IT'S BEEN A TOUGH WEEK, ARTWORK BY N. BATE

I always look forward to checking Nicholas Bate's blog for new inspirational drawings. It may have been a tough week and a couple of times disappointing, but we are heading towards the holiday that officially opens the doors to Spring.

CONNECTION

A MUST WATCH, THINK ABOUT AND DO VIDEO

THANK YOU TO CULTURAL OFFERING FOR POSTING THIS ON SUNDAY.

Spring must be close.....

I am starting to go through my "Getting Ready for Spring" list: repair director chair as you see to the right, sand the teak wood patio table & chairs then apply an oil base teak wood stain, clean the garage up by putting away all the winter tools and check out the condition of the shovels etc., move things around the garage so it will look like I have more space of a three car garage than two bays and of course the yard clean up from winter and remove a small tree that was split in half by the February snow.

Now I have one more thing on my list after watching a shoe shining video by Cultural Offering. It is time for me to take all my shoes out of the closet, clean them with saddle soap and then re-polish. Kurt suggest Horseman's One Step.

Spring projects are done by August, Summer done by October.

Will report scores on Twitter to right + Facebook

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

NC game, scores posted on Twitter to right

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

SPECIAL ART FROM NICHOLAS BATE

Almost everyday, I look on Nicholas Bate's site to see if there is a new sketch.

Hope you save this blog in favorites and check it out from time to time.

TAX INCENTIVE ENDS APRIL 30th

THIS MAY YOUR LAST CHANCE TO GET SOMETHING FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, FROM NOW ON YOU WILL BE PAYING!

MADOFF LEARNED FROM THE FEDS HOW TO WORK THE SYSTEM

I stole this cartoon from Steve Layman's Blog, but felt it made a lot of sense after Steve's post about an article on Social Security's IOUs. I won't see it, would be good bet.

JUKE BOX MUSIC

Kurt Harden and Steve Layman have written post of suggested "Juke Box" music, click their names above to view their list.

Probably a point in my life where I was around a juke box was the Frisch's on Granville Road in Newark, Ohio where everyone hung out during the late 60's.

I have put together my own list, not as detailed as Steve's and Kurt's and not in any certain order:

You Don't Owe Me-Lesley Gore, Leaving on a Jet Plane-Peter, Paul & Mary, Shout-Joey Dee, Purple Haze-Jimi Hendrix, You Can't Hurry Love-Supremes, You've Lost That Lonely Feeling-Righteous Brothers, Love Me Do, Beatles, End of the World, Skeeter Davis, Good Vibrations, Beach Boys, Ooo Baby Baby, Smoke Robinson, Let's Hang On, Frankie Valli, Travelin' Man, Rick Nelson, I'm Telling You Now, Freddie & The Dreamers, Pinball Wizard, Who, Ballad of the Green Beret, Sgt. Barry Saddler.

Music meant a lot to everyone in the 60's, we grew up with a new sound. When we were born, our parents were still listening to Glen Miller, Tom Dorsey etc. Our music took the recording studios to a 360 degree turn.

Our thinking was a little different, times had changed. Many guys were going to the Viet Nam War via the draft. It may be stupid to have "Green Beret" on the list, but it was on the back of every one's mind. It was a good time.

NFD RETIREMENT

Photo above is when Capt. Jim Lewis was hired with the Newark Fire Department. Look close you can see him standing to the side of his first assigned "truck" in a portly manner.

Capt. Jim Lewis beside Engine 3 prior to his retirment on March 19, 2010.
Same portly manner.

FYI: the stripes on his sleeves are for 50 years of service each, the photo of the ladder wagon above is from 1910.

ST. PATRICK's, CELTIC WOMEN

THE HANDLEBAR CLUB, FOUNDED 1947

“The object of the Handlebar Club was, and still is, to bring together moustache wearers (beards being strictly prohibited) socially for sport and general conviviality."

Click here to find out more about an amazing group of men.

Thank you to Black Watch and Put This On for the lead.

BILL "BATMAN" POWELL, ANOTHER REASON TO DIAL 911

"911- What is your emergency": I have a bat in my apartment, please send over Bill "Batman" Powell, he is quick and light on his feet and make sure to bring a couple of firefighters to stand outside with the door slightly cracked open.

