Big Leather Couch

So, since I have absolutely nothing going on in my life, I have decided to join in over at FOODBUZZ, the site that my food blog MANGIA Y'ALL is associated.

The contest is called PROJECT FOOD BLOG and it is an interesting concept. 1,807 food bloggers are in this from the start. There will be 10 challenges and after each challenge a group will be eliminated.

Here are the 10 challenges:

#1 Ready, Set, Blog!
* Submissions Open: 9AM Pacific Time September 12th through 3PM Pacific Time September 19th.
* Voting Open: 6AM Pacific Time September 20th through 6PM Pacific Time September 23rd.
* 400 Winners Announced: 12PM Pacific Time September 24th

Challenge Prompt: For the very first Project Food Blog Challenge, we're asking you to create a blog post that defines you as a food blogger and makes it clear why you think you have what it takes to be the next food blog star. Consider what makes your blog unique and sets you apart from other food blog brands: is it your foolproof recipes, your mouthwatering photos, or your perspective on family meals? Write a post that comes from the heart and is true to you and your blog.


#2 The Classics

* Submissions Open: 12PM Pacific Time September 24th through 3PM Pacific Time September 26th.
* Voting Open: 6AM Pacific Time September 27th through 6PM Pacific Time September 30th.
* 200 Winners Announced: 12PM Pacific Time October 1st

Challenge Prompt: Ready to tackle a classic dish from another culture? Pick an ethnic classic that is outside your comfort zone or are not as familiar with. You should include how you arrived at this decision in your post. Do your research then try to pull off successfully creating this challenge. Try to keep the dish as authentic as the real deal, and document your experience through a compelling post.


#3 Discovery Dinner Party

* Submissions Open: 12PM Pacific Time October 1st through 3PM Pacific Time October 3rd.
* Voting Open: 6AM Pacific Time October 4th through 6PM Pacific Time October 7th.
* 100 Winners Announced: 12PM Pacific Time October 8th

Challenge Prompt: Celebrate! You've made it this far, and the next challenge is to hold a party for your friends and family (at least four guests). Whether you're an experienced host or an entertaining newbie, get creative and host a luxurious dinner party where your guests will discover new tastes and exotic flavors. Share your hosting secrets with readers, like how to cook for a crowd, plan a menu, or involve guests in the prep. And don't forget to document the party with pictures of the table spread, food, and guests.

#4 Picture Perfect

* Submissions Open: 12PM Pacific Time October 8th through 3PM Pacific Time October 10th
* Voting Open: 6AM Pacific Time October 11th through 6PM Pacific Time October 14th.
* 72 Winners Announced: 12PM Pacific Time October 15th

Challenge Prompt: Sure, you can take a pretty picture. But your task here is to go above and beyond and use photography to create a step-by-step, instructional photo tutorial. It could be anything from how to bone a chicken to how to make your favorite recipe, but your photos need to guide the reader through the steps. For this challenge, you'll want to go well beyond the 2 photo minimum with at least 6 photographs.


#5 Recipe Remix Entries

* Submissions Open: 12PM Pacific Time October 15th through 3PM Pacific Time October 17th
* Voting Open: 6AM Pacific Time October 18th through 6PM Pacific Time October 21st.
* 60 Winners Announced: 12PM Pacific Time October 22nd

Challenge Prompt: One recipe, 100 variations! We're challenging each of you to put your own spin on the same recipe. How you do it is up to you. Will you try out some molecular gastronomy techniques? Share a super-secret trick? Or re-envision the dish from a different perspective? You'll be asked to put your own spin on: [dish coming soon!]


#6 Road Trip!

* Submissions Open: 12PM Pacific Time October 22nd through 3PM Pacific Time October 24th
* Voting Open: 6AM Pacific Time October 25th through 6PM Pacific Time October 28th.
* 48 Winners Announced: 12PM Pacific Time October 29th

Challenge Prompt: For this challenge, you're tasked with creating a delicious meal that will travel well and still look great. From picnics and school lunches to bento boxes, or any other meal on the go, you need to whip up a entree, side, drink, and dessert to enjoy after hitting the road.


