I'm a Bad, Bad Girl!

I remember my high school days when I lived for nights and weekends chatting on the phone. I lived for the phone. I wanted my very own phone with my own phone number. I hated sharing the phone with my two older sisters who had the same phone frenzy as I did. Being the younger of the three oldest girls in our large family, I always got last dibs on our lone communication device. I remember viewing each of my sisters departure from the home as a glimmer of hope at more phone time with my boyfriend.

I remember those talks well. I'd sit on the stairs and talk very quietly so as to not divulge my great secrets to the rest of my family (usually my little brother Rob would be lurking about somewhere close by). After hours of talking of almost nothing, the conversation usually took a turn like this:


Me: Well, it's late, I prolly better go before my mom catches me

Boyfriend: K

Me: You say "goodbye" and hangup first, OK?

Boyfriend: No you

Me: No way! I did it first last time.

Boyfriend: OK, I'll say "goodbye" first but you have to be the first to hang up.

Me: OK

Boyfriend: Good Bye and I love you!

Me: silence

Boyfriend: You're supposed to hang up now

Me (wailing): I can't!!!!! You hang up!

Boyfriend: I can't either, you'll have to hang up.

Me: No you!

Boyfriend: You said you'd hang up first if I said "good bye!"

Me: OK, you're right. Long Pause

And so on. Sometime it took us hours to hang up. Some of you can probably relate to these silly teenage romances. However silly they may be, I am lucky enough to have married the above mentioned boyfriend, James.

Anyway, I digress. I am a bad, bad girl because I have ceased to do well at catching up with people on the phone. What once was a distinct competency has now become a chore that gets relegated to the back burner. I admit it, I procrastinate!
I have family and friends who I love to get together with for coffee, outings, and email, but when it comes to picking up the phone for a chat - not so good. I owe you all a sincere apology. However, I would like to suggest that you lower your expectations you have of me in this regard. I am not good at catching up by phone.

I believe this reluctance comes from spending the better part of every day on the phone in teleconferences as part of my job. It means that when my day is over, one of the last things I want to do is get on the phone. Selfish of me, I admit, but I doubt I'll change until I'm an old cane-totting granny with no job, and am lonely and bored. Then watch out! I'll become a phone calling freak: kids, grand kids, family, friends, acquaintances, repair men, neighbors, and whomever else I can get to lend me an ear.

[NOTE: I remember a similar situation when I worked at the mall when the kids were little. I ended up hating going shopping (much to my husband's delight). I hated going to the store since I worked at one. This has actually paid off over the years, until such time as online shopping came onto the scene. My sweetest dreams were realized.]

I may be a bad girl, but at least I acknowledge it and ask for forgiveness.
you've now seen my explanation and read my apology (notice I didn't call you) and have a sincere hope that you will all understand and give me grace for another 20 years or so.

Then watch out!

I Can Walk and Chew Gum - at the Same Time!

I can walk, chew gum, and participate in a teleconference at the same time. But wait, I have opposable thumbs and walk upright!

Take a peek at this video of a species that isn't supposed to be able to do what he does.

Unbelievable!

How Messy are You?

I'm a moderately clean person. I am not overboard with the organizaton and neatness, but I do find myself bugged when the house hasn't been vacuumed for a while, or dust is piling up in drifts. But when I read the following story, I began to feel pretty good about myself. There's always someone worse, right?

I found the article first on Foxnews.com and then followed it further in the originating publication in Britain http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/article2104946.ece
Foxnews says that a guy in Britain hoarded so much trash he had made tunnels throughout the junk just to navigate his home. Apparently he got lost in the network of tunnels and died of thirst.

The article states: "The compulsive hoarder is believed to have become disorientated inside the walls of rotting trash and unable to find a way out — then collapsed with dehydration.

Neighbors raised the alarm after failing to see him leave his house in Broughton, Bucks, for several days.

When cops arrived, the stench from the garbage was so foul they brought in a police diving team equipped with breathing apparatus."

Breathing apparatus? My goodness. I guess my house isn't so bad after all.

Always Do Your Best

January 4, 1982 is significant to our family, and more importantly, significant to James Gibson and the scientific community. On the same day Bryant Gumbel became the co-anchor of the Today show and James Gibson discovered a planet.

Hard as it may be to believe, but the Today show’s success will be more fleeting than that of James Gibson. Gibson was a troubled teen in the 40’s. Even in the small farming community of Ellensburg, Washington, there was mischief to be made and James was sure to find it. Peter Tjossem, one of the local businessmen took it upon himself to mentor James and other needy teens. What resulted was that James determined to go to college and make something of him. Several years later he became a scientist in the astronomy and physics field.

In a show of gratitude, when James discovered minor planet #3090, he named it Tjossem after my great grandfather who pushed him to excellence. Though Peter Tjossem was long gone from this earth at the time of the discovery, the honor bestowed on the family through the chosen name, is one of significant for all of us.

As John Wooden, an early 20th century basketball coach once said, “Success comes from knowing that you did your best to become the best that you are capable of becoming.” Peter Tjossem believed in Gibson and Gibson believed what Peter told him. Imprinted with that belief, he worked hard to accomplish all of that which he was capable. I, for one, am very thankful he didn’t settle for anything less.

My Favorite Conspiracy Theories

Jet Trails - The theory is that the white lines of condensed water vapor that jets leave in the sky, officially called contrails or chemtrails, are actually a toxic substance the government actually has scientific experimentation underway and uses those trails to dissipate chemicals on us, the clueless masses. Even the renowned publication, USA TODAY, wrote about it in 2001. Check it out here.

Mel's Hole - Mel swears he's found a bottomless pit and has gone on national late-night radio to talk about it. He tried to find the bottom by stringing about 15 miles of fishing line and weights, and says he couldn't find the bottom. His latest interview was in 2002. Mel says the hole is in Ellensburg, Washington, but has never divulged the exact location. Many have tried to find this mysterious hole (Mel says it can even resurrect dead animals) to no avail. Unless Mel steps forward and give the exact coordinates, this hole is quite possibly another in Mel's head!

The Amero - some people believe that the government is actually already printing new currency for the North America Union which consists of Canada, the US, and Mexico. Pictures and videos of the new currency have popped up on websites and even YouTube, but have proven to be de-bunked. The currency is actually the work of an artisan, Daniel Carr, who created several of the new state quarters. Apparently he made them to raise awareness and are part of a "fantasy" series he issues along with parody coins and more. You can view more on his website here.

The Illuminati - a secret society, or shadow government, sometimes referred to as the Bilderburg Group, that rules the world and is bent on one world government or new world order.

and my latest favorite turns out to be true:

Start a fire with a potato - I've seen it!

P.S.
I am in no way saying I believe any of these. I'm simply writing about them because I find them interesting and in some cases, silly.