Two Thumbs Up

This was day five of my son being on meds for ADD and I have been home from work all week with him & he's still alive. LOL It's an extended release pill that he takes firs thing in the morning & it lasts 10-12 hours. I was very skeptical of putting him on any medication but after MUCH research into the pros & cons I must say that I am VERY happy so far. There are so many things that I didn't even realize were being affected. School is out for Christmas break & I wasn't sure whether I'd give them to him during the break or not, but I believe at this point it's a good thing.

He is able to complete simple things like putting away his toys without being reminded a dozen times and more tedious tasks like putting together models & other things that he would have given up on before. I am getting to be a part of his world now instead of feeling like I am constantly barking orders & wondering what the hell happened that I am not enjoying time with my son.

I've found some support & info sites online that I'll post for anyone interested as soon as I get my main computer back up & running. The wonderful electric company out here in the sticks can't seem to keep things up & running if the wind blows so after the power going on & off about a dozen times yesterday my hard drive announced its own death. This is only the 2nd one that has been fried so I guess this one is my fault for not having a battery backup. It will be the last time for not having the backup but at the moment I'm still pissed about it.

Back to the support & info - there are lots of little things I've learned about helping out to make life a little easier for anyone with ADD. So far we have gotten his room more organized & figured out specific places for things he needs daily like his backpack, shoes, etc. - things most of us take for granted but for him it's a constant battle. One of the biggest things I have learned, and realized, is how much of a toll it has taken on his self-esteem so we've been doing a lot of talking too. I'm sure there's much more for both of us to learn but I can finally see the light & I'm sure he can too. It's just the first week & I am so thankful to be getting to know my son it is truly unreal.

Enough rambling about Colton - Tana is having her first boy/girl party tomorrow night. She's titled it a Christmas party but I think it just boils down to wanting to have a party & it just happens to be Christmas. Jeff & I did our best to talk her into having it New Year's but she's mine so getting her to change her mind was a battle I chose not to fight. LOL Having it tomorrow night probably means less of a headache for me anyway.

She & I have gotten close during the past few months and I am really proud of her. God only knows how she has turned out as well as she has so far. The early years of Jeff & I being married were rough at best so I am surprised daily. That's not to say she won't drag us on the Jerry Springer or Oprah show later in life, but right now I am pretty impressed at how balanced she seems to be. She's doing well playing the clarinet in band, made the volleyball team, keeps her grades up, made the spelling bee team and just generally is a good kid. The teen years aren't here yet - but we can all hope.

Okay, enough rambling for now...it's getting late & I've gotten older so I gotta shut up & get some rest for the party tomorrow. LOL

Continuum

Music by John Mayer

I was fortunate enough to have the funds to go ahead and grab this album without having to wait until Christmas morning to give it to myself. (Lame? probably....Do I care? no....LOL) Some things never change.

Okay so there's a lot going on around me now - which is ironic as hell if you ask me because there isn't much of anything going on physically around me these days. Today I took flu meds and read Lessons in Becoming Myself until noon or better. I still have just enough fever to make things wierd and skewed - especially if you have tunes like John Mayer to listen to in the meantime.

My son started taking meds for ADD yesterday and today was his first day at school, so when he got home I was anxiously awaiting to hear whatever news of the day. Of course, I'm always looking for fireworks and Emmy nominations, etc. & we got the star in his folder which shows he behaved well for the day. LMAO

Expectations....they will kill you if you let them....

Okay, so I'm happy with the star but still looking through his backpack for the letter or something more. (Imagine that....me....still wanting more...)

I calm myself - with help from Jeff reminding me to stop acting like a maniac....I'm not acting. LOL Okay so there's no letter, we got the star and we've been hoping for that star for quite some time so we will be pleased with it.

Then out of nowhere my son tells me he's been invited to a Boy Scout Christmas Party at 6:30 and we MUST go. LOL See! There it is! Miracles do happen! I know it's humorous to anyone reading this crap but from here we had a miracle happening right in front of us.

Me (Mom) and Colton go to the Boy Scout Christmas Party and it was great. He was just another 8 year old boy doing crafts & playing & having a good time. And I was his Mom sitting there waiting for him to finish but taking in every second of watching my son FINALLY get to just be a kid & be a part of.

This was our 2nd day on Focalin XR & I am looking forward to all that may come our way. He's finally my son that's I've been waiting on all this time that diggs holes in the dirt & all the other boy stuff that doesn't make sense or have meaning until you have a son that can't slow down long enough in his mind to even try these things. Now, at this point in life, I had the opportunity to look outside & see him digging a hole with a shovel and just smile knowing he was enjoying it.

Before now I would have been trying to screw up the inevitable by asking my son (or anyone else's) what the reason is for digging the hole and if there isn't one they should stop.

Lessons in life are funny that way. Sometimes we just have to let them dig the damn hole.

Reading: Lessons in Becoming Myself

I started reading a new book about a week ago in attempt to slow down, if not stop, my latest self-destruct mode. In hopes of knowledge is power I am finally starting to recognize my own cycles in life and the fact that I am (once again) my own worst enemy. At any rate, the book I'm reading is Lessons in Becoming Myself by Ellen Burnstyn.

Who is Ellen Burnstyn?
Most would know her as Chris MacNeil in The Exorcist movie.

Why am I reading it?
About a week ago I had recorded several Oprah shows and decided on watching this particular one about Becoming Yourself. Oprah had several guests as well as clips from interviews from various people but Ellen's story hit home for me on many levels so buying the book was a must. I'm about half-way through reading it and I am extremely glad I made this particular purchase. It's just one more way that someone has touched my life and I hope to learn a little from her story. If nothing else, maybe to recognize my own cycles I tend to do to myself and someday at least slow down & give myself the opportunity to find some peace & happiness.

Daughters

I know a girl
She puts the color inside of my world
But she's just like a maze
Where all of the walls all continually change
And I've done all I can
To stand on her steps with my heart in my hands
Now I'm starting to see
Maybe it's got nothing to do with me

Fathers, be good to your daughters
Daughters will love like you do
Girls become lovers who turn into mothers
So mothers, be good to your daughters too

Oh, you see that skin?
It's the same she's been standing in
Since the day she saw him walking away
Now she's left
Cleaning up the mess he made

So fathers, be good to your daughters
Daughters will love like you do
Girls become lovers who turn into mothers
So mothers, be good to your daughters too

Boys, you can break
You'll find out how much they can take
Boys will be strong
And boys soldier on
But boys would be gone without the warmth from
A womans good, good heart

On behalf of every man
Looking out for every girl
You are the god and the weight of her world

So fathers, be good to your daughters
Daughters will love like you do
Girls become lovers who turn into mothers
So mothers, be good to your daughters too

Lyrics of Daughters by John Mayer

Incubus - Make Yourself

I've been going thru old files on my computer here at work to get things cleaned up and ready for a new year - as well as to let my brain rest from the phone, email and constant rambling that the holiday shopping season brings about up here. While doing all this mindless file sorting and such I've ran across some old music that I haven't listened to in ages - one of them is Incubus - and one of my favorite albums of theirs is Make Yourself. You can read more about them, and listen to previews of their songs on Last.fm

Dear God

There was a man who worked for the Post Office whose job it was to process all the mail that had illegible addresses. One day, a letter came addressed in a shaky handwriting to God with no actual address. He thought he should open it to see what it was about.

