Instead of choosing another charity, I decided to just sit this Blogathon out. But since I had so much fun raising money for The Glaucoma Foundation in 2007, I may consider participating again next year.

I checked in on the other Blogathon participants a while ago, and that’s when I found this video that you absolutely must see. At the time he filmed it, Donnie had been awake for about 46 hours and had spent the last 20 of it blogging. I think that’s the only explanation you need.

I remember the 20th hour of Blogathon 2007. I had run out of steam, the hallucinations had started, and I could barely move my fingers. Those last four hours were anything but pleasant. I’d like to send a big THANK YOU to Donnie and all the other Blogathon participants who gave up 24 hours of their time to support so many worthy causes.

By the way, Donnie raised $292 for RAINN – the Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network. Be sure to check out his blog, Voice the Silence. And you can still support his efforts by making a pledge of your own. You have until Friday to do so.

©2010 The Kat House. All Rights Reserved.

There are several new posts on the site, and I’m sure you’ll find at least one blog you love there. Check it out, and be sure to read about how you can have your blog featured as well.

©2010 The Kat House. All Rights Reserved.

Thanks to some wonderful friends, you will now have the opportunity to win even more great prizes.

Mark Sierra from Darn Good Reviews has donated a free blog review. The winner will receive lots of free publicity for their site, as well as some great tips for improvement. There’s also a nifty little badge you can post on your site to show off your review!

J. Paul Mashburn of Mushy’s Moochings was kind enough to donate a copy of his book, The Laugh & Times of Mushy. The book is a compilation of posts from his blog. “It covers his life from birth forward, and takes us through the building of his life values. His hope is that what he ‘borrowed from life’ will help others. The short chapters cover childhood in rural Tennessee, his ‘nine first days of school’, during his first twelve years of education, to his four years in the Air Force, including a year in Vietnam during the early years of the war. The author also allows us inside his mind as he experiences the ups and downs of everyday life – marriage, divorce, the loss of pets, friends, and family. Mushy was and is a ‘Boomer’ who loves life, and lived it large, and he has given us the documented proof of what it was like to be a child of the sixties!”

Please consider making a pledge to support the lifesaving work of the UT College of Veterinary Medicine. Everyone making a pledge will be entered into the prize drawings! Thanks for your support! I hope you will all keep me company during the Blogathon!

©2010 The Kat House. All Rights Reserved.

The UT College of Veterinary Medicine was established in 1974 and is one of only 28 veterinary colleges in the nation. In addition to educating tomorrow’s veterinarians, the college also provides specialized medical services to the public, conducts research to help pets live longer and healthier lives, protects public health, and performs a number of services to the community. For more information on the specific services offered by the college, be sure to check out their website.

My dogs have both been patients at UT, so I can testify to the outstanding level of care the college provides. They cured Molly of her recurring ear infections and developed a treatment plan to effectively manage her Cushing’s Disease. Cruella was diagnosed with cancer more than two years ago. She is now cancer free and visits UT’s oncology department every few months to ensure that she stays that way. UT also saved Cruella from near fatal bouts with peritonitis and Addison’s Disease. I can say without a doubt that my dogs wouldn’t be with me right now if it weren’t for the amazing doctors and students at the UT College of Veterinary Medicine.

I do hope that you all will choose to hang out with me during Blogathon 2009. I will be posting at least once every 30 minutes for the full 24 hours. I urge you to support my efforts by making a pledge to the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine. In appreciation for your donation, you will be entered into a drawing for a $25 gift card from Books-A-Million. The drawing will be held during the final hour of Blogathon. Thanks for your support!

©2010 The Kat House. All Rights Reserved.

I now face the task of deciding on a topic for this post.  I could talk about the dogs and how great they are both doing.  I could tell you about the latest book I’ve read, or the new recipes I’ve tried.  I could tell you about the upcoming retirement of my pastor, or the fact that I’ve recently become addicted to Facebook.  I could write about the guy I recently met and his vow to make sure I’m wearing underwear if I ever need to be rushed to the hospital.

In fact, I believe I’ll write about all those things – in due time.  But for now, I’ll just pick on Rick.

I’ve known Rick for a few years now.  He has been a loyal Kat House reader for quite some time.  He also reads the many random posts I make on Facebook.  And he peeks in on my MySpace page from time to time too – though there’s never anything new to see there.  Rick is one of those friends who mysteriously showed up one day, and I just can’t imagine what life would be like if he hadn’t.

I can’t mention Rick without telling you how great of an artist he is.  His company, Imagination Atmospheres, creates amazing airbrush murals and themed environments.  And take a look at this amazing portrait of Jesus that Rick painted just yesterday!

All that, and the man even has his own blog!  Of course, it hasn’t been updated since April 25th!

I think it’s time for an intervention.

©2010 The Kat House. All Rights Reserved.

Expect to see more regular posts from me after the exam, and I’ll post here and there as I have the time until then. After the test, I’ll be able to focus on those areas of my life that have long been neglected – in particularly, a romantic relationship. I find it very interesting that I’ve been putting off relationships so that I can dedicate my time to studying, and with the end now in sight, romantic opportunities are really starting to unfold. Funny how that happens.

The dogs are doing well. In my continuing quest to save money on vet bills, I discovered that I can save a bundle on medications through Doctors Foster and Smith. I just ordered heartworm prevention and flea control and saved $21. I will soon be ordering Cruella’s Percorten from them as well. I can save about $60 per injection by purchasing online and giving the shots myself. Those savings really add up, and combined with the other lifestyle changes I’ve made over the last few months, I hope to progress nicely through my Total Money Makeover.

