Top 10 Names for Dogs and Cats

A long-coated male Chihuahua named "Heart-kun"

Top 10 names for dogs:
1. Max
2. Bailey
3. Bella
4. Molly
5. Lucy
6. Buddy
7. Maggie
8. Daisy
9. Sophie
10. Chloe

Top 10 names for cats:
1. Max
2. Chloe
3. Tigger
4. Tiger
5. Lucy
6. Smokey
7. Oliver
8. Bella
9. Shadow
10. Charlie

Dogs we had/have: Skipper, Theodore, Gracie
Cats we had/have: Midnight, Emily, Moussa, Smokey, Katie, Kiki

To Err is Human

When I was younger, I felt the need to cover up my mistakes by making excuses. But I have come to learn that it's best just to admit the mistake and come clean. There are so many people that just can't bring themselves to admit that they were wrong or it was their fault.

I had to bring a guy back in to the studio to re-record a podcast that I had managed to record over. I thought about making an excuse that the audio program had not saved it correctly. But you know what, it felt so good to say to him, "I messed up. One of your podcasts doesn't exist. Can you come back in to re-record?" I even admitted the botch up to my supervisor and co-workers. All of them said something along the lines that we all make mistakes.

I've seen many a leader make a mistake and due to pride or they didn't want to appear to be a weak leader, not own up to it. Making mistakes is unavoidable. Whether in our personal or professional lives, the way we handle our blunders makes all the difference. The good leaders will admit making a mistake and move on. The great leader will admit the mistake, learn from it, and never make it again.

"A woman without paint is like food without salt." Plautus, Roman philosopher

silicone-skinned bust of King Tut

I used to always wear makeup. I felt like I didn't look good enough if I didn't have some on. But as I've aged and now have blepharitis, I've had to change. You know, not wearing makeup has its advantages. Two I can think of right away are saving time getting ready in the morning and saving money. I think it takes some self confidence to walk out the door with no cosmetic enhancements. I think it might also be that as I get older, I don't care as much about what other people think.

I remember walking by a female colleague's office. She was reapplying powder, blush, and lipstick. She was preparing to go to a meeting. I NEVER think to do that! In fact, I don't carry any makeup in my purse.

Would you agree with Plautus when he says, "A woman without paint is like food without salt"? By the way, who started this makeup thing, anyway? Well, it was the ancient Egyptians in the 4th century before Christ. Back then, even men wore eyeliner. From what I can tell, that's also making a comeback (guy-liner, that is.)

Chris Daughtry

Oh Paula

This is for you "American Idol" fans. I'm still not sure if I like the new four judge panel or the changes in the show's format. I do like Kara DioGuardi, but it seems that Paula doesn't. And you know why? Because Kara makes Paula stand out as an airhead. We always knew Paula never said much of substance, but now with Kara actually giving solid critiques, I think Paula's a little jealous of sharing the spotlight with another woman. Can't wait to watch tonight. Rrrrrowl. Hiss. Hiss. What do you think? (Thanks Myron for the tip on the article.)

Kindle 2

Have you heard about the Kindle? It's Amazon's handheld electronic book reader. Today they began selling the Kindle 2. When I first saw the Kindle several months ago on Amazon's Web site, I thought it looked like a neat idea. But, when I saw the price, I quickly lost interest. The Kindle 2 sells for $359. The Kindle can download, store, and display up to 1500 books.

The Kindle Store has more than 240,000 books available, plus top newspapers, magazines, and blogs--all of which are available for download for $9.99 or less via Whispernet. According to Amazon, "Whispernet utilizes Amazon's optimized technology plus Sprint's national high-speed (3G) data network to enable you to wirelessly search, discover, and download content on the go. Your books and periodicals are delivered via Whispernet in less than 60 seconds. And unlike WiFi, you never have to hunt for a hotspot."

OK, enough of the free advertisement. I wonder where they came up with the name for this thing? And, what type of person does this gizmo appeal to? My guess is that traditionalists won't want to give up the feel of paper and the joy of turning the page. People who are into gadgets and technology will probably love it.

This Valentine's Day

I'm a little late for a Valentine's Day post, but I think some of you might find this story interesting. My husband has never thought much of participating in Valentine's Day. Even before we were married he boycotted the "holiday." "I don't need a a yearly holiday to tell or show you that I love you. It's just a way for Hallmark and florists to make money," he'd say. I'll be honest, this kind of bothered me. But after several years, you get used to it.

