tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-54614208516561934052024-03-14T01:49:53.173-04:00Left and WriteAdventures in the Blogosphere!Mark Meanshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08029920604932980141noreply@blogger.comBlogger233125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5461420851656193405.post-429067802117775842016-02-08T23:39:00.000-05:002016-02-08T23:39:03.860-05:00Training Daze....<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-K3sOX4LepYo/Vrlqskk_BPI/AAAAAAAAlPY/V7Rnc950FLo/s1600/5069917578067968.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="499" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-K3sOX4LepYo/Vrlqskk_BPI/AAAAAAAAlPY/V7Rnc950FLo/s640/5069917578067968.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Deciding that neither of us are getting any younger, my wife and I joined a nearby (within biking distance) gym.<br />
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It's a small place, decent rates, not too crowded, open 24/7, and has a bunch of great machines/free weights. We're giving it a shot, for a month, to see how it goes and will re-up if we like it.<br />
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We also decided to see about hiring a trainer to give us a boost which, we found out, the gym also offers. Another bonus!<br />
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We go in to meet this guy and he's this short, barrel chested, gray haired guy with pretty impressive biceps, who looks kind of like Tony Curtis in his later days. Very nice guy and extremely knowledgeable. By looking at him, it's obvious he knows his way around the weight room, but I was a bit put off by his methods, at first. He was treating us like we were senior citizens, talking about looking out for straining our backs, joints, etc. The more I thought about it, though, the more I agreed. As I said, we're not young people anymore....my wife is 47 and I'm 48, so I guess it's time to start paying more attention to that sort of thing.<br />
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Anyway, we get to talking and I ask his age, assuming he's early to mid 50s, and he tells us.....<br />
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<b><i>72</i></b><br />
<b><i><br /></i></b>
Let me say that again....<br />
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<b><i>Seventy Two</i></b><br />
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I think I'll listen to what he has to say with more of an open mind, now.<br />
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Wish us luck.<br />
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<br />Mark Meanshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08029920604932980141noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5461420851656193405.post-5301713727718423742016-01-05T23:05:00.001-05:002016-01-05T23:05:43.769-05:00Obligatory B-Day Post<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OtZfonTRrME/VoyQkO7s0MI/AAAAAAAAlBo/0Z8yFAfP_jk/s1600/IMG_20160105_1855587_rewind.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OtZfonTRrME/VoyQkO7s0MI/AAAAAAAAlBo/0Z8yFAfP_jk/s640/IMG_20160105_1855587_rewind.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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January 5th, 1968...a red letter day in science. That's the day I came up with the Flux Capacitor!!! <br />
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O.k., not really....<br />
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In reality, it's the day I bounced into this world as a 9lb 13oz bundle of fat cheeks and huge cranium.<br />
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Between New Year's and my birthday, I always get a bit reflective on my life. The good times, the bad, regrets, future plans, short term goals, etc.<br />
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Like I said in my previous post, I've been blessed...no doubt about it.<br />
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But...<br />
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I want to do more. I want to <b>be </b>more. Whether it's a new job, going back to school, or both, I'm not sure yet. I just know there's something better on the horizon and I plan on grabbing it.<br />
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It's never too late.<br />
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Maybe I can put that huge cranium of mine to work as something other than a hat rack?<br />
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We'll see.<br />
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I'll update you next year =)<br />
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<br />Mark Meanshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08029920604932980141noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5461420851656193405.post-38253408752662551642015-12-31T21:44:00.000-05:002015-12-31T21:44:27.122-05:00Happy New Year!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QvGPQAppJQI/VoXhKQdDv8I/AAAAAAAAk-w/QiDlPGcHrao/s1600/IMG_20151231_2000448_rewind.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QvGPQAppJQI/VoXhKQdDv8I/AAAAAAAAk-w/QiDlPGcHrao/s640/IMG_20151231_2000448_rewind.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A sub in one hand and money in the other spells prosperity for the New Year....so says my mother in law.</td></tr>
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It's around 9pm, EST, on December 31st....the eve of the new year is upon us and I'm sitting back in my "man cave" while my wife and niece are out in the living room watching some chick flick. I've been taking the time to reflect on the past year as I watch the <a href="http://www.tcm.com/this-month/article/1146513%7C0/New-Year-s-Eve-Thin-Man-Marathon-12-31.html" target="_blank">Thin Man Marathon on TCM</a>.<br />
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All in all, we've had a pretty great year. Blessed with a new home, fantastic neighborhood, a new vehicle, friends, family, and health, there's really nothing I have to complain about.<br />
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As great as 2015 has been, I'm having even higher expectations for 2016 and am looking forward to new personal bests as well as making some changes for the better in my life. Hopefully that also means more frequent updates to this poor, neglected, blog.<br />
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We'll see how it goes.<br />
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If you're out and about, stay safe and here's to a joyous and prosperous 2016 to you all.<br />
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Happy New Year!!<br />
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<br />Mark Meanshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08029920604932980141noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5461420851656193405.post-33166319328284915272015-10-23T14:42:00.000-04:002015-10-23T18:00:46.360-04:00Halloween-town....?The title of this post refers to my wife's favorite Halloween themed movie....right up there with Hocus Pocus.<br />
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As for me, I'm more partial to the old Universal Monster films like Bela Lugosi's <i><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0021814/" target="_blank">Dracula</a></i>, Lon Chaney Jr.'s <i><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0034398/?ref_=nv_sr_3" target="_blank">Wolfman</a></i>, and Boris Karloff's <i><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0021884/?ref_=nv_sr_5" target="_blank">Frankenstein</a></i>.<br />
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Needless to say, we both enjoy the fun that Halloween can bring and, since this is our first year in an honest-to-gosh <b>home</b> and not a gated community rental, we decided to take advantage. The neighbors have told us that tons of kids prowl this small neighborhood in search of sugary sweets so, while it's not quite Halloweentown, we have to be ready.<br />
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To that point:<br />
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Multiple (at least 10) bags of candy have been bought and prepared.<br />
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We have the porch all ghastly and spooky....in a disco sort of way....<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-w3hgO2k_cCI/Vip3p15QTWI/AAAAAAAAjec/hkIntoK6mpY/s1600/IMG_20151020_1927252_rewind.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-w3hgO2k_cCI/Vip3p15QTWI/AAAAAAAAjec/hkIntoK6mpY/s400/IMG_20151020_1927252_rewind.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The ghost looks he's doing The Hustle</td></tr>
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The projector to run old Halloween movies (such as the above mentioned <i>Halloween Town</i>, <i>Hotel Transylvania</i> and <i>Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein</i>....my pick, of course) has been purchased and tested on our makeshift screen. We plan on hanging the screen in front of the garage so kids coming up the driveway will get the best view.<br />
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The fog machine to put behind the projector screen, for that added bit of eeriness, has been purchased....still needs testing.<br />
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We even put our front yard palm and oak trees to work...<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KUZ-KUqoO68/Vip35clR6_I/AAAAAAAAjek/LLVjknr3P48/s1600/IMG_20151023_1346064_rewind.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KUZ-KUqoO68/Vip35clR6_I/AAAAAAAAjek/LLVjknr3P48/s400/IMG_20151023_1346064_rewind.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I told my wife's sisters "My wife's sister ran into the tree.." I'll let them decide which witch is which :)<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OK1z52c4vTA/Vip38ucAHLI/AAAAAAAAjes/4gV8oN6XttM/s1600/IMG_20151023_1404060_rewind.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OK1z52c4vTA/Vip38ucAHLI/AAAAAAAAjes/4gV8oN6XttM/s400/IMG_20151023_1404060_rewind.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We'll see if Bartlebee's arms make it another week</td></tr>
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The guy up the street has his place decked out to the hilt. It looks very cool and I'll try to snap a picture tonight if I get a chance. There's no way we can 'compete' (meant in the most good natured way possible, of course) this year....but there's always.....next year. <insert Vincent Price laughter here></div>
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So, what sort of decorations, if any, do you like to put up on Halloween? Do you get lots of 'trick or treaters'? If not, does that bother you?</div>
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More updates to come......hopefully <again, insert Vincent Price laughter here></div>
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Mark Meanshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08029920604932980141noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5461420851656193405.post-86344675864103032782015-10-09T15:28:00.001-04:002015-10-09T15:29:14.432-04:00Long Time, No........See?<br />
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....Hear?<br />
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....Blog?<br />
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Yep, all of the above.<br />
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My wife gets home from work in about thirty minutes (it's now 3:01pm EST), so I challenged myself to get a (<b>VERY</b>) long overdue blog post out there before she gets home.<br />
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So, what have I been doing in the past two months, since I've put fingers to keyboard at the ole' blog?<br />
