My 5 Cents (2 cents adjusted for inflation)

Wishing you a Merry Christmas

2011-12-23T14:18:00.001-06:00

To all who follow this intermittent blog or “like” me on Facebook or are fellow Twits, Twitterers, or whatever: Have a blessed Merry Christmas and a Bright Shiny New Year!

Lower that grocery bill!

2011-12-14T09:00:00.000-06:00

Got a Simon & Schuster email in today with the latest from Crystal Paine called The Money Saving Mom’s Budget. Granted, I’m not the Mom, but I like to take an active step towards cutting the fat from the budget and if I can do that without coupons then so much the better. That’s what this book promises. Cutting the grocery bill without having to clip coupons.

The book doesn’t release until January 10, 2012, but you can get a sneak preview HERE. In addition, you get access to some really cool worksheets that are totally free!

Short of coupons, what’s your biggest bill cutter at the grocery store?

(Photo courtesy of Ambro)

Black Friday! Is it worth it?!?!

2011-11-25T17:22:00.001-06:00

Roy A. Barnes over at Yahoo! commented that Black Friday hysteria has gone too far. Well, if you watch the videos of people moshing to get a two dollar waffle iron or hear of pepper-spraying mother of three, then yeah, it's a little crazy. No, it's more than crazy, it's bat-poop nuts! Watching the video was akin to watching parents gone wild at a child's sporting event. Adults taking on adults in a steel cage match that not even the WWE would touch. Wait, a minute. I might have to fact check that one.

In a time when we hear that the economy is down and not likely to recover soon and unemployment is holding steady around nine percent, we have people camping for days to purchase something that will just be cheaper in a few months and you won't have to beat someone over the head with a skillet to get it. Photos of people in tents furnished with couches and big screen TVs with gaming consoles attached. My first question is why aren't you working? Oh, wait. Unemployed. Okay, but if you're unemployed why are you looking at purchasing something so expensive? Yes, even with a hundred dollars knocked off, an HDTV is still expensive.

Why is there so much emphasis on spending? Are we that shallow as a society? Don't get me wrong. I have a lot of cool tech gadgets and I have an addiction called "reading," but you don't see me set up in front of Best Buy a week before the show or even getting up at four a.m. If I want it bad enough, it will eventually go on sale after the first of the year.

Barnes actually lays some of the blame on the stores and rightly so. But, when you are owned by stock holders who want a little something in there Christmas stocking then you know that you better be out there selling the goods. Stores know that they can make a pretty penny because they've got a line a mile long around the building to prove it. If the consumer changes their habits then the stores will, but that will never happen.

Ooh, look! Another gadget that's exactly like the last one, but this one's purple and plays Janis Joplin's 'Mercedes Benz'! Shiny!

Asking for a little help

2010-08-20T22:17:00.001-05:00

You probably haven’t heard but over the last few months my wife has been dealing with some medical issues. They had to remove a category 4 brain tumor from her left temporal lobe and the surgery was a success. Chemo was started during surgery and through the work of many doctors and some new wonder drugs, my wife is going through radiation treatment five days a week and daily oral chemo, but is in good spirits and great shape and dealing with it day by day.

While visiting the chemo office, I noticed a sign for Fink’s Fighters. Dr. Fink is the doctor who is supervising my wife’s chemo treatments and she has a team set up for the Dallas-Ft. Worth Brain Tumor Walk on November 6, 2010. I’ve decided to do the walk and am asking everyone I know to help out in any way they can. On my page you can see how much I’ve raised so far and also gives info on how to help out. Anything is appreciated, be it time, money (no matter how little) or just thoughts and prayers.

You never know how much it really means until something bad happens to one you love. Again, all I’m asking is a little help to try and raise awareness for this cause. Even if you can’t donate time or money, at least send this to someone who might be able to do the same.
Thank you.

Lilly visit the Great Grandparents

2010-02-26T02:14:00.001-06:00

Arrived home Thursday night at 11pm after a 17 hour trip from the northeast corner of Georgia. It wouldn’t have taken so long if not for the 30 minute feedings every 3 hours or the Texas State Trooper who pulled me over for doing 5 miles over the speed limit. From amongst a small group of cars doing the same. Neither in front of or last in line. Anyway.

I got off work last Saturday at 3pm and came home to load up the car and take off. I like to get on the road as soon as possible and we had already talked about stopping halfway to get a hotel room. We would have found relatives to stay with, but didn’t know if we would be able to afford the trip in the first place, so I felt it would be rude to impose on family at such a late date. We did stop in Louisiana to see my brother, Jeremy, and his kids and I got my Johnny’s fix while I was there. We got a hotel room in Vicksburg for the night around 11pm. Had all intentions of getting up around 6am and heading out, but “Deathrace” with my boy, Jason Statham, was on and I hadn’t seen it yet. Asleep at 3am so we moved the launch time to 9am.

Once on the road, we made good time. Some work had been done on the road leading to the house up on the mountain and so we had to call Mammaw and get specifics. Every time she picked up the phone the signal would drop so we backed up the road to the top of the ridge and finally got through. Found out that we were headed the right way, just didn’t go far enough. Things look different in the woods after dark.

While we were there, we got to visit with my cousin Chris who was in from Kentucky and my Uncle Mitchell came up several times and talked. Aunt Bernadette popped in shortly and we visited what little we could, but she was working long hours. Grandaddy seemed to be doing really well while we were there. Only a few times did he seem to not remember somebody or forget something else, and he liked to play with Lilly when she was awake.

It’s been four years since our last visit and I hope that we get to visit sooner than that, now that Lilly is here. I want my grandparents to see her as much as possible, but we may have to resort to technology to help out in that department.

Imelda May

2010-02-02T00:20:00.001-06:00

Saw her with Jeff Beck on the Grammys and just had to look her up. Oh boy, look what I found! This girl rocks!

The Known Universe

2010-01-23T23:23:00.001-06:00

Thanks to AstroPixie who posted this on her blog. She leads a very exciting life as an astronomer (I envy her) at Nottingham University in the UK.

Things have changed . . . forever

2010-01-02T14:44:00.001-06:00

Just a quick blurb for everyone. Most of you knew that Carroll and I were expecting a baby sometime in the near future. How little did we know that the near future was this morning.

