Road Trip

I recently got an invite to go down to Florida for a farm tour. That will be fun since it's in the middle of December and perfect Florida weather compared to here in Illinois when it's pretty cold by then. It's right in the area where all the cool stuff in Florida is too. All the great hot spots. I can get an Orlando vacation rental and have a great place to stay and when I'm done with the tour I can take my own little vacation too. It's a great excuse for a weekend road trip. We like to take those little mini-vacations every other month or so. It keeps us from getting burned out in any of our jobs. Maybe I'll even take my namesake road, the 'Tamiami Trail' over to the gulf side and visit some of my relatives... maybe.

New England Comfort

The B&B vacation has been very popular for years now. It's pretty easy to see why. Living in comfort while on vacation in a beautiful, usually large home with home cooked meals and friendly family atmosphere is better than a cold, small hotel room and room service. I've never tried an actual B&B though. I'd love to. Maybe on my next vacation I'll try a Massachusetts bed and breakfast. That part of the country is one that I've never been in and is supposed to be just breathtaking. Maybe we'll take a nice road-trip this fall and see all the New England colors and the Eastern seaboard.

Hair Today

I don't think I'll ever have a problem with thinning hair. Mine, although a bit gray is still pretty darned thick as I approach my fifties. Bob's is too, but I wonder if down the road, maybe ten years or so he'll need to get a Hair Transplant. They say it's hereditary. My parents and my grandparents all have/had full heads of hair in their later years. My grandparents were in their eighties when they passed and had great hair. My father still has all his hair, and so does my mother. Neither Bob or I will ever know about his father who died in his thirties, but his mother and his one sister both have very thin hair, and his sister is two years younger than Bob! Still his hair remains quite thick, and even not as gray as mine with him being six years older than me, so maybe the thin hair gene skipped him. We'll see. It's nice to know there are alternatives though that are getting better, and better for help in that area if needed.

Paris' Old Ways

Hey, Paris Hilton is out now. She finally managed to do her time. Now was it really all that bad? I mean, no one would want to go to jail, but if you do something that lands you in jail, just do it. She got special treatment all around no matter how you look at it, but looking at her pictures of when she was leaving the jail, you can't help but think it just wasn't that bad. She survived. The way she was acting prior to going in, and even when she was in there you'd think they were putting her on a rack with thumb screws and nails on the bed too boot. I doubt she really learned anything though. Ten will get you twenty that she'll be back to her old ways before the week is out.

Organic Health

With the huge scare not too long ago with the pet food in this country a lot of Americans began to make their own food for their pets. So many beloved animals died or became deathly ill from the huge shippments of bad pet food that it made people question the pet food industry permanently. The human food industry too. Making your own pet food really isn't that hard, but it IS time consuming and requires a lot of preparation. There is Organic dog food you can buy and many, many people are switching to that now. It's easier than making your own, and people are hoping way safer. The whole organic craze is sweeping the country in human food as well as pets. It's a good thing. If you really stop to think about all the chemicals you consume when eating some of the commercially prepared foods you eat it would make you green, but for years we didn't think about it. I'm glad that there is the beginings of realization now and people are choosing healthier foods for themselves, and their pets.

I Phone

My daughter is on our cell phone plan and has had more troubles, mostly related to things her toddlers do to it than any real problem with the phone itself. First it was the charger. They somehow twisted the little end piece that sticks into the phone off so she came to us and we got her a new charger. Now it seems one of them dumped the phone into water and it won't work. So cell phones have been on my mind more than usual lately. Commercials I might otherwise ignore kind of pop out at me, like the new iphone coming out from Apple soon. Wow is that a phone. I thought my new phone was kind of hi-techie with it's email abilities, downloadable ringtones, cool screen, camera and picture viewing capabilities, etc... but the new iphone is awesome. It's sort of a combination blackberry, tv, phone book, and phone. Me I don't think I'd ever need one quite like that, although it's cool and I wouldn't mind, but for someone on the go constantly I can only imagine it would be priceless. It is so amazing what they can come up with now, and make so small and compact.

