Tuesday, February 24, 2009

A Delicious Guiltless Grill Dinner of 750 Calories

A Delicious Dinner of 750 Calories, and I'm Enjoying a Guiltless Grill. My hubby and I invited our neighbor to join us for dinner at Chili's to sample their Guiltless Grill new entrees. Since she had a prior engagement, we opted to make it a date night out for just the two of us.

Chili's Guiltless Grill logoWe were totally blown away by the mob of people on a Friday night at Chili's -- it would be difficult to tell that we are in a recession based on the number of people eating out. We decided to check out the Chili's on Baymeadows -- it ended up being about a 20 minute wait to be seated. I let our waitress Anna know that I was a BzzAgent and would be writing about my experience.

Chili's Guiltless Crill Carne Asada SteakMy selection was the Guiltless Carne Asada Steak medium-rare with the steamed broccoli with grated parmesan cheese and carrots. Hubby loves salmon, so he selected the Guiltless Grilled Salmon with the steamed vegies. Our meal was delivered promptly to our table. What surprised me and hubby most was the cut of meat! My steak was over an inch thick and maybe a little too rare, but I don't like to send steaks back, so I ate it.

Well, to conduct our own kind of 'study,' we decided to stop at another Chili's on San Jose Blvd. on Saturday night after the FCNMHP Hard Hat Party. I was unsuccessful convincing my hubby that he should really have the salmon so that he could compare it to the previous night's entree. Both hubby and I had Guiltless Carne Asada Steak. This time, we ordered it cooked medium. The cut of the steaks was obviously different from the previous nights in that they were just about half the thickness. However, they had a terrific marinated flavor and were extremely tender. We were happier with Saturday's dinner. And, I would definitely recommend the Guiltless Carne Asada Steak cooked medium to medium-rare. If you prefer the fish, hubby was happy with the Guiltless Grilled Salmon.

I took some time to let the manager know that I was a BzzAgent -- taking time to explain what exactly that means along with explaining how I would be bzzing about my dinner.

The Guiltless Grill offers healthier entrées for less than 750 calories each. The other entrees available on the Guiltless Grill menu include:

* Guiltless Buffalo or Grilled Chicken Sandwich
* Guiltless Cedar Plank Tilapia
* Guiltless Honey-Mustard Glazed
* Guiltless Chicken Platter
* Guiltless Black Bean Burger

Visit chilis.com to find Chili's restaurants locally and to checkout their new menu.

Friday, February 20, 2009

FCNMHP new clinic

Great news for NE Florida -- FCNMHP new clinic! Over the past couple of weeks, I've received a few invites to the "Hard Hat Party" that First Coast No More Homeless Pets (FCNMHP) is having this Saturday. Thank you Raquel! The new clinic has been a dream of many a supporter of FCNMHP.

The invitation:
You are cordially invited to a special preview for supporters! First Coast No More Homeless Pets is opening one of the largest high volume & high quality spay/neuter clinics in the country!

HARD HAT PARTY
-OPEN HOUSE-
Saturday, February 21, 2009 ▪ 5-8 pm
6817 Norwood Avenue – Jacksonville, FL 32208

Click here for Map
!

For more information or for Sponsor opportunities call 904.316.2262. Join us and help end the needless killing of cats and dogs on the First Coast!

FCNMHP is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. All donations are 100% tax deductable!
We hope to be able to attend this "Hard Hat Party" to show our support for FCNMHP and all the animals who are benefiting from this fine organization.

Want to know more about FCNMHP? Visit their website. If you would like to make a donation, you can do so directly to FCNMHP through their website.

Completing my bucket list sitting under a beach umbrella

julieannbrady bucket list under a beach umbrella in Jacksonville FloridaOK, "Uncle!" or maybe "Auntie!"

I've seen lots of my friends completing their bucket lists and sharing with me. So, I'll bite ... TGIF, I'm dreaming about sitting under a beach umbrella on Jacksonville Beach completing MY bucket list. I understand this is supposed to cover ones entire life! So, here goes.

