Tuesday, December 22, Day 9, Act 135:

Today, I was able to spend all morning wrapping presents. I carefully wrapped each gift in different paper, selected the proper bow, and even a special tag to go on each present. It just feels really good to do something totally for someone else’s enjoyment. Just knowing the joy that someone else gets when opening that special package.

True to senior citizen form, I was in bed before 10.30 last night. (Please note that this does not mean that I was asleep before then!) I also woke up before 3.00. Why oh why oh why oh why can I not sleep through the night?! I actually remember the crazy dream I had, in which I had already taken my vacation (twenty days!), but once I arrived home again I remembered that I had forgotten to go diving because they had neglected to pick me up. I was really angry and wanted to sue them, but they held some sort of contest and twenty people — myself included — won dive trips to “the Bahamas, Aruba.” Which doesn’t actually exist. I wasn’t pacified, though, because I wanted to go diving where I’m going on my vacation! Crazy dreams.

The first English words I uttered today were, “Oh, sh!t.”  …One of my tetras was spinning in circles… and we know what that means. Except I can’t do a damn thing about it.  I removed the carbon pack from the filter, because it supposedly leaches the medication out of the water, but beyond that… can’t do anything.  And the heater has annoyingly lost its suction, and it keeps popping off the wall, so I’m going to have to lower the water level significantly, dry off the wall, and stick the heater back on then.  What a pain.

This had obviously been lounging around for quite a while… I don’t think they even make this flavor anymore.

I met my friend for lunch today, and she was supposed to create a fuss for me about the stingy salads, but naturally Mr. Stingy left the salad bar just as it was our turn to order.

However, despite my enunciating that I wanted A LITTLE BIT, I still ended up with a pool of vinegar.

We’re going to just bring our own lunches next week (ulp!!) and meet somewhere else. If only it were warm outside…

"vegetarian veal style schnitzel in sauce with basmati rice and corn"

Continuing to empty out my freezer… it’s going to be a real challenge for me not to stock up again, because like I’ve said before, whenever I like / want something, the company stops making it. It’s already slim enough pickings for me, given my restrictions, so … yeah.

Confession: I love to be swimming.  I hate to go swimming.  It’s just such a hassle to get there, and dread that it might be freezing… but once I’m in the water I’m happy.  Unless it’s frigid, of course.  It was 82 today, which is cutting it pretty close.  Any colder and I will be extremely unhappy.  If it was 84 last week and 88 the week before, we’re on trend for it to be 76 next week.  “Very unpleasant” doesn’t even begin to describe what that would be like!

When I got home from the pool, I wrestled with the aquarium heater (again), set off my smoke alarm while roasting some vegetables, and got this:

A package!  Yay — I love getting packages!  E-mail just can’t compare to receiving snail mail… I miss that.  Anyway, this lovely package arrived courtesy of the lovely people at Bora Bora:

I have a co-worker who loves it when I wind up with free samples of foods that I can’t eat, because I hand them over to him.  But these are all kosher, and I am going to be very selfish and not share!    Can’t wait to try them.  (Though I foresee some difficulty with the coconut almond flavor.  We all know how I feel about coconut… I do not like it!!)

My grades for the past semester have finally come in; I received two A’s!  My initial reaction was to feel relieved, like I’ve gotten away with something, because if those professors only knew how stupid I really am, they would have given me a lower score like they should have done.  Except, you know what?  I worked damn hard for those grades, I earned them, and I should be allowed to feel glad about that.

Without feeling like I’m on a massive ego trip.

Okay, now this is getting too complicated, what with all these conditions.  I think I’ll just go to bed.

Happy Hump Day!

“THE GIFT OF COCK” Installation – Courtesy of the FANTOM FACTION

The American culture is dependent on the possibility that anyone can make it big. It’s the illusion that keeps the poor in line and the rich in power. The American rich 1% holds more wealth than the bottom 90%. That is hardly fair and Americans are addicted to the idea that they can become the 1%.

Due to wanting to be wealthy and not having it, America settles for the next best thing: living vicariously through celebrities and the rich. The rich and famous become objects – not people – as portrayed by the television, magazines, and news. They become a name – a brand – to be packaged, bought, and sold like any other commodity in our capitalistic system.

