right now I am so tired and I have so much on my mind, that I don't know where I would begin if I were to tackle something serious. So, here is something that is just for fun:

In Ohio they say............In Connecticut they say

sucker............lollipop (thanks, mom!)
tennis shoes.............sneakers
pop.............soda
put that toy up...................put that toy away
carry-in................pot-luck
garage sale............tag sale
the car needs fixed...........the car needs to be fixed
sweep the carpet.............vacuum the carpet
Reese's peanut butter cup: REE see cup................REE siz
Ohio: ah HI uh...................o HI o
cement: SEE ment..............seh MENT
calling hours before a funeral: viewing.............wake
sandwich on a long roll: sub...............grinder
motorcycle: motor sickle................motor cycle

My grandpa died :( Flying to CT tomorrow for the funeral.

Divisiveness in the Church makes me feel broken.

Bet God feels even worse.

Mad.

Don't know how to respond.

Someone once told me that "like" is not a feeling. It was after I had made a statement beginning with "I feel like..."

At first I thought this was kind of a stupid thing to be wasting words about. Who cares if I say "I feel like..." But, lately, I have been thinking more about it.

My thoughts: Feelings are interesting things. How we use them is also interesting. Generally speaking, we are encouraged to be in touch with what we feel. Additionally, we are told that feelings aren't "wrong" they just ARE. So, we are supposed to allow people to feel whatever it is they are feeling.

I would say I buy that stuff, for the most part. For me, the problem comes in taking the feelings too far, so to speak. Here is what I mean:

When I say something like "I feel like you're not listening to me" what I really mean is "I think you are not listening to me" or "it seems like you are not..."
By saying "I feel like" instead of "I think" am I trying to send the message (to whomever I am speaking) that they cannot refute what I say? (Since it is a feeling, and I am allowed to feel however I want.) If I am allowed to feel whatever I feel, then I don't have to defend what I think if I put it in the form of "I feel like." That makes it easier for me to say things that aren't true and not have to take responsibility for them.

In all honesty, I know that I talk like this (as do most people.) But it is something that I want to be aware of for two reasons. First, I don't want what I say to be a misrepresentation of what I feel OR what I think. Second, I need (and want) to be responsible for thinking only that which is true... and it is too easy to forgo that when I just say "I feel like."

Perhaps this is worthless drivel to you. Maybe this doesn't even make sense. If that is the case, thanks for reading this far.

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Ms. Boo was using some dental floss today because she had pop stuck in her teeth.

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I have been contemplating the following quote from my dear friend, and CEO of this blog, Maureen. Please comment.

Being in God's will is less about what you are doing than it is about who you are becoming.

Little Things

*experiencing great frustration from the fact that there are a lot of things I want to be that I am not. feeling lazy and incompetent to accomplish them
*had a jam session with Ms. Boo today in which I played air guitar and she played air xylophone. best music i've heard in a while
*thinking about something big. can't say more, but pray if you think of it.
*goal: lose all 20 extra lbs from my two babies before I get pregnant again
*goal: read Bible daily
*desperate to see more examples of real christians who are not afraid to live life on the narrow road....there seem to be a pitiful few, and I count myself as part of the majority. I don't know why I want to SEE that in someone else so badly...well, I think I know why...it's just that I rely on it too much when I should simply be relying on the Spirit to help me be an example instead of always searching for one. easier said than done.
*Paul ran the Boston marathon in 80+ degree heat. got dehydrated and needed an IV after he finished. thank you, God, for protecting him.
*wish: for Chris Boy to sing "hallelujahs" by Chris Rice for special music at church
*prediction: Andrea S. could win American Idol if she tried out.
*appreciation: for the fact that Rob B. is a man of his word. When he says "I'll do it" he will. And when he says "I won't do it" he won't. Wish everybody was like that.
*thinking about: Karissa. would like to chat with her again.
*need: to think a little less of myself. People don't need me as much as I think/wish they did. And they don't think about me as much as I convince myself they do
*Mr. Bug is climbing on everything
*wish: I had a Tears for Fears CD
*laugh: heard the end of the song "Bust a Move" the other day and was upset that I didn't get to hear it all....... In the city, ladies look pretty, guys tell jokes so they can seem witty..... not the most uplifting song in the world, but it reminds me of the past. I like that I can still rap the lyrics to several songs.... you all know "I'm dope on the floor and magic on the mic...." and I can "light up the stage, a wax chunk like a candle."