The letter read: "Dear God, I am an 83 year old widow, living on a very small pension. Yesterday someone stole my purse. It had $100 in it, which was all the money I had until my next pension check. Next Sunday is Christmas, and I had invited two of my friends over for dinner. Without that money, I have nothing to buy food with. I have no family to turn to, and you are my only hope. Can you please help me? Sincerely, Edna

The postal worker was touched. He showed the letter to all the other workers. Each one dug into his or her wallet and came up with a few dollars. By the time he made the rounds, he had collected $96, which they put into an envelope and sent to the woman. The rest of the day, all the workers felt a warm glow thinking of Edna and the dinner she would be able to share with her friends. Christmas came and went. A few days later, another letter came from the> same old lady to God. All the workers gathered around while the letter was opened.

It read,

"Dear God, How can I ever thank you enough for what you did for me? Because of your gift of love, I was able to fix a glorious dinner for my friends. We had a very nice day and I told my friends of your wonderful gift. By the way, there was $4 missing. I think it must have been those bastards at the Post Office

Diggnation

Okay, it's slow at work today and I've been listening to Diggnation's Episode #72 and wanted to share some laughs with you. I won't even attempt to recreate it for you so click here and laugh a little.

How Stuff Works: SS#

Have you ever wondered how "they" come up with social security numbers? (Yeah, I've lost a lot of sleep wondering about this too....LMAO) How Stuff Works: Social Security Numbers

Gadget Drooling

Check out this cool ass phone coming out soon by LG... (click the photo for more info)

Yahoo & Google Launch Sitemaps.org

Snip from WebProNews...

In an exclusive video interview with WebProNews Yahoo and Google announced a collaborative site called sitemaps.org. Tim Mayer states in the video, “This is something we are announcing tonight at around 9 PM tonight (Las Vegas) Google and Yahoo have gotten together to provide webmasters and publishers a unified way to send their content … let our search engines know about new and existing content.”

http://videos.webpronews.com/2006/11/16/yahoo-and-google-collaborate-on-search/

Help is Not Rescuing

We do not have to wait for others to come to our aid. We are not victims. We are not helpless.

Letting go of faulty thinking means we realize there are no knights on white horses, no magical grandmothers in the sky watching, waiting to rescue us.

Teachers may come our way, but they will not rescue. They will teach. People who care will come, but they will not rescue. They will care. Help will come, but help is not rescuing.

We are our own rescuers.

Our relationships will improve dramatically when we stop rescuing others and stop expecting them to rescue us.

Today, I will let go of the fears and self doubt that block me from taking assertive action in my best interest. I can take care of myself and let others do the same for themselves.

TGIF Rambling

Just a quick post to let those interested know that I'm in the process of setting up a domain, hosting and dedicated blog. Why? So that I can be a grown up nerd & have categories for my posts and start being a productive geek again. (ie: making money for being on the web the majority of most days) Any ideas for a domain name??? (donnafrench.com, etc...)

Christmas at Arlington

Christmas at Arlington and one big, American thank-you is certainly due to Merrill Worcester and the Worcester Wreath Co. of Harrington, Maine. To do something like this year after year is above and beyond the call of duty. Here's a salute to you, Merrill, and I hope you get many more.

Readers may be interested to know that these wreaths -- some 5,000 -- are donated by the Worcester Wreath Co. of Harrington, Maine. The owner, Merrill Worcester, not only provides the wreaths, but covers the trucking expense as well. He's done this since 1992. A wonderful guy. Also, most years, groups of Maine school kids combine an educational trip to DC with this event to help out. Making this even more remarkable is the fact that Harrington is in one the poorest parts of the state.

Please share this with everyone on your address list. You hear too much about the bad things people do. Everyone should hear about this.

Arlington National Cemetery

Firefox 2, Diggnation

I am just now getting around to upgrading to Firefox 2 and wanted to post a little reminder for those of you that are STILL using the 'blue e'. The blue e sucks, Firefox rocks. LMAO That was cheesey... And I've been sitting here laughing my ass off listening to the latest Diggnation podcast thru iTunes & these guys are nuts. I've got a 2pm nerd conference about Apollo that Adobe will be launching early next year so I better run for now...

Go Shorty, It's Your B-Day

Just checkin' on you

I was feeling a little nosey, so I thought I would look in on you and see if you are sitting at your computer...

Yup, there you are!

Doing nothing as usual!

Bananas

After Reading this, you will NEVER look at a banana in the same way again!

Bananas Contain three natural sugars - sucrose, fructose and glucose combined with fiber, a banana gives an instant, sustained and substantial boost of energy. Research has proven that just two bananas provide enough energy for a strenuous 90-minute workout. No wonder the banana is the number one fruit with the world's leading athletes.

But energy isn't the only way a banana can help us keep fit. It can also help overcome or prevent a substantial number of illnesses and conditions, making it a must to add to our daily diet.

Depression:
According to a recent survey undertaken by MIND amongst people suffering from depression, many felt much better after eating a banana. This is because bananas contain tryptophan, a type of protein that the body converts into serotonin, known to make you relax, improve your mood and generally make you feel better.

PMS:
Forget the pills -- eat a banana. The vitamin B6 it contains regulates blood glucose levels, which can affect your mood.

Anemia:
High in iron, bananas can stimulate the production of hemoglobin in the blood and so helps in cases of anemia.

Blood Pressure:
This unique tropical fruit is extremely high in potassium yet low in salt, making it the perfect way to beat blood pressure. So much so, the US Food and Drug Administration has just allowed the banana industry to make official claims for the fruit's ability to reduce the risk of blood pressure and stroke.

Brain Power:
200 students at a Twickenham (Middlesex England) school were helped through their exams this year by eating bananas at breakfast, break, and lunch in a bid to boost their brain power. Research has shown that the potassium-packed fruit can assist learning by making pupils more alert.

Constipation:
High in fiber, including bananas in the diet can help restore normal bowel action, helping to overcome the problem without resorting to laxatives.

Hangovers:
One of the quickest ways of curing a hangover is to make a banana milkshake, sweetened with honey. The banana calms the stomach and, with the help of the honey, builds up depleted blood sugar levels, while the milk soothes and re-hydrates your system.

Heartburn:
Bananas have a natural antacid effect in the body, so if you suffer from heartburn, try eating a banana for soothing relief.

Morning Sickness:
Snacking on bananas between meals helps to keep blood sugar levels up and avoid morning sickness

Mosquito bites:
Before reaching for the insect bite cream, try rubbing the affected area with the inside of a banana skin. Many people find it amazingly successful at reducing swelling and irritation.

Nerves:
Bananas are high in B vitamins that help calm the nervous system.

Overweight and at work?
Studies at the Institute of Psychology in Austria found pressure at work leads to gorging on comfort food like chocolate and chips. Looking at 5,000 hospital patients, researchers found the most obese were more likely to be in high-pressure jobs. The report concluded that, to avoid panic-induced food cravings, we need to control our blood sugar levels by snacking on high carbohydrate foods every two hours to keep levels steady.

Ulcers:
The banana is used as the dietary food against intestinal disorders because of its soft texture and smoothness. It is the only raw fruit that can be eaten without distress in over-chronicler cases. It also neutralizes over-acidity and reduces irritation by coating the lining of the stomach.