This is a system of control. The poor are appeased by having the rare possibility that they too – with their talents and uniqueness can also make it big. The rich and famous; who are also inmates in our cultural prison who have more privilege, are treated like gods.

For example, I just went to see a concert a few weeks ago and during the show the lead singer of 30 Seconds to Mars walked into the crowd. People went out of their way to run up and touch him (it was really bizarre) to have bragging rights. To touch a celebrity or have an object that they were associated with is like touching divinity in our culture.

This is a really weird aspect of American culture that I don’t really understand because in my understanding of humanity – we are all equal. I wouldn’t want to touch another human unless I was close to them but for it to be socially acceptable to forcefully touch another person without consent on the mere fact they can sing, act, or dance is ridiculous.

This living vicariously through fame is destructive to celebrities. The latest example being the Tiger Woods incident and how people just can’t seem to mind their own business. Who cares? I have my own life to deal with and I don’t have time to be focusing my life on people I never met.

Even in death, celebrities can not escape their fame and be given an ounce of peace. Grave robbers if given the chance, will steal famous people’s remains. The Hollywood cemetery is now a tourist attractions where you can visit your favorite dead residence. Even a corpse is marketable.

People need to stop worshiping celebrities and the rich. People are people, not objects.  People need to learn to live and let live and mind their own business. Here’s a secret for you: The rich and famous only have “wealth” and “power” because you give it to them. If you would stop giving them power, they wouldn’t have any. If we spent more time empowering ourselves for our own beauties and less time drooling over our fellow apes – we’d have a much healthier society.

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อาจจะจริงซึ่งรับรองมากที่สุดเกี่ยวกับ การเดินทาง เดียวในสาธารณรัฐประชาชน จีน มีอัตราของอาชญากรรมต่ำอย่างน่าทึ่ง.

กระทรวงสาธารณสุข Security (MPS), อำนาจหลักของกระบวนการทางอาญาภายในประเทศปีนี้ประกาศก่อนหน้าลดลงร้อยละ 15 ในอาชญากรรมรุนแรง (4,5 million กรณีรายงานสำหรับ 2005) ในขณะที่เหตุการณ์ละเมิดทรัพย์สินทั่วไปเช่นการขโมย, การหลอกลวงและการปล้น, ซึ่งบัญชีสำหรับร้อยละ 80 ของกรณีทั้งหมดเพิ่มขึ้นเพียง 1ร้อยละ.

เมืองทั่วโลกเช่นปักกิ่งและเซี่ยงไฮ้ซึ่งปีดึงดูดนับล้านนักท่องเที่ยวชาวต่างชาติในธุรกิจหรือวันหยุด, applaud ของตนเองเพื่อให้ประชาชนและเมืองค่อนข้างปลอดภัยที่หนึ่งที่สามารถเดินไปเพียงหนึ่งชั่วโมงในความปลอดภัยของญาติๆ.

แต่ทั้งหมดไม่จำเป็นที่เงียบสงบที่ด้านหน้าบ้าน. ในการเข้าสาธารณะเปิดเผย uncharacteristically, MPS มีรายงานการระบาดกระจายทั่วของการค้ายาเสพติดผิดกฎหมายในประเทศ จีน นำโดยเพิ่มขึ้นจำนวน syndicates อาชญากรรมต่างประเทศรายงานจาก regimes แอฟริกาของไนจีเรียและประเทศไลบีเรียและ triads จากประเทศเพื่อนบ้านในเอเชีย.

นอกจากนั้นอาชญากรรมรุนแรงบนชายฝั่งทางตอนใต้เป็นอย่างฉาวโฉ่อาละวาดในกวางตุ้งทำให้จังหวัดเฉพาะในประเทศ จีน 's แผ่นดินใหญ่ให้ตำรวจแขนมีปืน.

และไม่เป็นนี้ว่า Westerners มีทั้งหมดยกเว้นจากทั้งเป็นเหยื่อของหรือ committing อาชญากรรมร้ายแรงเพิ่มเติม.