( x ) Skipped school
( x ) Watched someone die
( x ) Been to Canada
( x ) Been to Mexico
( x ) Been to Florida
( x ) Been to Europe
( x ) Been on a plane
( ) Been on an ocean liner or steamship
( x ) Been lost
( x ) Been on the opposite side of the country
( x ) Gone to Washington , DC
( x ) Swam in the ocean
( x ) Cried yourself to sleep
( ) Stolen something
( ) Recently colored with crayons
( ) Seen a glacier
( ) Seen an iceberg
( x ) Been to a mountain top
( x ) Sang Karaoke
( x ) Paid for a meal with change
( x ) Done something you told yourself you wouldn't?
( ) Made prank phone calls
( x ) Laughed until some kind of beverage came out of your nose
( x ) Caught a snowflake on your tongue
( x ) Danced in the rain
( x ) Written a letter to Santa
( x ) Been kissed under the mistletoe
( x ) Watched the sunrise with someone
( x ) Blown bubbles
( x ) Gone ice-skating
( ) Been skinny dipping outdoors
( ) Tipped over an outdoor biffy
( ) Gone bungee jumping?
( ) Tried hang-gliding or parasailing?
( ) Watched a human birth?

1. Any nickname? Julie Blue Shoes -- thanks to a 9th grader!
2. Mother's name: Lily
3. Favorite drink? water
4. Body Piercing? ear lobes
5. Tattoos? hmmm, yes!
6. How much do you love your job? LOVE 1; OK w/other
7. Birthplace? Cleveland, Ohio
8. Favorite vacation spot? Eastern Europe
9. Ever been to Africa ? Nope
10. Ever eaten just cookies for dinner? yes
11. Ever been on TV? yes
12. Ever steal any traffic signs? no
13. Ever been in a car accident? yes
14. Drive a 2-door or 4-door vehicle? both
15. Favorite number: 9
16. Favorite movie? The Departed
17. Favorite holiday? Christmas
18.Favorite Dessert? cheesecake
19. How do you see yourself in 10 years? traveling in Europe
20. Furthest place you will send this message? Timbuktu?

Thursday, February 19, 2009

My photography in Google image searches

I have been convinced to take PHOTOGRAPHY lessons because of Google! Thank you Google! I get the MESSAGE. I simply must take photography lessons and then take more of my own pictures to display on my Squidoo lenses. I did yet another Google image search; this time for 'spicy potato salad' and found 3 of my images on the first page of the image results -- #1 and #3 positioning. In the web search, my Spicy Potato Salad page was #4 -- yeah! Trying harder to be #1.

google image search spicy potato salad To know me is to know that I really, really prefer to use my own graphic images and photography WHENEVER possible to display on my lenses. If nothing at all, it would be a goal to revamp all of my lenses with ONLY my graphics and photography -- that is a mighty tall order. I strive to be unique in my creations, having covered a wide range AND eclectic array of topics.

Some of my better pictures have been for my food lenses ... particularly whenever I can use that very cool, clear acrylic serving dish. I've used it for my Eight Layer Salad -- A Delicious Recipe page and also for my Spicy Potato Salad -- A Delicious Recipe page.

So, thank you Google for being so cool -- and for making my day!

Google image search for 8 layer salad

Isn't it great to have a little Google love? Checking out the Google image search for 8 layer salad! Well, the feeling is pretty mutual; if Google would have me, I would work for them in a HEARTBEAT! It's easy to entertain such a thought especially when you have a passion for such a company.

google image search 8 layer salad Anywho, of late, I have been blogging about how simply amazing Google image search is in indexing relevant photos so that I find WHAT I want to find. Hey, even if it might be my own images. Today, I did a Google image search on 8 layer salad and voila -- on the first page of the results, I found 3 of my salad pictures.

To top of those cool image search results, my food article, Eight Layer Salad - A Delicious Recipe actually was listed on the first page for a web search, the #5 result. Not bad!

Another cute wedge shoe from Crocs is the Patricia

crocs patriciaHave you read my previous blog post about ALL the different Crocs shoes I have in my closet? It is true that I have a pair of Crocs in almost all the significant colors of the rainbow. I'm particularly in love with the You By Crocs line which has the flair of Italian designers.

