This cozy little BBQ place really satisfies the desire for good ol’ Texas BBQ.  Having spent years driving to Johnnie’s mobile BBQ wagon on Saturday mornings to get a couple huge brisket sandwiches, we’ve missed the mouth watering taste of that Texas treat.  (Okay, so Bird Dog says it’s Oklahoma style, but we won’t dredge up that old rivalry.  :-)  Mesquite or oak smoked, it all tastes great! ) Well, no more waiting!  Colorado Springs loves Bird Dog BBQ and so does my family.  Great pulled pork, brisket, and links and a unique wasabi BBQ sauce that adds just the right tang to your sandwich.  Give it a try.  They are located at Stetson Hills and Powers but I read recently they just opened a new location at Shops at Briargate too.

Did you ever want to be an astronaut?  Do you get feeds from the NASA website regularly?  Are you a space geek?  Then get to the Fine Arts Center soon to see the current exhibit on the history of NASA.  I love looking at Hubble photos and have used them as inspiration for ATCs (artist trading cards).

I was sent this article today and thought it was quite clever and deserved a wider audience.  If you know who the author is, please let me know so we can give credit where it is due.  Enjoy!

A New Element Added to the Periodic Table

Research has led to the discovery of the heaviest element yet known to science. The new element, Governmentium (Gv), has one neuron, 25 assistant neurons, 88 deputy neurons, and 198 assistant deputy neurons, giving it anatomic mass of 312.

These 312 particles are held together by forces called morons, which are surrounded by vast quantities of lepton-like particles called peons. Since Governmentium has no electrons, it is inert; however, it can be detected, because it impedes every reaction with which it comes into contact.

A minute amount of Governmentium can cause a reaction that would normally take less than a second to take from four days to four years to complete.  Governmentium has a normal half-life of 2-6 years; it does not decay, but instead undergoes a reorganization in which a portion of the assistant neurons and deputy neurons exchange places. In fact, Governmentium’s mass will actually increase over time, since each reorganization will cause more morons to become neurons, forming isodopes.

This characteristic of moron promotion leads some scientists to believe that Governmentium is formed whenever morons reach a critical concentration. This hypothetical quantity is referred to as critical morass. When catalyzed with money, Governmentium becomes Administratium, an element that radiates just as much energy as Governmentium since it has half as many peons but twice as many morons.

Happy New Year and Welcome to 2010!  Tear off your rear view mirror and start driving with purpose.  I am very excited about the new year.  I have plans for myself and my business.  Real written plans.  Do you?  So I have my map and I’m going to use it to get to December 31, 2010 and applaud what occurred during the year.  I spent a few minutes reading through some old posts on my blog and I realized that one theme came through - be positive and believe in yourself.  Yes, that can sound trite, but if you don’t have a vision of where you will be 12 months from now, you will be in the same place or worse.  I plan to be in a better place even though I’m pretty happy with where I’m at now.  Success builds on success.  Let’s all have a plan for success in 2010.  Join me.  I’ll be waiting at the finish line next December with a glass of champagne in my hand.  How about you?  If you need a little motivation, just come back here and start reading.  We’ll keep the positive vibes coming for you.

This isn’t what I normally post about, but I’m a fiber artist and I happened to run across this website since a group I meet with once a month just moved to The Bead Corner in Monument.  The quilt shop where we used to meet, Wild Heather, moved to Denver.  I’ll have to make it to Denver occasionally because Wild Heather carries a lot of neat stuff for fiber artists.  While searching for The Bead Corner, I found this site which lists all the bead shops in Colorado.  So if you like beads, check it out.  Thanks Rocky Mountain Bead Society for making it easier for us to spend money and help the economy!

I had a rare play day yesterday which was full of laughter and camaraderie.  I had committed last year to be a member of the audience during the taping of the online tv show, The Quilt Show.  Tapings are done twice a year and orchestrated by my fellow PDQ guild member, Lilo Bowman.  So yesterday was the big day and I and a friend drove 2 hours to La Veta, CO, a very cute little mountain town, to spend the day participating in the taping of 2 shows.  The taping was done by a very professional and efficient crew.  It was a lot of fun!  I even had the opportunity to be on camera to ask a question of guest, Carol Doak.

The Quilt Show is a great quilter’s site that is hosted by Ricky Tims and Alex Anderson.  HGTV cancelled Alex’s popular Simply Quilts a few years ago and The Quilt Show is the result of filling in that gap.  One thing I like about the site is the series of demonstration videos by Bernina.  I have a Bernina machine and the videos are great for learning new ways to use this powerhouse machine.  One of my favorite features is my needle felting attachment.  It’s a total right brain activity that’s easy to do when I don’t want to have to think too hard.

Over the weekend a local news story told the tale.  A grass fire started near Garden of the Gods and it wasn’t started by any of the usual suspects - lightning, carelessness, wind blown sparks.  Instead, it was started by a squirrel!

Apparently, a squirrel was on the power lines and touched 2 lines at the same time, thus committing squirrel suicide and bursting into flames and falling to the dry landscape below.  This started a grass fire which nearby neighbors held at bay until fire crews arrived to put out the blaze.  So the next time you see a squirrel on the power lines nearby, keep your hose handy.  You might need it.

I am a book fanatic.  I never read just one book.  I usually have at least a half dozen on my bedside table tabbed where I left off when I was in the mood for that topic.  When I check books out at the library I have to make sure I read them straight through or I end up renewing them or paying fines for being overdue.  So lately, I’ve been buying books more trying to keep the bookstores in business and help the economy.

I learned about a book on being a Realtor in the changing real estate market while at the CRS Sellabration in San Francisco last month.  Shift by Gary Keller.  Gary has a lot of great ideas that I rip off and duplicate - the greatest form of flattery - in my business at RE/MAX.  The other book I learned about today from Margaret Kelly as she spoke to the RE/MAX Convention attendees.  (I watched her on the web.)  The Energy Bus by Jon Gordon.  I think I’ll check that one out.  It sounds like it has a story I would enjoy and I can probably read it in one sitting.

Did you know a very small percentage of the US population reads books?  We have a wealth of knowledge from people sharing what has and hasn’t worked in their lives and businesses on the shelves of libraries,  bookstores, and online bookstores all over the country.  I learn so many things that help me in business and in my creative pursuits that I can’t imagine not taking time to sit down with a book each day.

One post leads to another it seems.  In looking for photos of the Collegiate Peaks in Colorado I clicked through one site to another.  In the process I found this great site for South Central Colorado - home of great skiing in winter and white water rafting in summer.  The Arkansas River stretches through this area and passes through the dramatic Rifle Gorge.  If you are planning a Colorado vacation, don’t miss this area of the state.  One of my favorite spots is the Great Sand Dunes.  Amazing!

Yesterday we went skiing at Monarch Mountain.  The snow was great, but you had to know how to keep yourself upright in deep powder to keep from doing a face plant.  As it can be at Monarch, it was cold and snowing and the wind made your cheeks pink riding the lift.  It was a glorious day with great skiing.  Tip for skiing powder:  Keep your ski tips up by redistributing your weight slightly back.

On the way home the clouds lifted and driving past the Collegiate Peaks was spectacular.  Snow covered and massive, they stretch through central Colorado and create a feast for the eyes.