Do You Know Your Colors?

30

I got 30! Better than Fabby. But, I still missed 208! It's actually kind of hard. You start listing anything you can think of after the basics. ie. foods, animals, refrigerators, etc. See how well you can do.

Dog Park

So, I took Sammy to the park yesterday. Unfortunately Nichole couldn't go. We are fortunate though that we have an awesome park with a dog park in it not even five minutes away. So, as a special treat that is where we went. He is one of those dogs that can't sit still in the car. He starts slobbering up the windows and what not. He especially got over excited when we drove by all the dogs. I decided I would take him for a walk on the boardwalks first so he would calm down before we went by all the other dogs. They keep the dogs segregated which is really nice. Sammy doesn't do too well with other big dogs so we went in the smaller dog side. There were at least 20 dogs in there running around, playing and smelling each other. Sammy wasn't too sure at first, but he grew some nuts and I finally let him off the leash to see what he would do. Besides trying to hump one dog, he did really well. He seemed to enjoy himself, especially with the other Jack Russells that were there (3 others). One of the Jacks was a puppy and was jumping so high in the air and then darting, faster that I have ever seen a dog run, across the park. It was a good afternoon and I'm sure Sammy can't wait until we go back.

Gimme Money

So, it's been a couple of days since my last post. I've been busy...

The buzz around here (work) has been getting our taxes prepared and that awesome little kickback we all should be expecting this June. For the few of you that are possibly not aware: coming in June the government will be releasing a relief package to all bread earners. For someone like myself or Nichole, if you made over $3k this tax year (which we did of course) we will be receiving a $600 check each! I believe it's not all finalized yet, but we sure will be getting something. That $1,200 will pay for our whole trip to Colorado in September. It's not often you can say the government is giving away money.

As for our taxes, we both already filed ours so we can get an early return. All our 1099s and W2s came so why not get it over with and give me my money! The pretty decent amount we will be getting back will all be getting dumped into our E-Fund (aren't you proud Cheryl?)

Frozen Footballs and Beet Red Faces

Of coursed I watched the games yesterday. I had to watch the Patriots game online while I was at work, but I got to watch the Green Bay game on TV. It was a pretty decent game and I'm happy the Giants won and are going to the Super Bowl. Green Bay fans are obnoxious and I wanted to see an upset. But, man, was it cold up there. -2 degrees is unbearable. If you watched, did you see Coughlin's beet red face. I bet that was hurting after last nights game. It seems almost all of the continental United States went cold.

We just had a big storm rip through here the other night and it dropped the temperture conciderably. It's funny how it is warm one day and then overnight it drops to freezing temps. You never know what to wear without going outside to check. They even had snow in Alabama and Georgia! One of the malls that the cell phone joint has a kiosk in even closed early due to the bad weather. Looks like it should be warming up through the next week though.

Funny

Out front of the Studio. Thought it was hilarious.

Tag! You're It.

I've been tagged! Apparantly, My Aunt wants me to think. I hate thinking. It's too hard. Lol. Okay, here we go:

The Rules:

1-Link to the person's blog who tagged you.

2-Post these rules in your post.

3-List seven random and/or weird facts about yourself.

4-Tag seven random people at the end of your post and include links to their blogs.

5-Let each person know that they have been tagged by posting a comment on their blog.

Now for my seven things:

1 - I currently have 3 part time jobs, and if you include Pay Per Post, that would make 4.

2 - I have moved at least once every year since 2002.

3 - I can't break the habit of biting my nails.

4 - One of the most relaxing things is having my dog lick my toes after being in shoes all day.

5 - I had my nipple pierced. HAD

6 - I would rather be blind than be deaf.

7 - I operated roller coasters, was an Audio Engineer and did audio tech for Howl O Scream at Busch Gardens.

Now, I don't know if I know anyone that hasn't already been tagged...

Let's see, there is Nichole's cousin (who hasn't blogged in ages) and that's all that I know of. Sad isn't it?

