Topic: Holiday Flare

Today is a special moment in US history as we bear witness to the swearing-in of the 44th President of the United States. Watch this historic moment live from the U.S. Capitol today starting at 11 a.m. at: www.pic2009.org/live.

Happy inauguration day, everyone!

Topic: Members

Sherry's favorite game, Frantic Fish

Every now and then we hear of Gamesvillers reaching out to each other when they need it most. A couple of months back we heard about a unique gift a Gamesville member Helen (member name: Decemberlovers) wanted to create for her friend Sherry that had recently become ill. Since Sherry's favorite game here at Gamesville is Frantic Fish, Helen asked our permission to create a Frantic Fish quilt for Sherry to use while resting and getting better over the winter. We were touched that she thought of using Frantic Fish as the theme of the quilt and were happy to oblige. Below the finished product:

Sherry's finished Frantic Fish Quilt

We were happy to hear that the quilt has been completed and was delivered to Sherry some time before Christmas, who was "bouncing off the walls" according to Helen when she received it. For more on the quilt's construction and the story behind the gift visit: Sherry's Frantic Fish Quilt

Everyone, please wish Sherry a speedy recovery!

Topic: Weird Wire™

As we've previously posted, cats are extremely sneaky, agile creatures. Watch how this cat demonstrates his ninja skills by climbing these stairs:

Do you have video evidence of a sneaky cat ?

We'd love to see what you've found! Send links to: members@gamesville.com with the headline "Sneaky Cats!"

In addition to a video link, please be sure to include:

• Your Gamesville member name
• Why you thought the video is worth sharing with the Gamesville community

If we publish your video in our weekly Weird Wire™ segment we'll give you 5,000 GV Rewards. Submit your sneeky cats today!

Topic: Members

Another BIG win!

Congratulations to Gamesviller 45redhead45 of Petoskey, MI, who hit the jackpot today playing Magic 21 and took home $4,999 in cold hard cash!

Useless Fact!

45redhead45's hometown of Petoskey is notable for being the setting of several of the Nick Adams Stories, a series of short stories by Ernest Hemingway, who spent his childhood summers on nearby Walloon Lake.

The main character, Nick Adams, is partly inspired by Hemingway’s experiences, from his summers in Northern Michigan to his service in the Red Cross ambulance corps in World War I. Learn more about Petoskey...

Topic: Best Pets
This week's Best Pet comes to us from Gamesviller Debigrl of Findlay, OH. Meet her pal Lucky!

Distinguishing Personality Traits

Debigrl says, "This is our dog Lucky, a Jack Russell/Fox Terrier mix that has been the best dog we've ever had. Our son gave him to us after he rescued him from a bad owner. We were in for a huge adventure as Jack Russells are a very hyper breed--when we first got him he ate everything he could and loved toilet paper! He also loves to wrestle with our cat Buddy. We used to say he was "Lucky" we didn't ship him to Okinawa where our son was stationed.  At 7 years old, he's still the best lap dog ever--he love to give kisses and always wants to be picked up. Just rub his tummy and he melts quicker than a stick of butter in the sunshine."

Want to share photos of your own favorite pet with the Gamesville community?

Send photos to: members@gamesville.com

In addition to your pet's picture, please be sure to include:

• Your Gamesville member name
• Your pet's most distinguishing personality trait

If we publish your pet as a "Best Pet," we'll give you 5,000 GV Rewards. Submit your pet today!

Topic: Recipedia

This week's recipe comes to us from our friends at We Are Not Martha who are working with the Quaker Oats team to promote their Start With Substance campaign. As part of the initiative they wanted to share their delicious Cinnamon Raisin Oatmeal Bread with Maple Butter with you! Susie of We Are Not Martha added, “I decided to make an alternative to my daily bowl of Quaker Oats goodness and instead crafted a daily loaf of goodness; incorporating not only my oatmeal, but also cinnamon and maple syrup. That's why we decided to share this Cinnamon Raisin Oatmeal Bread with Maple Butter recipe.” Here is the team's creation:

Cinnamon Raisin Oatmeal Bread

• 1 1/2 cups Quaker Oats
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 2 tbsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 1/4 cups skim milk
• 2 tbsp. butter (1/4 stick), softened
• 2 tbsp. vanilla
• 1 tsp. lemon juice
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup raisins

Maple Butter

• 1 stick butter
  
• 1 tbsp. maple syrup
  
• 1 tbsp. honey
  

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350° F. Mix all the dry ingredients in a bowl (Quaker Oats, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt). Then mix all the wet ingredients in a separate bowl (milk, butter, vanilla, lemon, eggs). Slowly add the dry mixture to the wet using a tabletop or handheld mixer and stir in raisins. Pour batter into a buttered 9x5 loaf pan and bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes.

While the bread is baking, soften the stick of butter, put it in a bowl and use a spatula to mix it with the maple syrup and honey. Serve the bread warm with a generous amount of butter on top.

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 50 minutes

Help out a great cause with Quaker Oats!

Quaker has assigned 25 blogs each one day this month to see how many readers they can get to participate in their Start With Substance program and today is We Are Not Martha's turn! Here's what you can do to help:

1. Visit Start With Substance to get to the Quaker Facebook fan page and to read the official rules.
2. Become a fan of Quaker on Facebook, then download and print out a picture of the Quaker Oatmeal Man.
3. Take your picture with him and upload the picture to the Facebook fan page. See mine here.
4. Put the link to your uploaded Facebook photo in the comments section We Are Not Martha's post.

The blog that gets the most Facebook photo uploads in 24 hours will be awarded $5,000 by Quaker Oats, which We Are Not Martha has elected to donate to the Greater Boston Food Bank. Please help out this fantastic cause by visiting Start With Substance and participating today!

