Henley the Great Dane Says "BOOF!"

Handling life

2012-01-23T14:04:00.002-06:00

It's been a hard several years. I won't go into it all, but I know without a doubt that I belong to a God Who holds me closely... Who cares for me and will never leave me alone.

Every Home Needs a Harvey

2012-01-22T14:22:00.002-06:00

Yet another reason dogs are the best

2012-01-22T14:19:00.002-06:00

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Beauty the way the models do it

2012-01-21T09:35:00.001-06:00

Fotoshop by Adobé from Jesse Rosten on Vimeo.

Leaving a Legacy by Mark Ballard

2012-01-17T15:59:00.005-06:00

It's been an incredibly hard day here for me. I woke up in tears and just couldn't seem to stop. My brother sent me an advanced copy of a tribute written by a very dear friend from our childhood days. Our parents were best of friends - vacationed together, worked at crafts and hobbies together, cooked together, went to church together and most of all, loved each other. Mark Ballard has given me permission to post his beautifully loving tribute that will appear in his weekly column this Sunday in the Macon Telegraph. Thank you, Mark for sharing your heart.

Creative Thinking with Mark Ballard – Leaving a Legacy - January 22, 2012

When I first received the news, I had to go and sit in our sunroom. In the stillness, I could almost hear the clanking sounds hammers make when they come in contact with a nail head. Steady and sometimes in unison, my family was very familiar with that sound as two men worked on our sunroom for several weeks. I looked around the room carefully trying to remember every detail of the construction. Some of my memories were clouded by time but they played out in my mind like a motion picture does on a screen.

The men were not professional construction workers. They were just best friends who were both retired and loved a project. So my wife and I enlisted their help almost 19 years ago when we decided to close in our side porch and make it into a sunroom. “We would love to do it!” they both said at the same time. There was no doubt the two men were very special to us. One was my daddy and the other one was Curtis Clinard.

Every morning just after daybreak for weeks, they came to our house with their individual trucks loaded with tools and supplies. Each one wore a pair of coveralls and brogans that, from the looks of them, had seen all kinds of terrain. You would have thought they had a time clock to punch because they were never even so much as a second late while their pay was just a hot lunch.

Each day began the same way with my daddy whistling as he always did reminding me of the old children’s song, Whistle While You Work. As the sunroom came together, there was lots of laughter, talking, kidding around and disagreeing on how something should be done just like you would expect of best friends. Maybe that’s the reason the job took a little longer than they had originally planned. They were in no hurry. They just genuinely enjoyed each other’s company.

Like two brothers who had gotten up in years but still thought they were youngsters, Daddy and Curt were true testaments of good, hardworking men who brought out the best in each other and those around them. After all, they had a lot of practice because they had been friends since long before I was born. Curt’s wife, Dot, and my mother, Jo, were also the best of friends. The four of them loved to travel, cook and be in each other’s company. They seemed to always be together when I was growing up. In fact, as I sat in the sunroom going down memory lane, there was not a time I could remember when Dot and Curt weren’t a part of our family’s life. I even have proof because they are in just about every photo with one of us in my box of old pictures.

We all attended the same church where Daddy and Curt served as deacons and on any other committee they could possibly find time for. They loved to eat fried fish and many Friday and Saturday nights were devoted to their favorite cuisine. When they weren’t eating fish prepared by someone else, they were catching their own at any lake where they could drop a fishing line and hosting their own fish fry. They also loved to have a garden and kept one planted most of the year yielding all sorts of produce.

Curt and Daddy loved to cook. I especially remember several things they prepared as if it were yesterday. Homemade ice cream of any variety your mind could conjure is one of them. There was hardly a summer weekend that passed where we didn’t partake of home-churned ice cream they made. Curt even introduced us to a “Tutti-Frutti” version of ice cream that contained a bottle of Orange Crush and a can of pineapple.

Another of their specialties and favorite past times was barbequing chicken. For almost every social we had at the church, you would find Daddy and Curt perched around a large open grill in the church’s back yard. You could hardly see them because of the smoke billowing from the grill but you knew they were there because of the wonderful aroma that also escaped.

