10 Mistakes People Make with Thanksgiving (slideshow)

10 Mistakes People Make with Thanksgiving from Sugar Pine Realty

7 Thanksgiving Quotes (slideshow)

7 Thanksgiving Quotes from Sugar Pine Realty

7 Thanksgiving Fun Facts (slideshow)

7 Thanksgiving Fun Facts from Sugar Pine Realty

10 Mistakes People Make with Thanksgiving (plus 1 bonus)

Lightning fast read meant to make you think...

10 Mistakes People Make with Thanksgiving (plus 1 bonus):

1. Are confused on its origins.
2. Think the pilgrims exploited Native Americans.
3. Over eat and get sick (ouch).
4. Get drunk at the family gathering and make a fool of themselves (again?).
5. Forget to call their parents to wish them a happy Thanksgiving (use the phone; it's more personal).
6. Don't realize why they're so tired after eating turkey (it's the Tryptophan! - or not?).
7. Embarrass the family by bringing up stories better meant to remain private.
8. Leave the turkey in the oven too long and disappoint your mother-in-law.
9. Overlook those less fortunate (reach out to a lonely neighbor with something as simple as a piece of pie!).
10. Introduce a shady (questionable) boyfriend or girlfriend at the family gathering.

BONUS Relegate it to a single day on the calendar (be thankful every day).

by Mike C (aka blog boy)

You might also be interested in: 13 Quirks Human Beings Have Top 8 Things People Dislike About the Holidays

FREE eBook download by entering email address:

13 Quirks Human Beings Have (slideshow)

10 Mistakes People Make with the Holiday Season (plus 1 bonus)

Lightning fast read meant to make you think...

10 Mistakes People Make with the Holiday Season (plus 1 bonus):

1. Think they have to attend every party (you don't).
2. Drink too much at the parties they do attend (and wake up the next morning embarrassed and with a hangover).
3. Eat too many treats (so they have to diet on January 1st).
4. Spend above their means.
5. Act like the Grinch or Scrooge (are a wet blanket on everyone else's joy).
6. Go to shopping malls during peak hours (and you wonder why you're stressed?).
7. Don't make time for the important people in their lives.
8. Have unrealistic expectations on how relatives should act and respond (you only have control over your own actions and responses).
9. Don't realize the depression it can foster (get support if this is you).
10. Forget to reach out to others in need (don't just think about your own family).

BONUS Overlook the reason for the (Christmas) season.

by Mike C (aka blog boy)

You might also be interested in: Test Your Knowledge of the Christmas Tree Thank You

FREE eBook download by entering email address:

Test Your Knowledge of the Turkey (video)

(If you can't see this video, click here.)

10 Boo Boos People Make at Holiday Get Togethers (plus 1 bonus)

It's that time of the year again. The time where we are thankful and give (and receive) presents.

It's also the time where we get around people we may not see throughout the year. That's where the trouble comes. Especially if the last time we saw somebody there was any kind of friction. (Been there? Done that?)

I'd expect there are many just dreading the holiday get together. (Is it you?) We can do a lot to help ourselves (short of not showing up) to handle the pressure and dispel the tension that can accompany any gathering.

The main thing is to prepare ahead of time. Know the relational mistakes and avoid them...

10 Boo Boos People Make at Holiday Get Togethers (plus 1 bonus):

1. Show up late
2. Worry about what others think
3. Talk too much
4. Talk about themselves
5. Try to change people
6. Are too honest
7. Show off (brag)
8. Drink too much
9. Judge
10. Stick their foot in their mouth (say something they shouldn't say)

BONUS: Forget to say, "Thank you" (and send a "Thank you" card afterwards)

You might also be interested in:

• It's a Wonderful Life (and you're the reason why)
• Test Your Knowledge of Christmas

Thank You

(This is for just in case someone forgot to tell you these things.)

Thank you for working so hard. Thank you for holding on to your integrity. Thank you for being honest. Thank you for obeying instructions. Thank you for giving financially. Thank you for remaining loyal. Thank you for standing your ground. Thank you for providing for your kids. Thank you for loving your wife (husband). Thank you for going the extra mile.  Thank you for being there. Thank you for being you.

