New Year Resolutions

Yes, it's that time of year again. Time to make those New Year resolutions that usually last about a week. My resolution this year is to make no resolutions. But, I have already failed because I made a resolution to have no resolutions. So really I am no better off than any other past year. Anywho, I hope everyone has a happy and safe New Year's Eve!

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Old School Nintendo Games are Back!

Were you ever addicted to Zelda or Super Mario Brothers growing up? I still remember that day when I bought my first Nintendo entertainment system. I had saved up for a year to buy one and once it was in my possession life would never be the same. I played for hours upon hours everyday and night. I coudn't sleep at night thinking about the new strategy I was going to use in Zelda or how I could save the Mushroom princess in Mario Brothers. Then there was Techmo Bowl....... Could anybody really stop Bo Jackson in that game? (See video below) Anyways now you can play all your old favorites on you pc. Just go to: http://www.nescafeweb.com/

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Merry Christmas from Brogan

Thanks to all of you who have become loyal readers of the blog over the past year. I wish you and your families a very Merry Christmas! My gift to you is a free download of my book, "The Brogan Book: Your Daily Blarney". Feel free to download a copy and email it out to all your friends and family. It has even been said that my book is a great cure for somebody who has trouble falling asleep! God Bless!

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD YOUR FREE COPY.

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Free 411 for Your Cell Phone

If you are like me you don't use 411 on your cell phone because it costs either $.75 or $1.50 depending our your cell phone provider. But now there is a way around that. From your cell phone you can dial 1-800-373-3411 (1-800-Free411) and won't have to pay a dime to find out the phone number or address your are looking for. Sound to good to be true? I thought so too, but I tried it out and it works to perfection. For more info you can also visit their website by clicking here.

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Paying for a Snow Job?

I live in a townhouse where I have to pay an association fee of $105.00 a month. Sometimes this seems a little high and I have been known to complain about it. But it was days like yesterday that make it worth every penny. As the snow storm hit Central Iowa, I had that piece of mind that I wouldn't have to go home and shovel my driveway. None of that back breaking work in the below freezing temperatures that all my fellow neighbors in houses have to do. On my drive to work this morning I took a moment to think about all my financial investments, but none of them compared to that $105 a month today.

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Morph Into an Elf

Hey, I just made a total elf of myself. Check it out by clicking the link below.

http://www.elfyourself.com/?id=1185526173
This is pretty cool. Send all your friends and family an elf greeting!

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Sale at Kohls

Oh, look Kohls is having another sale. "The Biggest of the Year" according to their ad! Here is the question...... When are they not having a sale? I hope people are catching on that their "sale" prices are really just their normal prices. They show a "regular" price with the markup way too high so it seems like you are getting a good deal. It is smart marketing, but I hope everyone knows better.

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CNN/You Tube GOP Debate

I am normally not the type of person who watches Presidential debates, but last night was an exception. Up to this point I haven't really found a Republican candidate that I really knew much about or really wanted to support. After watching the debate and doing some extensive online research I have come to a conclusion that America has one Republican candidate that they should vote for this next election year........................ Mike Huckabee. For some reason I don't trust Romney or Giuliani and Paul might just be crazy. Huckabee on the otherhand seems genuine and has some really great ideas on how to turn this country around. I recommend that everyone do your own research and find a candidate to support. Unless of course you are a democrat (nothing wrong with that), then please don't vote for Hillary!
Huckabee 08

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Kissing Santa Claus

I wonder if the kid who saw "momma kissing Santa Claus" is messed up for life? He not only saw the kiss, but he stayed there to see "momma tickle Santa Clause" too. It is kind of a perverted song if you think about it. Not really what Christmas is suppose to be about.

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Man vs Black Friday

I had a very strategic plan this past Black Friday. I knew what I wanted and nobody was going to get in my way. My first spot to hit the bargain trail was Sears at 5am. To my surprise there was only a line of about 20 people at the door in front of me when I got there. When the doors opened, people were civilized and walked in. I knew exactly where the stuff I needed was located and swiftly moved past all the people turning in circles looking for their items. I was able to snag a Digital Frame for $49.00, a nice $300 Christmas tree for $99, and a memory card for just $9.99. The store was jam packed but no injuries or chaos to speak of.

Next stop on the trail was Target at 6am. Both doors of Target had lines of about 60 people when I arrived. When the doors opened all hell broke loose. People began running in and grabbing carts. I needed to get over to the electronics department fast. It was crazy. Women were pushing carts into my legs, yelling, pushing and I even think I saw a woman bite another one. I was able to make my way over to the DVDs and find "Seinfeld: Season 8" for half price that I wanted. Although I did make it fine, my wife was not so lucky. Since she is just a little one (only 5' tall), she got lost in the crowd almost trampled. I finally found her and she had enough of the Black Friday fun.

Overall the 2007 Black Friday campaign was a success. I got everything I wanted and only ended up with a few bruises from crazy cart ladies. I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving and Black Friday weekend!

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Great Political Video

Living in Iowa, I am bombarded with Political Ads on television with the upcoming Caucus. A friend of mine posted this on his blog and I thought it was hilarious. It is great to see a funny and light hearted commercial. Check it out.

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New Review On My Book

Here is another new review on my book (The Brogan Book: Your Daily Blarney):

Have you ever watched 60 Minutes and Andy Rooney comes on and, curmudgeon that he is, rants in essay form about this or that inconsequential thing that gives him a gut ache that particular week?
Thomas Brogan's Daily Blarney is similar to that. But Mr. Brogan limits his rants and sarcasm.
Not that Thomas Brogan doesn't have a justifiable beef. He often does. And he sees things and relates them in unique ways. Like gift cards—nice to get because you don't have to wear “the purple sweater with a pear that grandma picked out.” But now Thomas has a problem. Without a gift card, he can find many things in a store he would like to get. But once he has a gift card (“free money to spend”), he can't find anything he really wants. Since he's impatient and has money to “burn,” he often feels he needs to use it right then—and gets something he really didn't want. Much like the unwanted gift that seemingly was avoided.
You'll be amazed, as Mr. Brogan was, that water can kill you! Yes, water intoxication, they call it. See, I told you dihydrogen monoxide was bad and ought to be banned!
The book is a riot to read. You may even find yourself laughing or even agreeing with some (or many) of Mr. Brogan's observations. Or give this book as a gift. It has to be better than that purple sweater with a pear you were planning on re-gifting!

Reviewed by: John L. Hoh, Jr. (BookIdeas.com) 4 out of 5 stars

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Crumbs in the Silverware Drawer

I just don't understand it. I put my silverware in the dishwasher and turn it on. Once it is finished I open it up and I have shiny, sparkling silverware. I carry my silverware over to the designated drawer and place them in their slot. So, to my knowledge, the silverware is clean. But somehow, the next time I open up the drawer full of clean silverware there are crumbs in the silverware tray......... Why? How can it be? Are there crumb gnomes that come and sprinkle the crumbs in there when I am gone? This has to be one of life's great mysteries.

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Special Holiday Sale: The Brogan Book

What makes the perfect stocking stuffer? The Brogan Book of course. Get your copy today at a special holiday price of $5.99. That's over half off the price at Amazon or Barnes and Noble. Get your copy today!

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Pizza Delivery and Cops

Is there some sort of unwritten law, or a real law for that matter, that the public knows nothing about, that allows pizza delivery drivers to speed? Because I have to tell you I have noticed many cars with the pizza sign on them buzz past me doing at least 90mph on a 25mph street. Now granted I may not be the fastest driver in the world (my wife will tell you I drive like a grandpa), but come on! I never see those pizza cars pulled over. Do you? I think that the police department is getting some free pizza out of this deal. We make fun of cops for always wanting donuts, but the truth is that pizza is the number one addiction for them. This addiction allows 16 year old kids to cruise around town driving like maniacs in their old Dodge Neon with a pizza sign lit up on top. I mean come on. The light on top of the car even draws attention to the speeding cars and they still don't get pulled over. I challenge somebody to test my theory. Get a hold of one of these pizza signs and drive around town like a crazy person. Speed, hit garbage cans, run red lights, see if you get pulled over. My prediction..............you won't. And no I won't pay for your ticket if you get one. :)

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New Shoes: Paolo Nutini

I have been listening to Capital 106.3 a lot lately and they introduced me to a great new artist named Paolo Nutini. Here is a video of one of his songs. I highly recommend checking out his album!

