A little Christmas Humor...But be sure and check it yourself before showing to the little ones.
Feel free to pass along!
Monday, November 30, 2009
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Click Now for CyberMonday Deals on Amazon happening right now!Thursday, November 26, 2009
Vote for IAVA: Iraq And Afghanistan Veterans Of America Inc
In the spirit of Thanksgiving, I would be very grateful for your assistance in simply voting for this charity. IAVA is a worthy non-partisan organization that is on the forefront of Veteran's rights and issues. By simply voting and asking others on FB to do the same you could very well help the growing ranks of current generation Veterans from a 100% volunteer military who answered the call of duty without reservation of politics or personal sacrifice.
As you read this , there are men and women out there "outside the wire" protecting the freedoms and ideals that we all cherish dearly.Simply sign up for this facebook application and vote, then kindly make this your status for the day. It's free, worthwhile, and would be greatly appreciated.
From Tennyson,"Theirs not to make reply, Theirs not to reason why, Theirs but to do and die".
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Email to Fax fo Free !
http://emailtofaxfree.com/index.php
Ala Office Space, here is a scene that we'd all like to act out! Visit our web site for a special offer to fax for free! No baseball bat (or fax machine required).
http://emailtofaxfree.com/index.php
Ala Office Space, here is a scene that we'd all like to act out! Visit our web site for a special offer to fax for free! No baseball bat (or fax machine required).
http://emailtofaxfree.com/index.php
5 Keys To Thrive
Enjoy!
http://tonyrobbinstraining.com/378/5-keys-to-thrive/
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Pandora Internet Radio
While I'm not exactly sure on all the details on how it works, I believe the gist of it is that it takes your music requests and then offers you similar music suggestions based on your choices. At first thought, you might think it is basically comparing your choice with others that have similar tastes in music, however it's a bit more complex then that. Utilizing about 10 years of data compiled in "The Music Genome Project", Pandora analyzes your choice in music mathematically (tone, tempo beat, music, lyrics, etc...)and then based on that figures out what you might like.
Pretty interesting...Right now, because I chose a bit of UB40, it chose, Bob Marley, Inner Circle, and music of the same sort to follow. When I listened to a bit of Bruce, it was followed by Billy Joel, John Cougar, and then Tom Petty.
I dig Pandora, I'm in!
Monday, November 23, 2009
Peas & Carrots for Lunch?
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Being self-employed, a topic that is prevalent amongst those of us that are, is, "What are you making for lunch today?"
Well that topic came up once again with a good friend. Usually the answer has a vital component in it...some sort of meat.
Today, being all out of any sort of meat ingredient, as I try to make the pre-Thanksgiving shopping trip worth my while, I looked in the freezer to find a bag of peas and carrots.
I thought about this for all of about 5 seconds and decided that this actually could be sufficient for a lunchtime meal.
This took about 5 minutes but the results were not too shabby.
8 ozs frozen peas and carrots
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons seasoned salt
1 teaspoon hot sauce
1 tablespoon of Bacos (soy bacon bits)
Basically stir up the peas and carrots on high eat in frying pan, ( I used a few sprays of Pam). Sprinkle in the garlic powder, and salt. I then used about an ounce of water to get the heat to spread evenly across the pan. Kept on the stove top till the water was evaporated.
Then put the mixture into a bowl and season with the hot sauce and Bacos to taste.
The total damage as far as calories was only about 150 calories for a quick meal that seemed much "heavier" than that.
Again not much of recipe here, but the simplicity, and the nutritional value, in a hot quick to make dish really fit the bill today. And no bovine animals were injured or hurt in today's production of lunch.
Friday, November 20, 2009
Wild Turkeys in Staten Island ?
So in a bid to be a bit more consistent in posts to my blog I began to think about what to write for today's article. I was driving back after dropping my daughter off at schools and then almost ran over the idea.
