Blog Addict On Line Store Now Open

On Line Store Now Open for Blog Addicts

I know lots of us are addicted to blogging! With that in mind I have opened a blog addict store where you can get your very own blog wear. We have t-shirts, sweat shirts, mouse pads, tote bags, ball caps and much more.

We can custom design to fit your needs. All custom designs are created by Just Pure Mood. Great gift ideas. More coming soon. Check it out today!

http://www.cafepress.com/cmmdtp

Halloween is Here

Halloween is Here

Here is our niece, Ashley picking out pumkins! Halloween is here, and before you know it Thanksgiving followed closly by Christmas. Time sure flies...seems like it was only yesterday when we were all worried about Y2K bug, now it's almost 2006!

Ashley's big brother, Austin is dressed like Spiderman and ready for trick or treat. Tonight they will be going to church for a trunk or treat. That is where people decorate the trunks of their cars and the kids can have a safe environment for trick or treat.

Here I am with my wife, Christine...you are never too old to get dressed up and get into the spirit of the holiday!

Hope everyone has a happy and a safe Halloween.

I Am Still a Bush Fan

I Am Still a Bush Fan

I haven't blogged about politics lately, so here goes. Let's get the comments flowing. President Bush has fallen way down in the approval ratings but I am still a Bush fan.

The U.S. death toll in Iraq just passed the 2000 mark and in a recent radio address Mr. Bush said, "The best way to honor the sacrifice of our fallen troops is to complete the mission and win the war on terror. We will train Iraqi security forces and help a newly elected government meet the needs of the Iraqi people. In doing so, we will lay the foundation of peace for our children and grandchildren." To read a transcript of the President's radio address click on link: http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2005/10/20051029.html

It's been a week of bad news for The President. The conservatives have been pushing to withdraw Harriet Miers' Supreme Court nomination and Vice President Dick Cheney's chief of staff I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby was indicted and resigned.

The good news is The Iraqi election commission certified the passage of the new Iraqi constitution. This is a significant milestone for the people of Iraq.

When you are at war, people are going to die. It's a shame, but a necessary part of the fight for freedom. I agree with Mr. Bush, the best way to honor our dead is to complete our mission in Iraq.

Feel free to leave your comments.

Photo Credit: President George W. Bush
(White House photo by Eric Draper)

Halloween Sure Has Changed

Halloween Sure Has Changed

Halloween is almost upon us and it got me to thinking. Things sure have changed since when I was a kid (many moons ago). We would spend all night trick or treating and had to return home a couple of times to dump our bags out because we had so much candy! Actually we used pillow cases to collect the candy in not bags.

You wouldn't just go to a door get a candy from a stranger and leave. We would go inside the house and the people would try to guess who you were. Back in those days we knew everyone in the neighborhood. Many houses we went to we were invited to sit down and have a cup of hot cocoa.

There were no store bought costumes either...everything was homemade. I remember we would burn a cork to rub the black soot on our face. Times were different then, people trusted one another. The kids could actually go out and trick or treat with their friends without mom and dad and your parents wouldn't even worry about your safety.

The week before Halloween was called mischief week and we would do crazy things like soaping up car windows, or ringing doorbells and running away before someone answered. Harmless fun in those days. Unheard of today...you could get shot if you tried something like that now!

Those were the days...now it seems that people are afraid to go out and trick or treat. There are safe alternatives like trunk or treat at the church, or events at the local mall. It's a shame that we have made our world such a dangerous place that kids can't be left alone for a few minutes, even in your own front yard!

Yes, these times they are a changing!

Happy Birthday To My Little Sister

Happy Birthday To My Little Sister

Saturday, October 29th is my little sister's birthday. HAPPY BIRTHDAY BARB! I wish we lived closer together so we could be togther on your special day. We miss you.

When we were young children (many, many years ago) Barb and I were so close. She would look up to me, her big brother, and do anything I told her to do. I believe I was responsible for a couple of her broken bones! Once I talked her into walking across the top of a swing set, and she fell off and broke an arm! I 'm sure there were other times also, but I can't remember the details. Even though Barb is in Connecticut and I am in North Carolina, we are still very close and keep in constant touch with one another.