Bill's talents are far beyond the average firefighter. By the way, Bill obtained his Batman's cape through his Quarter Master allowance.

Click here for great video about the Newark, Ohio Fire Department.

THE REAL MISS AMERICA

The real Miss America ..
This 19 year old ex-cheerleader (now an Air Force Security Forces Sniper) was watching a road that led to a NATO military base when she observed a man digging by the road. She engaged the target (i.e. , she shot him). It turned out he was a bomb maker for the Taliban , and he was burying an IED that was to be detonated when a US patrol walked by 30 minutes later. It would have certainly killed and wounded several soldiers. The interesting fact of this story is the shot was measured at 725 yards. She shot him as he was bent over burying the bomb. The Air Force made a motivational poster of her:

Thank you to NFD Capt. Jim Lewis for passing this along.

GOAL ORIENTED PEOPLE

One thing I never do during a weekday is slip away for a period of time for fun. This past Friday afternoon, I did not have any appointments and felt secure any business that needed to be conducted could be done through my Blackberry.

I watched and tried to learn some new things by attending the Expo of The Arnold's Classic in Columbus, Ohio. Walking around the expo, it kind of felt like I was at a premier real estate conference with very successful goal oriented agents.

In this case, I was with some very highly motivated goal oriented bodybuilders. It would have to be very challenging to start off as most people appear and work hard to obtain such a body style. The guys and gals who had planned for a year to attend were going over each exhibitors products. I had no idea that there are so many supplements to help enhance your body and make you powerful, equipment & clothing. Everyone was so friendly and I have never been around so many people who like to be photographed.

For most of the people attending, this was just a hobby, but some were definitely in it as a career. I thought about how much this hobby was goal oriented and wondered if it carried over to the hobbyist's career. It must.

If you needed to find me in the crowd at the Expo it was easy, I was the only short person there without muscles and wearing a sport coat. When I walked out of the expo, I felt so good that I could walk around without my chest somewhat sticking out and my arms hanging naturally next to my body.

MAMMA PIU GIOVANE E PREFRITO

Today is Dino Guanciale's 50th birthday. To your right you will see a photo of our mother and Dino and of course a framed photo of Dino which you would find in every room. Dino carried the official designation of "Mamma piu giovane e prefrito" (Mom's youngest & favorite).

I originally asked my father this past week for a photo of when Dino was younger. His first comment was for me to take the photo of Dino with our Mother, then Dan said it should be title "Momma's Boy".

While Dino was in high school MS started to effects our mother's health, but she never missed a game, home or away. Dino provided a lot of entertainment for her during the beginning of many rough years to come through his outstanding career playing basketball at Newark Catholic and Otterbein College. During his senior year in high school the college coaches would call her after the games asking how Dino played and buttering her up for a recommendation. But we do know one thing for sure, when a coach hung up he knew as Robin, Tina and I knew, whom most certainly was the favorite child.

Happy Birthday Baby Dino! (or as The Advocate reported after a 50 point game "Dynamic Dino")

THE 75 BEST DRESSED MEN OF ALL TIMES

Click here for The 75 Best Dressed Men of All Times.

You will be surprised of who is on the list, but they missed, Kurt H., Dave H., Eschol C., Dan D., Andrew G., T.D.G & of course Dino G. (before he turned 50).

Tips for shorter fellows, click here, Tips on looking good at the beach during Spring Break, click here (with ten seconds of adult supervision required) and finally find out about bald being the new sexy, click here.

Thanks to Esquire, MSN Lifestyle and Sister Robin for passing this along.

WORLD OF NEWSPAPERS

Just checked this web site out posted by Naples Girl this morning.

Click her to view NESEUM, you can find many newspaper's front pages around the world. Kind of fun to see. You will be surprised at the number printed in English.

When I travel, I always like reading the local newspapers, some days there will be three or four papers to view. I guess my main reason is to double check and see if all communities have the same issues as Licking County. Once in a while you can find a strange obituary or two. If I am on vacation, I don't look at the real estate ads.