Macbook Air

Have you seen the Macbook Air? 

Now you have. This is one badass computer. Weighing in at just 3 pounds and at it's thickest it is a mere .76 inches makes it one of the smallest and lightest notebooks around. It makes my Macbook look like a brick. Yet this Macbook still has almost everything you need. It still has a decent sized screen at 13.3 inches and is backlit by the power of LED. (Maybe this would solve the backlight issues I have with my Macbook). 802.11n wireless technology is built in as a standard (I would hope so) and the hard drive is a standard at 80 gigs. Although you do have the option of getting a 64 gig solid state drive that has no moving parts. The processing unit is a custom build for the Macbook Air. We are looking at an Intel Core 2 Duo clocked at 1.6 or 1.8 GHz. Pretty fast. All together this is a pretty badass notebook. But, I did say almost...

One thing that had to be sacrificed for thinness was the optical drive or CD/DVD drive. But, wait. How can they do away with that? Well, they do have a work around. Included is a new software program called Remote Disc. It will actually let you load a CD on your Macbook Air via wireless from another computer. You are basically bogarting the optical drive of the other computer no matter if it is a Mac or PC, laptop or desktop. I guess they are relying on the fact that you already have another computer in your house.

All in all I think it is an awesome notebook and I'm sure Apple will be successful with it. Is it worth it at a price mark of $1,799? I think not. At least not for me. The only benefits I would gain would be a faster processor, a thinner, lighter and cooler Macbook... oh, and maybe my LCD wouldn't flicker. (Maybe they should fix that problem first). But, I would lose my optical drive. Still an awesome notebook and a flashy hint at what the future has for notebooks.

The Show

Come one, come all to The Leebo Show! Leebo is a close friend of my Aunt's and he's always good for a laugh. It's usually rude or crude, but always good. Just the other night we were watching the game at Buffalo Wildwings and I thought I was going to choke I was laughing so hard. Nothing like a little "intruder" and some good old bathroom humor to get you rollin. So, stop by The Leebo Show for a great pick-me-up.

Another Freebie Day?

February is looking like a good month for free stuff. Head over to Basenjimom to find out about Free Pancake Day!

Free Pretzel Day!

February 2nd is Free Pretzel Day at Auntie Anne's! To celebrate there 20th birthday, Auntie Anne's is giving away one free original or one free cinnamon sugar pretzel to everyone who stops by any of their locations between the hours of 10am and 4pm! All you have to do is get your ass there and they will gladly hand you a free pretzel. 

Free Pretzel Day will also mark the beginning of their What a Difference a Family Makes: A New Twist on Giving Back program. This program recognizes families who make a difference in their community. Starting on February 2nd you can go to www.atwistongivingback.com and nominate either your family or a family that you know. Twenty families will be awarded with grants up to $20,000!

Get Your Dose...

Get your daily dose of freebies over are Basenjimom!

Mo Money, Mo Money, Mo Money

You all should know by now that I'm all about the free stuff and I'm definitely all about making more money. Some of you have even asked where I get all my pocket change and extra cash from. Well, Smorty is your answer. If you have a blog, you can get paid for blogging. It's that easy. In a nutshell, Smorty is your middleman and direct link with advertisers who will pay for you to blog about them or their product. Smorty makes it so easy as well. On your homepage, you will see a list of your opportunities and you pick which ones you want. Once you write up your post, submit it and you are done. Piece of cake. So, if you have a blog, why aren't you getting paid for blogging? If you don't have a blog, get one and start making that extra cash.

Time For New Eyes

Nichole and I both wear glasses and the last time either of us had our eyes checked was years ago. Yeah, I know, pretty bad huh? But, we have been discussing getting our eyes checked since before Christmas. Now that the rush of the holidays is over, we have the time to get them checked. I know that I will need new glasses. I prefer something that has square frames and a nutral color. Pretty much like what I have now. I love the frames I have now. Gun metal gray and designer Guess frames to boot. I'm sure I will not be getting designer frames as my next set. But, even a nice set of generic frames can run you a bit. So, I've been thinking about looking online for some good deals. Maybe even someone that sells frames directly to you from the manufacturer. Someone like this Great Discovery: www.ZenniOptical.com. I think they have great deals because they not only sell directly to you with no middle-man, but they also sell their own manufactured frames so you can even get a greater deal. It's all about the bargains.

