Monday, June 29, 2009

got places to go, people to see and things to do!! And for the third time in my life, I am actually NOT late...

Sunday, June 28, 2009

went to my niece's baptism today, everyone shared in the joy...kids sleeping over in @West Warren...going to bed!

Friday, June 26, 2009

My phone is still out of commission...First full day of Summer Vaca. for the TooheyBugs...doing some MAJOR cleaning/organizing and hopefully decluttering! If the rain goes away, will mow the lawn...so sorry to hear about Micheal Jackson, but it's already OLD news...let's get on with the world now.

Monday, June 22, 2009

@field day @nathan bill park
@field day @nathan bill park
had a great time @Ryan and @Marjorie's wedding in PA but is so glad to be home in my little corner of the world. We were in the car for a total of 23 hours in the past 40 hours! Felt good to see my kids, cats, drive my car and in familiar places, sleep in my own bed and take a shower where there is actually water pressure. Why do hotels have such low water pressure?

Thursday, June 18, 2009

seems lately I have been spending WAY too much time in the car and on the road...2 hours @Hartford and then work @Holyoke yesterday with a 5 am wake up, 2 hours @Leominster tonight, @Warren tomorrow and another 5 am wake up for @Pennsylvania this Saturday...

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

I can tell already it's going to be a long day...

Monday, June 15, 2009

going out to mow the lawn until it rains!

Sunday, June 14, 2009

A Little History About Father's Day...

Father's Day is a day honoring fathers, celebrated on various days in many places around the world. It complements Mother's Day, the celebration honoring mothers.

Father's Day is a celebration inaugurated in the early twentieth century to complement Mother's Day in celebrating fatherhood and male parenting, and to honor and commemorate fathers and forefathers. Father's Day is celebrated on a variety of dates worldwide and typically involves gift-giving, special dinners to fathers, and family-oriented activities.

The first observance of Father's Day is believed to have been held on July 5, 1908 in a church located in Fairmont, West Virginia, by Dr. Robert Webb of West Virginia at the Central United Methodist Church of Fairmont.[1]

Mrs. Sonora Smart Dodd of Washington thought independently of the holiday one Sunday in 1909 while listening to a Mother's Day sermon at the Central Methodist Episcopal Church at Spokane,[2] and she arranged a tribute for her father on June 19, 1910. She was the first to solicit the idea of having an official Father's Day observance to honor all fathers.

It took many years to make the holiday official. In spite of support from the YWCA, the YMCA and churches, it ran the risk of disappearing from the calendar.[3] Where Mother's Day was met with enthusiasm, Father's Day was met with laughter.[3] The holiday was gathering attention slowly, but for the wrong reasons. It was the target of much satire, parody and derision, including jokes from the local newspaper Spokesman-Review.[3] Many people saw it as just the first step in filling the calendar with mindless promotions like "Grandparents' Day", "Professional Secretaries' Day", etc., all the way down to "National Clean Your Desk Day."[3]

A bill was introduced in 1913,[4] US President Calvin Coolidge supported the idea in 1924,[citation needed] and a national committee was formed in the 1930s by trade groups in order to legitimize the holiday.[5]. It was made a federal holiday when President Lyndon Johnson issued a proclamation in 1966.

In addition to Father's Day, International Men's Day is celebrated in many countries, most often on November 19.


Commercialization

The Associated Men's Wear Retailers formed a National Father's Day Committee in New York City in the 1930s, which was renamed in 1938 to National Council for the Promotion of Father's Day and incorporated several other trade groups.[5] This council had the goals of legitimizing the holiday in the mind of the people and managing the holiday as a commercial event in a more systematic way, in order to boost the sales during the holiday.[5] This council always had the support of Dodd, who had no problem with the commercialization of the holiday and endorsed several promotions to increase the amount of gifts.[6] In this aspect she can be considered the opposite of Anna Jarvis, who actively opposed all commercialization of Mother's Day.[6]

The merchants recognized the tendency to parody and satirize the holiday, and used it to their benefit by mocking the holiday on the same advertisements where they promoted the gifts for fathers.[7] People felt compelled to buy gifts even though they saw through the commercial facade, and the custom of giving gifts on that day became progressively more accepted.[7] By 1937 the Father's Day Council calculated that only one father in six had received a present on that day.[7] However, by the 1980s, the Council proclaimed that they had achieved their goal: the one-day event had become a three-week commercial event, a "secondChristmas".[7] Its executive director explained back in 1949 that, without the coordinated efforts of the Council and of the groups supporting it, the holiday would have disappeared.[7]


