Today I want to go one step further and bring to your attention the awesomeness of LadyUmbrellaLTD.

Based in Dublin Ireland and run by two of the most energetic, never sleeping, quite inventive folks I have ever had the pleasure to meet (on or offline).

I started following them on Twitter due to a mutual followship of RizzoTees and have really become a fan of their work and they way the interact with their clients, fans, and friends.

I even won a bag from them for Kim. It came with a handwritten note from Rob and Elena.

Rob and Elena put everything they have into their line of ladies tee’s and bags and it shows.

Instead of me running on and on here, give them a look-see. If you like what you see, be sure and use the code LuFranczek15 for 15% off.

Click here

- ‘Till Next Time
- Joby

With any luck I will release Sunday…

‘Till next time
- Joby

I am now in the final stages with the site clone. I spent most if the evening after Church removing hardcoded paths/urls and replacing them with variables.

If things continue at this rate, I should release the script this week.

I have been working on a clone of a web site.

Things are moving alone slowly but steadily. I should be able to release the final product sometime this week if all goes well.

- ‘Till next time
- Joby

I had tweeted:

I can’t stand people who think merging last minute is appropriate.#noyouarenotthatimportant

Bill from Steel City Interpreters came back with:

@baldfatguy my wife would beg to differ- she says you merge at the point where the lanes actually meet and not a second before!

So that prompted me to wonder.

The sign states: ‘Right lane ends in 1/2 mile’ Do you gently begin trying to merge in with traffic currently in the left lane, or do you speed up and do your best to pass as many people as possible, cutting off whomever happens to be in your way when you merge?’

Please answer in the comment section.

‘Till Next Time
- Joby

Foursquare is a location-based social networking website, software for mobile devices, and game. Users “Check-in” at venues using text messaging or a device specific application . They are then awarded points and sometimes “badges. … (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foursquare_(service))
Which of the above definitions came to mind when you saw the name of this post?

Today we will be talking about the latter of the two.

I have become addicted to the Foursquare app on my iPhone.  I am constantly searching for new places to check-in.

As the definition states, Foursquare is a location-based social networking site.  Using GPS, the app detects your location and any venues near to you. These venues can be businesses, places of worship, landmarks, etc… the list is endless. Some people have even listed their favorite chair as a venue [NOTE: this is becoming more unwelcome as Foursquare grows] .

Here is how it works.

Say you are at your favorite restaurant. (Assuming you have already signed up for an account at Foursquare.com and have downloaded the app for your phone.) You start up the app and let it find locations nearest to you.

One of two things should happen. As long as you have a solid signal on your phone…

A – The app will find the restaurant you are in.
B – The app will NOT find the restaurant you are in.

If A – then you simply chose that location – click the check-in button – enter your comment (optional) and check-in

If B – your restaurant has not yet been added – you can do this by following the prompts in the app. The more information you add the better.

After following the steps in B you can now go back to A and check-in.

Why would you want to check-in?

Let your friends know where you are: You check-in and anyone you are friends with on Foursquare gets a notification of your location. This is helpful when you are planning a get together at a certain location.

Become the Mayor and get free swag (in some locations): Starbucks(tm) has offers similar to this… As mayor of this store, enjoy $1 off a NEW however-you-want-it Frappuccino blended beverage. Any size, any flavor. Offer valid until 6/28. Other places are offering similar offers. I just talked one of my favorite venues into a free snack when I become Mayor.  [note... I became Mayor of that location last week and can't wait to let them know ]

Badges: Foursquare offers a number of badges (icons in your account) based on different types of check-ins – check out a listing here –> Foursquare Badges [link to Tony Felice's Blog]

All in all Foursquare is a fun little app that has taken over my life. Check out the listing of locations (as of this posting) that I have become Mayor of:

10th street bridge (Pittsburgh, PA)
18th St Steps
Amerilube
Burger King Weirton
Dollar General New Cumberland
Duquesne Steps
Fort Pitt Tunnel
Franczek House (New Cumberland, WV)
Hampton Inn (Stow, OH)
Hong Kong Chinese – Weirton (Weirton, WV)
JC Williams Soccer Field
Marathon Gas Rt 2
McDonald’s (Chester, WV)
McDonalds – Weirton (Weirton, WV)
Newell Bridge (East Liverpool, Ohio)
Pizza Hut Weirton (Weirton, WV)
Ponderosa Golf Course (Burgettstown, PA)
Real McCoy Sandwich Shop (Pittsburgh, PA)
Roma’s Pizzeria & Ristorante (New Cumberland, WV)
Smith’s Gas Station
South Side Riverfront Park
Sparkle Market – NC (New Cumberland, WV)
Staybridge Suites
The Christian Church – New Cumberland (New Cumberland, WV)
The Pretzel Shop (Pittsburgh, PA)
US Steel Service Center (Pittsburgh, PA)
Wal-Mart Supercenter (East Liverpool, Ohio)
Weirton Medical Center (Weirton, WV)
World’s Largest Teapot

- ‘Till next time
- Joby

For a week or so before he would send me photoshopped images of his car with different color wheels. He ended up with white wheels with black center caps and it really looks sharp.

