For those living vicariously through me ....

Thursday: Batesville, Senotabia, and Tunica.

First off, that is a really big word, so here is a direct link to the meaning of the word ... here. Ha Ha Ha ... I got you. Thanks for the comments, you are right, I am driving and eating a LOT, but I promise that I am working in between too.

Speaking of working, I managed to knock out the installation early today (around 11:00 AM) so I got a little extra time to drive. Since I had the extra time, I drove over to Tunica. Tunica, Mississippi is a fairly small town (mainly a farming area) that has seen a great deal of expansion over the years due to its river gambling (the town is situated on the Mississippi River).

I was hoping to see the river, but instead I saw a large number of casinos, hotels, and tourist attractions. I took a back road in to the area so I did get to see a lot of farming land, and the levees protecting those areas. While I regret not seeing the mighty Mississippi, seeing the size and volume of the levees was awesome. In addition, the farming land was beautiful. I hope that Big E and I can return at some time to spend a few days checking out the area and maybe playing a little Blackjack, too.

Once I returned back to Batesville, I went to the local factory outlet to do a little shopping. I know that I have taken a few stabs at the ladies lately for their endless search of "sales". However, today I decided to take advantage of the opportunity myself. I was really hoping to find a few good deals on some new polo shirts and maybe a new pair of sandals (to show off my toes). While I didn't find either of the two, I did pick up a new waffle machine and a cool set of collapsible measuring cups. I hope that Big E will take this as a hint for a nice Saturday breakfast.

As for food today, here is the lineup:

1. We ate lunch at a local place called Penny's Pantry. Basically, this was a small sandwich shoppe. The chicken salad sandwich was very good. I tried dessert (odd for me), Mississippi Mud Pie. I'm not really sure what is in this concoction, but it is extremely rich (ie. contains an insane amount of sugar) and was what allowed me to make the trip to Tunica and home (sad that I now refer to Hampton Inn as my home) without falling asleep. Interestingly, there was a foreign film crew at the sandwich shoppe today to film the tiny location for an upcoming show about great places to eat in Mississippi.

2. Chilli's for dinner. Most of you have been to Chilli's, if you haven't, try the fajitas. Thursday is a great day to go to Chilli's, as they have a 2-for-1 deal on "diet cokes". YUMMMMM!!!!!!!!!

Now, I am watching the quarter-finals of the Little League World Series. Forget the Olympics, this is the real deal. Florida versus Louisiana for tonight's entertainment.

Tomorrow is a big day, the last one (scheduled) for me. I have what appears to be a relatively easy looking installation, so I hope that I can finish it before lunch. I have what looks to be a seven hour drive home to Montgomery. I would like to cut a little time off the drive, but I think that I will be heading back through Columbus before heading home. Regardless, I should be home tomorrow. If not, I will probably stop somewhere between Starkville and Tuscaloosa OR I will head in a different direction and stop in Pearl Mississippi. If I decide to go that way, I will have an update tomorrow. If not, I will update the blog at an undisclosed time in the future.

Baby, warm up my side of the bed and tell Rusty that daddy will be home. That is the plan!!!

Either way, "momma I'm coming home" (Ozzy Osborne). I really am excited about getting to the house (finally) but I must admit that after spending the summer on the road, I kinda hate that we are finishing the project too. We have done a good thing for the company and the people of both Georgia (last year) and Mississippi this year. I have enjoyed spending time with all of the good people throughout these offices and hope that we have bettered their ability to do their job. In an age where jobs come and go and the concept of caring about the company that you work with is all but lost, I must admit that that I care and I hope that what we have done is appreciated.

Green Tip of the Post: I hope that you are enjoying these tips. Many (if not all) are tips that I have grabbed from other websites, people, etc. Regardless, I hope that you can consider at least some of the tips for your life.

Vampires: Did you know that you have vampires stealing electricity in your home? Don't worry about covering your neck, but you might want to check your electrical outlet.

Is your microwave plugged in, what about your cell phone charger, tv, vcr, dvd player, and many other electrical items. Most of these items are robbing you (stealing actually) of untold numbers of hours of electricity everyday. Think about it, does your coffee maker have an automatic starter on it? Does your microwave, computer, cable box, etc. have a timer on it. Then you are spending money and you don't even realize it. As a computer guy, I never thought about the fact that our computers are stealing electricity even when they are "off".

Today there are surge protectors that actually help. Check out the following link for a surge protector that can help. If you don't plan to spend the money on a surge protector to help, consider unplugging appliances that are wasting energy.

How important is this? How about a 10 - 15% savings on your electrical bill? According to the Electric Power Research Institute, the average house has 27 "vampire" appliances functioning in their house each day. I bet that is you, it is me. Imagine saving 10% on your power bill each month!!!