In a strange turn of events this morning, the radio mentioned something about Turkey's for Thanksgiving, when a Wild Turkey darted out in front of my car. Now this might not seem strange to folks that live in a rural environment, but I live in Staten Island which is a borough of NYC.
I was bit baffled to see wildlife like this within the confines of NYC, yet pleasantly surprised. I proceeded on my way back home, and then realized that this would be as good a topic as any to write about for the day. I ran inside the house grabbed the monster camera and proceeded back to the scene of the original Turkey sighting.
Upon arrival about a minute later, I found a car in front of me, that had just stumbled upon the same sighting. He had stopped his car in the middle of traffic to snap a picture of the gobbler. It didn't bother me any as I was actually on a mission to snap a couple of pics myself, but the drivers behind us who has just arrived, and had no clear line of vision of the fowl, honked us to proceed.
I swung around, parked the four wheel drive, and the safari was on. The bird then positioned itself in front of the gates of St. Johns University, which I found to be quite humorous, because Mr. Gobble Gobble had camouflaged himself perfectly into the background and display. I watched with amusement as passing motorists simply went on there merry way probably thinking the turkey was of the ceramic sort. I snapped a few pictures myself then realized that even my pictures could not tell the truth of the matter so I flipped the camera into movie mode and filmed the same.
The turkey then called out,with a warble, as if to indicate that if I was done with my photo session, if it could be on it's way, and then dashed towards me to be rid of my intrusion of his morning.
I snapped a few more pictures of the bird as it approached my vehicle wondering if it was angry enough at me to take it's frustration out on the paint of my vehicle, but no...It just wanted to be on it's way.
All in all a great little experience to start the day. Upon return to mi casa, I did a quick search on google and found that others have come across these Staten Island birds as well. Apparently one of our councilmen has even thought that these wild Turkeys were a problem, and had asked environmental agents to curb the growth of these creatures.
Well, other then his apparent frustration with these birds, the article didn't mention any actual reasons as to his request...All I know is that I had a great start to day with my interaction with nature today. With that said, I hope the wild bird today will excuse the fact that his brethren will be part of or feast for next week.
In a strange turn of events this morning, the radio mentioned something about Turkey's for Thanksgiving, when a Wild Turkey darted out in front of my car. Now this might not seem strange to folks that live in a rural environment, but I live in Staten Island which is a borough of NYC.
I was bit baffled to see wildlife like this within the confines of NYC, yet pleasantly surprised. I proceeded on my way back home, and then realized that this would be as good a topic as any to write about for the day. I ran inside the house grabbed the monster camera and proceeded back to the scene of the original Turkey sighting.
Upon arrival about a minute later, I found a car in front of me, that had just stumbled upon the same sighting. He had stopped his car in the middle of traffic to snap a picture of the gobbler. It didn't bother me any as I was actually on a mission to snap a couple of pics myself, but the drivers behind us who has just arrived, and had no clear line of vision of the fowl, honked us to proceed.I swung around, parked the four wheel drive, and the safari was on. The bird then positioned itself in front of the gates of St. Johns University, which I found to be quite humorous, because Mr. Gobble Gobble had camouflaged himself perfectly into the background and display. I watched with amusement as passing motorists simply went on there merry way probably thinking the turkey was of the ceramic sort. I snapped a few pictures myself then realized that even my pictures could not tell the truth of the matter so I flipped the camera into movie mode and filmed the same.
The turkey then called out,with a warble, as if to indicate that if I was done with my photo session, if it could be on it's way, and then dashed towards me to be rid of my intrusion of his morning.I snapped a few more pictures of the bird as it approached my vehicle wondering if it was angry enough at me to take it's frustration out on the paint of my vehicle, but no...It just wanted to be on it's way.
All in all a great little experience to start the day. Upon return to mi casa, I did a quick search on google and found that others have come across these Staten Island birds as well. Apparently one of our councilmen has even thought that these wild Turkeys were a problem, and had asked environmental agents to curb the growth of these creatures.
