Family Time Capsule

This holiday season, while visting my dentist (more about this in a later post), I was speaking with his assistant and she gave me a great idea.  This Christmas Eve we are making a family time capsule to be opened in a few years.  We are going to put pics, favorite songs, drawings and/or crafts from the little ones, magazine/newspaper articles from this past year, etc. in a large box, seal it up, put it in the basement, and open it at a later date that we will determine when we seal it.  I thought this was such a great idea that we are going to do it.... and I wanted to share!

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

Queen Geek

Yep... you guessed it.  I just got another gadget which definitely puts me in the running for "Queen Geek" and I don't mind the title.  Calling it as I see it... that's all.  And my sweetie bought me and iPod for Sweetest Day!  He has remembered me on this day for 8 years.  This was a ssswwwweeeeeet gift too!  I love it.  Now, when I learn how to use it I think I will be able to read my comments while on the fly.  Important stuff.  I will use it for music, my favorite... and I have the ability to connect it to my home stereo system!  Quite a techie huh?  I have 2 games (also referred to as "apps" for you non geeks) so far, scrabble and some addicting waste basket toss game my daughter downloaded.  Soon to be more games... I'll keep you posted.  I have also used the alarm, however, discovered first thing in the morning that I named the alarm but forgot to enter the waking time.  Ooops.  Not as techie as I think!  Have a few pics on it and still have alot to learn.  Pretty hip for a "grandmama".  Once again I say to my kids, "I am NOT old... but could you help me with this crazy thing?"

Slashfood Tweets

Get a load of this new controversy.... Mrs. Butterworth not a Mrs.??? Just thought it was interesting enough to blog. Take Care. Slashfood Tweets

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Gadget Queen

That's me!  The gadget queen.  However.... I'm so excited about this tidbit.  If you, like myself, have grandkids that LOVE to help you "cook" this is great.  We make pancakes when they come over for breakfast and the batter ends up somehow... upstairs in my bedroom!  I swear!  So, I read somewhere this to take a recycled squeeze bottle, i.e. ketcup, mayo, jelly... you get the idea, and fill it with pancake batter.  Little people can then turn it upside down over the griddle (hopefully) and give it a squirt.  TaDa... a perfect pancake.  Yeah right.  Oh well, we are going to give it a try.  I'll let you know.

Cya.

Movie Critique

We watched Benjamin Button this past week and here is my review.  First of all, it is a long movie!  Interesting is one word I would use to describe it.  This is my way of saying I don't know if I liked it or not.  It was definitely different, to use another word to describe it.  I do get tired of the same old comedies about grown ups going back to college and family vacations.  I did, however, think it was depressing throughout the entire movie.  This poor child is born with this unnatural "backward" aging process and his life just seems doomed from the start, except for the fact his biological father did NOT throw him off a bridge.  Ok, next we have a little girl fall in love with him when he is equivalent to a 90 year old.  Hmmm.  Next, for a brief segment and the only time in the entire movie, he is happy with this girl because their ages have evened out and !viola! she is pregnant and he can't stick around because it will be too hard for the mom to raise both the child and himself.  Boohoo again.  And don't forget his biological father coming back into the picture.... oh but he is terminally ill.  Hopefully you are getting my drift here.  I'll stop so as to not give away the ending for those who haven't seen it and would like to.  In closing.... This  does not rate high on my list of entertaining movies.  On a 1-5 scale I will give it a 2 1/2 because of its original theme and the acting.  There ya have it!  Thanks for visiting.

Learn Something New Today

Everyday is a new day and a day to learn something.... That's what I always say! So, with this in mind I was wondering about transparent and translucent. Exactly what is the difference? Not that I use these words very often, and I really can't even tell you why this popped into my head, however, after looking them up at my trusty dictionary.com I learned something new today. This is what it said:

"1. clear, pellucid, limpid, crystalline. Transparent, translucent agree in describing material that light rays can pass through. That which is transparent allows objects to be seen clearly through it: Clear water is transparent. That which is translucent allows light to pass through, diffusing it, however, so that objects beyond are not distinctly seen: Ground glass is translucent. "

Clear as mud right? No pun intended!

Also, while at my husband's "Over 50 Softball" game last evening (my social outlet of the week) the wives were taking their usual place on the bleachers "watching the game" and discussing important things in life ~HA~ and I learned another something new. Horses have condition they can get called colic, referred to as, "the horse colicked" (could not find a past tense spelling because I do not believe it is a verb). This is a spasm or obstruction in their intestine.

Now, one more thing learned.... this was at the bar while attending the "after party" of the Over 50 Softball game. Babies, when delivering au natural, should arrive face down! Obviously, I felt inadequate in that I should know this because I have delivered two children. So, when the shocked look on my face told the wife/friend that was giving me this newly learned fact that I did not know this.... she responded with, "well how would you know.... you couldn't see!" Oh, I felt much better!

Have a great day and learn something new today.... then blog it!

How To....

