tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1566995283967652450Tue, 29 Dec 2009 00:51:21 +0000http://sleepingintheheartland.blogspot.com/sleeper54blog@gmail.com (...tom...)Blogger120125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1566995283967652450.post-5086571564344507104Wed, 09 Dec 2009 16:32:00 +00002009-12-09T10:57:33.173-06:00Epinionshouse and homebooks...One of the earliest Christmas presents I remember receiving as a child was a set of Hardy Boys mystery books. One in particular, about a lost gold mine, really caught my imagination. I have never been able to pin that early memory down to one specific book but the imagined world of the Hardy boys swallowed me up. Frank and Joe were my BFF.From that gift, and probably others before it and many http://sleepingintheheartland.blogspot.com/2009/12/ink-paper-holiday-gift-ideas.htmlsleeper54blog@gmail.com (...tom...)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1566995283967652450.post-6800186173930901251Wed, 02 Dec 2009 00:16:00 +00002009-12-01T19:14:32.184-06:00movie timeEpinions...Lifetime cable network is currently in the midst of their 'Falalala Lifetime movie marathon' for the holiday season. If you need your first light dose(s) of holiday schmaltz/cheer ...flip the channel over to Lifetime. (Can I use 'schmaltz' to describe a Christmas-time movie..?? Is that kosher..??)Jane (Nancy McKeon) is a yuppie career businesswoman, too busy enjoying the perks of her VP http://sleepingintheheartland.blogspot.com/2009/12/comfort-and-joy.htmlsleeper54blog@gmail.com (...tom...)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1566995283967652450.post-5094955953983323542Tue, 24 Nov 2009 05:07:00 +00002009-11-24T09:21:18.131-06:00musichealthInternet...Something fun and catchy, just because.. . .and because it is for a good purpose...If only my 'hospital employer' was this fun..!!Hat tip to dianapinions at Epinions dot com....tom....http://sleepingintheheartland.blogspot.com/2009/11/pink-glove-dance.htmlsleeper54blog@gmail.com (...tom...)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1566995283967652450.post-5275498853562381943Sun, 22 Nov 2009 05:32:00 +00002009-11-22T00:21:47.794-06:00Epinionslanguage...The large precinct room was open and claustrophobic at the same time. Large, solid columns spaced too close together told you immediately this was not modern construction. Old worn chairs butted up against too-small desks piled too high with papers, folders, and open, crumb-filled donut boxes. From the overflowing trashcans it was hard to tell when the cleaning crew had last been through.From http://sleepingintheheartland.blogspot.com/2009/11/100-words-almost-everyone-confuses.htmlsleeper54blog@gmail.com (...tom...)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1566995283967652450.post-7768688866470302297Fri, 20 Nov 2009 04:55:00 +00002009-11-19T23:16:52.765-06:00travel...When I volunteered at my workplace to travel out of state for special training I had no idea of the sweet perquisites that would come with it.Traveling to the Dallas area and staying at the Gaylord Texan Hotel and Convention Center in Grapevine, Texas was the best part of the experience. If only that annoying 'workplace training' nonsense had not kept getting in the way of really enjoying http://sleepingintheheartland.blogspot.com/2009/11/gaylord-texan-hotelresort.htmlsleeper54blog@gmail.com (...tom...)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1566995283967652450.post-410719376007679744Sun, 15 Nov 2009 08:05:00 +00002009-11-19T22:54:51.512-06:00photographynostalgia...'Route 66'The name conjures an icon of the American way of life: always on the road seeking the next grand vista ...the next travel adventure, breaking through all obstacles of geography, climate, and native populations unfortunate enough to stand in the way of manifest destiny.As the Old West and the frontier vanished and the automobile became a fixture in American life, Route 66 became the 'http://sleepingintheheartland.blogspot.com/2009/11/route-66-backroads-journeys-from-mother.htmlsleeper54blog@gmail.com (...tom...)