Now that we've been married for over 20 years, he's softened a bit in recent years. Last year for our anniversary he sent me flowers at work for our anniversary. I have to admit, I loved the surprise. It made me feel special.

This Valentine's Day he was away for work. No big deal since we never make a fuss over V-day. I happened to be sick that day. I was talking to him on the phone and told him I wouldn't be at work because I wasn't feeling well. He told me that's too bad, because he sent flowers! SENT FLOWERS! Just my luck. I worried that they'd be all wilted by Monday when I'd be back to work. But, the flowers never arrived. Interesting. I wonder what happened? Maybe they were delivered to the mail room and the guys down there didn't deliver them. Nope, not the case. Finally, he called 1-800-FLOWERS to find out what happened. He talked to some customer service rep in India. She offered no apology, help, or refund. He was tired and disgusted and hung up. The next day he checked his e-mail confirmation and saw a delivery tracking link. Guess what? The flowers made it to UPS in Atlanta, but that's as far as they went because the box arrived damaged so UPS discarded the box! No phone call, no note, no nothing! Shame on you UPS and 1-800-flowers. I'm going to break one of my rules and say, "That sucks!"

Look, FREE Christian Music Downloads

I just discovered this site. It's www.FreeCCM.com. It's a legal site where you can download "featured" Christian songs for free. Thanks to Fee for telling me about it. If you aren't familiar with Steve Fee's band, you should check them out. One of their songs, "Beautiful the Blood," is available for download. I downloaded all that they were offering, plus, I linked to Phil Wickam's blog and downloaded his entire live album, Singalong, for no cost. I LIKE FREE!

Not Worth the Price

These hot beverages from McDonald's look good, don't they? When it's cold, I love a good cappuccino. My favorite upscale coffee place is Seattle's Best, Starbucks is my second choice. We don't have Seattle's Best in Atlanta anymore, except at the airport, so I have to settle for Starbucks. When I saw these tempting coffees from McD's, I thought I'd give their cappuccino a try. It was OK. Not bad for a gas station quality brew. But my biggest complaint is the cost. Why would I pay almost $3 to get a so-so cap from McD's when I can get the "real thing" from Starbucks for the same amount? I don't get it McD's. Lower your prices and you might sell more!

Surgeons send 'tweets' from operating room

Saw this article from CNN and thought I'd share.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/02/17/twitter.surgery/index.html?eref=ib_topstories

The Real Deal

I've got to talk up the "Real Deal" at Ted's Montana Grill. For $12 (in the Atlanta area) for lunch you get a choice of an appetizer, entree, and one of their famous cookies. For example, if you just order the grilled chicken salad, it's $12. So, what a deal to get an appetizer, salad, AND yummy cookie. I've eaten there before, but I didn't remember the portions being so large. We walked out of there stuffed. They have a similar deal for dinner for $15. You have to check the Ted's near you for what they're offering. Bad news for my Maryland pals--there aren't any Ted's in Maryland, yet.

Ted's is also eco-friendly. Their goal is to be 99% plastic-free. They re-introduced the paper straw (not produced in the United States since 1970). You can read more about their commitment to the environment by going to their Web site.

Can all that Twitters turn to gold amid the gloom?

"Twitter Inc. has spawned a new way to communicate by limiting messages to 140 keystrokes. So here's a way to describe the Internet's latest craze within Twitter's space restrictions:

It's a potluck of pithy self-expression simmering with whimsy, narcissism, voyeurism, hucksterism, tedium and sometimes useful information.

One vital ingredient has been missing from the mix so far — revenue. That raises questions about whether the nearly 3-year-old service can make the leap from intriguing fad to sustainable business.

Twitter intends to start testing ways to make money this spring. And co-founder Evan Williams promises it won't drive away the more than 6 million people who have set up accounts on the unconventional communications network."

Click the link below to continue reading the Associated Press article.

Can all that Twitters turn to gold amid the gloom? from Associated Press

To Those of You Born 1930 - 1979

I have a feeling this was written by a male, so I'll add my female perspective on some things in italics.

At the end is a quote of the month by Jay Leno. If you don't read anything else, please read what he said. Very well stated, Mr. Leno.