Curt was also known for his homemade lasagna. I loved it when we went over to their house to eat what he prepared from scratch. In fact, he was thrilled when I featured the recipe in the first cookbook I published.

Several days ago, Curtis Clinard passed away. He was the last of the foursome to go. It was very difficult for me because it was like losing another father and closing the chapter on a period of my life that spanned from childhood to middle age.

One thing I dislike about growing older is that we have to give up those we love who are older than us who played key roles and made a difference in our lives. One by one they leave and we are left with mighty big shoes to fill. It is like passing the baton to someone else. Actually, it’s called the circle of life.

The legacy we leave behind is what we will be remembered for. The difference we make defines who we are and what we did while we are alive. Mother and Daddy and Dot and Curt Clinard definitely left handprints on my heart that will never leave. I can only hope my legacy will be as strong as theirs.

Sitting on the sofa in our almost 20-year-old sunroom, I smile as I remember each of them and give thanks for having been blessed to be around them! They were the fabulous four and that are finally together again.

More with Mark:

n Check out Mark’s web site at www.markballard.com for current projects, recipes and lots of other fun stuff including all his merchandise – plates, prints, tees and aprons, cookbooks.

n Mark is on www.macon.com 24 hours a day. Videos, columns and articles are featured.

Mark Ballard’s column runs each week in The Telegraph. Send your questions or comments to P.O. Box 4232, Macon, GA 31208; fax them to (478) 474-4930; call (478) 757-6877; e-mail to markballard@cox.net; or subscribe to Mark’s page on Facebook.

Together again, at last.

2012-01-13T07:30:00.000-06:00

2012-01-10T10:47:00.003-06:00

Who knew pugs screamed??

2012-01-10T10:46:00.001-06:00

Carter and his Batmobile

2012-01-10T10:39:00.004-06:00

Four-year-old Carter has spina bifida but he also has one great daddy who makes sure Carter's rides are super cool. Check out his Batmobile below and his ice cream truck here.

Lucy, the raspberry blowing goat

2012-01-10T10:17:00.000-06:00

Help Find Haley. Pass this along and pray

2012-01-01T23:16:00.001-06:00

Happy New Year!

2012-01-01T00:20:00.002-06:00

What Are You Doing New Years Eve?

2011-12-31T11:19:00.001-06:00

Zooey Deschanel and Joseph Gordon-Levitt are so sweet here:

Rescuing Cora

2011-12-28T10:45:00.000-06:00

Touched by a Wild Mountain Gorilla

2011-12-22T16:11:00.000-06:00

An amazing chance encounter with a troop of wild mountain gorillas near Bwindi National Park, Uganda

The Baby Whisperer

2011-12-22T15:23:00.001-06:00

"You ok! You ok! You fine! You fine!

That's what I'm talking about!

2011-12-20T23:02:00.003-06:00

Made from the sugar white sands of our beaches here in NW Florida.

Trike Racing with Shoes for Brakes

2011-12-20T08:54:00.001-06:00

Guys are nuts.

2011-12-19T22:40:00.002-06:00

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Which Spiritual Type Are You?

2011-12-19T13:49:00.004-06:00

My walk with Christ has gone on for a whole lot of years now. In modern day Christianity, as with much everything else, there are fads, or popular ways of learning, teaching, discerning, etc. I'm sure most active Christians have taken a Spiritual Gifts Quiz/Test. Well, today I came across a Spiritual Types test, given on the Upper Room website. Quite interesting. My results:

You are a Mystic, known for your imaginative, intuitive spirituality. You value peace, harmony, and inner silence. Mystics are nurtured by walking alone in the woods or sitting quietly with a trusted friend. You may also enjoy poetry, meditation, wordless prayer, candles, art, books, and anything else that helps you connect with God.

Mystics experience God best through rich images and symbols. You are contemplative, introspective, intuitive, and focused on an inner world as real to you as the exterior one. Hearing from God is more important to you than speaking to God. Others may attribute human characteristics to God, but you see God as ineffable, unnamable, and more vast than any known category. You are intrigued by God's mystery.