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Not much, really. We're still basking in the afterglow of getting our new home and getting settled. It's at a point, now, where everything has it's place and it's looking like we've been here for years.<br />
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Besides that, we bought a new vehicle.<br />
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We had two....a 2007 Ford Focus, that my wife bought before I came into the picture, and a 1996 Honda Civic that my wife won in a raffle about a year ago. The Honda has been very dependable, especially for having over 196,000 mile on it. The Focus....not so much. Don't get me wrong, it's been a pretty solid car but it's now getting to the "little things going wrong with it each month" stage....and usually to the tune of around $200.00-$300.00 a month. Since we've both seen where this could lead, we decided to go car hunting <i>before </i>we really needed to. Long story short, we wound up getting a 2016 Jeep Patriot. We were lucky in that we were in a good position to put down a sizable (almost half) down payment. That, along with trading in the Focus (so long, pal) put our monthly payments at around $200.00 a month, so it didn't work out too badly.<br />
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My new home project is to get my office area set up and, as you can tell, it needs a lot of work.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PQJd-rY2VKU/VhgS1hEMNDI/AAAAAAAAjZU/DDxiuCO1Rik/s1600/IMG_20151009_1516024_rewind.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PQJd-rY2VKU/VhgS1hEMNDI/AAAAAAAAjZU/DDxiuCO1Rik/s400/IMG_20151009_1516024_rewind.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Which I could use because, believe it, or not, I'm still writing....here and there...as well as going back and doing some editing on my NaNo project from four years (man, has it been <b>that </b>long?) ago. </div>
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Speaking of NaNo, I've decided to not even attempt it this year. The past three years have been dismal failures....no one's fault but my own...and I don't want to disappoint myself again. To those of you doing it, I doff my Panama Jack and support you all the way. Maybe next year for me.</div>
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Next month, my wife and I will be celebrating our five year wedding anniversary. Not bad for a guy who had relegated himself to being a bachelor for the rest of his life. More to come on that topic next month.</div>
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So, how have you all been keeping? </div>
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Tell me what's new and exciting in your lives. I have to live vicariously through <i>someone</i>! :)</div>
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Oh, and by the way, it's now 3:27pm EST. </div>
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Challenge complete!</div>
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<br />Mark Meanshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08029920604932980141noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5461420851656193405.post-1583171452278032832015-07-24T14:08:00.000-04:002015-07-24T14:08:41.424-04:00Five Word Review!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jxpI9MmvRTI/UkCp6ypTWGI/AAAAAAAAP8U/lehF_bS8Obw/s1600/5wr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="306" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jxpI9MmvRTI/UkCp6ypTWGI/AAAAAAAAP8U/lehF_bS8Obw/s400/5wr.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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It's been quite a while since I've done one of these and, since I've seen a few movies over the past few months, I figured I'd have some decent material to work with.<br />
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If you're not familiar with the format, it's simple. I tell you what I thought of a movie I've recently seen using only five words.<br />
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See, told you it was simple.<br />
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Now, onto the movies....<br />
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<b><i>Kingsman:The Secret Service</i></b></div>
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<b><i><br /></i></b></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VRXxccSWXwc/VbJ5qJ_WmTI/AAAAAAAAd9o/IPu8_EytpAw/s1600/kingsman-the-secret-service-poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VRXxccSWXwc/VbJ5qJ_WmTI/AAAAAAAAd9o/IPu8_EytpAw/s400/kingsman-the-secret-service-poster.jpg" width="270" /></a></div>
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Good story,way too violent.</div>
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<b><i>Avengers: Age of Ultron</i></b></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3V93hCj3qek/VbJ6YZ29esI/AAAAAAAAd9w/zVx6WFtsQdg/s1600/age-of-ultron.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3V93hCj3qek/VbJ6YZ29esI/AAAAAAAAd9w/zVx6WFtsQdg/s400/age-of-ultron.jpg" width="282" /></a></div>
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Another home run by Marvel.</div>
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<i><b>Tomorrowland</b></i></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MHJTxKfS6KE/VbJ69JiFnkI/AAAAAAAAd94/CBUHVmKBvZc/s1600/tomorrowland-movie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="222" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MHJTxKfS6KE/VbJ69JiFnkI/AAAAAAAAd94/CBUHVmKBvZc/s400/tomorrowland-movie.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Could've been fun.Clooney's terrible.</div>
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<i><b>San Andreas</b></i></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-W1KwB67oetY/VbJ7ZAcPqSI/AAAAAAAAd-A/NY_UVqTj750/s1600/San_Andreas_poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-W1KwB67oetY/VbJ7ZAcPqSI/AAAAAAAAd-A/NY_UVqTj750/s400/San_Andreas_poster.jpg" width="268" /></a></div>
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More cheese than dairy factory.</div>
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<b><i>Jurassic World</i></b></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-25jfjsF32hY/VbJ74eh2NOI/AAAAAAAAd-M/di1GrJmOYwU/s1600/Jurassic-World-The-Game.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-25jfjsF32hY/VbJ74eh2NOI/AAAAAAAAd-M/di1GrJmOYwU/s400/Jurassic-World-The-Game.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Star Lord meets dinos....meh.</div>
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<b><i>Inside Out</i></b></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-en53EqTnh20/VbJ8NEYtUHI/AAAAAAAAd-U/wZtWGEUUsVs/s1600/INSIDE-OUT-18.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="215" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-en53EqTnh20/VbJ8NEYtUHI/AAAAAAAAd-U/wZtWGEUUsVs/s400/INSIDE-OUT-18.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Cute story, better than expected.</div>
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<i><b>Ant Man</b></i></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EexTz3or5DE/VbJ8lI4iUBI/AAAAAAAAd-c/cB5RLdZy8O0/s1600/Ant-Man_poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EexTz3or5DE/VbJ8lI4iUBI/AAAAAAAAd-c/cB5RLdZy8O0/s400/Ant-Man_poster.jpg" width="270" /></a></div>
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Small package, but big fun.</div>
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While I'll readily admit that my wife drug me to a few of these, most of them were of my own choosing, so I have no one to blame but myself.....and, possibly, my brother in law. We'll just leave it at that, shall we?</div>
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I hope you all have an enjoyable weekend and take care.</div>
Mark Meanshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08029920604932980141noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5461420851656193405.post-11226354120610118382015-07-20T12:46:00.000-04:002015-07-20T12:47:43.574-04:00Motivational Monday!<div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8Q5n0NIl3QI/Va0mIkDvlYI/AAAAAAAAd9I/TwPRECbwzH8/s1600/Staying-Motivated.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8Q5n0NIl3QI/Va0mIkDvlYI/AAAAAAAAd9I/TwPRECbwzH8/s400/Staying-Motivated.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Man, time sure does fly.</div>
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My poor, neglected, blog is gathering more cobwebs than a haunted house. Now that we're starting to settle in and get organized around the homestead, coupled with my lack of full time work, I really need to buckle down.</div>
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I was thinking, just the other day, that with all the time on my hands I should have three or four books under my belt and look like an adonis. Seriously. No excuse as to why I'm not writing and exercising more. </div>
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Honestly, I'm ashamed.</div>
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I guess it just all boils down to the fact that, well, I just don't feel the motivation. It's not a very good reason, I know, but I'm facing that fact as I live with the consequences of my laziness in those two areas. Trying to get and, more importantly, stay motivated for doing both has always been one of my biggest hurdles in sticking with either. </div>
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I know, I know....baby steps. Just take baby steps. The sad thing is, though, if my steps get any more "baby", I'll be back in the womb! <rimshot> Seriously, though, I know motivation is hard sometimes and I'm curious.....how do you all do it?</div>
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How do you stay "on track"?</div>
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What keeps you motivated?</div>
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I look forward to hearing how you balance things while I chalk up and prepare to do my best Nic Walenda imitation.</div>
Mark Meanshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08029920604932980141noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5461420851656193405.post-70212341362531845512015-07-04T22:46:00.001-04:002015-07-04T22:46:04.833-04:00Happy Independence Day!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ol_ytLn-Cps/VZiX2gqzuGI/AAAAAAAAd7s/AN2uUa6gpF0/s1600/4thjuly.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="456" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ol_ytLn-Cps/VZiX2gqzuGI/AAAAAAAAd7s/AN2uUa6gpF0/s640/4thjuly.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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The wife and I have been a bit under the weather for the past week, so we spent our Fourth quarantined to the couch, watching old <i>Godzilla </i>movies and the <i>John Adams</i> mini-series on HBO. Of course there were bouts of napping tucked in between, as well. We managed to grill up a few burgers and catch a glimpse of some local fireworks (from the back yard), but that's about the extent of our celebration.<br />
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All in all, though, we still had a good time and got some much needed rest.<br />
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Sometimes (especially recently) it seems like the outlook is a bit bleak, these days, but remember that freedom is in the heart and mind first and foremost.We should always be thankful for all the freedoms we enjoy and for those who sacrificed so much to give said freedoms to us.<br />