Temperature control:
Many other cultures see bananas as a "cooling" fruit that can lower both the physical and emotional temperature of expectant mothers. In Thailand, for example, pregnant women eat bananas to ensure their baby is born with a cool temperature.

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD):
Bananas can help SAD sufferers because they contain the natural mood enhancer tryptophan.

Smoking:
Bananas can also help people trying to give up smoking. The B6 and B12 they contain, as well as the potassium and magnesium found in them, help the body recover from the effects of nicotine withdrawal.

Stress:
Potassium is a vital mineral which helps normalize the heartbeat, sends oxygen to the brain and regulates your body's water balance. When we are stressed, our metabolic rate rises, thereby reducing our potassium levels. These can be rebalanced with the help of a high-potassium banana snack.

Strokes:
According to research in "The New England Journal of Medicine," eating bananas as part of a regular diet can cut the risk of death from strokes by as much as 40%!

So, a banana really is a natural remedy for many ills. When you compare it to an apple, it has four times the protein, twice the carbohydrates, three times the phosphorus, five times the vitamin A and iron, and twice the other vitamins and minerals. It is also rich in potassium and is one of the best value foods around. So maybe its time to change that well-known phrase so that we say, "A banana a day keeps the doctor away!"

Footnote:

If your roses are covered with Aphids, drape banana skins over the branches, I'ts amazing, but in a day or less, they are GONE!

I've tried it, and I couldn't believe it, no more aphids, as long as I save my banana skins for the rose bushes!

Impressed? Well then, PASS IT ON TO YOUR FRIENDS!

Unzip a BANANA today!

Nerd Uproar

You want to witness a bunch of computer nerds (myself included) in an uproar? Go on over to the 37 Signals blog - Signal vs. Noise - and read this post:

Web developers: Microsoft has no idea what's going on

It's hilarious but at the same time it's all the more reason why I got Ubuntu installed this past weekend and will be working on learning how to do everything I need/want to on a Linux based system at this point.

I'm wondering how long it would take MS to release software if they cut out coding pop-up error messages and just made their damn software work???

ColdFusion 8 (Scorpio)

Each version of ColdFusion, as well as most nerd projects, has a code name - and this version is named Scorpio. Amusing to some of us... Anyway, Ray Camden has posted some public info about it so I thought I'd share: http://ray.camdenfamily.com/index.cfm/2006/10/24/Known-ColdFusion-8Scorpio-Facts

Adobe Max 2006

It's that time of year again and today is the opening day of Adobe MAX 2006 and it's a little wierd to be saying Adobe MAX instead of Macromedia. But change is good - I'm learning that SLOWLY. MAX is in Las Vegas this year so I'm wondering how much it will really cost the people that go. LOL I'm not a gambler but I would like to see Vegas and that whole experience of being there from what I've heard. Some of my favorite ColdFusion gurus will be there including: Ray Camden, Christian Cantrell, Ben Forta, Simon Horwith, and Matt Woodward. I'm sure they will all be posting to their blogs for the rest of us less fortunate nerds that are stuck at home. LOL Maybe next year I can go check it out for myself...

Sign the Border Security Petition

http://www.rickperry.org/petition

Finally! A Cure for Hiccups LOL

Fesmire, a specialist in emergency medicine and cardiology, probably did not have a real Nobel in mind when he published "Termination of intractable hiccups with digital rectal massage" in Annals of Emergency Medicine (vol 17, p 872). Read the full story here...

Subversion Development

There's a great post from Dave Shuck's InstantSpot about using a Subversion Development Environment. If you're wondering what the hell you could possibly use this for...have you ever accidentally uploaded a file that wasn't quite ready for production & overwritten the one that was working fine? Ever called your hosting company to restore your backup files because you screwed up? Now you're listening. LOL Read Dave's article for more info...

Strongest Dad in the World

Live a Life That Matters

Ready or not, someday it will all come to an end.

There will be no more sunrises, no minutes, hours, or days.
All the things you collected, whether treasured or forgotten, will pass to someone else.
Your wealth, fame, and temporal power will shrivel to irrelevance.

It will not matter what you owned or what you were owed.
Your grudges, resentments, frustrations, and jealousies will finally disappear.
So, too, your hopes, ambitions, plans, and to-do lists will expire.

The wins and losses that once seemed so important will fade away.
It won't matter where you came from, or on what side of the tracks you lived, at the end.
It won't matter whether you were beautiful or brilliant
Even your gender and skin color will be irrelevant.

So what will matter? How will the value of your days be measured?

What will matter is not what you bought, but what you built; not what you got, but what you gave.
What will matter is not your success, but your significance.
What will matter is not what you learned, but what you taught.

What will matter is every act of integrity, compassion, courage or sacrifice that enriched,
empowered or encouraged others to emulate your example.

What will matter is not your competence, but your character.
What will matter is not how many people you knew, but how many will feel a lasting loss when you're gone.

What will matter is not your memories, but the memories that live in those who loved you.
What will matter is how long you will be remembered, by whom and for what.

Living a life that matters doesn't happen by accident. It's not a matter of circumstance but of choice.

Choose to live a life that matters

Dealing with Difficult People

I was catching up on reading some of my favorite blogs and ran across this...

"Never again fall victim to those who love to make life miserable for the rest of us. This training gives you concrete techniques for dealing with difficult people in the workplace and at home. It provides specific strategies for getting adversaries to cooperate … bullies to back off … wallflowers to open up … chronic complainers to quiet down."

on a post at Signal vs. Noise - Dealing with Difficult People And for those of you who don't know - I work at Lane's Gifts & Collectibles so every day is an adventure in itself. A clue for those of you who are thinking "I've heard that name somewhere..." - the somewhere is here. It was too funny to not mention on here but let me set the record straight - they are great people & have treated me better than any employer ever has. *Note: I didn't say Allen is easy to get along with - I said they are good people - there is a difference. LMAO

Free Hugs Campaign. Inspiring!

Sometimes, a hug is all what we need. Free hugs is a real life controversial story of Juan Mann, A man whos sole mission was to reach out and hug a stranger to brighten up their lives.

In this age of social disconnectivity and lack of human contact, the effects of the Free Hugs campaign became phenomenal.

As this symbol of human hope spread accross the city, police and officials ordered the Free Hugs campaign BANNED. What we then witness is the true spirit of humanity come together in what can only be described as awe inspiring.

In the Spirit of the free hugs campaign, PASS THIS TO A FRIEND and HUG A STRANGER! After all, If you can reach just one person...

Music by Sick Puppies. (Visit http://sickpuppies.net or http://myspace.com/sickpuppies for the music)

Google Purchases YouTube for $1.65B

Google Purchases YouTube for $1.65B

A Day With a Perfect Stranger

In my last post I mentioned reading Dinner With a Perfect Stranger so I thought I'd follow up to let anyone that's interested know I bought & read A Day With a Perfect Stranger this past weekend.

I'm not really sure how to describe the book to be honest. The first one is about a workaholic husband that gets a dinner invitation & it's with a man that claims to be Jesus. At first I was a little skeptical but then I considered what the conversation over dinner with Jesus could possibly include, as well as questions that might be answered - so I bought it and read it in two sessions.

The second book is about the wife of the workaholic hubby in the first one & she's pretty sure her husband has lost his mind because he's become what she considers "religious". Both of the books are quite humorous and insightful - and they are both short reads which I always like too.

