Jenna's Piano Recital

Here's Jenna Sminkey's Spring Piano Recital.

The Case of the Missing Sermon

Maureen, Jenna and I traveled to New Jersey today to see our nephew Zachery perform in a dinner theater performance, "The case of the missing Sermon" at the Aldine United Methodist church. The drive wasn't bad at all. It was 109 miles and took about 2 hours. We arrived early, paid for our tickets and were seated at our table. We were joined by Robin who used to work with Zachary at Ranch hope and his girlfriend Niteesha.
The show was basically a who dun it with the audience guessing who stole the reverends sermon. Zachary played a want a be preacher Will Reed who wound up being the culprit for this evenings show. I was really impressed with Zachary's performance. He took pride in his acting and really put himself into the role. He projected his voice in a thunderous tone when needed and was able to keep himself in character throughout. Will had fallen for the choir director and it was quite comical when those 2 were falling all over one another.
Afterward we all went to a bowling alley about 10 miles away and bowled 3 games. That was fun and gave us a chance to visit Zack and his friends Niteesha and David.
We had a couple minor hiccups on the ride home not being able to get a decent gps signal but we did managed and arrived home around 1:30AM.

Teamsters 639 Golf Tournament

Local 67 sponsored 2 foursomes to play in the Local 639 scholarship fund golf tournament held at Potomac Ridge on Friday May 20.
This is a wonderful cause that our Local supports every year. The money raised is used to help Local Teamster families with college tuition.
After 5 days of rain Friday finally brought as break in the weather and we were provided a beautiful day. My foursome was Brian, Stevie and my son Jack arrived after 7 holes to take the place of a retired member who backed out at the last minute. The pace of play in these events is brutal the round took almost 6 hours to complete but we were provided with beer and refreshments throughout. Or team played a pretty consistent round with 3 birdies on the front and 3 on the back for a score of 67 which was good for 2nd place in the 2nd flight. We all were awarded a little trophy along with a dozen nice Callaway golf balls.
We also each won $50 gift card to Potomac ridge as door prizes.
Our other foursome consisted of the Locals Secretary Nikia, an absent Frank, Mike and Mark from Pepsi Cola. They too finished in the money and were awarded gifts from the third flight pool of prizes.
Afterward the food was awesome BBQ provided by a local caterer.

Hot Tuna at the Birchmere

Went to see Hot Tuna last night at the Birchmere in Alexandria VA. It was the release party for their first studio album in 21 years. What a fantastic place to see a show. We were seated maybe 40 feet from the stage. Probably the best Tuna show I've ever been to. Jorma commented during the show, "These days the audiences are older adn sober." They expect solid performances. Tuna didn't disappoint.

If you are uncertain about which of the many older acts is worth seeing (and I know I am), I am happy to report that Hot Tuna is one of the better choices you can make. And it really looks like it may stay that way for a while. And it's nice to see the DC duo from the SF scene play back on their homefront, which they enjoy as well. For as Jorma said... "A lot of those (SF) people didn't really get our DC humor, as one guy said to him back in the day...Wow, man. Like I thought you were beautiful people, but you're just regular guys!" Yes, two regular guys that have been playing great music together for 52 years.

Quote of the Night: Another one from Jorma while tuning... "Sometimes people who don't play guitar say 'don't those things (whammy or tremolo bars) throw the guitar out of tune?' Of course they throw it out of tune, it's what they are supposed to do!"

I was very pleased to pick up one of the few available signed CD's.

First Set: 1. Been So Long 2. Hesitation Blues 3. Angel Of Darkness 4. Children Of Zion 5. Bowlegged Woman 6. Second Chances 7. Goodbye To The Blues 8. Rock Me Baby 9. A Little Faster 10. Mourning Interrupted 11. Hit Single #1

Second Set: 1. I See The Light 2. 99 Year Blues 3. Easy Now Revisited 4. Smokerise Journey 5. Good Shepherd 6. Keep Your Lamps Trimmed And Burning 7. Things That Might Have Been 8. Vicksburg Stomp 9. If This Is Love 10. Funky # 7 11. Encore: Preaching On The Old Campground

