Ambassadors Archives - Page 13 of 26

Black Friday Verizon Deals with “Thanksgetting” #VZWBuzz

November 23, 2015 by Melissa

Verizon is changing things up this Thanksgiving by celebrating Thanksgetting. This is a celebration for loyal Verizon subscribers by offering AWESOME STUFF at great deals for the holidays plus some cool extras you have to see to believe.

First off, as a Verizon subscriber get a free 1GB of data NOW plus one on your next billing cycle. Who couldn’t use more data. More streaming, more surfing, more shopping.

Verizon Thanksgetting #VZWBuzz FREE 1GB Data

Get into the spirit of giving this Black Friday with these once in a lifetime deals:

Get $500 when you switch, trade in your smartphone and buy the Samsung GS6.

Samsung Galaxy S6

Now $3.16/month

For 24 months for qualified customers when purchased

in retail stores; 0% APR. Retail price: $576.00

New Ellipsis™ 10 tablet Exclusively from Verizon.

Now $49.99 | Save $150 New 2-yr. activation req’d

Fitbit Charge™ Wireless Activity Wristband

Now $89.99 | Save $40 Thursday through Monday

mophie® powerstation® plus

8x with Micro USB or Lightning Now $99.99

Save $50 Thursday through Monday

Beats Solo2 Wireless On-Ear headphones

Now $249.99 Save $50

Beats Solo 2 Wireless Headphones Verizon Thanksgetting #VZWBuzz

Bose® SoundLink® Color Bluetooth® speaker

Now $119.99 Save $10

Samsung Galaxy S6 edge +

Now $15.33/month For 24 months for qualified customers when purchased in retail stores

0% APR. Retail price: $768.00.

Samsung Galaxy S6 edge + Thanksgetting Verizon #VZWBuzz

Verizon Wireless is an innovative wireless communications company that connects people and businesses with the most advanced wireless technology and service available. I am a Verizon Wireless Lifestyle Blogger brand ambassador and will sometimes receive various products and other perks as a member of the #VZWBuzz influencer team. Staying connected to the world outside Facebook and text while staying mobile is important to me. It keeps me organized and aware and focused on real life. Verizon Wireless helps me do this and keeps me updated on the latest trends, products and tips out there to keep informed and entertained.

Ways to Give Back While On The Go #VZWBuzz #MobileLife

November 17, 2015 by Melissa

It’s the season where we are reminded that there are others in need. The holiday season doesn’t create this sudden need but it creates awareness of what others are missing and how we can help. As a society we can turn any corner and find charity or organization that is in need. The children come home from school with food drive notices, payroll reminds us of the opportunity to increase a charitable deduction and our churches are asking for “angels” for their more needy members. There is no shortage of asking.

There are new ways to give now. We live our lives on the go and that doesn’t have to stop when it’s time to give. There are so many times that I think about a great cause and the efforts they are making in our community or in the nation but by the time I get to my checkbook or computer that thought gets lost with all the other details of the day.

These apps and services below help individuals like us stay on top of what we think is important.

Feedie. For the foodie and photographer in all of us, Feedie has an arrangement with restaurants around the globe to donate to the Lunchbox Fund in exchange for patrons snapping photos of their food. Share that photo on your social media channels and the restaurant donates $.25 to the Lunchbox Fund. The Lunchbox Fund is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing daily meals to impoverished school children in South Africa. We provide a quarter of a million meals a year, and with your help, our goal is to increase that number to 10 million, and ultimately expand our reach globally. If you’re going to eat out, eat a Feedie restaurant or try a new restaurant that supports this amazing effort to feed hungry children.

CharityMiles. If you’re active why not earn money for a deserving charity while you get your sweat on. Download the app, choose an organization and start moving. When you’re done your selected charity will earn money for every mile walked, run or biked. Walkers and runners earn up to 25¢ per mile; bikers earn up to 10¢ per mile.

Donate a Photo. Did you take a photo today? Chances are you did especially with that nifty mini computer/smartphone in your hands. Johnson & Johnson wants to take those photos and turn them into $1 donations for a variety of causes that serve our communities. A photo a day is all it takes.

