Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Do you know that the average household in Tampa, Florida, uses approximately 36,000 gallons of water per year? I know because my water bill says I used 57,596 gallons of water in the month of July and that seemed extremely high.My first response was to fire off an email to the water company, requesting a review of my bill. Why did they do this to me?When I settled down I was a little embarrassed by my reaction. I didn't say anything I'm ashamed of, but I could have handled it better ...
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Friday, August 28, 2009

Do you hear the "Mister Opportunity" commercials on the radio? You know the ones. There's a knocking sound, then a man comes on and says, "This is Mr. Opportunity and I've got a deal for you." Opportunities bombard us every day via email, telephone and "snail mail." The majority of them are of no interest to us, but a few hit that sweet spot where interest and ability collide ...
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Friday, August 21, 2009

Do you know there is a tradition of giving a certain type of gift for specific anniversary years? According to a website I found, it dates back to the Middle Ages. On the occasion of a 25th or 50th anniversary, a husband would present his wife with a wreath of silver (25) or gold (50).In the early 20th century a new list was created. It suggests gifts of increasing value for each year of marriage ...
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Friday, August 14, 2009

Last week my family from Iowa drove out to California for their summer vacation. My stepbrother and his wife have four great kids that are a lot of fun to be around. We spent a few days at the coast where it was overcast and chilly ...
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Thursday, August 6, 2009

One of the benefits I enjoy from a good workout is feeling sore muscles. Last week I did a pretty strenuous workout with my friend and couldn't lift my arms above my shoulders for a couple of days. Any time I laughed I remembered all those crunches we did.I'm working out because, in addition to other health benefits, I want to be a stronger person ...
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Friday, July 31, 2009

Last night I saw a film that will be in theaters soon. [It will remain nameless for now, but my review is forthcoming.] I left deeply disturbed and saddened. The filmmaker has a very dark view of humanity and our relationships with each other ...
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Thursday, July 23, 2009

Everyday ThanksgivingHow often do you recognize God in everyday blessings? Yesterday a friend told me she looks for God's goodness in the little things all day long to keep her mind focused on Him. That's something that's very simple yet easy to forget. So this morning I thought I'd give it a try. Last week I left a pedometer in my seat on an airplane ...
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Friday, July 17, 2009

I've been in Denver for the last couple of weeks, and returned home Wednesday night. After three flights I was finally back in California. But my suitcase wasn't, or so I thought ...
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Friday, July 10, 2009

What do you do when someone tells you to stay away from something? Today I climbed Pike’s Peak. Well, actually, the cog railway climbed the mountain and I rode the car. It was an amazing journey to the top of one of the most famous mountains in America. The scenery along the way was beautiful ...
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Friday, July 3, 2009

In a previous career, I worked for a major airline company. One of the great benefits of the job was the chance to travel very cheaply. However, it was usually as a "stand-by" passenger, who didn't get a seat until everyone else was on the flight ...
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