Bucko

Happy Birthday to my Bride! :o)

Fri, 29 Aug 2008 04:06:35 GMT

Today is Beth's birthday, so I hope that J-Land will join me in wishing her a great day (Visit her at Nutwood Junction)!

We are heading to Four Winds casino tonight for dinner with some new friends (Brent and Elizabeth), and some gambling. We are staying at a local hotel, so it will seem like a little bit of a get-a-way. No computers allowed, so I am sure she will get in her thoughts, concerns, and opinions today :o)

So, what can I say about my wife? It is hard to put into words, we are so lucky to have found each other. We have been married for almost seven years, we still have never had an argument or a fight - and I certainly do not see that changing!!!.

We are both very positive and optimistic people, and we strive to see the good in people and situations. We work as a team, with common goals and values. We have a plan, and we work the plan.

I love my wife with all my heart!

My wife is my best friend!

My wife is my soul mate!

I love my wife with all my heart!

Happy Birthday Beth.

LUWAMHHP :o)

Nice Matters :o)

Fri, 29 Aug 2008 02:05:39 GMT

Am I on a roll tonight or what <LOL>

I added another sidebar link tonight for "Nice Matters".

Again, feel free to snag. Click on the link to go to the new site.

More importantly, if you would like to get a glimpse of the person who developed the image, then go to Ravens Lament.

Indigo, thank you for your inspiration and your "nice" image :o) HUGS!

Olympics, Politics, Work, Kids, LIFE - Are you alert? :o)

Fri, 29 Aug 2008 00:43:00 GMT

Know the nine switches of alertness.

Alertness is the optimal, activated state of the brain when creative solutions to old problems emerge. Alertness makes us make conscious decisions about what to pay attention to and what to screen out. Alertness keeps us out of trouble, at work or at home.

There are nine switches of alertness!

Switch #1: Sense of danger, interest or opportunity.

Nothing snaps you out of drowsiness faster than realizing you are in danger or have just survived a near miss. We have all certainly been in a situation where we are driving, while we are feeling fatigued, and you get that “jerk” as your body realizes you were going into the alert mode. The adrenaline rushes, you feel flushed, and your brain goes on full alert. Conversely, if the situation is boring or monotonous, alertness fades.

Switch #2: Muscular Activity.

Mild activity, such as taking a walk, stretching or even chewing gum [since I quit smoking more than two years ago, this is what I do while driving if I feel tired], is known to keep people awake. Activities that are more strenuous, again, get your adrenaline pumping, and can raise your alertness for at least an hour afterward [so do not exercise in the evening].

Switch #3: Time of day on the circadian clock.

The biological is slow to adjust to newly imposed schedules; it could trigger alertness when you need to sleep and sleepiness when you need to stay awake.

Switch #4: Sleep bank balance.

How many hours since you last slept??? Sleeping makes deposits in our “sleep bank”; sustained wakefulness makes withdrawals. When our balance is low, we become drowsy regardless of the time of day. Get a good nights sleep for goodness sake.

Switch #5: Food

Alertness may be altered by food. Heavy meals can induce drowsiness, while caffeine keeps us awake. One of the biggest problems of using caffeine tokeep us alert is that brain chemistry rapidly adapts, so larger doses are needed to have the same effect. Keep your daily intake constant, and only increase when you really need it. See Switch #2 for other options for short term remedies.

Switch #6: Light

We should take our cues from restaurants. In expensive restaurants, the lights are low and the pace is slow, we linger and spend more. Fast-food restaurants are brightly lit, encouraging fast eating and fast departure. Light is a good way to suppress sleepiness and keep us active.

Switch #7: Temperature

Cool air, especially on the face rouses one from a sleepy state. Heat has the opposite effect. When was the last time you felt drowsy when you were shivering :o)

Switch #8: Sound

Invigorating or lulling. Rolling surf or the sound of a mountain stream is so relaxing that these sounds are electronically simulated in the white noise machines that many people use in bedrooms. This type of white noise is especially troublesome in work situations because we do not tolerate intruding noises. Conversely, irregular or variable sound, such as the intermittent creaking of a door in the middle of the night, keeps us awake.

Switch #9: Aroma and comfort

Certain aromas, such as peppermint, make people more alert. To be fully alert, one needs to be a little uncomfortable, especially in the wee hours of the morning. So we need to be careful in making our work areas or our automobiles too sterile.

Know how to combat drowsiness. Stay Alert!