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The Joy of Nature

It was a wonderful crisp November evening tonight. I was outside on my deck grilling out some burgers when I took a moment to embrace the beautiful evening in front of me. The sun was setting, the moon was already showing it's glow and a flock of Canadian geese were flying down into the pond in my backyard. Amazingly, the first thing that came to my mind was taking a shotgun and shooting down one of the unsuspecting geese. I pictured myself in a real life "Duck Hunt" (Old Nintendo video game for you young folks), just picking the ducks off left and right. Ahhhh, what a nice night.

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The Most Impersonal Gift Ever

Holiday shopping is upon us once again this year. For some of us this can be a good thing, while for others it is just pure hell. I really think the person you are buying for makes the experience good or bad. I have some people who will give me a list of gift ideas as tall as me (6'1 if your counting). Then there are some others who won't even give me one inkling of an idea of what to buy them. These are the people who end up getting the gift card.

Now, I have always said that the gift card is the most impersonal gift. It doesn't really take any thought or effort on the buyer's part. But this year it has gotten even worse. Now you can order gift cards online. This means you don't even have to drive to the store to get the card. Better yet... you can have the gift card delivered directly to the person. You don't even have to see them! Isn't that great! Thanks to the modern convenience of the Internet you don't even have to deal with the family on Christmas anymore. You can send your gift card to them, send out an email instead of a card and spend you time on Christmas day at the one bar that is open in town.

What has Christmas come to??????

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Just Close My Account and Shut Up

Sometimes trying to close an account over the phone is like pulling teeth. I had signed up for this monthly Credit Score Tracker service and decided after a few months that I didn't need it any more. I thought that I could simply call and cancel the membership....... I thought wrong. After punching in all my account information and listening to some classic 80's tunes turned into elevator music I was directed to a sales representative that I couldn't understand (go figure). I told the rep that I wanted to cancel my membership (number 1). That's when I had to hear about all the reasons I should keep the account. "I want to cancel my membership." (second time).

Sales Rep: "But, Mr. Brogan have I told you about all the advantages.....blah, blah, blah."

"Please cancel my membership." (number 3)

Sales Rep: "But, Mr. Brogan I can give you this special price just this once...blah, blah, blah."

"Please just cancel my membership now." (number 4)

It took me four times of asking and over 10 minutes to cancel my membership that should have taken 1 minute. Have you ever had this experience? It is just annoying!

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The New Miracle Pill in Liquid Form

This is so true..........and funny!

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Anti-War Movies

Okay Liberal Hollywood we get the point. You are against the war in the Middle East. Can you please stop making the same old anti-war movies? At the movies this past weekend it was depressing sitting through all the previews about war and terrorism. The worst part is that most of these movies make the U.S. look like the bad guy. It is fine that you might not agree, but don't put down your own country. If you don't like the country so much there are plenty of other places you could live..... Just a thought.

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Butt Marketing

I appreciate a good marketing idea. With that being said, what the heck is going on with messages on butts around the country? Do you know what I mean? You see sweatpants or jeans with little sayings like "Hottie", "Little Angel" or even "Bite Me" plastered right on the butt. It's bad enough that they make these pants for women. But they also have these for little girls. That is just messed up! What kind of pedophile thought of this idea? I would never buy my daughter a pair of these pants. What parent would want their child's butt being looked at by some old pervert? This is just another example of how this society is in a downward spiral.

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Smoker Dedication

I really have to hand it to smokers. They are so dedicated to their art. If I gave just 10 percent of their effort for smoking and used it towards working out I would look better than John Basedow (guy from annoying Fitness Made Simple commercials). Think about it.............. Smokers know all the horrible medical effects of smoking, but yet they will still stand outside in below freezing temperatures to puff away. Cigarette prices go up, no problem.... they drive miles upon miles to another state to buy cartons (referring to the new Iowa tax). When bars and restaurants start to go smoke free nationwide I am sure they will find an answer. They have that hunger and the desire for that nicotine and nothing will stop them. It is amazing! I wish I could bottle that up and use it towards my goals. I will have to look into that.

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Dan In Real Life

I went and saw "Dan in Real Life" this past weekend. With Steve Carell (The OFFICE) being the main character and with the trailers I had seen, I was expecting a slap-stick comedy that would bring me to tears from laughing. But, the movie ended up being a little bit more on the serious side. Carell's character, Dan, ends up meeting the woman of dreams at a book store right before he goes to visit his family for the week. The only problem is that the woman of his dreams ends up being his brother's girlfriend. Along with this, Dan must also deal with his 3 daughters and being a good dad. Don't get me wrong, there are a couple of funny moments throughout the movie (Carell dancing), but the main theme is love and family throughout the movie. Carell turns in a great peformance and shows he is more than just a comedic performer.

So that was the good. Now, for the two bad things about this movie. First, Dan's family, is just way too perfect. The brothers, sisters, parents and kids get together for the week at a beautiful cabin in Rhode Island. They play games together, have dinners together and even have a family talent show. Now, admittedly my family is not perfect, but do any families really have this much fun together? It just wasn't believable. Second, this movie had many similarities to "The Family Stone", which was released in 2005. It almost seemed like the same movie with a few different twists.

Overall, not a bad movie. 3 out of 5 stars

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A Trip to the Dentist

Two times a year it happens. I have 363 days a year of freedom. But, then I get that little postcard in the mail. It reminds me that my 6 month checkup at the dentist is near and I get that sick feeling to my stomach. I don't know why I fear the dentist so much. There is just something medieval about having metal objects jammed into your mouth that doesn't make sense to me. Every time I picture myself at the dentist it reminds me of a scene from the movie "Hostel" and I am part of some torture fantasy of a rich U.S. businessman. I guess the most ironic thing is I have to pay for this service (okay my insurance does, but still ironic).

So I am laying there with a spotlight in my face. A sharp metal object is picking at the layer between my gums and my teeth. I try to find a happy place and focus on counting the dots on the ceiling. But then, the dentist feels the need to add insult to injury. They begin to ask you questions. You know normal questions that a person would ask you at work or if you ran into an old friend at the market. You know like "How's the family doing?". Of course, all I can answer is "mmmmmmmmm", because I have something wedged between my #3 molar and #4 molar. So you really know that the person doesn't care what you have to say, when they know they won't get a coherent answer back from you.

So I put up with the 45 minutes of hell. The positive spin on this...... still no cavities. :)

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Blooking Central: Daily Dose of Blarney

Check out the link below for a blog post regarding my book, "The Brogan Book: Your Daily Blarney". Later all.

Blooking Central: Daily Dose of Blarney

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Latest Book Review - The Brogan Book: Your Daily Blarney

"Occasionally illustrated with black-white photographs, "The Brogan Book: Your Daily Blarney" is a compilation of prose poems and free verse lyrics employed by Thomas Brogan and range from rants, accusations, and sarcasm to novel ideas, original thoughts, and a great deal of what can be described as "blarney", nonsense, and old-fashioned hooey. Inconcoclastic and ironic, Thomas Brogan is also entertaining, original, and a quite obviously gifted wordsmith well worth the reader's time."

Willis M. Buhle - The Midwest Book Review (Reviewer's Bookwatch:September 2007)

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Premiere Week

Well, it is "Premiere Week" on NBC this week, and that means that my favorite TV show "The Office" is starting up again. I guess you could say that I am excited! Just to give you a little update before the show on Thursday (NBC 8pm Central) here is a teaser..... By the way, the song from the Video is by Mika - Love Today.

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Stupid Store Questions

I know people are just doing there jobs when they ask you questions at stores. Maybe they are just trying to be helpful. This is great, I appreciate it.....but if you work in a specialty store, this question is really not needed. The other day, this happened to me twice. First, I was at Blockbuster Video to rent a movie to watch. I was walking down the row of new releases and I heard a voice from behind me, "Is there anything I can help you find?" Well, since I am at a "movie store", I answered, "a movie". Did the lady really have to ask me? Just let me look at the movies and if I have a question I can find you.
The second example is my favorite. I am Irish, proud of it, and like to buy Irish products to show my heritage. I was at an Irish shop down in Valley Junction, that only sells Irish related products. I walked into the store.....and of course the lady working there had to ask the question....."Can I help you find anything?" So of course I answered "I am looking for something Irish, do you have anything?" Looking back on it, I should have been a complete smart ass and said, "I am looking for something German, do you have it?"