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I hope you're all doing well, getting lots of writing done, and had a very safe and happy Independence Day.Mark Meanshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08029920604932980141noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5461420851656193405.post-43495086563476625042015-04-17T05:54:00.000-04:002015-04-17T06:25:48.697-04:00Flash Fiction Friday: The Home Stretch!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ClXDcmf7Dbs/VTBmtw7VONI/AAAAAAAAdhA/7ibTBTBHgIQ/s1600/FFF.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ClXDcmf7Dbs/VTBmtw7VONI/AAAAAAAAdhA/7ibTBTBHgIQ/s1600/FFF.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>They had forgotten how long they'd been running for, but it felt like forever. Down tunnel after tunnel, jumping hurdle after hurdle, the couple was tired. Going in, they knew it might be a long, arduous, journey but they had also decided that the effort would be worth it. So, hand in hand, they continued to run, helping and supporting each other, and hoping for the best. </i><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nP4krVdwle4/VTBnaSKrs-I/AAAAAAAAdhI/tlsCY4dxvZ0/s1600/Light-at-the-end-of-a-Tunnel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nP4krVdwle4/VTBnaSKrs-I/AAAAAAAAdhI/tlsCY4dxvZ0/s1600/Light-at-the-end-of-a-Tunnel.jpg" height="212" width="320" /></a><i>In some spots the long, dark, tunnels seemed to shine with small rays of light. Those lights quickly flickered out and the couple had to continue on their way, groping along the walls until another ray of light would present itself. In other parts of the tunnel, the floor would fall way and they had to jump, relying on a wing and prayer to carry them across the great chasm. The couple had some help along their way but, sometimes, the help seemed to hinder more than aid them on their way.</i><br />
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<i>Finally, though, they glimpsed a small pinprick of light unlike the others. This one seemed to be on the horizon and was pulsating. Was this the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel?</i><br />
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<i>Yes.</i><br />
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<i>Yes, it was.</i><br />
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<i>The couple looked at each other, exchanged a smile and kiss, and sprinted closer to the light that grew larger with each step.</i><br />
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(Thanks to <a href="http://www.lisabuiecollard.com/" target="_blank">Lisa Buie-Collard</a> for her flash fiction suggestion on Monday!)<br />
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So, yes, it's all official-like now...we're about to become homeowners. The loan was approved (as we knew it would be, going through the VA) and we have a closing date. This Monday, the 20th. All the "T"s are being crossed and all the "I"s are being dotted. Truth to tell, I don't remember this process being quite this complicated. I had bought a home a few years ago and remember a very smooth experience. My best guess is that since the loan is going through the VA, there's more hoops to jump through.<br />
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Anyway, we're closing on Monday, getting the keys, and then......celebrating.<br />
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Our movers aren't coming until Wednesday, so we'll have Tuesday to get some things (cable and the all important Interwebz!) set up and figure out what we'll need to buy first. The looks of the gutters tells me a ladder is going to be first on the list....right after a washer.<br />
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In our quest for a dining room chandelier, I saw this one and immediately thought it was something that needed to be hanging in the Batcave. Or, at least, my office/man-cave. What do you think?<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-czQdDxwOjE8/VTBfljhWSjI/AAAAAAAAdgw/yR-hFNd0WYE/s1600/light.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-czQdDxwOjE8/VTBfljhWSjI/AAAAAAAAdgw/yR-hFNd0WYE/s1600/light.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
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I hope you all have a relaxing, fun filled, weekend. </div>
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As for me....I'll be packing :)</div>
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(Oh, almost forgot, I'm still taking suggestions for next Friday's flash fiction so, if you have any ideas, let me know via comments. Thanks!)</div>
<br />Mark Meanshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08029920604932980141noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5461420851656193405.post-36247574076011940452015-04-13T13:38:00.001-04:002015-04-13T13:38:19.284-04:00Daredevil!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BUPCWl8tb-I/VSv9UzqRmmI/AAAAAAAAdgc/NLtvk9xlKT4/s1600/Daredevil-9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BUPCWl8tb-I/VSv9UzqRmmI/AAAAAAAAdgc/NLtvk9xlKT4/s1600/Daredevil-9.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></div>
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When I first heard that Netflix was going to do some original programming showcasing some Marvel Comics characters, I have to admit....I cringed just a bit.<br />
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Don't get me wrong, Netflix has done a pretty decent job of doing original programming "right" as evidenced by watching <i>Lilyhammer </i>or <i>Orange Is The New Black. </i>I cringed because they were trying to bring super-heroes to television. Something that doesn't always work out so well.</div>
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Back in the late 80s, Marvel tried a, sort of, 'backdoor spin off' series of Daredevil in <i>"The Trial of the Incredible Hulk</i>" movie. The series never took off, but it did give comic fans something they hadn't seen, up to that point. </div>
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Daredevil on screen. </div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qz9Hh2mfAEo/VSs8iBhIPtI/AAAAAAAAdf8/TKDj4m56hK4/s1600/HulkDaredevil.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qz9Hh2mfAEo/VSs8iBhIPtI/AAAAAAAAdf8/TKDj4m56hK4/s1600/HulkDaredevil.jpg" height="400" width="268" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Incredible Hulk and some ninja dude</td></tr>
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I remember being pretty pumped about more super-hero themed shows getting exposure and I didn't even balk (too much) about the facts that his suit wasn't red or that he didn't have horns on his mask, or that he didn't have the DD symbol on his chest. I mean, we had Daredevil on screen.....it wasn't the time to nitpick.</div>
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Later on, after seeing Affleck's (who was 'da bomb' in <i>Phantoms</i>, yo!) Daredevil, <b>THAT </b>was the time to nitpick. Needless to say, I wasn't a fan and had, by that point, become more jaded about seeing super heroes on the small (or large) screen. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ham fisted 'thespian', Affleck, stinking up the screen in a red suit.</td></tr>
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When I heard Netflix was bringing Daredevil back to the small screen I had some mixed emotions, but knew I'd still give it a try.<br />
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And,boy, am I glad I did.<br />
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I'm about four episodes in (I told my wife I'd wait for her to catch up,so we can finish the rest together) and am really enjoying it. It's got the gritty feel that you'd expect from a show about someone who's decided to don a mask and fight crime in Hell's Kitchen, New York.<br />
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The cast is solid. From Cox's Murdock/Daredevil to D'Onofrio's Wilson Fisk/Kingpin, with the only (sort of) weak link being Elden Hensen's Foggy Nelson, who I hope gets a bit more development. The writing is pretty good and, as someone on Twitter said, "In the first episode of <i>Daredevil</i>, we see more Marvel continuity then in two seasons of <i>Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D</i>".<br />
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I can't argue with that.<br />
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Like I said, I'm only four episodes in so things could really go either way, good or bad, with this one,but I find myself oddly optimistic that they'll hurdle that high bar they've set for themselves.<br />
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If you have <a href="http://www.netflix.com/WiMovie/80018294?trkid=13462047" target="_blank">Netflix</a>, give it a shot and let me know if you're liking it....or not.<br />
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More on this topic later, I'm sure.<br />
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Mark Meanshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08029920604932980141noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5461420851656193405.post-72072178759764604602015-04-10T14:03:00.000-04:002015-04-10T14:03:08.517-04:00Friday Wrap!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jzg2moLEAnk/VSgPkFJGPTI/AAAAAAAAdfY/MAmuBhi9B3E/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jzg2moLEAnk/VSgPkFJGPTI/AAAAAAAAdfY/MAmuBhi9B3E/s1600/1.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>I know most of you are probably smack dab in the middle of the A to Z Challenge, so I just want to wish you all the best and hang in there....you're almost done! Right? Hopefully, I'll be in a better place next year to join in on all the fun.</i><br />
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In my last post, I threw a few things about my current situation out there and just wanted to follow up to let you all know where we're standing.<br />
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--We finally have a closing date for our home. I hate to even mention that because I don't want to jinx it, but it's (barring any more hurdles to jump) in ten days, on the 20th of this month. Things seem to be moving, now, but I'm still a bit shocked at the amount of time it's taken (almost a month and a half) to secure things. Keep your digits and appendages crossed for us and I'll post more info as it becomes available.<br />
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--A quick <strike>apology</strike> explanation to those who looked me up on <a href="https://twitter.com/mmeans68" target="_blank">Twitter </a>and saw quite a bit of political material. Like everyone else, I tend to have opinions on our country and those who are supposed to be leading us. Unlike everyone else, I don't have a big problem expressing my views. While I always enjoy keeping up with my blogging/writing pals, I know we don't always share those views on all issues, so if you followed me and political stuff isn't something you dig, please feel free to unfollow or mute me or whatever...I promise you won't hurt my feelings :) I do, at times, make mention of other things, like comics, movies, t.v., etc., so don't think it's <i><b>all</b></i> just boring stuff :) Though, I guess, it's mostly boring stuff.<br />
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--I'm still not all <i>that </i>active on <a href="https://instagram.com/mmeans68/" target="_blank">Instagram</a>, but I'm working on it and I could use some more cool people to follow. Also, big thanks to <i>Magnificent </i><a href="http://www.morganshamy.com/" target="_blank">Morgan Shamy</a>, <i>Tremendous </i><a href="http://tyreanswritingspot.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Tyrean Martinson</a>, <i>Dynamic </i><a href="http://www.danibertrand.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Dani Bertrand</a> and the <i>Truly Talented</i> <a href="http://tammybr2.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Tammy Theriault</a> for allowing me and my phone camera to clutter up their streams :)<br />
