Watch Those Shipping Charges!!

Got my t-shirts from KingSizeDirect.com this evening (yes, I'm a woman who wears oversized t-shirts from a men's catalog; got a problem with that?) The colors are: forest green, burgundy, rust, and navy blue. I do love their shirts -- soft and comfy and loose and long.

I do have one beef with the company about how they calculate their shipping charges. As of this writing, the site is offering free upgrade to express shipping if your order is $75.00 or more; "OR" you may qualify for a $10.00 discount if your order is $75.00 or more. What the site doesn't tell you is that your shipping cost jumps $10.00 when you hit the $75.00 mark. I was originally going to buy four shirts at $18.00 a shirt; the shipping came to $9.99. I decided to add two more shirts, making the cost $102.00; then I saw my shipping cost jumped to over twenty dollars. Can you say "sticker shock?" I took one of the shirts off, and the shipping was still too high. I then took off one more shirt to bring my subtotal back down to $72.00. The shipping dramatically dropped back down to $9.99. That's when it occurred to me that the sudden jump in shipping was to offset their "free upgrade" and "instant discount" on people's orders.

It would be in the best interest of King Size Direct to cease and desist what I call a very deceptive way to make money. It is only because I love their t-shirts that I will continue to shop there until I can find another source. Then they can kiss my big fat butt.


Another super bargain (puhleeze!)

Some of these online merchants really think we're stupid as online customers. Well, some of us are, but I'm not.

Got an e-mail advertisement through Arcamax.com advertising a digital camera worth $439.98, but they're offering it for the low low price of only $79.99! Now, this reminds me of a similar e-mail advertisement through Arcamax.com that I mentioned in my April 20, 2003 blog entry in which I made a comparison of the Vivitar Vivicam 10 between "Leading Innovations (and the ad is still there as of this writing)" and Wal-Mart. But I digress...

This particular advertisement is for the Vivitar Vivcam 55 in the e-mail ad. In this e-mail, it advertised:

* A "3 in 1" camera, meaning you can use it for still photos, as a web camera, and as a video camera (like those spy cams!)
* Comes with a case, wrist strap and cradle
* Includes batteries and all the cables you need to hook it into your computer
* Photo software
* PLUS $200 worth of additional free software
* Warranty

Total Value: $439.98
Your Price: Just $79.99!

I didn't bother to click on the link; I've been down this road before. Instead, I did a search on the internet using Dogpile.com As of this writing, this camera is available at BHPhotovideo.com with everything for only $49.95. It is also available at hotbuyselections.com for $44.98. I'm not in the market for another camera. I just like to prove those wrong who try to lie to me and act like they're doing me a favor. Puhleeze!

Am I on a roll or what???

Flu Shots

I decided last week to get a flu shot. Originally, it was to get my mother off my back. However, the news of the Colorado flu epidemic had me rethink my feelings on the matter. First of all, I hate needles, so I was not looking forward to getting this shot. Second, I've heard from so many people how they got a flu shot once and came down with the flu (seems that's not true, according to the medical experts). Well, I'm happy to report that I'm not sick with the flu. However, I spoke with Soul Sister the other night, and she's sick with the flu. Now, she's an LPN, and she told me she's had flu shots and still caught the flu. Now I'm wondering if my shot was for naught.

Michael Jackson (again)

Since my last blog entry, I've been following the Michael Jackson case. My personal feelings on the matter is that I hope he's not guilty. I do not condone the outlandish things he's done over the years. However, it's his life, and he can do whatever he wants so long as it's legal and doesn't hurt anyone. If he wants to bleach his skin, have a million plastic surgeries on his face, live in a fantasy world like Neverland, that's his choice. I admit I tend to root for the underdog, and he's getting my sympathy simply because of the media hounding him. In addition, The Smoking Gun website has obtained a memo about a secret investigation by child welfare officials and the Los Angeles police from last February. It seems that the claim made by the teachers of the 12-year-old cancer patient were determined to be unfounded. Click on the above link and read the article at The Smoking Gun website. Between that and the GQ article from 1995, it's looking more to me like Michael Jackson is being extorted for money.

Trial by Media: The Right to Know vs The Right to Privacy

The latest news of accusations against Michael Jackson for child molestation is the latest in a series of public accusations against celebrities and/or sports figures. By now, I'm sure everyone who didn't know Kobe Bryant existed are now aware of who he is, what he does for a living, and which team he plays for.

Unless you are a law enforcement officer or a lawyer working on these cases, or the actual accused, all you know is what has been broadcast by the media. That might not be a bad thing except that for every grain of truth, there are 10 times as much speculation by so-called "experts" and "insiders." There is so much type about these two cases that real news is being overshadowed in favor of accusatory speculation.

CNN Crossfire's Tucker Carlson has a monthly column in Reader's Digest called "It's Outrageous." In that column a few months ago, he spoke about his book, "Politicians, Partisans and Parasites. " In that book, he talks about his own experience with being falsely accused of rape. He spent thousands of dollars trying to defend himself. His accuser lived in another state and claimed he raped her in a city in which he had never visited. While working to defend himself, it was discovered that his accuser had serious mental problems. Carlson used to think that there had to be a basis of truth to any sex scandal; he has since then changed his mind. Howard Kurtz of Washingtonpost.com has a similar article about Carlson that can be read here.

Wendy McElroy of Ifeminists.com recently had an article "False Rape Charges Hurt Real Victims." In it, she quoted a study that tracked reported rapes within a nine-year period. During that period, 41 percent of the rapes reported were false. Ms. McElroy goes on to clarify how lives can be destroyed from being falsely accused.

It's easy to be accused, especially of child molestation.

I know a lot of people are already rushing to judgment about Michael Jackson and Kobe Bryant. Personally, I do not know if either are innocent or guilty. I do know that the public spotlight being shined on them in the accusatory manner that it has been is not journalistically ethical. Michael Jackson is being portrayed as a self-made freak while Kobe Bryant is being portrayed as a deceitful, unfaithful man.

Despite how you feel about either one of them, for the sake of the argument, consider these two distinct possibilities: What if Michael Jackson IS innocent? What if Kobe Bryant IS innocent? With the way the media is portraying them, their reputations are forever ruined even if they are later acquitted. People will forever remember that these two were publicly accused of these crimes. It's been nearly 19 years since Vanessa Williams' nude photos in Penthouse caused her to lose her Miss America crown, and it's still in the back of everyone's mind ever time her name is mentioned. People don't forget stuff like that.

Put yourself in this place: Let's say you've been accused of molesting a teen, but you know you're innocent. Think about all the people who claim to be your (former) friends or confidantes coming forward for their fifteen minutes of fame saying things about you that may or may not be true, just to feed the media's lust for dirty laundry. Does any of it need to be printed in magazines or broadcast on the news and tabloid shows? Now, you might argue, "I don't do the outrageous stuff like he does; my behavior is not the one coming into question. " That doesn't matter. All it takes is one public accusation. The more popular (or unpopular) you are, the more likely the accusation will take on a life of its own.

Consider the case of Richard Jewell. He was a private citizen working as a security guard during the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia. On the night the bomb went off in Centennial Park, he was working to keep people away from a suspicious duffel bag he noticed minutes before the bomb detonated. Later, he worked to comfort victims of that bomb. He was regarded as a hero.

One week later, he was accused of being the Centennial Park bomber. For four months, Jewell and his mother were subjected to the media hounding them and recording their every move. Former employers and so-called acquaintences came forward to denounce Jewell as an insecure and sub-standard employee. The media jumped on the "trash Jewell" campaign with anything they could get their hands on, even making comments like, "... and he lives with his mother...." as if something was wrong with him for that (as someone who is currently living with her parents AND paying rent, I especially take serious offense with the media about that remark.).

It was not until October 1996 that the FBI begrudgingly acknowledged that they made a mistake targeting Richard Jewell in their investigations. Richard Jewell later made a public statement that day about the hell the FBI and the media put him through for something he did not do. He didn't stop there. He proceeded to file lawsuits against various media companies for their statements about him ... and won.

Some accusations come right out of the blue, and some you can see coming. A few years ago, I had a cousin who brought her son with her to Waycross to escape what she claimed was an abusive boyfriend. We had an aunt who took her and her son in and let her stay in one of her rental apartments. As time went on, my cousin started getting restless and homesick (understandable feelings). From the first night she arrived, some of the things she was telling me didn't seem kosher, but I promised not to say anything to anyone else. The longer she stayed, the more outrageous her stories got. Then I noticed that some of those claims turned toward child abuse. Then it became sexual child abuse. I was becoming more uncomfortable around her.

The final straw was when she took a statement I made and twisted it around to make it look like I was the one making the claim. I finally called my aunt and asked her to come over to the house so she and I could have a talk. I told her everything. I also warned my aunt not to be with my cousin's son by herself because she might get accused of child abuse if my cousin became angry with her.My cousin and I haven't spoken since. I still love and care about her, but she needs help, and until she gets that help, I can't have anything to do with her.

The bottom line is this: despite how you perceive someone who is accused of a crime, there are three sides to every story: the accuser's version, the accused's version, and the truth. Regardless of who the accused is, there are some things we the public do not need to know and do not need to have broadcast to us. In this country, the accused is innocent until proven guilty in a court of law, not trial by media. We need to start keeping that in mind the next time the media broadcasts, "Coming up next ...Michael Jackson goes to the bathroom. How will this affect the investigation? Film at 11."

Betrayal and Denial: The Plight of Terri Schindler-Schiavo

The family of Terri Schindler-Schiavo are in the fight of their lives for the life of their daughter Terri. On October 15, 2003, the feeding tube keeping Terri alive was removed as ordered by Judge George Greer. Even as Florida Governor Jeb Bush stepped in on behalf of Terri's parents to try to stop the order and has just about exhausted every legal maneuver available to him, the order was commenced Wednesday afternoon, and Terri's feeding tube was removed.

