Early Update

Things are busy and happening at the Dahn household so I am late posting today. I really haven't had the time to look for interesting articles so we are doing an early Update. Update today is today. That's right, tomorrow's post is today and today's post is tomorrow.

Unfortunately we have to start with a bit of sad news today. DanaRae lost her valued an long time companion last week, Skeeter.



Beautiful little buddy, isn't she? My heart just goes out to DR. They become family to us and the loss is hard. They've been by our sides for years and years and now they aren't. I know all you will send you love and empathy to DR.

On a good note for DR her husband started a new web page.

http://www.goophie.com/

Looks like a great web site.

What's going on here? Last night one night at Mom's, two days fixing lunch for Mom, one day taking mom out to lunch, bill paying, scheduling all my education ($1,084.00 later I have three full days and one half day of seminars scheduled), haircut, car washed, and a host of other things I can't remember.

Tonight is the end of tax season party for the firm I worked at. Looking forward to it. Tomorrow I start the search for health insurance. Monday and Tuesday are reserved for Mark, my friend that lost his wife. He is in town both those days and I am going to do as much as I can to make what he is going through easier. I know there will be a dinner out (with Mom included since he loves Mom) and probably a lunch thrown in there. Tuesday and Wednesday nights are at Mom's. And Thursday is the biggie. I asked a lady to lunch and lo and behold she said yes. Single lady about my age. The one from the firm Christmas party that told me I was the first man that made her feel alive in years. I wanted to ask her out earlier but first there was the issue with my leg that pretty much required me to elevate the leg for three weeks (it just fully healed last week) and then tax season started. I'm surprised since I waited so long she said yes. She cut me a break. I'm looking forward to it. Friday and Saturday next week are reserved for rest.

The entertainment update. Kendra should be sent packing but she always makes it through there. I was really sorry to see wrestler Chris Jericho go. He had improved more than any of the contestants and was a really good dude. On The Celebrity Apprentice Latoya was sent packing. Trump likes to change the rules to suit who he wants to go. Star was the project manager, the project stunk, and every single time that happened in the history of the show the project manager was sent home. What a hypocrite Trump is. On The Amazing Race sadly my favorites, the Cowboys, were sent home. I really haven't been watching Top Chef Masters except to peek in once in a while to see if Portland's Naomi is still on.

That's it for the day. Off to shower and get ready for the party. Your turn starts now. Post anything you damn will please.

PS

The answer to yesterday's Who Am I was Inez Milholland. Reading her bio I was reminded of the quote from an unknown source. "Women should be in the House. And the Senate."

Heroic Friday

Did you watch the Royal Wedding this morning? It was on at one a.m. in here on the West Coast so I didn't watch it. From what I heard the bride was stunning and the groom was handsome. I feel a little bit of connection to Prince William because not only to I share his first name I also share his birth date. If you watched the wedding feel free to post a summary of it.

First up let's celebrate a hero:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42724462/ns/us_news-wonderful_world/

Have you ever noticed how often that when people do heroic things they run away from the title of hero? They really should embrace it.

I love the next story of struggles to success:

http://www.oregonlive.com/education/index.ssf/2011/04/as_oregon_begins_the_college_g.html

The young women definitely a hero not because she saved one but because she saved herself.

The last story I put in the weird but inventive category.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20110427/od_nm/us_turkey_police;_ylt=Aqk6AqN999HQ5ddBS1TgoTus0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTFmYW9rN2x2BHBvcwMyMDMEc2VjA2FjY29yZGlvbl9vZGRfbmV3cwRzbGsDcG9saWNlZHJlc3N1

Your comments are appreciated.


WHO AM I

I was born in 1886 and died in 1916 and was known as a suffragist, labor lawyer, war correspondent, and public speaker who greatly influenced the women's movement in America. I grew up in a wealthy family and attended Vassar College, where I was once suspended for organizing a women's rights meeting. The president of Vassar had forbidden suffrage meetings. Still I and and others held regular "classes" on the issue, along with large protests and petitions. I vehemently protested against America's involvement in World War I and was a labor lawyer involved in the production of the socialist journal, The Masses. I was involved in the National American Woman Suffrage Association, which later branched into the grassroots radical National Woman's Party. I became a leader and a popular speaker on the campaign circuit of the NWP, working closely with Alice Paul and Lucy Burns. I led the Suffrage Parade in Washington, DC, the day before Woodrow Wilson's inauguration, March 3, 1913, draped in white robes and riding a huge white horse. I married a Dutch importer when I was twenty-seven. I was a leading figure on Henry Ford's ill-fated Peace Ship expedition of late 1915, steaming across the Atlantic with a team of pacifist campaigners who hoped to give impetus to a negotiated settlement to the First World War. In 1916 I went on a tour in the West, speaking for women's rights, despite suffering from pernicious anemia, despite a warning from her doctor. I collapsed in the middle of a speech in Los Angeles, and was rushed to Good Samaritan Hospital. Despite repeated blood transfusions I didn't make it. My last public words were, "Mr. President, how long must women wait for liberty?" I was known as the martyr of the women's movement. Who Am I?

Proprioception

The answer to yesterday's Who Am I was Mary Pickersgill.

Do you know what proprioception is? It is your sense of where you are in relation to your surroundings. It allows you to do two things at once. For those over 50 it usually declines as you continue to age. The OREGONIAN is do a series of tests to see you compare to others over fifty. Today the test the third in the series and for testing your proprioception. Close your eyes, march in one place for thirty seconds. After thirty seconds are you in one place? Or have your moved or turned around? If you have moved or turned around your ability to multi-task has declined. You can improve that ability by improving your balance. I didn't turn around but I moved four steps which means I am starting a program to improve my balances. How did you do?

The rest of today is all about the good.:

http://www.aolnews.com/2011/04/26/50gives-keith-donohue-on-road-trip-to-promote-volunteerism-in-a/

Love what the guy is doing. Makes me smile.

