I do not like Green Eggs and Spam. I do not like them Sam I Am.

What’s with all the spam? Now, I’m not talking about the food-ish thing people eat (and yes, I’ve eaten it too while on a weeklong hiking trip. You do what you have to in order to keep going), but rather the internet spam. I won’t bore you with the “subject” lines of the emails because I’m sure you have enough of your own. It constantly amazes me, though, how many times I get the email that asks me to help Mr. ____, in Africa, to get money out of the country before the government takes it over…and if I’m a kind and generous person, they’ll compensate me monetarily.


Seriously? Do I have a “stupid lives here” tattoo on my forehead – or my email address? Wait a minute! That could be an interesting email address…Hey, guess what? Stupidliveshere@hotmail.com is available (because I checked). Stupidliveshere@gmail.com is NOT. Hmm…I think I already like the email owner of stupidliveshere@gmail.com. That person has got to have a great sense of humor.

Focus Patty. Annnnnnnnddddd…we’re back on track.

I especially like the “help-the-poor-African-guy-and-get-swindled act” when they fax their requests and send emails to police departments. Yep, they’re that stupid – or perseverant. I actually took the time to fax a response to the fax phone number that essentially said, “Seriously? Do you think we’re stupid? This fax number goes to the Lewiston, Idaho Police Department. Please refrain from contacting us in the future. If you fail to comply with our request, legal repercussions will result.” My email response was basically the same as well. Amazingly we haven't had any additional requests from Africa. Imagine that!

Spam, manna to the Hawaiian people and, on average, each inhabitant of Guam eats 16 cans of Spam each year. That’s a lot of spam – both mystery meat kind and mystery mail kind. Who am I to judge? The world needs all kinds!

Sorry, I had to do it.

Sorry about the multiple posts today, but I just got this link from a friend on Facebook and I laughed so hard I cried.

Now, I'm more a dog person than a cat, but this was hilarious. A sick, twisted sense of humor did this...and I like it!

Here's the link...enjoy!

http://www.27bslash6.com/missy.html

Nine-o-Clock and All is Well!

Okay, maybe the title is a bit of a misnomer, but not completely off-base. Nine pm and I'm finally ready for ME! I've been blessed to be working for the Lewiston Police Department (LPD) -- again -- for the summer, but the long days have begun to wear on me. Here’s today’s schedule:

Up by 5:30am, do the shower-hair-makeup-brushing teeth thing, get ready in my “office attire” (I can’t wait for the day when jeans, t-shirt, and flip-flops are considered “business casual”), eat breakfast, take care of my dog, and zoom out the door by 7:15am at the latest. Then it’s a 30-45 minute commute to the Lewiston,ID/Clarkston,WA valley and my “work” begins at 8am. Do grunt work, lighten everyone else’s load, and try to make their jobs easier all day until 5pm. Then change into workout clothes to go rollerblading on the Snake and Columbia River Levees with a co-worker (Debbie) for about an hour – today we finished about 6:15pm. Do some grocery shopping in the valley, pick up dinner at Subway, and begin the commute home. Get home around 7:30pm…wait, but I don’t actually get to go inside the house. My dog is waiting at the back gate for some one-on-one time. She jumps in my Cherokee and we head to the park where I proceed to throw the ball again, and again, and again, and…wait, she’s gotta jump in the creek…and again, and again, and…well, you get the picture. Get home FOR REAL by 8:30pm, get clothes picked out for work tomorrow and…at about 9pm finally sit down at the computer.


But wait, I lied to you. It’s not time for ME…it’s time for me to grade homework from my online English 101 students. Sorry! Gotta go and hope to be in bed by midnight.

Happy dreams!

Good Morning!

As I prepare to leave my house for the day (nothing like waking up with the sun at 4:30am), I wonder what today will bring. Some friends are struggling with the illness and pending death of loved ones (you are in my prayers), others are travelling to my neck of the woods (drive safe and come soon!) for the 4th of July weekend, and still others seem to be fine tuning their skills in bringing drama with them wherever they go.

Why can't people just be happy, or at least satisified, with their lives? If you don't like something ... change it. Don't like your job - find a new one. Wish you had more friends - make them. Feel like no one likes you - time for a self-evaluation and possible change in your personal approach to life and others. Aren't happy in your marriage - well, this one is a bit trickier..., but you get the point.

"You are as happy as you make up your mind to be." - Mark Twain
I fullly believe in this quote and today I'm deciding to be happy. Save the drama for your momma as I work harder to be more compassionate, more optimistic, more thoughtful and less thoughtless. Time to go and make friends with a new day!

Please Forgive Me...

It's been four months and I've failed to post on my blog, and for that, I'm sorry. I could load you down with a bunch of excuses: school, work, life, family, etc., but essentially that's all they are -- excuses. Some are more viable than others, but accountability is necessary. In the last few months I've let some things in my life slide and, unfortunately, this blog was one of them.

I won't bore you with a recap of the last four months, just let you know I'm still alive, still working on my Masters, still teaching Freshman Composition at the University, and yes, the students are still killing me! : p

As I approach my final year of school (thank goodness)! I've had to do a lot of self contemplation of what I really want to do. Do I want to go on to get my PhD and continue teaching? Do I want to move to a new state, city, town, country? At this point, as I consider the possibilities and my options it all comes down to happiness. What will make me happy?

As anyone who knows me will attest, I'm often found with a smile on my face, a ready laugh, and willingness to make others happier, but now it's time to get a bit selfish. Focus less on others and more on me. -sigh- That may be one of the most difficult things I've had to do. In every major decision I've considered others: parents, friends, family, co-workers, etc., and I was last on the list, but now it's time to be number one.

Hopefully this blog, and any comments from you (the peanut gallery), will help me in this process.