I'm a big girl now...

Well, my internship paid off. My supervisor got a promotion and you'll never guess who was offered her spot! After only a few short months of working for free I am now the Fitness Director at the AEGON all-employee gym... which basically means I run the company fitness center :) AEGON is some kind of a financial/insurance company (not entirely positive what they all do, it's a big building) and the company I now work for that AEGON contracts me through is called Corporate Fitness Works. I'll be there for at least a year because that's what they asked of me, and then we'll see where it leads me. The pay isn't spectacular but it's a respectable start, and the benefits are a nice supplement to the crap I have, which is something I like to call pay out the A$$ for COBRA. I'll actually have a 401K! Haha... I knew I'd start to grow up sooner or later!

What has our society become

http://myespn.go.com/blogs/nfcnorth/0-3-15/Packers-brass-offers-cultural-reference-lesson.html

Read the article first and then my response below.

It's sad that our society as a whole is so ignorant as to warrant an article about someone making a reference to ancient roman history. There was a time when the phrase "alea iacta est" was one of hundreds of phrases memorized, along with the historic or literary stories behind them. This knowledge enriched and enlightened our lives, and public discourse as well. Take the phrase, written by Horace: "Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori," which means "it is a sweet and honorable thing to die for one's country.". Horace was being literal when he wrote this. Now when Wilfred Owen, a soldier in WWI, was in the trenches, he thought of Horace and thought "how wrong that old coot was.". Owen then used Horace's phrase as the basis for a poem about the horrors of war and how senseless all the killing was. I make two points: this is much more effective than "Bush lied, people died." And huzzah for a Colgate man making reference to the Rubicon. A small victory but a victory nonetheless.

$250 = $300

just helped my mom set up a new ingdirect savings account. she used my referral to get a free $25 and made an initial deposit of at least $250 to get another free $25. so she was able to turn her $250 into $300 and all i got was a measly $10 referral bonus.

let me know if anyone else wants to take advantage of this, maybe i can turn these referrals into a free tank of gas :P

Another bank bites the dust

http://www.fdic.gov/news/news/press/2008/pr08065.html

Bradenton makes the front page of digg, but not for something good of course.

Wedding Invite Clarification

A "+1" is implied for everyone that received an invitation addressed to themselves only. In those cases, we either didn't know your significant other's last name or didn't know if one existed at all. Sorry if there was any confusion!

College Rankings

I know everyone is aware that UF topped the list of party schools this year but a more important ranking came out, the schools whose graduates make the most money. I just thought I would post some of the results...

Colleges

Starting Median Salary

Mid-Career Median Salary

University of Florida (UF)

$47,100

$87,900

Florida State University (FSU)

$42,100

$73,000

Auburn University

$45,400

$84,700

Middlebury College

$47,700

$94,200

Colgate University

$52,800

$108,000

Here is the link, in case you want to check it out. Alex, do not worry you beat Alabama.

http://www.payscale.com/best-colleges/top-colleges.asp

Plans within plans

We have Cristina's beach place for Eric's wedding so anyone looking for a Hotel can stay. It has 3 bedrooms and 5 queen sized beds and it is right next to the beach and bars. It makes for a fun stumble. I am also heading to the Keys Aug 22nd, I am going to have a six toed cat fight a Florida Lobster for my drunken amusement. If anyone has a free weekend to walk around the keys give me a call. Punch and pie will be served, more people will come if you tell them we have punch and pie.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZZRe9sKcfw

Bahamas next week

So I am going to the Bahamas again before I start my new job.  Alex is going to the Bahamas too before he starts his new job.  

Mac user

I am now a mac user.  I made the switch.  I now have to learn how to use it.  Anyone else using one?

Dark Knight

I saw the new Batman movie last night and I just want to say it was phenomenal. The most impressive character was by far the Joker I will give big time credit to Heath Ledger. It was played way different then Jack did, but it was so much more deranged. Between the Joker and the typical Batman theatrics it was more then I expected. The only downside is when Christian Bale forces the "Batman voice" which he does a few times but other then that you will not be disappointed. I am not sure if him being dead adds to his performance or not but you can not take your eyes off the Joker the entire movie.

PS Saw a preview for a couple of good movies a lot of my boys are coming out with new ones (Pitt, DiCaprio, Reeves and of course a new Terminator staring Christan Bale).

Have a good weekend ladies and Gents.

Nick D....out.....Rory is gay.

My Catch Log

This is something that a buddy and I have been working on for a while now. Can everyone take a couple minutes and register and give us your opinions on it. For those of you that are tech savvy, this is in the alpha stage of development. Let us know everything. http://www.mycatchlog.com

Bradenton

I love when Bradenton makes national news. It was even on the Drudge Report!

Link

Netflix + Live = Awesome

Press Release

To summarize, starting in the fall Xbox Live Gold members who are also Netflix members will be able to watch their "Watch Instantly" queue on their tv through Xbox Live.

Something else they touched upon is being able to sync across multiple accounts to watch movies with friends. Hard to say how useful that will be, but I could see giving it a shot.

I was seriously considering getting a Roku, but now I'm glad I waited.

Sandy Mousseau: 2/19/96 - 7/12/08

Sweetest dog ever in the world... may she rest in peace. God I'm going to miss that happy face...

NYC Vids

Note to self: Don't play rock band around Jenny.

NYC on the 4th

How was everyone's 4th of July? I assume there were some shenanigans had in NYC? Adam, how was camp? DC was rainy most of the day on the 4th, per the usual. But fun was still had.

Boat Races

and 2 videos:

Also Heading to B-Town

As some of you already know and already realize from Bryan's previous comment, I am heading back to Bradenton to start work at (surprise surprise) my dad's practice. I was going to delay a possible decision to move back home for about another year, but Ashley has decided to give FL a try and I decided I should take the opportunity. Plus it is hard to turn down a job where I work fewer hours, have consistent days off, don't have emergency duty, AND get paid more. It probably doesn't hurt that my current job is driving me crazy. I should be moving back late July/early August. I just need to find a way to move that's not going to cost me a fortune.

So I expect to hear from anyone who visits Bradenton.

NY Trip

I am officially ready for the "Invasion" for those of you coming up please bring a pair of shoes you are comfortable walking many miles in. You will also need a pair of jeans because even though it is hot as hell bars up here like to enforce dress codes on males. Even run of the mill Irish Pubs like to think they are fancy and deny people in shorts and sandals sometimes. It is better safe then sorry.

Please post when and what airport your flight arrives into as I only have a half day on Thursday so I want to be sure I am around and not out gallivanting (copying logan) around town. Call me if you have any questions....

Let the party begin....HIIIYOOOOO

Nick D....CPA

New Job

Yes, gallivanting around Florida and the Bahamas on someone else's boat while getting paid to do it was fun. I figured it was time to actually start my career though. I took a job with the Florida West Coast Resource Conservation and Development Council. I am coming in as an Assistant Project Manager. Which means......I will be moving back to Bradenton! Never thought I would be excited to do so but I do have to say that I miss that town. I will be back in Btown in early August.