Speaking of smiling I smiled when I read the next article. I'm not a real fan of Starbucks' coffee because it is just to strong for me, even the regular blend but I am now a fan of Starbucks' owned Seattle Best Coffee:

http://www.aolnews.com/2011/04/27/seattle-s-best-brew-lanthropy-project-grants-coffee-make-overs/

In closing my prayers, positive thoughts and vibes go out to those in the South being battered by the storms. The pictures from there are heartbreaking.

Security Breach

It was frightening when I thought my laptop was stolen. That lead to me think
it is an issue I should address on the blog. What should you do if your laptop was stolen and your personal information including your social security number is compromised? First up is what to do if your laptop stolen:

http://www.nextadvisor.com/blog/2008/07/14/how-to-deal-with-a-lost-or-stolen-laptop/

Although theabove article is pretty inclusive there are some additional tips in the following article:

http://money.cnn.com/2006/05/22/pf/security_data/index.htm

I am going to add one thing to do that neither link addressed. I have a tax program on my computer with clients' social security numbers on it. The numbers are password protected but that doesn't mean a hacker can't break the password. The law and ethics require me to notify everyone that had a social security numbers on my laptop within forty-eight hours of discovering that their numbers have been compromised. Fortunately this is into the fourth year of me not really having my own practice so I had very few social security numbers on it, between twenty and thirty. If I hadn't of found my laptop each one of them would have received both a phone call and a certified letter. At the height of my career when I had five hundred clients it would have been a daunting task. Don't wait to notify them.

Enough about security, next up is an inventive way a city implemented to deal with a homeless problem they have:

http://www.aolnews.com/2011/04/25/salt-lake-city-utah-installs-parking-meters-to-benefit-homeless/

I decided I need a tag line to end the daily posts with any suggestions? Looking forward to your take on today's post.

WHO AM I?

I was born in 1776 and died in 1857 and am known as a flag maker learning the trade from my mother who made flags during the American Revolution. I established a flag-making business where I successfully supported my family by designing, sewing, and selling "silk standards, cavalry and division colors of every description," including signal and house flags for the U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, and merchant ships that frequented Baltimore’s harbor. By 1820 I was able to purchase the house I had been renting and lived there for the remainder of my life. One hundred and fifty years before American women entered the business world, I was a successful businesswoman and philanthropist. I actively addressed social issues such as housing, job placement assistance, and financial aid for disadvantaged women—decades before these issues were prominent concerns in society. From 1828 until 1851 I was president of the Impartial Female Humane Society that helped impoverished families with school vouchers for children and employment for women. Under my presidency the society established a home for aged women in 1850. By 1869 there were forty-eight residents and, in 1863, a Men’s Home was added, with 27 residents. The Impartial Female Humane Society now bears my name. While my business success and humanitarian contributions deserve acclaim my national contribution was making the 30x42 foot American flag that flew over Fort McHenry during the war of 1812. The flag was so large that the British had no difficulty seeing it from a distance. The flag contained over 400 yards (400 m) of fabric; there were fifteen stripes, so each stripe was two feet (60 cm) wide and each of the fifteen stars measured twenty-six inches across (60 cm) from tip to tip. When the British attacked Baltimore, Frances saw my flag while he was held captive on a British ship and was inspired to compose a famous poem that became a song. One of the most important artifacts at the Smithsonian, this flag is undergoing an $18 million restoration and will be the centerpiece of the redesigned National Museum of American History. Who Am I?

Contemplating Bellybuttons.

"Spend the afternoon. You can't take it with you." ~Annie Dillard

Started out to be a bad morning when I thought my laptop was stolen but then it became a great morning when I found out that it was only misplaced. That left me to tired to do much except contemplate my belly button:

http://www.everydayhealth.com/healthy-living/0421/how-normal-is-your-belly-button.aspx?xid=aol_eh-health_30-2_20110425&icid=main%7Chp-laptop%7Cdl6%7Csec3_lnk1%7C210848

Are you contemplating your belly button now?

Now in order to be equal next up are two questions to consider, one about women, and one about men. First up women:

http://smallbusiness.aol.com/2011/04/18/survey-says-what-role-do-women-owned-businesses-play-in-the-eco/

Next up men:

http://www.diylife.com/2011/04/25/diy-decline/?icid=main%7Chp-laptop%7Cdl3%7Csec3_lnk2%7C210846

Questions for the day outie or innie (innie), Do you think woman are impacting the economy (Yes, in spades), and you think there are fewer do it yourself men out there? (Yes and more do it yourself women)

Looking forward to your answers

PS

The answer to yesterday's Who Am I Was Mercy Otis Warren.

Treasures.

"Fear not that life shall come to an end, but rather fear that it shall never have a beginning." John Henry Cardinal Newman

We are beginning today's post by celebrating those that just get better with age:

http://www.everydayhealth.com/senior-health-pictures/10-super-seniors-we-admire.aspx?xid=aol_eh-age_7-1_20110410&icid=main%7Chtmlws-sb-n%7Cdl6%7Csec3_lnk3%7C21062

Continuing we are moving on to a celebration of treasures:

http://www.aolnews.com/2011/04/25/500-year-old-book-surfaces-in-utah/?icid=main%7Chp-laptop%7Cdl1%7Csec3_lnk1%7C210747

Now we are ending the day with stupidity. Certainly the man should have known the phrase he used to describe women was dripping with sexism.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20110421/od_nm/us_safran_sexism

Be well and comment away.

WHO AM I

Known as the "Conscience of the American Revolution," I was born in 1728 as a descendant of a Mayflower passenger as the fifth of thirteen children. Although I never had a formal education I accomplished things unknown to women before I died in 1814. I was a prolific and influential writer, the first woman playwright, wrote the first history of the American Revolutionary War (by a man or woman), and influenced most of founding fathers, as well as speaking up for women's rights. I counted both John and Abigail Adams among my friends, and I influenced such great names as George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Samuel Adams, John Hancock, and Patrick Henry. I married my second cousin at age twenty-six. We had five sons together. In one play I predicted the Revolutionary War. It took until after my death to reap my awards. I was inducted into the Woman’s Hall of Fame in Seneca Falls, New York in 2002. It was said of the legacy I left behind:
.
"Seldom has one woman in any age, acquired such an ascendancy over the strongest, by the mere force of a powerful intellect. She is said to have supplied political parties with their arguments; and she was the first of her sex in America who taught the reading world in matters of state policy and history."