Due to certain events, we had planned on delivering a baby by c-section somewhere around January 19th. Baby had other plans. Thursday, Carroll and I did our thing earlier in the day. I took her book shopping and then to lunch and a movie and I think that may have stirred the kid up. We rang in the new year at midnight and were asleep around 1:30, but about an hour later Carroll yells from the bathroom that something is wrong. Without going into details, let’s just say that there was some bleeding that with her placenta previa was bound to eventually occur and in the amounts of blood there wasn’t supposed to be a lot of worry. As it seemed to diminish, we just decided to call in the morning.

As I prepared for work, Carroll was on the phone with the doctor and the doctor asked her to come on in for a look-see. We checked in at 10:30am and after some exams and blood work it was decided that Carroll would probably stay until the 19th. Then as more lab results came in, the doctor found that Carroll had indications of possible preeclampsia which is pregnancy-induced hypertension which can affect both mother and child. Not wanting to push things, the doctor ordered more blood work and said that with bad results the birth would take place that evening or with stable or good results we would do it Sunday.

Again, baby had other plans. Around 5:30 or 6pm Carroll started having contractions. And I mean bad ones. She went through about 4 hours of it before the doctor said that they may just do it a little after midnight. Carroll decided that I should go check on the cat and get something to eat since I hadn’t eaten since about noon. When I got back around midnight, plans had changed again to just let her ride it out on morphine until the morning and see then.

With the morning light, they had decided that the baby would be delivered a little after 10am. Dressed in my finest scrubs (I looked like a big blue sausage), they had me wait in a little room while they prepped Carroll. Earlier, I got to watch them put the epidural in but not up close. Thank goodness for that one. For those that don’t know, I don’t handle needles too well. Into the delivery room and not 20 minutes later, unto Carroll and I was born a screaming baby girl. At a not-too-shabby-for-being-6-weeks-premature 5 lbs and 3.4 oz, Lillian Josephine Pickering let loose. I got to hold her right away and mommy got to giver her a kiss before I escorted her and the nurse to the warmer.

She’s breathing well on her own, has already taken a bottle since Carroll can’t breast feed right away, and again has exercised her voice several times, though she was fast asleep the last time I saw her. Mommy is resting up also, and will probably be in the hospital for about 3 or 4 more days. Baby will probably be there for at least another 2 or 3 weeks, until they deem her to be able to perform as a baby should on her own.

Thank you for your prayers and well-wishes and look for more pictures and stories to come in the years ahead.

Civility ends at the driveway

2009-12-29T17:33:00.001-06:00

Forgetting that school is out and adults are probably still on vacation, my lovely pregnant wife and I ventured out into the snow to get groceries. Yes, my wife should have stayed at home, but she feels that a grocery list is not enough to keep me on the straight and narrow and plus, she’s getting a little cabin fever and I just don’t like sleeping with Jack Nicholson, if you get my drift.

So, we make the drive up to Highland Village where the Wal-mart is never crowded and people are a might bit friendlier.

Boy! Was that a mistake!

I can rant all day about drivers. I’ve often thought of putting a video camera in my truck to document the idiocy of the roadways, but then, everyone has heard them all. But today, it just seemed to be worse.

For starters, we pulled into our favorites little food place and it looked like the Keystone Cops had invaded the parking lot. Almost got run over by two people on cell phones, vying for the same spot. Then, after making my second lap, had to pull into a spot at an odd angle and before I had time to correct, I had an SUV up my behind blaring on the horn because I wasn’t moving fast enough.

Parking lot wasn’t the worst of it. Take those same drivers, put them on their cell phones and let them loose in a giant box store with metal carts. You don’t have the protection of a car frame here! And the added insult is that there are no words uttered. No “excuse me”, “pardon me”, “coming around on your right”, or even “Hey! Get the hell out of the way!” I could’ve handled that last one, at least they acknowledged me.

I have to constantly tell myself, “They are not bad people. They are just not paying attention.” It’s become a mantra with me. It’s also a real shame that I even have to do that. The more society expands and the closer we live with each other the more we ignore the other person. No consideration, no “thank you”, and no acknowledgement when I extend courtesies to them. At the retail job where I work, I find it rude to greet someone and only get a grunt in return. How hard is your life that you can’t afford me a simple hello?

So, there’s my rant! I feel better. Thanks for letting me share. How do you cope? Or, are you one of THOSE people, and if so, why?

I hope everyone is having a wonderful Christmas and moving toward a most Happy New Year!

Long time no post

2009-12-12T13:14:00.001-06:00

Yes, I’ve been busy. In fact, the last post came about two days before I started my current job working at Borders Books. I love it! Plus, we have a baby on the way! The wife is going thru some complications but nothing that has really jeopardized anything, just made it a little tense here and there. I am going to attempt to post more often on this as well as keep up the work that I do on “A Galaxy Called Dallas”.

Here are some photos from the last sonogram and as soon as I can get it converted, I’ll upload video.

Thomas Payne – We The People

2009-08-03T21:59:00.002-05:00

Bob Basso is the gentleman here dressed as Thomas Payne. In the first video, he gives an impassioned speech about taking back our government and the second American Revolution. Not everything he says is totally accurate but he puts up a great argument. Now, the controversy around this video is not the video itself, but a hoax that was started (not by him). Supposedly, President Obama invited Mr. Basso to the White House to discuss the troubling rhetoric but was forbidden to speak to anyone about this meeting. The second video is Mr. Basso, again as Payne, refuting the rumor but giving another fiery speech as to what he would tell President Obama. Mr. Basso is a motivational speaker and very good at what he does, but again I do urge you to research the points that he makes in the first video so as to have the full picture. Over all, a very good rally cry!

Bubbles in Times Square

2009-07-15T01:00:00.001-05:00

Not necessarily a flash mob, but a great video of a bubble mob. Astro Pixie posted this on her site. She always has really cool videos and photos. Did I ever mention that she’s a real professional astronomer?

The Spending Habits of the Average American

2009-07-15T00:57:00.001-05:00

J.D. over at “Get Rich Slowly” found this visual piece of information that details where the average American spends his/her money. I always find it interesting to see how we compare to the average and how we do not. As J.D. points out, this counts the average family as 2.5 people with 1.9 vehicles and only 1.3 wage earners. My wife and I almost fit this. We have a baby on the way, though we really haven’t started spending for it, we have 2 cars, though one has been paid off for 3 years now, and my wife is the only wage earner, though I pick up the odd job here and there. J.D. also points out that in the picture, the average person spends $118 on books and over $1100 on clothes and yet his are reversed. So are ours. We spend close to $600 or 700 on books and $500 to 600 on clothes (60% to 75% of that being my wife’s). How do you fit the picture? Where are you average and where are you unique?

