The Jeffrey And Tracey Info Emporium

Over visiting a neighbor the other day…

“Would you like a cup of coffee?” he asks. “I just roasted the latest batch.”

“Yes. Coffee sounds great.”

“How do you take it?” he asks as he grinds the beans.

“Black; no sugar, no milk.”

“Well, we have no milk anyway, only cream.”

“In that case, I’ll have it with no cream.”

“We could water the cream down to make milk, I suppose, if you’d prefer.”

“That’s ok,” I say, “No cream is better than no milk anyway.”

“Well, actually, I prefer cream also,” he says, “but like you, I don’t put it in my coffee.”

“What about milk?” I ask.

“Never.”

“Unless it’s a café au lait?” I venture.

“Of course,” says he, “or a cappuccino.”

“Exactly.” I say.

“Just so.”

“Sartre sans sucre?” I ask.

“No. Nein. Niet-zsche, pas de lait.” He gets in the last word. Almost.

I sip my coffee (black) in silence (white).

“Ever wonder where coffee originated?” he queries after a spell.

“Brazil?” I guess, “or somewhere in the Americas?”

“Not so,” he replies, “Some say it was in Yemen, the Port of Mocha. Others say it was Ethiopia, in the district of Kaffa. In any case, it is Arabian.”

“Aha, I say, “hence The Thousand and One Sleepless Nights.”

“Just so,” he says and silence returns

© Leslie Fieger. All rights reserved worldwide.

Leslie is the author of The DELFIN Knowledge System Trilogy: The Initiation, The Journey and The Quest plus many more success publications. He also the co-author of The End of the World with Hugh Jeffries and Alexandra’s DragonFire with his daughter Ashley. Subscribe to his free and ad-free eZine at http://www.ProsperityParadigm.com or http://www.LeslieFieger.com

Reprinting and republishing of these articles is granted only with the above credit included. Permission to reprint or republish does not waive any copyright.

A key fault I have, and I can only talk about one fault at a time, is the tendency to get busy. I often find myself chasing my own tail. What I will do with it when I catch it is beyond my understanding. However, this notwithstanding, I fall into the trap time after time of getting too busy for my own good.

The faster I try to go; the less I seem to accomplish.

This past week proved no exception; in fact, everything came to a head on Monday. I had my To-Do-List all prioritized and neatly written on several 3 by 5 cards stuffed in my shirt pocket. Earlier I went through them item by item to make sure I could maximize the day. After all, “The early bird catches the worm.”

Being the turkey I am, I have no idea what I’m going to do with the worm when I catch it, particularly if it’s early in the morning when all I want is a good cup of coffee. Yet, I can often be found imitating that “early bird” scurrying around with my list of important things to do.

Getting back to my Monday catastrophe, and I can’t think of another word that adequately describes last Monday. Sure, I’ve had catastrophes before. But this one was the wicked stepmother of all catastrophes.

After organizing my 3 by 5 cards, I made some mental notes as to how long each job would take. Returning those cards to my shirt pocket, I smiled the smile of one who has conquered his day. I felt good about myself and was anxious to get started on my day.

My day started out rather well. In fact, I discovered by mid-morning I was ahead of schedule. I chuckled to myself and thought, “next time I’ll have a longer To-Do-List.”

Suddenly, everything came to a screech owl halt.

I needed to pick up something at my office, which would only take a moment. I pulled up to my office door, jumped out of the car and unlocked the office door.

The office door can only be locked from the outside, with a key. The inside has a handicap bar according to the building code. I thought I would save time by unlocking the door and then locking it while I went inside to retrieve the item I needed. This would mean when I came to leave I could walk out, shut the door behind me and it would lock automatically.

This would save me exactly .00003 seconds of time. As time is precious, I thought it worth the effort.

The plan was going fine. Walking past my desk, I laid my keys on top of my desk. About this time I remembered something I needed from the car and dashed out to retrieve it. Just as I got to my car, I heard the door slam shut and one thought meandered through my stunned mind; “the keys.”

The keys were exactly where I had left them on my desk in my office.

