As much as I love buying big gifts for my loved ones, I actually enjoy buying stocking stuffers way more. I think it’s because I’m able to buy a lot of smaller gifts, so it feels like I’m giving them more - which I guess is the case. I’ve already bought a few stocking stuffers for a certain someone who’s sitting behind me, so I can’t really go into detail about them right now (haha). One thing she does need, that I don’t care if she sees is an ipod battery.

I need to come up with some ideas for stocking stuffers for Jo and his mom too though. I’ve been trying to figure out what I can get other than bath and body type stuff. The only thing I can think of for Jo is socks and I have no idea what kind of stuffers I should get for his mom (other than her beloved candies!).

What do you put into stockings for your loved ones? Besides the usual candies and personal items?

Jo suggested that I should consider buying my laptop sometime around Christmas. He has a feeling I may be able to get one for around $700. We’ve been looking at a few of them online, trying to narrow it down to “possibles” and making a list so that we can keep a check on the prices week to week. One of the things we hadn’t realized when we first started talking about this was that we’re also going to need to upgrade our router because I plan to take advantage of the whole wireless thing. I want to be able to use it in any room of the house and not just be limited to a general area. When I do get the new laptop, I’m going to have to upgrade us to a wireless router. Fine with me!

I wish I could order it today but honestly, I really want to hold off until I buy my new camera. It’s definitely the most important “buy” thing right now.

It isn’t surprising in the least that many small businesses are making the leap from regular phone service systems to VoIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol) phone systems, like Talkswitch which is offered by NeoBits. When my husband and I moved to Calgary, we decided to go with a VoIP service over a regular phone service ourselves and were quite pleased. I can certainly understand why small businesses want to do the same, I’ve had first hand experience with VoIP services for the last few years and not just on a personal level. A financial company I once worked for made the move to VoIP a few months before I parted with them and just like with my experience with my home VoIP service. The service was exceptional, with probably the clearest reception I’ve ever had and it was wonderful to my bank account - so much more affordable than it would have been if we had just gone with a regular phone service.

Even though the company I previously worked for employed just over four thousand people, Talkswitch is such a great solution for smaller businesses and features the latest in VoIP technology. In fact, Talkswitch is designed with small businesses in mind. Though these systems are easy to use, NeoBits actually has the ability to actually come out on site and perform installation services, verses leaving you to figure it all out. And that’s in all states, in any zip code that offers dial tone and broadband internet. This is great news because broadband services are on the move. In fact, I know of several people living in extremely rural areas that are now using broadband internet. Businesses can choose from fifteen different phone brands, which include names like Panasonic, Talkswitch, Allworx and NEC, to name a few.

Though the prices might perk a brow, keep in mind how your business will benefit from switching to a VoIP system and how you may possibly save your company money in the long run. Those prices shouldn’t be so scary now!

Speaking from experience both on a personal and business level, I highly recommend VoIP service systems.

Jo’s uncle has a 19 inch flat screen monitor (Dell) that he’s trying to get rid of. It’s only two months old. They recently upgraded their entire computer system, which included a new monitor. Now they have no use for the other. I’ve asked him to hold onto it for a couple of days because I want it. It’ll work with my Dell computer and that’s the only thing I’m lacking right now. Hopefully I can get my computer all set up and won’t have to hog Jo’s so much. I was actually planning on buying a new monitor in the next week or so just so I could get my computer up and running. This will save me a nice chunk of change because he’s not going to charge us what he’d charge anyone else, we’ll be getting a decent discount. Discounts make me happy. I told him I’d make him a yummy caramel cake to make up the difference. He seemed more excited about the cake than the money he’ll be getting. I wonder if I could just make him several and we could just call it even.. lol.

I really need to get more memory for my Dell computer. It seems like I can never run more than a couple of programs at the time, before I get the little note saying I’m using up all of my memory and need to shut down some of my programs. That’s really frustrating when I’m working on my photography or designs because I usually need several things running at once. Dell Memory is definitely affordable right now, so I think I’ll go ahead and snag myself a GB of it and see if that doesn’t do the trick.

We’re probably going to give Jo’s sister Jo’s older Dell computer, so we’ll probably have to invest in some memory for it too!

Jo and I have 2 Dell desktop PCs between us. Over the last couple of months we have started to realize that we really need a laptop. This would come in handy when we are traveling, especially when we travel back to Georgia for “vacations”. Plus, it would give me something to do on that long ferry ride (about 7-8 hours long, depending on how rough the seas are). I was browsing through a Dell Notebook Shop (it is in German). I really love the Dell Inspiron™ 1501. It is exactly what I want, for an affordable price.

Jo and I love both of our Dell’s, one that we have had since 2001. I have no doubts about loving a Dell Notebook Computer. People have tried convincing me to buy other brand names, however, I will not budge. I know what I like and I like my Dell’s!

With my husband and I being so far away from our families, it would be really neat to have something like a video phone. Especially for talking to my nephews because they’re always doing something silly and their theatrics just aren’t the same when you’re just “hearing” them. It’s way more fun to watch the animations for things like - Trent singing “The Itsy Bitsy Spider” or “I’m a little teapot”, you know? Video Phone’s would be awesome for that. Plus, I’m sure my nephews would enjoy talking us into participating (like they always do in person, haha). We’re basically watching my nephews grow up through pictures. If we used something like a video phone, at least we’d get the pictures in something more “real time”!

I would really like to get my hands on the Packet8 Tango VTA464, which has features like; 100 number phone book, no learning curves, crisp, colorful images, full motion video, 2 and even 3 way video conferencing and the ability to customize your background / wallpaper. And that’s just naming a few! With the Tango, you use a regular analog home phone, along with an existing high-speed internet connection to deliver your full motion video. All with delay free audio.

My husband and I have been using a VoIP service for a few months now. I enjoy that the calls are a lot more clear and I especially love how much we’re saving. VoIP, for us, has definitely been a lot less expensive than what we had previously (just a regular home telephone). If we had been using a regular home phone, we would be racking up some outrageous long distance charges. My family lives in Georgia and my husband’s live in Newfoundland, we’re in Alberta, Canada. I can only imagine how much we’d be spending each month otherwise. Actually, I’d rather not think about that.

If I get my way, I will never go back to having a regular home telephone.