#7 Video 411

* Submissions Open: 12PM Pacific Time October 29th through 3PM Pacific Time November 7th
* Voting Open: 6AM Pacific Time November 8th through 6PM Pacific Time November 11th
* 24 Winners Announced: 12PM Pacific Time November 12th

Challenge Prompt: Channel your inner Julia Child and put one of your favorite recipes on film. Pick a recipe from your blog archives and make it come to life on video by showing readers the perfect way to poach an egg or just how passionate you are about seasonal ingredients. Keep your video under 5 minutes for maximum impact.


#8 Piece of Cake

* Submissions Open: 12PM Pacific Time November 12th through 3PM Pacific Time November 14th
* Voting Open: 6AM Pacific Time November 15th through 6PM Pacific Time November 18th
* 12 Winners Announced: 12PM Pacific Time November 19th

Challenge Prompt: Create a sweet or savory baked good featuring one or more of the following seasonal ingredients: [list coming soon!]. Whether you're a devotee of French patisserie or you've got a healthy spin on baking, show us your best baked good and tell us what inspired you to create it.


#9 You're the Critic

* Submissions Open: 12PM Pacific Time November 19th through 3PM Pacific Time November 27th
* Voting Open: 6AM Pacific Time November 28th through 6PM Pacific Time December 2nd
* 3 Winners Announced: 12PM Pacific Time December 3rd.

Challenge Prompt: Bloggers as restaurant critics can be a controversial topic. No matter what, a great restaurant review is well-written, thoughtful, and comprehensive. Your challenge is to write a restaurant review that encompasses those attributes and still comes from your unique perspective.


#10 The Final Post

* Submissions Open: 12PM Pacific Time December 3rd through 3PM Pacific Time December 5th
* Voting Open: 6AM Pacific Time December 6th through 6PM Pacific Time December 9th
* Final Winner Announced: 12PM Pacific Time December 13th.

Challenge Prompt: You've made it this far. What post will ultimately represent you as the next food blog star? We're giving your the freedom to create a post that represents your blog and incorporates some of the lessons you've learned during Project Food Blog. A recipe with your new found video skills? A photo documentary of your kitchen? It's up to you, but it needs to go above and beyond to win Project Food blog.

Now there are a couple of dates that - if I even make it that far - will cause me to do some massive planning. Challenge 9 submissions are in the middle of the Arkansas Blues and heritage Fest and Challenge 3 happens during the family cruise over Thanksgiving...

Now, I doubt I will have to worry about that but if I am still alive and in line for the $10,000.00 Grand Prize, I will plan accordingly.

Now y'all can help by voting for me. See the widget on the right? That will take you to my page to vote for me for each challenge. First voting begins September 20th.

Now, stay here and do not go to mark your calendar...I will remind you!

I posted my first challenge post over at MANGIA Y'ALL, though I can tweak up until the 19th...what do you think?

I was wondering if I should take a picture of me in the kitchen instead of using my ubiquitous child photo. I went over to THE CONTESTANT PAGE and looked at the other entrants and most have regular photos...some while cooking some not...even a picture of one lady in her wedding dress!...

So I thought, that maybe I should keep the kid shot as it is unique.

Tell me what y'all think please...

It is over 4 years since I began exploring myself and my thoughts here on The Couch.

COUCH NOTE: MY BLOGGOVERSARY IS MARCH 16TH...

Tuneage Tutelage posts about music figures and bands like The Doors
 
Monday Matinees that came from my dark side and others done just for fun

Concert Reviews like the time Nancy and I saw B.B. King
 
Posts that contained Photography I took/take,

Meeting and Marrying My Love Nancy and the resulting celebration,

Birthday Greetings, and all the rest.

As of today 1,105 posts worth of Vinny.

In the beginning I was Yoursbond, then Bond, then I outed my true identity and Doctor Blogstein christened me Vinny Bond. I have only used one profile picture the entire time. As a matter of fact, one of my newer readers, the open, honest writer TECHNOBABE from "Technobabe's Adventures" even mentioned in one of her first comments that she had seen "the kid photo" around and decided to find her way here...very cool

In the beginning I wrote all my posts without using the word I. I always used the word "WE" as in myself and The Couch.

