Random Thoughts & Ramblings

A Year Late, Another Apology

2010-02-15T21:35:00.001-05:00

Well I'm still behind on here, LOL I don't think anyone reads my blog anyways, so it's probably okay :-P Anyways for my own sanity I'm going to keep going with what I've been doing and maybe this year it'll be caught up!

- Amby

Sorry to my readers...

2009-01-15T19:39:00.002-05:00

Well it looks like Bloggers spam bots have deemed my blog spam... this makes me sad. I don't know how to fix it and I keep hitting the button to send them a note verifying my blog but as of yet no one has replied and I still have the message that my blog may be taken down in 20 days. So I'm going to try to get the posts from last year caught up and throw up the ones from this year... sorry if this gets really fractured in the meantime, I'll try to keep it in some sembalance of order but just fyi the posts from Nov 6 2007 til now may be disjointed. I'll erase this when I'm all caught up and have them in order and post a new post saying I'm caught up. :-)

Thanks guys!

Quote of the Day

2008-01-29T02:56:00.001-05:00

"May today there be peace within you. May you trust God that you are exactly where you are meant to be. 'I believe that friends are quiet angels who lift us to our feet when our wings have trouble remembering how to fly.'" - anon

Song of the Week

2008-01-28T05:39:00.001-05:00

"Mack the Knife" - by Bobby Darin, (performed by Frank Sinatra)

Oh the shark has pretty teeth dear
And he shows them pearly white
Just a jack-knife has Mac-heath dear
And he keeps it out of sight

When the shark bites with his teeth dear
Scarlet billows start to spread
Fancy gloves though wears Mac-heath dear
So there's not a trace of red
On the sidewalk Sunday morning
Lies a body oozing life
Someone's sneaking 'round the corner
Is the someone Mack the Knife
From a tugboat by the river
A cement bag's dropping down
The cement's just for the weight dear
Bet you Mackies's back in town
Louis Miller disappeared dear
After drawing out his cash
And Mac-heath spends like a sailo
Did our boy do something rash
Sukey Tawdry, Jenny Diver
Polly Peachum Lucy Brown
O the line forms on the right dear
Now that Mackie's back in town

Rock Band Song List

2008-01-27T18:04:00.001-05:00

"Rock Band Set List: In addition to the 45 tracks listed below, Rock Band will also feature 13 as of yet unannounced songs ranging from a variety of established bands to up-and-coming independent artists that can be unlocked as you play through the game.

960s
* Rolling Stones "Gimme Shelter"

1970s
* Aerosmith - “Train Kept a Rollin’”*
* The Who - "Won't Get Fooled Again"
* Boston - “Foreplay/Long Time”
* Mountain - "Mississippi Queen"*
* The Police - “Next to You”
* David Bowie - "Suffragette City"
* Black Sabbath - "Paranoid"*
* Blue Oyster Cult - "Don't Fear the Reaper"
* The Ramones - "Blitzkrieg Bop"
* Deep Purple - - "Highway Star"
* KISS "Detroit Rock City"
* Molly Hatchet - “Flirtin’ With Disaster”
* The Outlaws - “Green Grass & High Tides”*
* Sweet - “Ballroom Blitz”*

1980s
* Rush - "Tom Sawyer"*
* Bon Jovi - "Wanted Dead or Alive"
* The Clash - "Should I Stay or Should I Go"
* Faith No More - "Epic"
* R.E.M. - “Orange Crush”
* Iron Maiden - “Run to the Hills”*

1990s
* Foo Fighters - "Learn to Fly"
* Metallica - "Enter Sandman"
* Nirvana - "In Bloom"
* Stone Temple Pilots - "Vasoline"
* Weezer - "Say It Ain't So"
* Smashing Pumpkins - "Cherub Rock"
* Radiohead - "Creep"
* Beastie Boys - "Sabotage"
* Hole - "Celebrity Skin"
* Pixies - "Wave of Mutilation"
* Garbage - "I Think I'm Paranoid"
* Soundgarden - "Black Hole Sun"

2000s
* The Hives - "Main Offender"
* Queens of the Stone Age - "Go With the Flow"
* The Strokes - "Reptilia"
* Jet - "Are You Gonna Be My Girl"
* OK Go - "Here It Goes Again"
* Nine Inch Nails - "The Hand That Feeds"
* Yeah Yeah Yeahs - "Maps"
* Red Hot Chili Peppers - "Dani California"
* Coheed & Cambria - “Welcome Home”
* Fallout Boy - “Dead on Arrival”
* The Killers - “When You Were Young”
* New Pornographers - “Electric Version”

* Indicates a cover song, all others songs are original master recordings"

http://playstation.about.com/od/previews/a/RockBandSongs.htm

25 Ways to remain Healthy

2008-01-26T04:57:00.000-05:00

Just some LOLs for today :-)

1.) Brush twice a day!

2.) Dress right for the weather.

3.) Visit the dentist regularly.

4.) Get plenty of rest.

5.) Make sure your hair is dry before going outside.

6.) Eat right.

7.) Get outside in the sun every once in a while.

8.) Always wear a seatbelt.

9.) Control your drinking of alcoholic beverages.

10.) Smile! It will make you feel better.

11.) Don't over indulge yourself.

12.) Bathe regularly.

13.) Read to exercise the brain.

14.) Surround yourself with friends.

15.) Stay away from too much caffeine.

16.) Use the bathroom regularly.

17.) Get plenty of exercise.

18.) Have your eyes checked regularly.

19.) Eat plenty of vegetables.

20.) Believe that people will like you for who you are.

21.) Forgive and forget.

22.) Take plenty of vacations.

23.) Celebrate all special occasions.

24.) Pick up a hobby.

25.) Love your neighbor as yourself.

Sims 2 FreeTime Coming Soon!

2008-01-25T02:03:00.000-05:00

A new expansion for Sims 2 is coming out soon! I'm all excited!

"Announcing The Sims™ 2 FreeTime*
‘Tis the season to shower Sims fans with information on the upcoming expansion pack!

Get rewarded for doing what your Sims love most! Whether shooting hoops, composing new music, or crafting pottery, your Sims can master new activities that make their lives richer—uncover secret lots, craft unique items, and, for the first time, unlock a secondary aspiration!

Help them fill their all-new lifetime aspiration meter and earn points to spend on rewards! But beware—gifted Sims can create masterpieces, but the works of less talented Sims may have unexpected outcomes!"

http://thesims2.ea.com/about/ep7_index.php?nl_122707

Backing Up & Moving Dragon NaturallySpeaking 9.5

2008-01-24T15:48:00.001-05:00

Just in case anyone was wondering how, here's the proper way to backup or move Dragon Naturally Speaking files.

"To Backup your user files, navigate to the corresponding directory and move the folder "Users" to a different location.

C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Nuance\NaturallySpeaking9 (Windows 2000\XP)

C:\Users\<>\AppData\Roaming\Nuance\NaturallySpeaking9 (Windows Vista)"

http://knowledgebase.nuance.com/view.asp?60VQ=JKKL&5d7r4B=onpx-72

Word of the Day

2008-01-23T04:57:00.001-05:00

(This definition was clearly written by a man)

Urban Word of the Day
www.urbandictionary.com

January 23, 2008: PMS

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=PMS&defid=523478

A powerful spell that women are put under about once every month, which gives them the strength of an ox, the stability of a Window's OS, and the scream of a banshee. Basically, man's worst nightmare.

OMFG! SHE HAS PMS!!! RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!!!! *explosions and screams*

castor sugar

2008-01-22T02:19:00.001-05:00

I was baking the other day and came across a recipe requiring castor sugar. This I assumed was confectioner's sugar, sadly I was wrong. The baking came out fine, but I wondered what exactly was castor sugar? Well here's the answer.

"What is castor sugar and when would one use it?

Castor or caster sugar is the name of a very fine sugar in Britain, so named because the grains are small enough to fit though a sugar "caster" or sprinkler. It is sold as "superfine" sugar in the United States.

Because of its fineness, it dissolves more quickly than regular white sugar, and so is especially useful in meringues and cold liquids. It is not as fine as confectioner’s sugar, which has been crushed mechanically (and generally mixed with a little starch to keep it from clumping).
If you don’t have any castor sugar on hand, you can make your own by grinding granulated sugar for a couple of minutes in a food processor (this also produces sugar dust, so let it settle for a few moments before opening the food processor). You can also purchase castor sugar online."

http://www.ochef.com/580.htm

Song of the Week

2008-01-21T05:39:00.001-05:00

"Down by the Old Mill Stream" - John Denver

Down by the old (not the new but the old)
Mill stream (not the river but the stream),
Where I first (not the last but the first)
Met you. (Not me but you.)
With your eyes (not your ears, but your eyes)
Of blue (not green, but blue).
Dressed in ging- (not silk but ging-) -ham too. (Not one but two.)

And it was there (not here, but there),
I knew (not old, but new)
That you loved (not hate, but loved)
Me too. (Not one but two.)

You were sixteen (not seventeen, but sixteen)
My village queen! (Not the king, but the queen).
Down by the old (not the new, but the old),
Mill stream (not the river, but the stream).

Quote of the Day

2008-01-20T02:37:00.000-05:00

"Some people
come into our lives
and quickly go..

Some people
become friends
and stay awhile...

leaving beautiful
footprints on our
hearts...

and we are never
quite the same
because we have
made a good
friend!!" - anon (the original had ASCII footprints but they're not formatting right)

Cute fleecy animal hats!!!

2008-01-19T23:48:00.000-05:00

This site sells adorable fleece hats shaped like animals... I think the Baby Bunny one is especially cute, see...

"

I think I'm gonna get me a scarfy one when I have some more money LOL!

They have some other awesomely cute animals hats on the website here:
http://www.basiik.net/

Family Game Night Christian Board Games

2008-01-18T17:11:00.000-05:00

Well there you have it, Christianisation of almost everything is nearly complete! LOL

"One of the hottest trends in family entertainment is the return of board games and family game nights.

The fall of 2007 has been a banner year for games like Apples To Apples: Bible Edition, Scattergories: Bible Edition and Outburst: Bible Edition. These fast paced family games may seem low-tech in a world filled with iPods and Xboxes but they are proving to be a sensation with families across Canada. Each of these games, along with a broad selection of others that can found at Christian retail stores across Canada, have been some of the hottest items for the Christmas gift giving season."

Also don't forget "Bibleopoly" ;-)

Tibetan Personality Test

2008-01-17T17:40:00.000-05:00

This is neat personality test... basically a fwd made into a website.

http://memoriter.net/flash/test.html

Work-At-Home Job Site

2008-01-16T02:13:00.001-05:00

This is a site of interest in particular to people looking to work from home and living in the U.S. Although not all the jobs are U.S. based a great deal of them are.

Essentially this site is a database of work-at-home jobs that one can do. You do have to pay a fee to use it but the site says if you are not satisfied they do offer a money-back guarantee.

http://www.flexjobs.com/

"Find a telecommuting job faster! Instead of spending endless hours digging for legitimate jobs buried below scams and ads, let us do that for you so you can spend your time more productively -- applying to jobs!

Search the best and widest variety of legitimate telecommuting jobs from all over the web -- freelance to full-time, entry-level to executive, in over 50 different job categories.

Receive great customer service including a toll-free number with real people who truly want to make your experience an excellent one!

We guarantee your satisfaction, so there's no risk. If for any reason you aren't satisfied with the quality of job leads you find on FlexJobs, simply ask for a full refund."

Free Food to Shelter Animals

2008-01-15T01:52:00.000-05:00

Free Food for Animal Shelter

Hi, all you animal lovers. This is pretty simple... Please tell you friends! The Animal Rescue Site is having trouble getting enough people to click on it daily to meet their quota of getting free food
donated every day to abused and neglected animals. It takes less than a minute to go to their site and click on "feed an animal in need" for free. It's in a purple box in the middle of the page. This doesn't cost you a thing. Their corporate sponsors/advertisers use the number of daily visits to donate food to abandoned/neglected animals in exchange for advertising.