.....oh my.........

Oh, to grace, how great a debtor daily I'm constrained to be
Let thy goodness, like a fetter, bind my wandering heart to thee
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it, prone to leave the God I love
Here's my heart, Lord, take and seal it. Seal it for thy courts above.
- Robert Robinson, Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing

annoyed, judgmental, frustrated, inferior, un-Christlike, confused, resentful, lonely, impatient, exhausted.

I think I have felt all of these things today. I've felt good, today, don't get me wrong. It is just one of those days when it seems like the bad outweighs the good. I have too many things on my mind that seem like weights and I don't know where to put them.

It's times like these that I disgust myself the most...I know that I need to go pray, but all I want to do is download a Yahoo crossword. Maybe I should go read Romans 7. Or maybe I will get my crying baby and try to put him back to bed.

Stink

The following is a line from a song that was a favorite during my teenage years. Can you name the song? Better yet, can you name the artist?

"My name is Ted, and one day I'll be dead."

Please note the time stamped on this post. It represents what might be the only time today (this week... this MONTH) that I know where all three of Mr. Bug's pacifiers are.

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My rantings about the indebtedness of our society.

Yahoo has this banner add for their DSL service that is so typical of how so many people seem to approach financial decisions. It says something like "DSL for just a few dollars more than dial-up. It's a no brainer, isn't it?" Yeah, only if you are willing to set your brain aside so you don't have to answer the question "can I afford a few more dollars (per month?)" Or how about the question "is it worth it?" I think, in general, that Americans are easily convinced that they NEED things which they don't and they are willing to go into debt to get them.

Or, forget about need. People think they DESERVE all this stuff. (Marketing exec's love to tell us we deserve it.) Somewhere along the way, the requirement for deserving something has become "liking yourself enough to think you should have it." Forgive me if I sound cynical or rude, but I am sick of that mentality. Does anyone ever think about what they deserve for cutting someone off in traffic? Or what they deserve for speaking unkindly to someone? Or what they deserve for not keeping their word?

No, we only think about what we deserve when the latest cell phone hits the market. Or when the newest CD comes out. Or when we "need" a car and are salivating all over the one with the sunroof and the dual climate control. Or when we decide we don't like the color of the living room carpet.

And, of course, we are completely willing to go into debt to get it... after all, we deserve it! What's a little bit of debt when we are deserving? Well, when you can't pay off your debt, you deserve to to into bankruptcy. You deserve to have your car repossessed and you deserve to have a terrible credit rating for many years to come. (But no one ever thinks they deserve that, I suppose.)

We tell ourselves that only the best will do. Then we let others tell us what "best" means. Last Christmas, while shopping for Ms. Boo, I had an epiphany, of sorts at the toys r us store. In one of her books is a picture of a child playing with a farm set. It had a red barn, some fence, and a few farm animals. Every time she read the book, she would point and say, "I want to play with that." So, I went out to find something as similar to that as I could. Mind you, this is not a light-up, spin-around, noise-making kind of toy, so there was very little to choose from. I found two sets: one was a HUGE $30 barn (way out of my budget) which made animal noises and such, and the other was a tiny, cardboard barn. It was red, just like the picture in the book. It had a fence, just like the picture in the book. It had realistic animals, just like the picture in the boot. Yet, I could not help but look at this cardboard barn with disappointment (and imagine Boo doing the same.) It was, afterall, cardboard. It wasn't big, and it didn't make noises...etc, etc.

So, for a while I entertained the thought of buying this huge, $30 jobby, despite the fact that I couldn't afford it. Then, in a moment of divine clarity, I thought... how ridiculous am I? Ms. Boo has no idea that this huge barn even exists! She won't be disappointed by cardboard, she will be happy to get a set that is just like the one in her book!