How To..... interestingly enough I found a list of "How To's" that I found quite humorous. Not just articles mind you.... Videos! Someone actually created videos for these How To's! For instance, How To reduce clutter (they get better), How To win at arm wrestling (everyone should know this), How To unblock a toilet (didn't even want to watch this one), How To tell if your diamond is real (all I can say is mine BETTER be), How To tie a tie (a must for college kids these days), How To carve a bat pumpkin (?), How To clean a garbage disposal (I should have watched this one), and last but not least... what EVERYONE should be able to do without an instructional video.... How To spot a toupee! Oh, there were hundreds more like magic tricks, dances, picking out the best bikini, hairstyle, etc. and on and on. http://www.videojug.com

The most interesting one.... How to eat a Mangosteen! And I don't even know what that is, so of course my curiousity peaked. At http://www.mangosteen.com (where else would one look???) I learned this:

"The mangosteen is a fruit originating in Southeast Asia. It is considered a member of the plant family Clusiaceae. Although it is often in earlier works referred to as a member of the Guttiferae family. The latin name for the mangosteen is Garcinia mangostana L. and the genus Garcinia is an honor bestowed upon Laurent Garcin by Linnaeus for his work as a botanist and naturalist in the 18th century. The mangosteen as a fresh fruit is in great demand in its native range and is savored by all who find its subtle flavors a refreshing balance of sweet and sour. It should be pointed out that Asians consider many foods to be either 'cooling' such as the mangosteen or 'heating' such as the durian depending on whether they possess elements that reflect yin and yang. This duality is commonly used to help describe balance in many aspects of life in general and food in particular throughout Asia."

No thanks! That's about as clear as mud. Check it out & Have fun!

DWTS Season 9

Ok, here they are. DWTS Season 9 couples. But before you get to them.... you get my opinion of course, just because it's my blog! Aaron Carter - My daughter went to see him in concert 10 years ago, but he could be interesting. Just a little tired of picking from the "singing boys clubs". Ashley Hamilton, I understand is the son of George who Edyta also was stuck with. Melissa Joan Hart is probably in it for the exercise and we'll see her with Marie and Valerie. Kathy Ireland I always thought was beautiful and is my pick so far, although I have no clue if she can dance. Of course you have to throw in the NFL player, but I am not familiar with Michael Irvin. Kelly Osbourne will be the contestant with the most "bleeps".... and Donny Osmond will be, well..... Donny. Has a good chance of going thru the finals. As for the skateboarder??? We'll have to stay tuned. There ya have it - my blog - my picks! Let me know yours!

Politician Tom DeLay .......................... Cheryl BurkeSinger
Aaron Carter ....................................... Karina Smirnoff
Singer Macy Gray ................................ Jonathan Roberts
Swimmer Natalie Coughlin ................. Alec Mazo
Host Mark Dacascos ............................ Lacey Schwimmer
Actor Ashley Hamilton ....................... Edyta Sliwinska
Actress Melissa Joan Hart ................. Mark Ballas
Model Kathy Ireland .......................... Tony Dovolani
Ex-NFL player Michael Irvin ........... Anna Demidova
Model Joanna Krupa ........................... Derek Hough
UFC fighter Chuck Lidell .................... Anna Trebunskaya
Actress Debi Mazar ............................. Maksim Chmerkovskiy
Singer Mya ........................................... Dmitry Chaplin
Reality TV star Kelly Osbourne ........ Louis van Amstel
Singer Donny Osmond ........................ Kym Johnson
Snowboarder Louie Vito .................... Chelsie Hightower

FlipFlop Grossness

Before I get to the gross stuff.... the answer to the riddle: A Towel

Now, the amazing thing I read about flip flops. I don't understand how something with such a cute, catchy name can be so gross. There were 18,000 germs found in/on flip flops in a recent study. These included fecal, skin and respiratory bacteria. AND.... there were 13,900 MORE germs/bacteria found on flip flops that had found their way into a public restroom. I don't know about you.... but I wear my flip flops EVERYWHERE. It's crazy to think my flip flops can harbor staphylococcus aureus! This means these bacteria detected indicate obviously that feces, urine, spit, vomit, animal droppings were all present, on MY flip flops! Just because that is what’s on the streets of a big city and in public bathrooms. The good news here is, I do NOT handle them with my hands. So.... not to cause a flip flop frenzy panic (because chances are we are not going to stop wearing these staples in our summer attire) this blog is just for conversation purposes. Check this out if you would like to read more about if your flip flops can kill you!

Time Flies

Wow! First of all I can't believe it's been since July since I have posted, and second of all I can't believe summer is almost over. The older you get, the faster time goes by. I never thought this, until now I am "older". Yikes!

Here's a riddle: What gets wetter and wetter the more it dries??? Ponder that. I'll let you know next post.

Spent a few days at Lake Of The Ozarks last week visiting relatives. Had a great time. Lots of boating, swimming, even threw in a hike one morning (which was supposed to be a walk, but if you've ever been there.... you have to be a mountain goat and it's a HIKE not a walk). Beautiful country. Would love to retire there.

