The Value Of Listening Closely

by Jeff W Posted on November 11, 2008

An Irish girl returned home to her family after a five-year absence. When she walked through the door, her father cursed at her, “Where have ye been all this time? Why did ye not write to us, not even a line? Why didn’t ye call? Can ye not understand what ye put yer old ma thru?”

The girl burst into tears and wailed, “I am sore sorry, Da! I…I became a prostitute, and I was ashamed…”

“Ye WHAT!!?“ Her father roared. “Out with ye, shameless harlot! Sinner! You’re a disgrace to this family!”

“Ye’r right, Da, I’ll leave. I just wanted to give mum this luxurious fur coat, title deed to a ten-bedroom mansion plus a savings certificate for $5 million.”

“Ye what?” Her father asked, astounded.

“And this solid gold Rolex for me little brother,” the girl continued, “…and for ye daddy, that sparkling new Mercedes limited edition convertible yonder, plus a membership to the country club…” she started towards the door and added, “And if ye decide someday to forgive me, I wanted to invite everyone to spend New Years’ Eve on board my new yacht in the Riviera.”

“What was it ye said ye had become?” her father asked.

“A prostitute, Da! I’m sorry.” And she opened the door to leave.

“Oh, Jesus!” Her father exclaimed. “Ye scared me half to death, girl! I thought ye said a Protestant. Come here and give yer old man a hug.”

Thank you for subscribing to The Word Of Jeff. This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. If you are not reading
this material in your RSS reader, the site you are looking at is guilty of copyright infringement. http://the-word-of-
jeff.blogspot.com/
Posted in Humor | Comments Off on The Value Of Listening Closely

Lake Junaluska, North Carolina

by Jeff W Posted on November 10, 2008


Above is my favorite of the 2 dozen or so photos I took of Lake Junaluska during our camping trip in North Carolina a few weeks ago. Click on the photo to see a larger version.

Thank you for subscribing to The Word Of Jeff. This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. If you are not reading
this material in your RSS reader, the site you are looking at is guilty of copyright infringement. http://the-word-of-
jeff.blogspot.com/
Posted in North Carolina, Personal, Photography | Comments Off on Lake Junaluska, North Carolina

Buying, Selling & Gifting

by Jeff W Posted on November 9, 2008

Spent a good portion of this morning working on continuing to clean up my office and downsize where possible. I took another 35 books off my bookshelves and added them to my Amazon Seller’s List. There are some good deals on some books and manuals if anyone is interested.

And, just a reminder, if you’re going to be ordering anything from Amazon, using my Amazon tower link over in the lower area of the right-hand column to get there will send a few pennies my direction.

And, of course, I would be remiss if I did not call attention to my Amazon Wish List button about halfway down in that same right-hand column, for anyone who may be searching for just the “right” gift for moi. 🙂

Speaking of gifts for writers, Jennifer Mattern of All Freelance Writing has an excellent “Top Ten Gift Ideas for Freelance Writers – 2008” post that goes way beyond the usual gift of books.

Thank you for subscribing to The Word Of Jeff. This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. If you are not reading
this material in your RSS reader, the site you are looking at is guilty of copyright infringement. http://the-word-of-
jeff.blogspot.com/
Posted in Books, Personal, Writing | Comments Off on Buying, Selling & Gifting

Frenzied Friday

by Jeff W Posted on November 8, 2008

Busy day today. After Cindy cooked an excellent breakfast, we put all the camping gear back up in the attic; brought down the Rubbermaid tubs of winter clothes from the attic, went through them and separated out what we were going to give to Goodwill and kept down what we thought we might need for the next few months; I worked some more on clearing things out of my office while Cindy created some of her wonderful handmade candles, then we both did quite a bit of yard work in the backyard.

After a shower, we drove to Goodwill to drop off those clothes and some other items we had to donate, went out to lunch, stopped by Michaels so Cindy could pick up some things she needed for her candle-making business and Office Max so I could get some banker’s boxes for office material and file storage, then returned home and I spent the rest of the day working in the office while Cindy worked on more candles and then went to Starbucks to meet her friends for some tea.