Spelling

Although the name of the event is usually understood as a plural possessive (i.e. "day belonging to fathers"), which would under normal English punctuation guidelines be spelled "Fathers' Day", the most common spelling is "Father's Day", as if it were a singular possessive (i.e. "day belonging to Father"). Dodd used the "Fathers' Day" spelling on her original petition for the holiday,[2] but the spelling "Father's Day" was already used in 1913 when a bill was introduced to the US Congress as the first attempt to establish the holiday,[4] and it was still spelled the same way when its creator was commended in 2008 by the U.S. Congress.[8]


United States

In the United States Father's Day is celebrated on the third Sunday in June. The first modern Father's Day celebration was held on July 5, 1908, in Fairmont, West Virginia[29][30] or on June 19 of the same year, in the state of Washington[31]. Since then, Father's Day is celebrated on the 3rd Sunday of June.

In West Virginia, it was first celebrated as a church service at Williams Memorial Methodist Episcopal Church South, now known as Central United Methodist Church. Grace Golden Clayton, who is believed to have suggested the service to the pastor, is believed to have been inspired to celebrate fathers after the deadly mine explosion in nearby Monongah the prior December. This explosion killed 361 men, many of them fathers and recent immigrants to the United States from Italy. Another possible inspiration for the service was Mothers' Day, which had been celebrated for the first time two months prior in Grafton, West Virginia, a town about 15 miles (24 km) away.

Another driving force behind the establishment of the integration of Father's Day was Mrs. Sonora Smart Dodd, born in Creston, Washington. Her father, the Civil War veteran William Jackson Smart, was a single parent who reared his six children in Spokane, Washington.[2] She was inspired by Anna Jarvis's efforts to establish Mother's Day. Although she initially suggested June 5, her father's birthday, she did not provide the organizers with enough time to make arrangements, and the celebration was deferred to the third Sunday of June. The first June Father's Day was celebrated on June 19, 1910, in Spokane, WA, at the Spokane YMCA.

Unofficial support from such figures as William Jennings Bryan was immediate and widespread. President Woodrow Wilson was personally feted by his family in 1916. President Calvin Coolidge recommended it as a national holiday in 1924. In 1966, President Lyndon Johnson made Father's Day a holiday to be celebrated on the third Sunday of June. The holiday was not officially recognized until 1972, during the presidency ofRichard Nixon.

In recent years, retailers have adapted to the holiday by promoting greeting cards and male-oriented gifts such as electronics and tools. Schools and other children's programs commonly have activities to make Father's Day gifts.

According to IBISWorld, a publisher of business research, Americans are expected to spend at least $11 billion on gifts for Father's Day in 2008. This is about $7 billion less than the amount spent on Moms for Mother's Day, which is more steeped in traditional gifts, some of which tend to be more expensive than Father's Day gifts. In economic terms, the average per capita spending on Father's Day is expected to be in the range of $27.60 in 2008. [32].

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Today is my parent's Anniversary. Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad...
Today is my parent's Anniversary. Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad...
Today is my parent's Anniversary. Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad...

Monday, June 8, 2009

is so happy...I called the Veteran's Affairs today to see what I am entitled to now and what I have remaining to use and found out that I still have Education Benefits that are going to expire next year...I guess I'm going back to school! =D
Doing the Monday thing...

Sunday, June 7, 2009

Build Your Savings - Tax Credits

On February 17, 2009, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 was signed into law. The act includes payroll tax cuts, the First Time Homebuyer credit, provisions for state rebate programs for the purchase of energy-efficient appliances and tax credits for energy-efficient improvements to existing homes. The information provided herein is provided for reference purposes only and should not be interpreted or relied upon as tax advice. Consult with a qualified tax advisor to discuss your ability to claim and qualify for benefits under the programs.

What Is the Energy-Efficient Tax Credit for Existing Homes?

Beginning January 1, 2009 through December 31, 2010, when you purchase qualifying energy-efficient items from categories such as doors, windows, skylights and insulation, you may be eligible to claim a tax credit of up to 30% off the purchase price on your 2009 or 2010 tax return (up to $1,500). A qualified tax advisor should be consulted to determine eligibility.

What Items Qualify?