This is a sponsored post.

Taking It Back To The Oldschool...

Cause I'm an old fool, who's so cool. Guess where that line of lyrics came from. Anyways. 

Nichole loves to play Tetris. I remember playing Tetris on my dads original, pea-soup green Gameboy. Yeah, monochrome. Lol. Since she loves playing it, and I do enjoy a thrilling game from time to time, I had purchased it for our original XBox. But, unfortunately out of all our old games, Tetris is the only one that will not work on the new 360. After searching both Babbages and EB Games at our mall, I found the very last Tetris Evolution for 360 hidden behind some other games. Last night we played it and I enjoy the new spins they throw on the old game. Multi-colored of course, but with some of the original music! Sometimes old school is the new school.

Where in the World is Colleen?

My Family loves to travel places. Who doesn't though? I like to travel too. But, being the struggling young chap I am, I don't get to go places much. But, Nichole and I do have a vacation to Breckenridge, Colorado booked for next September. But, I digress...

My Aunt Colleen is lucky enough to be traveling once again. Didn't she just get back from Canada? Lucky. She is running this really neat contest called "Where in the World is Colleen?" on her Simple Life blog. She didn't divulge to anyone, but a few, on to where she is going. Your job is to guess where she is going. Would you like to know what you are playing for?

The Prizes:

1st prize - a $50 Travelocity Gift Card and a souvenir from her trip

2nd prize - a $25 Travelocity Gift Card and a souvenir from her trip

3rd, 4th and 5th prize - a souvenir from her trip

Go here to learn about the rules as well as all the other clues leading up to my clue.

And now for my clue...

"Colleen will be in a destination that was featured in the movie Eurotrip."

Good luck!

Art Is Gorgeous

I like to consider myself an art lover. Although I have not been to many art museums, the few I have been to have been a fantastic experience. If you were to come over to my place you would see that I have a decent amount of art on my walls. There are not any themes, although the living room and dining room combined are all about music. Last Christmas, Nichole bought me these two matching prints that have pianos, drums, horns and a few other instruments that are all put together into an abstract. I really like them. They not only pop with color, but they also match very well with my other two pieces in those rooms. 

Those pieces are from an artist by the name of Anatole Krasnyansky. Those two pieces are not prints, but originals! The one is done on canvas and the other is done on a handmade papyrus. Really neat pieces. My Dad gave them to me as gifts and I love them. He had purchased them while on a cruise during an onboard art auction. The company that puts these auctions on is Park West Art Gallery. They hold the largest collection of fine art. Park West not only does auctions at sea, but they also do auctions throughout the states and Canada and they also do online sales as well. I also have some other pieces purchased from Park West such as a limited edition Le Kinff. They are a fantastic source for really nice original pieces of art. Next time I need some art, I'm going to Park West.

Freebie

Run over to Basenjimom and see where you can get a free sample of Quaker Simple Harvest! Get a granola bar or some oatmeal.

Video Games

The video game industry is a huge industry. Everyone from the ones who design the games to the ones that pimp them in the malls is involved. It has been a growing industry and continues to grow. It's most likely will never reach an end unless we hit a wall in technology. But, anyways.

I was lucky enough to win a XBox 360 for Christmas from work! How cool is that. What really sucks about it though is you get it home and you have the unit and one controller. So, now you have to spend a fortune getting another controller, the right cables if it only comes with basics, a million dollars on the games ($60 average), memory cards, cables and hardware to get it online... It's crazy. Luckily all of my games from original XBox also work on the new one. I ended up rearranging the den so I didn't have to buy a $100 wireless dongle for the unit! $100 for a wireless adaptor is outrageous. And I just spent $40 on another controller. I guess I'll have to wait to spend the $60 on a new game. Not to mention that the game that I want, Guitar Hero 2 (I'll settle for 2 and wait for 3 to come down in price) requires that you purchase a guitar controller that ranges in price from $60 to $120!

