Awesome weekend weather-wise, hmmm? I recall this time last year we had some 80's perfect weather and in taking advantage of the gorgeous day, I took a slew of pictures, but I don't think I eve posted them here. I recall seeing people at the parks engaging in picnics, stone-skipping along the lake, people sitting individually reading in little grassy spots, boaters and so on. Even though the temps can get summer like warm, it still has that aire of autumn. The sun is lower, the earth smells are more pungent and of course, the organic scenery; leaves are turning color, pumpkins are ubiquitous, flowers are dwindling, and mums are blooming. This week we may see a day like that. Hope the wind and rain holds off, and that if you can work it, make a day of hooky happen.

So I want to get some good long walks and/or hiking in soon. I haven't really gotten out much it seems, not in comparison to other times in my life. Anyway, my boyfriend, his son (who is 3) and I went to the erie canal (in lockport) and fed the birds some old bread. We were marveling in the day, of "indian summer" and I was telling him of last years warm days as mentioned above. I said, 'if I blogged about it, then the temperature would have been documented as well.Not so much because I typed it out, but because (e:paul) has the temps included as part of each post-header information.' Just tickled me how relevant that bit of info was/is.

And as we remember, and as (e:jim,46056) posted pictures of recently, that two years before, it was much much different sort of weather than what we are enjoying right now. It is weird to see those pictures. I was just looking at a few that I took while sitting on the 290 for a couple of hours that crazy night. I was posting from my car, as well. I remember once i got close to Youngstown, not a flake of snow was to be seen.

Well, anyhow, enjoy the rest of the weekend. Get outside and play!!

I saw a picture of a super fluffy exotic looking cat that I hadn't seen before. Needing to find out more information, I was introduced to the Pallas Cat (felis manul). I want to hug it despite it looking like it could and would rip my face off. I love their pissy little faces. I guess they hiss a lot, even as babies. But I think they are rather cute at the same time. Kittens, of course are head exploding cute. I looked at a slew of pictures and a video of a Pallas kitten playing with a domestic kitten. It was insanely precious. I'm a dork and just spent a solid half hour looking at these cats. Oh, I found a few informative videos as well. Figured this was as good of place as any to ramble about the kitties and to post pictures for future ogling.

(WIKIPEDIA - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pallas%27s_cat)















ok, this is the picture I saw that sent me off trying to figure out what sort of cat it is

so I'm looking into small business stuff. Such as what steps need to be done to make it "real". I have thought about it on and off (and off and off) again for too long now. Being the master procrastinator that I can be (procrastinate now, don't put it off, I say!), it is time that I carve out some self imposed deadlines and go to it. When outside forces dictate a deadline, I work magic in the wee moments leading up to it. I thrive on it actually. However, left to my own, I get easily side tracked into an ADD-like train of thought. I end up starting millions of projects, start a few more while doing them, branch off into a forest of other distractions and then find myself at Starbucks (or some other coffee joint). Really, I am pretty organized and focus when I want, but when I'm not compelled, it can be chaos.

But all in all its not such a bad thing. I just am feeling the need to have more structure and results in my going-ons, and to be 'legit'. Building my little empire, gradually take over the world. The usual.

I'm gathering that the local small business association might be a good place to start? what are your thoughts my business minded friends?

and probably a few tax courses or something might be a good idea?

other directives?

classes in general are good for me. I tend to follow through when in a class environment. Not that I want to go back to school, i just mean, a few seminars or something might be beneficial.

I'll expand more later.. I need to get back to work.
(e:strip) related procrastinations are genuinely permissible.

update: I just found a few upcoming seminars being held at NCCC Summit Extension located at 6929 Williams Rd, Niagara Falls. (Near or at Summit Park Mall, I think?)

They are free:

1. Thursday October 23 1:30-3:30
"Financing Sources and Business Plan Development"

2. Thursday October 30th 1:30-3:30
"Developing a Marketing Plan"

3. Thursday November 6th 1:30-3:30
"Business Organizational Forms: Sole Proprietorship, Partnership, Corporations and LLC's"

4. Thursday November 13th 1:30-3:30
"Record Keeping for Small Business"

to register: call 434-3815 or email: sbdc@niagaracc.suny.edu

If I keep looking, maybe I will find other stuff going on.

I'm looking for a new dentist. My all time favorite dentist has left the association he was with and ventured off to open his own. He is very talented and I was wondering when that time would come, so good for him. He is super amazing awesome and I will eventually follow him to his new place (depending on what insurance he takes) but for a few related reasons, I am not ready to do that. So in the mean time, I will find another, simply for cleanings, and "just in case" I need someone suddenly. I could continue to go to where I am (Aesthetic Associate Center in Buffalo), but I never cared for anyone but the dentist I just mentioned, anyone else, as incredibly qualified and innovative as they are, just no longer sits well with me; and since a recent severe allergic reaction occurred under their watch (ok, not their fault, neither one of us knew I am terribly allergic to penicillin-- blog to come w/ pics soon), I feel somehow displaced. Dr. Ben YOU LEFT AND DIDNT TELL MEEEEEEE!

So before I choose someone at random, my question that I am throwing out there is: Is there anyone I should stay away from??

(or definitely go to?)

Location isn't a factor, really. Anywhere from the city of Buffalo and North. I'm rarely ever in the Southtowns.

Thanks :)

Did anyone read about this since Friday? I read a blurb on it Saturday, but had been curious if there were any updates available. I haven't found any, or likely I haven't looked in the right places.

A seven (7!) year old child went on a 'killing spree' in a zoo. He is under ten years old so he can not be held liable, therefor his parents are.