ฉันได้พบตัวเองในสถานการณ์ขณะที่หลายๆเดินทางอย่างกว้างขวางทั่ว จีน. ฉันด้วยความรักจำพวกถนนที่ประจัญฉันในซอย darkened ในชั้นมองโกเลียหรือหันออกกับนักล้วงกระเป๋าใน hutong Qianmen หนาแน่นในกรุงปักกิ่งกับฝูงหอนของ onlookers พอใจอย่างมากในการดู vigilante waiguoren 196cm.

แล้วมีเวลาในฉงชิ่งที่. ไม่ heralded ตรงตามจุดหมายการท่องเที่ยวบนเทศบาลภายในของฉงชิ่งซึ่งอยู่บนธนาคารชราของ Yangtz แม่น้ำอย่างลึกลับมีลักษณะผิดกฎหมายต้นศตวรรษ port-of-โทรของร้านค้าทะเล, laborers ท่าเรือด้านและ brothels ริม.

แรมในโรงแรมเล็กๆที่นอกเมืองของ จีน 's ที่ใหญ่ที่สุดและสุดเมืองหันไปทะเลาะกันเที่ยงคืนหลังจากที่ขอสุภาพในส่วนของฉันขอสามชัด loitering ชายเมาในห้องโถงเพื่อชำระลงมาพบกับตอบเป็นมิตร.

ดันในส่วนของพวกเขานำไปสู่การไม่สุภาพเหมืองดันในการส่งหนึ่งของคนบินกลับสู่เขาสองเพื่อน. สักครู่ถัดมา feral ดวงและแวบฉันอย่างน่าชมเชยถือของตัวเอง. แต่หก fists เปล่าอย่างถูกต้องสามารถทำเสียหายมากกว่าสอง. Guys ยาก retreated ในเวลากลางคืนจะออกฉันหายใจและซึ้งถูกทำลาย.

ตำรวจมาถึงและหลังจากนั้นเอาฉันไป Public Security Bureau รับงบ. ก็ระบุว่าการรักษาความปลอดภัยโรงแรม guards ล้มเหลวในการให้บริการเพื่อพวกเขาและยังพบว่าโรงแรมไม่ปฏิบัติตามโปรโตคอลเทศบาลเข้มงวดในการสำเนาบัตรประชาชนของสาม perpetrators 'ก่อน accommodating พวกเขาที่จะช่วยตำรวจในการสืบสวนของพวกเขา.

นี้หมายความว่าเป็นสิทธิตามกฎหมายจีนต้องการชำระทางการเงินทันทีจากเจ้าของกิจการโรงแรมของฉันสำหรับปัญหาของคุณดู-มันแทบจะไม่ทำขึ้นสำหรับปัง up งานบรรดาสุภาพบุรุษที่ได้ทำให้มึนเมาได้ที่ฉัน.

ให้แน่ใจว่ากรณีดังกล่าวเป็นแยกหนึ่งที่มีส่วนใหญ่ของ expatriates เป็นโชคดีหรือไม่เห็นการดำเนินการมากดังนั้นในระหว่างอยู่ใน จีน ( "ฉัน overcharged!" น่าจะเป็นคำร้องเรียนนำ).

มีเพียงเจ้าหน้าที่ตำรวจสำหรับทุกพันถิ่นในประชากร 1.3 billion และกว่า 40 เปอร์เซ็นต์ของ precincts แผ่นดินใหญ่มีน้อยกว่าห้าเจ้าหน้าที่ประกอบกับขาดทั่วไปของทุนทรัพยากรหรือรัฐของที่เทคโนโลยี, จีน 's ตำรวจน่าจะเป็น commended การรักษาอัตราการก่ออาชญากรรมต่ำประทับใจชาติ.

ให้มีมีข้อผิดพลาดใดเทียนจิ News Agency มีรายงานว่ามีสองครั้งมากรายงานคดีอาชญากรรมในปี 2005 กว่า 1,990 และครั้งที่หกของ 1980. แต่เมื่อเทียบกับ hyper-ไอคอนรุนแรงของป่าตะวันตกเช่น Los Angeles และ New York ก็มิน่าเล่า จีน เป็นพยานจำนวนเพิ่มมากขึ้นของชาวต่างชาติที่อาศัยอยู่ในเทศบาลแพรวมัน. จีน ยังคงเป็นหนึ่งในประเทศที่ปลอดภัยที่สุดทางสถิติไปและส่วนที่เหลือของโลกจะทำดีเพื่อถแจ้ง.

