BLAINESWORLD
#701
3.8.2010
In this issue:
1. Reflections
2. FYI
3. Flexibility
4. Reviews . . . THE LAST STATION, etc.
5. TV alert
6. Loud pounding
7. Websites
8. Computer tip
9. Puns for the educated (and not so educated), Part 1 of 2
10. A quote I like
11. Thought for the day
12. Advance planning department
_________________________________________________________
1. Reflections
A. Cynthia, my beautiful bride, and I joined several neighbors for a bonfire in our
community.
(Photo courtesy of Marilynne Herbert.)
We were lucky that the weather was mild. The s'mores were great. Best of all
was the camaraderie. SPECIAL THANKS to Julia for coordinating the whole event.
B. We're both looking forward to our upcoming trip to the New Jersey/Pennsylvania
area at the end of the month . . . at that time, we'll be spending time with a few
relatives and friends . . . I'm also tentatively slated to be in Bucks County on both
March 26 and 31 . . . so maybe I'll catch up with a bunch of "y'all" on either
of those two days.
***** SPECIAL INVITATION *****
On Wednesday, March 31, I'm speaking on "The Passion Test" at Bucks County
Community College at noon . . . the presentation, based on a book with the same
title, is designed to help folks discover what it is they should be doing in life . . . if you'd
like to be my guest at this session, send an email to bginbc@aol.com and
put PASSION TEST in the subject line.
C. We managed to find still another place for ice cream; actually, make that frozen
yogurt . . . TCBY, to our mutual surprise, now serves a variety of favors (as opposed
to only chocolate and vanilla) . . . the taste is actually quite good, too.
We went to the location at 800 Hendersonville Road in Asheville; 828.274.1100 . . . the
servers all seemed to be friendly . . . and we loved the sign on the cash register:
"Live your life in a way that when your feet hit the floor in the morning, Satan shudders
and says, "Oh, crap. He's awake!' "
On another day, I met my friend Mark for lunch at a new place in town: Roman's . . . my
turkey sandwich was excellent; he enjoyed his grilled vegetable sandwich . . . the decor
was attractive, and the service was attentive . . . for more information, please click:
http://romanstakeout.com/
D. My SCORE (Senior Corps of Retired Executives) involvement is also keeping me
busy . . . I've observed several counseling sessions, and I look forward to soon finishing
my training so I can become a full-fledged counselor with this fine organization.
This past Saturday, I attended SCORES's "Starting a Business in Tough Times"
seminar . . . I learned something from all the speakers; however, I especially benefited
from Don Sinclair's two sessions . . . he shared many valuable tidbits of information,
including these:
* If your business plan is in your head, all you can see is the cover.
* If you wouldn't hire yourself out to another person, then why would you want to hire
yourself?
* Word of mouth has become word of thumb. (Facebook, Twitter, etc.)
* And he also reviewed this Job Description for anybody planning to start a business:
Wanted: Full-time manager to work 60-80 hours per week. No vacation, health
insurance or sick days for the first two years. Duties include (but are not limited
to) hiring, training and firing employees, customer service, bookkeeping, marketing,
human resources, financing, and strategic hiring. Salary range: zero to minimum
wage for first year.
***** BLAINESWORLD BEST AWARD *****
This week, it goes to Jeremy Grover--a server at Stone Ridge Tavern in Asheville.
Cynthia and I often go to this restaurant . . . . it is just a few minutes away from
where we live, and the food is always great . . . I typically order the tilapia that
I get with a special coconut topping; it's delicious . . .Cynthia says her sesame
salmon has a great topping, too, and is equally fine . . . the accompanying
salads are always fresh . . . in addition, I like the raspberry vinaigrette dressing that
I get on the side.
For more information about the Tavern, please click:
http://thestoneridgetavern.com/
The other reason we go to this place is because of Jeremy . . . He always greets
us with a smile, and his enthusiasm is contagious . . .he makes you feel welcome,
almost like you're coming to his home.
