Apr 30, 2008
posted by Shelley
I got an email from a friend today letting me know the price of a gallon of gas in a nearby city — $3.75! Holy cow! Then I read on my favorite news source that BP and Shell posted forecast-busting big profits to the tune of a combined $17 billion in the past 3 months. OPEC says oil could hit $200 a barrel — oil prices have already hit a historic peak close to $120 a barrel, putting further pressure on global economies.
Some US Senators are blaming high oil prices directly on Opec and Saudi Arabia, its largest and most powerful member — stating that oil production has been reduced by about 2m barrels a day over the past three years, even though oil prices had continued to rise. Algeria’s Prime Minister says that prices are high due to the recession in the United States, and went on to say that each time the dollar falls 1 percent, the price of the barrel rises by $4.
So now what? What do ordinary people do? I have absolutely no clue — but I hope that someone has a plan. I also read that in New Smyrna Beach, Florida, the 3rd swimmer in 3 days has been attacked. That is direct proof that all sharks haven’t moved to dry land.
Apr 28, 2008
posted by Shelley
Have you seen the cereal commercial that starts with a wrinkled dog jumping on its owner’s bed trying desperately to wake him only to be shoved back to the floor? No? Well, the dog trots downstairs; carries back a tray with cereal and all the extras…even a fresh flower in a vase; the owner wakes up to eat a fabulous breakfast and prepares for a hike, and you think that’s what the dog wanted all along. The commercial ends with the dog’s owner taking that walk and the dog covered up in bed snoring. Cute commercial – but what kind of cereal was it? I don’t remember.
If I went to the store right now after having watched this commercial not 5 minutes ago, I wouldn’t have a clue what to buy. I know it was brown and healthy, so it wasn’t Apple Jacks or Fruity Pebbles. The dog was brown too – and not as fat as my Libby, so it was probably healthier as well…even without that hike outdoors. So I noticed details like the flower in the vase on the tray, and what the dog and cereal looked like, and even that it was to help you start your day healthy and active – but I didn’t catch the brand?
Libby didn’t catch it either, but it probably wouldn’t have mattered anyway…
Apr 28, 2008
Posted by Perry
Well, it is the day after the NFL Draft and I’m sitting here pondering the picks made by my beloved Bengals. I’m confused (as are many in Bengaldom) about some of the choices we’ve made this year and seriously doubt if it will help us get back to the playoffs. In case you missed who we picked;
Rd 1: Keith Rivers LB USC 6-3 235 – An outstanding athlete who looks sculpted from granite. Nice pick-up.
Rd 2: Jerome Simpson WR Coastal Carolina 6-2 185 – will make the tough catches over the middle, fearless, lacks break away speed.
Rd 3a: Pat Sims DT Aub 6-2 310 – Big body in the middle, plays hard but inconsistent. Tends to get outplayed by lesser competition.
Rd 3b: Andre Caldwell WR UF 6-1 200 – Speedy guy, nice hands and runs good routes. Nice pick.
Rd 4: Anthony Collins T Kansas 6-5 317 – Purely for depth, has great upside.
Rd 5: Jason Shirley DT Fresno St 6-5 329 – Huge body, has had some off the field issues, a project guy at this spot.
Rd 6a: Corey Lynch S App St 6-0 205 – Decent range, hard worker. Could be nice special teams guy.
Rd 6b: Matt Sherry TE Villanova 6-4 255 – Much needed depth for this position.
Rd 7a: Angelo Craig DE UC 6-5 235 – Speed rusher, will provide d-line depth, little on the light side for a lineman.
Rd 7b: Mario Urrutia WR Louisville 6-5 232 – Big target, but many had him undrafted.
While some of these picks are decent – a few have me scratching my head. Why pick a guy who has off-field issues when you just cut a receiver for the VERY SAME THING??? C’mon Marv and Co, you can and MUST do better than this – guess I’ll have to settle for watching the Colts in the playoffs this year…
Apr 27, 2008
posted by Shelley
It is easy to get sucked into our own small world of projects and concerns and task lists. Sometimes, we need to set our work down and take a big step back. That doesn’t mean we’ve gone off-course and are wandering around without a plan, but it does allow us time to realize that the things we worry about each day are quite small. Time away from work gives us a fresh vision for future priorities — clarity — as I’ve touched on before. So no matter what type of job you have — take a step back, and go outside and play. When you return, you might be surprised at how much clarity you’ve gained.
It won’t be long before I’ll actually get away from the burg for a bit, but in the meantime, I especially enjoy taking Libby for a walk down the road. Even though I love what I’m doing right now insofar as work, getting away from it just for a short time reminds me of the bajillion other things I love too.
Apr 27, 2008
posted by Shelley
Perry and I have finally made it to level 70 on World of Warcraft with the 2 characters we had pretty much abandoned until about a month or so ago. We celebrated the birthday of my son, Ben, on Saturday evening — but earlier in the day he was on the game as Izuo (who made it to level 70 months ago), to help with those last experience points for me to get that final booyah level. Perry caught up after the birthday celebration, hitting 70 at around 11:30 pm or so. Now begins the grind for equipment that is worthy of our abilities (heh).