I hope my life encourages women to speak up. My example can be followed in many ways. I spoke up when I needed to, and many benefited from the things I said. I was inspirational and worth remembering as a builder of our nation. The key to knowing my name is in the first sentence, read it again and you can answer the question, Who Am I?

A Restful Reality Update

Just wanted to wish everyone either a Happy Passover (Passover is one of my favorite times of the year. This is when the whole community and family gets together to remember who we are and why we are here. - Jennifer Wagner) or a Happy Easter (If Easter says anything to us today, it says this: You can put truth in a grave, but it won't stay there. You can nail it to a cross, wrap it in winding sheets and shut it up in a tomb, but it will rise! Clarence W. Hall). I think this is the sixth day of Passover so I hope it is appropriate to still wish a happy one.

Last week flew by. I finished my work late Saturday afternoon. Sunday I did my billings and paid my bills then when to the movie THE CONSPIRATOR. It ties in to the blog here because a blurb in the paper about Robert Redford doing the movie lead to one of our early Who Am I's of the day, Mary Surratt. She and four others were found guilty of assassinating Abraham Lincoln and hanged. Boothe was killed by police on the same day as the assassination. Mary Surratt's son was the only one of the alleged conspirators to avoid death. History I didn't know about. Monday I kind of rested and took Mom, Sis, & Brother-in-law to dinner to celebrate the end of tax season. Tuesday & Wednesday & Thursday Morning I was at Mom's. Tuesday I fixed dinner and we watched the Blazer game. Wednesday I took Mom to lunch, we watched The King's Speech, I cooked dinner, we played two games of Scrabble, and I did four loads of laundry. Thursday Morning I exercised Mom and fixed her lunch. Then I left at noon and did the grocery shopping for the two houses thing, then went home to do some house work and watch the Blazer game that night. Friday I went to the movie WATER FOR ELEPHANTS. Good acting but I'm not a big fan of watching abuse whether it is against animals or humans. This movie had both and it left me wondering why someone waits so long to intervene when there is abuse. Saturday I went over to Mom's and watched the Blazer' Game with her (They are in the playoffs so they play every other day). The game was amazing as for the third time in history a team came back from a 18 point deficit in the last quarter to win. It was the biggest fourth quarter comeback in Blazer history. The first three quarters of the game stunk.

On the agenda next week. Today an Easter dinner with the family. Tomorrow I will clear off my desk in the morning and it is my night at Mom's. My brother-in-law took a job at Home Depot and tomorrow is his night off, so I am taking that night. Mom & I will go to dinner and then watch the Blazer game and Dancing With The Stars. Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, & Friday I have nothing planned. I do, however, want to get the lawn in order and give the house a very thorough cleaning. I'm also sure there will be a dinner out with family. Saturday is the after tax season party at Players, a bowling alley, restaurant, sports bar.

Entertainment update. Thank goodness Gary Busey finally got fired from The Celebrity Apprentice. I certainly don't think he did himself a favor by appearing on the show because he came off as a nut cake. There was no elimination on The Amazing Race. On Dancing With The Stars I was really sorry to see Petra go, not only was she a good dancer but she was probably the nicest one on the show.

Just a couple of notes before turning the blog over to you. For the first time in years I am actually missing tax season. It was just such a good one with so much positive feedback that I am going through the little boy lost stage. The other note is my friend Mark that lost his wife a couple of weeks ago & after his prostate cancer surgery isn't doing well either with the loss of his wife or his recovery. Prayers please. As a side bar his wife's death was a reality check for me. We all can go any time. None of us want to make it hard for those we leave behind. I've moved to first on my to do list getting my life in order in case of death. Buying an urn, make a list of things I own and where I want them to go, review my trust and will, close my corporation, and so on.

I'm done. The blog is yours. Catch me up. Tell me what is going on in your lives. Tell me what you are thinking about if you want. Post anything you damn well please.

It's Never To Late

"I'm nuts and I know it. But so long as I make 'em laugh, they ain't going to lock me up.” Red Skeleton.

Let's start the day out with a "it's never to late" type of story:

http://www.aolnews.com/2011/04/22/83-year-old-holocaust-survivor-finally-celebrates-bar-mitvah/

Next up is a "are you kidding me" type of story:

http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2011/04/23/burrito_donation_sparks_hot_words_at_boston_city_hall/

The final story of the day came down to a story about a senior in high school faking a pregnancy as a school project to test stereo types and a story of an usual house. I chose the house:

http://realestate.aol.com/blog/gallery/amazing-repurposed-homes/?icid=main%7Chp-laptop%7Cdl9%7Csec1_lnk1%7C210620

The weather is beautiful here today for the first Saturday in a while. It is the first Saturday I haven't worked in a while. I'm going with lazy today. Hope you can have a relaxing day also. Comment away.

PS

The answer to yesterday's Who Am I was Imogen Cunningham.

Dead Or Alive?

The who Am I from Wednesday was Vivian Maier. She lived a quiet life and died homeless. During her life her hobby was photography. Nobody knew of the hobby until one day a man bought some her photos at a garage sale. He went on a search to find out not only who she was but to buy up all of her photos. Raw and beautiful here is a gallery of her photos:

http://search.aol.com/aol/image?q=vivian+maier+photos&v_t=keyword_rollover



She obtained immortality years after she died. This brings up the question. If you had an amazing talent, would you rather have it discovered while you were living or after your death? After some of your answers I will give you my thoughts.

Today is good Friday so we should just keep the stories good, no?

http://www.aolnews.com/2011/04/21/pennsylvania-teen-teams-with-911-dispatcher-shawn-pistorius-to-d/

From good teens to good prisoners:

http://www.aolnews.com/2011/04/21/san-quentin-inmates-rescue-boaters-from-bay/

Your comments are appreciated as is your answer to the question, dead or alive?

WHO AM I?

