Canadian Wins Miss Universe
Tuesday, May 31, 2005
A 23-year-old Canadian named Natalie Glebova has been crowned Miss Universe 2005 -- becoming only the second Canadian to win the competition.
http://sympaticomsn.ctv.ca/
posted by aforward @ 4:50 PM,
,
Danica Patrick Finishes 4th at Indy 500
Monday, May 30, 2005
Source Mike Kupper, Los Angeles Times
INDIANAPOLIS -- Danica Patrick did not win the Indianapolis 500 on Sunday but, gosh, as she would say, she sure dominated it.
Just as she had dominated nearly a month's worth of practice as an Indy rookie. Just as she had stolen the show with a near miss on pole-qualifying day.
This time, though, everything was for real. This wasn't practice. This wasn't four laps of qualifying, with nobody else on the track.
This was the race, 500 miles, 200 laps around the old 2 ½-mile brickyard, where for years, men were men and women weren't welcome. This time, she was out there with 32 other cars, in front of more than 300,000 fans.
And at one stage late in the race, as she led -- only one woman had ever led before, Patrick, earlier in the race -- after having battled back from 16th place, she had nearly every one of them standing, cheering, waving, urging her on to what would have been the most revolutionary victory in American sports history.
As TV star David Letterman, one of her team's co-owners, pointed out, "She had the thing perpendicular to the cement and still had a chance to win."
It didn't work out quite that way, but...
According to one of racing's oldest saws, "Nobody cares who finished second." Yet when the sun went down over the grandstands, people were talking more about Patrick's fourth-place finish than about Englishman Dan Wheldon's victory -- a legitimate, well-deserved victory.
But then, he had simply won the race. She had spent her afternoon making history. Among her accomplishments:
• She started fourth, higher than any woman before her.
• On lap 56, when she stayed out after leader Dario Franchitti and second runner Tony Kanaan had pitted, she became the first woman to lead the 500, although women had recorded 1,688 racing laps.
• On lap 189, she took advantage of the draft and made a racing move equal to any by any male driver, passing Wheldon for the lead on a restart after a caution period.
• She led three times for a total of 19 laps.
• She became the first woman to finish on the lead lap. The best previous finish by a woman was 11th, seven laps down, by Lyn St. James in 1992.
• She stalled her car in the pits, falling from fourth to 16th, then, in her haste to make up ground, touched wheels with Kosuke Matsuura's car and, later, on a restart, got a full taste of the Indianapolis experience, spinning and taking out cars driven by Panther teammates Tomas Enge and Tomas Scheckter.
"Gosh, did I make some mistakes," Patrick said. "I stalled it. ... I spun. And I can't believe that my car didn't completely demolish because I got hit, like, twice. Spun it around. I can't believe I kept the engine running. ... And I'm going to be real mad at myself for stalling [in the pits]."
But when she was asked if she thought she'd made a point for females, she was quick to answer, "I made a hell of a point for anybody, are you kidding me? I came from the back twice."
posted by aforward @ 12:56 PM,
,
Feel Like I'm Flying A Plane
Friday, May 27, 2005
As my little e-commerce site gets ready for lift off this week, I feel like I'm a pilot at the wheel of a jet plane. I actually feel my self pushing and pulling the gears, steering my little company...hopefully to a bright future. I'm sure I'm feeling everything a pilot goes through, excitement and exhilaration.
I even have my own little co-pilot...He's very good at the back end technical stuff and I take care of the strategy. I love the strategy and I love the planning. I love how I can always just look back at my plan whenever I have doubts and it helps me stay on track.
I love the content of my product and I know it provides value to the end user, (which should be the first goal of any project).
I like to think I've taken the necessary steps to make this plane fly, but only time will tell.
I don't feel rushed...yet, which is good. There is one deadline that is fast approaching but I think everything will be ready by then.
posted by aforward @ 10:22 AM,
,
Saying for the Day...
Thursday, May 26, 2005
Work to learn, put money to work
posted by aforward @ 9:50 AM,
,
Carpal Tunnell
Wednesday, May 25, 2005
So my download rigamortus has lasted its longest time ever. My right hand is just becoming a little claw attached to my mouse. My hand posture must be way off, I'll have to do some surfing on the proper hand posture at the computer.
I wonder if badminton has anything to do with it?
posted by aforward @ 11:23 AM,
,
Paris Hilton: Professional Celebrity
Tuesday, May 24, 2005
This was a funny I heard over the weekend. Paris Hilton is a professional Celebrity. She doesn't really do anything, she just makes a living from being famous.
posted by aforward @ 12:44 PM,
,
Rise Lord Vader
So got out to see Star Wars III on Sunday. It was a nice afternoon out with my husband. It was a busy week for us with the closet being installed and the 15 jobs we currently hold down. It was a nice date complete with large size of TCBY, which more than enough ice cream for two people (mental note).
As for Anakin and the crew, great movie, great effects and just over all better than the first two. It was the first time I liked Obi Wan.
It was pretty amusing watching Darth get used to his new suit.
posted by aforward @ 12:35 PM,
,
The Closet is Coming
Friday, May 20, 2005
The closet is coming, the closet is coming.
After one year of living without a closet and one year of living with a "so-so" closet, Andrew and I finally made the plunge into getting another little treat for the house.
