BLAINESWORLD
#706
4.12.2010

In this issue:
1. Reflections
2. FYI
3. To beat the system
4. Reviews . . . DATE NIGHT, etc.
5. TV alert
6. Waiting
7. Websites
8. Computer tip
9. Simply put, Part 1 of 2
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 conducted a recent experiment . . . when
we visited New Jersey last month, we walked in a lovely park in Verona . . . as
we were doing so, we made it a point to establish eye contact and/or smile
with all those we encountered . . . just 1 out of 10 folks responded to us . . . when
we returned to the Asheville area, we did the same thing and got 9 out of 10
to acknowledge our presence . . . I kid you NOT!

B. This past week, we had dinner at the home of our friends Jim and Kim . . . I'm
not typically a big salmon fan (Cynthia is), but how they prepared it was delicious--in large
part because of the accompanying apricot sauce . . . we also got a kick out of
seeing Kim's beading hobby . . . she wowed us with her collection of necklaces,
bracelets and earrings.

In addition, we learned something from Kim . . . she's also a nurse, and she
taught us this great way to stop the hiccups . . . have somebody plug your ears
tightly shut, then drink water while this is taking place . . . it works.

We also got to see a superb production of MY OWN SONG at the Flat Rock
Playhouse . . . this is the true life story of Clint Holmes, the entertainer,
who had one hit song:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=exzwmcAFW4Y

Holmes starred, and he was a dynamo on stage . . . but we were equally impressed
with the other actors and musicians and, in particular, Jennifer Evans who played
his mother . . . you're in luck, in that the play runs through April 25 . . . do see it if you
can; you won't be disappointed . . . for more information, please click:

http://www.flatrockplayhouse.org

(Make sure you click on the arrow to get hear part of another song sung by Holmes.)

C. Personally, I attended another session of the Asheville Citizens Police
Academy . . . Melissa Williams impressed us with her coverage of "Community
Relations and Public Information" . . . she was not only informative, she was also
very, very funny . . . I also liked the following bit of advice that she shared: If you don't
want to see it in the news, don't do it!

And I went to a SIG (Special Interest Group) book discussion at the Center for
Creative Retirement . . . Barbara Weatherall did a nice job, highlighting "The Conquest
of Nature: Water, Landscape, and the Making of Modern Germany" by David
Blackbourn . . . .she was followed by Doug Cooper, who also did a
nice job of informing the group about ebook reading . . . afterward, one person
in attendance showed her iPad in action . . . I must admit that it tempted me; i.e.,
to purchase one . . . I'm perhaps just waiting until the text-to-voice option is perfected,
so that I will sometimes be able to listen to these books that I'll download to my
computer . . . I'll also give more thought to the question that Beth Pilz, the iPad
owner, said to ask: Will any such purchase add to the quality of your life?

KUDOS to Jack Ingersoll, who headed this SIG group during the past year . . . he put
together programs every month and though I wasn't able to attend every one, those
I did were always enlightening . . . he will be hard to replace.

D. YOUR VOTE IS NEEDED:

If you're on Facebook, you might have seen this post from me . . . if not,
here is what I recently ran:

Blaine Greenfield PLEASE HELP: Asheville is in the running to become the 1st city to have
a Google Optics network . . .this would help both the city & local economy . . . please vote
for us by clicking:

http://www.googlefiber.com/fiber-optics/

1/2 way down, see an icon that you need to click &/or get more info . . . you can vote daily;
kindly tell others; THANKS!

Fiber Optics | Google Fiber : 1 Gbps High Speed Broadband Networks
www.googlefiber.com
Fiber Optics is the power of google  

***** BLAINESWORLD BEST AWARD *****

This week, it goes to Dane Barrager--membership chair for Asheville SCORE.

Dane was the first person I met when I was thinking about joining SCORE . . . he
interviewed me, then patiently answered all my questions . . . largely because of his
efforts, the process of my becoming a member went smoothly.

Prior to joining SCORE, Dane had 20 years of experience in software development and data
processing. He had worked for major corporations in a project manager role and started his
own business. Also, he successfully developed a product, marketed it and ended up selling
his business to a larger competitor.

SPECIAL CONGRATULATIONS to Dane, too, who was recently named to the Advisory
Committee for Sustainability and Alternative Energy for the City of Asheville . . . in addition,
he somehow manages to find time to serve on the Sustainability Cluster of the Asheville Hub.