I was born in Portland, Oregon in 1883 and died in 1976 I was a photographer known
for my photography of botanicals, nudes and industry. I bought my first camera at eighteen, quickly losing interest and selling the camera to a friend. In college I reconnected with the art of photography and opened my own studio in Seattle winning
acclaim for portraiture and pictorial work. Most of her studio work of this time consisted of sitters in their own homes, in her living room, or in the woods surrounding my cottage. In 1914 my portraits were shown at “An International Exhibition of Pictorial Photography” in New York and a portfolio of my work was published in Wilson's Photographic Magazine. I married an etcher and artist. He posed for a series of nude photographs, which were shown by the Seattle Fine Arts Society. Although critically praised, wider society didn’t approve of such images and I didn’t revisit the pictures for a another 55 years. You really should think ABOUT THE DIRECT DEVELOPMENT OF PLANTINUM PAPER FOR BROWN TONES as that will help you answer the question, Who Am I?

Juggling Snakes

The answer to yesterday's Who Am I was Vivian Maier. Tomorrow on the blog I will share some of her photographs and then throw out a discussion question related to her.

We all have busy schedules and have been known to do a bit of juggling. We should be as good at as the man in the following story:

http://www.gadling.com/2011/04/17/juggling-through-70-countries/?icid=main%7Chp-laptop%7Cdl10%7Csec1_lnk1%7C210219

I'm not going to confess to wearing a Leisure suit lately but I still have my Nehru Jacket. My mood ring is telling me to share the next article with you:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_upshot/20110418/od_yblog_upshot/scenes-from-80s-malls

Sometimes I feel snake bitten when things don't go just my way. I think the woman in the following article probably feels the same way:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20110418/od_nm/us_snake

Comment away.

Heroes, Wool, & Bad Teachers

I am at Mom's this morning so I want to keep things in a positive frame of mind. What is more positive than stores about young heroes?

http://www.aolnews.com/2011/04/14/fifth-grade-crossing-guards-pull-small-students-to-safety/

From young heroes to unusually made Ferraris.

http://www.aolnews.com/2011/04/18/for-sale-one-red-ferrari-made-of-wool/

Do you think they are pulling the Wool over our eyes? Would feel safe in the car should it crash?

OK, the last article isn't positive but I thought the teacher attaching McDonalds' applications to failed tests was pretty darn funny.

http://www.oddee.com/item_97686.aspx

Who Am I?

I was an American street photographer born in 1926 and dying in 2009. I worked forty years in Chicago as a Nanny during which I took about 100,000 photographs, primarily of people and cityscapes most often in Chicago. My photographs remained unknown and mostly undeveloped until they were discovered by a local historian. After my death my work began to receive critical acclaim. I was described by my curator as a Socialist, a Feminist, a movie critic, and a tell-it-like-it-is person. Born in France when I moved to the US I learned English by going to theaters. I wore a men's jacket, men's shoes and a large hat most of the time. For a brief period in the 1970s, I worked as a nanny for Phil Donahue's children. A review defined my work "[The well-to-do shoppers of Chicago stroll and gossip in all their department-store finery before Her, but the most arresting subjects are those people on the margins of successful, rich America in the 1950s and 1960s: the kids, the black maids, the bums flaked out on shop stoops." My work was first published on the Internet the year before I died while I was homeless. If you do not know who am I maybe you should wonder about THE LIFE AND WORK OF a STREET PHOTOGRAPHER, that will help you answer the question, Who Am I?

Free Houses & Successful Women

The answer to yesterday's Who Am I was the lady chosen to play Rosie The Riveter in the promotional movies during WWII to recruit women into the workforce. Did you know Marilyn Monroe was a Rosie The Riveter? But she wasn't the first Monroe to be one, that honor belongs to yesterday's Who Am I answer, Rose Will Monroe.

Bank tries to foreclose but makes a mistake and a man gets a free house:

http://realestate.aol.com/blog/2011/04/14/foreclosure-foul-up-wins-man-a-free-home/?icid=main%7Chtmlws-main-n%7Cdl9%7Csec3_lnk2%7C209985

Fair? Are you happy with the outcome or do you have just a little sympathy for the bank?

Let's move from banks to the rich:

http://www.aolnews.com/2011/04/17/super-rich-see-federal-taxes-drop-dramatically/

From a win for the poor guys and a win for the rich guys, let's move to win for women:

http://smallbusiness.aol.com/2011/04/14/boogie-wipes-for-these-moms-necessity-really-is-the-mother-of/?icid=main%7Chtmlws-sb-n%7Cdl7%7Csec1_lnk1%7C209881

I sort of like the last story the best. Comment Away.

Animals.

Today we are all about animals. First up is a story by the way of DR. I love the story:

http://www.tailsinc.com/2011/04/kandu-can-do-anything/


I also love the following story and this time the folks in D.C.:

http://www.aolnews.com/2011/04/14/washington-d-c-makes-way-for-ducklings-video/

Next up really isn't about an animal it is about unusually animal fests by a human:

http://www.buzzfeed.com/daves4/girl-does-amazing-animal-impressions

WHO AM I

I am pretty famous to be featured on the Who Am I of the day. Well, at least famous by my nickname few really know my real name and that is what you will have answer today's Who Am I with, my real name. Even though by biography is riveting few know my background. I was born in Pulaski County, Kentucky in 1920 and moved to Michigan during World War II and became a film star after being asked by Walter Pidgeon to star in a promotional firm . My poster was the most popular poster during WWII. I died in 1997. After the I drove a cab, operated a beauty shop and founded Rose my own construction company. At the age of 50 I realized my dream of flying and obtained a pilots license. In 1978 I crashed in my small propeller plane during takeoff which resulted in a near death and left me impaired. There were several of me during the WWII but I am the original and probably the best riveter. Who Am I?

Castles In The Air

Slept in this morning, it was such a treat. Short update today. Last week, work. Nest week, rest.

Seriously on the agenda next week is to clear up things that have been sitting on my desk. My sister, the caregiver, Mom have been so great this tax season that I am taking them to dinner tomorrow night at The Outback to celebrate the end of tax season. Tuesday and Wednesday night are at Mom's. The King's Speech comes out Tuesday on DVD and on Cable TV on of the days tat Mom's we are going to watch that. Saturday day we are going to get together to watch the Blazers vs. Dallas playoff game.