Things you can do with your Google

2009-07-05T16:45:00.001-05:00

Lifehacker - Top 10 Obscure Google Search Tricks - Feature

Where have you been all my movie-going life?

2009-07-05T16:16:00.001-05:00

When I first saw this website, I couldn't believe my eyes. The site is RunPee.com and it is
a helpful tool for movie-goers. Find a movie that you will be seeing and the site will tell you
the most opportune times to visit the loo and about you have before something interesting
starts happening again. If your so inclined, The section that tells you how long you have
also holds a synopsis of what's happening during that time that you're away. Don't worry,
that section is scrambled so that you won't see any spoilers if you don't want. Just click
the unscramble button and all will be revealed. I remember reading somewhere that they
will also tell you if there is anything after the credits worth watching, but I have found anything
to support that mention yet. There is even an iPhone app so that if you forget to check the
movie beforehand, you won't be stranded.

2009-07-05T16:05:00.001-05:00

Don't know how many of you fly out there, but if I was a flyer, I would think that
this would come in real handy. Print it out and take it with you and never wonder
how much your credit card was going to get hit for.

Lifehacker - State of the Airline Industry Chart Compares Airline Service Fees - Money

Even dogs get the blues

2009-07-05T15:53:00.001-05:00

Larry Winget speaks the truth

2009-06-28T12:16:00.001-05:00

We as a society have gotten very lazy especially when it comes to personal responsibility and
especially thinking. I mean the real authentic act of "thinking." Thinking of others, thinking ahead
of what the consequences might be for your actions, thinking of where I need to be in traffic and
going ahead and getting there now, instead of waiting til the last minute and crossing four lanes
and three automobiles and . . . . .sorry, got carried away. Anyway. Read Larry's article. Please.

It’s Easier To Be Stupid | Larry Winget -- Money - Personal Development - Business

Free Downloads for your Mac

2009-06-19T22:40:00.000-05:00

I posted this mainly for my friend, Skye, because she has a Mac. I've never
owned one, thought about it a few times, but I've just always had a PC. I've
never had all the problems with Windows that most others complain about
so, I've never seen a reason to swap. Here you go, Skye. Enjoy!

Lifehacker Pack 2009: Our List of Essential Free Mac Downloads

Online Banking offers higher interest rates

2009-06-16T17:14:00.002-05:00

I am often appalled at the rates that traditional brick and mortar banks offer their customers. Many online bloggers tout the usefulness of online accounts and just such a person has done that. This link will take you to "Get Rich Slowly" and where the research has already been done for you.

Online Banking: 13 Choices for Higher Interest Rates and Increased Security * Get Rich Slowly

Neville's Homeless Experiment

2009-06-05T08:56:00.001-05:00

I've been reading this gentleman's blog for several months now. I started at the beginning and read it all the way to present. I have to admit that I admire Neville. He is a true explorer. He asks questions and is not afraid to experiment. I'm always in awe at the way he just dives in. That doesn't mean that he doesn't think things out though. He's very analytical. He asks questions, prepares, and implements. This experiment is one in homelessness. Neville has decided to become homeless for 5 days and 4 nights. Follow him at the link below to see what he sees.

Thank you Neville for a great website.

Neville's Financial Blog

Komen Race for the Cure and Lora Williams

2009-05-13T10:33:00.001-05:00

Carroll's cousin, Lora has asked for help in her entry into the Race for the Cure. You can either pledge money by clicking on the "Support Lora" link or you can "Join Lora's Team." Even though you don't know Lora, odds are that you know someone who has been affected by breast cancer. In these hard economic times it's hard to donate money, so even if you can't do that, please pass this page on to someone else so that they might also make a difference.

Perfect Morning

2009-05-11T12:03:00.002-05:00

A brisk morning walk, a light rain for a few hours and some blogging. Perfect.

I've finally decided to get off my behind and walk off my behind. Well, I've decided before but never enough to get up and do it. Well, let's see if I can keep it going all week. This week has really shown me my age. Not being able to perform certain tasks, having recurring dreams of running, then waking and knowing that it really was a dream, and the constant back and knee pain. Yep, definitely time. After Carroll left for work, I got dressed and took off. It's .8 miles around the apartment complex. I know that it's optimal to walk at least 30 minutes, so I decided to do two laps and figured that was a good start. Half-way through the second lap, my hips starting to ache. I finished the lap and saw that I did 25 minutes. Not too bad. I figure that I'll keep doing 2 laps for the first week and then I'll up it a lap at a time until I'm doing 6 laps. That will be just under 5 miles. Then, I plan to slowly up my pace. Maybe, I'll run again. I've often thought of at least running one race in my life.

I used to not be this way. In high school I was a chunky kid, but I wasn't fat. I was called fat, but if you look at my photos, I wasn't. Kids can be so cruel. Mom says that when I was little, she heard that the kids were picking on me. She asked me what did when they did that to me, and I told her that I would just laugh at them. I don't remember my feelings being hurt very badly, but it wasn't a happy memory.

I weighed 203 when I joined the Navy. That didn't last long. My military id that I received in boot camp said that my weight was 167. 36 pounds in 13 weeks. I had an instructor that took it upon himself to follow me around the grinder (the workout area) and "motivate" me. At electronics school, I remember running alot. I even enjoyed it. On the ship, I got into lifting weights and the rowing machines. I wasn't ripped or cut, but I had a pretty good physique.

I still have that physique but it's been covered by a hundred pounds of extra weight. Right now, I weigh about 325 and am 44 inches in the wast. That's not around my stomach, we won't go into that. Needless to say, I need to do something. It's a given. So, I've put it out here so that you can keep me honest.

I'll keep you posted on my progress.

Local radio stations on your desktop

2009-05-11T11:13:00.002-05:00

Over 12,000 online radio stations can be had with this simple download. Check out the link below from the How-To Geek. I the download took longer than it took to get the program up, running and listening. 26 locations in the Dallas, Tx area from 70s/80 to variety and all your favorites in between. If you have more eclectic tastes you can listen to stations around the world. This little gem also allows you record while you listen. Check out the link and let me know what you think. Oooh, that rhymed!

