BLAINESWORLD
#534
12.25.2006
In this issue:
1. Reflections
2. FYI
3. One too many battles
4. Reviews . . . THE HOLIDAY, etc.
5. TV alert
6. Checkup
7. Websites
8. Computer tip
9. Troubled times
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 are finding it hard to
believe that winter started this past week . . . we've been enjoying
the lovely weather, often taking an early morning walk together.
We have also been seeing a bunch of movies, both in person
and via Netflix--having finally taken out a membership with the
latter . . . most recently in the theaters we saw THE HOLIDAY
with friends (see also Section 4A).
Afterwards, we joined them for dinner at Uno Chicago Grill
(609.890.0864) in Hamilton, NJ . . . the food there is always
good . . . we shared a salad that came with a delicious blueberry
vinaigrette dressing . . . I ordered ribs; they were both plentiful and
tasty . . . Cynthia said her bowl of broccoli and cheddar soup
was so filling that she was only able to taste her salmon before
bringing the rest home.
Our server, Amy, was friendly . . . in particular, I liked something
she did with our leftovers . . . when she packed them up, she
labeled them with both what was in the box and the date . . . since
we too often forget to do this when we get home, this little gesture
was very much appreciated.
The restaurant also allows you to call ahead . . . while they don't
say it is for reservations, per se, by doing so you can go to the
top of the waiting list . . . lastly, the four of us shared dessert:
a deep dish sundae on top of a freshly-baked chocolate chip
cookie . . . even typing about it a few days later makes
my mouth water.
B. You--the readers of this newsletter--are the greatest!
I mentioned last week how we needed help with our new
iPod . . . imagine my surprise when several folks immediately
wrote back with such suggestions as the following from
Ron in Pennsylvania about how to make on-the-go playlists
when the iPod nano isn't connected to your computer:
1. Select a song and press and hold the Center button until
the song title flashes.
2. Choose other songs you want to add.
3. Choose Music > Playlists > On-The-Go to view your list of songs.
You can also add entire lists of songs at once. For example, to add
an album, highlight the album title and press and hold the Center button
until the album title flashes.
THANKS to Andrea in Pennsylvania for providing similar information.
And SPECIAL THANKS to Lori in Pennsylvania, a former student,
for coming to our place and giving us hands-on instruction on all that
we needed to get going . . . having her do so saved us many hours
of what would have been frustrating time reading through
instructions and manuals that weren't clear . . . should you want
to contact Lori for similar assistance, she can be reached
at 215.850.8709 . . . whatever you pay her will be money well spent!
C. I LOVE competence . . . when it is provided by somebody who
is nice, too, that's a winning combination.
My mother--our whole family, actually--has been blessed to be working
with Tammy Lawlor, the lawyer who has handled her will and other
legal documents . . . she met with us this past week to make sure
that we were up to date, and as always, she painstakingly answered
all our questions.
Tammy has actually come out to meet with my parents both at
their apartment and when my dad was in the hospital . . . I do believe
that if you're in need of somebody with an elder law background and
if you're anywhere near Garden City, NY, you would be well served
by utilizing her services . . . she can be reached at 516.296.1000.
D. CONGRATULATIONS to Roberta Mayer, a talented art history
colleague of mine at Bucks County Community College . . . she just
received word that she has been awarded $7,000 from Furthermore
Grants in Publishing for her book on Lockwood de Forest.
***** BLAINESWORLD BEST AWARD *****
This week, it goes to Augusto Gonzalez--a service representative
with Copi-Rite (609.587.1100) in Trenton, NJ.
I've dealt with Copi-Rite for well over a decade . . . my first copy
machine was purchased from them and after that one, I purchased
a Sharp SF-7800 that is still working quite well (having passed
the 100,000 copy mark).
Augusto has serviced my copiers several times in the three
most recent homes I've lived in . . . he is always on time, and he
really knows his stuff . . .it is a pleasure to have something
fixed right the first time and not have to keep calling a company
back for additional service calls.
He is a true professional--one of several such individuals working with
Copi-Rite . . . I'd strongly recommend this company for anybody looking
to buy or lease a copier, provided that you also hook-in with the fine
service that you get after the sale.
_________________________________________________________
2. FYI
Requesting a credit report won't hurt your credit store . . . but
beware that if lenders ask for your score too often, that can affect
it since the implication is that you're looking to add additional
debt . . . .thus, do try to limit the number of places at which
you apply for credit.
