Yes We Can

I'm torn between Clinton and Obama. Either choice would be a good choice compared to what we've had for the past eight years. But choosing either one would symbolize a monumental change for the history of United States and the entire free world. I'm certain that change will not only be symbolic.

I'm leaning more towards Obama because he is such an eloquent speaker. Some would argue that it's "just words", but I don't think you should underestimate the power of words to inspire and effect change.....

Yes We Can, obama

Warty Gourds

When I ordered those loofah, dipper gourds, and bird house gourd seeds, I got a bonus set of seeds for warty gourds. They pretty much are grown just like the rest of them, but I saw a picture of what they look like, and I don't think I'm going to be growing them. They're darn ugly, and I don't know why anybody would want to grow them.....Actually, I just had a thought, I was just about to say that they're scary looking. I know know why somebody would want to grow them... I could grow them for halloween. They would make wicked jack-o-lanterns! Maybe I will grow one....

Flashcard Friends

I'm sure you've all heard of Facebook, MySpace, Friendster, and a whole lot of other social networking websites. Well, there's a new kid on the block, , that combines the fun of social networking with online learning. Flashcards have been a time honored way of learning through memorization. I used flashcards in grade school to learn my multiplication table, but I carried the learning technique through high school and university. Flashcards helped me to learn organic chemistry reactions, Greek and Latin roots, modes of action for pharmacological agents, and much more. For an old schooler like me, there's nothing wrong with making flashcards out of pen and paper, but for today's student, that may be considered lame. Anything and everything needs to be on the internet. That's what the founders of Flashcard Friends, Kendall and Ryan Hogan, thought when their father was forcing them to make flashcards the old-school way. Instead, they created http://www.flashcardfriends.com, a website where kids can create flashcards and share them with their friends. Even teachers can join, create flashcards and share them with their students. The best thing about it is that its FREE to use, free of advertising, and child safe. Here is the Press Release:

Flashcard Friends Combines Social Networking and Online Learning

Second generation Web 2.0 entrepreneurs create a FREE “social learning” website for students, homeschoolers and teachers


Belmont, CA. – February 21, 2008 – Flashcard Friends combines social networking—a la Facebook and MySpace—with online learning. The inspiration for Flashcard Friends came when the founders of the company, Kendall and Ryan Hogan (now ages 15 and 12) were being forced to create flashcards by their whip-cracking father. They complained that “flashcards are lame…why can’t we do them on the Internet…and why can’t they be fun like MySpace.” Their father, Mike, a web 2.0 entrepreneur, started asking questions about how it might work. Kendall and Ryan described a social network where students could create flashcards and share them with their classmates; or teachers could create flashcards and share them with their students.

With the help of their father, Ryan and Kendall defined what they wanted their website to do. Then their father recruited a top-notch team of developers and got it built. You can now see their website at www.Flashcardfriends.com. Following in their father’s footsteps, Kendall and Ryan are second generation web 2.0 entrepreneurs.

Old school (printed) flashcards are a powerful and proven memorization tool. By using them, Kendall and Ryan were able to substantially improve their test scores. But online flashcards enable a lot of very powerful capabilities. For example, spelling, pronunciation of foreign words, automated testing and correction, images, all of this and more is a snap with Flashcard Friends.

Once the flashcards are in the system, you can share them with friends. The Hogan kids are now looking forward to the day when they return from summer break, only to inherit online flashcards from the class ahead of them. In addition to finding flashcards through friends, you can navigate through flashcard decks by category (e.g. math > algebra), or search by tags, keywords, and more.

Some of the website’s functionality:
• Create flashcards with text, pictures and sounds (ideal for foreign languages)
• Four different learning modes: find one that fits you, or use them all
• Auto-magically creates tests from the flashcards and then corrects them
• Uses social networking to manage sharing card decks
• Find existing flashcards by subject, school, teacher, book and more
• Speak into your computer and add the recording to the cards instantly
• Turns a spelling list into spelling flashcards with a spoken version of each word
• Includes web 2.0 technologies like user ratings, bookmarking and tagging
• …and much more

Flashcard Friends enables students to create flashcards, share them, memorize them and then test themselves. Flashcards can be used at every level, from Kindergarten to post-graduate, and for every topic, from learning colors to preparing for the legal bar exam, learning a language, or studying for the SAT.

Nancy Ferraro 5th Grade Teacher, Granite Bay, CA: “I was very excited to discover Flashcard Friends. I introduced it to my 5th grade students, and we have been using it ever since. The students like how easy the site is to navigate, but they are so jazzed to see their friends’ flashcards. My students have already exchanged flashcards on multiplication, fractions, the 13 colonies, and space. All this in one week! I will definitely use this site for all of my classroom flashcard needs.”

About Flashcard Friends
Flashcard Friends, the social learning website, is pioneering the powerful combination of social networking and online learning. The company was founded by students, for students. The entire website is free to all; students, teachers, homeschoolers, everyone. You can register for free at www.Flashcardfriends.com. For more information call (650) 595-2400, or email mike (at) Flashcardfriends.com.

See web demos of Flashcardfriends.com here: http://Flashcardfriends.com/videos.php

Wordless Wednesday

TECHNORATI TAGS: total lunar eclipse, Wordless Wednesday, lunar eclipse february 20, 2008

Be Oyster Aware

What did the Oyster say when she got asked to go out to an oyster bar?

"Ah SHUCKS"

Oh man, that was bad! Sorry about that. All bad jokes aside, lets talk about something serious, and that's being aware when it comes to eating oysters. If you're not careful, your delicious night out at the oyster bar can turn into a bad joke. I know how much I love to eat oysters, raw, with some lemon, or Rockefeller, you shuck it and I'll eat it. But it's important to be aware that raw or undercooked oysters can carry a bacteria called Vibrio vulnificus. Vibrio infection can cause serious diarrheal disease and may even lead to death if it is not treated early and properly, and if you have any other serious concomitant medical conditions.

Oyster lovers need to check out the BeOysterAware.com website to learn all you need to know about oysters before buying their next batch. On top of all the information about the risks of infection associated with them, they have information about symptoms and treatment of infection, the post harvest process of Gulf oysters, and even oyster recipes that you can try. So be informed, be cautious, be smart, and be sure about your oysters! Bon Appetit!

Loofah For Lunch?

I always thought that loofah sponges were sponges from the ocean, i.e. the skeletons of living sponges from the ocean. But I just learned that they actually come from a plant. That's right, a plant, they're related to cucumbers and zucchinis. I guess it makes sense now that you mention it, coz they do actually look like dried up zucchinis. On top of that, you can actually eat them just like cucumbers and zucchinis. You have to harvest them when they're young though if you want to eat them, as they get older, they develop those fibers that loofah sponges are known for. Well, since I was just speaking of itchy green thumbs, I had to go out and order loofah seeds, so I'll be trying my hand at growing them this spring. I can't wait for this winter to end.

Free Movies and T.V. on the Net!

Does that title sound too good to be true?! Well it's not, Graboid Video makes it possible. With over 70,000 full-length, full-resolution videos to choose from, it's a movie buff's dream come true. I know how much I love movies, but sometimes, I just can't get myself to go out to the theaters and spend the ridiculous ticket prices plus an additional fortune for popcorn and a soda. Even renting movies can be a hassle. But, FREE movies in the comfort of my own home? I'm there!

With Graboid's new video streaming software, you will be able to download full-length videos even faster than peer-to-peer programs. There's little to no waiting for video playback, and there are even videos available in high definition. Not just movies though, you will even be able to find old TV episodes that you won't find anywhere else.

Did I mention the best feature? It's all FREE to use and free to download with a 4GB limit per month. That's enough for 3-4 movies or 10-20 TV shows. Sounds like a great deal to me! Where do you sign up? Just check out their website, download the software, and start watching!

Omnitech GPS Woes

I know I have been raving about my Omnitech GPS and how it was worth the money I spent on it, but I almost posted a retraction because of the problems I have been having with it lately. I've mentioned before about the problem where the signal gets lost in tunnels and covered parking lots and bridges, and then has trouble reacquiring it. But now I have also noted that when it's really cold, or maybe the cold has nothing to do with it, it does not acquire the signal at all and in fact freezes. I usually just re-boot the whole thing and it's okay, but sometimes it takes too long. Lately, on top of that, the speakers have stopped working. It stayed like that for a while, but now, luckily it's working again. I've considered sending it for servicing, but I don't even know where to send it to. I'm too lazy to find out, plus it's working great again so I can't be bothered. Hopefully it doesn't completely die on me. I checked with Staples, and it actually only costs $129.99 now!

Websites For Sale

Ann and I were just talking about setting up her new website, so she could put her store online. She had gotten one started, but ended up paying too much money and the guy running the site ended up flaking out on her in the end. So now, she has nothing to show for it. She was just telling me about how expensive it was just to get a domain name. Well, I just found a site with Websites For Sale that I'm going to have to refer her to. They can get your online business up and running in 48 hours, and they will give you a free domain name, plus your first month of hosting is also free! Sounds like a great deal! Hopefully, she can finally get her store online.

Caveat Emptor!

I didn't realize how desensitized I have become to the advertisements that bombard us everyday, from every form of media. Most of the time I just let the images paint the picture, and form the idea within my head without even really reading what the ad is actually saying. The visual media can be very powerful. Case and point, I have seen this particular image a hundred times.....
I was just so willing to let the image form my opinion for me. Without really exploring the intent of this ad, I came to the conclusion that there must be a market for a seemingly unhealthy product like this. I began to attribute it to some form of back-lash against an overly health conscious society. It made me think that perhaps indulging in a diced ham cookie wouldn't be so bad. In reality, this image was just to get your attention to sign up for a survey. It concerned me for the fact that I had become so desensitized to media, that I didn't really question the image I was seeing, and just accepted it as a reality.