Listen and Record Over 12,000 Online Radio Stations with RadioSure :: Mysticgeek’s Realm

The Taga Stroller Tricycle Bike something or other

2009-05-10T20:07:00.001-05:00

The Taga: Part Stroller, Part Tricycle, Completely Awesome : TreeHugger

V V Brown - Crying Blood

2009-05-06T13:48:00.001-05:00

I can't explain it. There is just something about her and the song that I love. What do you think?

Swine Flu and the Economy

2009-04-29T20:08:00.004-05:00

Swine flu seems to be cramping my lifestyle. The news just broke in on the TV to say that the entire Fort Worth school district will shut down til May 8th due to a confirmed case of swine flu. We had planned to visit a few events this week to get out of the house. Now that we think about it, maybe we should stay at home. So if the economy is not a downer you have this flu throwing it's hat in the ring. I'm actually thinking about doing what I said I wasn't gonna do in the first place; I'm getting worried. Not the "run out and buy out the pharmacy" kinda worry, but I will take a few precautions.
The CDC has put a set of guidelines and they are as follows:

Stay informed. This website will be updated regularly as information becomes available.
Influenza is thought to spread mainly person-to-person through coughing or sneezing of infected people.
Take everyday actions to stay healthy.

Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hands cleaners are also effective.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread that way.
Stay home if you get sick. CDC recommends that you stay home from work or school and limit contact with others to keep from infecting them.

Follow public health advice regarding school closures, avoiding crowds and other social distancing measures.
Develop a family emergency plan as a precaution. This should include storing a supply of food, medicines, face masks, alcohol-based hand rubs and other essential supplies.
Call 1-800-CDC-INFO for more information.

How has the "possible" pandemic affected what you do, if at all? Or just point out my misspellings?

Two Tons of Steel remake of The Ramones - I Wanna Be Sedated

2009-04-28T16:34:00.001-05:00

"Heard this song on my way out to see my Dad a few weeks back and just remembered to look for it. Hope you enjoy it as much as I did. Or not.

I Wanna Be Sedated - Two Tons Of Steel

Has the economy bit into your movie budget?

2009-04-20T09:19:00.005-05:00

My wife and I don't go to the movie as often as we did when we started dating. As great as the movies are, we just can't seem to bring our selves to shell out $9.50 a ticket for a cramped seat and the chance to hear what the person four aisles away is talking about. Add snacks and they can cost as much as the tickets.

We finally tried the dollar (actually $1.50) movie across the highway and enjoyed it. For less than the price of one regular priced ticket we were able to see a double feature. Snacks still cost the same, but for $30 we did what would have cost us almost $60. Still the same old guy talking four rows up and the tight seats, but, hey, for that price, I'll deal.

Nowadays, we don't go out unless it's a blockbuster spectacular that has to be seen on the big screen. Any kind of blow'em-up, shoot'em-up, scifi, adventure, epic type of movie is why we shell out the big bucks. (Un)Fortunately, they are few and far between. Well, except for May, when Wolverine and Star Trek come out. We'll deal with that through the local comic book shop, Boomerang Comics. They're across the street and Neal, the guy that owns it, has a movie night at Studio Movie Grill. He rents out the whole theater and you purchase your tickets through him.

Another way of fighting the price of movies is through NetFlix. We have an account with them and it's great. For $16 a month, we can get 2 movies at a time. We watch them and return them and they send two more. As many as we can watch in a month for $16 and there are no late fees. Wife gets a movie and I get a movie. We watch one, stick it in the mail the next day and a new one usually arrives by the time we are done with the next movie (unless you watch them both one after the other.) They have bigger plans including 8 movies at one time. You manage your list online and as they recieve one movie, they ship the next one out. I've sent one out on a Monday and had the next one on a Wednesday.

And for those with fast connections, you can watch certain movies and tv shows on your computer. This is great for people like me who want to see things that the spouse is not interested in like my Red Dwarf tv series from the 80's. Even watched a book-turned-movie by one of my favorite authors and saw why he hated it. I did too.

I'm a NetFlix fan because we don't waste alot of money on the movie experience unless it warrants it. I've got a link for it on my other website, so if you'd like to try it out, please do.

So, how do you cut corners with your entertainment expenses? Do you rent, or do you deprive yourself during the economic downturn? Or are you even affected by it? Let me know!

What is news?

2009-04-17T12:44:00.003-05:00

Susan Boyles' performance on Britain's Got Talent has been a world-wide phenomenon and people were weighing in on CNN about it. The typical comments were "never judge a book by it's cover." Then one woman posts a video comment and in it she says that someone being judged by their looks is not news. She being an over-weight asian woman means that she is judged every day. That is not news. Yes, I agree with her. It's not. She as well as others missed exactly why it was news. The look on Simon Cowell's face as well as the other judges' and audiences' is why it is so worthy of the attention. Yes, she is a wonderful singer and yes, she's frumpy. But that is far out-weighed by the eating of crow by so many people at one time.

Susan Boyle - Singer - Britains Got Talent 2009 (With Lyrics)

2009-04-15T13:47:00.001-05:00

You have to hear her to believe her. And to see the look on the people's faces is a big bonus!

Cats are human too

2009-04-15T13:21:00.003-05:00

see more Lolcats and funny pictures

Sharing the Awe-someness

2009-04-14T20:40:00.001-05:00

Amanda Bauer is an astronomer in the United Kingdom and I love reading her blog. This latest post tells how she shared her love of astronomy even though there was a language barrier. Please check out the post and check out the rest of her blog. The Language of the Universe

Making the Sale

2009-04-08T13:56:00.002-05:00

I've been out of work now for a little over three months. Most of it by choice, but now that school has fallen through on it's end of the deal, the wife and I have decided to get back to work and concentrate on building up our reserves. Again, if it hadn't been for Dave Ramsey, we wouldn't be keeping our heads above water like we are.

I'm going to an interview on Tuesday for a bank teller position with Wamu. They've been bought out by Chase and are looking to expand a little in my area. Wifey has had experience in the bank field, so we thought that if her job hits the skids then she might apply also.