_________________________________________________________


2. FYI

I'm not a big believer in keeping books . . . rather than retain them after reading, I'll
attempt to "pass them forward" by giving them to others.

As such, I don't buy too many new books . . . after all, that's why libraries were invented.

Yet when I do buy a book, I'll check amazon.com to see if I can get a used copy . . . typically,
I can get such a book for $5 or less--and sometimes for as low as a penny . . . even
adding a shipping fee, it's quite a bargain.

One recent example: Cynthia needed some copies of the original edition of THIN WITHIN
by Judy Wardell for a course she was teaching . . . being that it's now out-of-print, I went
to amazon.com and managed to get copies for prices ranging from $1-5.

Use this technique for buying textbooks, too.

FYI, part 2

* Pat in Pennsylvania:

Do women need to laugh and yak about stuff? (Do yaks need a makeover??) The perfect place
for a much-needed giggle with the girls is the new blogazine created specifically for those of us \who are post-diapers, post-soccer-mom, but Not Ready for Granny Panties:

http://www.notreadyforgrannypanties.com

MY TWO CENTS:

This is worth checking out, if just to see Pat's cartoons . . . in fact, see below for the new 
"profile picture" that she developed for this blog:

I love what has been written about her, too:

PAT ACHILLES is, by most accounts, the anti-artist: too chubby to be edgy, too realistic
to be abstract, and too easily distracted to be intense. Her sense of humor comes in handy
when trying to shoehorn her illustration career into a family of singers, actors, writers and
comedians. Pat draws everything from caricatures, such as Philly actors Tony Braithwaite
and Peter Pryor for the Kimmel Center’s The Odd Couple, to children’s books like Kristie
Finnan’s Mommy’s High Heel Shoes and Chrysa Smith’s The Adventures of the Poodle Posse 
series, to her weekly Monday Cartoon for her website audience at:

www.achillesportfolio.com. 

Pat says she sometimes feels clothes-lined by life and wet-mopped by fate, which leads to
a lot of laughs in her cartoons and household metaphors in her writing.

* THANKS to Debbie in North Carolina for the following recipe . . . she made the cookies
at a meeting I attended a few weeks ago, and they were delicious:

"RAVE REVIEW OATMEAL RAISIN COOKIES"

Yields 24 large or 48 medium cookies

8 ounces unsalted butter, softened ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar 1-1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 cup white sugar 1-1/2 cups coarsely chopped walnuts, toasted
2 eggs 1-1/2 cups golden raisins or dried cranberries
1-1/2 cups flour 3 cups regular oats
½ teaspoon baking powder 1-1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips, optional
½ teaspoon salt

Placing racks in middle and lower portion of oven, preheat to 350 degrees.
In electric mixer, combine butter or margarine with brown and white sugars. 
Beat until very creamy, about 3 minutes.
Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Combine flour, baking powder, salt, nutmeg and cinnamon. 
Beat into butter mixture.
Fold in walnuts, raisins or cranberries, oats (and chocolate chips if using) by hand,
combining well. 
Form into 2-1/2" balls. 
Place 6 on each parchment lined baking sheet.
Bake 25 minutes, reversing sheets from middle to lower rack halfway through baking time. 
Let cool 5 minutes.
Carefully remove to wire racks to cool. 

Note: For chewier cookies, refrigerate the dough balls on the baking sheet for 10 minutes
before baking. 

This recipe is from Seasoned with Love: Culinary Treasures from The Breman--The William
Breman Jewish Heritage Museum in Atlanta, Georgia. Copyright 2006.

* Nancy in California, commenting on "What life is all about" (last week's thought
for the day):

Not 100% sure, but the poem may be written by Oriah Mountain Dreamer.

MY RESEARCH:

Perhaps, though I haven't been able to confirm that fact 100% . . . what I
do know is that Dreamer wrote the following, which is somewhat similar:

http://skdesigns.com/internet/articles/prose/oriah_mountain_dreamer/invitation/

* Donna in New Jersey:

I LOVE “Nurse Jackie" . . . season 2 looks like it’s going to be just as good as the 1st.
Edie Falco is tremendous in this role. Also, check out “U. S. of Tara" . . . very good also,
but a little different. I really like John Corbett.