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Now, filed under 'new business':<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3FzeqwH2JBs/Ub8klKc7KRI/AAAAAAAAM9c/aA_Xnb66WtI/s1600/mm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3FzeqwH2JBs/Ub8klKc7KRI/AAAAAAAAM9c/aA_Xnb66WtI/s1600/mm.jpg" height="198" width="320" /></a></div>
After sitting out most of last season, I've decided to go back and catch up on an old favorite of mine....<i>Mad Men</i>. I've always been a big fan of the show and I'm a sucker for 'period' pieces, but Hamm's Don Draper was so despicable that I just had to stop watching. It's a 'catch-22' for me in that the writing and acting is just <i>that </i>good, but I couldn't keep watching. I know that probably doesn't make much sense, but it does in the recesses of my mind, so there ya go. Anyway, with the final episodes coming up, I've caught up and am riding it out until the end. In all honesty, it's been a great run and I hope Hamm (as well as most of the rest of the cast) gets more acting/producing/directing, whatever they wants gigs.<br />
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I've been toying with the ideas of trying another 'blog schedule', but that's still up on the air. If it does stick, though, what I'd like to do on Fridays is something like a "Flash Fiction Friday", where I take suggestions, either through the comments or Twitter, for an idea or theme and post what I come up with on Fridays. The length being determined by how the chosen idea grabs me. So, to start things off, drop a few ideas in the comment section (or Twitter) and it'll give me a good excuse to get the ball rolling.<br />
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Now, speaking of excuses, I have to go check out <i>Daredevil </i>on Netflix. I've been looking forward to it, for a while now, and will let you know what I think in my next post.<br />
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Have a great weekend!<br />
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<br />Mark Meanshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08029920604932980141noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5461420851656193405.post-79182030502871524802015-03-22T21:07:00.000-04:002015-03-22T21:07:31.442-04:00Odds 'n Ends.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PMVPZwO0fFc/VQ9gLk2xqXI/AAAAAAAAdcM/OSInsFQQpO8/s1600/l667a1245-m0xd-w640_h480_q80.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PMVPZwO0fFc/VQ9gLk2xqXI/AAAAAAAAdcM/OSInsFQQpO8/s1600/l667a1245-m0xd-w640_h480_q80.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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--For the past week I've had a blog post, sitting in draft limbo, where I talked (in agonizing detail) about our journey to home ownership. Not the most illuminating thing you'd read all weekend....not by a long shot.<br />
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Never fear, this is <b>not </b>that post. I deleted it after figuring out, after a few reads, just how utterly boring it was. Talking about the ins and outs of getting a VA loan doesn't make for very interesting reading. I got bored just rereading it.<br />
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Long story short:<br />
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Yes, we have found a house (pictured above). It's about a mile down the road from where we're renting and in a much better location, convenience-wise. We're in walking distance to Publix and the local mall. After about two months of jumping through hoops we're seeing some light at the end of the tunnel. With any luck, within the next couple of weeks, we'll have a closing date and will be moving into our first real, honest to goodness, home.<br />
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I'll do my best to keep you all updated as events unfold.<br />
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--The weekend was fun, but slow paced. We saw <i>American Sniper</i>, finally, this past Saturday. Great film and pretty intense. I'm very surprised it didn't take home more Oscars, but then most of the really good films seem to be passed over many times. It really drives home the point (at least to me) about the challenges and struggles our vets face when they come home. Something to really think about. Just to balance out the intensity with some lighter fare, later on that night we watched <i>Big Hero 6</i>. Cute flick and, as always, Disney/Pixar doesn't disappoint.<br />
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Today, (Sunday) we got up early today (like we do every other morning) to drive down to the beach and watch the sunrise. Unfortunately, a London-esque peasouper fog prevented that from happening, but we still had fun walking along the beach with some of the other early birds.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HmqjoXjCnwY/VQ9jWZl6kWI/AAAAAAAAdcg/i3SmQCRFpi0/s1600/IMG_20150322_072633_rewind.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HmqjoXjCnwY/VQ9jWZl6kWI/AAAAAAAAdcg/i3SmQCRFpi0/s1600/IMG_20150322_072633_rewind.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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Oh well, maybe next weekend.<br />
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--Social media-wise, I'm giving Twitter and Instagram some more attention for no other reason than "just because". If you're on either one, and are so inclined, look me up<br />
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<a href="https://twitter.com/mmeans68" target="_blank">Twitter</a><br />
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<a href="https://instagram.com/mmeans68/" target="_blank">Instagram</a><br />
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--I'm still waffling on The A to Z Challenge and should figure that out soon (hopefully). Either way, though, I'll still be doing my best to support those taking up the challenge this year.<br />
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I hope you all had a good weekend and that the upcoming week is, if nothing else, bearable :)<br />
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Until next time.<br />
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<br />Mark Meanshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08029920604932980141noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5461420851656193405.post-40569164186093426412015-03-04T17:57:00.001-05:002015-03-04T17:57:03.386-05:00IWSG: March, 2015<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cpBqHIHqRB0/T89n41KQAHI/AAAAAAAABtc/I8w19zDzg3Y/s1600/InsecureWritersSupportGroup%2B(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cpBqHIHqRB0/T89n41KQAHI/AAAAAAAABtc/I8w19zDzg3Y/s1600/InsecureWritersSupportGroup%2B%281%29.jpg" height="272" width="320" /></a></div>
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It's about 5:30pm on Wednesday and it suddenly hits me.....today is the <i>first Wednesday of the month</i>....and <b>that </b>means it's time for another Insecure Writer's Support Group post.<br />
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(runs around, arms flailing, before regaining composure)<br />
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<i>Ahem</i>....<br />
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Hosted by uber-blogger/writer, The Amazing <a href="http://alexjcavanaugh.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Alex J. Cavanaugh</a>, the IWSG is a forum for writers, of every ilk, to share their thoughts, their hopes, their dreams.......and their insecurities, of course. This month, Alex is being aided and abetted by Colorful <a href="http://hogwartssabbatical.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Chemist Ken</a>, Super <a href="http://suzannes-tribe.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Suzanne Sapseed</a>, and the Warrior Muse herself, She-Hulk <a href="http://thewarriormuse.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Shannon Lawrence</a> ,so show them all some love for their efforts, o.k?<br />
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To me, one of the biggest fears about trying to be a writer is <b>doubt</b>.<br />
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<i>Doubting </i>that you have the drive.<br />
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<i>Doubting </i>that you have the desire.<br />
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<i>Doubting</i> that you have the talent.<br />
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When it comes to the writing thing, I've been having a lot of doubts. My lack of blog posts since the new year is a strong indicator of that. I guess I'm in the "Do I Want To Do This" phase of my writing journey. I know it's nothing new or unique, but that's where I find myself all the same.<br />
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Don't get me wrong, I love writing and I love telling stories. What I'm not loving is the hard work to get it done. Oh sure, I could blame lots of things as to why I'm not writing as much as I should. Job hunting, house hunting.....all sorts of things. The bottom line, though, is I'm just not feeling it.<br />
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And that doubt is pretty scary.<br />
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One of my main consolations is that I'm fairly certain it's just a phase I'm going through. I seem to visit Doubtsville once a year......then I get over it and things go on as they were. It's during these little trips that I like to go back and read some of my old projects. While I'm not one to blow my own horn, it's kind of cool to read something and think "Did I write that? Man, that's not bad." It helps spur me on and, frankly, a little spurring wouldn't hurt right about now.<br />
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As with everything, though, this too shall pass.<br />
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For the rest of you, I hope your writing is going swimmingly and the ideas are flowing along.<br />
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Talk to you soon!<br />
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<br />Mark Meanshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08029920604932980141noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5461420851656193405.post-85086680700643941792015-01-28T21:34:00.001-05:002015-01-28T21:34:09.717-05:00Camping? Glamping? Cramping???This past weekend, my wife and I did something we've been talking about doing for over two years.<br />
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We went camping.<br />
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For her it was an "adventure" and reminded her, a lot, of her days in the Army. For me, it was a good opportunity to test out some of the things we've had for an emergency (hurricane) and see how they do under practical conditions.<br />
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The week before, we started taking inventory of the things we already had that could be used for a camping trip (camp stove, lanterns, first aid kit, emergency radio, mini-generator) and making a list of things we needed to buy (tent, sleeping bags, mess kits).<br />
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With our gear all set, I picked my wife up from work on Friday and we headed about a half hour North to the campgrounds. To say the weather looked ominous would be a bit of an understatement. It was cloudy and windy. The forecast called for storms that night and into Saturday morning, but we were willing to give it a shot.<br />