My first thought was to panic. So, for about seven minutes I luxuriated in sheer panic.

My second thought was, “how am I going to get inside the building?”

I must confess my second thought drowned out my first. Some may have the luxury of indulging in panic, but I was on a schedule. My To-Do-List was begging to be done that day.

I circled the building three times and then laid down in sheer bewilderment. Not one door was unlocked. Not one window was accessible from the outside. All the effort put into making our building burglarproof was my nightmare in shinning alarm.

I thought of breaking a window but what if someone saw me? Also, I’d have to pay for the damages.

In my mind, I went over everybody who had a key to our church. Everyone I could think of was out of town or working. Even my wife was in Daytona Beach.

Then I had a brilliant thought. I must confess I don’t have many but when I do, it brightens up my day. “The builder of the church might have a key.” For some odd reason I had my cell phone with me, so I called the builder.

Unfortunately for me, he did not have a spare key to our building. My heart sank into the sole of my right foot because I had no options left.

Then the builder said, “I’ll send one of my carpenters over to take a door off and let you in.” I did not know that could be done, but I was glad for any help I could get at this point.

Within a few moments, the carpenter showed up. As he got out of his truck, I could see a sly smile smeared all over his puss. I took it like a man; a man locked out of his own office.

He spent about an hour taking the door off its hinges. Just as he finished my cell phone rang. A lady from the church with a spare church key was five minutes away.

I never told the carpenter about the last minute key because he worked so hard taking the door off and then putting it back on again.

Only one key in life really matters and that is Jesus, who said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (John 14:6 KJV.)

He is the only key that opens the door to heaven and I can never lose him.

About the Author

Reverend Snyder is currently ministering at the “Family of God
Fellowship” in Ocala, Florida. More of his articles are available
for reprint at his website: http://www.godspenman.com/
Rev. Snyder is available as a guest speaker. He writes a weekly
column and is the author of “You Can Always Tell a Pastor; But Not Very Much ” available at: http://www.jamessnyderministries.com/

The pound is fetching a little less than the Euro at Travelex airport counters, one would suppose that there would be a lot of brilliant bargains to be had in skiing resorts this winter as snowboarders remain at home to avoid the recession. Provisional facts merely publicised point to the fact that skiing towns are 89 % booked over the Xmas period. 10 percent up on the equivalent period last season.

You’ll have more luck in early 2009 which at the moment shows a 33 % reserve level. Signs of a recession is across the important school vacation month which has 61 percent bookings, 1 percent down on last year. Reservation bureaus in the ski domains of Bessans, Espace Killy, Alpe d Huez and Le Tour have seen good reservations in Dec encouraged by the heavy early season snow. Savoie has stronger demand compared to last winter, and La Mongie enjoyed a great Xmas.

However there is strong call for a bigger catered chalet, 6 to 10 spaces, as people group up to save the pennies. Evidence shows that do it yourself skiing holidays are holding up well, evidence perhaps that serious boarders are not going to fore-go their skiing holiday. However bookings for tour operators are down on last year.

Children’s Essays

The following are actual examples from Children’s Essays I have read. The writing prompt was: tell a story about a lost puppy. The children involved were from 3rd to 6th Grade. Enjoy.

Recess. All the calm the kids kept during school was let out with squeals, screams and running wildly about.

We went out to the playground. I watched in disgust as Erica took a big bite out of her peanut butter, marshmallow and black olive sandwich.

Suddenly I hear a little wine and a big whale coming from behind the slide.

We saw a dog that looked Hispanic. He was so dehydrated that he gained five pounds when I spit on him. It was a black and brown pit bull with fluffy white ears.

The dog was so skinny he couldn’t put anything in his rib cage.

His head was the size of a cauldron. The first word that came to mind was Hydrocephalous.

Fear now filled my body as I saw it. It was more horrible than Brussels Sprouts.

The next moment it was jumping on us and licking on our feces. He was so excited he jumped up and down and leaked on us.

Rite away I knew it was a boy because of what it did to Grace.

We also could tell it was boy because the boy has bigger eyes than the girl.

