Fun at Work Day

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On Dirty-Dancing Monday

Another weekend has gone. Hopefully, the last blast of cold weather has left us. How was your weekend? Come on … inquiring minds want to know!

Surprise, surprise – ours was full with my work, a night of ballroom (where we struggled as both of us were very tired), a trip to IKEA (I’ve never seen so many people in any store at one time), dinner at a friend’s house, and Quickstep formation practice.

Considering that this week is the opening for Meals: The Musical, the start of a new month, our wedding anniversary, and the Easter weekend, this could be a week of posts that are out of the routine – in other words, time will tell how it unfolds. Meanwhile, I have my share of work to catch up on visiting.

A reminder that Opening Night for Meals: The Musical is Wednesday, 9:30 pm (Eastern US). Songs for Act 1 must include any of the following words in the title: Meal(s), Breakfast, Lunch, Lunchtime, Brunch, Dinner, Dinnertime, Supper, Snack, Snacktime, or Food(s).

Thanks to those providing corrections regarding the rollover information in the sidebar featuring other blogs.

Celebrations for Your Week

  • (Week) Nano Day, Week of the Ocean – (Starting Wed) Publicity Stunt Week, Be Kind to Spiders Week, Popper Scooper Week, Golden Rule Week, Laugh at Work Week, Medication Safety Week, Testicular Cancer Awareness Week
  • (Mon) Turkey Neck Soup Day, Hot Dog Day, Pencil with an Eraser Day, Egg Incubator Day, Double-Deck Bridge Day, Alaska Purchase Day, Bi-Polar Day, Take a Walk in the Park Day, Van Gogh Day, I Am in Control Day, No Homework Day, Doctors Day, Grass is Always Browner on the Other Side of the Fence
  • (Tues) Coloring Crayon Day, Bunsen Burner Day, Sleep Apnea Day, Hug a Medielvalist Day, Eiffel Tower Day, Tater Day, Clams on the Half-shell Day, Orange & Lemons Day
  • (Wed) April Fools Day, Fun Day, Boomer Bonus Days, Tatting Day, Library Snap Shot Day, Myles Day, Day of Hope, Fun at Work Day, Walking Day, Poetry & the Creative Mind Day, Reading is Funny Day, Whole Grain Sampling Day, Sourdough Bread Day, Check Your Batteries Day, Sliced Bread Day, One Cent Day, Lupus Alert Day, Dollar Sign Day, Apple Computer Day, Dishwasher Day, Belerusian Day
  • (Thurs) Ferret Day, Autism Awareness Day, Reconciliation Day, Peanut Butter & Jelly Day, Love Your Produce Manager Day, Children’s Book Day, Yo-Yo Day, Youth & Teen Hockey Day

Here’s another relatively new commercial to start your week, which I happened to see shortly after selecting last week’s Monday video. Have you seen this one?  (There is a short version.) Have a good rest of the week.

 

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Opinions in the Shorts: Vol. 249

Embed from Getty Images

Although reporters love to ask Sarah Palin (R-AK) if she’ll seek the presidency in 2016, I declare that Nincompoop will not run because doing so would ruin her diminishing brand. Besides, her recent speech in Iowa even caused conservative media pundit Sean Hannity scratched his head. Then again, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) stated, She’do great. She predictably blamed the lame-stream media for pre-planning any criticism of her speech. Good night Nincompoop, turn out the lights as the party is over.

Given the topic, I expected yesterday’s post about Congress’s operating budget wouldn’t get much traction … then again, my purpose was to increase awareness.

Here are two outstanding interactives

Earlier this week marked the 70th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, yet the reports of this human embarrassment remain chilling. As the survivors dwindle in number, I can only hope that humanity never forgets. Here’s a story about a survivor on his return trip this year – actually, his first.

Here’s a strong opinion about an upcoming Supreme Court ruling about housing.

If all goes as planned, Life: The Musical comes to an end. I’ll announce the final act’s theme on the next Monday Morning Entertainment.

Several ideas are vying for the next musical, but time will tell the choice.

Online comments in posts and articles are in a world of their own – especially at the major publications. I like the invitation to comment by Barry Ritholz.

Please use the comments to demonstrate your own ignorance, unfamiliarity with empirical data and lack of respect for scientific knowledge. Be sure to create straw men and argue against things I have neither said nor implied. If you could repeat previously discredited memes or steer the conversation into irrelevant, off topic discussions, it would be appreciated. Lastly, kindly forego all civility in your discourse . . . you are, after all, anonymous.

Sunday is Super Bowl XLIX. Did you know that next year will be the first Super Bowl using standard numbers?

