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BLAINESWORLD
#670
8.3.2009 In this issue: 1. Reflections 2. FYI 3. Bragging rights 4. Reviews . . . BRUNO, etc. 5. TV alert 6. How to install a home security system 7. Websites 8. Computer tip 9. Geography lesson for today 10. A quote I like 11. Thought for the day 12. Advance planning department _________________________________________________________ 1. Reflections A. Cynthia, my beautiful bride, and I are blessed to have so many wonderful neighbors . . . we get together with them on a fairly regular basis; e.g., as we did this past week when a bunch of us went to Asheville for dinner at Carmel's . . . we dined on delicious appetizers (that we all shared), salads and a tasty thin crust pizza . . . for more information, please click: http://www.carmelsofasheville.com Naturally, for dessert, we walked down the block for ice cream at Kilwin's. We also had the pleasure of hosting Terry, Cynthia's friend from New Jersey, who came down for a visit . . . on one night, we saw a comedy show put on by The Feral Chihuahuas . . . it featured a standup routine by George the Bas*ard, who had this one line about a fellow performer that was clean enough for me to share: He just got a Bachelor of Science in Creative Writing or as I like to say . . . Food Service. In addition, there were several funny sketches and videos . . . for more information, please click: http://www.feralchihuahuas.com Afterward, we even found a new (for us) ice cream store: the Hop Ice Cream Shop . . . I tried for the first time a flavor called salty caramel; it was outstanding . . . for more information, please click: http://www.thehopicecreamcafe.com/ B. During the week, I attended a production of HOME AGAIN at the Southern Appalachian Repertory Theater in Mars Hill . . . it tells the fascinating story of Thomas Wolfe, one of Asheville's most famous sons . . . Kay Galvin is excellent as Tom's mother, as was Peter Tamm as Wolfe's editor Maxwell Perkins . . . Waylon Wood was a bit shaky, at times, as Wolfe but I can see him growing more into the part as the play continues its run through August 9 . . . for more information, please click: http://www.sartplays.org C. Over the weekend, I completed the second part of my hypnosis training . . . after I complete the required hours of practice, I will be fully certified . . . so toward that end, please feel free to accept this SPECIAL INVITATION: Let me know if you'd like to be hypnotized for smoke cessation, weight reduction or any other habit you want to kick . . . as you may know, I'm in
the process of becoming a certified hypnotist . . . so I'm making this FREE
offer . . . (if "up North") attend a group session on Tuesday, August 25,
in Newtown, PA at 6:31 p.m., then a private session . . . (or if in NC) work
with me at a mutually convenient time . . . either way, email me if
interested . . . please use this address: bginbc@aol.com and put
"SPECIAL INVITATION" in subject line.
D. CONGRATULATIONS to Clark Shuster, president of the Lower Bucks Chamber of Commerce, on his June 20 marriage to Jane . . . may the best of your past be the worst of your future! ***** BLAINESWORLD BEST AWARD ***** This week, it goes to Brett Ballard--Customer Service Superintendent for Biltmore Farms (the development where we live). Brett recently came by for our 10-month warranty visit . . . this is where you go through the home and point out anything that's not right or needs to be fixed. The good news is that there was precious little that needed to be done . . . the even better news is the way that Brett handled himself . . . he was both friendly and informative, and he went out of his way to make sure that we were satisfied customers. This is not the first time we have gotten to meet with Brett . . . in each instance, he has helped reinforce our decision that we have bought
a fine home.
