Jenny and I usually have a couple cups of coffee when I come home for lunch. Somehow, we got this started a couple years ago. Anyway, we ran out of creamer which is not a good situation. That’s right, we are wimps and put junk in our coffee. In a pinch with no emergency supplies, I came up with the idea to make a mocha coffee using hot chocolate mix. It tasted really good! Here is what you do. Brew your coffee like normal, pour a packet of hot chocolate mix in a mug, pour in coffee and stir. The stuff we had also has a packet those dried up marshmallows which we tossed in for a little frothiness. I would imagine that this would also be good as an iced coffee if you add the coffee to crushed ice.

Contrary to popular belief, working in a prison isn’t all bad. If you don’t know, I am a computer sytems analyst so I don’t deal with the dirty work.

Case in point is the BBQ lunch enjoyed today to benefit the Special Olympics. Thanks to Russel G. and everyone who helped prepare the meal consisting of BBQ chicken, bean, cole slaw, roll, and cake. Not a bad spread for five bucks!

Through out the year, DOC does many things that helps raise money for Special Olympics and culminates with the Law Enforcement Torch Run that like the Olympics, runs the torch all around Florida at events in all counties. The Pasco County Torch Run is scheduled for May 3rd and I look forward to participating again.

Was amazing how many people were running the Gasparilla half and full marathons wired up with MP3 players and other gizmos attached to themselves with music blaring in their ears.

Early in the race, I was passing one woman who had the volume cranked to the same song repeating over and over. I forget the name of the song (maybe “Crank up the Volume”?). It’s one of the songs that is popular at most sporting events. I thought I had gotten rid of her, but she must have gotten an energy spurt because I started hearing her behind me again. What she didn’t realize was all the people around her laughing.

Later, after the marathoners rejoined the half marathoners, I came upon another woman blaring the music. I could hear her from 10-20 feet away. I can’t imagine what was happening to her ear drums!

People with the tunes blaring at races are a hazard to others and themselves much like dingys who text and talk on their phones in a car.

Thanks to the multiple voices in my head, I do not even train using a mp3 player. Not matter where I go, I have my little friends chattering away at me, no batteries required!

If you must listen to music while running, PLEASE be courteous to others and at least turn the volume down so those around you don’t have to suffer.

There had already been more color on the trees this winter than there ever has meaning the color was actually noticeable. The weather warmed up yesterday and we noticed that trees all over town were relatively bursting with color. I have never seen Oak Trees leaves change color before. For Central Florida, it is quite an amazing site next to snow!

Its the most wonderful day of the year!! Tax refund from our friends at the U.S. Government, now there’s real stimulus we can count on! Hope everyone gets their taxes done and is lucky enough to get a nice cash infusion.

If you are doing your own taxes, I highly recommend using Tax Act software. I have used them for a few years now ever since I used Turbo Tax and got a better refund double checking with Tax Act which was free. Just go to www.taxact.com to do a free return or pay $13 for the deluxe edition that allows you to save and import returns.

I don’t ever watch the address since I don’t really want to have to waste an hour of my life listening to the President ramble on about how things are going to get better. I find it better to just wait until the next day to read about the highlights and what different people have to say about the speech whether he is full of it or not.

First off, I really like Obama and think he is trying to help. I also think that once he got into office, he found out how hard it would be to do anything he wants and got over his head.

From what I have read of last night’s address, I don’t think Obama helped his case too much. He may have the best ideas in the world, but we will never know because the actual plans get so distorted. Obama needs to start laying his plans for review to the public on his own controlled site so that the content does not get skewed by politicians and other commentators.

Obama and a lot of politicians talk about more stimulus. That’s great, but where is the money coming from? If you have to borrow money to stimulate, all that is doing is digging a larger hole. Like most all Americans and people around the world, until the Government’s house is in order, how can they possibly help others?

Like most people, we have dug our own financial hole in the past by our own doing or outside circumstances. We are just about out of it! We are so lucky that we are not facing problems like job loss that millions of others are. I can’t imagine what those people are going through.

It seems to me that one of the biggest problems facing America and the world is the price of goods has outpaced the earning potential of most people. The basic necessities of life (food, shelter, gas, etc.) has gone up so much that a lot of people are going without. Amazing, though, that the cost of luxury items like HD TVs has come down so much. How screwed up is that?

Unfortunately, in the current political climate, God could be President and nothing would happen. So, I don’t put blame on Obama. I do wish that Ron Paul would have had a chance in the Presidential election. Everything I read about him during the primaries just made sense. I would have and still would vote for him if he decides to run again in 2012.