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Andrew Lloyd Webber Classics – Trumpet Play-Along – Instrumental Folio – Book and CD Package Review

Check Price Now!

Andrew Lloyd Webber Classics – Trumpet Play-Along – Instrumental Folio – Book and CD Package Feature

• 12 Solos From Webber’s Greatest Shows
• Arranged For Trumpet
• Includes CD With Full Accompaniments
• Standard Notation
• 15 Pages

Andrew Lloyd Webber Classics – Trumpet Play-Along – Instrumental Folio – Book and CD Package Overview

12 solos from Webber’s greatest shows complete with full band accompaniment on CD. Titles include: As If We Never Said Goodbye * Close Every Door * Don’t Cry for Me Argentina * Everything’s Alright * Go Go Go Joseph * Gus: the Theatre Cat * Love Changes Everything * The Music of the Night * Our Kind of Love * The Phantom of the Opera * Unexpected Song * Whistle down the Wind.

Andrew Lloyd Webber Classics – Trumpet Play-Along – Instrumental Folio – Book and CD Package Specifications

*** Product Information and Prices Stored: Dec 21, 2009 08:50:35

A Swedish beverage company has come up with a new way of packaging wine without taking into consideration wine’s archaic design of bottling. Åkesson has come of with an eco-friendly, disposable way of markting wine with thick paper and not a box. It looks like your average orange juice packaging but there’s a lot of detail into it. They have also come up with designs for other types of alcoholic drinks. Click below to view.

Today i’ve recieved an interesting Mail.

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Smart people in all fields add some frosting to the cake they sell. Putting frosting on the cake means giving people more than they expect to receive, and it begins with simple things. A smart business manager never places negative people in upfront jobs, such as telephone operator, receptionist, check-out stand cashier, and ticket seller the customers and clients a business serves rarely, if ever,  see the firm president or a key manager. They judge the business rightly or wrongly by the way they are treated by the ‘unimportant’ people.

Experienced travelers stay at hotels where the reservations are polite and positive; people choose restaurants based on the attitudes of people who seat them, serve them, and take their money. How good the food tastes is always less important than the service in building repeat patronage. And the companies that deliver packages know courteous, friendly service is their best competitive weapon in beating the Postal Service where, generally, counter-personnel are negative in attitude.

Words and phrases as ‘please’, ‘thank you’ and ‘you look good today’ are free frosting that make sales and build businesses. Call your business or office. If you don’t hear a wonderful, “I am really glad you called” voice, train or replace the person. Have a friend stop in at your business. If he doesn’t get great service, take corrective action.

Success-oriented people ask, “How can I give others more than they expect? What kind of frosting can I put on the cake I’m selling?”

A cake—the product or service you offer—is just baked dough. But when you put some frosting on it and give it a little post-sale service, you’ve made the dough delicious. Try it, and enjoy the rewards.

My Consultancy–Asif J. Mir - Management Consultant–transforms organizations where people have the freedom to be creative, a place that brings out the best in everybody–an open, fair place where people have a sense that what they do matters. For details please visit www.asifjmir.com, and my Lectures.

Are you looking for somewhere to spend your New Year in New Zealand? Wanaka is the place to be! This beautiful town knows how to celebrate the New Year with Kiwi banks, fireworks, and a midnight countdown.

Book your accommodation now at Mountain Range Boutique Lodge. Luxury lodge offering bed and breakfast accommodation only 2 km from the township. Surround yourself with mountain views, native gardens, and indulgent luxury.

Book two nights or more over 31 December and receive a COMPLIMENTARY BOTTLE OF BUBBLES! Accommodation includes superking bed, ensuite with shower, heated floor and mirror, Linden Leaves toiletries and free wi-fi. Full cooked breakfast, afternoon tea and glass of local Central Otago Pinot in the evening.

www.mountainrange.co.nz for bookings or email: stay@mountainrange.co.nz

Hello everyone! Its supposed to snow 18 inches today, wow. Just thought Id drop by and update a few things and show some new cards I got in the past week! Well, First Ill start with the 2 TTM’s I got.

