Today was Good Friday for those of you who celebrate it. It’s a time to remember the death of Jesus on the cross and His resurrection. It’s also a time of preparing to hide colored eggs for kids and of putting together Easter baskets full of goodies they don’t really need. The Easter Bunny will show up at some point this weekend, and children everywhere will be loaded up on sugar within an hour. Parents will frantically attempt to get them cleaned up for church services and dinners. Today – Good Friday – is supposed to be a holiday. It’s touted as a day of celebration. Why, then, was my day only mediocre? Why wasn’t it good>?

I couldn’t help but wonder fleetingly if I can have my money back on today – or at least a do-over. It wasn’t great, and it wasn’t particularly good. It was just a normal run-of-the-mill day for me. I then realized that life is pretty much comprised of those okay days, instead of the fantastic variety. We’re lucky to have a few really awesome days sprinkled in with the normality of life, you know?

It’s not a bad thing to have your life made up of days that simply are. I’d be pretty suspicious of anyone who claimed that every day was “super” or “great” or even “zippy!” Even if you love your family, friends and job – not every day is going to be a perfect one. We could be late to work or a meeting. Traffic might be backed up on the freeway. The weather could be not doing what we want it to do. A million little things intrude upon our lives to make us angry or frustrated. We then turn around and say “Well, today sure went to hell pretty quickly.” This tends to be even more true when someone in our work or home circle annoys us. One person saying one little thing can turn a good day into a pretty crappy one, right?

The question is, what should you do about those less-than-stellar days you know you’re going to have? Whining about them doesn’t help. Getting angry won’t fix anything. There is no refund, despite what I had hoped. All we can DO is make the best of it. Figure out why your day isn’t going the way you’d like and do something about it. Cut negativity out of your life. Look at the beautiful clouds or rainbow on rainy days instead of begging for sunshine. Apologize for being late and offer to stay over or do something extra to make up for it. Treat yourself to something nice, even if it’s just a little thing. Any number of things can improve your disposition – and your entire day.

There’s no such thing as a bad day… there’s only our perception of one. Change your day. No one but you can choose whether you’re having an okay day or a great one.

Do I Get My Money Back?

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Merry Christmas to all and to all a good haul! This happens to be my favorite holiday, even when I happen to be celebrating it alone. I’m very glad to know you’re here with me (even virtually, in homes of your own).

I bought myself a very cool Boba Fett hoodie this year. I’ve been wanting one forever, so I decided to go ahead and splurge!

I received several really cool gifts from various friends, including some great new LEGO and Star Wars stuff! Thank you to all of you.

I also bought myself a Panasonic DMP-B500 Portable DVD Player. Gosh, how did I ever figure out what it was I really wanted?

YouTube sent a gift to some of the producers, as well. We were asked to go to B&H Photo and Video and choose a few things we knew we could need/use. I chose wisely, knowing I will be broadcasting live soon from CES 2011. I’ll be in the Grand Lobby, and uploading all of the resulting videos to my YouTube account. Thanks so much to the folks at YouTube for these goodies.

ThinkGeek also sent me a nice care package. It was sitting downstairs for at least a week, and I’ve been dying to open it. They sent me the new Bluetooth Keyboard and iPad Case that I’ve had my eyes on for a while now. I also recieved the USB Classic Atari Joystick, the Star Wars Dark Side Coffee, an Otamatone, a Not Here to Make Friends shirt (which I WILL wear in public frequently!), the FML shirt (which again – I WILL wear often!!) and a few other assorted goodies.

What’d you get for Christmas this year?

Christmas Unboxing Geek Style

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The weather outside may be frightful wherever you live, but inside my house it’s nice and warm and full of LEGO fun. I am going to stay in this holiday season and celebrate alone – while building more LEGO sets.

I have several different ones, of course. I have the Winter Village Bakery and the Winter Village Toy Shop. Both sets are very detailed with lots of neat little surprises inside.

What types of holiday scenes do you like to build? Do you have a Nativity scene, or perhaps a little village build of some sort? How do you decorate your home to add special little touches that show your personality?

How Do You Decorate for the Holidays?

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of NAVTEQ. All opinions are 100% mine.

There are many people on my holiday shopping list that are nearly impossible to buy perfect gifts for. They already have everything they really “want,” or they are very picky people. In either case, I am stumped every single year when trying to find that one gift they will not only enjoy – but get some real use out of. This year, I’ve stumbled upon nav system map updates from NAVTEQ. This is a gift that will keep giving all year – and one that can be used by nearly everyone.