Here's the web site! Pass it along to people you know.

www.theanimalrescuesite.com

Song of the Week

2008-01-14T05:38:00.001-05:00

"Don't Stop Believin'" - Journey

Just a small town girl, livin in a lonely world
She took the midnight train goin anywhere
Just a city boy, born and raised in south detroit
He took the midnight train goin anywhere

A singer in a smokey room
A smell of wine and cheap perfume
For a smile they can share the night
It goes on and on and on and on

Strangers waiting, up and down the boulevard
Their shadows searching in the night
Streetlight people, living just to find emotion
Hiding, somewhere in the night

Working hard to get my fill,
Everybody wants a thrill
Payin anything to roll the dice,
Just one more time
Some will win, some will lose
Some were born to sing the blues
Oh, the movie never ends
It goes on and on and on and on

(chorus)

Dont stop believin
Hold on to the feelin
Streetlight people

Word of the Day

2008-01-14T04:53:00.001-05:00

(I'm a realtor down south ;-) )

Urban Word of the Day
www.urbandictionary.com

January 14, 2008: googleganger

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=googleganger&defid=2619255

Similar to that of a doppleganger, it is another individual with the same name as you whose records and/or stories are mixed in with your own when you Google yourself.

"Hey, I just googled my name and found that I have three googlegangers!"

Make your resolutions stick

2008-01-13T17:16:00.000-05:00

I don't really believe in New Year's resolutions, but as many people do I thought this article may be of some interest to them:

"Make your resolutions stick

Why do so many people give up on their New Year's resolutions every year? Because they make it too hard to succeed. Try these easy tips for success.

Do your New Year's resolutions feel like a recipe for failure? Every year you resolve the same old thing and then fall off the wagon by February? Don't get down on yourself! Even if you've already started to slide for this year, you can still do it. Start over right now, but start right.

Reaching your goal can be easy if you make the right resolution. And the payoff is a better you! Follow these easy tips to make your resolutions stick.

Choose a clear goal: While "get fit" sounds good, it's hard to stick to. "Walk during lunch hour three times a week" or "Do yoga every morning before breakfast" are much clearer targets.

Make it obtainable: Losing 25 pounds by bathing suit season might be too daunting, but two pounds a month sounds plausible. Even better, follow the first tip and promise specifics like "no deep fried food" or "no sugar in beverages."

Choose one: If you promise to start exercising, quit smoking, and reduce stress all at once, you'll get stressed out just thinking about it. Choose your most important goal for this year. Your success will be great encouragement for a new goal next year.

Write it down: Put your clear and obtainable goal in writing. And post it on the fridge or the mirror. Try putting stickers on your calendar or keeping a journal.

Tell friends or family: Support makes a big difference. Remind each other of your goals. Better yet, run/diet/quit smoking together!

Reward yourself: Have a little celebration for every month you succeed. But not with cake if you're trying to lose weight! A night out or wardrobe update might do the trick.

Expect some setbacks: Nobody's perfect. Just because you messed up today doesn't mean you've blown it. Get back on track tomorrow and don't give up!

Finally, confidence and commitment are key. By choosing one clear and obtainable goal, you can do it. So go for it. And enjoy the new you in the New Year!"

http://www.livingwell.ca/english/article.asp?arid=670

Blogging = Hazard to Health?

2008-01-12T12:57:00.001-05:00

Well I've never considered this to be a problem, but definitely something to think about:

"Some Brand-Name Bloggers Say Stress of Posting Is a Hazard to Their Health

By DAN FOST
Published: January 7, 2008
Om Malik’s blog, GigaOm, regularly breaks news about the technology industry. Last week, the journalist turned blogger broke a big story about himself. Mr. Malik, 41, blogged that he had suffered a heart attack on Dec. 28.

“I was able to walk into the hospital for treatment that night and have been recovering here ever since,” Mr. Malik wrote. “With the support of my family and my team, I am on the road to a full recovery. I am going to be O.K.”

His heart attack — and his blogging about it — raises the issue of what happens when a blogger becomes a name brand.

“The trouble with a personal brand is, you’re yoked to a machine,” said Paul Kedrosky, a friend of Mr. Malik’s who runs the Infectious Greed blog. “You feel huge pressure to not just do a lot, but to do a lot with your name on it. You have pressure to not just be the C.E.O., but at the same time to write, and to do it all on a shoestring. Put it all together, and it’s a recipe for stress through the roof.”

Mr. Malik has 12 employees, including a chief operating officer, and editors run some of his blogs, Yet, “It’s his name on the door,” Mr. Kedrosky said. “People want to know what Om Malik thinks. People want to see posts with Om Malik’s byline.”

Paul Walborsky, the chief operating officer for Mr. Malik’s company, Giga Omni Media, played down stress as a factor in Mr. Malik’s health. He noted Mr. Malik’s incessant smoking of cigars and cigarettes was a more likely cause.

In his post last Thursday, Mr. Malik blamed a variety of vices. “Friends and family have purged my apartment of smokes, scotch and all my favorite fatty foods — I am even going to be drinking decaf,” wrote Mr. Malik. His online avatar features a drawing of him wearing a press fedora and chomping a cigar, and until he rented an office last year he worked largely out of a Starbucks in San Francisco.

The day after his blog, more than 800 people had posted comments on Mr. Malik’s site wishing him a speedy recovery and offering lessons from their own health ailments. The sympathy rolled in from fellow journalists, start-up chief executives, venture capitalists, public relations professionals and, naturally, other tech bloggers.

Despite joining the exhortations that “we need you,” Mr. Kedrosky also warned, “If you come back to blogging before I give you permission, I’ll be at your door to take away your MacBook.”

Mr. Malik, a native of India, has written for tech and business magazines including Forbes, Red Herring and the recently shuttered Business 2.0. GigaOm started as his personal blog, but he left Business 2.0 in 2006 when venture capitalists financed his idea to turn the blog into a business.

It now operates several Web sites, including Web Worker Daily, NewTeeVee, Earth2Tech and Found/Read, each of which has its own arsenal of staff and freelance contributors.

Michael Arrington, who founded the popular TechCrunch blog, said he did not know to what extent stress had to do with Mr. Malik’s attack, “but the stress is crushing in what we do.”

“I was a corporate lawyer and an entrepreneur, and I know about working all the time. But now, you’re always worried a big story is breaking in your e-mail, and if you wait an hour, you’ll miss it. Every morning when I wake up, the panic hits and I have to see my e-mail as soon as possible.”

DAN FOST"

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/07/technology/07blogger.html?_r=1&ref=health&oref=slogin

Word of the Day

2008-01-11T04:52:00.001-05:00

(I want a job where this is possible!!)

Urban Word of the Day
www.urbandictionary.com

January 11, 2008: reverse telecommuting

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=reverse+telecommuting&defid=245803

Bringing personal work to the office: paying bills, playing games and reading online newspapers on company time ([OCT]).

Thought of the Day

2008-01-10T21:07:00.000-05:00

"Life is all about asses
you're either covering it,
laughing it off,
kicking it,
kissing it,
busting it,
trying to get a piece of it,
or behaving like one." - unknown

Yoda HipHop Video

2008-01-09T04:12:00.000-05:00

Richard Simmons on "Whose Line Is It Anyways"

2008-01-08T04:13:00.000-05:00

This one is ridiculously funny!!!!

Song of the Week

2008-01-07T05:38:00.001-05:00

"Rosie" - Jackson Browne

She was standing at the load-in
When the trucks rolled up
She was sniffing all around
Like a half grown female pup
She wasn't hard to talk to
Looked like she had nowhere to go
So I gave her my pass
So she could get in and see the show

Well I sat her down right next to me
And I got her a beer
While I mixed that sound on stage
So the band could hear
The more I watched her watch them play
The less I could think of to say
And when they walked off stage
The drummer swept that girl away

But Rosie you're all right - you wear my ring
When you hold me tight - Rosie that's my thing
When you turn out the light - I've got to hand it to me
Looks like it's me and you again tonight Rosie

Well I guess I might have known from the start
She'd come for a star
Might have told my imagination not to run too far
Of all the times that I've been burned
By now you'd think I'd have learned
That it's who you look like
Not who you are

But Rosie you're all right - you wear my ring
When you hold me tight - Rosie that's my thing
When you turn out the light - I've got to hand it to me
Looks like it's me and you again tonight Rosie

Serach Engine Supporst Breast Cancer

2008-01-06T02:49:00.000-05:00

This is a new search engine available that helps by donating money to Breast Cancer research when you use it to search!

http://www.lookpink.com/

"The Pink Ribbon has great news--we've partnered with Yahoo! Search to create LookPink.com--a search engine with world-class search results that contributes its revenue to Breast Cancer Research.

Every time, you search with LookPink.com, you help fight against breast cancer!"

Liam Show

2008-01-05T15:08:00.000-05:00

This is honestly just a bizarre set of videos!

http://liamshow.com/

Revenge on Telemarketers

2008-01-04T13:01:00.000-05:00

This is just awful but would be so effective!!

Geek tags!

2008-01-03T18:26:00.000-05:00

Geek tag sale on now at www.SplitReason.com

I want these ones!!!

hehe they make me smile :-)

Why? (Some good why questions)

2008-01-02T04:40:00.000-05:00

Why do we press harder on a remote control when we know the batteries are getting dead?

Why do banks charge a fee on "insufficient funds" when they know there is not enough money?

Why does someone believe you when you say there are four billion stars, but check when you say the paint is wet?

Why doesn't glue stick to the bottle?

Why do they use sterilized needles for death by lethal injection?

Why doesn't Tarzan have a beard?

Why does Superman stop bullets with his chest, but ducks when you throw a revolver at him?

Why do Kamikaze pilots wear helmets?

Whose idea was it to put an "S" in the word "lisp"?

If people evolved from apes, why are there still apes?

Why is it that no matter what color bubble bath you use the bubbles are always white?

Why do people constantly return to the refrigerator with hopes that something new to eat will have materialized?

Why do people keep running over a string a dozen times with their vacuum cleaner, then reach down, pick it up, examine it, then put it down to give the vacuum one more chance?

Why is it that no plastic bag will open from the end on your first try?

Why is it that whenever you attempt to catch something that's falling off the table you always manage to knock something else over?

In winter why do we try to keep the house as warm as it was in summer when we complained about the heat?

When we are in the supermarket and someone rams our ankle with a shopping cart then apologizes for doing so, why do we say, "It's all right?" Well, it isn't all right, so why don't we say, "That hurt, you idiot?"

Some other question not of a why nature, but still good:

Is there ever a day that mattresses are not on sale?

How do those dead bugs get into those enclosed light fixtures?

How come you never hear father-in-law jokes?

My Wish for you in 2008

2008-01-01T01:41:00.001-05:00

A great fwd that seems appropriate for today:

"My Wish for You in 2008

May peace break into your house and may thieves come to steal your debts. May the pockets of your jeans become a magnet of $100 bills. May love stick to your face like Vaseline and may laughter assault your lips! May your clothes smell of success like smoking tires and may happiness slap you across the face and may your tears be that of joy. May the problems you had forget your home address! In simple words ............

May 2008 be the best year of your life!!!"