Jerry is also a talented artist . . . his work is on display at at the Woolworth Walk Gallery
(on the bottom floor) in downtown Asheville . . . for more information about this side
of his persona, please click:
http://www.g-raves.com/Jeremy%27s%20Gallery.htm
_________________________________________________________
2. FYI
I'm continually looking for the "best" credit card deal out there . . . I may
have found a real good one:
Schwab Bank Invest First Visa offers an attractive and straight forward 2%
on all cash purchases. The only drawback I see: Cardholders must maintain a Schwab
One brokerage account, but there's no annual fee and no minimum balance for the
brokerage account. Call 866.724.9223 or click:
http://www.Schwab.com
Another good card: TrueEarnings from Costco and American Express. This card
offers an attractive 3% cash back on purchases at any restaurant and on the first
$3,000 in gas purchases for the first year at most gas stations (1% thereafter). A
2% cash back rate applies on most travel-related spending, with a 1% cash back
rate on most other purchases. There's no annual fee the card, but here's the
catch: Costco membership is required, which typically costs $50 a year.
Call 800.528.4800 or click:
http://www.Costco.com (search for "True Earnings")
SOURCE:
BOTTOM LINE PERSONAL, 3.15.2010, p. 4
***** MR. CURIOUS HERE *****
Is anybody currently using either of these two cards and, if so, what's your reaction
to them? Also, does anybody use a card that's better than either of these two cards
and if so, what card do you use? I'm seriously thinking about trying the Schwab
card, but would be interested in any feedback before I make the switch.
FYI, part 2
* Kimberly in North Carolina:
I have recently become a distributor for Amazon Herb Company. If you would like to learn
about some of the many products available from Amazon Herb Company, please check
out my website listed below and let me know if you would like to discuss and/or purchase
any of their products. I have completely changed my way of eating and in turn am experiencing
a myriad of health benefits (including significant weight loss without counting calories or feeling
hungry!). Some of the Amazon Herb Co. products have been part of my new lifestyle changes
(Specifically the "Rainforest Treasure Tea"; "Aquazon", "Digestazon Plus" and their "Lluvia Facial
Cleanser"). Check out my website to learn more about this fabulous company and its
wonderful all-natural products:
www.naturalwellness.amazonherb.net
* Jim in Pennsylvania:
Are you keeping yourself prisoner in a jail of your own making?
There is a wonderful story about the famous escape artist, Harry Houdini that illustrates
this theme. As the story goes, the great Houdini often boasted about . . .
For the rest of this excellent blog piece, please click this link that Jim has graciously provided:
http://www.jimdonovan.com/blog/2010/03/are-your-thoughts-keeping-you-held-prisoner/
* Pat in Pennsylvania:
This is SO FUNNY: The trailer for every Oscar-nominated movie ever . . . every hilarious
cliche in film:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rbhrz1-4hN4
* Pat in Pennsylvania (a different one), commenting on the TV show featuring Sarah Jessica
Parker that I mentioned last week:
Probably one of the biggest frauds in acting. I have no idea how she has made it as far as she has.
Gotta be related to someone big in the entertainment industry. Aside from Rosy O'Donnell, she is
probably my least favorite female actress. Ugh!
* Stephen in Pennsylvania:
My favorite joke from PRAIRIE HOME COMPANION this weekend: Did you hear about
the butcher who backed into his meat grinder? He got a little behind in his work.
* David in New York:
Definitely check out Temple Grandin's TED speech. She's won many awards.
http://www.ted.com/talks/temple_grandin_the_world_needs_all_kinds_of_minds.html
* Bill in Pennsylvania, commenting on a joke last week (about the guy who tied up
his wife and went golfing):
It reminds me of a plaque that Diane has hanging in our home. It reads: "When I
die . . . bury me on the golf course so my husband can visit me five times a week."
* Robin in Pennsylvania:
Thanks for the recipes. I'm a fan of chili, although I usually replace the beef
with ground turkey.
* Jerry in North Carolina:
Congrats, Blaine, or issue #700! Keep up the wonderful work and contribution! Looking forward
to reading issue #1400!!!
GREAT MINDS THINKING ALIKE:
I'm looking forward to that, too, Jerry . . . so sometime in 2023, keep your eyes out
for that issue!
