If I could have photographed my childhood daydream, this would have been it.
This week's photo is courtesy of Johann Karlsson picked as today's photo of the day on NationalGeographic.com.
February 8, 2011
Photo of the Week
Riding in the cramped backseat of a two-door Chevy Beretta on countless weekend drives with my parents, I would often imagine a magnificent white horse galloping alongside the car. Wild, beautiful and unbridled, the horse was my traveling companion on those long rides. As the car barreled down two-lane highways and backwoods country roads, I sometimes daydreamed of climbing out of the passenger window at high speeds, grabbing onto the horse's long white mane and gingerly leaping onto her back. Other times I imagined her simply running beside me with her eyes locked on mine as though we understood each other.
If I could have photographed my childhood daydream, this would have been it.
This week's photo is courtesy of Johann Karlsson picked as today's photo of the day on NationalGeographic.com.
If I could have photographed my childhood daydream, this would have been it.
This week's photo is courtesy of Johann Karlsson picked as today's photo of the day on NationalGeographic.com.
February 4, 2011
Put on a Darker Shade of Pink Today
Let's play word association. I'll go first... "red", "heart", "love", "February"...
You may be thinking of that all-too-commercialized Hallmark holiday on February 14th, but I'm referring to an important and often overlooked February 4th - National Wear Red Day.
Started in 2002 by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the American Heart Association(AHA) the National Wear Red Day campaign, branded with the little red dress logo, encourages women to wear red to increase awareness of the dangers of heart disease. At a time in which millions of women around the country are wearing pink and sponsoring numerous fundraising events for breast cancer, the HHS and AHA are trying to get in on some of the action. And they should. More woman die every year from heart disease than any of the other four leading causes of death combined - including cancer. I think it's time a few of us started wearing a darker shade of pink, don't you?
Show your support and wear red today!There is no reason we should lose so many loved ones to heart disease. Take this opportunity to learn the risk factors in The Healthy Heart Handbook for Women and what signs and symptoms could mean you or someone you love is experiencing a heart attack.
And don't forget to go shopping! From now through February 6, 2011, Macy's, a sponsor of the Go Red for Women movement, is offering 20% off purchases if you wear red to the store or enter "wearred" online at checkout.
You may be thinking of that all-too-commercialized Hallmark holiday on February 14th, but I'm referring to an important and often overlooked February 4th - National Wear Red Day.
Started in 2002 by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the American Heart Association(AHA) the National Wear Red Day campaign, branded with the little red dress logo, encourages women to wear red to increase awareness of the dangers of heart disease. At a time in which millions of women around the country are wearing pink and sponsoring numerous fundraising events for breast cancer, the HHS and AHA are trying to get in on some of the action. And they should. More woman die every year from heart disease than any of the other four leading causes of death combined - including cancer. I think it's time a few of us started wearing a darker shade of pink, don't you?
Show your support and wear red today!There is no reason we should lose so many loved ones to heart disease. Take this opportunity to learn the risk factors in The Healthy Heart Handbook for Women and what signs and symptoms could mean you or someone you love is experiencing a heart attack.
And don't forget to go shopping! From now through February 6, 2011, Macy's, a sponsor of the Go Red for Women movement, is offering 20% off purchases if you wear red to the store or enter "wearred" online at checkout.
February 3, 2011
Bye Bye Miss American Pie
On February 3, 1959, three of the most influential and popular musicians of the emerging rock 'n roll era died in a tragic plane crash and the world said goodbye to Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and "The Big Bopper". Teenagers all over America mourned and held candlelight vigils. Waylon Jennings, on the same tour as the others, gave up his seat on the plane for flu-ridden The Big Bopper and went on to become a successful country star.
About a decade later, Don McLean wrote the song "American Pie" and since then, February 3, 1959 is referred to as The Day the Music Died. Not to disregard the profound influences that Holly and Valens had on the emerging rock 'n roll scene, but it's the popularity of McLean's tribute that kept their legacy alive into the 21st century. Or perhaps I say that because I learned about Buddy Holly and his tragic demise from listening to the song. And let's face it, if it wasn't for the movie La Bamba, I may never have known about Richie Valens.
A fan of 50s rock 'n roll, McLean pays tribute in the opening lyrics of American Pie. The song references the crash and subsequent deaths with lyrics like "I can still remember how that music used to make me smile", but "February made me shiver" and "I can't remember if I cried when I read about his widowed bride" (Buddy Holly's wife was pregnant at the time of the crash and later miscarried). But American Pie is about much more than what happened on that cold February night. The music was dying all over America for a number of other reasons.