TO ALL THE KIDS WHO SURVIVED THE 1930's, 40's, 50's, 60's and 70's!

First, we survived being born to mothers who smoked and/or drank while they were pregnant.

They took aspirin, ate blue cheese dressing, tuna from a can, and didn't get tested for diabetes.

Then after that trauma, we were put to sleep on our tummies in baby cribs covered with bright colored lead-base paints.

We had no childproof lids on medicine bottles, locks on doors or cabinets, and when we rode our bikes, we had baseball caps not helmets on our heads. Us girls didn't wear caps, we just rode.

As infants & children, we would ride in cars with no car seats, no booster seats , no seat belts, no air bags, bald tires, and sometimes no brakes.

Riding in the back of a pick-up truck on a warm day was always a special treat. Thanks Dad and Grandpa.

We drank water from the garden hose and not from a bottle. Although the garden hose tasted pretty gross. I'd just go inside and get a drink of water from the facet in a glass.

We shared one soft drink with four friends, from one bottle and no one actually died from this.

We ate cupcakes, white bread, real butter, and bacon. We drank Kool-Aid made with real white sugar. And, we weren't overweight. WHY?

Because we were always outside playing ... that's why!

We would leave home in the morning and play all day, as long as we were back when the streetlights came on. I had to be within shouting distance for my mom to call us back to the house.

No one was able to reach us all day. And, we were OK. We would spend hours building our go-carts out of scraps and then ride them down the hill, only to find out we forgot the brakes. After running into the bushes a few times,we learned to solve the problem. I think us girls played house and even made forts.

We did not have Playstations, Nintendo 's and X-boxes. There were no video games, no 150 channels on cable, no video movies or DVD's, no surround-sound or CD's, no cell phones, no personal computers, no Internet, and no chat rooms. WE HAD FRIENDS and we went outside and found them! We fell out of trees, got cut, broke bones and teeth, and there were no lawsuits from these accidents. I do remember times of being bored and trying to think of something to do. I would usually go pest my brother at this point.

We ate worms and mud pies made from dirt, and the worms did not live in us forever. I never at worms or dirt, just played in it. We were given BB guns for our 10th birthdays, made up games with sticks and tennis balls and, although we were told it would happen, we did not put out very many eyes. I did get a BB gun and loved it. Was a pretty good shot!

We rode bikes or walked to a friend's house and knocked on the door or rang the bell, or just walked in and talked to them. Little League had tryouts and not everyone made the team. Those who didn't had to learn to deal with disappointment. No Little League for girls back then. I guess we just joined the Girl Scouts.

Imagine that! The idea of a parent bailing us out if we broke the law was unheard of. They actually sided with the law! These Generations have produced some of the best risk-takers, problem solvers and inventors ever. The past 50 years have been an explosion of innovation and new ideas.

We had freedom, failure, success, and responsibility, and we learned how to deal with it all. If YOU are one of them? CONGRATULATIONS! You might want to share this with others who have had the luck to grow up as kids, before the lawyers and the government regulated so much of our lives for our own good .

While you are at it, forward it to your kids so they will know how brave and lucky their parents were. My daughter still wouldn't get it.

Kind of makes you want to run through the house with scissors, doesn't it ?

~ The quote of the month is by Jay Leno:

"With hurricanes, tornadoes, fires out of control, mud slides, flooding, severe thunderstorms tearing up the country from one end to another, and with the threat of bird flu and terrorist attacks, are we sure this is a good time to take God out of the Pledge of Allegiance?"

Memo to Worship Bands | Christianity Today | A Magazine of Evangelical Conviction

This is great article and oh so true!

Memo to Worship Bands | Christianity Today | A Magazine of Evangelical Conviction

Posted using ShareThis

Curse Word Replacements

I was just contemplating if using similar sounding words in place of curse words is acceptable for Christians. One that comes to mind is "freakin." I've heard a pastor say this during a sermon. (He wasn't preaching in a church, but an arena if that makes a difference.) It just didn't seem right. I've also heard it from the mouths of several 20 & 30-something-year-old Christians. Here's the catch, I don't have a problem saying "sugar" or "shoot." Maybe I'm being a bit hypocritical. If sugar or shot is OK, why not freakin? Are we lowering our standards? Are we compromising our testimony? How about using slang words? What about the phrase, "That really sucks?" I just can't bring myself to say it. Maybe I'm being too conservative and I'm not hip for today's standards. What do you think?