Also, you may not know that you can request a copy of your
credit report each year for free from one of the three major credit-report
providers: Equifax, Experian and TransUnion . . . for more details
on how to obtain this information, please click:http://www.annualcreditreport.com
FYI, part 2
* Patty in Pennsylvania:
This is a pretty neat site:http://www.restaurant.com
I know you and Cynthia enjoy going out to eat. It's easily accessible,
and you can search by zip code or state. There are many options; e.g.,
you can purchase $10 gift certificates for $3 or $25 gift certificates for $10.
Some restrictions may apply, such as you may still have to pay a portion
of the meal. Check it out!
MY TWO CENTS:
If you visit the website, and I strongly recommend that you
do, get on the FREE email list . . . that way, you can get even better
savings about once a month when they'll send you a code to get
an additional 50% or 60% off . . . beware that there are other restrictions
than the one Patty mentioned, such as some restaurants only apply
the discount during the week (and not on weekends) and others
require that you dine with at least three other companions.
* Megan in New Jersey:
We based a three day staff meeting here on the FIVE DYSFUNCTIONS
book and purchased the accompanying workbook ahead of time for
everyone. The result was fantastic--it personally made me much more
aware in my daily routine of the times that I sometimes pull out some
of those poor behaviors.
Another positive about the book I noticed is that it isn't one of those ones
where you're diligent about the points it presents for the first week
only . . . still in meetings, I have heard people remind others that pulling
out their blackberries during someone else's presentation is one of said
"dysfunctions." I think its an excellent tool to get people to think beyond
their individual goals.
Much cheaper, by the way, on Amazon than through The Table
Group's website.
* Jerry in New Jersey:
Thank you . Thank you . Thank you.
The following is my testimonial to the book you recommended.
I'm a retired 64-year-old male. I've been on social security disability
for five years due to severe emphysema. I've smoked 1 ½ pack
of cigarettes a day for 40 years. I stopped smoking on my own 5
years ago as a result of my being hospitalized for complete pulmonary
failure. I spent 2 weeks in ICU on a ventilator and feeding tube. I
spent another week in the hospital and 5 weeks in rehab.
I didn't smoke again for 4 years. At that time I was depressed and
also started drinking again. I'm a recovering alcoholic and after 5
rehabs had not anything to drink for 26 years. I started smoking 1 or 2
cigarettes day and drinking 2 or 3 glasses of wine all in moderation. Of
course it gradually increased to 1 pint of brandy a day and 5 to 10
cigarettes a day over the period of a year. At that time, I was again
hospitalized for complete pulmonary failure. I spent 3 weeks in ICU
on a ventilator and feeding tube, at a cost of $327,000.00. I was in rehab
for another 5 weeks and started smoking and drinking as soon as I got out.
I had convinced myself that the alcohol was essential for me to breathe
correctly. I was having a difficult time catching my breath, but after drinking
I seemed to breathe easier. The cigarettes helped calm me and without them,
I was a nervous wreck. I was also driving my wife crazy. She found out I was
drinking and smoking. She felt I was going kill myself and kill someone
on the road with my drinking, and she thought I would kill myself with
my smoking. I tried to explain my reasons, but she would not listen.
She went to my pulmonary doctor and pleaded and cried for him to
do something. He tried to give me the name of a counselor, but I didn't
see them because they were out of my network. She pleaded and cried
even more to my primary care physician. He gave me a prescription for
Chantix. My insurance would not pay for it and I agreed to pay the $120
for the starting month pack. (Insurance paid $327,000 because of my
smoking, but wouldn't pay $120.00 for me to stop smoking. Go figure.)
I was also going to attend a hypnosis session recommended by my friend
Blaine Greenfield, but I missed the session. He then recommended a book,
THE EASY WAY TO STOP SMOKING by Allen Carr. The book cover
said Join the millions who have become non-smokers using Allen Carr
Easyway method. It went on to say, you will not need willpower, you will
not gain weight, you will not feel deprived, you'll need no gimmicks or
substitutes, and you'll lose your fear of withdrawal pangs, and you
must smoke as usual as you read."
Before I got into the Chantix medication, I decided to read the book
since I could keep smoking while reading the book. It took me three days
to read the book. I set my stop smoking day as the next day. The next day
I stopped smoking and also stopped drinking with little withdraw pangs, not
feeling deprived, and without gimmicks or substitutes. I'm into my third day
and there are occasionally some pangs but no real desire to smoke or drink.