Leaving the scene of the crash, the song continues as a history lesson of the music and unrest of the 60s and early 70s, mentioning or alluding to people and events like the Beatles, Karl Marx, Bob Dylan, James Dean, the Kennedy assassination, Elvis, Charles Manson, marijuana, Woodstock, the Rolling Stones, landing on the moon, youth in revolt, Janis Joplin, religion, the Byrds, and Simon and Garfunkel.
Sit down and take a good listen and you'll hear the references, or check out this obscure site that breaks the song down line by line.
About a decade later, Don McLean wrote the song "American Pie" and since then, February 3, 1959 is referred to as The Day the Music Died. Not to disregard the profound influences that Holly and Valens had on the emerging rock 'n roll scene, but it's the popularity of McLean's tribute that kept their legacy alive into the 21st century. Or perhaps I say that because I learned about Buddy Holly and his tragic demise from listening to the song. And let's face it, if it wasn't for the movie La Bamba, I may never have known about Richie Valens.
A fan of 50s rock 'n roll, McLean pays tribute in the opening lyrics of American Pie. The song references the crash and subsequent deaths with lyrics like "I can still remember how that music used to make me smile", but "February made me shiver" and "I can't remember if I cried when I read about his widowed bride" (Buddy Holly's wife was pregnant at the time of the crash and later miscarried). But American Pie is about much more than what happened on that cold February night. The music was dying all over America for a number of other reasons.
Leaving the scene of the crash, the song continues as a history lesson of the music and unrest of the 60s and early 70s, mentioning or alluding to people and events like the Beatles, Karl Marx, Bob Dylan, James Dean, the Kennedy assassination, Elvis, Charles Manson, marijuana, Woodstock, the Rolling Stones, landing on the moon, youth in revolt, Janis Joplin, religion, the Byrds, and Simon and Garfunkel.
Sit down and take a good listen and you'll hear the references, or check out this obscure site that breaks the song down line by line.
Quote of the Week
peace.
It does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise,
trouble or hard work,
it means to be in the midst of those things
and still be calm in your heart.
It does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise,
trouble or hard work,
it means to be in the midst of those things
and still be calm in your heart.
February 2, 2011
Phil Springs into Action
February 2nd is Groundhog day and we all know what that means - somewhere in Pennsylvania, in a town we can't spell, a certain honorable warm-blooded groundhog named Phil will emerge from his cozy simulated tree trunk to predict the fate of winter. No shadow = early spring, shadow = six more weeks of winter.
Doesn't that seem backward? If the sun is shining, wouldn't that lead one to believe that spring is on its way? Not so, apparently. The tradition dates back to the German celebration of Candlemas. Celebrated halfway between the winter and spring solstices, German folklore said,
For as the sun shines on Candlemas Day,
When the Germans settled in Pennsylvania in the early 1800s, they brought this folklore with them, though it's not certain how the groundhog entered the picture. Some say it is from the Delaware Indians who settled in Punxsutawney in the 1700s and believed that their ancestors took the form of animals.
In 2011, Punxsutawney Phil is reported to have not seen his shadow, thereby predicting an early Spring. Thanks, Phil! I owe you one, buddy.
Some fun facts about Groundhog Day:
1. The Groundhog's official name is Punxsutawney Phil, Seer of Seers, Sage of Sages, Prognosticator of Prognosticators, and Weather Prophet Extraordinary. I think I'll call him Phil.
2. PETA is lobbying for Phil to be replaced by a robot. Sigh...
3. The groundhog's handlers are said to speak Groundhogese and translate his prediction to the thousands of eager weather freaks and Phil fans at Gobbler's Knob. Where does one learn such a marketable skill?
4. Phil has seen his shadow 99 out of 155 recorded years and according to The National Climatic Data Center, has been right only 39% of the time. If he were the CEO of my company, he'd be fired.
5. Phil's rival for Weather Prophet Extraordinaire, Staten Island Chuck, bit Mayor Bloomberg in 2009 when he reached in to pull the little guy out. Uh, can you blame him?
6. The other 364 days of the year, Phil resides at the local library where he dines on dog food and ice cream, though legends tells us he's drinking Groundhog punch and chilling with his wife Phyllis. Phil and Phyllis. Awwww.
7. Phil is emerging into the digital age. He can now text you his prediction every February 2nd. But you won't be able to read it, because it will be in Groundhogese.
Doesn't that seem backward? If the sun is shining, wouldn't that lead one to believe that spring is on its way? Not so, apparently. The tradition dates back to the German celebration of Candlemas. Celebrated halfway between the winter and spring solstices, German folklore said,
For as the sun shines on Candlemas Day,
So far will the snow swirl until May.
