When it comes to advertising genius, marketing people are always looking for a great hook line. Probably one of the most popular slogans is…

Where’s the beef!?

The slogan was introduced in the 1980′s when Wendy’s introduced a commercial called “Fluffy Bun” with Clara Peller declaring — Where’s the beef? — Now the ever popular catch phrase has become somewhat of an all-purpose phrase questioning the substance, or lack thereof, of almost anything we can think of.

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Today is National Tell An Old Joke Day! Some studies show that in order to stay healthy you need approximately 10 good belly laughs a day. So, lets all chip in today and try to hit our quota of 10 belly laughs today!

Leave a comment to this post with your best old joke! Come on folks, lets all get laughing here!

A Fellow Sojourner,
Dr. Rus

Aside from this blog, I also write another blog called Frame by Frame: A Family-Friendly Guide to the Movies. Starting this Monday, July 21, I’m launching a new weekly feature called Movie Monday.

It’s going to be great fun, and it gives everyone an opportunity to tell others about movies you watched over the weekend. For more information check out the latest blog entry Movie Monday Blog Carnival on my Frame by Frame blog.

A Fellow Sojourner,
Dr. Rus

Welcome Frenzied Friday!

This will be a weekly feature where you the reader can get involved, and also invite others to join in the fun too. Usually Friday’s are known as TGIF and it’s simply a time to celebrate finally arriving at the end of another week, with little thought of what to do for the weekend. Frenzied Friday brings a slightly new twist to that old idea. Yes, it’s nice the weekend has finally arrived. But what about the weekend? What kinds of things are planned for the weekend to bring some order, peace and calm. That’s the kind of post we’re looking for here.

It’s really easy to join us and here’s how it works. Do a post about your week and then tell us how you plan to unwind during the weekend. What are you plans. Put a link in your post, to the Frenzied Friday post here. Please use a permalink directly to the weekly post page, not the general url for my website. The easiest way is to simply put a line in your post that says something like;

This post is taking part in Frenzied Friday!

Then make that line a permalink to the post here. At the end of this post you will find a Mr. Linky box. Fill in the information in the box, and put the permalink of your post, again, not your general url, in appropriate box field.

That’s it! Please spread the word about Frenzied Friday and lets have fun encouraging one another for making it to the end of another week and giving some great ideas for weekend plans!

Dr. Rus

Frenzied Friday Post for July 18, 2008
“A Weekend At The Movies”

The big movie news this weekend revolves around the new Batman flick, The Dark Knight. Early box office predictions have this latest installment in the Batman franchise pulling in about as much money as the Joker steals in the movie. I screened The Dark Knight earlier this week on an IMAX screen. You can find my review of the movie on my Frame by Frame Movie Review Blog. But, believe it or not, there are a couple other movies worthy of note opening this weekend too. With that in mind, what do I plan to do as a wind down for Frenzied Friday heading into another weekend? I’m going to check out those movies.

So, what’s on the also opened this weekend list? Aside from The Dark Knight, the hit Broadway musical packed with ABBA classics, Mamma Mia hits the big screen. Meryl Streep, who admitted she already knew some of the ABBA song lyrics by heart, is the mother of a soon-to-be-wed girl who’s on a mission to identify her biological father. Pierce Brosnan also appears in this musical to hit the big screen flick. Lastly, something for the kids, the rated G movie Space Chimps opens up this weekend too. In this animated flick a crew of chimps travel through space and attempt to defeat a dictator on a planet far, far away. Space Chimps sounds like my kind of a movie spoofing Star Trek.

Then, on a somewhat humorous note, former Batman Val Kilmer has an independent thriller called Felon opening today too. While Kilmer’s movie has a limited release, the superhero from the 1995 movie Batman Forever jokingly said he’s kind of sad for Christian Bale because his movie will be number one at the box office instead of the new Batman flick. Yeah, sure Val. Keep dreaming.

What’s my weekend going to look like? I’m not going to see the Kilmer movie. But I think I’ll see Space Chimps tonight and then take my wife to see Mamma Mia tomorrow night.

A Fellow Sojourner,
Dr. Rus

Sometimes the best advice is simply to hold fast and hold tight. As we journey through this thing we call life there are many ups and downs, as well as curves and corners along the way. Life is fragile and fickle and you just never really know what might be around the next corner. I just heard a news story about a woman who’s been forced out of her home, and is now living in her car. The most striking part of the story revolved around the fact that she sounded happy! That’s right, she sounded happy while talking about the fact that her car is a little more cramped than the three bedroom condo she used to live in. But, even in the midst of losing her house, and having to live in her car, she was happy.