Mystics want to inspire and persuade others, and need to live lives of significance. At times you push the envelope of spirituality, helping the rest of us imagine who we might become if we followed your lead.

Sometimes you may feel a bit guilty about your need for solitude and silence. If so, you probably have bought into the American myth that says being alone and doing nothing is lazy, antisocial, and unproductive. Stop it -- now. Give yourself permission to retreat and be alone. It's essential for your well-being.

On the other hand, don't get so carried away retreating that you become a recluse. That only deprives the world of your gifts and deprives you of the lessons that come from being with others. Some Mystics may have a true vocation for solitary prayer, but the rest of you need to alternate retreat time with involvement and interaction.

Of course, we can all take this for what it's worth, or you might want to actually stop and take the test yourself. I see it as fun and interesting. It was a kick to read of famous mystics listed:

Thomas Merton | Enya | John (the Gospel writer)
Brother Lawrence (Practicing the Presence of God)
Desert mothers and fathers | Charlie Brown
Sister Wendy | Phoebe Buffay | Julian of Norwich
Luke | Anthony de Mello | The Who

Everyone from Thomas Merton to Charlie Brown to The Who! But, I think I'll continue to take my queues from God and not a test some person came up with.

Grace for an Atheist

2011-12-17T00:11:00.000-06:00

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Make a joyful noise!

2011-12-16T14:10:00.000-06:00

It really picks up around the 1:55 mark

I was cracking up right along with them:

2011-12-16T12:04:00.001-06:00

"Social experiment aboard a Berlin U-Bahn train: One passenger starts laughing, ostensibly at something she sees on her smartphone. Soon, the entire car is rollicking like a bunch of carefree children." via

I Am The Walrus! I Am The...

2011-12-14T17:08:00.001-06:00

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Christmas Wishes and...

2011-12-12T10:52:00.002-06:00

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The Gentle Barn: Karma's Reunion

2011-12-12T08:23:00.001-06:00

Get ready for one of the sweetest stories you'll view.

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Card Trick

2011-12-12T08:16:00.000-06:00

Now, this is magic!

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The Beatbox Nativity

2011-12-12T08:09:00.001-06:00

British priest raps the story of Christmas from the book of Luke

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...of peace on earth goodwill to men

2011-12-11T07:40:00.001-06:00

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Alison Krauss and Yo-Yo Ma

2011-12-09T09:38:00.003-06:00

Alison Krauss and Yo-Yo-Ma perform a hauntingly beautiful rendition of a 12th century Irish Christmas carol.

The Wexford Carol

Good people all, this Christmas time,
Consider well and bear in mind
What our good God for us has done
In sending his beloved son
With Mary holy we should pray,
To God with love this Christmas Day
In Bethlehem upon that morn,
There was a blessed Messiah born

Near Bethlehem did shepherds keep
Their flocks of lambs and feeding sheep
To whom God’s angel did appear
Which put the shepherds in great fear
Arise and go, the angels said
To Bethlehem, be not afraid
For there you’ll find, this happy morn
A princely babe, sweet Jesus, born

With thankful heart and joyful mind
The shepherds went the babe to find
And as God’s angel had foretold
They did our Saviour Christ behold
Within a manger he was laid
And by his side a virgin maid
Attending on the Lord of Life
Who came on earth to end all strife

Great Dane Talking to Himself

2011-12-09T09:31:00.001-06:00

So much like our beloved Henley:

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The only appropriate response is gratitude...

2011-12-07T12:59:00.002-06:00

"Let the gratefulness overflow into blessings all around you and then, it will really be a good day."

A TED talk from Louie Schwartzberg, an award-winning cinematographer, director, and producer. Give it until the 3:45 mark so you'll see his talents at work. Thanks to my cousin, Naomi Clinard Masterson for sharing this.

Mace, The Sneaking Dog

2011-12-06T12:24:00.001-06:00

This may be my favorite video of the day:

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Impelled by Love

2011-12-05T10:32:00.002-06:00

Do not think you can do any work for Christ and hope to succeed if you are not impelled by love. - Dwight L Moody

Banking, the Game

2011-12-05T07:39:00.003-06:00

Click to enlarge

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Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra Chorus Sing Tweets

2011-12-05T06:53:00.001-06:00

School Portrait

2011-12-03T10:31:00.000-06:00

School Portrait (2011) from Michael Berliner on Vimeo.

