Links-R-Us, Vol. 16

Welcome to another Link-Friday.  It’s been a while and some of my links are a little dated but hopefully they’ll bring you some enlightenment or enjoyment.  With that disclaimer in place, here’s this week’s links.

Our first link is bitter-sweet.  I am a huge fan of America’s space program.  I have been EXTREMELY upset ever since President Obama canceled the human space program when he first entered office.  (Granted, he did a little back pedaling and chose to reinstate some of it when the political backlash – Florida’s electoral votes come in pretty handy – seemed to become quite severe.)  I won’t lie:  I was looking forward to President Bush’s plan to return to the moon.  I was way too young to remember the last time we went to the moon and I really was looking forward to us going back while my children were still young enough that it might inspire them and their career path.  But, enough nostalgic ramblings…  Oh, wait…  Everything about this link is a nostalgic rambling.  Anyway, Space Shuttle Discovery was turned over to the National Air and Space Museum this week.  Here’s a link to the blow-by-blow account of the gutting and destruction of Discovery so that she will never be able to fly ever again.  Every time I hear of a beautiful flying machine that is intentionally injured in such a way that it won’t fly again it really hurts my heart – especially when the ship has many years of life left in her.

Links-R-Us, Vol. 13

Welcome to another Link-Friday.  The type of news that I like to post has been pretty tame as of late so it has taken almost three weeks to come up with my standard five links.  I know that there really has been plenty of news occurring, but all of it has been rather depressing and that’s really not the purpose of Link-Friday in my mind…  My vision for Link-Friday has always been semi-comical and thought provoking without being depressing.  So, on that note, let the clicking of links begin!

The following link is one that is sad, comical and befuddling.  The link is to a story of a 70 year old father that shoots his 50 year old son for singing a Kenny Chesney song.  It’s really confusing and sad that this happened…  But, it really makes me laugh to think that I can empathize with the father due to the son’s selection of music.  Go figure.

Links-R-Us, Vol. 12

Welcome to another Link-Friday.  I recently had an epiphany concerning Link-Friday.  Historically as I have stumbled across articles that I have found interesting I have just copied the link to a holding area and moved on.  Well, this week I tried something totally different.  When I found a link I also wrote the blurb concerning the link at the same time.  When I gathered five links a new Link-Friday post was born.  So, now that I have increased my efficiency, I can honestly say, “What took me so long to think of that?!?”

Everyone who has read my blog knows that I check LifeHacker fairly often for tips and tricks about everything from tech stuff to improving ones household.  With that being said, a link on LifeHacker recently led to the following blog and its’ entry concerning uncluttering your house.  Based on this article I think that I will be adding this blog to my personal follow list.

Thank You Mr. Lucas

“All the heroes and legends I knew as a child have fallen to idols of clay.” – Styx

We all have heroes from our youth.  Ok, let me rephrase that.  We all categorize the people that helped to create who we are into some form of hierarchy.  We have the true heroes who put their lives on the line such as soldiers, astronauts, firemen and police officers.  We have more cerebral heroes who teach us to strive to become more than we are such as Jesus Christ, Lord Robert Stephenson Smyth Baden-Powell, Captain Moroni and my son Royce.  And we have the heroes and legends from our youth such as friends who did legendary things (i.e. Benny “The Jet” Rodrigues), teachers who helped us grow, and movie makers that changed our perspective on life as they awed and wowed us with their movie magic.

Heros, Part 1

Today I want to talk about one of the most amazing people that I know:  my son Royce.

Since birth, Royce has been plagued with various problems.  “Problems” is probably the wrong word to use – challenges would probably be more like it.  When Royce was born his bilirubin values were abnormal and ultimately went up to dangerous levels.  We were having him tested every day for nearly three weeks (his poor heals were so sore and he hated anyone touching his feet for the longest time after that) and spent almost a week with him under the “bili-lights” to bring his jaundice levels down.

Links-R-Us, Vol. 5

Once again Link Friday is upon us.  I must apologize for the lateness of this post (it is Saturday after all).  Instead of writing last night I spent the evening with my parents celebrating their 53^rd wedding anniversary (way to go, Mom & Dad!).  Hopefully that’s a good enough of an excuse that you’ll forgive my tardiness this time.  Now, on to the links!

Our first link is in commemoration of the annual “Black Friday” circus.  I found this article on the Toronto Suns’ website detailing this year’s carnage at Black Friday events.  I think that the best thing I took from this was that Black Friday was used by retailers to denote when their stores went from being in the red to black (financially).  Good luck with that…

When Life Pounces

Sometimes life seems to get rather complicated.  Orison Swett Marden said, “Obstacles are like wild animals.  They are cowards but they will bluff you if they can.  If they see you are afraid of them… they are liable to spring upon you; but if you look them squarely in the eye, they will slink out of sight.”  I try to look all my challenges “squarely in the eye,” but on occasion there is nothing that you can do to stop the monster from pouncing.

Links-R-Us, Vol. 3

Once again link Friday is upon us.  This is no ordinary link Friday, though.

Firstly, today is Veterans Day.  I just want to thank all the Veterans that are out there for their service to each one of us and to our country.  Your sacrifices are truly appreciated and I will forever be in you and your family’s debt.  Thank you!

And secondly, this is the one, the only, 11-11-11 link Friday.  What’s in a number you might ask?  I don’t know.  What I do know is that I’m old enough that I will never ever see an 11-11-11 date again in my lifetime.  So, on that note, cheers!

Near Death Experience

Sorry for the major delay in posting.  Things have been complex at our home this week (I’ll explain a lot of it in later blog posts…).  Thanks for understanding.

You know, sometimes things happen that just make you go, “Well, duh!!!”  Let’s take a look at last Saturday.

For the last two weeks, our house has been in a constant state of upheaval.  We have been re-arranging our children’s bedrooms which have created quite a few unique situations.