Driving home (with the cardboard barn) I thought about how I almost got sucked in. Sucked into buying something that wasn't really quite the right thing (the animals weren't even realistic looking, and there was no fence) because it was the "better" one. No, cardboard was better because it was exactly what Ms. Boo wanted...and she loved it. I was just doing what hundreds of other parents probably do, buying into what everybody else tells us is the best.

How often do we do that stuff? How often do we spend more than we have because of what someone else has convinced us we can't live without?

I heard a statistic (Don't know where, so who knows if it's accurate) that for every $1 that Americans make, they spend $1.20. Does that seem insane to anyone else? Makes me wonder what a "disaster" situation could do to our economy. Who cares, right, 'cuz it'll be the government's job to bail us out (afterall, we do deserve it)... which they will simply do by spending more money that doesn't really exist. (Am I rambling? I think I might like to take a few econ courses b/c I swear, nothing about how our economy "works" makes sense to me.)

ANYWAY, this, to me, is the no-brainer:

If I want item A and that costs X dollars I have to ask the following questions: Do I have X dollars, right now? And, if item X is a recurring expense, do I have the ability to PAY for it (not put it on credit, or borrow the money, but PAY for it) when the bill is due?

If the answer is no.... first, convince myself that I don't need it as much as I think I do. Second, DON'T BUY IT.

Then I will live life without it and see that it wasn't as big a deal as I thought... and laugh at my "near-debt" experience.

And, please, tell me I am not the only one who thinks this way!

I Always Feel Like

After looking at my blog over the last few days, I keep hearing the same song playing in the back of my head. It goes: "I always feel like somebody's watching me... ain't got no privacy." I think it was by Germaine Jackson. Anybody remember that one?

Anyway, I say that because I noticed the banner ads at the top of the page are all about Bible studies and stuff like that. It amazes me how they are able to collect information so easily now. Don't get me wrong, I know this blog is anything but private. I just think it is funny. I suppose I should be glad. The fact that ads of that nature are displayed must mean that "they" (it?) picked up on a theme.

I am tempted to randomly disperse the names of different gym equipment in my blog to see if I get ads for Moore's Fitness or something.

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It has been raining a lot today. I like rain. I told that to someone once, and his response was, "what are you, a farmer?" No, but it reminds me of the end of Isaiah 55. And I like the end of Isaiah 55. (There we go, more Bible ads!)

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Lots of ideas for future posts on my mind. Little time. Faithful readers (all three of you,) may comment as to which of the following you would like me to share next:
* my thoughts about irradiated beef
* explanation of "What I like about Shelby" #16 (see below)
* what parenting has taught me about God
* complaints about complainers (of whom I am chief, so this is not at all contradictory.)
* lessons I learned about God through teaching
* my pet peeves (TRUE pet peeves, not just stuff that would annoy anyone.)
* "What I like about my Sunday School class."
* the unusual acid/base properties of 1,2-bisdiphenylphospinomethane (mu)hydroxotetrafluoroborate (or not)
* my thoughts about the results of Preble Shawnee's latest school levy.
* my often unpopular and generally misunderstood thoughts about instilling a "love of reading" in my children.
* the top ten things that everybody should know about chemistry (according to ME, of course!)

And Now for Another Installment of "What I Like About"

What I like about Shelby

1. She is great at encouraging people
2. She knows how to ask the questions that get to the heart of what you are thinking
3. She listens
4. She doesn't consider herself above anyone
5. She can engage anyone in conversation (which is probably because of #s 1-4.)
6. Funny. She's stinkin' funny
7. Shelby is creative, artistic
8. She writes letters to me!
9. She has a great little giggle
10. She IMs with me*
11. I am pretty sure I could say just about anything to Shelby (and have) without fear of rejection
12. She dresses cool. Seriously, she has a style all her own and she wears it well.
13. Sometimes when she is talking, she will put her thumb on her chin while resting her index finger on her nose. It usually means she is being facetious.
14. She has been known to play with my hair, and I love that.
15. Shelby is one of my two "death-bed" friends. One of those people I'd want by my side if I were dying. I swear that if that really happens, there is an extremely high probability that I will literally die laughing.
16. Shelby was instrumental in me coming to know Christ.
17. She has great hair*
18. Shelby cares about social injustice enough to do something about it.
19. She is a faithful friend.
20. She is the world's most prolific user of the word "hilarious."