Both these examples go into the "Thanks, Captain Obvious" category. I know these workers are just trying to do there job, but I still get a kick out of it. I guess they could ask more specific questions, but we know they really don't care anyway.

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Caught in the Act

I know other people do this. It just can't be me. The other day I was sitting at dinner, I wondered to myself if I remembered to put on deodorant that morning. It is such a habit to slap on deodorant, sometimes I don't realize that I do it. So I decided to check this little problem out. I did the "fake turn" over my left shoulder and pretended to look at something. Little did everyone else know, I was really smelling for B.O. The left pit smelled good, now I had to check out the right one. Now, I just couldn't do the same "fake turn" again, so I decided to do the "fake stretch". I raised up my arms in the air and tilted my head to the right. Ahhhh...Smells like Right Guard to me. Just then my dinner companion called me on it. She had realized what I was doing. Man, did I feel like an idiot. But we all do it.....DON'T WE??

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Mentos and Diet Coke

What happens when you mix mentos candy and diet coke? Something beautiful! After watching an episode of Mythbusters (Discovery Channel), I learned this fun trick. Next time you have a group of friends over try it out. Put 4 mentos into a 2 liter of diet coke and stand back. An eruption of fun will happen. I also found this cool video that was put together with this idea.

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Cold, but Hot

You scream, I scream we all scream for ice cream..........

I was eating some ice cream the other day which in it self is weird because when it is negative Iowa degrees out, who wants something cold. But, I was craving it, so I scooped out a few scoops of vanilla ice cream in a bowl. I got some of the vanilla heaven in my spoon and before I took the bite, I blew on the ice cream......Hmmmmmm...Why did I do this? Ice cream is cold, not hot. I noticed that I did this a few other times during my domination of the ice cream. Am I crazy?...or do other people actually have some kind of brain association between eating something with a spoon and thinking it will be hot.

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Driving 101

Getting around has been a little more difficult lately with all of the construction going on. But, what really makes it difficult is some of the other drivers out there. It seems like sometimes when you merge onto the interstate you are entering a Thunder Dome, with no rules or regulations.
There are basically five types of people driving the roads of Des Moines.

1.) The Average Joe - These are people such as myself who obey basic traffic laws and that have a little bit of common sense.
2.) The Soccer Mom - These are moms who are usually driving an SUV or Mini-Van around town. Their cargo....Kids, Lots of Them. They are known for showing a soccer ball emblem in their back window. You must be aware of the Soccer Mom because she is trying to operate a large vehicle with kids screaming, a DVD movie showing and while talking on the cell phone.
3.)The Old Timers - Yes, we should respect our elders, but at the same time, we should fear them as well. The Old Timers drive around town, usually in their over sized Cadillacs going 10 miles under the posted speed limit. Sometimes you can't even see them because they can't see over the steering wheel. You must take caution when driving next to them because they believe for some reason that they are owed the right to drive in two lanes.
4.) The Out-Of-Towners - Yes we have all been one, at one time or another. They have the habit of driving really slow when looking for their destination. They go the wrong way down one ways and seem to have a bewildered look in their eyes at all times.
5.) Road Ragers - This is the most dangerous of the group. These are people who for some reason are mad at the world. They like to drive at outrageous speeds while swerving in and out of lanes. When you are trying to merge and see a Road Rager, forget it. They will not let you in! They will speed up, slow down and do whatever it takes to block you out. If you do somehow manage to get in front of them, they will ride your tail, honk and even flip the old bird to get you out of their path.

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Payperpost Update

I have now been signed up with PayPerPost for a little over a month. At first I was skeptical that I could make money blogging. But, I have been proven wrong. To date I have made just over $200 doing something that I love to do anyway, blog. I have used my extra income so far to dabble in the stock market and hopefully make a pretty good return on it. I would really recommend to anybody out there with a blog to try out PayPerPost.com. They give you different opportunities to choose from and then you do a short blog on it. Then you get paid. It is so easy! There is no other way to make this kind of money from a blog. Trust me I have learned, that hosting ads on your blog doesn't create any revenue at all!

This is a sponsored post

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The Gift Card

A lot of people are giving gift cards now as gifts. I for one don't mind getting the gift card. This means I can get what I want to and not have to wear that purple sweater with the pear design on it that my grandma picks out for me.
The one weird thing about the gift card is when I am shopping normally without one I can find at least a thousand things that I want to buy. But once I enter that store with the gift card in hand (free money to burn), I can't seem to find one thing I want. Since I have no patience I feel that I have to spend it that day! I can't wait. I have money to spend, which doesn't happen to often. I usually end up buying something that I really didn't want or need just to use the gift card up........... I wonder if this happens to anyone else??

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An Extension of My Ear

What is a cell phone without assessories? Good question. A cell phone without the extras just isn't very fun. My personal favorite cell phone accessory has to be the hands free headset. It makes driving and talking a lot easier, not to mention safer. Although sometimes I do admit I see other people using these and think they are crazy and talking to themselves. Of course there are plenty of other things you need for your cell phones like car chargers, covers, bluetooth, etc. There is a great website where you can find the assessories you need for your specific phone. Wirefly.com breaks down your options by carrier and brand of phone. It makes the process very easy and you will be talking on your new bluetooth head set in no time.

This is a sponsored post.

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Cell Phone Thoughts

Pretty much everybody and their mom now has a cell phone. I have had one since the early days when the phone was pretty much bigger than my face. I think by now most people are use to seeing and hearing people all around them talking on their phones.
But, after all these years of being desensitized to the cell phone chatter around me, I still can't get over what some people will say. You can be right behind them in line at the supermarket and they will be talking about a lesbian threesome they just had the night before. Okay they don't talk about that, but the subjects that some people talk about, I don't want to hear.
Then there are the loud talkers. You know what I mean. They shout into the cell phone. Sometimes I think some of these people shout so that we can hear their conversations. They talk about how many stocks they have, how much they just made off a deal, whatever it takes to impress us. Here is some news for you........I don't care about what your friend Shirley thinks about something or what new car you just bought. I just want to get through the check out without hearing your stupid conversation.
Plus, you get the ones that stay on the phone while they are trying to get something done. They walk up to pay for their groceries and they stay on the phone. No hello to the cashier, no nothing. How rude! I don't think people should get served in a store until they hang up the phone.

So the next time you are using the phone where everybody can hear you....please either lower your voice (to a normal level) or wait five minutes and call the person back when you get into your car. A little bit of courtesy goes a long way.

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Good Source of Knowledge

When looking for some information on Education, Encyclocentral.com is a great source of knowledge. One of the interesting things I found there was an article about the Gatorade Sports institute. The Gatorade Sports and Science Institute is an unit that is set up for the purpose of research and sports education. Their goal is to find better ways for atheletes to perform. This would definately be an interesting to place to visit. This is just one of the many cool topics on education that you can find on the site. Check it out.

This is a sponsored post

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Checkout Line

It doesn't matter where I am, it could be Target, Hy-Vee, Dahl's, or Wal-Mart, whenever I pick a line it turns out to be the slowest. There could be 20 people in the line next to me and only 2 in the lane I am at. But some how, those 20 people get through before I do. It FRUSTRATES ME!
The little light above the counter that is lit up......as soon as I enter that lane it starts blinking. I don't know if I just have the worst luck ever or what!
The worst is when you get that person who doesn't think the price came up right. They sit there and argue because the Bounty Paper Towels came up as $1.10 instead of $1.00. That is when I pull a dime out of my pocket slam it on the counter and say please move on in life. It is only a dime!

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Brogan the Rock Star

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be an 80's glam rocker? I found a cool website where you can make yourself play the part.