Barb is a special person; a single mom who has done a wonderful job of raising her son Richard. He has turned out to be a fine young man and is engaged to be married. Barb loves life and has many good friends who love her dearly. She is a real family oriented person and is always ready to plan a party or vacation.

She loves animals and has a dog and three cats. Currently she is working full time and going to school in the evenings so she can learn the dog grooming business. When she graduates she plans to open up a dog grooming business of her own!

Rent My Blog

Rent My Blog

What a GREAT feature this is on BlogExplosion! Bloggers can rent space on their blog or buy space on other people's blogs. We exchange credits, not cash and it's a wonderful way to get exposure to your blog. Space is rented for a week at a time for anywhere from 10-500 credits. (Some of the blogs seem to be way overpriced, but we are still working out the wrinkles in this new program.) Hopefully the person you rent from will also give you a little blurb on their blog.

This week my blog is rented to Jeremy C. Shipp, Haunted House Dressing . I was going to put in a plug here for Jeremy's blog but I am at a loss for words! His description of the blog starts out like this: Hello, welcome to Haunted House Dressing. This is a place where toasters run free and hippos climb trees. OK, how do I describe a blog like that? I think it would be best if you just checked it out for yourself.

Jeremy is a writer and there are many samples of his work there for you to read. I know you will enjoy it, so what are you waiting for...visit Haunted House Dressing NOW!

WAIT...don't leave yet. Before you go please leave a comment and tell me what you think about the rent my blog feature.

Battle of the Blogs

Battle of the Blogs

I joined Blog Explosion on Sept. 2, 2005 with a generic wysiwyg template. My blog was rated #1495 when I started battling. I soon discovered that the design of the blog was more important than the content in the battles. I tried redesigning my blog on my own and totally messed it up!

After spending some time in the shoutbox and doing some research I found a great template I liked at Blogfrocks but had trouble installing it and making the comments work properly. So I enlisted the help of my new friend Just Puremood to help me out. She was awesome and got everything working for me! Now I was ready to do battle again with my hot new design!

I was right; I began winning more and more battles and advanced from #1495 all the way up to #74 over the next month. Of course I like to think that I have interesting content on my blog, but I know the design is a big part of winning the battles.

Looking at my stats I found that 71% of the people who visit my blog coming from BOTB page only stay on my blog for 5-20 seconds. I guess they are all SPEED READERS! Ya think? It really doesn't matter...I am addicted to the battles! My goal is to make it to the lifetime top fifty fighters.

I noticed the battles seem to go a lot faster now that the rules have changed. Do you think people are clicking on view the blog and then voting as quick as they can just to pick up more credits?

Hey, here's a thought. How about if we all spend a little more than 20 or 30 seconds on the blogs we are voting for and actually read the content. There are really many good writers out there with great articles! You may discover something you like. It would be nice to leave comments also. By the way - that's a great way to pick up more visitors to your own blog.

Speaking of comments, leave a comment and let me know how you feel about Battle of the Blogs.

Janet Jackson's Daughter-Urban Legend or Fact?

Janet Jackson's Daughter-Urban Legend or Fact?

What do you think? Does Janet have a mystery daughter or is this just another urban legend? In 1984 Janet was married to James DeBarge for a short time but the marriage was annulled.

Rumors have been going around for a long time and have recently been fueled when DeBarge's brother told a New York radio show that there is an 18 year old daughter from that marriage.

Debarge's brother said the daughter's name is Renee and she lives with Janet's older sister. Jackson's peeps deny these rumors. What do you think? Please leave a comment.

Sunrise at Sea

Sunrise at Sea

Many years ago when I was in the Navy, on board an aircraft carrier, my favorite thing to do was stand on the signal bridge and feel the wind whip against my face as I smelled the fresh sea air. I used to enjoy looking out at the horizon and seeing nothing but ocean and sky. At night there were thousands of stars in the sky and it would make me feel so small and insignificant as I gazed upon them. Then morning would come and the sun would rise up magnificently out of the ocean! It was impossible to not think about God and how He created all of this beauty!