OneToday. Google created this simple way to give to others. One Today lets you easily give $1 each day to causes and nonprofits that inspire you. It’s a community of generous people like you doing one good deed a day. You’ll see others who have given to this cause. Tomorrow you’ll see a new need and a new community of givers. 100% of all donations are distributed directly to the charity.

Check in For Good. Do you check in at your local businesses to show support and loyalty. Turn those visits into dollars for causes in need. Your check in creates exposure for charities not just on the app but through social media. Create your own cause page for local charities or functions and spread the word to create a buzz and hopefully funds to what you care about.

No matter how you give it’s really the effort you put forth that counts. These mobile options make giving simple while on the go. Give while you’re thinking about it while at the grocery store or at soccer practice or waiting for the meeting to start.

I am a Verizon Wireless Lifestyle Blogger brand ambassador and will receive various products and other perks as a member of the #VZWBuzz influencer team. Staying connected to the world outside Facebook and text while mobile is important to me. It keeps me organized and aware and focused on real life. Verizon Wireless helps me do this and keeps me updated on the latest trends, products and tips out there to keep informed and entertained.

11 Cult Classics, Movie Favorites You Never Knew

October 20, 2015 by Melissa

What is a cult classic you ask?

Sometimes despite the a movie companies best efforts a film is released in the theaters to little fanfare; ticket sales are low and it’s just expected to disappear in the annals of films of yesterday. There are times instead a cult classic is created from that film. A mysterious chemistry happens and a particular movie captures the attention of society because of it’s theme, language, actors and even pop culture trends. A Cult Classic is born.

Cult Classics have a following that doesn’t follow mainstream. Movies fall into this category despite reviews and analysis from critics. These movies now have a following that support the graphic tees, memes and future productions of the writer, director or producer. Do you have a favorite cult classic film or television show? Here are a few on my list.

Heathers

This black, cynical comedy portrays 4 teenage girls while they maneuver high school and it’s cliques. The “Heathers” are feared and hated for their treatment of others and better then everyone else attitude. Winona Ryder plays the victim/hero, Veronica.

Friday

A hilarious and raunchy comedy of life “in the hood”. It’s recently achieved a new level of fame with re-introduction of “Bye, Felicia”.

Tremors

Featuring Kevin Bacon (who is all over Hollywood) as Val, a down on his luck handyman who battles snake like creatures that live underground and is attacking the town of “Perfection.

Night of the Living Dead

The zombie movie that started it all, Night of the Living Dead has rewarded it’s cult following with 5 sequels, some better than others. This is the original and a must see.

Donny Darko

You’ll be left with unanswered questions while you watch teen Donny twist and weave through a world led by a giant rabbit. This dark and often mind-bending sci-fi thriller will keep you coming back for more. Keep an eye out for the director’s cut, it’ll be much more satisfying.

Hackers

A look into the underground computer crime-world with names such as Angelina Jolie and Johnny Lee Miller as high school teenagers.

Rocky Horror Picture Show

Stranded couple, Brad and Janet find themselves upon a bewitching estate, home to mad scientist Dr. Frank N. Furter and the Annual Transylvanian Convention.

The Big Lebowski

A unemployed slacker bowler is mistaken for a millioniare Lebowski whose wife has been kidnapped. The ransom drop obviously goes wrong.

Clerks

Clerks is just a day in the life of Dante and his sidekick Randal. And to think he wasn’t even supposed to be there that day.

Office Space

A group of miserable, IT workers in the midst of company lay offs devise a scheme to embezzle money from their employer, Initech. Wouldn’t you know a fire erupts at the office just as the theft would be found out.Let’s not get started on the faulty copy machine found in every workplace in the world. Watch the crew take out all their frustrations on a piece of antiquated machinery. Definitely NOT SAFE FOR KIDS OR WORK

Fight Club

Stuck in a deadend job, suffering from insomnia and craving the acceptance and affection of others the “Unnamed” main character befriends a soap salesman and they form an underground fight club where they beat the shit out of one another and other participants. Or do they?

——————————————————-

Netflix is our go to for movies old and new but it’s also my first stop when looking for something different. I’ve already seen most of these films but have a couple more to go.