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

2007-12-31T05:29:00.000-05:00

Song of the Week

2007-12-31T01:36:00.001-05:00

"The Twelve Days of Christmas" - Allan Sherman

Note: "S" is Sherman, "C" is the chorus and "B" is both

S: On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me
A Japanese transistor radio
C: On the second day of Christmas my true love gave to me
S: Green polka dot pajamas
C: And a Japanese transistor radio
S: It's a Nakashuma
C: On the third day of Christmas my true love gave to me
S: A calendar book with the name of my insurance man
C: Green polka dot pajamas and a Japanese transistor radio
S: It's the Mark 4 model - that's the one that's discontinued
C: On the fourth day of Christmas my true love gave to me
S: A simulated alligator wallet
C: A calendar book with the name of my insurance man,
green polka dot pajamas and a Japanese transistor radio
S: And it comes with a leatherette case with holes in it
so you can listen right through the case
C: On the fifth day of Christmas my true love gave to me
S: A statue of a lady with a clock where her stomach ought to be
C: A simulated alligator wallet, a calendar book with the name
of my insurance man, green polka dot pajamas and a
Japanese transistor radio
S: And it has a wire with a thing on one end that you can stick
in your ear and a thing on the other end you can't stick
anywhere because it's bent
C: On the sixth day of Christmas my true love gave to me
S: A hammered aluminum nutcracker, and all that other stuff
C: And a Japanese transistor radio
On the seventh day of Christmas my true love gave to me
S: A pink satin pillow that said "San Diego" with fringe all around it
And all that other stuff
C: And a Japanese transistor radio
On the eighth day of Christmas my true love gave to me
S: An indoor plastic birdbath
C: All that other stuff
S: And a Japanese transistor radio
C: On the ninth day of Christmas my true love gave to me
S: A pair of teakwood showercloths
C: And a Japanese transistor radio
On the tenth day of Christmas my true love gave to me
S: A chromium combination manicure, scissors and cigarette lighter
C: And a Japanese transistor radio
On the eleventh day of christmas my true love gave to me
S: An automatic vegetable slicer that works when you see it on television
But not when you get it home
C: And a Japanese transistor radio
S: On the twelfth day of Christmas although it may seem strange
On the twelfth day of Christmas I'm going to exchange
An automatic vegetable slicer that works when you see it on television
But not when you get it home
C: A chromium combination manicure, scissors and cigarette lighter
S: A pair of teakwood showercloths
C: An indoor plastic birdbath
S: A pink satin pillow that said "San Diego" with fringe all around it
C: A hammered aluminum nutcracker
S: A statue of a lady with a clock where her stomach ought to be
C: A simulated alligator wallet
S: A calendar book with the name of my insurance man
C: Green polka dot pajamas
B: AND A JAPANESE TRANSISTOR RADIO
S: MERRY CHRISTMAS, EVERYBODY!

Second song of the week:

"Santa's On Vacation" - David Pomeranz

another one I sadly can't find the lyrics for!

Messages from Above

2007-12-30T01:42:00.000-05:00

This is really cool! I can't wait to see pictures afterwards!!

"Times Square Confetti to Carry Messages

Posted on: Sunday, 30 December 2007, 09:00 CST

NEW YORK (AP) -- Messages and wishes for the new year from people around the world will float down on the New Year's Eve revelers in Times Square when the confetti is dropped.

Confetti for the New Year's Eve celebration in Times Square gets an "air-worthiness test" Saturday in New York.

For the first time, anyone can get a message printed on a piece of the multicolored confetti by visiting the Times Square Information Center or by using the Internet to type a message on a "Wishing Wall Online" -- http://tinyurl.com/2c5efd/.

The message-carrying pieces will be mixed among the more than one ton of confetti, organizers said.

Messages can be serious or silly, said Tim Tompkins, a spokesman for the Times Square Alliance, which organizes the party.

So far, messages have included everything from wanting to be taller or having a smarter boss to healthy children and asking for the safe return of a child from Iraq, he said. "Peace in the World," reads one posted on the "virtual wishing wall."

"Another person wrote that they wanted their husband to get a green card so that they could join them here in the states," Tompkins told WABC-TV."

http://www.redorbit.com/news/oddities/1198439/times_square_confetti_to_carry_messages/index.html

AccuRadio on Wii

2007-12-29T04:35:00.000-05:00

Well AccuRadio is now available over the Wii for any of you hardcore Nintendo junkies out there, not quite sure how that works as I don't own a Wii, but it seemed like a good idea for some people because then you can listen to it through your home stereo instead of your computer speakers.

Also, if you don't have a Wii and you want to listen to AccuRadio on your home stereo you can hook up your computer or laptop to your stereo with a cable that has a 1/8" "miniplug" at one end (it plugs into your computer or laptop soundcard) and RCA plug (white/red) at the other end to hook into your stereo.

Good luck!

http://www.accuradio.com/

Star Wars Wallpapers

2007-12-28T03:22:00.001-05:00

Just a website nerding it up with some awesome Star Wars desktop wallpapers!

http://www.myfreewallpapers.com/starwars/starwars-wallpapers.shtml

(In particular I think the Lego Star Wars one is pretty epic!)

Lego Star Wars

Send Me Reminders!!

2007-12-27T00:46:00.001-05:00

Today I thought that one of the things I'd like to work on in the new year is posting to my LJ account more regularly, the problem is, I ALWAYS forget, then I thought, how great would it be if there was some kind of website that sent you reminders every week to do things... well I found one!!!

http://www.sendmereminder.com/index.php

This site appears to be quite awesome! It will send reminders to cellphones or e-mail for free or you can download a program to your desktop that works with your e-mail and IM for $5 a month. The free version sends out one-time or repetetive reminders and it's anywhere from every couple of minutes to every couple of months! This is an amazing idea! I'm so impressed that somebody thought of it! :-D

Quote of the Day

2007-12-26T23:57:00.001-05:00

"Many of life's failures are (people) who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up"
-Thomas Edison, American Inventor 1847-1941

Happy Christmas!!!

2007-12-25T05:15:00.000-05:00

Happy Festivus

2007-12-24T01:22:00.001-05:00

Another expression heard over the holiday season, in reference to season's greetings, originating from George Costanza on Seinfeld.

"Festivus:

Festivus is an annual holiday invented and introduced into popular culture by writer Dan O'Keefe's son Daniel, a scriptwriter for the TV show Seinfeld, on December 18, 1997, in the episode "The Strike".[1] (Season 9, Episode 10). Although in the O'Keefe household it had no set date, most people now celebrate the holiday on December 23 as it was on Seinfeld. [1] The holiday includes novel practices such as the "Airing of Grievances", in which each person tells everyone else all the ways they have disappointed him or her over the past year. Also, after the Festivus meal, the "Feats of Strength" are performed, involving wrestling the head of the household to the floor, the holiday only ending if the head of the household is actually pinned. These conventions originated with the TV episode. The original holiday featured far more peculiar practices, as detailed in the younger Daniel O'Keefe's book The Real Festivus, which provides a first-person account of an early version of the Festivus holiday as celebrated by the O'Keefe family, and how O'Keefe amended or replaced details of his father's invention to create the Seinfeld episode.[2]

Some people, influenced or inspired by Seinfeld, now celebrate the holiday,[3] in varying degrees of seriousness; some carefully following rules from the TV show or books, others humorously inventing their own versions."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Festivus

Happy Chrismahanaquanzika!!

2007-12-23T00:50:00.001-05:00

In an attempt to be tolerant and welcoming to all religions this is an expression I've heard a few times over the past couple of holiday seasons...

1. chrismahanukwanzaakah

An amalgam of the three most famous winter holidays, first used in Virgin Mobile commercials during the 2004 holiday season. Used to express the coming together of people of all different religious beliefs, and in phrases as a modern but still PC alternative to the classic "Happy Holidays."

Happy Chrismahanukwanzaakah to you!

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=chrismahanukwanzaakah

ALSO:

1. Chrismachkwanzawanadan

A combination ofChristmas, Kwanzaa, Chanukah, and Ramadan, four holidays that occur around the same time in the winter. (The word itself is less important than making it as long as humanly possible, and combining at least three of those four holidays.)

1. It can be used to describe a multi-religious or secular holiday that purposely assimilates several religious traditions in an effort to be universally applicable (especially ones that are somewhat ignorant of the holidays that they are combining).
2. Or, as a comical salutation to wish a happy holiday to as many people as possible.

Similar to Chrinnukyulezaa and Chrinnukyulezaa.

1. "I hung some dreidls and vegetables on the tree, so that Noah and M'kayla wouldn't feel so left out this year."
"Good idea; let's see if they'd like to help us bake some gingerbread Ramadan cookies."

2. 'Merry Kwanzidanamistamas!'
'Happy Chrismachkwanzawanadan!'

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Chrismachkwanzawanadan

ONE MORE (cuz it's Wiki):

"Chrismahanukwanzakah

Chrismahanukwanzakah (sometimes spelt Chrismahanakwanzaka, Chrismahanakwanza or Chrismahanakwanzika) is a fictional holiday that was created by Virgin Mobile USA for a 2004 television commercial campaign and used through 2005. In 2006, the campaign won an EFFIE Bronze Award for the Telecom Services category for an ad featuring a variety of costumed people singing in the snow.[1]

The holiday, in a similar vein to Festivus and Chrismukkah, was celebrated on December 13 of that year and combines Christmas, Chanukkah, and Kwanzaa into one celebration. The commercial and the holiday itself is somewhat of a satirization of the effect of political correctness on the holiday season, which often is now seen as a secular series of celebrations rather than the formerly overt religious connotations of Christmas; as the song in the ad proclaims, "what matters most is camera phones for $20 less."

Virgin Mobile has continued its trend of inventing cultural memes in the marketing campaigns with an entire religion called "Paygoism", which only has one tenet: restrictive cell phone contracts are a sin.

Flash cartoon
The Flash cartoon depicts hybrid characters, such as a multi-armed (Vishnu-like), turban-wearing Santa, holding in his hands alternately dreidel and a gift box or an ear of corn (a symbol of Kwanzaa) and a small Christmas tree, all whilst playing a sitar in sitting pose on a lotus flower. A female Rudolph exhibits menorah horns, a scarf in Kwanzaa colors, a golden pendant in the shape of Africa and a red forehead dot while sitting meditatively on an iridescent lotus flower in a cloud. The third character in the sardonic trio is a winged black man holding a large dreidel and wearing a golden comb a yin-yang in his hair and a sarong wrapped around his waist. Notably, the characters feature symbols from other religions in addition those mentioned or implied in the song.

Replacing the original Flash cartoon are three current Flash presentations that include two Jews singing about a non-pork meat dreidel that is eaten and eventually digested and a Hindu Santa Claus singing about his new camera phone that plays MP3s, as well as an angel singing a modified version of the Chrismahanukwanzakah song.

Lyrics
The character of the fictional holiday is defined by the lyrics of the song (or "carol") that was played during Virgin's Chrismahanukwanzakah commercial:

It's okay if you're a Muslim, a Christian or a Jew,
It's okay if you're agnostic and you don't know what to do,
An all-inclusive celebration,
No contractual obligation,
Happy Chrismahanukwanzakah to you (and pagans too!)

In some ways we're all monkeys,
Well, maybe just a smidgen,
I'm a Scientologist,
That's kind of a religion,

Whose faith is the right one,
It's anybody's guess,
What matters most is camera phones for $20 less.

And there's never any hidden fees,
Oh what a joyous day,
No commitments means I'm proud to go both ways!

Happy Chrismahanukwanzakah to you,
This is gonna be the best Chrismahanukwanzakah ever!

References
ABC news report
^ Winners Showcase: 2006: Chrismahanukwanzakah. EFFIE Awards. Retrieved on 2007-12-07.

External links
Virgin Mobile's Chrismahanukwanzakah site
Original Chrismahanukwanzakah flash cartoon"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chrismahanukwanzakah

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MSS7KjCSGag&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ShUcWwNmo0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=39tBBw7cY2M

THIS ONE IS THE BEST THOUGH! (and I can't embed it)

http://awards.fallon.com/chk.html

An Article on "Emo Kids"

2007-12-22T01:13:00.000-05:00

This is an interesting article I came across published in a University's online newspaper, I don't agree with a lot of what the author said, however I think it's an interesting opinion worth reading.

"Cheer up Emo Kid, It's a Brand New Day

JP Porretta
Published: Wednesday, March 7, 2007
Updated: Sunday, August 10, 2008

When it comes to music, I would like to consider myself open-minded. I am always eager to discover new bands, and I would never criticize a person for having different musical interests. Except when it comes to emo kids. For the life of me, I will never understand this new obsession among teens. The fashion style is embarrassing to look at, and the music is just pure crap.

If you aren't sure what an emo kid is exactly, here are some basic characteristics to look out for: long, jet black hair that's straightened down to cover the face, black eyeliner, skin tight jeans, studded belts, Chuck Taylor's converse sneakers, and a skin-tight t-shirt that has some band logo with a stupid name like "As I Lay Dying" or "Cute is What We Aim For."

