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December 5, 2009

Saturday Night Fever



Travolta was the man.

Free Holiday Postcard

Compliments of Google

From the site:

Sure, email is great, but there's something uniquely heartwarming about the kind of card that comes in the actual mail — especially for folks who don't hear from us as often as they should, simply because they aren't online.

So we've made it as easy to send snail-mail holiday cards as it is to send email. Simply fill out the form below and we'll send one free holiday postcard on your behalf. Yes, through the mail and everything.


Only one card can be sent, but if you like their cards, you can print your own.

nonplus

nonplus \non-PLUHS\ , transitive verb;
1. To cause to be at a loss as to what to think, say, or do; to confound; to perplex; to bewilder.



"Nonplussed" was a pet word for me for the longest time, replacing "bumfuzzled" in my vocabulary until I started hangin' 'round British people online, then I picked up "gobsmacked".

Worst Music Video Ever?

Nowiy god - Steklovata

"Nowiy god" means "New Year" in Russian.

Hot Revenge

From Jokes.com

Two missionaries in Africa were apprehended by a tribe of very hostile cannibals who put them in a large pot of water, built a huge fire under it, and left them there.

A few minutes later, one of the missionaries started to laugh uncontrollably.

The other missionary couldn't believe it! He said, ''What's wrong with you? We're being boiled alive! They're gonna eat us! What could possibly be funny at a time like this?''

The other missionary replied, ''I just peed in the soup!''

December 4, 2009

What's in a Name?




You Have a Passionate First Name



You are a loving, emotional person. You think and act from the heart, and that sometimes gets you in trouble.

You are very intense and impulsive. You go with your intuition, even if your intuition is telling you to make a very bold move.

You tend to feel strongly about everything in life. You have big emotions that sometimes conflict one another.

You have a wild streak, and you're known to be unpredictable. You chase your dreams.


Brrrr



And I think it will get much, much colder as winter rolls on.

gallimaufry

From our Word of the Day in the right-hand column:



gallimaufry \gal-uh-MAW-free\ , noun;
1. A hodgepodge; jumble; confused medley.


Another cool blog name. Fits this one, for sure.

Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake

My mom and sisters used to make this cake all the time. It's delicious and definitely is moist. Notice there are no eggs in the recipe (there are eggs in mayo). I could be wrong, but I believe a mayo-like product such as Miracle Whip (tm) could be substituted.

From StartSampling :


Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake


Ingredients:

1 cup water
1 cup mayo
1 cup sugar
2 cups of flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla
4 tbsp cocoa

Directions:

Mix all ingredients together.
Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

There are some recommendations for pan size and such on the comments page. A member of the site was kind enough to post a frosting recipe:

CHOCOLATE SOUR CREAM FROSTING
1/3 cup softened butter
3 (1 ounce each) unsweetend chocolate squares,melt/cool
3 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup sour cream
2 teaspoon vanilla

Mix butter and chocolate well, stir in powdered sugar,blend well. Gently mix in sour cream and vanilla and blend until smooth

December 3, 2009

Excess Baggage

From the Photobucket archives:




When Lindberg was preparing his plane, the Spirit of St. Louis for the first trans-Atlantic flight he was well aware of the danger of being overloaded. The plane, the fuel and the pilot were necessary but all the superflous weight was dangerous. It could cost the trip, the plane, even his own life if he carried even one pound too much weight.

So he stripped his plane of everything that was not essential. He even ripped out the upholstery from the pilots seat, choosing discomfort rather than failure or death. He took only sandwiches and coffee. Before the end of the flight LIndberg had many occasions to see how wise it had been to travel light. He landed safely in Paris amid shouts of praise.

About the same time there were some French fliers who planned a flight westward across the Atlantic. But they thought it was foolish to to strip themselves of every comfort and convenience. Their plane was upholstered and furnished until it was almost luxurious. They took along all kinds of good food and even some champagne.

They started ever so well but out over the ocean they ran into storms and trouble. Their plane may have been too heavy to maneuver or stay aloft and they perished beneath the waves of the Atlantic. Their excess baggage may have cost them their lives!

In the Bible is the solemn question,"What shall it profit a man if he should gain the whole world and lose his own soul?

Hebrews 12:1: "Let us throw off everything that hinders and sin that so easily entangles us."

Surprised Kitty

November 26, 2009

Let's Go Cowboys!

The game is fixin' to start!

Photobucket

...although that turkey looks more like a Redskin than a Cowboy.

That's all right; I sure hope Dallas isn't a turkey today.

Hope You Have a





Myspace Comments from 123mycodes.com

November 25, 2009

Make Up Your Mind - Theory Of a DeadMan




I had heard of this band, but wasn't familiar with their music. I like 'em.