No Saturday Morning Cartoon or Explore post this weekend. Given a new month lies ahead, Saturday’s post is dedicated to February. After all, given only 28 days in the month, time is valuable.

To lead you into The Onion, here’s their blizzard survival tips and a list of the least inspiring biographical movies.

On This Week’s Headlines from The Onion
Family lets cars come inside during snowstorm
Nation’s historians warn the past is expanding at alarming rate
Man’s area code provides exciting glimpse at past life
Postal Service unveils new stamp honoring Americans who still use Postal Service
Republicans address income inequality with middle class hot stock tip
Study links negative Tweets to more heart disease

Interesting Reads

Your Weekend Celebrations

  • (Fri) Inane Answering Message Day, Yodel for Your Neighbors Day, Escape Day, Jazz Day, Snagglepuss Day (a Saturday honoree), Fun at Work Day, Croissant Day, Pre-School Fitness Day
  • (Sat) Inspire Your Heart with Art Day, Seed Swap Day, Backwards Day, Hell is Freezing Over Day, Brandy Alexander Day, Street Children Day, Child Labor Day, Appreciate Your Social Security Check Day
  • (Sun) Working Naked Day, Serpent Day, Spunky Old Broads Day, Popcorn Day, Rare Disease Day, Car Insurance Day, Change Your Passwords Day, Decorating with Candy Day, Baked Alaska Day, Hula in the Coola Day, Women’s Heart Day, Freedom from Slavery Day, G.I. Joe Day, Royal Canadian Mounted Police Day, Skippy Peanut Butter Day, Girls & Women in Sports Day, Face & Body Art Day, Robinson Crusoe Day, Super Bowl XLIX

To send you into the weekend, here’s a classic from a classic artist who needs no introduction. Have a safe weekend and in the words of Garrison Keillor, Be well, do good work, and keep in touch.

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On a Music Monday

How was your weekend? Come on now … tell us about it.

A cool, dreary weekend here, but those in the northeast US are getting ready to get hammered with a mega-snow. Good luck to my readers up there!

Our weekend had a variety that included dancing, seeing the movie The Theory of Everything (an awesome movie), and ushering at the Cincinnati Playhouse for Ring of Fire: The Music of Johnny Cash. The play featured songs from the American country-music icon while telling a story about his life. Fabulous voices and musicians (which I think were better than this local review). Do you know this song?

Celebrations for your week

  • (Week) Kiss a Shark Week, Leprosy Awareness Week, Clean Out Your Inbox Week, Cowboy Poetry Gathering Week, Snow Sculpturing Week, Glaucoma Awareness Week, Meat Week, Hot Air Balloon Week, Nurse Anesthetists Week
  • (Mon) Clashing Clothes Day, Bubble Wrap Appreciation Day, Peanut Brittle Day, Toad Hollow Day of Encouragement, Australia Day, Television Day, Lotus 1-2-3 Day, Rocky Mountain National Park Day,
  • (Tues) Mad Tea Party Day, Thomas Crapper Day, Day of Commemoration in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust Day, Mozart Day, Fun at Work Day, Chocolate Cake Day, National Geographic Day, Punch the Clock Day
  • (Wed) Kazoo Day, Pop Art Day, Data Privacy Day, Daisy Day, Challenger Remembrance Day, Blueberry Pancake Day, Ernie’s Day, Thank a Pluggin Developer Day
  • (Thurs) Curmudgeons Day, Freethinkers Day, Puzzle Day, Seeing Eye Dog Day, Carnations Day, Corn Chip Day

The above celebrations provide multiple opportunities to start your week, but I know many of the readers here love a sing along. Have a good week … and hopefully I can read more of your posts than I have been!

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On the Way to Rebalancing

Greetings to you on one of Cincinnati’s favorite days – Opening Day for baseball. No city embraces the season’s start as Cincinnati, and weather should be warm. Until Major League Baseball decided to focus on money over tradition, Cincinnati always opened the season. I’m contemplating taking time away from the task at hand to spend some time downtown, but only time will tell if I follow through with that thought.

How was your weekend? Come on now …. tell us about it.

We had an evening on the ballroom floor and attended a going-away party for a friend. Sandwiched between those two events was our continuing effort of unpacking and organization.

A huge thank you to those who participated in my extended Exploring series that took readers on a journey from the far reaches of the universe, then toward Earth, and finally landing on our planet with a trip around the world. It was fun to put together. Although I wasn’t replying to comments, I kept up with the reading, so thanks for the smiles you caused.

I will ease myself back into posting this week with at least three posts. Then again, I leave the door open to more.