Upgrade Without Fear

I was just talking with a friend yesterday who wanted to know if it was really hard to upgrade a computer's memory. It's really so simple that anyone can do it. It just seems scary. It's even easy to purchase the IBM memory you need online. Find the right piece for your needs, click and buy, and install when it gets there. Installing probably takes about fifteen minutes and you're up and running faster than ever before. Don't be afraid to try. Once you do you'll never worry about it being scary again.

Success and Failure Depends on Two Important Things

I often say there's nothing more important to a business than marketing whether you're selling a book, a story, or a horse as in my case, or anything else that you want the public to see and buy. If they don't know it's out there, they can't buy it. However, from a business standpoint there is something else just as important--financial records. Keeping track of what's coming in, and what's going out can mean the difference between success and total failure. It's too easy to just look the other way, especially if you work for yourself like I do and just go about what you do without worrying about how much it is costing. However when it comes right down to it, if you're not paying attention, you're probably not making any money--and once a year Uncle Sam is going to want to be seeing your results too. You don't want to have a shoebox full of receipts to wade through then either. Get it together and get yourself a good budgeting software. It will make all the difference in how you see things in your business, and will make tax reporting a much less frustrating event as well.

A Lot That I Don't Know

I'll be the first to admit that there's a lot that I don't know. I don't know too much about die cutting, or how small intricate parts are made for the massive machines we use, and even some of the very smallest machines. I did work in a parts factory that made certain parts for cars at one point. I worked one of the presses, so you could look at me and say, well see, you do know about that. Nope. I know how my machine worked. More specifically I knew as much about how that machine worked as I do how my car works. I know my car works when I put in the key, turn it and then step on the gas. I have no real idea beyond the basics about why the engine roars to life, or how, and I certainly wouldn't know how to put one together.

One thing I DO know is that I am all for any business, big or small, that is owned and run by women. Places like RFI Shielding, a New England Die Cutting company that does all sorts of cutting--die, laser, waterjet, and more, AND it's owned by a woman. Three cheers for women in business--they help make our world run smoothly.

How Long Do You Want To Live?

The world's oldest man is Tomoji Tanabe, of Japan. He's 111 years old and claims not drinking or smoking to be the reason behind his longevity. When asked how much longer he'd like to live, he simply replied he doesn't want to die... who does? But let me ask this? How much fun is there in living if you don't do anything? Okay, I'm not saying you have to drink or smoke to enjoy life... actually quite the opposite although I do smoke. I don't drink either, but at 111 just exactly how much can you do? I think there's a limit to when the quality of life cuts off no matter how healthy you are... 111 would be pushing that limit with a baseball bat in my opinion.

Blogger spooky

Just testing something here. I think blogger is having a meltdown. I made two posts on my other blogspot blog and neither one shows up. They both show up in my edit posts section, and I can click on the link and the edit window will come up, but when I go to view the blog they're not there. It's spooky.

Playing Through

If you love to play golf, and strive for that perfect game, check out the fantastic equipment at Ping Golf. They have everything for the dedicated golfer from bags and clubs to accessories and even training aides for those just starting out, or wanting to better their existing game, and if you have a youngster who is itching to get out on the green, they have wonderful junior sets too.

Royal Normality

The very thought of royal normalcy is an oxymoron. In an article on Yahoo today Princes Harry and William talked about how they'd never be 'normal'. Well duh. Even if their mom hadn't been killed in a car accident being chased by papparazzi. Even if the royal divorce hadn't caused more scandal than the British had known in years. Even if their parents were the models of good parenting--they're the future kings of England, and they were born into one of the most eccentric families on earth. From birth their lives were destined to not be 'normal'. I know they're just people. From their own perspective I'm sure they feel like they are just like everyone else and should be able to be 'normal', but that's because they can't see their lives distanced from the personal perspective. I'm sure they're wonderful young men, but they are anything but normal.