HOT TUNA
Album review: "Steady as She Goes"
In 1959, Washington had a teenage rock-and-roll band called the Triumphs. Then, in 1965, two former Triumphs, Jorma Kaukonen and Jack Casady, joined a new San Francisco band called the Jefferson Airplane, experimenting with ways to electrify the blues.
The Airplane has come and gone, but Hot Tuna, a spinoff band formed by Kaukonen and Casady in 1969, has never stopped gigging, releasing its first studio album in 21 years — and its best since 1972 — with “Steady as She Goes.” Hot Tuna — Kaukonen, Casady, mandolinist Barry Mitterhoff and drummer Skoota Warner — is joined by producer Larry Campbell, who clarifies the band’s often cluttered sound, allowing Kaukonen’s sparkling guitar lines and Casady’s surprisingly melodic bass lines to shine through.
Hot Tuna nods to its roots with a version of “Goodbye to the Blues” by Marshall Wilborn of the Johnson Mountain Boys, while Kaukonen and Campbell’s co-written “Angel of Darkness” contemplates sin and mortality with stomping blues-rock. By contrast, Kaukonen’s “Things That Might Have Been” is a lovely folk ballad about familial trauma during his teen years in D.C. And, fittingly, the band’s take on Mark Markham & the Jesters’ “If This Is Love” is the kind of garage-rock gem that might have been played by the Triumphs.
--Geoffrey Himes, Washington Post April 29, 2011

Easter Basketball

We had a wonderful Easter Sunday beginning with Scrambled Egg wraps and candy for breakfast. Then off to Church at Our Lady of the Fields. We arrive at my Mother-in-Law's place around 2pm and were joined by the Stowell and Maddox family.
After dinner Steve and I challenged our 2 boys to a basketball 2 on 2 game. Jack went out and bought a new ball for the event and we proceeded to Crofton Elementary School for the game. Before there was even a score in the game I managed to trip chasing a ball out of bounds and must have hit a pebble or something and torn a bunch of skin off my palm. very painful but I taped it up and continued to play. The boys took the first game handily but Steve and I came roaring back and won the second. Then in final game of the best of three, it started pouring rain and the match was declared at tie. The boys were up 5-2 at the time and think they won. We've agreed to have a rematch on mother's day in a couple of weeks.

Snorkling in Cancun

About 2pm Wednesday we decided it was time for our first adventure. So we jumped on the bus and headed to Aqua World where we purchased tickets for the Jungle tour. It was a 2 1/2 hour tour on jet ski's for snorkeling. There were like 10 in our group with a Mexican who called himself Tarzan leading the tour. It took about 40 minutes to ride out to the reef were we would snorkel. Jamie had a great time driving. When we arrived at the snorkel area. Tarzan tied all the jet ski's together and distributed the snorkeling gear. As everyone enters the water not 6 inches from Jamie's face swims about a 36 inch barracuda. Poor girl was petrified. The fish then swam under the jet ski's and the whole group was checking him out. You could see his big teeth. It was kind of scary. We snorkeled around the reef for about half an hour, saw many beautiful schools of fish along with the gorgeous reef formations. Then we all loaded back onto the jet ski's for the return trip to Aqua World. We hadn't even been on them for 2 minutes when Jamie hits a big wave and throws me from the back. I had a kill switch on and the boat stopped and I was able to get back on. Bad thing was I lost my nice sunglasses. They had taken some pictures of us on the way out. These are the photos.

We hit happy hour again, had a couple drinks and then caught the bus to Margaretville for dinner. We got a couple salads and then shared some skewers that were chicken, shrimp and beef served with a  bed of rice. We hung there for a couple hours dancing a little and people watching. It was fun. We got back to the room around 10:30. I was really feeling the most sunburned I have all week. Only had 4 hours in the sun but had only used 15 SPF. The sunscreen is so expensive I'm having a hard time buying it. I think I will have to splurge on Thursday and pick up some more 30 SPF sunscreen.

Hot Tuna at George Mason

Went to see the legendary band Hot Tuna with friends last night at George Mason University in Northern VA. Arrived a little late and missed about half the first set. The second set really rocked.

First Set Acoustic:

1. River Of Time
2. Hesitation Blues
3. Second Chances
4. Uncle Sam Blues
5. Nine Pound Hammer
6. Trashcan Tomcat with Jim, Jack, and Barry
7. Good Together with Jim Lauderdale, GE Smith and the Tuna Boys
8. Alligator Alley
9. Headed For The Hills with Jim, Charlie Musselwhite, GE Smith and the Tuna Boys
10. Sad And Beautiful World with Charlie, Jim, GE, Skoota Warner and the boys
11. Red River Blues
Second Set Electric:
1. I Wish You Would
2. Children Of Zion
3. Eyesight To The Blind With GE
4. Goodbye To The Blues
5. If This Is Love, I Want My Money Back
6. If I Should Have Bad Luck with Charlie Musselwhite
7. Where Highway 61 Runs with CM
8. Cristo Redentor with CM
9. Jawbone with Jim Lauderdale and Charlie Musselwhite
10. Come Back Baby with all
11. Encore: Baby What You Want Me To Do?

