December 2008

Do you make New Year resolutions?

Do you make New Year resolutions? Do you keep them? I don’t.

If you’re like me, you do neither. Don’t get me wrong. I think making New Year resolutions is a great idea. I used to make them for many years. But then I realized that there was really no point, because my resolutions would go out the window by Jan 10th. Or sooner. So, like many others, I took the easy way out. Instead of stopping to analyze what was wrong and how I could correct it, I simply gave up on resolutions.

Revive your resolutions

But, this year, I have done some thinking and would like to get back to making resolutions. And start sticking with them. But, to do that effectively and to be able to keep my resolutions, there are some things I need to examine. Why did my earlier attempts fail? And what can I do differently?

Here are some of the common mistakes people make when it comes to New Year resolutions.

1. Setting goals too high – Lose 25 pounds in January? Not likely.

If you set impossible goals, it is easy to get discouraged soon. Set measurable goals that you can accomplish with some focused effort.

2. Resolutions that are vague – If you don’t know what you want to achieve, how will you know when you get there? Instead of “ I will be a better person”, how about, listing out top three qualities you want to work on this year – say, patience, being positive, being open-minded.

3. Not revisiting your resolutions – It’s not enough to make a resolution. For it to work, you need to stop and think about the progress you have made and the steps you need to take to improve. You need to set aside time every week or month to review your resolution. Writing it down and keeping a resolution journal may help. If you don’t revisit your resolution, you may find that it is Dec 31 once again, and you will probably wake up to another year when you did not keep your resolution.

After many years, I am back to making new year resolutions this year. I will be writing them down, reviewing them every now and then and I will take small steps towards bigger goals. How about you? Do you have any resolutions this year? Why/not?

Remember: If you want to make a New Year resolution, start today. You don’t have to wait until next New Year’s Eve.

Printable cards how to add your photo

You’ve decided to make a free printable greeting card on gotfreecards.com. How exactly do you go about making a card with your own personal photos?

First, go to gotfreecards.com and click on “Printable Cards” at the top of the page. On the next page, click “Card with your own photo.”

To start, select, from the tabs in the middle of the page, whether you want to work with the cover or the interior of your card. Then, click one of the two buttons to the right, depending upon where you want to begin: with adding text, or uploading photographs. If you click on “Add text,” a box will appear, and all you need to do is type your message in that box. From there, you can change things like font color and size, using the menu to the right, and by using the old click-and-drag method you can move the text box around to anywhere you want it on the page.

When you’re done with the text, click the “Upload Photo” button, and a computer explorer menu will pop up. Just go through your files, find the photo you want to use, and click, “open.” After it loads, your picture will appear on the screen, and you can drag, drop and slide—just like with the text—to position it just the way you want.

After that, just switch between the “interior” and “cover” tabs to finish the card, and when you’re done, click “print.” That’s all there is to it.

Printable Cards Famous Quotes

Say you’ve decided to make a free printable card, and you’ve gone through all the steps I’ve outlined in previous posts, but you just can’t figure out exactly what to say. What do you do? Let our Famous Quotes index help you.

At the top of the gotfreecards.com homepage, right next to the “Printable Cards” button you looked at earlier, there’s a link for “Famous Quotes.” If you click that button, you go to a page that is updated daily with famous quotes. Feel free to use the current day’s update, or cycle back through the index to find something you like a little better.

Once you find the one that’s just right for your printable card, highlight the text with your mouse, right click and then click “copy.” Then, when you’re on the “add text” page for your printable card, right click again in the “add text” box and click “paste.” And voila! Your famous quote is inserted!

Sure, we can come up with our own words of wisdom, but sometimes it’s best to let the great minds of our time speak for us!

Printable Cards with Artwork

If you want to take advantage of the free cards at gotfreecards.com, but you want some just a little more tangible than an electronic greeting, we have options for you along that route, too. Instead of sending an animated e-card, you can just as easily put together one of our free printable cards with pre-rendered artwork.

At gotfreecards.com, first click on the button at the top of the page that says, “Printable cards.” Then, on the next page, click on “Card with artwork,” and you’re well on your way. From the menu on the left of this next page, you can pick the type of card you want to make. Currently, we only offer Birthday, Christmas, Thank You and New Year 2009 designs, but we’re working on adding more every day!

After you’ve made your selection, pick from the wide variety of card templates, and click on one to enlarge it. The image you select will be the outside cover of the card. You can click the tab near the middle of the page that says “Inside” to type in a personalized message that will appear inside the card. Then, once you’re done, just click print. That’s all there is to it.

Many sites will require you to pay a fee, or register in some way. But with the free printable cards at gotfreecards.com, all you need to do is make your selection, add your text and print!

New Year Remember the troops

2008 is almost here, and it’s nearly time for another round of sure-to-be-broken New Year’s resolutions.

I’ve had my share of foul-ups in that department in the past. I have not, to date, run a marathon. And I still eat more than my share of French Fries.

But there is one resolution I’m making this year, along with many people I know, that I will keep: this year, I resolve to do more to remind members of the military that we, back home, haven’t forgotten them.

I’ve written about this in the past, and so I know it might seem like I’m beating a dead horse, but it’s that important. It doesn’t matter what you think about their mission; the fact that these brave souls are in other countries, risking their lives on a daily basis under the American flag, is reason enough to hold them in the highest esteem, and to let not one opportunity to let them know pass by.