Sales Training Courses

Effective training for any job will make the difference between success or failure. I have always found that studying and theoretical training are definitely necessary, but hands-on and practical experience will always clinch it for the trainee. Whenever Ann hires a new person for the store, I'm always amused to see how they do, and compare it against the amount of actual sales training they had. I think it is important to always have some form of formal training for any job. If you're looking to sart a new job and are looking for training courses, then check out the Avand website. They have a wide variety of training courses like Sales Courses, plumbing training courses, management training courses, and much more. Get started on getting effective training in your new job today with

I Can't Stand Tony Harris!

I'm sorry for this rant, but I don't just find Tony Harris annoying anymore, he downright pisses me off! Stop yelling into camera you idiot! You're not funny, amusing, or entertaining if that's what you are trying to be. Show some level of professionalism, you are on a national broadcast for CNNs sake! You make me change the channel to watch the BBC! Somebody at CNN please take this guy of the air, give him a desk job so America and the rest of the world does not have to be subjected to him anymore!

Lots of Online Casino Links!

I found another great site for online casinos with lots of links and reviews of a wide variety of online casino sites. OnlineCasinoLinks.com lists nearly one hundred online casinos which they have thoroughly researched and for which they have written detailed reviews. With so many online casinos out there to choose from, OnlineCasinoLinks.com makes finding the best online casino so much easier! With great links to Frequently Asked Questions, a Beginner's Guide to Casinos, and lots of online Gambling Tips, it's a great place for those first-time online gamblers like me.

They've got a great list of the top rated online casinos listing the sites which received the most votes from users, the site's bonuses and payouts, and of course, the site's review. In addition to that, they also show you the online casinos accepting US players and which ones of those sites that have received the most votes from players and the ones with the highest bonuses and payouts. This site will definitely help find the best online casino for a beginner like me, and hopefully I'll be on my way to winning some good moolah online! Good Luck!

Online Casino List

I have the worst luck when it comes to casinos. When I was little, my cousins and I would spend hours on the boardwalk in Atlantic City, while all the adults would be in the casinos. We had lots of fun at the mall and arcades on the boardwalk, but when I grew up old enough to go into the casinos, I still would have rather spent time on the boardwalk. This is probably because I have absolutely no luck when it comes to gambling!

I'm thinking that it may be possible to make my own luck, so that the next time the family goes to Atlantic City, Las Vegas, or Reno, I'll be able to enjoy playing just like everybody else. How am I going to make my own luck you ask? Well, I'm going to learn how to gamble by doing it online! Everything else in today's world is done online, why not casinos? I found an Online Casino List that reviews a whole lot of online casino sites. They have lots of information about online casinos, and even have a list of the best online casino sites to help me find the best site to visit. There's even a beginner's guide to online casinos, a FAQ, and lots of useful tips for gambling. Watch out Altantic City, Vegas, and Reno, I'll be ready for you!

$8 Prescription Eyeglasses!

When they first opened up the Superstore next to my house, I noticed that they had an optical center. So one day after doing my groceries, I popped in to check them out. I found that their prices were really cheap. I made friends with the sales guy there, and he even gave me an additional discount with his family and friends discount. I never ever thought that I would buy glasses from a grocery store, but there I was. I mean who could blame me, when I ended up paying only twenty bucks for glasses! I never used to wear my glasses at work, because it would’ve confused the patients, so the first time I actually wore my glasses was at our office Christmas party. My co-workers had never seen them, so when one of my optometrist co-workers saw them, the first thing she said was that my glasses were really nice. Then she asked me if they were Armanis! I played along for a bit, but then I had to admit to her that they were actually $20 glasses that I had picked up at the grocery store. Expensive does not always mean better! It’s all in how you wear them. If I could fool an optometrist like that, than anyone can pass off affordable glasses as designer glasses. I found another place with an even better deal than $20 glasses, $ 8 Zenni Optical Rx Eyeglasses which even includes the case. Now that's a deal! If you're looking for glasses you should check out http://www.ZenniOptical.com. You can shop for your new glasses online. They have a huge selection of frames, with single vision lenses, sun-sensor (photochromic) lenses, tinted sunglasses, bifocals, and progressive lenses.

Get Rid of Nasty Nail Fungus!

There isn't much that's nastier than nail fungal infections! They can start out as a simple white or yellow spot under the tip of your nail, and you might not even think anything off it. But it can soon spread deeper into your nail, causing it to thicken, discolor, become misshapen, and become brittle. It may seem like just an unsightly nuisance, but it can potentially become a painful problem, and is some cases the nail may even separate from the nail bed. They usually develop in continually moist and warm environments, just like sweaty running shoes. Apart from prevention, by keeping your feet, and nails clean and dry, there are several treatment options available.

Fungal infections of the nails may be difficult to treat, and they are also prone to re-infections. Some infections will require oral medications because these will deliver the medications deep beneath the nail where the infection resides. Some infections may be treated with topical medications. An example of which is a product called Zeta Clear Nail Fungus Treatment. It is a topical treatment made up of natural oils that are effective anti-fungals. These natural oils should be massaged into your nail and are supposed to be effective in treating the infection and the unsightly discoloration and brittleness that go along with nasty fungal infections. Read some zetaclear reviews and find out if it might be an option for you.

Online Shopping Cart Software

I was just talking to Ann about whatever happened to her plans to put her store online. She said that she ended up wasting a lot of money getting a domain name and getting the website all set up with ecommerce software and the like. Unfortunately, the guys who where setting it up for her and who were going to run it for her flaked out on her. So now she has given up on her plans to put her business online.

I'm planning on tuning her into Ashop Commerce, a leading provider of hosted shopping cart software. She will be able to find their easy to use and award winning online shopping cart software. Their online store building software is exactly what she will need to finally get her store on the internet. The shopping cart software is web based, so no installation is required. It has thousands of features, accepts credit cards online, and is fully customizable in terms of design. The software is also search engine optimized so that her online shopping site would have high search engine priority. The shopping cart software also comes with technical support and customer service, so she won't have to worry about getting flaked on again when she needs help. But I think the most important thing about the Ashop Commerce online store solution, is that it's very affordable. They're even offering a 10 day free trial run.

I'm sure Ann will appreciate all this info. I'm sure I will be getting some serious brownie points for referring her to Ashop Commerce. If you are planning on opening up an online store and need to set up an online shopping cart, then check out their website and try their shopping cart software.

shopping cart software

More Wedding Stuff

I know I've talked about Ann and her work helping people with their weddings. She knows so much of the in and outs, and know so many suppliers and contacts in the business that she has considered becoming a wedding planner herself. I mean she helps out her friends for free, and now that her sister is engaged, I'm sure she'll be called upon to help plan that wedding. I feel bad for her because I know how stressed she gets helping others' plans. I can't imagine how stressed the prospective brides and grooms must be!

We can't all be lucky enough to have a friend like my Ann, but that's where wedding planning services like WeddingChannel.com comes in. They have been helping brides and grooms get their weddings right since 1997 with their comprehensive wedding-planning site. You can find free interactive planning tools, inspirational photos, vendor guides, a patented online registry system, and their expert advice to help you with your wedding plans. Trust me, you don't want to go on it alone. It's supposed to be a happy time, so let the experts take away some of the headaches from planning your wedding!

No Surprise Today

Well, I just got home and I am reporting that there was no surprise for me today from Ann. It worked out great because it gave me a chance to get my surprise gift for her blessed by Fr. V. The important thing is that you should always be prepared, just like a good boy scout. Besides scripture says that it will come like a thief in the night, so always be prepared. I'm totally prepared for Ann's surprise, maybe next Sunday! I'll keep you updated.

Will I Be Surprised Tonight?

I should be getting ready to go to church. Ann is supposed to surprise me with something. When she was away in Vietnam, she alluded that she was going to get something done that she has wanted to do for so long. She wouldn't go into details, because she wanted to surprise me with it. I don't want to toot my own horn, but I think I know her enough to deduce what she was talking about. So if she decides to surprise me tonight at church, I have a surprise of my own for her, because I got her a gift for the blessed event she wants to surprise me with. I'll let you know what happens.

Salon Job Search Engine

My hair is weird. I think that it is hard to cut. Whenever I get a new person to cut it, I worry about their abilities and experience. Some of them don't realized that if they cut it too short it will stick up and look horrible. That's why sticking with hairdressers, or barbers who I trust is key.

There was a recent announcement from BeautyJobs.com about the launch of a Beauty Industry Job Placement Website that will connect qualified job seekers with salon and spa owners and others who have beauty, salon, spa, or cosmetology jobs to fill—free of charge. BeautyJobs.com is a great search engine for those looking for salon jobs. I know if Ann wasn't so busy with her store, she would probably start her cosmetology job hunt there. She did a course, and got her certificate to be an aethestician a long time ago. She never got to pursue that field after she decided to go to university and get her B.A., but she's always trying out her skills on my skin!

If you're looking for a job in a salon or spa, then you should start your job hunt there. But if you're an employer, you can also benefit from BeautyJobs.com, by allowing you to sift through hundreds of applicant profiles. As an employer, finding the perfect person for the job is key, just like as a customer, choosing the right person to cut my hair is key.

Addicted to Coffee

I have only had one cup of coffee today, and I'm starting to feel the start of a headache. I don't like being addicted to the stuff, but I really have no choice at this point. I can't function without it. If I don't get enough caffeine I get headaches and feel drowsy the whole day. Not really conducive to effective and efficient studying. So I'm going to go and give in to my slave master the coffee bean...and make myself another cup of coffee before this headache gets worse!