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3. Flexibility
A man goes to a personal trainer, who specializes in stretching. While
performing his initial assessment of the man, the trainer asks, “How flexible
are you”?
The man thinks about it for a moment and replies, “Well, I can't do
Wednesdays."
_________________________________________________________
4. Reviews
A. Enjoyed THE LAST STATION, which is a biopic that focuses on the
marriage between Tolstoy (Christopher Plummer) and his wife Sofya
(Helen Mirren) in its final years . . . they love each other, but they also
have financial issues made worse by Tolstoy's financial adviser (Paul
Giamatti) . . . all three actors were outstanding, as was James McAvoy--one
of my favorites--who plays a young man that is employed by the couple . . . unlike
many current films, this had the "feeling" that it was actually shot during
the time when the writer lived . . . rated R.
B. CAPTALISM: A LOVE STORY is now out in DVD format . . . my review
from BLAINESWORLD #679 follows:
Please see CAPTALISM: A LOVE STORY, Michael Moore's
latest . . . even if you don't like him, you'll be shocked to learn that there's
a foreclosure every 7.5 seconds . . . and that employers take out insurance
on your life (with the payout going to them) . . . this documentary
will definitely get you thinking, which is always a good
thing . . . rated R, though I'm not quite sure why; it would
certainly be appropriate for any mature teenager.
And even if you don't believe what Moore has to say, please
view this clip from ABC News:
http://tinyurl.com/y96ctl2
C. WHY IS GOD LAUGHING? by Deepak Chopra is different
than his other books . . . make that, very different . . . in this
one, he uses a fictional tale of comedian Mickey Fellows
to show us the path to hope, joy and even enlightenment.
Fellows has just lost his father . . . he also had been
divorced . . . so aside from a successful career, he had
little going for him until he meet a mysterious stranger
named Francisco.
He then is taken on a journey that reflects the book's subtitle:
THE PATH TO JOY & SPIRITUAL OPTIMISM . . . along the
way, he meets some interesting characters and has an
equally interesting set of experiences.
I liked many portions of the book, including Chopra's use of such
one-liners as the following:
* An atheist is swimming in the ocean when he sees the fin of a great
white shark. In desperation he screams, "God, save me!"
He also included several jokes, though while old to me, still
had me laughing--including this one:
* "A man is walking on the beach," he said. "And he finds a brass lamp
buried in the sand. He rubs it, and out jumps a genie. 'You've set me free,'
says the genie. 'Instead of granting you three wishes, I'll only grant you one,
but it can be the biggest wish in the world.'
"The man thinks for a minute. 'I've never been to Hawaii. Build me a bridge
so I can go there anytime I want.'
"Are you crazy?" cries the genie. That's half the Pacific Ocean. Nobody can
build a bridge that far. Make another wish.'
"The man thinks again. 'Okay, I want to know what women are really
thinking.'
" 'How wide do you want the bridge, one lane or two?' says the genie."
There was a nice ending to the story that had caused me to smile, but then
Chopra added a final section entitled "The Path to Joy: Ten Principles
of Spiritual Optimism."
I wish this material had been more closely aligned to the rest
of the book; i.e., that each principle related specifically to some
aspect of the comedian's life . . . yet despite that reservation,
the section contained this one tidbit that just by itself made
reading WHY IS GOD LAUGHING? worthwhile:
* The soul's vision isn't about struggle and lack of results. It isn't about
failure. You only need to measure your actions against [these three
simple conditions]:
Am I acting easily, without struggle?
Do I enjoy what I'm doing?
Are results coming of their own accord?
Answering "yes" means that spiritually you are going in the right direction;
answering "no" means that you aren't.
Ever since finishing the book, I've been asking myself those
three questions quite often . . . my answers have surprised me.
D. Heard MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. ON LEADERSHIP, written
and read by Donald T. Phillips.
The book effectively integrates a history of King with leadership
principles . . . along the way, there's much detail on the Civil
Rights movement of the late 1950s and the 1960s.
In particular, I liked how Phillips used the Montgomery bus boycott
to draw out these five leadership principles:
1. Set goals and create a plan of action.
2. Create a new formal alliance.
3. Involve the people.
4. Seek dialogue and negotiation.
5. Innovate.
In addition, ON LEADERSHIP got me to revisit this classic King quote:
" A genuine leader is not a searcher for consensus but a molder
of consensus."