You can send e-cards, of course (this is, after all, an e-card website). You can also buy telephone cards for our servicepersons—there are countless websites out there collecting them, as well as those collecting care packages. It doesn’t matter what you do, really—just do something.

That’s my resolution this year—what’s yours?

New Year’s Save a Toast

New Year Ecards

New Year’s Eve is a special day for a couple of different reasons. It is a chance to look back on the year that was, reflecting on and missing the good memories, and bidding good riddance to the bad experiences. The New Year’s holiday is also a chance to get together with the most important people in our lives, and share wishes, hopes and dreams of the coming year ahead.

And at the end of the evening, as that clock strikes midnight, and the year that is officially becomes the year that was, we toast to continued good health and cheer, and everyone smiles, wondering just what, exactly the next 365 days will bring.

But New Year’s can, and should be, also a time to remember those who make it their life’s work to fight for all the opportunities we sometimes take for granted. We may not always like their mission, but our men and women in the military have fought for us, do fight for us now, and will fight for us in the future.

So on this New Year’s Eve, as 2008 winds down to a close, save at least one toast for all the brave men and women who our way of life possible.

New Year 2009

We’ve been through a lot lately. A two-year American presidential campaign just came to a close, leaving many people with an itching glut of free time, that they once would dedicate to following politics. The world economy is in turmoil, as more and more governments resort to using state funds to bail out struggling businesses. And lowering gas prices only serve as a reminder of how high the prices one were, and how high they’re likely to be again soon.

All in all, it’s been a rough year, and as 2008 comes to a close, I, for one, can’t wait to leave it behind forever. That’s the great thing about the New Year’s holiday, though: not only do we look back on the year that was, recalling experiences had and memories made; but we also look forward, to the mystery of the year ahead.

Maybe 2009 will be a better year for us all than 2008 has been—it wouldn’t be too hard, really. Maybe 2009 will end up being worse. There’s no way to tell. I’m not saying that 2008 has been horrible, and there are certainly parts of it I will never forget (and in a good way). But I also can’t wait for December 31st to come around, and will love watching that great ball fall on Times Square.

Here’s to you, 2009!

New Year Ecards Surprise

Everyone gets presents on Christmas, and even though we smile and act like we’re surprised to have been thought so kindly of, in reality, if Mom or Dad hasn’t got us any gifts, we’d feel pretty miffed. Similarly, on Valentine’s Day, if you don’t buy your significant other a gift, you’re making trouble for yourself. Mom gets flowers on Mother’s Day, and Dad gets tools on Father’s Day.

But what about those other holidays, where gift-giving isn’t exactly traditional? That’s when you really have the opportunity to surprise the people you love. And you shouldn’t have to break the bank, either. For instance, on New Year’s this year, why not send out some free ecards from gotfreecards.com? They’re absolutely free, and when your friends and loved ones open their e-mail boxes and see you’ve sent them an animated e-card, not only will they know you’ve been thinking about them, but they’ll also know you didn’t have to get them anything: you only did it because you care.

Printable Cards for Christmas

Printable Cards

Personalized Printed Cards Delivered At Your Desk, Instantly!

There’s just something about a paper greeting card that never loses its charm for some of us. We like to hold the greeting in our hands, feel the crisp paper, run our fingers over the words and pictures- as if we were trying to absorb the essence of the message. Most of all we like to see the handwritten notes and the signatures of our loved ones. While ecards may be viewed instantly and forgotten over time, printed cards can be saved, cherished and shared for years. Although ecards have replaced printed cards in many instances as the more convenient, inexpensive and quick mode of wishing one another, printed cards still retain that special quality that electronic messages cannot convey effectively.

So, this holiday season, if you are thinking of sending out printed cards, but are not happy with the impersonal and expensive store bought variety, you have a creative new option available at gotfreecards.com.

Printable cards!

In this section, you can actually design and create your own card and print it out in your home to send to family and friends. There is a template to which you can upload a personal or family photo from your computer or choose one of the many images available on the site. You can also choose from among the many message options and also add your own personal note. Print it out and voila! You have your own custom paper greeting card that you can sign, seal with love and send just in time for the special occasion!

So, there’s absolutely no excuse to not send a wish to your loved ones this year. Whether you want to send an ecard or a printed card, it only takes a few minutes on gotfreecards.com.

New Year Looking Forward

Well, a new year is almost here.

In less than two months from now, we’ll be saying goodbye to 2008, and welcoming in 2009. As this year draws to a close, I find myself looking back on all the things that made 2008 a special year, and looking forward to all the ways that 2009 can be better. In 2008, my little brother made the all-star soccer team; in 2009, he may get the opportunity to go professional. In 2008, my father got a raise at his job; in 2009, he’ll get to retire. In 2008, I left my hometown behind me, to look forward to greener pastures and new adventures; in 2009, I may move on once again.

Anything and everything may happen, and that’s the beauty of celebrating the new year: we’re toasting to the days that have already gone by, and we’re toasting to those wonderful ones still ahead of us.

This year, on December 31st, wherever you are when you watch that great ball drop in Times Square, remember not only to look back on the year that was, but to also look forward to the year that may be. And while you are at it send some New Years Ecards.