Products from among the following categories may qualify* :

  • Exterior windows and skylights
  • Storm windows
  • Exterior doors
  • Storm doors
  • Metal roofs
  • Asphalt roofs
  • Insulation
  • Natural gas, oil, and propane water heaters
  • Pellet stoves

View All Eligible Products

*See www.energystar.gov for more information about qualified products. Not all ENERGY STAR® products qualify for a tax credit. Qualifying products may cost much more than standard products.

State-Specific Appliance Rebates

Check with your local utility company or click to visit the ENERGY STAR Rebate Finder website to find out if you qualify for a rebate on your ENERGY STAR appliances.

For more information on any of the topics above, consult with a qualified tax advisor. He or she can help you determine your eligibility for any of the credits or rebates, as well as how much you may receive. You may also visit the ENERGY STAR website for more information.http://www.energystar.gov

**Receive a year-end summary of items purchased on your Lowe's Consumer Credit Card that Lowe's identifies as "Tax Credit Eligible." The year-end summary is not intended as tax advice. The year-end summary may not include eligible Special Order purchases. You should retain and review all of your receipts. Visit Lowes.com/BuildYourSavings for a list of eligible products and additional Energy Tax Credit Program information. GE Money Bank and its affiliates do not provide tax, accounting or legal advice to third parties. Accordingly, any discussion of U.S. tax matters contained herein is not intended or written to be used, and cannot be used, for the purpose of avoiding U.S. tax-related penalties. Accordingly, parties should seek advice based on their own particular circumstances from an independent tax advisor.

Notes:

  • Keep your receipts and other documentation to provide to your tax advisor. Be sure to consult with a qualified tax advisor to discuss your ability to claim and qualify for benefits under the programs.
  • You may need to provide a Manufacturer’s Certification and/or product labels containing U-factor/Solar Heat Gain Coefficient if applicable.

Need Clothes, Lack Cash...Try Swapping!


Saturday, June 6, 2009

My Fiscal Rant - originally posted on my Myspace page :)

Okay, so lets say you drive to work and make...oh lets make you well off...$20 an hour. You work 8 hours.

That's $160 for the day.

Take out taxes = $30

Take out health insurance (required in Mass now) = $10

Take out other federal fees (SS) = $5

BUT it took you a gallon of gas to get to work = 2 gallons for the day = $8.

And you must eat, so...$10

SO now we have in our pocket at the end of the day = $97.

Sounds like a lot right?

But you gotta live, so shelter...food...and water.

Shelter = modest apartment will be $700 a month. that's $22.50 a day. Plus you have to have electric (part of the water in most cases) so let's say that's a modest $2 a day.

Uh oh, now we only have $72.50 from our pay.

OH boy ...how about heat? Let's budget out $3000 a year for heat (I know I know..but that's the truth of this coming year). You work about 260 days a year, so you pay about $11.5 a day for heat.

Hmmm, now we've got $61 from our pay.

Not too bad for a monk. You didn't want to go out anyway. But you'll need a phone right? That'll be $2...

Dangit. Down to $59 from that friggin lousy paycheck.

Fine fine. I just won't get sick. BAM - you got the flu. Of course there are other medical expenses throughout the year...dental cleanings (if you're lucky that's it)...copays...prescriptions...let's say its a good year at $1 a day.

$58 from the pay check.

Whoa whoa whoa - I am not just driving back and forth to work...SCREW that. Lets just say I average another two gallons each day. Cmon, you know how far the beach is from here...SO - $50 left????

OH SHIT. I forgot to pay my car payment. Crap crap crap. Alright...I financed ...10,950 for that piece of shit. So my payments per month are...$230???? DANG. That's $7.50 a day!

Fine. So I've got $42.50 left from that measley paycheck.

I think that paycheck needs a boost. Perhaps you try to find another job. Better get the internet to look...

BAM $1 a day for internet and buy a computer at $900 (remember we only work 260 days a year) so $3.5 a day.

WTF! I've only got $38 left!!!

And I still don't have cable. Well, I might as well get it considering I can't afford to go out = $1 a day, so now it's $37 from workin so hard.

Got Depression? You sit on your couch - oh wait, you don't get furniture - and realize there is nothing on TV. You jump up and say screw this I'm goin out.

Entertainment fee per month is around $200 (cmon, have you guys been to the movies lately?) so deduct $6.5 from your daily pay.

$30.5 dollars left for the day.Whew. I can live on that...



BUT - xmas gifts ($260 you cheap bastard) = $1 a day

Want a cell phone? $1 a day if you're lucky.