If you're interested in the subject of leadership, you'll find this
book by Phillips has much to offer . . . it will also serve as
an excellent introduction to King's life--particularly for any readers not old
enough to have known about his greatness.
_________________________________________________________
5. TV alert
A. Bill in Pennsylvania:
AMC on Friday night is showing PALE RIDER . . . one of my all-time favorite Clint
Eastwood movies. They are showing it in honor of the 25th Anniversary of its release.
Friday at 8 p.m. and repeated on Saturday at 5:30 p.m.
MY TWO CENTS:
This film about a mysterious preacher who saves gold miners from villains is
a classic Eastwood-type film; i.e., before he achieved even more fame
as Dirty Harry . . . as is the case with most things that Bill recommends,
you won't go wrong by checking it out . . . my only reservation is that it's
being shown on AMC where there are usually too many commercials and
annoying boxes on the corner of the screen (with the corporate logo).
B. WHO IS CLARK ROCKEFELLER? explores the life of a con man . . . according
to THE WALL STREET JOURNAL, "In an age that has seen more than a few con
men of rare talent, the one who took the name of Clark Rockefeller (ably played
by Eric McCormack of WILL & GRACE) stands out largely for what his story tells
of the impressed society that worshipped and befriended him, and never doubted
his claim to be a member of the Rockefeller family." . . . Sunday at 9 p.m. on LIFETIME.
C. THE PACIFIC has its season premiere on Sunday at 9 p.m. on HBO . . . it
tells the story of three marines in a 10 part mini-series from the creative team behind
BANDS OF BROTHERS.
D. WINNING TIME: REGGIE MILLER VS. THE NEW YORK KNICKS is an
EPSN documentary about the battles that the former Indiana Pacers All-Star had
with John Starks, Patrick Ewing and even director/courtside mainstay Spike
Lee . . . as I type this, I'm still thinking about his incredible 8 points in the final
18.7 seconds of a 1995 conference semifinal victory . . . Sunday at 9 p.m. on ESPN.
________________________________________________________
6. Loud pounding
A man and his wife were awakened at 3:00 am by a loud pounding on the
door. The man gets up and goes to the door where a drunken stranger,
standing in the pouring rain, is asking for a push.
"Not a chance," says the husband, "it is 3:00 in the morning!" He slams
the door and returns to bed.
"Who was that?" asked his wife.
"Just some drunk guy asking for a push," he answers.
"Did you help him?" she asks.
"No, I did not, it is 3:00 in the morning and it is pouring rain out there!"
"Well, you have a short memory," says his wife. "Can't you remember
about three months ago when we broke down, and those two guys helped
us? I think you should help him, and you should be ashamed of yourself!"
The man does as he is told, gets dressed, and goes out into the pouring rain.
He calls out into the dark, "Hello, are you still there?"
"Yes," comes back the answer.
"Do you still need a push?" calls out the husband.
"Yes, please!" comes the reply from the dark.
"Where are you?" asks the husband.
"Over here on the swing," replied the drunk.
_________________________________________________________
7. Websites
A. In celebration of iTunes' 10 Billion download marker (which was met on Feb. 24, 2010),
Apple has revealed the Most Downloaded iTunes Songs of All Time. Covering singles from
Kesha, GaGa and the Black Eyed Peas, among others, these iTunes singles prove that
when it comes to downloading music by the masses, we chose to fill our iPods and nanos
mostly with retro club beats and dance-floor jams--but also muse over romantic ballads
by Jason Mraz and Taylor Swift, even the string-driven melody in Coldplay's "Viva La Vida."
Listen to the entire list of songs (all released within the last few years) by clicking:
http://tinyurl.com/yg4r8jz
B. Pee before you view this (THANKS to Dan in Pennsylvania for both the warning and clip):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xw0df0wNnVQ
C. BLAINESWORLD, the website, remains up and running . . . to view
it, please click:
http://www.blainesworld.net
In case you ever miss or misplace an issue . . . or just want to get caught up on
ones you may have never seen before (if you're a new subscriber), go to "Newsletter" on
the left and then "Past Issues."