Back To Top _________________________________________________________ 2. FYI Shop around for the best credit card "deal" you can get; e.g., with respect to what you can do with the points you accumulate . . . then use your credit card for every purchase, and I mean every single one . . . for example, I use my Visa card for postage, gum, etc. . . . just about anything that costs a buck or more. The points do mount up . . . recently, I cashed them in and when I did so, I found that all the charges paid for several trips that Cynthia and I took over the past year. MR. CURIOUS HERE: We use a "No Hassle Rewards" VISA card because it seems to give us a lot of flexibility . . . however, do you use some other card? If so, what's your reaction to it? FYI, part 2 * Back by popular demand--a cartoon from Pat in Pennsylvania:  I'm much obliged to Pat Achilles for providing the above . . . she
does comics, greeting cards, artwork for children's books and so much more . . . for more information, call her at 215.348.4837 or email her at: patachilles@aol.com . . . you can also get a FREE weekly cartoon delivered to your email by clicking: htttp://www.achillesportfolio.com/freecartoonsignup.htm * Jean in Pennsylvania: I used to eat a lot of natural foods until I learned that most people die of natural causes. * Sharon in North Carolina: Just came home after watching the new Harry Potter. I hate to admit it, but I think this is the first Harry Potter movie that makes me prefer the book all the way. They changed and cut out so much (understandably with the time limits), but they cut out so much of the cool or interesting moments too. (Sigh!) The story just seemed slower in the movie than I remember the book being. Weird. * Dana in Pennsylvania: The best cheeseburger and fries are from Five Guys Burgers & Fries in NJ! Anyone else agree? FOR OTHER LOCALES NEAR YOU, INCLUDING ONE IN ASHEVILLE: http://www.fiveguys.com/ * Kathy in Florida: One of my daughter's friends put Firefox on my computer, and I like it so much better than Internet Explorer. Back To Top _________________________________________________________ 3. Bragging rights A priest, a minister and a rabbi want to see who’s best at his job. So they each go into the woods, find a bear and attempt to convert it. Later they get together. The priest begins: “When I found the bear, I read to him from the Catechism and sprinkled him with holy water. Next week is his First Communion.” “I found a bear by the stream,” says the minister, “and preached God’s holy word. The bear was so mesmerized that he let me baptize him.” They both look down at the rabbi, who is lying on a gurney in a body cast. “Looking back,” he says, “maybe I shouldn't have started with the circumcision.” Back To Top _________________________________________________________ 4. Reviews A. If you liked BORAT (and I did), you might like BRUNO . . . if you didn't like BORAT, then don't bother seeing Sacha Baron Cohen's follow-up to his widely successful first mockumentary . . . this latter effort portrays the life of a gay Austrian model who brings his antics to this country . . . a few scenes are very funny; however, overall, I did not get that many laughs out of BRUNO . . . in fact, I almost walked out on it . . . rated R . . . please also be advised that if you're easily offended, then this is not the film for you. B. There's precious little new stuff out for DVD rental, so I'll instead recommend you track down a film that Cynthia and I just revisited: AN OFFICER AND A GENTLEMAN . . . this 1983 romantic drama is the story about a guy who wants to become a jet pilot, but finds out that he can't do it alone; i.e., that he needs the support of others . . . Richard Gere is as good as he's ever been; I was disappointed that he did not get an Oscar for his work . . . Louis Gossett, who played his sergeant, deservedly did get one . . . Debra Winger and David Keith were also outstanding in this film that has as fine an ending as you'll ever see . . . rated R. C. WAITING FOR AUTUMN is an autobiographical parable by Scott Blum that tells of his meeting with a mysterious, cardboard-sign-toting homeless man who has a sleepy black Lab puppy at his side and the ability to change lives. The story is an interesting one, though a bit heavy on the metaphysical side . . . that said, if you can put aside your do buts, methinks you'll find the book thought-provoking . . . and some of the dialogue is particularly well written, such as this one line: * "Religion is the knowledge of truth, "he interrupted, "and