Out With the Old..

I decided to put a new face on my blog to reflect all the change in the direction of my life. Yeah I know - I'm a nerd. Oh well, I haven't lost any sleep over it.

There's quite a bit going on in my world these days so I thought I'd post on here. If nothing else it helps me mentally organize what is going on & sometimes see a better solution. And sometimes the solution is that I don't know what to do & ask for some help. I wonder if there's someone out there doing research about why it's so damn hard to ask for help? We all want to feel needed but usually fail to ask others for help. Makes sense to me...NOT!

Okay, back to nerd territory. I finally took the plunge and signed up for an online ColdFusion class so that I can brush up on the things I know as well as learn some new stuff. I've only been putting that off for years now! The web site I found offers free trials to see if you like their style - Lynda.com - and their biggest factor for me is that I can do things at my own pace. Sometimes I think that's the way everything should be - do it (or not) - it's up to you. I usually end up finishing way ahead of schedule if I know there's no authority figure involved. Also nature of the beast since I am my worst enemy. LMAO

If you're looking for a book that you can finish in one or two settings & you need to re-connect with God - or a reminder that there is one. Hell I don't know. At any rate, I bought & read a book titled Dinner with a Perfect Stranger by David Gregory last weekend and I'd recommend it to anyone that has ever wanted to ask God a few questions. It's funny, it's not a Bible thumper book, but it does promote brain cell movement - which I've recently discovered (again) that I love! Check it out & tell me what you think. There's another one after this titled A Day With a Perfect Stranger that I plan to buy in the next few weeks too.

Enough for now...

Classified Ad - LMAO!!!

$10,000 06' Suzuki GSXR 1000
Farmington, UT 84025 - Aug 7, 2006
2006 Suzuki 1000. This bike is perfect! It has 1000 miles and has had its 500 mile dealer service. (Expensive) It's been adult ridden, all wheels have always been on the ground. I use it as a cruiser/commuter. I'm selling it because it was purchased without proper consent of a Loving Wife. Apparently "Do whatever the Hell you want" Doesn't mean what I thought.

Do the Math

From a strictly mathematical viewpoint it goes like this:

What Makes 100%? What does it mean to give MORE than 100%? Ever wonder about those people who say they are giving more than 100%? We have all been to those meetings where someone wants you to give over 100%. How about achieving 103%? What makes up 100% in life?

Here's a little mathematical formula that might help you answer these questions:

If: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z is represented as:

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26.

Then:

H-A-R-D-W-O-R-K
8+1+18+4+23+15+18+11 = 98%

and

K-N-O-W-L-E-D-G-E
11+14+15+23+12+5+4+7+5 = 96%

But,

A-T-T-I-T-U-D-E
1+20+20+9+20+21+4+5 = 100%

And,

B-U-L-L-S-H-I-T
2+21+12+12+19+8+9+20 = 103%

AND, look how far ass kissing will take you.

A-S-S-K-I-S-S-I-N-G
1+19+19+11+9+19+19+9+14+7 = 118%

So, one can conclude with mathematical certainty that while Hard Work and Knowledge will get you close, and Attitude will get you there, it's the Bullshit and Ass Kissing that will put you over the top!

The Steps We Took

My cousin, Diane, from Washington state loaned me a book about the Twelve Steps that I've just started reading so I thought I'd post a short note about it on here. I've only read the first two chapters so far but it's already put some things into perspective for me.

The Steps We Took

Flickr

I've been working on adding photos to my Flickr account this morning and just thought I'd post here to rave about Flickr if you haven't already got an account. Right now I'm still using a free account which is limited on the number of "sets" (like albums for organization) and there is a limit on the transfers per month.

A tip for the transfers - if you'll resize your photos before you upload them to a smaller size than what your camera auto saves them at - you most likely won't run into any problems with the amount of transfers on the free account.

I'm probably going to go ahead and upgrade to the pro account but the reason is because the free only allows 3 sets and I want to be able to organize all my photos into their own set (album).

Anyway...you can check out my photos here: www.flickr.com/photos/dgfrench/

About Dealing With the Past

This post is about a book I opened while in detox that played a huge role toward turning my life around from the mess I'd created. I'm not claiming to be well now, but I've definitely made some changes and strive to learn a little each day toward becoming better.

The part of this that really hit home for me on 7-10-06 is in bold, but I hope you'll take the time to read all of it. I have let a lot of things pass by in my life because I didn't have time for them. Now I realize there are some things in life that I must make time for if I want life.

7-2-06 This is from "God's Inspirational Promise Book" with Max Lucado

About Dealing With The Past

We know that in everything God works for the good of those who love him. They are the people he called, because that was his plan.
Romans 8:28

Why am I so sad?
Why am I so upset?
I should put my hope in God
and keep praising him,
my savior and my God.
Psalm 43:5

I know that I have not yet reached that goal but there is one thing I always do. Forgetting the past and straining toward what is ahead, I keep trying to reach the goal and get the prize for which God called me through Christ to the life above.
Philippians 3:13-14

Perhaps your childhood memories bring more hurt than inspiration. The voices of your past cursed you, belittled you, ignored you. At the time, you thought such treatment was typical. Now you see it isn't.

And now you find yourself trying to explain your past. Do you rise above the past and make a difference? Or do you remain controlled by the past and make excuses?

Think about this. Spiritual life comes from the Spirit! Your parents may have given you genes, but God gives you grace. Your parents may be responsible for your body, but God has taken charge of your soul. You may get your looks from your mother, but you get eternity from your Father, your heavenly Father. And God is willing to give you what your family didn't.

Father, you know us early in the morning; you know us late at night. You know us when we're weak; you know us when we're strong. Father, remind us that you still care and that you still love us.

Model-Glue

*Attention: This is a nerd post...

I've been reading about frameworks for a WHILE now and have finally taken the time to read about each one enough to make a decision on what I THINK will be the best one for me. Only having based it on what I've read so far and not actually looking at any code, I've decided to move forward with Model-Glue.

How did I make this decision?
By reading Sean Corfield's blog post "Which Framework?" and reading thru his presentation that compares frameworks.

Why did I choose Model-Glue?
Because I have some experience building Visual Basic .NET windows applications and it just seems to make sense at this point.

Stay tuned as I dive into the code I'll post & let you know...

Waiting on the World to Change

I've been a fan of John Mayer and his music for a while now so I'm happy to help spread the word that he is releasing a new album called Continuum. You can view the video or just listen to the audio on his web site at - www.johnmayer.com

Check out his web site - he's even got a blog! LOL

Webmaster Jam Session - Dallas, TX

If you're a nerd like me then you have got to appreciate this - a Webmaster Jam Session in Dallas, Texas. And there's no doubt that a bunch of nerds that just get shit done - no fluff - no foo foo - came up with this. They came up with a cool name and God only knows how long that took. I know it would have taken me a while...LMAO

Okay - all jokes aside - I've wanted to go hear what Eric Meyer has to say for a WHILE and I'm hoping to take advantage of this since it's right down the road from me.

It's coming up really soon and I've already got plans for the weekend before & after so I'm hoping I can manage to make this event too.