* I know these are repeats from the list about Maureen, but what can I say, I like some of the same things in different people!

He is Risen

He is risen, indeed.

Thank you, God, for your grace to me.
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The 47th time is a charm. After 47 tries, Phil Mickelson has finally won a major. Yahoo, Phil! Masters Champ 2004!

We took a family trip this week. We told Ms. Boo about it the day before we left because, as we suspected, she wanted to leave immediately. We told her we were going to the zoo (Cincinnati) and that we were going to a restaurant (which she loves,) and then she said, "are we going to the hotel?" (You have to hear her say "hotel." For some reason she can't say a long "o" when it is followed by a "t." Instead, she turns the long "o" into a short "e.") We told her we would stay at a hotel and she said "and we can eat breakfast at the hetel!" Oh, the little things that excite her. She started RUNNING ALL OVER THE HOUSE in utter excitement. It was so funny.

The plan was to leave on Weds, which was her birthday, so after we told her what we were doing, I hid one of her birthday presents in her room. It was a suitcase with the little wheels so you can pull it behind you. More running all over the house. She wanted to pack everything. The funny thing is that she often confuses "suitcase" with "bathing suit." So, I don't know if we packed her suitcase in her bathing suit or vice versa.

We left weds. and the zoo was fun. We didn't cover much ground but the kids really enjoyed it. Mr. Bug especially liked seeing the seals. We saw lots of turtles (which have become quite the legend in our home... but that is another story.) And we rode the little train that takes you around the children's zoo. Fun. After dinner at a restaurant, we went back to the hotel to swim. Mr. Bug was a HOOT. Just splashing and kicking and squealing with delight. It was way fun.

On Thursday, we had (an uneventful) breakfast at the hotel and, after a little more swimming, we went to the Newport Aquarium. More turtles. Lots of fish, which both of them loved. Boo got tired... it was close to nap time... and kept asking to see the whale. We told her there weren't any whales and she said, "Yes, up the stairs. I want to go upstairs." Sure enough, when we came up the stairs into the aquarium lobby, there was a huge, fake whale hanging there on the wall. She walked straight to it, looking up, and twirling her hair around her fingers the way she does. That was all she wanted. She was happy.

When we got home, Paul said to me, "I got you a gift. It is inside. I think you'll be able to find it pretty easily." I took one step in the house and said "Who was here?" Paul had hired someone to clean the whole house while we were gone.

I always hate coming home to a messy house, but it had more significance this time because we are hosting the Paul's side of the family for Easter on Sunday. I wasn't looking forward to spending the rest of the break cleaning. Since all the cleaning was done, I got to spend my time outside planting more flowers, and having a picnic at the park with the family! Also, WAY FUN!

The original Easter plans were for the family to go to Paul's parents' for dinner. But, we had to postpone Boo's birthday party a few weeks ago because Bug was so sick. (I was so upset about having to do that. There is so much going on in April that we had to "fit in" the party the first time. So, having to postpone and try to find another date made me feel a little like Boo was an afterthought. It isn't true, and I am over it now, but it really bummed me out when it first happened.) Needless to say, we are having Boo's party on Easter, so the family is coming here instead. I just hope that Boo doesn't expect an Easter egg hunt every year for her birthday!

In other news:
* I dropped a steak knife, point down, on my bare foot this morning. I don't recommend anyone try this. I think it is okay, but I'll have to monitor it.
* Phil is in 4th place going into the third round of the Masters. GO, PHIL!
* The pea plants have been transplanted to the back yard. We will be attempting tomatoes, peppers, cukes, and squash. Thinking about growing lettuce in pots too. We'll see. I planted some flower seeds directly in the garden yesterday... and really hoping they come up!
* Caught a snippet of the 9/11 hearings while we were on vacation. They seemed quite ridiculous to me.
* Had a great talk with Paul last night. We don't do that often enough. I love him.
* Can't wait to give Boo her bike tomorrow. She has been asking for one! She said she wanted green (her "favorite." I am skeptical of this, even though she tells me that a lot.) Then she said she wanted pink. I really acted excited when she mentioned that, since her bike is pink! Then she went back to green. Anyway, she came with me to the store when I bought her a helmet so I could be sure that it fit. And, of course, felt she needed to use it when we got home. All I know is, WHATEVER color that bike is, it will be nice to see her wearing the helmet on a REAL bike instead of that little "foot-push" plastic bike that she wears the helmet with now. It's quite a funny sight.
* The mole(s?) has now circled the entire house.