While I'm preparing for Tuesday, I came across this article and thought it very timely and that I would pass it on to you. It's one of those articles that I wish everyone would read or pass on to anyone getting ready to go looking. Time and time again, I've witnessed, as well as the wife, people who show up to job interviews half-prepared. That's putting it politely. People who show up to fill out applications wearing short-shorts and flip-flops alongside those that bring all of their children. You can't tell me that Mama didn't teach them how to dress and that someone couldn't watch those kids for 2 hours. Yeah, yeah, I know. I don't know their story, but I see it too much to think that it's not a social norm nowadays.

Question: Have you been witness to people sabotaging their interview before they even begin? Please comment and give details. We love the details!

Here's To You, Mr. Jefferson

2009-04-06T17:47:00.000-05:00

An excellent video! Hope you enjoy!

Greed

2009-04-03T16:41:00.005-05:00

Kay from 'Perhaps we learned something' put together this little string of offerings about the 7 deadly sins or "vices that lead to sin" as she put it.

I decided to give it a whirl and talk about greed. I believe that you can be greedy without even being aware of it. In fact, all of the sins can be committed without any conscious thought. But, we're speaking of greed here.

Ever been in a buffet line and there's people behind you and there are three slices of pizza left. You think nothing of it and take all three. People behind you will now have to wait for the next pizza. (and you know who you are, buddy!) You cut someone off on the highway because the person in front of you isn't going fast enough. The person you cut off now has to throw on their brakes and thus everyone behind him does the same. Because of your impatience, people now have to slow down thus causing slight ripples in traffic that lead to backups.

These things are minor, but they are still examples of greed. You have gained while others "suffer." Is it something that you should go to hell for? I don't think so, but look at it this way. This kind of behavior causes the people who have been slighted to think bad thoughts or want to commit bad acts. The things that they want to say or do may be slight in our eyes, but in a world where we all live and work together, these add up. Almost a butterfly effect of emotions.

Then again, I could be full of hot air! Let me know what you think. Check out Kay's blog and leave my pizza alone.

It Should Always Be Sung Like This

2009-04-01T15:39:00.001-05:00

Got this in an email from my dad today. Just beautiful. No gracenotes, no seeing how long or how high they can go. It's all about the song.

This was at a Texas Tech Basketball game, February 9th. The National Anthem is sung by five young ladies (ages 6-8). You have never heard it performed better than this! An entire arena remains completely silent throughout the song. You could hear a pin drop. Take a moment to listen to this.

The two young ladies on the right are six years old. The two in the middle Are seven and the one on the left is eight.

NationalAnthem CactusJH

Where the Wild Things Are

2009-04-01T14:40:00.002-05:00

Here's a link to another blog that I produce with the trailer to the movie "Where the Wild Things Are." Enjoy!

Earth Hour, Al Gore & Global Warming. Oh My!

2009-03-27T11:00:00.002-05:00

I hate the hype that Al Gore has heaped onto global warming. He uses sensationalism to scare people to his cause. But after going to the Global Warming website, I feel much better. The folks there have a much calmer view of it and realize that we don’t have all the answers. It’s a whole different story than what you see on the news. I do believe that global warming is real, but it’s a natural cycle of the earth. Just like ice ages. Please check out the website.

What got me started on this was the Earth Hour event that takes place tomorrow night. For one hour at 8:30pm local time, everyone shuts off the lights. I’m not sure what is expected of this gesture, but I’d like to see the results.

Turn out. Take action.
Be part of this historic event.
March 28, 2009, 8:30 pm local time
World Wildlife Fund is asking
individuals, businesses, governments and organizations
around the world to turn off their lights for
one hour – Earth Hour – to make a
global statement of concern about
climate change and
to demonstrate commitment
to finding solutions.

Welfare Drug Testing and a Joke

2009-03-26T13:10:00.002-05:00

I got this joke from my Dad and I love it. This is coincidental to the story I just saw on CNN. Congress authorizes states to require drug testing to those on welfare. So far, eight states are contemplating it. I say "About time!" If you have money for drugs, then you don't need mine!

I recently asked my friends' little girl what she wanted to be when she grows up.She said she wanted to be President some day. Both of her parents, liberal Democrats, we were standing there, so I asked her, "If you were President what would be the first thing you would do?" She replied, "I'd give food and houses to all the homeless people." Her parents beamed."Wow!...what a worthy goal."

I told her, "But you don't have to wait until you're President to do that. You can come over to my house and mow the lawn, pull weeds and sweep my yard and I'll pay you $50. Then I'll take you over to the grocery store where the homeless guy hangs out and you can give him the $50 to use toward food and a new house. "She thought that over for a few seconds, then she looked me straight in the eye and asked,

"Why doesn't the homeless guy come over and do the work, and you can just pay him the $50?" I said, "Welcome to the Republican Party." Her parents still aren't talking to me.

The Best Laid Plans . . .

2009-03-25T01:27:00.000-05:00

of mice and men often go awry. Of course, it might help if I'd actually planned a little better. My plans to attend Connecticut School of Broadcasting are no more. Two days after I get a note from Sallie Mae saying that my first disbursement has been sent to the school, Carroll calls me and tells me to turn on the news. I didn't see it on the tv but it was all over the internet.

Seems that the school had been having some problems and their bank froze all of their assets. Fortunately, all states are required to have a fund in place to handle these situations and Sallie Mae seems to be willing to help. As for the loan, I don't see any problems getting it taken care of, but I've got a co-signer that I would like to keep as calm as possible.

I went and checked out another school, but I think that I'm just gonna go back to work and finish paying off more of our debt and try it again in about a year. That's the one thing that I've learned out of this fiasco is how much money it takes to keep us afloat. We've been living on just Carroll's income these 3 months and we still put money in the bank and pay on debt. If we didn't have debt, we would have a substantial savings account. So, by going back to work and utilizing that money, instead of blowing as it seems we've done the last 6 years, we can knock it out and put some away.

Amazing what you can achieve when life throws curve balls at you!

A Little Common Sense

2009-03-19T02:38:00.003-05:00

Decided to head out to Grapevine Mills today to do a little browsing and idea gathering. That wasn't the original idea though. I had a hankering for some cajun and didn't feel like overpaying for it at Razoo's. Supposedly, there was a place called the Bayou Cafe by the mall, but alas, it had fallen victim to these economic times. I figured since I was in the area that I might as well browse.