That's about it. Lots of news... just nothing strikes me. Hilliary Clinton spouting off, Brooks & Dunn breaking up, Jennifer Aniston might open a restaurant... blah blah blah. Sorry, nothing grabbing me today. Have a new movie to watch... "Smother". Hopefully, we'll watch it soon and I'll review.

New In Town

Hey! Got a Movie Review for ya today. We watched "New In Town" with Renee Z. Great flick. Cute story line, appropriate casting, wholesome, witty, a thumbs up from our house (which included grandparents). I understand it is a little late, however, we do not attend movies at the theater as frequently in the summer as we do during the winter months. So, this was a Netflix rental.

Also, a Book Review for ya today. Read New Moon, the second in the Twilight Saga series. After reading Twilight, and seeing the movie (also a Netflix rental), I am hooked. New Moon was entertaining, a little slow at the beginning, but nevertheless just as intriguing as the first Twilight. Have Eclipse in my possession, but have yet to find a moment to start reading it. We'll keep you posted. Stay tuned!

That's about it. Still mourning the death of Gidget! I'm now craving Long John Silver's Fish Taco's since no quiero Taco Bell! If anyone from Netflix, Twilight, and Long John Silver's would like to pay me for advertising, please dontact me. Including Taco Bell... yo quiero Taco Bell for the right price! LOL

Pennies from ??

I just found a 2009 penny and I don't think it came from heaven. I noticed the "heads" side was unchanged, but the "tails" side has changed.... again. I think, (the best I could see with my magnifiers) it is now Abe Lincoln sitting on a log reading a book and there is an axe next to him. This is all fine and dandy, but what I want to know is why?? Why is there a need to spend billions or maybe even trillions of tax dollars recreating the penny? At one time I thought the penny was going to cease to exist, but now I get one that has been redesigned?? And this is not the first time. We've gone from wheat, to the Lincoln Memorial, and now to the Lincoln Log?? At least they still say "In God We Trust", but who knows when that will be axed. So, that's my two cents (no pun intended).

Later!

Better News

Hope everyone had a nice 4th! We sure did.

But is anyone else sick of hearing about Michael Jackson's death, the "McNair Affair" (cute heh? came up with that one myself), and John & Kate + 8??? Once again, it is my opinion, but let's move on! Here's some REAL news:

The McDonald's Angus Burger!!! Here's the deal: McDonald's Angus Burger: 590 calories; beef patty, bun, American cheese, tomato, mayo dressing, red onions, pickles, lettuce, mustard. $3.99 (in some areas). By comparison, a Quarter Pounder with cheese has 510 calories, a Big Mac 540, Burger King Steakhouse Burger, 950 calories; beef patty, cheese, tomato, onions, lettuce, A.1. Thick & Hearty Steak Sauce, mayo -- $4.69.

Anyone hungry? Bet ya are!

New Meaning to Boy or Girl?

This is just another reason why some people should not reproduce. My Blog.... My Opinion. I just read this article on the AOL Welcome Page (I cannot link it because it contains the word "sex") about these parents that are keeping their 2-1/2 year old child's sex a secret so, in their opinion, "pop", which is how they refer to this poor child, doesn't grow up with gender issues. Can you imagine? They keep "pop" dressed in alternating dresses and pants, whatever "pop picks out to wear. They vary "pop's" hairstyle, and let this child choose what toys to play with. Only those that have changed "pop's" diaper truely know what sex this child is. If I were these parents and relatives.... I would be a whole lot more concerned about other issues this is creating, not just gender.

You just never know what you will find on the world wide web! Happy Discovering!

HeHeHe

What has four wheels and flies??? hehehe..... A Garbage Truck.... get it?

What sounds do porcupines make when they kiss??? hehehe..... "Ouch"!

Have a good weekend!

Addiction

Ever get a competitive edge to beat the pants off someone who plays a game better than you? BEJEWELED! We have a horendous competition going thru our facebook pages. It is soooo addicting. Give it a try! CY's Facebook Page

There's also PathWords and Word Challenge. Not to worry though.... it's a FRIENDLY competition. :)

Definitely

In case you didn't pick up on the most misspelled word in the English Language.... it is definitely "definitely". That's right... there is no "a" in definitely.

So did you hear about the pilot that died in flight??? Not that I insist on implying my fear of flying into this blog, but that IS pretty scarry. Enough on that.

Happy Father's Day to all you fathers and stepdads this weekend. :)

Definitely Blogworthy

Ok, this is definitely interesting, especially following up with my last post. Do you know the most misspelled word in the English Language??? I'll give you the rest of the top 10, but you definitely have to figure out the number one! I'll definitely let you know later. CYA

2. Sacrilegious
3. Indict
4. Maneuver
5. Bureaucracy
6. Broccoli
7. Phlegm
8. Prejudice
9. Consensus
10. Unnecessary

caddy corner -or- kiddy corner

Well? Do you refer to that house across the street and diagonal "caddy" corner or "kiddy" corner and if it's "kiddy" is it "kitty" or "kiddie"?? I personally have always said "kiddy corner", however, I have been told I mispronounce alot of words. I find this interesting since I have 40+ years with the English Language. This one always stumps me though. Don't know why, just popped into my head and out onto my blog. Welcome to the castle!