Friends and family of Terri have a website detailing the trials and tribulations of their daughter since her collapse in 1990. Terri's website, as empassioned as it is in it's plea, is only one family's viewpoint on the matter. I have read articles about Terri's situation on other news websites. There is a lot more that has been going on than what is currently being broadcast by the mainstream media.

On the site are videos of Terri in Real Media format showing her reactions to different stimuli and interactions. I have viewed all the videos. I admit I'm not a medical expert, but it looked obvious to me that Terri was responding appropriately to the different situations depicted. In one video, Terri smiles and her eyes widen when her mother gets close to her and speaks to her. In another video, Terri shows revulsion and resistance to a cotton swab around her mouth. In yet another video, Terri is instructed to open her eyes. She blinks slightly several times before she opens her eyes fully, then opens them wide. If you listen carefully to three of the six videos, Terri tries to speak. It may come out as grunts or moans, but they are made in response to yes/no questions or reactions to specific stimuli. After viewing these videos, I cannot understand how she can be diagnosed as being in a constant vegetative state.

Gina Locke wrote an article about Terri and her husband Michael, ranging from shortly before Terri's collapse in 1990 to November 2002, plus she lists the legal pleas and arguments from January 2000 to November 2002. Ms. Locke does NOT paint Michael Schiavo in a positive light. As a matter of fact, she portrays him as an abusive two-timing husband trying to end his wife's life so he can inherit her money. Granted, it is just one person's viewpoint, but other news websites mirror the legal battles that seem to only reaffirm the suspicions against Michael Schiavo.

World Net Daily.com has reported that Michael is engaged and has fathered a baby with his fiancee, but that he would not divorce Terri. In this same article, Michael Schiaavo's lawyer George Felos stated about Michael's adulterous affair, "Most people would say that it's understandable that a healthy spouse shouldn't be sentenced to life without companionship." The problem with that statement is that Michael reportedly had a girlfriend at the time of Terri's collapse. This same girlfriend is later mentioned in the April 27, 2001 timeline of Ms. Locke's beforementioned article, except by then she was Michael's EX-girlfriend. Excuse me, but what part of Michael's wedding vows "for better or for worse, let no man put asunder" does he not understand?

If that's not enough, George Felos was on the August 13, 2003 broadcast of Hannity and Colmes on the Fox News Channel. The transcript of that broadcast shows Sean Hannity's question, "All right. If that's the case and he doesn't want this to happen, and he wants to be done with this in the sense that he wants to pull off the life support. And the parents and the sister want it, why wouldn't he at least give them that wish and if they want to take care of her now and they want to take over the medical care of her, why can't they just say, ‘OK, this is important to you, I disagree but if it's important to you, it's your daughter. It's your sister, I loved her once. Let me give her to you.’ Why doesn't he just have the graciousness to do that for them?"

George Felos answered, "He didn't love her once, he loves her now ..." Excuse me, but something's wrong with this statement in my opinion. One thing I will say about Sean Hannity and Alan Colmes: they rarely agree on anything. However, in the case of Terri Schiavo, they both agreed that she should be allowed to live and both agreed that her parents should be allowed to take care of her.

Now let's get to the judge, as in Judge George W. Greer. He has consistently ruled in favor of Michael Schiavo and has consistently ruled against all motions filed by Terri's family. Judge Greer has allegedly granted Michael Schiavo permission to use the $1.2 Million malpractice awards originally slated for Terri's rehabilitation to be used for Michael's legal expenses. Judge Greer has allegedly ignored evidence presented to him that could save Terri's life and allow her to be medically treated and rehabilitated.

Jeff Johnson of CNSNews.com has been following the saga of Terri Schiavo. In one article dated 9/17/2003, Johnson reports that Terri's family have filed motions to have Judge Greer removed and another judge assigned to the case, have Michael Schiavo removed as Terri's guardian, and even against George Felos for alleged civil rights violations against Terri. In another article dated 9/10/2003, three former caregivers filed affidavits alleging abuse, altering and/or destruction of medical records, and denial of medical care ... all by Michael Schiavo.

The more articles I read, the angrier I got. The Florida Supreme Court has refused to intervene. The U S Supreme Court refused to intervene. Based on what I've read on the internet and heard broadcast in the news, the documentation and sworn testimony proves that Michael Schiavo is not working in the best interest of his wife and should be be removed as Terri's guardian. The motions filed against Michael Schiavo, Judge Greer, and George Felos for civil rights violations have been filed, but as of this writing, I do not know the outcome.

Right now, the immediate need is to have the court order stopped so that Terri's feeding tube can be reinserted. No point in trying to win a battle if you're going to lose the war. Yes, the "courts (read: Judge Greer)" have determined that Terri is in a constant vegetative state. Keep in mind that if the courts officially declared the sky to be pink, legally speaking, the sky is pink until a higher court overturns the beforementioned sky color ruling. It's an exaggeration, I know, but sometimes you have to exaggerate the truth to make people see the truth. If Terri is legally declared a vegetable even though she's alive and responsive, isn't a dangerous prescendent being set? Keep in mind that starvation and dehydration are progressively painful to the body. Starvation is one of the methods of torture used against prisoners by sadistic captors. Remember what I wrote earlier about Terri's reaction to the cotton swab in the video?. If she can feel that cotton swab and react to it, can you imagine what she'll be feeling as she is slowly starved to death? She is not a vegetable and she does not deserve to die. I am a euthanasia supporter, but only for terminally ill patients who face prolonged suffering. Even then, each decision should be made on a case by case basis and not by blanket policy. Terri is not terminally ill.

I've been following the story of Terry's plight for some time now, even before it became national news. I am in complete disbelief at what appears to be flagrant attempts at ending someone's life under the guise of "following the loved-one's wishes." If nothing else, we all learned that we need to have Living Wills written so that there will be no doubt or debate as to what we want should be no longer be able to speak for ourselves.

The Quality of Some Children's Shows

Having spent the last seven days with a twelve-year-old, I've seen a lot more shows from Nickelodeon than I have in the last few years. Boy how things have changed, and not necessarily for the better.

I grew up during the time that we had Bugs Bunny, Gumby, Rocky and Bullwinkle, Mr. Rogers, Zoom, and The Electric Company. The worst thing I saw as a kid was Wile E. Coyote falling off a cliff and hitting the ground without getting seriously hurt.

Then in the late 80's, Ren and Stimpy debuted. There had been some talk about other cartoons on other networks being controversial because of the battle violence depicted or because they seemed more like 30 minute commercials for children's toys. In my opinion, Ren and Stimpy crossed the line with regular references to used kitty litter, dried nasal mucous, and flatulence. Obviously, it hasn't stopped there.

During this time, Nickelodeon came out with the Dare programs that had people covered in harmless "green slime." It didn't look the greatest in the world, but at least it (I'm assuming) it was clean. Now they've got a show featuring the cast from All That having other kids do really disgusting things like drinking a gallon of human sweat. The twelve-year-old watching the commercial for the show also reacted with an "ewwwwww," while giggling at the same time. This is supposed to be children's entertainment? When did grossing people out become a spectator sport?

Like other programs that focus on the gross-out factor, I do exercise my right to change the channel or turn the television off. Because I was with other people, I tried to keep my mouth shut. However, I finally had to respectfully speak up and state that the commercial and some of the cartoons were revulsing me. I'm not a prude, but I do draw the line at gross-out humor featuring bodily functions and fluids.

I admit I have no children, but if I did, I would be very concerned with them watching cartoons and shows of this caliber. I know people say that kids are fascinated with this kind of entertainment, but they'd be fascinated with "tamer" entertainment if it was more readily available. I wish there was a wider variety of programming available instead of the current genre being cranked out by a select few in Hollywood.

sigh Where's Gumby when you need him?

Pop Up Ads: Killjoys of the Internet

I'm sick of deceptive pop-up ads that trick people into downloading spyware and junkware on their computers. People who are not computer savvy are having their internet enjoyment dampened if not outright ruined.

Soul sister told me today that her father no longer gets on the internet because pop up ads have taken over his computer. I went over to her parents house one time before to clean his computer; it seems Precision Time and Date Manager from Gator Software did a number on his internet browser.

Because of his previous experience with this software, all pop up ads have made him paranoid and have diminished any enjoyment he used to get from surfing the internet and communicating with his family via instant messenger. It's sad that a few bad companies in the name of free speech and the almighty dollar have given the more responsible advertising companies a bad name.

Music Sharing Lawsuits

Okay, let's get down to it. The RIAA had lawsuit papers served on over 280 people in this country for sharing music files on the internet. They claim they are losing money because people are freely sharing copies of music instead of purchasing the albums.

I can understand why the RIAA wants to stop sharing the music files, but I do not agree with their handling of the situation. I predict this will be a case in which they'll win the battle but lose the war. The customer backlash will negatively affect sales further. Music sales in second-hand or consignment shops will increase because the money used to purchase the music in those places will NOT go to the RIAA. CDs, cassettes, and vinyl records can be sold over and over again, but the RIAA will only get their money on the first purchase.

It's going to be interesting to see what happens. Because of all this hoopla, I won't be purchasing any audio CDs anytime soon.

The Mundling Zone turns "4"

I know! I know! It's been a month since I made an entry! I've had a lot going on; nothing bad, just busy.

My website ... my "baby" is 4 years old today. I think about all the changes it had gone through since the Planet Xanadu days. My site has had more facelifts than Dolly Parton. This site is my heart, a reflection of the real me.