Then there is the online thing. I go online and there is of course a subscription to the online service that you have to pay. But, that only gets you online. Then, they want you to spend even more money to upgrade your games, add bonus levels, tracks and cars, and get added features. Anything to make a buck I guess.

I have an original XBox with 3 controllers and headset for sale!

National Treasure: Book of Secrets

So last night we went to the movies on one of our many gift cards. Thank you. We saw National Treasure: Book of Secrets. Nichole had never seen the first one until the other day when we watched it at home. I think the first one is very entertaining and a good story. But, I find it to be very coincidental, and if they ahd done it really well it would have ended up being 5 hours long. The new one was just as good. Very entertaining, a great story and well worth the trip to the theater (which is only 5 mins. away, if that). Everyone loves treasure, even if it is in a movie and not in real life. If you get a chance, go check it out.

Yesterday

We might be the NFC South Champs, but that is all we are. What a crappy game the Bucs played against the New York Giants yesterday. 1st quarter looked promising, and then it went to shit after that. But, we still had a good time. My Aunt came over and brought some snacks. Beer, food and football. Still not a bad afternoon.

Inkjet Cartridges

Nichole and I have one of those all in one printer / scanner / copier. It's a Lexmark, just like everyone else has. We even have a Lexmark at the studio. The problem with these inkjet printers is the ink cartridges are so expensive. The printer at the studio is always running out of ink. We do use it a lot though. But, the one Nichole and I have has a bigger problem. Not only are the cartridges expensive, but for some reason the ink seems to dry up on it's own. We will go to print a page and it will only print in all blue. Or it might print halfway down the page, but the top will have nothing. I think we might have got a bad batch of ink. But, we spent so much on them, that I would hate to go out and spend more and only have the same problem with new ones. Enter, our good friend, the Internet!

Ink Jet Deals is an awesome site that can help you find good deals on inkjet cartridges. I bet you might even be able to find ink that you can not find in stores. They make it really easy for you too. You can filter through the site for your specific brand of printer. We can find inkjet cartridges for our Lexmark. Have a HP? Or perhaps you need an Epson printer inkjet cartridge. The site also has some great tips on storing and saving ink as well as coupon codes for getting some amazing deals.

This is a sponsored post.

Freebie Monday

Have a treat. Get some Freebies!

Purina Dog or Cat food. (A whole bag!)

South Beach Diet Granola Clusters and Drink Mix

Smell like David and Victoria Beckham

Going through menopause? Try this!

Get your colon blow! Colon blow here!

In The Winds Of A Stranger

I would like to share with you today, something I find to be one of the most repulsive things ever. The scent of a stranger's fart!

Today, I was working at the mall and my buddy from the neighboring kiosk was hanging out playing on our computer. Out of nowhere this repugnant stench filled our nostrils. I looked at him and asked him if he ripped ass. But, he did not and neither did I. "It must have been that asian dude", he said. (Asian dude is hanging out by the ice rink, trying to look like he is oblivious to the situation. Yet he has a face of guilt.) I thought I was going to vomit all over the place it was so rotten. But, here's the funny thing...

Everyone basks in the glory that is their own fart. Have you ever left the scene of the crime before the aroma met your nostrils if you were the culprit? NO! Of course you are not going to let it go to waste. It also doesn't bother me too much if it is the flatulent of a family member or close friend (unless they are over 60). Of course if it is potent, I will be venturing away from the toxic cloud and making a big scene so the whole world knows who ripped one. But, at least I know who they are, a little about what they eat and we can laugh it off together.

Is there are moral to this story? If there was, it would be:

Beware of the trailing winds of a passing stranger!