Fiesta Day has grown and changed since it originated in the 40's. This year it is planned for Feb. 13 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. with plenty of action taking place from Seventh Avenue to Centennial Park. Entertainment and food, a parade, art shows, and cooking contest make Fiesta Day one of areas most widely attended events attended by both residents and tourists.

APHORISM:
A SHORT, POINTED SENTENCE THAT EXPRESSES A WISE OR CLEVER OBSERVATION OR A GENERAL TRUTH

1. The nicest thing about the future is . . . that it always starts tomorrow.
2. Money will buy a fine dog, but only kindness will make him wag his tail.
3. If you don't have a sense •of humor, you probably don't have any sense at all.
4. Seat belts are not as confining as wheelchairs.
5. A good time to keep your mouth shut is when you're in deep water.
6. How come it takes so little time for a child who is afraid of the dark to become a teenager who wants to stay out all night?
7. Business conventions are important . . . because they demonstrate how many people a company can operate without.
8. Why is it that at class reunions you feel younger than everyone else looks?
9. Scratch a cat . . .. and you will have a permanent job.
10. No one has more driving ambition than the teenage boy who wants to buy a car.
11. There are no new sins; the old ones just get more publicity.
12. There are worse things than getting a call for a wrong number at 4 a.m. - like, it could be the right number.
13. No one ever says "It's only a game" when their team is winning.
14. I've reached the age where 'happy hour' is a nap.
15. Be careful about reading the fine print. . . . There's no way you're going to like it.
16. The trouble with bucket seats is that not everybody has the same size bucket.
17. Do you realize that, in about 40 years, we'll have thousands of old ladies running around with tattoos in strange places? (And rap music will be the Golden Oldies!)
18. After 60, if you don't wake up aching in every joint, you're probably dead.
19. Always be yourself because the people that matter don't mind . . . . and the ones that mind don't matter.
20. Life isn't tied with a bow . . . . . . . but it's still a gift.

Dawn has moved on to Fifth Third Bank. I organized a get together at Courtside, and I say organized loosely!
I sent off an email saying Friday was Pennys last day. Greg, John, Joe, Dawn, Penny, and myself showed up.

We had Tom Yum Goon, Yum seafood salad, Curry w/ coconut milk, pork, veggies and crab rangoons.
Tossed in the Thai Tea for good measure, and it was all delicious.
5545 Roosevelt Blvd, Clearwater, FL.

Am tying my shoes. Na. Just in PreOp with Becky Babe. She's getting her rotator cuff fixed today.

According to most studies, people's number one fear is public speaking. Number two is death. Death is number two. Does that sound right?

Are there keys to a plane? Maybe that's what those delays are sometimes, when you're just sitting there at the gate. Maybe the pilot forgot his keys.

Dogs are the leaders of the planet. If you see two life forms, one of them's making a poop, the other one's carrying it for him, who would you assume is in charge.

I have a friend who's collecting unemployment insurance. This guy works so hard to keeping it going, they should give him a raise.

I once had a leather jacket that got ruined in the rain. Why does moisture ruin leather? Aren't cows outside a lot of the time?

I was the best man at the wedding. If I'm the best man, why is she marrying him?

I will never understand why they cook on TV. I can't smell it. Can't eat it. Can't taste it. The end of the show they hold it up to the camera, "Well, here it is. You can't have any. Thanks for watching. Goodbye."

It's amazing how the amount of news that happens every day fits the newspaper exactly.

Men want the same things from both their women and underwear: a little bit of support, and a little bit of freedom.

My parents didn't want to move to Florida, but they turned sixty, and that's the law.

Now they show you how detergents take out bloodstains. I think if you've got a T-shirt with a bloodstain all over it, maybe laundry isn't your biggest problem.

People who read the tabloids deserve to be lied to.

There's a lot of ugly people out there walking around that don't know they're ugly. Nobody actually tells them.

Do you really a shower radio? Is that a good place to dance,  on a slick surface next to a glass door.

Sometimes the road less traveled is less traveled for a reason

The Swiss have an interesting army. Five hundred years without a war. Pretty impressive. Also pretty lucky for them. Ever see that little Swiss Army knife they have to fight with?