I updated my recipe links page. I had to remove 10 dead links. One link kept giving me a timeout error. I'll recheck it in a couple of weeks. I'll zap it if it's not back up by then.

Misc ...

The last two weeks have been rough on me.

On July 10, 2003, I had to be taken to the emergency room. I had a blood pressure reading of 171/95, my heart rate was 124, and I had some shortness of breath. For me, they were extremely high. Fortunately, it was an anxiety attack and not a heart attack or stroke. My blood sugar tested at 153 that morning, but the follow-up test a week later showed that I was not diabetic (whew!). Nothing was said about my oxygen level; maybe I'll find out next month.

The following weekend, I went to see my soul sister. I discovered Monday evening that I got her cold. It moved to my chest Tuesday. By Wednesday evening, I had trouble breathing (a chest cold should not leave you short of breath). It felt like my lungs were filling up; I couldn't sleep laying down. I should have stayed home Thursday, but I forced myself to go to work. I later went home early, got some antibiotics that were called in for me, and stayed home for the rest of the week. I was better by Monday, but as of this writing I still have a little chest congestion, and I'm still not feeling great.


But, on to other things ...

I've acquired a screen-capture program that is fairly easy to use, and doesn't cost much ($10.00). Now I can take capture my Aquazone fish tanks and display them on my site or send via e-mail.

I've opened up an account with Yahoo! to let everyone access my calendar. Not all my entries will be made public. Some may display as just "busy" or some may not display at all (like my friends' birthdays). It will be interesting to see if it generates any interest at all.

I met one of my former classmates yesterday that I have not seen since high school. It was good to see Brenda, and I am so glad she's been doing well for herself. She was basically a good person in bad circumstances, and I'm looking forward to catching up with her. She told me that I've always been on her mind. I've always wondered how she was doing. It's surprising how in school, I always assumed that I didn't matter to people. It still stuns me to hear people like Brenda tell me just the opposite. I mean, I just had no idea. I had another childhood friend tell me he had a crush on me one time. I know he was being honest with me; it's just that it never occurred to me that he or anyone else could see me in that light. To quote Keanu Reeves, "Whoa!"

Beer for the Homeless!

No joke! There really is a website called Beer for the Homeless. As I kept browsing over it, looking for the word "parody," I realized that it's not a parody, it is for real.

The site claims that a Chattanooga, Tennessee, talk radio host and his show's producer are the masterminds behind the website. The host is known locally for speaking for those who, for societal or prejudicial reasons, cannot speak for themselves. The site is designed by a local webmaster who has worked on several websites based in the Chattanooga community.

Whether or not you agree with the website's message, you can't help but agree that it is something you don't see everyday.

All I can say is "only in America."

Fourth of July Weekend (misc.)

I've got a Greenie Gal Get-Together tomorrow evening at my house, and I'm nervous as a cat. I want the ladies to enjoy themselves. I hope it goes over without a hitch.

This weekend, I have got to get working on Dan's site. I've had to put it off for either being out of town or doing things around the house. To raise the bar a bit, FoxNews.com is reporting that there is going to be massive hacker attacks this weekend, so I'm wondering if maybe I need to put it off a little while longer. I've already backed up The Mundling Zone so I should be able to re-upload it if necessary.

I wrote a new poem a couple of weeks ago called Torn. Even if the decision seemed simple and easy, the impact of that decision on my heart was not.

One Great Weekend

I just got back from spending the weekend with Soul Sister. It was just her and me: no husbands, no kids, no parents. And it was a very nice change of pace. It reminded me of when we were roommates in Atlanta. Back then, we didn't have much, but that was okay because we had each other as friends and the energy and imagination to make the best of the situation. Well, 16 years later, we don't have that energy, but we still have the creativity to keep things interesting. This was one of those weekends in which you come back feeling good.

I'm working on an article; I will post it soon.

(update 7/27/2003: I've given up on the article for now. I need to carry a mini tape recorder to record ideas as they hit me so I don't forget them later).

Being Appreciated

It feels good to be appreciated, and I'm going to leave it at that.

Arrogant Christians

I wish people who claim to be Christians would stop pushing the rhetoric of "no excuse" for someone not accepting Christ as their Savior. Last Friday, a friend of mine lost all credibility with me because of that attitude. In trying to convince/convert me, he blew it big time. His words smacked of "my way or the highway." Excuse me, but that is how a couple of so-called Christians pushed me into renouncing Christianity back in 1993. It took seven years for me to come back, and this friend almost pushed me into renunciation again.

He said that if someone is presented with the Word of Christ and he/she rejects it, then he/she is not going to Heaven. I would try to ask questions like, "What if someone was born and raised a certain religion and taught that Christianity is bad? " or "What if this person had only bad experiences with the Christian faith," or "What if he was never exposed to the Christian faith at all?" But he didn't want to hear them; he kept saying, "There's no excuse." I wouldn't accept what he was saying. I don't know if that frustrated him or not. When I tried once again to ask another question, but he sharply interrupted me with, "No excuse! There's no excuse, Michelle!" Needless to say, I clammed up; my anger growing in my heart as I wanted to tell him so bad, "Who the hell do you think you are to make judgments about people like that? Only God can decide who's going to Heaven or Hell; NOT YOU!!!! The Bible is not 100 percent accurate; it was written by men based on stories that have been verbally passed down to them. I really don't think any of us know what God wants, but we sure do push our own agendas veiled as God's Word, don't we?

I still consider myself a Christian. However, someone has been removed from my list of people to listen to about the Word of God. I'm sure he's probably thinking, "Well, she's going to get her feelings hurt more because that's just the way it is, whether she likes it or not." My response to that would be, "That's your arrogance shielding your ego from the fact that you're message has been rejected and that maybe it's time to look within yourself to find out why."

Dean's World

The owner of the blog Dean's World has an open offer to anyone sick of Blogspot's alleged quirks and bugs (I say alleged because I don't use Blogspot). I left a comment (with a couple of questions) on it; I hope he contacts me. Troll site?

My Heart Goes Out to Her

I miss my soul sister already. She, her daughter, and I went to see Finding Nemo this afternoon at the matinee. Then I had to say goodbye as she got in her car to go back to Moultrie. I hate what she and her daughter are going through. I hate feeling helpless. All I can do is pray. It's in God's hands. He knows what I want. It's up to Him.

Smoke and Grill

Since I have developed a desire to smoke and grill more this season, I started searching on the internet for advice and tips on smoking pork ribs (my first endeavor). I found a lot of informative sites, and it hit me this morning I should feature these sites on my recipes page. Therefore, I have updated my recipe referral page. I still have more smoke and grill sites to list on it. but I'll have to add them to the page later. I've been asked why I bother having the page when people could get them from various search engines. Well, they could. The thing about my recipe referral page is that all the sites featured on it have been personally visited by me. I have searched the contents of each website for validity and content. I also have them separated into catagories for easier searching. I'm not trying to replace search engines or be an authority on recipe websites. All I'm doing is providing a link to sites that I honestly believe are worth looking at; just trying to help is all. BTW, my pork ribs were totally delicious! I like using the oak wood chips from Tabasco.com.

BellSouth: Deceiving Their Customers?

I have a complaint about BellSouth. Whenever you have services added to your bill, it should be mandatory that the additional fees and charges outside of their package costs be quoted with the package costs. Representitives (telemarketers) for BellSouth have contacted my parents and recently an aunt, advertising "specials" for service packages like Complete Choice or their new unlimited long distance service. With BellSouth being a legitimate company, the service packages sound reasonable. What these "representatives" fail to mention is that there are access and service fees added afterward. My parents and aunt were quoted package prices like $34.00 or $49.95. My parents got sticker shock when they received their phone bill and called BellSouth to have the new service package removed from their bill. They were so angry by what happened that they demanded that no one representing BellSouth was to ever call them again about new special features. As for my aunt, I explained to her about how much her bill would really be after all the other fees, and she told me she was calling BellSouth to cancel her order.

This has happened to me as well when I have called a customer service representative of BellSouth to have services added to phone and was informed about special service group packages available to save me money. That's all well and good, but the representative alluded that my final cost would be the cost of the package. These representatives have access to my account, so I should be truthfully quoted a final cost what my bill will be after the upgrade. How bad can the difference be? For example, I have the Complete Choice plan, advertised at $34.00 a month. Sounds reasonable. So why is my monthly bill around $57.00 a month without long distance calls? Well, factor in Federal Universal Service charges ($.67), FCC Local Number Portability Line Charges ($.35), FCC Charge for Network Access for Additional Line ($7.00), unlisted phone fee ($3.50), Emergency 911 Charge ($1.50), Telecommunications Relay Service Fund ($.15), and Equipment Maintenance Fee ($4.75). Even though two of the fees are optional (unlisted phone number and equipment maintenance fees), you get the idea.

As far as I'm concerned, that is a deceptive business practice, and it would be in BellSouth's best interest to rethink their tactics. At one time, they were the only local phone service available in our area, but new companies are expanding their service areas and could give BellSouth (and the other Baby Bell companies) a run for their money.

Hollywood Celebrities: When Does Expressing an Opinion Cross the Line?

There has been a lot of backlash aimed at celebrities who have expressed opinions against the war or against President Bush. Many who have received the backlash are crying foul; they claim they have the right to express their opinions, and they claim that our country is being hypocritical because of the backlash. I say "Baloney!"

I will agree that celebrities (like all other American citizens) have a right to free speech, to express an opinion. However, being a celebrity and/or being in the public eye gives power to anything spoken or written by that person. They all know this. That is why they lend their celebrity power to help their causes. They use their celebrity power to present themselves as authority figures for their opinions expressed. In my opinion, that is where they cross the line of free speech protection.