_________________________________________________________

3.  To beat the system

Here's one way, according to American deadpan comic Steven Wright:

The sign said "eight items or less." So I changed my name to Les.

_________________________________________________________

4. Reviews

A. If you want a film to see on a date night, see DATE NIGHT . . . it's the
story of a couple, well-played by Tina Fey and Steve Carell, who when out for
an evening away from the kids, use somebody else's name to get a reservation
at an exclusive restaurant . . . they then get mistaken for some low-lifers
and all hell breaks loose . . . there were some very funny scenes and make
sure you stay for ALL of the outtakes as the credits roll . . . rated PG-13.

B. Out on DVD is SHERLOCK HOLMES . . . don't bother renting this update on the
tale of the legendary detective  . . . it was a step above terrible, though I did like
(as usual) the work of Robert Downey, Jr. . . . Rachel McAdams is wasted in
a meaningless role . . . rated PG-13.

You'll do much better . . . make that much, much better . . . renting an independent
film that I doubt very few folks ever saw in the theaters: ARRANGED . . . two
women, an orthodox Jew and a Muslim, meet as new teachers in a Brooklyn
school . . . they soon bond, largely because of the shared expectations their
both families have that they will enter into arranged marriages . . . you'll be
touched by the story, as well as by the acting by performers you've never
seen before (including Zoe Lister Jones and Francis Benhamou in the two
leading roles) . . . not rated, but certainly appropriate for anybody over the age of 12.

C. I must confess that I'm not a big wine drinker . . . nor is poetry
necessarily "my thing" . . . however after reading Michael Gelb's
WINE DRINKING FOR INSPIRED THINKING (see also Section 11), I
might want to revisit both topics.

Gelb, author of the bestselling HOW TO THINK LIKE LEONARDO
DA VINCI, is a self-employed creativity consultant . . . as he
sometimes describes himself, he's also a professor at M.S.U,
which isn't Michigan State University, but rather he replies,
I "Make Stuff Up."

Somehow, he managed to do just that by combining his lifelong love of wine
with poetry:

* Why poetry? I was inspired to inspire others toward a more poetic,
right-brained approach to wine because, as I attended a variety
of wine-related events--tastings, dinners, seminars--it was apparent that
many folks took the proceedings, and themselves, much too seriously.
Just like many seminars on classical music or art appreciation, participants
often seemed to indulge in one-upmanship and snobbery. Pretension was
rife, and many people seemed to be driven by the fear of making mistakes.
Although the best educators, like Kevin Zraly, always included a hearty
dose of humor, this was more the exception than the rule. The majority of wine
education events were just plain boring, suffering from an overly analytical
"left-brain" approach. Moreover, I sensed that a more experimental approach
to appreciating wine might be helpful in encouraging people to think
outside the box.

The author also concluded that there were and are better ways to
bring people together, especially at the corporate level . . . and
especially since some of the existing methods just weren't very
effective:

* The article described an event held in Florida featuring an exercise
that required participants to walk on hot coals. The result, according
to the Times: "About a dozen . . . marketing department workers burned
their feet last week when they walked over white-hot coals at a meeting
intended to promote bonding. One woman spent a day in a hospital . . . a
doctor (was called) to treat others whose feet were blistered. Some workers
used wheelchairs when they went to the airport to leave for another
company retreat."

Believe it or not, they were all employees of a national hamburger chain
known for their "flame-broiled" product.

Gelb proceeds to give a brief but enlightening history of wine, as well
as information on what you need to set up your own event--be it for
business purposes or just a pleasant evening with friends . . . along
the way, he includes a helpful jargon guide and several poems
that just about anybody will find enjoyable.

What I especially liked about INSIPIRED THINKING was that
it didn't belittle anybody with little knowledge of wine and/or poetry . . . rather,
it did its best to put a smile on any reader by sharing such stories
as the following:

* Craig Williams shares this true story of a quirky cork assessment:
"One of my friends went to a family get-together at a prestigious restaurant
in the Monterey are of California. They select a wine, the sommelier opens it
and presents the cork on a small silver plate, which he places next to my
friend's mother-in-law. She picks it up, gives it a quizzical once-over, and
proceeds to take a bite out of the cork!"

D. Heard MARRIAGE AND OTHER ACTS OF CHARITY; A MEMOIR,
read and written by Kate Braestrup . . . she's a minister, as well as
author, who candidly shared her experiences in this book that's apparently
a follow-up to her earlier HERE IF YOU NEED ME.