spirituality is the wisdom of truth." I also liked how the author described his feelings about food: * "It's just that most restaurants don't care about intention. That's why a home-cooked meal always tastes better." She caught her breath for a moment and then added, "If I had a restaurant, I'd force the employees to go home if they came to work in a bad mood. You can't have a restaurant and let chefs put their bad energy in the food that's served to customers. I guess now I have to start my own restaurant! Do I have to do everything myself?" She laughed and her blue eyes sparkled. There's a surprise ending that I won't give away, other than to say that it will touch your heart. D. Who says that to be perfectly organized is the way to greater success? Eric Abrahamson and David H. Freedman contend otherwise in A PERFECT MESS, an engrossing book that I recently got a kick out of listening to on CD . . . it got me rethinking the concept that an orderly existence is the only way to go . . . rather, the authors contend that a little disorder can actually be good for us. Through the use of examples from business, parenting, cooking, the world of terrorism and even the career of Arnold Schwarzenegger, you begin to see that messy systems often use resources more efficiently and yield better results. I was hooked from the beginning when I heard about this one speaker at a conference of the National Association of Professional Organizers . . . he actually told members not to confirm appointments because doing so gives them the opportunity to cancel others . . . you should instead just show up . . . that's not necessarily the "cleanest" way to handle things, but it is often the best way to do so. Among the other tidbits that caught my attention were the following: * A jazz group can improvise and go into different areas, whereas a symphony orchestra can't. * Good boxers move randomly around their opponents. * The best way to see a city is to wander around rather than to see tourist spots. * The authors' rule for organization: ACE . . . Awwwwww, relax; Carve out some time; and Eject some stuff. * A 50 cent magnet can be your most valuable organizing tool. Use it to put up pictures, soccer schedules, etc. on your refrigerator. And my favorite: * Some would say that making your bed in the morning is like tying your shoe after you've taken it off. Do yourself a favor and get a copy of A PERFECT MESS . . . then, if you can find where you put it, read it for many useful ideas. Back To Top _________________________________________________________ 5. TV alert A. DRAGON'S DEN begins a new season crammed with entrepreneurs and their business plans . . . each week, several of them face a stern row of British tycoons and sweat their way through pitches for investment . . . Tuesdays at 9 p.m. on BBC AMERICA. B. According to THE WALL STREET JOURNAL, watching BOY INERRUPTED (a documentary about a boy with bipolar disorder) will leave us with "a renewed appreciation of our ability to enjoy life" . . . Thursday at 8:45 a.m. on HBO . . . for other times, please click: http://tinyurl.com/nsluof
C. Joan Rivers asks folks, HOW'D YOU GET SO RICH? on her new show on TV LAND on Wednesdays at 10 p.m. . . . on Sunday at 10 p.m. on COMEDY CENTRAL, she is again on TV on the ROAST OF JOAN RIVERS. D. BOLLYWOOD HERO features Chris Katten in a 3-part miniseries that TV GUIDE calls "kicky" and "clever" . . . he plays himself filing a musical in Mumbai . . . Thursdays at 10 p.m. on IFC. Back To Top _________________________________________________________ 6. How to install a home security system 1. Go to a secondhand store and buy a pair of men's used size 14-16 work boots. 2. Place them on your front porch, along with a copy of Guns & Ammo Magazine. 3. Put a few giant dog dishes next to the boots and magazines. 4. Leave a note on your door that reads: Bubba, Bertha, Duke, Slim, & I went for more ammo and beer. Be back in an hour. Don't mess with the pit bulls; they attacked the mailman this morning and messed him up bad. I don't think Killer took part, but it was hard to tell from all the blood. Anyway, I locked all four of 'em in the house. Better wait outside. Be right back. Cooter Back To Top _________________________________________________________ 7. Websites A. THANKS to Scott in Pennsylvania for providing this great website for free classical music: http://www.classiccat.net/ Classic Cat is a directory with links to over 5000 free to download classical performances on the Internet, sorted by composer and work.