I thought he was going to lick my friend to death but the teacher pulled it off in time.

We were astounded with amazement.

I smuggled the dog into the school. After we fed him, the puppy used the bathroom in my book bag.

The teacher looked at the dog’s foot. It looked as if it were hurt so she banged it up.

We took the dog to the vet and we found out the dog had an upper suppository infection.

Then we took a picture of him and blew him up and hung him on some poles.

We hung his pitcher, my member and my address.

We hung the flyer on the telephone pole but it flew away.

We didn’t name the dog because we didn’t think it would come when it was called, anyway.

When I was in school the dog got lonely and barfed.

After it had grown up we let it go free. And the first out the yard it got a date.

One day it got into a fight with another dog. After it was over, the other dog’s owner took him to the veterinarian to get a prosthetic ear.

John Anderson has written an International Thriller entitled The Cellini Masterpiece under the penname of Raymond John. If you would like to contact him, he can be found at http://www.cmasterpiece.com

Most of us have been using spring mattresses for years and we have been accustomed to it. When it comes to changing the mattress we start thinking of buying a latex or memory foam mattress and start asking queries as to which one is the best.

Latex is a white liquid collected from rubber particles in the rubber making process. The liquid is then made into foam and is used to make mattresses. Latex is a natural product and provides the best support while sleeping in any position.

Latex mattresses are anti allergic and dust resistible. While you toss and turn at night, you will feel very comfortable and won’t feel any pressure when you turn to your right and left. The very important feature of latex is, it keeps a person warm in winter and cool in summer.

Latex is manufactured by beating the liquid rubber and converting it into foam and putting the liquid into a mold. Then CO2 is passed on to the rods in the mold and heat is also sent with the correct temperature to make good latex foam.

The memory foam mattresses are made with foam and while buying a memory foam mattress the first thing to be asked is about the density of the foam, (the higher the density the better the foam) whether it is anti allergic and anti microbial? Whether the company provides warranty and shipping or not. Memory foam mattress is very comfortable and people having neck and backache are very happy using this.

Though both latex and memory foam mattress are good it depends upon the person on which mattress to buy? Some like memory foam mattresses while some like latex mattresses.

We all know relatives who can’t cook. Not that we are experts in culinary delicacies, but when an inedible concoction hits your plate with a thud, it takes some special manners and facial control to compliment your host.

An in-law of my wife’s who has since passed away, mentioned proudly that dumplings would be part of the coming feast at her house. Misshapen, gray lumps of congealed flour and water sank immediately to the bottom of the soup, lying there like raw clay ready for working. Only by dividing these door stops in tiny pieces were they swallowed at all, being quickly sloshed past our taste buds with the wickedest of wines. Unsurprisingly, no-one took seconds.

While not strictly a relative, a well-meaning neighbor lady repaid any and all favors done her with a beautifully wrapped dozen of her own home-made cookies. Better named ‘conversation stoppers’, one cookie could dry out your mouth for fifteen minutes. Only wild pointing at the rest room and effort to smile through powdered lips could save you from decorating the table with a shotgun of wheat pellets. Sneakily taking out the garbage at three in the morning, we had to remember to thank our kindly bakery chefs the next day for their delicious contribution.

One newly-wed couple rendered a barely edible meal of sawdust meat loaf and marblized beans, unfortunately followed by a carrot cake made with still-raw carrots, easily identified in each slice. She apoligised for the slightly burned crust on the meatloaf, but her young husband sincerely complimented her with the statement that it reminded him of his Mom’s recipe. A blue gelatin dessert filled a bowl like a country lake with little plastic ducks floating on top. Luckily the extra water in the mix made it possible for the ducks to actually swim.

The other night, my wife (who is a superb cook) miscalculated the cooking time for the ravioli, bringing new meaning the to phrase, al dente. I’m still chewing. On the other hand, some diners have not a kind word for the chef especially when the dishes are undeniably delicious. Even after three helpings and much smacking of lips and uncovered belches, these gourmands have only a ‘Menza, menza” or ‘It was O.K.” to say. Next time I hope they go to MacDonald’s.

