Thought for Thursday - Taking Tucker to Tinkle

I think Tucker has learned that if he sits by the door, not only will I hop up off the couch to take him out to tinkle, but I might just hop off the couch everytime he desires to go out, even if he doesn't actually need to relieve himself. Smart little doggie...grrr. He did this three times in an hour. That kind of gave it away. Dang doggie just wanted me to let him out to sniff around, find other doggie doo doo to roll in or eat. GROSS! I'm not falling for the doggie by the door trick again. He gets out every few hours unless he's sick...that's it, I'm drawing the line! Unless he gets even and poops on the carpet. Then I might have to rethink that...

By the way, Tucker graduates next Sunday from puppy class. He has to demonstrate that he can do the following commands: Sit; Lay Down (which he can FINALLY do); Stay; Wait and then Come when called; Leave It (he's not so good at this, since the other doggies' poops are just so enticing) and Drop it (which oddly enough he usually does...unless it's poop of course). GAWD, doggies are just so disgusting sometimes...cute but gross.

Make My Monday - I Survived a Trip to the Hotbed of Bigotry

And I lived to tell about it! Those of you outside the state of Colorado might not immediately know where I went. I'll clue you in on that...Colorado Springs. Yep, that conservative attracting bastion of the religious right and fan club of the McCain-Palin campaign. I had some work to do there for the children. Thankfully, I was PAID to be there. And now I'm back in the safety of my own home, far away from the bigots. Don't get me wrong though, there are some nice people in Colorado Springs. And the city has an AWESOME view:
Sigh...at least it's a pretty place to visit. I just wouldn't want to live there. The main reason is the Focus on the Family campus and the people that work there. I believe that everyone has a right to have crazy thinking. I don't believe they have the right to thrust it upon others. I also object to the fact that for many years their campus was lit up like a roman candle after 11pm. Not sure if they finally figured out to turn out the lights and join the rest of the state in attempting to conserve energy, but I hope they've seen the light at least in that area...heh.

Thought for Thursday - Another Presidential Poll

Of course this is a fun interactive poll from Qdoba. Which I'm sure won't be available after the November elections. I'm a fan of their BIG Burrito's even if they're bad for the wasteline. To be fair and unbiased, I also like Chipotle's, however they don't have an interactive poll to share. They do offer several NATURAL meats for their entrees though, so they win on that score. Anyway, ignore the blatant marketing on Qdoba's part and have fun in the mean time. Let me know if you think it has any scientific value...hehehe. My favorite part is that the Chips and Salsa people in Colorado slightly favor McCain over Obama. Funny that people who like the least substantial menu item at Qdoba also favor the least substantial candidate...

Wednesday's Wine - Columbia Crest Two Vines Vineyard 10 Rose Wine, 2007

Okay all you WHINERS out there...heh...I've relented somewhat and bought some PINK wine. No, it's not a White Zinfandel or one of those icky sweet ones though. My wine guy, Joe, at 3S Liquors knows what I like in general, so when I asked him for a suggestion, he recommended Columbia Crest Two Vines Vineyard 10 Rose Wine, 2007 from Washington state. It costs about $8.00.

I found it to be fruity but not so sweet that it's cloying. In fact, it's a bit tart too. I tastes best about 10 minutes out of the fridge, but still cold. I have to say it's still pretty tasty after an hour. I've had it with beef and chicken fajitas and leftovers...heh. Not bad. I think it would be excellent with pork and especially ham. Salt is a nice counter point to some sweeter wines.

This is what Columbia Crest said about their wine:

Tasting Notes
“Aromas of light red fruits, including fresh cherries, strawberries and a hint of watermelon open this Rosé. On the palate, lively acidity accentuates the bright flavors of berries and cherries and lead into a crisp and refreshing finish.” -Ray Einberger, Winemaker

Enjoy!

Update: By the way, lest you all think I've gone all foofy chick on you, the main grape in this Rose is a Washington state Syrah which gives this "pink" wine a much darker color. Think of it as HOT pink!

Tuesday's Time Waster - Making Report Templates

Well, today I spent about 4 hours making a template for evaluation data, so I could just put numbers in and then copy and paste it as needed. After all the time put in to this, someone actually suggested that we weren't supposed to arrange data in nicely lined up columns for ease of understanding (last part of that statement is mine). You can see why I love JOBs. Speaking of JOBs, I finally got a salary offer and it was actually a bit more than I expected. All the time spent last week on finding my inservice certificates worked out well! Now I just need to find my Social Security card...it's somewhere around here...I think.

Make My Monday - The Market Was Actually Up Last Week...

by 3 tenths of a percent. Or so I've been told. The recommended mindset is to not let short term volatility in the market mess up your long term plan. That works pretty much if you're doing a few things consistently.

1. Diversify - Make sure you have a truly asset allocated portfolio.
2. Dollar Cost Average - Make sure you put a regular amount of money into your asset allocated retirement plan every month...especially if your employer is matching it!
3. Discipline - Stick to your plan through thick and thin as it will pay off in the long run. This is particularly true if you've got 10 or more years until you'll be drawing on your retirement plan.

Remember that most companies are gonna be here after the market volatility has stabalized. In the meantime, it's a good time to invest for long term goals, but not so much for short term. It's a good Monday for the long term. Too bad my new job benefits don't start until next month...heh.

Thought for Thursday - Just ANOTHER Example of Appalling Public Policy Approved by Elected Officials

If you're even contemplating voting for McCain and the woman who's name must not be said, then read this disturbing blog post from Feminist Finance.