It was like magic, but it has worked so far.
Thank you again.
You've always told me to add a PS, so . . .
PS. I've have also begun donating a book to each branch of the Mercer County
Library and keeping several in stock for gifts.
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3. One too many battles
Although fighting the enemy is considered normal, the Army frowns
upon fighting among the troops. So much so that after one too many
battles royal, my uncle was ordered to undergo a psychiatric evaluation
in which he had to endure some odd questions.
If you saw a submarine in the Sahara, what would you do?
Well, I'd throw snowballs at it, he answered.
Where'd you get the snowballs?the doctor asked.
Same place you got the submarine.
_________________________________________________________
4. Reviews
A. THE HOLIDAY, a romantic comedy about two women who
switch homes, starts off slowly . . . very slowly . . . in fact, the first
hour was a step above terrible . . . however, things pick up
noticeably in the second half of the film to the point where I'd
recommend it . . . Kate Winslet, as she usually does, gives a
terrific performance as the English woman swapping residences
with her American counterpart Cameron Diaz (who appears to
be trying too hard in her role) . . . Jude Law is surprisingly
touching as one of the male leads; Jack Black, on the other
hand, is underused as the other one . . . Eli Wallach, still
acting up a storm at 92, adds poignancy to the story . . . rated PG-13.
B. Guilty pleasure confession: I saw and loved the first
JACKASS movie . . . though I never watched the show when it was
on TV, I found myself laughing out loud when I saw this big screen
version . . . so I naturally looked forward to seeing JACKASS: NUMBER
TWO (now out on DVD) and was I ever disappointed . . . despite
reviews that were amazingly favorable, this sequel did nothing for
me . . . I don't think I was amused by any of the stunts involving
a bunch of guys inflicting pain on each other, and I even walked
out after about an hour . . . rated R and definitely not something
I'd recommend for young children--or anybody for that matter.
C. Move over Ann Rule!
She has always been my favorite true crime author, but I now might
have to add John Grisham to that list . . . in THE INNOCENT MAN,
his first nonfiction book, he tells the tale of a man falsely accused
of murder.
It made me think about how this could happen to anybody and despite
advances in DNA testing, about the fact that the judicial system still
makes mistakes--particularly when trying to "prove" something
that isn't true . . . furthermore, Grisham will get you thinking
about the death penalty and whether it should be something
we utilize in this country. . . however, I like that he doesn't hit
you over the head with his opinion; rather, he lets you come to your
own conclusions.
I also came away from reading THE INNOCENT MAN with an awareness
that we need to do a much better job of taking care of people who
are released from prison after they have been found innocent of
a crime they never committed.
One other thing that I very much liked about this book was how
it helped teach me a little about law through its explanation
of various cases such as this one:
Forensic examination of human hair got off to a rocky start as
far back as 1882. In a Wisconsin case that year an expert
for the state compared a known hair sample with one found
at the crime scene and testified that the two came from the
same source. The source was convicted, but on appeal the
Wisconsin Supreme Court reversed and said, strongly, Such
evidence is of the most dangerous character.
There were several memorable passages; among them:
* The tales started immediately "Holland was describing statements
Ron allegedly made in jail about Debbie Carter”and it was obvious
Ron was about to explode. He shook his head, clenched his jaws,
stared at Holland as if he'd like to kill her. Finally she said, He said
if she'd went ahead and went with him, he'd never had to kill her.
* Practice makes perfect, and executions as McAlester are
carried out with precision. For the inmate whose time has
come, the last day is spent receiving visitors—family members,
friends, usually his lawyer. Of course the visits are painful,
made even more so by the fact that there can be no physical
contact. They chat and cry through a thick wall of glass while
talking on a phone. No farewell hugs or kisses from the family,
just a gut-wrenching I love you through a black receiver.
Often the inmate and his visitor will symbolically kiss each other
by pressing their lips against the glass. They also imitate
touching with their hands.
And this frightening one, describing an actual execution:
* First a saline solution is pumped in to open the veins. The first
drug is sodium thiopental, and it quickly knocks out the inmate.
Another flushing of saline solution, then the second drug, vecuronium
bromide, stops the breathing. Another quick flush and the third
drug, potassium chloride, stops the heart.