We, like most of you, are struggling with the difficult economy and its necessitating the extra-careful watching of our finances. So I was happy to use a coupon for our lunch (not much of a coupon, but every bit counts, right?) and a special discount card Cindy received from her employer for our purchases at Office Max (which knocked more than 50% off our total there!) to keep our “paid outs” as small as possible.

I said a while back that I thought if Obama were elected it would have a positive effect on the economy, so his election this past Tuesday gives me hope that we can now begin to get out of this economical quicksand that Bush dragged us into. Obama’s press conference today confirmed that the economy will be his main focus from the first day of his administration on January 20, 2009.

I hope we can all last until then.

Thank you for subscribing to The Word Of Jeff. This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. If you are not reading
this material in your RSS reader, the site you are looking at is guilty of copyright infringement. http://the-word-of-
jeff.blogspot.com/
Posted in Personal | 1 Comment

Bar Trekkin’

by Jeff W Posted on November 7, 2008

It’s sad when TV pals like Captain Kirk and his Enterprise Helmsman Lieutenant Sulu don’t get along in real life as evidenced here in William Shatner’s YouTube video complaint about not being invited to a certain wedding and here where George Takei explains his side.

But this great “Bar Trekkin'” T-shirt captures a happier time of a possible shore leave when Kirk, Spock, Chekov and Sulu are about to unite for a bar brawl (through no fault of their own, of course).

“Bar Trekkin’” costs $18 and is available in all sizes.

Thank you for subscribing to The Word Of Jeff. This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. If you are not reading
this material in your RSS reader, the site you are looking at is guilty of copyright infringement. http://the-word-of-
jeff.blogspot.com/
Posted in Science Fiction, TV | 1 Comment

A Brand New Day

by Jeff W Posted on November 5, 2008

As the sun rises on America and the world today, our long national nightmare of 8 years under the presidency of George W. Bush is coming to an end. Yesterday, America elected Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States and this morning we can all rise to a brand new day for our country.

Candidate Obama awakened in our country a hope for change; we will look to President Obama for leadership in all of us becoming agents of that change.


Good Morning, America…welcome to a brand new day!

Thank you for subscribing to The Word Of Jeff. This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. If you are not reading
this material in your RSS reader, the site you are looking at is guilty of copyright infringement. http://the-word-of-
jeff.blogspot.com/
Posted in 2008 election, Politics | 1 Comment

The Country Has Spoken…

by Jeff W Posted on November 5, 2008

…and the word is good. Not only can our country begin to awaken from our 8-year long national nightmare, but Vote 2008 has resulted in a major historical event taking place. For the first time in its 232-year history, a majority of the people in the United States of America have elected a black man to the highest office in the land; President of the United States.

The “Mac” has cracked.

It will be SO nice, after the past 8 nightmarish years, to have a President who has the demeanor, capable judgment and verbal skills of an actual head of state. Someone we can be proud of on the world stage and someone who possesses actual leadership skills in dealing with the problems in our country.

Congratulations President-elect Obama!

Thank you for subscribing to The Word Of Jeff. This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. If you are not reading
this material in your RSS reader, the site you are looking at is guilty of copyright infringement. http://the-word-of-
jeff.blogspot.com/
Posted in 2008 election, Politics | 2 Comments

Voters Heading To The Polls

by Jeff W Posted on November 4, 2008

Here’s a photo showing thousands of voters heading for the polls to vote today.

Ok, not really. It’s a photo of a train full (and I mean FULL; inside, outside, topside and side side) of travelers in India. But all indications are that today’s numbers of voters will be a record-setting turnout.

If you haven’t already voted, I hope you’ll be sure to get out and do so today. As the website says, “If you don’t vote, you don’t count.”