Need toiletries? $1 a day.

Furniture, printer, personal care (haircuts, etc) lets round to a modest $5 a day.

Clothes? You're hittin the salvation army at $1 a day.

Birthdays, gifts and those friggin school fund raisers people bring to work for their kids...$2 a day.

Miscellaneous emergeny expenses such as your car breaking down ($2000), ER visits ($500), or no coffee in the house so you buy some Starbucks...$11.5 a day.

Yup you guessed it.



A WHOPPING $8 a day for you're enjoyment.



NOW, did ya go to college? Okay, lets say a community college...$2.50a day for your loans.

BAM $5.50 a day.



Now tell me parents of my generation...do you still wonder why a vast majority of people still live with their parents?

Can't even buy a pack of cigarettes for that price.

50 years of bizarre children's TV

From psychedelic '70s fare to the other-worldly '80s and perplexing present-day, children's programming has a storied history of leaning toward the bizarre. And though yes, we realize "bizarre" is all in the eye of the beholder, it's hard to deny that there's not something a little offbeat with the following children's shows.

Vote: When were children's shows the weirdest?

Friday, June 5, 2009

S.D. rancher claims $232.1 million Powerball 23-year-old man's family recently had a mobile home repossessed

S.D. rancher claims $232.1 million Powerball
23-year-old man's family recently had a mobile home repossessed...

I am sure glad that someone who really needed the money won it. My hope for him is that he spends it well and doesn't turn this happy story into a tragedy. Congratulations Neal! And don't forget to share the wealth...you can't take that money with you when you leave this earth! ;O)

Neal Wanless, 23, accepts a ceremonial check for winning a $232 million Powerball lottery jackpot, Friday in Pierre, S.D. He'll take home $88.5 million in a lump-sum payment after taxes are deducted.

PIERRE, S.D. - A 23-year-old rancher whose family has fallen behind in their taxes and recently had a mobile home repossessed claimed a $232.1 million Powerball jackpot on Friday, one of the largest undivided jackpots in U.S. lottery history.

Neal Wanless, who lives on his family's 320-acre ranch near Mission, S.D., bought the winning ticket in the nearby town of Winner late last month during a trip to buy livestock feed. He will take home $88.5 million in a lump sum payment after taxes are deducted.

Wanless, who did not speak publicly about the win until Friday, spoke for only a couple of minutes at a South Dakota Lottery ceremony Friday, reading a prepared statement. He was wearing a big black cowboy hat and had a huge grin on his face.

"I want to thank the Lord for giving me this opportunity and blessing me with this great fortune. I will not squander it," he said.

Wanless said he intends to use the money to help those in need. "My family has been helped by the community and I intend to repay that help many times over."

He told lottery officials that since winning, he has spent his time preparing to bale hay and doing other jobs around his family's ranch.

Wanless said he intends to continue ranching, albeit on a larger plot of land. He said he recently told his horse, Eleanor, that "It'd be nice if we go for a longer ride than usual on a bigger ranch of our own."

Wanless' is among the highest undivided lottery jackpot wins in U.S. history. An Oregon family turned $40 worth of tickets into $340 million Powerball prize in 2005, and at least four other winners won larger jackpots than Wanless'.

'Real meager means'
Friends and neighbors described the Wanlesses as a hardworking family with little money.

"I hope they enjoy their money," said county assessor Cathy Vrbka, a family friend. "They work hard, backbreaking hard work."

Dave Assman, who owns farmland next to the Wanless' ranch, said he's happy they won't have to worry about money again.

"They've been real short on finances for a long time," Assman said. "They are from real meager means, I guess you'd say."

The Wanlesses raised cattle, sheep and horses on their ranch is in eastern Todd County, the nation's seventh-poorest county in 2007, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Much of the county is tribal land governed by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe.

But neighbors said Arlen Wanless, 54, has made a living in recent years mainly by buying and selling scrap metal.

Dan Clark, an auctioneer from Winner and a friend of more than two decades, said Arlen Wanless helped him at many auctions by buying things no one else wanted.

"Over the last 20 years, Arlen's bailed me out a lot of times," Clark said.

He said Arlen Wanless had trouble earning money when the price of iron dropped.

Hard times
Todd County records show that the family owes $3,552 in property taxes on the 360 acres of land for taxes payable in 2007, 2008 and 2009. The family had a mobile home repossessed last year.

Since word spread that the Wanless family had won the lottery jackpot, the gate to the dirt driveway that leads to the family home has been closed and padlocked.