We passed over on a plasma TV and went for a closet renovation. It will be installed tomorrow morning and should cause the following ripple effect:
-less clutter in the office area
-less clutter in the bedroom
-a nice display area for pictures and stuff
-much better lighting in the bedroom
While our home is a bit of a disaster area right now (lots of drilling, sanding and painting and no where to put our clothes). It will all be worth it in the end, and we can say we did a "Trading Spaces" type makeover.
Before and after pictures to follow.
posted by aforward @ 10:48 AM,
,
Web Business Models
Tuesday, May 17, 2005
Found this site today, that defines a number of web-based business models.
http://commerce.concordia.ca/gkersten/e-business_new/ebusiness_models.html
Some good info for anyone thinking a web-business but not sure where to start.
What I am trying to accomplish with Fundsport is to build a bit of community. I'm leaning a little towards inviting some "guest contributors". I think this could work well. It is a little bit less work than moderating a forum and the content would be continuosly fresh and updated.
The authors would receive benefits as well, ie: a link back to their site and some recognition on a very professional site.
posted by aforward @ 2:37 PM,
,
A Second Look At Money
Monday, May 16, 2005
Up until now I've a little bit obsessive with our budget. I log into our bank account everyday to make sure everything is just right. I always have to know andsee what is going in and out.
It is good because on one hand I can check for any mistakes or banking errors and it keeps us on track to reach our financial goals.
It is bad because I put too much added/uneeded pressure on us.
Then I was enlightened this weekend by an anomamly which occurred. I made my first cash withdrawl from the mortgage account. What makes it an anomaly is that it was a withdrawl that wasn't accounted for in our budget.
The point is, it was a nice feeling to have a big wad of cash in my wallet and not really have a care as to what the consequences were. We had a great weekend filled with Pho and Sushi and recessed lights. All purchased with my little wad.
The second point is...we are only 26 and we are way ahead af where we should be at this age. We have own a home, we have RRSPs, we don't carry credit card debt, we don't have the major expense of a car and we have pretty secure jobs. So why do I feel like we are alwys pinching pennies instead of going out and experiencing all that life has to offer.
Full-Time, career type 9-5 jobs are so restrictive.
I think about how much happier I am on the weekend then during week. I still work on the weekend but, working for myself just somehow doesn't seem like work.
An then I spoke to an old friend on the weekend and she mentioned she had just landed her dream job. Well I'm not sure how anything that involves working 9-5 for someone else can be a dream, but maybe I have a lot to learn.
Well if everything works out like how I am hoping, I will be self employed sooner rather later. And I also have no doubt our bank account will not suffer from my next career move.
I have my brother to thank I guess, he has been my entrepreneurial inspiration through this whole process.
posted by aforward @ 12:32 PM,
,
Just Need A little Push...
Thursday, May 12, 2005
Perserverance is a great word and skill to have as entrepreneur. Now that I can almost see daylight, everything seems so far away. I just need to keep pushing on until I've reached my launch day.
All my goals and hopes to finally start working for myself are so close. The project is almost ready for launch and the profit model is in place.
The tricky part now is just automating everything from the sales process to the delivery.
The fun part will be writing the ads and selecting the keywords. Then it will be recruiting the affiliates in August once everything is ready to go.
posted by aforward @ 10:11 AM,
,
My Horoscope Yesterday
Wednesday, May 11, 2005
Well my horoscope yesterday pretty much hit it right on the nose.
It said I should pretty much "screw" patience and get to doing it.
I think I have a great business model in place and the loose ends are beginning to tie up.
The extra days off in the summer and the addition of Office Mac to the ibook should make for quite an interesting delve into the depths of true entrpreneurship.
Soon all of the bills will be paid and all 7-8 sources will be generating an income.
And we all know what happens then...begins with an "R" and ends with etirement.
posted by aforward @ 11:31 AM,
,
Two Words: Steve Nash
Monday, May 09, 2005
Canada comes back into the world sports forefront again with Steve Nash being named NBA MVP. Reminds of when Mike Weir won the masters and Villeneuve won the F1 title.
posted by aforward @ 9:26 AM,
,
Gonna Take Long Weekends This Summer
Friday, May 06, 2005
I think I'm going to take Fridays off in June and July, so I can chill for bit. I think it's a much better idea than dropping to part time. My salary will stay the same and my work week for two months drops to only 4 days. Also if there is a salary increase I'll be entitled to all of it and any back pay.
Will give us some time to get our accounts and the corporation in order.
Can devote more time to side projects and hopefully do some weekend get-a-ways.
And of course, paint a little, golf a little, sleep in a little.
Makes for a nice set up for September 1st. Or maybe October 1st, only because there are 3 pay cycles in September.
posted by aforward @ 11:09 AM,
,
Keyboards Need Copy/PasteKey
Tuesday, May 03, 2005
I think keyboards should be made with standard cut/copy/paste keys.
This would make an even shorter shortcut for ctrl-C, Ctrl-X and ctrl V.
Or I'd make keyboard software that would do this. I'd call it "Cutter" or something. You would be able to cut from multiple places within a document.
The software would also have a permanent clipboard, so emails or things you find you type often would be available at any moment with a simple click.
Also forms you constantly have to fill in would also be easily pastable (like the google autofill toolbar)
Bubba, if you are reading this let me know what you think...
posted by aforward @ 3:22 PM,
,