Don't get emos confused with emus. Emus are those adorable birds that roam around Australia. Emos- not adorable. Some emos like to cut their arms, while Emus don't even have arms.

The media believes that "emo" is a corruptor of youth, which evokes a dangerous behavior that has taken control of kids.

Some bands that the media has put particular focus on are AFI, Hawthorne Heights and My Chemical Romance, mainly because of their questionable lyrics.

Take for instance MTV favorites Hawthorne Heights. In their most popular hit, "Ohio is for Lovers," the lyrics continuously repeat the line "cut my wrists and black my eyes." Considering this is the kind of band that is marketed towards 13-year-old girls, I wouldn't consider these kind of lyrics to be appropriate. But I guess you've got to give the band a break. I mean after all, I would be severely suicidal too if I had to play in a joke of a band like Hawthorne Heights.

Emo kids like to spend their nights on their computer updating their Myspace profile with lame poetry about how their lives are depressing and blogs about how they can't wait to attend the upcoming BloodxTornxHeartx concert (no, that's not a real band).

Each day I see more and more people fitting these characteristics. They slowly get into the emo scene and through the music, they start to think it's cool to pretend to be suicidal and talk about cutting your wrists. They continually rant about how their home life is such a struggle, even though they live in nice mansions in Long Island with a Lexus in their driveway.

This brings us back to the age-old question: how many emo kids does it take to screw in a light bulb? The answer is none. They prefer to sit alone in the dark and cry.

Parents, teachers and spectators everywhere are taking notice to this new fad and are acknowledging that it might be a dangerous trend for adolescents. I couldn't help but notice how over the last few weeks several news stations have been showing interest and concern in this trend.

Some people hear this and say that the genre is being taken too seriously, and that listeners know not to take the lyrics too seriously. Unfortunately they are wrong. Over the last few years, suicide has become one of the leading causes of teenage deaths, and the suicide count is increasing each year.

You may say people take this too seriously, but many believe that it's the emo music that play heavy factors in all of this.

Look at "Fall Out Boy's" bassist Pete Wentz, for example. Anyone who has shown interest in this band probably is aware that Wentz likes to talk about his several suicide attempts that he has made in the past. Dude, you gotta shut your mouth. You are the bass player (crappy bass player, might I add) of a multi-platinum pop-punk band, and you are dating mega-hottie Ashlee Simpson. You have absolutely nothing to be upset about. And it's not too great that this man is both an icon and "role model" current pre-teens look up to.

Although the amount of emo kids running around on Fairfield's campus is limited, some students still have their opinions about them. When talking about the parental point of view on emo music's influence on the youth, Vanessa Jackon 08' said, "I think parents look down on the whole emo thing, because 'Debbie Downer' doesn't play nice with all the other children at the yacht club."

I guess the reason why I have such a feeling of resentment towards this trend is because of people's misconception of it. Just because I listen to Death Cab For Cutie and wear high-top converse with collared shirts, that doesn't mean I'm emo. I hate emo, and I get really offended when people call me emo. I'm sure this is the case with others as well, like The Mirror's own Sean Corbett.

I don't think there is much need to worry, though. I have a feeling this ridiculous fad will be gone faster than you can say Limp Bizkit. Remember them? Yeah, exactly."

http://media.www.fairfieldmirror.com/media/storage/paper148/news/2007/03/08/Entertainment/Cheer.Up.Emo.Kid.Its.A.Brand.New.Day-2762635.shtml

The 13 worst holiday spending blunders

2007-12-21T10:35:00.001-05:00

Some sound financial advice this holiday season:

"The 13 worst holiday spending blunders
The holidays are upon us, so start the guilt and self-deception now! Which strategies are yours? Last-Minute Guilty Excess? Manic Martha-ism?

By MP Dunleavey

December 21, 2007

The official Holiday Spending Season is upon us. Are you feeling the pressure?

Some of us felt the squeeze as early as the day after Christmas last year, when stores had their 75%-off sales and we felt compelled to buy gifts a year in advance. Not that we'd admit that in public. Yes, pressure makes you do strange things, and let's face it, we've all done very strange things under the influence of holiday gift-giving angst.

I speak from personal experience. For years, I think I believed that I should buy whatever struck me as the most perfect present for someone (i.e. everyone) and Santa would reimburse me afterward. Either that or I thought that somehow holiday money flowed from a separate, more abundant source than everyday cash.

So think of this as the holiday equivalent of a tornado alert. No, you don't have to hide in the basement (although some people do). Just stay calm, cultivate a rational approach as the high-pressure front moves in -- and keep reading.

Don't underestimate what you spend
Barbara Steinmetz, president of Steinmetz Financial Planning in Burlingame, Calif., is quite familiar with watching her Silicon Valley clientele get into hot water around the holidays. "The more money you have, the less you keep track of it," she notes.

While most of us don't have that problem, Steinmetz says many people seem to have temporary financial blindness when the time comes to purchase presents. She asks her clients to estimate what they spend every year on all their gifts, including weddings, anniversaries, birthdays, graduations, baby gifts and the like. "They usually say between $1,000 and $4,000 a year, which tells me they have no idea what they really spend," she says.

Did you ever stop and add it all up? Sally's bridal shower, Dad's 70th birthday and so on? Neither did I.

Steinmetz says that's why so many of us get into spending trouble over the holidays: "The biggest problem with holiday gift giving is a massive misconception of how much you're spending."

So it may seem too basic to bother with, but sit down now and draw up a holiday budget -- yes, right now. This helps for two reasons:

-It will give you some perspective on what you think you spend versus what you actually do.

-You can panic now before you actually go out and spend the cash.

But even careful spenders can find themselves in post-holiday hell when the January credit-card bills roll in. The holidays are an emotional minefield, and one misstep can blow your budget to smithereens. After months of careful research, calling all our relatives, we've identified the most insidious blunders so that you can venture forth into the malls forearmed.

Guilty gaffes
Not surprisingly, guilt seems to be the biggest source of overspending.

-Homemade gift guilt: Take the year my Aunt Ginny decided to make everyone a special basket, packed with treats she'd made herself: "Oranges with cloves, homemade flavoured coffee, my own home-baked cookies -- even homemade dog biscuits." Then, because she felt like it wasn't enough, she went out and bought everyone a "real" present. "I was crazy that year," she says.

-Equalizing to excess: You get each of your kids (or parents or siblings) an equal distribution of presents. Except... maybe you should get Mom a couple of extra little things because Dad's cashmere sweater obviously cost a bundle. But now Mom has three presents and Dad has only one, so the least you can do is get him a book... repeat until broke.

-Surprise-gift guilt: Your boss, friend, co-worker or neighbour gives you an unanticipated gift. D'oh! You should have anticipated this! You dash out to the store and add yet another item to your overwhelmed holiday budget.

-Reciprocal retaliation: This game is deadly and has a way of snowballing before you realize it. Three years ago, you and your mate gave a couple of your friends a dinky coupon for a free night of baby-sitting. They gave you pricey Broadway tickets. The second year, you ramped up and took them out for a swell dinner. They gave you a case of wine. This year, you just want to win, so you're planning to give them an all-expense paid trip to Guadalajara -- just so they'll back down, and next year maybe you can get back to giving baby-sitting coupons. Won't happen.

-Rejection rebound: In order to save money, you gave someone a gift that you got from someone else, forgetting it was the recipient who gave it to you last year. To make up for this offense, you overcompensate, now and possibly for years to come.

Clearly the issue here is that we think money speaks louder than our intentions. It doesn't. Really. So before you hit the store, delete the guilt files from your operating system.

Procrastination problems
Putting off holiday shopping may cost you.

-Last-minute largesse: It's the night before Christmas, Hanukkah or Kwanzaa and you are out cruising the stores that are open until midnight trying to get all your shopping done in one furious frenzy. But because you realize that this blows the whole "thought that counts" thing, the thoughtless gifts you buy are also wretchedly expensive.

-FedEx folly: You bought your niece in Nebraska a great new CD but waited so late to mail it that you're spending more on shipping than the gift cost.

Really. Why do you think we are publishing this column now, except to give you a shot at shopping in a timely fashion? As financial planner Steinmetz points out, "Those who celebrate Hanukkah at least have some excuse -- those holidays move around. But, hello, Christmas is always on the 25th. So what's the problem?"

Holiday spirit overdrive
It sounds like a '70s lounge band, and maybe it should have been. In reality, it's a financial crime of passion. An insane impulse overcomes you --- holiday joy? The spirit of Santa? Your medication is off? --- and you find yourself committing one (or all) of the following:

-Debt of 1,000 gifts: Getting everyone, I mean everyone, a little gift: all of your co-workers, the woman who cleans your house, the neighbour who jump-started your car in 1986, your baby-sitter, your dentist, etc. -- to the tune of $4,876.

-Parental panic: You lay out all the gifts you got for the kids, and suddenly it's just not enough. You love those kids so much. You can't let them limp into January so deprived. What were you thinking? Back to the mall!

-Manic Martha-ism: For once, you're going to celebrate the holidays in style. You're going to throw that holiday party, take the kids to the "Nutcracker," the Ice Capades and the "Clifford the Big Red Dog Live!" show. You're going to cater a big holiday dinner and fly your parents in, and pay Martha Stewart to inject some holiday cheer into your décor.

Plead guilty, because there are too many witnesses. This year, when you sense an attack of holiday spirit coming on, send a card.

Eggnog wishes, caviar dreams
These are amazingly silly, but common, miscalculations in terms of volume, time or value.

-Shopping by the truckload: You go to Costco or the mall and buy everything in sight, simply because there's so much to buy.

-The 12 days of shopping: You haven't found the perfect gift for her yet. You know you will. Meanwhile, you'll just pick up a pair of these earrings. And a little scarf... And by the time you reach the end of your Quest for Perfection, you have 27 gifts, none of them quite right, except maybe the pear tree with the partridge in it.

-Art-fair amnesia: December is upon you, so you dash out and do all your shopping -- completely forgetting that you already bought half the presents at that crafts fair in July.

These costly little slip-ups can happen in a variety of ways. How to prevent them is unclear. If only we could get them on video. At least you'd get a laugh out of yourself.

The 'unreturnable' impulse
This one deserves its own category because, of all spending blunders, it is the most preventable. Every year countless people fall into a stupor as they enter one of those vile shops full of ceramics, glass and twisted bronze ballet sculptures -- and accidentally buy one for someone they love, who will inevitably hate it.

Two words on this one: Just don't."

http://finance.sympatico.msn.ca/SavingsDebt/MPDunleavey/Article.aspx?cp-documentid=5895749

Duties of the best man

2007-12-20T21:05:00.000-05:00

For the wedding coming up next summer I've compiled a list of the duties of the best man (yup I get to be the best man even though I'm a girl! YAY!!):

Best Man
* Spread the word about where the couple is registered
* Give groom bachelor party (plan, invite guests)
* Pay for rental of own tux
* Ensure groom arrives on time at the ceremony
* Keep bride's ring until minister asks for it on day of wedding
* Help groom get dressed before wedding
* Help groom remain calm prior to ceremony
* Stand beside groom during

So that's not too much to do... right?

I also get to plan the bachelor party!!! *bow chicka wow wow*

Word of the Day

2007-12-20T05:57:00.000-05:00

(So true!!)

Urban Word of the Day
www.urbandictionary.com

December 20, 2007: man flu

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=man+flu&defid=1829361

The condition shared by all males wherein a common illness (usually a mild cold) is presented by the patient as life-threatening.

This is also known as 'Fishing for Sympathy' or 'Chronic Exaggeration'.

When the patient is your boyfriend, he will exhibit the standard symptoms (such as an overwhelming desire for compassion) while simultaneously rejecting any and all efforts you make to placate him.

You: Awww, you poor fella.
Him: I'm DYING!
You: (Soothingly) Oh, you're not dying Cy.
Him: (Indignant) I AM! I have Man Flu!
You: Do you need some sympathy?
Him: Yes! But no one understands my pain...
You: I understa-
Him: NO YOU DO NOT!!!