Eliminated on The Amazing Race where the father-daughter team, Ron & Christina. Eliminated on Dancing With The Stars were Sugar Ray Leonard and the beautiful Anna. I sort of wanted the snarky Kendra Wilkinson to be sent packing. She is the only unlikable one left on the show. The Celebrity Apprentice eliminated Mark McGrath, and should sent Gary Busey packing.

Before turning the blog over to your here are some homes I would like to purchase. They are now vacant so maybe I could make a good deal on one.

http://news.travel.aol.com/gallery/abandoned-castles-and-chateaux-worth-a-visit/?icid=main%7Chtmlws-sb-n%7Cdl8%7Csec1_lnk1%7C210011

The blog is now yours. Share your lives with me. I sure would like to hear from Mary Z and Dona they have been missing in action for quite a while.

Looking forward to hearing about your lives.

I'm A Turkey, You're A Turkey

"Oh, when I was a kid in show business I was poor. I used to go to orgies to eat the grapes." Rodney Dangerfield.

National Volunteer Week starts Monday, here is an article to honor the week:

http://smallbusiness.aol.com/2011/04/08/why-volunteering-gives-employees-an-edge-in-the-workplace/

One of the things I like about tax season is being around people. When tax season ends it is like watching your enemy go over a cliff in your brand new Mercedes. You are glad the work is over but you are going to miss everyone. It is really kind of a lonely feeling when the day after you are done you wakeup with nobody around and no place to go. That is why I appreciated the following article:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mike-robbins/you-are-not-alone_b_843078.html?icid=main%7Chtmlws-sb-n%7Cdl4%7Csec3_lnk2%7C209481

The next article packs a punch:

http://www.aolnews.com/2011/04/14/australian-kris-tressider-builds-robot-that-punches-you/

Before closing I wanted to share with you one of the reasons I like working at the firm I work at. Sure the work is difficult but the bosses are great to work for. Yesterday the female partner came back and gave me a thank you card with a crisp hundred dollar bill in it. Before I share with you what the partners wrote I need to explain some things. The procedure at work is when you finish a return you send it to review, the reviewer will go over your work then he/she will send the work back to you with notes for you to clear. I look at the review notes as not only a way to learn but a way to make sure the return is right before it goes out the door. I don't take them personally. I really don't get that many review notes but the ones I get are always about something really basic that I miss. I can do a really difficult return and the only review note I get will be something like you forgot to take contributions. The previously mentioned man on the blog took them personally and looked at them as "gotcha". I decided to have some fun with the review notes to maybe teach the man the spirit the review notes are meant. Whenever the male partner would give me a review note I would either say to him or write a note next to the review note something like this "wow that was a turkey mistake" or "they are going to cook me for Thanksgiving". Then one time he gave me a review note "get a property tax bill for the rental so you can allocate the value between land and building." You have to do that because you can't depreciate land. Condos don't have land value (Townhouses might). I wrote "it is a condo you fellow turkey." It became a running joke between Tom and I throughout tax season. When the other man saw the banter between us, it changed his view of review notes and he started to improve. Here is what the partners wrote, you can enlarge the note by clicking on them:



Comment away.

Car Art, Tax Scams, & Menu Items.

"The man who doesn’t read good books has no advantage over the man who can’t read them." Mark Twain.

By popular demand the new Subway Car:

http://www.aolnews.com/2011/04/14/artist-creates-subway-car-that-looks-like-a-giant-fish/

I think there is something fishy about the above story. And there is certain some fi
shy stories in the following article:

http://www.walletpop.com/2011/04/11/irs-announces-dirty-dozen-tax-scams-for-2011/?icid=main%7Chtmlws-sb-n%7Cdl7%7Csec1_lnk1%7C209520

I've been on a diet but I don't think I'm going to order off of the following menus:

http://www.oddee.com/item_97678.aspx

Looking forward to being finished with work today.

The Inspiring, The New Art, & The Young Hero

"The Supreme Court has ruled that they cannot have a nativity scene in Washington, D.C. This wasn’t for any religious reasons. They couldn’t find three wise men and a virgin." Jay Leno

I classify the following as a good story, certainly an inspiring:

http://www.aolnews.com/2011/04/13/97-year-old-teacher-still-in-class-in-new-jersey-video/

I think I can safely say we all hate junk mail. Without even think about we just toss it. Look what one woman did with her junk mail:

http://www.aolnews.com/2011/04/14/junk-mail-artist-turns-postal-refuse-into-amazing-portraits/

The last article comes down to being between an eleven year-old hero, an amazing car an artist created, how to get over loneliness, who are the most likely to cheat on their taxes, the dirty dozen tax scams or what some drivers did to help a man beaten up at their city's stadium. I chose the eleven year-old hero.

http://www.aolnews.com/2011/04/12/11-year-old-pennsylvania-girl-sage-encapera-steers-car-to-safety/

Did I make the right choice? Would you like any of the above articles on tomorrows post?

Looking forward to your insights.

Love & Hockey Sticks.

I'm moving along at work and may be finished Friday, if I do finish Friday I will take three days of rest before taking over at Mom's.

The quote of the day is from Voltaire: "No snowflake in an avalanche ever feels responsible."

First story up is a touching story that has me applauding we offer such a program to our soldiers and their wives:

http://www.parentdish.com/2011/04/13/operation-shower/?a_dgi=aolshare_twitter

The following book about a true story sounds pretty interesting:

http://www.mydaily.com/2011/04/04/the-company-we-keep-an-interview-with-true-life-husband-and-w/?icid=main%7Chp-laptop%7Cdl8%7Csec3_lnk3%7C209609

I have mixed emotions about tax season ending. I'm glad I can sleep in but I am going to miss everyone at work. I have emotions about the following article and they certainly aren't mixed. What a great thing for the hockey team to do:

http://www.aolnews.com/2011/04/12/charlotte-north-carolina-checkers-carolina-hurricanes-farm-te/

Comment away.