Love to write, paint (graphicly), and eat.

There are a couple of things you will need to acquire when you start cycling. The 1st and most understandable is a first-rate mountain bike that fits you! Whilst that might appear like a no-brainer, plenty of people start out on bicycles that are either too little, or built with very poor quality parts, just because they’re considerably cheaper. The right fit & a well constructed bike can make your trip a lot easier, but, don’t be persuaded to bargain shop for your bicycle. However, it will be better to get one that will last you a considerable amount of time. Once you have a bicycle that’s right for you, it’s time to buy the other cycling items that will support you in becoming an enthusiastic cyclist.

Lights: The minimum needed by United Kingdom law for your bicycle is a few reflectors. Although a headlight and tail light are very helpful, even throughout the day. When it is dark & rainy, they can make a large difference in your visibility to motor vehicles.

Tools: Just like driving a vehicle, accidents do occur while you are on your bike. Keep some sort of tool kit on you at all times to take care of flat tyres, uncooperative chains, loose bolts & other issues.

Helmet: Whilst it’s legal in the majority of locations to go without a cycling helmet, in a lot of others, one is required. If you are aiming to bike on a regular basis, it is smart to have one even in locations where no helmet law exists. Find great offers on cycling shoes at Sportswear-Equipment.com.

Clothing: Whilst special cycling clothing is certainly optional, it is intelligent to pay attention to what you’re wearing. Loose apparel ought to be avoided, or tucked up so they do not get caught in the chain.

Locks: If you’re lucky enough to live in an area where you are able keep your bike inside all the time, padlock is vital. Even in country, there are people who will willingly pinch & resell your bike.

Related topics of interest include: Formula One Racing & Buy Toys Online.

Honey Best: Greater good? I am your wife! I’m the greatest *good* you are ever gonna get!

Violet Parr: We act normal Mom. I want to be normal! The only normal one is Jack-Jack, and he’s not even toilet trained!

Syndrome: Oh, ho ho! You sly dog! You caught me monologuing!

Lucius Best: Superladies, they’re always trying to tell you their secret identity. Think it’ll strengthen the relationship, or something like that.

Dash: We’re dead! We’re dead! We survived but we’re dead!

Lucius Best: I’d rather go bowling. Look, what if we actually did what our wives think we’re doing, just to shake things up?

E: This is a hobo suit, darling. You can’t be seen in this. I won’t allow it.

Helen Parr: Stop it, both of you! We are not going to die! Now, you will both get a grip or so help me, I’ll ground you for a month. Understand?

Helen Parr: I love you, but if we’re going to make this work, you have to be more than Mr. Incredible.

Lucius Best: We look like bad guys. Incompetent bad guys!

E: I cut it a little roomy for the free movement; the fabric is comfortable for sensitive skin; it can also withstand a temperature of over 1000 degrees. Completely bulletproof; and machine washable, darling. That’s a new feature.

http://www.themoviequotesite.com/the-incredibles-quote.html

About the Author

None

Our education enlarges us.

In days of old, when life was bold,
And schools owned fields and land,
We played serene, acted out our dreams,
With nothing dangerous being banned,
Now we roll in late, grossly overweight,
If we even deign to show our faces,
And the clipboard man with his cardboard plan,
Puts us through our non sunburned paces,
Now it appears all these stark fears,
And dread of falling and disaster,
Sold off our fields, while they but kneeled,
To a politically correct Grand Master,
So though obese, we are at peace,
Though consuming rubbish we can smile,
Though weighed down we seldom frown
Because were much safer by a mile.

What price competition, breeding attrition,
What use excellence when some must lose,
Theres no Einstein and no Frankenstein
Theres just fat drones from which to choose,
Successive generations of a nation,
Robbed of the will to be fit and bright,
Brainwashed by day, to their teachers way,
Mentally chained to the TV all night,
We were naughty and lived past forty,
And still have our health and mind,
For we were schooled to different rules,
That seemed cruel but were kind,

Its not obscene to have a dream,
Not appalling to aspire to winning,
In the past someone came last,
But the victor was not sinning,
And whatever face won the race,
Whatever hand held academic prizes,
The losers were slim, and used the gym,
Were not mothball wrapped oversizes,
Everyone gained from competitive games,
From trying to be part of an elite,
You raised your sights, you saw the light,
Started thinking on your own feet.