Star Wars Alpacalypse

2011-12-02T12:12:00.002-06:00

15 Best Toronto Mayor Kicking a Football Meme

2011-12-02T11:57:00.001-06:00

This may be my newest favorite meme

Puppy Sneezes on Command

2011-12-02T11:14:00.001-06:00

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The 5 Best Toys of All Time

2011-12-02T09:05:00.003-06:00

From GeekDad comes the unsurpassed list of the top five toys of all times. The picture shows #5 on the list. Go here to find out what the others are along with extensive reviews of each.

Singing Christmas Lambs

2011-12-02T08:19:00.004-06:00

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Dancing with an iPod - Christmas Edition

2011-12-02T08:15:00.001-06:00

Pass along the joy!

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Improv Everywhere - Santa

2011-11-30T07:23:00.000-06:00

Little Printer

2011-11-29T09:42:00.000-06:00

So little and cute!

Hello Little Printer, available 2012 from BERG on Vimeo.

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Chopsticks

2011-11-26T22:08:00.002-06:00

Every single time we eat at an Asian restaurant I use/struggle with chopsticks! The difference here is that I never give up!

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Naughty or Nice

2011-11-26T09:42:00.001-06:00

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Tolerance

2011-11-25T17:11:00.003-06:00

Click pic to enlarge

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Going Gorillas

2011-11-24T11:31:00.000-06:00

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Obama Pardons Turkey

2011-11-24T10:00:00.001-06:00

I love how he gets tickled at his own jokes!

Kids Reenact The First Thanksgiving

2011-11-23T09:56:00.001-06:00

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Talent

2011-11-21T20:17:00.002-06:00

I don't know the first thing about guitars, but I know that my son is talented. Here's 12 minutes of his showing different types of whatever it is that guitars are capable of in the hands of those who know how to play them:

5 lbs Flour + 2 small children = TROUBLE

2011-11-20T23:07:00.000-06:00

"Mommy was not feeling well and had to stay in the bathroom longer than usual during which my two boys, ages 1 and 3 took my new bag of flour out of the cupboard and destroyed my house. This is from ONE 5lb bag. Don't believe me? Hand a full bag to a 3 year old and see what happens."

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Amendment I

2011-11-19T13:11:00.003-06:00

Amendment I

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

Puma Parkour

2011-11-18T16:17:00.001-06:00

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Future Generations

2011-11-18T16:05:00.002-06:00

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2011-11-16T09:43:00.003-06:00

Click pic to enlarge

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84 yr old Pepper Sprayed by Seattle PD

2011-11-16T09:27:00.003-06:00

Seattle activist Dorli Rainey, 84, reacts after being hit with pepper spray during an Occupy Seattle protest on Tuesday, November 15, 2011 at Westlake Park. Protesters gathered in the intersection of 5th Avenue and Pine Street after marching from their camp at Seattle Central Community College in support of Occupy Wall Street. Many refused to move from the intersection after being ordered by police. Police then began spraying pepper spray into the gathered crowd hitting dozens of people. A pregnant woman was taken from the melee in an ambulance after being struck with spray. Photo: JOSHUA TRUJILLO / SEATTLEPI.COM

Something funny happened on my way to a transportation meeting in Northgate. As I got off the bus at 3rd and Pine I heard helicopters above. Knowing that the problems of New York would certainly precipitate action by Occupy Seattle, I thought I better check it out. Especially since only yesterday the City Government made a grandiose gesture to protect free speech. Well free speech does have its limits as I found out as the cops shoved their bicycles into the crowd and simultaneously pepper sprayed the so captured protesters. If it had not been for my Hero (Iraq Vet Caleb) I would have been down on the ground and trampled. This is what democracy looks like. It certainly left an impression on the people who rode the No. 1 bus home with me. In the women's movement there were signs which said: "Screw us and we multiply." via

Girl Racing a Camel

2011-11-16T09:15:00.001-06:00

I love Buzzfeed's commentary:
"This camel is adorably derptastic."