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1566995283967652450.post-8093641561940340700Sat, 24 Oct 2009 21:54:00 +00002009-10-24T17:23:23.180-05:00what I learnedstupid...I am on the generic Amazon dot com customer e-mail list. Occasionally users receive offers and suggestions for products based on their previous purchases and ratings at the site.Several days ago I received an e-mail with this one, 100 Words for Lovers. as a featured product for me. Any reader of this blog would know this is a product that might interest me, no surprise there. But what was a http://sleepingintheheartland.blogspot.com/2009/10/customer-service-is-not-dead.htmlsleeper54blog@gmail.com (...tom...)3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1566995283967652450.post-9038747039984449557Thu, 15 Oct 2009 23:27:00 +00002009-10-15T19:23:51.551-05:00APODdesktopastronomy...Yes, there is a theme here. Astronomy pics often take my breath away. Particularly those of Astronomy Picture of the Day. The one shared here is from September 27, 2009.At about 100 meters from the cargo bay of the space shuttle Challenger, Bruce McCandless II was farther out than anyone had ever been before. Guided by a Manned Maneuvering Unit (MMU), astronaut McCandless, pictured above, was http://sleepingintheheartland.blogspot.com/2009/10/my-desktop-october-15-2009.htmlsleeper54blog@gmail.com (...tom...)3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1566995283967652450.post-7821528582699042305Wed, 16 Sep 2009 23:32:00 +00002009-09-16T19:13:37.346-05:00house and homebaseball...Any baseball fan knows catching that ephemeral foul ball is the crowning moment of any baseball game. Well, other than that bottom of the ninth game-winning comeback. It is rather silly to attach so much value to a simple foul ball; but it does make you a part of the onfield struggle if only for that brief moment.Now imagine catching that elusive foul ball, highfiving with the fans around you,http://sleepingintheheartland.blogspot.com/2009/09/dad-hits-home-run.htmlsleeper54blog@gmail.com (...tom...)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1566995283967652450.post-1466087939587158229Mon, 07 Sep 2009 14:35:00 +00002009-09-07T10:02:32.849-05:00APODdesktopastronomy..."Today (September4, 2009) planet Earth passes through the plane of Saturn's rings. From the perspective of earthbound astronomers, Saturn's rings will be edge-on. The problem is, Saturn itself is now very close to the Sun, low on horizon after sunset, so good telescopic images will be difficult to come by." Read more.Photo courtesy of Astronomy Picture of the Day, September 04, 2009....tom....http://sleepingintheheartland.blogspot.com/2009/09/my-desktop-september-7-2009.htmlsleeper54blog@gmail.com (...tom...)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1566995283967652450.post-8650958898036629685Sun, 06 Sep 2009 13:46:00 +00002009-09-06T09:03:20.375-05:00stupidInternetlanguage...Sorry, no deep analysis of 'talking nonsense' to follow. Just an observation.An old (circa 2006) thought found while reading on Epinions dot com:"I originally had a lot more to say, but a lot of it makes less sense than what I just typed, so I should just stop here."Damn it people..!! That is why we read on the Internet: to find nonsense..!! Quit self-censoring your thoughts..!!Talking http://sleepingintheheartland.blogspot.com/2009/09/talking-nonsense.htmlsleeper54blog@gmail.com (...tom...)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1566995283967652450.post-8099369378842222067Sun, 02 Aug 2009 20:09:00 +00002009-08-02T16:07:07.863-05:00sportshistorybaseball...I remember like it was yesterday...American League Rookie of the Year in 1970.Seven-time All-Star.Runaway AL MVP in 1976.I hated the NY Yankees ...still do. But I admired the talent, play, and heart of one Thurman Munson.Thirty years ago today he died when his private jet crashed as he was making a series of practice landings.Image source: wallyg at flickr.comImage source: NY Daily NewsRest inhttp://sleepingintheheartland.blogspot.com/2009/08/i-remember-like.htmlsleeper54blog@gmail.com (...tom...)