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, Thank you. :)

You might also be interested in:

• Test Your Knowledge of the Turkey
• You Matter

How to Deal with Holiday Stress (10 ways)

Things are tight (for many of us). And the holidays are here! Combine holiday season with things being tight and what do you get? (Starts and ends with an "s".) Stress.

Webster's defines stress as: "bodily or mental tension resulting from factors that tend to alter an existent equilibrium." (In simpler terms, you're frazzled.)

People deal with holiday stress in different ways. Some get angry. Some feel sorry for themselves. Some go on binges (drinking, shopping). Others get real busy. (Workaholics are a perfect example.) It could be just about anything that overtakes a person when they're stressed (insomnia, drug addiction ~ even suicide).

There are things we can do / ways to deal with and minimize stress. I've put together a list of them below. This isn't scientific or anything. It's just coming from inside my head. I think we learn these over the years. The problem is we don't always put them into practice. (I'm guilty of that.) I encourage you to not just read these, but apply them, too (I'm feeling less stress already)...

How to Deal With Holiday Stress (10 ways):

1. Don't give in to unrealistic expectations.
2. Live within your means.
3. Go to the malls during off peak hours.
4. Take a break and get some fresh air.
5. Spend time with people that give you hope.
6. Avoid eating too many holiday treats.
7. Watch a movie that makes you laugh.
8. Refuse to worry about the future.
9. Lift somebody up who's in worse shape than you.
10. Remember, the important things money can't buy.

You might also be interested in:

• 21 “Joy” Enhancers
• On Black Friday

Trim The Fat

We all don't like it when the holidays come and we're overweight. (And you're gonna hate me for this next statement.) I started dieting about 6 weeks ago. It wasn't to lose weight so much (and it really had nothing to do with the holidays coming ~ but that works). It was mostly because my pants were getting a bit tight around the belt buckle (ouch). I'm happy to say that's no longer a problem.

It got me to thinking how easy it is for any of us to become overweight ("fat") in other areas, too ~ and especially in how we approach our career. It's easy to accumulate "pounds." Here's what I mean. It happens when we're doing things and we're just doing them to be doing them. And we're not really gaining any business. And we're not really moving forward very much. (In some cases, we may even be going backward.) And yet we continue investing time and energy (and money?) in the wrong direction. Trim the fat.

7 Things I'm Thankful For (redux)

So what are you thankful for? People oftentimes answer this question mentioning the typical things. They're thankful for their spouse (hopefully). They're thankful for their kids and grandkids (if they have any). They're thankful for their job (many are hurting in this area in our day). They're thankful for their health. And so on and so forth. Right?

And these are all important things to be thankful for. Don't get me wrong. I would be the first to say it. But there are so many other things that we don't always highlight or think about when the bottom line is we really count on these things and owe a lot to certain other people we don't always take time to recognize. (Isn't it true?)

The following list might not mean much to you, but it does to me. These are things that I really couldn't live without right now, quite frankly. Also included are people I owe a debt of gratitude to that I don't always take the time to let them know. So here are:

7 things I'm thankful for (redux)...
(Original version of this post: HERE)

#1: My car. It's got over 150k miles now. Has no heat. The clutch no longer slips (fixed that). But it coughs (going up the grade especially). Bottom line: It still gets me to where I need to go (work).

#2: This great country of ours. There's still no better place on the planet to live. Many have given their lives for our freedom.

#3: My eyeglasses. I still can hardly see with them on. Just think how I'd be without them.

#4: My deodorant. It's no longer sweet pea and violet scent. (We used to receive goods from a local distribution center). I've graduated to Right Guard Sport.

#5: My shower door. It still doesn't close completely, but just enough so I can get myself squeaky clean.

#6: My bosses at work. They (Emmett and Ann) are still sacrificing much to keep the company afloat and provide for the families it represents. No amount of words can repay all that they've done.

#7: Forgiveness, love and hope (still).

