Am I The Only One?

Am I the only one who is annoyed about the Black Friday bonanza spilling over onto Thanksgiving day?

Actually, that's a rhetorical question. I'm not the only one who is annoyed. I've been scouring social media platforms this evening looking for evidence of other's discontent on the subject, and I found plenty.

You see, I'm so thankful for the things I have, but that's just the issue: they're things. Possessions. Objects. Sure, I think some of the things I own are pretty cool, and certainly there are many other things that I would like to own, but that aren't in my price range. Objects, though, do not have the meaning that relationships have. For what it's worth, I think that possessions aren't what makes life worthwhile, it's the relationships we have. I don't need "big-ticket items" like a TV to enjoy life. In fact, I don't even have cable (there's not much in the way of TV programming that's worthwhile, in my opinion), and I actually don't miss it one bit since I made the decision to get rid of it.

My family, friends, co-workers, and others are worth far more to me than any object.

Where did that thought process break down in our society? It seems like more and more people are less focused on Thanksgiving (these days, I sometimes wonder how many people know the holiday's origin), and are more focused on Black Friday deals.

I'm a Black Friday shopper. I go out every year in search of deals, but I absolutely refuse to go out on Thanksgiving Day to shop for objects when I could instead be with people that I care about and who care about me. This isn't a new feeling for me, because I distinctly remember discussing this last year.

Sadly, there is a demand for these stores to be open on Thanksgiving Day. I understand the insistence from these companies that their customers have asked for sales on Thanksgiving, but wouldn't it be great to see some companies taking a stand? Have a backbone. What about an ad that says something like, "we believe in giving thanks, and we're thankful for our employees and their families, so we won't be opening our doors until 6 am on Friday?"

So, this year, I'm talking to you, Sears, Kmart (opening at 6am on Thanksgiving Day? Really?), Target, Toys R Us, and Target. There are others, I'm sure, but those are coming to mind first. Let your employees enjoy the holiday, and stop making it sound absolutely urgent that I leave my family on Thanksgiving to find a good deal.

Sears actually responded to my tweet on the subject, saying that they were focusing on seasonal employees and those who volunteer to work on Thanksgiving. It's the same response they have sent hundreds of others who are raising concerns about the hours of operation. In response, I asked whether there would be a consequence for employees who didn't volunteer and how many were "volunteering" out of necessity. I haven't gotten a reply to that one.

What do you think about all of this?

The Enemy in the Midst of Excitement

Do you hear that? Can you smell it? The holidays are in the air, ladies and gentlemen, and I couldn't be more excited. This is without a doubt my favorite time of the year. I'm actually not sure if it would be possible for me to be more excited about the fast-approaching holidays as I am.

I like to remind my fiance that on the top of my "reasons why I'm marrying him" list is because he is just as excited for this time of year as I am. Growing up, both of us were the giddy kids on Christmas morning waking everyone up at 4:30 because, really, what's the point in trying to sleep if you're just that excited? Recently, I assured my parents that even though Cam and I will be spending our Christmas mornings together once we're married, we will make a point of waking everyone up so that our presence won't be missed too much...Oddly, my parents didn't seem to excited about my generous offer to call them repeatedly until they were up and at 'em on Christmas morning.

Oh, and if you're wondering, yes, I have already set up my Christmas tree. For those of you who just said some variation of "ugh, seriously?," it's only because I store my tree in my shed, and I have developed a phobia of spiders, which is ironic since I have a degree in psychology. Consequently, I was completely unwilling to venture into the shed to retrieve my tree without the help of either a) a disaster relief responder b) a firefighter, or c) Cam. Someone has to slay those spiders, after all, and it certainly won't be me, if the last time I had to do so is any indication of my ability to stay calm.

Me, waging war against the spider...
Or Charlie Sheen in Platoon, but you get the idea

You see, I found a spider lurking on the ceiling not long ago, and I prepared to wage war. I quickly fashioned a sort of jousting pole out of my broom. On the tip of the broom, I used a rubber band to secure a tissue to it, so that I could simply stab the spider with the broom handle, remove the tissue, and flush the pesky thing down the toilet...But not before I got out my rain boots, tucked my pants into them so that the spider wouldn't be able to crawl onto my leg, found a pair of rubber gloves, which I made sure covered my hands and also the ends of my long sleeves, so that it couldn't find its way up my sleeve. I then used the drawstrings on my hood to make sure the smallest amount of my face was showing as possible. As I jumped and screamed like a complete loon, I finally succeeded, and promptly threw out the gloves, and put my clothes into the wash. It's completely irrational, yes, but that's the nature of phobias, right?