Webmaster Jam Session - Dallas, Texas
September 22 & 23, 2006
http://www.webjamsession.com/

Dream in Code

Raymond Camden blogged about the ColdFusion Reference Sheet that you can download over at Dream in Code so I thought I'd give everyone a head's up in case you missed it on Raymond's post. If you're wondering who the hell Raymond Camden is - he's the co-author of "ColdFusion Web Application Construction Kit". And if you're not a CFer, then you'll be happy to know that Dream in Code also offers reference sheets for C++, Java, and VB 6.

Burning Man

I've never heard of this but I'm addicted to reading blogs and ran across this today... http://www.mattcutts.com/blog/five-tips-for-burning-man/

Courage

I wanted you to see what real courage is, instead of getting the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hand. It's when you know you're licked before you begin but you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what.

Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird, 1960 US novelist (1926 - )

What Pets Do While We Work

Friday News: Victims of Squirrel Attack Upset

I can't help it - I have a sick sense of humor...LMAO

Click Here: Victims of Squirrel Attack Upset

Be careful

Don't let your mind make decisions that your heart can't cope with

Scientific Explanation of Hell

Scientific Explanation of Hell

The following is an actual question given on a University of Washington chemistry midterm. The answer by one student was so "profound" that the professor shared it with colleagues, via the Internet, which is, of course, why we now have the pleasure of enjoying it as well.

Bonus Question: Is Hell exothermic (gives off heat) or endothermic (absorbs heat)?

Most of the students wrote proofs of their beliefs using Boyle's Law (gas cools when it expands and heats when it is compressed) or some variant. One student, however, wrote the following:

"First, we need to know how the mass of Hell is changing in time. So we need to know the rate at which souls are moving into Hell and the rate at which they are leaving.

I think that we can safely assume that once a soul gets to Hell, it will not leave. Therefore, no souls are leaving. As for how many souls are entering Hell, let's look at the different Religions that exist in the world today. Most of these religions state that if you are not a member of their religion, you will go to Hell. Since there is more than one of these religions and since people do not belong to more than one religion, we can project that all souls go to Hell.

With birth and death rates as they are, we can expect the number of souls in Hell to increase exponentially. Now, we look at the rate of change of the volume in Hell because Boyle's Law states that in order for the temperature and pressure in Hell to stay the same, the volume of Hell has to expand proportionately as souls are added.

This gives two possibilities:

1. If Hell is expanding at a slower rate than the rate at which souls enter Hell, then the temperature and pressure in Hell will increase until all Hell breaks loose.

2. If Hell is expanding at a rate faster than the rate at which souls enter Hell, then the temperature and pressure will drop until Hell freezes over.

So which is it?

If we accept the postulate given to me by Teresa, (Cheerleader Captain and Class Valedictorian) during my Freshman year that, "it will be a cold day in Hell before I sleep with you", and take into account the fact that I slept with her last night and again this morning, then number 2 must be true, and thus I am sure that Hell is exothermic and has already frozen over.

The corollary of this theory is that since Hell has frozen over, it follows that it is not accepting any more souls and is therefore, extinct...leaving only Heaven, and thereby proving the existence of a divine being which explains why, Teresa kept shouting "Oh my God!!!"

THIS STUDENT RECEIVED THE ONLY "A."

Immigration

From: "David LaBonte"

My wife, Rosemary, wrote a wonderful letter to the editor of the Orange County Register which, of course, was not printed. So, I decided to "print" it myself by sending it out on the Internet. Pass it along if you feel so inclined.
Dave LaBonte (signed)

Written in response to a series of letters to the editor in the Orange County Register:

Dear Editor:
So many letter writers have based their arguments on how this land is made up of immigrants. Ernie Lujan for one, suggests we should tear down the Statute of Liberty because the people now in question aren't being treated the same as those who passed through Ellis Island and other ports of entry.

Maybe we should turn to our history books and point out to people like Mr. Lujan why today's American is not willing to accept this new kind of immigrant any longer.

Back in 1900 when there was a rush from all areas of Europe to come to the United States, people had to get off a ship and stand in a long line in New York and be documented. Some would even get down on their hands and knees and kiss the ground. They made a pledge to uphold the laws and support their new country in good and bad times. They made learning English a primary rule in their new American households and some even changed their names to blend in with their new home.

They had waved good bye to their birth place to give their children a new life and did everything in their power to help their children assimilate into one culture. Nothing was handed to them. No free lunches, no welfare, no labor laws to protect them. All they had were the skills and craftsmanship they had brought with them to trade for a future of prosperity. Most of their children came of age when World War II broke out.

My father fought along side men whose parents had come straight over from Germany, Italy, France and Japan None of these 1st generation Americans ever gave any thought about what country their parents had come from. They were Americans fighting Hitler, Mussolini and the Emperor of Japan. They were defending the United States of America as one people. When we liberated France, no one in those villages were looking for the French-American or the German-American or the Irish-American. The people of France saw only Americans.

And we carried one flag that represented one country. Not one of those immigrant sons would have thought about picking up another country's flag and waving it to represent who they were. It would have been a disgrace to their parents who had sacrificed so much to be here. These immigrants truly knew what it meant to be an American. They stirred the melting pot into one red, white and blue bowl.

And here we are in 2006 with a new kind of immigrant who wants the same rights and privileges. Only they want to achieve it by playing with a different set of rules, one that includes the entitlement card and a guarantee of being faithful to their mother country. I'm sorry, that's not what being an American is all about. I believe that the immigrants who landed on Ellis Island in the early 1900's deserve better than that for all the toil, hard work and sacrifice in raising future generations to create a land that has become a beacon for those legally searching for a better life.

I think they would be appalled that they are being used as an example by those waving foreign country flags.

And for that suggestion about taking down the Statute of Liberty, it happens to mean a lot to the citizens who are voting on the immigration bill. I wouldn't start talking about dismantling the United States just yet.

(signed)
Rosemary LaBonte

Yahoo! Widgets

You probably already know I'm a nerd so this post shouldn't come as much of a surprise. So I've been doing a redesign for Lane's and can't decide on a color scheme. While searching the web for some much needed help I ran across a tool (widget) from Firewheel Design called Colorburn. In order to use it you need the Yahoo! Widget Engine. It's pretty cool - even if you're not a nerd, so check it out...

Bezos Expeditions invests in 37signals

If you've talked to me or read my blog within the past few months then you know that I'm a huge 37signals fan. These guys know how to keep things simple and get things done without all the BS like meetings and bloated software. They focus on just the essentials that people want, and need, to be efficient. These guys are what I'd love to be when I grow up - smart. There is a huge difference in being smart and actually putting your intelligence to good use. I know plenty of people that are smart but most of them don't step up to the plate and actually put it into action.

With that said, take a minute to read their blog - Signal vs. Noise.

Jeff Bezos (founder of Amazon.com) has just invested in 37signals and I can only imagine what's to come. Best of luck to 37signals!!!

eBay Happy Dance

It's Sunday evening and I'm just doing the typical nerd thing - refreshing eBay to see if someone outbid me (they didn't...LOL) so I won another laptop like the one I already have. My current one has been dead for 6 or 8 months now and needs a new motherboard. That's a whole story in itself. I took it to a local big chain store about 2 weeks ago, told the motherboard was fried and I'd like to get it fixed. (I won't mention names because I've already got enough members in my fan club of people sueing me.) They call me to let me know it's back so I go up there all excited thinking I can finally be a complete bum again - lay in bed & surf the web. And the guy tells me I'm getting some of the $238 refunded. At that point I knew that it was too good to be true, so I asked what the verdict was. He says well it looks like it was your motherboard and it's $110 for the diagnosis. Ummm...no shit, I told you it was the motherboard. I breathe deeply and was as nice as possible - told him it wasn't anything personal, but...