I have not yet read that first title, but did not find it necessary to have done so
to enjoy her second effort . . . parts of it were funny, for example when she
describes how she got to teach sexual morality to a group of snickering
13-year-old kids . . . I also got a kick out of her dating experiences, including
her tale of not noticing her future husband's new "look" after he shaved his beard.

Yet other parts of the book were quite moving . . . I could feel her pain as she
described her fights with her police officer husband that eventually led them
both to seek counseling . . .they both stayed together, though, jolted by the thought
that they might lose each other . . . shortly thereafter, he died in a car accident, so
Braestrup had to start all over and managed to do so with the help of family and
friends who rallied to support her and the couple's four children.

She brings these examples into her story, along with those involving other
couples she has counseled including a game warden and his wife-to-be and a
soon-to-be divorced couple.

The key, as the author points out, is to keep in mind that one hundred percent
of marriages end . . . so the only recourse is Jesus' message: Love more.  

_________________________________________________________

5. TV alert

A. In a show that's definitely not for everybody, THE BIG GAY SKETCH SHOW
has executive producer Rose O'Donnell getting in on the act when she joins
Sharon Osbourne as a pair of curmudgeonly critics . . . season premiere
on Tuesday at 10 p.m. on LOGO.

B. SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE IN THE 2000s contains some of the sketch
comedy's greatest recent hits . . . Thursday at 9 p.m. on NBC.

C. PATRICIA CORNWELL'S THE FRONT stars Andie MacDowell as a
DA reopening a long-ago murder . . . Saturday at 9 p.m. on LIFETIME.

D. I'll be curious to see how many awards country trio Lady Antebellum
captures at the 45th annual ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS 
(the group has seven nominations) . . . its second album, NEED YOU
KNOW, accomplished a rare feat; i.e., it's a country record that's also a hit
with pop fans . . . Sunday at 8 p.m. on CBS.

_________________________________________________________

6. Waiting

A couple goes to an art gallery. They find a picture of a naked woman with
only her privates covered with leaves. The wife doesn't like it and moves on,
but the husband keeps looking.

The wife calls back to him: "What are you waiting for?"

The husband replies: "Autumn."

_________________________________________________________

7. Websites

A. THANKS to Bob in New Jersey (and sometimes in Florida too) for sharing
this website:

YOU, being the information hound that you are, will love this one.

"THE CLOCK"
 
YOU HAVE TO SEE THIS. CHECK THIS MIND BOGGLING INFORMATION.  

You've never seen a clock like this one.
http://www.poodwaddle.com/worldclock.swf
B. Did you see PIRATES OF THE CARRIBEANS: THE CURSE
OF THE BLACK PEARL? In one scene, Johnny Depp's fingernails
are dirty when he gets drunk on rum and passes out . . . when he
wakes up and brings his hands to his face, the fingernails are clean.

Such mistakes and many more can be found at:

http://www.moviemistakes.com/

This website does nothing else but list mistakes in movies.

C. BLAINESWORLD, the website, remains up and running . . . to view
it, please click:

http://www.blainesworld.net

Every day, I'm amazed (and flattered) on how many folks take the time
to visit the above . . . if you've ever wondered as to how many others do,
make sure you see the counter in the bottom left of the homepage.

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

I came across a very informative article, "10 ways to protect your privacy
online" . . . if you'd like to access it, please click:

http://tinyurl.com/y35cxl5

The third tip, recommending that you get a separate account for your personal
email, reminded me of something that I do; i.e., maintain a few separate email
addresses . . . for example, this one (bginbc@aol.com) is used
for my general correspondence . . . I have another one for all my financial stuff, etc.

It makes finding email much simpler, and it also limits what you get.

As to making sure your online transactions are secure, make sure you read
the seventh tip . . . and pay attention to the warning about doing businesses
with a website that starts with "https" and/or that display a small picture of
a lock . . . while they may appear to be legitimate, keep in mind that the company
running it could be fraudulent or the website may be a fake. 
_________________________________________________________

9. Simply put, Part 1 of 2

Women speak in estrogen and men listen in testosterone. Don't
believe me? Read on . . .