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We had done a few "practice runs" at home, setting up the tent, so we had it pretty down pat. About a half hour was all it took for us to get the tent up and situated.</div>
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For food, we had brought some of our "hurricane chow" we got from <a href="http://www.wisefoodstorage.com/" target="_blank">Wise Foods</a>. It's dehydrated and supposed to have a 25 year shelf life, so it's perfect for emergencies. For regular consumption, not so much. Anyway, I fired up the camp stove and started cooking (boiling water). The cheesy lasagna turned out just "o.k". I mean, it was....food....and I could see it getting us through an emergency....but not something you really want to be eating unless you <b>have </b>to, if you know what I mean. </div>
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As the sun went down, the wind picked up even more and it started raining. I think we hit the hay around 8:00pm, which was a good thing because at about 3:00 am, we both woke up to the howling wind and rain pelting our nylon abode. The wind was going pretty good and one side began to bow inwards, causing us enough concern that we stood and put our backs to it to make sure the poles didn't snap from the pressure. It was about that time that my wife decided that 'nature was calling (you might see where this is going). The restrooms were a couple hundred feet away, but she said she wasn't going out in <i>that</i>, so she decided to put a bucket we had brought to good use. I told her to just go outside, but she was having none of it. She did her business and put the lid on the bucket but, as you can make out from the picture above....we were on a slight slope. </div>
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Guess where she put the bucket.</div>
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Guess what happened to the bucket and the lid when the wind gusted against that wall.</div>
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Guess who was madder than a hornet when he found himself standing in warm.....liquid.</div>
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'Nuff said.</div>
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Anyway, we cleaned up using some beach towels, put them in a garbage bag and decided to head for the car to ride out the storm. When we got in the car, the decision was made just to go home, get some sleep, wash the towels, and come back with some Clorox wipes.</div>
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When we returned, later that morning, I was expecting the worse. Instead, I was pleasantly surprised as the tent still stood and everything inside was safe and dry. After some cleanup I found that the bowing wall had slipped a stake, which is why it blew so badly in the wind. Unfortunately, our neighbors didn't fare near as well. Their tent had totally collapsed.</div>
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The rest of Saturday was beautiful, but still windy. We gave up on the emergency food and had lunch (and, later, dinner) at the little restaurant at the campground entrance. </div>
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It was relaxing just sitting by the tent and basking in the sun. We had the radio on, then went into the tent to play cards. Even with a queen sized air mattress, we still had room to sit on camp chairs with a makeshift table between us. </div>
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Later on we trekked over a small bridge to an area that I'm still not sure of its purpose....it looked pretty cool, though, so some exploration was in order. </div>
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Saturday night was much calmer.....but cold. After a great sunset, we got a fire going and hung out for a bit before turning in. </div>
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I think it dipped into the upper 40s (cold for us Floridians) and some snuggling was in order (as if an excuse was needed :) ).</div>
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We packed things up on Sunday morning and headed home. Even though we had some trials it was, overall, a good time and we'll definitely be going back. The only thing is, though, we're not sure what we'll be calling it.....</div>
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Glamping? Glamorous Camping. No....not really, even though we weren't "roughing" it.</div>
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Cramping? Crappy Camping. Nah, it was still fun.</div>
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Gramping? Grumpy Camping. O.k. maybe a little bit, sure....</div>
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Maybe we'll just stick with plain, ole, camping.</div>
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<br />Mark Meanshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08029920604932980141noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5461420851656193405.post-59400565262317369152015-01-20T12:49:00.000-05:002015-01-20T12:49:11.904-05:00Oh, The Humanity!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This morning, like just about every other morning, I was shopping at Sam's Club. I lend a hand at my wife and her sister's business, which entails....ironically enough....picking up supplies. It's ironic because I, pretty much, hate shopping. If I could, I'd order everything online and have it delivered. No muss, no fuss. It's almost to the point where I hate going out in public because people just seem to be either rude or oblivious to their surroundings. Anyway, their business being as small as it is, there's not much (i.e. any) room to store things, which necessitates having to go to Sam's almost every morning.<br />
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Things usually aren't that bad because I get up early with my wife, take her to work, then hop on over to shop before the unwashed (i.e. rude) masses start arriving. This morning I had a few more errands to run and was later than usual (though still early for most folks), but figured I could grab the things I needed, hit the self check out, and be out before 10 am.<br />
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It was not meant to be, at least this morning. I grabbed my supplies and headed to the self check-out, only to be told that they were down.<br />
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All of them....and I knew what that meant.<br />
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<i>Standing In Line</i> (Ugh!)<br />
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I sighed a bit and headed over to one of the two cashiers on duty. Well, that is, behind the long line of people at one of the two cashiers on duty. Being a "business member" has it's privileges, but not so much when everyone else seems to be a "business member", as well. The place was pretty busy but, again, I was running late so it was my own fault.<br />
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As I stood in line, I started getting a bit frustrated. Couldn't they open more registers? Of course, having been a one time employee of Sam's Club (8133, Florence KY., thank you) I knew the answer...."<b>More For Less</b>" (at least when paying people to be there at certain times goes). I gave another, internal sigh and leaned against my cart, looking at the people in front of me. Over in the other line, I noticed a lady with a baby ( a HUGE baby...very fat and very cute) slung across her chest in a harness. She was pretty small, but her cart was loaded like she was feeding a huge family....which she might have been, who knows. Behind her was an elderly couple and I noticed he had one of those baseball caps that designated he was a Veteran of something, I couldn't quite make it out. What his cap said wasn't important...what <b>was </b>important, though, was what he did.<br />
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I guess he noticed her struggling, or something, and I could see him motion to her to let him help her. She smiled and stepped back, focusing on wrangling her baby while he stacked her entire cart up on the conveyor belt to be checked out....smiling all the while. It wasn't one of those "I'm Helping So You'll Get Out Of Line Quicker" type of moves either. More like "I'm Helping Because I Can See You Need It".<br />
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It was strange, but it felt like all the frustration I had at being held up in line just drained out of me. I got this goofy smile on my face as I watched and, maybe I'm just getting sentimental in my old age, but it made me feel good just to witness. I usually have a pretty cynical view of people, these days, but seeing things like this goes a long way in restoring my faith in humanity and my fellow man. It's almost like it was meant to happen.<br />
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Maybe it was.<br />
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Maybe I just needed to see this today.<br />
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Who knows, maybe I just need to keep a more <i>optimistic </i>eye on my surroundings. If it means seeing more acts of kindness like this, it just might be worth it.<br />
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Since I haven't posted any music in a while, I'll leave you with a fitting song by the great Glen Campbell..... <i>Try A Little Kindness</i><br />
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Have a great week.Mark Meanshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08029920604932980141noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5461420851656193405.post-35489007375310015702015-01-05T22:27:00.002-05:002015-01-05T22:27:18.069-05:00It Was 47 Years Ago, Today.....<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i>Sgt. Pepper taught the band to play....</i></div>
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O.k, maybe not...</div>
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Anyway, on this day, 47 years ago, I came into this world a bouncing bundle of huge cranium, fat cheeks, and small feet. <div>
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My feet and cheeks have proportioned themselves, though I still sport the big cranium.</div>
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Being only ten days after Christmas, my birthday has never been a big 'to-do' in my life. When I was a kid, I'd get a cake and a few presents, not much fanfare. I guess my parents started feeling a little guilty as I grew into a teen, because my mom (every year, without fail) would ask if I wanted a party. Which, for the record, I never did.</div>
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As I matured (somewhat) into adulthood, it became a time to gather with friends, eat, celebrate hanging in there another year, and stuff like that.</div>
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These days, it's about spending it with my wife. We've been together about six years and they've been six of the best in my life. Coming from a guy who, at 40 years old, was resigned to living a bachelor's life for the rest of his days, that's a pretty amazing statement. </div>
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Not that I ever had anything against marriage, I just didn't think it was for me. I didn't think I was giving enough when, come to find out, I'm way more giving than I gave myself credit for. Now, before I blow my horn too loudly, I'll admit....I need <strike>some</strike> a bit of work. O.k, lots of work.</div>
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I'm getting there, though. </div>
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The evening was spent having a relaxing dinner with some of my new, extended, family then back home for my only, official, birthday request. </div>