I parked the truck and as I got out I noticed the nice Mercedes parked next to me. Hanging from the mirror was a woman's work badge complete with picture, name, and where she worked. Folks, you don't have to be paranoid to know that this is not a good idea. If I were an animal, I would have more than enough info to stalk her or make her life miserable.

I've always mentioned things like this to my wife to make her more aware and it never hurts to talk about it some more. I'm a big boy and even I don't make mistakes like this. So, here's a few things that you may want to rethink.

Any kind of badge or ID needs to be put away preferably on your person or in a purse. If it's left in the car, it can be stolen.
If you pick up the mail while you are out, same thing goes. Put it in your purse or somewhere you have control of it.
And on this one, I'm not trying to scare people, but then that may not be a bad thing. Stickers on your vehicle with your child's name, jersey number, and the team they play for are not a good idea. How easy would it be for some maniac to walk up to your child at a game and say that he was there to pick him/her up because you would be running late?

These are only the tip of the iceberg, but they are the ones that I seem to see the most. If I've scared you, then maybe it is a good thing and you'll start to think when you're out and about. Remember, it's not the same world as when we were kids!

Bailout Size Overwhelms The Mind

2009-03-10T15:57:00.001-05:00

Every time you turn on the news the bailout numbers keep getting bigger and bigger. How is it a country that can just up and print it's own money ends up in a credit crisis? Here's an illustration showing the size of a trillion dollars. Just try to wrap your head around it. I dare you.

How big is a trillion

Ane Brun

2009-03-10T15:47:00.001-05:00

Caught this on the astropixie's blog and was mesmerized. The haunting vocals and the slightly out-of-tune guitar make it hard not to listen. Her rendition of "True Colors" was used in a few commercials, including Kodak, and you can hear it on MySpace. Also, on the MySpace page is a remake of "Big In Japan" by Alphaville. Very nice.

Ane Brun At MySpace

Black Cab Sessions

NINA KINERT & ANE BRUN from Diaspro on Vimeo.

I guess I should be nicer

2009-03-06T12:33:00.002-06:00

Average person has at least 150 friends. Man, I gotta work on that!

Friends! How many of us have them? - Whodini

Free Resume Printing From Fedex

2009-03-06T12:25:00.001-06:00

Due to the hard times befalling many Americans, Fedex is stepping up to the plate to help out. On March 10, you will be able to walk into any Fedex location and get 25 black & white copies of your resume for free. Feel free to check out the link below and read the whole story. And also, let me know if you intend to take advantage of this or do you need to?

Free Resume Copies

Choose To Save

2009-02-22T16:29:00.002-06:00

In this time of shrinking economy, jobs being down-sized, and home foreclosures there is an abundance of advice. This is a website that I came across in my browsing and I think it's just the ticket for starting yourself on the path of financial education. You know, the one we didn't get or didn't listen to in school.

Feed The Pig

Larry Winget on the Today Show

2009-02-18T14:01:00.000-06:00

Cabin Fever

2009-02-12T10:36:00.008-06:00

I always thought that it would strike the humans in our household first. Carroll and I have recently down-sized to a smaller apartment, not anywhere near the size that we were used to living in. But, after six weeks of moving things around, finding innovative ways to store things, and just plain old ditching stuff I think that we've made it a home. The cat, Jade, on the other hand has other ideas.

Jade and I have always had a relationship at a distance. I call him names and he stays at a distance. I don't yell at him, unless he's caterwauling at four in the morning. Maybe a pillow heaved in his general direction, but there is no anger or animosity towards him. I've tried to pet him and sometimes he'll attempt to let me.

Picture this: He's within three feet of me and I call him. He feigns indifference while wandering in my direction and then, still inches from my fingertips, he drops to the floor and rolls over expecting me to cover the remaining distance. Fat Chance!

As the weather get warmer (yes, I live in Texas and it will be seventy-five degrees in the middle of February,) we like to leave the doors and windows open. Of the two doors, only one has a screen on it. In the past, we've never had a problem with him wanting to leave the house, but the first night we had a little scare because he disappeared. We found him okay, but it took us about five minutes. Just the other day, Carroll had to chase him again, even after she yelled at him to stop. Did not listen and even ran from her. Totally out of his character. Today, he tried to sneak past me. I sit at a desk right by the back door, so he has to get pretty close to me. I caught him out of the corner of my eye, slinking along. I turned and moved toward him and instead of running away, he kept moving forward. He doesn't seem to fear me. That's a bummer.

I can only speculate as to why the change. The apartment is too small, he's old and senile (11 years old or so), the abundance of smells on the sidewalk that runs by our patio, or the ample amounts of wildlife out our backdoor. Who knows?
Ooops, there he goes again!

ABC News: Baby Animals

2009-02-08T16:11:00.001-06:00

ABC News: Baby Animals

Posted using ShareThis

Desperately Seeking Steve

2009-02-06T13:13:00.001-06:00

So, to begin, let me say that I'm a fan of many styles of music. I've seen in the news where Steve Martin has released a new album called "The Crow: New Songs for the Five-String Banjo." He's played on albums before but if I'm not mistaken this is his first solo. Available on Amazon right now, but will be available everywhere else on April 26th. Below is a link to a great article on him. If you clink on the name of the song above, you can go to the Amazon website and listen to snippets of the album. He's a very talented man, whom I admire.

Steve Martin Article

A New Start

2009-02-02T08:54:00.000-06:00

I've been meaning to do this for a long time, but I always seem to find something else to do. I love the idea of being connected and I have ideas I love to share, it's just the writing that I don't like. I wasn't like that when I was a kid.

So, any way. For all of you not in the know, Carroll and I have made some big changes in our lives, for the better. Now don't get excited, we didn't go vegan or anything like that. It's just that she and I weren't very happy with our career choices. I'd been a DJ for 13 years and one day I decided I was tired of being the guy who was responsible for getting the party started or not. Then, there was the whole dealing with folks who didn't know when to say when. I'm a guy that can get a temper. Some people know that, others don't. Those who don't probably never saw me at work the last few years. It started to wear on me and I couldn't control my temper because I couldn't control stupid people. There, I said it. There are stupid people out there. You know who you are. And you don't need no sign.