See, there is another example of something I continue to do. Capitalizing the words The Couch. Have you ever noticed it? I even find myself doing it in emails when talking about The couch (can't help it...my fingers insist on using caps).

Two areas I have avoided at all costs are my ex-marriage and work.

There was a post about work, written the first week I was here in Memphis and at the advice of a very wise man, I deleted it the next day.

I began The Couch while I was still living in NJ and married. I did not have a full-time job and freelanced sporadically. Things were tough. Money was tough. My marriage was tough.

Reviews of American Idol became stream of consciousness rants and posts making fun of celebrities kids names.

The cycle has been like a roller coaster. Readers shoot high up only to fall back down and then swoosh high again.

I have met some incredible people. Some were able to attend the celebration of Nancy and my marriage...more were invited but could not attend.

It has not been all good of course. There are four people I considered friends with whom I no longer have even a passing relationship. Three of them I could tell you the reasons the loss happened, but in the end it did happen. The fourth, well I can't answer that question, and probably never will. One day they turned on me and it was over. It is sad indeed. But as in real life, friends come and go.

We all have friends who do not understand our need to be A BLOGGER.

As I sit here I think of other subjects I could link to, my journey through the interview process and subsequent move to Memphis; some political posts; food posts post introducing new musicians which evolved into Music On The Couch, and more.

One of the problems is I have so many labels. Way more than I ever needed I guess. What about you...do you use the same basic group of labels or do you own a few hundred like me?

And now I have extended the "franchise" by breaking away those main subjects which have been found here since the beginning. You can see the links just below my header...have I done a good job moving everything or being current? Not a chance.

But I have good intentions, and that is a plus, right?

I do know I miss this when I take breaks. I also know there are days my mind refuses to allow me to leave anything of substance here.

I do know that I am a BLOGGER...I love being a BLOGGER and I hope to blog until the very last second I am able (which could mean a post on a weekend, the horrors!.

I do not bill myself as a comic or a philosopher nor will I try and tell you how to raise your kids. You will get some wit, some facts culled from reliable sources, some snarkiness at times and hopefully in the end I have not made you regret the 10 minutes you took out of your day.

Thank you, those who read and comment, those who read and don't, those who got here today because you were interested in buying a leather couch and Google fed you here and somehow you made your way to the end of today's pearls of wisdom!

Just Thanks!

"One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest" is one of the great films of all time. As I sit here, Mr. R.P. McMurphy is trying to convince one of his ward mates to raise their hand so they can watch the World Series.

Of course, "the Chief" finally does, but it happened after Nurse Ratched has ended the meeting.

Today - a new post:
Part 2 "Saturday In The Kitchen" -
Pork Chops With Mustard Sauce
and Beef & Spinach Patties

Come Take A Seat At My Table

Welcome to 2010 and the 956th post on The Couch. Sometime Q1 2010, I will make my 1,000th post here...

I have not been very prolific the last two plus weeks due to business and the holidays, but am hopeful to get back to my 5-day a week schedule.

Though, it appears that some people have been able to read my posts by my only putting one up every 4-5 days. From the 14th of December until the end of the year I only made 6 posts! Maybe some will cheer and say "THANK THE GODS"...

I was interested in that. I have seen a slight decline in comments over the last quarter of 2009. Was it my writing? Was it just a lack of interest in the bloggosphere?

Many people who once blogged have slowed drastically due to their participation in other social medias with Facebook taking the lead and Twitter also becoming more popular.

I have the Facebook account, but am not an active participant. I wonder if I would spend more time there if it were available on my work account. Though I feel I am more Blog-centric then Facebook.

Facebook has opened up new readers to us bloggers, allowing our posts to be linked to our Facebook accounts and I get comments on my blog posts over on my Facebook account.

I also know there are some who read - either there or here - who never ever comment. I might get an email with a response to something I have written...but nothing in the comment area.