Dave FM Top 107 Songs of the 70's

2007-12-19T01:18:00.000-05:00

Local radio station 107.5 Dave Fm, Top 70 Songs of the 70's:

TOP 107 of the 70's
	Artist	Title
1	THE EAGLES	HOTEL CALIFORNIA
2	AEROSMITH	DREAM ON
3	THE BEE GEES	STAYIN' ALIVE
4	JOHN LENNON	IMAGINE
5	LYNYRD SKYNYRD	SWEET HOME ALABAMA
6	ELTON JOHN	CROCODILE ROCK
7	AC/DC	HIGHWAY TO HELL
8	QUEEN	WE WILL ROCK YOU / WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS
9	BLONDIE	ONE WAY OR ANOTHER
10	LED ZEPPELIN	STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN
11	THE GUESS WHO	AMERICAN WOMAN
12	AEROSMITH	WALK THIS WAY
13	ROD STEWART	MAGGIE MAY
14	THE CARS	JUST WHAT I NEEDED
15	DOBIE GRAY	DRIFT AWAY
16	AEROSMITH	SWEET EMOTION
17	ELTON JOHN	ROCKET MAN
18	STEVE MILLER BAND	THE JOKER
19	TROOPER	RAISE A LITTLE HELL
20	KISS	BETH
21	BOSTON	PEACE OF MIND
22	BOB SEGER & THE SILVER BULLET BAND	OLD TIME ROCK & ROLL
23	BACHMAN TURNER OVERDRIVE	TAKIN' CARE OF BUSINESS
24	LED ZEPPELIN	ROCK & ROLL
25	CAT STEVENS	WILD WORLD
26	RAM JAM	BLACK BETTY
27	PAUL MCCARTNEY & WINGS	LIVE AND LET DIE
28	KISS	ROCK AND ROLL ALL NIGHT
29	PINK FLOYD	COMFORTABLY NUMB
30	PETER FRAMPTON	SHOW ME THE WAY
31	BOB MARLEY	NO WOMAN NO CRY (LIVE)
32	ROLLING STONES	BROWN SUGAR
33	FLEETWOOD MAC	DREAMS
34	BACHMAN TURNER OVERDRIVE	YOU AIN'T SEEN NOTHING YET
35	LED ZEPPELIN	FOOL IN THE RAIN
36	BLONDIE	HEART OF GLASS
37	BOB SEGER & THE SILVER BULLET BAND	NIGHT MOVES
38	PINK FLOYD	WISH YOU WERE HERE
39	SUPERTRAMP	THE LOGICAL SONG
40	DAVID BOWIE	CHANGES
41	CHIC	LE FREAK
42	FOREIGNER	HOT BLOODED
43	ELTON JOHN	TINY DANCER
44	BOSTON	MORE THAN A FEELING
45	ROLLING STONES	MISS YOU
46	THE BEATLES	LET IT BE
47	RUSH	FLY BY NIGHT
48	DON MCLEAN	AMERICAN PIE
49	MEATLOAF	PARADISE BY THE DASHBOARD LIGHT
50	WILD CHERRY	PLAY THAT FUNKY MUSIC WHITE BOY
51	ROBERT PALMER	BAD CASE OF LOVING YOU
52	THE EAGLES	TAKE IT EASY
53	LED ZEPPELIN	ALL OF MY LOVE
54	HEART	CRAZY ON YOU
55	THE BEE GEES	NIGHT FEVER
56	QUEEN	BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY
57	ROD STEWART	DO YA THINK I'M SEXY
58	THIN LIZZY	THE BOYS ARE BACK IN TOWN
59	NEIL YOUNG	HEART OF GOLD
60	ROLLING STONES	BEAST OF BURDEN
61	STEELY DAN	REELIN' IN THE YEARS
62	PAUL MCCARTNEY & WINGS	BAND ON THE RUN
63	STEVE MILLER BAND	JET AIRLINER
64	GENESIS	FOLLOW YOU, FOLLOW ME
65	BACHMAN TURNER OVERDRIVE	ROLL ON DOWN THE HIGHWAY
66	SWEET	BALLROOM BLITZ
67	THE KNACK	MY SHARONA
68	PINK FLOYD	MONEY
69	VILLAGE PEOPLE	YMCA
70	KANSAS	DUST IN THE WIND
71	SUPERTRAMP	GIVE A LITTLE BIT
72	ROD STEWART	YOU'RE IN MY HEART
73	VAN HALEN	RUNNIN' WITH THE DEVIL
74	FLEETWOOD MAC	GO YOUR OWN WAY
75	DAVID BOWIE	SPACE ODDITY
76	ERIC CLAPTON	WONDERFUL TONIGHT
77	LED ZEPPELIN	OVER THE HILLS AND FAR AWAY
78	TOTO	HOLD THE LINE
79	THE EAGLES	HEARTACHE TONIGHT
80	ABBA	DANCING QUEEN
81	SUPERTRAMP	BLOODY WELL RIGHT
82	ROD STEWART	TONIGHT'S THE
83	DEEP PURPLE	SMOKE ON THE WATER
84	STEVE MILLER BAND	TAKE THE MONEY AND RUN
85	BOSTON	DON'T LOOK BACK
86	BAD COMPANY	FEEL LIKE MAKIN' LOVE
87	KANSAS	CARRY ON WAYWARD SON
88	PAT BENETAR	HEARTBREAKER
89	SUPERTRAMP	GOODBYE STRANGER
90	CHICAGO	SATURDAY IN THE PARK
91	PAUL MCCARTNEY	MAYBE I'M AMAZED
92	DAVID BOWIE	FAME
93	ELTON JOHN	BENNIE & THE JETS
94	CHEAP TRICK	I WANT YOU TO WANT ME
95	BILLY JOEL	MY LIFE
96	THE POLICE	ROXANNE
97	GARY WRIGHT	DREAM WEAVER
98	PINK FLOYD	TIME
99	DOOBIE BROTHERS	BLACK WATER
100	LYNYRD SKYNYRD	FREE BIRD
101	BOOMTOWN RATS	I DON'T LIKE MONDAYS
102	DOOBIE BROTHERS	LISTEN TO THE MUSIC
103	THE GUESS WHO	HAND ME DOWN WORLD
104	THE EAGLES	DESPERADO
105	GLORIA GAYNOR	I WILL SURVIVE
106	RUSH	CLOSER TO THE HEART
107	ELTON JOHN	PHILADELPHIA FREEDOM

http://www.davefm.com/station/contests.cfm?rem=4338

Holiday Greetings from Rail Europe

2007-12-18T01:28:00.000-05:00

This is hilarious. Click below and then click on a country. Be sure to turn up the sound.

http://downloads.raileurope.com/holidayCard/06_christmas_card.html

Song of the Week

2007-12-17T01:36:00.002-05:00

"The Working Elf Blues" - Daron Norwood

I can't find the complete lyrics to this one *sob* here's the start of it:

I work for a fat man in a long, white beard
He's got rosy red cheeks, and he dresses weird...

I'm Santa's little helper, my name is Eugene
I'm just a little cog in his Christmas machine
Somebody better give Santa the news:
This little green man's got the working elf blues.

Second song of the week:

"Rockin' Little Christmas" - Brooks & Dunn

I wrote a letter to Santa last night
Told him what I want to make my
Christmas right
If I don’t get it, I’m gonna be blue
I wanna rockin’ little Christmas with you

I don’t want no tinker toys
Don’t wanna waste my time drinkin’ with the boys
There’s only one thing that I wanna do
I wanna rockin’ little Christmas with you

I want a rockin’ little Christmas
Rockin’ little Christmas
If I get my wishes
It’s gonna be delicious
A stockin’ full of love for two

Well, I’ve been a good boy all year
I deserve a little Christmas cheer
I want your arms around me the whole night through
I wanna rockin’ little Christmas with you

Tell me baby what’s it gonna be
Where you gonna spend your Christmas Eve
Will I be merry or will I be blue
I wanna rockin’ little Christmas with you

Word of the Day

2007-12-16T05:54:00.000-05:00

(I'm notorious for doing this by accident! LOL)

Urban Word of the Day
www.urbandictionary.com

December 16, 2007: facebook limbo

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=facebook+limbo&defid=2692170

The electronic space between accepting and rejecting a [facebook] friendship. In facebook limbo, the user fails to accept or reject friend requests from would-be facebook friends from a variety of sources (e.g., random annoying classmates, despised work associates, ex-girlfriends, etc), because the user is uncertain if he or she will have to interact with these individuals in the future.

(At the bar)
Jim: How about that new kid, Ryan. He's so cool.
Thom: I dunno man, he already tried to facebook me, wtf?
Jim: So?
Thom: So I'm leaving him in facebook limbo, I don't want him [jo]'ing to pictures of my drunk girlfriend...

(At the lunchroom)
Alex's Stalker Ex: Why didn't you add me to your friends on facebook? I friend requested you last week! I thought we were [friends] now! How come every day when I go through your whole list of friends I'm not on there?
Alex: Baby, it's okay, I just haven't had a chance to approve you.

Shopping-obsessed? You’re not alone

2007-12-16T01:55:00.001-05:00

This is an article from my bank for the holidays! I think it's very sound advise and would like to share it with you!

"Shopping-obsessed? You’re not alone
Whether it’s new clothes, gourmet foods, or a big-screen TV, we all have our indulgences. With all these spending temptations, it’s a good idea to remind ourselves of some time-tested principles for getting ahead financially: saving for the longer term, using credit smartly, and being a savvy shopper.

Let the good times roll
Canadian consumers are enjoying some good times. More of us are working than ever before. Low interest rates have made it more affordable to buy a home. Our dollar is strong and inflation is low. In 2006, disposable income rose by 6.2%, which kept our confidence high and our spending robust.

Did you know? The retail sector is the second largest employer in Canada, representing about 11% of total employment — just behind manufacturing.

Indeed, in 2006 retail sales across Canada grew by 6.4% from a year earlier, to almost $400 billion. Put differently, each Canadian spent almost $12,000 last year. More than half of our retail spending went to vehicles, gas, and food and drink.

Furniture, electronics, health and personal care products, clothing and footwear, and lawn and garden products are other big spending categories.

Consumer tip: Don’t forget to cash in reward points. Most of us carry loyalty cards in our wallets and purses. Have you actually used any of the points you’ve been gathering? If you haven’t, you may lose out to “loyalty-card inflation” — where the number of points needed to buy an item increases over time.

Where’s the growth in spending?
The biggest growth in spending in 2006 occurred in hardware, lawn and garden products — soaring almost 10% higher than a year earlier. Canadians’ passion for home renovation helped keep these sales strong.

Spending on gas and oil grew by 8.8% in 2006, largely the result of price increases. Despite higher fuel costs, we also spent more on vehicles than we did last year.

Health and grooming are also taking up more of our budgets. Spending on health and personal care products rose 8.1% last year. Sales of prescription drugs (which represents more than half of the health and personal care category) increased 10.3% in 2006. Spending on beauty products (cosmetics, shaving cream, toilet paper) was up 5.2%.

Consumer tip: Stock up! We use things like soap and paper towels every day. And unlike the latest fashions, they never go out of style and have long shelf lives. Buying these items in bulk or larger sizes (or when they’re on sale) can save you money. If you live alone, consider splitting these purchases with friends or neighbours.

Be smart about your borrowing
If you shop with credit cards, as many of us do, make a point of paying off your balance in full and on time. This will help your credit rating and save you money on interest charges. Also, take advantage of your card’s grace period, which can be up to 26 days.

Limiting yourself to one or two cards will reduce the temptation to overdo it with credit. Choose cards that have benefits that you actually use, whether it’s free travel, free movies, or cash back on your purchases.

Online shopping tip. You can pretty well find anything you want online. More importantly, you can compare prices in a snap, and read a wealth of customer reviews on products, services, and merchants. So take the time to do your research before making big purchases.

