We Have Moved

This blog has moved to www.daily-adventures.com

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Daily-Adventures.Com: Coming to a PC Near You

I finally broke down and decided to buy a domain name for Daily Adventures in a Semi-Boring Life. I purchased the domain name through my usual godaddy. I really wasn’t expecting the name that I wanted to be readily available. I first tried dailyadventures.com without the hyphen. This domain name was, in fact, available, but at the premium rate of over $1800. I found that price to be just a tad too high for a blogger newbie like myself to dole out. My second try was daily-adventures.com, with the hyphen. As luck would have it, that domain name was available for just under $10 per year. I eagerly snatched it up.

I further decided to secure a web hosting account through godaddy, specifically for Daily Adventures. The hosting account is in the process of being set up by the good folks at godaddy. I am sure I will have much to learn in this process. However, I do believe that there is more that you can do with your WordPress blog if you have your own hosting apart from WordPress.

I am realistic enough to expect many an obstacle to overcome, However, I am also excited and optimistic enough to anticipate that this process will make Daily-Adventures a can’t miss blog. Look for good things to come!

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Middle Age? Heck, No! My Life is Just Beginning at 40

I am just a few short days away from a milestone birthday. Years ago, at the age of 20, and even at 30, I thought that 40 was considered middle age. Now, I am actually approaching that age where over-the-hill surprise parties are cliche. You know the ones. They are decked out in black balloons and roses, graveyard-style cakes, and an overabundance of impractical gag gifts.

What I find so surprising is the fact that I am actually excited turning 40! My friends attribute this to the fact that I have a party to look forward to. This will be a celebration that is all about me. It will be my day to shine in the spotlight! Personally, I think it is more than that. Here some of the reasons that I have chosen not to merely accept the fact that I am becoming a woman of 40 years. It is for these reasons that I have chosen to embrace my 40th year with gratitude and a rejuvenation and zeal for life.

First, I am blessed to have made it this far. In my mind, if I dread turning another year older, I am taking for granted the gift of life. If I don’t want to move from 39 to 40, what would the alternative be? Hello! I am thankful and grateful for each year of my life.

Second, I still have so much in life and about life to learn. Life is about being on a journey, not about having all of the answers. In the last 40 years, I have made my share of mistakes, bad decisions, and poor choices. Alternatively, during that same time, I have made at least a few choices that proved to be wise. I have been blessed, and in turn, have had a part in blessing others. I have learned so much, yet have much to learn. I am taking on my 40th year with a renewed determination to learn and grow more than I ever have before. I sincerely hope that I never find all the answers to life, at least not in this temporal, earthly life. If I were to have all the answers, or even think that I have all the answers, I would never again have the opportunity to learn and grow.

Third, I can use this time to become a woman of purpose, power, and conviction! If I choose, I can help lead and guide women younger than myself, while at the same time, be molded by women older and more mature than myself. Nobody will ever be too old (or too young, for that matter) to help shape and pour into the lives of others. I CAN use this season of my life to impact those around me, and make a difference in this world!

It is for these reasons, that I am totally stoked at turning 40. Bring it on!

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Bluegrass & BBQ

I spent the weekend of Memorial Day at a retreat in nearby, Branson, Missouri. The retreat began Friday evening and ended around 10 o’clock Monday morning. We began boarding the church vans for the rather short drive home. As I was loading my luggage, my friend announced to me that he had two free guest passes to Silver Dollar City. Apparently, he was planning on meeting his parents, who both held season passes, for the annual Bluegrass and BBQ festival. The regular adult admission to Silver Dollar City is quite hefty, so I knew that this was the perfect chance to go there without breaking the bank!

I enjoy most all genres of music, at least a little bit, but bluegrass isn’t at the top of my list. Then again, it isn’t exactly at the bottom either. I decided to attend the festival with my friend, who also treated me to lunch, even with the sky-high prices that are prevalent at theme parks such as this. I ended up having a great time! Additionally, I was exposed to some bluegrass bands with which I was not familiar. As a result, I developed a new appreciation for the genre. Three of the bands became new favorites to me.

• Cherryholmes is a Grammy-nominated, family based out of Nashville.
• The Grascals are a six-man band, also based out of Nashville.
• Dailey & Vincent, is a five-part group, including leads, Jamie Dailey and Darrin Vincent.

I had a fabulous time at the retreat! Then, just when I thought the weekend was over, it got even better!

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Bluegrass & BBQ

I spent the weekend of Memorial Day at a retreat in nearby, Branson, Missouri. The retreat began Friday evening and ended around 10 o’clock Monday morning. We began boarding the church vans for the rather short drive home. As I was loading my luggage, my friend announced to me that he had two free guest passes to Silver Dollar City. Apparently, he was planning on meeting his parents, who both held season passes, for the annual Bluegrass and BBQ festival. The regular adult admission to Silver Dollar City is quite hefty, so I knew that this was the perfect chance to go there without breaking the bank!