More Scandal

Wow, at first I thought that whole sex picture scandal with the Hong Kong celebrities was being blown way out of proportions. I mean, celebrities in this hemisphere would probably have gotten more work if they were involved in a sex picture scandal! But I just read that the marriage and engagement break-ups that resulted from the scandal were more than justified. Apparently, Cecilia Cheung was cheating on her now husband, before they were married, but she was cheating on him nonetheless. The husband is now calling for a paternity test for their son. I don't think Edison Chen should be getting all the flack, those women are just as guilty.... some more so than others. And there are so many of them involved... Bobo Chan Man, BoBo Chen, Cecilia Cheung Pak Chi, Gillian Chung, Gillian Chung Yun-Tung, Joey Yung, Yu Chiu, Vincy Yeung, Yumiko Cheng, Mandy Chen, Rachel Ngan, Candice Chan, Jolin Tsai, Maggie Q, and some say even Chiaki Kuriyama, and possibly more.

Wedding Flowers

Ann and I both have friends who are going to be married over the summer. Ann was kind enough to give her friends a little bit of help here and there when they were planning their weddings. From what I hear and see, planning a wedding is serious and stressful work! There are so many things you need to get together. No wonder wedding planning is a booming business. Just choosing flowers alone seems too complicated for me. Luckily there's a place like FiftyFlowers.com! They've got a wide variety of wedding flowers from roses, calla lilies, rose petals, gerbera daisies, hydrangeas, peonies and many other flowers and greens. Wow, I never knew there were so many choices, I always thought that when somebody said wedding flowers they meant roses. Well apart from the wide variety of choices from FiftyFlowers.com, they have great wholesale prices saving customers up to 75% on their flower cost, by removing the wholesalers and retailers from the flower supply chain. They will even ship the flowers overnight express from the flower farms, then transport them by FedEx, or one of the many other international express shippers, to be delivered directly to the doorstep of the bride, or wedding location within 2 or 3 days of being cut. If you're planning a wedding, then check FiftyFlowers.com before choosing your flowers. They'll help make the flower part of the wedding easier for you.

Groundhog Predictions

Well according to the majority of North American Groundhogs.... wait, I think groundhogs are only found in North America..... anyways, all the groundhogs except for Phil in Punxatawney have predicted that spring is on the way! Great news, but it doesn't look like spring is anywhere near coming any time soon. We've had it really bad this year in terms of snowfall. We only need another half a meter to beat the all time record for snowfall. Nevertheless, it's good news.... bad news for skiing and boarding though.... Incidentally, I just found out the Wiarton Willy, the albino groundhog from Wiarton, ON died two or three years ago.... there's a new one, but I thought that was pretty sad. Where do they get them anyway, aren't albino groundhogs rare?

Growing Dipper Gourds

When I saw a Dipper Gourd for the first time, I thought how cool is that! I wanted to try planting them just to see if I could make some dippers. I guess you could use them as a ladle or big spoon in the kitchen. I guess I could try turning them into birdhouses too. Anyways, growing them will be similar to growing the other kinds of gourds.

The vines grow 15-20', and each vine will produce several gourds. If you want straight handles for the dippers, then they should be grown on a sturdy fence or trellis. If you want the dipper handles to be curved, then they should be grown on the ground. The seeds should be planted in full sun about 1/2" deep in well drained, slightly acidic soil with lots of compost. They require a long hot growing season fo about 100 days. Once the vine is about 10-15 feet long, the tip should be pinched off so that the plant will send out side branches. The side branches will produce the female flower and subsequently, the gourds.

Watering should be stopped in the fall and the gourds should be left on the vine until the stems turn brown. Once the vines have died, the gourds should be cut with an inch or two of stem and placed in a warm dry place on a screen, or hanging. They will be ready when they are light in weight and you can hear he seeds rattle when shaken.

Grandfather Clocks

I have fond memories of spending time at my aunt's house when I was a child. She lived just a few houses away from ours and I used to hang out with my cousins often. One of those fond memories was of her Grandfather clock which would chime every hour. I found the chimes comforting not only because of the pleasant sound that would permeate the house, but also because it was something you could count on. Every hour, you could be sure that it would remind you that time was passing by.

Many, many, many chimes later, I still find myself drawn to the classic image of elegance, endurance, and reliability that the grandfather clock evokes in my mind's eye. I would like to have one in the house, but I don't think the antique look would fit into my more contemporary home decor. I was happy to find a Grandfather Clocks Blog with lots of information about the grandfather clock. I was particularly happy to find that there are actually contemporary grandfather clocks that would be a better fit for the modern interior design of my house. There is a wide selection of grandfather clocks like Howard Miller Grandfather Clocks, and Bulova Grandfather Clocks. But in addition to lots of links to a wide variety to choose from, they also have lots of information about the history of grandfather clocks. A very interesting read.

If you're looking for wall clocks, or mantle clocks, they also have links to a wide variety of those. From Ridgeway clocks, Kieninger clocks, Hermle clocks, and Howard Miller clocks. So if you're looking for a grandfather clock that fits your home decor, let www.grandfatherclocksblog.com introduce you to a contemporary take on the classic grandfather clock we all know and love.

Growing Bird House Gourds

The first time I saw a Bird House Gourd (Lagenaria siceraria), I thought they were pretty cool. I mean you all know my fascination with interesting plant species. Especially ones that produce useful fruit. You can't really eat a Bird House Gourd, or maybe you can, I'll have to try it, but turning them into bird houses should be interesting and fun for the kids too.

The vines of the bird house gourd grow 15 to 20 feel, and require a sturdy fence or trellis on which to grow. Each vine may produce up to 12 gourds. The seeds should be planted in full sun, 1/2" deep in well drained, slightly acidic, soil with plenty of composted material. The vines require a long, hot growing season of about 100 days. When the vine reaches 10-15 feet long, the tip should be pinched off so that the plant will send out side branches. The female flowers, and subsequently the gourds, will be produced on the side branches.

Watering should be stopped in the fall, and the gourds should be left on the vines until frost or the stems turn brown. After the vine has died, the gourds should be cut with an inch or two of stem left on. They should be stored in a dry warm place on a screen or hanging. Drying is complete when the gourd is light in weight and you can hear the seeds rattle when shanken. Gourds that become soft and start rotting should be discarded.

Surgical News

I do not necessarily believe in cosmetic surgery. I believe that surgery should be reserved for medical reasons. However, as physicians, it is not only important to treat the patient's body, but also the patient's mind. In many cases, cosmetic surgical procedures serve to improve a patient's emotional well-being. Therefore, it ceases to be only a matter of vanity, and becomes a matter of improved quality of life, by improving a patient's level of self confidence and self image.

In a world that is so concerned with a high standard of beauty and outward appearances, it is not surprising to hear the news that 44% of UK adults would consider having cosmetic surgery at some point in their lives. Millions of Pounds have been spent in the UK on body reshaping operations like tummy tucks, liposuction, and Breast Augmentation UK. I'm sure that the figures would be similar in North America. If you have been considering some form of cosmetic surgery, check out the MYA website, and find out how you can "make yourself amazing" too. They also have the latest news in the cosmetic surgery world, and overviews of all the procedures that they perform, so you can make a better informed decision.

Gourds

I forgot to tell y'all about the other seeds that came along with the loofah seeds. I also got some Bird House Gourd seeds, Short Handled Dipper Gourds, and the lady sent me a bonus pack of Warty Gourd seeds. I was really after the loofa seeds, but when I saw what you could do with the bird house gourd and the dipper gourd, I had to get some too. Besides, shipping and handling was free for the second, and third items. Can't wait for spring!

Catholic News

Today is a Friday, and in the Catholic Church it is considered a day of penitence. Even more so since we are in the season of Lent which is an entire season of penitence in preparation for Easter. Lent is more than just a season, my pastor describes it as the discipline of Lent because it's a time to take stock of ourselves and "shape up" where we need to, as Fr. Vid would put it. I have been trying to be disciplined as I work on the three areas of spiritual life that we are asked to focus on during Lent; penance, prayer, and alms-giving. So since it is a Friday, I decided to go to church and meditate on the Stations of the Cross, Christ's journey to Calvary. I always come out of that meditation feeling a sense of renewed strength to get through the rest of my own "journey". It's funny because when I got home and went online and logged onto PPP, I came upon a website called the Catholic Exchange, where you can find all sorts of catholic news, and Catholic related stories, articles, and links to help Catholics share their faith online, and help carry each other through the "journey".

Growing Luffa Cylindrica

The vines of the luffa plant need a sturdy fence or trellis to grow on. They do not do well as a ground cover because the resulting sponges will be discolored, may rot and be misshapen when in contact with the ground.

The seeds should be soaked overnight before planting. They should be planted about 1/2"-3/4" deep along the fence or trellis they will be growing on. They should be planed in full sun in well drained, slightly acidic, soil rich in compost. The soil temperature should be at least 68F and the air temperature should also be at least 65F. If it is too cold, they will not germinate. The vie requires a growing season of about 110 days.

Once the vines are growing, do not fertilize again as this will encourage more leaf growth rather than flower and fruit production. Male flowers and female flowers are produced separately. the female flower can be distinguished by the presence of an immature fruit at its base. Water liberally during the growing season, and stop watering in the fall.

In the fall, mature gourds will turn brown, feel light and dry. They will rattle with loose seeds when shaken. After the first frost, remaining gourds can be allowed to continue drying in the vine, or be brought inside to dry in a warm, well-ventilated area. Sponges will discolor if dried gourds are allowed to hang in wet weather for any length of time. When gourds are mature and dried, the skins will be easy to remove from the sponges. Simpy soak in warm water, for five to twenty minutes, until the sponges slip out of the skins.

This is the plan, wish me luck...