Game Face

I love games. Especially card games. Friends gathered around a table enjoying an evening of fun and a bit of gambling are amongst my fondest memories. I spend so much time on the computer now though, that it only makes sense to carry over my love of card games to that venue. Mac Poker On-line has a great website for those that love games, spend a lot of time on-line, and enjoy a bit of a gamble. If it's been awhile and you need to refresh your memory on how a game is played, or perhaps want to try a different style and need to learn the rules, there is an entire section of the site devoted to Poker Growth, even strategy tips for those that want to get a new edge on their game.

Mac Poker On-line is a great site with every type of poker you desire. Me, I prefer straight up poker. One nice thing about computer poker, you don't have to worry about having a good 'poker face'.

Great Balls Of Fire

It is hotter than blazes here in Illinois. We're not even technically in the drought land but a week's worth of 90 degrees can sure make you feel like it. I've done my best to get all my outside work done early in the morning, and late in the evenings and spend my afternoons in the house watching movies or playing on the computer. This afternoon I watched a really 'hot' old movie. 'Great Balls Of Fire', the Jerry Lee Lewis story. It's an older movie but one of my favorites. As an entertainer he was one of the best. His life isn't too unusual for a person in that field of work. Crazy. So was he to a point. Regardless of what you think about his personal life and his ways, you can't say anything against the amazing talent and his ability to capture a crowd.

Blue Ridge Mountains

One of the most scenic places in the US are the Blue Ridge mountains, I think. It would be a great place to settle down too. Very rural, and hometown atmosphere. The people are friendly and unassuming. I like that in a location. I've looked at a lot of blue ridge real estate and the prices are reasonable. We're hoping to relocated in the next few years to a permanent retirement farm where we can just do our thing without having to have an outside job and I can't think of too many better places to do that than in such a beautiful place.

Life gets so complicated at times. I have a friend that found out I had a reservation on a goat kid from a Saanen breeder and decided she wanted one too, so I put her in touch with the breeder, but it ended up being with me as a go-between. The breeder then thought that the goat my friend had reserved a kid from had only had buck kids (she'd reserved a doe kid) so she offered a different doe from an earlier breeding. Then she discovered the doe in question did have a doe kid, she just hadn't looked to see if it had been a buck, or a doe, just assumed it was a buck because it was so big. So my friend was happy to be getting a doe from the goat she had selected. Then my reserved goat had her babies and it was one single buck. So now the breeder says well you can have the doe kid from the goat your friend had picked and she can still have the previous one... the complication is that I had already told my friend about the mix-up and that she could have the one from the doe she wanted it from. I think I'm just going to wait until next year and see if I can get a doe kid from the first choice I made. It kind of irked me a bit that the breeder just up and assumed it could be reversed.

Shared Passions

We had a great time last weekend at the goat show. We met lots of great new people, and saw some awesome animals. It still amazes me though that no matter what your particular interest, no matter how obscure you think it is, you'll be sure to find out that there are not only thousands of others that share your enthusiasm, but that also congretate at shows, fairs, conventions, or whatever they call their gatherings. The show we went to was not just for 'any' goats. It was specific to the Boer breed. Even cutting it down to such specifics, and considering it was a 'local' show so you're not likely to get many exhibitors from more than a tri-state area one way or the other, the classes were still loaded with animals and exhibitors. It was wonderful to see, and comforting to find so many others with such a similar interest. No matter what you enjoy doing it, go out and find the shows, or conventions where the others like you gather. It's worth the hassle to find the joy of meeting the other people who are as passionate as you about your subject.