There was plenty of time for thinking as we had to stand watch for twelve-hour shifts. Often I would read my bible during this time and contemplate many things. Sunrise and mornings were always very special times as I watched and the world awakened; I was reminded of Isaiah 50:4...He wakens me morning by morning, wakens my ear to listen like one being taught...I did listen and my eyes and ears were opened as I read my bible in the early morning hours. My faith helped to keep me strong as death and destruction was all around me.

You see this was 1968 and I was watching the sun rise over the Gulf of Tonkin in Vietnam as the planes from our aircraft carrier dropped 500 and 1000 pound bombs on the landscape and peppered the jungle with Napalm. There were many distractions during those days of war and temptations to stray from the path of righteousness were everywhere. My shipmates would laugh and make fun when they saw me reading the bible. I do not pretend to be an angel and I did stray occasionally as I am only human. However, I continued to read my bible and took comfort in knowing that the Lord gave me strength....Because the Sovereign LORD helps me, I will not be disgraced. Therefore have I set my face like flint, and I know I will not be put to shame...Isaiah 50:7 I learned many things about life during my three tours of duty in Vietnam. I saw people at their best and others at their worst!

I visited many countries in my travels and saw how people lived in different cultures around the world. What I took away from all of this was an education far greater than I received in all my years of schooling, a better understanding of life and people. Most of all I realized that even during our lowest times in life God is always there for us and you can count on him to pull you through!

Prayer: Lord help us to seek your wisdom especially during our low points in life. We take comfort in knowing that you are always there to lift us up and help us through our troubled times. As the sun rises each morning and the world awakens please open our ears and our eyes so we may hear your word and see the Christ in others. Awaken us; let our tongues speak your word and share it with those we meet in our daily lives. Amen

What Happened to Fall?

What Happened to Fall?

Today is October 23rd and the the temperature here is in the high 60s. Yesterday it was in the 70s and last week 80s. It sure doesn't feel like Fall around here. Our leaves haven't even started to change colors yet! We have been experiencing some very unusual weather here in North Carolina. Mind you now, I am not complaining nor am I looking forward to Winter. I could live with this weather we are having now all year round with no problem!

We took advantage of the lovely weather yesterday by taking a trip to Vollmer Farm like we do just about every year in the fall. It is a fun-filled day for the family. Starting with a hay ride to the back forty where there is a corn maze, a forty-foot underground slide, playground, animals, puppet show, and lots of other activities for young and old alike.

After a day of activities on the farm there is a hay ride back to the shop at the front where you can indulge in homemade icecream and pie, etc. There are also great deals on freshly picked pumpkins and gourds etc. for seasonal decorations.

If you are in the Raleigh, NC area make sure you take a trip to Vollmer Farm located in Bunn, NC.

50,000 Words in 30 Days

50,000 Words in 30 Days

I was chatting in the Shout Box on Blog Explosion the other day and I just found out about National Novel Writing Month. If you have ever thought about writing a novel but keep procrastinating, here's your big chance to finally get it done!

Starting November 1st, all you have to do is write 50,000 words in 30 days. In 1999 there were 21 participants and 6 winners. Last year there were 42,000 participants and almost 6000 winners.

I have no idea if I will have the time to do this in November, but I will give it my best shot. I guess I had better start thinking of a story line! If any of you reading this would like to join in the madness just follow this link to register for FREE.
http://www.nanowrimo.org/

Joan would have been a GREAT blogger

Joan Would Have Been A GREAT Blogger

I wish I would have discovered blogging sooner. If only I had know about blogging a few years ago! I would have introduced the blog world to my sister Joan. She would have loved it and instantly became addicted to blogging!

Too late now...Joan died a few years ago at the very young age of 50! She was a teacher; no more than a teacher she was a Special Education Teacher! What patience she had to teach those special children.

Joan used to send all of her friends and family a daily email with details of her trials and tribulations with her students. It would have made perfect blog content. I must confess sometimes I didn't read her emails and just deleted them. Now I am sorry that I did that and I wished I would have saved them all!