Tips and Tricks with the New iOS 9 Update

October 1, 2015 by Melissa

The newest Apple iOS update came out recently and like usual it was full of enhancements and changes that throw users into a panic. We have to search for our favorite apps and programs because names and folders get changed. We are turning off new notifications and authorizations that are switched to a default. We are made to relearn what we love the most.

With this and any update there are always new ways to work and use your device. I’m highlighting some of my favorite tips and tricks for you.

Add up to 3 hours of battery life with the use of Low Power Mode. Once your battery gets down to 20% your phone will be able to disable some apps and operations running in the background, decrease your visual display a bit which will allow you to save on battery life. The yellow highlighted battery indicator shows when this is on.

WI-Fi Assist is a new feature with 1OS 9. It automatically turns on your cellular data when your device is on a weak Wi-Fi signal. While this is a great option to keep your apps running and reduce buffering for streaming it also means higher data usage when you may not even realize it. Even on your own home network there may be spotty connectivity issues, Wi-Fi Assist will switch over to cellular data without warning when you think it’s safe to stream that movie while lounging on your own sofa.

Looking through your Photos you’ll notice a new folder called Selfies. I laughed right away with this one. It really shows just how self-absorbed we can be at times. At least mine weren’t just of me but also lots of dogs sitting on my lap. There’s also a Screenshot folder too.

Notes just got a boost by allowing users to add photos and take write notes. This is great when trying to take measurements of potential new furniture or create a shopping or to-do list without using a 3rd party app.

Read the News you want to read with the new app on your home screen. If you’re like me you stow lots of iOS loaded apps into a folder labeled extra or useless. News would’ve been one of them but I opened it. Your able to design your news footage based on your preferred topics. Your newsfeed is sourced from multiple channels but will learn your reading behavior and start to become the perfect handheld newspaper.

Six Digit Passcode. Need I say more? This added level of security keeps unwanted fingers off your content.

Did you find a feature or hidden gem of iOS 9 you love? As a member of the Verizon Wireless #VZWBuzz team I’m much more on top of what’s happening in the tech world especially what’s in my own hands.

Time To Talk Hungry Jack Protein Pancakes Plus Giveaway

August 30, 2015 by Melissa

Elmo says breakfast is the most important meal of the day and I totally agree and so do my kids. They love pancakes so much they would eat them for breakfast, lunch and dinner and that is a huge reason why I am very proud to be a part of the Hungry Jack Team telling you about PANCAKE-ISMS and some great new Hungry Jack products.

People love breakfast because it’s easy to eat a protein packed meal like eggs or even a protein shake and most likely pancakes would never cross a persons mind until now. Hungry Jack has an awesome new protein pancake mix that contains 10 grams of protein per serving. If you love pancakes and eating a protein packed meal you can now have both with these new pancakes which in my opinion totally rock. My kids tore up these pancakes the first time I made them and they were asking for more and how could I deny them these delicious new protein pancakes.

If you love a piping hot stack of pancakes like my kids and I do you know putting cold syrup on them is a real bummer. Hungry Jack has also fixed that problem by giving us the newly updated 27.6 oz. Hungry Jack Original Syrup which is microwavable. SCORE!!! So now there is no reason to put cold syrup on steaming hot pancakes. I think I am in heaven. Writing this post is making me want to go into the kitchen and whip up some pancakes.

Being a part of the Hungry Jack team is awesome and we have a lot of fun For this post they challenged me to come up with my own PANCAKE-ISM.

What are PANCAKE-ISMS you ask? A Hungry Jack Pancake-ism is a hearty bite of worldy wisdom, served with a side of wit. Some are short and sweet, and others are a little more reflective, with an unexpeced twist. However you stack it, Pancake-isms are the perfect mix of racing, pancakes, and satisfying straight-shooting humor.

Here are a few awesome ones that Hungry Jack came up with:

A pancake’s worth a thousand words.
If you love a pancake, let it go. If it comes back to you, eat it.
It takes two to tango. It takes one to make pancakes.

Now it took me a while to come up with my own PANCAKE-ISM because I am not witty as most but here it goes : If you make Hungry Jack pancakes, they will come!