I hope that you all are doing great and that wonderful things are happening for you. I apologize that I haven’t made it around to your blogs as often as I’d like to, but I promise to get back in the swing of things next month!

©2010 The Kat House. All Rights Reserved.

• Tish and Dan Go to Krystal – If you’ve never eaten a Krystal, be sure to read this post explaining the dangers of doing so.
• The Valentine’s Day Blues – Being single isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.
• People Really Do Read My Blog! – Never underestimate the power of a blog.
• Random Acts of Kindness: Are They Really So Random? – The “random” people we meet are anything but.
• Self Portrait as the Invisible Woman – I moonlight as a superhero!
• Have You Seen This Man? – I have an unhealthy stalker.
• S.O.S. – Can’t swim?  No problem.  With my emergency kit, you’ll never risk drowning again!
• Top 10 Reasons I’m Single – Looks like I’ll be single forever!
• Legend of the Dump Man – Those of you from Knoxville will certainly appreciate this local lore.
• Letter to a Stalker – The stalker found my new house!

Happy blogiversary to me!

©2010 The Kat House. All Rights Reserved.

This is my personal blog, and I’ve been posting to it for four years. It is my forum to keep my friends and family updated on what is going on in my life. It is my space to talk about whatever the hell I want to talk about. And if you don’t like reading what I write, you’re free to leave and never come back.

I don’t write about online trading, politics, or world events. I don’t intend to start. If those are the things that interest you, there are plenty of great blogs out there. Go find them. But if you’re interested in reading about the life and times of a fun-loving Tennessee girl and her dogs, I hope you’ll hang around. And if you’re interested in making a new friend, I hope you’ll drop me a line.

©2010 The Kat House. All Rights Reserved.

Pepperjam is a full-service internet marketing agency. The company was founded in 1999 by Kristopher Jones, who currently serves as President and CEO. Revenues were $602,276 in 2004 and climbed to a whopping $15.3 Million in 2007. Pepperjam has 105 employees and plans to add approximately 100 new positions in the next 12 months. I think one of them should be for me.

It is interesting to note that Pepperjam Network, which is Pepperjam’s most significant source of revenue to date, was launched in January 2008 and thus did not contribute to their 2007 revenues. When approached about Pepperjam’s continued success, Kris Jones stated, “I am extremely proud of my company as a whole and even more proud of the individual accomplishments of each of our valued employees.”

The Inc. 500 List also recognizes Pepperjam as being the #1 fastest growing affiliate marketing network and #5 on the list of top advertising and marketing companies. The honors don’t stop there. You can read more about Pepperjam’s Inc. 500 rankings on the Pepperjam Network Blog.

I have promoted Pepperjam Network pretty heavily here on my blog, and with good reason. Since signing on as an affiliate in March, I’ve had the opportunity to work with some great advertisers and learn a lot about affiliate marketing. Pepperjam Network has been one of my best performing programs, earning considerably more than Google Adsense and Commission Junction combined.

A number of you don’t currently monetize your blogs at all. Perhaps you’re unsure of where to begin. Or maybe you’re afraid of biting off more than you can chew. Pepperjam Network, with its very user friendly interface, gives you the tools you need to be successful in affiliate marketing – even as a beginner! Just take a moment to sign up as a publisher, and you’ll be well on your way to making some serious cash. If you sign up before the end of August, you’ll even receive a $10 sign on bonus!

Congratulations, Pepperjam! I look forward to seeing you on the 2009 Inc. 500 List!

©2010 The Kat House. All Rights Reserved.

A couple of people have recently asked about the programs I use to earn extra cash here on The Kat House. There are several, but I’d like to focus first on my favorite – Pepperjam Network (PJN). Prior to signing on with PJN six months ago, I had given affiliate marketing a try with Commission Junction. The result wasn’t pretty. I earned $9.61, which is still sitting in my account today. With a minimum payout of $50, I’m more likely to be struck by lightning than to ever see a check from Commission Junction.

I earned $60 in commissions my very first month with Pepperjam Network. And with a minimum payout of only $25, I actually received a payment! I’ve received several payments since. I promote a number of merchants and programs through PJN, but my favorite (and the one I’ve had the most success with) is Pepperjam Network’s own referral program.

If you’ve ever considered trying your hand at affiliate marketing, now is the time to give Pepperjam Network a try. During the entire month of August, new affiliates will receive a $10 sign on bonus. That means you only need to earn $15 more to receive your first payment! And it gets better. If you choose to promote the Pepperjam Network Referral Program, you’ll earn $7 for each new referral you get from now until the end of this month. Afterward, your commission will drop to $5 per referral, which is still a good payout. On top of all that, you can receive another $10 for each post you write to promote PJN – up to five posts per month! That’s some serious income potential, folks!

Pepperjam Network partners with hundreds of great merchants, so you’re sure to find products and services to fit the theme of your blog. The website is extremely user friendly, unlike many of the other affiliate networks. Pepperjam Chat allows you to chat with your affiliate managers directly from the PJN website. And another feature that I absolutely love is the Pepperjam Network Blog. You’ll find tips on increasing your earnings, interviews with successful affiliates, and breaking news on the latest merchants to partner with PJN.

If you’re serious about making some extra cash, I hope you’ll give Pepperjam Network a try.

©2010 The Kat House. All Rights Reserved.