Let me tell you that when you think of Crocs, you can be stylish too. You see, Crocs has come out with a stylish wedge sandal by the name of Patricia -- I'm wondering WHO this shoe was named after, don't you wonder that too?

What caught my eye about this wedge is the strappy and feminine styling -- I do love strappy! The wedge is a flattering 2-inches -- just the right height to make these oh so comfy for casually walking about and for strolling the beach. And, no need to worry about jumping into the surf and getting these babies wet! The patented croslite™ material provides a stimulating effect to the bottom of your feet. These were available from shop.crocs.com for $39.99!

Crocs' Patricia is available in Berry/Pearl, Black/Black, Brown/Walnut, and Navy/Lavender. Hey, George ... when will these be available in a leopard print? ;)

P.S. This blog post was penned on February 19, 2009. It is now OVER 10 years later and I am still wearing a pair of Crocs daily! I have a hot pink pair of ballet flats that I wear out in my garden. I love how you can wash them with a scrub brush and they look nearly new!

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Google is fast at indexing

Google search is FASTER than a speeding bullet! Google is fast at indexing!

Blimey! I noticed the MOST interesting thing today when I did a Google search for jaguarjulie. On the first page of the search results, I found nearly all the results were what I expected them to be -- it found this blog, my websites and Squidoo lenses, and my twitter page. However, at the end of the results, I saw my Topicability blog listed.

What was odd that within the listing, rather than show an entry from THAT blog, it was showing some twitter updates from THIS very morning, but linking to my other blog. I don't know what to make of this as it's quite peculiar. Don't YOU think?

Google search is faster than a speeding bullet -- in that you can see information searched and seemingly indexed in real time. WOW! Google is absolutely amazing!

google search for jaguarjulie
P.S. It is over 10 years later that I am reviewing this blog post and thinking, yes! Google is fast at indexing. However, today I am thinking Google is NOT careful on indexing ... to be indexing content scrapers who have stolen authentic and original images and content and making it difficult for the visitor to find the ORIGINAL ... why that is most concerning!! For me, it is particularly concerning because I have added my original photography, designs, images and content to Google blogger. It would seem such a blog content would be treated better by the "owner?"

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Jaguar Julie has quality bag lenses for sale

best bags lenses on squidooCalling all you designer handbag fashionistas; bag ladies too! You will find that I have quite a variety of quality lenses which are available. These comprise many hours of research that went into the creation and management. You might be interested in one, several or all of these lenses.

I've included links below to each of the lenses that I am offering at the right price! What's the right price, you might ask? Prominent lensmasters have debated this subject over and over. If you are into designer handbags, you will know what you want to pay for such a lens.

To get a handle on why I am selling my lenses, look NO further for the truth than here! BTW, our country club cats thank you for your interest!
  • Best Backpacks for Work and School
  • Neoprene Lunch Totes -- For Work and School
  • Best Bags -- A Top Ten Countdown
  • Coach Company-- Designer Handbags, Accessories and Footwear!
  • The Best Bags Ever

UPDATE: Obviously, this blog post was penned in February 2009 and things have changed. It seems "people" aren't interested in buying content pages, but will steal the work instead. So, like Gilda Radner might say, "never mind!"

Monday, February 16, 2009

Love the people who treat your right

Last Friday, my hubby remembered Valentine's Day and our wedding anniversary with a dozen red roses. Usually, when he brings me roses, it might be pink or yellow ones -- he usually reserves the red ones for the heavy hitter days to make an impact.

thank you to friends on close friends day Well, today I received an uplifting email from my mother -- thank you mom. You see the email hit me at a time that was quite topical. And the message of this email,
"Life is too short to wake up with regrets.
Love the people who treat you right and forget about the ones who don't." --Harvey MacKay

Thursday, February 12, 2009

Google Image Search is on a Tear

I'm taking a break this afternoon as I was curious if I would find my shoulder surgery pictures in a Google Image Search. You see, I had already spotted my meniscus tear and Morton's Neuroma pictures on page 1 of Google image searches -- be sure to see those blog posts!