Thank you for subscribing to The Word Of Jeff. This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. If you are not reading
this material in your RSS reader, the site you are looking at is guilty of copyright infringement. http://the-word-of-
jeff.blogspot.com/
Posted in 2008 election, Politics | 1 Comment

Polling Place Campaign Signs

by Jeff W Posted on November 3, 2008

Here is something that I have always wondered about and I thought I’d throw it out here on the blog and see if anyone has an answer or even a different feeling about.

Why are there campaign signs, bunches and bunches of campaign signs, in the areas immediately surrounding polling locations?

Because I’m not sure that there are people who arrive at their polling place and say, “Oh there’s a nice sign, I’ll vote for that person!”

I mean, I know that there are “undecided” voters out there (although I did not come across one until last week when my step-daughter revealed that she remains unsure of who her presidential choice will be), but I can’t imagine that even an undecided voter will make their choice at the last minute as they arrive to vote based on the sheer number of signs for a particular candidate littering the area outside their polling place.

Can you?

When I go to vote, I know who I’m voting for and why. For some reason I tend to think that most, if not everybody, does the same. Signs do not play a part in that process, no matter how many there are or how close to my placing the actual vote they may be

If any readers have an explanation or a different viewpoint, I’d love to read it.

Thank you for subscribing to The Word Of Jeff. This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. If you are not reading
this material in your RSS reader, the site you are looking at is guilty of copyright infringement. http://the-word-of-
jeff.blogspot.com/
Posted in Politics | 4 Comments

Early Voting

by Jeff W Posted on November 3, 2008

Cindy and I took advantage of the Early Voting opportunity last Friday to, you know, avoid the crowds of tomorrow’s election day. Between the time that we stepped into the line that stretched around 3 sides of the library polling place and when we stepped out the door after voting, we spent almost 2 hours shuffling in line with hundreds of other early voters.

But that’s ok. It was exciting to see so many people exercising their right to vote. I would much rather wait in line than see reports of low voter turnout on news reports.

If you did not take advantage of the opportunity to vote early or by absentee ballot, I hope that you’ll be sure to go out tomorrow and do what so many in this world do not have the right to do and help put your mark on our city, county, state and country’s future by casting your vote.

Thank you for subscribing to The Word Of Jeff. This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. If you are not reading
this material in your RSS reader, the site you are looking at is guilty of copyright infringement. http://the-word-of-
jeff.blogspot.com/
Posted in Personal, Politics | Comments Off on Early Voting

National Novel Writing Month

by Jeff W Posted on November 2, 2008

Yesterday kicked off the 10th Annual National Novel Writing Month (or NaNoWriMo, as it is popularly known), and while I don’t know how many writers and would-be writers are participating, Director Chris Baty did announce that the website weathered its highest traffic day in the history of NaNoWriMo.

For those unfamiliar with the concept behind NaNoWriMo, here’s the explanation from the website:

National Novel Writing Month is a fun, seat-of-your-pants approach to novel writing. Participants begin writing November 1. The goal is to write a 175-page (50,000-word) novel by midnight, November 30.

The goal is quantity, not quality, also known as “No Plot! No Problem!”, the NaNo Handbook.

My best wishes to all participants.

Thank you for subscribing to The Word Of Jeff. This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. If you are not reading
this material in your RSS reader, the site you are looking at is guilty of copyright infringement. http://the-word-of-
jeff.blogspot.com/
Posted in NaNoWriMo | Comments Off on National Novel Writing Month

Laptop Magazine Aggravates Me

by Jeff W Posted on November 2, 2008

This is not an earth-shaking problem, but it is on my list of small annoyances.

I happen to think that, when you subscribe to a monthly or quarterly print magazine, you should receive your issue in the mail BEFORE the magazine appears on the newsstand. Is that too much to ask? What good does it do (except for the reduced cost) to be a subscriber and see the magazine you want to read sitting on the shelf at various stores while you’re still waiting for your copy to arrive in the mail?

