Please check out my latest post on Work Awesome. It is the recipe for a pomegranate cosmopolitan. Pomegranates are in vogue these days in both cooking and drinks. I have started introducing 100% pomegranate juice into my drinks of late and this cosmo really hits the spot. You can use this same recipe using grape, cranberry, or pretty much any type of juice. I always stick with the 100% juice because if you don’t you will notice on the label that the predominant ingredient is apple juice. You’ll pay a little more but it is definitely worth it to get the 100% juice. Enjoy.

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Please check out my latest post on Work Awesome. It is the 10 Life-changing benefits of the internet age. The internet has led to many conveniences in our lives that I think some of us take for granted. For those of us who were around before the internet exploded onto the scene, I think we tend to appreciate the advances of the internet age. I would love to see in the comments some of the advances that you feel that the internet has given you. I hope you will enjoy this article and I welcome you to leave any comments on WorkAwesome or below.

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3. The Special Benefits of Giving Blood

On March 1st my Dad passed away. This is my first post since that sad day. Today, May 13th, my Dad would’ve turned 87 years old. He meant a lot to me and, to be honest, since that day I have had no desire to blog. Since his death, I realized that the process of blogging was adding anxiety to my life. I was so concerned about my posting interval that it consumed me. I started blogging because I enjoy writing and I wanted to build something that was my own. I think now that I am going to start blogging again, my philosophy will change. I won’t care so much about the posting interval. It will not consume me. You know what? I haven’t blogged in over two months and apart from my traffic dropping considerably and my Alexa rating going from about 150K to almost 300K, the world goes on. What I have learned is that we can all take a break. I don’t do this for the money. Maybe someday it will be a source of income but, since it’s a hobby, it was no big deal to take some time off.

Another positive aspect of my hiatus was that some of my fellow bloggers, whom I have never met personally, went out of their way to contact me. They had a feeling something was wrong in my world. People that only know me by corresponding through our blogs went out of their way to find out to see if I was OK. It just shows you that there are some truly caring people out there in the world and a lot of them are in the blogging world. I want to thank those individuals for reaching out to me during a tough time. I may not post as regularly moving forward but I’m looking forward to getting back at it…

Best, Bob

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Given the tragic circumstances surrounding Haiti, and the devastation in that area, there has understandably been a huge outpouring of support for those poor people.  Unfortunately, one of my co-workers grew up in Haiti, and he still has family over there.  The support he has received at my work has been uplifting to him and his family.  At a time like this, it is not unusual to think seriously about how you can help out your fellow man.  Giving blood is a way you can do just that…

For the first 50 years of my life I had never given blood.  When my eldest daughter turned 17, she was eligible in our state, to give blood.  Without hesitation, she decided to donate.  I was intrigued by the fact that she decided to do this, given that neither I, nor my wife, had given blood in the past.  She simply wanted to help out her fellow man and this was a substantive way for her to do so.  She didn’t have any money, but she did have something she could give that was more valuable.

Seeing how generous she had been, I decided, at the ripe age of 50, to give my first donation.  The fact that I waited this long to donate, was not for any particular reason.  I am not afraid of needles, and I don’t have any pre-existing conditions that would prevent me from donating.  I can’t really explain why I waited so long.  All I can say is that my eldest daughter inspired me to go make that first blood donation.  So, what are the benefits, you may ask?

You may help as many as three people with one donation.

This is the #1 aspect of giving blood that the Red Cross mentions in their literature.  Heck, if my blood helped out one person who needs it, that would be good enough for me.

You’ll get to spend some time with quality people.

Having given blood now on three occasions, you start seeing some of the same people at the donation center.  The volunteers tend to be elderly people who have been doing this for a very long time.  They are sweet people who like to socialize, and, at the same time, they also do their best to put people at ease, if needed.  The fellow donors will strike up a conversation at the drop of a hat, as you all wait to be called to donate.  It is a feeling of camaraderie that is not typically felt with strangers.  Then again, these people are not truly strangers.  They are fellow human beings doing something for a common cause; helping others.

You get free food!

At the donation center there is always a myriad of juices, bottled water, cookies, pretzels, etc.  It is important to replenish yourself after you donate, and to hydrate before and after.  Since I donate after work, there has always been a meal served by the volunteers.  The last time I donated there was a full spaghetti dinner with sausages, meatballs, and rolls for the donors.  You get to sit with other donors and volunteers and socialize while you eat your meal.  It’s a great ending to a very gratifying experience.

You feel great afterwards.

Being around like-minded people, and doing something for your fellow man, is very fulfilling.  Even if you went into this with second thoughts, you will leave happy and content that you just did something so selfless.

If you have never given blood before, I urge you to consider it.  Go to the Red Cross Donating Blood website and learn more about how you can reach out and help your fellow man.

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(This post is written in association with a Group Writing Project initiated by Daniel Scocco of DailyBlogTips.  Daniel will publish the list of all participants in the project on his blog on Monday, December 14th).

