Anyone that uses social media to any extent knows the rules change. Just look at Facebook recently, and apparently LinkedIn as well. The developers of the social media websites and applications make changes all the time. Some are for privacy, functionality or well  just because. That last one is the tricky one. As a user, when we use their product we accept the responsibility that no matter how their app works, defame or maims us we cannot hold them liable. I recently learned this the hard way. I fired myself on LinkedIn and did not even know it. Recently I updated my LinkedIn work experience to include a couple more items. I added blogging on this site as well as the freelance writing I do for Father Jerzy’s Road to Sainthood. Sounds innocent enough…right? Soon after making the changes I started getting congratulations notifications from people in my network. It is awesome whenever we get kudos especially for our art.  I received some personal notes that really made my day. Then I started to wonder what all the fuss was really about… Thankfully, I am not networked with my manager on LinkedIn. This became evident when a coworker at my day job stopped by my desk. They were checking to see if I had left yet and wanted to know if I was fired or quit. A bit confused, they said my LinkedIn profile said I had a new gig. I checked it..it did.. it had fired me from my day job. Apparently when you […]

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As we belly up to the table to eat massive amounts of turkey…here is some food for thought on Thanksgiving. 1. Thomas Jefferson thought the idea of Thanksgiving was “the most ridiculous idea I’ve ever heard.” 2. Benjamin Franklin wanted the national bird to be a turkey. That would just be weird. An eagle, he wrote in a letter to his daughter, had “bad moral character.” A turkey, on the other hand, was a “much more respectable bird.” 3. Turkeys were one of the first species to be domesticated in America. Guess that makes countries like China or Korea almost normal. ( research their delicacies as I prefer not to give credit here) 4. Sarah Josepha Hale, an editor, and author of ‘Mary had a little lamb’, tried to make Thanksgiving a holiday in 1827 and was successful. 5. Congress did not declare Thanksgiving a national holiday until 1941. It was declared to be the fourth Thursday of November. 6. The first Thanksgiving lasted three days. Maybe that’s why people eat three days worth in one day. 7. Since Harry Truman a turkey has been pardoned for Thanksgiving every year. 8. T.V. dinners would never have existed if Thanksgiving did not happen.  After over estimating by 26 tons of turkey for the holiday Swanson sliced and repackaged it into the frozen T.V. dinner. 9. Turkeys are known to have heart attacks just like people. After some Air Force flight practice testing the sound barrier they found turkeys in the area dead. 10. Turkeys will be eaten […]

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Anyone that owns a dog knows that getting them proper exercise, socialization and play time is key to a happy life. Dog exercise is actually good for its owners as well. It is our responsibility to ensure our pets receive what they need. Dogs are not meant to be tossed out in the back yard and ignored. They need stimulation and exercise to remain healthy. A ten minute walk around the block is okay, but not nearly enough for most breeds. Most dogs can use a good 30 minutes of real exercise as a minimum each day. Larger dogs and those with higher energy levels will need more to keep them healthy and happy. In addition to the daily walks and the throwing of a ball, dogs need to be able to play hard every once and awhile. Dogs are natural pack animals and generally speaking do well with other dogs. A dog really gets its work out is when it gets to… well be a dog. Providing dog exercise with other dogs every once in a while will help in many ways. Even dogs that may not be so social can benefit for good hard off leash fun. Some Benefits include: 1. Socialization – even if you take your dog to every store or restaurant that may allow them. That does not make up for the good old fashion butt sniffing fun they can have together with other dogs. No matter the size or breed, or fear the owner may have, generally dogs can hold their […]

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