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Customer Relations

There aren't too many businesses out there that don't have to deal with customers on a day to day basis. One tool that can make customer relationship management easier, is a great CRM Software. One of the biggest faults of many of the CRM packages available are that they are not very user friendly. The AIMpromote system has taken the best parts of CRM and integrated them into a seamless application that puts your sales force in a position to focus more on making sales, and less on learning software. And we all know, ultimately running a business is about making profit. The more your staff can focus on making sales, the better.
Did you know, studies have shown that most features in CRM software applications are typically unused, and have little real-world application or benefit. With AIMpromote you can customize the software to your companies need, saving a lof of headaches and training. So if you are looking for a better way to deal with your customers check out AIMpromote.
This is a sponsored post

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Rain on Me

We have enjoyed some great rain showers the last couple of days. It's amazing how some people are so afraid to get wet? They act as if liquid hot magma is falling from the sky and is going to burn them. No folks, it's just harmless water drops. Oh, it may mess up the hair a bit, but overall you will be okay. So instead of running like wild beasts across the parking lot dashing in front of cars........Take your time, take on a little water and walk safely, avoiding cars and other moving objects. Besides, the messy look for hair is in..... isn't it?

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Getting Noticed

One of the hardest things to do on the internet is get your website at the top of a search engine results page. This is true especially if you have a brand new website. Most Search Engines rank you by your google page rank. I found a great website that uses a different method. Instead of sorting listings by popularity, Page Rank, or alphabetically, the listings with Big Web Links are sorted by the bid amount. This allows webmasters to easily control the position of listings in the directory. So using bid for placement gives you a chance to compete with big website that have been around for a long time. I think this is a wonderful idea! It gives the little guy a chance.

This is a sponsored post.

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I'm No Tiger Woods

I went golfing today out at Sugar Creek in Waukee. What a beautiful day for golf! The highlight of the day was almost hitting a Police Car as it drove by on the highway. I think the worst part of golf is that first hole. Today there was 4 other groups behind us waiting to tee off. That means they are all watching you....waiting for you to totally screw up. Well, at least that's how I am as I am watching the person in front of me. Either you hit it well and you can take a slow walk to your cart, with your head up high.... or you totally shank the ball or miss it totally and walk quickly to your cart with your head down praying that no one noticed. Today, thank God, I made some good contact!

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Great Phone Service

Have you been looking to an alternative to your local home phone service? Vonage VoIP Phone Service is redefining communications by offering consumers & small business - VoIP Internet phones, an affordable alternative to traditional phone service. If you are interested in finding out more information there is a great site that has reviews, forums and news regarding Vongage phones. The Vonage Forum pretty much has everything you need to know before you make the switch over to Vonage. Check it out.

This is a sponsored post.

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The Forbidden Phone Call

Has this ever happened to you? You're on the phone with a friend, having a good conversation, sharing funny stories, when out of no where you hear........ a very familiar sound......... the sound of......yeah that sounds like................it can't be............. yes, a stream of liquid falling into a body of water........ they are going to the bathroom while on the phone.

A few thoughts about this. First, I don't care how close I am to you, I don't want to hear it!!!!!! It only takes a minute to give me a call back, I will understand if you have to urinate.

Now, I can let the old #1 go most of the time. But please don't even think about using the phone during the #2. This is just wrong. This gives a whole other meaning to a "shitty conversation". I don't want any part of it. Not only should you not be on the phone during this process, but the phone shouldn't even be in the bathroom.

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You Decide Who Wins

I have found another cool website for you all to check out! The website, whogets.com, is putting a whole new twist on the contest world. The twist is that on WhoGets.com, you get to decide who walks away with the cool products they are giving away. It's up to you. Will you pick the neediest contestant? The struggling college student? The person who made you laugh? Or someone for no reason at all? This puts you in control. The best part of this website it that it's free and you don't have to worry about annoying SPAM mail from signing up. So check it out today, for your chance to win some cool prizes, like gift cards, ipods and cell phones!

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Stolen Identity

The other day I was driving to work and noticed something out of place. A Honda Civic passed me by and it has a Lexus emblem on the back. Now, I have owned both a Lexus (see picture below of what happened to my old Lexus) and a Honda, so I know what they look like. How stupid does this guy think we are? I understand trying to impress your friends and girls, but this just makes you look stupid. Ripping off a Honda logo and slapping on a $10.00 Lexus emblem doesn't make your car cool. It makes you look like the village idiot. One other thing about this car that really annoyed me was it had a special muffler to let you know that it was coming from a mile away. What's the point? To me it sounds more like you need to take your car to the shop than something that impresses people. I guess whatever floats your boat. :)

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Lowest Bid Wins?

I have come across a very unique site that takes auctions to a whole new level! The website, bid4prizes, is the opposite of your traditional auction. The concept is for you to find a prize that you like and place a bid to win it. Unlike many of the most popular auction websites where the highest bid wins the prize, with Bid4Prizes the lowest unique bid wins! Does that just blow you mind or what? Another cool option is you can either bid online or by text messaging with your cell phone. You get updates right on your cell phone! Pretty Cool. They have some really good stuff to bid on too. There is a Samsung 50" Plasma TV that I would love to have. If I end up with the lowest bid, I will be able to watch football games in HD and feel like I am there. So I highly recommend checking out this site and placing your bid.

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The Power of Green Tea

I have been on a green tea kick lately. I am a huge fan of drinking tea anyway, but the more I find out about green tea, the more I am intrigued. I have heard in the past that green tea can help prevent cancer. More recently I have heard that drinking tea can help you lose weight. Can this be true? I had to check this out more. Here is what I found:

-Green tea boosts your metabolism - Studies have reported that green tea extract can result in an increase of energy expenditure.

-Green tea may reduce appetite - I'm not sure if it's from the tea itself, or from the fact that you are filling your stomach with the fluids from the tea, as liquid consumption has also been known to help reduce your appetite.

-May inhibit fat absorption - Experts say that catechins in green tea help inhibit the movement of glucose into fat cells. It also helps slow the rise of blood sugar after a meal.

-Drinking green tea, and replacing other, higher calorie drinks can serve as a double boost to your weight-loss efforts.

During my research I came to the conclusion that drinking green tea may help lose weight, but that it it not a magical potion to help you instantly lose weight. I can see where drinking the tea and exercising may show some results after a few weeks. Bottom Line: It can't hurt to drink it!

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Thinking Outside the Box

There are many different ways to invest your money. There are your more typical options of stocks and mutual funds and then there are some other excellent ways to make some serious cash. Foreign exchange, forex or just FX are all terms used to describe the trading of the world's many currencies. The forex market is the largest market in the world, with trades amounting to more than USD 1.5 trillion every day. This is more than one hundred times the daily trading on the New York Stock Exchange. Most forex trading is speculative, with only a few percent of market activity representing governments' and companies' fundamental currency conversion needs. Using some a great website source like Global Futures Exchange & Trading Co., Inc, you can get started with as little as $250. Global futures is one of the largest independent introducing brokerage firms offering futures, options and foreign exchange services on all major exchanges around the world. Using their service you can find new strategies that can bring in money a lot quicker than the normal investing options. I suggest you check them out.

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Parking Ramp Stories

I was running right on time today for work. When I say right on time I mean I will sit down at my desk, right at 8am. Then I hit the parking ramp. On any other day, this would have been no problem. But today I had been caught up in some heavy traffic so I was cutting it a bit close. I would definitely have to put some pride in my stride and haul my butt fast through the skywalk.
So I pull into the gate at the bottom of the ramp. Usually around this time everybody else is putting in that extra effort and have already made it to their desk, so the ramp is all mine. Nope......not today. I have a mini van that has pulled into the gate right before me. The stalls are right next to each other and both lead up into the ramp. I know I need to beat this car. I could tell that this would be a very slow person. At this point the mini van and my car are lined up like two horses ready to run the race of a life time. I put my card in, it does not work. I try again......nothing. I look over and see the gate going up for the van. I knew it was over.
After a few minutes of messing with my parking card I finally got it to work. I could still see the van in front of me going at least one mile per hour. WHY!!!
Have you ever been behind one of these people in a ramp. There is no room to go around them. You are just out of luck. They go really slow making sure they don't miss that heaven sent parking spot. Then sometimes they see a spot, which they really can't fit into. You can see that they won't fit, I am sure they can, but they try it anyway. They pull in half way, then pull out, then pull in once more, then finally give up. All that time you are waiting behind them. Sometimes something as easy as parking is a mystery to some people.
On a brighter note, I did somehow make it to work right on time.