Infamous Polydactyly

Since you can't wait to know.... The MLB Pitcher with the condition Polydactyly is Antonio Alfonseca - a free agent. Yep... he has 6 fingers (an extra "pinky") on each hand and 6 toes on each foot (not sure which is extra on the feet). His grandfather also has this condition. They call Antonio, "El Pulpo" translated as "The Octopus" and "The Dragonslayer"!

There you have it. Have a great weekend... I will! Pool is OPEN! Yeah!
Adios for now.

Polydactyly

Oh my, how time flies. Can't believe it's been this long since my last post. But do I have a post for you! Polydactyly is a condition of having 6 digits instead of 5 on a human hand or foot. Here's the interesting part of this post.... I found a website identifying a MLB pitcher that has this condition. Both hands and both feet! Do you know who this is?? Hint: Was a 1997 World Series Champ with the Marlins in 1997.

That's it. Go ahead and guess. No fair looking it up.... Riley! I'll have the answer for you soon.

Great Place to ShopWiki

Ok, for once I am AHEAD of the game! Want a great place to shop for Dad/StepDad?? That is if su padre is a carbon copy of (or would like to be) Tim "The Tool Man" Taylor... or in female terms a "do-it-himselfer". Anyway, I have this great DIY website for anyone to check out.

Just the other day we, my other half and I, were discussing his/our workshop and our home improvement needs, which by the way is a list longer than the Internet itself, and we have arrived at the intersection of.... we'll do that this winter because it's an "indoor project" boulevard and as soon as we get our next paycheck avenue. Yeah, I bet you know where that is! I'm really just interested in a little paint and brushes. Something I would have liked done for our LAST softball party (August 2008). At any rate, ShopWiki.com has something for everyone and I (female) enjoy shopping there.

Although miters and saws do not excite me, nor do the circular thingamabobs, however, I have to admit there is a thing about power drills and hand tools that could make things interesting. They do not curl hair or shave legs.... but hey ShopWiki.com actually has items for sale that have been known to take care of these "girly" needs.

Another fun part of this website is the "utility closet". What gal doesn't like snooping in closets?? I found my paint supplies, along with smoke alarms, carbon monoxide detectors, 1st aid kits, flashlights and batteries, and every woman's dream WD40!

So, back to the beginning.... if you have a special someone that likes workshop accessories.... be sure to visit this website (hint hint... June is Father's Day!)

Merry Merry Month of May

OMG! This month is getting away from me. Happy Mother's Day (again I'm late) to all the Mother's reading! Happy Birthday.... to ME! I survived another one. Hope everyone had fun at Prom... my daughter did! And welcome home students finished with this year at college.... my son, nephew (who was here and gone already again) and niece! Now coming up... a visit from the inlaws (Memorial Day Weekend) and Happy Birthday.... to my husband! Also squeeze in an Anniversary for my brother and his wife and I think that just about wraps it up. Whew! I'm tired just typing it all. And this is nothing compared to JUNE!

Crate Training vs. Paper Training Your Puppy

After years of experience, 1 dog while growing up and 4 dogs of my own as an adult, there is no doubt, crate training works better than paper training your puppy. Below are brief instructions on each procedure. You can research and make your own decision. I hope this helps. To remain gender neutral, we will refer to the puppy as “it”.

Paper training: You put the newspaper on the floor in a convenient, easy-to-get-to place, and every time you see your puppy start to sniff (believe me there is a definite “sniff” when it has to go, you pick it up and put the puppy on the paper. Keeping it on the paper until it “does the duty” is essential here. Once the puppy “does the duty” on the paper, reward it with an appropriate treat or gesture. If you use food as a reward, be sure to keep these treats small so you do not create an obesity problem. Next, the idea is to move the paper towards the door the puppy will be using to go outside. Hopefully, the puppy will be “sniffing” for the newspaper by now because it is familiar with using it. When this stage is reached, you can let it out when you see it “sniffing” towards the door looking for the paper. Again, reward when it “does the duty” outside! Sounds easy, right? Good Luck.

Crate (also referred to as a cage) training: Find a place for your puppy’s crate where you can leave it for the duration. Some dogs stay in this crate their entire life. It becomes their “safe house”. They will sleep in it and retreat to it when they want to feel “safe”. Keep your puppy in the crate and let it out when it is time to eat. After eating, puppies usually have to relieve themselves aka “do the duty” within 30 minutes. Watch your puppy carefully and when the “sniffing” begins take it outdoors. Use the same door each time so it will know how to tell you when the need arises. After “doing the duty” the puppy may be rewarded and come indoors for playtime. When tired, it is then put back into the crate for another hour or so. They will nap, after the whining and crying. When the puppy awakens, the usual necessary outdoor trip should occur again. After “performing”, it’s playtime again. This gets repeated for about 3 days. Your puppy should have a good idea of what is expected by then. By nature, a puppy/dog will not mess in the place they sleep. Be sure to remember a few items of interest; if your puppy has “accidents” in the crate, the crate might be too big. Put a piece of cardboard or particle board to make the area smaller until it grows into it. Also, if there is a blanket/towel or something in the crate with the puppy, it might think of this item as something to “cover up” the accidents. This method seems quicker and easier on the trainers. It is very difficult to watch a puppy 24/7 to get it to the paper on time! Whichever you choose good luck and enjoy!
Nothing says love and devotion like “man’s/woman’s best friend”.