I wondered...did my visits decrease over the last three weeks or were people still coming by to check and see if I had posted?...not everyone has Google Reader, which alerts you to when a new entry is posted.

Also, how does my not posting reflect over the course of this year and in relationship to last year? So we went to the numbers to find out...

In December of 2008 I had 21 entries. For those 21 entries, I had a total of 514 comments - an average of 24.47/day.

This year for the month of December, I had 12 entries. For those 12 entries, I had a total of 213 comments - an average of 17.75/day.

Now, there were a few days this year where I did not respond to your comments. I rarely one-to-one respond as many do, so if I say that I respond to 3 comments per answer, you could add 5 comments per day making my average for this year closer to 22/day.

Not far off.

But, as I said...I am not a blogger who gets as many comments as others. I have a large group of non-commenting readers (some call them lurkers...but I do not like that term.

How did my visits differ from quarter to quarter this past year I wondered...First a look back at 2008 by quarter:

And then 2009

This is interesting to me. The growth from the first half of the year to the second half is almost 50%.

While in 2009 the 3rd quarter was where we had the most visitors...This does make some sense as the month of September brought in over 5,400 visitors - no doubt to read about and view pictures from our wedding and honeymoon.

Also, people did not return as much this year as they did last year...

The next two graphs show the huge decrease in visitors from December 2009 as it relates to the same time last year...a drop of almost 800 visitors...(the January figures are not relevant as the 2008 graph is for all of January 2009)

Today - a new post:
Part 1 "Saturday In The Kitchen" - 7 Courses
Come take a seat at the table

Cold rainy weekend here, but we got our Christmas cards done and ready to mail...I scanned another 100 or so of Dad & Mom's slides and digitized about 3 hours of music...wrote this post and the one over at Mangia Y'all and got it all done before 2:00pm on Sunday, so I got to relax the rest of the day and watch some football...so a pretty successful weekend in my mind...

And slowly but surely, I am adopting those regional words and comments that would have been so foreign to me just a few short years ago.

Of course I use y'all..but I did say it even when living up north. Just one of those words that stuck. Now is it a word? I guess it is a contraction of a phrase in reality.

But there are times when Nancy will say something to me and I have to think about it and vice versa.

I have a tendency to use the phrase "Let's go inside". Now, we are probably sitting in the living room watching TV and what I am saying is "Let's go into the bedroom".

The first time I said this, Nancy looked at me and said "We are inside".

I no longer "Turn off the light" - I "Cut off the light"...or "Cut on the TV"...I hear this on the weekend mornings when I am laying there in bed quietly and Nancy rolls over and tells me it is OK if I do so.

I no longer "Put the groceries away" - I now "put the groceries up"...

Up North, if I was surprised at something, I might say "Oh my" ...here, especially in Mississippi, it is "Oh me"...

I am still not "fixin'" to do anything ..that phrase has not passed my lips...

What regional phrases, words, sayings do you use that you have never heard used when traveling to other parts of the country?

Hope y'all had a wonderful Thanksgiving and a nice weekend. Did you participate in the craziness that is the Friday after Thanksgiving? Wake at 4:00am and run out to the stores and buy all your holiday gifts?

That is koo-koo crazy in my mind, but I know enough people who do it.

We had a real nice dinner on Thursday with Nancy's family and then came home with some ham and turkey, so a nice turkey sandwich was available!

On Friday we were able to get all the left-overs from our garage sale to Goodwill. Took us two trips with the SUV and my car. This allowed my car to finally get into the garage. This is nice as the last week or so the windows have been all frosted over in the morning.

Then we headed off and did some grocery shopping in anticipation of filling the new freezer. We made a list of ingredients that we needed for 6 main courses to be prepared.

With Nancy beginning work again, we decided to do an all-day cook and freeze a bunch of meals to use over the next month.

On Saturday, we woke slowly and then Nancy decided she wanted to clean the house as I cooked, thus killing two birds with one stone.

I photographed throughout the day and will be presenting that over at MANGIA Y'ALL over the next couple of weeks...

You know... MANGIA Y'ALL, that web site I have been ignoring...