Walter Cronkite

Walter Cronkite died at age 92.  While I was growing up he was the news anchor that all other news anchors aspired to be.  My remembrances of Walter Cronkite was his distinct voice and sign off every night “And that’s the way it is” at the end of each news cast. He was also broadcasting when John F. Kennedy was pronounced dead in 1963. I remember distinctly that he could not speak at one point.  My parents met him a number of years ago on Martha’s Vineyard while waiting for a ferry to bring them to the mainland. Walter and his wife were heading to the mainland to attend a christening. He was very easy-going in his manner and was very approachable.  Ironically, we were vacationing in Martha’s Vineyard this past summer when we heard of his death.  Walter had a home on the Vineyard and was an avid sailor.  I remember looking at his home overlooking the harbor in Edgartown the day we heard of his death.  Needless to say, he was a giant in the broadcasting business.

Patrick Swayze

Patrick Swayze died at age 57 from pancreatic cancer.  I remember him from three different movies.  The one that was most popular was “Dirty Dancing” and his infamous quote “No one puts Baby in the corner”.  His dancing and acting talents truly shined in that movie.  The second most-popular movie of his was “Ghost” with Demi Moore and Whoopie Goldberg.  The other notable movie that I particularly enjoyed was “Roadhouse” in which he plays an undersized bouncer who turns a honky-tonk saloon into a respectable establishment through some strong-arm tactics.

Ted Kennedy

Ted Kennedy, after a battle with brain cancer, died at age 77.  Regardless of your politics you have to admit that this man worked tirelessly as a legislator for the common man.  Some ofthe legislation that Kennedy played a major role in include the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Votings Rights Act of 1965, the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act, and the 1993 Family and Medical Leave Act.  He also had to withstand the tragic losses of his two brothers, John and Robert, by assassination.  His oldest brother Joe Jr, also died tragically in a plane crash in World War II. He did have a failed attempt at the White House in 1980 running against then incumbent president Jimmy Carter.  He will be forever remembered for his car accident in 1969 on Chappaquiddick Island, where Mary Jo Kopechne drowned and he pleaded guilty to leaving the scene of the accident.

Michael Jackson

Michael Jackson died on June 25^th, 2009 at the age of 50.  He was probably the most recognizable performer in the world.  Michael and I were born in the same year two months apart so, needless to say, we figuratively grew up together.  I distinctly remember his music with his brothers in the Jackson 5 when I was younger.  According to Wikipedia, the Thriller album in 1982 is the largest selling album of all time selling over 100 million copies worldwide.  I will never forget the video that was also went along with this smash hit.  Michael will always be known for his changing appearance including his skin color and nose starting in the late 1970s.  He was also accused of child sexual abuse in 1993 but was not brought to court but in 2005 was accused of multiple counts including the molestation of a minor.  In June of 2005 he was found not guilty of all charges.

Farah Fawcett

Farah Fawcett, known for her distinct hairstyle and her role on Charlie’s Angels died of cancer the same day as Michael Jackson, June 25^th.  Farah, one of the stars of the blockbuster TV show, “Charlie’s Angels” was also known for the famous swimsuit poster (seen to the left) which sold 12 million copies in 1976.  She documented her cancer struggles in “Farrah’s Story” which was broadcast on May 15^th by NBC.

Ed McMahon

Ed McMahon, sidekick of Johnny Carson for roughly 30 years, died at age 86 also in June.  Ed was known for his “Heeeeere’s Johnny” introduction on every Tonight Show.  He was also known for his belly laugh at Johnny’s every joke.  His financial problems were well-chronicled later in his life.

David Carradine

David Carradine, known for his role as Kwai Chang Caine, in the TV series Kung Fu also died in June at the age of 72. He was the son of legendary actor John Carradine. David died accidentally of asphyxiation in Bangkok, Thailand.

Eunice Kennedy Shriver

Eunice Kennedy Shriver, known as the founder of Special Olympics, died at 88 years old. She was the 5th child born to Rose and Joseph Kennedy. Her husband, Sargent Shriver, was George McGovern’s running mate in his failed 1972 Presidential campaign. Her daughter, Maria Shriver, married to California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, is also a journalist and author.

Bea Arthur

Bea Arthur, was known for two roles in particular, Maude Findlay in the situation comedy “Maude” and Dorothy Zbornak in “The Golden Girls”. She was 86 when she died on April 25th. She won Emmy Awards for her roles on both sitcoms. She was not only a TV star but a stage actress as well winning a Tony Award as Best Featured Actress in a Musical in 1966 for her performance as Vera Charles in the original cast of Mame. I distinctly remember first seeing Bea Arthur in “All in the Family”, as Edith Bunker’s cousin, where she burst onto the scene with the pronouncement of “Maudie’s here”.

Ricardo Montalban

Ricardo Montalban died on Jan 14th, 2009 at 88 years old. When I think of Ricardo Montalban there are a number of images that come to mind. One, of course, was his role in Fantasy Island as Mr Rourke opposite Tattoo, played by Herve Villechaize. Another image I have is of Ricardo Montalban’s Chrysler Cordoba commercial where he extolled the virtues of “Corinthian Leather”. But, probably the most famous image I have of Ricardo Montalban is his role as Khan in both the original Star Trek series and a re-creation of that same role in the 1982 film Star Trek II, The Wrath of Khan.

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