Singinganddancing

(1) Connection Creates Excellence; 

(2) Connect To Excel; 

(3) Connection is the Bedrock of Excellence

Please vote and feel free to make suggestions! This is for a one hour speech to be given to businesspeople in the midwest US at a one day conference whose topic is "Excellence."

Downton Abbey, series 2, full quote, Lady Sybil speaks to her sister Lady Edith: "I know what it is to work now. To have a full day, to be tired in a good way. I don't want to start dress fittings or paying calls or standing behind the guns."

What does this phrase mean, to Lady Sybil, a young woman who could not have literally stood behind any guns? It sounds like it must be something women did, as it appears in the same sentence with dress fittings and paying calls.

Experienced users of hand-held saws only, please. And if you can, please explain why you answered as you did. Thanks!

When asking a teacher, professor or supervisor for a letter of recommendation, for a new job, academic program or your academic file, I'm curious as to how many people are asked to write one themselves then forward it to the recommender. If this has, or has not, happened to you, I'd enjoy hearing your experience.

I got a whiff of the outside of it today and thought my cats had peed on it. But I'm really careful never to leave it where they can get it, and nothing inside smelled too bad... couldn't find cat pee evidence anywhere. But that smell! Not exactly like cat pee but yuck! Is it possible that it got this way just from being used, carrying my clean and dirty things, wet towels and bathing suits (inside plastic but still) and not being washed? It's cloth... a Reebok bag, so I guess it's okay to wash? Advice?

I live in the Rochester NY area. Verizon is king here and I have a Verizon Droid right now. My contract runs out in less than a year. My kid is starting college in Pittsburgh, neither of us is going to have much money. I pay about $200/mo for two phones now. Suggestions for both smartphone and service?

There's not a ton of room and all bookshelves wind up making the place look cluttered.

I want to be able to add different sounds, adjust tempo, save, retrieve and modify projects. Should be spyware free.

... and WHY?

I taught my son to drive my standard, and he had a bit of driving experience on his father's (we're divorced) automatic. My mechanic tells me now that my clutch is in a very bad way and the "learning experience" is likely the only reason (I'm very careful, never ride the clutch). The repair will be $900 and I don't want to do it again in a couple years after teaching my daughter. Any advice?

...not less, even as the dating field dwindles? What's to be done about that...

I want to make a short, very simple cartoon involving mice and cages where the doors open and close. I'm not experienced at doing this and can't afford to spend a lot of money. Any suggestions?

Does anyone know of how to keep something printed on an inkjet printer from running when wet? A spray perhaps? It's a hassle that it smears so easily, particularly on envelopes.

It's a new office at a new job... the noise is deafening and even interferes with conversation at times. It's a big air conditioner and sticks out pretty far. If I can come up with a reasonable solution maintenance is likely to help. Any ideas?

I've started a new job, and since I've learned I could be fired for using the internet for ANYTHING not business related, I've decided I will not take a chance even one time by accessing my home email from work.

However, once in a while I think I will need to check or use my personal email. Wondering... can I do that with my phone? I get good reception from my office. I don't use the internet now with the phone because of the cost, but I can, and would likely just buy a plan. Does anyone know if I could access yahoo/gmail/hotmail using my Fusic? I really don't want to buy a new phone as well. :-)

We'll have to drive from Rochester NY to Philly to pick up my son. I'm thinking about whatever's closest to Philly... possibly Rehoboth area in Delaware. But what about New Jersey?

Looking for pretty and swimable beach, some interesting nightlife but nothing that will get the kids in trouble. Each will probably bring a friend. Budget matters too.

Thanks!

I'm a single mom of 2 kids. My son will be 20 and is in college; I see him for what I have realized is something like hours per year, not even days. My daughter will be 16; she lives with me and we get along well.

I'd like to rent a cottage w/ 3 bedrooms somewhere they will both find entertaining for a week at the nd of August so that I can spend some time with them. They are both gregarious and outgoing, and I will invite each to bring a friend.

I'm just not sure of where would be fun for them. It has to allow them some independence, even the 16 year old. Not too expensive. Maybe a little night life but fairly safe of course. A beach area might be nice too. Any suggestions, anyone have any successful vacations of this sort?

I want to make my oven-chicken-kiev recipe easier to make. Basically it involves pounding flat a chicken breast, putting a piece of garlic- and parsley-laced butter on top and pinning up the sides with toothpicks. I then dip the whole thing in an egg wash, coat it in cornflake crumbs and paprika, and bake at 350 for about 45 minutes. It's a family favorite (and a Betty Crocker recipe, incidentally).

But I want to make it somewhat easier to prepare on weekdays. The way I see it I have 2 options: do it all up including coating, but instead of putting it in the oven, put it in the freezer. This would mean I'm freezing it raw, and would need to bake it from the frozen state (I don't have a microwave).

The other option would be to prepare AND cook the entire thing, then freeze individual portions and thaw/cook them in the oven when I want to serve them. They'd probably need less time, obviously there'd be no threat of undercooking (since they're fully cooked already), and might taste nearly as good.

Any opinions? My favorite chef is out of town....

I am baffled by this. Of course, we all like the 10 points, but only one person can get it, and that's not why most of us are here anyway. Sometimes it's the only thing in the question line. Anyone give me some insight into these people's minds?

... why didn't he do two things differently: (1) let Hedwig out to find her own way, so she didn't have to die (what a terrible way for such obviously talented owls to travel!), and (2) when the Firebolt fell, why didn't he do a summoning charm to get it back? Hermione states (I believe) in book 4 that the distance can be quite far, as long as you know what you're summoning.

I was so sorry to see him lose those two, but particularly out of stupidity.