I swear I must be living under a rock, because I’ve never heard of this series that has just wrapped up it’s third season …

LEVERAGE follows the adventures of a highly skilled team out to settle scores against those who use power and wealth to victimize others. The gang is led by former insurance investigator Nate Ford (Hutton), who got involved in the con business after his former employer refused to pay for treatment that could have saved his son’s life. His highly skilled team includes Sophie Devereaux (Bellman), a grifter who uses her acting skills to corner her marks; Eliot Spencer (Kane), a “retrieval specialist” with bone-crunching fighting skills; Alec Hardison (Hodge), a gadget and technology wizard who keeps the team informed; and Parker (Riesgraf), a slightly off-center thief adept at rappelling off buildings or squeezing into tight places.

By the end of the second season, the LEVERAGE team had scammed a hedge-fund manager who happened to be in the custody of U.S. Marshals; used Eliot’s martial arts skills to corner a corrupt fight promoter; and took over a private school to recover millions of dollars lost in a Ponzi scheme. They also went head-to-head with an almost identical team of grifters to recover a painting, took down an oppressive sweatshop owner, cornered a fake psychic, freed Nate’s ex-wife from a Ukrainian jail and thwarted a gunrunning scheme by a corrupt mayor. But for Sophie, her conflicted relationship with Nate left her questioning if she wanted to continue working with the team. She took some much-needed time away, arranging for a friend and fellow grifter to take her place temporarily. But even though Sophie has now returned to the team, there are still some unresolved issues between her and Nate.

The third season of LEVERAGE opens with Nate in prison after having to make a tough choice on the most recent con. He could either allow his team to be arrested or simply give himself up to his nemesis Sterling, a former insurance investigator now working for Interpol. Nate soon discovers, however, that the prison is corrupt. The only way he can bring the crooked officials down is to get his team to help him stage his jailbreak. But that’s only the beginning of Nate’s challenges. He must also contend with a shadowy intelligence agent known only as “The Italian,” played by actress and model Elisabetta Canalis, who blackmails him into helping bring down a financier. Between “The Italian” trying to control Nate and Nate trying to hold both his crew and his personal life together, it’s looking to be a challenging and twisted summer for the LEVERAGE team.

Because we think this is a series that is worth watching, we have the complete first two seasons on DVD to giveaway to one lucky winner.  All you have to do is leave a comment below to be entered to win.   On Friday, October 1st, the winner will be randomly chosen from all of the comments received. 

If you have missed it all like I did, you can find out all the info, meet the cast and watch full episodes here.  

If you are anything like me, you’ve totally slacked on blogging over the summer. I mean, the kiddos are home from school, the sun is shining, the pool is calling to you … the last place you want to be is in front of a computer screen tapping away at a keyboard.

Never mind the fact that the majority of all wonderful memories are made during the months your children are not in school. All these special moments you don’t want to forget and would like to capture in your own words, possibly accompanied by a photo or two, ON YOUR BLOG, so that you can go back and live them over and over again.  However, the blog post is only written in your mind … because you are too busy enjoying your next adventure. The next soon to be memory.

Am I right?

Of course I am.

But now summer is coming to a close. And the promise to pick up blogging again is in the forefront of your mind. You’re left wondering how to make your blog better. How to write and capture the never to be forgotten memories in the best way possible. To snap the pictures of the kids that are growing way too fast without blur and fuzziness. Yes?

Well you can learn how do just that! And lots more.

If you haven’t checked out I_Blog Conference, I strongly suggest you do. They are offering a “Back To School” savings code that will allow you to save $50 on your Full Event Ticket when you register.  It is:  Back2School and is good through August 31.  So don’t delay!

See? Back to school doesn’t have to be just for the kids! Who knew?

Take a minute or two and check out all the details.  The sessions and speakers who will attend the conference.   The hotel where the conference will be held, Hotel Pattee.  And then go register to attend.

I’ll see you there!!