In the end, I prepared: Pork Chops with Mustard Sauce - 9 portions, Beefy Mac - 6 portions, Stuffed Flank Steak - 6 portions, Beef & Spinach Patties - 4 portions; Chicken in Sherry Cream Sauce - 4 portions and overnight in the crock pot, I prepared a Asian Pot Roast in Sesame Soy Sauce - 6 portions.

Ended up with about 35 portions worth of main courses. Took about 6.5 hours in total, including clean-up - well not counting the overnight cooking of the pot roast. And when I vacuum sealed them I left the option for Nancy and I to each have a different entree...and all we need to do is whip up some side dishes.

Today, we are serving dinner over at MANGIA Y'ALL for the first time in a while. this is not from this weekend, but from one of our most recent cooking journeys...

I always try and remember to photograph when we cook, but sometimes I forget to take pictures at the end - and then I can't use the whole thing! LOL

Today's meal is a Pot Roast made in a clay pot. I have had the clay pot for years but never reached for it when cooking. A few weeks back we made a Orange Chicken in the clay pot and it was fantastic.

The next week we tried the pot roast...

Today - a new post:
Clay Pot Pot Roast
Come take a seat at the table

My beautiful bride, Nancy, passed her test on Saturday earning her the license to sell insurance in Mississippi. She will also be taking the test in Tennessee, but at least she can now begin working again.

When she got out of the test, she was not sure she had passed. We waited until about 5:05pm when the scores were supposed to be posted online and there it was a PASSING GRADE!

I am very proud of her. The instructor who taught the course she took last week told the class that 80% of his students who take the test have a 20% SUCCESS RATE their first time out.

The test is administered by a company that has contracts with 48 of the 50 states and the word is, they work hard to ensure you have to pay them for a second testing opportunity.

Well, they will not be getting more money for Nancy!

Hope y'all had a fine weekend...back we go into another work-week, though this one is only three days.

What are you doing for Thanksgiving? We will be going to Nancy's brother's home...where I enjoyed my first Thanksgiving and met her family two years ago.

Charles does a most excellent job deep-frying that bad boy...and the sides are plentiful. I am putting together an antipasto as it was such a big hit last time.

My client is open on Friday. This year they added MLK Day to the holidays and removed the Friday after Thanksgiving. I have never had to work that day and will be taking the day as my company observes the day, all of my personal clients will be out that day.

Well Nancy and I went and spent some of the money we earned at the garage sale last weekend. We bought a 7.2 cubic foot chest freezer. Nothing huge, but big enough to allow us to start preparing meals, sealing them and freezing them.

The freezer in her refrig/freezer unit is so darn small it is hard to buy in larger quantities and save the money. With the vacuum sealer, we can now buy 10 pounds of ground beef - split it into portions of 1/2 and 1 pound and freeze.

When I made gravy recently, it took up way too much space in the freezer...no longer a problem...Both Nancy and I were real excited to get it home (It fit in the SUV) and get it set up.

Do you buy in bulk at stores like BJs, Sam's Club or Costco?

With the addition of the freezer and the fact that Nancy is going back to work, we are going to have 'cooking Sunday's" where we will prepare 2-3 dishes - each serving 2-3 nights - and freeze them for use over the following two weeks.

It will also mean new opportunities to get MANGIA Y'ALL the food blog that cries for attention.

Be on the look out for those mouth-watering announcements that the table has been set.

THE FINAL NIGHT OF DANCING IS THIS EVENING!

Today - a new post:
Olive Garden Chicken Crostini
Come take a seat at the table

Today - a new post:
Farmer's Market Feast
Come take a seat at the table

See, I think it would be great if Dana got birthday wishes from a whole group of strangers. She has been suffering with back and leg pain recently and I know how much she would be cheered by the thoughts.

So, iffen youse a fren o mine, youse will do what I axe and don make me angry...capise?

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAR DANA!!!!!!

Wonderful mother to Bethany...
Queen of The Soul Patrol...
Keeper of the Tales Of The Cow...

