2008 Lists - Part II

On this, the day after Christmas, I want to now, take a moment to celebrate the good things that happened in 2008. On Tuesday we covered the year’s “eye-rollers”. Today, let’s review some of the “Sweet Spots” from 2008. Again, I also invite you to contribute your own comments below. I am certain I have missed some good ones…..but these are my favorites:

1. A toast! Red wine is good for you!


2. Shiba Inu Puppy Cam – in a year of hardship and crisis, leave it to puppies to make us smile! All the cuteness of fuzzy puppies - no housetraining required! I have been watching this website for a couple of months and now the puppies, Autumn, Ayumi, Amaya, Aki, Akoni, and Ando are just about ready to go to their new homes! Tooooo cute!


3. Heartwarming story of “Annie” the Golden Retriever in Minnesota


4. Great news for frugal fashionistas: Michelle Obama shops at J Crew!!


5. Oprah decides to “be healthy” – amen! Maybe this will take some pressure off the rest of American women. Happiness and health is not necessarily tied to a certain body size or shape!


6. Saturday Night Live’s lighthearted stabs at the 2008 election


7. Lin Hao, the nine year old “class leader” who saved many of his classmates from the rubble of his fallen school building following the Chinese earthquake. He was honored by the Chinese government with a place of honor next to Yao Ming,a Chinese basektball player, during the opening ceremonies of the Beijing Olympics


8. Michael Phelps historic Olympic medal wins – notice this is #8??


9. Heroes in uniform – this includes U.S. Armed Forces, police, firemen and women, doctors, nurses, and even Boy Scouts, especially those who endured the Little Sioux tornado


10. Singularly the most moving event for me in 2008: Barack Obama Speaks to 80,000 in Chicago's Grant Park on Election Night– Part 1 and Part 2 . I am especially moved at how the crowd silently listens and a nation is inspired.

I hope you enjoyed my lists of "Dips" and "Sweet Spots" for 2008. I hope you all are enjoying a wonderful holiday season! Talk to you on Tuesday!

2008 Lists - Part I

2008 has come and nearly gone. It is that time of year for the media to begin reviewing the year’s highs and lows, bests and worsts, and of course, the big music countdowns. Not to be outdone by the media and in keeping with the “ice cream-y” perspective of my blog, I have decided to compile my own lists: the “Top 10 Dips” list: a list of “eye-rollers” – people and happenings that have just completely frustrated me in 2008, and the “Sweet Spots” list which is my Top 10 list of people and happenings that have made me smile.

I invite you to comment or contribute your own “Dips” and “Sweet Spots” over the next coming days. I would love to hear how my “Dips” compare to your “Dips”! This could be fun…

Keep checking back this week to see if we have any comments and on Friday, tune in for the “Sweet Spots” list!

My “Top 10 Dips” for 2008 are:

1. The Pregnant Man – do we really care about this? Not me! Our economy is collapsing around us and this is “big” news??


2. Ellen DeGeneres Shelter Dog story…c’mon, people! Do we really have to waste our time reading about this? Give her a break!


3. “Joe the Plumber” – ‘nuff said


4. The stock market – stop the ride…I’m getting queasy!


5. Salmonella-tainted tomatoes – OMG!! Have you ever tried to order a decent sandwich at Subway without being able to put tomatoes OR spinach on it??? Whew! Glad all that craziness is settled!


6. The size of my food packaging is getting smaller but the price stays the same – Thank you to Blue Bunny….the ice cream remains at 56 ounces and not going to the 48 ounces like all the other ice creams!!


7. The financial bail out – OK, I have made some poor financial decisions….can someone bail me out, too??


8. Overexposure to campaign ads, debates, and political smack-talk


9. Gas prices – puh-leeeze!


10. “Caribou Barbie?” (a.k.a. Sarah Palin) – what is that all about??

You are invited to submit a comment and tell us some other Dips who have ruined your day, your week....or your wole year! C'mon...let's vent 'em out...then on Friday, we'll finish on high note with our "Sweet Spots"!