For as the snow blows on Candlemas Day,
So far will the sun shine before May.
When the Germans settled in Pennsylvania in the early 1800s, they brought this folklore with them, though it's not certain how the groundhog entered the picture. Some say it is from the Delaware Indians who settled in Punxsutawney in the 1700s and believed that their ancestors took the form of animals.In 2011, Punxsutawney Phil is reported to have not seen his shadow, thereby predicting an early Spring. Thanks, Phil! I owe you one, buddy.
Some fun facts about Groundhog Day:
1. The Groundhog's official name is Punxsutawney Phil, Seer of Seers, Sage of Sages, Prognosticator of Prognosticators, and Weather Prophet Extraordinary. I think I'll call him Phil.
2. PETA is lobbying for Phil to be replaced by a robot. Sigh...
3. The groundhog's handlers are said to speak Groundhogese and translate his prediction to the thousands of eager weather freaks and Phil fans at Gobbler's Knob. Where does one learn such a marketable skill?
4. Phil has seen his shadow 99 out of 155 recorded years and according to The National Climatic Data Center, has been right only 39% of the time. If he were the CEO of my company, he'd be fired.
5. Phil's rival for Weather Prophet Extraordinaire, Staten Island Chuck, bit Mayor Bloomberg in 2009 when he reached in to pull the little guy out. Uh, can you blame him?
6. The other 364 days of the year, Phil resides at the local library where he dines on dog food and ice cream, though legends tells us he's drinking Groundhog punch and chilling with his wife Phyllis. Phil and Phyllis. Awwww.
7. Phil is emerging into the digital age. He can now text you his prediction every February 2nd. But you won't be able to read it, because it will be in Groundhogese.
February 1, 2011
Photo of the Week
Rescued from the crowded crane machine at Perkins Family Restaurant in Sandusky, Ohio and whisked away to the therapeutic shores of Lake Michigan... Batman finds himself.
January 28, 2011
Business Meeting Musings
Top ten things I learned from this week's business trip to Chicago that have nothing to do with my business...
1. The terms "low hanging fruit" and "put some skin in the game" are not innuendos, nor do they allude to any actual body parts, but are acceptable terms in the realm of business. And I wish I had a dollar for every time I heard them.
2. Sharing stories of drunken escapades and anything involving taking off your underwear makes for fantastic ice breakers.
3. A camera phone and interesting bathroom wallpaper can provide 45 minutes of solid entertainment.
4. "Pig Face" is an acceptable menu item.
5. A $1300 Eames executive desk chair is no more comfortable than my broken jury-rigged-with-two-bed-pillows-so-that-it's-tall-enough-for-my-desk desk chair. Though it is slightly more safe.
6. There are light switches that an intelligent, fairly well-traveled woman of 34 cannot figure out how to use that cause lights to turn on by themselves seemingly in defiance of just being turned off.
7. Dressing for a business meeting is akin to dressing for a funeral.
8. In the absence of a fan for white noise and the addition of screaming from the street below, you may think the History Channel a good choice to fall asleep to, however, be aware that you will dream of ancient volcanic eruptions and evidence of extraterrestrial encounters.
9. Anyone excited about anything, even if it interests you less than the dirt on the bottom of your shoe, has the power to excite you, if only momentarily.
10. No two cabbies are alike. Even if they are all named Ali.
1. The terms "low hanging fruit" and "put some skin in the game" are not innuendos, nor do they allude to any actual body parts, but are acceptable terms in the realm of business. And I wish I had a dollar for every time I heard them.
2. Sharing stories of drunken escapades and anything involving taking off your underwear makes for fantastic ice breakers.
3. A camera phone and interesting bathroom wallpaper can provide 45 minutes of solid entertainment.
4. "Pig Face" is an acceptable menu item.
5. A $1300 Eames executive desk chair is no more comfortable than my broken jury-rigged-with-two-bed-pillows-so-that-it's-tall-enough-for-my-desk desk chair. Though it is slightly more safe.
6. There are light switches that an intelligent, fairly well-traveled woman of 34 cannot figure out how to use that cause lights to turn on by themselves seemingly in defiance of just being turned off.
7. Dressing for a business meeting is akin to dressing for a funeral.
8. In the absence of a fan for white noise and the addition of screaming from the street below, you may think the History Channel a good choice to fall asleep to, however, be aware that you will dream of ancient volcanic eruptions and evidence of extraterrestrial encounters.
9. Anyone excited about anything, even if it interests you less than the dirt on the bottom of your shoe, has the power to excite you, if only momentarily.
10. No two cabbies are alike. Even if they are all named Ali.
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