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I wanted my wife to make me an out of the box Devil's Food cake. </div>
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Which she did. And it was deeelicious!</div>
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Oh, those squiggly marks on the right side? I was told they were bats.</div>
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Yes....bats.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"She may not look like much, kid..."<br /><br /></td></tr>
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My gifts from the wife were presented, thusly....<div>
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It's great to have found someone who doesn't mind indulging my whimsical side.</div>
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I thought this post was going to be more about reflecting on my past 47 years but, the more I think about it, the more I'm just going to wish for another 47 just like the past six.</div>
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<i>Blows out the candles....</i></div>
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Mark Meanshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08029920604932980141noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5461420851656193405.post-24667288659338043832014-12-31T08:03:00.002-05:002014-12-31T08:03:37.612-05:00Dusting The Place Off<i>A large, steel door opens flooding the pitch black room with white light. A large silhouette stands in the doorway, inhaling the musty smell of staleness. A switch is flipped and light fills the room, revealing what looks to be furniture draped in old sheets. The figure steps in and starts pulling the sheets off the furniture, making sure to avert his face as to not catch a snootful of dust.</i><br />
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<i>He looks around, scratching at his newly grown beard, and grimaces. </i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>"Well....looks like it's back to square one....", he says quietly while walking over to a big, red "BLOG ON" button recessed into the wall. He presses it and stands back as the room starts humming to life....</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>....again.....</i><br />
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Sometimes, after a blog absence, it seems like I'm starting over and I guess, in a way, I am. It's been over two months since my last post and I've seemed to grow into a blogosphere recluse. <i>Scratches beard again with long, Howard Hughes-esque, fingernails</i><br />
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Actually, it's not all that dramatic.....it's just a matter of life and the holidays mugging me and taking up all my time :)<br />
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I hope you've all been well and that you had a great holiday. Mine was interesting, to say the least.<br />
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Thanksgiving with my wife's family was, as always, a good time, but the source of a bit of stress. Her mom passed away two days after Christmas which, sometimes, gives my wife a melancholy feeling around the Holidays. We went to her brother's house (an hour drive South) and they had a huge feast. Good times were had, but some underlying drama stuck in my wife's craw.<br />
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So, it was decided that Christmas would be different.<br />
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We had planned on heading North, to Kentucky, to spend Christmas with my family. A mixture of worrying about the reliability of taking our vehicle on a 2k mile round trip and my wife not being able to get all the time off work needed, had us looking at other options. In the end, we opted to spend Christmas at one of our favorite places, the Cabana Bay Resort, right next to one of our favorite theme parks, Universal Orlando.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2b_APhlhCd0/VKKTSKFJkXI/AAAAAAAAcas/PO3sV2hi478/s1600/IMG_20141222_203919_rewind.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2b_APhlhCd0/VKKTSKFJkXI/AAAAAAAAcas/PO3sV2hi478/s1600/IMG_20141222_203919_rewind.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
I had expected it to be pretty dead there, but it was quite the opposite. There were a ton of people who, like us, had decided to "get away from it all" and spend Christmas differently. Lots of decorations, poolside movies every night (we got to see two of my faves, <i>It's A Wonderful Life</i> and <i>White Christmas</i>) and turkey and ham on Christmas Eve and day. We even took a day to 'Christmas Shop' (for stockings that we brought with us) at the park. Granted, both of us went way overboard but that's par for the course.<br />
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If nothing else, it was very relaxing and nice to spend the holiday at our pace, not worrying about having to be at such and such place at such and such time. Don't get me wrong, we love our family, but it was also nice to do something with just <b>our </b>family.....the wife and myself.<br />
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Anyway, we had a great time and will definitely be doing it again, in the future.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"White Christmas", poolside</td></tr>
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On the 'good news/bad news' front, NaNo was a bust for me (again!) this year but, on the positive side, it did give me quite a few good story kernels to work with. Now it's just a matter of digging in and getting them to take off. I'm sure I'll give it another go next year and, who knows, maybe I'll actually "win" this time.<br />
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I say that every year, though.<br />
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Besides holiday related things, there's really nothing interesting to report. My job search continues, I'm writing when the mood hits me, reading, and trying to regiment myself to be a passable CP for one of my blogger pals. I have a ways to go, but I'm working on it.<br />
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Have a safe and happy New Year's Eve and I'll see you......next year! :P<br />
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<br />Mark Meanshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08029920604932980141noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5461420851656193405.post-64827064346331762732014-10-27T12:51:00.000-04:002014-10-27T12:51:52.412-04:00All NaNos Eve...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This Friday isn't just Halloween....or "All Hallows Eve"...it's also the day before November 1st....which is also the eve of <a href="http://nanowrimo.org/en/dashboard" target="_blank">National Novel Writing Month</a>.<br />
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All Nanos Eve. <cue eerie music><br />
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Sounds sort of ominous, eh?<br />
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Even though it shouldn't be something to "fear" (it's, actually, a lot of fun), it is something to prepare for. At least, for me. I've been participating since 2011 and, oddly enough, that's the only time I ever "won". In subsequent years, I've always started, but found excuses not to finish.<br />
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I'm, usually, a seat of the pants (or pantser) type of writer. I don't outline...I don't make very many notes and the ones I do make, I seem to forget about. Two years ago I found some notes for my abandoned story a few months after NaNo was over. I'm not sure how much of a difference those notes would have made, but they might have added some spark to the flame.<br />
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Who knows?<br />
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Anyway, I'm a bit (not too much...just a little) more prepared this year.<br />
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I decided I would work on some notes and see where that might get me. I wound up coming up with ten good story ideas that could carry me through to the finish line and, hopefully, to a completed book.<br />
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I also decided to do things a bit differently this year. Instead of one story, I'm going to work on a compilation of short stories. Hopefully ten. That way, I only need to do five thousand words per story. Now, should one story take over and I go to town, all the better.<br />
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If you're doing NaNo, this year, I wish you luck and let me know how your progress goes. If you'd like to 'buddy up', you can find me <a href="http://nanowrimo.org/participants/mmeans68" target="_blank">here</a>. <br />
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If you're not participating this year, say a little prayer for those of us who are :)<br />
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<br />Mark Meanshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08029920604932980141noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5461420851656193405.post-726914724316320882014-10-20T12:31:00.001-04:002014-10-20T12:31:57.545-04:00Survivin' and Thrivin'!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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There a lot of ways we can make our stay on this Earth better. One of the most important and one that contributes to the amount of time we're here is taking care of ourselves.<br />
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Hosted by <a href="http://alexjcavanaugh.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Alex J. Cavanaugh</a>, <a href="http://stephentremp.com/" target="_blank">Stephen Tremp</a>, <a href="http://writing-art-and-design.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Michael Di Gesu</a>, and <a href="http://circleoffriendsbooks.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Diane Wolf </a> the focus of this blog hop is to bring awareness to disease prevention and early detection, as well as touching on things we can do to improve our overall health.<br />
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I don't really have a "cause" to discuss, per se', but I do want to talk about one of the greatest means of preventative medicine.<br />
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Eating right and exercising.<br />
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About a year ago, my wife and I watched <a href="http://www.netflix.com/WiMovie/70255134?trkid=13752289" target="_blank">Hungry for Change</a> on Netflix and it really changed our life. For the first time we really started paying attention to what we were eating. This was just the start of our journey, though. We then checked out <a href="http://www.netflix.com/WiMovie/70173634?trkid=13752289" target="_blank">Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead</a> , which was another eye opener. The success stories we saw motivated us to give juicing a try and, while we could never get the full grasp of the "juice cleanse" (the furthest we got was four days), we still gave it a shot and it helped build on the foundation of getting healthy.<br />
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Then, about two months ago, my wife's job hosted a health fare for their employees (and spouses...which would be me), so we went. They gave us a battery of tests from circulation to cholesterol, to heart and stomach screening. We also talked to nutritionists and health coaches about diet and exercise.<br />