I walked into Publix last Tuesday and glanced at the magazine rack as I entered the store. There was the November issue of Laptop, the November issue that I had not yet received. Today is Saturday and I STILL have not received my subscription copy. Lest you think I’m a little short-tempered, this is the second time this has happened with Laptop. I like their magazine. I enjoy the various articles and I usually get some good information from each issue…but not if my subscription copy doesn’t arrive.

As I said, it’s a small annoyance. But I just hate to see a magazine I subscribe to sitting on the store shelf before I get it in the mail. I think subscriber issues should be mailed in time to arrive in mailboxes before they arrive on store shelves.

What do you think? Am I in need of an extra dose of patience? Has it ever happened to you…twice with the same magazine?

Thank you for subscribing to The Word Of Jeff. This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. If you are not reading
this material in your RSS reader, the site you are looking at is guilty of copyright infringement. http://the-word-of-
jeff.blogspot.com/
Posted in Personal | 2 Comments

Happy 12th Anniversary!

by Jeff W Posted on October 31, 2008

It was 12 years ago tonight at approximately 9pm that Cindy and I first met. I was working as a DJ in a club and she came in dressed in a Medieval wench dress for our Halloween contest and asked me to play a song for her.

Within a few months I asked the little Witch (I say that in the most positive sense) to marry me and to my everlasting joy she said, “Yes.”


(From The Witching Hour #36, November 1973)

These past 12 years have been the happiest of my life. Here are The Shades of Blue, performing how I feel, just for you babe.

Oh how happy you have made me
Oh how happy you have made me

I have kissed your lips a thousand times
And more times than I can count
I have called you mine
You have stood by me in my darkest hour

Oh how happy you have made me
Oh how happy you have made me
Oh how happy you have made me
Oh how happy you have made me

In our years together
We have had stormy weather
But our love has been so strong
That somehow we carried on

Oh how happy you have made me
Oh how happy you have made me

Girl you brought joy in my empty life
And all that was wrong you’ve made it right

Our love
Our love
Our love

Oh how happy you have made me
Oh how happy you have made me

Oh how happy, Oh how happy
Oh how happy, Oh how happy
Oh how happy

You have made me
You have made me
You have made me
You have made me

Thank you for subscribing to The Word Of Jeff. This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. If you are not reading
this material in your RSS reader, the site you are looking at is guilty of copyright infringement. http://the-word-of-
jeff.blogspot.com/
Posted in Personal | 1 Comment

Where Does Candy Corn Come From?

by Jeff W Posted on October 31, 2008

Tomorrow is Halloween. If there is one modern-day candy that is associated with this ancient Celtic celebration of the dissolving of the boundaries between the worlds of the living and the dead, it is (perhaps because of the celebration taking place in the Autumn when crops such as corn are harvested) Candy Corn.

Whatever the reason, I love candy corn. Thanks to my friendly neighborhood doctor, I can’t indulge myself these days, but I would eat bags of it if I could. I used to wish they would sell it all year, but now I’m glad they don’t so I’m not tempted by it the rest of the year.

But where did candy corn come from? Mental Floss offers this short history:

Nobody knows who invented candy corn, but we do know it began to appear in the 1880s, and we know the first company to make it commercially was the Wunderle Candy Company of Philadelphia. Soon after, the Goelitz Confectionery Company began production of candy corn in Cincinnati in 1898. The process at first was daunting: a candy blend was mixed up, heated and then poured by hand into molds. Each mold needed three separate pours to achieve the tri-color glory that is candy corn. Today the process is mechanized and the tri-color composition isn’t nearly as impressive as it was to the people of the 19th century, but the Goelitz Confectionery Company has never changed the recipe and continue to make the candy to this day.

Hmmmm, maybe Goelitz continues to make it, but my favorite brand is still Brach’s…or it was when I could actually eat it.

Here’s an entire blog dedicated to Sweet Candy Corn. They swear that today is National Candy Corn Day. I wish I could join in on the celebration. Oh, and there’s a very funny cartoon over there that answers the question, “Where Does Candy Corn Come From?” so be sure and take a look.