Concrete Garages

I was watching the latest news about the upcoming 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, and they were discussing the housing crisis at Whistler. They have been trying to find a solution to the need to house all the volunteers and workers that will have to build and man the venues for the games. The solution they were discussing on the news was using those huge shipping crates! The argument is that any housing would need to be affordable, modular, easily assembled and easily disassembled after the games are done. Of course these shipping crates will be retrofitted with electricity, heating, bathroom, and kitchen facilities to make them livable. But if you think about it, what is a house but four walls a roof, lighting, heat, and water. It has been done before in other parts of the world, and in some cases have become a more permanent solution to housing needs.

This got me to thinking about the shed in the backyard. It's a very small shed and hardly even fits the lawnmower, but I've been thinking of putting a garage back there. Maybe a big metal shipping crate would be a little too big for my backyard, but I did come across a site that sells Concrete Garages that would fit in just fine. Lidget Concrete Garages have strong rigid designs, are attractive and are easily installed into place. They have a wide selection of garages or even just garden sheds if you're looking for something smaller. Maybe I'll just get a new garden shed while I'm at it too. Something larger and more functional than what I have right now. They've got some really nice ones.

If you are looking for a strong garage that is easily set up for your home or business, or if you need a new shed for the backyard, then check out their website.

My Luffa Seeds Arrived!

I just received my Luffa sponge seeds today! It's a little too cold right now for me to start the seeds I think. They do require about 110 days of growth to fully mature and produce fruit, so I will have to time their planting carefully. I'm hoping that by May the weather will be very warm and conducive to growth for it. It's important that the soil and air be warm enough, or the plants will not grow. I'm think that Early April would be a good time to start them. I'm thinking of keeping the pots submerged in the heated aquarium to maintain the soil at a warm temperature. Sounds like a plan.

Mortgage Woes

Until only a few years ago, I did not know what a mortgage was. Heck, I didn't even know how to spell the word properly. Today you can't turn around without bumping into the word. There's the whole sub-prime mortgage crisis in the United States which, unless you've been living under a rock, you've probably heard about every other day on the news.

I came across some news from a Great Britain website about problems with Northern Rock Bank and Uk Mortgages. I guess they have their own version of economic woes too. I hope the economic downturn in the United States does not turn into a world-wide phenomenon. I heard about the whole Northern Rock Bank fiasco a while ago, but according to the latest news, Northern Rock mortgage holders "don't need to worry" because according to the bank, they are "conducting business as usual". If I was affected, I would really like to take their word for it, but with all the economic instability going on around us, it would still be difficult not to worry. I hope for the best for all the shareholders and customers of Northern Rock Bank.

Suddenly Lazy

I suddenly got the urge to be lazy, and not do my work like I'm supposed to today. That sucks, I really was all revved up yesterday to go on my marathon and finish the task of my PS. Then I go and get sick. Serves me right for spending two hours in -12C temperatures. Now that I feel better but, I can't seem to find that same level of energy and motivation. Do you think I just need to drink more coffee? Hmmmm.... maybe? I think I've only had 2 or 3 cups so far today. That's just my bare minimum to survive a morning. Okay, I'm going to go and make a pot of coffee, hopefully that will be enough to get me to snap out of this rut.

Family Vacation in the Riviera Maya

"A World of Sensuality and Seclusion On the White-Sand Beaches of Riviera Maya"

Wow! Talk about a catch phrase, it definitely caught my attention! After freezing my toes and fingers solid watching the eclipse last night, I would definitely rather be in a world of sensuality and seclusion on the white-sand beaches of Riviera Maya! Coming across the KarismaHotels.com website got me to realize that I need, not just want, but need to go on a real vacation. I challenge anybody to read their vacation offerings and not want to go on a vacation! And not just any vacation, but a vacation with them.

I mean, come on, “Gourmet Inclusive” travel and cuisine concept? Sounds deliciously delightful. A veritable paradise for the gastronomical connoisseur. But if you're not necessarily into food they still have a variety of resorts that will cater to whatever paradisaic ambiance you're looking for. With five signature resorts that cater to an adult's only ambiance or a family-oriented ambiance, I'm sure anybody would find what they were looking for. There's the El Dorado Royale Spa Resort and The El Dorado Seaside Suites which both cater to adults only, Azul Beach and Azul Blue which are both family-friendly . Then there's The Hidden Beach Resort which caters to naturalists.

I don't think I'm ready to go au natural, but a family vacation sure sounds great right about now. It would be wonderful to be able to bring Aiden along to the beach. We're long overdue for some family time, and a family vacation somewhere warm and sunny would really hit the spot. KarismaHotels.com sounds like a great starting point, so if you're looking to go on an awesome vacation, then check them out!

Total Lunar Eclipse

I got some great shots of the eclipse tonight, I hardly even noticed the -12C temperatures. Luckily I had the fire pit going to keep me warm. Here is my favorite shot...
If you missed it this time around, the next total lunar eclipse will be on December 21, 2010. That's almost three years away. There are a few partial eclipses in between, but those won't be as nice as a total eclipse. Keep looking up!

TECHNORATI TAGS: total lunar eclipse, lunar eclipse, lunar eclipse february 20, 2008

It's Cold Outside

I know I've been really looking forward to tonight's eclipse, I mean I have been anticipating it since that last one back in August. The August eclipse was not very optimal, since the moon disappeared behind the neighbor's house just when the eclipse was peaking. Plus the sun was also rising at that point. So you see, it kind of left me hanging, and I immediately looked up the next one. I was happy to learn that tonight's eclipse will be pretty optimal for North America because it will peak during prime time. Anyways, I went out there to start setting up the telescope, and man is it ever cold out there! I decided to start a fire in the fire pit to keep me warm, otherwise I might die of exposure.

Manage Your Debt

The sub prime mortgage crisis in the United States has really made a lot of people more aware of debt management and how it can all go wrong if you don't do it right. With the way the American economy is going, and with the dreaded "R word" Recession looming over the North American continent like a big gray cloud, I'm sure many people would appreciate help with debt management and avoiding bankruptcy.

I know I personally find it a big challenge to balance and manage all of my debts. What with the mortgage, car payments, and credit cards, it can feel pretty daunting at times. Luckily, I have been able to keep everything afloat with no problems so far. I can make all my minimal payments on time so that I do not risk ruining my credit rating. Because I have several credit cards, I have been getting periodic offers from them to transfer funds at significantly lower interest rates, rates as low as 1.2% and even 0%. I have been taking them up on their offers. By the time the offer runs out, the other credit card will usually send me another offer. In this way, I have been able to simply move my credit card debt around reducing the amount of money I pay on interest charges. If I didn't, the interest charges would be 19%!

Anyways, I really appreciate websites like abacusfinance.co.uk, for their professional advice on Debt Management and consolidation. If you're looking to getting your debts under control, then check out their offers on IVA debt solutions, refinancing, remortgages and loans. Their website even offers you free advice if you provide them with some basic information. See what options are available to you and get your debts under control!

Frozen Waterfall

Wow it has been brutally cold this past couple of days. I guess it is the right time of the year for it, but I've heard that even down south it's been unusually cold. I decided to check on the pond to see how things are going. I checked on it last week, when the weather was warmer than usual. All the ice on the pond had melted, and I saw the fish for the first time, swimming around. So far they've survived the winter. I'm not so sure now, with such frigid temperatures. Check out how frozen the pond is now....The waterfall actually stopped flowing. I suspect the tube that leads from the pump to the waterfall stones has gotten clogged with ice. I decided to turn off the pumps so that it doesn't break down trying to force water through a frozen tube. My worry now is that the pond will freeze over even more. Hopefully the pump are not ruined. I'll have to check on them again later... All the ice makes for a pretty site though....

Work and Volunteer Abroad!

Have you ever thought about taking a break from your studies or your busy career and doing something meaningful like volunteering abroad? Or maybe you've always dreamed about working in and living in a different country? Twin WorkandVolunteer.com is a great website that can help you realize this with lots of work programs and volunteer programmes in Europe, Australia, Asia, Africa and the Americas. I can tell you from my own personal experience that working in another part of the world can be extremely rewarding. When I did my training in the Philippines, I was able to see the world from a different perspective. It opened up my eyes to a whole other world that I was ignorant of, and gave me a new appreciation for my life in North America. It was definitely an experience that I am grateful for and would recommend to anybody who wants to broaden their horizons and do some good at the same time. Check out WorkandVolunteer.com, it's got lots of information about working and volunteering abroad like FAQs and newsletters, and help with accommodations , and insurance. They have links to lots of opportunities, so if this has been your dream, then this site can get you started on making the experience a reality for you.

What Was She Thinking?

I never thought that I would ever live to see a black American President, but Barack Obama is making that dream into more and more of a reality! I have never been more excited about an election in my entire adult life, and I'm hoping that Michelle Obama doesn't ruin the momentum her husband has been building up. The first time I saw her, there was something about her I didn't like, and when I heard her open her mouth for the first time, I worried about her turning off a whole lot of people to her husband's cause. What the heck was she thinking when she said that it was was the first time in her adult life that she felt really proud of her country?! Didn't she think about all the possible ways that simple statement could be twisted to completely ruin her husband's momentum? Momentum is crucial at this stage! I hope she doesn't give the other side even more fodder.

Denver!

There are a whole lot of places that I would love to go to for a vacation. This cold winter weather has definitely got me into thinking about going some place warm and sunny like Florida, California, Mexico or the Caribbean. But I wouldn't mind going someplace beautiful like Colorado too. I have never been to Denver, but it sure sounds like a great and vibrant city full of lots of things to do and lots of things to see. I mean c'mon, it IS the home of three great teams, the Rockies, the Broncos, and the Avalanche. Three reasons enough to go visit Denver Colorado, but then there's the beautiful scenery of the Rocky Mountains too! I would love be let loose with my my digital SLR in Colorado, oh the pictures I could take! I've heard that Denver has a very large and historic parks and recreation system. There's a great website I've heard about, Denver Magazine, where you can learn so much more about the great city of Denver Colorado. From the arts scene, to the sports scene, to the new commercial and residential developments in the city of Denver, you can find it all on Denver Magazine. If you're thinking of a great and vibrant place to visit, check out Denver Magazine and learn more about Denver Colorado!