So, there I am Tuesday evening…the Radio Happy Hour just completed and I am downstairs getting something to drink.

Walk back toward the couch and BAM! The pinkie toe on my left foot met the leg of the couch like two sumo wrestlers meeting in the middle of the circle.

You know one is going to stay solid and the other is going to bounce off like one of those super balls we had as kids.

Well, it was my toe that bounced off and I crumbled onto the couch in pain.

Now I have done this hundreds of times over the years. What is it with pinkie toes and couch or table legs? Is this some sort of Romeo and Juliet attraction they have for each other? They should not be together, but they end up being.

The pain subsides and I go up to bed.

Wednesday morning I wake up and put my feet on the floor and the surge of pain begins at the tip of the little toe and it shoots up to the top of my head.

It is dark, so I go to switch on the light. Nothing happens…guess I need a new bulb. But wait. The ceiling fan is not moving…hummmm

Turns out some fuse blew somewhere and there is no electricity in my complex! I stagger to the shower and clean myself in the dark. No shaving today as I can’t see my face.

Toe is aching; I put on my sneakers instead of my shoes and head for work. I came home around 3:00pm and iced it down. Electricity was back, so I got my first real look at it.

It is swollen and red, but not purple, so maybe I just whacked it like John Gotti whacked Paulie Castellano and his Underboss Tommy Bilotti in front of Sparks Steak House in Manhattan . I bought some gauze tape and wrapped it to the 'ring' toe...

Was going to put a picture up, but then I googled 'broken pinkie toe' (and was told it was pinkY toe - whatever!) and you can imagine how many people feel the need to put pictures of their swollen, discolored, misshapen toes on the internet...and no way am I going to appear THAT desperate!!!

Can anything else happen to make this month more unbearable?

HEY! You just know TRAVIS over at "Trav's Thoughts" will have a whole post about dancing and So You Think You Can Dance and that also means he just might have a picture of Cat Deeley and her L-E-G-S...Hey, they are at least 22 miles long...seriously! See:

Felt like I could use a little Lady Day today and I can honestly say I have never met a person who could not use a little Billie Holiday in their lives...

ENJOY...

This Week:
Pork Tenderloin with Jalapeno Cream Sauce
Sauteed Haricot Verts
Texas Dirty Rice
Come take a seat at the table

Friday blogger blocked me from leaving comments when I got home from work and then this weekend has been one of rain, thunder, lightening and simply closing up in the apartment with my Nancy.

Did not make it to the Music Fest this year. The weather was not for me. I guess 2 of 3 is not so bad.

I will be here next Monday with a Tuneage Tutelage - New Music Monday. I just received a few new CDs and want to review and send out some questions for the artists to answer.

I am also off to new Hampshire Wednesday morning until Friday morning. Then we are off to Florence, AL for a baseball tournament with Peter.

Busy week.

Tiger Woods Golf has grabbed a hold of me. I knew it was a possibility..and it came to pass. Hey DRILLERAA of "Brain Freeze" get that game loaded and practice. Then we can go online and play each other!

The forecast is for rain all week...welcome to springtime in Memphis!

Had some really sad news this weekend. My best friend "A" is suffering from Retinitis Pigmentosa, a crappy disease that has caused "A" to have no peripheral vision.

Recently, "A" received a puppy from some friends and has been working with her. She was the perfect dog for him, perfectly trained.

This last week "A's" mom was in the hospital in Florida and "A" had flown down with his puppy.

The other day while walking, the puppy spooked and jumped off the lease and as she stepped into the street, a car came by. The puppy had to be put to sleep and my best buddy has been suffering sadness since.

He does have a friend who works for the Guide Dogs For The Blind, and "A" has been put on a list for one of the dogs who is rejected from the program. In addition, he has put his name in for a Guide Dog when one becomes available.

This is a huge step for my friend who has had to come to the realization that without a Guide Dog, he is limited as to what he can do.

As he said to me "I could not even come back to Memphis on my own. Going through airports is nearly impossible."