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All in all it was a good experience....until we got our test results. Most of the results were within 'normal' ranges, but there were some high numbers there. Cholesterol and blood pressure, which was deemed "pre hyper tension" and something to keep an eye on. While my wife's numbers were better, we decided to make some drastic changes....starting with how we eat.<br />
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We had flirted with the "Paleo" diet in the past, but it was a short romance and all that meat wasn't settling well with our digestion. After some more discussing and research, we decided to go with what I can only describe as "Vegan-esque". True vegans abstain from all animal products. If it comes from an animal, they don't eat it. For us, though, this means no red meat or chicken and no diary products. We're still eating fish and eggs, but the staple of our diet is fruits and vegetables. I've found that I don't really miss meat and there are tons of great alternatives for dairy...from coconut milk to Natural Balance butter. We're wanting to get to the point where we can ditch the processed substitutes and all that sodium, but that's further down the road.<br />
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Right now, we're transitioning nicely and losing weight as we go.<br />
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They say that the key to being healthy is "80% what you eat and 20% exercising", so you can't really talk about getting (and staying) healthy without discussing exercising. On that front, we've been doing a lot of walking (neither one of us have ever been big on running) and we bought Fitbits to help us track our progress. We've also been working with kettlebells and our Total Body gym to help cover the 'weights' portion of our regimen.<br />
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In my mind, enough cannot be said about eating right and exercising as preventative measures for getting and staying healthy.<br />
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So, I wish you all good health and I'll leave you with a couple of things that have really helped me in my journey for wellness: (I know I've mentioned these before, but they bear repeating)<br />
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1. <a href="http://www.myfitnesspal.com/" target="_blank">MyFitnessPal</a>: Experts are always saying that you should keep a 'food diary' if you want to lose weight, and they're right. MFP is an excellent tool to not only help you keep track of what you're eating (calories, sodium, etc.), but it's also a great way to keep track of your progress. You can also have 'friends' to help you along. I know I've posted this before, but you can find me <a href="http://www.myfitnesspal.com/profile/mmeans68" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
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2. After researching a few of the 'smart pedometers', we decided to go with the <a href="https://www.fitbit.com/" target="_blank">FitBit </a>to help us keep tabs on how far we're walking and being active each day. I also like it because it can track your sleep patterns. You can also link it up with MyFitnessPal to get a bigger picture of your goals and progress.<br />
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3. If you don't feel like putting a ton of money into weights or just don't have a lot of room for a bench and bar, kettlebells are a good alternative. We've been starting slow with the below video:<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/2waVex8EUfc?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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It's a nice primer and even includes warm-ups and cool-downs. I've also mentioned the kettlebells a few <a href="http://leftandwriteblog.blogspot.com/2014/09/friday-fivefollow-up.html" target="_blank">posts ago</a>, if you want to check that out, as well.<br />
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Best of luck and stay healthy!<br />
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<br />Mark Meanshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08029920604932980141noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5461420851656193405.post-86817696883445089342014-10-13T10:23:00.001-04:002014-10-13T10:23:43.789-04:00Dream Big!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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When my wife and I are out and about, I sometimes look around and think 'How did this person wind up with that person? What's the circumstances that brought them together?' Many times it's obvious, but other times...not so much.<br />
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I'm sure my friends probably thought the same thing when they met my wife. Personality-wise, we seem to be polar opposites. Even though we both have a great capacity for imagination, mine is more grounded in reality where my wife's is.....well, not. For her there is <b>nothing </b>that isn't possible. The only thing ever standing in her way is minor obstacles.<br />
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She's definitely a 'glass half full' type where I'm still wondering how the glass got there and who's going to empty it.<br />
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We started out as a long distance relationship. I lived in Northern Kentucky and she in Vero Beach, Florida. A place I had never even heard of, much less knew where it was. When we first started talking about taking our relationship to the next level, I was stumbling over logistics while her first statement was, "We'll make it work."<br />
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And we did.<br />
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When I (hesitantly) told her about my writing ambitions, she didn't scoff, laugh, or roll her eyes. She got this huge grin on her face and said "I can't wait to read your first book and then see it in the movies!" She's behind me, on whatever I want to do, 110%.<br />
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She's not only a dreamer, but she's a BIG dreamer. Initially her attitude had me flummoxed, but the more I was exposed to it, the more I started thinking along the same lines she did. While I still think my ground in reality is still more stable than hers, I'm learning to let some of it go and really wonder just what might happen if we dream big. When I saw the picture above, my wife was the first person I thought of....for many reasons.<br />
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As long as I've known her, she's been talking about getting an RV and travelling around in it. Now, when she first brought it up, I mentioned things like money, working around a job schedule, things like that. Her reply was, "Yes, I know....we can work that stuff out later."<br />
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And I'm sure we will.<br />
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Lately, I've found myself applying that same attitude towards my writing. Finish 'that book'? Of course. No doubt about it. How can I be so confident? Well, as a wise person once told me....<br />
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"We can work that stuff out later."<br />
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Blessings continue to abound.<br />
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Hope you all have a great week.<br />
<br />Mark Meanshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08029920604932980141noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5461420851656193405.post-3832386180696760112014-10-09T10:23:00.004-04:002014-10-09T10:23:50.622-04:00Thank You!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ayQnLsD7clw/VDaVAcr6TwI/AAAAAAAAbP4/C6D_PbqIcNk/s1600/keep-calm-and-survive-the-blitz--17.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ayQnLsD7clw/VDaVAcr6TwI/AAAAAAAAbP4/C6D_PbqIcNk/s1600/keep-calm-and-survive-the-blitz--17.png" height="400" width="342" /></a></div>
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I managed to....just barely ;)<br />
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First of all, I'd just like to say a huge <b>Thank You!</b> to all of you who stopped by and blitzed yours truly yesterday. It was great to see all the encouraging words and fun comments (Alex Cavanaugh's was priceless). I especially appreciated those who stopped by and joined up.....I hope I won't disappoint you, too much :D<br />
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Secondly, a big thank you to <a href="http://www.dlhammons.com/" target="_blank">D.L. Hammons</a> for organizing and masterminding the whole "Blog Blitz" phenomenon. He also does a lot of other cool blogging activities, so go check him out if you haven't already.<br />
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It's always nice to see a reminder of just how great the blogging community is and how blessed I feel to be a part of it.<br />
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Again, thank you all.<br />
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<br />Mark Meanshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08029920604932980141noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5461420851656193405.post-29474401743560490432014-10-01T15:03:00.002-04:002014-10-01T15:08:21.425-04:00IWSG: October, 2014<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Man, do these first Wednesdays of the month creep up fast. Almost....ninja-like. And speaking of ninjas, I have to give a shout out to the Ninja Captain, himself, <a href="http://alexjcavanaugh.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Alex J. Cavanaugh</a>. The father of the Insecure Writer's Support Group. Thanks again, Alex, for coming up with such a great venue for writers to share their writing dilemmas as well as support their fellow word spinners.<br />
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This month, Captain Cavanaugh's sidekicks...some might call them co-hosts...are, the <i>kinetic </i><a href="http://swordsandstilettos.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Kristin Smith</a>, the <i>enigmatic </i><a href="http://mockturtlemusings.com/" target="_blank">Elsie</a>, the <i>spectacular </i><a href="http://suzannefurness.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Suzanne Furness</a>, and the <i>fantastic </i><a href="http://selkiegrey4.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Fundy Blue</a>! Drop by their respective corners of the blogosphere and show them some love, if you're so inclined.<br />
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Oh, and I almost forgot....happy One Year Anniversary to the <a href="http://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/" target="_blank">IWSG site</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/IWSG13/" target="_blank">Facebook group</a>. You'd be hard pressed to find more hard working and helpful writers anywhere on the 'Net. Thank you all for your efforts and support.<br />
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Slow month as far as insecurities are going, I'm happy to say. Not only am I getting words out there on a couple of old projects, I'm still gearing up and prepping for NaNoWriMo, as well. It's only a month away and I have a lot to do. I think this is going to be the most prep I've ever put into a NaNo, so I had <i>better </i>be crossing the finish line. If not, though, it'll make for a heck of IWSG post in December....haha.<br />
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Anyway, not much going on here so I'll be dropping by and seeing how you're doing with your insecurities....if you have any. If not, I'll just say 'howdy'. :)<br />