MATURITY:

Women mature much faster than men.  Most 17-year old females can
function as adults. Most 17-year old males are still trading baseball cards
and giving each other wedgies after gym class. This is why high school
romances rarely work out.

MAGAZINES:

Men's magazines often feature pictures of naked women. Women's magazines
also feature pictures of naked women.  This is because the female body is
a beautiful work of art, while the male body is lumpy and hairy and should
not be seen by the light of day. Men are turned on at the sight of a
naked woman's body. Most naked men elicit laughter from women.

HANDWRITING:

To their credit, men do not decorate their penmanship. They just
chicken-scratch. Women use scented, colored stationary and they dot their
"i's" with circles and hearts. Women use ridiculously large loops in
their "p's" and "g's". It is a royal pain to read a note from a woman.
Even when she's dumping you, she'll put a smiley face at the end of the
note.

BATHROOMS:

A man has six items in his bathroom--a toothbrush, toothpaste, shaving
cream, razor, a bar of Dial soap, and a towel from the Holiday Inn. The
average number of items in the typical woman's bathroom is 437. A man
would not be able to identify most of these items.

SHOES:

When preparing for work, a woman will put on a Mondi wool suit, then slip
on Reebok sneakers. She will carry her dress shoes in a plastic bag from
Saks.  When a woman gets to work, she will put on her dress shoes. Five
minutes later, she will kick them off because her feet are under the desk.
A man will wear the same pair of shoes all day.

LEG WARMERS:

Leg warmers are sexy. A woman, even if she's walking the dog or doing the
dishes, is allowed to wear leg warmers. She can wear them any time she
wants. A man can only wear leg warmers if he is auditioning for the
"Gimme the Ball" number in "A Chorus Line."

GOING OUT:

When a man says he is ready to go out, it means he is ready to go out.
When a woman says she is ready to go out, it means she WILL be ready
to go out, as soon as she finds her earrings, finishes putting on her
makeup, etc.

CATS:

Women love cats. Men say they love cats, but when women aren't
looking, men kick cats.

OFFSPRING:

Ah, children. A woman knows all about her children. She knows about
dentist appointments and soccer games and romances and best friends and
favorite foods and secret fears and hopes and dreams. A man is vaguely
aware of some short people living in the house.

LOW BLOWS:

Let's say a man and a woman are watching a boxing match on TV. One
of the boxers is felled by a low blow.  The woman says, "Oh, gee. That
must have hurt." The man groans and doubles over, and actually FEELS
the pain.

DRESSING UP:

A woman will dress up to: go shopping, water the plants, empty the
garbage, answer the phone, read a book, get the mail. A man will
dress up for: weddings and funerals.

LAUNDRY:

Women do laundry every couple of days. A man will wear every article of
clothing he owns, including his surgical pants that were hip about eight
years ago, before he will do his laundry. When he is finally out of
clothes, he will wear a dirty sweatshirt inside out, rent a U-Haul and
take his mountain of clothes to the laundromat. Men always expect to meet
beautiful women at the laundromat. This is a myth perpetuated by re-runs
of old episodes of "Love, American Style."

WEDDINGS:

When reminiscing about weddings, women talk about "the ceremony." Men
talk about "the bachelor party."

(To be concluded next week.)
 
_________________________________________________________

10. A quote I like

If you always do what interests you, at least one person is pleased.--Katharine
Hepburn (1907-2003), American actress of film, television and stage who holds
the record with most Best Actress Oscar wins with 4--from 12 nominations

_________________________________________________________

11. Thought for the day 

How important is the year, or vintage, of your wine? When the great poet Johann Wolfgang
Goethe was asked what three treasures he would take with him to the proverbial desert island
for a year, he responded: “My collection of poetry books, a beautiful, intelligent woman
and an ample supple of Chateau haut-Brion.”

He was then asked: “What if you could only two? Which of the three would you leave behind?”
Goethe didn't hesitate: “The poetry.”

The next question, of course, was: “What would you leave behind if only one was allowed.”
Goethe reflected for a moment and then responded: “It depends on the vintage.”