From Animals To Health.

"One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors." Plato

Let's start the day out with an unusual animal story:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20110408/od_nm/us_deer_goose

Do you ever wonder how doctors treat themselves if the contract a serious disease. Would they choose normal treatments are riskier ones?

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110411/ap_on_he_me/us_med_doctors__choices

Speaking of health news, an amazing discovery:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110407/ap_on_sc/eu_med_mutant_malaria_fungus

Looking forward to your responses.

Ads, Rescues, & A New Country Star.

The quote of the day replaces the Who Am I for a few days.

Winston Churchill " If you are going through hell, keep going."

Let's talk about a new trends for homes. It is a new way to make money and pay for the mortgage:

http://realestate.aol.com/blog/2011/04/07/shill-on-a-shingle-billboards-finally-hit-houses/?icid=main%7Chp-laptop%7Cdl8%7Csec3_lnk3%7C209337

I don't think in this lifetime I would ever do that to my house. I'd starve first.

Nothing like a good rescue story to start out the week:

http://www.mydaily.com/2011/04/08/river-rescue/?icid=main%7Chp-laptop%7Cdl7%7Csec1_lnk1%7C209161

Those two men are heroes. They stopped and helped. Good for them.

A friend of a friend had a country music album, Heaven to Heartache, debut in the top twenty on the C & W charts in England. With songs like GIRLS NIGHT OUT and SHAVE I think she has a winner, watch for her to move up the charts here in the US. I am wondering what the music expert, Pat, and the country and western expert, DR, have to say about the young ladies singing. First up is a song from before the release of HEAVEN TO HEARTACHE:

http://blog.limewire.com/posts/16534-uncovered-susan-cattaneo/#

Click on the download button next to "Suddenly" and the song will start playing.

Next up is a link to her web page where you get one free download. "Girls Night Out" would be my choice.

http://www.susancattaneo.com/

Hope you aren't in such financial straits that you need to put billboards on your house, that you don't need rescuing today or ever, and that you enjoy the music.

Fire away.

The Home Stretch.

The story that didn't make the blog yesterday:

http://www.diylife.com/2011/04/06/paper-towel-roll-crafts/?icid=main%7Chp-laptop%7Cdl9%7Csec3_lnk3%7C209178

This is the home stretch now and the number of hours of work per day increases and increases in such a way that there won't be time left to do the Who Am Is next week. They will return April 18th or 19th. If things go as planned there will be a daily blog entry but no promises.

The entertainment update: Eliminated from The Celebrity Apprentice was Richard Hatch. Trump gave the women a choice not to eliminate someone but they chose to eliminate someone. I think was the right choice. The women have been playing with three less members on their team beam because of a three week losing streak. The reason Trump gave them a choice was two-fold, Jose Canseco quit due to the illness of his father and the men's team raised a ton of money for charity just not enough to beat the women. There was no Amazing Race this week due to the Country Music Awards. Eliminated on Dancing With The Stars, thank goodness, was talk show hostess Wendy Williams. The big news was Max and Kirstie Alley fell but still got a twenty-one.

My update. Last week five and a half days at the job. Four work projects for the guys that bought my business. One day at Mom's (last Sunday). One dinner out with the family. Laundry. Normal errands. Next week is seven work days at the regular job. One work project for Mark. One of my own work projects. Dinner out with the family. Maybe lunch with Mom today. My Mom has been a real trooper. She has been very supportive of my job and has been the least demanding she has been in years. My sister has been a trooper doing two nights a week at Mom's. The caregiver has worked an extra night a week. Know what that means? This is the first tax season in ten years that I haven't spent one night at Mom's. Dad had his stroke in 2001 and every year since then I have done between two and seven nights a week at Mom's every tax season. This year everyone pitched in which has allowed be me to work one extra day a week and with the pressure off I have a 30% increase in profit realization. My pay packages is so much per hour or 1/3 of the profit which ever is higher, Not only have I made more because I worked more hours but am most likely going to get a nice bonus. Thank you Mom, Sister, and care giver.

The blog is now yours. Share your life with me.

Whistling A Million Dollar Tune.

The answer to yesterday's Who Am I is Florence Farmborough.

Have you ever been a whistleblower? I have and I earned a bad reference for it. I kind of wished I would have earned what the accountant in the following story earned:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110408/ap_on_re_us/us_irs_whistleblower_collects

Do you think that is a good use of government? Do you think it is an OK way to become a millionaire?

I never did like the baggy pants fashion and I hated the wearing them lower than your shoes. However, I may have been to quick to judge since they can save a life:

http://www.aolnews.com/2011/04/07/baggy-pants-save-florida-teen-kendrick-williams-from-gator/

He was one lucky young man.

Are you tired of good dog stories yet? The last story came down between uses of empty paper towel rolls or a good dog story. The dog won:

http://www.aolnews.com/2011/04/08/family-dog-helps-with-everyday-chores-video/

Would you rather have had the empty paper towel roll story?

Enjoy the day.

From Ten to Ninety-Seven

This story touched me to the core:

http://www.aolnews.com/2011/04/07/nicholas-maxim-maine-fifth-grader-born-without-hands-wins-penm/?icid=main%7Chp-laptop%7Cdl11%7Csec1_lnk1%7C209074

Don't throw away the tissues just yet:

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011/04/05/massachusetts-man-grants-wifes-wish-65-years-marriage/?&test=gnews

Let's close with a good animal story:

http://icubud.livejournal.com/tag/happy%20stories

Hope you Friday is a good an inspirational.

WHO AM I?