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<br />Mark Meanshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08029920604932980141noreply@blogger.com117tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5461420851656193405.post-7563637229073769492014-09-26T11:26:00.002-04:002014-09-26T11:26:56.670-04:00Friday Five.....Follow Up!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6qlNbqs8E5M/U9mMVb9pwpI/AAAAAAAAZiA/wI5oTI7HLJw/s1600/five_star_16x16-1331px.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6qlNbqs8E5M/U9mMVb9pwpI/AAAAAAAAZiA/wI5oTI7HLJw/s1600/five_star_16x16-1331px.png" height="400" width="400" /></a></div>
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Two weeks ago, I mentioned <a href="http://leftandwriteblog.blogspot.com/2014/09/the-friday-five.html" target="_blank">five things</a> going on in my life. Nothing very interesting, mind you, but five things nonetheless. I thought it might be even more (or, possibly, less) interesting to follow up and let you know how things turned out.<br />
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1. The job search still goes on. I've sent in a few applications....one, believe it or not, for a weekly food critic column and the other for a county clerk assistant. Again, I'm still very thankful that I'm in a position to be able to be choosy on this front. I haven't heard anything back from either (and not really expecting to), so the quest continues.<br />
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2. It's been over a month since I've had any red meat and I'm not craving it in the slightest. The lack of dairy hasn't been missed, either.....besides my cream cheese dip. The non-dairy version just doesn't cut it. I guess because we never really tried much of it, I'm really enjoying sticking with fish for the moment. Salmon, cod, grouper, talapia....all very yummy stuff. I've also lost about nine pounds, which is always a plus. Or a "minus", depending on literally you look at it.<br />
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3. Scrutinizing our eating habits has led to more exercise. More walking as well as working on the Total Body machine has me feeling more energized that I've felt in months. I picked up a Fitbit to monitor my walking so, if you're using one too, add me <a href="https://www.fitbit.com/user/2WTM3B" target="_blank">there</a> if you want. The Fitbit links up nicely with MyFitnessPal, so you can find me <a href="http://www.myfitnesspal.com/profile/mmeans68" target="_blank">there</a>, as well, if you're looking for more friends. I also went out and bought some kettlebells. Trust me, the exercises with them have been<b> a lot </b>harder than they look. I only did the three shown below and am so sore, it's not even funny. Wow...<br />
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4. The visit from my mom was great and, even better, I didn't wind up getting picked for jury duty (whooo hooo!). I had to go down for one day and it was interesting sitting in on the process, though. Two drug related cases and one stalking/cyber stalking case. The first guy was accused of growing and selling weed. I don't think he even spoke English because he had headphones on while a translator (I'm assuming) spoke quietly into a mic as everyone else talked. The second case was the stalking one and, I hate to even say this, but the guy looked creepy as hell. Even dressed in the nice suit, he still looked like a stalker type. I know you shouldn't judge people by how they look, but I just couldn't help it in this case. The third case was a guy accused of selling cocaine. There was a lot of questioning of us, the prospective jurors, as to any prejudices or preconceived notions we might have concerning each case and the accused. Luckily, I was boring enough to fly under their radar, so I wasn't chosen for any case. Before I went, my brother in law had said I should have gone in with a rolled up newspaper and waved it around while shouting "Pick me! Pick me!". He said that's how he got out of it and, knowing him as I do, I totally believe that. </div>
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5. Not much has changed on the writing front, which is good in a way. Still plugging away, still taking down notes, and still prepping for NaNoWriMo in November. At this point, I have a pretty good jump on things and anticipate a check in the "win column" this year. Oh, and I'm also still reading King's <i>On Writing</i>. Good stuff abounds. </div>
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Hang in there and have a great Friday.</div>
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<br />Mark Meanshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08029920604932980141noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5461420851656193405.post-54526451585250607992014-09-22T08:18:00.001-04:002014-09-22T08:18:38.635-04:00"Be Prepared, Son. That's My Motto. Be Prepared."<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The above line is from one of my favorite movies. A movie that I find to be one of the true, underrated, classic films of the early 90s.<br />
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The Last Boy Scout.<br />
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When I saw <a href="http://alexjcavanaugh.blogspot.com/2014/09/underrated-treasures-blogfest-plus.html" target="_blank">Alex J. Cavanaugh's </a>Underrated Treasures post, this film was the first thing that popped into my mind.<br />
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Starring Bruce Willis as his usual, down and out-type character....ex-Secret Service agent (for President Carter...hey, it <i>was </i>the 90s) / do-gooder turned private investigator and Damon Wayans as Jimmy Dix, an ex pro football player who was fired for snorting his paychecks, The Last Boy Scout was one of those quirky films that, sort of, sneaks up on you.<br />
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I had never even heard of this movie before seeing it at Blockbuster (yes, I first saw it on VHS...hey, it <i>was </i>the 90s). The advertising budget must have been minimal, even with headliners like Willis and Wayans....who weren't exactly Hollywood lightweights back then. I also don't remember ever seeing any trailers for this at the movies. This is the "ignorant bliss" we enjoyed back in those pre-internet days.<br />
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There were quite a few stars in this one, as well. Halle Berry, Billy (Tae Bo!) Blanks, and Bruce MacGill had small parts and Noble Willingham (You'd know him if you saw him) played the 'baddie'.<br />
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For my friends and I, this film was one of those "quotable" flicks. One where we'd try to insert a quote into any conversation we could. In my circle of friends, this was one of those 'cult classics'. I'd love to quote you some but, unfortunately, most of them involve some pretty off color language and this is a PG-13 blog ;)<br />
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There is one, though, that I can share. Wayan's character screaming at Willis' character as they engage in a car chase.<br />
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<i>"Joe if you go any faster, we're going to travel back in time!"</i><br />
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It's your typical action/dramady genre film, but one that impressed me so much because it, sort of, just appeared. Besides my circle of friends, I rarely come across anyone who has even heard of it, much less seen it.<br />
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Truly, one of the underrated treasures, in my book.<br />
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<br />Mark Meanshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08029920604932980141noreply@blogger.com33tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5461420851656193405.post-65012869114325126602014-09-12T13:40:00.000-04:002014-09-12T13:40:02.497-04:00The Friday Five!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It's the day most of us look forward to all week long. The day that signals the start of a couple of well earned, relaxing days with no commitments and no worries....most of the time. Yes....it's Friday! <cue triumphant music><br />
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It's been a while since I've done a <i>Friday Five</i> post, so I thought I'd jot down a few things that have been happening in my life. Not that anything all that interesting has been happening, but nonetheless....<br />
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1. My job search continues while I help my wife and her sister with their business. It's been a slow process and there's not much out there, job-wise, at the moment. I'm just very grateful that my wife's new job gives us both medical and dental benefits and she's making decent money (plus the money the business is bringing in). I'm also grateful that I have the opportunity to really look for something I'd like to do and I'm not forced to take the first thing that comes along, like the last time.<br />
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2. Once again, my wife and I are on the journey to get healthier. A few months ago, my wife's work had a health fair that we attended. When we got our numbers back, mine weren't as good as they had been and it was a bit troubling. The light bulb flickered on one night as I was checking out Netflix for something to watch and came across <i><a href="http://www.netflix.com/WiMovie/70185045?trkid=13752289" target="_blank">Forks Over Knives</a></i>. Just like <a href="http://www.netflix.com/WiMovie/70173634?trkid=13752289" target="_blank">Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead</a>, this was an eye opener, of sorts, for me, so I told the wife about it. We sat down, watched it together, and she said..."You know, I think we could do something like this". So, for the past three weeks, we've given up red meat (we used to eat a lot of ground beef), chicken, dairy products, and sugar while going for a more plant based, whole foods, type diet. We still eat fish and whole grain products. The toughest thing, so far, has been doing without dairy products, but we've found a ton of great alternatives. While my wife hates "labels", I would have to classify us as going "semi-vegan", at this point, as we're doing it for health reasons and not out of compassion for animals.<br />
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3. In other health related news, we finally got rid of our weight station (or the "eyesore", as my wife called it) and replaced it with a Weider Total Body machine. I had one of these, years ago, and really liked it. I was in the best shape of my life and it was fun to use. Even better....it's also easy to move.<br />
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4. My mom is coming down for a visit this Monday, coinciding with my first day of jury (ugh) duty. She hasn't been down in a while and we haven't had the chance to go North, so it will be great to see her. She says all she wants to do is kick back and relax. I told her that's what we do best, so no problem. Now, if I can only get lucky enough to get dismissed from my jury duty like I was a couple of years ago, I'll be golden.<br />
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I won't be holding my breath, though.<br />
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5. The writing is going well. I'm not doing as much as I'd like, but doing more than I was. Still getting through King's <i>On Writing </i>and taking some notes. Like I've said, I'm not a big fan of his writing, but his pearls of wisdom in this book are great.<br />
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Those are my five for this Friday. Like I mentioned, nothing all that exciting and, if you've got this far, I salute you =)<br />
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Hope your Friday is good and the weekend even better!<br />
<br />Mark Meanshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08029920604932980141noreply@blogger.com10