I went into appliance repair. Yep, some of you said "whoa, didn't see that coming!" Me too. But, I had a background in electronics and some mechanical and it was a job. The last two years I spent on the counter at an appliance parts place. Love the people on both sides of it. But, there was something missing. I had tossed around the idea of getting back into djing, but I knew I didn't want to go back to the clubs. I had done some research on the net and found a couple of schools for broadcasting. One even taught both radio and tv.

Over dinner one night, Carroll finally came out and gave me a nudge. She said that if I wanted, I could go to school full time and take a part-time somewhere and we'd make it work. I fiddled with the thought, but I tend to over-analyze when it comes to a decision that involves both of us. We had been trying to have a baby, we were wanting to buy a house, and I just didn't know how she felt about it. I know, I know, Carroll had told me many times that she would support me no matter what I decided, but at what point does she decide to have me committed to a mental ward.

So, since she is the one that brought it up, I looked into it more seriously and decided to do it. As of December 31st, I became unemployed from my full-time job at Appliance Parts Depot. In that time, we have down-sized from a 3 bedroom apartment to a one. I never thought we would get it all in here, but we have a garage that we can put a lot of stuff and with that comes my permanent parking spot. We have very little guest parking so on some nights I had to park outside the gate. Sucks! Rent went down $300 or so and the electricity is almost $100 cheaper plus not as much water and sewer. I also don't spend as much on gas since I don't drive to work, and there is no lunch costs. Really scary thing is that with just Carroll's income, we still put money in the bank and cover all of our bills. We joke that she is my sugar mama.

We wouldn't be able to do this if we hadn't paid off all of our credit card debt. Well, I take that back. When we moved in, we had to get rid of our couch and love seat because it was not gonna fit in here. So, we bought a few pieces on one of those "no interest and no payments for 18 months" plans. Don't go screwin' up your eyes, we do know the risks. Again, we have no debt except for a car payment and an old school loan. We can make payments right now and will have it payed off almost a year before the first payment is due. So, don't worry. We're on it!

Now about the school; I start March 29th and will be in school for about 8 to 10 months. One of the big selling points of the school, in addition to the actual radio and tv personalities that teach here and the state-of-art facilities is the fact that for the rest of my life, I will be able to walk in to any of their facilities and book studio time to work on any project that I need to with no questions asked. The director spoke of two guys that run a videographer business without any of their own gear or studios because they use the facilities there. And, if I ever need a job lead, they will give them to me wherever I happen to be at the time. That's more than some full-blown colleges will do for you.

In the meantime, I cook, clean, run errands, and other assorted task. I'm hoping to get the garage re-arranged so I can get my ebay stuff rolling. And, I'll try my hand at this blogging thing. The only stipulation Carroll put on all this is that when I land my first job, she get's to quit her job and let me take care of her for a while. And I'll be more than happy to do that.

People are idiots

2009-01-27T22:44:00.001-06:00

Courtesy of Larry Winget

Parents don’t talk to their kids or discipline their kids; give them
everything they want and then wonder why their kids are a mess.

People barely do any work while they are on the job, then can’t
figure out why they got laid off when times got tough for their
employer.

People spend more money than they earn then seem to be surprised
that the people who loaned them the money actually want to be repaid.

The majority of people can’t read and don’t read.

Our country is experiencing an obesity epidemic because of our eating habits.

25% of people cheat on their taxes yet expect honesty from their elected officials.

Where is the money going?

2009-01-27T14:18:00.000-06:00

Obama Stimulus Package Breakdown is provided courtesy of Glenn Beck. I haven't read it yet, but as soon as I'm done with the housework and shopping, I'll give you my take on it. Housework and shopping is another post all together.

Money Facts

2009-01-22T16:05:00.001-06:00

I came across this website called "Milk Your Money" and found these tidbits to be pretty interesting. There are 43, but I listed 5 to get your curiosity. Here's the link. Milk Your Money

Here are few things from around the web you probably had no idea about:

More of our fantasies are about money… than sex.
If we could have any luxury in the world (and money didn’t matter) more of us would choose to spend money on a butler and a maid than anything else.
90% of Americans who own pets buy them Christmas gifts.
Money is the leading cause of disagreements in marriages (after lack of communication).
65% of Americans would live on a deserted island all by themselves for an entire year for $1,000,000.

CARPE DIEM: Despite Current Economic Slowdown, Consumers Have Never Had It So Good. Ever. Anywhere.

2009-01-15T16:25:00.000-06:00

I found this pretty interesting. Anyone got a comment to add, please do!

CARPE DIEM: Despite Current Economic Slowdown, Consumers Have Never Had It So Good. Ever. Anywhere.

Great Photo

2009-01-09T12:40:00.001-06:00

Uncle Jay Explains

2009-01-09T12:36:00.002-06:00

Way Cool Stuff

2009-01-06T21:15:00.000-06:00

Check out the link below to see some really cool t-shirt designs by a U.K. artist, Olly Moss. Follow the link from there to his page to see other work that he has done.

SCI FI Wire: Invite Darth Vader over for target practice—as the target!

Year of Astronomy 2009

2008-12-28T11:33:00.009-06:00

Yeah, yeah, I know. It's been long time no post. Well, for the last couple of months, I've been busy, lazy, tired, frazzled, and everything in between. But, I'm getting ready to get back to it hard and heavy. I'll explain my plans the next time I blog. Right now, I'm wanting to talk about this next year in astronomy.

Why? you may ask. I was an avid amateur astronomer when I was a kid. My telescope and I would sweat it out or freeze our behinds off in the evenings back in Louisiana. Where I lived there wasn't a lot of light pollution, but now that I live in the city and don't have a telescope, I get by on the brighter objects in the sky with a pair of binoculars. I still enjoy looking up and pointing out the starts and planets to people who probably never gave it a second thought.

Which brings me to the point of this blog. This year marks the 400th anniversary of old man Galileo looking up to the sky with his new toy and marveling at the wonders in the heavens that God has put before us through random chaos. (like the way I mix creationism and that other theory?)

To get people involved and informed, the group, International Year of Astronomy 2009, has formed a series of events to happen through out the year. You can also click on the title of this blog to get to the website.

And you can also go to this article at the Washington Post and see what's coming up in the next couple of weeks in the night sky.

Happy Hunting.

Bailout Bull

2008-10-02T19:13:00.001-05:00

I'm a fan of Glenn Beck. You can see him on TV and hear him on radio and even read his books. He's got common sense going on. Please check out the link below to see what atrocity has been passed by our elected officials.