The big advantage of a book is it's very easy to rewind. Close it and you're right back at the beginning. 

What is a date really, but a job interview that lasts all night? The only difference is that on many job interviews, is there no chance you'll wind up naked.

Why do they call it a "building"? It looks like they're finished. Why isn't it a "built"?

You can measure distance by time. "How far away is it?" "Oh about 20 minutes." But it doesn't work the other way. "When do you get off work?" "Around 3 miles."

You know you're getting old when you get that one candle on the cake. It's like, "See if you can blow this out."

They got my Canon camera, the new lense and a new camera bag. Its a fluke, me leaving it in the truck (out-of-sight).
Guess they liked my cheap GPS unit. They didn't take the power cord. My truck sits high, and this is an upscale area, so its amazing they picked on my truck.
On the Plus Side
I didn't like the Canon. The camera with its long lense was bulky and stuck out. It was next to impossible to get a candid shot of people.
Someone would always be snearing at the camera in pictures of crowd, and forget about taking shots on a beach.
Serials: Canon EOS Rebel T1i. EOS 500D. $840.

Tuesday, 8 p.m. Ruth Eckerd Hall, 1111 McMullen Booth Road, Clearwater. $45-$85. (727) 791-7400.
Dismiss this declaration as hyperbole if you must, but Tuesday night's Kenny Loggins/Christopher Cross concert at Ruth Eckerd Hall could be the musical highlight of 2011 in Tampa Bay. Snicker if you want, but "yacht rock" isn't a farce; it's a soothing, mental balm that wraps around you like a warm blanket. Look for a night of non-stop hits from their '70s and '80s catalogs. Cross will open with a slew of heart-mending ballads including Think of Laura, Sailing and Best That You Can Do followed by the prickly Ride Like the Wind. Loggins will crank things up further with Footloose, Danger Zone and This Is It. And just when you think your soul can fly no higher, Kenny will come crashing down, leaving you sobbing and vulnerable with the wrenching Return to Pooh Corner. — Steve Spears

Had another get together at the CourtSide Grill Wednesday night.
15 people showed up. Now I have a four drink hangover. :(
Guess I'll be drinking sweet tea at future parties. It was fun.
Becky and I both had a good time!

John, Anthony, Keith, Becky and I ate at Wings. I think maybe their sweet tea was expired.
The weather in Tampa Bay was crazy yesterday. High winds, torrential rains, flooding.
Driving down the road, it was hard to see 10 feet ahead.

Put together a going away party for Keith Z. 14 people showed up to Joes Crab Shack. Nice turn out!!!

Great food. John, Anthony, Chrissy, Tabatha, Heather, little Anthony, Jack, Becky and I went. Very expensive but worth it.

