Blaine's World: Newsletter

BLAINESWORLD
#542
2.19.2007

In this issue:
1. Reflections
2. FYI
3. Class assignment
4. Reviews . . . MUSIC & LYRICS, etc.
5. TV alert
6. Wrong place
7. Websites
8. Computer tip
9. Hold that lantern
10. A quote I like
11. Thought for the day
12. Advance planning department

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1. Reflections

A. Cynthia, my beautiful bride, and I had fun Saturday night . . . we
first went to a cocktail party to celebrate Lisa Angelo's recent
appointment as the assistant academic dean of the newly merged
Science & Technology and Math, Computer & Information Science
Departments . . . from there, we went to Casablanca Restaurant
in Warrington, PA, for a party of my faculty union's Steering
Committee.

The Moroccan food is plentiful and quite tasty, too . . . you get a
7-course meal that has lots of vegetables and meat . . . I even tried
rabbit for the first time and though I wouldn't necessarily order it again,
I heard from others that they enjoyed the dish.

There's belly dancing, so naturally yours truly got into the
act . . . see below (Cynthia is to my right):

Prices are quite reasonable . . . for more information, please click:
http://www.casablancaone.com

B. On Sunday, we celebrated the birthday of Cynthia's sister
at a new restaurant for us: Raymond's (973.744.9263) in
Montclair, NJ . . . it is sort of an upscale diner . . . the food
is quite good (I liked my homemade granola, though in retrospect,
wonder whose home it was made at, and Cynthia said her
omelette with avocado was something she'd definitely order
again) . . . Tara, our server, was excellent . . . the only
downside to our experience was that the place was
crowded, as well as noisy.

From there, we caught a movie (see Section 4A) and on the
way home, stopped at Dale and Thomas Popcorn in the
Bridgewater Mall in Bridgewater, NJ . . . we
immediately liked the place, in that they let you sample as
many flavors as you like . . . we tried a bunch of them, settling
for chocolate chunk 'n caramel . . . it was delicious . . . a word
of warning, though . . . their bag sizes are regular and
regular-and-a-half, which is supposedly for two people . . . methinks
that the regular size is more than enough for just about any two
people that I know . . . for more information, please click:
http://www.daleandthomas.com

C. The rest of the week, as is the case with most weeks, seemed to
pass oh-so-quickly . . . on Monday, I gave a presentation
to the Bristol campus at Bucks County Community College
on "Creativity and Engagement in the Classroom" . . . I mention
it because of the fact that I think I was able to engage those
present by getting them involved in a live cockroach race . . . it
featured two live 4.5 inch Madagascar hissing cockroaches, graciously
supplied to me by Cooper Pest Control (609.799.1300) in Lawrenceville,
NJ . . . to give you a feel for the event, see the picture from the
last time I ran it:
http://www.blainesworld.net/newsletter/10.23.2006_525.asp

And SPECIAL THANKS to Dave Burgess and Robin Geherty, both
with Cooper, for helping me with the arrangements.

Tuesday, some snow and a good deal of ice came, so I wound up
being inside with Cynthia through Wednesday--not such a bad
thing if I do say so myself . . . it was enjoyable being able to
celebrate Valentine's Day together and with no work . . . she
gave me a super-sized balloon and book; I only had one gift for
her: personalized m&m's . . . should you ever want to order
them yourself, please click:
http://www.mymms.com

D. WELCOME BACK to Bucks County to Michael G. Fitzpatrick,
former member of the United States Congress, who has rejoined
Begley, Carlin & Mandio, LLP, as Counsel . . . his specialties include
business law, real estate, trusts and estates, and immigration.

Should you ever be in need of his excellent legal assistance,
his phone number is 215.750.0110.

***** BLAINESWORLD BEST AWARD *****
This week, it goes to Shimul Tolia--trade sales coordinator with
Sterling Publishing.

Sterling is the company that publishes THE EASY WAY TO STOP
SMOKING by Allen Carr . . . lately, I've been ordering a lot of copies
of this fine book--only to find that it had become somewhat of a pain to
find and then ship individual copies.