G.E Smith of Saturday Night Live fame played with the Band. He stole the show at a couple points during the second set. This guy can work that Fender Telecaster better than most.

Mellencamp Concert in DC

Took Maureen to see John Mellencamp on Tuesday at DAR Constitution hall. We had a nice dinner beforehand at McCormick and Schmick's on 12th Street.

No Better Than This Tour.
Authority Song, No One Cares About me, Death Letter, John Cockers, Walk Tall, The West End, Check it Out, Save Some Time to dream, Cherry Bomb, Don't Need This Body, Right Behind Me, Jackie Brown, Longest Days, Easter Eve, Jack and Diane, Small Town, New Hymn, Rain on the Scarecrow, Paper in Fire, The Real Life, What if I Came Knocking, If I Die Sudden, No Better Than This, Pink Houses, R.O.C.K. in the U.S.A.

30 Ways to Make Today a Good Day

Yesterday is history and tomorrow is merely a figment of your imagination.  So if you think about it, today is the only day you’re truly alive.  Here’s how to make it a good one:

1. Get started a few minutes early.
2. Work on something that’s meaningful to you.
3. Complete an important piece of unfinished business.
4. Spend time with positive, friendly people.
5. Do something nice for someone else.
6. Be present. Focus on where you are, what you’re doing and who you’re with right now.
7. Do one thing at a time.
8. Listen to your self-talk.  When you hear negative thoughts, think about the positive side of things.
9. Smile, even when there’s no pressing reason to do so.
10. Unplug.  Entertain yourself with real-world experiences.
11. Go somewhere new.  See something new.  Meet someone new.
12. Do something that makes you laugh.
13. Challenge your mind. Learn a new skill
14. Challenge your body.  Exercise for 30 minutes.
15. Let someone help you.
16. Clear a little clutter by getting rid of something you don’t need.
17. Be honest with yourself and those around you.
18. Don’t compare yourself to others.  Instead, let them inspire you.
19. Spend a few minutes alone in silence, just thinking.
20. Focus on solutions.
21. Keep an open mind to new ideas and information.
22. Handle important two-minute tasks immediately.
23. Stay out of other people’s drama.  And don’t needlessly create your own.
24. Say, “Please,” “Thank you,” “I’m sorry” and “I love you,” when you should.
25. Don’t try to please everyone.  Just do what you know is right.
26. Eat a healthy breakfast, lunch and dinner.
27. Savor the natural joy of simple pleasures.
28. Notice what’s right with the world.
29. Focus on all the things you already have, think about them and appreciate them.
30. Get to sleep a little earlier tonight so you’re well rested tomorrow.

And remember, a smile is the most beautiful curve on the human body.  So go now and strut your stuff.

Bill Murray Wins at Pebble Beach

Stuart Franklin/Getty Images

D.A. Points, left, poses after winning his first PGA Tour title with pro-am partner Bill Murray, who played iconic greenskeeper Carl Spackler in the comedy classic "Caddyshack."

 

My brother Mark and I went to this event in 2000.  I got Bill Murray and Scott Simpson autographs on my ticket. We enjoyed following Bill Murray who cuts it up great with the crowds. People think he's there as a goofball. HE takes his game more serious than folks think. Congrats Bill

A Christmas Wish

Thanksgiving Family Portrait

This is a family picture Dan Maddox took of us on Thanksgiving day at Joyce Buswell's home.

Navy vs Maryland Football Game

Took my brother Paul and his wife Yoko along with Maureen, Jenna and Nephew Zachary to the Navy vs Maryland football game today.
It was a great back and forth game. Navy really outplayed Maryland and pretty much gave the game away with 2 fumbles inside the 5 yard line.
Here's the recap:


BALTIMORE -- Navy dominated the time of possession, outgained Maryland by nearly 200 yards and made 15 more first downs.
None of this lessened the enjoyment the Terrapins derived from their 17-14 victory Monday.
Kenny Tate stopped Ricky Dobbs at the goal line with 34 seconds left, and Maryland stunned their in-state rivals to break a seven-game losing streak that began last October.