Thankfulness

Last Thanksgiving during a weds. evening service, our music minister mentioned "counting your blessings." I have heard that phrase a million times, but I've never actually COUNTED my blessings. I went home that night and started counting. I was interrupted somewhere around 40, but have just recently gotten back to working on the list. It is getting to be quite long. I thought I would share a few entries here.

* a warm spring evening on the porch, rocking Mr. Bug to sleep
* Paul: never having the attitude that the money he earns is his
* Paul: who supports our family and makes it possible for me to stay home with my babes.
* the lady at Wal Mart who saved Ms. Boo from falling out of the cart while I wasn't looking
* the day when it is finally warm enough to open the windows... I love that smell
* spring days and a fenced-in back yard
* free flowers for my garden from my mom and mother-in-law
* cabinet latches
* nights out by myself with some coffee and my Bible
* having food "on my table" every night
* having a husband who doesn't mind that there isn't food on the table every night.
* my church
* my Sunday school class
* the preaching of Jedidiah Blake
* visits from Melissa B.
* the awesome snowman we made on 3/16
* hearing Ms. Boo say "awesome"
* that God doesn't require that I have it all figured out
* the Mercyme concert on 3/5
* Mr. Bug's safety for ??? days while his car seat was unbuckled
* salmon
* chemistry
* irises
* the visit w/ Shelby and Maureen on 2/21
* gardening
* chocolate
* watching Mr. Bug walk with his arms straight up in the air
* hearing Ms. Boo tell me what she is thinking
* Turkish food
* the free clothes for my children provided by my sister-in-law
* learning from experiences that hurt, and being able to help someone else because of them
* God loves me way more than I'll ever understand
* a free van
* Dr. E.
* Dr. H.
* chipmunks
* turtles
* spring break and a short, but fun, family vacation
* making things with my hands
* being able to write
* getting a surprise visit from a cleaning lady while we were away on vacation
* dollar stores
* God's patient teaching
* being around people who aren't like me
* making people laugh
* getting to watch "Trading Spaces"
* ice cream from Maggie Moo's
* giving someone a handmade quilt
* playing the "drawing game" with the kids in the nursery at church
* The Discipline of Grace by Jerry Bridges
* insight from Maureen
* get-togethers with Helen
* wisdom from Linda
* encouragement from Shelby
* the back porch
* catching one of the quilting shows on PBS
* CBS golf coverage

Sporting News

Congratulations to the members and fans of the UConn men's basketball team, who defeated Georgia Tech to win the NCAA championships. Hoping the women will do the same against Tennessee. The pleasure that I gain from the victories of these teams is in knowing that it makes a lot of people I love very happy.

Alex Rodriguez is a Yankee. (This is old news, but I needed some kind of lead-in.) He will be playing third base this season, although he is, hands down, the best short stop in the American League, (and maybe in all the majors.) Remaining at short stop will be Derek Jeter... who has the same birthday as me.

A-Rod's position was left vacant when then third baseman Aaron Boone blew out his knee in a game of pickup basketball; an indulgence prohibited in his contract. Though he could have lied about how he sustained the injury, he chose to tell the truth and was subsequently let go by the Yankees (to the tune of about $5 million, which remained on his contract.) Imagine that, someone who will tell the truth at all costs. May he be richly rewarded for refusing to lie.

The first round of the Masters begins on Thursday. Though I seriously doubt he is reading this blog, I would like to wish Phil all the best as he attempts to win his first (elusive) major. (Though I wouldn't wish that green jacket on anybody.)

My Life Verses

So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ. For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority.

Colossians 2:6-10

great service today. thinking and praying.