When "A" was here a couple of summers ago, I had to watch out for him when we were on Beale Street. When he bumped into a large gentleman at B.B. King's, the guy - who had quite a few cocktails - was not totally happy, and I had to explain to him.

My fingers are crossed that A" gets a puppy soon to keep him company and a Guide Dog in the near future to give him back some of his freedom.

This certainly fits the weather here in Memphis...

This Week:
"Tools Of The Trade"
What is in my kitchen...



Remember to get over and visit TRAVIS of "Trav's Thoughts",
and get your full DANCING WITH THE STARS rundown...

By simply clicking on the banner directly above, you will be taken to Mary/The Teach's blog and there you will find hundreds if not tens of thousands of RUBY TUESDAY participants.

This week, we step into the way-back machine to this past January when our most wonderful friends - and recent newlyweds - TURNBABY of "And As The World Turns" and BRAD from "Pointless Drivel" were in Memphis for New Year's Eve and we spent one of the days exploring the home of Elvis, Graceland. I showed you the video of it HERE.

As we moved from the 'Jungle Room' we were directed down the steps to the finished basement. The entire stairway was lined with mirrors. As I neared the bottom I looked up and reflected in the mirror above me were Nancy, Turnbaby and Brad. The photo is blurry because you have to keep moving, there are people constantly moving throughout the tour.

But, Nancy had on one of her Ole Miss zip-ups, which is - OF COURSE - bright red. Turnbaby's top was Burgandy (in the red family) and Brad's shirt had a number of red cars (almost looks like my old '64 Chevy Malibu), on it...so I present to you, my weekly RUBY TUESDAY submission: (clickie for biggie)

So, yesterday at lunch I am running through my blog roll as is my custom and all of a sudden, I can not see any photos. Normally at work, videos are blocked, but not photos.

Then I get to Travis' blog and I see the "Websense" screen telling me:
Your organization's Internet use policy restricts access to this web page at this time. Reason: The Websense category "Social Networking and Personal Sites" is filtered. URL: http://travsthoughts.blogspot.com/

Then when I went to comment on another blog, the comment box is hidden by the Websense message.

Weird...some sites, no problem...some sites a tad of a problem and some sites...no access at all.

So, if I do not get to you during the lunch hours, I will need to come visit when I get home at night.

I mean...sheesh...why can't I read blogs at work????? What is wrong with these people!!!!!

LIVE BROADCAST: April 21, 2009 @ 9 PM ET



PODCAST AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD:
Immediately following the live broadcast
ALL RIGHT HERE AT THIS LINK!


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This week on Dr. Blogstein’s
Radio Happy Hour:


Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson is the drummer for the influential hip hop band The Roots.

With the premiere of “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon” on March 2, 2009, The Roots joined host Jimmy Fallon as one of the coolest house bands in late night television history.

Randy “Father Felony” Radic, who has a long history with Dr. Blogstein, returns to the Radio Happy Hour to promote his new book A Priest in Hell: Gangs, Murderers and Snitching in a California Jail.

Radic, a former pastor at First Congregational Church in Ripon, CA, served time in prison after pleading guilty to felony grand theft by embezzlement after selling his church without the congregation’s knowledge.

Lorna Scott is most often recognized as James McAvoy’s stapler-yielding boss-from hell in the 2008 summer blockbuster, “Wanted“ which just came out on DVD a few months ago.

Since, the veteran character actress is quickly becoming a household name with a bevy of high-profile projects completed in the last year including her newest, a starring role in the new Bob Saget series, “Surviving Suburbia¸” which premiered on ABC Monday, April 6th at 9:30 p.m. following “Dancing With The Stars.”

All that, plus:

• Dangerous Lee co-hosts

• Vinny Bond sits on his Big Leather Couch to chat live with the listeners

• Justin the Mouthinator treats us to his infinite wisdom

• and we’ll take your calls at 646-652-4804

This Week's Featured Dish:
Pollo Tesoro with Gnocchi

Our friend DANA of "Random Blatherings" used a few of these this weekend in an email...but I am sure she will not mind me stealing also using them...Because it is Travis...you know there must be CAKES! (BIGGIE BY CLICKIE)