Glenn Beck

Dave Ramsey's Common Sense Fix

2008-09-30T19:38:00.002-05:00

I know I don't write as often as I should to some of you and some I haven't sent anything in a long time, and for that I apologize. But I felt it important to send this link to everyone.

A little background info first. When Carroll and I got married almost 4 years ago, we combined a lot of debt. Wanting to put it behind us, I started looking for solutions and came across Dave Ramsey. I got both his books and listened to him on the radio. He even has a TV show on MSNBC that is very good. In the last 3 years, Carroll and I have paid off 75% of our debt and let me tell you, it was in the 10's of thousands. Right now, all we have left is her car note and my 13 year old student loan (a few more years and it will graduate on it's on.)

Well, Dave, has gone and put together a plan of action on his own. Follow this link to his webpage and read it and if it hit's you like it did me, follow his instructions and get the word out to your representatives. Enjoy!

Dave Ramsey's Common Sense Fix

Helping Out for Breast Cancer

2008-09-21T11:10:00.003-05:00

I received this link in a forward from my father and figured that I would help out a little more by posting it here. You can cut and paste this link, "www.thebreastcancersite.com" or you can click on the title of this blog. It's free to click, but there are some good ads to check out. They also have the pink ribbon store so that you can buy items to show your support.

It's Such A Drag Getting Old

2008-08-16T11:15:00.004-05:00

Well, I think the Rolling Stones had it all wrong. At least that's the line from "Mother's Little Helper" says. Thursday, my birthday, I was at work finishing up and had turned the radio on and that was the first line I heard from the speakers. Interesting.

Well, I had a small get-together at a local watering hole where Dave tends bar. If you don't know Dave, he'll be the one in the cowboy hat. Stevon Parrish, Tim and Roz Galvan, and DJ Mary Mary all showed up to pay respects to my dearly departed youth. There was to be karaoke, but the young lady who was to run it had a problem with the hard-drive with all the music stored on it. Tsk, tsk . . . always have a backup.

The Grand Experiment

2008-08-09T21:38:00.006-05:00

I thought that I might try a little experiment this past month. It had often been called into question my ability to grow facial hair. I shaved but not everyday like I should and I and everyone else noticed that it did not grow back quite as fast as other gentlemen.

So, for a full month I let my face grow wild with unkempt fury. . . . can you see the fury?

Yes, these photos are accurate. This is the extent of my hair growth for a full month. I'm as embarrassed as you are amused. Actually, that's not true. I save a bundle on the number of razors I don't have to buy.

Comedian Bernie Mac Dies

2008-08-09T11:03:00.001-05:00

Even though I didn't watch his show, I could always find something relevant in my own life to laugh about. It's always a shame to see someone pass on so early in life, but if you read the whole article you see where he's been and the struggle that he overcame to get where he was. At only 50 years of age, I begin to examine my own mortality. I turn 40 next week so I think it's time to schedule a few doctor's visits.

clipped from www.cnn.com

CHICAGO, Illinois (AP) -- Bernie Mac, the Emmy and Golden Globe nominated actor and comedian who worked his way to Hollywood success from an impoverished upbringing on Chicago's South Side, died Saturday at age 50.

"Actor/comedian Bernie Mac passed away this morning from complications due to pneumonia in a Chicago area hospital," his publicist, Danica Smith, said in a statement from Los Angeles, California.

The comedian suffered from sarcoidosis, an inflammatory lung disease that produces tiny lumps of cells in the body's organs, but had said the condition went into remission in 2005. He recently was hospitalized and treated for pneumonia, which his publicist said was not related to the disease.

Blurbs from Glenn

2008-08-04T19:55:00.002-05:00

Two new posts from my one of my favorite commentators.

Border Cops

Taxes for Idiots

Harry Potter

2008-07-29T21:07:00.001-05:00

Stars And Stripes Forever - Muppet Style

2008-07-05T21:29:00.001-05:00

I LOVE THE MUPPETS!

clipped from vids.myspace.com

Happy 4th July

2008-07-05T12:52:00.001-05:00

Star Spangled Banner | Funny Jokes at JibJab

hartford police release video of hit and run

2008-06-15T21:16:00.001-05:00

This is the video in it's entirety. It's pretty disturbing, but unfortunately, not unbelievable in this day and age.

Hartford police release video of hit-and-run - by News Channel 8's Bob Wilson

2008-06-15T21:15:00.001-05:00

This is a story that I saw here in Dallas, but the video is the local channel in Hartford, CN (I think.) The police chief's comments are right on the nose.

2008-06-13T20:14:00.005-05:00

I always have something to say and I wish that I liked typing more, but at the end of the day I just can't seem to put it on paper. So, I thought I would do a little technique that my 9th grade English teacher had us perform. I'll write for 10 minutes every other day on nothing in particular, just write. That should start creative juices flowing after 25 years.

There used to be a time when I could sit down and draw a picture, write a poem, or tell a story right off the top of my head and now I can't tell you what has irked me today or what really floats my boat. Maybe, in the days ahead I'll reveal a revelation (was that a redundant way of putting it? I don't know but I bet my teacher from 25 years ago would.) Who knows, I might even get some paragraphs in there. And I invite you to give me a topic or tell me how your day was spent. I'm always open for suggestions.

I may just turn this into a music post, because I love me some music. For starters, the video below is a great song (or I might just like the girls in it.) The band is the Fratellis and the song is "Chelsea Dagger." Check them out and let me know what you think.

Teens Today

2008-02-09T14:49:00.000-06:00

Alright parents, take note! I came across this article on the news the other day.

Two Teens Unremorseful After Stealing From Girl Scout

Basically, two teens stole money from a girl scout while she sold cookies in front of the supermarket. They were caught later and on camera showed no remorse. They "needed the money," so they took it.

So, this is my question. How do these two slip by adults? This kind of behavior has to slip out into their daily lives. I just can't bring myself to believe that it's a spur of the moment thing and that they haven't exhibited this style of behavior before. Since there has to be warning signs of some type, how did the parents react? Are they as apalled as the rest of us? Is there a rest of us? Or am I the only one that wants to lock these two away because I see no hope for them?

Tell me your opinion and if you disagree with (or agree,) please offer up some solutions.