Anyway, I couldn't bare the thought of finding a spider on or around the bin holding my Christmas tree, so Cam had the honor of dealing with that little problem the last time he came to visit.

Since I am a fan of Thanksgiving, and since I don't want to completely skip over it, I have not decorated the tree yet, and I won't be until after the Thanksgiving festivities are over. I must say, though, It does feel nice knowing that I won't be dealing with my little 8-legged arch enemies when I'm trying to enjoy the holiday season.

Cleaning out the Cobwebs

Sometimes in life, it's important to clean out the cobwebs that clog up our day-to-day activities and can have a draining effect on our moods. Over the last couple of weeks, I've done some much-needed mental housekeeping. I have made peace with things that have been weighing heavily on my heart and mind for some time now, and the difference it has made is wonderful.

I'm lucky to have family, friends, co-workers, and many others who are supportive and enthusiastic about my ideas. Focusing on those things can be difficult sometimes, but I'm making a conscious effort to do so.

In college, I learned some amazing relaxation tools as part of my psychology classes. Today, I'm offering some (perhaps unsolicited) tips to improve your mood and relieve some stress, even if it's just a little.

1) Take a breath: it seems so simple, and yet, many people don't stop to take a deep breath a few times a day. Doing so can help to "reset" your mind, so to speak. I take a deep breath in the morning as soon as I wake up, just before heading out the door for work, and then periodically during the day. Try it! Close your eyes, fill your lungs with air slowly through your nose, and exhale slowly through your mouth.

2) When you lie down at night, systematically tense and relax your muscles (hold the tensed muscle for 5 seconds, slowly relaxing it) from head to toe. This one is my favorite, it almost instantly puts me to sleep.

3) There are plenty of websites out there that will allow you to choose from any number of ambient noises, such as rain, thunder, waterfalls, etc. My favorite combination is a light rolling thunder and a steady rain.

Ahhhh... relaxation. It's such a welcome luxury at the end of a busy day.

By the way, happy Halloween! Did you catch the cobweb connection?

The Power of Grammar

As I plan my upcoming wedding, I am constantly surprised to find that poor grammar is rampant. I typically  pride myself on my ability to manipulate words and use the English language to effectively communicate my thoughts, and I sometimes find it difficult to understand why others struggle with that concept. To me, the proper use of grammar is vital in communication in any scenario (read: there is a difference between "let's eat Grandpa" and "Let's eat, Grandpa." Grammar saves lives, people!), but it seems that not everyone shares that opinion. 

When I am meeting with any professional, especially one with far more experience in a field than I have, I expect a certain level of competence. To me, being able to communicate well is nearly as important as the final product or overall service a person provides. For this reason, when someone begins speaking, and in doing so, sounds like an elementary school student who has not completed one single grammar lesson, I start to get nervous. I worry that without the basic ability to speak well, the professional in question may not be able to produce high-quality results. 

As an example, I was looking into different options for flower arrangements recently. When I expressed to a particular florist that I like simple elegance, she responded with, "I seen something you might like." At that moment, I was almost certain I would not be ordering flowers from this florist. While I understand that the use of proper grammar probably has little to do with her ability to create lovely floral arrangements, I simply could not look past the poor grammar. In my opinion, poor grammar is distracting. I have trouble ignoring it, frankly.

Maybe I'm just a snob for proper grammar, and I definitely appreciate someone who is well-read enough to understand my literary jokes, but I struggle to take someone seriously who is speaking to me without a hint of grammatical intelligence. 

I also flinch when commercials air with lines like "less calories" or "less miles." Companies spend millions of dollars on advertisements. Why, then, does it seem that they are so resistant to hiring an editor?

The same is true about the use of punctuation, by the way. As I demonstrated in the example above, a comma placement can make all the difference. 

Come on, people, get it together. Use grammar well. 

'She's Country'

It's true. I'm a hopeless country fan. There's just something about a good southern gentleman in cowboy boots and a great southern drawl that I've always loved.