However, when I contacted Shimul, she made it very easy for
me to establish a trade account so that I could make volume
purchases . . . she was both knowledgeable and friendly, and she
returned all my calls in a prompt fashion . . . she even said she'd
send me some extra copies of the book . . . if only dealing with all
firms was as simple as she makes it.

GOOD NEWS:
THANKS to Shimul, I'm therefore able to continue making the
following offer that 17 readers have already taken me up on:

As originally seen in BLAINESWORLD #539, if you'd looking to kick
a smoking addiction, I would be glad to get you a copy of Allen Carr's
book, THE EASY WAY TO STOP SMOKING . . . it works--or so I've
been told . . . a good friend, Jerry in New Jersey, stopped after reading
it with no problems whatsoever!

I'm looking to reach as many people as I possibly can, particularly
since the longer you stay healthy, the better chance I have of keeping
you a reader . . . also, this is one thing I vowed to do after my dad's
death; i.e., help others kick the habit that caused him such health
problems in the last several years of his life.

In the fall, I ran a smoking cessation program at Bucks County
Community College that was quite successful . . . now I'm seeing
if this book can work as well, if not better . . . to join the several other
readers who have already received their copies, all you need to do
is send me an email with your full name and address in the body
of your note, along with the following words in your subject line:
SEND FREE BOOK.

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2. FYI

If you ever have trouble getting to sleep or if you get up in the middle
of the night, try reading a book . . . I do this and within minutes,
I'm often back to sleep . . . yet even if it doesn't get me back
to dreamland, I at least have done something that I find pleasurable
(i.e., reading) and/or even learned something--as opposed to
spending the time tossing and turning.

If somebody is in bed with you, then make sure you have a
night light so you don't disturb him or her.

FYI, part 2

* Pat in New Jersey:
I just wanted to say first off, that I feel privileged to be one of your
subscribers. I look forward to getting your email publication.

You had published a beautiful piece that was read at your father's funeral.
I meant to print it out and never did. My brother passed away yesterday,
and I would like to have that read at his wake, if that is at all possible. Thanks
in advance for your help.

MY TWO CENTS:
I was sorry to hear of Pat's loss . . . I found the piece he was
asking about . . . it ran in BLAINESWORLD #514 . . . to see it
yourself, you can always find past issues at my website (see
Section 7C) . . . when there, just go to "Newsletter" on left,
then "Past Issues" . . . or to make life easier for you, please click:
http://www.blainesworld.net/newsletter/08.07.2006_514.asp

* Nate in New Jersey:
A week does not pass without my being in some way enlightened,
amused or informed about some event or function in your weekly missives.
Perhaps a review of an excellent TV program like "24" would allow those
individuals from your column the opportunity to see the impact that a
well-produced TV program could have upon them.

Continue your excellent work!

TRUE CONFESSIONS:
To date, I have not been a regular viewer of 24 . . . I just may
now have to start watching, in large part because of Nate's
recommendation . . . and the many other positive comments that
I've heard about the show . . . perhaps my best bet to start is
to catch-up on past episodes via a DVD compilation?

* Beth in New Jersey:
Always, but always include a picture or two in your newsletter. I always
enjoy them so much more when seeing you and your lovely bride
and how happy you both are. Take care.

* Bill in Pennsylvania:
I really enjoy reading BLAINESWORLD and reading about you and
Cynthia. You two are really having a good time and without
sounding corny, are truly in love. I am really glad that you are happy.

* Beth in Pennsylvania:
Love the food tips [BLAINESWORLD #538, Section 1B]. Common
sense prevails, but we live in an overeating society. Kudos!

* Arlene in Pennsylvania:
Why not apply a post-it-note- and write, "Today I will play the mind game."
If you been successful that day, take it down and post it on your bedroom
mirror to honor your achievement of the day before. Just keep repeating it
until you feel good and have reached "the top of the mountain, that is, no
smoking at all.

You can see I'm on a bandwagon to help all those that want to be helped
and want to quit and achieve their goal.

* Bob in New Jersey:
The manufacturer should be required to stuff a 13-year old into the box
with the IPOD. Once the kid teaches you all you need to know, stuff
them into a postage paid box and send them back. These kids seem
to be born with the ability to grasp this stuff and make their fingers like
little robots that move at light speed.