Well, other then his apparent frustration with these birds, the article didn't mention any actual reasons as to his request...All I know is that I had a great start to day with my interaction with nature today. With that said, I hope the wild bird today will excuse the fact that his brethren will be part of or feast for next week.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
The Beatles "Love"
Well, as they say, history repeats itself, but in this case it seems to have skipped a generation. Growing up, I have to say that I wasn't a huge fan of The Beatles...I mean I liked them just as much as the next guy, but I liked late 70's and 80's music as my genre of choice. Which is why I'm really intrigued with the fact that my 12 year old son and 6 year old daughter have become huge Beatles fans...and in so doing made me a now a pretty big fan as well. Strange, how things work out that way.
The other day, the schedules of my kids, my wife and myself synchronized nicely into an afternoon at the local Barnes & Nobles. I miss the days of what I perceive to be simpler days of my youth when we would do the same at the local Walden Books. Anyway my family bit at the opportunity to lounge at the bookstore for a couple of hours and I was all for it.
My son was on a specific mission to add another Beatles Cd as we had over played the Beatles "1" album that we had in our vehicle. He coaxed me out of the magazine section where I was on a mission to find some good business reading materials. Strangely enough they were actually playing the Beatles over the store's PA system.
Having this as a sign that we were going to leave the store with fab four music in hand, my son led me like a lemming to the source of the music. What we found was a table completely covered in Beatles music and memorabilia.
As my son began trying to coax a recommendation out of me, (because apparently I am the said expert for ANYTHING that is older then 10 years ago), we were gently interrupted with a recommendation... from a police officer.
As my brain was trying to process the fact that there was one of New York's finest giving us tips on which album to buy, we ended up zeroing in on The Beatles "Love" album. I later came to understand that the officer was part of the NYPD paid detail unit. Essentially earning a few extra bucks for his family by moonlighting a security position in the store. I made a mental note that I actually thought this was a great program, I like the fact that there was a uniformed officer with a 9 mm at his side providing an added level of safety within the store itself.
In any sense, through conversation with him, he advised that this album would be a complete different sound. Upon later research I found that to be true becuase the album took all the orginal tracks and remixed it using the latest technology. The album is used in the current Vegas show:
Well, the album is just fantastic! We've played it several times all the way through, and every time we do so we pick up a new thing or two. I gotta say it took a couple of times for the sound to grow on you, but when it does it takes a firm grasp, and you really begin to enjoy the unique auido vibe that this album presents.
The other day, the schedules of my kids, my wife and myself synchronized nicely into an afternoon at the local Barnes & Nobles. I miss the days of what I perceive to be simpler days of my youth when we would do the same at the local Walden Books. Anyway my family bit at the opportunity to lounge at the bookstore for a couple of hours and I was all for it.
My son was on a specific mission to add another Beatles Cd as we had over played the Beatles "1" album that we had in our vehicle. He coaxed me out of the magazine section where I was on a mission to find some good business reading materials. Strangely enough they were actually playing the Beatles over the store's PA system.
Having this as a sign that we were going to leave the store with fab four music in hand, my son led me like a lemming to the source of the music. What we found was a table completely covered in Beatles music and memorabilia.
As my son began trying to coax a recommendation out of me, (because apparently I am the said expert for ANYTHING that is older then 10 years ago), we were gently interrupted with a recommendation... from a police officer.
As my brain was trying to process the fact that there was one of New York's finest giving us tips on which album to buy, we ended up zeroing in on The Beatles "Love" album. I later came to understand that the officer was part of the NYPD paid detail unit. Essentially earning a few extra bucks for his family by moonlighting a security position in the store. I made a mental note that I actually thought this was a great program, I like the fact that there was a uniformed officer with a 9 mm at his side providing an added level of safety within the store itself.
