The Universal Sign for "No Deal"

Universal signs are probably the ultimate form of nonverbal communication. There are many signs that are recognizable across the world, each meaning something specific.

Of course, there's the Handicapped sign...


The No Smoking sign...

The sign for Parking...

The sign for Restrooms...

And, yes...the universal sign for Choking...
However, I think the world is screaming out for just one more...how about the universal sign for "No Deal." If you watch the game show Deal or No Deal, you must know what I mean. I don't watch the show that often, but when I do, it's hard not to recognize that this signal is quickly catching on. It's basically the audience's way to communicate, non-verbally, with the contestant to show that they should not accept the proposed deal. It's very easy in fact...all you have to do is sweep your arms right over left, then left over right, in an adamant manner. Some people like to add a shake of the head to make it even more effective. I don't have any graphics to show you exactly what this looks like, but I do have some help if you really want to learn. Every time I see the "No Deal" signal, I can't help but think of the hand jive. Yes, that's right...the "No Deal" signal can actually be seen in the hand jive. What does that look like, you ask? Well, here you go...


Practice it...learn it...therefore, next time you feel the need to tell someone "no deal," all you have to do is give the signal.

Family Pics

As is the tradition for most Sundays with my family, we get together for dinner, usually at my grandparents' house. Here are a few pics I took this afternoon as we enjoyed the beautiful weather outside.

Poppy & Mom-Mom

Me and my cousin, Gina

My sister Kelli, Gina, and my Mom

My cousin, Julianna and her cousin, Timmy

Some Garden Pics

Garden stones that the 7 grandchildren
made 8 years ago!

My Recent Visit to Atlanta

I just got back this past Monday from a 4-day weekend visiting Tim in Atlanta. Tom was my travel partner for this trip. It was also Tim's 28th birthday on Saturday so it was nice to be able to celebrate with him. We, of course, had many adventures -- both indoors and outdoors. I met some cool new people including Tim's roommate, Anthony, and their co-workers at The Weather Channel. I got to see Dredg in concert...which was definitely a highlight of the weekend...amazing music for sure. I also played one of the craziest games of Trivial Pursuit I've ever played and drank some really good drinks! (Anthony you need to patent that green one!) We visited beautiful parks for both hiking and lounging. I could have used a few more days there though to see even more! But, that's the beauty of travel...you can always go back!

*~A Few Videos~*
(they may take a few minutes to load)

Tom the Ham



Tom & Tim Playing Catch



The Big Race



Tim does a good job of giving a summary of what we did each day, with some of his pics and videos. View his page here.

Pearl Jam - AOL Sessions

Pearl Jam recently recorded some music for Sessions at AOL. The set includes mostly tracks from their new album, with a couple older ones thrown in for good measure. There is lots to view at the site in addition to the sessions...there are photos, short video interviews and behind-the-scenes footage. All can be viewed at the AOL Sessions site.