I enjoy most all genres of music, at least a little bit, but bluegrass isn’t at the top of my list. Then again, it isn’t exactly at the bottom either. I decided to attend the festival with my friend, who also treated me to lunch, even with the sky-high prices that are prevalent at theme parks such as this. I ended up having a great time! Additionally, I was exposed to some bluegrass bands with which I was not familiar. As a result, I developed a new appreciation for the genre. Three of the bands became new favorites to me.

• Cherryholmes is a Grammy-nominated, family based out of Nashville.
• The Grascals are a six-man band, also based out of Nashville.
• Dailey & Vincent, is a five-part group, including leads, Jamie Dailey and Darrin Vincent.

I had a fabulous time at the retreat! Then, just when I thought the weekend was over, it got even better!

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David vs David: Which One Will America Idolize?

It is just about time for the final showdown of the season to begin. But which David will walk away as America’s coveted idol? Both David Cook and David Archuleta have strong potential. I honestly believe that while only one will win this particular contest, both should be able to carve a niche in the music scene to call their own.

David Cook is a little older, more mature, and less emotional. I firmly believe that he is ready to handle the rigors of a recording contract and a grueling tour schedule. I am probably a little partial to Cook since he hails from Missouri, the state in which I reside. I also think he is one of the more original artists on American Idol in recent seasons. I just wish he would diversify his music a little beyond rock. However, I guess he has found his niche – he is a rocker!

David Archuleta has amazing talent, but I think he is a little too emotional and less mature than David Cook. I am not sure he could handle the rigors of the music industry without the constant help of his over zealous and seemingly domineering father. His dad seems to have drawn a certain amount of negative attention to the competition. I hope for his son’s sake, people judge David Archuleta for his talent, not for his father.

While both have a strong following, I believe that we will have a glimpse into which age bracket makes up the majority of the American Idol viewing audience. I think that Archuleta will carry the teen vote, while viewers in their later 20’s and older will be more likely to choose David Cook.

So who will you vote for? Who will America idolize this time around? Only time will tell.

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Daily Adventures on the Go, or How I am Mobilizing My Blog

Yesterday, I happened upon Wirenode, which is a fairly new service for bloggers. I was instantly intrigued to discover that I can easily create a mobile web page version of my blog. I was able to choose from a variety of different colors and styles. I was also able to choose from a selection of available content, including a Twitter widget. I love Twitter, so that was a definite plus. The site is based out of the Czech Republic, but it is also available in English. Because the service and website seem to be relatively new, the wiki and faq sections are somewhat incomplete. There really is not a comprehensive help section, though they do offer support via email. There are widgets that you can place on your site to promote your newly created mobile application. Wirenode also keeps daily statistics of hits on your mobile web page in addition to page views.

Right now, I am just testing the waters, though I am initially quite impressed. Feel free to access the mobile version of Daily Adventures by visiting http://dailyadventures.wirenode.mobi.

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Wordless Wednesday: Stopping to Smell the Flowers

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I am Really Digging Digsby

Through one of my Twitter friends, I learned about this neat little application called Digsby. Digsby is basically a one-stop spot to keep track of your IM, email, and social networks. With this cool tool, I can see my Facebook, Myspace, and Twitter friends’ updates and newsfeeds in one quick glance. I can also keep track of which of my IM contacts are online using multiple IM clients. I can keep track of incoming emails from more than one provider. For example, I use Hotmail, Yahoo, and Gmail. Digsby also offers some widgets that you can embed on your websites and even Myspace and Facebook. One of the widgets I use is the chat widget. I highly recommend Digsby, especially if you are a social butterfly on the net. It is a big time saver and quite a nifty tool.

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May is National Salad Month

I have learned that the month of May is the official National Salad Month. I am not exactly sure who made this declaration, but I have heard that it was started by the official Association for Dressings and Sauces in 1992. However, as someone who is striving to eat more healthful, nutritious fare I have decided to pay homage to this month-long holiday. I resolve to eat at least one serving of salad or other type of leafy green vegetable each and every day for the month of May. That is not a small feat for this gal, as I generally choose meats, breads & grains, and sweets over a typical salad. It may be a tad easier now that we are getting close to summer, when I know I will have the occasional craving for a tasty, but cold salad or fruit.

Things I am keeping in mind for National Salad Month:

• Not all salads are low-fat, low-calorie, or healthy. Typically, many salads available at your favorite restaurants are over-sized and “over-caloried.” Be sure to check out nutritional information online before you head out to eat, or ask for the information at the restaurant. You might be surprised!
• I always ask for a non-fat dressing first, or at the very least, a low-fat dressing. And I always insist the dressing be served on the side.
• I never pour the dressing over my salad. Instead, I dip my fork in the dressing between each bite. I then pick up a piece of the lettuce salad. The dressing goes much further, and the amount of fat and calories that I take in goes down. Yet, I still have the taste of dressing in each bite.
• Sometimes, when I am at home, I will experiment by making my own “dressings.” For example, last night, I mixed some red wine vinegar and couple of seasonings to use as dressing for my salad. Be creative, but do pay attention to the amount of fat and calories of the ingredients you are using.

For more tips and ideas on healthy eating and restaurant food, check out Hungry-Girl.com

Take the Salad Dressing Personality Quiz

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