AntSaint

Amateur Night

Ah, New Year's Eve. Or, as some of the local barmen call it, "Amateur Night". Think about it: how many people hardly drink a drop all year, then suddenly bust it out for one night, where they will get so sloppy that the average frat daddy would tell them to slow down? Exactly.

New Year's Eve is a holiday I've never been all that into, but I've figured out over the years how to make it more fun.

1) Don't go to bars
2) Celebrate with close friends and family. Generally, the smaller the gathering, the better
3) Drink only quality, not quantity. If your idea of drinking is a pitcher of Bud, well, my condolences, but hey — it's a new year. Tie on a new one. Try something Belgian. Or a Northwest microbrew. Get a really nice wine, or splurge on some top of the top shelf hard-liquor. But drink quality, and pace yourself
4) The next day, have a big, greasy breakfast. Because it's tasty, and death to any hangovers.

I know a lot of people will hit the bars. I'm glad I'm not one of them. I'm glad I'll be with Jodie and some select friends. I'm glad I'll be drinking some really nice booze, but not too much of it. And I'm glad there'll be some food waiting in the fridge, and fresh beans in the coffee grinder, for the next morning's gnosh to truly welcome us into the new year.

Homemade Furniture Polish

Saw this a while back on the My Way - My Way Today - Frugal Tip. (which changes every day, but keeps the same link. It's worth checking out and following — you'll learn some neat tricks)

Homemade Furniture Polish: Make your own furniture polish. Use 2 cups of water, 1/2-cup olive oil and 2 teaspoons of lemon oil. Pour into a spray bottle and shake.

Too much

Do you ever feel like there's just too much? Too many recipes to whip up. Too many blogs to read. Too many tips and tools to try. The variety is great — but is it getting in its own way? Hmm. That's something to ponder as a new year barrels our way...

Aran Islands by Ferry - Daily ferry from Doolin to Aran Islands

I've spent some very happy days on Inisheer, the smallest of the Aran Islands, in Ireland's Galway Bay. Now you can take a ferry from Doolin to Inisheer as well. Check out the website from these fine folks. In addition to ferry (and ferry booking info), there's also some information on the island too:

Link: Aran Islands by Ferry - Daily ferry from Doolin to Aran Islands.

Firebug 1.0 Beta

I've been fiddling with this handy extension for checking and fiddling with CSS, HTML, etc., inside of Firefox. SitePoint speaks highly of Firebug, and so far I'm concurring:

Link: SitePoint Blogs � Free at Last: Firebug 1.0 Beta.

Launching Your Product: Seven Marketing 'Musts'

The old dilemma: sure, you have something great — but who cares? Or, rather, how do you help them see that they should not only care, but be really really amped up about it too?

Link: Launching Your Product: Seven Marketing 'Musts' | MarketingProfs.com.

"A jolt. That's what you want from your product launch. An impact that will ripple through your customer base, resound with your prospects, and shake up your competitors. Smart, strategic launches always create a jolt. It's the way to jumpstart a product, gain market share, enhance a brand. But how do you create that jolt?"

Merry Christmas

Or Happy Holidays. Or, just have a great day, just because it's another day. As for me, I'll be having a merry Christmas.

Best to you.

Things to do today

• Eat a really nice breakfast, including some of my favorite foods
• Talk to and spend time with some folks I care a great deal about
• Do something unique that I'll remember for years to come
• Eat a really nice lunch
• Eat a few nice snacks
• Eat a really really nice dinner
• Get ready for presents!

Eugene Hiking - Winter Waterfall Walks: The rainy season is prime time to visit many Oregon waterfalls

Seeing a hiking spot, especially a waterfall, at different times of year is something I love doing. Having seen Sweet Creek Falls in the summer, I'd love to also see it in the winter, when the water levels are different. The R-G talks up Sweet Creek, as well as a few other great winter hiking spots outside of Eugene:

Link: Winter Waterfall Walks: The rainy season is prime time to visit many Oregon waterfalls - The Register-Guard, Eugene, Oregon, USA.

Harry Potter Book 7 title announced - Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

Now we know what the book's going to be called... now we just need that release date...

Link: MuggleNet | Book 7 - Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.