At first he just looks at me. So I gather enough brain cells to put things into perspective for him. I said okay so it's $110 for you guys to tell me what I already knew? Then I said - that's just like me calling someone to fix my washing machine, they show up, tell me "yep, your washer is broke. that will be $110." ( I don't think so!!!) He does the head tilt thing like a confused puppy. Then walks away. At this point I'm thinking I'm probably about to get arrested for choking the shit out of this guy. Then he comes back with some paperwork for me to sign - FOR A FULL REFUND. I was actually stunned, but remembered to thank him. LOL

Okay, so I've got the laptop back & just a motherboard is going to cost $150 or more then there's the fee for Gateway to pull the old one out & put the new one in. I might as well just buy the laptop I really want, right? Then I remember...IT is on eBay. LOL So today I'm doing the happy dance because I just won an exact replacement of my laptop for $200. Hopefully I'll still be doing the happy dance once it arrives.

P.S.
Whoever the asshole in Florida is that keeps posting jackass comments - I decided to make it worth your time to visit my blog again. I turned the comments back on so post until your fingers bleed. BUT - you need to register first now. So if you have the gonads, go for it. LMAO....

Update on Chris

Just wanted to let you all know that Chris is still a living miracle... he had his appointments in Houston yesterday for a bone scan, PET/CT, pulmonary function test, hearing test, and I'm not sure what all else. He kind of gave me a scare when he told me that he had a "hot" spot show up on his bone scan - this means that there was uptake of the contrast they injected him with prior to the scan. Uptake is usually indicative of a tumor in a cancer patient, but can also be other things like a fracture or break. The good news is the PET/CT does not show any evidence whatsoever of any metasteses - YES!!!!!! The PET/CT also does not show anything questionable where the hot spot showed up on the bone scan. Chris told his doctor about some really bad pain he has had in the rib area so he ordered a plain chest x-ray. Lo and behold, he has a cracked rib! He's actually had this pain since his surgery almost a year ago, but the doctor has now ordered an MRI which will hopefully give some evidence of why the bone is brittle and broke. At least we now know what all the pain has been from, and we both think that it was done during surgery - they actually removed one rib and took only 1/2 of another one - this allows for entry into the lung cavity and also for room to remove the lung. At this point, they're talking about killing the nerve at that rib (which sounds like a very minor procedure) and following up in 3 months - which will be nice since he's been having to go every 2 months. August 2nd will mark his one year anniversary from having his lung removed... his lung function test showed the same capacity now as he had the week before his lung removal! He's quite a young man... I wish all of you had the pleasure of knowing him. To say the least, I am very proud of him. He is my inspiration and a lot of my strength... and we give all this glory to God! I'll let you know if anything comes of the rib thing, but right now it doesn't look like there's anything to worry about. As of mid-August, Chris will be enrolled in college again and trying to live a "normal" life again.

Thanks for all of your prayers and good wishes...we are thankful for all.

Hugs,
Carolyn

Back to Good

This is the end of the first day of the rest of my life. I'm exhausted, grateful and somewhat disappointed. The exhaustion is from cleaning and working the majority of the day on the clutter in the house and around the yard that has piled up. Funny how that seems to always happen while I'm off screwing up other aspects of my life. I am grateful for my kids and the fact that I still have them in my life - safe and healthy. As well as my hubby, Jeff, and my Mom - without these people I would have nothing. There are a lot of people in my life and for every single one of them I am grateful & have learned from each and every one. And the disappointment is with myself - because the desire to use a mind altering chemical is still there. But I am happy and excited about tomorrow, because this day is near an end and I was able to make it through without putting something into my body that made me THINK I was happy. Better than that, I have found joy today - and it came from within - the only place I should have ever looked in the first place. It has been a good day and I wish anyone & everyone that reads this post a life full of peace, happiness and fulfillment.

Optional Data Entry

After a LOT of time working on an application for the local and surrounding area where I live I've decided to simplify it - A LOT. Part of the reason for this is I bought Getting Real by 37 Signals, and they have posted an article on their blog (Signal vs. Noise) for those of you that wonder what the book is about & don't want to spend the cash to read it for yourself. Although I expect that after reading the article, you'll probably decide you should buy the book. Don't get me wrong, this particular post on their blog is not all the book is about. But it will give you a general idea about keeping it simple and how well it works in my nerd world atleast...

Last American Titantic Survivor Dies

Read the full story:
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/nation/3846607.html

Silicon Graphics Files Chap. 11

Silicon Graphics Files
For Chapter 11 Protection
A WALL STREET JOURNAL ONLINE NEWS ROUNDUP
May 8, 2006 9:32 a.m.

Silicon Graphics Inc., a long-struggling maker of high-performance computers, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

A group of bondholders agreed to trade their debt for a stake in the company, which filed for Chapter 11 protection Monday morning in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in New York.

Silicon Graphics is known for desktop workstations and larger server systems that are favored by engineers and others who demand sophisticated graphics, including Hollywood studios. But the company has suffered a long slide, partly due to competition from machines based on standard components used in personal computers.

The Mountain View, Calif., company, which employs more than 1,800 people world-wide, listed assets of $369.4 million and debt of $664.3 million in its bankruptcy filing. Earlier this year, Silicon Graphics replaced its top executive amid widening losses and lower revenue. It posted a $76 million net loss on sales of $730 million in 2005.

Under the broad outlines of the debt-for-equity plan, holders of Silicon Graphics' 6.5% and 11.75% secured notes due 2009 will swap their claims for a 25% stake in the reorganized company. The bondholders, who are owed about $191 million, will also receive the right to buy the remaining 75% of new shares in the reorganized Silicon Graphics.

The bondholders will also provide Silicon Graphics with $70 million in debtor-in-possession, or DIP, financing and will backstop a $50 million rights offering. A group of subordinated bondholders, owed $56.8 million, will receive nothing under the proposed plan.

Silicon Graphics' stock was recently delisted from the New York Stock Exchange for trading below a minimum threshold of $1 a share, and now trades on the small-cap OTC Bulletin Board.

On Monday, the company said its fiscal third-quarter loss narrowed to $42.7 million, or 16 cents a share, from $44.5 million, or 17 cents a share, a year earlier. Revenue fell to $108.1 million from last year's $159.2 million.

Sex Toys Tax-Deductible

Sex Toys Tax-Deductible in Australia

Friday, May 5, 2006
SYDNEY, Australia - Prostitutes, strippers and lap dancers can claim tax deductions for adult toys and lingerie, officials said Friday, as the Australian Taxation Office issued a list of deductible items for the sex industry. Condoms, lubricants, gels and oils are among a myriad of other items that these workers can claim against tax, according to a fact sheet issued on the office's Web site. While they cannot claim deductions for fitness classes that keep them in shape, the tax office ruled they can claim the cost of dance lessons. "You can claim the cost of replacing or repairing things like equipment, adult novelties and other apparatus used in your work," the office advises, under a section titled "tools of trade." "This is just another one of our occupational lists that we put together to help people," a taxation office spokeswoman said on customary condition of anonymity.
----
On the Net:
http://www.ato.gov.au

Priceless

My Cousin's Buddy is a Web Designer

Then let him do it.