Celebrities should also understand that because of their power and the attacks of September 11, 2001, it is not wise to speak out negatively about our country, our leader, nor our troops. It especially looks bad when they travel to another country and then bash our country. As far as I'm concerned, anyone who travels to another country to speak out negatively about our country should not return. Sean Penn had no business traveling to Iraq to speak out against the United States; I consider his actions traitorous. Madonna (as much as I like her music) can stay in the United Kingdom if she's got nothing better to do than to travel to France and openly blast our country (sour grapes for an album tanking on the charts, perhaps?). In fact, I visited MTV.com to listen to her album American Life and was going to buy it, but her remarks in France killed any desire I had to get it. As for Susan Sarandon and Tim Robbins, they need to get out of the kitchen if they can't take the heat for their public remarks.

And, there are times when pictures speak a thousand words. I'm referring to this editorial cartoon by Michael Ramirez of the Los Angeles Times.


So basically, what I'm trying to say is that these celebrities need to get over themselves and stick to what they know ... entertaining. If they want to express an opinion, that is their right, but they are not authority figures and they need to stop acting like they are.

The Joys of Slim Fast

I have discovered the Slim Fast meal bar! I had no idea just how satisfying it was! It's great to take to work or keep in my purse so I can eat on the go and not let myself get hungry. Granola bars get crumbled up in my purse, and candy bars are too sweet for me these days.

Why Slim Fast? The story starts about two years ago: My mother had intestinal surgery January 2001. One week after she came home, she was still unable to eat. She became weaker as a result. That night, she got up to go to the bathroom and was so weak that she fell. It took both my dad and me to pick her up and help her into bed (not an easy thing to do when her ribs are fragile). Dad had a long talk with her. She had to start consuming calories and nutrients or she was not going to get better. I suggested she drink Ensure. She refused, stating that she abhored the taste. I remembered the cannister of powdered Slim Fast we had in the closet from a long time ago when Mom was curious about it. I asked her if she'd be willing to drink that since it was at least better than nothing (it was a meal-replacement drink, so why not?). She agreed. One week after that night, she was one-thousand percent better. Mom was much stronger and more alert. She felt so much better, and you could tell she was in a better mood because of it. If Slim Fast can do that for my mother, can you imagine what it could do for you?

I've started using Slim Fast products more when I decided to do something about how I eat at work. Convenience foods like pre-packaged sandwiches or microwave entrees are packed with calories and sodium. Don't believe me? Read the label. A pre-packaged microwave hamburger is over 400 calories. A fried chicken "TV dinner" is at least 470 calories with the sodium content of 50% daily value (for a 2000 calorie a day diet). A microwave chicken cordon bleu is 370 calories (no one eats just a chicken cordon bleu without side items). Those foods are not very satisfying to most people. In the town I work in, there are not that many restaurants open that are not of the "fast food" kind, and just about everything on the menu is fattening. The Slim Fast shakes and meal bars give me what I need to keep going without making me feel "deprived," and I can be a hearty eater. I don't know if I've lost weight, but I do know that my breathing has improved and my slacks are getting a little baggier.

A Return to Normalcy (finally!)

Okay, computer is back from the shop, I'm getting over a cold, and we finally got through a computer system conversion at work. Slowly, things are getting back to normal.

What caused my computer to go haywire was the CD burner: it died. I killed it. Apparently,its malfunction caused it to prevent my system from starting up normally. Honestly, I thought my hard drive crashed. It scared me (as I'm sure you could tell by my April 20 entry). It was gone for two weeks and I paid $156.00 to have it replaced, but it's working great now. That's good, especially since I have three projects that I had to put on the back burner because I didn't have my computer.

Then I got sick. This cold was pretty bad; I thought I had the flu, but I never had a fever. I started feeling bad Thursday night at a friend's house, then I was feeling worse at work the next day. Monday, I forced myself to go to work, but I came home early. I stayed home until Wednesday. I still have some head and chest congestion, but I am feeling so much better than I did last week.

As for our computer system at work, the transition was smooth and simple. I don't think I was ever so happy to get rid of a computer system like I did Oracle/Syscon. As we get more familiar with it, we like it even more.

Sick Computer/Deceptive Camera Ads

I'm so upset! My computer is sick! All I know is that my CD drive has stopped working and it is preventing my computer from doing a normal start-up. I have to go into "Safe Mode with Networking." When I click on "My Computer," the CD drive icon is missing. Looks like another trip to the repair shop.

We had our montly family get-together today. I took some pictures with my new digital camera, but I'll have to insert them later when my computer is fixed. The program that downloads the pictures from the camera will not work with the computer in Safe Mode.

Speaking of cameras, I must share this. My new digital camera is a Vivitar Vivicam 10 blue with camera case, wrist strap, batteries, software, USB cable, instructions ... all for around $45.00 at Wal-Mart. Leading Innovations claims this camera retails at $325.00, but their price is a low low $79.95. Here are the links to both Leading Innovations and Wal-Mart. I'll let you decide for yourself ;-)

Leading Innovations

Wal-Mart

5/11/2003 -- I fixed the Wal-Mart link

2/8/2004 -- The link for Leading Innovations had to be adjusted. It seems now if you try to directly link to the page, you're redirected to PerfectCollectibles.com. However, Leading Innovations main page still features the same camera in red, so I can still get my point across. I wonder how long it will take them to realize I'm on to them and change things around again? Maybe I should do a screen capture ;-)

Here's My Sign

This pretty much sums up how I feel about the war in Iraq and the war on terrorism:


A big thank you to Lorra Olsen of Reidsville, Georgia, for printing this for me. I brought it home and showed it to my dad. He took it to Staples to have it photocopied and laminated. I don't know how many he had printed and laminated, but there were a lot.

How Stupid Can The Media Be?

Late last month, I had posted that I was not going to watch the war. That doesn't mean I can't hear the television in the other room when other people in the household are watching it. These reporters floor me with their asinine questions they ask the soldiers, and if the soldiers or those in charge refuse to answer a question, the media quickly declare that "they're hiding something!" Give me a break! This is a war. There are things that the public does not "have a right to know" until after the war is over. We do not need to know our troops' battle plans, current and future locations, nor how many enemy soldiers were killed while the war is in progress. The enemy is also watching the news, and they're taking notes of every broadcast. I really believe that the media can compromise our troops' safety and ultimately the security of our country. I really believe the reporters, news anchors, and media outlets need to exercise some common sense.

On The Road/Haircuts/Divorcing Friends

I've been on the road a lot the last couple of weeks, so I haven't been able to make any entries to this blog. At least the road trips are over ... for now. I didn't mind the training classes, and I usually don't mind the traveling. However, we've had a lot of rainy weather down here, and it has rained just about every day I've been on the road or away from home. In two more weeks, we will be converting from one computer system to another. After the conversion, I'll be able to breathe. Until then, I feel like I'm working under the gun with an ever-shortening deadline.

Ever tried to let your hair grow out, but then it get's to that awkward length that makes you want to cut it? It's at that stage now. I'm hoping that evening up the ends will help make it lay down better. Otherwise, I'm cropping it back to 3 inches again with the Flowbee. Mom wanted a really really short hair cut, so after asking her to make sure that it was what she wanted, I cut her hair really really short. How short? Think Susan Powter. The thing is ... Mom looks good with it that short!

I have two friends that have met their spouses on the internet in chat rooms. Both friends kept telling me that I should give it a try and that I would find someone. I kept telling them that I'm not interested in a romantic relationship and that I already had plenty of friends. I'm also leery of meeting anyone in a chat room these days (I'll explain more in another paragraph). Anyway, it is with great sadness that I must report one couple is headed for divorce and the other couple have already divorced. It breaks my heart. I like both their spouses. It's too late for one couple, but I am praying that the other couple can salvage what's left of their marriage.

Why am leery? Experience. Most people that I've met in chat rooms want to either play head games or have cyber-sex. I cannot trust people who pee on my shoes and tell me it's raining. I got fed up with the baloney and have stopped using chat rooms. Unless I'm talking to one of my friends in another town or another state, I have no interest. If people get good experiences with internet chat rooms, I'm happy for them. It's just not for me.

More Observations about "The Sims"

Well, it's obvious that I still have A LOT to learn about The Sims and the respective expansion packs I own: Livin' Large, House Party, Hot Date, and Vacation. So much for my idea of creating a fan page … it would be more redundant than unique. Just look on any search engine, and there are sites with all sorts of advice, cheats, and downloads.

There are two websites that I've subscribed (30 day subscriptions) to that have tons of objects, skins, walls, floors, roofs, etc. for any Sim fan to download. They are: Well Dressed Sim and Sim Freaks. There is a third site I am considering subscribing to: The Sims Resource. The subscriptions, in my opinion, are worth every penny. Why? The cost is extremely low and the downloads offered for subscribers are high-quality files. Why did they resort to being paid subscription sites? They became so popular that they exceeded their bandwidth allowances. It costs money to run a website; the more popular your website, the more bandwidth is used, the more money it costs the site owners. These people work hard to design and create these things; paying a subscription fee to offset the bandwidth cost is a more-than-fair trade-off.

This is not to take away from the sites that have Sim downloads for free: 7 Deadly Sims, Moni’s Sims, Sultry’s Earth. I've downloaded files from all these sites, and they work on my computer.

Right now, I have installed on my computer: The Sims, Livin’ Large, and Hot Date. I have NOT installed House Party nor Vacation yet. With all objects, skins, walls, floors, and roofs downloaded in addition to the program and expansion packs installed, it takes up 1.7 GB of hard drive space. I wonder just how much hard drive space would be taken up if I install the other two expansion packs?

If you visit the official Sim's website, there are registered fans who have gone so far as to create screenshot story boards for everyone to view, read, and vote on.