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Finding a Credit Match

Finding the right credit card to meet your need isn't always the easiest thing to do. There are so many different cards out there with so many different options it can be confusing. Should you get the one that gives your cash back or the one that give you miles towards flying? Should you pick one with a lower interest rate or one with no annual fee? Whatever you are looking for, there is an easy way to find an Online Credit Card. CreditCardSearchEngine.com is a website that lets you compare many different cards all in one place. It gives you all the facts and details that you need to know. Then after you decide on the perfect card for you, you can apply right there on the website. It doesn't get much easier than this. For example, I am a frequent flyer on United Airlines. I simply clicked on "Reward Cards" and found the United Visa. With each purchase I make I get more and more miles, which mean I will be on my way to Hawaii in no time!

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Thanks, But No Thanks

The other day I was eating dinner with a friend and she had ordered a specialty drink. I could tell by the looks of the drink that it wasn't going to taste that good in the first place. She tried it and said that it tasted nasty. She then told me to try it...........Wait a minute.

You said the drink was nasty, but now you want me to try it? Why would I want to try something that was nasty? Have you ever noticed that people do this all the time. I have done it. I get some food that tastes a little bit off and I always offer it to someone else to try. Why do we do this?

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The Brogan Food Challenge

For the next couple of weeks on the Blog I am going to take some food challenge myths and put them to the test. Come on, we have all tried some of these at some point. This week I tried to eat a hot dog bun in under a minute without any water. The myth says that it can't be done because the bun dries up your mouth too much. Can I do it? Watch the Video below to find out. Check back for upcoming challenges such as: Can I eat 6 saltines in under a minute without water; How many gumballs can I fit in my mouth at one time; what really does happen when you get pepper in your nose; and much, much more.

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Helpful House Tips

Everybody knows that buying a home can be an exciting time and also a lot of work. This is especially true for the first time home buyer. When I was first buying a house I had no idea what I was doing. One of the most confusing times is when you have to get a Mortgage. I found a website that gives some good news, tips and resources about getting mortgages and other house topics. The website, www. mortgagelowdown.com, is full of different articles that can get you in the know. One article in particular that I found intersting was "43 Must-Know Tips (and Resources) for Every First-time Home Buyer". The article is full of some great tips that I wouldn't have thought of before reading it. So if you are looking for some mortgage and house info, check out the site.

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A New Perspective

READERS TAKE NOTICE! ATTENTION! DO NOT TAKE A BLACK LIGHT AROUND YOUR HOUSE AT NIGHT!

So you are thinking what is Brogan talking about? Last night I bought a black light to look for some pet stains (you can also see blood, urine, semon, puke and much more) around my house and was taken into a different dimension all together! When the lights went out and the black light turned on I was welcomed to a world of stains, lint and who knows what else. It was horrible. I almost began to have a panic attack!
I consider myself to be a clean person. But after looking at my house under the black light, I am afraid to walk around without socks on. It is amazing how much the human eye doesn't pick up under normal light. Once the lights came back on and the black light went off, my life was back to normal. It was like a bad dream.

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Vegas Baby

Las Vegas is one of my favorite travel destinations! I usually end up making it out there once a year. In a couple of weeks I will be making my 2007 appearance. I am very excited to hit the strip and see many of the other local attractions. Everytime I visit Vegas I can really see myself moving there. I mean there is never a dull moment and there is always something going on. Other than the obvious fun along the strip, the city of Las Vegas has tons to offer. So just out of curiousity I searched the net to find out some more info and buying properties such as Highrise condos. I found a great site, www.millionsaver.com, that had lots of information on Las Vegas Real Estate. So if you are looking at finding a place in Vegas, check it out.

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Memoirs of The Bathroom

Have you ever been on the same bathroom schedule as someone else? What exactly do I mean by this? It seems like everytime I go and use the bathroom throughout the day, I run into the same few people. It never fails. I know walking in that I will see certain individuals. So this means that they are always in the bathroom or we are just on the same schedule.
While I am on the subject of bathrooms, I think most men can relate to this one. You walk into a bathroom and there can be at least 10 urinals lined up across the wall. They are all empty. I walk to the very end urinal to do my business and it never fails. The next guy to walk in has the option of 8 other urinals that are not right next to me, but he chooses the one at my side. I can't figure this one out.

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Saving Lives

For anybody out there who has dealt with Cancer, you know how serious it can be. I personally have seen how Cancer can break a person down and take your life. It is something that nobody should have to deal with. With the help of modern medicine and technology doctors are finding new ways to treat different forms of cancer. One of the more difficult cancers to treat is brain cancer. In brain cancer, Adult brain tumors are diseases in which cancer (malignant) cells begin to grow in the tissues of the brain.
There is a new option in brain tumor treatment. The Gamma Knife is a piece of revolutionary medical equipment that allows neurosurgeons to perform brain surgery without having to cut into a patient. By orbiting the patent's head it is able to discharge a powerful beam of energy that can destroy brain metastases (tumors) without invasive surgery.

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The Fridge

I arrived home late last night and I was feeling hungry. I knew before I opened the refrigerator that there wasn't going to be much in there. But, I figured that I might as well check. I opened the door and I saw a great condiment selection and some beer. That wasn't going to feed my hunger. I closed the door and sat down on my couch............. 5 Minutes go by................another 10 minutes................... I still haven't eaten anything............ I am still very much hungry.
So I head into the kitchen again. I decide to take another look in the fridge, thinking that someway food will magically appear in there. Still nothing. I ended up going through this process 4 times before I finally just gave up and went to bed.

Am I the only one that does this? I think not. I know that there are many people out there that take that look into the fridge more than just once, some how thinking that the food fairy will deliver you some food.

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Put your Money to Work

It is amazing to me that some people are gaining no interest on their savings accounts. Most of the local banks offer you a very low rate on your return. I personally love my local bank for checking but I had to go elsewhere to find a great savings account. When you get a low interest rate you are pretty much wasting away your ability to have your money work for you. I recommend to everybody to check out your options. There is a great website to do this at.Compare online banking interest rates, savings accounts features and find a new savings account or checking account that earns more interest with SavingsAccounts.com

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The Casino

The Casino: The Land of opportunity, smoke, addiction, fun, horse racing and slots.
When do you think slot machines will start accepting social security checks? Have you been out there lately? I personally go to the casino every so often and have a great time. But, there are others who hang out there all the time. I lot of eldery folks hang out there both day and night. I don't know if the casino is suppose to double for a retired home, but it looks that way. The other day when I was there I saw a lady in a wheelchair playing the slots. Right next to her... an oxygen tank. In her mouth.....a cigarette. I was shocked! She is one of many eldery folks who daily spend their pention and social security checks in the slots. They just want to see that "777".
The eldery seem to be the only ones winning out there. Of course if you sit at one machine feeding it hundreds and hundreds of quarters you are bound to win.
I never seem to win out there. Someday I am going to test the theory that only the eldery win out there. I am going to dress up as an old person and use a wheelchair. I will wave at the cameras with my wrinkled fingers and then play. I guarantee I will win. No doubt about it!

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Get the Help You Need

The nonmedical use or abuse of prescription drugs is a serious and growing public health problem in this country. The elderly are among those most vulnerable to prescription drug addiction or misuse because they are prescribed more medications than their younger counterparts. Most people take prescription medications responsibly; however, an estimated 48 million people (ages 12 and older) have used prescription drugs for nonmedical reasons in their lifetimes. This represents approximately 20 percent of the U.S. population. These are some scary, but true facts. Luckily there are places you can get help. There is a great website, www.1800nodrugs.com, that provide a place to learn more information and get help. If you or someone you know is struggling with the disease of drug addiction or alcoholism, please complete their brief online assessment form or give them a call immediately, they can help.

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The British Invasion

In the past the term "British Invasion had a different meaning than it does to me today. "The British Invasion" was an influx of rock and roll, beat and pop performers from the United Kingdom who became popular in the United States, Australia, Canada and elsewhere. The classic British Invasion was in 1964-1966, but the term may also be applied to later "waves" of UK artists that had significant impact on entertainment markets outside of Britain.
Now, I use the term "British Invasion" when I talk about ATM machines. This may not be true in all areas around the U.S., but here in Iowa this holds true. Do you know what I am talking about? You pull up to an ATM machine to get some cold hard cash.... pop in your card... and then she speaks to you. The ATM belts out a greeting in a British Accent. Wait a minute... I thought I lived in the United States... Not England. So I proceed with my transaction and then the British voice (I call her Matilda) says goodbye. I just wonder why? Why a Britsh accent? Why not something that makes me feel like I am in my own country? Just a thought.