Maureen, who is underhandedly trying to take control of my blog, has "requested" that I post some tips about marriage. Listed below are my reservations about dispensing this advice:
1. Doing so would be giving Maureen the upper hand in her nasty take-over attempt.
2. I have only been married for 4/12 years, and that doesn't exactly make me an expert.
3. Not all of my readers (maybe only two?) would be interested in said advice.
4. I see too many of my flaws as a wife to think that I can offer advice.
5. Much of the advice I would give would be stuff that I learned by experience while muddling through my own weaknesses... weaknesses which not everybody has.

But, after thinking about this a little more, I had to admit that only some of the above are actually true, and others are just "dumb."

So, here it is: My marriage tips. (I left out all the "obvious" stuff)

Please note, I enjoy being funny. Some items of advice may reflect that. I will let you choose which are meant to be funny, and which are not. And, as always, comments are welcome.

Finances
* sit down as early as possible and work out a reasonable budget together. then, STICK TO IT.
* decide together how much money can be spent on any given item without first consulting your spouse. if you want something that exceeds that amount, talk it over with your spouse first
* dump the whole idea of my money/your money. It doesn't matter who earns more, and it only builds up barriers if you are keeping track.

Communication
* discuss what you each think is important to do together. (for example, is it important to you that your spouse join you for your mom's birthday dinner; is it important to you that your spouse attend your high school reunion or company picnic.) avoid hurt feelings by doing your best to accomodate your spouse's desire.
* know that (in general) the things that are important to you may not be as important to your spouse (like making friends with your new neighbors, or getting all the laundry folded as soon as it gets washed.) Decide not to let this alter your view of your spouse.
* forget about nagging. spouses will never change when nagged. they may change when prayed for, but never when nagged. (they may change their behavior at that moment... in hopes of shutting you up... but their heart, attitudes, and desires, will remain unchanged.)
* be honest about and willing to deal with whatever selfishness or stubbornnes you discover in yourself.
* write down all the stuff you love about your spouse. keep the list handy so you can add to it whenever the urge strikes. read it whenever you get frustrated and allow your spouse to have access to it so they get some feedback about what makes you happy.

Reading
* read "Preparing for Marriage" by Dennis Rainey, et al. Particularly good are the sections about dealing with expectations, and the roles and responses of each spouse
* read "The Five Love Languages" by Gary Chapman

Miscellaneous
* if you will both be doing laundry, decide together BEFORE THE FIRST LOAD IS EVER COMPELTED, how you intend to deal with unmatched socks.
* defer all grocery shopping to the spouse who snacks less. vow never to allow the snack-loving spouse to go grocery shopping. you will spend far too much if you do.
* get rid our your television for the first year of your marriage. (this is not my advice. i stole it from some author who wrote a book about marriage that I can't even remember the name of. it is a christian book, something about intimacy, i think. please advise if you know it.) I know people who did it and said it was great for their marriage.

People's a gettin' MAD!

I have a feeling I have driven a few people to wrath with my post about walk-athons. However, if you are that upset about it, I assure you that you are taking me too seriously. Heck, even if you are only agitated, you are taking me too seriously.

I must say to my dear friend Beth - you are the first person I have ever heard who has made me look at it from a different angle.

My argument has been this: someone walking is not a logical motivator for me to give them money. I either want to give or I don't. I am not motivated to do it because someone is walking, or bowling, or whatever.

Beth's response has made me consider it this way: Perhaps the success of these things is not in motivating people to give, but in attracting people (namely, the walkers) to participate. You can't participate in a walk-athon without pledges, so the more people they get to walk, the more money they will make.

Now THAT makes sense to me.

Of course I have a whole new set of questions now, but maybe I better just leave it there.

Thanks, Beth!

Just read yesterday's entry on "my daily blog," the daily devotional from Imitation of Christ by Thomas a' Kempis. Once again I am reminded of how little I know of the true grace of God.

Disclaimer

Before reading the (tongue in cheek) post from last night, you might want to take a valium. I have tried to explain what I think about this subject to others before, and no one agrees with me... so I don't expect that it will be any clearer to people who read it. However, I might ask that you read this in an emotionally detatched state and just look at it from a logical stand point. It is simply something that doesn't make sense to me.... it is not meant as a judgment of anyone who participates in said activities. So, bowl away, my friends ;)

Logic, defied. And I just don't get why no one else gets it.