"Perseverance. That's all we've been preaching all summer," Terrapins linebacker Alex Wujciak said. "We knew we were going to face adversity in a game like this, we knew there would be plays when they gained a lot of yards. We just had to overcome it."

The Midshipmen (0-1) held the ball for nearly 19 minutes longer than Maryland (1-0), amassed 485 yards and collected 26 first downs. But in a game influenced by untimely turnovers and huge penalties, the outcome was decided by a gritty goal-line stand.
Trailing 17-14 with a fourth down at the 1, Navy decided to go for the win. Dobbs took the snap, went to his left and was met by Tate, who would not relent to the momentum Dobbs brought to the line.
"We should have kicked the field goal to send it into overtime," coach Ken Niumatalolo said. "In hindsight, we should have just kicked the ball."
Earlier in the drive, Dobbs was stopped on a third-and-8. But Maryland's Adrian Moten was flagged for grabbing the facemask on the play, and the Midshipmen advanced until Tate's big play.
"I thought I was going to be able to get it outside," Dobbs said. "I felt 100 percent confident that we were going to be able to punch it in."
Coming off a 2-10 season, the Terrapins came in as underdogs against a Navy team that went 10-4 and beat Missouri in the Texas Bowl.
But Maryland raced to a 14-0 lead in the first quarter and then held on behind a defense that repeatedly excelled after Navy got inside the 20.
The Midshipmen had a 7 1/2-minute edge in time of possession in the first half, yet trailed 14-7 after coming up empty on drives of 52, 63 and 66 yards.
In the second half, Dobbs lost a fumble at the Maryland 1 and was stuffed by Tate on the game's pivotal play.
"We had a lot of opportunities," Niumatalolo said. "We left 31 points on the field."
Dobbs ran for 63 yards and a touchdown, but the senior quarterback fumbled three times -- losing two of them at the Maryland 1.
"I take sole responsibility for the occurrences here today," Dobbs said. "I didn't get the job done."
Niumatalolo said, "He's human. He's done some great things for us and won a lot of games for us. We all make mistakes. I made one at the end of the game."
There were plenty by both teams.
"Both of us turned the ball over when we wouldn't want to," Maryland coach Ralph Friedgen said. "Last year, we probably wouldn't have won this game. We found a way to hang in there. Hopefully, this will build confidence and be a positive experience for them."
Maryland never trailed despite allowing the Midshipmen to amass 429 yards rushing.
"I can't remember a time when we rushed for 400 yards and lost," Niumatalolo said. "There's no consolation in moving the ball."
Navy didn't punt until early in the fourth quarter, and the short kick was returned 57 yards by Tony Logan to the Navy 16.
Maryland promptly fumbled the ball away on a missed exchange involving backup quarterback Danny O'Brien -- his only play of the game.
"We wanted to get Danny in the game," Friedgen said.
The Midshipmen pulled even at 14 with 1:52 left in the third quarter when Dobbs scored from the 1 on a drive that began with wide receiver Greg Jones running 53 yards on a reverse.
A crowd of 69,348 showed up for the second meeting between the teams since 1965. There's no telling when the next matchup between the two will be held.

Jimmy Buffett 2010

Went to see Jimmy Buffett this past Saturday at Jiffy Lube Live in Bristow Virginia.
We invited Jamie and her friend Jackie along with us.We left Crofton around 11am an spent the day at the pool of the Quality Inn near the venue with a bunch of friends. Had lots of fun and meet some interesting people. A charter bus picked us all up around 6pm and drove us over to the show. Jamie and her friend sat on the lawn while Maureen and I had a couple nice pavilion seats. Show was great. Here is the Set List:

1  Nobody From Nowhere (with Sonny Landreth)
2  Piece Of Work (with Sonny Landreth)
3  Knees Of My Heart
4  Wings
5  It's Five O'Clock Somewhere
6  Bama Breeze (with Sonny Landreth)
7  Window On The World (with Sonny Landreth)
8  Volcano
9  Changes In Latitudes, Changes In Attitudes
10  Where The Boat Leaves From
11  One Particular Harbour
12  Brown Eyed Girl
13  Brahma Fear (Jimmy acoustic)
14  Why Don't We Get Drunk and Screw (Jimmy and Mac acoustic)
15  It's My Job (Jimmy and Mac acoustic)
16  Mexico
17  Creola (featuring Nadirah Shakoor)
18  Gypsies In The Palace (with the poem)
19  Son Of A Son Of A Sailor
20  Come Monday
21  Cheeseburger In Paradise
22  A Pirate Looks At Forty
23  Back Where I Come From (featuring Mac McAnally)
24  Woman Goin’ Crazy On Caroline Street
25  Southern Cross
26  Margaritaville (with the Lost Verse)
  