I was born in 1887 and died in 1978 and was an authoress, a photographer, a teacher, university lecturer, and a nurse. I was the fourth of six children and after growing up I worked for a while as a governess. When I moved to Moscow I was employed as an English tutor to the two daughters of a heart surgeon. When the War of 1914 broke out I worked as a Red Cross nurse with the Imperial Russian army, and saw service at both the Galician and the Romanian Fronts. During my time as a nurse I kept a diary and habitually took a large plate camera around with me. Extracts from the diaries were eventually used as the source material for my first book. I also worked as a reporter for The Times and for BBC Radio. Following the October Revolution and the disbandment of my Red Cross unit I returned to England, traveling via Siberia, Vladivostok and the USA, crossing the Pacific. During the Spanish Civil War I allied with the Nationalists and worked as a newsreader on Spanish National Radio, broadcasting daily news bulletins in English. I later returned to England and worked for the Women's Voluntary Service during the Battle of Britain, becoming particularly involved in the rehabilitation of Spanish-speaking Gibraltarians.
I was awarded Honorary Life Membership of the British Red Cross. Have you ever wondered about NURSES ON THE RUSSIAN FRONT? If you do so now, you will be able to answer the question, Who Am I?

Coke, Hookers, & Robert Frost

The answer to yesterday's Who Am I was Vera Britian.

Let's start out the day with a warning. The scammers are at it again:

http://www.walletpop.com/2011/04/06/not-the-real-thing-beware-the-coca-cola-foreign-lottery-scam/?icid=main%7Chp-laptop%7Cdl6%7Csec3_lnk3%7C208913

Let's move on to a story about a woman moving on from the life on the streets to helping others:

http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2011-04-06/rachel-lloyd-girls-like-us-talks-about-prostitution-and-gems/

I've always liked Robert Frost. It is interesting to see what he was worried about as World War I was starting:

http://www.aolnews.com/2011/04/05/n-h-university-acquires-robert-frosts-letters-to-pal/

Fire away!

Dogs, Uggs, & Dumb Criminals

I'm coming on strong during the home stretch, getting three tax returns to review yesterday (two is a good day and I generally get the hard ones). Let's start of the day with another good dog story:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/04/03/ginger-monteleone_n_843898.html?icid=main%7Chp-laptop%7Cdl5%7Csec1_lnk1%7C208792

I love stories about people giving themselves to others or animals.

From a good story let's go to one of questionable ethics which is a little different than what I have, flexible ethics.

http://jobs.aol.com/articles/2011/04/05/sheriff-fired-over-uggs/?icid=main%7Chp-laptop%7Cdl4%7Csec3_lnk1%7C208812

I think it was unethical for the officer to buy slippers with his uniform fund because the chances of him using slippers when performing his duties is pretty small. However, I think he should have gotten a written warning and a one day suspension not a firing.

We all love dumb criminal stories so let's end today with one:

http://www.aolnews.com/2011/04/05/cops-perp-left-t-shirt-with-his-mug-shot-at-crime-scene/


WHO AM I?

I am an author that was born in 1893 and died in 1970. I was also a feminist and pacifist. I was born into a well-to-do family and had an uneventful childhood. I delayed my college degree after one year in order to work as a V.A.D. nurse for much of the First World War. My fiance , two friends and my brother were all killed during the war. At age 32 I married a political scientist and philosopher. My first book was when I was thirty-nine. In the 1920s I became a regular speaker on behalf of the League of Nations Union. I was a practical pacifist in the sense that I helped the war effort by working as a fire warden and by traveling around the country raising funds for the Peace Pledge Union's food relief campaign. I was vilified for speaking out against saturation bombing of German cities. You really should think about a TESTAMENT TO YOUTH, because that will help you answer the question, Who Am I?

Spys, Cooks, & Dogs.

Less then two weeks now. I can do it.

First up today is a surprising story about World War II:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/04/04/pastorius-nazi-saboteurs-british-spy-files_n_844332.html?icid=main%7Chp-laptop%7Cdl8%7Csec1_lnk3%7C208606F

rom a little known war story to a great idea from a Los Angeles chef.

http://www.aolnews.com/2011/04/04/closed-on-mondays-opens-restaurant-doors-to-nonprofits/

Moving on to the type of stories we all love, good animal stories. This is one from DR's neck of the woods:

http://www.aolnews.com/2011/04/03/family-dog-credited-with-keeping-missing-boy-tyler-jacobson-aliv/

Comment away:

PS

The answer to yesterday's Who Am I was Marie Brose Tepe.

Good News & Happy Endings.

Good news and happy endings. That is my mission today. I was going to put the following article off until tomorrow but said what the heck:

http://www.aolnews.com/2011/04/01/procrastination-found-to-be-an-effective-way-to-deal-with-stress/

When I was a young tyke playing hide and seek usually made me happy but only if it wasn't played until long into the night:

http://www.aolnews.com/2011/04/02/schools-turn-to-setting-guinness-world-records-to-make-class-tim/

In closing let's honor some kids that got involved:

http://www.katu.com/news/weird/118844164.html

Off to tackle a few tax returns. Two week to go. Can hardly wait.

Comment away.

Who Am I?

I was born in 1834 and died in 1901. Although you mostly did read about in history books and Wikipedia has strangely ignored me this is what was said about me:

"Hers was the only face in the vicinity which seemed in any way gay. She was laughing and pointing very unconcernedly, as she stumbled over axes, spades and other obstacles, on her way through the trench! She was wonderfully courageous or else did not understand the danger . . . the shower of musket-balls, shrapnel, and every sort of projectile falling in the midst of us was trying to the nerves of our coolest."

My dad died when I was ten after which I immigrated to the United States and married at age 10. At the start of the Civil War my husban enlisted in Company I, 27th Pennsylvania Volunteers. He wanted me to stay home and manage their small tailor shop, but Marie I refused. At the age of 27 I followed his regiment as a vivandiere. Before the end 1861 I left her husband and the 27th PA after some soldiers, among whom was her husband, broke into the vivandiere's tent and stole $1,600. I refused to have anything to do with my thief of a husband. During the following year I somehow managed to join the 114th Pennsylvania. I purchased a store of tobacco, cigars, hams and other things not issued by the government and sold them to the soldiers. I also did a thriving trade selling contraband whiskey. I carried the whiskey in a small oval keg strapped to my shoulder.When the regiment was not in action I cooked, washed, mended for the men. I drew the pay of a soldier and was allowed 25 cents per day extra for hospital and headquarters services. At the Battle of Fredericksburg I was noted for helping to establish the field hospital, and assisted in taking care of. soldiers receiving a bullet in my left ankle. After the battle I received a silver cup. After the Battle of Chancellorsville I received the "Kearny Cross" for helping to organize one of the field hospitals. I was with my regiment in the campaign up to Gettysburg. After the war I moved to the Pittsburgh area and married an army veteran. In 1897 I filed divorce papers, and in 1901 I wrote a will leaving all my possessions to my husband, he received a whopping $31.35. It was said of me "for many years the aged woman had been an invalid and was lately a great sufferer from rheumatism and a rebel bullet which she still carrie[d] in her left ankle." If you don't know me by now think of the "Vivandieres: Forgotten Women of the Civil War" and that should help you answer the question, Who Am I?