7 Things I'm Thankful For

So what are you thankful for? People oftentimes answer this question mentioning the typical things. They're thankful for their spouse (hopefully). They're thankful for their kids and grandkids (if they have any). They're thankful for their job (many are hurting in this area in our day). They're thankful for their health. And so on and so forth. Right? And these are all important things to be thankful for. Don't get me wrong. I would be the first to say it. But there are so many other things that we don't always highlight or think about when the bottom line is we really count on these things and owe a lot to certain other people we don't always take time to recognize. (Isn't it true?) The following list might not mean much to you, but it does to me. These are things that I really couldn't live without right now, quite frankly. Also included are people I owe a debt of gratitude to that I don't always take the time to let them know. So here are:

7 things I'm thankful for...

#1: My car. It's going on 150k miles. Has no heat. The clutch slips (especially going up the grade). But it gets me to where I need to go.

#2: This great country of ours. There's no better place on the planet to live. Many have given their lives for our freedom.

#3: My eyeglasses. I can hardly see with them on. Just think how I'd be without them.

#4: My deodorant. It's sweet pea and violet scent. (We receive goods from a local distribution center.)

#5: My shower door. It doesn't close completely, but just enough so I can get myself squeaky clean.

#6: My bosses at work. They (Emmett and Ann) have sacrificed much to keep the company afloat and provide for the families it represents. No amount of words can repay all that they've done.

#7: Forgiveness, love and hope.

13 Quirks Human Beings Have

Many of us will be meeting with family and friends in the coming days. The truth is there are some people we are looking forward to seeing while there are others we are not. It's likely that the latter group has certain "quirks" and that's why we dread them. (Is anyone coming to your mind?)

Webster's defines a quirk as: "a peculiarity of action, behavior, or personality; mannerism."

And there are just some mannerisms that bug us to the core. Right? And no matter how many times we say to ourselves, "I'm not gonna let so-and-so get the upper hand this time," they do~they will~and we go home frustrated. (Has that ever happened to you?)

And we don't have any "quirks" ourselves so that others would dread seeing us? Hmm?

And I guess the solution and the only real power we have over "quirks" is in our own life. And it's interesting how other people's quirks don't seem to irritate us quite as much as they did before when we're focusing on changing our own. That said, here are:

13 Quirks Human Beings Have...
(What might you add to the list?)

1. Talk about themselves
2. Never shut up
3. Pick their nose
4. Pass gas
5. Don't use deodorant
6. Bad breath
7. Show up late
8. Leave early
9. Drink too much
10. Foul mouth
11. Gossip about others
12. Brag about their job/salary
13. Hit on your boyfriend/girlfriend (wife?)

The Power of Appreciation (reprise)

My son, Michael, had a writing test a few years ago. My wife, Kim, and I were very anxious about how he would perform. Of course, Kim had invested much time and energy in teaching Michael the things he needed to know (as a home school mom). Then all we could do was pray.

To make a long story short, Michael took the test and the woman facilitator said he did very well. We were so pleased!

Later that evening I really wanted to make Michael feel good, so I played like I didn't see him on the other side of the room while I started up a conversation with Kim. I went on to talk about what a good job Michael had done and how happy we were that he'd done so well. You could just see him beaming as I knew he could hear every word. Then I said, "Where is Michael, anyway?" He replied, "Here I am, Dad." I said, "Wow, I didn't even know you were there."

Expressing appreciation for a job well done. I wonder if we don't tend to point out and harp on the negatives we see in people to the exclusion of recognizing their positive contributions.

And when was the last time you said to somebody, "Hey, I appreciate what you're doing and have done and for you being in my life. Thank you"? (I wrote The Power of Appreciation about six months ago, but I thought with Thanksgiving coming another reminder of it's importance couldn’t hurt. Agree?)

Test Your Knowledge of the Turkey

(If you like, take this test in video form at the end of this post and share with your loved ones on Thanksgiving.)

Most of us will feast on turkey later this week as we celebrate Thanksgiving with our families, friends, etc. I wanted you to have some food for thought (no pun intended?) as you're chomping away on that poor bird.