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3. Class assignment

Her class assignment was to interview an “old person” about
his life, so my niece asked me, “What was the biggest
historical event that happened during your childhood?”

“I'd have to say the moonwalk,” I replied.

She looked disappointed. “That dance was so important to
you?”

4. Reviews

A. Enjoyed MUSIC & LYRICS, a romantic comedy that works
because you care about the co-stars (Hugh Grant and Drew
Barrymore) . . . the former plays a washed-up 80s pop
star who can only find work on the nostalgia circuit . . . he has
a chance at a comeback, however, but only if the latter can help
him write a new song . . . not only was the dialogue catchy
throughout the film, but the songs were too . . . I also liked
the work of Kristen Johnson as the sister of Barrymore's
character . . . make sure you stay for the credits at the
end; there's a cute spoof of the music played on
VH1 . . . rated PG-13.

B. BABEL is now out in DVD format . . . my review
from BLAINESWORLD #530 follows:

Ordinarily, I'm not a big fan of films that attempt to weave several
disparate tales into one . . . but I fortunately made an exception
and saw BABEL, and I'm glad that I did . . . each of its four storylines
kept me in suspense; I'm still both thinking about them and "seeing"
them in my mind . . . Brad Pitt is excellent as an American tourist
touring Mexico whose wife, Cate Blanchett, is shot by accident . . . the
rest of the cast--with the possible exception of Gael Garcia Bernal,
an actor who is rapidly becoming one of my favorites--is relatively
unknown . . . however, each performer manages to get his or
her role down perfectly . . . the cinematography is also
excellent . . . BABEL is definitely one of the best films I've seen
this past year . . . rated R.

C. I loved Mitch Albom's TUESDAYS WITH MORRIE; in fact, it may well
have been one of my favorite books of all time . . . THE FIVE PEOPLE
YOU MEET IN HEAVEN, his follow-up, didn't have quite the same
impact on me--though I liked it.

FOR ONE MORE DAY, Albom's latest, fits between the two . . . it
is a touching tale about a washed-up baseball player--Charley
Benetto--whose life never goes quite the way he wants it to . . . when
he hits bottom and attempts suicide, he can't even succeed in
doing that . . . yet he does manage to meet up again with his mother,
a woman who had died eight years earlier.

If you can suspend the implausibility of this happening, you'll be
moved by the idea that it would be such a marvelous thing to be able
to go back and make amends with somebody we had once loved . . . in
this instance, Charley learned things about his mother he never
knew . . . and in so doing, he gained insight on how he could begin
to put his crumbled life back together again.

The ending manages to pull things together . . . I liked the fact
that it wasn't overly happy, but that it made sense given what
had transpired previously in this short but thought-provoking book.

There were several memorable passages in FOR ONE MORE DAY;
among them:

* But then she did [leave me alone]. She died. No more visits, no
more phone calls. And without even realizing it, I began to drift,
as if my roots had been pulled, as if I were floating down some
side branch of a river. Mothers support certain illusions about their
children, and one of my illusions was that I liked who I was, because
she did. When she passed away, so did that idea.

* At some point in American history, things must have changed, and
divorcing parents informed their children as a team. Sat them down.
Explained the new rules. My family collapsed before that age of
enlightenment; when my father was gone, he was gone.

After a few weepy days, my mother put on lipstick, did her eyes with
mascara, cooked up some fried potatoes, and said, as she handed
us our plates, "Dad isn't going to live here anymore." And that was that.
It was like a set change in a play.

* She wasn't easy on me, don't get me wrong. She smacked me.
She scolded me. She punished me. But she loved me. She really
did. She loved me falling off a swing set. She loved me stepping on
her floors with muddy shoes. She loved me through vomit and snot
and bloody knees. She loved me coming and going, at my worst
and at my best. She had a bottomless well of love for me.

And then there was this one, perhaps my favorite:
* "So," she said, moving away, "now you know how badly someone
wanted you, Charley. Children forget that sometimes. They think of
themselves as a burden instead of a wish granted."