Happy May Day

Better late than never... once again. At least I'm ony 1 day late this time! Here's a FREE trivial piece of information for you this week: (We all like FREE things right??)

Dedicated to my children, who are huge fans.... on May 1st BATMAN made his debut 70 years ago!! So there kids, Batman is OLDER than your mother!

That's all I got this time. Been really, really busy. Happy Birthday to me! and Happy Mother's Day to all "moms" visiting!

Hold It!

OMG! This is soooo scarry. I read an article about this poor 47 year old lady who was using the airplane's laboratory when the plane experienced turbulence. This has left her paralyzed because of a broken neck. It was a Continental flight from Houston to McAllen (a flight which I myself have taken) and one other passenger along with a crew member were also injured. Yikes! That's another reason for me not to use the bathroom while flying.

(http://travel.aol.com/travel-ideas/air-travel/articles/woman-paralyzed-after-turbulent-descent?ncid=AOLCOMMtravdynlsec0145&icid=mainhtmlws-maindl4link6http%3A%2F%2Ftravel.aol.com%2Ftravel-ideas%2Fair-travel%2Farticles%2Fwoman-paralyzed-after-turbulent-descent%3Fncid%3DAOLCOMMtravdynlsec0145)

Cynderella's Castle: HOLY COW!.... Play Ball#comments#comments

Cynderella's Castle: HOLY COW!.... Play Ball#comments#comments

HOLY COW!.... Play Ball

Welcome to the "All American Sport"... baseball. Ahhh yes, the Chicago Cubs. I found it interesting the "Billy Goat Curse" once again makes the news. It makes me sad for the goat, but on with the news.... Apparently they found a goat head hanging from the Harry Caray statue in Chicago before the Home Opener. This is a a copycat of 10/03/2007 when a whole butchered goat was hung in the same place. These are just two of the many attempts to break the curse. This whole fiasco fascinates me.

For those of you who have never heard of this, which was yours truly until last year, here's how it goes. Billy Goat Tavern owner, Billy Sianis, took his smelly goat to the Cubs' World Series game in 1945. Fans complained and he was asked to leave. In his outrage he cursed, "Them Cubs, they aren't gonna win no more!" Does this "curse" mean there would never by another World Series game played at Wrigley Field??

Wanna read more check out: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curse_of_the_Billy_Goat or just google "Chicago Cubs Billy Goat Curse". You'll be hooked!!

For anyone in the Rockford, IL area.... I would like to post a review for a fairly new restaurant named Pearl.

I was pleasantly surprised that it was not as "fancy" as I had anticipated. Not that I am beyond getting dressed up now and then, but this was one particular evening I was in a "jeans" mood. The inside is very modern, adorned in all white (for the "pearl" ambiance I suppose). The center is occupied by a horseshoe bar and is equipped with numerous "big screen" tvs for sports viewing. There are tables around the outside walls, some cafe (high) and some regular. It would seem their specialty is wood grilled pizza! This came as another surprise to me. The full menu consists of 4-5 spectacular appetizers, 4 steak (meat) entrees, now that I think about it one of those was pork (which I tried and will get to a little later), 2 chicken, and 4 fish and a couple pasta dishes. Soups and salads were alacarte. A great beer and wine selection and from where I was sitting I saw alot of martinis being created :)

As for me... I had the pork because it was served with grilled polenta and you just don't see this on many menus. It is one of my favorites. This was grilled to perfection! We began our evening with a prosciutto appetizer... yummy! My husband ordered a seafood trio, but on the advise of our great waitress, ended up with the grilled salmon dinner. She indicated the trio was just not enough food (guess she thought he looked hungry) lol. I selected the house cabernet and it was a great choice, while my husband chose Fat Tire beer that they had on tap. We finished our evening with a chocolate dessert (the name escapes me) but the taste is still lingering! Delicious.

The most expensive item on the menu was $24.95 for the fillet mignon. I give it 4 out of 5 stars only because it was "noisy". I felt that since it was a smaller restaurant it should have felt more quiet and cozy. Everything else was very pleasing. Thumbs up!

Thanks for reading!

April 7th Invention

You ready for this?? April 7th, in 1877 by an English Chemist named John Walker invented matches. There you have it. Short and sweet. Just another pointless trivial fact to store somewhere in that already overloaded, overworked brain! Stay tuned for more!

Easter Bonnet.... No Way! Easter Candy!

With Easter fast approaching, my sweet tooth is aching.... from too many Peanut M&Ms that is! Okay, you guessed it. Those are MY favorite. It appears Chocolate Bunnies hold their own still. I have compiled an Easter Candy list you might find interesting. What's your favorite? How do YOU eat a Chocolate Bunny?

