Time To Decorate!

This weekend we are going to put out the yard decorations and put up our tree for Christmas. The neighborhood association also puts up arches of lights on each end of each street in the subdivision. We have lots of traffic through the area to see all the lights each year. I hope the price of gasoline does not curtail that fun activity!






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Please, No Ties For Christmas

It is Christmas time, and I know it is hard to buy for me, because if I want something I usually go and get it. But this year I determined that when my grandkids ask me what I want for Christmas, I am going to tell them that I have enough ties, but that I do not have enough tie tacks or cufflinks. That should make them happy and I know it will make me happy!




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Break in The Baby Grace Case

It appears that there has been a big break in the case of the identity of Baby Grace, whose body was found in a box in Galveston Bay. Investigators got a tip from the biological grandmother of a little girl who had been moved from Ohio to Texas, then reported as having been taken back to Ohio by a social worker. Now the little girl's mother and step dad are in jail.







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Black Friday

Today was Black Friday, but I did not get out to shop. I was too busy watching the great college football games. Besides, I did not want to fight the crowd. And I had already bought a lot of gifts that I plan to give. I bought my son in law an new Adidas golf bag, his son, my oldest grandson an new basketball and a warm up suit, new bicycles for the little boys, and a new coat for my granddaughter. I still have some shopping to do, but not so much that I had to go out today!





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Weight Loss

I have been over weight for quite a few years and need to take some pounds if I am going to be able to take care of the two young men who are now living with me, our youngest grandsons. I may take some diet pills to help get the weight loss started but I have joined the YMCA and am working out at least twice a week to help get myself more aerobically fit! The combination is probably the best way to approach the change of lifestyle.




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Capella

There is a growing trend today toward taking some higher education courses online. There are lots of reasons why that makes sense, if the courses are from a sound institution. It is more affordable, it is definitely more convenient, one can arrange his schedule to continue working a full time job and work toward his or her degree.

One of the fully online schools is capella university, which was established in 1993. An accredited organization, Capella now offers degree programs in business, information technology, education and more. Their student population represents almost 20,000 people from all the states in the Union an 56 countries.




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Mom's Sconces

One day my mom received a painting from her favorite aunt. It was a round canvas, with a diameter of 24 inches. It was a still life of flowers in a nice vase. My Mom wanted it framed professionally. When she brought it home from the framer, she had also bought a sconce to place on each side of the painting when it was hung on the wall.

She was so proud of it, but we all made fun of the sconces. We used to tease Mom, telling her that all we wanted to inherit from her when she died was those sconces. She took it well enough, but never understood why we laughed.

It quit being a joke when Mom passed away. Each of us would have been happy to have the painting and the sconces. They found their next display site at my sister's house.






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Ladies Lounge Improvements

When we remodeled our church building, one of the primary improvements was to the ladies room facilities. It was our intention to make the ladies as comfortable as possible. We increased the number of stalls from four to nine so there will be less waiting. WE also installed five vanities, with makeup mirrors for each one. There is even a parlor outside the restroom facilities, with a sofa and two lounge chairs.

The ladies are very pleased at the improvements.





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There Is A New Blog In Town

A friend of mine has just begun a new blog called Life's Little Commentary. The blogger is a young father so there will probably be observations about raising kids. He is fascinated by new technologies, so I imagine he will write about the toys he has gotten or wants to get. He loves life, so we will no doubt hear about the things he enjoys as he discovers new avenues of fun.

I plan to check in on this blog frequently and take in my friend's commentary on life. I hope to see you there!







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Safe Arrivals

My daughter who left yesterday for her home in Singapore just sent an email to let us know that she made it home safely. Her flight was fine and she was even able to have three seats to herself so she was able to lie down and get some good rest on the long trip.

I also got a call from my dad telling me has gotten home from a trip he made to see his sisters in Arkansas. I am glad all the traveling is over for the holiday.






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Going Home

We just dropped our daughter off at the airport in Houston for her return flight to Singapore. She has lived there for nearly fifteen years and counts it as home, but when she comes back for a visit she often stocks up on things that are not as readily available in Singapore. In fact she sometimes brings a almost empty Samsonite over that she fills with jars of salsa, and other ingredients for Mexican food, Dr. Pepper, as well as toiletries and such!





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Business Credit Cards

It has a been a practice of my wife to comparison shop for almost everything she buys from groceries to shoes. She will drive from store to store, from one mall to another to determine a savings of a few dollars.

Today she discovered a way to do comparison shopping for New Business Credit Cards without ever leaving the comfort of our home. Credit Card Search Engine lets you review the features of the cards offered by a side assortment of banks, as well as the advantages and disadvantages of the several brands of card, form American Express to Visa. The choice can save our business money and afford us services that make doing business simpler.



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Watches

I have never bought an expensive watch, but I have two that I value very highly. One is the Pulsar that was given to me by the parents of the teens at church. I had done some things with the kids that their folks appreciated and let their pleasure be known with the watch. I have worn it now for more than fifteen years.

The other is a gold Hamilton watch that my grandfather was given at his retirement. I received it upon his
passing, so it has great sentimental value.