Sometimes, it's fun to just browse and find something at random . . . as I just
did by clicking on BLAINESWORLD #501 and found this Thought for the Day:
Taking pride
A small boy was auditioning with his classmates for a school play. His
mother knew that he'd set his heart on being in the play--just like all the
other children hoped too--and she feared how he would react if he was
not chosen.
On the day the parts were awarded, the little boy's mother went to the
school to collect her son. The little lad rushed up to her, eyes shining
with pride and excitement.
"Guess what Mom," he shouted, and then said the words that provide a
lesson to us all, "I've been chosen to clap and cheer."
Author Unknown
(if you know who wrote this and/or the source, please let me know)
D. Are you on Facebook? In the unlikely event we have not yet contacted
as friends there, please feel free to send me an invite by clicking:
www.facebook.com/blainegreenfield
_________________________________________________________
8. Computer tip
Easy steps to improve your computer's performance
AOL Discover had the following post that contained a lot of useful advice . . . it
begins as follows:
Unless your computer is fresh out of the box, it's probably not running as fast as
it used to. Our PCs fill up with all sorts of good stuff--documents, music, videos,
programs, games, downloads--and bad stuff like viruses and spyware, too. Over time
they can get bogged down.
To read more about such things as disk check, disk cleanup, disk defragmenter,
automatic updates and emptying the recycling bin, please click:
http://tinyurl.com/ye2bgup
Even if you think you're pretty computer savvy, you might want to check out this
link . . . there are probably some things you're not doing (or not doing as often
as you should).
_________________________________________________________
9. Puns for the educated (and not so educated), Part 1 of 2
1. King Ozymandias of Assyria was running low on cash after years
of war with the Hittites. His last great possession was the Star
of the Euphrates ,the most valuable diamond in the ancient world.
Desperate, he went to Croesus, the pawnbroker, to ask for a loan.
Croesus said, "I'll give you 100,000 dinars for it".
"But I paid a million dinars for it," the King protested. "Don't you know
who I am? I am the king!"
Croesus replied, "When you wish to pawn a Star, makes no difference
who you are."
2. Evidence has been found that William Tell and his family were avid
bowlers. Unfortunately, all the Swiss league records were destroyed
in a fire / / / and so we'll never know for whom the Tells bowled.
3. A man rushed into a busy doctor's office and shouted, Doctor! I think
I'm shrinking!" The doctor calmly responded, "Now, settle down. You'll just
have to be a little patient."
4.. A marine biologist developed a race of genetically engineered dolphins
that could live forever if they were fed a steady diet of seagulls. One day,
his supply of the birds ran out so he had to go out and trap some more.
On the way back, he spied two lions asleep on the road. Afraid to wake
them, he gingerly stepped over them. Immediately, he was arrested and
charged with . . . transporting gulls across sedate lions for immortal
porpoises.
5. Back in the 1800's the Tate's Watch Company of Massachusetts
wanted to produce other products, and since they already made the cases
for watches, they used them to produce compasses. The new compasses
were so bad that people often ended up in Canada or Mexico, rather than
California . This, of course, is the origin of the expression . . . "He who
has a Tate's is lost!"
(to be concluded next week)
_________________________________________________________
10. A quote I like
It's time to start living the life you imagined.--Henry James (1843-1916),
American writer
_________________________________________________________
11. Thought for the day
Headlines
The local paper read: PASTOR'S ASS OUT FRONT.
The Bishop was so upset with this kind of publicity that he
ordered the pastor not to enter the donkey in another race.
The next day, the local paper headline read: BISHOP
SCRATCHES PASTOR'S ASS.
This was too much for the bishop, so he ordered the pastor
to get rid of the donkey.
The pastor decided to give it to a nun in a nearby convent.
The local paper, hearing of the news, posted the following
headline the next day: NUN HAS BEST ASS IN TOWN.
The bishop fainted. He informed the nun that she would have
to get rid of the donkey, so she sold it to a farmer for $10.
The next day the paper read: NUN SELLS ASS FOR $10.