If you're looking for the perfect gift for someone for a parent and/or
someone else you love, then FOR ONE MORE DAY should be
at the top of your list.

D. In WHY COURAGE MATTERS by John McCain with Mark Salter, the
author points out that "we are taught to understand that courage is not
the absence of fear, but the capacity for action despite our fears" . . . he
then presents a series of real-life stories that vividly depict just why this
is true.

They ranged from the tale of 1960s civil rights leader John Lewis, who
said, "When I care about something, I'm prepared to take the long,
hard road" (and he did) to Hannah Senesh, who in protecting her
comrades in the Hungarian resistance against Hitler's SS, chose
a martyr's death over a despot's mercy . . . I liked the wide diversity
of other individuals who were profiled, including Nobel Peace Prize
laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, Sgt. Roy Benavidez and Navajo leaders
Manuelito and Barboncito.

McCain uses these tales to intertwine his theories as to their
significance . . . as he so eloquently points out, "'If you do the things
you think you cannot do, you'll feel your resistance, your hope, your
dignity, and your courage grow stronger every time you prove it.
You will someday face harder choices that very well might require
more courage. You're getting ready for them. You're getting ready
to have courage. And when those moments come, unbidden
but certain, and you choose well, your courage will be recognized
by those who matter most to you. When your children see
you choose, without hesitating, without remark, to value virtue
more than security, to love more than you fear, they will learn
what courage looks like and what love it serves, and they will
dread its absence."

Adding to my enjoyment of WHY COURAGE MATTERS was
that McCain also did the narration . . . I only wish that the book
had been longer; it was that interesting . . . perhaps McCain
will write a follow-up volume; i.e., if he's not too busy running for
and then becoming our next president. (A reviewer can hope,
can't he?)

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5. TV alert

A. SIT DOWN COMEDY WITH DAVID STEINBERG has
its second season premiere on Wednesday at 10 p.m. on
TV LAND with Jerry Seinfeld as the guest.

B. OPRAH WINFREY OSCAR SPECIAL on Thursday at
10:01 p.m. on ABC has an interesting twist . . . past Oscar
winners Julia Roberts, Nicole Kidman and Jamie Foxx interview
fellow honorees George Clooney, Russell Crowe and Sidney
Poitier, respectively.

C. GEORGE LOPOEZ: AMERICAN'S MEXICAN features the
comic-turned ABC sitcom star in a live stand-up show on HBO
on Saturday at 10 p.m.

D. Don't bother trying to reach me on Sunday night at 8:30 because
I'll be watching THE 79TH ANNUAL ACADEMY AWARDS, hosted
by Ellen DeGeneres on ABC . . . I'm hoping that Martin Scorcese
finally wins the Best Director prize for THE DEPARTED, though
I wouldn't be surprised if Clint Eastwood again beats him out for
his film (the excellent LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA) . . . my only
regret is that this show runs sooooo late; if it were on earlier, I'd love
to watch it some year while hosting my own party.

6. Wrong place

An engineer is standing outside the Pearly Gates.
“Sorry,” St. Peter tells him, “but you're in the wrong place.”
He snaps his fingers and the engineer finds himself in hell.

Dissatisfied with the level of comfort there, the engineer
starts making improvements.

One day, God phones Satan to ask how things are going.

“Great,” he answers. “We've got central air and escalators now.
There’s no telling what that engineer will come up with next.”

“You've got an engineer?” God says, “There’s been a
mistake. Send him back up here or I'll sue.”

“Yeah, right,” Satan chuckles. “Where are you going to
find a lawyer?”

7. Websites

A. Have you ever heard of lock bumping? If not, join the crowd and
then make sure you click:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hr23tpWX8lM

This is scary stuff . . . to make sure it's legitimate, I then verified
it being so at:
http://www.snopes.com/crime/warnings/bumpkeys.asp

B. If you have a minute, check this clip out:
http://howtoprankatelemarketer.ytmnd.com/

It will show you a very funny prank to play on a telemarketer.