A personal line of credit is a more cost-effective way to borrow for things like home renovations. If the line of credit is secured by your home, your borrowing costs may be even lower.

Did you know? Department store credit cards often carry the highest interest rate.

Stay focused on your goals

In a climate of rising spending it can be a challenge to keep your financial goals in mind. Here are a few suggestions.

Save more. Do whatever it takes to put aside more money: follow a budget, cut back on discretionary spending, clip coupons (in print and online).

Contribute to an RSP. For most Canadians, the best place to save is in a registered Retirement Savings Plan (RSP). It’s the best tax-saving vehicle available, and is also a powerful tool that can provide you with financial flexibility later in life.

Build a “rainy day” fund. Despite our best-laid plans, life can sometimes toss a curveball our way. An unexpected job loss, a transmission job, or home care for an elderly parent — any of these can throw our finances out of whack.

Rainy day funds are particularly important if you have dependants, or if your income fluctuates because you work on commission or are self-employed.

Consumer tip: Use your gift cards. A large number of gift cards are never redeemed (anywhere from 10% to 30%). If you receive gift cards this season (or have any from last year), make a point of using your cards before you forget about them. Some stores now allow you to use your cards when shopping online.

Pay yourself first. Whether you are contributing to an RSP or building a savings fund, pre-authorized contribution plans are the most convenient and disciplined way to save — and they won’t cost you a cent to set up.

The actual amount that you earmark for your different goals is not as important as setting aside money on a regular basis, and ensuring that you stay on course.

Your financial advisor can help evaluate your spending and saving habits and keep you on track to achieving your financial goals."

https://myvault.scotiabank.com/4105/mylibrary-personal/featured-articles-details.asp?article_id=193

Dolly & Kenny Christmas.

2007-12-15T17:15:00.001-05:00

This is the Christmas album I grew up with... of all the Christmas albums out there this one and John Denver "Rocky Mountain Christmas" mean the most to me during the holidays!

http://www.amazon.com/Once-Upon-Christmas-Kenny-Rogers/dp/B000002X2E

http://www.amazon.com/Rocky-Mountain-Christmas-John-Denver/dp/B000AARKGM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1241513079&sr=1-1

New Sims Game Just in Time for Christmas

2007-12-14T19:03:00.000-05:00

Here's a new one from EAGames, SimsCity Societies, from what I can tell it plays like SimCity but with a more personal touch, like you can customize what kind of city you build and who might like to live there:

"How Will You Shape Your Society?
SimCity™ Societies is one of the most powerful, most versatile, most creative city building games in existence. With it, you can build the city of your dreams, or your nightmares.

Are you a hedonistic mayor? Somebody who wants to show people a good time? Or are you more of a control freak? Someone who wants to maintain peace and order? With SimCity Societies, you can make your vision reality. Cyberpunk cities. Police-state cities. Fun cities. Haunted cities. Romantic cities. Quaint small towns and thriving metropolises.

Now you can impose your will on your citizens by manipulating the social energies that affect all of us every day -- productivity, prosperity, authority, knowledge, spirituality, or creativity. Like the New York mayor who turned Times Square into a family friendly shopping district or the Las Vegas mayor who is cultivating America’s party capital, you can impose your will and build your vision.

Create an artistic society or a police state, an industrial city or a spiritual community-or any society you want!

>> Check out the SimCity Societies Website Now!"

Personally this doesn't hold much interest for me, but then again SimCity was never really my thing. I'm more of a The Sims kinda girl. LOL

AccuHolidays

2007-12-13T16:33:00.000-05:00

YAY!! It's that time again!!!!

"Dear AccuRadio listener,

Because hundreds of AccuRadio listeners have been telling their co-workers, family members, and friends about AccuHolidays, it's clear that we're going to be able to donate thousands of dollars to several great charities this holiday season with our Christmas Music for Charity program (More details on this are below).

New on AccuHolidays:
Build your own MUSIC MIX!

But first, something brand new! Earlier this year, we introduced a new way of personalizing AccuRadio in which you could mix and match genres: "Build-Your-Own AccuRadio."

Now, we're working on expanding the concept to our AccuHolidays channel: Build-Your-Own AccuHolidays! This new feature will enable you to create your own unique, personal AccuHolidays channel, mixing and matching any or all of our over 30 AccuHolidays subchannels! Imagine a Christmas music radio station that mixes together R&B, Celtic, and 100 different versions of "Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!" (for example). You can do it!"

http://www.accuradio.com/holidays/

Word of the Day

2007-12-12T19:12:00.001-05:00

(YAY it made word of the day!!)

Urban Word of the Day
www.urbandictionary.com

December 12, 2007: w00t

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=w00t&defid=3217

An expression of joy and excitement.

I just got an A on my test. w00t!

Photo Tip: Photgraphing Christmas Trees and Lights

2007-12-11T18:45:00.001-05:00

From http://blog.webshots.com/?p=779&tag=nl.e201

"Pro Tip: Photographing Christmas Trees and Lights

Filed under: Professional Photos — Penny Adams, Photo Editor at 12:01 am on Monday, December 3, 2007

If your Christmas tree is up and decorated, then it’s time to take some pictures and share them with your friends and family. But before you do, follow these handy tips to make sure your photos have that classic holiday feel—hey, you could even make them into postcards and send them out this year!

#1. Be mindful of the ambient light in the room. If you desire to include details like tree ornaments in the photo, be sure to turn on a lamp or two in the room. You may also want to turn off your flash as it will typically wash out the warm and cozy color in the room, though it might be necessary to include a fill flash if you’re also taking a portrait of someone in front of the tree.

#2. Whether you own a point-and-shoot camera or a digital SLR, use a tripod, use a tripod, use a tripod—yes, it’s that important!

#3. If your lens has a switch to turn off image stabilization, turn it off. The vibration of the lens will cause the camera to move slightly during a long exposure.

#4. If you’re photographing the tree by itself, turn off your flash and use a longer exposure. Set your camera’s ISO to 400 and then take some test shots on Manual or (M) mode instead of Program (P) or Automatic (A). Adjust the shutter speed and/or f-stop until the exposure looks right. As a place to start, try setting the ISO to 400, the f-stop to 8 and the exposure to 1/30th of a second. If the image appears too dark, increase your exposure to 1/15th or 1 second. Using an f-stop setting of 5.6, for example, will achieve a more shallow depth of field but require a shorter exposure than higher settings, such as f/16.

#5. If you don’t own a cable release or shutter remote for your digital camera, use the camera’s self timer to avoid shaking the camera during exposure.

#6. If your photo appears too orange for your taste, in the camera’s menu, adjust the white balance settings to tungsten.

#7. For capturing outdoor light displays, use the same exposure theory as you would for indoor shots, but switch the white balance settings to outdoor. I prefer to photograph outdoor displays around 30-40 minutes after sunset so that the camera can still record ambient light and capture some color that remains in the sky. For a shot like the one above, switch to aperture priority mode, set your f-stop to 5.6 or 8 and let the camera determine the proper exposure for you. Don’t forget to use the exposure compensation button (that’s the +/- button) to tweak the exposure: Use the (+) settings in increments to lighten the image and the (–) settings in increments to darken the image.

#8. Want to get this effect with the Christmas lights in your photo? Place a star filter in front of your lens and twinkle away!

You’re all set to snap some amazing pictures of your Christmas tree and all the wonderful outdoor displays."

Word of the Day

2007-12-10T19:10:00.002-05:00

(My sister and I are notorious for this one...)

Urban Word of the Day
www.urbandictionary.com

December 10, 2007: compunicate

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=compunicate&defid=873030

When you are in the same room with someone, each on seperate computers, and you talk via Instant Messenger instead of speaking to them out loud, in person

Even though they are sitting right next to each other, Jesse and Justin only compunicate when they have to tell each other something.

Song of the Week

2007-12-10T01:35:00.003-05:00

"All I Want for Christmas is a Real Good Tan" - Kenny Chesney

Ooooo, don't you think it's a pretty good plan?
All I want for christmas is a real good tan..

All I want for Christmas is a real good tan,
take me to the Islands put my feet in the sand,
rockin' to and fro with the rhythm of the ocean.
singin Silent Night with the palm trees blowin'..

Ooooo, don't you think it's a pretty good plan?
All I want for christmas is a real good tan..

Well, if you're thinkin' bout getting me a present this year,
let me put a bug in your cute little ear,
How bout 2 tickets to a tropical shore,
where we don't have to wear these winter clothes anymore,
instead of turkey we'll have mahi-mahi grill,
and Pina Coladas in the blender chillin'..

All I want for Christmas is a real good tan,
take me to the Islands put my feet in the sand,
rockin' to and fro with the rhythm of the ocean,
singin Silent Night with the palm trees blowin'..

Ooooo, don't you think it's a pretty good plan?
All I want for christmas is a real good tan..

Well everybody's praying for a Christmas so white,
come to think about it, that'd be alright,
as long as it's sand and not snow on the ground,
and everyday our skin gets a little more brown,
We'll string some lights in a coconut tree,
I'll rub some oil on you, and you can rub some on me..

All I want for Christmas is a real good tan,
I can see us baby on the beach hand in hand,
rockin' to and fro with the rhythm of the ocean..
Baby won't you say you and me we'll be going?
Ooooo, I can almost feel my toes in the sand,
All I want for Christmas is a real good tan..

Don't worry baby, we'll celebrate plenty,
I'll buy you some shades and a brand new bikini..
We won't have to worry about the holiday rush,
it'll be you and me fallin' deeper in love..

Ooooo, don't you think it's a pretty good plan?
All I want for christmas is a real good tan..

All I want for christmas is a real good tan..

Since Christmas music is only really good in December a 2nd song of the week:

"Mr. Christmas" - Joe Diffie

Hey look comin? down the way
Guess who got back in town today
I know he?s got some goodies on his sleigh
Could it be, why yes, it?s Mr. Christmas

Slidin? sideways kickin? up snow
Makin? a sound that goes ho ho ho
A big jelly belly and a cherry for a nose
Could it be, why yes, it?s Mr. Christmas

Everywhere he goes he?s spreadin? Christmas cheer
Everybody know he?ll be back again next year
Mr. Christmas

A Barbie doll and a little toy gun
Milk and cookies and he?s on the run
You?ve gotta love him that old son of a gun
Was that him? Why yes it was, Mr. Christmas

Everywhere he goes he?s spreadin? Christmas cheer
Everybody know he?ll be back again next year
Mr. Christmas

Word of the Day

2007-12-09T19:08:00.002-05:00

"Ice is a girl's best friend" just doesn't have the same ring to it...)

Urban Word of the Day
www.urbandictionary.com

December 09, 2007: ice

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=ice&defid=93823

diamonds

"I keep my girlfriend flooded with ice."

Shoutcast

2007-12-08T04:52:00.000-05:00

A friend of mine has a Shoutcast radio station I wanted to share with y'all, the link is as follows:

http://www.crazylogic.ca:8000/listen.pls

The music is pretty eclectic, but worth a listen to :-)

My Kind of Tree...

2007-12-07T18:59:00.001-05:00

A tree sent to me from M&Ms... (this is so my kinda tree!!)




M&Ms homepage: http://www.mms.com

Word of the Day

2007-12-06T19:01:00.001-05:00

(Just about every other conversation I have goes like this...)

Urban Word of the Day
www.urbandictionary.com

December 06, 2007: pre-sequitur

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=pre-sequitur&defid=2674550

Like a non-sequitur, a pre-sequitur doesn't follow what immediately preceded it, but instead relates to something that came much earlier. It is a sudden or jarring break in the chronology, but it does follow... when you remember what it refers to.

Jen: Why did you leave Los Angeles?
Keith: Well... have you ever lived there?
Jen: I visited once, for a week. I liked the street performers on the boardwalk...
Keith: Oh, the boardwalk is where I got this red scarf!
Jen: I was trying to knit a scarf just like that last year but I never finished.
Keith: Where do you get yarn around here?
Jen: There's a good store just a few blocks from here, wanna come see?

... ten minutes later ...