The money you save by using your cousin's buddy is nothing compared with the cost in time and money required to undo his mistakes.

From: http://37signals.com/24.html

Vitamin

Vitamin is a resource for web developers, designers and entrepreneurs http://www.thinkvitamin.com/

Back to You

Back To You
------John Mayer

Back to you
It always comes around
Back to you
I tried to forget you
I tried to stay away
But it's too late

Over you
I'm never over
Over you
Something about you
It's just the way you move
The way you move me

I'm so good at forgetting
And I quit every game I play
But forgive me, love
I can't turn and walk away
Not this way

Back to you
It always comes around
Back to you
I walk with your shadow
I'm sleeping in my bed
With your silhouette

should have smiled in that picture
If it's the last that I'll see of you
It's the least that you
Could not do

Leave the light on,
I'll never give up on you,
Leave the light on,
For me too, for me too

Back to me
I know that it comes
Back to me
Doesn't it scare you
Your will is not as strong
As it used to be

IE7 Standalone

If you are looking for a way to run IE7 as a standalone for testing purposes (or just for the hell of it) - then you'll want to check out Jon Galloway's blog post http://weblogs.asp.net/jgalloway/archive/2005/12/28/434132.aspx

Signal vs. Noise

If you haven't stumbled across this blog yet, then you have a lot of catching up to do. I've become a blog reading junkie over the past few months and this one has turned into a 'must read' for me. These guys are straight-forward, no BS and get shit done. At any rate, this is one of their latest posts that I thought would be an interesting read for most everyone... http://37signals.com/svn/archives2/palais_ideal.php

All the chocolate you can eat...

ColdFusion Web Developer in Carson, Southern California

This is a full-time, on-site position. We do not offer relocation at this time.

Excellent opportunity for a detailed & team oriented web developer with in-depth knowledge of ColdFusion. Will be responsible for the following:

Developing & maintaining sees.com
Maintaining database & content
Systems Development
Application Support
Developing functional & programming specifications
Debugging & testing
Interacting with users of all levels

Successful candidate will have the following experience:

5 years working with Macromedia ColdFusion Server, ColdFusion Administrator, Flash, HomeSite & Dreamweaver
3 years working with CSS, XML, JavaScript
3 years working with SQL, RDBMS & stored procedure. Oracle experience a plus.
E-commerce ?2 years working with b2c web sites
Web services experience a plus
Proficient with PCs and Window servers
Sun Solaris a plus
Excellent written & verbal communication skills

We offer:

Professional work environment
Competitive company benefits, including Medical, Dental, Life Insurance & Vision
Profit Sharing
Bonus Potential
Candy Discount

For immediate consideration please email your resume to MIS2006@sees.com

Code Monkey: The Song

Code Monkey: The Song
Monday April 24, 2006 10:44AM
by The Fat Man in Opinion

My Coder friend Thom sent me this link to a heart-warming feel-good pop tune about The Code Monkey Within. Says it’s by Jonathan Coulton, released under the Creative Commons license.

http://www.exegame.com/CodeMonkey.mp3

Sometimes it feels good to see little monuments built to the culture we help create. Thanks, Thom!

Here’s a little link to Thom’s website of equally heartwarming feel-good games. “Code and/or Die!”

http://www.aggressivegames.com/

FAT

Read the post here:
http://www.oreillynet.com/digitalmedia/blog/2006/04/code_monkey_the_song.html

America's Universities No Longer The Best, And ...

.... Will your developer job be outsourced? Unless you're a code monkey, it probably won't. But the broader point in this excellent article is that our schools are a few years away from being 2nd rate and many already are.

A Red Flag In The Brain Game
America's dismal showing in a contest of college programmers highlights how China, India, and Eastern Europe are closing the tech talent gap.

Ben Mickle, Matt Edwards, and Kshipra Bhawalkar looked as though they had just emerged from a minor auto wreck. The members of Duke University's computer programming team had solved only one problem in the world finals of the ACM International Collegiate Programming Contest in San Antonio on Apr. 12. The winning team, from Saratov State University in Russia, solved six puzzles over the course of the grueling five-hour contest. Afterward, Duke coach Owen Astrachan tried to cheer up his team by pointing out that they were among ``the best of the best'' student programmers in the world. Edwards, 20, still distraught, couldn't resist a self-deprecating dig: ``We're the worst of the best of the best.''

http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/06_18/b3982053.htm

The Future of ColdFusion

The Future of ColdFusion – Major Flex 2 Deployments Are On Their Way, Says CFDJ Editor-in-Chief

Simon Horwith:"This acquisition is the best thing that could have ever happened to ColdFusion" Read the full article: http://br.sys-con.com/read/206256.htm

Waiting

Wait. If the time is not right, the way is not clear, the answer or decision not consistent, wait. We may feel a sense of urgency. We may want to resolve the issue by doing something -- anything -- now, but that action is not in our best interest.

Living with confusion or unsolved problems is difficult. It is easier to resolve things. But making a decision too soon, doing something before it's time, means we may have to go back and redo it. If the time is not right, wait. If the way is not clear, do not plunge forward. If the answer or decision feels muddy, wait.

In this new way of life, there is a Guiding Force. We do not ever have to move too soon or move out of harmony. Waiting is an action -- a positive, forceful action. Often, waiting is a God-guided action, one with as much power as a decision, and more power than an urgent, ill-timed decision.

We do not have to pressure ourselves by insisting that we do or know something before it's time. When it is time, we will know. We will move into that time naturally and harmoniously. We will have peace and consistency. We will feel empowered in a way we do not feel today. Deal with the panic, the urgency, and the fear; do not let them control or dictate decisions. Waiting isn't easy. It isn't fun. But waiting is often necessary to get what we want. It is not dead time; it is not downtime. The answer will come. The power will come. The time will come. And it will be right.

Today, I will wait, if waiting is the action I need in order to take care of myself. I will know that I am taking a positive, forceful action by waiting until the time is right. God, help me let go of my fear, urgency, and panic. Help me learn the art of waiting until the time is right. Help me learn timing.

Phony doctor gives free breast exams

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060420/od_nm/breasts_dc

You are still you

Because you are aware of your awareness, you can transcend it. Not only can you see what is here and now, you can visualize the best of what can be.

If you were limited to merely reacting to events, you would be a prisoner of your circumstances. But you are not any such thing.

For you are blessed with the ability to step back from even the most intense situations. You can hold and nurture within you a vision that transcends the outer reality of any moment.

Keep that in mind the next time you become frustrated by life's ups and downs. There is a very real and powerful part of you that exists above and beyond every frustration, setback and disappointment.

By all means live and enjoy and experience life in the universe that surrounds you. At the same time, stay connected to that essential part of you that exists independent of the outside influences.

Whatever happens or fails to happen, you are still you at the deepest, most profound level. A spiritual being having a human experience. Remember that, and you'll find renewed confidence to step boldly forward no matter what.

Maryland's Greatest Mysteries

Oil Change

Oil Change instructions for Women

1) Pull up to Jiffy Lube when the mileage reaches 3000 miles since the last oil change.

2) Drink a cup of coffee.

3) 15 minutes later, write a check and leave with a properly maintained vehicle.