D. Ken Blanchard has always been one of my favorite business
authors, starting with the classic that he wrote with Spencer
Johnson: THE ONE MINUTE MANAGER . . . so when I came
across something of his that I had missed, THE ON-TIME,
ON-TARGET MANAGER (co-authored with Steve Gottry), I grabbed
an audio copy of it since I was particularly interested in its
subtitle: HOW A "LAST-MINUTE MANAGER CONQURED
PROCRASTINATION.
I must admit it took me a few weeks to listen to it . . . first, I had
to . . . well, I won't bother you with the details, but procrastination
definitely came into play . . . unfortunately, I'm not sure that I
learned very much from listening that helped me deal with
this vexing problem.
THE ON-TIME, ON-TARGET MANAGER is another parable
that Blanchard typically writes so well . . . this one, however,
missed the mark for me . . . I wasn't interested in the
main character, Bob, or any of his multiple nicknames that
actually got annoying after a very short while . . . moreover,
I was thrown by the "3-P strategy" that started off fine with
Priority . . . however, I'm still now quite sure how Propriety
fit into the mix . . . and Commitment isn't even a "P," but
according to the authors was a mnemonic device that didn't work
for me.
I would have preferred a better ending, along with some actual
examples of how the principles could be put into play
by Bob or anybody else for that matter.
In retrospect, I did at least come away with a reminder that I
need to continually ask myself: What is the most important
thing I should be doing? Other readers wanting an answer
would do better by reading my all-time favorite time management
book, HOW TO GET CONTROL OF YOUR TIME AND YOUR
LIFE by Alan Lakein.
_________________________________________________________
5. TV alert
A. FUNNIEST COMMERCIALS OF THE YEAR has Kevin
Nealon counting down the most laughworthy promotional
spots of the year . . . Wednesday at 9 p.m. on TBS.
B. Be sure to catch 15 FILMS ABOUT MADONNA to see a
song parody of Kabbalah and an animated battle between
the Material Girl and Eva Peron . . . Saturday at 4 a.m. on A&E.
C. Two marathons worthy of your consideration show up
on Sunday . . . beginning at 9 a.m., you can see a 45-hour
block of eerie episodes from the TWILIGHT ZONE on
SCI FI . . . starting at 10:30 p.m., the entire third season
of the very funny ENTOURAGE airs on HBO.
D. LIVE FROM LINCOLN CENTER features Broadway and concert
star Audra McDonald ringing in the New Year with a program
of cherished pop-song standards by Duke Ellington, George Gershwin,
Harold Arlen, and others with members of the New York Philharmonic
conducted by Ted Sperling . . . Sunday at 8 p.m. on PBS . . . times
and stations vary on PBS, so make sure you check your local listings.
_________________________________________________________
6. Checkup
After a long-overdue checkup, my cousin's dentist sat down to go over
all the work she would need on her mouth. The total estimate
was $9,200.
My cousin gasped. For that kind of money, I could get a tummy tuck
and silicone implants.
But what about your smile? the dentist asked.
If I had all that done, my cousin replied, I guarantee no one would
be looking at my teeth.
_________________________________________________________
7. Websites
A. If you love to shop and hate experiencing inhumane customer support,
please click:
http://www.consumerist.com/
Sometimes, it is a bit slow; i.e., to load . . . but give it a shot, if just
to hear this one--a consumer's attempt to cancel AOL:
http://www.consumerist.com/consumer/aol/the-best-thing-we-have-ever-posted-reader-tries-to-cancel-aol-180392.php
I can relate, in that I experienced the same type thing after my dad died . . . to
date, I still haven't been able to cancel his AOL service!
B. Who said mom and dad told you the truth about Santa . . . to see
for yourself, please click:
http://www.LettersFromBadSanta.com
In the Hall of Shame, you'll see some of the hilarious letters he got
from celebrities such as Donald Trump, Don King, Pamela Anderson,
and Tom Cruise . . . in addition, you'll get a kick out of his evil
toys . . . though be forewarned, some of them (and other material
on this website) is not for the kids.
C. BLAINESWORLD, the website, remains up and running . . . to view
it, please click:
http://www.blainesworld.net
As you may know, I frequently speak to groups and organizations
throughout the country . . . should you like me to get me as a speaker,
please click Speaking at the above, then Background and/or Some
Comments.
_________________________________________________________
8. Computer tip
To save money, I had taken to purchasing printer cartridges from eBay
that had been refilled . . . however, methinks that I'll be stopping that
practice--like yesterday.