This was too much for the bishop, so he ordered the nun to
buy back the donkey and lead it to the plains where it could
run wild.
The next day the headline read: NUN ANNOUNCES HER ASS
IS WILD AND FREE.
The bishop was buried the next day.
The moral of the story is . . . being concerned about public opinion
can bring you much grief and misery . . . shorten your life.
So be yourself and enjoy life.
Stop worrying about everyone else's ass, and you'll be a lot
happier and live longer!
Author unknown
(if you know who wrote this and/or the source, please let me know)
_________________________________________________________
12. Advance planning department
A. Linda in Pennsylvania:
Geography of Bliss book discussion: Thursday, March 25
Join us on Thursday, March 25th for an informal discussion of Geography
of Bliss: One Grump's Search for the Happiest Places in the World
by Eric Weiner.
We'll meet at the Lower Bucks Campus Library, 12:30 p.m.-1:30 p.m. and
also by Internet2 at the Newtown Campus Library, room 302.
The book discussion is sponsored by the Margaret R. Grundy Memorial Library.
MY RECOMMENDATION:
The above is a book I REALLY enjoyed, especially because the author
mentions Asheville as one of the places!
B. Pat in Pennsylvania:
On Saturday April 10 the Pearl S. Buck Association will host a Writer's Conference,
including workshops on developing fictional characters, marketing beyond the bookstore,
writing for children, news writing, promotion and more. Between workshops there will
be time to network with authors and browse tables where authors will sign & sell their
books. Any author can rent a table to sell books for the very reasonable price of $25,
and after the workshops there will be a Q&A writers' panel discussion. I'm one of the
panelists, offering tips on working with an illustrator. The Pearl Buck House is
in Perkasie, PA, and you can find info & forms at:www.psbi.org, on "Community
Events/Writers Conference."
C. Alison in New Jersey:
Buying furniture can be overwhelming, especially in today's economy. Learn to spend smart
when furnishing your home. Interior Designer Donna Hoffman sees too many clients making
costly mistakes BEFORE they call her in to correct things. Join Donna for a fun and
informative teleseminar on Thursday, April 8 at 7:30 p.m. EST. She’ll teach you how
to eliminate the most common and costly mistakes and save yourself time and $$$! Don't
spend another nickel on a BAD FURNITURE DECISION. She’ll help you get it right the first
time. Donna is a client loved and industry respected interior designer who has been featured
in Real Simple, Bucks Living and Tempo magazines, and whose work has been published
in a textbook for new designers. To register or for more information, go to:
www.interiorsbydonnahoffman.com/seminars
D. Chic and Joni in Pennsylvania wrote to tell me about a show they'll be in,
GUYS & DOLLS:
SHOW DATES: At Neshaminy High School: FRI 3/26/10 - 8:00 PM SAT 3/27/10 - 2:00 p.m.
SAT 3/27/10 - 8:00 p.m.
At the Bucks County Playhouse: SAT 4/10/10 - 4:00 p.m. SAT 4/10/10 - 8:00 p.m.
SUN 4/11/10 - 2:00 p.m. SAT 4/17/10 - 4:00 p.m. SAT 4/17/10 - 8:00 p.m. SUN 4/18/10 - 2:00 p.m.
TICKET PRICE SCHEDULE: Adult ticket: $18.00 Under 18 yrs old: $12.50 Senior Citizen: $12.50
(2:00 p.m. matinees only) 3/27, 4/11, 4/18
TO ORDER TICKETS Call: 267.733-8876; email: NVMTtkts@aol.com;
website: www.nvmt.org; and tickets also available at the door.
_________________________________________________________
PS. Don't forget that Sunday is Daylight Savings Time . . . and to celebrate the
occasion, I even found a song for you:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0YbaYSX_QQU
I like the idea behind it; i.e., it will give me more time to have fun with my baby!
Also, methinks that we all need to pray for the folks affected
by the earthquake in Haiti, as well as for our remaining soldiers
in both Iraq and Afghanistan . . . while we're at it, include those in Israel
and her neighbors who are seeking peace . . . and perhaps most
importantly: Make it a great week, too!
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