C. BLAINESWORLD, the website, remains up and running . . . to view
it, please click:
http://www.blainesworld.net

THANKS to Lori Hansen, my ace webmistress, for having updated
the pictures of yours truly, Cynthia, etc. at the above . . . to see them
for yourself, click the link, then "Blaine's Best" followed by
"Pictures" . . . and whatever you do, makes sure you have your
sound on so you can listen to what's arguably the greatest rock
song of all times!

8. Computer tip

Windows has the habit of automatically downloading some
improvements and/or security upgrades every so often . . . that
can create a problem if you're working on something and leave
it open; e.g., when you go to bed . . . what happens is that
the computer then shuts itself off before restarting back up.

So what I attempt to remember is to SAVE anything I'm working
on before I turn my computer off at night . . . when I do, I never
lose anything because of what Windows may or may not
do overnight.

A related suggestion that I've made before: Remember to SAVE
anything whenever you complete a particular passage or
sections because Windows still has the nasty habit of crashing
when you need it most . . . so before I suffer a crash, I'm going
to save this newsletter right now!

9. Hold that lantern

In the back woods of Oklahoma, a redneck's wife went into labor
in the middle of the night, and the doctor was called out to assist
in the delivery. Since there was no electricity, the doctor handed
the father-to-be a lantern and said, "Here you hold this high so I can
see what I am doing." Soon, a baby boy was brought into the world.

"Whoa there," said the doctor, "Don't be in such a rush to put that
lantern down. I think there's another one coming." Sure enough, within
minutes he had delivered a baby girl.

"Hold that lantern up, don't set it down there's another one!" said
the doctor. Within a few minutes he had delivered another baby girl.

"No, no don't be in a hurry to put down that lantern, it seems there's
yet another one coming!" cried the doctor.

The redneck scratched his head in bewilderment and asked the
doctor, "You reckon it might be the light that's attractin' 'em?"

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10. A quote I like

Make yourself an honest man, and then you may be sure that there
is one less scoundrel in the world.--Thomas Carlyle (1795-1881),
Scottish writer

11. Thought for the day

Real teachers

Real teachers grade papers in the car, during commercials, in faculty
meetings, in the bathroom, and (at the end of the six weeks) have been
seen grading in church.

Real teachers cheer when they hear April 1 does not fall on a school
day.

Real teachers drive older cars owned by credit unions.

Real teachers clutch a pencil while thinking and make notes in the
margins of books.

Real teachers can't walk past a crowd of kids without straightening up
the line.

Real teachers never sit down without first checking the seat
of the chair.

Real teachers have disjointed necks from writing on boards
without turning their backs on the class.

Real teachers are written up in medical journals for size and
elasticity of kidneys and bladders.

Real teachers have been timed gulping down a full lunch in 2 minutes,
18 seconds. Master teachers can eat faster than that.

Real teachers can predict exactly which parents will show up at Open
House.

Real teachers volunteer for hall duty on days faculty meetings are
scheduled.

Real teachers never teach the conjugations of lie and lay to eighth
graders.

Real teachers know it is better to seek forgiveness than to ask
permission.

Real teachers know the best end of semester lesson plans can come from
Blockbuster.

Real teachers never assign research papers on the last six weeks or
essays on final exams.

Real teachers know the shortest distance and the length of travel time
from their classroom to the office.

Real teachers can "sense" gum.

Real teachers know the difference among what must be graded, what ought
to be graded, and what probably should never again see the light of day.

Real teachers are solely responsible for the destruction of the rain
forest.

Real teachers have their best conferences in the parking lot.

Real teachers have never heard an original excuse.

Real teachers buy Excedrin and Advil at Sam's.

Real teachers will eat anything that is put in the workroom/teacher's
lounge.

Real teachers never plan discussions for first period or co-operative
groups for 7th during an evaluation.

Real teachers have the assistant principals' and counselors' home phone
numbers.

Real teachers know secretaries and custodians really run the
school.

Real teachers know the rules don't really apply to them.

Real teachers hear the heartbeats of crisis; always have time to
listen; know they teach students, not subjects; and they are absolutely
non-expendable.

Author unknown
(if you know who wrote this and/or the source, please let me know.)

