Best Coupon EVER

Just yesterday when I was watching Oprah eating Bon-bons (okay there were no bon-bons!), I watched a woman win $25,000.  I was totally phsyched for her because it had DEEP meaning watch it over on Oprah, that’s a whole other story.  I was more jealous of all the audience members who went home with $5o0!!  Each and every one.  Yes, I’ve tried to get Oprah tickets before and never could, so not only do I not get to see her in person, I’ve got ZERO chance of any goodies, until now.

I missed todays episode but luckily I follow several blogs (Momswhosave.com) and they passed along the good news that Oprah and Payless Shoe Source were teaming up for a HEFTY coupon. I printed it so fast your head may have spun, I know mine did.  It’s the kind where you get 50 percent off EVERYTHING you buy.  Not one item, not buy one full price get one half off this was full-fledged, BREAKING NEWS I’M BROKE, certified GOOD news.

We just got back from Payless, and we were not alone.  Thank you Oprah for giving ALL of us a break and Payless, I’ll never forget you giving us a break either.  Good Coupons lead to Good Customers. (insert your best Terminator Voice here) Rest Assured Payless,  I’LL BE BACK.  And might I add, the girls at the New Market Square Payless store in Wichita, KS were absolutely AWESOME.  As busy as they were they couldn’t have been nicer.  When I said, I’m gonna go home and facebook and blog about it, they answered, “Please do.   This is a great deal!!”    Wish I had gotten their names, but Mr. Manager or Ms. Manager please let them know, they done GOOD.

Oprah Has Hers, I Have Mine

So what if Oprah Winfrey’s favorites are on everyone’s Christmas lists each year, I have a feeling the things on my favorite list are more attainable, and for sure are more affordable than the ones you’ll find on Oprah’s.  Besides all that, my favorites are most likely available at every Walmart, Target, Dillons and Walgreens in America so your drive to stock up won’t be a long one, and if you play your cards right you’ll likely find a coupon for them too.

Let’s start in the dryer. I couldn’t resist the Bounce Dryer bar.  You stick it to the wall of the dryer and don’t have to bother with dryer sheets, according to the package for like four months!  I haven’t had mine more than a couple weeks but so far so good.  Even if it only lasts three months I have to say I didn’t realize how annoying those dryer sheets were till I didn’t have to mess with them anymore.  The clothes look and smell good, this one is a go.  (Yes they are kind of pricey but I had a coupon, OF COURSE! and remember you only need three of them per YEAR!)  As you see in the picture, it looks like a Twinkie on your dryer wall, but I bet not quite as tasty!

Every year for my Dad & Carla’s wedding anniversary I get them a cake from Cheri’s Bakery.  This year, because I try to get a different flavor every time, I chose lemon because I thought all the other ones I had picked before.  Let me just explain, I don’t like to buy stuff I don’t like.  I don’t like lemon food.  I love lemon in my tea, water and lemon drops. That’s where the lemon love ends.  In the interest of being a loving daughter I bought it anyway and figured oh well, I’ll just save myself the temptation of all those calories and the rest of the family can enjoy.  WRONG.  That cake has my mouth watering weeks later.  It was sooooo moist and luscious.  Let’s just say, if you ever go to Cheri’s and aren’t sure what to buy, pick the Lemon Cake.

And finally this go around, I’m waiting anxiously for my friends from Beau Monde spa in Wichita to call me to tell me my new powder is in.  I am sooooo NOOOOOTTTTTT a fan of mineral powder.  I’ve tried it all, and frankly, that crap is invisible on me.   Invisible is not a good thing for me and makeup, I want the high-powered stuff to cover up every imperfection or what’s the point.  Anyway, one of the girls out  at Beau Monde West sent me home with a sample of the new Matte version of the Bare Escentuals foundation.  I tried it just for grins and giggles and I GLOWED.  Not in a freaky way, but in that blushing-bride, WOW-I-Look-Better-Than-I-Did-Seconds-Ago way!  So, I ran back to Beau Monde to get me some.  NOT.  Allegedly I’m not the only one who loves it, the company didn’t make enough in my color.  So I’m waiting patiently to get my Matte Minerals and I’m being nice to let you in on it now, so you can wait with me.  Misery loves company.  Later dudes, and dudettes.

What The Hell-o Am I Doing?