SOURCE:

WINE DRINKING FOR INSPIRED THINKING (see also Section 4C) by Michael Gelb

_________________________________________________________

12. Advance planning department

A. New Jersey/Pennsylvania events:

* Kathy's Kove and Kafe - Cream Tea and Chi readings in Kathy's beautiful surround, 116
Main Street, Hackettstown, NJ. Chi, color and beauty readings by Deanna Trust, April 18th 
at 3:00 p.m. Reservations required. Call - 908-684-8440 - Fee: $30.00

Feng Shui Classes taught in the Home of Deanna Trust: Feng Shui Basics with tea and
crumpets, May 11, 18 and 25. Go to Feng Shui Classes in the Home of Deanna Trust.

Feng Shui Tea Parties are available for hire at Deanna's Copper Grotto Tea Room found
in her home.

For more information about any of these, please click:

www.trustfengshui.com 

* MORRISVILLE, PA –The scheduled April 16 opening of the Actors’ NET of Bucks County
production of Eugene O’Neill’s masterwork A Moon for the Misbegottenis being postponed
by a week due to illness,  Actors’ NET General Manager Joe Doyle has announced.

“Due to the unexpected illness of the actor playing the James Tyrone, one of our leads, we
must now open the show April 23 for a two-weekend run, rather than the originally scheduled
three,” Doyle said.  “The unexpected loss of several days of rehearsal time makes the one
week postponement necessary.  We will attempt to contact those who already reserved 
for the first weekend to reschedule them and thank all in advance for their understanding
in this matter."

For more information, please click:

http://www.actorsnetbucks.org/

* Awaken the Power of You in direct profound experiential ways. Janet
StraightArrow initiates you into yourself, soul and inner guidance for
healing and learning. You begin to know who you are and learn how
to navigate this world through Shamanic places and connections and
experiences that translate for ALL traditions.

May 1 and 2 in Morristown, NJ.

At  Be The Medicine, you learn how to use these tools and experiences
to live the most purposeful productive life now. See web site:

www.bethemedicine.com

for more details. Or contact Janet directly: Janetoasis@aol.com
or call 973.647.2500

* Are you financially fit?

Have you given any thought to adapting your lifestyle since the recent
stock market “craziness”?

Join us to learn more and discuss options that will help you improve your
current lifestyle through your retirement years!

You are cordially invited to a complimentary LUNCH WORKSHOP
on THURSDAY, MAY 6TH
B & R Health and Fitness Club
Feasterville, PA
@12:00 noon

Hosted by Jerry Gross, Chartered Financial Consultant

Please call our office ASAP to reserve your spot!!
215.355-4544

B. North Carolina events:

* Survival Marketing

Saturday, April 17
8:30 a.m.-Noon

Come hear Don Sinclair, a dynamic presenter and SCORE counselor, help you learn:

Why networking is critical to your success . . . and how to network the right way.

The most successful marketing strategy ever devised: the referral-based business . . . and
how to develop one.

Over 70 low-cost and no-cost marketing ideas presented in a document file that will be emailed
to you following the class.

Cost is $30, but you can save $5 by pre-registering at:

http://www.ashevillescore.org/marketyourbusiness.htm

* Yours truly is presenting on Positioning: How to Differentiate Yourself
from the Competition 

Successful companies utilize the concept of positioning; i.e., they make themselves
different from the competition. Come to this informative and engaging seminar
to learn how this is done. In addition, you will gain specific techniques for how
you can learn to differentiate yourself as a business and/or individual. (3 hrs)
Total Registration Fee: Free
Thu, May 06, 6:00PM-9:00PM
2046 Small Business Center, Enka Site Course #: SBC-1009-700
For registration information, please click:
http://www.abtech.edu/ce/registration/default.asp

_________________________________________________________

PS. Just a friendly reminder: Taxes are due on April 15 . . . so if you're reading this
after that date and have not yet paid your taxes, well . . . get moving . . . it doesn't get
any better if you prolong the agony and could, instead, subject you to paying interest (if
you owe money) . . . in addition, late returns could increase your chance for an audit.

As I write this, I'm also reminded what my father used to tell me . . . he said don't
complain about owing taxes, in that you're at least bringing in money . . . and you're
a lot better off than many other folks . .  how true!

There's even some good news . . . on April 15, several places are offering all sorts
of freebies and/or great deals, including Starbucks, Maggie Moos, PF Change, etc.

One dating website, chemistry.com, offers a FREE 3-day membership with
no credit card required . . . I can't be sure, but you might even be able to sign-up
for this after April 15.

For more information, please click:

http://tinyurl.com/y2xhxwr 

Methinks that we also 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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