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Shrimp Thoughts

I am a big fan of Shrimp. I like it so much I wrote a poem about it. Hey if you love shrimp you can find some great Shrimp Recipes at www.eatshrimp.com.

Shrimp is so tasty you can eat it all day.
How I do love it, in every single way.
Run to my favorite store as fast as I can.
I get home and cook it in my favorite cooking pan.
Must be the best thing that you can eat for dinner.
Plus, it not bad for you it can even make you thinner.

So there it is...My ode to shrimp. Of course my favorite kind is popcorn, how about you?



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Avoiding Capture

I don't understand the radar detector. I know what they are for... I am not that stupid. But, I don't understand why people think that they can speed without getting caught. It seems rather obvious to me, that if you own a radar detector that you must speed. Why else would you have it? (Unless you are abnormally paranoid from smoking up) If I was a police officer and saw a driver with the detector hanging on the window I would follow them around until they started speeding. Plus, have you driven with somebody who has a radar detector thru town? The stupid device goes off all the time. Automatic doors set it off. So how accurate can these devices be? I think I will save my $200 and just drive the speed limit (5 miles over).

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Money on My Mind and My Mind is on My Money

Who doesn't think about money? I know I do. I am always trying to find out more information on personal finances. I am constantly searching the web for places to give me tips and tricks to make my money situation better. I found a great site that gives you loan consolidation information and much more. On the site there are many different articles on a wide range of finance subjects. One of the articles gave 101 ways to cut costs. This is something that I related to, because I am always trying to find ways to cut corners. #6 on the list "Try not to be picky about brands. Try out new brands and you may get a fabulous ‘introductory’ discount." I try to tell my wife this all the time. It doesn't matter what brand you buy, it all tastes the same! There is also another article that helps young adults budget their money. I wish I would have read this article when I was younger. If I knew then, what I know now, I would have never gotten a credit card! So anyways, check out the site to do some good reading and educate your self on taking care of your money.

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At the Right Place, Wrong Time

Does this ever happen to you? You are walking out of a room into a hallway and you almost run into another person. Not only did you almost run into them, but you are heading in the same direction. This always happens to me! Now the fun begins. It is not that bad if the other person is a speed walker. Then there are no problems at all. They get ahead of you and are out of sight in no time at all. The problem people are those that walk at the same pace as you. You don’t really want to talk to this person, but you end up walking right next to them for what seems to be an eternity. This just seems awkward. Usually what happens is that one person tries to speed up so that you aren’t walking right next to each other. But sometimes both of you will try and speed up and end up on the same pace again. So then you try and slow down so that the other person can get ahead of you. All this work and you were just trying to walk across the building!

This is similar to when you get behind a group of people who are walking very slowly. The problem is that they don’t allow the space to get around them. These people are usually talking to each other and paying no attention to the world around them. So you look for a time to pass. Suddenly you feel like Jeff Gordon trying to find a lane to pass. You have to slow your pace down and just wait… Then suddenly you see your opportunity and you have to do that speed walk to make it by. You know the walk where you are almost running, pumping your arms in desperation in an attempt to get that extra boost.

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What is it Worth?

Have you ever been curious to see what your house is worth? Maybe you are thinking of selling your home and want to see if you can make any profit on it. Don't you wish there was a website where you could get online house appraisal? Well, you're in luck because there is, Valuesinfo.com. ValuesInfo.com can help by providing you an absolutely FREE and dependable report with an up-to-date value of your home. Information about recent sales, properties on the market, expireds and days on the market included.
Knowing the real estate value on your home can make a world of difference when you start marketing your house. A great feature of this website is that it is not just limited to one area, but it deals with real estate appraisals all across the United States.

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Iowan Wins the Masters

It was a proud day to be an Iowan on Sunday. Iowan Zach Johnson held off Tiger Woods to win the 2007 Masters. Not that everyday I am not proud to be an Iowan, but this was just an extra special day. The best part of the story is that Johnson seems to be a nice, humble guy. It is so refreshing to see this is professional sports. Below is an excerpt from an article about his victory.

DES MOINES (AP) — When asked to describe himself shortly after his Masters victory Sunday, Zach Johnson said, "I'm from Cedar Rapids, Iowa. That's about it. I'm a normal guy."
That helped steal the heart of the state.

It was beaming like a proud parent Monday.

"He's like an Iowa kid. Kind of naive, very humble, and just a cool guy," said Ryan Hartman, Johnson's former teammate at Drake University in Des Moines and one of his closest friends. "My wife, who is a big city girl, said it best. She said that he is the nicest, most genuine person she's ever met."

What makes Johnson's victory all the more remarkable to those who know him best is that he hardly looked like Masters material growing up in eastern Iowa. Johnson was so small as a youngster that he joined the junior program at his parents' golf club, Elmcrest Country Club in Cedar Rapids, four years after many of the boys had started playing. more....

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Traveling for Cheap

As most of you have come to find out, I am always looking for a great deal. This is especially true when I am traveling. It is amazing how much extra that people pay when they travel because they don't know the places to look for bargains. I have tried local travel agents to book travel, but then you have to deal with going down to the office or playing phone tag with them. That's no fun. So what I have found is the internet is the place to get fast service, great prices and the best part of it is, you can do it from home in your pajamas. So then your next question is where do I go online to find a great deal. I will admit there are alot of options out there. I have been through them all. I have found one in particular that is very easy to navigate and has some great prices. For more than 06 years HotelReservations.com has been providing travelers great prices on the places they want to stay for both leisure and business travel. The website makes planning and booking your trip easy through the HotelReservations.com expert lodging website and through their certified hotel experts available 24/7. The website has more than 70,000 properties worldwide - from hotels to B&B's to condos to all inclusive resorts to choose from. So if you are looking to make Hotel Reservations, this is your place.
You can also book flights, rental cars, cruises and much more. It has something for the whole family! Plus, HotelReservations.com has a lowest price guarantee. One other great feature of the website that I need to mention is the destination guide. You can pick a city of interest and it gives you travel details about it. So, if you are planning a trip soon, definately check out HotelReservations.com


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Happy Easter

Happy Easter to everybody out there. Did you know?
Each Easter season, Americans buy more than 700 million Marshmallow Peeps, shaped like chicks, as well as Marshmallow Bunnies and Marshmallow Eggs, making them the most popular non-chocolate Easter candy.

This is an interesting fact but..... What does it have to do with Jesus rising from the dead and ascending into heaven? Usually I don't say much, but I really do think that holidays have gone out of control! Easter is a Christian Holiday. If you are going to celebrate the occasion at least celebrate it for Jesus. If you want to have another holiday on a different day, with bunnies and eggs and lots of candy, do it. Just on another day. I think it is sad that we have commercialized holidays that have a deeper meaning. I am not against fun and having easter egg hunts, but don't let it taint the real meaning of it all. I know in American we are so "PC" (Politcally Correct), that we are afraid to make anybody feel left out or offended. But, eighty-three percent of Americans identify themselves as Christians. So do we really have to hide our beliefs to make 17% of people not offended. This country was founded on Christian principles and we live in a democratic nation. Where guess what..... Majority rules. So please can Christians have a day to celebrate our Lord in Savior without candy, cards and make believe characters?

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Are you better off alone?

Nobody should have to be alone. Life is so much easier when we have somebody to share our days with. Also did you know that bachelors aged 19 to 44 are more than twice as likely to die than their married male peers, while single people generally face a higher risk of premature death, a U.S. study suggests.
So that being said, maybe finding that perfect someone and getting married is a good idea! Whether you are looking for something serious or just someone to share a few adventures with, Blackscene.com may be your answer. Blackscene.com is the premier ebony online dating community. It is a great place to post info about yourself and find other Black Singles who may be looking for you.

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The Limo

Limos just aren’t what they use to be. Back in the day a limo was a sign of prestige. You would see a limo driving by and wonder what famous person was in there. I think a lot of it had to do with the dark tint. As a society, we are very nosey. We want to see why this person is being hidden.
Today’s limos look somewhat similar but are different. There are a lot more varieties to choose from. There are the stretch limos with hot tubs and even pimped out limos with complete audio systems and DVD players. But now, pretty much anyone can afford to rent a limo. You see them used at weddings, funerals and proms. I think the proms have tarnished the image of the limo the most. Anytime you see a bunch of drunk kids hanging out the sunroof it doesn’t exactly scream prestigious. The person I really feel sorry for is the driver. Can you imagine how much puke a limo driver has to deal with?