My Boys is back for Season 4!!!  This TBS hit comedy about a group of close friends who always make time to get together, drink beer, play their weekly poker and support each other through the ups and downs of dating, break-ups and career highs and lows.

Season 3 ended with the gang in Arizona for the Cubs spring training game. Brendan is threatened by a professional baseball player meanwhile sparks fly between Kenny and Stephanie, Mike tries his best to get a base hit off a professional pitcher and Bobby helps P.J. write her best article yet. As the group returns to Chicago, Bobby and P.J. stumble upon Kenny and Stephanie kissing…

As a new season blossoms, the friends continue to joke around, bond over beer and poker and have fun, but this time around, they also have to face the realities of life, financial issues, career decisions, and getting into serious relationships.

Season 4 premiered on July 25th at 10/9 central on TBS. Grab a beer and tune in or set your DVR to watch their latest trials and tribulations. Although the season already started, you can easily catch up by viewing full episodes at Hulu.com.

If you haven’t caught the previous episodes of My Boys, no fear, we are giving away a complete disk set of Season Two and Season Three to one lucky winner.  Just leave a comment below … and you’ll be entered to win.   Doesn’t get any easier than that!  On Friday, September 3rd the winner will be randomly chosen from all of the comments received. 

As an ‘Iowa Blogger’, as well as an attendee and planning partner for this conference … I wanted to share this information with everyone.  I hope you will seriously consider registering for this event, as it will surely be very beneficial to any blogger!  Please feel free to pass along this information to anyone you think would be interested!

Beginning and experienced bloggers will find useful classes at I_Blog Conference, November 5-7 at the historic Hotel Pattee in Perry Iowa, announced event organizer and blogger Jody Halsted.  Ticket orders can be made here.

Registration is $199 for a full conference ticket.  The following “a la carte” tickets are also available:  Saturday only, $100; Friday evening social, $50; and Destination Midwest Saturday evening event, $50.

This year the conference will feature two tracks of classes: one for the beginning blogger and one for individuals who have more experience in social media.

Some of the scheduled classes and speakers include:

• Blogging Basics – Melanie Nelson, co-author Typepad for Dummies
• SEO and Why It Matters – Angela England, editor Blissfully Domestic
• How to Utilize LinkedIn – representative from LinkedIn
• How to Use Social Media to Build Your Online Presence – Claire Celsi, the PR Princess
• Pitch from Your Passion: Get Paid for Writing About What You Love – Beth Blair, freelance writer and member of The Vacation Gals
• Intellectual Content vs. Owned Content – Brett Trout, P.C.
• How To Make Money from Your Blog – Melanie Nelson and Angela England
• How to Use Your Camera to Add Great Content to Your Site – Darcy and Randy Milder from His N Hers Photography

Specially priced rooms are available at the Hotel Pattee for conference attendees.  To make a reservation, attendees should call the hotel at (515)465-3511 and use the code “iblogconference” for that weekend.  Reservations must be made by October 23 to receive the reduced rates.

Halsted said that unlike other social media conferences, the focus of I_Blog is on the sessions, “not the swag.”  She said, “Our goal is to build a community of Midwestern bloggers; to give them the knowledge to create a social media presence that will help achieve their goals and fulfill their dreams!”

Melanie Nelson, owner of Blogging Basics 101 and co-author of Typepad for Dummies, highly recommends attending I_Blog.  “I especially loved that everyone who attended last year (whether a new or seasoned blogger) learned something new, ” she said.  “All of the presentations were relevant to what people are doing regardless of their level of blogging.”

Conference sponsors are currently being accepted.  If your company is interested in being involved in I_Blog please contact Jody Halsted at jody@iblogconference.com. 

More information about, and registration for, Destination Midwest at I_Blog Conference can be found on the website at www.iblogconference.com and tickets can be purchased through Evenbrite.

CBS Films’ upcoming film Extraordinary Measures, starring Brendan Fraser and Harrison Ford, is inspired by the true story of John Crowley – a man who defied conventional wisdom and great odds to pursue a cure for his children’s life threatening disease.