Product Review – Whirley Pop vs Stir Crazy

I get periodic e-mails from PopcornPopper.com featuring their products. They have a lot of products I would love to order and try out, but there is one item I’ve had bad experiences with: the Whirley Pop™ popcorn popper. About five years ago, I purchased a Whirley Pop™ Popcorn Popper from another company. I quickly regretted making that purchase. It is NOT worth the $25.00 I paid for it. The pot is cheaply made using very thin aluminum. The hand crank, allegedly designed to ensure that the popcorn kernels pop quickly and evenly, was awkward to use. You still have a considerable number of unpopped kernels left AND you will still have scorched popcorn stuck to the bottom of your pot. Aluminum pots make the best homemade popcorn (and I still have my good one), but the Whirley Pop™ is the exception. Other people may be able to use that contraption to their satisfaction, and I hope that they continue to do so. Speaking for myself, I loathe that product.

I did find a popcorn popper that is worth every penny spent on it: The West Bend Stir Crazy Popcorn Popper. You can get it for $34.99 plus shipping at CooksUnlimited.com. It is easy to use and easy to clean. Just plug it in, and the removable rotating arms smoothly and continuously stir the popcorn in the oil to ensure an even distribution. The popping lid becomes a bowl … nothing could be simpler. The bowl and the arm are dishwasher safe, and the base is easily cleaned with just the wipe of a dishrag. My friends Lin and Rodney Quates introduced me to their (eight-year-old) Stir Crazy last January, and it was love at first bite. One month later, I received my very own as a birthday present from Aunt Mavis (well … she gave me the money and I ordered it off the Internet).

E-mail Accounts/Rainy Days

CNN.com is reporting that Microsoft’s Hotmail is limiting the number of e-mails that can be sent out to 100 e-mails within a 24-hour period. My personal opinion? That’s still being too generous. I think a limit of 50 is more reasonable for a free account. Anyone who needs to legitimately send more than 50 e-mails a day needs to have a paid account, not a free account. For those who are using the accounts to send cute fuzzy feel-good chain letters, with all due respect, they are a waste of bandwidth. I will be the first to admit that I do not like getting chain letters. In fact, my e-mail is set up to delete at the server any e-mails that contain the words, “Forward this to everyone on your list…”

Remember the e-mail hoax that stated that we would soon be charged a small fee for every e-mail sent out? I’m starting to think that may not be a bad idea. It would cut spam down considerably. I’m sure I belong to a small minority who believes that, but when you’ve had your fill of junk e-mail … I like my Spam sliced and fried, not in my e-mail box. Yes, I subscribe to various e-mail newsletters featuring recipes and advice for webmasters, but I opt-in for them. I choose to receive them in my e-mail box.

I like the way Yahoo.com helps to fight spam … you can report individual e-mails as spam with just a couple of clicks of the mouse. Of course, I think I’ll stick with SpamCop. It’s $30.00 a year for an account, but it’s worth it. By the way, did you know that Classmates.com will not let you use your SpamCop e-mail address in your account? SpamCop seems to have banned all e-mail coming from their servers. Talk about things that make you go hmmm … I was going to upgrade my membership with Classmates.com to gold, but after I found out that my SpamCop e-mail can’t be used, I changed my mind.

In other news ...

It has been raining today. We had a few days of sunshine, but now it’s raining again. People think I’m weird because I seem to thrive on rainy, dreary days than bright sunny days. No, I'm not into the goth movement. It’s cooler when it’s overcast. Here down south, the temps can easily shoot up into the 90’s and 100's, and the humidity makes the heat even worse. It’s been nearly 28 years since we moved to Waycross from San Diego, and I’m still not used to the heat and humidity.

Videobus Projects/Online Store Dreams

I've been playing with my videobus and have been making video stills of my personal videos (video diaries).

The page in memory of Tiffany has finally been uploaded. I kept trying to find a good picture of her, but it wasn't until I got the idea to use video stills and make a montage that I was finally able to complete the project. I'm wondering if I should make a page in memory of Muffin ... she was a major part of my life in high school and after. Despite what many people say about poodles, Muffin was lovable. Even my sister commented that she didn't like poodles in general, but Muffin was an exception because she wasn't raised to be a prissy, conceited dog.

I'm still wanting to create my own store on my website. However, I'm not sure if I want to use Cafe Press or Avon or another company. I've discovered a low-cost way of creating and maintaining an online store without the overhead that many shopping cart companies charge. I've been getting quite an education from a friend of mine who has an online store. I can understand why some onlines stores go broke and disappear off the web.

A Week in Review for March 21, 2003

Another week has ended, and I have two days of rest and relaxation. As usual, I will probably spend most of it on the computer.

I've been avoiding television since the war with Iraq began. I guess it's just me, but I can't understand why everyone is so glued to watching coverage of the war. I don't want to see everything that is going on. Yes, we seem to be kicking butt with very little collateral damage, but the footage of the anti-war protests in our country and the other countries bother me. These protests are getting out of hand and people are getting hurt. The protests by the citizens of France especially bother me; as much as we've done for them historically, and they obviously don't appreciate it.

I understand that numerous Canadians at a hockey game in Montreal booed when our national anthem was played before the game Thursday. That was uncalled for. I do appreciate the apology by the president of the Montreal Canadiens To be fair, I think the American fans in Atlanta were out of line to boo O Canada in retaliation for the beforementioned incident in Montreal; two wrongs don't make a right. Even if we were playing the french, this is not the venue to be demonstrating our feelings. The fan should not have bought a ticket to the game if his/her sentiments toward the country represented by the opposing team are that negative. This is supposed to be a professional game of fair competition between two teams; political activism has no place here.

Very Rude Waitress!!

Some of my coworkers and I met for lunch at a local restaurant Friday. What was supposed to be an extended get together for lunch turned out to be a less-than-pleasant experience. Our waitress was rude and attitudinal. I overlooked my first encounter with her, thinking that I might have just misinterpreted her behavior. However, by the second time she came to our table, I couldn't mistake her actions. After she left our table again, I turned to my coworkers and asked them, "Is it just me, or does our waitress seem to be rude today?"

They confirmed my suspicians. Two of them stated right then that they were not going to leave a tip. I wasn't sure what I wanted to do. We all have bad days, and maybe she was having one herself, maybe not realizing that it was affecting her demeanor. I debated as to whether to leave a note of encouragement with the tip so that maybe she'd realize how she was acting. I thought about directly asking her about her mood ... something like, "You seem to be having a bad day. Are you going to be okay?" On the other hand, I had another observation that I kept to myself: I wondered if the waitress was being rude to my other coworkers because they were black. I was the only white person at the table, but I still got the same rude treatment.

The third time our waitress came to our table, it was to clean up behind one of our coworkers who had to leave to go back to work. Not once did she look at us or ask us if we wanted anything else ... not even a refill on our drinks. By that time, I had casually observed how she interacted with other people in the restaurant. She was pleasant to the other customers, but not to anyone at our table. That is when I realized that she wasn't having a bad day, she was being deliberately being rude to us. As much leeway as I was trying to give her, even that crossed the line with me.

After she left, two more at our table left to return to work. My supervisor and I were the only ones left. He proceeded to write out a check for his meal ... without adding a tip. I still wasn't finished eating, so he told me he'd see me back at work in a little while. He walked up to the cashier, paid for his meal, and left. Shortly afterward, I finished eating, wrote out a check to pay for my meal ... without adding a tip ... and went to the cashier to pay for my meal. Just as I was starting to stand up, the waitress came back to clear off our table. She didn't say good-bye, see you later, come back soon, kiss my butt .... nothing!

As I approached the cashier to pay for my meal, I told her that I didn't really want to say anything, but I had a complaint about our waitress being rude to us at our table. The cashier surprised me with her response: she said that our waitress had already told her about us. I raised my eyebrows in surprise as she continued to tell me that our waitress told her that we don't tip.

HUH???

Although I was taken aback by the response, I tried to remain civil. "Okay, I cannot speak for the other people at my table ... they are my coworkers and they were nice enough to let me join them for lunch. However, I have always left a tip when I've eaten here before. This is the first time I haven't, and it is only because I was put off by her behavior." The cashier tried to assure me that the waitress probably didn't mean it personally toward me, but she said the other people at my table do not leave tips.

My response was, "Well, I didn't want to say anything, and I didn't know if my supervisor said anything before he left." The cashier said, "You mean that man that just left? No, he doesn't tip, either."

I thought about that for a couple of seconds. What she said was a lie. I've eaten with him before at that same restaurant, and I've seen him leave tips. He is well known in town, so the fact that she wrongfully associated him as being a non-tipper bothered me. However, it was obvious I was not going to be able to convince her that she was wrong. I said my goodbye and left the restaurant to return to work.

I informed my supervisor of what the cashier said. How did he react? Can you say LIVID? He immediately went to his office to call the restaurant to speak to the owner; he got the same cashier I spoke with earlier. I didn't hear the entire conversation, but it was obvious the cashier was getting "an earful." There was another coworker in my office who heard the same thing I did, We both were looking at each other with eyes wide open. I kept saying with a degree of remorse, "Oh shoot, he's pissed! Oh shoot, he's pissed!" He told me that he didn't get the owner, but he would let him know next week about the situation. Knowing that something I told him made him angry, I told him that I didn't mean to upset him or make him angry. He reassured me that I did the right thing. I hope so. I'm not the kind of person who likes to stir things up and get everyone upset.

Family Get-together/Uncle Billy

Our family had the monthly birthday dinner get-together again yesterday. I call it a mini-family reunion, LOL! We had four people who had birthdays this month.