Joan was a very special person, she was a bit of a nomad and traveled around from state to state never staying too long in any one place. Joan spent five-years on a Navajo Reservation in Arizona teaching the children there. She loved to write and could have written several books about her travels and teaching experiences. Joan left us way too soon...oh, but she would have loved to blog!

Please visit my web site, http://www.mmarinaro.com/html/joanellen.html and read a tribute to Joan Ellen Marinaro. She would have been a GREAT blogger.

Life Assurance

Life Assurance

It's time for a spiritual post. I hope that many of my readers are religious and will enjoy this post. As always, your comments are welcome.

I used to sell life insurance and I did very well because I really believed in what I was doing. I thought everyone needs life insurance because it provides for those who are left behind. True as that may be, I have since discovered something much better to believe in…life assurance! You can't buy it from Prudential or Met Life but just like their life insurance policies, life assurance will provide for those who are left behind! Only God can give us life assurance and it's a wonderful feeling to know that we have something to look forward to after death!

In the last few years we have seen three people that were very close to us pass away. At first we were devastated by these losses, but after reflecting upon their lives and deaths and reading the bible; we came to understand that they are indeed in a much better place now.

Ezekiel 37: 1-14 tells us the story of the prophet Ezekiel who is shown a great miracle as God is able to give live to the dead bones and bodies that are scattered all about and raise them up again!

Three-years ago my mom lost her battle with cancer and Chris and I were overwhelmed with grief. We had always known her as a healthy, energetic person and to see mom in her last days after going through chemotherapy and fighting for breath with every step she took was heartbreaking, we hardly recognized her.

Then my sister Joan died suddenly two-years ago from heart failure. Just two weeks before her death she had visited us and seemed very happy and healthy! Joan was only fifty-years old. It didn't seem fair that she should be taken away so young.

Subsequently just three months after Joan had died our family suffered another loss. Chris' brother, Billy passed away after a life long struggle with diabetes. He too was very young, only fifty four-years old!

Three different people, three different diseases, yet they all have something in common. They all have been gloriously resurrected and no longer have to struggle with their various ailments.

In Ezekiel 37:13 God tells us, "And you shall know that I am the LORD, when I open your graves, and raise you from your graves, O my people." This assures us that we will know life after death!

One thing is for certain, we are only here on this earth for a short time and eventually we will die. However, it should not be a time of sadness and grieving for the friends and family left behind. Rather it should be a time of peace and comfort, knowing that our loved ones have left all their troubles behind and have been resurrected. Sure we are saddened because we will miss them but it is reassuring to know that they are now in the presence of God in all His glory!

We read in Ezekiel 37:14. "And I will put my Spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land; then you shall know that I, the LORD, have spoken, and I have done it, says the LORD" . What more assurance could we possibly need?

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, we ask that you be with the friends and families of those who have lost loved ones. Touch their hearts so that they will know peace and help them to understand that there is life after death. Let us all embrace the fact that God gives us life assurance and He tells us that after our time on earth here is done we will be with our Father in heaven enjoying eternal peace!

The Suitcase Under the Stairs

The Suitcase Under the Stairs

Here's a little bit of nostalgia that would do well to be brought back. When my two sisters and I were very young (a very long time ago) there was a big old suitcase that my father kept in a closet under the stairs.

The purpose of this suitcase was to teach us kids how to pick up after ourselves and keep our rooms clean. Let me tell you - it worked like a charm!

We were normal children who loved to play but hated to pick up all our toys when we were finished. There were places to go, other kids to play with, important things to do! Well my dad came up with the perfect solution.

Instead of screaming and yelling at us to pick up our toys, he would ask us nicely if we had cleaned our rooms. Then he would check it out for himself, and if there were still toys out of place he would gather them up and put them in this big old suitcase that he kept in the closet under the stairs in the den.

Eventually (after what seemed an eternity) we would get our toys back. It could be a week later it could be several months, depending on how well behaved we were and how clean we kept our rooms.

If any of you parents are having problems with your children picking up their rooms, try the suitcase under the stairs trick. It really works. When your favorite toys are taken away from you for a while you learn a valuable lesson.