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Blogger's Choice Award

Do you know of some great blogs scattered across the internet. Maybe even some really good blogs, like the one that you are reading now? Well, now you have a chance to vote for your favorite blogs. The Blogger's Choice Award give you a chance to nominate and vote for blogger awards. They have lots of different catergories from "Worth Blog of All Time" to "Freakiest Blogger". The Thoughts of Thomas has been nominated on the site under two catergories; "Best Humor Blog" and "Best Blog of All-Time" A good way of showing your support would be to go to the website and vote for my blog! There are no restrictions to nominations, votes, or comments. You can nominate as many blog sites as you want. In fact, the more the merrier. You can also comment as often as you'd like. You may also vote for as many blogs as you like, but you can only vote once per blog, per category.
I think is is a fun chance to see other blogs that you may have not paid attention to before. You really don't know until you start looking how many blogs are really out there. There are blogs on every subject matter possible. The blogger awards give us a chance to see them all! So don't be shy, vote for your favorite blogs (even if it's not mine). You can cast a vote because you think the blog is pretty, is user-friendly, or simply because you like the person who created it. Just look for the "Vote" button to the right of each blog and click on it to cast your vote.

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Alarm Clock

There are some mornings when I wish I could just bash my alarm clock with a bat. I usually feel like this when I have had a really terrible night of sleep. The worst for me is when I have something really important going on the next morning. My internal alarm clock is off by a few hours. I will have my alarm set for 6:30am. I wake up at 4:30am on my own. Then starts the most miserable two hours of my day. I don’t think I really get back to sleep after that. It is just a series of me looking over at the clock thinking that it is time to wake up. But, really when I am looking over only a matter of minutes have passed. I think this might be what hell is like.
Other mornings my alarm clock just doesn’t go off at all. I forgot to set it, radio is turned down to low or my personal favorite, I set it for pm instead of am. This is one of the most paranoid feelings I can have in my day. I wake up feeling good (really because I got a few extra hours of sleep) and then I look over at the clock. I am 3 hours late to work! It is like a shot of adrenaline hits my heart. I pop out of bed and miraculously I can take a morning routine that usually takes me 30 minutes and condense it to only 3 minutes. It’s just a mass chaos of clothes flying and cologne spraying in that small time frame. Of course then you have to explain at work why you were late. It makes for such a wonderful day. At least we always have that old alarm clock to blame!

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Blades of Glory

I went and saw the new comedy "Blades of Glory" this past weekend. I had been anticipating this movie for a long time, ever since I saw this first preview. How could you go wrong with Ricky Bobby and Napolean Dynamite? First off, let me warn you not to expect too much of a plot. But, if you like funny movies, this is a must see movie. Will Ferrell is genius in his character of "sex on ice", Chaz Michael Michaels. No other actor could puke inside a mascot head and make it so vulgure and yet so funny! For you Office fan's you get to see your favorite Jenna Fischer (Pam Beasley) on the big screen as John Heder's love interest. Bottom Line: Go see it and have a few laughs.

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Come on Baby Light My Fire

Even though I bought a new townhome, I have been doing a lot of improvements this past year. From painting, to adding slate tile, finishing the basement, I have been a busy man. Most recently, my wife wanted some new lighting in our kitchen area. We decided to get some track lighting to put up. We looked around some local hardware shops and found that their prices were way to high. I decided to take the search online and found a great Home Lighting website. They have a huge selection of track lighting and fluorescent ceiling lights that would work perfect for our kitchen. Plus, the prices were just what we were looking for. I would suggest if you are looking for lighting you check out Shoppremier.

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Mold Matters

Mold is something that should not be taken lightly. If you house get mold in it from water damage due to a flood it can have some serious consequences. Some people are sensitive to molds. For these people, exposure to molds can cause symptoms such as nasal stuffiness, eye irritation, wheezing, or skin irritation. Some people, such as those with serious allergies to molds, may have more severe reactions. Severe reactions may occur among workers exposed to large amounts of molds in occupational settings, such as farmers working around moldy hay. Severe reactions may include fever and shortness of breath. Some people with chronic lung illnesses, such as obstructive lung disease, may develop mold infections in their lungs.

PA Mold Managers provides certified mold remediation and water damage services throughout the tri-state area for commercial, residential and industrial properties using the latest techniques and state-of-the-art equipment.
If you need help with mold, then this New Jersey Mold Inspector can help!

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Need a Good Book?

The Brogan Book: Your Daily Blarney is now available at Barnes and Noble Bookstore. Click here to get a copy of my book today! You won't be dissapointed. It will make you laugh, cry and has something for the whole family!

Brogan is a collection of Blogs from the "Thoughts of Thomas". It takes a step back and looks at life in a very different way. The book includes thoughts, ideas, rants, blarney, sarcasm, and observations on everyday situations that happen to all of us. Brogan also includes some interesting poetry that will make you laugh and possibly inspire you.

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Search Engine Optimization

There are a lot of companies out there claiming that they can get your website better search engine optimization. But, many of them are quite expensive and make you pay for the services up front in one large lump sum of money. Etrafficejams.com is a search engine optimization company that not only provides great results, but the have pay for performance monthly plans where a client pays according to how many top 10 organic (non ppc) rankings they get for them in Google, yahoo and msn only. We all now how important it is to have good placement in search engines. If you are not in that top ten, your company might not be getting notices and in return you are missing out on a lot revenue you could be making. Etrafficjams.com uses the same proven, ethical search engine optimization strategies on your site that they use on their own. And they offer a variety of organic search engine placement services to suit every budget and every marketing goal.
My advice is to check Etrafficjams.com out if you are looking to get some more hits on your site and be on your way to higher profits.

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A Case of the Mondays

This is great! All you fans of the movie Office Space will love this. If you haven't seen the movie.... what is wrong with you? The movie totally describes the life on a boring office working. My favorite part of the movie has to be the part where they take the copier machine out to the field and beat it with a bat. I totally understand how they feel. I have wanted to bash plenty of computer equipment in my time. I also love the opening seen where they are stuck in traffic and actually see an old lady in a walker pass them up in their cars. Believe me, if you work in an office, especially if you have a cubicle, you will relate to this movie.

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Drug Rehabilitation

Everybody has been affected by alcohal and drug addiction in their life at some point. If it has not affected you, then it has a friend or family member. For some people addiction will ruin their lives or even kill them. Without help, it can be almost impossible to break the cycle and stop your addiction. Thankfully there are places for people to get help.
Personally, I have seen many of my friends battle against alcohal addiction. They have tried to stop cold turkey and just can't do it on their own. They needed a place to get proper alcoholism treatment. Successful alcoholism addiction treatment involves analyzing different aspects of the addiction and achieving success in individual areas. Only by successfully treating all aspects of alcohol addiction will successful alcohol addiction recovery be achieved. This is where a great rehab center like the Stone Hawk Rehabilitation Center can be a great option. Located in Michigan, the facility gives the patient all the support and education they need to break their addiction. It is this support and feedback that can determine the chances of a successful recovery.

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Memoirs of a Straw

I was eating dinner at one of my favorite local restuarants. I had a wonderful fried walleye sandwich and some tasty waffle fries to eat in front of me. To drink, I had some ice cold Cherry Pepsi Soda (Yes, it's soda - see link). In my mind, there is no better way to drink a soda then with a straw. Which most of the time is no big deal. But once in a while I seem to loose all hand eye coordination with the process of drinking from a straw. This was one of those times.
So I went to grab my half full glass (gotta think positive) of soda. As I was bringing the glass towards my mouth the straw went straight into my nose. OOOPS! (Now I realize I have a big nose, but this just shouldn't happen.) My cat-like reflexes snatched the straw out of my nose. My first thought was.... Did anybody see? I paused to look around to see if anybody was laughing. I think I made it. I was in the clear. Now, should I drink from the straw even though it was in my nose? If I didn't drink from the straw again it would appear strange. So, to save face I stuck the snot infested straw in my mouth and took up a slurp of soda.

Has this ever happened to you?