Many newer vehicles have an in-dash navigational system. The ones that do are usually all powered by NAVTEQ. By having the latest map updates, you’re making sure that the person you care about always knows the best way to get where they are going, where they can stop along the way and is as safe as possible throughout their trip.

With a map update, you don’t have to worry whether you’re buying the right color or size. There will be no re-gifting going on. Heck, this is even a fantastic gift for yourself! You don’t want to get lost on the way to the mall or your in-laws’ house, do you? We all know how desperately you want to be on time for these things!

I have already purchased a map update for myself. I think that my parents totally need this, as well. As I scroll through my list of people on my iPhone, I realize that nearly everyone I know could benefit from the gift of figuring out where to go – and how to get there on time. The only problem now is figuring out what I’m going to get for my dogs, Wicket and Pixie. Those two already have more than they could ever possibly need!

What are you planning to pick up for those hard-to-buy-for people on your list?

How to Find the Perfect Gift

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‘Tis the season to assemble LEGO! You may not celebrate Christmas or Advent, but how cool is this particular Advent calendar, anyway? There are 25 days, just as with normal Advent calendars. Instead of chocolate being behind each little window you open, there are new LEGO pieces!

The kit comes with a total of 257 pieces, including various city equipment, minifigs, a Christmas tree, a fireplace, and much more. You’ll have everything you need to put together a fantastic city scene, which can (of course!) be used as a holiday decoration.

I’m not sure which holiday you choose to celebrate. I choose Christmas, even though I am no longer a practicing Catholic. To me, the holidays are about giving to others, no matter what religion you are a part of or which holiday you call your own. Heck, I keep in mind that we “stole” Christmas from early Pagans. They began their Solstice celebrations many MANY years before Santa Claus or Christmas made their entrance.

No matter what you choose to celebrate this year (and every year), I hope it is a safe, healthy and happy one for you and your family.

LEGO Advent Calendar 2010

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While building a new LEGO holiday scene recently on my live stream, someone in chat asked me what my favorite holiday memory was. It actually took me a moment to decide. I’ve been fortunate to have had many holidays that were a lot of fun and special in different ways.

I remember one year I pitched a fit because I thought Santa wouldn’t bring something I really wanted. This was seriously traumatic at the time, thinking he didn’t love me enough. My Dad would often take us out to buy gifts for each other and my parents. We were convinced we would be happy with what we were going to get from the other brothers.

I remember going out and seeing that gift, wishing I could have it. I NEEDED it, yo. I remember driving home in the car and Dad telling me that Santa wasn’t going to be bringing that to me. I later found the stash that Santa was to bring and found that exact present. I felt like a complete jackass after having thrown such a fit.

One year, I got a game that was pretty cool. I remember, of course, the first time I received a LEGO kit. At that time, I was confused as hell as to what it was supposed to be. Can you even believe now that at one point I was NOT a LEGO fanatic?

I’ve been blessed to have a fantastic family who created a lot of good memories over the years.

Let’s hear about your favorite holiday memory. It doesn’t have to be something about Christmas. There are many holidays through the year, and we all celebrate different things. I’d love to hear which holiday meant the most to you, and why.

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Favorite LEGO Gift Memory

Oh, I bet your taste buds wish they could be half as patriotic.

Red, White, & Blue Cake for the Fourth of July Picnic

Can you imagine a World without entrepreneurs? David Hauser and Siamak Taghaddos can’t, and that’s why they started the National Entrepreneurs’ Day Petition. This petition will hopefully make its way to President Obama when it has garnered enough support. Entrepreneurs make the World go ’round – they are the people who help our countries, people and way of life continue to evolve by bringing new and innovative ideas and products to the table.

The petition is a call to action, asking the President to officially name March 20th, 2011 as National Entrepreneurs’ Day in the United States. As stated in the document, “It’s not just another day on the calendar. It’s an opportunity to recognize America’s rich history of entrepreneurship and make sure there’s a strong foundation for its future.”

It will only take a few seconds of your time to add your name to the list of supporters by signing with your Twitter handle. You can then shoot a tweet to your followers, asking them to sign their John Hancock, as well. There are already many notable supporters, including the founders of Rackspace, WordPress and Mixergy.

Even if you aren’t an entrepreneur yourself, you likely know someone who is. Keep in mind that an entrepreneur is someone who “has possession of a new enterprise, venture or idea and assumes significant accountability for the inherent risks and the outcome.” If you have an idea for a much-needed service, you don’t have to have a ton of money to get started. There are many resources out there which can help connect you with the people and places who can make your dreams come true.

National Entrepreneurs’ Day Petition

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Do you love me? I love you. I mean, as much as a guy on YouTube could love a person like you.