Yesterday we decided to do some photoshopping of my Hyundai Tiburon. He created quite a few options, but Kim and I have narrowed it down to two.

Have a look:

Match the color of the gas cap?

White?

Which one do you like best?

Leave a comment below with your choice.

- ‘Till next time
- Joby

I have gotten up with time to check email, shower, dress, and be out of the house before 5am!

Work has been interesting the past two days. Yesterday I went absolutely insane and stormed out of a meeting. Very shortly after my team calmly and kindly expressed to me the error of my ways and helped me see the path I should be working on. What a horrid event, but what a great internal feeling.

Today I took on every task with a new found belief that I owned it and it would end as I wanted it too. Most of the day that worked out perfectly.

I have a way to go to catch up from being sick, but I totally feel I can knock it out of the park!

God has played such an integral part of this awakening. He allowed me to smack my face dead at the bottom of the pit and then He simply handed me what I needed to climb out. I am grateful for what He has provided me in patience and insight over the past 48 hours.

I feel I have broken out of the funk that has been my existence for quite some time, and I am enjoying it.

Time to get back into pursuing my dreams. Feeling as I do, they will soon become reality!

- ‘Till next time
- Joby

I spent 2 hours waiting to be seen.

I was led into a small room that had the normal exam tables etc… and asked to wait in a chair.

No big deal I had already been waiting for 2 hours… but I was one step closer.

In comes the Dr.
A towering man in his red Turban. I has asked to see his female counterpart, but I was not going to say that now…

He asked me the usual questions, he was attentive, he actually listened to what I have been going through.

I was able to talk to him about my lower back and neck issues as well as my headaches.

Then it happens.

He says what I felt all along.

The headaches are most likely caused by the arthritis or even disc misalignment in my neck.

He said it, I didn’t! I wanted to, but he said it first!!!

He did some cursory tests and determined that my back and leg issues are worth another MRI. After 10 years, I should have more mobility than I do. Possibly Sciatica or mayhaps worse…

So I go home with two new prescriptions. One for the headaches with will NOT make me sleep all the time, and one for the neck and back issues. As well as the knowledge that I will be having an MRI of the neck and lower back very soon.

I thought I was good to go… Then suddenly at 9:30 PM I felt an uneasiness in my gut, I tried to ignore it and did pretty well for about 2 hours.

When my wife came to bed she noticed I was not sleeping and had asked what was wrong. I told her I was trying to avoid being sick.. She encouraged me to go get it over with… BAD MOVE!

From that moment on I slept for 20 minutes and spent 40 minutes in sheer hell.

Finally I took some Ibuprofen and broke my fever so I got to sleep for a whole 2 hours.

It was then I realized I had not called into work. I realized when my boss called and then emailed asking if I was OK.
He responded to my apology and ‘call’ off email stating he was glad I had not been in an accident on the way in.

And thus began my (currently 3 day) journey with whatever bug it is I have.

I could easily fill this entry with any number of gory details such as the number of trips to the bathroom and for what purpose, but that will not bring you back for more now will it?

Let’s just say, that I have probably lost 15 pounds in the past 4 days.

I have had:
One piece of toast.
One banana.
7 crackers and 4 chunks of Colby Cheese.
in the past 4 days…

My head is spinning like I have had 15 beers on an empty stomach. I has taken me nearly an hour to type this simple post. All because of this delightful little bug.

It is Thursday, I do not know what Friday holds but if I get to choose, I will go to sleep tonight and I will wake up fresh as new… and it will be Saturday!!!

God Help Me!

- ‘Till Next Time…
- Joby

My site URLMorph.com has been used 1000 times. (http://urlmorph.com/1000)

I must admit the 1000th shortened URL was entered by me, but it was not planned.

I shortened a YouTube link for a Demon Hunter video.

I am pretty psyched about it. I use it a lot for twitter posts etc. but never dreamed it would be used by others.

There was a time that I considered putting it up for sale or shutting it down. Now I can honestly say it is not going any time soon. Not without a decent price tag.

I know what you are thinking… ‘What is the big deal? There are a million URL shortening sites. Most of them do 10 times that activity per day and offer more options.’

To that I say good for them.

I built THIS one… and I am proud.

Here is to shortened URL # 2000.

- ‘Till next time
- Joby