For years, I resisted country music. I avoided it at every turn. I went through a short punk rock phase, followed by rap and hip hop, both of which came after I finally started to accept that NSYNC wasn't going to be doing a reunion tour any time soon. Of course, that's a reality I'm still not sure I'm fully prepared for.

Last night, all of my dreams were realized. We went to see Jason Aldean and Luke Bryan in concert, and let me tell you, it very well could be the second best concert I've ever seen. The best concert, of course, was NSYNC back in '01. Yeah, I'm still holding on to that one.

The scene outside the venue was everything I imagined, and then some. Plaid shirts, ripped jeans, pick-up trucks, cowboy hats, fake accents, and bad beer surrounded us. I was the opposite of a country girl as I made my way to our seats in my flats, skinny jeans, and an embellished top. Poor outfit choice aside, I couldn't help but sing along to the songs that played from the stage before the performers took over.

Once Luke Bryan hit the stage, my feet were ready for some dancing, and I very happily swayed and sang along with each song. Jason Aldean brought more of the same, and I even caught my hard rock-loving fiance tapping a foot.

All in all, if you ever have a chance to see these two in concert, TAKE IT! My ears are still ringing a little, and I can think of few other times in my life in which I have been quite this tired (after all, today was a work day!), but it was very well worth it.

Of course, if you get the chance to see NSYNC, take that too.

Where is Batman?

As I sat in the packed movie theater yesterday with my fiancé (insert girlish squeal here) waiting for The Dark Night Rises to begin, I was suddenly struck with an undeniable sense of dread. I was nervous, and unbelievably so. Cameron would probably tell anyone who asks that I am generally a nervous wreck, though I beg to differ. I like to think I am simply acutely aware of uncomfortable scenarios which may or may not ever come to fruition.

Part of my nervousness yesterday, I'm sure, was a direct result of the tragic events in Colorado on Friday night. My thoughts and prayers are with all of those families, the victims, and their friends. While I usually consider my ability to write a great strength of mine, there are days when words fail. This is certainly one of those times. I can't begin to describe the sorrow in my heart for those who have been so rudely touched by Tragedy's piercing finger over the last few days. As with any tragedy, this will change the way we as a country tuck our children in at night, call out an "I love you" one last time before leaving those we cherish, and certainly the way we watch for strange activity in public.

This morning as I drove to work, I was struck with a gnawing question, "where are today's heroes? Is there such a thing as a hero anymore?"  Where is my generation's Batman, anyway? I mean, he or she doesn't have to posses superhuman strength or ability, but it would be nice if there was someone that people could look up to these days. Don't get me wrong, I personally love Nelson Mandela, but it seems that most teens and 20-somethings may not know who that is.

Alas, maybe we will have to find our own Batman to look up to. Do you have a hero you think everyone can look up to?

I Said Yes...

...To the dress!

It's true. I bought a wedding dress. The absolute, without out doubt, positively WORST part about it is that I can't even describe it because my ever-supportive fiancé reads these posts. So here I sit looking at a picture of the dress, truly wishing I could post it here, but alas, my hands are tied, my friends. 


The wedding planning has begun, and although I have basically planned the whole thing in my mind, we don't have a date picked out yet. I say this because it is definitely the single most frequently asked question I have heard for the last three weeks. I promise I will pick one soon. 

Yes, I also know the colors, and I've shared them with a few people, but those are yet another thing that I'm keeping tight-lipped about for the most part, because who doesn't love a good surprise?!


Until then, my life is nearly consumed with ideas, thoughts, and dreams. There is so much to do, and even though it seems like so little time, I'm determined to enjoy every step of this process, basking in the glow of the post-engagement happiness until they day it changes to wedding day bliss. 

Finding Happily Ever After

This post is one of the most exciting I will probably ever write.

On Thursday, June 21, 2012, Cameron asked me to be his wife, and I very excitedly said yes. Since then, I have recanted the story time and time again, and I have yet to smile less than I did the first time.

We had been planning for months to spend a few days in the Smoky Mountains, and finally, the vacation had come. In the wee hours of Wednesday morning, we packed the car and hit the road for the condo. We spent the day exploring the town and enjoying the much-needed cooler temperatures the pool offered.


