Just for Fun

  • Here’s a Movie Worth Seeing

    What do you do when your wife and kids are out of town, and you find yourself alone?

    Besides catching-up on projects that I somehow avoided until now, I like to watch movies.

    TiVo now links to Netflix,
    and provides an instant viewing option. Upon opening that folder on the DVR, I saw a
    bunch of things I normally wouldn't choose to watch on my own. One of them
    was a movie called Saint Ralph.  And I chose to watch it anyway.

    My Dad had an "interesting" belief. He didn't watch scary or negative movies, because he felt that life was enough of a challenge on its own … and it was better to find things that raised our spirits. Well, I inherited that from him.

    Don't get me wrong, I still I love drama and thrillers. But in the absence of compelling circumstances, I tend to prefer positive stories.

    090711 Saint Ralph Movie Poster So a plot about a down-on-his luck Catholic High School student whose father is dead and whose mother is in a coma, doesn't sound like my type of movie. 

    But Saint Ralph was my type of movie.  It made me think and I enjoyed it.  The movie was lighter, funnier, and better than I expected.

    On one level, it's a coming-of-age story about perseverance and faith through uncertain times. On another level, it's a well-written comedy about a quirky 14-year-old boy who gets it in his head that the only way to
    save his mother is through a miracle (and the miracle he thinks will
    save her … is for him to win the Boston Marathon).

    It is a movie that asks, if you're going to dream for something, why not dream for miracles?

    Hope you enjoy it.

    Here's a link to the trailer for Saint Ralph

    Here's a link to find it at Netflix.

  • Here’s a Movie Worth Seeing

    What do you do when your wife and kids are out of town, and you find yourself alone?

    Besides catching-up on projects that I somehow avoided until now, I like to watch movies.

    TiVo now links to Netflix,
    and provides an instant viewing option. Upon opening that folder on the DVR, I saw a
    bunch of things I normally wouldn't choose to watch on my own. One of them
    was a movie called Saint Ralph.  And I chose to watch it anyway.

    My Dad had an "interesting" belief. He didn't watch scary or negative movies, because he felt that life was enough of a challenge on its own … and it was better to find things that raised our spirits. Well, I inherited that from him.

    Don't get me wrong, I still I love drama and thrillers. But in the absence of compelling circumstances, I tend to prefer positive stories.

    090711 Saint Ralph Movie Poster So a plot about a down-on-his luck Catholic High School student whose father is dead and whose mother is in a coma, doesn't sound like my type of movie. 

    But Saint Ralph was my type of movie.  It made me think and I enjoyed it.  The movie was lighter, funnier, and better than I expected.

    On one level, it's a coming-of-age story about perseverance and faith through uncertain times. On another level, it's a well-written comedy about a quirky 14-year-old boy who gets it in his head that the only way to
    save his mother is through a miracle (and the miracle he thinks will
    save her … is for him to win the Boston Marathon).

    It is a movie that asks, if you're going to dream for something, why not dream for miracles?

    Hope you enjoy it.

    Here's a link to the trailer for Saint Ralph

    Here's a link to find it at Netflix.

  • Screen Capture Software Worth Snagging

    090705 Snagit I'm so glad I found Snagit.  It is one of the un-sung heroes that I use all the time but don't think about because it is so reliable and stable that I forget how good it is.

    What Can You Do With Snagit

    Capture anything you see on the screen. Edit and combine those captures. Add text, arrows, or highlights to make the image better.  Then share them through your favorite applications. Organize and find them again later.

    I end-up using it several times a day.  It is my default image editor.  I use it to create or edit the graphics for the blog, presentations and e-mails.  I use it to capture and annotate certain financial transactions … and to get or give tech support. Bottom-Line: the more you use Snagit, the more ways you'll find to use it. 

    Here is a two-minute video that will give you a quick overview of some of the things Snagit can do for you.