It’s the question I most want to vomit over whenever I am asked these days, and that would be often.  Even without makeup, typically with three day old hair and glasses…. if I open my mouth to speak, someone will recognize the voice and then peg me as “Anita Cochran”……the NEWS LADY!   “So what ARE you doing now?”  is the question that inevitably follows.  The answer is easy yet complicated.  To-the-point yet evasive.  Honest yet not really truthful.    That answer is, “Whatever I want.”

My good friends have heard me speak about all the changes that would be coming into my life for more than a year now.  It happened in Paris in April 2008, when my entire life seemed to make sense, but not in its current form.  I’ll never forget the moment I heard the answer that really described the life I wanted.  I was at the Louvre with my first true friend, Pamela when low and behold the woman in line in front of us mentioned she used to live in Derby.  Yes, Derby, Kansas.  She had moved to Paris for her husband’s job and when I asked what she did, she answered, “Whatever I want.”

She had already raised her children and she said now it’s my turn.  She visited the Louve almost every day and was taking French, she was living a dream.  While my dream isn’t shaping up quite like hers it’s starting to form.  Remember, I am after all firmly planted in Wichita.  Yes, Wichita, Kansas. (Then again, NOTHING is forever.)

My two kids aren’t grown, so this is OUR time.  Much of what I do these days has to do with what they need/want me to do with them.   For the first time ever, I’m helping in Tanza’s classroom. I helped Lexy’s teachers back when she was in Kindergarten, yet never did the same for Tanza.  Truth-be-told I never had the “classroom” helper itch.  I remember why now.  I felt really out of place teaching kids about weights and grams and paper clips and Hershey kisses last week, but you know what?  I did it, and they all got the lesson they were supposed to receive!    The strange thing is now that I’m a “teacher” it makes me wonder what else I can do.

Some of you know I’m working on a tv project.  My New Life, could be a really entertaining locally produced show but there’s a lot still to be done to get it into production.  For now we’re doing webcasts/talk shows online and that takes up some time.  (Mostly in the drive time….. I now HATE driving downtown or across town.  Amazing when I was in TV, I made the trip at least four times a day, now I pout when I have to make one!)

I’m thinking about a part-time retail gig for the Holidays.  A good friend has asked me to work with her and since I toy with the idea of opening a shop someday I think I may see if I’m cut out for that.  That’s what’s really surprising about My Own New Life.  I sort of want to try everything.  I’m finding  however, I have the attention span of a three-year-old!  I have discovered I am very easily bored, so at this stage in my life I’m also cutting my losses.    The daily online radio spots were fun, but frankly, too demanding for the money.  I’m volunteering at Center Of  Hope.  I serve as a Board Member there, and while I LOVE trying to prevent homelessness, I’m not sure I’m meant to volunteer on the frontlines either.  (I’ll let you know after I get the okay to answer phones on my own later this month.)   While that is some of what I am doing, mostly what I do when I get up each morning, is whatever my family needs, whatever I HAVE to do for the commitments I’ve made, and then with whatever time is left, “WHATEVER I WANT.”    It is the BEST answer I’ve ever heard, and so far it’s the best way of life I have ever lived.

Lazy days of Fall

Just gonna step in to the confessional and say, Sorry, but I’ve been LAZY.   Few of you have really noticed that I’ve neglected the ole anitacochran.tv blog stuff, and I thought well, if no one misses me, maybe I’ll just continue my silence.  However, thinking how much crap I need to fill you in on just wanted to warn you, tomorrow, I plan to sit with a big ole cup of chai, and just chat.  See ya then. XXOO

Woof Woof Woofstock

I’m sort of stunned how much fun events can be when you just go to ATTEND.  After 20 years of emceeing and judging and what-have-you, I’m no longer on the “A-list” of  ”Let’s Get Her To Attend”, which means I go to whatever I WANT to.  Woofstock was a FOR SURE.

The pictures tell the story.  Melissa and I took our girls, some of their friends, and our three dogs.  Hershey couldn’t stand it, at McDonald’s on the way, he was barking at every dog he would soon run into.  We saw everything from Pink Painted Pooches to those dressed to the nines to Melissa’s favorite the Crested something or other that’s shaved almost bald with just a little patch on it’s head.  We have since learned those puppies are HIGH MAINTENANCE and have skin problems, she no longer wants one.  I’m still in the “Wish I had a Shitzu” mode but I’m also leaning toward a cocker spaniel type.  Granted Kent said NO MORE DOGS, but I’m gonna have a back-up plan just in case he changes his mind!