Celebrations this week

  • (Week) Week of the Ocean, Root Canal Awareness Week, Be Kind to Spiders Week, Publicity Stunt Week, Scoop the Poop Week, Golden Rule Week, Laugh at Work Week, Testicular Cancer Awareness Week, Straw Hat Week
  • (Mon) Sleep Apnea Day, Orange & Lemons Day, Clams on the Half Shell Day, Tater Day, She’s Funny That Way Day, Bunsen Burner Day
  • (Tues) April Fools Day, Boomer Bonus Day, Myles Day, Library Snap-Shot Day, Fun at Work Day, Reading is Funny Day, St. Stupid Day, Sliced Bread Day, Sourdough Bread Day, Poetry & the Creative Mind Day
  • (Wed) Ferret Day, Children’s Book Day, Day of Hope, Whole Grain Sampling Day, Walking Day, Peanut Butter & Jelly Day, Autism Day, Love Your Produce Manager Day
  • (Thurs) Party Day, Find a Rainbow Day, Tweed Day, Pony Express Day, Weed Out Hate – Sow the Seeds of Greatness Day, Don’t Go to Work Unless It’s Fun Day, Chocolate Mousse Day

The past six weeks have been a whirlwind, but we are working toward the normal balance in our life … however, no way I will ever be this balanced. Have a good week!

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Opinions in the Shorts: Vol. 209

On Politics
Here are my key reasons why I did not watch the State of the Union (SOTU):

  • It’s a collection of applause lines over many topics with little substance
  • Congressional behavior is predictably pathetic (Suggestion: Stand and clap at the beginning; sit, listen, and be quiet; stand and clap at the end, then leave to run to the cameras)
  • The SOTU is a Constitutional requirement, but the opposing party’s response is nothing more than political grandstanding
  • I’m unhappy with the both parties

Given the predictable responses by both sides in Congress, I ask them this question about their legislative prowess: Which is worse: Sending a bill to the other chamber knowing they won’t act or not acting on a bill that was sent?

Here are a few fact checks on the speech: Fact Check, PolitFact, Fact Checker, Politico, and ABC News.

The Onion took this great picture during the SOTU.

The past week delivered Michelle Bachmann (R-MN) declaring President Obama started the war on women, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) blaming Democrats (again) on the government shutdown, Mike Huckabee (R-AK) making a ridiculous statement about libido, and the Arizona Republican Party censuring their senior senator from their own party, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ).

I said it before and it’s time to say it again: China carrying the bulk of US debt is a common misconception. Here’s the breakdown.

On This Week’s Headlines from The Onion

  • Dad Delivers State of the Union Rebuttal Directly into Television Screen
  • Increasingly Worried Man Hasn’t Yet Come Across any Guacamole in Burrito
  • Area Grandma Enjoys Flourishing Correspondence with Mailer-Daemon
  • Best, Most-Original Idea Man Ever Had Returns 14,000 Google Search Results
  • Spookiest Sound Effect Grammy Goes to Lord Chillingsworth

Interesting Reads

On Potpourri
The anticipated debate between science advocate Bill Nye and Answers in Genesis President Ken Ham is approaching, and no doubt will deliver a narrow view, thus providing a false choice. Here’s an article.

The recent Grammy Awards were big news. The show now focuses on performances and promotion over the awards. After all, there are over 80 categories, and how many did they broadcast? 10?

The AFA musical production for 2014 will be …. (click here for the drum roll) …. Life: The Musical. The production date TBA.

The Explorer of the Seas, the Royal Caribbean ship in the news with the recent norovirus, is the ship we were on this fall in Canada …. and no, the news doesn’t discourage me from cruising with Royal Caribbean in the future.

FYI for those living in/near metropolitan areas: When needing a new appliance, don’t forget the local independent dealer. We went to one and discovered the big-box stores were NOT close on price!

Here are your weekend celebrations

(Fri) Brandy Alexander Day, Fun at Work Day, Backward Day, Inspire Your Heart with Art Day, Hell Freezes Over Day, Baked Alaska Day, Working Naked Day

(Sat) Serpent Day, Freedom Day, Hula in the Coola Day, Robinson Crusoe Day, Change Your Password Day, Decorating with Candy Day, GI Joe Day, Ice Cream for Breakfast Day, Spunky Old Broads Day, Take Your Child to the Library Day, Face and Body Day

(Sun) Crepe Day, Dump Your Significant Jerk Day, Groundhog Day, Groundhog Job Shadow Day, Hedgehog Day, Sled Dog Day, Play Your Ukulele Day, Wetlands Day

Let’s use a dose of the 80s to whip everyone into the weekend with Ohio’s own Devo. Have a safe weekend and in the words of Garrison Keillor, Be well, do good work, and keep in touch.