I Must Confess :o(

Fri, 29 Aug 2008 00:56:47 GMT

I have an admission to make. I am using reading glasses tonight :o(

Over the past two weeks, I have been finding myself adjusting the distance of things that I read. I CANNOT BELIEVE HOW FAST OCULAR DEGENERATION OCCURS. Middle age, I despise thee, I denounce thee, I.... acknowledge thee :o)

New Sidebar Link :o)

Fri, 29 Aug 2008 00:47:47 GMT

J-Land, please take note, both Beth and I have added new sidebar links. Please, Please, Please, feel free to snag and use.

The link is to Wildcats Lair, and we say, "dare to enter", cause if you do, you will be in danger of splitting a side from laughter.

Click the link and take a chance.

Science Scene - Shark Tales (Fins Actually :o)

Thu, 28 Aug 2008 02:12:55 GMT

This entry is about the plight of the shark. Globally, sharks are in trouble. These animals date from prehistoric times, and so, as goes the shark, so goes our Mother Earth.

Up to 70 million are killed annually - sometimes for food, sometimes as by-catch (for our unsustainable global fishing industry), and sometimes just for their fins, a commodity used in soup.

Sharks are generally slow-growing, slow-reproducing top predators, so the intensive harvesting is clearly unsustainable. Already, their high prices reflect their scarcity.

The Nature Conservancy, an organization that I have belonged to for more than 20 years, believes that if we can figure out where sharks go to breed and feed, we can design better ways to manage and protect them. So, click this link to the Nature Conservancy, and become involved in their efforts to balance conservation with the realities of our global economy.

Tags: Sharks, Fins, Nature Conservancy

Ghost Deer :o)

Thu, 28 Aug 2008 01:02:18 GMT

While not a bright picture, I decided to post this one anyway.

The lame little flash at the top of my new SLR camera went off,

but it produced an unexpected result.

The setting was dusk, the place was the backyard at Nutwood Junction,

and the subject was a white-tailed deer (one of a band of at least nine).

The flash was just enough to produce a shine off of the eyes.

This went from a questionable picture to one that I really like, and hope that you do as well.

I had one-on-one meetings with my employees today, and they had this same "deer in the headlights look" when I asked them, so what to you think of your performance over the past month. They are so used to getting talked to, that they were shocked to get asked their perspective. Nice to know I can still shock and surprise occassionally :o)

I hope you are having a great week!

Tags: Deer, Ghost, Performance

Family & Friends Tour - San Diego

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 23:21:35 GMT

Alas, this is the last entry for our Friends & Family Tour. Hope you enjoyed our little journey :o)

I mentioned previously that I would post some pictures from our Friends and Family Tour.

This is a picture from Shelter Island, in the San Diego Bay, looking back at the mainland.

We loved all the boats, and the relative seclusion in the harbor.

I could not resist taking this picture, first, we love the T.V. show "The Office", and second, how hard would this setting be to be your place of work. As MasterCard says, "Priceless".

Last, to the right, is my favorite picture of the trip. This is a picture of my Brother and his son. The picture does not do either of them true justice; my brother is 6'-4" tall, and his son has Tattoos from his neck to his ankles. During our lunch, my nephew's friend mentioned some friends who had Tattoos of their children's feet on their own feet, and he thought this was a great idea. He has already reserved his back for his married family. While this sounds strange, he is absolutely a great young man, and we finally have his address and contact information. We have marvelled at what a wonderful person he is, even though first impressions can be deceiving.

Campaign Corner - Senator Kennedy

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 01:35:33 GMT

As we sit here piddling in J-Land, we have CNN on for the Democratic National Convention (DNC). Whether you are a fan or not, Ted Kennedy has been in the senate for the third longest in history. He is an American Icon, and with his recent brain tumor situation, I say, "Hats Off to You Senator." He has earned our respect if nothing else.

Tags: Senator Kennedy

Friends & Family Tour - Lopez Lake

Mon, 25 Aug 2008 23:52:17 GMT

Is this a beautiful setting or what?

During our Friends and Family Tour, we headed to central California.

Our great friends Kim and Steve have taken up fishing, using only lures, and we had the chance to spend the day with them on Lopez Lake. If you read Beth's previous entry, you will see that we also got to see a Black Bear.

Steve gave me a few lessons in fishing. We took the boat out on the lake first while the Ladies visited on the beach. We trolled around some inlets, casting out to the shore and around some trees at the edge of the water (this is where the fitches like to hang out <LOL>), and even did some shore fishing while the wives were out touring the lake.

So, what were the results???

First, let me say, that I am absolutely hooked (pun intended <LMAO>)

on lure fishing. We had a great time talking and fishing.

While we did not have a lot of luck on the boat, the shore fishing was

a little different. To the left is a picture of the "big" catch I had for the day :o)

Impressive huh???

It was a slow day for fishing, but we had a lot of fun.

Tags: Lure Fishing, Lake Lopez, Central California, Black Bear