To celebrate Crowley’s story, a wonderful opportunity has been created.  Do you have a specific cause close to you? If so, you have a chance to get the word out about it, and also possibly win some money for that cause!

It’s so easy.  All you have to do is create and upload an inspirational video. Once your video is uploaded, you will be entered into the sweepstakes for a chance to designate the charity of your choice to receive $10,000.  HELLO!  Did you hear that? $10,000.  What an awesome gift to your favorite charity that would be, huh?

• To get started, upload your video by visiting: http://extraordinarymeasuresthemovie.com/#/quilt
• Once it’s published, tell all your friends to vote for you.
• What a wonderful feeling it would be to present your cause with $10,000.

I told you it was easy.

Good luck.   And be sure to let us know when your video is up so that we can come vote for you.

Oh … and don’t forget to check out some of the other inspirational stories on that website above … if you don’t have one of your own, you’re sure to find one that you would like to vote for.

I was lucky enough to be asked to preview the pilot of “Men Of A Certain Age”. With an awesome all star cast, this show is the new, soon to be hit, on TNT.

Ray Romano, Scott Bakula and Andre Braugher are the three middle aged men that the show is based around. Though the pilot didn’t give much on the characters, but just enough to crave more. Learning more and more about them will obviously have to take place as the series progresses.

It’s hard to say whether Men Of A Certain Age will be classified as a comedy or drama … because there is a little of both mixed in. While most new shows cater towards women or kids … this one definitely leans in the other direction and is something the guys will totally relate to and find very entertaining. Us women? We will giggle at the similarities we find in our men … as they reach all the joys of middle age.

The show premiers tonight at 9pm central time on TNT.

Unless you live under a rock, you’ve probably heard that Ellen DeGeneres is going to join the American Idol judging panel.

Good Idea?

Bad Idea?

Your thoughts on her becoming a part of the show?

Please share.

If you are aware of a young woman between the ages of 13-24 who may be interested in competing in the upcoming Miss Johnson County & Miss Linn County dual pageant, please refer them to us!  We help young women develop their talent, their interview and learn how to use their voice in a productive and positive environment.

When:  Saturday, Feburary 13, 2010 from 7pm to 10pm
Where:  Clear Creek Amana High School

More Information Can Be Found Here

Sutliff Bridge and Baxa’s Sutliff Store holds many wonderful memories for a great deal of Iowa natives.  I’m not even “from” Iowa, as I only moved here 12 years ago, but I still have my own special experiences at Sutliff.  Many which include a cold beverage, some good fried food, and a picnic table out on the bridge.  I just noticed a smile form across my lips as I typed that. There is just something magical about that place.

Back in June 2008, when the flood waters came roaring through the eastern part of the state … they took Sutliff Bridge with.  It was a devastating time for many, as no one knew what would happen to this historical place that so many held dear to their hearts.

Recently, a survey was sent my way, asking my opinion on if and how Sutliff Bridge should be repaired.  I voted for Option 1, replacing the span of the bridge that was lost with one that is similar in appearance.  It would be awesome to sit out on that bridge again with a cold one.

If you would like to have your say … please go voice your opinion.  It takes literally 2 seconds and no personal information HAS to be given.

Keep Sutliff alive.  It’s such an important part of Eastern Iowa.

If you are reading this, then there is a good chance that you’re in Iowa.  Am I right?  Now my odds are going down a bit, but I’m betting that there are a good amount of you who have your own blog.  If you do and you’re anything like me, you have contemplated going to some of the large conferences held annually … usually in places much farther than I’m willing to travel.

Do we have that in common?

Well, whether we do or we don’t, you’re going to want to check into this.  Jody, Iowa Geek, has put together and is hosting this awesome event.  It’s a conference.  For bloggers.  Being held in Iowa!  All bloggers in the midwest are invited to come.  How cool is THAT?

Pretty cool.

Here are all the details:

Sounds like a great place to be.  If I were you, I’d seriously consider it.