Best Side Dish EVER

No surprise with this result:

You Are Mashed Potatoes



You are reliable and steady. People know that they can count on you each year at Thanksgiving, and you are never a disappointment.

While you may seem simple, a lot of work goes in to who you are. You are a bit of an under-appreciated masterpiece.

You are both decadent and indulgent, while still being accessible to the common thing. In some ways you are all things to all people.

You get along well with other people, but you're also good all on you're own. The bottom line is that you're easy to love.




If there's anything that's really annoying about having diabetes, it's having to nearly completely cut out potatoes from my diet. I've always loved them, particularly mashed. When corn is served along with the potato dish, I like to make a deep indention in my mound of mashed potatoes, then spoon the corn on top: "corn on a cloud".

Mashed potatoes, other than having an extraordinary amt. of carbs and fat - when prepared with real cream and gobs of butter as I like them - are a great dish. They're easy to digest, even easier to chew and are also the perfect missile for food fights. Like my "corn on a cloud" mentioned above, mashed potatoes are great for helping scoop up small vegetables like corn and peas...just put a dab of mashed on your fork, then roll it in the veggies.

(They'll stick like glue, which is what the texture is of mashed potatoes that have been beaten too long. Even "gluey" mashed potatoes are better than none, though.)

The only drawback I've found of the dish is re-heating in a microwave because other things on the plate being nuked get warm far sooner than do mashed potatoes. I never minded a large amt. of mashed potatoes being left over (which was rare around my family, thanks mostly to me); there are all sorts of dishes one can make from leftover m.p., such as other favorite potato dishes of mine... pancakes, potato salad and soup.

I haven't managed to cut mashed potatoes completely out of my diet, but I miss having the "real thing". Usually, when I get the craving so bad I dream about them, I will purchase a pkg. of instant and use only half at a time to satisfy my craving. It's not a bad substitute, but there's nothing that can match the real thing.

Sure have made myself hungry!

Free Betty Crocker Calendar



Sign up at the Betty Crocker site

NOTE: It's been a while since I originally signed up (I think it was for last year's calendar)and I can't recall what is required other than simply signing up and becoming a member of the site, but I get a weekly newsletter with some fantastic looking recipes each time. When I find one I like, I save it to my recipe box at the website, using folders for each sort of dish, i.e. desserts, main course, casseroles, etc.

Cooking Turkey

Groom Cross in National Geographic

Looking through my Google Reader subscriptions earlier this morning, I saw an photo that looked familiar at the Damn Cool pics site (second from top). The article is about photo submissions to the annual National Geographic contest, but it took a bit of searching to find out more about that particular photo. Finally I found it at Boston.com.

Several times when I've been up extra-early because of booming thunder from an early morning thunderstorm, I've thought about going over to the Cross and get some similar shots (I would hope to be).

Vote for your favorite at the National Geographic website.

November 24, 2009

I'm Glad

I didn't invent this.

Amazon has this for sale: Laptop Steering Wheel Desk


Without giving it much cogent thought, this might seem to be useful:



Then, on second thought, I'm not sure I want to be doing something like this going down the road...and I darn sure don't want anyone else doing it.

What I found funny were some of the customer uploaded photos; here's a couple.


Are You Christmas or Thanksgiving?




You Are Thanksgiving



You don't need a lot to make you feel happy during the holidays. You already feel very blessed.

It is easy for you to be thankful. You think the holidays are the perfect time to express your gratitude.

You are definitely not a materialistic person. If anything, you feel like the holiday season has been infected with greed.

An indulgent meal in a warm home surrounded by those close to you is more than enough. Anything extra is just whipped cream on your pumpkin pie.


November 23, 2009

Hooverism




About the time we can make the ends meet, somebody moves the ends.

- Herbert Hoover

From our Quote of the Day feed in the right-hand column

Be Very Careful

When sending an email:

The letters T and G are very close to each other on a keyboard. This recently became all too apparent to me and consequently I will never be ending a work email with the phrase “Regards” again.

via Miss Cellania

Be My Baby - The Ronettes

The video was deleted, sorry. It's easier for me to write a note about it than it would be to go all the way back through the archives and delete the post.

November 20, 2009

billingsgate

billingsgate \BIL-ingz-gayt; -git\ , noun;
1. Coarsely abusive, foul, or profane language.



This would describe the Democratic Underground forum, the YouTube comments section or what is said during a typical Dallas Cowboys game.

Best Hearts Game



This is, I think, the best score I've ever had playing this infuriating game.

November 19, 2009

Gettysburg Address



Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.

Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation, so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.

But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate—we can not consecrate—we can not hallow—this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us — that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion — that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain — that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom — and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.

