5 Point Dessert

Suzanne is whipping me into shape for the new year, putting me on her Weight Watchers "lifestyle change." It's going well so far... although she's a bit worked up that I get 30 points a day (she's REALLY worked up that I get an extra 8 points a day on her just 'cause I'm a guy.) I think I'm on target to lose close to 10 pounds this first week.

Here's tonight's dessert creation...

Start with a Weight Watchers Double Chocolate Muffin (3 points):

Weight Watchers Double Chocolate Muffins

Weight Watchers Double Chocolate Muffins

Unwrap and give it 15 seconds in the microwave. (I did 16 seconds, to give it "one to grow on.")

Add a scoop of Fat Free Vanilla Ice Scream (2 points.)

5 Point Dessert

GREAT, quick, easy 5 point dessert. Now, if I could only make myself take longer than 15 seconds to eat it...

Ogle the Alton Eagles

Bald Eagle in Alton, IL

Suzanne is the PR Director for the Alton Regional Convention & Visitors Bureau. This time of year, the attention of the Alton, Illinois region - and its visitors - turns almost solely to the annual return of the wintering bald eagles. The Alton Riverbend is one of the best and most beautiful places in the country to see the most bald eagles this time of year.

Today, the Southern Illinoisan published a column by Les Winkeler, outdoors writer, on his trip to the Alton region to see the eagles. It's a good one.

If you're interested in a drive up the river road, check out the CVB website for information on Eagle Meet & Greets, the best places to see the eagles, and more.

To stay really up to date, Fan them on Facebook and/or follow them on Twitter @VisitAlton.

And if you want a funny spin on the eagles up around Alton, check out this video clip that IYI did a couple of years ago that's still a YouTube classic in my book (thanks, Nicole, for the gift that keeps on giving!):

Yep, I Own That Recalled Book

I think this is the first time that a book I owned has been recalled.

I actually laughed out loud just now when I saw the recall on the CSPC website (which I subscribe to, "just in case")... until I read further and realized that, in fact, I own the recalled book.

I received my copy of the 2005 edition of Lowe's Complete Home Improvement and Repair for Christmas a couple of years back from Suzanne's brother and his wife. I'm sure they weren't intending to put us at risk of burning down our house.

Careful, though... don't be so sure you don't have a recalled book as well. This isn't the only title/cover affected. In all, NINE titles sold between January 1975 and December 2009 are affected. Check out the recall notice for more info.

And I thought some of those diagrams looked old.

See? It took 35 years for a guy to crack open one of these books and actually get around to attempting to do some home wiring using it. I think I can wait a couple more months to install that new toilet seat...

Christmas Music Project

THE SITUATION:

On Thanksgiving, I was made aware of a friend of a friend here in the metro east who is living with extremely meager means right now. They own a comic book type store here in the St. Louis area and are blessed to be moving into a Habitat for Humanity House this coming week.

They have two little daughters, and the older daughter (8 years old), wants to play a violin. A violin and the necessary accessories to start to learn are well beyond their means this Christmas.

THE IDEA:

I realized right away that I wanted to help this family give this girl her dream of a Christmas violin.  Music is one of the most important things in my life, and in fact has had a transformational impact upon my life at times. And I thought of how much music and their musical instruments mean to my two young boys already in their lives.

My first thought was to talk to Suzanne and to discern making this purchase as an anonymous gift to the family.

My second thought, and the one that stuck, was to reach out to my family and friends and crowdsource making this dream happen for this young girl. Let's make it happen together.

LET'S DO THIS:

I'd like to challenge my friends and family to join with Suzanne and me in donating toward the purchase of a violin and accessories for this girl's family to give her for Christmas this year.

Any amount will help. I'm confident that the Spirit will provide, and that from among my friends and family, donations of $5, $10, $25, $50 or more will add up quickly and we'll be able to pull this off.

If and when we pull this off, I'll commit to taking on a similar music-based Christmas gift project next year and in years to come.

Will you join me? If so, contact me via email to arrange to get my a donation or donate online quickly and easily here via Paypal:

DONATE NOW:

AND THEN SOME:

Whatever donations I receive above and beyond the cost of a violin and accessories to get this young girl started in her dream of playing the violin, I'll either (1) arrange in advance for some pre-paid lessons for her in the area and/or (2) put the money into escrow toward a similar project next year. So please be as generous as you can, and as you feel called to be, and the money will go to good use to a project along these lines.

Thank you, and God bless you!

Juggle.com

In case you hadn't heard about it or explored it yet, I wanted to introduce you to Juggle.com. A close friend, fellow scout, and former coworker works there. (He's so close a friend, he's going to be Joseph Michael's Godfather.)