Well, sure enough! I searched slap tear and there was my bruised and marked up left shoulder and arm. For those of you who have experienced a SLAP tear, you undoubtedly know how painful these can be. My experience was probably not the norm as I had one manipulation under anesthesia to move my shoulder as it was thought I had frozen shoulder syndrome. After that episode, I was scheduled two weeks out for the official Slap repair surgery.

My first Slap repair surgery lasted several hours -- it was an outpatient surgery. When the doctor spoke with me, he explained that it was a lot worse than expected. I also had a torn labrum and detached bicep -- which was reattached with 3 titanium anchors inserted into my shoulder bone. Recovery meant 6 weeks in an arm brace. A few years later, I opted for another Slap surgery to remove scar tissue and debride the surgical site. After being immobilized for 6 weeks, I developed too much scar tissue. In between the two surgeries, I experienced such an incredible amount of pain that I had to undergo 2 full courses of pain management therapy which was something else entirely!!!

Well, if you want to know more about this type of injury, be sure to check out my article, SLAP Tear -- What is it? Oh, isn't Google simply amazing? Google image search so impressed me today that I felt they were on a tear!!!

slap tear with torn labrum

Google Search is a Foot Above

Sshh, don't tell the 'boss' that I'm blogging while I'm supposed to be working on the company's monthly website update. That will get done, but first-things-first!

In a previous blog post I introduced you to my celebrity knee that made its debut on Google Search page 1 of regular searches as well as image searches. Well, I was equally flattered this afternoon to spot another ahem, "body part" in an equally prestigious location on Google Image Searches -- page 1. "Wow," said a coworker, "I wonder what other body parts you'll spot on Google?" Well, not to worry as I've not photographed any other "body parts" than G-rated ones. My work is viewable by all audiences -- I like to keep a little to the imagination you know.

mortons neuroma

So, this afternoon I was noticing that I'm getting lots of hits for another health-related lens, Morton's Neuroma. I had surgery to excise a rather large Morton's Neuroma just over a year ago. My lens documents my progress directly after surgery and to this day. There are a number of pictures of my famous celebrity foot -- looking pretty and NOT so pretty. Prior to this surgery, I was no longer able to wear high heels. Today, thanks to this surgery, I can wear all the shoes in my closet.

P.S. Yes, indeed Google search is a foot above all the others -- as demonstrated here in this blog post where I can actually find my own foot on Google!

Google Image Search on Knees

It's been well over 6 months since I had knee surgery to repair my medial meniscus tear. No, I'm not a jock -- but have experienced a series of tendon or ligament injuries that would lead one to believe that I AM a jock! When I tore my meniscus, I suffered with knee pain for probably a month or two before I sought medical attention. I had the obligatory MRI and physical therapy, but did not have improvement from the pain. My orthopedic surgeon performed an arthroscopic procedure to clean up or debride the tear. I'm not sure if he needed to do any stitching; however, I do know that he saw an old tear along with a new tear.

My mother and I have batted around the hypothesis that tendon or ligament injuries can be seen in families; i.e., based on hereditary. After all, she has experienced similar tendon tears to justify this supposition. While my medial meniscus tear was treated conservatively, her similar tear resulted in her meniscus being removed completely. Unfortunately, she is not doing as well since her surgery! That's fodder for another blog post.

meniscus tear Google image search
So, getting back to today and to WHY this blog post. I was noticing that my Squidoo lens was getting lots of hits and thought that was interesting. I was wondering WHY would people be interested in a "meniscus tear" so I Googled it. What a surprise, "Google Search is pretty knee-t !!!" Pardon the spelling error, but on the first page of the Google search for "meniscus tear," I found MY knee! Yes, you heard me right -- MY knee. Now, if I knew that Google was going to spotlight my knee in all its glory, I would have put on a little makeup.

Well, you can check the search out for yourself and then take a look at the images search for meniscus tear. And, if you NEED to know more about this topic, why not read my article, Meniscus Tear -- Not just a jock's injury! I've included a screenshot of the first page of a Google Search for "meniscus tear" to give you a peak at my knee in all its glory. Enjoy!