The winning ticket was purchased at the Ampride convenience store, which will get a $50,000 bonus for selling the lucky ticket. Sharon Ulmer, manager of the store said she is glad the Wanless family won.

"From what I understand they don't have a lot, so the money definitely went to a good place," Ulmer said. "I know it went to a good home. They can use it."


Twitter Fail Whale...

Not only is Twitter down, but they have a new picture for our entertainment...is this supposed to help us feel better? FYI, it's not working.

Twitter is currently down for maintenance.

We expect to be back in about an hour. Thanks for your patience.

Men's Wearhouse buys troubled Filene's Basement

After more than 9 hours of intense bidding, Men's Wearhouse salvaged Filene's Basement tonight from bankruptcy, paying more than $60 million for the 100-year-old chain, according to a Basement official with knowlege of the deal.

The Texas men's suit chain, which plans to keep about 20 of the Basement's 25 shops, including the flagship in Downtown Crossing,
toppled rival Syms and a New York retail real estate firm in the bidding war.

"The Filene's Basement brand will remain," said the Basement official.

The fierce interest in Filene's Basement, famed for its Running of the Brides event, is unusual for a retail industry which has been plagued by numerous liquidations in recent months. Filene's Basement officials say the brand's strong reputation and offprice strategy made it an attractive opportunity.

The winning bid, which must be approved on Wednesday by a bankruptcy court judge, is nearly three times the opening offer of $22 million from Crown Acquisitions. Last month, New York retail real estate firm Crown Acquisitions, in a joint bid with the Chetrit Group, made a "stalking horse" bid to buy 17 of the Basement's 25 shops.

Tuesday, June 2, 2009

Love Song - 311 (The Cure) remake: http://ping.fm/wXUtg
sitting @Mel's and soooo jealous that she got her cupcake update for her cell and she had no idea they were coming out with an update...SO NOT FAIR...I WANT A CUPCAKE!!! :0(

Monday, June 1, 2009

Free Ice Cream Day at Friendly's

Free Donut at Dunkin Donuts

FREE DONUT AT DUNKIN' DONUTS TO CELEBRATE NATIONAL DONUT DAY
On June 5, Dunkin' Donuts stores to offer a free donut with the purchase of any beverage

Canton, MA (May 28, 2009) – Dunkin' Donuts, America's all-day, everyday stop for coffee and baked goods, is marking National Donut Day with a sweet nationwide offer to help Americans celebrate the joy and fun of donuts. On June 5, 2009, participating Dunkin' Donuts restaurants throughout the country will give every customer a free donut of their choice, with the purchase of any beverage, limit one per customer.

Also on National Donut Day, Dunkin' Donuts will announce the winner of its first-ever "Create Dunkin's Next Donut" contest. From nearly 130,000 donut contest creations submitted online, one of 12 finalists will win a $12,000 grand prize and have their winning donuts sold in Dunkin' Donuts locations throughout the country. Americans can vote for their favorite finalist online at www.dunkindonuts.com/donut.

National Donut Day, held the first Friday of June each year, was started by the Chicago Salvation Army more than 70 years ago. According to Dunkin' Donuts' Brand Marketing Officer Frances Allen, the day holds particular relevance in 2009. "From office meetings to Sunday get-togethers, donuts are one of those foods that lift people's spirits and bring genuine delight to any situation. And now more than ever, Americans are seeking those small moments of happiness," she said. "We hope our free donut offer will create an opportunity for people to celebrate donuts and bring some extra happiness to their day."

Dunkin' Donuts has led the donut category for nearly 60 years, selling 2.5 million donuts and Munchkin™ donut hole treats every day.

About Dunkin' Donuts
Founded in 1950, Dunkin' Donuts is America's favorite every day, all-day stop for coffee and baked goods. Dunkin' Donuts is a market leader in the regular/decaf coffee, iced coffee, hot flavored coffee, donut, bagel and muffin categories, and the largest coffee and baked goods chain in the world. Dunkin' Donuts has earned the No. 1 ranking for customer loyalty in the coffee category by Brand Keys for three years running. The company has more than 8,800 restaurants in 31 countries worldwide. In 2008, Dunkin' Donuts' global system-wide sales were $5.5 billion. Based in Canton, Massachusetts, Dunkin' Donuts is a subsidiary of Dunkin' Brands, Inc. For more information, visit www.DunkinDonuts.com.