Now mediocrity is the place to be,
No failure and no success,
No one grows and no one knows,
And no one could care less,
Where there was intellect, read neglect,
Where there was exercise read sloth,
Where there was ingenuity read apathy,
Assuming you read or write or both,
What price a system that has missed them,
Painting failure as success as it is turning,
Where once education was our salvation
Now we just have dumbed down learning,

Whilst exercise brightened our eyes,
And tuition filtered through our heads,
Where discipline and rules gave us tools,
And stirred us from all our beds,
Their eyes are leaden with whats fed them,
By the programmes and adverts 24/7,
That lead them obese to an early feast,
And a slow hell instead of heaven.

You cant subscribe to its safe inside,
Without losing out on the adventure,
You cant restrict all lifes conflicts,
Cant create things out of censure,
You cant repeal what people feel,
Cant tell them that you know best
Cant cast aside all exercise,
Cant dispel the need for tests,
For they will divine, given time,
And their innate common sense,
You cant form quality from equality,
Or lead whilst sitting on the fence.

Its so plain to see, to you and me,
Education left to artifice and device,
Will not turn out scribes and lions,
It will merely churn out mice.

About the Author

Ex Civil Engineer and Systems Programmer. Ex Grammar School. 52 this July.

A bookcase is a furniture that forms a shelved spaces most of the time horizontal or perpendicular, used in storing books.

In earlier days, when bookcase were still unheard of, and books were handwritten, books were also scarce. To keep them protected, they were kept in small caskets that writers or authors carry with them wherever they may go. As time passed by manuscripts were created and were divided in volumes to be able to easily identify them. In time, these volumes of manuscripts grew into a larger number. And since manuscripts were important, they couldnt just be thrown away. These volumes of manuscripts were kept in shelves or stored in cupboards where the modern bookcase of today, transcends from.

In time, the doors of the shelves and cupboards that were getting in the way of easily acquiring the manuals, they were discarded. This enabled the bookcase make a step forward into modernity.

Sadly, even at that time, volumes were not organized in the modern way that we do today with our bookcase. They were usually placed atop of each other in piles or when they are set upright, they were facing the wrong way with their edges outward.

And even if they were placed the right way, at this time leather, parchment or vellum that is used to cover the writings were used to inscribed the title ? the title then, ends up on the fore-edge instead of the back where they are modernly placed.

Up until the invention of printing when only, the proper placing of books in the bookcase where implemented. Because at this time, books were cheaper, it became the tradition to write the title to the back and place the book with its edges inward.

In the early days, bookcases were usually made up of oak. Oaks are deemed to be the most appropriate wood to use in constructing a bookcase, many old and modern libraries seem to think so that they have applied this concept to their bookcases.

Englands Bodleian Library at the Oxford University houses the oldest bookcase there is. It was placed there before the end of the 16th century. One can find the earliest examples of the bookcase as a shelved gallery over flat wall cases; can be found at the said library.

Chippendale and Sheraton are famous for designing bookcases. Most of their works were rhombus styled with corners edging upward and downward and are far apart than the sideway corners, and covered in frames of elegance and charm.

On the other hand, the French cabinet makers of the 18th century also succeeded with their small bookcase. To differentiate their work with Chippendale and Sheratons satinwood, the French makers used rosewood, exotic timber and mahogany and inlaid them with marquetry, while they were mounted with glazed and chased bronze.

There are three ways to arrange a bookcase:

1) in base or alcoves 2) in stacks or ranges and 3) flat against the wall.

The stack system is more commonly used in public libraries, where the bookcases are parallel to each other with just enough space to let visitors and librarians pass by. This arrangement is essential because space is much needed in the library. The bay system where the bookcases are at the right angle to the wall cases also utilizes space, which can also be used as a bookcase arrangement in some special libraries.