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Piece of Mind

As many of you know, without insurance you can sometimes get yourself in trouble. You can end up paying thousand of dollars in medical and other bills that you would'nt have to with insurance. I just got my bill from getting a cleaning at the Dentist. It cost $130! Since I had Dental Insurance I didn't have to worry about coming up with a chunk of change like that.
Also if you have ever been on vacation, travel insurance is a must. Especially when traveling out of the country. You just don't know what will happen when you travel. Unfortunately, there are events that come up in life that make it impossible to keep reservations. Illness or accidental injuries are a couple of reasons why a trip may have to be delayed. Imagine a broken leg in advance of your next ski trip. With travel insurance, the traveler will not be out any money and is free to reschedule their trip at a later time.
I found a great website where you can get quotes for all different types of insurance. I suggest that you take a look at it, especially if you don't have insurance!

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Protect Your PC

If you are anything like you me you want to protect the investment you have put into your PC. I mean they aren't cheap and if you get a virus on your computer you could lose photographs, work info, songs and much more. I found a great website where you can download free Antivirus software in just a matter of moments. You get Norton Antivirus from Google for free! Norton is one of the leading brands in protecting your computer. Just look and see what many others are saying. Another great feature of the download is you have the option to download 12 other helpful software programs that can make life on the computer much easier. One of the 12 additional options are a spyware program that can protect you from others watching what you are doing and from those annoying popup that we all love. So I guess I can't see why you wouldn't want to take advantage of this offer? If you go to your local electronic superstore you will pay a lot of money for the same software you can download for free here.

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Great Recipe for Shepard's Pie

I am a huge fan of Shepard's Pie. It must be the Irish in me. I am also trying to lose some excess marriage weight. So I found this great recipe on the Food Network for Turkey Shepard's Pie. It is low in fat and still tastes awesome. This isn't the quickest meal to make, but it is worth the effort. Makes a lot for left overs or invite your frieds over. The first time I made this recipe my wife and I had dinner and then lunches for two days in a row. That makes life a lot easier. Also might I recommend having a nice Irish beer with this meal. A nice Guiness is the perfect companion for this meal. For dessert..... Maybe some Baily's to keep with the Irish theme. Click here for Rachel Ray's great recipe!

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Lead Management

I ran across a great sales lead management software provider website. They seem to be one step ahead all the others.
Take one look at the enterprise-level features available in the AIMpromote lead management system and you will know why they are the fastest growing lead management and website analytics software provider on the market. You will notice that whichever plan you choose, you will receive all the features. Their clients have expressed their gratitude for having every feature available, and pricing based on overall usage.
The total cost of ownership of AIMpromote into an exisiting business process is far lower than competing products, and they strive to provide the very best in customer support and business consultation. Their objective is to make your business grow as fast as possible, so take advantage of their full featured free trial now and see why so many have chosen AIMpromote as their lead management solution.

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Terry Tate Office Linebacker - Sensitivity Training

Another Terry Tate Video to Watch. This is just marketing genious! In this episode Terry has offended some people in the office with his brash tactics. So they have to bring in a special sensitivity trainer. It is ironic that she ends up showing lots of cleavage and then sexually harrasses on of the workers in the office. I find this funny because I think that this whole harrassment thing has gone too far. You can just look at somebody at work and get in trouble. There is no clear line on what is right and wrong.

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Making Money Blogging

I recently starting blogging for a website that pays you to blog. I figured I had to try it out. I like to blog, I like to get paid, so it made a perfect match in my mind. I am always skeptical of online make money schemes but this is a legit opportunity to make some cash. I have been doing it for only 4 days now and have made $31.00. Making that money only took me a few minutes doing something that I already like to do, write blogs. The better your blog, the better opportunities to make money you have. The advertisers who use Payperpost give opportunities based on your google page rank, alexa score or what blog service you use. So far most of the opportunities that I am elgible for have been around $6.00 per post. That is way more than you can make selling ads on your blog or other revenue making methods for your blog. So if you noticed lately that I have been writing about some other business opportunities this is why.
I hope to continue making more blog entries and making more money using the Payperpost service. My plan is to take the extra money I make and put it into my Sharebuilder account and buy up more stock each month. I figure it is better to invest it in something rather than waste it away all at once. By the way I am really high on buying up Sirius Satellite Radio stock right now, hoping that the merger with XM Radio will go through so that my stock goes up. But that is neither here no there. So I would encourage all my fellow bloggers to check out Payperpost. On the main home page they list the all time earners and there is one lady who has made over $8,000 dollars. Just from blogging! So there is a possibility with enough hard work and good blogging you could join her in making some money off the internet!

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The Office Wait is Almost Over

Will Roy beat up Jim? What will happen next on the Office. We will find out April 5th when a new episode comes out. The video gives us a recap of Season 3 so far and gives a clip from the new show! Enjoy.

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Music Notes

I am a big music fan. I am a fan all of types of music, from dance to classical to hip-hop. I am also a big fan of Industrial Artists. I was searching the internet the otherday and stumbled across a cool website that lists independent artists from around the world. I sometimes prefer the smaller independent artists than those who sell out their sound to make money and go mainstream. While surfing thru the site I found a cool group called DigitalTraffic. The music is a mixture of electronica and industrial. It is very energetic music that makes the work day go by fast! On the site, DigitalTraffic talks about the advantages of modern technology to develop your own music and produce it at a very low cost. This way you don't have to join a record label. You should check out this great new music from Great Britain. Click on the link below to check out the website for greatIndustrial Artists.

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Cyclones Top Ticket Mark

(www.cyclones.com)
AMES, Iowa – For the second year in a row, Iowa State has sold more season football tickets than it has ever sold in the history of the program. The current total of 31,168 surpasses last year’s record of 30,728 and comes over five months prior to the Cyclones first football game on August 30th.

“We are excited to have already established a new football season ticket record more than five months prior to our season opener. Last year we did not reach 30,000 season football tickets until late in August,” Director of Athletics Jamie Pollard said. “We are committed to selling as many football season tickets as possible and our staff looks forward to continuing to sell season tickets during the next five months. Increasing our number of football season ticket holders will help us build a stronger financial foundation for our future.”

Most impressive to Pollard, are the 3,500 new season ticket orders (either brand new sales or additional season tickets ordered by existing accounts). “Much like a coach adding new recruits to the roster,” Pollard said, “we are always trying to identify new Cyclone fans. It appears many new season ticket holders want to get in on the ground floor of the Gene Chizik era and we welcome them with open arms.”

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Mortgage Refinancing

Getting a good interest rate on your mortgage can save you lots of money in the long run. It is amazing how a few points can make such a difference over a 15 year or 30 year loan, but it does! I recently bought my first house and I really shopped around to get that great interest rate. Rates now are still at record lows. You can refinance your mortgage now and save yourself thousdands of dollars. I found a great website that has good deals and lots of information to help you make an informed decision. I would recommend checking it out while interests are still so low. What better way to save money or have extra money to fix up your house. They specialize in California Mortgages, so if you are looking to same some money and live on the west coast this is definately worth checking out.

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The Wet Touch

I had just washed my hands after using the restroom at my office. I somewhat dried my hands and began my exit out the door. Just then I heard someone from behind me call out my name. I turned around and saw an old acquintance who I hadn't seen for a number of years. He went to shake my hand and I froze. My hands were still a little wet from the bathroom. I can't shake his hand with a wet hand. That is just awkward. He might think that I just urinated on my hand. I know how gross it is when I have to shake somebody's hand that is wet. It's just gross! I didn't have time to think of any excuses for being rude, so I just hugged him. This was completely weird, for both of us. I don't think he knew what to do. I ended the embrace..... Complete silence. Then he just walked away. Wow! That went well. He may think that I am a little weird, but at least he didn't think I had urine on my hand!

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Pain in the Neck

I don't know about you, but for me sometimes work can be a pain in the neck. I am talking literally! I sit at the computer for the better part of an 8 hour work day and this can wear down a person's body. People just laugh at me when I say that I am tired from my work because I sit all day. But sitting at a computer can lead to headaches, back pain and neck aches. I am always trying to find ways to help get rid of my pain and have a healthy life. I came across a great website that deals with Spine and Sport Medicine. So if you are looking for Physical Therapy near New York, their office is located in Manhattan, New York and after looking at their website, I am impressed!

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