   First Encore
  
   Band Intros: Tina Gullickson, Nadirah Shakoor, Ralph MacDonald, Peter Mayer, Sonny Landreth, Doyle Grisham, Mac McAnally, Roger Guth, Jim Mayer, Robert Greenidge, Johnny Lovell, Michael Utley
  
27  Scarlet Begonias (with Sonny Landreth)
28  Fins
  
   Second Encore
29  He Went To Paris 

Golf at The Pointe

Played a round of Golf today at The Pointe Golf Club in the Outer Banks.
Was paired with an interesting fellow from Canada. We had lots of interesting conversation about various number of topics. When I asked what he did he told me that he did the national weather for the Weather channel in Canada.

After a brief career as an actor, Patrick de Bellefeuille joined the Weather Channel just before the wave in the grafted chain specializing in 1988. Already passionate communication he soon developed a great interest in weather and climate change. In a competition of weather presenters in Paris in 1996, he met a group of scientists and weather presenters of the 4 corners of the world who dedicate themselves to the disclosure of information on climate change among the general public.Over the following years he won at the competitions, 3 in 4 equity prices and the price of Presenters (1996) and 2 times the big prize of the event (1997 and 2003)
For over 10 years Patrick has annually participated in international conferences on climate change either as participant or a speaker. He also spent several weeks in two years, first from the Amundsen icebreaker Canadian who is studying the impact of climate change on the Arctic, to produce over 20 shows and over 30 capsules daily calls on the subject, broadcast on the Weather Channel. It is also thanks to him that the chain has the mandate to popularize, for viewers, various weather phenomena in the context of a capsule called Weather 101.

Disgruntled Teamster Kills 8 in Hartford

MANCHESTER, Conn. (AP) — The warehouse driver who fatally shot eight co-workers and himself at a beer distributorship apparently targeted managers who had hired a private detective to tail him and forced him to resign because he stole beer from work, police said Wednesday.

Omar Thornton's girlfriend, meanwhile, told The Associated Press that he had complained of racial harassment and had shared evidence of it with her: photos of racist bathroom graffiti and a surreptitiously monitored conversation allegedly involving company managers.

Thornton carried two 9 mm handguns to Hartford Distributors inside his lunch box Tuesday and left a shotgun in his car, police said. At a disciplinary hearing, he watched video that showed him stealing beer and then resigned after being asked whether he wanted to quit or be fired.

He then asked for a drink of water and went to a kitchenette where his lunch box was, Manchester police Lt. Christopher Davis said Wednesday. He took out his guns, walked out into the hall and began shooting immediately, Davis said. All the weapons were registered, he said.

The first people shot were managers or executives involved in Thornton's firing, Davis said. It's not clear whether every victim was targeted or whether some were shot randomly, Davis said.

Thornton left the office area and went into a large section of the warehouse where more victims were found, Davis said. He chased one or more of them outside into a parking lot, shot a locked glass door to get back into the building and continued shooting.

One man who was fatally shot tried to evade Thornton on a forklift, which crashed into an electrical conduit and started a small fire, Davis said.

Thornton also passed by at least two people and did not shoot them, Davis said, including one woman in a wheelchair. In all, Thornton killed eight people and wounded two others.

Finally, Thornton called his mother to say goodbye, said his uncle Wilbert Holliday. Thornton, who is black, had complained of racial harassment for months to family and friends and indicated he did target people — but because they had harassed him.

"I shot the racists that was bothering me," he told his mother.

Police found Thornton dead in an office.

Davis revealed Wednesday that the company had hired a private investigator to follow Thornton outside of work for a few weeks after becoming suspicious that he was stealing. The amount of beer Thornton took wasn't clear.

Holliday said his nephew told his family that he was the only black employee at the company. None of the victims were black, Davis said.

Friends and family of those who died said they couldn't imagine their loved ones doing what Thornton said, and the company and union said Thornton never reported any harassment.