Read more about the Gettysburg Address

obfuscate

obfuscate \OB-fuh-skayt\ , transitive verb;
1. To darken or render indistinct or dim.
2. To make obscure or difficult to understand or make sense of.
3. To confuse or bewilder.


Something I wish I had done to my email address code I used when I first started this blog.

A Partial View



Backdropped by the blackness of space, a partial view of Space Shuttle Atlantis' payload bay, vertical stabilizer, orbital maneuvering system pods and docking mechanism are featured in this image photographed by the STS-129 crew from an aft flight deck window.

Image Credit: NASA

November 17, 2009

Falling Down Fall




You Are Beer



You are a social organizer of sorts. Whether you're at Oktoberfest or watching the big game, you're always ready to crack open a beer with a few friends.

You wouldn't say that fall is your favorite season. You tend to love all the seasons equally.

You enjoy getting together with your friends for all sorts of occasions, and fall fun is no exception.

Whether you're at a wild Halloween party, picking pumpkins, or going for a hayride ... you know how to have a blast during this time of the year.


This Hurts

According to this analyzer, I'm a

D-List Blogger

The I'd Bearly Live Long Quiz

How long could you survive after punching a bear in the balls?

Created by Oatmeal

100 Most Common Words

Can you name the most commonly used words in the English language?

You have 12 minutes to guess after you click the button



I got 40 out of 100; that's not very good, especially after the rest of the answers were revealed and I had my "DUH" moment.

November 16, 2009

Awaiting the Mission



Awaiting the Mission

Space shuttle Atlantis is seen on Launch Pad 39a of the NASA Kennedy Space Center shortly after the rotating service structure was rolled back, Sunday, Nov. 15, 2009, Cape Canaveral, FL. Atlantis is scheduled to launch at 2:28p.m. EST on the STS-129 mission to the International Space Station on Monday, Nov. 16, 2009.

Image Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls


Fantastic wallpaper! Visit the site for larger sizes.

hoi polloi

hoi polloi \hoi-puh-LOI\ , noun;
1. The common people generally; the masses.

Origin: Hoi polloi is Greek for "the many."


That might make a great blog category/label. Heck, that might make a great name for a blog or even a nickname for a schizophrenic poster with self-esteem issues.

You Can Go Your Own Way - Chris Rea

November 14, 2009

quiescent

quiescent \kwy-ES-uhnt; kwee-\ , adjective;
1. Being in a state of repose; at rest; still; inactive.



Outside of Texas, repose is my favorite state.

November 12, 2009

Superhero Sound




You Are "WHAP!"



You are cunning and wily. You would be the type of superhero who could launch a sneak attack on anyone at any time.

You move like a cat. You're quiet, flexible, and seem to possess nine lives each time you get into trouble.

Your enemies tend to underestimate you... if they even know you exist. You'd be the kind of superhero that lurks in the shadows.

You're happy to clean up the streets a little with your own type of vigilante justice. You certainly don't want or need any credit.




Virtual Keyboard



Virtual Keyboard

Online Barcode Generator

Online Barcode Generator

Unless you have something you need to barcode, the free service wouldn't be much use except as a novelty. Considering that I'm easily entertained....

You could make a small banner for your blog:



Or a cute email sig:



Or stir up the conspiracy nuts:



Online Barcode Generator

November 10, 2009

soporific

soporific \sop-uh-RIF-ik; soh-puh-\ , adjective;
1. Causing sleep; tending to cause sleep.
2. Of, relating to, or characterized by sleepiness or lethargy.
noun:1. A medicine, drug, plant, or other agent that has the quality of inducing sleep; a narcotic.



This blog's pretty much a soporific.

A sophomoric soporific, actually.

1928 Chevrolet Truck

Wish I had $6,000 to spare because I'd love to have this old truck.

Click any pic for larger view.

1928 Chevrolet Truck

No, I wasn't leaning while taking the picture; the lot was sloping down towards the street.

1928 Chevrolet Truck

It's in rough shape, but with some TLC it could look pretty sharp, I bet.

When I first saw it, it reminded me of The Walton's truck, but a bit of research told me that one was a Ford. (One site said it was a '31; another said it was a ' 28-'29 model)

1928 Chevrolet Truck

The inside needs a lot of work, too.

1928 Chevrolet Truck

Then again, there's not a lot to fix up!

1928 Chevrolet Truck

Not sure how large the tank is, but it can't hold more than a few hundred gallons. I would be leery of filling it up because I imagine the old truck would collapse under the weight.

1928 Chevrolet Truck

The tires are pretty much rotted rubber, but the wooden spokes would look really sharp if sanded, stained and sealed.

1928 Chevrolet Truck

Not sure how easy it would be to get parts for it, especially for the old engine.

1928 Chevrolet Truck

Seems to me that it would be worth more than 6 grand, especially if fixed up.