Getting Darker

Alright! It's past 5 PM now, and its starting to get dark out. The eclipse is scheduled to start in about three hours, and I'm getting pretty psyched. I better start getting all the equipment ready. I don't want to run out of batteries right in the middle of the lunar show! I'm also hoping that my equipment doesn't freeze up, because it is pretty cold out there! My camera has been known to freeze up when I've been taking pics out in the cold. The battery seems to run out pretty fast too in cold weather. Anyways, I better get ready.

BT Annoyances

Okay, since we were talking about a particular annoying CNN anchor, let's talk about some CityTV annoyances. Is it just me or is Dina Pugliese kind of annoying? She's great and all, attractive, clever, lively, but sometimes I find it annoying when she seems to talk over people, or interrupt people when they're talking. I mean its okay to stop someone and ask a clarification question, but do you have to do it after every sentence that comes out of the poor person's mouth? I think Kevin Frankish finds it annoying hehe... She's okay though, apart from that. I guess its because she's a woman. Some women just have big mouths. Oh yeah, Nolini is annoying too!

Call Center VoIP Phone Systems

At the clinic I used to work at, we had a call center to handle all the questions about the different kinds of surgery the clinic would perform. I didn't realize how much work went into setting up the call center. The traditional call center phone systems are pretty expensive, and are complicated to install. They require an extreme amount of site maintenance as well. I recently came upon the website of Xpander Communications. They provide an alternative to the more expensive and complicated traditional systems, with their Call Center VoIP Phone Systems. Their Nimbus VoIP Call Center edition is affordable, and can be up and running within 7 business days! This system also does not require any additional investment for moves, adds, or any kind of changes to the entire call center, so it will save you on maintenance and labor costs. If you are looking into setting up a new call center, or want to change your current call center equipment, then check out xpandercommunications.com!

New Tax

They will be applying a carbon tax on more polluting forms of energy in British Columbia. This is supposed to make less polluting forms of energy production more attractive to people. A concern that has been brought up is that this carbon tax may actually favor richer people over poor people. The tax will be an extra two cents, which may be insignificant if you got lots of cents to spare. Hopefully they can iron out the details, because reducing carbon emissions will be good for everybody.

Are You Serious?

Okay, let's go back to the Hong Kong Entertainment Industry's sex scandal where actor Edison Chen's dirty pictures with Hong Kong starlets like Maggie Q, Bobo Chan, Cecilia Cheung and Gillian Chung were stolen from his laptop and then distributed online for everybody to see. I just read an article that said that he is not only going to lose millions of dollars in endorsements, but that somebody has actually put out a hit on him.... they are offering half a million Hong Kong dollars to anyone who cuts off one of Edison Chen's hands! Wow, no wonder he was pleading for everybody to erase and stop downloading and distributing those pictures.... like that's actually going to happen....

Vegas!

I know the old adage says that what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, but I'm going to make an exception to that and tell you all about BestOfVegas.com! If you're looking for Las Vegas Hotels and Las Vegas Shows at the best prices, then check them out. I'm sure if you're like me, then you are sick of this winter weather and are ready for Vegas vacation. I am so ready for some warm desert weather right now. I could also use a little bit of gambling and maybe even some Las Vegas Shows! If that sounds good to you, then BestOfVegas.com's got your back, with the best of Vegas Night Clubs, Vegas tours, attractions, VIP Specials and more. They'll make sure you have the best Vegas vacation possible, so check them out and start planning your Las Vegas adventure today!

Loofah

Speaking of ethnobotany, did I tell you how I just discovered that loofah sponges are not actually sponges from the ocean, but gourds?! Ya, I thought that was pretty cool, that you can actually grow your own loofah sponges in your backyard. So anyways, I went looking for and found some seeds. I've ordered them online and I am now anxiously waiting for them to arrive in the mail so I can get the plants started. I also can't wait for the winter to end so I can start growing. If you harvest them young, you can actually eat them like zucchinis.

Sheila Copps is Interesting

I was flipping through the channels, when I came upon a conversation with Sheila Copps. Not really a conversation, it was more of a monologue. She spoke about experiences in her life, and I had to stop and watch it for some reason. I think I was interested because I had not heard from her in so long. I was surprised to hear about her life and to see in her in a less political light and in more of a personal light. Anyways, she is wise in her own way, and I learned a couple of important life lessons from her and her experiences. Thanks Sheila Copps.

Entheogens and Ethnobotanicals

You all probably know about my interest in growing plants that can be used as food or medicines. I think this started when I did a rotation in community medicine in the Philippine countryside. There, we set up a medicinal garden using traditional medicinal plants that the natives were commonly using. This began my interest in ethnobotany, or the study of the relationship between people and plants. I don't study ethnobotany, but I appreciate the special relationship humans have made with certain plants, and this always plays a role when I decide on what plants to grow in the backyard. Forget about roses and flowers, give me something I can eat or use in a practical way. There's something very satisfying about eating or using something that you have grown yourself. I would even venture to say that there is something spiritual about that.

That brings us to the word "entheogen" which has been translated to literally mean "becoming divine within". I came upon an interesting site called the IAmShaman Shop, that sells all sorts of "entheogens" from ethnobotanicals like kava kava, lotus, kratom, and morning glory to books, incense, candles, and much more to help you on your journey to "become divine within". If you're interested in plants used in "entheogenisis", then check out this website. But if you're just interested in growing interesting plant specimens, this site might interest you as well.

Thank CNN

I think CNN heard my griping about that annoying Tony Harris! I haven't seen him on air so much, thank God. Perhaps, I have just done a very good job at avoiding watching CNN, so I just haven't seen him when he was on. I did see him once, and he was less annoying than usual. Still annoying though! Please somebody get him of the air or at the very least please tell him to tone it down or shut up all together. Everybody else on CNN is very professional though, so don't get me wrong. I watch and respect CNN a lot, that's why Tony Harris just pisses me off so much.

Ukrainian Dating

I haven't seen my friend Mariya in over a year. She moved to New York City to do her residency, hopefully, I'll be able to see her again if I ever get to New York City too! I thought about her today because she was from the Ukraine, and I just came across a Ukraine dating agency that you might be interested in seeing, if you were looking for some nice Ukrainian women to date.

I remember Mariya because she was one of the sweetest and nicest girls I have ever met. If she's representative of what Ukrainian women are like, then guys, you should really check out this online dating site, loversplanet.com. You'll be able to browse through lots of pictures of beautiful women, and you will soon realize that Ukrainian women are some of the most beautiful women in the world. Not only are they lovely, but they are interested in Western men who are family minded and believe strongly in the bond of marriage. Loversplanet.com also provides you with tips on Ukrainian and Russian dating, and important information about avoiding scams when communicating with Russian and Ukrainian women. You can start browsing now for free, so check it out!

Eclipse Tonight

Well, I have been waiting for months for tonight's eclipse, and I have been watching for three weeks the Weather Network's forecast for today. Well, today has arrived, and it looks a go for the eclipse! The clouds are supposed to clear just in time for the big show. I've set up my telescope with my Sony cybershot attached to it. I'm hoping that it'll work out so I can get some clear pics. Attaching the camera will reduce the shake in my hand, and will allow me to take pictures with longer exposure. So keep tuned in for some pictures later tonight!

Procrastinating

I have been trying for hours now, to try and complete my personal statement. Instead I find myself on my blog. Before this was was watching Jon and Kate plus eight, then I had a conversation with Tu Anh, that later turned into another argument. Thanks to my personal statement however, and the deadline of today to finish it. The argument was cut short, so that I could concentrate on finishing it. But, like I said, instead I am on my blog.... Somebody please tell me how to cure procrastination....

Luxury Italian Handbags

My Ann really loves to shop! From dresses, to watches, to shoes, and to handbags, you name it, she loves to buy it. I'm sure she's going to love this new online boutique that I came upon, that sells fashion handbags. I know Ann will appreciate the fact that they are all hand-made in Italy, with fine leather and accessories. Here's an example of their fine work....

I can just see Ann drooling. If you're looking for the finest leather handbags straight from Italy, then check out their online boutique for a wide selection of lovely works of art.

Snow Snow Go Away

For the past three weeks, I have been monitoring the weather forecasts because there is a scheduled total lunar eclipse on Wednesday. Three weeks ago they were calling for snow for this whole week. Then as we got closer to Wednesday, the sun started to pop up on the forecasts for Thursday. Now it's looking like it's holding with forecasts for snow on Wednesday and sun on Thursday. I'm hoping that the Wednesday snow is during the day only, and I'm hoping that the clouds will start clearing by the evening. That way the eclipse will be nicely visible. Wish me luck!

Gifts and Gadgets

Does anybody else remember the "It Store"? Does it still exist? It was the store with all the cool novelty gifts and gadgets? I used to love browsing through that store and have a good laugh. I bought many a great gift from them too. I have seen one in a while, but I did find a cool online store for awesome gifts and gadgets called House of Cool. If you're looking for a great gift idea, they've got a wide variety of cool and funky things for you to choose from.
Check out this hilarious mat for the front door....

Or check out this cool mug with a color gauge that shows you the right amount of milk to add to your tea....

Isn't that cool? Check out the website, they don't only have novelties, but lots of practical gifts, USB gadgets, green gifts, toys and games, unusual gifts, and much much more!