1. $1.9 Billion worth of candy sold for Easter, followed by $1.4 Billion for Christmas, and $1 Billion for Valentines Day. Yes, Halloween still leads with $2 Billion.

2. According to 76% of Americans polled, 5% of them eat the feet of the Chocolate Bunny first, with 4% eating the tail first. No word on the head first. Any takers? I say Feet, then Tail, then right up the whole thing until it's GONE!

3. Consumers purchase over 700 million Peeps! Favorite colors start with Yellow, then Pink, followed by Lavendar, Blue and White... in that order.

4. Kids ages 6-11 eat Jelly Beans 1 at a time more than all at once, however, Boys are more apt than Girls to eat handfuls. No surprise there huh?

5. Favorite flavors of Jelly Beans are Cherry followed by Strawberry, Grape, Lime, and Blueberry... in that order. I do not eat Jelly Beans.

Let me know your favorite Easter Candy, how you would eat your Chocolate Bunny, and your favorite Jelly Bean flavor! Happy Easter!!

DWTS

Goodbye to who? In my opinion, after watching last night its between Lawrence Taylor, Steve O, and David Grier. I think Steve O has the following to help him. That narrows it down to Lawrence Taylor or David Grier. Hopefully, its David Grier. That's my pick. Lawrence is a football player and it seems they give those guys a few extra chances. Who's your pick??

The Paso Doble is not one of my favorite dances. Too theatrical for me (if you can believe that). Call me old fashioned, but I love the waltz.

Cya!

Happy Anniversary!

Well, today is our 8th Anniversary! We made it passed the 7 year itch! Happy Day. In honor of our anniversary, do you know what was invented on this day, April 7th, in 1877 by an English Chemist named John Walker? It is not used as much as it once was, but certainly everyone knows what this is!

Here's some other interesting April 7th happenings:

1990: Farm Aid IV was held in the Hoosier Dome. 45,000 people attended the 13-hour concert, which raised $1 million. Performers: Willie Nelson, Neil Young, John Mellencamp and Elton John. - Wish I could have gone. Bet it was a good time.

1989: One week after the Exxon Valdez oil spill disaster, President Bush pledged federal assistance to help in the clean-up. - All those poor fish and birds. Could have gone a lifetime without that spill.

1984: The Census Bureau reported Los Angeles had overtaken Chicago as the nation's "second city" in terms of population. - But were they all legal??

1966: The United States recovered a hydrogen bomb it had lost off the coast of Spain. -Thank goodness! Who knew we even lost one?

1947: Auto pioneer Henry Ford died in Dearborn, Michigan, at age 83. - As a past owner of a Ford Pinto (1977 1/2) I just had to honor the man in my blog.

And last but not least... did you know April is:

Multicultural Communication Month - (Everyone is supposed to learn a second language... ha!)

Municipal Community Services Month - (California came up with this one.)

National Anxiety Month - Encourages people to turn worrying into problem-solving. - (HA! What can I say about this one???)

Thanks for visiting. Stay tuned for the invention!

April Fool's

Hey! I made it thru April 1st without being "fooled"!! Also, Happy Cheap Trick Day! (Once again, better late than never.)

Feel soooo bad for Woz! He is just a great guy. Makes me want to go out and buy a MAC! (as soon as the economy picks up) As for Holly... oh well. I wish she would have done better to prove Hef wrong, but then he has probably only been wrong once or twice in his lifetime. One doesn't build an empire like his on making mistakes.

Thank you to those who have tried to comment. I am in the process of finding out what the problem is.

To Dry.... Or Not to Dry?? That is the question.

A while ago, a few members of our blended family were discussing a very important issue. After a shower/bath do you completely dry off or just wrap a towel around you and continue on with your grooming. The final decision was split right in half. The sure thing is... if you "dry" you use every square inch of the towel on every square inch of your body. If you don't dry.... you face the risk of falling flat on your face as you walk across the bathroom floor. Needless to say, I am in the "dry" category. This also raises the question of what to do with those snowy white robes in swanky hotels? Do you just put one on dripping wet? Or do you dry off first and then put one on? Perhaps that is the question.

Born In The USA

Yep. Bruce Springsteen's (sp? sorry) Born In The USA was the first CD stamped here in the U.S. Makes me feel pretty young... seems like CDs have been around for a long time. That's a good feeling for us "oldies" who listened to 45s and LPs and 8 Tracks and Cassettes. Get the idea? Good.

Now, on to DWTS. The judges were out of control and down right mean to Steve the Geek. He is really trying and he is probably the one who is the furthest out of his element... along with Ty the bull rider of course. And... is the "Bachelor Reject" Melissa to be considered a star? One must wonder. But she is pretty smooth. Denise Richards...?? If you can't say anything nice don't say anything at all. Lil Kim? The jury is still out... no pun intended.

Take Care! Thanks for visiting :)

Fun Facts

Wow. What a busy week. It's already Thursday and I haven't posted a trivia question. Well here ya go.... for the younger crowd: What was the 1st musical CD pressed int he US??? You're gonna be surprised.

Here's a few more fun facts for ya.