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Menopausal Women and Diet

Hey YOU!  Get off of my cloud -- I'm MEN-o-Pausal. This evening I was closing out my online activities so that I could tend to the newly-spayed feral cat Shyler and feed the rest of the feral colony out back. One more check of my email and lo and behold -- I saw something from a dear friend, Pam in Canada! I took a moment to read it and found it too funny. As you know, I like to use my blog to share what cute items my friends might send me. So, this is it! Take a gander at that picture of the 7 Menopausal Dwarfs. Do you recognize any of them? I'm sure I was one or more of them during my own personal trials and tribulations with Men-o-Pause!

menopausal women


According to the funny email, there is a specially-formulated diet designed to help menopausal women cope with the stress that builds during the day so that by the time the kids and hubby arrive home, they may be pleasant and more agreeable.
BREAKFAST
1 Grapefruit
1 slice wholemeal toast
1 cup skimmed milk

LUNCH
1 small portion lean, steamed chicken with a cup of spinach
1 cup herbal tea
1 biscuit

AFTERNOON TEA
The rest of the biscuits from the packet
1 tub of Gino Ginelli ice cream with chocolate topping

DINNER
4 bottles of wine (red or white)
2 loaves garlic bread
1 family size Supreme pizza
3 chocolate bars

LATE NIGHT SNACK
1 whole cheesecake (eaten directly from the freezer)

Something cool that was pointed out is that 'stressed' spelled backwards is 'desserts' -- I'd like an extra slice of cheesecake please!

By the way, you might like Momerisms - Momisms ! Menopausal women can use a little mom humor.

TweetStats graphing your stats

I was just checking in to see what my TweetStats are for today and saw a really interesting graph that I've included. My thinking is that the higher the percentage, the more communicative a Twitter member is with replying to @others! I'm also thinking, that if YOU are reading this here blog post, that you most likely know everyone that is listed on this graph!

jaguarjulie tweetstats replies to
The reason I initially checked my stats today was to see what my number of Twitter Updates are per day. You see, I'm conducting a scientific study via my TwttrStrm, How Often Should You Send a Twitter Update? I am now up to a whopping 8.5 tpd -- tweets per day! That's up 0.3 from previously reported 8.2 tpd. I've just hit an overall number of twitter updates of 1,714 -- not quite as many as the professional twitterers! I guess you could say that I am averaging one twitter update per business hour in a normal 8-hour work day!

So, what's your score? Take the challenge and be sure to weigh in on the debate!

Color theory art for sale by Diane Hay

Diane Hay is a professional artist with over 20 years of experience. She was previously a Senior Art Director with a major advertising agency after earning her degree at Columbus College of Art and Design. While working as an art director, she earned many national creative awards for her work.

 She has created many pieces of beautiful vivid art that is focused on the application of color theory.

Acrylic on canvas art by Diane Hay


Friday, February 06, 2009

Crocs may be anti-microbial and odor resistant but they can be cute too

Crocs may be anti-microbial and odor resistant but they can be cute too! I should know as I've owned a lot of Crocs shoes throughout the years.

Yesterday evening, I was 'chatting' via Twitter with @georgegsmithjr, Social Media Specialist @Crocs, Inc. He had retweeted my update about the Crocs Valentines promotion -- http://www.crocs.com/valentine and love hearts jibbitz. I had mentioned to George that I wanted to see more animal print especially in the Prima style. He let me know about the Malindi, but I had already secured a pair of those at our local Dillards department store; however, I had to go up a size since I checked out 2 different Dillards and couldn't find my size. Now, I see that the Malindi style is available online through Crocs IN MY SIZE! Shucks -- that's what happens when you are an early adopter. ;)

In a follow-up tweet to @georgegsmithjr, I mentioned that I wouldn't mind being a spokesperson for the brand -- so I wanted to let him know that I really LOVED the Crocs brand.

Crocs and You by Crocs

If there is any doubt that I love Crocs footwear, all you have to do is look at the picture of all the Crocs designer footwear that you'll currently find in my closet. I love the jibbitz charms too -- particularly the flowers with rhinestones and the Jacksonville Jaguars charms. In the back row, you'll spot the YOU by Crocs which I fell in love with the moment I spotted them when they debuted. YOU by Crocs include left to right, Crocs With a Twist ankle booties, Neat, Top Shelf in black patent, and Straight Up.