Thursday, Cameron suggested we go on a hike, which we had talked about for some time. It was about 14 miles round trip. We began the trek ready to reach our "mystery location," at least, it was a mystery to me. About a mile in, we heard a rustling sound coming from behind us. We turned around to see a black bear lumbering onto the trail where we had just been! Of course, I wanted to snap a picture, but Cameron insisted (wisely, probably), that we move ahead and get out of the path of the bear, which happened to be staring at us. We continued on for a couple miles before hearing the leaves moving ahead of us. Though we couldn't see it, we could tell this was a big animal, and it began to run. All signs pointed to this being another bear encounter. Concerned about safety, we decided to go back down the mountain rather than taking our chances on the trail, especially because we hadn't seen another human in miles.

As we were heading down the mountain, we got close to the point where we had seen the first bear, and naturally, we were both on edge. It was at this moment that a squirrel decided to bolt toward a tree, essentially giving Cameron and I small heart attacks. Eventually, we had nearly reached the end of the trail, and saw yet another, much smaller, black bear!

We got back to the car, and headed toward the "backup plan," which was a 1.5 mile trail to our mystery destination. As we climbed this part of the mountain, Cameron repeated things along the lines of "I'm so glad you're here with me" and "I'm so happy." I thought it was very sweet of him, but I had no idea what was waiting at the end of the trail.

Once we got closer to the end, I could hear the sound of water, but I thought it was one of the many creeks we had heard along the way. Instead, it was the sound of a beautiful waterfall, our mystery destination. There was a handful of families at the waterfall taking pictures, and as we watched the water cascade down onto the moss-covered rocks and into the pool of water below, Cameron said he had hoped there would be fewer people there. Thinking he had wanted to enjoy the waterfall without the sounds of squealing children, I still thought nothing of it.

Finally, as we were about to leave, a wonderful gentleman asked if we would like a photo together; it was an offer we gladly accepted. As I began walking toward the waterfall, which was the only waterfall in the state park that people can walk behind, Cameron stayed behind. I thought he must have been explaining how to use the camera. Little did I know, he was hinting at what he was about to do so that we could have the perfect picture. He eventually caught up and took my hand. He told me to wait, but I was so stuck on the idea of getting a photo behind the waterfall, that I began to protest, but he insisted. He told me he loved me, and was so happy we were there together, and I told him the same. He then took my other hand, and locked eyes with mine. Almost before I knew what was happening, he put a hand in his pocked and retrieved a beautiful diamond ring. He repeated that he loved me one more time before getting on one knee, holding my gaze the whole time, and those words finally came, "Elizabeth, will you marry me?"

Though I had always thought I would cry, no tears came, and I managed to blurt out a breathless "yes!"

I couldn't have asked for a more perfect location, and I couldn't be happier or more excited to start this new journey in life. As Cameron and I start to plan our lives together, we have been blessed with congratulations from all over the world (literally!), and welcoming hearts. This is a memory I will carry with me for the rest of my days.

A Year's Time

It's really amazing what a year can bring. As I sit here, I am thinking about where I was at this time last year, and where I might be a year from now. It's really mind boggling, in all honesty.

Last year, I had just graduated, driven to Arizona and back for my dear friend's wedding, flown to California for a whirlwind tour of San Fransisco and Sacramento, come home, and was anticipating the start of my first real job. About a week and three days, 4 tear-filled nights, 3 days of no lunch breaks, and a lot of careful thought later, I quit, and I could not be happier to have made that decision. Not long after that, I began writing, and I was lucky to receive many compliments, and eventually some freelance writing opportunities as a result. More wonderful opportunities fell into my lap, and I have been blessed with a job that changed my life, and my current job which is teaching me much about life, compassion, and hardship.


The year continued, and I began to forge my own way in the world. I've had many laughs, met some wonderful friends, and had a few rough days, but in all, it's been a year full of growth. I've learned a lot about myself, what I'm capable of, and about relationships with family, my boyfriend, and far-away friends.

As I look back now, I have a mixed feeling about whether time went quickly or at a snail's pace. On the one hand, June 2011 seems like it was an eternity ago, but then I think that I can almost feel that San Fransisco rain fall quietly on my hair. Strange, isn't it, how nostalgia brings everything back so easily, and yet, life changes so quickly?