Could it be that she’s discovered the secret of the phrase hold fast and hold tight? She readily admitted she’s in her situation because she over-extended herself and also went into a condo payment she couldn’t afford. Now as we find ourselves in the midst of a mortgage crisis, she’s lost her house. But, she also knows life will turn around once again. Perspective is everything. When faced with difficult situations in life we can determine our reaction. We will either freeze up and fall into a victim mindset – or – we will hold fast and hold tight resting in the knowledge that things will turn around.

So, whatever you might be facing today, I hope you will find encouragement in the phrase — Hold fast and hold tight.

A Fellow Sojourner,
Dr. Rus

Welcome Frenzied Friday!

This will be a weekly feature where you the reader can get involved, and also invite others to join in the fun too. Usually Friday’s are known as TGIF and it’s simply a time to celebrate finally arriving at the end of another week, with little thought of what to do for the weekend. Frenzied Friday brings a slightly new twist to that old idea. Yes, it’s nice the weekend has finally arrived. But what about the weekend? What kinds of things are planned for the weekend to bring some order, peace and calm. That’s the kind of post we’re looking for here.

It’s really easy to join us and here’s how it works. Do a post about your week and then tell us how you plan to unwind during the weekend. What are you plans. Put a link in your post, to the Frenzied Friday post here. Please use a permalink directly to the weekly post page, not the general url for my website. The easiest way is to simply put a line in your post that says something like;

This post is taking part in Frenzied Friday!

Then make that line a permalink to the post here. At the end of this post you will find a Mr. Linky box. Fill in the information in the box, and put the permalink of your post, again, not your general url, in appropriate box field.

That’s it! Please spread the word about Frenzied Friday and lets have fun encouraging one another for making it to the end of another week and giving some great ideas for weekend plans!

Dr. Rus

Frenzied Friday Post for July 11, 2008
“Catching Up On Sleep & Picking Son Up”

Okay, I know it’s been said that you can’t really catch up on sleep you’ve missed. But, that’s what I’ve been doing all week. As I’ve already mentioned in an earlier Frenzied Friday post, my wife has been in and out of the hospital lately. That of course made for a number of hospital runs, and missed naps along the way too. But, she is now home and on the road to recovery. She even went back to work this week! I had just one movie screening this week for the new Journey to the Center of the Earth flick. That meant, I was home most nights. It also meant I didn’t have a lot of running around to do during the afternoon either. So, I took longer naps, and went to bed early all week.

Now that I’m feeling pretty much rested, it’s time to welcome our middle son back home from his mission trip to Mexico. For the past two weeks Ryan has been on a trip with Global Expeditions. This is actually his second year for a mission trip to Mexico. As part of the trip they help build a house, and also do some street ministry. It’s always a life-changing time to go on any mission trip. Ryan arrives home Saturday afternoon and I’m sure he will have plenty of stories to tell as we pick him up at the airport.

That’s what my weekend is looking like, how about you? How will you wind down this weekend as we put another Frenzied Friday behind us.

A Fellow Sojourner,
Dr. Rus

This post is taking part in Brody’s Positive Post Tuesday blog carnival!

Amy Konrath is connected with the Indy Racing Series. I believe her official title is Media Relations. Whatever the case may be, Amy is an awesome representative for the Indy Cars. She’s always cheerful, and most helpful to media type people like myself.

I first met Amy four years ago, which also marked the return of the Indy Cars to the historic road course at Watkins, New York. Amy set me up with some great interviews, and also connected me with the right people for track credentials. Every year it’s a pleasure to chat with Amy and see her at the track. So, my kudos on this Positive Post Tuesday go out to Amy!

For those who may have never experienced an Indy Car race, I’d like to highly recommend it. I’ve been following both the Indy Car Series and NASCAR for a number of years. But I must admit, from an accessibility aspect, and a general feeling of a relaxed atmosphere, no one does it better than the Indy Car Series people. Yes, it’s a high priced, and fast paced sport, but at the same time it seems very laid back. The drivers are always seen around the track, whether in the garage area, the pits, or just wandering around in general, they’re always there. One of the most amazing things is the fact that even as you wander through the garage, team members are more than willing to invite you right into their space, spend time chatting with you, and answer any questions you might have too.

Then, add on top of that, some of the really big name past drivers that are at the track too. I must admit it was a blast getting some of the present day driver autographs. But, to bump into Johnny Rutherford in the garage area, chat for a moment or two, and then get him to sign my hat, that was a thrill I will not forget.

A Fellow Sojourner,
Dr. Rus