My uncle Billy is the only uncle still living whom I have known my entire life (most of them I didn't meet until age 10 when we moved from San Diego to Waycross). I'm now 38,and he continues to amaze me. He'll sometimes bring some super-long balloons and an air can to make balloon animals ... just for the hell of it. He had the full attention of one little girl who was having lunch with her dad. Uncle Billy used the air can to blow up a purple balloon, then started twisting it in certain sections to create a balloon dog. That little girl started giggling with delight while she watched him. All of us at the table were watching him and the little girl. When he finished, he handed her the balloon, to which she happily accepted. Her father, obviously pleased at the joy Uncle Billy brought to his little girl, thanked him. Uncle Billy was later approached by one of the waitresses wanting to hire him for a birthday party.

He was the one who appeared on Bill O'Reilly's "The O'Reilly Factor." He spoke about his experience in dealing with the West Nile Virus. He sure was a handsome man on that camera ... a 72 year old man with a full head of hair who does not look or act his age. But, I'm getting off the subject here. Uncle Billy has always been a strong man. He rarely got sick, so we were all worried and scared when he had to be hospitalized for an ailment unknown to us. It was only after he recovered and was released from the hospital that it was discovered he had West Nile Virus. You see, it takes two weeks for the test results to come back. My uncle was a lucky man.

Computer Fun with More Memory!

My CPU was ready for me to pick up Monday night. It now has 384 MB RAM instead of the original 128 MB RAM. It used to take 4 minutes to start up; now it takes less than 2 minutes. Why my Outlook Express still takes 15 seconds to initialize when I open it, I don't know. I have noticed that these memory stalls I used to have when I opened programs are virtually non-existant now. Even my CD burner doesn't have that annoying "stall delay" that would frequently occur while a program is loading and/or running.

I think I'm going to try my videobus program again and make some photos from my various home videos to update the site's photo album with.. Who knows? I might even put up a link for a quickie video of me doing my infamous "eye trick."

My Sims' expansion packs came in yesterday: Livin' Large, House Party, Hot Date, and Vacation. So far, I have loaded Livin' Large and Hot Date. I want to get used to them first before I install the other two. To be honest, I would have been happy with just Livin' Large, but I couldn't beat the price; I got all 4 of them for the price of 2. I will be creating a Sims page featuring wallpaper and floors of my own creation for Sim fans to download. I'll also list some observations I have made about the game as to how some Sims seem to interact with each other. In reference to my recently increased memory capacity, the more objects you have loaded in your gamedata folder, the longer it takes the game to initially load ... memory size is irrelevant at this point. I have so many objects, skins, wallpaper, and floors downloaded from various fan sites that it takes a looooooong time to start up. It's worth it, though. I'm addicted to the game.

I do have a rant about the Sims' CDs: I cannot make copies. This bothers me because I like to make one set of copies to use while I archive the originals someplace safe. Then, if the copy gets damaged, I can take the original and make me another one to use. I'm very protective of my software and music CDs ... It doesn't take much to scratch and ruin them. There are legitimate uses for CD burners: backing up data on your hard drive, making copies of your own CDs to use (thereby protecting the originals from damage from use and/or abuse), and taking your favorite songs from your various CD collection and burning them onto one or two CDs for work or car trips. I understand that piracy is an issue, but I don't appreciate these companies trying to restrict my ability to make a copy of something I own for my own use.

Goodbye Lorri Brownlee

I found out Monday that a good friend from my former job passed away this weekend. Her name was Lorri Brownlee, and she died from breast cancer. I really though the world of her. I don't want to believe she's gone. Her funeral is this Saturday in Lilburn, and it looks like I'm not going to be able to go (five-hour drive from Waycross). The Satilla River is having flood warnings, and we're less than a mile from the river.

I've Got a Secret/Computer Woes/Human Shields

But first ...

Have you ever surfed E-bay and found these sellers who have various items for auction for ... say .... 99 cents, but the shipping and handling on the item is $10, $15, even $20?? Doesn't that make you mad? It makes me not want to do business with these people. I'd rather they have a decent mark up on what they're offering and charge what the shipping and handling truly is. Yes, people might be drawn to the low price, but that shipping and handling (in very small print, I might add) is (or should be) a turn off.

Anyway, the secret is that I found the website that sells these items wholesale for those who make these purchases and sell them on Ebay. I'm going straight to the source from now on. I do not want to patronize anyone who feels the need to greatly inflate shipping and handling charges to make a profit. If you've been ripped off by one of those sellers, e-mail me and I'll give you the URL to the company.

In other news, the memory chip for my CPU has to be ordered from Hewlett Packard, and the technician told me it would take two to three days normally for the chip to arrive. Since I strained a muscle in my back yesterday evening carrying the CPU from my truck to the mall, I think it can sit there a few more days. I'll just hold off playing The Sims or making major changes to the websites until I get the CPU back. At least I'll have 384 MB of RAM when I get it back. I can hardly wait!

The sun came out for a little while today ... just enough to make everything muggy! Everyone keeps talking about how they're ready for spring, but I actually dread it: pollen, bugs, humid weather ,,, did I mention bugs?

Found out last night that some of the human shields are making a hasty retreat for home. Read about it here. I'm still stunned by the remark to the effect of, "We realized that we might be in danger ..." Can you say, "Duh?" What the hell were they expecting????? Don't get me wrong ... I'd like to avoid war if at all possible, but I just don't think it's possible. If we don't take out Saddam now, it will cost us and the rest of the world a lot more later on. He is a cruel, selfish, dangerous, evil man.

Computer Withdrawals

You know you're getting too attached to your computer when it's been at the computer shop for only two hours and you feel apprehensive because it's gone.

Seriously, the memory on my HP was seriously taxed. Among using programs like Paint Shop Pro 7, Animation Shop 3, Video Wave 4, Microsoft Movie Maker 2.0, and The Sims was just too much for a computer system using Windows XP and having 128 megs of RAM. I took it to the local computer shop this evening to have more memory added to it. I probably could have done it myself, but the labor is only $20.00 and the installation is guaranteed. It's funny: I've installed two ethernet cards and a CD burner, but I was too unsure of my abilities to install memory. Go figure!

Bathing Munchkin/Abandoned Animals

Rain! I love rain! Now, if the ground would just absorb it faster ...

Munchkin got a bath today. Dad tried to do it, but she'd get under tables so he couldn't reach her. By then, I had gotten out of bed and had come down the hall; she meekly crawled toward me so I could pet her and give her some attention. I looked at Dad and said, "I'll give her a bath." He asked, "How are you going to do that?" My response was, "Because I'm about to pick her 60-pound fuzzy butt up and carry her into the bathroom." He laughed and said, "If you can do that, go for it!" Munchkin wanted to growl at first when I picked her up, but she got wise and realized she'd better cooperate. She did fine once I got her in the tub. She doesn't like baths. I think it's because of the trauma she experienced as a puppy when she was found in a water-filled ditch between Valdosta and Waycross. Poor thing nearly drowned.

Which brings me to my rant: Yes, she was an abandoned puppy who was found and taken home. She was one of the lucky few. Of the other puppies that were rescued with her, she and one other are the only ones who survived. People who abandon defenseless animals should realize that they're subjecting them to a long torturous death by starvation and dehydration. Even if they do survive, their lives are harsh. They also create a population problem ... more strays, more babies ... you get the idea. Just because they're animals doesn't give us the right to mistreat and/or abandon them. And I really loathe people who abuse and/or torture animals! If they'll do that to animals, they'll to that to people as well. I view people like that as a threat to society.

Thoughtful Friend Ann/Fred Rogers/War Protesters

I got a major surprise yesterday! My friend Ann sent me half a dozen PINK roses as a belated birthday gift. They were so pretty! I must get my camera and take pictures of them so I can make stationery and cards from them. She really made my day!

Was saddened to read about the passing of Fred Rogers (Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood). I enjoyed watching his show when I was a child. He will be missed.

The more I see these Hollywood stars speak out against the impending war, the more anti-Hollywood I get. I rarely watch television these days (lost interest when Xena: Warrior Princess went off the air); I could live without it ... honestly. I'm still waiting for the likes of Barbra Streisand and Alec Baldwin to leave the country (I'll gladly help them pack and drive them to the airport). As far as I'm concerned, anyone who goes overseas to speak anti-American rhetoric should have their citizenship revoked ... celebrities included. As for the "human shields" that are going to Iraq, if they are so stupid as to go over to that country to prevent our troops from attacking, then they deserve to be removed from the gene pool.

Good Friends Make a Great Time

Had a fantastic dinner with my friend Kathy this evening. We went to Applebees, where she had the mushroom steak and I had the riblet special. We talked, joked, laughed, ate ... had a great time. I learned a long time ago: it's not where you go, it's who you're with that makes for good times and lasting memories. Kathy is one of those friends that are there when times are bad as well. Others are Lisa, Teresa, Wanda, Woody, Ann, Pam, Linda, Michele, Lori, Dan, Barry ... a few others. I have great friends!

You should have seen the belated-birthday present she got me! It's an electronic duck puppet that quacks! It's a riot! I've named him Quackers. Mom and Dad thinks he's cool, but Munchkin will have nothing to do with him.

I Have a Bone to Pick With KFC

Why is it when you go to KFC and your order needs more cooking time, the cashier always says, "Your (insert order here) will be ready in about 4 minutes?" It is NEVER ready in 4 minutes. Try 8 to 10 minutes. I would rather they be truthful and tell me how long my order will REALLY be ready than for them to lie to me. It's not the wait that I'm complaining about; it's being mislead and/or deceived.