Jen: Huh, do you smell Indian food?
Keith: Hmm, not really... but now I'm in the mood to get some Indian Food.
Jen: Sure, let's!
Keith: It was the pollution, that's why.
Jen: pollution?
Keith: Yeah, I wanted somewhere with real air, and LA wasn't it!
Jen: Oh, why you left Los Angeles

Word of the Day

2007-12-05T18:57:00.002-05:00

(hehe this happens to me far too often, especially when tired)

Urban Word of the Day
www.urbandictionary.com

December 05, 2007: mental constipation

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=mental+constipation&defid=595934

An inability to articulate one's thoughts or ideas, resulting in significant psychological distress and frustration.

Typically, this form of [cognitive impaction] is self-resolving. However, in cases where productive interchange with the afflicted is urgently needed, a [deadline] may be administered; indeed, this has proven to be one of the most effective treatments for stubborn cases of mental constipation.

Mark: "So, you know, it's like... uh, er... damn, you know, that, uh... thing!"
Dave: "Yeesh. It's too bad that they don't make a laxative for mental constipation!"

Word of the Day

2007-12-04T18:54:00.001-05:00

(Well they had to come up with a word for it sooner or later...)

Urban Word of the Day
www.urbandictionary.com

December 04, 2007: Hobosexual

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Hobosexual&defid=1179918

Adjective. The opposite of metrosexual; one who cares little for one's own appearance.

Examples: Michael Moore, Peter Jackson.
First documented hobosexual - John the Baptist.

Song of the Week

2007-12-03T01:34:00.001-05:00

"Hard Rock, Coco & Joe" - Stuart Hamblen

Ole olady olady I oh
That's Hardrock, and Coco, and Joe

Now listen my children and you shall hear
A story fantastic, a story so queer
It's all about Santa and his helpers three
There's Hardrock, and Coco, and Joe

Now Hardrock's the driver up there by his sleigh
Coco reads maps and he shows him the way
Though old Santa really has no need for Joe
But takes him cause he loves him so

Ole olady olady I ay
Donner and Blitzen away away
Ole olady olady I oh
I'm Hardrock, I'm Coco, I'm Joe

And Santa is busy with his heavy pack
He trusts his drivers and never looks back
Ole olady olady I oh
I'm Hardrock, I'm Coco, I'm Joe

Now go to bed early on this Christmas Eve
I've no way of knowing just what you'll recieve
But you'll hear their laughter that much I do know
‘Twill be Hardrock, and Coco, and Joe

The 3 little men only 2 feet high
Singing to Santa way up in the sky
Laughing and shouting as the sleigh bells ring
It's Hardrock, and Coco, and Joe

Ole olady olady I ay
Donner and Blitzen away away
Ole olady olady I oh
He's Hardrock, he's Coco, he's Joe

And Santa is busy with his heavy pack
He trusts his drivers and never looks back
Ole olady olady I oh
He's Hardrock, he's Coco, he's Joe

Ol' Santa will come in and set down his pack
And Hardrock will hold the reindeer till Santa comes back
If you hear a giggle as he turns to go
It's Coco, a snowball,...and Joe!

Ole olady olady I ay
Donner and Blitzen away away
Ole olady olady I oh
I'm Hardrock, I'm Coco, I'm Joe

And Santa is busy with his heavy pack
He trusts his drivers and never looks back
Ole olady olady I oh
I'm Hardrock, I'm Coco, I'm Joe
Ole olady olady I oh...

Cool Gifts for Kids

2007-12-02T04:55:00.001-05:00

A good website offering advice on what kids really want for Christmas:

http://shopping.sympatico.msn.ca/content/shp/?ctid=8337

Songs That WILL Get Stuck in Your Head

2007-12-02T04:05:00.000-05:00

Not a complete list but a collection of gooders... (sorry in advance lol, also sorry if I've posted these before)

Gummy Bear

Do You Like Waffles?

Banana Phone

Psycho Teddy

Song That Doesn't End

The Escambia Westgate Snoezelen Complex

2007-12-01T15:50:00.000-05:00

This is a really neat Snoezelen Complex that was recently built:

"The Escambia Westgate Snoezelen Complex in Pensacola, Florida

Dreams do come true!

Our dream started in 1997 when we were told to DREAM—and dream big—which is how the idea was born to construct a building from the ground up that was designed for our most delicate and involved students. A SNOEZELEN building so special that all of our students would be able to participate in the SNOEZELEN/sensory environment and, just for a little while, be free from the bounds of their disabilities.

We wanted to find the right environment to challenge, motivate, stimulate, and also calm our students. We know we have found that magical environment with the creation of this one-of-kind building. We are blessed with dedicated teachers, therapists, and ESPs that graciously allowed us to give the many, many tours needed to explain to different groups and individuals why we needed this very special complex.

We thank FlagHouse for their support in helping Escambia Westgate School achieve the dream of a SNOEZELEN complex, and Ms. Barbara McCormack, the designer of the rooms and environments. And a special thanks to the students of Westgate who are the inspiration and the drive behind the DREAM!

Susan Berry, Principal
Escambia Westgate School
Pensacola , FL

An extraordinary 14,600-square foot SNOEZELEN MSE center becomes reality! The Lacy A. Collier SNOEZELEN Complex was dedicated on November 29, 2005 and includes a large atrium, sensory hallway, four 1100-square foot themed rooms, and utility spaces.

From the dazzling murals, to the overgrown swamp and foliage, the feel of the floor, the accessible treewalk and treehouses, the tactile volcano, the interactive tree, to the warm, humid air and the pungent, earthy smells—there's no doubt that this is the Jungle.

Leave the world behind for an exciting space adventure complete with spaceship, interactive flying saucer, incline elevator, fiber-optic moon, interactive floor, light rope, bubble tubes, interactive panels, and more.

A bubble-tube island with infinite reflections is the centerpiece of this room. It was designed to be themed in many formats, depending on the needs of students and the goals of teachers. That's the real magic of the Magic Room!

A wheelchair-accessible igloo, sound-activated ice wall and cave, glowing lake, penguin colony, and crystal cave are complemented by gentle music, twinkling lights, and soft blankets to create a calm, peaceful space—a place to relax and recuperate away from the stresses of coping with a challenging life. This is the land of Snow.

A long sensory corridor offers smaller versions of each room's theme and is filled with a wealth of sensory experiences, including a Soundbeam, which allows the students to generate real music with simple movements and switches.

The Escambia Westgate School

In 2003, Susan Berry approached FlagHouse to design a world-class, stand-alone SNOEZELEN center that would expand and enrich the sensory world of children with disabilities. Escambia Westgate has 240 pupils, ranging in age from 4-21, with a broad spectrum of abilities from mild intellectual and physical impairments to severe multiple disabilities.

The dream

Inspiration for the center had come years earlier at the 1999 SNOEZELEN World Congress presented by FlagHouse. It took the Escambia Westgate Foundation Board six years of determined effort to raise $2 million in funding. The result: a center that takes the concept of using sensory experience within a learning environment further than ever before with:

• tactile, visual, auditory, olfactory and other sensory experiences

• skill-building gross-motor and fine-motor activities

• learning opportunities for all levels of ability

• interactive and empowering opportunities

• small and large spaces for group or one-on-one activities

• opportunities for life enhancement outside the usual frame of reference.

Plus, a completely accessible floor plan that accommodates all participants with elevators, roomy corridors and doorways, and possibly the world's largest ceiling tack.

Every step of the way

FlagHouse worked closely with the school, architect, and construction project manager to ensure that all areas of the center offered interactive, empowering opportunities with a careful blend of SNOEZELEN products, other sensory equipment, and custom-made items. The room themes each have a distinctive color scheme, character, product set, temperature, aroma, floor covering, and sound.

This challenging opportunity showcases the ability of the SNOEZELEN MSE to provide a highly motivating sensory environment in an education setting to further the skills of a wider range of children and young adults with special needs. FlagHouse feels privileged to have been a part of this project and to help open up new possibilities for the children of Escambia Westgate School. We look forward to Phase II with plans for a new sensory aquatic facility, sensory gym with 1/2-mile track, and sensory garden.

http://www.flaghouse.ca/westgate.asp?category=Sensory%20Solutions

http://www.flaghouse.ca/escambiaWestgateVideo.asp

Send Santa Your Wish List

2007-11-30T00:38:00.003-05:00

Something cute from Microsoft, it's a site where children can e-mail their Christmas wishlists to Santa.

"Email Santa your Wish List
It's that time of year again – time to email Santa. Santa's sharpened his email skills and can't wait to hear from all of the good little boys and girls! He, Mrs. Claus and his crew have also been busy renovating the village!"

http://microsoft.msn.com/Key=7897.CGd4y.C.DP.Dn3xmC

Word of the Day

2007-11-29T04:50:00.001-05:00

(um.... creepy!!)

Urban Word of the Day
www.urbandictionary.com

November 29, 2007: manther

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=manther&defid=640896

A male [cougar]. Single, usually divorced, and at a minimum 10 years older than a [cougar].

He did not care if the youth laughed at his ragtop corvette that even at this age he could not afford, for he was manther.

Pretty Much the Sappiest Thing on YouTube!

2007-11-28T03:57:00.000-05:00

SERIOUSLY SAPPY! (you have been warned)

Big Bunny

2007-11-27T01:45:00.001-05:00

A series of really random flash cartoons!

http://www.big-bunny.com/

Word of the Day

2007-11-26T04:49:00.002-05:00

Urban Word of the Day

www.urbandictionary.com

November 26, 2007: cyber monday

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=cyber+monday&defid=1530539

Cyber Monday is the Monday after [Black Friday], when online retailers will be looking for their biggest sales from those who checked out products over the thanksgiving weekend, and will now be ordering them Monday at work.

Forget those long black Friday lines, I'm going to order on Cyber Monday!

Song of the Week

2007-11-26T00:53:00.001-05:00

"Dani California" - Red Hot Chili Peppers

Getting born in the state of Mississippi
Papa was a copper and mama was a hippie
In Alabama she would swing a hammer
Price you gotta pay when you break the panorama
She never knew that there was anything more than poor
What in the world does your company take me for

Black bandanna, sweet Louisiana
robbin' on a bank in the state of Indiana
She's a runner, rebel and a stunner
On her merry way sayin; baby whatcha gonna
Lookin' down the barrel of a hot metal .45
Just another way to survive

California rest in peace
Simultaneous release
California show your teeth
She's my priestess, I'm your priest
YEAH, YEAH

She's a lover baby and a fighter
Shoulda seen it coming when it got a little brighter
With a name like Dani California
The day was gonna come when I was gonna mourn ya
A little loaded, she was stealing another breath
I love my baby to death

California rest in peace
Simultaneous release
California show your teeth
She's my priestess, I'm your priest
YEAH, YEAH

Who knew the other side of you?
Who knew that others died to prove
Too true to say good bye to you
Too true to say say say..

Push the fader gifted animator
One for the now and eleven for the later

Never made it up to Minnesota
North Dakota man was a gunnin' for the quota

Down in the badlands she was savin' the best for last
It only hurts when I laugh
Gone too fast..