Money spent:
Oil Change $20.00
Coffee $1.00
Total $21.00

Oil Change Instructions for Men:

1) Wait until Saturday, drive to auto parts store and buy a case of oil, filter, kitty litter, and cleaner and a scented tree, write a check for $50.00.

2) Stop by 7 - 11 and buy a case of beer, write a check for $20, drive home.

3) Open a beer and drink it.

4) Jack car up. Spend 30 minutes looking for jack stands.

5) Find jack stands under kid's pedal car.

6) In frustration, open another beer and drink it.

7) Place drain pan under engine.

8) Look for 9/16 box end wrench.

9) Give up and use crescent wrench.

10) Unscrew drain plug.

11) Drop drain plug in pan of hot oil: splash hot oil on you in process. Cuss.

12) Crawl out from under car to wipe hot oil off of face and arms. Throw kitty litter on spilled oil.

13) Have another beer while watching oil drain.

14) Spend 30 minutes looking for oil filter wrench.

15) Give up; crawl under car and hammer a screwdriver through oil filter and twist off.

16) Crawl out from under car with dripping oil filter splashing oil everywhere from holes. Cleverly hide old oil filter among trash in trash can to avoid environmental penalties. Drink a beer.

17) Buddy shows up; finish case of beer with him. Decide to finish oil change tomorrow so you can go see his new garage door opener.

18) Sunday: Skip church because "I gotta finish the oil change." Drag pan full of old oil out from underneath car. Cleverly dump oil in hole in back yard instead of taking it back to Kragen to recycle.

19) Throw kitty litter on oil spilled during step 18.

20) Beer? No, drank it all yesterday.

21) Walk to 7-11; buy beer.

22) Install new oil filter making sure to apply a thin coat of oil to gasket surface.

23) Dump first quart of fresh oil into engine.

24) Remember drain plug from step 11.

25) Hurry to find drain plug in drain pan.

26) Remember that the used oil is buried in a hole in the back yard, along with drain plug.

27) Drink beer.

28) Shovel out hole and sift oily mud for drain plug. Re-shovel oily dirt into hole. Steal sand from kids sandbox to cleverly cover oily patch of ground and avoid environmental penalties. Wash drain plug in lawnmower gas.

29) Discover that first quart of fresh oil is now on the floor. Throw kitty litter on oil spill.

30) Drink beer.

31) Crawl under car getting kitty litter into eyes. Wipe eyes with oily rag used to clean drain plug. Slip with stupid crescent wrench tightening drain plug and bang knuckles on frame.

32) Bang head on floorboards in reaction to step 31.

33) Begin cussing fit.

34) Throw stupid crescent wrench.

35) Cuss for additional 10 minutes because wrench hit bowling trophy.

36) Beer.

37) Clean up hands and forehead and bandage as required to stop blood flow.

38) Beer.

39) Beer.

40) Dump in five fresh quarts of oil.

41) Beer.

42) Lower car from jack stands.

43) Accidentally crush remaining case of new motor oil.

44) Move car back to apply more kitty litter to fresh oil spilled during steps 23 - 43.

45) Beer.

46) Test drive car.

47) Get pulled over: arrested for driving under the influence.

48) Car gets impounded.

49) Call loving wife, make bail.

50) 12 hours later, get car from impound yard.

Money spent:
Parts $50.00
DUI $2500.00
Impound fee $75.00
Bail $1500.00
Beer $40.00

Total - - $4,165.00

But you know the job was done right!

Feminine hygiene

If you     are a woman and use pads, but especially if you use tampons, 

read  this and pass it on to your friends. For the men receiving this email, please  forward it to your friends, significant others, sisters, mothers, daughters,  etc.).

Thanks!

The next time you buy sanitary pads or tampons, check the labels and 

see whether you spot any of the familiar signs stated in this email.

No wonder so many women in the world suffer from cervical cancer and 

Womb tumors. Have you heard that tampon makers include asbestos in 

tampons?

Why would they do this? Because asbestos makes you bleed more, if 

You bleed more, you're going to need to use more. Why isn't this against the law since asbestos is so dangerous? Because the powers that be, in all their wisdom (not),

did not consider tampons as being ingested, and therefore, didn't 

consider them illegal or dangerous.

This month's Essence magazine has a small article about this and 

They mention two manufacturers of a cotton tampon alternative.

The companies are: Organic Essentials @ 1-800-765-6491 and Terra Femme 1-800-755-0212.

A woman getting her PhD at University of Colorado at Boulder sent the following:

"I am writing this   because women are not being informed about the 

dangers  of something most of us use: tampons. I am taking a class this month and I have been learning a lot about biology and women, including feminine hygiene.

Recently we have learned that tampons are actually dangerous (for other 

reasons than TSS). After learning about this in our class, most of the 

females  wound up feeling angry and upset with the tampon industry, and I for one, I am going to do something about it.

To start, I want to inform everyone I can, and email is the fastest 

way that I know how." HERE IS THE SCOOP: Tampons contain two things that are potentially harmful: Rayon (for absorbency), and dioxin (a chemical used in bleaching the products). The tampon industry is convinced that we, as women, need bleached white products in order to view the product as pure and clean.

The problem here is that the dioxin, which is produced in this

bleaching process, can lead to very harmful problems for a     woman.

Dioxin is potentially carcinogenic (cancer associated) and is toxic 

to the immune and reproductive systems. It has also been linked to 

endometriosis is and lower sperm counts for men. For both sexes, it breaks down the immune system.

Last
September, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reported 

that there really is no "acceptable" level of exposure to dioxin given that it is cumulative and slow to disintegrate. The real danger comes from repeated contact(Karen Couppert "Pulling the Plug on the Tampon Industry").

I'd say using about 4-5 tampons a day, five days a month, for 38 

years is"repeated contact", wouldn't you?

Rayon contributes to the danger of tampons and dioxin
because it is 

a     highly

absorbent substance. Therefore, when fibers from the tampons are 

left behind in

the vagina (as usually occurs), it creates a breeding ground for the 

dioxin. It also stays in a lot longer then it would with just cotton tampons. This is also the reason why TSS (toxic shock syndrome)
occurs.

WHAT ARE THE     ALTERNATIVES?

Using feminine hygiene products that aren't bleached and that are 

all cotton.

Other feminine hygiene products (pads/napkins) contain dioxin as 

well,but they are not nearly as dangerous. So, what can you do if you can't give up using tampons? Use tampons that are made
from 100% UNBLEACHED. 

Unfortunately, there are very few companies that make these safe tampons. They are usually only found in health food stores.

Countries all over the world (Sweden, Germany, British Columbia, 

etc.)  have demanded a switch to this afer tampon, while the U.S. has decided to keep us in the dark about it.

In 1989, activists in England mounted a campaign     against chlorine 

bleaching. Six weeks and America is not #1 in every arena. 50,000 letters later, the makers of sanitary products switched to oxygen bleaching, one of the green methods available MS magazine, May/June 1995).

 WHAT TO DO NOW:

Tell people. Everyone. Inform them. We are being manipulated by this industry and the government, let's do something about it! Please write to the companies: Tampax(Tambrands); Playtex; O.B.; Kotex. All the 800 numbers are listed on the boxes.

Let them know that we demand a safe product! ALL COTTON UNBLEACHED 

TAMPONS...