12. Advance planning department

A. Here are two events at Bucks County Community College that I
thought would be of interest:

* "Beauty Undressed" program to honor National Eating Disorder
Awareness Week

Shannon Cutts, a 15-year survivor of anorexia, bulimia, depression,
and anxiety disorder will share her struggles to overcome this health
challenge through music and words on Monday, Feb. 26, from 12-1:30
p.m. in the Gallagher Room. Program sponsored by Women's
Center and Office of Student Life. For additional information, contact
Natalie Kaye at 215.968.8015 or via email, kayen@bucks.edu

* Bucks County Community College students host a Concert benefiting
the Multiple Sclerosis Association of America on February 26 at the
Library Auditorium on the main campus.

WHO: Bucks County Community College student body; Erik Kjelland,
singer and songwriter from Madison, Wisconsin; Jilladair Carlson, music
producer from Seattle, Washington and The Multiple Sclerosis Association
of America (MSAA).

WHAT: Join the students at Bucks County Community College as
they welcome Erik Kjelland in a concert highlighting songs from
the CD, EVERYBODY FALLS. Tickets for the concert are $15 and
include a FREE CD. Tickets will be available at the door; however
if you would like to purchase tickets in advance, please call
877.783.7516. If you cannot attend the concert, but are still
interested in buying the CD, please visit:
http://www.everybodyfalls.com

or call 877.783.7516 to purchase the CD.

WHEN: Monday, February 26, 2007, 7:00 p.m.

WHERE: Bucks County Community College, Library Auditorium,
275 Swamp Road, Newtown, Pennsylvania

About Everybody Falls: Erik Kjelland and Jilladair Carlson collaborated
to write, sing, and produce Everybody Falls, a CD compiled to inspire
not only individuals in the multiple sclerosis (MS) community, but all
who listen. Proceeds from the sale of the CD benefit the Multiple
Sclerosis Association of America. For more information on MSAA
or Everybody Falls, please visit:
http://www.msassociation.org

B. Meaghan in Pennsylvania:
Meet the 26th US President
Michael O. Smith brings Theodore Roosevelt to life in BULLY PUPIT.

February 27 through March 18, 2007, President Theodore Roosevelt
takes the stage at Bristol Riverside Theatre, portrayed by actor and
playwright Michael O. Smith in his one-man play. The production is
the fourth in BRT’s 20th Anniversary Season, and brings to life the
dichotomies of one of our most memorable leaders.

Set in Roosevelt’s Sagamore Hill, NY home, the play transpires in
1918, on the occasion of Roosevelt’s 60th birthday (what we now know
was less than three months before his death). He is ten years out
of office as President, yet is as vibrant in spirit and exuberant in
his story-telling as ever. But while reflecting upon the many
adventures—and tragedies—in his life, “TR” is trying to come to grips
with the legacy he will leave behind. War Hero or Conservationist?
President or Father?

Tickets are available by calling the BRT Box Office at
215.785.0100, or online at:
http://www.BRTstage.org

C. Cynthia (see also Section 1A) in New Jersey is offering the
following "Move your Body" classes:

* A series at the Elizabeth Avenue School, Somerset, NJ,
on Tuesdays from March 13 to May 15 from 6:30 to 7:45 p.m.

Just $24 for the 8 sessions; a bargain!

To register, call Ruth Strohl: 732.873.2400, ext. 403.

* March 3 and 17, two FREE classes.

1:30-2:45 p.m. at Princeton Center for Yoga & Health,
Skillman, NJ.

For more information, please click:
http://www.princetonyoga.com

D. HOLD THIS DATE:
Harry Paul, co-author of REVVED! and FISH!, will be speaking
at Bucks County Community College on March 12, 2007 at the annual
"Meet the Author" Business Seminar . . . you won't want to miss him;
he is great.

Fulton Bank (Premier Division) has graciously stepped forward as
the Presenting Sponsor . . . but there are still several opportunities
for other corporate sponsors for this outstanding event, so if you'd
like more information, call the Foundation Office at 215.968.8224.

At the same time, make sure you order your individual ticket . . . one
can be purchased for just $50, and it includes a continental breakfast.

PS. Please join me in praying that we soon get our remaining soldiers
back from Iraq and that peace soon resumes in Israel . . . also, make it
a great week!

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