In any sense, through conversation with him, he advised that this album would be a complete different sound. Upon later research I found that to be true becuase the album took all the orginal tracks and remixed it using the latest technology. The album is used in the current Vegas show:
Well, the album is just fantastic! We've played it several times all the way through, and every time we do so we pick up a new thing or two. I gotta say it took a couple of times for the sound to grow on you, but when it does it takes a firm grasp, and you really begin to enjoy the unique auido vibe that this album presents.
Track Listings
| 1. Because |
| 2. Get Back |
| 3. Glass Onion |
| 4. Eleanor Rigby/Julia (Transition) |
| 5. I Am The Walrus |
| 6. I Want To Hold Your Hand |
| 7. Drive My Car/The Word/What You're Doing |
| 8. Gnik Nus |
| 9. Something/Blue Jay Way (Transition) |
| 10. Being For The Benefit of Mr. Kite!/I Want You (She's So Heavy)/Helter Skelter |
| 11. Help! |
| 12. Blackbird/Yesterday |
| 13. Strawberry Fields Forever |
| 14. Within You Without You/Tomorrow Never Knows |
| 15. Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds |
| 16. Octopus's Garden |
| 17. Lady Madonna |
| 18. Here Comes The Sun/The Inner Light (Transition) |
| 19. Come Together/Dear Prudence/Cry Baby Cry (Transition) |
| 20. Revolution |
| 21. Back In The U.S.S.R. |
| 22. While My Guitar Gently Weeps |
| 23. A Day In The Life |
| 24. Hey Jude |
| 25. Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise) |
| 26. All You Need Is Love |
How Did I Get To Point "M" ?
How bad do you want success?
Being content with your life or where it's going might be a measure of success.Unfortunately, I truly believe it's that same feeling that holds people back from their true potential.
When I began this article, I looked for a quotation that would embody those remarks. What I found is there are many quotes suggesting that a person is a success in life if he or she is happy with themselves and circumstances. The flip side to this ideology is that success is obtained through a series of failures.
As in life, I think it boils down to a balance between the two. I truly believe that if you have good situational awareness of what your goals are in life, and you make daily strides in life towards those goals, you can, in effect, work through a series of small successes and still have enough balance and well-being to be happy where you are just long enough to "smell the roses," as they say.
I think the danger in becoming content in where you are in life (staying too long to smell the roses), is if you have not reached your goals, the feeling of contentment canslowly erode your resolve to reach your final destination. To me it's akin to planning a cross-country trip, but because of poor planning and lack of direction, you run out of fuel. Once that happens, you decide that where you have become stranded isn't so bad, and that is where you pitch your tent for the night. The next morning you decide maybe you'll stay awhile, and your residence should take on a more permanent aspect. A couple of months later you've built a house, and then it makes no sense to uproot what you've created in this accidental destination,so you become content in just settling in for the long haul right where you are... But what happened to your original final destination? It's not like it moved. But now it seems like amythical place you never will get to. But in fact, it's really still there. It's always been there. It's just that along the way, the methods you used were not adequate to get you to where you needed to go.
I think life for most people is very similar to this situation: You start out with the intent to get from point A to point Z, but you settle at point M. And once you settle at point M, the reasons to get to point Z start to erode and wither away. Intent alone will not get you anywhere. You need a plan.
Now, if you had a plan that included a series of steps to get from A to B, and then from B to C, and so on, that would be a start. If your plan had contingency plans so that when things go wrong (and they will), they can be addressed, then you can stay on course. If your plan recognizes that all the steps in between might not be equally ashard or simple (for example, if point M was a mountain top, it might take a bit more effort to get there and across it), then you havedeveloped the framework of a proper plan.