Military Reunions with Man's Best Friend

2011-11-13T15:55:00.001-06:00

Eyes Right!

2011-11-12T20:39:00.001-06:00

Sweetest video I've seen tonight. A little Belgian boy saluting Canadian Troops:

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A Deficiency of Love

2011-11-12T19:50:00.003-06:00

Tim Henderson gives a very different take on the Penn State debacle dealing with how mankind should act in the face of evil. Read the post here.

Fallon as Jim Morrison

2011-11-12T17:26:00.001-06:00

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Comedian Kenny Brooks

2011-11-12T11:29:00.003-06:00

A door to door salesman ala' Tony Robbins school of convincing, Kenny Brooks is an aspiring comedian. Know upfront that there are a few off-color words and maybe some non-pc references, but the guy is funny.

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Really Bad Music

2011-11-12T08:52:00.004-06:00

I have an affinity for really bad music. This video by Matt Mulholland is right up there with bad trumpet Star Wars girl. His YouTube description is "love, passion, trust." Yep, I'd say that about sums this up perfectly.

Flannery O'Connor - cartoonist

2011-11-11T17:51:00.004-06:00

"Do you have any books the faculty
doesn't particularly recommend?"

One of my favorite authors, Flannery O'Connor wasn't just a brilliant writer, but apparently quite the cartoonist, too. Flannery O'Connor: The Cartoons will be available for purchase in December.
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Life: 50 Photos That Brought the War Home

2011-11-11T09:26:00.002-06:00

Paul Schutzer/Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images

View all 50 photos here.

Showdown In Elk Town

2011-11-11T09:19:00.000-06:00

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Reveille

2011-11-11T09:14:00.000-06:00

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Snow White

2011-11-11T08:52:00.000-06:00

I don't remember it quite like this.

Hipster Moses

2011-11-11T08:44:00.000-06:00

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Parenting Is Fun

2011-11-10T15:30:00.002-06:00

From the Crescat:

… A recent parent-teacher conference has uncovered that my son is not very organized at school. He is not writing down all his assignments in his planner. This is preventing him from remembering when and what is due and has resulted in a few incomplete grades. Not acceptable. So a proper punishment needed to be devised should he continue to fail writing down his work.

Me: I need you to write down your assignments every day.
The Boy: I can remember them.
Me: Obviously not. Do not write them down for yourself then; write them down for me so I know what is going on in class.
The Boy: Ok. But what if I forget?
Me: Then you will not be allowed to play with your friends next door when you get home from school. No playing on your DS either. Nothing. No fun!
The Boy: What?! Geesh! Can I at least read?
Me: No fun!
The Boy: But I have to read every day and log it in my reading journal for school.
Me: Hmmm. Well, then I suppose you can still read….
The Boy: [prematurely enthusiastic] YES!
Me: … however, I get to chose the reading material. And I chose the dictionary and the microwave instructional manual.

I love my job.

Them's mighty big words, mister.

2011-11-10T14:52:00.004-06:00

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"The Monster Rises Out Of The Water"

2011-11-10T08:18:00.001-06:00

"The monster rises out of the water", screamed the Spanish newspaper La Provincia. Scientists, meanwhile, are being a bit more level-headed about the undersea volcano south of El Hierro in the Canary Islands; they now believe it is in the third phase of its eruption -- fountains of water have been shooting out of the Atlantic up to 20 meters in the air over the last few days. On Tuesday, some local residents even saw stones being catapulted out of the sea.

A seething maelstrom, dozens of meters across, is bubbling away in the ocean. Measurements show that the vortices are significantly warmer than the surrounding water.

So far, the volcano has only shown its explosive power beneath the water. But now the outbursts to the south of El Hierro are frothing up the surface, as if the ocean had hiccups. The lava is piling up on an underwater mountain. That the eruption is capable of firing jets of water into the air shows that this mountain is growing -- the center of the eruption is approaching the surface. Geologists believe that new land could soon emerge from the sea, and islanders are already looking for a name for the new territory. There are only 70 meters to go until the mountain reaches the surface, experts from Spain's National Geographic Institute (IGN) have reported.