Birthday Weekend

Got my driver's license and ID card renewed Saturday morning. I am glad I got there early; it was getting crowded when I left. I'm also glad to see that examiners are telling family and/or friends of examinees to wait outside instead of letting them crowd up the room. In the past, I've seen some examinees show up with an entourage. That wouldn't be so bad if it wasn't for the fact that the room can only accomodate a few examinees at a time. Now, the last time I went to get my license renewed, I had fixed my hair, put on makeup ... and then they regenerated the photo already stored in their computer. This time, I didn't put on make up ... and they decide to take my picture. One of life's little ironies :-P

Went to Ol' Times Country Buffet to meet the family for our monthly outing in which we celebrate those whose birthday is that month. That included my dad as well as me. The regular attendees usually are: Mom, Dad, Aunt Mavis, Uncle Billy, Aunt Martha, Uncle Stan, Aunt Vertie Lee, Uncle Edmond, Lou, Wayne, and me. Family friend Jann was able to join us today; it was good to see her. Ol' Times is okay, but I wanted to eat at the Hong Kong restaurant (chinese buffet) for my birthday. Mom and Dad decided that the three of us could go there one week, and then we'd meet the family at Ol' Times the next week. My parents were even generous enough to allow me to invite a couple of friends. Linda couldn't make it, but I was sure glad Pam did.

What did I get for my birthday? A popcorn popper, a digital blood-pressure wrist cuff, and a book. A co-worker gave me a trinket box with a rose on it (good choice), and another co-worker bought and brought lunch for me.

Been surfing The Green Screen most of the day. Many of the posters wished me a happy birthday. That really made me feel good. It's nice to be remembered. Heck of a debate going on tonight about religion: Christianity, Wicca, and paganism. At least it's not about the flag tonight. I'll be glad when we get to vote on it so that it will be settled once and for all. There should not be this much turmoil about our state flag. I can see both sides of the issue, but I'm too tired to try to explain it tonight. I will in a future entry.

Speaking of The Green Screen, it's about time for another bingo get-together with some of the greenies. This time, we may try the Elk's Club since they are smoke-free. I like the VFW bingo, but I was really concerned about the smoke level in the room, not for myself, but the other three ladies who went with me on my recommendation.

Copyright Warning for Sites with MIDIs

Do these banners make you stop and think about the MIDI files you have on your website? If not, they should, because YOU CAN BE SUED for having them on your website, especially if you don't have permission to use them.

This is NOT a joke. I'm talking lawsuit. It has happened and is still happening right now (and without a "cease and desist" warning) to people who have had MIDI files on their free, personal websites.

Do I have your attention?

Many of the MIDIs floating around the internet have copyrights on them that we may not be aware of. Various MIDI sites have been shut down because the webmasters had copyrighted MIDIs on their sites and had no idea they were violating any laws.

What's worse ...
Ignorance of the law will not protect you!
Putting a "disclaimer" on your site will not protect you!

Before you become the next victim, click on the banners above or the links below and visit these sites. The information contained in them could save you from a financial nightmare.

http://free-the-midi.com
http://apollo.spaceports.com/~midi/

There are numerous legitimate MIDI composers out there who will let you use their MIDIs free of charge in exchange for giving them due credit for their work and/or a link back to their website (if they have one). It does not hurt to write and request permission. This is the only way to put music on your website, honor copyright laws, and avoid civil litigation.

Otherwise, if you have MIDI files posted on your website or in any newsgroups and you don't believe you could be targeted, you'd better think again! How am I so sure? Because a friend of mine is one of the victims of a litigious copyright holder of thousands of MIDIs currently in circulation on the internet.

Christmas Present/Site Changes

VIDEO!!! I get to work with video!!! I got a videobus for Christmas, so now I'm able to take my home movies and record them onto my hard drive. I've been wanting to do this for so long!

Yes, the web themes are gone. I'm really just interested in making stationery/background tiles. Web themes are not easy to design. I'm finding that the more I learn, the harder it becomes. I can always make one as a special request because at least then I'll have an idea of what the recipient wants and can go from there. I do not plan to charge money for my designs, but I do want name credit for my work.

After two months, I have finally updated the recipes page. I am also planning to reorganize and reformat the page to make finding the websites easier.

Misc: FP2000, Moving Graphics, Former Web Site

I'm finally getting used to Front Page. I've learned how to do frames, hover buttons, and page transition special effects. I especially like the hover buttons because I can customize them without having to create a graphic for them.

I've revamped my free graphics page and split the web themes and stationery into two separate pages, both accessible from the index page. I'm feeling a little cross-eyed, but I think y'all will like the menu layout of the stationery page. Remember what they say about never knowing just how much stuff you have until you move? Well, it applies to web graphics as well when you're moving them around to new locations and/or pages. Whew!!

I've found out that my old "planet_xanadu" account with Tripod was finally deleted. I was wondering how long it was going to take them.

Family Reunion

I attended my first family reunion in ten years. I really enjoyed myself, but I think the location of this year's reunion made all the difference in the world. Convenience can make or break a get-together. We had it at the Okefenokee Swamp Park this year. During the previous 20 years, we had it at the Georgia Lions Camp for the Blind.

Recipe Messageboards/Independence Day Page

Hmmm ... where to start? Among job stress, family health (including my own), and obligations to another website, I just haven't had the time or inclination to update this one. I have updated the recipe referral page with a lot of new Caribbean recipe links. I actually found a message board in which people post recipes. I'm now considering starting one here. What do y'all think? E-mail me and let me know.

For the 4th of July, I did create a celebration page using the fireworks java from The Anfy Team. I never got around to posting a link to it from the home page. However, if you'd like to look at it, click here. You will need to use your back button to come back to this page.

The Return of Soapbox

Soapbox is back! It's been gone for a year, but I'm finally bringing it back. My old topics are posted (less the ones that no longer apply), and I'm writing some more to be posted soon. Oh, and let me go ahead and answer these questions now: No, I'm not posting my old soapbox about the Comet Zone cursors. No, I was not threatened by the company; they were actually quite friendly and helpful. I don't use them on my website because they just don't fit in with my web site decor. No, I do not have their software downloaded on my computer so I can view them on other websites. If you want them, get them. If you don't want them, don't get them. People are making too much of a big deal about them. Can we drop this subject now?

The Move Is Complete

Well, the move has been done. It was a lot of work, having to go into each web page and change the links and e-mail address codes. It was worth it! Visitors to the pages formerly on Tripod will be redirected to the corresponding new pages. I've been trying to e-mail webringmasters and other organizations that I am a member of to let them know of my new URL and e-mail address.

I have retired my old guestbook from HTML Gear. Bravenet has a couple of guestbook features that HTML Gear does not have.

I won't be adding any more web themes for quite a while, unless I get some inspiration or if someone asks me to do a special design for him/her. I am going to be adding more stationery for downloading. I've already added four new sections: scenery, rosebuds, animals, and sailboats. As for the original three: angels, crosses, and Jesus, I will be redoing most of them since I learned how to use masks (the fuzzy edged special effect).

I'm thinking of adding an Aquazone page (I love Aquazone!). Fish are about all I can handle right now. I've managed to breed 2 Leopard Catfish and 12 Angelfish. My Rummy-nosed Tetras laid 20 eggs, but 12 of them died within 3 hours, so they're saved in a file until I can figure out what to do with them.

I may be putting together a list of programs that will NOT work on Windows XP. I think the public should know these so that they can decide whether or not to get Windows XP, or do as my friend Bill suggested (reformat and partition the hard drive, then install Windows 98). If anyone out there has Windows XP and know of programs that will not work on it, e-mail me at mundlingzone@spamcop.net. By the way, Hasbro Interactive's game Sorry! will not work on my computer, as well as almost all my cooking CDs from Multicomm. I've read that Myst is not XP compatible, also. Quiz Quest (Mind Grind) will play, but it will not be recognized by XP's Task Manager should you try the old "ALT - CTRL - DEL" maneuver. I have to resort to taking out the CD to close the game by encountering an error..

I Took The Plunge! Announcing MUNDLINGZONE.ORG

Okay, so it has been a while since I updated this site. I've had a lot of things going on, and I felt the need to let some things go temporarily.

The biggest news so far is that Tripod is cutting their free accounts from 50MB to 20MB as of April 30. I had deleted some files to get my account under the limit. However, if I'm going to be able to add more web themes and stationeries to this site, I'm going to have to move. I could upgrade by account with Tripod, but if I'm going to pay for web space, I may as well go a step further and get my own domain name too. Therefore, my website is moving to MUNDLINGZONE.ORG as of May 1, 2002.

Now, don't get me wrong! I like Tripod. They have been very good to me. I still recommend them for their free services. You send the staff members e-mail, and they write you back. However, they are making changes to reflect the times, and I feel the need to do so, also.

Oh yes, one more thing! I am fed up with people who think they can collect my website e-mail address and use it to send me advertisements for their businesses. I have signed up with Spam Cop, so my new e-mail address is mundlingzone@spamcop.net. My other yahoo address will be irretrievably closed at the end of May.

Change of Priorities?

Y'all probably have noticed that this site has not been updated much this month. Although I won't go into detail, I will say that my life has had a couple of revelations this month, and I am finding my interests and priorities are changing. This website may be affected by that, but only time will tell.

Bibles

When I was growing up (1970's), there were two versions of the Bible that I was aware of: The KIng James Version and the Americanized Version. Although I tried reading both versions, I had difficulty understanding them. A few years ago, I discovered the New International Version of the Bible. The scripture made more sense to me, and it made me want to read the Bible more. It has opened my eyes to God's Word. It has also aided in my return to my original faith after a period of time in my life when I had rejected Christianity to the point of being anti-Christian.

I had no idea that this latest version of a timeless and sacred reference would be so controversial. There are those who adamantly refuse to acknowledge the New International Version as a legitimate version of the Old and New Testaments of the Bible. I have a very good friend who faithfully reads the King James Version and belongs to a church that refuses to have anything to do with the New International Version. We love each other like sisters, but we feel so passionately about the two different versions that we have had to agree to disagree on which version is more "legitimate."