Thank you for subscribing to The Word Of Jeff. This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. If you are not reading
this material in your RSS reader, the site you are looking at is guilty of copyright infringement. http://the-word-of-
jeff.blogspot.com/
Posted in Halloween, Personal | 1 Comment

Another Republican Endorsement For Obama

by Jeff W Posted on October 30, 2008

Prominent Republicans, such as Colin Powell, Scott McClellan and others, have thrown their support to Democratic Party Candidate Barack Obama in the closing days of the Presidential race. Now comes news that the ultimate symbol of the Republican Party has chosen Obama over the Republican party candidate.


Valerie, a 26-year-old female African elephant picks Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama’s picture over Republican presidential candidate John McCain’s at Six Flags Discovery Kingdom in Vallejo, Calif. The elephant, of course, is the symbol of the Republican party.

Thank you for subscribing to The Word Of Jeff. This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. If you are not reading
this material in your RSS reader, the site you are looking at is guilty of copyright infringement. http://the-word-of-
jeff.blogspot.com/
Posted in Humor, Politics | Comments Off on Another Republican Endorsement For Obama

Whatever You Give A Woman…

by Jeff W Posted on October 30, 2008

I’ve seen this all over the blogosphere, but haven’t been able to nail down an origin in order to give proper attribution. However, it’s just too good not to share.

Heed these words of wisdom.

“Whatever you give a woman, she’s going to multiply it.
If you give her a house, she’ll give you a home.
If you give her groceries, she’ll give you a meal.
If you give her a smile, she’ll give you her heart.
She multiplies and enlarges what is given to her.
So – if you give her any crap,
you will receive a ton of $h!t”

Thank you for subscribing to The Word Of Jeff. This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. If you are not reading
this material in your RSS reader, the site you are looking at is guilty of copyright infringement. http://the-word-of-
jeff.blogspot.com/
Posted in Personal | 1 Comment

New Flickr Uploads

by Jeff W Posted on October 30, 2008

As promised, I’ve uploaded photos of our visit to our property on Sheepback Mountain

and our wonderful visit to The Gathering Place B & B in Maggie Valley courtesy of hostess Laura.

You can check them out by clicking here and here, respectively.

More to come!

Thank you for subscribing to The Word Of Jeff. This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. If you are not reading
this material in your RSS reader, the site you are looking at is guilty of copyright infringement. http://the-word-of-
jeff.blogspot.com/
Posted in Maggie Valley, North Carolina, Sheepback Mountain | Comments Off on New Flickr Uploads

Obama Supporters Should Avoid Overconfidence

by Jeff W Posted on October 29, 2008

Or, in Senator Obama’s own words:

“For those of you who are feeling giddy or cocky and think this is all set, I just [have] two words for you: New Hampshire,” the Democratic presidential nominee said during a fundraiser breakfast in New York. “You know I’ve been in these positions before where we were favored and the press starts getting carried away and we end up getting spanked. And so that’s another good lesson that Hillary Clinton taught me.”

Thank you for subscribing to The Word Of Jeff. This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. If you are not reading
this material in your RSS reader, the site you are looking at is guilty of copyright infringement. http://the-word-of-
jeff.blogspot.com/
Posted in Politics | Comments Off on Obama Supporters Should Avoid Overconfidence

Ding Dong! The Witch Is Dead.

by Jeff W Posted on October 29, 2008

I meant to post this earlier last week when we were in North Carolina.

We stopped into The Chocolate Bear, a gourmet chocolate shoppe on Main Street in Waynesville, and were surprised to see that the sister of our friend Rebecca was also in the store.


“I’ll get you, my pretty! And your little dog, too!”

C’mon, you can laugh. It’s almost Halloween!

Thank you for subscribing to The Word Of Jeff. This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. If you are not reading
this material in your RSS reader, the site you are looking at is guilty of copyright infringement. http://the-word-of-
jeff.blogspot.com/
Posted in North Carolina, Personal | 2 Comments