Cynthia's Lexmark printer had stopped working, even though it showed
that only half of the cartridge had been used . . . I then put in a
replacement cartridge, and the same thing happened . . . only when
a new cartridge was used did the printer start working again, which
leads me to wonder:
Any other readers have a similar experience?
_________________________________________________________
9. Troubled times
During these troubled times, people of all faiths should remember four
fundamental religious truths:
1. Muslims do not recognize Jews as God's chosen people.
2. Jews do not recognize Jesus as the Messiah.
3. Protestants do not recognize the Pope as the leader of the Christian
world.
4. Baptists do not recognize each other at Hooters.
_________________________________________________________
10. A quote I like
Celebrate what you've accomplished, but raise the bar a little higher
each time you succeed.--Mia Hamm, America's best-known soccer
player of the 1990s, in GO FOR THE GOAL (HarperCollins)
_________________________________________________________
11. Thought for the day
The blessing tree
by John Sharrock
I had gone into a supervisor's office to talk about a couple of issues
that needed to be addressed. She, like all of the men and women
in her department, had been through the proverbial "ringer." The stress
was so intense, one could almost taste it.
I had been assisting the department during a crunch period
of being very short-handed, and was watching everyone get close
to burn-out. When I inquired about her state of mind, she confessed
that her home life was almost non-existent because she was
"zombie-ing through the evening." The next words out of her mouth
expressed a frustration of my own: "This work is not my gift from God.
My family is!"
I had heard of hanging all of one's problems from the office on a "Trouble
Tree" while driving home, to be picked up on the way back to the office
in the morning, and for a brief second thought about suggesting that
scenario.
But what came out was: "Why don't we do something different? Let's
have a Blessing Tree. On the way home in the evening, we could pull
down a blessing to dwell on a character trait we adore in our spouse,
a particular reason we love them, the love they or our children have
for us, etc. The list could be endless.
When I tried it on the way home that night, the stress seemed to melt
away. There was a "spring in my step" and when I arrived, a smile of joy
and contentment was bubbling up from within. For the first time in two
weeks, I was overjoyed to greet my wife and children!
The Blessing Tree could make a major difference in your evenings,
especially after those REALLY tough days.
_________________________________________________________
12. Advance planning department
A. Natalie in Pennsylvania:
Would you like to learn a hands-on-healing technique that is so loving, it
has the ability to relieve stress, pain and illness, release blockages, and
create a sense of deep peace, clarity and joy? It is called Reiki, which
means Universal Life Force Energy.
Reiki, Level I, is being taught by Shea Roache, a Reiki Master and
Angelic Sound Healing Practitioner on Friday, December 29, 2006.
This class is being held at the home of Nina McKissock, 338 Ashland
Avenue, Doylestown from 9:00 a.m. to approximately 5:00 p.m. The
cost is $125.00. Class size is limited. Please call for information and
reservations 215.534.1691.
B. Cynthia (see also Section 1A) will next be running her fantastic
Move Your Body classes on the following dates
Saturday, January 6, at 1:30 p.m. . . . FREE;
Saturday, February 3, at 1:30 p.m. . . . FREE; and
Saturday, February 10, at 1:30 p.m. . . . FREE.
Regular drop-in classes start on Mondays, beginning on January 8,
from 7:30-8:45 p.m. . . . $15 per session.
All sessions are at the Princeton Center for Yoga & Health
in Skillman, NJ.
For more information, please click:
http://www.princetonyoga.com/
or call 609.924.7294.
A guarantee: You will be delighted if you attend any and/or
all of the above!
C. HOLD THIS DATE:
Harry Paul (co-author of REVVED! and FISH!) will be speaking
at Bucks on March 12, 2007 at the annual "Meet the Author" Business
Seminar . . . you won't want to miss him; he is great . . . details to follow.
Also, we are seeking a corporate sponsor for this outstanding
event . . . for more information, please email me at bginbc@aol.com.
_________________________________________________________
PS. The more holidays you celebrate, the more gifts you get . . . so
if you agree, here's hope that you enjoy a Merry Christmas with your
loved one . . . you can start by listening to:
http://www.thecompassgroup.biz/merryxmas.swf
For those who celebrate Kwanzaa, too, you can find more about
this holiday by clicking:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=c-MY8I_kwJY&mode=related&search=
Also, please join me in praying that we soon get our remaining soldiers
back from Iraq and that peace soon resumes in Israel . . . and make it
a great week!
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