And so just for fun here’s a test to see how much you know or don’t know about the turkey (have a great Thanksgiving everybody!)…

1. At night a turkey is known to spend the night in this place (maybe to escape the Thanksgiving table?):

(a) a hotel; (b) a cave; (c) a tent; (d) a tree.

2. A turkey can move fast when it needs to (again maybe to escape the Thanksgiving table?). It is said that a turkey can burst into flight at the following speed:

(a) 50-55 mph; (b) 60-65 mph; (c) 70-75 mph; (d) 80-85 mph.

3. A turkey has skin that hangs over it's beak. This skin is called:

(a) a caruncle; (b) a snood; (c) a wattle; (d) a sneetch.

4. Tryptophan is an amino acid that is found in turkey meat. Tryptophan is known to make people:

(a) happy; (b) sing out in a chorus; (c) gain 10 lbs; (d) sleepy.

5. The turkey sitting on your table for Thanksgiving Dinner probably weighs close to 20-25 lbs., give or take. Do you know how much the biggest turkey ever raised weighed?

(a) 84 lbs.; (b) 85 lbs.; (c) 86 lbs.; (d) 87 lbs.

6. You can find wild turkeys in every state of America except this one:

(a) North Dakota; (b) Minnesota; (c) Texas; (d) Alaska.

7. Male and female turkeys speak in different languages. (Female turkeys are from Venus, males from Mars!) The male turkeys gobble while the female turkeys make this sound:

(a) a clicking sound; (b) a yodel; (c) a nagging sound; (d) none of the above.

Answers: 1. (d); 2. (a); 3. (b); 4. (d); 5. (c); 6. (d); 7. (a).

(This test was developed and based on information from the following websites: Thanksgiving Gifts - Fun Facts about Thanksgiving, Holiday Insight: Thanksgiving Turkey Trivia, Thirty Amazing Turkey Facts, and Turkey Facts: Thanksgiving Fun.)

Test Your Knowledge of Thanksgiving

With all the controversy about the origins of Thanksgiving (was it the Pilgrims or Squanto that celebrated it first?) I thought I would steer clear in this post and focus instead on some fun facts surrounding the holiday. And, of course, what better way to do that than with a test (as I'm becoming known for)?

Have fun with the following questions (answers below) and then, most of all, have a happy Thanksgiving, everybody. (And what does it have to do with real estate? Well, there are a lot of us who will show up on our next work day who will have acquired some more "real estate" in the area of our belt buckle!)

1. Approximately how many pounds of turkey will Americans feast upon on Thanksgiving Day?

(a) 200 million pounds; (b) 500 million pounds; (c) 900 million pounds; (d) 1 billion pounds.

2. On Thanksgiving day the average person will consume how many calories of food?

(a) 3,400; (b) 6,000; (c) 3,500; (d) 4,500.

3. The original date to celebrate Thanksgiving Day was established by which American President?

(a) George Washington; (b) Thomas Jefferson; (c) Abraham Lincoln; (d) Franklin Roosevelt.

4. The number of places in the United States named after the Thanksgiving holiday's traditional main course (i.e. Turkey, Texas - pop. 489; Turkey Creek, Louisiana - pop. 363; Turkey, North Carolina - pop. 270) equals:

(a) 5 towns and 9 townships; (b) 4 towns and 9 townships; (c) 3 towns and 9 townships; (d) 2 towns and 9 townships.

5. The following part(s) of a turkey is/are not edible:

(a) gizzard; (b) gobble; (c) giblet; (d) wattle.

6. Turkeys are unusual creatures. Can you name something unusual about the turkey?

(a) they have heart attacks; (b) they can drown if they look up when its raining; (c) they fly to Australia in the summer; (d) they stick their heads in the sand.

7. Which food item(s) was/were missing from the original Thanksgiving feast?

(a) pumpkin pie; (b) milk; (c) bread & butter; (d) cheese.

Answers: 1. (b) 2. (d) 3. (c) 4. (c) 5. (b) & (d) 6. (a) & (b) 7. (a), (b), (c) & (d).

(This test was developed and based on information from the following websites: Thanksgiving Gifts - Fun Facts about Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving by the Numbers, Turkey FAQ, and Turkey Facts & Thanksgiving Fun.)