1) Who inspires you the most and what qualities do they have that makes you admire them? This will actually help you answer question 5, and tell you what you crave for your own life.

2) What are you naturally good at…what natural gifts do you possess (skills, abilities, gifts, etc)? You could also ask the question, "What are people willing to pay you to do because you do it so well?"

3) What do people typically ask you for help with? For example, from the time I was about 12 years-old people have wanted to tell me about their hurts, habits, and hang-ups.

4) If you had to teach something, what would you teach? For me the word "hope" is the first thing that came to mind. For many it could be math, science, or health and fitness.

5) What are your deepest values? Add the question, "What injustice do I see in the world that makes me want to jump into action?" For example, when you see poverty or the homeless does something inside of you say "do something!"

Write it down and it may help you at least rule out some options or situations that you are considering.

“The National Day of Silence brings attention to anti-LGBT name-calling, bullying and harassment in schools. Each year the event has grown, and now hundreds of thousands of students participate to encourage schools and classmates to address the problem of anti-LGBT behavior. Founded in 1996, the Day of Silence has become the largest single student-led action towards creating safer schools for all, regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression.” _{www.dayofsilence.org}

I have two problems with this day:

1. It makes our Children face a choice that they may not be ready for; it puts them on the spot in an environment where communication is critical for success (School). If you speak in class you must hate and not support LGBT. Crap, most likely you had a math question or needed some help in a subject needed for graduation.
2. The protests and counter protests disrupt and create an unsafe environment at School, and many parents just consider this a “Holiday” to avoid all of the conflict.

If you believe in a cause why not educate others and not provoke and piss them and their parents off, by grandstanding at our schools and students expense. I get that the LBGT students have a rough go, but is this the best way to get simple respect and acceptance that you deserve?

The only good news, Friday probably won’t be much different than any other day since most kids have lost the ability to speak anyway since texting has come along.

Yesterday, I received an E-Mail message purporting to be from “Facebook Security [profile@facebook.com]” that is actually a social attack attempting to deliver the W32/Bredolab trojan downloader.

Here is what the E-mail looks like:

—–Original Message—–
From: Facebook Security [mailto:profile@facebook.com]
Sent: Tuesday, March 16, 2010 6:27 PM
To: xxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Facebook Password Reset Confirmation! Important Message

Dear user of facebook,

Because of the measures taken to provide safety to our clients, your password has been changed.

You can find your new password in attached document.

Thanks,

Your Facebook.

There was an attachment which purported to be named: Facebook_password_845.zip, which contained an executable file that delivered the malicious payload.

We rush through one with purpose and determination only to reach the other far too soon.

I am saddened by the loss of Lance Corporal Eric Ward, and the only words that seem to fit are:

Thank you and God Bless.

The purpose and determination of Lance Corporal Eric Ward can be seen on the faces of his family, friends and fellow soldiers.

He will be missed but not forgotten, a Hero forever more.

I had these cupcakes at a party last night and they were amazing, but remember…friends don’t let friends eat cupcakes and drive!  I would like to thank www.annies-eats.com for the information to post. 

Irish Car Bomb Cupcakes

Yield: 24 cupcakes

Ingredients:  For the Guinness chocolate cupcakes:

1 cup stout (Guinness)
16 tbsp. unsalted butter
¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1½ tsp. baking soda
¾ tsp. salt
2 large eggs
2/3 cup sour cream 

For the Bailey’s ganache filling:
8 oz. bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
2/3 cup heavy cream
2 tbsp. butter, at room temperature
2 tsp. Bailey’s Irish cream 

For the Bailey’s buttercream frosting:
8 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
3-4 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
4-8 tbsp. Bailey’s Irish cream 

Directions:
To make the cupcakes, preheat the oven to 350° F.  Line two cupcake pans with paper liners.  Combine the stout and butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.  Add the cocoa powder and whisk until smooth.  Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly. 

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt.  In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the eggs and sour cream to blend.  Add the stout-butter mixture and beat just to combine.  Mix in the dry ingredients on low speed just until incorporated.  Divide the batter evenly between the cupcake liners, filling them about 2/3 to ¾ full.  Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 17 minutes.  Allow to cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. 

To make the ganache filling, place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl.  Heat the cream in a small saucepan until simmering, then pour it over the chocolate.  Let sit for one minute and then whisk until smooth.  If the chocolate is not completely melted, place the bowl over a double boiler or give it a very short burst in the microwave (15-20 seconds).  Add the butter and Bailey’s and stir until combined. 

Set aside to let the ganache cool until it is thick enough to be piped.  (You can use the refrigerator to speed the cooling process, but be sure to stir every 10 minutes or so to ensure even cooling.)  Meanwhile, cut out a portion from the center of the cupcake using the cone method (a small paring knife works best for this).  Once the ganache has reached the correct consistency, transfer it to a piping bag fitted with a wide tip and pipe it into the cupcakes.  

To make the frosting, place the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.  Beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.  Gradually add the powdered sugar until it is all incorporated.  Mix in the Bailey’s until smooth.  Add more if necessary until the frosting has reached a good consistency for piping or spreading.  Frost the cupcakes as desired. 

From Annie’s Eats