Among the people shot were several in positions of responsibility at Hartford Distributors.

Steve Hollander, 50, was a member of the family that owns the company and met with Thornton at the disciplinary hearing. Hollander was shot twice but survived.

The dead also included Bryan Cirigliano, 51, of Newington. He was the president of Teamsters 1035 and had been Thornton's representative at the hearing. Another slain worker, Louis Felder, was operations director, according to The Stamford Advocate.

Other victims were Doug Scruton, 56; Bill Ackerman, 51; Francis Fazio Jr., 57; Edwin Kennison, 49; Craig Pepin, 60; and Victor James, 60.

Jerome Rosenstein, 77, was wounded and in serious condition Wednesday at Hartford Hospital.

Kristi Hannah, 26, Thornton's girlfriend of eight years, said he had told her months ago that he was racially harassed, and he showed her photos he took with his cell phone. One was a drawing on a bathroom wall of a stick figure with a noose around the neck and a racial slur, she told the AP. Another scrawl said the writer hated black people and had Thornton's name on it, she said.

One day, Hannah said, he called her from a bathroom stall and held up his phone. She said she could hear a company official, apparently unaware Thornton was in a stall, tell someone else that the company was going to "get rid of this dumb n-----."

Brett Hollander, who also works at Hartford Distributors, has denied any charges of racism.

"I can assure you there has never been any racial discrimination at our company," he said.

Said Hannah: "He was being racially profiled and no one would listen to him."

Hannah said Thornton gave her a long hug and kiss goodbye on the morning of the shooting. He looked dazed and confused, so she asked him whether something was wrong, but he said no.

"I think he did it because of the racial stuff," she said, adding that Thornton "said he was very hurt."

One driver at the company who was killed, Kennison, had mentioned Thornton before but never in a derogatory way, said Mark McCorrison, a close friend. Kennison was not the type to make bigoted remarks, he said.

"I can tell you right now: Eddie is not that person," McCorrison said.

Pepin, also a driver, was never angry, let alone someone who showed any hint of racism or bigotry, said a neighbor who knew him for 25 years.

"Craig, who was active as a coach in town with all kids — all races of kids — for years, he didn't care. He just worked with the kids," Ted Jenny said. "There was no way Craig Pepin was racist."

Steve Hollander told the AP on Tuesday that the people Thornton targeted appeared to be "absolutely random."

"He killed so many good people today for absolutely no reason at all. People who've never said an unkind word to him," he said. "He was just shooting at anyone that was near him and just cruelty beyond cruelty."

Hartford Distributors never had any complaints filed against it, the Connecticut Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities said.

The company was meeting privately with employees on Wednesday, Brett Hollander said. He said other beer distributors had offered to make deliveries for Hartford Distributors while the warehouse is shut down.

A funeral for Felder, who is Orthodox Jewish, was scheduled for Wednesday afternoon in Stamford.

A Mass to remember all the victims was planned for Wednesday evening at St. Margaret Mary Church in South Windsor.
___

Christoffersen reported from Enfield, Conn. Associated Press writers Mark Scolforo in Hartford, Conn.; Lynne Tuohy in Concord, N.H.; and Eric Tucker in Providence, R.I., contributed to this report.

Racial .... Are you kidding me... Did his race cause him to be a thief? Did his race cause him to murder someone... If his realtives felt he was becoming a nut case, then they should have done something to get him some counceling. Typical deadbeat trying not to accept responsibility for something he did and pull the perverbial "Race" card and blame it on the white guy....
He was nothing but a thief and now a murderer.
Prayers to his victims families.

One of the dead was a Teamster Shop Steward.

This is exactly why when we do termination meetings we insist that the company never give the final decision across the table. I find it much easier to give a member bad news over the telephone.

The Kindle

After the release of the Apple I Pad, Amazon cut the price on the Kindle to $189. I found one on Ebay for $139. Recently they were selling refurbished ones on Amazon for $109. At 10.2 ounces, Kindle is lighter than a typical paperback and as thin as most magazines. Barely a third of an inch in profile, you'll find Kindle fits perfectly in your hands. Kindle is as easy to hold and use as a book. We designed it with long-form reading in mind. When reading for long periods of time, people naturally shift positions and often like to read with one hand. Kindle's page-turning buttons are located on both sides, allowing you to read and turn pages comfortably with one hand from any position.