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Charity Golf Tourney

Some of the guys at church convinced me to participate in a charity golf tournament to help raise money for an orphans' home. It is a good cause and the fellowship will be more than worth any embarrassment I might feel over my game. I have not played in a several years. I should get on my golf shoes, pick up my clubs and go to a driving range today before the event tomorrow, just to get comfortable again with both the shoes and the clubs!






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Deep Desire for Attention

I have seen some really silly stories in the past few days as people were striving to make the pages of the next Guiness Book of World Records. There was a guy on the news here in Texas a few days ago that set the record for the number of rattlesnakes he sat in a canoe with for more than half an hour. The number was eighty something.

I think I would rather try to pull a helicopter with my ear!

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Galveston Rail

A study released today indicates that a commuter rail line from Galveston to Houston would cost around $450 million dollars to implement, using existing routes and rails with upgrades. A Two lane bus route for that corridor would cost $2.2 billion. The rail would relieve the traffic on the freeway and reduce emissions significantly. The proposal will be given to political entities beginning today. It seems a no brainer to me.

That is why I am worried as it is given to the politicians!





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Marketing

There must be a lot of money to be made from direct marketing, as I constantly receive unsolicited mail offering everything from credit cards to vacation trips. If I was a direct marketer, I would want the cream of the crop of Mailing Lists for my mail out campaigns. I would want to know that the names on the mailing list I bought had been researched to find the most impulsive and responsive clients to such mailings. I would want to have the list guaranteed as legitimate. I would want to do business with a leader in the industry, with a reputation of success. That is why I would want to do business with Martin Worldwide, they meet all those standards and more! I would then be confident that my mail outs would produce sales.



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Comic Changes

The week day Comics section of the Houston Chronicle under went a change this week. They eliminated several strips from the pages of the section, enough to cut down one page of comics. They can still be found online, but saving money on printing was too important for the paper to save the space for the strips.





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Non Responsive At PPP

I am a bit perturbed at Pay Per Post today. Last week they made an offer to pay $20 to write a post about Alzheimer's Disease. I wrote a piece and posted it, meeting all the requirements. The html they gave for an image that was required was incorrect, make submission impossible. I posted a ticket with customer service to get the right code. Five days later, having tried to submit the blog many times, I still have not received an answer. Today the offer has been filled and I did not get the $20 for the post. I like the cause enough that I am going to leave the post up, but I cannot understand why it has taken more than five days to receive a simple reply to my request.






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Population Explosion

Would it surprise you that this week is the one that produces the most births in America each year. What is the reason. Could it have anything to do with the fact that nine months ago was Valentine's week. Did you know that chocolate and jewelry causes conception? I was not aware of that biological fact!

Live and learn!





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Batteries

I had never heard of nimh batteries before my son in law bought one for a replacement on his Nikon digital camera. He had done some research and found that the EN-4 ultra high capacity battery was what he wanted. It promised the best service and was priced just right for him. He now says that he is going to buy nimh batteries for all his electronics as they need replacements.



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Growing Community

The small city in which I live, south of Houston and near the Johnson Space Center, is growing like crazy. When I moved here 19 years ago, there were 30,000 residents. Today there are more than 62, 000! and the precdictions are for another 40,000 in the next twelve years. You should see the neighborhoods that are being developed, most with luxury homes with lots of amenities.

Someone better figure out how to manage the traffic!



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250 Million Viewers?

The Houston Rockets and the Milwaukee Bucks are playing an early season, regular season game tonight in Toyota Center. Is that worthy of a viewing audience of 250 Million viewers. Well that depends on your view of the Chinese nationals that are playing against each other for the first time. Yi Jianlian is a rookie for the Bucks, and Yao Ming is a five time all star for the Rockets. And lots of folks in China will be watching!





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Rising Prices of Gasoline

Yesterday as I was leaving the office for lunch, I looked at the gas gauge on the car to see if I needed to fill up. I decided I would do so on the way back to the office. I noticed the price as I went to get the hamburger at BK. I was displeased half an hour later to see that the price had gone up ten cents a gallon!

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Destroy Life Writing Challenge

This post was written originally for a writing challenge. Participants were to tell of a life changing/devastating event in life. I was a bit sarcastic!

Everything was the way the preacher had expected it to be by this time in his life. In fact it was really better than he had envisioned. He is now a grandfather who is loved by the grandkids. The kids would run past GrandMom to give him a hug and see what new adventure he would take them on.

His work is not just important to him, but it seemed to be making a difference to a lot of people. Through his ministry, young people were moving into adulthood with a confidence in their future, bolstered by his instruction and example. People with difficult situations in their lives were leaning on him for comfort and encouragement.
His foreign efforts were taking root and the message of love and hope that he preached was spreading in places he had never heard of when he began his ministry. And the work in his community had been appreciated, because of his selflessness and hard work.

But everything has changed in the space of three months. He no longer has time for folks, barely acknowledges his family, even the grandkids. His reputation is suffering.

And it is all because one of his dear friends succeeded in getting him to sign up as a BLOGGER!







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