Welcome To The Darkside

Bernita Harris has a wonderful blog that I love to visit. Her Innocent A-Blog is always insightful and funny. Now, however, Bernita and I have something in common. She's a converted 'Darkynite'. Having received a prize package from the wonderfully incomparable Paperback Writer that consisted of two of the introductory novels in the Darkyn series Bernita has found what I have... that they are fantastic trips into the supernatural realm that not only have the required forumla bases for that genre, but a wonderfully sculpted world that exists within ours in such a believable way, and is imbued with the authors stunning wit and capable pen. Welcome to the dark side, Bernita.

Stemming The Tide of Illness

There are so many reasons I think a lot of science is a waste of government, and public money. NASA is often under my fire. However I'm not completely against scientific studies. There is a lot of commotion around stem cell research. Mostly becuase of how they get the stem cells. I understand both sides of the arguments really, however, that is one area that I think at least has merit in its usefullness and future benefits to humanity. Scientists are now studying a way to cure blindness through stem cell research. That's fantastic. I can't imagine not being able to see the world around me. I can imagine not being able to hear it as my hearing loss excellerates at an alarming rate every year. I know it will be gone completely at some point. It isn't as bad as being blind, but it's bad enough. I hope they find a way to cure deafness as well. As I get older my eyes grow weaker, and weaker too. I think when you see those types of things happening to you, you begin to appreciate the medical, and scientific advances more. It's easy to decry such things when you're young and healthy, or haven't had anyone around you deeply effected by such losses, or born with them. It's wonderful that we have so much now we didn't have even twenty years ago. Cures for things that would be certain death. Treatments that go beyond leeches and 'oh well' it happens. Even things such as the flu would be devestating in the early part of the last century and we hardly bat an eye at them anymore. It makes you wonder what things will seem like 'nothing' in another fifty years. I hope I'm around to find out.

Radar Love

I've used radar detector pretty much all my life. They're legal in the US, and I have a lead foot. I don't mean to. I'm not doing it on purpose. When I lived up in the suburbs it was almost a necessity, and it really did keep me from speeding, because the police were so abundant the thing was always going off and it kept me in check. Down in the country though, I have to admit my lead foot has gotten heavier. Most people down here drive at the speed of light. There aren't many stop signs, or lights. I can drive for over fifteen miles in about any direction before hitting a stop sign, or light, and in one direction better than 30. The average speed posted out here is 55, and there are a great many roads with no posted speed limit at all. There are also very few police out in the country -- the problem with that is when you do come to a city, or town it's easy to forget yourself. The detector really comes in handy then. It's more a reminder than a purposeful attempt at evasion. I love my radar detector. I wouldn't be without one.

Head For Orlando

Florida is one of my all time favorite vacation spots. Especially the Ocean side. I have a lot of family on the Gulf side, so that ends up being a lot less of a vacation, although still fun, just different. I prefer to head for Orlando. Sunny beaches, warm weather, and Mickey Mouse. Yeah, I'm an old foggie. We spent lots of time at the land of Disney when the kids were younger too, but I'll tell you, it's still the greatest place on earth--kids or not. You're never too old to hug a mouse. Getting an Orlando Vacation package together is really something I'd prefer to leave to the professionals though. That way I can be more certain I'm going to get to do the things I want in the way I want to. If I make the arrangements myself I'm sure to leave something out and the whole trip can end up in a shambles.

The Mind's Assumptions

Yahoo had a pretty cool thing on why Optical Illusions Trick Our Minds. The basic answer is our minds try to see things in the simplest ways. Ways we're used to seeing things, or feel is 'normal'. So if it's fast enough, something out of the 'ordinary' might slip right by. I can see that. I know that in speed reading courses taken as a teen we were told to only read certain words and skip the small words like 'a, an, from, for' etc... assume they're there. Also reading only consonants and letting our minds fill in the rest. The mind assumes they're there. It's also why proof-reading pages of something you've written often times allows many errors to slip through that someone who didn't write it might catch. Your mind knows you 'meant' the right word, or spelling and simply assumes it's there. However, it's also why no matter how many people you have proof something, errors can still slip through... everyone assumed it was there.