Bed & Breakfast

My wife, Jamie, and I love to go to Bed & Breakfast whenever the budget allows! So far we have visited eight of them. Our most recent visit was to The Jones House Bed & Breakfast in Nacogdoches, TX. It was a fantastic place to stay. That evening we dined at the local Fuddruckers and we spent the rest of the evening talking together. We don't get chances to talk as often as we like, with busy schedules and all, so this was a treat.

The next morning we used our "breakfast vouchers" to go eat at the Hotel Fredonia. The breakfast omelets were delicious.

We hope to stay at another Bed & Breakfast soon!

Other B&B's we have stayed at include; The Woldert-Spence Manor in Tyler, TX, Roseland Plantation in Ben Wheeler, TX (near Tyler), Oaklea Mansion and Manor House in Winnsboro, TX, White Oak Manor in Jefferson, TX, Wisteria Gardens Bed & Breakfast in Marshall, TX, Dowell House in McKinney, TX (Really liked the hot tub here!), and the Durning House in Van Alstyne, TX.

Paperback Swap

Just a quick post about a web-site my wife and I have been using to aquire books we wish to read and pass along books that we no longer have room for. It is called Paperback Swap.com.

We have already used this FREE site to find several books we have been looking for and to pass on several books we just didn't need anymore. The only cost to you is the postage required to mail a book you have posted to give away. All books you request are mailed to you, postage paid by the sender. How cool is that!

For every book you send out you get one credit to use to order a book you want. You also get one free credit for joining and posting the required number of books needed to get started. There is no monthly fee or any other charges.

Have fun and good reading!

Starbucks

Since June of last year I have been working for Starbucks Coffee Co. I am a certified Barista and I love this job! This is the only job that I have ever had that, when I "don't feel like going to work today" and I go to work anyway, I have a great time and am glad I went to work. My fellow Partners (Manager, Asst. Manager, Shift Supervisors and fellow Baristas) make working fun, even when it is crazy busy. They even know my wife, Jamie's, drink...(a Grande Skinny Vanilla Latte) before she even orders it. :)

As a result of working at Starbucks, My wife and I have decided to taste all of the different coffee blends that Starbucks offers. That way, if a customer ask what a particular blend taste like, I can give them my own personal opinion. We purchased a coffee grinder and a French Press and we have started working our way through the blends. We have already tried...

Red

Organic Blue Java

Organic Shade Grown Mexico

100% Kona

Komodo Dragon

and Cafe Estima.

We are currently drinking the 2010 Starbucks Anniversary Blend.

I have even added a Coffee of the Day gadget to my page, so you can keep up with what we are currently drinking. My favorite so far is Organic Shade Grown Mexico. Jamie's Favorite has been the Organic Blue Java.

We are also working our way through the different flavors of Tazo Teas. My favorite flavor is Vanilla Rooibos.

I will be sad to leave Starbucks, if my new full-time job (coming soon) does not give me the chance to continue working enough hours.

It's Been A While!

It has been a long time since I have posted a new blog! I offer my apologies to the few folks who still attempt to follow what thoughts I choose to post. I will endeavor to keep you updated about what I am thinking. If you wish, you can become my "friend" on Facebook. (I would put a link here, but the school computer I am using blocks Facebook.)

I will try to update my favorite and dumbest movie lists over the next few days (I have moved these two lists to the bottom of my blog), as well as add "Currently Reading" & "Coffee of the Day" section.

So...what shall I make my first post of 2011 about?

Should it be about how colleges are now teaming up with the credit card companies to give students "debit cards" that uses funds directly out of their student loans and grants? Money that is supposed to go towards paying tuition, books and other educational expenses so the student can avoid debt, is now being spent on other things, leaving the students with more debt to pay once they finish college.

Should it be about how the United States finally caught up with and killed Osama Bin Laden (or Usama as Fox News likes to spell it.)?

Should it be about how my Texas Rangers finally went to World Series, but now are struggling to start the new season? (Yes, it has been that long since I have blogged!)

Should it be about how I am still only working part time and am still looking for full time work?(It has been over two years now.)

Should it be how my son, Caleb, is now 16 and is about to take his driving test to get his license?

Should it be how we now have two cats in the family? (We got a new kitty, Ramey-Jem, aka: Girl Kitty) Photos of both pets soon! OR how our dog, Schnitzel, has passed away.

There is so much, yet so little to say that I may just leave this post as it is and just start with brand new "thoughts" tomorrow.