Weekly Update.

Looking forward to reading the updates of the followers here. I really do want to know all about the readers and the posters here. You are important to me, as is what is going on in your lives.

Last week was an up and down week. My friend Sandra passed away from an unknown virus. She was in her late fifties and it was to young for her to go. I am going to continue to ask for prayers, good vibes, and good thoughts for Sandra's husband, Mark. If you remember the day after Sandra went into the hospital he had prostate cancer surgery. The amazing stress he is under can't good for him. So perform your magic.

Other things done last week, five days of work, lunch out and shopping with Mom on Sunday, taking lunch to Mom on Wednesday, dinner out with the family on Thursday night, finishing a project for Mark, picking up three assignments from him. Also my dry cleaners lost my clothes so went in there three consecutive nights until the found them. I was thinking I was going to have to buy a bunch of clothes so I had something to wear to work. Also in there was my own shopping and the normal chores a person does.

Next week is five days of work, maybe six depending on many returns I have pending. Lunch and shopping with Mom today. Wednesday I am taking lunch to mom like I do every week on that day. Thursday night is family night. In between I have to finish those three assignments from mark, shop, clean house, and a bunch of other stuff like clean my toothbrush:

http://www.diylife.com/2011/03/29/clean-with-a-toothbrush/?icid=main%7Chp-laptop%7Cdl3%7Csec1_lnk1%7C208391

The entertainment update. Eliminated on Dancing With The Stars was radio host Psycho Mike was eliminated, he is also known as Mike Catherwood. I am really enjoying Kirstie Alley. She has a great sense of humor (she said if she was told to haul ass, it would take two trips) and has some pretty surprising dancing skills. The best dancer so far is The Karate Kid. Winner of Top Chef All Stars was Richard Blaise. Mike finished second. It was really close both cooked their hearts out. Eliminated on The Amazing Race was the mother and son team, Margie and Luke.

The blog is now yours. Your job is to catch me up on your lives. And lurkers your job is to come out from hiding and introduce yourself.

New Parenting, Old Memories, & Crime Solving

I had a really good day yesterday. First, I solved a program problem that even the I.T. guy couldn't solve. Then my boss told me my billings increased thirty percent over last year. She also told me my returns were always so clean that they were a pleasure to review. Then we all got a free lunch. On Friday's the bosses buy us all lunch as a perk. We had sandwiches from Noah's Bagels and they were great. The guys that bought my business e-mailed me and gave me three more assignments. And as an added bonus the guy I have been helping got a huge pat on the back for the way he did a return. I've been kind of feeling sorry for him lately because he told me that I am the only one that he can really ask questions because everyone else seems to blow him off. It really is nice to be wanted, valued, and respected.

Let's start the day of with one of the dumbest parenting ideas in the history of the world and my favorite columnist's take on it:

http://www.usatoday.com/life/columnist/finalword/2011-03-30-final30_ST_N.htm

Let's go from the new to the old. Growing up every Saturday night Mom and Dad would take us kids to Stauffer's for a cheeseburger, fries, and a milkshake. After dinner they would take us home and all of us kids would get in our pajamas. We would all pour into the station wagon and head out to the local drive in theater. It was really fun and a great memory. Where did the drive-in movies go anyhow?

http://news.travel.aol.com/2011/03/31/7-retro-drive-in-theaters-to-watch-a-film-in-now/?icid=main%7Chp-laptop%7Cdl7%7Csec3_lnk2%7C208383

Believe it or not there is a drive-in movie theater just eight miles from me. I really do think it is a memory that the current kids are missing out on.

How would you like to make The Dahn Report famous by solving a murder?

http://www.aolnews.com/2011/04/01/fbi-asks-public-to-help-decode-notes-from-1999-death-of-ricky-mc/

Can you break the code?

Comment away

PS

Answer to yesterday's Who Am I? Nancy Chodorow

Pranks, Snakes, & Lucky Truck Drivers.

Hope you avoid jokes today, April Fools Day. What were some of the greatest pranks of all time?

http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1888721_1888719,00.html?xid=rss-top-aolT

he next story is from Pat. I'm not really fond of snakes, at least I don't think that I am because I am usually setting speed records running the other direction when I see one. Pat and her daughter share an affinity for snakes and shared the following story, which I admit it kind of funny:

http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/03/29/twitter-patter-bronxzooscobra/

I'm closing with a good luck story. One that turns a bad thing into a good thing:

http://www.katu.com/news/weird/118918479.html

Comment away and in addition if you would like to share the best April Fool's joke you pulled or had pulled on you I'm game.

WHO AM I?

I was born in 1944 and am a feminist sociologist and psychoanalyst. I am widely regarded as a leading psychoanalytic feminist theorist and is a member of the International Psychoanalytical Association. I see gender differences as compromise formations of the Oedipal complex. I begins with Freud’s assertion that the individual is born bisexual and that the child's mother is its first sexual object. Where male children typically experience love as a dyadic relationship, daughters are caught in a libidinal triangle where the ego is pulled between love for the father, the love of the mother, and concern and worry over the relationship of the father to the mother. For me the contrast between the dyadic and triadic first love experiences explains the social construction of gender roles, the universal degradation of women in culture, cross-cultural patterns in male behavior, and marital strain in the West after Second Wave feminism. If you are interested in THE REPRODUCTION OF MOTHERING: PSYCHOANALYSIS AND THE PSYCHOLOGY OF GENDER, then you can answer the question, Who Am I?