Please consider the following scenario:

The board of directors for "Charity A" meets to discuss the woeful results of their latest fund drive. Someone poses the question, "can we think of anything creative that will encourage the public to donate?" Everyone is scratching their heads... "a pancake breakfast?" someone offers. No, too boring. Someone else chimes in, "how about a car wash?" No, we tried that last year. Hmmm... everyone is thinking, when finally, someone pipes up with, "I've got it! We can WALK! Surely anyone would be willing to pay for THAT!"

As ridiculous as that sounds to you and me, EVERYONE ELSE ON THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS THINKS THIS IS A FABULOUS IDEA!

So, the walk-athon was born.

One thing that I have never understood was the whole "________athon" concept. You can fill in the blank with "run," "walk," "swim," bike," whatever (I have even seen a teeter-totter-athon... seriously.) They don't make any logical sense to me. They work fabulously to raise money, but I cannot, for the life of me, figure out WHY!

At this point, you might be getting ready to e-mail me and tell me what I have heard a million times already: the point isn't that they are walking, the point is that they are DOING something? I would disagree. I have yet to meet a person who is willing to pay someone to do JUST something. (If that were the case, we would have no problem with pick-your-nose-athons or eat-your-breakfast-athons.) People give money, not when someone does SOMETHING, but when someone does something VALUABLE! ... Consider another scenario and see if you don't agree.

Someone knocks on your door and asks if you would like to donate to "Charity A." After considering the request, you politely decline. Then, just as you are about to close the door, the man says, "Wait! Would you change your mind if I told you that I would be willing to WALK?"

Wouldn't that seem odd? Regardless, how would you answer that question?

*Do you mean walk downtown to mail some packages and deposit something in the bank for me? Yes, I might give you money for that.
*Do you mean walk my children around the block a few times so I can get some laundry done? Yes, I might give you money for that.
*Do you mean walk along the nearest highway and pick up trash? (A pick-up-trash-on-the-side-of-the-road-ATHON, now THERE is a novel idea.) Yes, I might give you money for that.

These are all valuable things that someone might pay for. But, walk around a track 20 times? If someone was standing at my door offering that as a means of motivating me to give money, then NO, I would not be any more inclined to give money than I was in the first place.

And if you have ever given money in one of these things, you have probably given a flat donation... not a per lap or per mile donation. WHY? Because you don't give a rat's behind if this person walks three steps or three miles. You just wanted to give, the walking was not what convinced you to do it.

So, WHY oh, WHY are these stupid ____________athons so popular?

Just wondering.

(And don't even get me started on the way they name these things... if walk-athon means "walking a long way" and swim-athon means "swimming a long way," then what on earth is an actual MARathon.... MARRING a long way?)

Ridiculous, absolutely RIDICULOUS.

Little Things I find Exciting

* finding stuff to send to my nephew, Seth, stationed in Iraq
* seeing the plants peeking out of the ground, or the new seeds sprouting out of the soil. I swear I check those things every 5 minutes to see how much they have grown.
* seeing the pieces of a quilt come together
* throwing baby/bridal showers
* getting comments on my blog (no pressure)
* shopping for fabric
* going out for dinner w/ friends after the Sunday evening service at church
* watching my children open presents
* staying in the hospital after having a baby
* seeing an animal in its natural environment, especially frogs, fish, chipmunks, turtles
* the moment I realize that I will be able to complete a syll-acrostic
* when new people come to Sunday school
* explaining a chemical concept to someone who really wants to know and is willing to listen

I would just like to mention that I like it that silly things excite me.

By the way, does anyone else find the type on this blog too big? I am in negotiations with my template about this. So far, its desires have prevailed.

I remember something from my education classes about Piaget's stages of cognitive development. In one of them, children basically think of everything in terms of themselves. I think Ms. Boo is in that stage. Here is the transcript from one our recent conversations:

Boo: Mommy, where are we going?
Me: to the bank
Boo: Where is the bank?
Me: in Miamisburg
Boo: No! MY amisburg!