I wrote an e-mail to my sister Pamela a while back, asking her why there were so many different versions of the Bible and which one did she believe to be the most accurate. This was her response:

Did y'all know that in the old days, when Jesus walked in the flesh, there were at least two versions of the scriptures?
(1) Hebrew ... for the scholars
(2) Aramaic ... for real folks

Even though Jewish men were supposed to be able to read Hebrew, there was a version written more poetically and in everyday terms so that everyone could enjoy and have a decent understanding of God's word.

Did y'all know that there were many different English language translations of the scriptures when King James was translated? The scholar's aim was to put scriptures into the language of the day so that everyone could enjoy and have a decent understanding of God's word.

Did y'all know that the Bible talks about the gifts of the Holy Spirit as available to all believers for all times, but most "Christians" don't believe in them and try to say that was only for the first century church. That's not what the Bible says, in any translation.

Those who seek truth will find answers (usually accompanied by more questions). Those who don't want to know the truth will refute all legal, logical, and liturgical evidence.

Keep seeking God's truth!

Thanks Pamela! I needed that!

I guess what it boils down to is that we are to read whatever version we feel most comfortable with, so long as in our hearts and minds we are seeking God's truth.

Just Do It!

The key word for this subject is "sincerity." What is the sincerity quotient for anything you do for The Lord? When you pray in front of other people, sing loudly in church, pay your tithes, donate to charity, give people your testimony ... is it to show off what you are doing for God? There is a difference between living by example and showing off. Don't show off; just do it.

When you live by example, you do not "make a big deal" out of your actions. You just do it. People will see how you act. If you're being sincere, people will notice it and may even get curious enough to ask you about your faith. If you're "putting on a show," people will notice it and try to avoid you every way they can. How do you expect people to listen to your testimony if they perceive you as a phony?


Matthew 6, verses 1-6:

1. "Be careful not to do your `acts of righteousness' before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.

2. "So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full.

3. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,

4. so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

5. "And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full.

6. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

Actions speak louder than words. It was true then, and it's still true now. Whatever you do for God in your heart and your soul, just do it.

Stop Being Pushy!

I must confess up front that this is more of a pet peeve of mine that I'm venting than it is an altruistic thought to ponder. I feel strongly about this topic because I was "pushed" away from the Christian faith several years ago. I would like for you to read this with an open mind and PLEASE take what is written into consideration. We're losing too many people because of our pushiness. One of the biggest problems we have as Christians testifying for Jesus is that we don't know when to back off from the verbal "witnessing." We are supposed to plant the seed of truth, but any farmer will tell you that you don't keep stomping the ground after the seed is planted. It must be watered. It must be fed. It must be given sunshine. Our sincere actions combined with our testimony will determine whether or not the seed flourishes or dies.

Another thing that we are bad about doing is saying, "Christians don't do this;" and "Christians don't do that ..." or "I'm a Christian! I don't talk like that!" Yes, we have moral standards that we should live by, but we make our faith sound so oppressive and restrictive by repeating those and other similar remarks. Being a Christian is supposed to be a good thing, and we need to show more of that to people if we are going to get them to listen to us and maybe even come to know Christ. If you are in the presence of people who are saying or doing things that are unChristianlike, you should either suggest another topic of conversation, suggest another activity, or remove yourself from the group.

Remember the line, "What would Jesus do?" He didn't push himself on people. He lived his life as he taught. People started going to Him ... and listened. Once you've made it known to them that you're a Christian, don't push your testimony unless you know for a fact that they want to listen. Let people know that you will be there for them if they have questions. Be a friend. Show love, compassion, and mercy to them. Be real, not phony. People will be more likely to listen to you.

New Computer, Defective CD Burner

Spent a lot of time on Ebay and chatting with friends on Yahoo! Messenger and ICQ.

Had to take my brand new Hewlett Packard xt928 in to a repair shop for a defective CD-burner and ended up getting a new CPU. That wouldn't have been so bad, except that I had to reload all of my programs and tweak the personalization settings again. Windows XP is a bear to learn and get used to!

Holiday Hiatus

I may not be working on this site much for about a month. A friend of mine just got his business website built, and I am trying to add more items for sale on it. When you have a chance, check out http://www.elitegiftsbydan.com

Added old family photos that I had recently restored. They will also be on display at the Pioneer Island exhibit at the Okefenokee Swamp Park in Waycross, Georgia (the main cabin on display is dedicated to my late maternal grandfather).

I couldn't decide between the weather banners by weather.com or weatherunderground.com, so I put both on my index page. Okay, so I'm into weather gauges and stuff.

Removal of Code/Removal of Poem

Removed the Geo-phrase greeting from the index page. Half the time the code prompted error messages or would not display the greeting at all. Was at a friend's house in Moultrie, Georgia one weekend and it greeted me on their computer as if I lived in Bogota, Lima (or something like that). Nope ... not worth the hassle.

I have removed the poem "My Beloved Jimmy" from public display. The person I wrote it for hasn't spoken to me since October 1999. It doesn't seem right to continue to display a poem honoring someone who has made no attempt to contact me nor reconcile the disagreement we had. I have done a lot of soul-searching before making this decision. Two years is long enough.

Mundling Zone Updates

Wrote a poem about the September 11 terrorist attacks and named it "The Day The World Stood Still." It is posted on this website.

Finally added a page talking about the reason for this website.

Added the MIDI "Mysterious" by Yuko Ohigashi to the index.html page.

Yahoo's Webring Codes

I've had it with Yahoo! and their @#%& webring codes! There was this one code that kept showing up as corrupted on my index page, and I got suspended twice for it. I'm sorry, but I'm not getting enough traffic from these webrings to warrant having them on my website if I have to keep going through this. Oops, can't get on my soapbox about this ... yet!

Count Your Blessings!

If I were asked what was the most powerful message from God that I have received, it would be "Count your blessings," and I immediately think of this story. I swear to all who read this that this really happened, and I don't doubt for one second that God spoke directly to me.

From May 1991 until September 1997, I lived away from home in a town called Conyers, Georgia. I had several acquaintences, but no one close by that I could really call "friend." The economy at the time forced a lot of people to take on second jobs just to make ends meet. I was one of them. I worked my day job from 8:00 - 4:30 Monday to Friday. Then I went home to nap for about three hours until I went to my second job working from 10 PM to 6 AM night shift in a convenience store Friday and Saturday night every weekend.

I was able to deal with my schedule the first year, but eventually, things started to take its toll on me: I had no social life, most of my free time was spent sleeping, all the money from that second job went to pay bills, and I still wasn't getting ahead but struggling just to keep up. Physically and psychologically, I was becoming more and more depressed. I kept asking: why do I have to work two jobs? Why must I work so hard just to make ends meet when people I know seem to be able to afford luxuries I'm having to do without? I became resentful of my situation.

Well, God heard me, and he answered my questions early one Sunday morning while I was on duty at the store. A pregnant woman with two children (a boy and a girl, both looking about ages 3 and 4) came to my store in a battered station wagon. She and the children looked dirty like they hadn't changed clothes in days. The pregnant woman came in and asked where the nearest Western Union was while her children headed for the restrooms. I told her the direction to go to get to the Kroger store in which had a Western Union station.

She suddenly burst into tears. I asked her if she was okay, worried that she might need medical help (she was pregnant, after all). She proceeded to tell me that she left her abusive husband and took the kids with nothing but the clothes on their backs. The alternator in her car later went out and needed replacing. She had to give the repairman her wedding ring to pay for it. She was able to contact her mother, and her mother agreed to wire some money to her, but the Western Union would not be open for a few more hours. Moved by her story, I asked her when was the last time she or her kids ate. She told me that they had some crackers and water earlier that day. I then asked her how much gas she had in the car. She told me that she might have a couple of gallons, but not much.

I paused for a moment to think about the situation. I had seen my share of people coming into the store pretending that they were needy and asking for handouts. My heart told me that this woman and her children were truly in need of help and some kindness. I told her to go back to her car and pull it up to one of the gas pumps and I would give her five dollars worth of gasoline. She quickly responded, "I promise I'll repay you ... " but I stopped her and told her that she was not to worry about that right now. I asked her to wait a moment, and I went into my purse and scrounged up all the cash money I had on me ... about five dollars and a little change. I handed the woman the money and told her to go to the Waffle House at the corner and make sure she and the kids ate something. I also added that if the money was not enough to have the waitress call me and I would vouch for the bill. She looked at me funny as her children came out of the restrooms. She then instructed them to go to the car. Then she looked back at me and said with a mixture of disbelief and gratitude, "Thank you." She went to her car and put the amount of gasoline I preset the pump for (at the end of my shift, I wrote a check to pay for the gasoline). Then she left, driving toward the Waffle House I directed her to earlier.

As her car disappeared into the darkness, I fell to my knees and wept. I started praying, thanking God for sending that woman to me. Not only was I able to help someone who was in need, it was a reminder about how lucky I actually was and that I should be grateful for what I do have instead of bemoaning what I didn't have.

I never saw the woman again. No one from the Waffle House called me about the bill. I just hope that she was able to make it to wherever she was trying to get to. If you are her and you're reading this, thank you for coming by my store and I hope your life has changed for the better. I will never forget you.

Thank you, God, for humbling me and showing me how blessed I am.

Change of E-mail Address

My e-mail address has been changed because a spammer sent out porno spam with a faked e-mail address ... MY E-MAIL ADDRESS!! I have reported it to the proper authorities, and I have been cleared of any wrongdoing. If you are responding to the e-mail, I'm am not running an "Adult Friend Finder Erotic Personals" website. I'm not that kind of girl, so please look elsewhere.