Foggy

Ann came home last night, and I had to pick her up from the airport. She was so supposed to arrive at nine o'clock in the night time, but her connecting flight from Chicago was canceled! Luckily they were able to put her on a flight to Toronto, but it meant that she would be flying in at eleven thirty at night. Thanks to the freezing rain and fog all day her arrival time turned into one in the morning. She didn't come out of the arrival gate until two in the morning. We didn't stop talking on the phone until six in the morning, and I just slept in. Thank McGuninty it's Family Day today!

Capella Accolades

This blog post is based on information provided by Blogitive. For more information, please visit Blogitive.com.

You all know how I've blogged about Capella University several times before. Well, they have surprised us all again with more accolades awarded to this online institution. A member of the faculty, Dr. Christopher Lucies has been named president-elect of the Texas Mental Health Counselors Association. He works in Capella University’s School of Human Services and teaches for the CACREP (Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs) counseling education and counseling studies programs.

Capella University has certainly been making their mark in the world of online academe. Since it's founding in 1993, Capella University has become an accredited, fully online university. Today, they offer graduate degrees in business, information technology, education, human services, psychology, public health, and public safety, and bachelor’s degree programs in business, information technology, and public safety.

If you have been thinking about getting a new degree, or upgrading your present degree, but just don't have the time to do it? Well considering doing it online at Capella University. You have complete control of your schedule. Start your online education today. Check out Capella University's website, or or call them at 1.888.CAPELLA (227.3552).

Be A Broker!

I'm sure if somebody asks you if you want to earn over $100 000 a year guaranteed, you would probably jump at the chance. How do you do that without having to shell out thousands of dollars in tuition, and several years of study to get a degree in law or medicine or business administration? Well, check out BrokerSkills.com and find out! It's a great website to learn about how to get the Broker Skills you need to get you on your way to earning six figures.

There are lots of companies and commercial real estate investors out there who are seeking financing for their projects every year. Every commercial loan transaction pays a commission between 1% to 5%. As a broker, you can earn that commission. On the BrokerSkills.com, you can learn about their comprehensive course on origination and brokering of small commercial real estate loans . You can purchase a whole package which includes the course on CD, and all the tools you will need to become a broker. They will even give you 30 days to look over the materials and if for any reason you are not completely satisfied with the training materials or contents, you can send back the training package in its original condition for a full refund.

Check out the website and find out more about their courses. The website also has testimonials that you can look over. Just imagine how easy it could be to increase your income just by learning some new skills in brokering. Good Luck!

Seeds

Yesterday, I was drinking a drink that I make by mixing frozen berries, sugar, and water. It's pretty good, I'm not really into sweet fruit juices, I actually have to water down a lot of the stuff you buy from the grocery store.... But anyways, back to my mixed berry juice..... Like I was saying, I was drinking my mixed berry juice when I realized how many of the seeds were just sitting there at the bottom of the glass. With the lotus project chugging along quite nicely, I thought that maybe I'd try my hand at germinating berry seeds. Apart from the satisfaction I get from growing my own, organic food, I'm very interested in the anti-oxidant properties of berries. Blueberries in particular have been known to contain the highest concentrations of anti-oxidants. Apart from the anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer properties of anti-oxidants, blueberries have been found to lower excessive blood glucose, and cholesterol as well. So anyways, I've been doing research on the techniques and it seems like it might be difficult, but I'm willing to try. Wish me luck.

Modern Furniture

When my cousins bought their new house in Bloomfield New Jersey, they were very enthusiastic about making renovations and decorating. It was a new house for them, but the house was actually built in the 1950's. So you can imaging that it could have used a lot of modernization. Don't get me wrong though, it was a great house, and it was in a very well established neighborhood with lots of mature trees.

Well, they've been in the house for a couple of years now and have re-done the hardwood floors, given the walls a fresh, more modern coat of paint, and added some modern appliances and modern light fixtures. Unfortunately, they kind of stopped the whole modernization trend at the furniture. I guess after a couple of years they just ran out of steam and money to invest in more modern furniture. Well, I just came across ModernLineFurniture.com, and they have a wide selection modern furniture that would definitely fit into my cousin's furnishing needs.

The great thing about ModernLineFurniture.com is that it is in New Jersey, so it would be very convenient for them. But even if they weren't in New Jersey, ModernLineFurniture.com has fast delivery anywhere in the US. They even offer a flat-fee shipping cost no matter what the size of the order. What's even greater about them is that everything on the site is in stock in New Jersey, so my cousins would just have choose online and pick up their new furniture, if they didn't want to have them delivered. With great discount prices, I'm sure it'll fit right in with their budget, and fit right into the new modern look of their good old house.

If you're looking to re-decorate with contemporary modern furniture, then check out the great variety of in stock furniture at ModernLineFurniture.com!

Banning The Plastic Bag

I was just watching a documentary about those ubiquitous plastic grocery bags. There has been a growing movement to ban them. San Francisco has already banned them, and it made me curious as to why. My first thought was that those bags are great for garbage bags and great for picking up Nermal's "stuff". I also figured that any extra plastic grocery bags could just be recycled. But an average household will accumulate a ridiculously large amount of them. And apparently, so many of them are making their way into landfills.

In Africa and in India, they have actually been implicated in the deaths of animals and human beings. In Africa scattered plastic grocery bags serve as breeding places for malaria carrying mosquitoes. In India cows have been known to eat them and die of gastrointestinal obstruction. They have even been known to clog up sewer system and cause flooding that has caused the deaths of people. It has come to the point where they have banned certain kinds of plastic bags to prevent further tragedy.

Now I know we probably have a long way to go here in North America before garbage starts killing people and cows, but we should never grow complacent. Every little bit helps when it comes to waste management. When the composting program began in my neighborhood, our household's weekly garbage output was cut in half! Half of our remaining garbage output was probably plastic grocery bags too! Okay, I'm exaggerating. My point is that if there's another small thing we could do, it would make a big difference, when everybody does it.

I've been starting to use reusable grocery bags when I go to the store. I already have enough of those plastic bags. If you are also considering going greener, then maybe using reusable grocery bags would be a great small step. CozyHomewares.com has a great reusable grocery bag which is made of cotton mesh woven from strong string. They also have solid-sided canvas shopping bag made of recycled cotton fibers. Both styles have sturdy handles and are sure to last. What a simple and easy way to do great things for our planet.

P.S.

I am probably the best procrastinator that has ever lived. I need to get some self-discipline and just get to work already. I have a deadline to submit my PS to the Matching Service. But I just can't seem to get myself to finish the darn thing. I guess it's because I hate bee essing about myself, and for all intents and purposes, the PS is where you have to bee ess about yourself. On a side note, completely unrelated re: "for all intents and purposes", I now get a great chuckle when I hear people say "for all intensive purposes", since I learned that the former is the correct use of the saying and not the commonly mistaken form of the latter. I'm sure someone out there got a chuckle when I used the latter hehe.... but I digress....

So anyways, back to my PS I guess.... but only after a bit of blogging....

Visit Prague!

I've been looking into taking a trip to Europe. I've never been there and thought that it was about time that I saw that part of the world. I've always wanted to visit Paris and Rome, but there are so many other cities to visit, and so much history and culture to take in elsewhere. I've met a lot of people from Eastern Europe at the study center. My friend Jawid is from the Czech Republic, so he got me into thinking about visiting Prague.

There's a few things I would love to see in the Czech Republic. There's Charle's Bridge, Wenceslas Square, and the Old Town Square. I remember watching the news of the Democracy protests back when the old iron curtain was still intact. It would be awesome to actually see and be in those historic places in person! I would also love to search for and see the original Infant Jesus of Prague. I believe it can be found in the Church of Our Lady Victorious in Malá Strana, Prague, but I have to look that up.

Another thing I will need to look up would have to be Accommodation in Prague. I found a great site with lots of information about Hotels in Prague. The Prague Hotels site offers you a choice of three star, four star, and five star Prague Hotels. They have great pictures of the hotels and list the starting prices for each, to make choosing easier for you. A three star hotel like the Hotel Prague Centre starts from €26 (£18). Wow, even just looking the pictures of the hotels feels like an adventure already!

So, if you're planning a trip to Prague, Czech Republic, or if you're thinking of going to Europe, consider visiting Prague, and check out the Prague Hotels website. They'll help you find the right accommodation in Prague that suits your needs. They even offer free transportation from the Prague airport with every reservation! Sounds like a great deal, makes me want to visit Prague even more! Šťastnou cestu!

Happy Valentine's Day

I almost forgot to wish y'all a happy Valentine's Day. Sweetie is away in La La Land, Los Angeles today, so I'm not doing anything for good old hearts day. I really don't mind at all. I really hate this holiday, it's not even really a real holiday. Or maybe I should say that it is a holy-day that has been hijacked by the greeting card companies and the rest of the money grubbing corporation scum out there. Sorry, I'm not bitter or anything, money just taints everything for me. Happy Valentine's Day nonetheless. I wonder what St. Valentine would think about what his feast day has become?

New York Travel Blog

You all know how much ! Growing up and visiting my cousins every summer in New York City has made me feel a special attachment to the city, and the entire state for that matter. There's so many things to do and so many things to see. Even the long drive through upstate New York is enjoyable for me... if you don' t take the leg constantly falling asleep into consideration. But the scenery up there is beautiful, especially the Poconos in the fall.....
Well, if you're an avid New York traveler, let me introduce you to the perfect blog for you:

New York Traveler.net.

On NewYorkTraveler.net, Mrs. Mecomber blogs about her family's trips and travels through New York State. She's got lots of well written, detailed posts about interesting things to see all across New York State. Great pictures as well. I am definitely going to have to refer to her blog before my next trip down. She has certainly opened my eyes to a wealth of hidden gems that I am sure will make it on my next New York itinerary. Actually, I feel like I've been there after going through her posts and pictures!