American car horns beep in the tone of F.
1 in every 4 Americans has appeared on television.
The first product to have a bar code was Wrigley's gum.
The king of hearts is the only king without a mustache.
Apples, not caffeine, are more efficient at waking you up in the morning.
The plastic things on the end of shoelaces are called "aglets.
The first owner of the Marlboro company died of lung cancer.
Marilyn Monroe had six toes.

There ya have it. You got any?? Let me know.

Happy Birthday Barbie!

Ok, the first Barbie doll commercial appeared during the Mickey Mouse Club show. The siblings consist of Skipper in 1964, Todd in 1966, Tutti in 1966, Stacie in 1992, Kelly in 1995, and Krissy in 1999. But the popular haircut inspired by the 1st Lady Jacqueline Kennedy was..... the "Bubble Cut".

That's it. Makes you feel like a kid again huh? Who knows what the trivia will be next week.

Have a great weekend!

Fifty Already??

Nifty Nifty..... look who's Fifty - Barbie! Can you believe it... seems like yesterday when all she had was a few outfits and straight legs. Then came the bendable legs, twist-n-turn waist, Ken, the corvette, the mansion, and over 1 billion pairs of shoes. So to honor the babe.... the trivia is about Barbie today, on her 50th birthday 3/09/59!

Her full name is Barbara Millicent Roberts, (that would be too easy, so that's not the question). She was born in the Midwest, Wisconsin to be exact. She has 5 sisters and 1 brother (if you know any of their names it would be a plus... I'll have those for you at the end of the week too). The first Barbie commercial appeared on a very famous children's show (another plus) and she was named after Ruth Handler's daughter, Barbara... duh.

But.... do you know..... what popular hair style did Barbie wear in the 1960's inspired by 1st Lady Jacqueline Kennedy???? Let me know!

Also, don't forget DWTS tonight! Can't wait. Not looking forward to that girl next door being on the show. Maybe she won't qualify! Blog tomorrow!

Since you are sitting at the edge of your computer wanting to know Gilligan's first name, here it is. Willy. There you have it. The Skipper's name is Jonas Grumby - mentioned once in the 1st episode on the radio. The Professor is Roy Hinkley, Mary Ann's last name is Summers and Mrs. H's maiden name was Wentworth.

Gotta love that show! Almost as much as Andy Griffith!

Have a great weekend!

Wednesday Night Television

It's 3:30 p.m. CDT and I'm finally not creeped out by last nights tv. Yes, I love Criminal Minds and CSI NY. Criminal Minds took place in a cabin rental that looked exactly like one we stayed in when we attended a niece's wedding in Bayfield, WI last year. Sorry to say.... probably won't stay there again. This crime could have happened there so easily. OMG

Then, CSI NY.... a murder on the plane! Ok, takes care of flying for awhile. But then it ended up being the (OOps). won't tell in case you want to catch the rerun.

On a lighter note, I watched Nights in Rodanthe last week. Cried like a baby. Won't spoil it for those who want to see it, but highly recommend it. Great love story and sometimes you just feel like a tear jerker! Reminded me of Message In a Bottle, or Terms of Endearment, or Die Young/Forever Young? can't remember the title. Gotta go. Cooking a pork tenderloin tonight. I'll answer the Gilligan trivia tomorrow.

Welcome to the 21st Century

The century of blogs, IMs, texts, and technology. Plastic money has been around for a long time, but now we have to worry about identity theft (yes it happened to me... I wanted to let them keep it as meager as my bank account is) and learn all about how NOT to use the credit cards and what https means... oh my.

So, in this century http://www.fivestarpayments.com is a credit card service that seems worthy of investigating. At this time, we have a credit card company but we'll keep this in mind. "We" is that we are involved in my son-in-laws small business, here's a plug: Twisted Wrench Custom Cycles - He's a Harley Davidson Certified Mechanic and does a great job (Roscoe, IL) He's been in business now for about 3 years. Website/Blog coming soon. I'll post it here when its up and running.

Now, back to http://www.fivestarpayments.com. As mentioned, or as implied, everyone has something to do with credit cards, either using to purchase or using to sell and choosing a credit card processor and service can be exasperating. Five Star is a one stop shopping site. They help you match your business to the best processor for the buck. They provide training on all three types of POS terminals they offer. If its a website you need, they've got you covered with the shopping cart and helping you keep your customers save and secure. And... for those who still feel the need to write checks, they have Automated Clearing House for you to accept their payments also.

If you are thinking of starting a business, selling products, or have an existing credit card service, http://www.fivestarpayments.com might be of interest to you.

Legal Services

Hey! Here's an interesting website. http://www.centraljerseylegalservices.com/ Would be nice if they had something like this in our area. Perhaps they do, and I haven't checked it out. Seeing this network has prompted me to investigate. This is a legal service network that handles everything from personal injury, defective products, medical malpractice, workers comp, social security, disability, divorce, traffic, and real estate. I personally have used an attorney for more than one of these reasons and it would be nice to have a network.

At this website, http://www.centraljerseylegalservices.com/ they have a client/attorney matching service. This allows attorneys to "compete" for your services resulting in hopefully, some great pricing. Although the website didn't have a proofreader (the Our Services is misspelled), it is very informative and complete.