Accenture , ACI Worldwide , Acision (acquired Logica CMG) , Adexus (Chile) , ADP Securities Industry Software , Advanced Business Systems , Advanced Computer Concepts (ACC) , Ageas (née Fortis Netherlands) , Aleri (acquired by Sybase) , Aleri (acquired by Wall Street Systems) , Allegheny Ludlum (ATI) , Alltel , Amdocs , America OnLine (AOL) , Ameriprise , Amtrak , ANZ Banking Group  , Applied Industrial Technologies , Arbitron  , Arcelor Mittal , Ascert  , Assurant Specialty Property , AT&T , Atos Euronext (acquired by NYSE) , Atos Origin , Attunity , Automated Banking Services , Automated Banking Services , AXA Sun Life , Baldwin Hackett & Meeks , Banamex , Banco Caja Social (BCSC) , Banco Caja Social (BCSC) , Banco Cuscatlan (acquired by Citigroup) , Banco de Credito e Inversiones , Banco De Credito Del Peru , Banco Popular (Puerto Rico) , Banelco (Argentina) , Bank Central Asia (Indonesia) , Bank of America , Bank of England (UK) , Bank of Montreal (Canada) , Bankart (Slovenia) , Bankserv , Banksys , Bank-Verlag (Germany) , Baptist Health , Barclays Bank , Bausch & Lomb , Belgacom (Belgium) , Bell Canada , Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) , Borica Ltd. (Bulgaria) , Bowden Systems , BrightStrand International , British Telecomm (BT) , Broadridge (née ADP) , Business Connexion , C.H. Robinson , C.R. Laurence , CA Technologies (nee Computer Associates) , CAIL , Caja Libertad , California Franchise Tax Board , Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce , Cardinal Health , Caremark Rx , Carl Corporation (acquired by TLC) , CarrvScott Software , CBOSS (Disambiguation needed!) , CBOSS (Disambiguation needed!) , CEKAB , Chase Bank , Chase Paymentech Solutions , Chevron , Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) , Chicago Mercantile Exchange , China Telecom , CMA Small Systems , COCC , Columbus Metropolitan Library , Comdata , Comercial Mexicana , ComForte , Community Bank , Computer Sciences Corporation (CSC) , Computer Security Products , Computer Services , Conexus , Continental Data Graphics , Cornerstone Software , Credibanco (VISA) , Crossroads Systems , Crystal Point , Daiwa Institute of Research , DataForce International , Dell Computers , Descartes (acquired Tradevision AB) , Deutsche Bank , DirecTV , Dubai Islamic Bank , Easyway , eFunds Corporation (FIS) , Elan Financial (acquired Genpass) , Elder-Beerman Stores  , Emergis , Engineering Ingegneria Informatica , Equens , Esso Canada , Euroclear  , Euronext Paris (NYSE)   , EuroShell Cards , Everlink , Evertec  (Central America) , Exxon Mobile GIS  , ezTips (Korea) , FedEx , Fidelity Information services (eFunds) , First Commonwealth Systems  , First Data Austria  , First Data Corporation , Fifth Third Bank , First National Bank Of Omaha , Fiserv , Formis Computer Services  , Fortis Netherlands (merged into ABN Amro) , Freescale  , Future Electronics , Gallagher Bassett Services  , GAP , GE Health Care (acquired IDX Systems) , Gemini Communications , Genpass (acquired by Élan Financial) , Giro Bankcard  , Global Payments (GPI) , Golden 1 Credit Union , GoldenGate (acquired by Oracle) , Gravic , Greeen Shield Canada , GreenHouse Software , Gresham Computing , Greyhound Lines  , Group Health Cooperative - ISD , HDFC Bank , Hellenic Bank  , Hermes Plus (acquired by S&T) , Hertz  , Hewlett Packard , Home Depot , Hong Kong Exchanges & Clearing  , HSBC Bank UK , Huntington National Bank , Hwatai Bank (Taiwan) , Hyundai Card (Korea) , IBM , IBM Denmark , IBM Global Services , IBM Netherlands , IBM Software Group , ICICI Bank (India) , ICMA , Industrial Bank Korea , Infocom Corporation , Infosys Australia , ING Bank International , ING Bank Netherlands , Inova Health System , Intec (disambiguation needed!) , Intec (disambiguation needed!) , Intermountain Healthcare , International Capital Market Assoc. (ICMA) , Intertan Canada (acquired by Bell Canada) , Intrado , Iowa Health Systems (IHS) , IT Services Center (ISC-FDJP) , Itochu Techno-Solutions , IX Knowledge (Japan) , JC Penney , John Deere , JP Morgan Chase & Co , JP Morgan Chase Bank , KDDI (Japan) , Kettering Medical Center Network , Keybank , KFTC (Korea) , KIS (nee KITC (Korea)) , Kleinschmidt Inc. , KMB (Korea) , KOFIA (nee KSDA (Korea)) , Kohl's Department stores , Kookmin Bank (Korea) , Korea Computers, Inc. (KCI) , Korea Exchange Bank (KEB) , Korea Federation of Banks (KFB) , Korea Stock Exchange , KPN Netherlands , Krung Thai Computer Services , KTNET (Korea) , Legacy Health System , Legato Solutions & Services (Singapore) , Lehigh Valley Health Network , Link Interchange Network , Linkage , Liverpool Mexico , Loto Quebec , Lotte Card , Lucky Goldstar (LG) , MagSoft , Mahindra Satyam , Mahindra Satyam , Malayan Banking Berhad , Manaco International , Marshall Aerospace , Mashreq Bank , MasterCard International , Masterlink Securities , Mayo Clinic , McKesson Corporation , Memorial Healthcare System , Menon Group , Metavante (FIS subsidiary) , Mexico Stock Exchange , Military Manpower Admin (Korea) , Mitsubishi UFJ NICOS , Moneris Canada , Montefiore Medical Center , Motorola , MyTravel (merged into Thomas Cook) , NASDAQ , Nationwide Building Society , Nationwide Insurance , Navy Federal Credit Union , Nebraska Health System , Network Concepts , Network Technologies International , NICE Group (Korea) , Nordic Processor (IBM/Nordea) , Northrop Grumman IT , Northumbria Police , NTT Data Corporation , NYCE , NYSE Euronext , OCBC Bank (Singapore) , Odyssey Information Services , Oki Electric Industry , Oman International Bank , Oman Mobile Telecoms (OmanTel) , Openwave Systems , Opsol Integrators , Ordina , OSF Healthcare , OTP Bank , Outokumpu Stainless , Outrigger Hotels , Park Nicollet Health Services , Paymark (New Zealand) , Perceptive Software (acquired by Lexmark) , Perot Systems (acquired by Dell) , Pinnacle Group , Pitney Bowes , Polaris Securities , Postbank , PPG Industries , Prepay Technologies , Price Waterhouse Coopers , ProHealth Care , Pulse EFT , Quest Diagnostics , Rabobank , Rabobank Nederland , Rahaxi Processing , Raymond James & Associates , Redeban Multicolor , Redlink SA , Rockwell Automation (acquired CIE) , Royal Bank of Canada , Royal Bank of Scotland , S & T Hermes Plus , Sabre Holdings , Safeway , Sagawa Computer System , Sallie Mae , Samsung , Scandinavian Airlines System , Schroff , SCL Health System , Scotia Inverlat Casa de Bolsa , Scotiabank , Sears Roebuck de México , Shared Electronic Banking Services , Sharp Healthcare , Shazam (Iowa Transfer System) , Shenzhen Stock Exchange , SIA SSB , SIAC (acquired by NYSE Euronext) , Sierra Health (acquired by Unitedhealth) , Singtel Optus , Sistema , SIX Card Solutions (nee TeleKurs) , SIX Swiss Exchange , Smart and Final Stores , Sno-Isle Libraries , Softbank Telecom , Sogeti Nederland (CAP Gemini) , Speedway/SuperAmerica , Sprint Nextel , St. George Bank , St. Jude Medical , St. Olavs Hospital , Standish Group , Sunflower Comm , Sungard Brokerage , Suntrust Bank , Syniverse Technologies , SYSCOM Computer Engineering , System Connections , Taiwan Stock Exchange (TSE) , Target Stores , T-Chek Systems , TDC Mobil , Teamsun , Telcel , Telus Communications , The Library Corp (TLC (acquired Carl Corp)) , Tidal Software , Tieto Corporation (nee TietoEnator) , Tokyo Information Systems (TIS) , Tokyo Stock Exchange , Tong Yang Securities , Toronto Dominion Bank , Toronto Stock Exchange , TOSHIBA , Total Systems Services (TSYS) , TPG Capital , Travelers Express/Moneygram , Trisept Solutions , UC4 Software , UFJ Nicos (acquired by Mitsubishi) , Unibanco (Brazil) , Union Bank , Union Pacific Railroad , University of Central Florida , University of Chicago Hospitals , University of Virginia , University of Virginia Medical Center , USDA AMS Cotton Program , Vancouver Coastal Health , Verisign , Verizon Wireless , VISA , VISA Cash (Korea) , Vocalink , Vodacom , Wachovia (acquired by Wells Fargo) , Wake Forest Univ. Baptist Medical Cntr. , Walgreens , Washington Department of Revenue , Washington Mutual (acquired by JPMorgan Chase) , Wells Fargo Bank , Wells Fargo FIS , Wesco Distribution , West Corporation , Western Farmers Electric Coop , Western Union Financial Services , Westpac Banking , Wipro Technology , WM Data (acquired by Logica) , Woori Bank (Korea) , Wright Express , Xchanging , Yokogawa Digital Computer (YDC) , Zions Bancorporation