I don't know how many times I've driven through or towards Albany, Syracuse, or Binghamton, without actually stopping and checking out the sights. Reading about the museum ship U.S.S. Slater on NewYorkTraveler.net certainly shows how you only need to stop and smell the roses and you'll be rewarded with some interesting sights and experiences. Looking through the pictures and reading about the history of the U.S.S. Slater has whet my appetite for adventure. Looks like it would nicer to visit when it's warmer though. But hey, even winter can be fun, as the post on the Winter Weekend in Inlet will show you.

You history buffs will definitely find this blog interesting too. I guess with so much history in New York State you shouldn't be surprised that it's chock full of interesting points of historical interest. Just check out the post about the Hamilton College Cemetery in Clinton and find out who's buried there!

Well, check out NewYorkTraverler.net before your next trip to New York State, and get some great ideas of what you can visit and see!

Back To The Questions

I am still working away at these practice questions and it's going okay I guess. I still have another 100 days to go before my exam, and I'm feeling exhausted sitting in front of a computer for 16 hours a day. My eyes are getting blurry and I can see this really annoying floater continually passing by my field of view on the left eye. Anyways, I'm cramming for this and trying to make sure I get this exam done by May 1 because I have to drive down to New Jersey for my cousins party. Tu Anh and I will have to go on our own coz the rest of my family is leaving on the day of my exam, and I'll be too tired when I get home to travel the 7 hours to New Jersey. Oh well, back to the computer and my question for me!

North Cyprus Property

Can you believe that there is more snow in the forecast?! When is this winter going to end? For me, it can't be too soon. I could sure sure a vacation somewhere warm an sunny. Have you ever heard of Northern Cyprus? Apparently it is the last jewel in the Mediterranean. Ah the Mediterranean, the word just conjures up images of sandy beaches, warm water, and sunny days. Have you ever considered owning some North Cyprus Property? Check out Wellestates.com and get started on that dream vacation property. Escape the winter now!

Twenty Twelve

I have been doing a bit of procrastinating today, when I should be working on my PS. I've learned from this experience that I watch entirely too much television.... Which brings me to a Discovery program I've been watching.... two of them actually.... so you can guess, that I've wasted either one or two hours, depending on whether they were one hour or half hour shows.... I'll let you guess that one. Anyways, the first was about Nostradamus and the second about oracles over history. From the Ancient Mayans to Cyball to Delphi to Merlin to St. John of the Book of Revelation to the Hopi and to Internet spyders?! Kinda eerie stuff. I have the urge to pick up my Bible and read Revelations, but I know I shouldn't be procrastinating.

Vortex Solution

There is a lot of Internet marketing going on right now. With so many people online, and with the Internet accessible all over the world, the potential market is tremendous. Just a few years ago some of my Freindsters would ask me "what's a blog?" since I would update my Friendster blog so often. Now I think everybody and their grandmother has a blog. I would have to say that blogs are a huge potential for internet marketers to tap into. Just look at the success of sites like PayPerPost!

So much goes into determining how successful a particular website is. For commercial sites, it is imperative to have a heads up on information like that. But even for the everyday blogger, there's always discussion about increasing a blog's exposure and popularity. When I started blogging several years ago, it was more of a way of connecting with other bloggers and getting your opinions, experiences, and whatever else out there via your blog. Nowadays with all the internet marketing going on, your blog's popularity has more to do with how much money you can potentially make.

Well, for those of you who are thinking of having a more commercial site, then you need to check in with one of the professionals. That's where Vortex Solutions comes in. They are a Montreal based web design firm that provides web design services, Internet Marketing strategy, and website translation to French. You should check them out too if you're looking for your own domain name. They can help you manage your site without a programmer, and if you visit their website they even have a free analysis of your project section. Check them out!

Working on My PS

I started working on my PS and I am actually making progress! I've tweaked the original to incorporate one of the questions that I'm supposed to be answering in the PS, and it flows great! I think that the Buddha was right, moderation is the answer. When I say moderation, I'm referring to my urge to procrastinate, in the face of a fast approaching deadline. I think that I've found a happy, and productive balance between getting my PS done, and procrastinating. If I work on my PS, then come on my blog when I've hit a bit of a block, than I can come back to the PS refreshed. I don't know if that makes sense, but that's what I'm going to do today. So keep me company, and lets see if I can't finish this darn PS tonight! My deadline is 10PM.

Find and Share Rides!

I have always searched for ways to decrease my carbon footprint. Whether it's recycling, composting, or taking public transport every little bit helps when everybody does it. Another great way help reduce carbon emissions is to carpool. Not only do you reduce polluting carbon emissions, but you also help to reduce traffic congestion, and most importantly, you save on gas money! Hey isn't that what it's all about?

I know when I was in college, money was always an issue. Don't get wrong, money is STILL an issue! But I mention college because gohov.com launches a new social network for college students, to help them find and share rides with their friends and other students. Whether you're looking for a ride to a party or concert, or maybe a ride home, or of course for the all important designated driver! All very important for a college student, not that the environmental benefits aren't important too!

I'm sure you all already have a facebook account, why not sign up for a social network that will actually be useful to you! Go and check out Gohov Learn More and sign up, it's free! What's more, students who join today are automatically entered in Gohov's launch promotion to win an iPHONE or $50 gas cards. Here is the press release:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

New online social network helps college students connect to find and share rides

Gohov.com launches its new online social network for college students looking to create and share rides with friends and other students. Whether students are seeking a lift to a local concert or sporting event, a ride back home for the holidays, a designated driver for the night, or a way to save money on gas, Gohov.com will help them safely and easily find a ride to share.

Gohov.com allows students to search for rides by their college and/or surrounding schools, or by their interests. Those looking to create a ride can either share it privately with friends or post it to the entire Gohov.com community.

The Gohov.com service was designed to provide today’s savvy college student with an easy way to connect with other students through ride sharing. In addition, Gohov.com is dedicated to the safety of all student riders and drivers. The site features viewable user profiles and a user ride rating system, giving students the ability to review potential passengers or drivers and decide on whom is best to ride with.

Gohov.com will also be actively involved with colleges nationwide and local communities co-sponsoring designated driver programs and providing students with detailed information on how to start Safe Ride Programs at their schools.

Students joining today are automatically entered in our launch promotion where they can possibly win an iPHONE or $50 gas cards.


For information: http://www.Gohov.com or
Contact: info@Gohov.com
Phone: 917-757-9528

Happy New Year!

I forgot to wish everybody a Happy Lunar New Year! Gong Xi Fa Cai! Kung Hei Fat Choi! Chuc Mung Nam Moi!

I just learned that last one from Ann, she's actually in Vietnam for the lunar new year. The year of the rat is supposed to be lucky. It's the start of a new 12 year cycle so it's time to leave all the bad stuff in the past and start anew. Sounds good to me, I'm in need of some luck and fresh starts. I'm hoping 2008 will be that year. Hey 8 is a lucky number too for the Chinese, so hopefully it will be a double hit of good luck for all of us! Gong Xi Fa Cai, Kung Hei Fat Choi, Chuc Mung Nam Moi, and Happy New Year of the Rat!

Valentines Perfume

Well, Valentine's Day is just around the corner! Have you gotten your sweetheart the perfect Valentine's gift yet? Unfortunately for me Ann is going to be away in Los Angeles for hearts day. Fortunately for me that means that I have a little bit longer to shop for her Valentine gift. I haven't really decided yet what to get, but perfume is alway a nice gift. There's nothing like a sweet smelling lovely lady to make any guy feel good. If you're looking for a discount perfume place, then check out perfumebay. Hey they even have men's cologne, so you can pick something up for yourself too! Good luck finding the right gift guys!

CNN Annoyances

I don't know if it's just me, but does anybody else find CNN anchor Tony Harris annoying?! Sorry for the ranting here, but he just annoys the hell out of me. I'm a regular CNN watcher, but whenever he's on, I just find it painful to continue watching. Also, is his annoyingness a new phenomenon? I don't remember him being so annoying until just a while ago. Who is telling him that it's okay to behave so unprofessionally. Or perhaps CNN is just trying to FOX things up a bit? I've noticed TJ Holmes has also become a little more flamboyant on the anchor chair lately. I'm not sure exactly why, but T.J. Holmes is not annoying. I can still look at him with some respect as a news anchor. None of the female anchors are annoying, I guess it really is just Tony Harris who is ANNOYING! CNN please take him off the air or get him to tone himself down. Are the days when the news anchor was a respected deliverer of intelligent news reporting gone or going. Where is Ted Koppel when you need him?

Better Caring

I guess I'm at that age where parents, aunts, and uncles are getting along in years. I mean I only have one grandparent who is still living, so morbidity and mortality has certainly been more of a concern for me theres past few years. It doesn't help when my life has been all about studying for exams centered on illnesses and diseases. I worry a lot about them all, and I want to make sure that their quality of life remains as full as possible.

I came upon a website called BetterCaring.com which is a search engine focused on being a comprehensive resource for finding the right care home for you. You can search their database for registered nursing homes all over the United Kingdom. But in addition to helping you search for the right care home for you, BetterCaring.com even provides very useful information about the process of finding the right care home. Things like the background of the care system and the range of options that are available to you before you make your decsicion. They have some very useful information about financing your care plans and even a very useful FAQ about social care. They even have a forum for discussion of care issues, and lots of useful links too.

If you're thinking about your plans for your future care, or the care of a loved one, then perhaps you should visit the BetterCaring.com website and learn all you need to know to make an informed decision.

care homes

Fixing My Laptop

I thought that my laptop was dead for good. Nine months ago the screen blacked out and refused to come back on. I had considered buying a new one, but instead I decided to just use the old desktop and save some money. I don't know exactly what inspired me to try and find a solution today, but I discovered an old monitor in the basement, and it occurred to me to just connect it to the laptop. I know it's not that portable attached to a monitor, but at least I can now access all the files that are in here...yup I'm using my old laptop to blog!