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1566995283967652450.post-4719115860441587462Thu, 30 Jul 2009 02:42:00 +00002009-07-29T22:07:34.266-05:00photographyThe Big PictureNature...The Greek god Zeus is considered the king of all the gods. Zeus rules Mount Olympus and bears the thunderbolt as but one symbol of his power and glory.When Mother Nature looses her thunderbolts on us I am always reminded of Zeus and the ancient Greek gods.The pic above is from The Big Picture, a 'photo blog' found at Boston.com, the website presence of The Boston Globe newspaper. Once again http://sleepingintheheartland.blogspot.com/2009/07/zeus-thunderbolts.htmlsleeper54blog@gmail.com (...tom...)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1566995283967652450.post-4484437217831689345Sun, 26 Jul 2009 22:45:00 +00002009-07-26T18:33:06.520-05:00newsstupid...OK, let me get this straight.Because my wife and I made an intelligent car-buying decision a decade ago, because we chose a vehicle with a higher EPA MPG rating, because we made a smart purchasing decision . . .Because of that, we are now penalized by this latest (or surely not, by now) government give-away of our children's future productivity and tax payments.Ya know, I am not just whining http://sleepingintheheartland.blogspot.com/2009/07/cash-for-clunkers-aka-cars.htmlsleeper54blog@gmail.com (...tom...)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1566995283967652450.post-954304166700192009Sun, 19 Jul 2009 17:41:00 +00002009-07-19T12:49:39.818-05:00photographylanguage...Oh my gawd..!!Three straight 'picture posts'..!!.I have turned into a . . .gasp ...'photoblog'..!!For someone who likes to think he can turn a phrase (even if laboured to do so) or recognize a good phrase elsewhere . . .this is almost embarrassing to me.. . . ...sigh......tom...' and no..!! No dang photos this post..!!'.http://sleepingintheheartland.blogspot.com/2009/07/omg-i-have.htmlsleeper54blog@gmail.com (...tom...)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1566995283967652450.post-7147621699173657291Sat, 18 Jul 2009 15:22:00 +00002009-07-18T11:59:26.926-05:00Naturehometownon_the_ninth...All right..!! All caught up, if still late by a few days, with this post..!!Earlier this month my wife and younger daughter visited Reiman Gardens at Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa.Iowa State has had a horticultural garden since the early 1900s to support its educational goals. The current Reiman Gardens is the third 'edition' of this garden. The current location was chosen to provide "a http://sleepingintheheartland.blogspot.com/2009/07/nine-on-ninthjuly.htmlsleeper54blog@gmail.com (...tom...)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1566995283967652450.post-1782988396232873517Sun, 05 Jul 2009 16:16:00 +00002009-07-05T13:47:54.175-05:00photographyNatureon_the_ninth...OK, OK. I am trying to catch up. I may even get July's nine on the ninth done in the correct month. But first, to make short order of June's late entry...Once again, in the tradition that is 'nine on the ninth' ...lets 'git 'r done'.Prepping our son's old bedroom walls before repainting. We painted over old paneling years ago. Yeah, we hand-painted those stripes, the grooves in the paneling http://sleepingintheheartland.blogspot.com/2009/07/nine-on-ninthjune.htmlsleeper54blog@gmail.com (...tom...)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1566995283967652450.post-5732473425299985647Wed, 10 Jun 2009 01:04:00 +00002009-06-09T21:47:36.203-05:00photographyNaturehometownon_the_ninth9/11...OK, OK. It is a blog, not like it is national defense surveillance or your computer's virus checker. So it is a little late. Better than other things that can be late..!!In the tradition that is 'nine on the ninth' ...lets 'git 'r done'.Some early flowers that are planted alongside our main driveway. Always a bright way to arrive at or depart from the homestead...While red and yellow seem to http://sleepingintheheartland.blogspot.com/2009/06/nine-on-ninthmay.htmlsleeper54blog@gmail.com (...tom...)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1566995283967652450.post-4607330004508738721Sun, 07 Jun 2009 18:24:00 +00002009-06-09T22:18:23.508-05:00uniqueFirstsInternetlanguage...Previous 'say what' posts ... where I discuss and link various 'unique phrases' I have found while reading online.Say What #3, Mar 2009Say What #2, Feb 2009Say What #1, Sep 2008Time again for yet another entry in the 'unique phrase' series.I have not been spending much time reading widely on the net recently. So most of my recent 'unique phrases' come from my participation at Epinions dot http://sleepingintheheartland.blogspot.com/2009/06/say-what-number-4.htmlsleeper54blog@gmail.com (...tom...)