Do you celebrate Valentine’s Day? If so, what special things did you do for your loved ones today? Whatever you did (or do!) – and whoever you spend the day with – I hope it is a great one for you!

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Happy Valentine’s Day (with Romeo and Juliet)

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Imagine my surprise when I saw this splashed upon a building in the Seattle area. Thank goodness they went with “Bing” instead of sticking with “Windows Live Search” (or they would have needed a MUCH bigger building).

This was taken in Bellevue, WA looking at the Microsoft building. Neither the Google nor the Yahoo! buildings were decorated in any way. The Microsoft building, however, caught my attention and made me stop to look – and record!

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Bing Building Bling

I’m curious to know what you got for Christmas! Did Santa bring you everything you asked him for? Were you happily surprised by anything? What pieces of technology were you ecstatic to open this year, or find in your stocking?

Everyone in our community is abuzz with glee over gifts they received. Some were luckier than others, I’m sure. But all in all, everyone seems to be quite pleased with their holiday goodies! How about you?

• Listing your site with Google News is so easy that it’s hard.
• What ticks you off about Google?
• OpenOffice 2.x has hit the end of its life.
• The average adult spends about thirteen hours per week online.
• Texas County, TX is going to start naming drunk drivers right on Twitter.
• Sadly, burglers prey on churches and religious organizations.
• Did you receive anything totally unexpected for Christmas?
• All ski runs are not created equal.
• Will we see an Apple Tablet in January?
• What new gadgets and gizmos did you receive for the holidays?
• Microsoft has released four new themes for Windows 7.
• What are the most annoying gifts you could give to a Geek?
• Why is texting while driving so dangerous?
• What search tools are available for brand exposure?
• Let them eat Peanut Butter M&Ms!
• Are budget brand gaming rigs good enough to play on?

Be sure to check out our downloads center today! There are tons of new games, applications and software available at excellent prices!

What Did You Get for the Holidays?

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I gave you a chance to ask for what you wanted this holiday season. Hundreds of you responded, but only one of you… actually, TWO of you were given a gift. We’ll do this again next year, assuming our community continues to grow.

The first winner was Kari, who asked for a digital camera for her stepdad. Apparently, her camera was stolen somewhere on her college campus recently. So, her stepdad didn’t think twice, and gave his camera to her so she’d have one. Kari didn’t ask for something for herself. She asked for something for another person, which is why I chose her as a winner. Her video was very touching, and her intentions were very good.

The other winner is long-time community member Ron Knights. Ron asked for financial help to go visit his elderly parents for the holidays. I believe Ron himself lives clear up in Maine, and his parents are in Atlanta, Georgia. Living on a fixed income, it’s difficult for Ron to make the trip on his own. I’m more than happy to help out, so that they can spend some time together. Ron also posted a follow-up thank you video last night. That made his winning even more special for me!

I had a great time going through all of the videos. It was a tough choice, to be sure. Thank you to everyone who entered. I appreciate your support!

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Gifts for Him and Her

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We woof you a Merry Christmas! We woof you a Merry Christmas! We woof you a Merry Christmas! And a happy new bark!

Wicket and Pixie are really in the Holiday spirit this year. How are your dogs doing? Upload a video response starring your Christmas pets if they wanna play along.

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Christmas Dogs

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It’s officially Christmas Eve in some parts of the World right now, and only a few hours away here in Seattle!! Santa and I go wayyy back – all the way to my childhood. When I found out that the Jolly Elf himself was going to be live streaming this year, I had to get in on the action. After all, this is what I DO! So, I contacted Santa up at the Pole, and proposed an offer he couldn’t refuse. We hooked up via the Intertubez in order to tell all of you: “Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night”

I have to thank my friend and long-time community member Databrokers for hooking Santa up with the stream this year. It’s thanks to Databrokers and his squirrels that Mr. Claus was able to show up online to talk with everyone. I’m told that he made the front page of Ustream earlier tonight, and pulled in just under 40,000 viewers for the night!

I meant what I said earlier in this post. From Pixie, Wicket and myself… Happy Christmas to all.

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Santa Claus is Coming to Town

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Santa sent me a video email! Can you believe it?! I didn’t know he did things like this! Oh, I hope I’m on the Nice list! I’ve tried so hard to be good this year. I only asked Santa for one thing. If I’m lucky, I’ll find it in my stocking on Christmas morning!

Wait, what? Santa says I haven’t been good enough? That is a load of hooey! I’ve been a model citizen this whole year! I’ve been good, I swear it! What’s the deal?! That list is rigged, I’m telling you. Someone is telling lies about me!

Are you on the naughty list – or the nice list? What do you think you’ll find in your stocking on Christmas?

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Santa Claus Email