A variety of sources say the exact same thing, so I'm linking to msnbc, as it includes a video. unreal.

He went at it for thirty minutes. I have so many questions and curiosities. When was the first time he displayed aggression, annihilation of living things? It was observed that he was acting like it was a game, I wonder what his thoughts and actions were before and after, and so on..

This itty bitty monster has been harassing me for about a year, maybe longer now. Maybe it's the grown version of this one: (itsy bitsy monster part 1) (e:theecarey,35925)

I hold back all intelligence and assert my belief that it it the same hairy, googly-eyed, fang-baring, snickering beast that has been lurking in my basement, creeping out of dark places purposely within my view (and within my reach) on several occasions this year. It makes an appearance and disappears all within the short time frame that includes, "gasp", "panic", "full-body sense of terror", "disgust" idling down to "why don't I have something in reach to kill it with", to "it likely has something within ITS reach to clobber me over the head with".. to "run Carey run, don't stop, don't turn around just get the hell out of the basement" and about an hours worth of "shivers" ewwww!

And so that whole line of action/inaction/psychological break-down works for the interim, until hygiene etiquette reminds me that I must go and do more laundry. No wonders that over time I have accumulated what seems like 397 pairs of socks, and about an equal amount of underwear and bras. Why subject myself to the beasts lair any more than absolutely necessary, right? eekkkk!

I don't like to kill spiders/bugs etc in general, and yes, I am rather apprehensive to scoop (shovel, forklift?) this one up into a bucket, or try to suck its massive body through a vacuum hose. I can just envision its fat yet muscular body getting jammed followed by getting pissed, followed retaliation, followed by my (fat but muscular, ha) body being jammed into the same said vacuum hose.Although this recent encounter led to the same pathetic reaction from me, this time, after my breathing returned, I ran and grabbed my camera. I needed proof. (proof of sanity, insanity?)






notice how the pholcidae, "daddy long-legs" dangling immediately in the background is dwarfed by comparison!



As I write, it continues to live, breath and eat small mammals while waiting my return...


my boyfriend claims it is a wolf spider. What is your guess?

Like it wasn't bad enough all those years prior,right? but the end results of these options, are entertaining. A good time waster for both the men and ladies. 1930's through current...



Just find a pretty straight on face pic of yourself, and have some fun!


"1968"


"1978"



or go ahead and use some random picture of anything; possibilities are endless

All of my light bulbs are compact florescent light bulbs , I had made the change several years ago to the curly shaped bulbs, at least from the time I moved into where I am at now (five years this month). The really do last a long time! I finally experienced one of the bulbs blowing out, or whatever they do. This particular one was in an outside porch socket, and its unlit mercury traced body reminded me that I have no idea how to dispose of the energy saving bugger.

So on to a search as to how to recycle the bulbs.


The above site gave some direction into seeking information from our local garbage service, municipal government, retailers who sell the product, "Earth911", an online clearinghouse of recycling information for US and Canada and commercial services (ie; a company in paid service of recycling CFLs would send a large mailing receptacle to collect your bulbs). Various ideas, but nothing concrete for this area, until I saw information pertaining to Home Depot.

Update: Home Depot has become the largest U.S. retailer to launch a general CFL recycling program. Almost 2,000 Home Depot locations will now accept any type of CFL for recycling without charge to the consumer.

At the Home Depot site, "The Home Depot Launches National CFL Bulb Recycling Initiative"


I called the Niagara Falls Home Depot to inquire if they indeed have a recycling center for CFL's, which they confirmed. They also confirmed that all of the area Home Depots should be on board with this as well.

Locate the "store finder" link on the home page if you want to confirm a recycling location.
For further programs and ideas, Home Depot Eco Options Home Page:


I did not check into local garbage services, so I am not sure if any of the the village-town-city garbage disposal and recycling services have any protocol for taking care of CFL s. But in case you were wondering, Home Depot is an easy option. I may take a large empty cat litter pail (plastic with tight lid and handle) and store them in there until I get enough to warrant a trip. A cardboard box will do too. The main idea here is to not break them or toss them in the trash.

So why recycle them?

There are plenty of articles, but they all say similar things, so I haven't really gotten a clear picture yet in my mind about Windows "7", the successor to Windows Vista that is aimed to be released sometime mid '09 to early '10. There is vague talk that it is meant to be more user-centric with a focus on performance improvements (WIKIPEDIA - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_7) and that "it is not meant to be a new OS but an evolution of Vista", according to an article in internetnews.com. Therefore, likely a minor release as opposed to a major one. I'm still operating XP on my laptops, and have minimal exposure overall these past couple of years to Vista, but I've been curious about Windows 7 developments nonetheless. Computerworld and other tech sites relay that Windows 7 will be released at the end of October in a pre-beta version to developers attending the Professional Developers Conference.

Microsoft had said that it would also seek beta testers for Windows 7. "Our current plans call for signing up for the beta to happen in the standard Microsoft manner on

.

A few screenshots (milestone 3, most likely) taken from Windows 7 News:

are you sure?

"Every year thousands of people are turned away from the polls because they aren't registered or are registered at the wrong address.

You can check your registration on VotePoke, a new online system. You should check it out. It only takes 30 seconds-and if you need to change anything, they make it really easy.

Do it today. You're not going to want to miss this year's election."



I've been at the same address since the last presidential election, so I know I am set to vote. Hopefully this will help anyone who has moved around and hasn't gotten around to registering their new voting address.




PS the orange-fall theme is extra 'orangey'; maybe it has always been that way, but my brain is registering it as new or improved. Very vibrant!