In the middle row, left to right, Malindi in gold leopard and Prima in peacock, fuchsia, and grape. In the front row, left to right, are Prima in brown, Scutes in turquoise and white, and Prima in cotton candy.

Can you tell that I love this brand? I Love YOU by Crocs! By the way, take a look at those 4 YOU by Crocs selections on the top row ... They still look like that! Size 9 and available. Since I had two bunionectomies and a Morton's Neuroma surgery, I really can't wear shoes with any elevation. Want to buy one of these ... leave me a comment with your contact information. These are some very stylish and in demand Crocs for sale by JaguarJulie.

UPDATE: I no longer have any Crocs for sale. I've got a few pairs that I still have with a pair of ballet flats that I wear daily in my gardens. I love how you can scrub them clean for another day of wear. Oh, some of these cuties I donated to the Goodwill in Mount Dora, Florida. So, I think some day I will run across a person in my shoes. lol

I love the Martha Bag by Michel Perrin

Michel Perrin Paris Martha BagIt's Friday and National Wear Red Day. Today I'm working out of my home office and am tuned into the Martha Stewart Show. By now you should know that I am a fan of Martha's and it's a pretty solid fact that she is one of my fans since she has been reading my Squidoo lenses -- we think!

One of Martha's guests today was Michel Perrin of Perrin Paris. He has designed some items for Martha that caught my eye. In particular is the Martha Bag that is shown here -- photo courtesy of Martha.

What I love about this handbag is that it is a nice clutch style, hard-body, crocodile imprint, and an organizer for cellphone and credit cards. I don't usually carry makeup -- only my lipstick, so it works for me. I love the brown color too.

Well, I do believe Martha said this cute little bag would be available through Bergdorf's -- so I will be keeping my eye out for it there. In the meantime, it was available online through Perrin Paris for $429 with free shipping! Find it in a variety of colors -- gold orange, purple, bronze, brown, and black. For more information about Michel Perrin and Perrin Paris, be sure to visit www.perrinparis.com.

You Might Like These


Ghibli Italian Designer Orange Genuine Alligator Leather Wallet Purse Clutch

Anne Klein Alligator Alley Zip Around Wallet,Carnation,One Size


Kenneth Cole Reaction Croc Urban Organizer Large Clutch Wallet W/ Logo (Limon)

Thursday, February 05, 2009

Governmentium has an atomic mass of 312

Governmentium has an atomic mass of 312 and is inert? Today, when I received an email from our VP of Operations, I knew that it most certainly must be something important. You see, he rarely sends out information that is not of the utmost importance for our day-to-day operations.

I was thinking when I saw the subject of the email, "New element discovered," that it was of a scientific nature and probably originated from our VP of Technical Services. Well, as I read on, I found this a most intriguing 'concept' and felt that I had to share with my readers. It's rather food for thought!

A major research institution (MRI) has recently announced the discovery of the heaviest chemical element yet known to science. The new element has been tentatively named Governmentium. Governmentium has 1 neutron, 12 assistant neutrons, 75 deputy neutrons, and 224 assistant deputy neutrons, giving it an atomic mass of 312. These 312 particles are held together by forces called morons, which are surrounded by vast quantities of lepton-like particles called peons.

Since governmentium has no electrons, it is inert. However, it can be detected as it impedes every reaction with which it comes into contact. A minute amount of governmentium causes one reaction to take over four days to complete when it would normally take less than a second.

Governmentium has a normal half-life of three years; it does not decay, but instead undergoes a reorganization in which a portion of the assistant neutrons and deputy neutrons exchange places. In fact, governmentium's mass will actually increase over time, since each reorganization will cause some morons to become neutrons, forming isodopes.

This characteristic of moron-promotion leads some scientists to speculate that governmentium is formed whenever morons reach a certain quantity in concentration. This hypothetical quantity is referred to as Critical Morass.


UPDATE: So, it is May 2019, more than ten years later, that I am reviewing this original blog post of mine. Not to get too political, but I do think it is a good word to describe the state of affairs of OUR country under the leadership [not] of our Prez.