry, the fierce competition, and the freakish shape these athletes keep themselves in is astounding. Although we are decade or two removed from the Pay-Per-View glory days of the sport, it still stands as a national pastime, and the result of a big fight is always water-cooler fodder for Americans.

Read more...

Hey Moms! Don’t forget the Dads! »

He didn’t seem like himself that day. When I smiled and said hello, he answered me, but I didn’t see his usual, ever-ready smile. As we walked out to the parking lot together, I asked him what was wrong. Our friendship had grown through the school year and I could tell he wanted to talk.

Read more...

Happy Chaos – a book review »

Soleil Moon Frye still embodies “Punky power” in her new book Happy Chaos; From Punky to Parenting and my Perfectly Imperfect Adventures in Between. Now, a happily married mom of two little ladies, Soleil keeps domestic life fun and interesting. I was happy to review the book for Mom Central as I count myself as one of Frye’s 1.4 million Twitter followers and was an avid fan of Punky Brewter in the ‘80s.

Read more...

How to Purchase a Domain Name for Your Blog »

If you’re starting a new blog, you’ll need to purchase a domain name for it. If you have self-hosted WordPress blog, your host probably offers free domain registration with your hosting package. However, if you use another platform, like TypePad, you’ll have to register the domain on your own.

Read more...

A New Type of Nutrition: Vemma »

Taking vitamins does not lie on the top of my favorite activities list. Always purchasing multi-vitamin supplements with the best intentions, the containers generally remains three-quarters full until the time the expiration date rolls around. Either from forgetfulness, or the sheer dislike for swallowing pills, the vitamins simply never live up to their healthy expectations.

Read more...

Becoming a Better Blogger: Online ProBlogging Classes »

When I posted Two Ways to Improve Your Writing Skills, I mentioned online writing classes. But did you know that there are online problogging classes, too?

Read more...

Two Ways to Improve Your Writing Skills »

If you’re reading this, I assume you’ve been doing this blogging thing for awhile now and feel you’re a fairly competent writer. Posting frequently helps build up your writing chops, and was one of the reasons I started blogging at A Mama’s Rant over five years ago. Still, at some point you may feel like you’re stuck and could be a better writer. So what are ways to improve your writing?

Read more...

Should You Join a Blog Network? »

Recently, a friend who is new to blogging asked me if she should join a blog network. She wondered if the exposure would be beneficial to her writing career and if the money was any good. Here’s what I told her.

Read more...

Clean Up Your Online Presence and Brand »

Branding is a big buzz word in blogging. So what exactly does it mean? Simply it’s the way all the elements of your blog (layout, design, blog name, URL, monetization, writing voice and posting style) convey an image to readers. You can think of it as your style or even your online reputation.

Read more...