Happy New Year!

So it's obvious that I've done a lousy job of blogging in 2010 and have plenty of room for improvement. The irony is that I have at least one idea per week that I could easily expand on if I'd simply login and blog.

Why I don't do so has less to do with time and everything to do with laziness and lack of discipline. I'm a huge procrastinator whose mantra is: "I'll do it later." Of course, later never comes and blogging goes undone.

Now I'm not making a resolution to blog weekly because we know that's a sure fire recipe for failure. Does anyone you know end up keeping a resolution? No one I know has ever succeeded. Everyone I know begins with good intentions but ends in failure.

I hope you had a wonderful Christmas and a terrific start in the New Year. There's a saying about how one ends the year defining how the New Year will progress.

I ended mine with friends laughing, eating, chatting up a storm and sober, which I feel bodes well for 2011. I spent New Year's Day with family laughing, eating, looking at photos, chatting more, playing board games and feeling loved. I appreciated having my family together in good health and spirit.

How did you end 2010 and herald the New Year?

Gorgeous Sky

I love how the morning sunlight streams through the clouds a reminder of God's glory.

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Commute: Monterey Park Atlantic Blvd.

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Commute: Now this is a heavy load!

COMMUTE: Interesting transportation

PayPal Plug-in RIP

I want to share that if you're a PayPal user who uses the PayPal Plugin, which allows you to request a one or multi - use card number for online purchases, this option will end mid-September. I use this option all the time when I don't want the retailer to have my bank issued credit number.

For example, I use Virgin Mobile's Broadband2Go service which is pay as you go. I use a PayPal generated credit card number to add megabytes, when needed, to my account. Virgin Mobile processes my transaction as a credit card purchase and doesn't know any different. Yet, if this account should be hacked or Virgin Mobile should attempt to charge this account on a monthly basis they can't, because the funds are not available until I deposit them into my PayPal account.

The PayPal Plugin was also a wonderful option to use when signing up for trial memberships: audiobooks.com, music.com, NetFlix.com - services that you are literally trying for 14 days before deciding to join and committing to a monthly payment. I would request a one use credit card number from PayPal and sign up for the trial. If I didn't like it, no sweat, even if the service tried to charge my card after the 14 day trial nothing would happen because that card number would be dead.

It was so convenient when buying online because it kept my bank issued credit card safe from exposure to potential fraudsters and allowed me to pay online transactions with cash instead of accruing interest and having to write and snail mail a check or use an online bill pay service. I am really going to miss this PayPal option and hope this is a temporary change.

I want to share that if you're a PayPal user who uses the PayPal Plugin, which allows you to request a one or multi - use card number for online purchases, this option will end mid-September. I use this option all the time when I don't want the retailer to have my bank issued credit number.

For example, I use Virgin Mobile's Broadband2Go service which is pay as you go. I use a PayPal generated credit card number to add megabytes, when needed, to my account. Virgin Mobile processes my transaction as a credit card purchase and doesn't know any different. Yet, if this account should be hacked or Virgin Mobile should attempt to charge this account on a monthly basis they can't because the funds are not available until I deposit them into my PayPal account.
The PayPal Plugin was also a wonderful option to use when signing up for trial memberships: audiobooks.com, music.com, NetFlix.com - services that you are literally trying for 14 days before deciding to join and committing to a monthly payment. I would request a one use credit card number from PayPal and sign up for the trial. If I didn't like it, no sweat, even if the service tried to charge my card after the 14 day trial nothing would happen because that card number would be dead. It was so convenient when buying online because it kept my bank issued credit card safe from exposure to potential fraudsters and allowed me to pay online transactions with cash instead of accruing interest and having to write and snail mail a check or using an online bill pay service. I am really going to miss this PayPal option and hope this is a temporary change.

Virgin Mobile USA Broadband2Go

I am excited and ecstatic about Virgin Mobile USA's new rates for their pre-paid Broadband2Go service. I have been using their service for over six months and hoping they would increase the megabyte to price ratio.

Two months or so past AT&T announced a plan of $25 for 2 GBs of use, which at the time surpassed Virgin Mobile USA's previous rate of $20 for 300 MBs in a 30 day period. I never expected they would announce a $40 unlimited plan within a 30 day period!

Users have rightly dinged this service for lackluster speeds. You will likely feel like you're connected at just above dial up speeds, even though Virgin is using Sprint's network. In my case, I don't do many graphic intensive things so the Broadband2Go service is suitable.

If you occasionally need mobile connectivity to the Internet and don't want to rely on public wifi the Broadband2Go service may be for you. The device costs $79.99 with no activation fee, contract or Early Termination Fee. You pay only when you need the connectivity.