Well, it couldn't have come at a better time, because I just learned about this wicked concept from a site called Skinit.com. With Skinit, you can spruce up that boring old laptop with Laptop skins. You can personalize it with whatever color you want. But it doesn't stop at just different colors, Skinit has lots of different graphics and designs in a whole bunch of different categories. Categories like sports, comics, fashion, art, flags of the world, music, video games, causes, and much more. They've got a NY Giants laptop skin that's probably going to be popular for a while! If you really want to truly personalize your laptop, you can even create your own skin by uploading your own personal photos. Pretty cool. But hey, why stop at your laptop? You can even put skins on your ipod, cell phone, or even your guitar!

I'm sure you artistic individualists out there would love Skinit, so check them out! Or even if you just like putting your own mark on everything you own. They've got lots of cool ideas, great as gifts too. Hey Valentine's day is coming, and wouldn't you guess it, they've got a skin for that too!

laptop skins

Ashop Commerce

We really are in the age of the internet. Everything is accessible online. If you're still not internet literate than you're really missing out on a whole different world of possibilities. From emailing to banking, to calling, and most importantly to shopping. It's all done online nowadays.

Ann is pretty conscious about this fact and has been working on her store's website for a while now. I think she finally gave up though, because it was too complicated. I think I'll be referring her to a site that may make things a little easier for her. It's AshopCommerce.com.
They provide their customers with easy to use, award winning ecommerce software. With Ashop's shopping cart software, I'm certain that Ann's plans of branching out her store onto the internet will finally come to fruition by providing her with a complete and easy solution. Their shopping cart software is completely web-based, so there's no need to install any software. The software is also search engine optimized so that her online shopping site would have high search engine priority. It's also very customizable, and most importantly, it's very affordable. They're even offering a 10 day free trial run.

Hey sounds good to me! If you are planning on opening up an online store and need to set up an online shopping cart, then check out their website and try their shopping cart software.

shopping cart software

Heavy

In the past couple of weeks we've had some pretty HEAVY snowfalls....

They look so small and delicate when you look at them individually....
But get them together and man are they ever HEAVY! Ugh, my back kills from shoveling.

Online Casinos!

If you ask me about casinos and luck, I have to be honest with you… I have the worst of luck! I remember when I was little, and the family would visit the cousins in New Jersey. There would always be a mandatory trip down to Atlantic City. When we were still minors, we would have to spend the time on the boardwalk. That was fine for us, the arcade on the boardwalk was pretty awesome. But as we got older, we started to hang out IN the casinos, and eventually started gambling in the casinos. I personally could not get into it because I just didn’t seem to have any luck! My parents on the other hand are very lucky. I don’t know why I didn’t inherit their knack for winning!?

In the age of the internet even the casinos are online nowadays. It seems like there are million online casinos out there. But before you go out and start playing, I recommend checking out pro360.com first. It's a site that has been reviewing online casinos since 1997, so it's an experienced resource that's great to have in your back pocket. This would be great if you're like me and have no luck, at least you can scope them out beforehand and make your own luck. Don't bother sifting through all those online casinos, pro360.com can help you find the right one for you by showing you each site's details like game experience, trust score, and bonuses offered. They have a great chart that shows the top 20 online casinos listing their maximum bonus, and ratings from other players. You can read full reviews on each online casino to help you decide which one will become your favorite online casino. Gook Luck!

online casinos

Smorty!

Yahoo! My blog has just been approved by Smorty! Smorty is another service that connects bloggers with advertisers and lets you advertise on blogs and get paid for blogging! When I first heard about blog advertising and blogging for money, I was a little suspicious. I mean it just seemed too easy, you write a blog and then get money for it? Blog for money? You mean, I'd get paid for doing something that I otherwise loved to do for free!? What was the catch? It sounds too simple? Well, there really isn't any catch. I've been doing it with other "get paid to blog" services and I have made some pretty decent cash so far.

So far Smorty, is looking pretty good! My blog was approved very quickly. Their offers start at $6 for a minimum 150 words. They don't have any rules about non-paid posts between paid posts like other places. They do require that your blog is at least 40% "non-paid posts", which is more than reasonable for any blogger. So what are you waiting for? If you want to blog for money, I recommend checking out Smorty!

Scrypt

Hey everyone, you need to check out this new hip-hop artist, Scrypt! This up and coming 20-year-old rapper is bursting on the internet scene with his own website.
Check out Scrypt's Official Website. It's packed with information about the artist, pictures, videos, and audio samples of his music. There's even a link to his MySpace page where you can add him to your friend list. You can even download an EP for FREE by signing up to the mailing list!

Scrypt has been developing his gift at the mic since he was ten years old, with influences by legends like Big Pun, KRS One, 2 Pac, Jay-Z, and Kanye West. He has a fresh and mellow style that is sure to be hit for you hip hop and R&B fans out there. He's become a highly recognizable presence on MySpace, and is sure to hit it even bigger with his new website. Tell your friends about it and download his FREE EP!

Payce!

Pond? What Pond?

I had to turn off the waterfall a couple of weeks ago because the temperatures dropped to -30C with the windchill. This meant that the tube that carries the water from the pump up to the waterfall froze or got blocked up with ice. The pump is pretty powerful for a small pond, so now that the tube is disconnected it produces a lot of turbulence. It's enough to keep an opening in the ice to allow for gases to escape. I'm glad I discovered this coz it saves me from buying a pond heater. Here's what's left of the pond after all that snow we've been getting....And there's more to come this weekend if you can believe it. You can notice some rabbit tracks by the pond hole, I guess they were thirsty.

Silver!

I've blogged before about how I've been keeping an eye on the markets lately. It's mainly because of the fluctuating Canadian Dollar. I'm actually happy to see that it has finally gone below the US dollar again. I'm hoping it stays below par and goes even lower. Sure it's great to have more spending power when we shop down there, but we're already feeling the effects of the high Canadian dollar with recent factory closings and job losses.

Anyways, as I've mentioned before, as I watch the markets, it seems that gold is one of the more stable commodities. But actually Silver is pretty much up there with gold too. It's considerably worth much less, but it actually seems to hover around the same value. Like gold, it's been considered an important commodity throughout history too. I guess it would be a wise investment, if not a more affordable alternative to investing in gold. In fact every year since 1990, world demand for silver has exceeds annual production. The present supply of silver bouillon are also low and rapidly shrinking. The Monex Deposit Company (MDC), allows you to purchase silver, or even gold and other precious metals as an investment. The Monex companies have been America’s silver and precious metals investment leader for the past 30 years. You can purchase silver in coin or ingot form. In this time of economic uncertainty, investing in silver and precious metals may prove effective in diversifying investments. If you're looking to invest in silver, then check out the MDC website.

What a Night

Last night was one of the weirdest nights I have had to endure in so long. First of all, the storm that dumped thirty centimeters of snow last night made driving horrible! I got stuck just trying to get out of the driveway. Then when a neighbour got his car stuck my brother helped him get it unstuck. In the process, he ended up lacerating his hand. I knew he needed stitches, so I drove him to the E.R. The drive was terrible! The snow plows couldn't keep up with all the snow, even on a major road like Winston Churchhill! When we got to the E.R. we were informed that the wait was going to be three hours! I had not slept in almost 20 hours, so I decided to sleep in the car, let me tell you, it was freezing, but at least I got a couple of minutes of sleep. My brother got out alright. I think last night's sleep was one of the best sleeps I have ever had!

Hydroponics Gardening

It doesn't look like this winter thing is going to be ending any time soon! Just check out those snowy pics from my backyard. If you're a gardener, I'm sure those green thumbs of yours must be getting pretty itchy right now. I hear there's another dumping of snow scheduled for Saturday too. This is all pretty disheartening for those suffering from cabin fever and itchy green thumbs. It's made me think about starting a hydroponics garden. I can just imagine growing veggies throughout the winter, and it helps to calm down those thumbs of mine. Check out the online source for hydroponics gardening supplies I found. Get your hydroponics garden started today because winter's still has a long way to go!

Wintry Visitors

Over the spring, summer, and autumn months, I know we get visitors to the backyard because I've seen them with my own eyes. Visitors in the form of critters. Usually a skunk, a bunch of rabbits, sometimes an opossum, cats looking for catnip, and a variety of birds. I thought these guys would have gone to sleep for the winter, but the virgin snow reveals their nightly visits.... This was Pepe LePew's tracks, and here are the waskly wabbit who killed some of the apple trees a few years back...

California Refinance

I don't know about you, but my monthly bills are starting to kill me! What with credit cards, the mortgage, and car payments just to name a few. Have you ever thought about refinancing a loan? With the sub-prime fiasco, there must be a lot of people scrambling right now. Well, look no further, check out DollarBlvd.com, they have a lot of services from mortgages, home equity loans, debt consolidation, and yes... refinancing. They'll even give you five free quotes on your refinancing. If you're in California, then you're in luck, they even have special deals for California residents. Just check out: California Refinance. If you're not a Cali resident, they still have lots of great borrowing services that might be right up your alley. Don't wait too long, interest rates are at a low!

Phil Was Right

I'm going to have to go with Punxatawny Phil with the six more weeks of winter! I mean I know I've always said that I trust Willy from Wiarton the most when it comes on winter prognostications, but 'com on....Hopefully this last snow storm will be the last of it? One final hoorah before the early spring (according to Willy and every other North American groundhog) comes.... here's to keeping the fingers crossed that Phil will be wrong! I don't know, alls I know is that I got stuck trying to drive out of my driveway! And that's after my neighbour was kind enough to snow blow my driveway and the road in front of my house. Enough of winter, my back kills!