Look out iPhone

I thought I might like an iPhone, but this phone just blows it away! (Thanks to one of my fellow Cedarville alums for this wonderful find.) It's the new Pomegranate phone.

I Have a New Love

I owe my new love to Shane and Kelle. Yes, this hip couple got me hooked on Mexican food. I had a business meeting with them and they offered to order Mexican. I reluctantly agreed and ordered a cheese enchilada. (I still don't do refried beans.) To my amazement I loved it! Now I crave it! I also discovered Mexican cheese dip. Oh my! I had tried it a few years ago and heard people rave about how good queso is, but it didn't really taste that good to me. Now, for some reason, I love it! Let me clarify, the Mexican food I like is more Americanized. It's the kind you find at boutique Mexican restaurants. There's a great restaurant in my area, Pure Taqueria. The one we went to in midtown Atlanta was Taqueria del Sol. Yum! I highly recommend them.

Fads

How do fads get started? Who decides what jeans are "in?" What shoes are "cool?" What hair styles are current? I wonder who came up with this design for a purse? I mean, who would have thought that giraffe print would be hot? I'm seeing these purses everywhere.

Dark Temptation

Check out this commercial from Axe. My first time to see it was this weekend at the movies. The theater was packed with women and it seemed to evoke a variety of reactions.

The Emerging Church

The other day at lunch with some friends the question of the Emergent Church came up. I couldn't really answer definitively what the Emergent Church is. I've "heard" some things about it. What I have heard tends to be negative, but I wanted to do my own research and not depend on what others are saying. Clearly, it's going to take more than a couple hours of reading to figure this church out. On their Web site, www.emergentvillage.com, I discovered some basics about this movement.

What does Emergent Village believe? According to their Web site they state: "We believe in God, beauty, future, and hope – but you won’t find a traditional statement of faith here. We don’t have a problem with faith, but with statements. Whereas statements of faith and doctrine have a tendency to stifle friendships, we hope to further conversation and action around the things of God.

"Our dream is to join in the activity of God in the world wherever we are able, partnering with God as God’s dreams for our world come true. In the process, the world can be healed and changed, and so can we."

They encourage "Cohorts" which are meetings with others to discuss theology. It seems they like to talk and "be friends." Apparently they also have churches, but the link to "find a church" wasn't working.

Nothing is said about the Bible. I don't know about you, but I base my Christian faith and beliefs on God's Word. His Word is truth, not what I believe or think about.

King and Queen of Atlanta

A familiar landmark in Atlanta is the Concourse at Landmark Center. They're in the perimeter area just across the street from Porsche North America headquarters. I had to get up extra early this morning to get to an infusion appointment. It was dark and I was passing the "King and Queen" buildings in the perimeter area of Atlanta. We call them the king and queen because the buildings look like chess pieces. At night they're usually lit up with white lights. For breast cancer awareness month, they're lit up pink. Today, they were green. I can't find what that stands for, but I'm wondering if it's for the environment.

Make sure you read the comment below from Sarah for a link to more information on the green lights.

New Pampers

This is for my environmental friends, especially Jonathan. It's kind of gross, but funny. Enjoy!

Movie Review - "New in Town"

I liked Renee Zellweger in Bridget Jones. She was charming. In this movie, New in Town, she doesn't win me over. She never really seems to connect with Harry Connick, Jr. She plays a corporate ladder climber from Miami sent to frozen Minnesota to lay off a bunch of factory workers. What does she find there? A soft spot in her cold corporate heart and a love interest. That's all I'll say. If you've seen the movie trailer, you've seen some of the funniest parts of the movie. I hate when they give away the best parts! Save some bucks and wait to rent it when it comes out on DVD.

Must Not Be a Party Girl

I was trying to remember if I had been to a Super Bowl party. I had to think for a while. I do remember going to one when I first moved to Georgia. Glenn and Rebecca hadn't moved down here, yet. I must have been to more than one. Come to think of it, I haven't been to many New Year's Eve parties. Hmmm, is there a trend here? I must not be much on parties. Neither is Glenn. On New Year's Eve, we're usually in bed at midnight. When the Super Bowl is on, I will tune in at halftime to see the show. Sometimes I feel like I should be at a party. But if I was, I probably would wish I was home.