The page-turn buttons now flex inward to prevent any accidental page turns when picking up or handling Kindle. Kindle has a new easy-to-use 5-way controller, enabling precise on-screen navigation for selecting text to highlight or looking up words. Kindle is completely wireless and ready to use right out of the box--no setup, no cables, no computer required.
I really like the Kindle. There are plenty of free classics to download and bestsellers usually only cost $7-10. You can also play audio books or music through the device. The first book I'm reading is "Unplugged" My Journey into the dark world of Video Game Addiction, By Ryan Van Cleave. I'll review the book once I'm finished.

Saturday's Yard Sale Finds

Not a bad week hitting the yard sale circuit. Actually we have been staying out of Bowie and focusing on Anne Arundel county. The only drawback is that there is much more driving involved. This week we put about 100 miles on our car. Not pictured are a bunch of plants we picked up at two different sales early in the day. There were about a dozen pots ranging from .50c to $2. Maureen planted most of it in the afternoon.
Here are some of the finds.

• Windows Server 2003 has to be one of the best find ever. Free. Resale value of $100 +
• Windows Commerce Server 2002 Free Resale value of $80-100
• Frontpage book Official Microsoft one Free
• 2 John Grisham Novels $1 each
• 4 Disney Movies .25c each
• Targus wheeling Laptop Catalog legal bag. $2 resale 50+
• 3 laptops HP and 2 dells. Bought all three for $12 Can resell for 25-40 each for parts
• Altec Lansing computer speakers. My set took a dump last week. $5
• Took another chance on DVD player for Jamie. This time it was only $3
• Dell keyboard $1 Need spare

• John Deere shirt. Brand New $1 Looks to big resell
• Nice Gore-Tex North Face Jacket $10 should resale for $30-40
• 3 Boy Scout Shorts $1 each these go from $5-10 each
• Backgammon $2 We'll leave that at the beach next weekend
• Livescribe 4gb Note pen set. $30 resale of $150 +
• 6 pairs of shoes $1-2 each 
• Maureen bought the flat screen HD TV for our guest room. She did real well talking the lady down from $25-18

Saturday's Yard Sale Finds

We found this Oriental Rug in a Golf Course Community in Severna Park. There was a $199 price tag on the back. Only a couple years old very good condition. I needed soemthing to replace the nasty rug in my computer room. They were asking $50. I got it for $30.

Found these 2 nice dresses for Jenna. She has many formal events coming up in a few weeks. As well as homecoming in the fall. Black dress was never worn had $79.99 tag in it. Purple was worn once. They were asking $40 and $8. I got both for $20.

2 pair of Levis Ladies Premium Denim Jeans 2$ pair
Vera Bradley tote bag and wallet $1 Used I can get 10 for it.
DVD player for Jamie. Took a chance here. $5 Didn't work.... Trash
Windows XP Home edition. 2$ Never used. resale value of $40-50
2 Frontpage 2003 Books $1
Blackberry curve. $2. Took a chance here too. Have it listed as broken. Should get $10-20
Timex Ladies Ironman. $1 need battery.
Bag of nice sunglasses. 7 pair $5
New baseball cleats $2

17 Pairs of Shoes. Never pay more than $2 for shoes. The exception was the 3 pair of size 16. Red wing boots in the back, and the 2 pair in front of them. I paid $10 for the 3. Hard to find size might sell good. Many of these were had for a buck.

Love - Cirque du Soleil - Las Vegas

Maureen and I went to see Love at the Mirage during our stay in Las Vegas this week. Glad I bought the cheap seats because when we got to the theater we were told that the balcony was closed and our seats were being upgraded. They moved us into nice seats 5 rows from the stage.
This is not your typical "Cirque" show. They are pretty mundane in relation to this one. Not an "all eyes on 2-3 performers" kinda thing, but rather a myriad of performances occurring simultaneously, all playing a part in a bigger picture. This show basically does a montage look at the Beatles through the years. With back story (abstractly) for the songs they have written and performed. It is a "magical mystery tour" of the best the Beatles have to offer. Starting with the War years in England all the way through the 70's. Seats have built in speakers so you get a wonderful musical experience as well as a visual smorgasbord. The orchestration between music and choreography is delightful. The show keeps "the music" as the star attraction. There was never any specific performer that completely dominated the stage area for any given time. Everything that was done, was done strictly in accordance to the music and the legacy of the Beatles. If you are a fan of the Beatles, as I am; then you will THOROUGHLY enjoy this show. No doubt about it.