An Angel & A Winding Road

Working the closing shift is not bad except for the long drive home at 3:00 A.M. after a hard day's work. Half of the trip is interstate driving which is not too bad; however, the final leg of the journey is along a dark and winding back country road. The entire drive home usually takes one-hour with very little or no traffic.

Normally, I would be so wound up from work that I didn't get sleepy on the way home but this particular night I was extremely tired because we were short handed at work and I was really exhausted. After about forty-minutes my eyes started to get very heavy and my mind would start to wander. Before I realized it, I found myself drifting off to sleep as I was driving.

I rolled down the windows to let in some cold night air in hopes that it would keep me awake. I was more than half-way home so I figured I could make it. To make matters worse it began to rain and visibility decreased as the monotonous swish of the windshield wipers lulled me further into a sleepy state.

I turned the radio up full blast and tried to get into the music to keep me awake. But now my eyes were straining because of the heavy rain. Every once in a while my head would drop and I would jolt upright realizing that I had once again closed my eyes! There was no place to pull over on this back road and rest for a little bit so I pushed myself and kept on driving.

The radio was starting to annoy me so I turned it off and hoped that the occasional splatter of wet, cold rain coming in the window and hitting my face would keep me awake. Almost home now, only about fifteen-minutes to go!

Suddenly, I was startled by a voice in the passenger seat as I felt a heavy tap on my shoulder. "Wake up Mike", the voice said. I could not figure out who was in the car with me and I glanced over to see who was there but saw nobody. Just then, I realized that something was very wrong and I could feel the car leave the pavement and head into the woods! Instinctively, I slammed on the brakes and looked up just in time to jerk the steering wheel with all of my strength to avoid a big tree that was directly in front of me!

My car came to a stop just a few feet from the tree and I could feel my heart racing as I turned the engine off and tried to catch my breath. I sat there for quite a while just reflecting on what had happened and I knew that an angel had tapped me on the shoulder and called my name to awaken me just in the nick of time. If I had stayed asleep even a split second longer my car would have hit that big tree head on and I'm sure that I would have been killed!

I have gone over this incident many times in my head since that fateful night and I am certain that I did not imagine a voice calling my name and I know without a doubt that someone did tap me on the shoulder!

Yes, I believe in angels; how about you?

This is a true story that happened to me about thirty-years ago, but I remember it like it was yesterday. I have many more angel stories and will post some of them soon.

Million Dollar Trash

Million Dollar Trash

Here's an interesting controversy that is going on right now. An 83-year-old man found a million dollar winning lottery ticket in a trash can. This is not the first time he has dug a winner out of the trash either! Edward St John told reporters he also found a $1,000 winning ticket in the trash earlier this year.

The problem is now that the ticket has been found, Attorny Dan Doyle says that the ticket actually belongs to his client who misplaced it. Mr. Doyle refused to identify his client.

Finder Keeper, loser weeper? According to the lottery commission's website, if the ticket is not signed then it can be claimed by anyone who presents it.

This will be an interesting case to follow. What do you think, who should get the money? Maybe a 50/50 split? I don't think so, I think the person who found it should be entitled to 100% of the money. Maybe if he has a big heart he will give something to the other guy, but that should be up to him not the courts. Leave a comment and tell me what you think.

Grandma's 100th Birthday

Grandma's 100th Birthday

Have you ever regretted doing something, or better yet...not doing something? The one thing that I will admit to screwing up in my life is missing my Grandma's 100th birthday party. Don't get me wrong now, that is definitely not the only thing I have done wrong in my 56 years here on earth. I have made plenty of mistakes, but in retrospect the only thing that really bothers me is that one party that I missed!

I can come up with several good excuses for not going to the party. You see...the party was in Connecticut, and I live in North Carolina. It's not that I didn't want to make a twelve hour drive up there, stay for one day, turn around and drive another twelve hours back again. That wasn't the issue at all. It wasn't the fact that if I was to make this drive, I would have to put new tires on the car and get a tune-up, that was no big deal. It didn't matter that I had just started a new job and did not have any vacation time available yet. I could just call in sick, no problem there.