Time will only tell where life's journey will take me until 2013, but I have a couple of ideas, and boy, am I excited.

Must...Keep...Walking

As part of the latest shenanigans at work, we have created a walking contest to encourage healthy lifestyles among the staff and their families. We got into teams of our choice and thanks to Kellogg, we have been using some donated pedometers to keep track of our steps for a little over a week now. My team is full of competitive people, and there are prizes on the line, albeit small ones (in fact, I'm not even sure what the prizes are), but prizes nonetheless!  So, we made an additional bet with another team. The team who loses must wash the cars of the winning team. Added bonus: they will do so in the parking lot at work so that everyone can see their defeat.

Needless to say, my competitive streak has kicked in and I have been really stepping up my game (see what I did there?). My calves are burning a little and frankly a 2 mile walk in heels with my team was not the greatest on my poor toes. All in the name of victory, right?

My team and I have been going on a walk each day at lunch, and it's been a great break from the norm. Often, it can be easy to forget to take a moment to breathe and relax at work. I am convinced I'm working harder simply because my concentration is better after taking a good walk.

In short, this is a great lesson in morale and health, as well as productivity. It's too easy to get caught in the daily paperwork drudgery and forget to enjoy life. How can people be expected to work without having a chance to enjoy the sunshine? There's far more to life than sitting behind a computer screen, and I'm determined to enjoy it.

Happy walking!

The Power of Ps and Qs...

Sometimes it astounds me at how often people leave out the phrases "please" and "thank you" from their conversations.  After leaving out this common courtesy, it amazes me further that those same people wonder why others are generally unmotivated to act quickly in order to appease them. I think it is fair to say that everyone deserves a certain level of respect and dignity, no matter their story or background. Using these phrases is a great way to incorporate both of those, along with a genuine smile.

Saying "please" and "thank you" are especially important when dealing with someone who is performing a service. Almost everyone can sniff out a less-than-genuine attitude from a mile away, and it is also important to note that it's typically easy to detect a sour attitude, even through texts, emails, or messages. Leaving out common courtesies can spell disaster for the project, not to mention frustration on the part of the person performing the service.

No one actually wants to be remembered as miserly or rude, so why is it that these words are so often forgotten? I've reached my limit on the lack of respect issue, have you?

Grinding My Gears

You know what really grinds my gears? People who insist on driving below the speed limit. I'm not talking about just hovering slightly below, I'm talking at least 5-10 miles an hour under the speed limit. Why? Why must you do this? There isn't even a traffic jam. There will be a handful of cars on the road, all simply inching along, killing me slowly with their determination to make me late.

I don't really speed. I kind of freak out if I discover I was accidentally going too fast. I'm just really not in the mood to get a ticket, and the idea of being pulled over makes my heart race; I'm quite sure I would instantly burst into tears if ever I was pulled over.

But I certainly do NOT go below the speed limit. There are a lot of things I want to do in my life, and frankly, waiting anxiously to pass the snail moving in front of me is not one of them. Yet, somehow, I seem to perpetually choose to live in locations where traffic moves slower than molasses in January...on the back of a mule....which is stuck in cement.

I have things to do, people, get out of the way! At the very least, do not block all four lanes with your crawling speeds. If you want to spend your life on the road, fine, but I want to accomplish some things.

Good News for the Plain Jane

For those of us who have been accused of being a Plain Jane by certain, ahem, others...there is good news.

I consider this a win. Even though I already found my prince :)

The Life of a Nerd

Yesterday was possibly the most exciting day I have had all week.

I got a library card. Yes!! It has been on my list of things to do since I moved in, but I just never got a chance to actually get to the library. I must say, I am pretty beyond excited to brows through rows and rows of books, find the perfect stack, and come home to my brand new patio furniture (!!) and a giant cup of delicious fair trade coffee. Ahh, perfection.

Add in all the positively gorgeous weather, and I have found pure bliss.

I have also been nurturing my own little seedlings lately. Meet the first little sprouting tomato plants. Eventually, I will have three tomato plants and three bell pepper plants. The two are staples in my diet, and I suspect this will be the best summer ever.

And yes, I plan on making homemade salsa.

So here's to the beginning of another spring and bountiful fruit and veggie gardens!