Now onto some AWESOME news for Hungry Jack and Nascar fans:

Starting in October, fans can ask Hungry Jack questions directly! All you need to do is use #AskJack and you will receive a response with a hearty dose of Jack’s Wisdom right from the brand and a chance to win prizes and racing swag! Also three times during the NASCAR racing season, Hungry Jack NASCAR driver partner AJ Almendinger will send out a call to his fans and Racing Rewards members to use #AskJack and #Promo. Fans who participate during any of the three times happening in October, November and January will be rewarded with Jack’s wisdom in the form of a pancake-ism! Those who participate and send it their own pancake-isms may also be featured on the Hungry Jack website, Facebook page, and JTG Daugherty social pages, so the wisdom can be shared to fans everywhere!

If you love pancakes and Nascar this is a really cool thing.

Now who wants to win some Hungry Jack of their own?

a Rafflecopter giveaway

My only hair regret #SwitchersRemorse

July 12, 2015 by Melissa
I’ve spent the better part of my adulthood switching hairstyles like I switch my shoes. I go from long to short to super short to blonde highlights to jet black and back to super short. I tell myself it’s only hair. Usually I end up with something I really like. I’m not scared of a little color or a bit of neck showing.

This last time though…whoops. I definitely had some switchers remorse. I thought let’s take this shorter. You see my hairstylist a couple weeks previously lightly shaved a hidden strip of hair over my ear. It was cute, subtle but still shocking if I styled it the right way.

As it grew in I wanted more shock so instead of going back to her I took it upon myself to shave off MORE. When the clippers made that first pass my eyes got wide and I said “oh well, no turning back now”. I ended up with an almost bald patch. I liked the idea but definitively not the lack of length.

Here I am a couple weeks later and I’m happy with it. I actually love it. I get compliments all the time especially from people I don’t expect to like it, like my boss or the old maintenance man.

It’s just hair but for a good solid 2 weeks I definitely had #SwitchersRemorse. Will I keep this cut and style going, YES. Will I be going that short again, NO.

As a member of a very cool team of influencers for Verizon Wireless I received compensation to share this moment of my life when I had #SwitchersRemorse. The story is true though.

Do you have a story to share about when you were drawn away by the shiny things only to find yourself back to where it started? Have you had your own “SwitchersRemorse?

Welcome Back Good Eats on Netflix #StreamTeam

July 8, 2015 by Melissa
As a kid, I watched a lot of cooking shows with my mom. Food Network used to be just people in their fake kitchens making food for the camera. Now it seems that everything is a competition show or a run down of chefs favorite places to eat. Not that those aren’t fun, I just miss being able to watch someone cook a meal and not worry about the time running out before they could finish.

Emeril, Barefoot Contessa, The Naked Chef, Sweet Dreams, How To Boil Water, and most of all Good Eats with Alton Brown on Netflix. And Good Eats is now on Netflix for everyone to see. I remember loving how Alton Brown married science and delicious food into one great show. He explained how brownies and cakes are different, how yeast effects your bread, and that the cinnamon we eat isn’t actually cinnamon. He made science and cooking fun and interesting.

I showed an episode of Good Eats to Shae to introduce her to my favorite show. We watched Alton make cinnamon rolls from scratch and both of us were instantly craving some. We decided to make some from his recipe for breakfast one day. However, it was a two day recipe so we would have to wait until the next morning to enjoy our delicious buns.

It was definitely the most involved recipe I’ve ever made. I prepared the dough myself and then let it rest all day. After dinner we mixed up our filling and rolled out our dough on the counter.
It wasn’t perfect but we kept going. We spread the filling over the dough and slowly and carefully, we rolled it up. Then we sliced up the buns and put them in the pan. We had to leave them in the fridge overnight but in the morning, we were ready to bake and consume. It wasn’t perfect but we kept going. We spread the filling over the dough and slowly and carefully, we rolled it up. Then we sliced up the buns and put them in the pan.

We had to leave them in the fridge overnight but in the morning, we were ready to bake and consume. They needed to proof with some hot water in the oven before we could bake. Waiting was torture, the buns were so close to being ready. Finally, we could bake them. We waited not so patiently for them to be ready. While we waited, I made the icing. We pulled out a delicious and beautiful pan of cinnamon rolls.

Thank you Netflix and Alton Brown for such a delicious breakfast.