Read the full article here.

My Secrets

2011-11-10T08:03:00.003-06:00

Worth watching and passing along!

The Meth Project

2011-11-09T11:52:00.002-06:00

The Meth Project is a large-scale prevention program aimed at reducing Meth use through public service messaging, public policy, and community outreach. Central to the integrated, research-based campaign is MethProject.org—a definitive source for information about Meth for teens—supported by hard-hitting TV, radio, print, online, mobile, and social media campaigns that communicate the risks of Meth use.

View the disturbing ads here.

Perry Saves the Day

2011-11-09T11:47:00.000-06:00

Pox Parties???

2011-11-09T08:42:00.001-06:00

What the heck??

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Daisy the Mastiff is alive and well

2011-11-09T08:35:00.002-06:00

After a fire completely destroys their home this couple was heartbroken to know their beloved nearly 200 lb dog, Daisy, had perished in the fire. The following day as wrecking crews came to clear the debris for investigators, out walked Daisy. How she survived is a mystery but I'm going to say God is so good!

You can read the article and see a slide show here.

Puppies Attack Kitty

2011-11-09T08:03:00.000-06:00

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Koko and Robin Williams

2011-11-07T20:21:00.001-06:00

How He Loves

2011-11-07T13:58:00.001-06:00

How He Loves : A Song Story from john mark mcmillan on Vimeo.

Extreme Fetch

2011-11-07T08:05:00.000-06:00

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So sleepy bulldog

2011-11-06T18:37:00.001-06:00

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Top Gun Halloween

2011-11-06T18:10:00.000-06:00

English is easy!

2011-11-05T16:51:00.001-05:00

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Planet of the Apps

2011-11-05T16:48:00.003-05:00

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Textbook Shakedown

2011-11-05T16:39:00.002-05:00

When I began college a couple of years ago I was astounded at the price of textbooks. Here's a chart that attempts to explain. Click the pic to enlarge

Via: OnlineEducation.net

The times, they are (continually) a'changin'

2011-11-05T16:27:00.002-05:00

Click pic to enlarge

Women in Chicago being arrested for wearing one piece bathing suits, without the required leg coverings. 1922

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Anxiety Girl

2011-11-04T20:15:00.002-05:00

Why we buy dogs for our kids

2011-11-04T09:57:00.001-05:00

Party on!

2011-11-04T08:53:00.001-05:00

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Story behind the song

2011-11-04T08:32:00.003-05:00

Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say, "It is well, it is well, with my soul."

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Ask a Mortician - Rigor Mortis

2011-11-03T21:15:00.004-05:00

Okay - I know it's an..."iffy" subject matter, but I'm also willing to bet that most everyone has wondered about certain aspects of how the physical body reacts to death. Besides, not breathing, of course. I'll say this now, if it's a subject matter that is more than you want to know about, click off this blog post. But, if you're the least bit curious, Caitlin may have answers for you.

Caitlin Doughty is a certified mortician living in Los Angeles who is more than willing to share her education and experience. Somehow, the eerily creepy part of what happens to our bodies once we die becomes quite conversational when Caitlin explains.

You'll find her website Order of the Good Death a wealth of information, including her videos, blog, and more. Here's her first video explaining about rigor mortis. It's somehow done including science & yet all the while feeling like you're talking with a dear friend. ... I never thought those two things worked together, but she somehow manages it!

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Dexter as a child?

2011-11-03T20:53:00.001-05:00

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Surfer Unexpectedly Meets Whales

2011-11-03T19:45:00.001-05:00

"A woman floating on a surfboard near Santa Cruz, California almost ended up on the lunch menu for a humpback whale over the weekend. Barb Roettger had her camera rolling as two hefty whales popped out of the calm waters not far from the unsuspecting surfer and a pair of kayakers."

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Injuries from fall

2011-11-03T08:53:00.000-05:00

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How's that Coulrophobia coming?

2011-11-03T08:46:00.001-05:00

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Chicken Fiddler

2011-11-03T08:03:00.000-05:00

Foster Kitty

2011-11-03T06:36:00.001-05:00

I love the sweetness of Mutts comics.