Your plan, in my humble opinion, should also include associating with like-minded people—folks that want to get to point Z maybe evenmore than you do, but who can also tempertheir zeal with a good dose of reality. There'salso no point in starting on a proverbial tripto point Z with someone when their final destination is point B. Having said that, it seems to me there can be a "chicken and egg" aspect to beginning your journey. Sometimes when you start the journey others will join. That's being a leader. However, if you are out in front being a leader and no one is following, then you are simply going for a walk. One way or another though, with your plan in hand, you have to start. There may be course corrections along the way, but with that in mind, you'll be better prepared to recognize the difference between point M and point Z.
Here's the beautiful thing. You can always reassess where you are in life, and then do something about it. If you haven't arrived atyour life's point Z, why not come up with realistic plans to get there? Put a series of steps into place to get to those life goals.Find a few others to take the journey with you. Add persistence and consistency. Understand there may be a few detours to navigate. Put yourself in the mindset of enjoying a journey that will have both ups and downs, and you just might get to point Z.
(c) 2009 Tastymistake.com
I know I put in for retirement from the Army, but ...
Well, just found out that I've actually had orders published for my retirement from the Army for two weeks now...I feel like the guy from Seinfeld who normally shaves his head, but then decides he would like to grow his hair out, only to find out he's actually bald.
Twenty years of a great experience, great people, and a great organization make for memories that I will never forget. I figure I could have spent another ten easily, but sometimes you need to make hard decisions to help carve out your future. This was one of them in order to open up new and exciting chapters. For those of you that I soldiered with, it's been a privilege and an honor.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
FLO TV PTV 350
Here's a new gadget that definitely caught my eye today. The new FLO TV PTV 350.
It's got Ipod like controls in a personal sized on the go live tv system...
I definitely sense that this is going to be one of the hotter items for Christmas this year!
It's got Ipod like controls in a personal sized on the go live tv system...
Product Features
- Enjoy the FLO TV service on a sleek, mobile handheld with a 3.5-inch QVGA touchscreen display
- Live, simulcast, and time-shifted programming for viewing any time
- Built-in speakers and adjustable stand for hands-free viewing
- Enjoy up to 5 hours of TV watching on a single charge
I definitely sense that this is going to be one of the hotter items for Christmas this year!
Thursday, November 12, 2009
I think the Roomba is the coolest thing
The Roomba is one of the coolest things ever invented. It happily merges the line between husband approved cool gadget, and wife approved useful item.
I have used one for about a year and a half now, one in the office, and one in the house. It's been such a great product I now on a monthly basis buy stock in the company ( I subscribe to the Warren Buffet philosophy of investing in what I understand and like).
I have used one for about a year and a half now, one in the office, and one in the house. It's been such a great product I now on a monthly basis buy stock in the company ( I subscribe to the Warren Buffet philosophy of investing in what I understand and like).
Irobot Roomba Robotic Vacuum CleanerEditor's Note: I just came across this product on Amazon and I think this might be the total dream gadget for a large segment of the American male: A Robotic Lawn Mower! I don't own one yet, but I am about to place my order!
Wednesday, November 04, 2009
Steamed clams with cilantro and red pepper recipe
Steamed clams with cilantro and red pepper Recipe
Serve crusty bread and a chilled Pinot Grigio throughout the meal. Beer would be fun, too.
Ingredients
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 1/2 cups thinly sliced green onions
- 1 1/4 cups chopped fresh cilantro
- 2 cups sake or dry vermouth
- 4 garlic cloves, pressed
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
- 4 dozen littleneck clams, scrubbed
Directions
- Melt 4 tablespoons butter in large pot over medium heat. Add green onions and cook 3 minutes. Add 1 cup chopped fresh cilantro and next 4 ingredients. Increase heat to high; bring mixture to boil. Add clams; cover pot. Cook until clams open, shaking pot often, about 7 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer clams to 6 soup bowls (discard any clams that do not open). Boil remaining liquid over high heat until slightly thickened, about 1 minute. Whisk in remaining 1 tablespoon butter. Season with salt and pepper. Pour sauce over clams. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup chopped cilantro and serve.
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