Want to share your favorite recipe with the Gamesville community?

Send recipes to: members@gamesville.com

In addition to your detailed recipe, please be sure to include:

• Your Gamesville member name
• Why you wanted to share this recipe

If we publish your recipe we'll give you 5,000 GV Rewards. Submit your recipe today!

Topic: Hollywood

The team at Gamesville is eagerly anticipating tonight, as FOX kicks off the eighth season of their hit reality show American Idol. Last week we had the pleasure of speaking with Simon Cowell and this week we sat down with the newest addition to the judges table, hit songwriter and record producer Kara DioGuardi. She joined us to answer a few questions about her role on the show and to talk a little bit about what we can expect this season.

Gamesville: So Kara, what do you bring to the judge’s table that American Idol did not have before?

Kara: Well, I think what is really unique about me is that I have worked with a lot of these singers that are out there, from Christina to Pink to Celine Dion.  I have been in the studio with them when they have recorded songs that we’ve co-written.  And I have worked very closely with them on how they interpret the songs we have written and giving them guidance and support. I think that distinguishes me.

How has your being part of the mix changed the dynamic of the judges table?

In the beginning it was a little unnerving.  I didn’t know where I was going to sit.  I didn’t know when I was going to speak.  So to shift some things around that have been only one way so many years has really added a new dynamic I think.

What kind of faux pas did you make because you’re the newbie and maybe didn’t know how things worked?

I think I would talk over people a lot because I did not really know when to talk.  When do I speak?  Who is speaking now?  Who is going now? I think that was my biggest faux pas to be honest. 

How do you think you’ll be seen or described by the audience after they get to know you?

I think they are going to see somebody who is pretty feisty and opinionated, but is also coming from a good place--I am really trying to help these contestants and impart my own experience to them so that at the end of the day whether they win or they lose they’ve learned something.

Who do you tend to agree with the most among the other three judges and who do you tend to disagree with most?

You know, there have been times that I’ve agreed and disagreed with all of them.  It’s hard to really say.  You have to take situation by situation and city by city, but I definitely can sometimes see where Simon is coming from.  I may not have said it quite the way he said it, but I also do believe in second chances early on and I know that if I hadn’t had a second chance a lot of times I wouldn’t be where I am today.  I definitely grew as an artist and as a songwriter and sometimes you see potential in people and you have to think past some of the maybe mistakes they made because they were nervous or whatever, so I do believe in second chances.

You mentioned in an earlier interview that the make contestants this year have the edge. Are any specific auditions that blew you away?

There are.  I’m not sure I can get into which contestant or their names at this point, but looking at all the contestants as a whole I felt that the males were the strongest.  There are also one or two females that I’m excited about as well. I’m really just waiting for the show to roll out and for the next phase to kind of see who is going to end up on top.

Are there any differences overall from what you’ve seen of last year’s contestants?

I would say that there is a uniqueness to some of the male contestants that’s different in terms of their voices and their song selections. I don’t know if I can share specifics yet, I think you will just have to tune in and see what happens.

The eight season of American Idol premiers on tonight and tomorrow evening on FOX.

Topic: Members
Gamesviller Lucylulu357 of Marshall, TX, recently won $410 while playing CatchUp CoverAll, and took a few minutes out of her schedule to talk with us about her win.

What was the thrill of the win like for her? And what kind of books does she write? Find out below...

Gamesville: Congratulations! What was it like when you realized you won?
My husband was here with me when I hit the jackpot and at first he didn't believe me that I won. Then lots of people started talking to me in chat to make sure that I really existed.

What will you spend your winnings on?
I'm not really sure what I will do with the winnings quite yet.

What do you do for a living?
I have a catering business and have written two cookbooks. I love everything about it, so the money may go into the business or into more books.

If you were an animal in the wild, what would you be?
If I were an animal I would be a Leopard.

What is your most treasured possession and why?
My most treasured possesion is a Mothers ring that my mother gave me.

What does your Gamesville member name mean?
My member name is based on my white Siamise cat Lucy, nicknamed LuLu.

Anything else you'd like to add?
Just that I love Gamesville and have met a lot of really nice people in game. Thanks for everything!

Thanks, Lucylulu357 - and congratulations again on your win!

Topic: Weird Wire™

Last summer, Bernice Gallego came across a collectible in her antique store she though may be worth a few dollars at auction. What she didn't know was that the item she had stumbled upon was more rare and valuable than she could have ever imagined.

The card she found that day was made in 1869 and featured the “Red Stocking B.B. Club of Cincinnati,” the sport’s first professional team. It’s considered one of the first baseball cards ever produced. Had it not been for a intervening friend at the time, Bernice would have sold the card online at eBay for just $10. Read the whole story here...

Topic: Best Pets
This week's Best Pet comes to us from Gamesviller Luvbug37 of Soulsbyville, CA. Meet her friend Sierra!

Distinguishing Personality Traits

Luvbug37 says, "This is our dog Sierra, a three-year-old Queensland Healer/Cattle dog who goes camping with us and absolutely loves playing in the water by the lake. Like most dogs she loves her ball--even when you mention that word 'ball' she gets so excited. Sierra is a wonderful dog who we rescued from going to the pound. She is so smart, friendly and very loving. She is a special dog and we are so lucky to have her in our home and hearts."

Want to share photos of your own favorite pet with the Gamesville community?

Send photos to: members@gamesville.com

In addition to your pet's picture, please be sure to include:

• Your Gamesville member name
• Your pet's most distinguishing personality trait

If we publish your pet as a "Best Pet," we'll give you 5,000 GV Rewards. Submit your pet today!