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1566995283967652450.post-4948245824341924208Thu, 28 May 2009 22:11:00 +00002009-06-07T13:20:32.766-05:00The Big Picturestupidstrange...Dang it. It is content like this that makes the Intertubes so valuable.Forget science, knowledge, social justice, politics, families and friends, space, derailing global warming, h3ll ...even forget about porn ...forget about all that. The Intertubes is not about doing it smarter, faster, better, with more connections...No, the intertubes is all about seeing grown men (and women) falling down http://sleepingintheheartland.blogspot.com/2009/05/rolling-cheese.htmlsleeper54blog@gmail.com (...tom...)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1566995283967652450.post-7950752758363015351Mon, 25 May 2009 22:13:00 +00002009-05-25T18:20:43.148-05:00history...Memorial Day was once much more than just the cap to another three-day weekend. It once was a day of solemn remembrance of those who gave their "last full measure of devotion" that these United States and this "government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth."Perhaps hearing the story of one such soldier, plucked from the middle of Texas and thrust intohttp://sleepingintheheartland.blogspot.com/2009/05/day-for-memories-and-thanks-2009.htmlsleeper54blog@gmail.com (...tom...)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1566995283967652450.post-4815451184458565361Sat, 16 May 2009 02:45:00 +00002009-05-15T22:27:41.781-05:00sportsmusichealth...Yet another great human being passes too soon due to cancer.Image source: www.champoli.comWayman Tisdale, first team All-American in basketball at the University of Oklahoma. Olympic gold medalist in 1984. NBA player for a dozen years. Public Servant. Prolific smooth jazz bass guitarist.You will be missed....tom....http://sleepingintheheartland.blogspot.com/2009/05/rip-wayman.htmlsleeper54blog@gmail.com (...tom...)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1566995283967652450.post-5105032685646114548Thu, 07 May 2009 05:06:00 +00002009-05-07T00:19:31.438-05:00gamessportsstupid..." James nearly averaged a triple-double -- 32 points, 11.3 rebounds and 7.5 assists -- as the top-seeded Cavaliers breezed through the first round of the playoffs, ... "OK, we can agree LeBron James is the class of the NBA this season. Just named MVP of this 2008-2009 season and having already finished second in the race for defensive player of the year, no one is the equal of Lebron right http://sleepingintheheartland.blogspot.com/2009/05/hyperbole-of-lebron.htmlsleeper54blog@gmail.com (...tom...)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1566995283967652450.post-2914864897667987565Thu, 16 Apr 2009 02:07:00 +00002009-04-15T23:21:11.779-05:00The Big Picturehistory...It hurts my heart, it tears my eyes, it makes my head ache trying to understand what it is all about.All I really know is that too many have died. Too many on 9/11, too many in Iraq, too many in Afghanistan ...too many have died around the world.Perhaps someday sons, daughters, brothers, sisters, husbands, wives, fathers, mothers ...perhaps someday we can all just live in peace and never have http://sleepingintheheartland.blogspot.com/2009/04/coming-home.htmlsleeper54blog@gmail.com (...tom...)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1566995283967652450.post-1237290389947416888Wed, 15 Apr 2009 02:44:00 +00002009-06-09T19:43:40.798-05:00photographyNatureon_the_ninthhouse and home...Nine on the ninth . . .just a few days late.Lets get started..!!Bottles of wine, on the shelf, waiting to be drank... Yes, I have told the wifey they should probably be on their sides, ..no..??********************************************************Chocolate Easter eggs in the bag. Family and friends got rid of most of the 'junk food' that day and the rest went to workplaces to be shared the http://sleepingintheheartland.blogspot.com/2009/04/nine-on-ninthmarch.htmlsleeper54blog@gmail.com (...tom...)0