Apps for Creative Kids #VZWBuzz

June 11, 2015 by Melissa
When you give a child a smartphone the opportunities for fun are endless. Gaming may be your first thought but my kids take it step beyond that. With my kid’s wild imaginations it was just a matter of time before they figured out a way to create new fun.

Shae has developed a beginning passion for film making, acting and looking into stop motion. We’ve been downloading apps to create comic strips, short films and photo shoots. The choices are endless in the App Store. While I prefer to shop for free apps especially before knowing what I’m getting into I’m open to spending a couple bucks to ensure the kids are having a great time.

I know that they are using a device but I consider this playtime unplugged. They are not sitting in front of screen mesmerized, or holding a controller killing fake bad guys or sleeping. These kinds of apps get them moving, knocking on their friends doors and thinking of storylines and scenarios that make them laugh and smile.

MomentCam– creates cartoons and GIFs from photos. Includes backgrounds, stickers and words. Not young kid-friendly as there are some inappropriate words on stickers/speech bubbles. Free

CamStar-your very own mobile photo booth.The Initial download is free with the option to pay $2.99 for FULL version that includes effects and filters.

FriendStrip Kids Pro-an easy to use comic strip maker loaded with ideas and scenery already. Kids just pose and click to be put right in the story. Initial download is free with the option to download ALL the collections for $1.99. Each collection (9) are $.99 when downloaded separately.

Mirror Effect-gives photos a mirror reflection. Crop a tree, house, pet or flowers and the app creates the effect of it sitting on water, ripples included. It’s riddled with ads but the full version is just $.99.

PicPlayPost-remember the Brady Bunch squares, this app lets the user create a frame with a combonation of stills and videos that can be played sequentially or simultaneously. Free initially and $2.99 to upgrade

(still working on the video portion)

The bad thing we are dealing with right now is Shae lost her iPod touch. It’s time to save up for a new one so her summer isn’t wasted with all her great ideas brewing in her brain.

Summer Release BoxTrolls on Netflix #StreamTeam

June 10, 2015 by Melissa
Looking for a great movie for the whole family this summer? Sit down with a box of eggs and enjoy The Boxtrolls on Netflix.

As a huge fan of Laika productions, I thoroughly enjoyed going to see it with my sister in theaters. It’s an interesting and unusual story about a little boy, called Eggs, who is kidnapped by trolls that live under a city. As he grows up, he realizes the danger that the sweet and harmless Boxtrolls are in. Believed to be evil, thieving monsters, the town hires Lord Snatcher to capture every Boxtroll in the town. Will Eggs be able to save his family before it’s too late? What wild secrets will he discover on his journey? How adorable can the Boxtrolls get? Find out answers to these questions and more with The Boxtrolls!

ParaNorman, another Laika production, is one of my all time favorite movies but sadly it had been taken off of Netflix. However, there are plenty of other great family friendly movies you can watch this month on Netflix this month.

How To Train Your Dragon 2
The Road to El Dorado
Chicken Run
James and the Giant Peach
Fern Gully: The Last Rainforest
Brother Bear
The Dark Crystal
Labyrinth

Capture the Moments #VZWBuzz #Photography #Memories

May 12, 2015 by Melissa
Winter is gone and we’re soaking up the great weather every chance we can get. One thing our family is obsessed with is firepits. Sometimes we get together with an elaborate spread of food and snacks and invite the neighbors and extended family. But sometimes we just have one to hang out as a family to spend quality time together.

I look around and see everyone staring into the fire, I call it the fire coma. The fire is mesmerizing, it draws you in. It’s easy to lose focus on a conversation when the night is silent and the fire is roaring. These are the most relaxing moments of the week.

Friday mornings are filled with anticipation and hope that there will be no winds that night.The kids ask over and over if the weather is right.

These calm, cherished moments are few and far between. We live such hectic lives every day between school, work, activities, errands and other obligations. It mean everything to me to slow down and soak up the attention my kids give to these moments.

These moments are captured thanks to the technology that comes with me everywhere I go. As a VZWBuzz influencer I’m aware of how much my iPhone can do but one of my favorite features is having a camera at my fingertips.

To say I have thousands of photos on my phone is an understatement. I’ve been taking pics as far back as my Blackberry days. The quality has definitely improved but I wouldn’t trade them in for anything.

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