Heres one that I got amazingly quickly,

A very nice 1973 Topps signed by Mr Bud Harrelson!

It only took Bud 3 days to get this card back to me, I really appreciate it and its my fastest TTM return ever! Im so glad to add this Mets great autograph to my collection! Thanks Bud!

I also got a TTM that breaks my record, for the longest wait!

I was not ever really expecting to get this one back and pretty much wrote it off, check it out!

A rookie card signed by the Astros’ Hunter Pence! This card looks pretty cool signed, and also a huge surprise for me to get, I sent it out a loong time ago, on April 7th of this year, I think it was worth the wait though! Thanks Hunter!

So those were the TTMs I got this week, I also got some things from ebay, Heres a nice Jeff Francoeur chrome heritage card #ed 1939/1960

I always love getting cards of Frenchy in the Mets uniform, and I will always trade for em too!

I also got some new Pelfs!

Here is a lot I got off ebay for about 2 bucks:

These cards came all the way to me from Taiwan, I did not know that people collected baseball cards in Taiwan, pretty cool! The Pelf is 0190/1199 while the Reyes card is 1067/1199.

Another thing I got off ebay was this really cool low numbered pelfrey! Check it out!

Heres the topps unique GOLD of Mike and its numbered only 01/25! This is one of my lowest numbered pelfs and I think that its really cool because its the first one made being number 01!

I also got a Japanese soccer card of Valencia CF in Spain, striker David Villa, this card is for my friends Christmas present, If anybody has any soccer cards of Spain’s la liga, preferibally of players like Xavi, Villa, and Gerard Pique, I will trade you for em! Something weired about this card is that it came not in a toploader, but in a side loader? yea, the card is auctually slightly smaller than a baseball card and it slides out of the right side of the case, pretty weird, but I guess its to accomodate the unique size. Its pretty cool seing how cards are done outside the US, and these cards are believe it or not, made by Panini and Sega? Yep, Sega! Still a cool card though!

Now, Last thing is that, I got a nice Christmas package from Paul over at Pauls Random Stuff, Thank you again Paul! He sent over some Ellsbury cards, including a cool 52′ topps rookie, along with the Red topps unique Pelfrey! And the one you sent me paul, got here before the other one, so I got yours first, and I really appreciate it! Thank you! Here are some scans:

Thanks again!

All of the Pelfrey cards that were in this post will be added to the collection page, Happy holidays, and thank you for reading everyone! Cant wait to go shovel 18 inches of snow tomorrow! Kidding, I love snow!

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First official video from Jake One and Freeway’s upcoming album, The Stimulus Package.

Are you a constant traveler and always looking for a great travel deal in the UK? You might find the best way to obtain such a travel deal is by looking into buying a package deal.

Many of these package deals include flight, VAT taxes or other types of taxes, hotel, car rental, and some may even include food plans. All-inclusive packages are extremely important when traveling with family as they take away the headache of looking for special meal plans, hotel costs and other incidental costs that are covered inside an all-inclusive package. The best way to find an all-inclusive package is by using a travel agent.

There are many travel deals available in the United Kingdom which can be found on many websites; however, most all-inclusive packages require you to go directly to the company’s website and book through it, or by going through a travel agent. The important thing you need to ask when speaking with a travel agent is about a range of travel packages available as well as the price and what is actually included.

Some questions the travel agent will need to be answered include whether or not you have flight preferences, seating arrangements on the flight, or if there is a car rental company you prefer dealing with. Most travel agents do work off of commissions so the travel deals may end up being a little more expensive than going directly through the company’s website. Also, when you go directly to the website or the company you might not get the kind of travel deals that an agent receives for the referral of new customers.

Travel packages in the United Kingdom often include a continental breakfast, but don’t always include every meal. Dinner may also be included depending upon the type of tour package you receive.

Checking out both options will net you the best travel internet deal in the UK. Remember to ask pertinent questions such as how much they’re commissions are, what companies they prefer to deal with, and if they have ever been to the place they are recommending. Occasionally a travel agent may give you a package deal because they reap benefits and not because they have personally been to the hotel.

Keep in mind when searching for travel deals in the United Kingdom you have a variety of options and it is important to exercise each one of them.