I had the opportunity to go to New York last week on business, but while I was there, I managed to sneak in a little sightseeing and shopping. You can't tell from shopping in New York that the country is in a recession. Since many of you won't be able to make the trip this year, I am including a picture of the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree. It was beautiful. My arrival back home was not all that exciting...I had a leaky toilet and a flooded bathroom. Fortunately, it was Roto Rooter to the rescue. I called the dispatcher and they were there within the hour and had my leak problem fixed about 20 minutes later. I did have a little trouble finding their phone number. I called directory assistance and asked for Roto Rooter, I even spelled it out for the operator, but apparently she wasn't listening. "I can't find a listing," she replied, "would that be 'R-h-o-d-a' Rooter?"

As I sit here watching "Dancing With The Stars" and updating the website, I can't help but wonder why? We've been loyal viewers (it's one of my guilty pleasures), why are they subjecting us to 2 hours of repeat performances in order to get to something that should take 5 minutes....the announcement of the winner. Making us sit through Tom DeLay doing the Texas Two Step should qualify as cruel and unusual punishment. And how could Ashley Hamilton, who looks so good in a tux, look so bad on the dance floor. You could actually see him counting as he waited for his partner. (I did like his sequin jacket though). They're bringing out Jerry Springer and Cloris Leachman next. Somehow I wouldn't be surprised to see Bob Dole trottted out to do a Salsa.

Sarah Palin is coming to Cincinnati this Friday and will be signing copies of her book "Going Rogue" at the Joseph Beth Bookstore in Rookwood Commons. Lines are already forming to buy the book that comes with a ticket to come back for the book signing. Someone can have my ticket.

We havent even had our first snow flake yet (thank god) and already I need a winter shopping intervention. I dont know exactly what happened. I was innocently walking through Macys in Kenwood, when this sign appeared telling me that if I bought 3 pairs of shoes, I would get 40% off. Now those who know me, know that I need 3 more pairs of shoes like I need another nose, but before I knew what happened I was sitting on a couch at Macys trying on boots (remember, I dont need any shoes, but boots, well thats another mattermaybe). So because I have no sales resistance and if fate didnt want me to have the boots I wouldnt have been in Macys that day in the first place, I am now the proud owner of not only gray boots, but if you can believe it, purple suede boots. Naturally I had to buy that pair of Coach shoes just to make sure that I got the 40% discount.

There has been a lot in the news lately about apologies...Congressman Joe Wilson to President Obama, Kanye West to Taylor Swift. You may think this has all been overblown in the media. I would disagree. Both Congressman Wilson and Kanye West owed the President and Ms. Swift apologies. In my opinion, Congressman Wilson should have apologised on the floor of Congress. He showed disrespect for the institution as well as for President Obama personally and for the office of the President. Kanye West delivered his apology, not as promptly as should have been done, but it was delivered and accepted. People seem to think that freedom of speech gives them the right to say anything they want, any time they want. Freedom of speech is a right and a privilege. It does not give you license to intrude on the rights of others or hurt and mock them.