    090705 Snagit Overview Video

    Techsmith makes several other cool tools too.  I'm not affiliated with them, other than as a satisfied client.  Just thought it was worth sharing.  Hope it helps you too. 

    Click here to go to the product page for Snagit.

    Click here to download a trial.

  • Screen Capture Software Worth Snagging

    090705 Snagit I'm so glad I found Snagit.  It is one of the un-sung heroes that I use all the time but don't think about because it is so reliable and stable that I forget how good it is.

    What Can You Do With Snagit

    Capture anything you see on the screen. Edit and combine those captures. Add text, arrows, or highlights to make the image better.  Then share them through your favorite applications. Organize and find them again later.

    I end-up using it several times a day.  It is my default image editor.  I use it to create or edit the graphics for the blog, presentations and e-mails.  I use it to capture and annotate certain financial transactions … and to get or give tech support. Bottom-Line: the more you use Snagit, the more ways you'll find to use it. 

    Here is a two-minute video that will give you a quick overview of some of the things Snagit can do for you.

    090705 Snagit Overview Video

    Techsmith makes several other cool tools too.  I'm not affiliated with them, other than as a satisfied client.  Just thought it was worth sharing.  Hope it helps you too. 

    Click here to go to the product page for Snagit.

    Click here to download a trial.

  • Happy Dance Postcards From Around The World

    090511 Happy Dances 175p I found this strangely compelling and fun to watch. 

    Been there, want to go there, hadn't even heard of there … I've flown over 4 million miles, and enjoyed realizing I haven't even scratched the surface, yet.

    Why watch a video of a guy doing his happy dance in various places around the world?  See for yourself. 

    Here is a link to several of his videos and a link to his website.

  • Happy Dance Postcards From Around The World

    090511 Happy Dances 175p I found this strangely compelling and fun to watch. 

    Been there, want to go there, hadn't even heard of there … I've flown over 4 million miles, and enjoyed realizing I haven't even scratched the surface, yet.

    Why watch a video of a guy doing his happy dance in various places around the world?  See for yourself. 

    Here is a link to several of his videos and a link to his website.

  • Some Mother’s Day Thoughts

    Mothers Day SomeE-Card  To those of you with young children, here is a peek into your future.

    After years of hard work and your best efforts (OK, mostly your best efforts) … I predict that your adorable bundles of joy will someday wish they could send you this card.

    So, take a moment to think about your Mom … and remember that she was very young when she did those things to you …

    … and what you make them mean is up to you.

  • Some Mother’s Day Thoughts

    Mothers Day SomeE-Card  To those of you with young children, here is a peek into your future.

    After years of hard work and your best efforts (OK, mostly your best efforts) … I predict that your adorable bundles of joy will someday wish they could send you this card.

    So, take a moment to think about your Mom … and remember that she was very young when she did those things to you …

    … and what you make them mean is up to you.

  • Everything You Need To Know About Swine Flu

    Good news, this picture does not illustrate an effective vaccine technique.

    090501 Kissing a Pig 325p

    Swine Flu is getting a lot of press. Some responses make fun of the panic.  For example, I saw a link to a test to determine if you have the disease.  Clicking the link takes you to a page that says "Panic!  You Are Infected."

    Twitter is a great place to watch public emotion unfold.  Here is a comic that pokes fun at the reaction to Swine Flu.

    090501 Swine Flu Comic 

    Humor aside, here are some links on the subject if you are interested.

  • Everything You Need To Know About Swine Flu

    Good news, this picture does not illustrate an effective vaccine technique.

    090501 Kissing a Pig 325p

    Swine Flu is getting a lot of press. Some responses make fun of the panic.  For example, I saw a link to a test to determine if you have the disease.  Clicking the link takes you to a page that says "Panic!  You Are Infected."

    Twitter is a great place to watch public emotion unfold.  Here is a comic that pokes fun at the reaction to Swine Flu.

    090501 Swine Flu Comic 

    Humor aside, here are some links on the subject if you are interested.