They offer a no-obligation meeting with a legal specialist. All you have to do is complete their short contact form. Check it out: http://www.centraljerseylegalservices.com/

Next Trivia Question ???

Ok... you ready for this one. I was going to stick with a theme such as Paul Harvey in honor of his passing, but there isn't alot of trivia on him. Just a great speaker that had a great life. Now we'll never know the rest of the story. Sad.

So, to lighten the mood I chose Gilligan. Yep of Gilligan's Island. Do you know he actually had a first name? Yep it was used once, in the pilot. Wanna know what it is? Stay tuned. The Captain, Professor, and other useless tidbits in the answer at the end of the week!

Here's a freebie for ya. I just found out the Cracker Box Dog has a name. B-I-N-G-O! You just never know what you're going to learn. Who knows.... maybe someday one of us will be on a game show and win!

Thanks for stopping by.

Hollywood Trivia Question Answered

Ok... the sign said "HOLLYWOODLAND". Some other interesting tidbits about the sign include an actress that committed suicide by jumping off the "H", along with a drunk driver crashing into the "H" and damaging it. In 1949 the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce contracted with the parks to repair the worn out sign. The contract stated the "land" be removed so that the sign reflected the city and not the development, and there would be no more lightbulbs. As the sign again deteriorated, in 1978 (it was a very good year because I graduated from high school) Alice Cooper, for those of the younger crowd - a rock star of his time, donated a huge sum of money to have the sign restored as a more permanent fixture. There were many others that also made donations to its cause. Oh, and sorry.... for those of you with a little extra cash to spend.... the original 1923 sign sold on ebay in 2005. Exact amount unknown... to me at least. If you could find that out it would make an interesting post. For more info check out: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hollywood_sign

Check back next week when there will be another trivia question! Thanks.

*NEW* Weekly Trivia Fun

A little weekly trivia for you. Something new added to this MAGNIFI CYN T Blog! (along with some cynful humor!)

We'll stick to the Academy Award theme, since I didn't watch them and have nothing to blog about regarding the movies (haven't seen most of them) or who won/didn't win, I did however watch a recap show on the "best dressed" and "worst dressed" which gets exceedingly old after a week. How much Brad and Angelina can we see? I read her dress looked like Mickey Mouse ears and had to chuckle and agree! Best dressed.... Sean Penn and his wife? Mr. and Mrs. Black? I could maybe have found better. I usually like Sarah Jessica Parker, but also had to agree with the real critics (even tho I do consider myself a real critic... in a different sense of the phrase. hehe) too much makeup and too much cleavage! Wow.... where did she get those? Sign me up.

Anyway.... now for the trivia part of the blog: Before the infamous "Hollywood" sign was 9 letters, it had four additional letters as an advertisement for a residential development. All of this happened way back in the 1920-30s so this is definitely for the movie history buffs. Does anyone know what the original sign was????

Tune in Friday for the answer! Go ahead and comment.... no fair peeking! Come on... it'll be fun!

Facebook Friends

Hey Facebook Friends! Welcome! Have some free time so thought I would utilize my laptop. LOL. To update everyone.... Jeff & Kathy came in for Christmas and we had a great time getting to know Morgan & Erick. Jake & Julie are doing fine, Jake moving Twisted Wrench one more building north (before we know it he will be in Wisconsin). Lizzy & Joey doing great in school, Joey getting signed up for football again this year. Isabella, adorable. I am taking care of her 4 days a week and all I can say is adorable. She is keeping me young! Riley is a Junior at ISU... doing ok. Lives in an "Animal House" I'm sure. Kelly is a Junior at Lutheran, following in big brother's footsteps and working at the car wash. Soon she will be a lifeguard this summer. That's the update! Maybe some day soon I'll figure out pics! Please let me know what you are up to! Thanks for dropping by. :)

Happy Valentine's Day

Sorry for the delay... but better late than never. Just wanted to wish everyone a Happy Valentine's Day and see if anyone did anything exciting? Heard Friday the 13th was released on Friday and received ok reviews. I probably will not see it because I can't help but think if you have seen one you have seen them all. As for me, I went bowling and to Outback for dinner. We bowl on a once-a-month league and it just happened to fall on Valentine's. Had a great time. Food was good, however, we didn't get there until 9:30 p.m. and they were out of a couple of their signature steaks. A little disappointing a place noted for steaks would be sold out, but nevertheless the blooming onion was as superb as usual. Now back to the work week tomorrow. President's Day for some... enjoy the holiday. Others.... back to the grind!

Dancing With The Stars

Ok, I have added a link to DWTS. From the looks of other blogs everyone is sharing the same opinion. I don't mind the over-forty-bracket.... since that includes me. However, their choices are a little less than appealing in the personality departments. Brenda Carlisle could be fun. But Denise Richards and Lil Kim??? And not sure how the "couples" thing will work out. Guess we'll just have to watch!

Welcome

Hey! Here it is.... my blog. Check out what I'm "About" and let me know what you think.