California rest in peace
Simultaneous release,
California show your teeth,
She's my priestess, I'm your priest
YEAH, YEAH
California rest in peace
Simultaneous release,
California show your teeth,
She's my priestess, I'm your priest
YEAH, YEAH

107.5 Dave FM Top 107 Songs of all Time

2007-11-25T01:05:00.000-05:00

The local radio station, 107.5 Dave FM, top 107 songs of all time:

TOP 107 of ALL TIME
	Artist	Title
1	U2	PRIDE (IN THE NAME OF LOVE)
2	BEATLES	HEY JUDE
3	NIRVANA	SMELLS LIKE TEEN SPIRIT
4	LED ZEPPELIN	STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN
5	BOB DYLAN	LIKE A ROLLING STONE
6	ELVIS PRESLEY	HEARTBREAK HOTEL
7	AC/DC	YOU SHOOK ME ALL NIGHT LONG
8	QUEEN	BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY
9	ROLLING STONES	(I CAN'T GET NO) SATISFACTION
10	BEATLES	LET IT BE
11	BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN	BORN TO RUN
12	EAGLES	HOTEL CALIFORNIA
13	PINK FLOYD	ANOTHER BRICK IN THE WALL (PT. II)
14	BEATLES	TWIST AND SHOUT
15	DEREK & THE DOMINOS	LAYLA
16	ELVIS PRESLEY	JAILHOUSE ROCK
17	AC/DC	HIGHWAY TO HELL
18	U2	WITH OR WITHOUT YOU
19	JOHN LENNON	IMAGINE
20	GUNS N' ROSES	SWEET CHILD O MINE
21	ELTON JOHN	ROCKET MAN
22	BEATLES	YESTERDAY
23	AEROSMITH	DREAM ON
24	THE WHO	WON'T GET FOOLED AGAIN
25	THE POLICE	EVERY BREATH YOU TAKE
26	LYNYRD SKYNYRD	FREE BIRD
27	GUESS WHO	AMERICAN WOMAN
28	MARVIN GAYE	WHAT'S GOING ON
29	ROLLING STONES	BROWN SUGAR
30	DON MCLEAN	AMERICAN PIE
31	BEATLES	A DAY IN THE LIFE
32	QUEEN	WE WILL ROCK YOU / WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS
33	SEX PISTOLS	ANARCHY IN THE U.K.
34	TEMPTATIONS	PAPA WAS A ROLLIN' STONE
35	STEPPENWOLF	BORN TO BE WILD
36	U2	ONE
37	CLASH	LONDON CALLING
38	PEARL JAM	JEREMY
39	DAVID BOWIE	CHANGES
40	BOB DYLAN	BLOWIN' IN THE WIND
41	VAN MORRISON	BROWN EYED GIRL
42	FLEETWOOD MAC	GO YOUR OWN WAY
43	BEATLES	SHE LOVES YOU
44	DOORS	LIGHT MY FIRE
45	ARETHA FRANKLIN	RESPECT
46	ROD STEWART	MAGGIE MAY
47	THE WHO	MY GENERATION
48	BOB MARLEY & THE WAILERS	NO WOMAN NO CRY
49	GUNS N' ROSES	PARADISE CITY
50	PINK FLOYD	MONEY
51	BEACH BOYS	GOOD VIBRATIONS
52	JIMI HENDRIX	PURPLE HAZE
53	MICHAEL JACKSON	BILLIE JEAN
54	LED ZEPPELIN	ROCK AND ROLL
55	FRANK SINATRA	MY WAY
56	TEARS FOR FEARS	SHOUT
57	KINGSMEN	LOUIE LOUIE
58	CULT	SHE SELLS SANCTUARY
59	CHUCK BERRY	JOHNNY B. GOODE
60	ELTON JOHN	YOUR SONG
61	ROLLING STONES	YOU CAN'T ALWAYS GET WHAT YOU WANT
62	ELVIS PRESLEY	SUSPICIOUS MINDS
63	BACHMAN TURNER OVERDRIVE	TAKIN' CARE OF BUSINESS
64	U2	I STILL HAVEN'T FOUND WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR
65	NEIL DIAMOND	SWEET CAROLINE
66	PRINCE	WHEN DOVES CRY
67	JANIS JOPLIN	ME AND BOBBY MCGEE
68	JOY DIVISION	LOVE WILL TEAR US APART
69	THE ANIMALS	HOUSE OF THE RISING SUN
70	AC/DC	THUNDERSTRUCK
71	BEN E. KING	STAND BY ME
72	OASIS	WONDERWALL
73	STEVIE WONDER	SUPERSTITION
74	LOUIS ARMSTRONG	WHAT A WONDERFUL WORLD
75	BILLY IDOL	WHITE WEDDING
76	BEATLES	HELP
77	BEE GEES	STAYIN' ALIVE
78	BILLY HALEY & HIS COMETS	ROCK AROUND THE CLOCK
79	R.E.M.	LOSING MY RELIGION
80	AL GREEN	LET'S STAY TOGETHER
81	THE BAND	THE WEIGHT
82	THE CLASH	SHOULD I STAY OR SHOULD I GO
83	RIGHTEOUS BROTHERS	UNCHAINED MELODY
84	MADONNA	LIKE A PRAYER
85	SIMON & GARFUNKEL	BRIDGE OVER TROUBLED WATER
86	THE SMITHS	HOW SOON IS NOW
87	BEATLES	I WANT TO HOLD YOUR HAND
88	VAN HALEN	JUMP
89	DAVID BOWIE	SPACE ODDITY
90	DEF LEPPARD	POUR SOME SUGAR ON ME
91	GEORGE HARRISON	MY SWEET LORD
92	JOAN JETT & THE BLACKHEARTS	I LOVE ROCK 'N ROLL
93	RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS	UNDER THE BRIDGE
94	JAMES BROWN	I GOT YOU (I FEEL GOOD)
95	BON JOVI	WANTED DEAD OR ALIVE
96	GRANDMASTER FLASH & THE FURIOUS FIVE	THE MESSAGE
97	JOHN COUGAR MELLENCAMP	JACK AND DIANE
98	SMOKEY ROBINSON AND THE MIRACLES	TEARS OF A CLOWN
99	SINEAD O'CONNOR	NOTHING COMPARES 2 U
100	ROLLING STONES	HONKY TONK WOMAN
101	TOM PETTY	FREE FALLIN'
102	JACKSON 5	I WANT YOU BACK
103	CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL	PROUD MARY
104	BRYAN ADAMS	SUMMER OF '69
105	ALANIS MORISSETTE	HAND IN MY POCKET
106	ABBA	DANCING QUEEN
107	VERVE	BITTER SWEET SYMPHONY

http://www.davefm.com/home/Music/CountdownLists/tabid/841/Default.aspx

Another Facebook Video!

2007-11-24T03:44:00.000-05:00

YAY another one!!! (others can be found here: http://drelwin.blogspot.com/2007/09/facebook-videos.html)

Dirty Drawings?

2007-11-23T03:36:00.001-05:00

Here's one of those "get your mind our of the gutter" videos. It's quite funny!

Deadjournal

2007-11-22T03:35:00.000-05:00

This one is a parody site to www.livejournal.com It's an online blogging community referring to itself as a "cemetery" where every blog is a "grave" and all the people on your friends lists are "fiends". A nice alternative for people too whatever to have livejournals. LOL

http://www.deadjournal.com/

"What is DeadJournal.com? DeadJournal.com is a journal site (much like LiveJournal), but as you will quickly see, not all journals are apple pie and fruitcakes. Here is where you find the journals that nobody else wants to see, or even host. We love pissed off people, if you're a pissed off person who hates incompetence, please sign up now!

Who uses DeadJournal? All sorts of people use DeadJournal to record their rants and psychotic thoughts! To date, 22222 people used DeadJournal in the past 24 hours. Overall DeadJournal has over 495252 members and still growing! If stats and graphs interest you, check out our Stats Page."

GoogleWhack

2007-11-21T03:17:00.000-05:00

Here's a pastime for you... when you're extremely bored and have access to the internet...

What you do is type in two random words into a Google search and try to get just 1 result out of the search.

The top 10 (off the googlewhack website)
1. ruthless hindwater
2. longest ultramicrofiches
3. cumquat hindwater
4. nidd urps

5. magnetotails spacefaring

6. snowcap whitemail

7. crystals gravispheres

8. echoed dealignments

9. fabrication ultramicrofiches

10. whitemail orbiter

Info from the site:

"What? What?!
Visit Google. Submit a query of two words, but don't use quote marks. (Quotes tell Google to find the enclosed words immediately adjacent - and that's just too easy!) Use no punctuation in your words, and no numbers (just 26 letters from A through Z). Find two words that return one result, then see whether Whack agrees (Whack may not see the same results you see). Whack only accepts words between 4 and 30 characters in length. (Any shorter or longer, again, that's just too easy!) To add to The Whack Stack, please respect these simple guidelines (Whack decides; no exceptions).

What are the rules?

Rule Number One: Your two Googlefactors must exist in Google's view of this dictionary. Not your view; Google's view! Google does the work, and Google has the final word! In the blue bar atop your Google results, accepted terms are linked, and so appear 'underlined.' No line, no link = Googlejack! (As in, You've got jack, so see the FAQ :-)

Rule Number Two: Google also is the arbiter of a whack's uniqueness. Look to the right end of the blue bar atop your Google results. If you see "Results 1 - 1 of (any number),' you found exactly one hit = Googlewhack!

Rule Number Three: Google shows you an excerpt of the page you whacked. Look at that text. If it's merely a list of words (such as a bibliography, concordance, encyclopedia, glossary, thesaurus, dictionary, domain names, or plain old machine-generated random garbage), No Whack For You!

If your Googlefactors don't comply, some other whacker will certainly test them, then expose your treachery to all!

Entries in The Whack Stack that breach Rule Number Three will be marked WORDLIST :-(.

If you record offensive comments in The Whack Stack, I may remove or change them at my discretion.

Excessive stacking of the same word may cause Whack to ban the word automatically for over 48 hours.

Inappropriate use or abuse of the service may result in your whacks being removed. Deal with it.

Note: When you search Google, you may be able to find more reliable Googlewhacks by prefixing each word in your Google search with a "+" (for example, +endothelial +velveeta). It's not required, but may make whacking easier. Whack always has submitted queries that require an exact match. That is, Whack always has prefixed both words with "+" to require their presence, which (later, serendipitously) also avoided any stemming by Google. The rules here always have been correct; entries in The Whack Stack always have been consistent with the rules.

You're welcome to post your crack Googlewhack in The Whack Stack. To do so, first head over to Google to find a whack you like. Then, you can use Whack!, which checks the rules for you! (It will record a true success, but if you find more than a few results, it will send you to Google where you belong :-)

If you can't satisfy Whack!, you're welcome to post your slightly slack Googlewhack to QuickTopic. (This is especially for those hardcore Scrabble players who just know "That's a real word," even though Google's reference may not agree :-) "

http://www.googlewhack.com/

A really cute video...

2007-11-20T00:29:00.000-05:00

Otters holding hands!!! D'AWWW!!!

Song of the Week

2007-11-19T00:53:00.001-05:00

"Bennie and the Jets" - Elton John

Hey kids, shake it loose together
The spotlight's hitting something
That's been known to change the weather
We'll kill the fatted calf tonight
So stick around
You're gonna hear electric music
Solid walls of sound

Say, Candy and Ronnie, have you seen them yet
But they're so spaced out
B-B-B-Bennie and the Jets

Oh but they're weird and they're wonderful
Oh Bennie, she's really keen
She's got electric boots
A mohair suit
You know I read it in a magazine
B-B-B-Bennie and the Jets

Hey kids, plug into the faithless
Maybe they're blinded
But Bennie makes them ageless
We shall survive, let us take ourselves along
Where we fight our parents out in the streets
To find who's right and who's wrong

Oh, Candy and Ronnie, have you seen them yet
But they're so spaced out
B-B-B-Bennie and the Jets

Oh but they're weird and they're wonderful
Oh Bennie, she's really keen
She's got electric boots
A mohair suit
You know I read it in a magazine
B-B-B-Bennie and the Jets

Bennie, Bennie and the Jets
Bennie, Bennie, Bennie, Bennie and the Jets

Word of the Day

2007-11-18T02:00:00.001-05:00

(I want a life exciting enough to require one of these!)

Urban Word of the Day
www.urbandictionary.com

November 18, 2007: clark kent job

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=clark+kent+job&defid=362879

your day job, or a job that help pays the bills but it's not what you really want to do.

what's your clark kent job?

Word of the Day

2007-11-17T01:59:00.001-05:00

(Hehehehe YAY for old-school terminology coming back!)

Urban Word of the Day
www.urbandictionary.com

November 17, 2007: bunched

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=bunched&defid=1932277

To be upset, or angry and to have one's panties in a bunch.

Sally's bunched because she doesn't have a date to the dance.

Tim's all bunched up because he didn't prepare for the board meeting.