I thought about flying up to Connecticut, but that idea was quickly ruled out. Way too expensive. That would never fit into our budget. Even if I went by myself and left my wife at home it still was too much money. Talking about money, what about a birthday present? What in the world do you buy for someone who has been around for 100 years? There just couldn't possibly be anything that she needed.

The more I think about it the more I realize that I cheated Grandma out of the one thing that she needed most...LOVE. That's all that she really wanted, to be loved by her family. She had outlived her husband, all of her brothers and sisters and most of her children. Grandma came from the 'old country', born and raised in Calabria, Italy. Family was very important to her. I remember growing up and going to Grandma's house every weekend. There would be dozens of children there, all of them cousins. We would have a great time playing and there was always plenty of good food to eat.

Today, I couldn't even tell you how many cousins I have. Everyone has moved somewhere else and lost track of each other. We all become so involved with our own little worlds and hustle and bustle of everyday life that we forget about our not so immediate family.

I don't have any other grandparents that are living, so I don't have to worry about screwing up like that again. I have learned a very valuable lesson from this. Every day we are here on this earth is a very special day. We only get to go around once, if we pass up the chance to say I love you, or thanks so much...that chance is gone forever. Don't blow it like I did with Grandma. I never really did get to know her as a person. I remember her from my childhood, but there are decades missing, where I had no contact at all with her. I'm sure there were many wonderful stories that Grandma would have shared with me, if only I had taken the time to listen.

The opportunity has come and gone...I will never have another chance to sing happy birthday to my Grandma on her very special 100th birthday celebration. I missed the chance to tell her that I loved her and really enjoyed all those good times we had at her house growing up. I take comfort in knowing that she is once again with her family in Heaven, and one day I too will be there with her. When that day arrives, I will be so happy to see her again that I will run up to her and give her a big hug and a kiss. The first thing I will say is "Grandma, I love you...I am so sorry for missing your special birthday party that day... please forgive me."

This has been bothering me for several years now, and I'm glad that I am finally able to share this with others. It is with a heavy heart and teary eyes that I am writing these words, and I hope and pray that you don't ever have to make an apology like that to anyone.

A little bit about this blog

A little bit about this blog

You may ask why is there a picture of a beautiful beach in the header of your blog? The answer to that is simple. I love the beach! I live just outside of Raleigh, NC and it is a 3-hour ride to the beach which isn't too bad so we visit often. See my post "Age is a matter of Mind" for a funny story about my last visit to the beach.

Almost every day at work I wear a Hawaiian shirt while everyone else is dressed in a shirt and tie. My body may be at work but my mind is at the beach! (Aaaargggh! Here I am last year at work dressed as a pirate for Halloween.)

The cool rimZ in my sidebar was designed by CapnPlaty using my beach theme. GREAT job CapnPlaty! The template itself was designed by Blog Frocks . When I first started blogging I just had a generic template. I had good content on my blog and updated daily but I couldn't win any battle of the blogs! Since my redesign I have been doing much better in the battles.

The content of this blog really has no specific format; whatever is on my mind at the moment is what I write about. Sometimes it's politics or current events; often I write about movies or TV shows; many posts are about childhood memories but more often than not I just ramble or rant.

Thanks for stopping by, and please leave a comment.

House Wife Mafia

House Wife Mafia

I'm not really sure how it all got started, but the House Wife Mafia has become a force to reckon with on Blog Explosion. I have read all of their blogs and enjoyed them. Their blog designs are unique and tastefully done. Their membership numbers are growing daily.

Today I gave in, and joined the HWM. I am not a housewife, in fact I am a 56-year old male. I am PROUD to display the HWM logo on my blog. Thanks for taking me in girls!

Speilberg Making Video Games

Speilberg Making Video Games

Here's one for all you gamers out there. Steven Speilberg has signed an exclusive deal with Electronic Arts to develop three original video games. EA is the maker of my favorite game, "Sim City", I can only imagine what kind of awesome games to expect from this collaboration between Speilberg and EA!

Speilberg will have an office at EA's studio and work side-by-side with game developers to create original games (not games based on movies). It will be a few years before these games are available but it is something to look forward to!

Photo by Kevork Djansezian, AP file

Click here to read entire story in USA Today