How to navigate this site: 1. Select a composer. 2. Select a work 3. Go to the mp3 section. 4. Click a button. After clicking the Button, you are transported to the Page of the musician(s) where you can download the music. B. If you've ever been to a baseball game, you have probably seen fans make catches of foul balls . . . but I guarantee you have never seen anything quite as amazing as this one: http://tinyurl.com/lxsqgz NOTE: Click on arrow to make it play . . . it sometimes stalls, so if it does, then click on the arrow at the bottom. And on the subject of great catches, there was also this one by Dewayne Wise that saved Mark Buehrle's perfect game: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tEcE-APJHEQ C. Last week's issue featured a happy couple at their wedding . . . as you might expect, not soon thereafter youtube had the following parody on what happens down the road--in divorce court: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zbr2ao86ww0 This time, there are trained dancers . . .so the professionalism is there, though there's not the same heartfelt emotion that was in the original. D. BLAINESWORLD, the website, remains up and running . . . to view it, please click: http://www.blainesworld.net If you ever miss an issue and/or just want to revisit something you already saw, make sure you look at "Past Issues" on the left and then "Archives" . . . a great "Search Newsletters" option at the top enables you find, say, a great quote on happiness that initially ran in BLAINESWORLD #471: There is a wonderful mythical law of nature that the three things we crave most in life--happiness, freedom and peace of mind--are always attained by giving them to someone else.--Peyton Conway March (1864-1955), U.S. Army Chief of Staff during the final year of the First World War Back To Top _________________________________________________________ 8. Computer tip Last week, I mentioned that I am using Firefox as my Internet browser . . . the more I use it, the more I like it . . . it very easily stores your passwords, so that you don't have to keep typing them in each time you go to a website that asks for this information . . . and if your computer ever gets shut down unexpectedly (say because of a crash), Firefox gives you the option to restore your previous session with all the websites that you were looking at . . . lastly, I like how Firefox keeps all the websites you're working on right at the top of the screen, making it very easy to go back and forth. Back To Top _________________________________________________________ 9. Geography lesson for today GEOGRAPHY OF A WOMAN Between 18 and 22, a woman is like Africa: half discovered, half wild, fertile and naturally beautiful. Between 23 and 30, a woman is like Europe: well developed and open to trade, especially for someone of real value. Between 31 and 35, a woman is like Spain: very hot, relaxed, and convinced of her own beauty. Between 36 and 40, a woman is like Greece: gently aging but still a warm and desirable place to visit. Between 41 and 50, a woman is like Great Britain: with a glorious and all conquering past. Between 51 and 60, a woman is like Israel: has been through war, doesn't make the same mistakes twice, takes care of business. Between 61 and 70, a woman is like Canada: self-preserving, but open to meeting new people. After 70, she becomes Tibet: wildly beautiful, with a mysterious past and the wisdom of the ages, an adventurous spirit and a thirst for spiritual knowledge. GEOGRAPHY OF A MAN Between 1 and 90, a man is like Iran, ruled by nuts. THE END. Back To Top _________________________________________________________ 10. A quote I like When preparing to travel, lay out all your clothes and all your money. Then take half the clothes and twice the money.--Susan Heller WHO IS SUSAN HELLER? I wasn't able to obtain any more about this person, other than that she is credited for this quote . . . does anybody know more about her? If so, what? Back To Top _________________________________________________________ 11. Thought for the day Giving thanks I dreamt that I went to Heaven and an angel was showing me around. We walked side-by-side inside a large workroom filled with angels.My angel guide stopped in front of the first section and said, "This is the Receiving Section. Here, all petitions to God said in prayer are received." I looked around in this area, and it was terribly busy with so many angels sorting out petitions written on voluminous paper sheets and scraps from people all over the world. Then we moved on down a long corridor until we reached the second section. The angel then said to me, "This is the Packaging and Delivery Section. Here, the graces and blessings the people asked for are processed and delivered to the living persons who asked for them." noticed again how busy it was there. There were many angels working hard at that station, since so many blessings had been requested and were being