Now, to keep Oliver (my nickname for my OCD) happy, I will update my movie, book and other lists first.

TTFN!

50 Books I've Read in 2010

At the end of last year I found out I was one book shy of reading 50 books of 100 pages or more. This year I set a goal of reading at least 50! So far I have gone above and beyond. (Sadly it helps when you are only working part-time)

Books I’ve Read in 2010

1. Elyon (The Lost Books # 6) - Ted Dekker & Kaci Hill

2. Strange But True: Cats, 444 Weird Facts and Photos - Sweetwater Press

3. Green - Ted Dekker

4. Grand Theft Childhood: the Surprising Truth About Violent Video Games and What Parents Can Do -- Lawrence Kutner + Cheryl K. Olson

5. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn - Mark Twain

6. Self-Coaching: the Powerful Program to Beat Anxiety and Depression - Joseph J. Luciani

7. Snakehead - Anthony Horowitz

8. A Ship Possessed - Alton Gansky

9. Leading With a Limp - Dan B. Allender

10. Seeking Spirits: the Lost Cases of the Atlantic Paranormal Society - Jason Hawes, Grant Wilson & Michael Jan Friedman

11. The Prisoner in the Third Cell - Gene Edwards

12. The Best Halloween Ever - Barbara Robinson

13. The Princess Bride - William Goldman

14. 90 Minutes in Heaven - Don Piper, w/ Cecil Murphy

15. Vanished - Alton Gansky

16. The Best School Year Ever - Barbara Robinson

17. Out of Time - Alton Gansky

18. The Tales of Beadle the Bard - J.K. Rowling

19. The Cat Whisperer: the Secret of How to Talk to Your Cat - Claire Bessant

20. Bone Man’s Daughters - Ted Dekker

21. 3 Seconds: The Power of Thinking Twice - Les Parrott

22. The Control Freak: Coping With Those Around You, Taming the One Within You - Dr. Les Parrott III

23. Dark Moon - Alton Gansky

24. The Adventures of Tom Sawyer - Mark Twain

25. Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lighting Thief - Rick Riordan

26. Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Sea of Monsters - Rick Riordan

27. The Baseball Codes: Beanballs, Sign Stealing and Bench-Clearing Brawls; The Unwritten Rules of America’s Pastime - Jason Turbow, w/Michael Duca

28. Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH -- Robert C. O’Brien

29. The Good Earth - Pearl S. Buck

30. Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Titan’s Curse -- Rick Riordan

31. The Love List: Eight Little Things That Make a Big Difference in Your Marriage -- Drs. Les and Leslie Parrott

32. Bleachers - John Grisham

33. Percy Jackson and the Olympians: the Battle of the Labyrinth - Rick Riordan

34. Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Last Olympian - Rick Riordan

35. The Mormon Mirage: a Former Member Looks at the Mormon Church Today -- Latayne C. Scott

36. I Never Had It Made: The Autobiography of Jackie Robinson -- Jackie Robinson

37. Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules -- Jeff Kinney

38. Casino Royale -- Ian Fleming

39. The entire Junie B. Jones series (books 1-27) -- Barbara Park

40. The Hound of the Baskervilles -- Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

41. Live and Let Die -- Ian Fleming

42. Why You Do The Things You Do: The Secret to Healthy Relationships -- Dr. Tim Clinton & Dr. Gary Sibcy

43. A Year Down Yonder -- Richard Peck

44. Moonraker -- Ian Fleming

45. Compelled to Control: Recovering Intimacy in Broken Relationships -- J. Keith Miller

46. Diamonds Are Forever -- Ian Fleming

47. Praying Dangerously: Daring Prayers For Meaningful Faith -- Gary Holloway

48. Lost in Tibet: The Untold Story of Five American Airmen, a Doomed Plane, and the Will to Survive -- Richard Starks & Miriam Murcutt

49. Dr. No -- Ian Fleming

50. The Cases That Haunt Us -- Mark Olshaker & John Douglas

51. Hood (King Raven Trilogy: Book 1) -- Stephen R. Lawhead

52. The Godfather -- Mario Puzo

53. The Book of Useless Information: Thousands of Things You Didn’t Think You Needed to Know…And Probably Don’t -- Noel Botham

54. Bigfoot Casebook updated: Sightings And Encounters from 1818 to 2004 -- Janet & Colin Bord

55. Goldfinger -- Ian Fleming

56. For Your Eyes Only -- Ian Fleming

57. My Life -- Bill Clinton

Can't Wait!