Carie Shapiro's Blog

In ActiveRain years, I'm not even 3 months old.  I posted my inaugural ActiveRain blog on October 31, 2011.  Since then, I’ve tried to build up some consistent blogging momentum.  I started out slowly at first -- blogging about once or twice a week.  Soon after, I blogged three times in one week....

I hate getting emails like this.  Especially first thing in the morning.  It makes me incredibly sad to learn of another wonderful, family-owned, small business having to close its doors.  Here is a "paraphrased" snippet from the email I just received this morning.  Unfortunately, we're becoming ...

"I can't pay my rent right now."  If you are a landlord, this is about the worst sentence you can hear coming from the other end of the phone.  Either that or "there's something leaking from someplace and I don't know where it's coming from."  But, if you get the call that your tenant suddenly ca...

Why do I always have to pull the short straw every time I fly?  Especially at this time of year when some people who, under normal circumstances, would be too sick to get out of bed.  I know many of these people have had their travel arrangements scheduled way in advance for the holidays.  But, d...

You guys are always in the department store at the same time I'm there looking for a wedding gift.  You're usually along side your fiancé pretending to be happy -- jointly filling out the registry for your upcoming wedding.  Both of you are so easy to spot.  The beaming glow on your fiancé's face...