packaged for delivery to Earth.. Finally at the farthest end of the long corridor we stopped at the door of a very small station. To my great surprise, only one angel was seated there, idly doing nothing. "This is the Acknowledgment Section," my angel friend quietly admitted to me. He seemed embarrassed "How is it that there is no work going on here?" I asked. "So sad," the angel sighed. "After people receive the blessings that they asked for, very few send back acknowledgments ." "How does one acknowledge God's blessings?" I asked. "Simple," the angel answered. Just say, "Thank you, Lord." "What blessings should they acknowledge?" I asked. "If you have food in the refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof overhead and a place to sleep you are richer than 75% of this world. If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, and spare change in a dish, you are among the top 8% of the world's wealthy . "And if you get this on your own computer, you are part of the 1% in the world who has that opportunity. "If you woke up this morning with more health than illness . . . you are more blessed than the many who will not even survive this day .' "If you have never experienced the fear in battle, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture, or the pangs of starvation . . . you are ahead of 700 million people in the world. "If you can attend a church without the fear of harassment, arrest, torture or death you are envied by, and more blessed than, three billion people in the world . "If your parents are still alive and still married . . . you are very rare . "If you can hold your head up and smile, you are not the norm, you're unique to all those in doubt and despair." Ok, what now? How can I start? If you can read this message, you just received a double blessing in that someone was thinking of you as very special and you are more blessed than over two billion people in the world who cannot read at all. Make it a great day, count your blessings, and if you want, pass this along to remind everyone else how blessed we all are . Author unknown (if you know who wrote this and/or the source, please let me know) Back To Top _________________________________________________________ 12. Advance planning department A. Invite from yours truly: I'd love to have you join me on Sunday, August 16, at 1 p.m. as I ask the question: What's the difference between a left-handed and right-handed pencil? Program description: Come find out the answer to that burning question--and a lot more--as Blaine Greenfield discusses the topic of "Four-mula 4 Success" . . . the 4 things anybody can do on a daily business that will take no more than 15 minutes. Location: Congregation Beth HaTephia, 43 N. Libert St., Asheville, NC To RSVP: Please send me an email (to bginbc@aol.com) with this in the subject line: AUGUST 16 PRESENTATION. B. Rebecca in New Jersey: Please save this date for the opening reception of an art show at Bucks County Community College on Thursday, September 17 . . . you can take a peek online, page 55: http://www.tinyurl.com/bcw-aug-2009 C. Jim in Pennsylvania: "Money Matters" A free seminar to help you learn ways to take charge of your finances and create the life you were born to live. Hosts: Jim Donovan and Joe Paretta During this fast-paced, fun-filled evening, you will learn specific techniques you can use to reduce your debt and increase your income, starting right now! If you are drowning in credit card debt, barely paying your bills or simply want to have some extra money at the end of the month, this workshop is for you! If you want to know simple, proven ways you can make more money without quitting your job or risking your savings, reserve your seat now. Date: Thursday, September 17, 2009 Time: 7:00-9:00 p.m. Location: TranquiliTea House, 104 North 4th Street, Easton, PA For more information, please email: webcontacts@tranquiliteahousepa.com D. Natalie in Pennsylvania: Get your tickets now to hear Nikki Giovanni, acclaimed poet and writers, peaking on "The Balm that is Poetry" and reading from her new book BICYCLES on Friday, September 25, 7:00 in the Gateway Auditorium at Bucks County Community College in Newtown, PA. Also on the program is Kim Allen of Sister Sledge "We are Family." Tickets, $10.00; $5 for students. Go to: http://www.bucks.edu/tickets or contact Natalie Kaye, 215.968.8015 or kayen@bucks.edu. Back To Top _________________________________________________________ PS. Please join me in praying that we soon get our remaining soldiers back from Iraq and Afghanistan and, also, that peace comes to Israel and her neighbors. . . make it a great week, too! ---------------------------------------------------------- SUBSCRIBE/UNSUBCRIBE INFORMATION To subscribe to this publication, please send an email to: bginbc@aol.com and put SUBSCRIBE in subject line . . . if you wish to unsubscribe, just send an email to same address and put UNSUBSCRIBE in subject line. |