Public Enemy #1

I found him. He looks like this:

This little guy was on the wall just outside my door this afternoon, as if he was just waiting for the chance to buzz inside and start driving me crazy.

It's only March.

I don't even want to know what that means for the mosquito population this summer when it's been warm for a while, but I'm getting the feeling it will be a very..ahem..productive year for them.

Silver lining:

This means it's actually warm enough for the mosquitoes to come out, which means I have hung up all my skirts and brought out the storage container which has been home to my short sleeves and shorts. Let me take a moment to savor that: shorts.

I am so ready for the warm weather. My heat has been turned off for days, I officially purchased patio furniture, and my little plant named Charlie looks much, much happier than he did about a month ago. As I write this, I can hear the sound of crickets and frogs outside, and their songs are a welcome sound after the last few months of cold.

Not welcome, however, is Public Enemy #1.

Beautiful Moments

Life is full of beautiful moments, of that I am sure. At times, this beauty is shrouded in mystery, in the form of pain, sorrow, or loneliness, but even in those, there is beauty. Pain, or at least emotional pain, is the reflection of love, sorrow a reflection of empathy and compassion, and loneliness a reflection of opportunity for more. Of course, in the moment of those times, it can be hard to see any beauty at all. Apart from these, however, are moments of pure, unadulterated beauty. Perhaps this means a warm summer's day, the comfort of an old friend, or the happy squeals of a newborn. 

During the last week, I was blessed with perhaps more beautiful moments than I could ever hope to count. Smiles, laughter, and quiet moments abounded, and again I was reassured that I am exactly where I am supposed to be.

Things are finally falling into place, and life is showing me just how every step, breath, and decision has led me to where I am in what seems to me to be far more than coincidence, more than just a beautiful mistake. 

Life is full of beautiful moments, of that I am sure.

Dawn of a New 'Age'

Well, it's official. My life as we know it has ended. A terrible thing happened this weekend that brought it to a screeching halt: 

My sister found four grey hairs on my head. FOUR. It may not seem like much, but it's certainly enough to be unsettling, to say the least.

It's no secret that this picture of Duchess Catherine is the kind of hair I would love to have. 

But as soon as my sister so gleefully announced her discovery, all I could picture was:

Yes, this may seem silly. Yes, I still have my youth. And yes, I am very lucky to have my health.


But FOUR GREY HAIRS?! That is something I was totally, completely unprepared for. They were long, too, and that's almost the worst part, because that means they have been there, hiding, for a while. I am here to assure you, though, that I had my sister ever-so-gently pull those four pesky grey hairs from my dark locks. Only she wasn't so gentle about it.

Sigh.

I've never once dyed my hair, I've never even so much as highlighted it...but this certainly got me thinking that I may have to get those caramel colored highlights I've always thought about after all.

I quickly sent out a panicked text to some of my close girlfriends, and quickly got responses something along the lines of, "how fast did you go buy hair dye?! I've been dying mine forever!" I guess I just didn't realize how common this apparently is, but that doesn't make up for the sinking feeling in my gut that I got the second my sister made the information public that I was starting to go grey.

Bye, bye, youth. I suppose you are headed out the door.

Productivity Burst

I don't know about you, but I tend to have what I refer to as "productivity bursts." Normally, once I get home from work, I am tired, and I mean tired. My job keeps me moving around a lot, dealing with a lot of people, demands a lot of attention to detail and a whole lot of patience. So, once I get a chance to come home, cook dinner, and finally sit down, I'm usually pretty close to exhausted.

Needless to say, my after-work productivity levels are generally fairly low. On some days, though, I surprise myself with how much I accomplish. Today was one of those days. In a nutshell, I succeeded in the following:

Two loads of laundry: check.
Dishes washed and put away: check.
Clean clothes folded: check.
Bathroom cleaned: check.
Mirrors and windows washed: check.
Dinner made: check.
Two blog posts (not including this one) completed: check.

Not bad for a Tuesday, huh? Here's to hoping this happens tomorrow too, because those clothes certainly aren't going to iron themselves.


Do you ever have productivity bursts?

Say What?!

Can we talk about this photo for a second? Is it not quite possibly one of the best ideas you have ever seen? I am pretty convinced whoever thought of this just solved a great many of the world's problems which derive from anger. Who could be angry with a cup of coffee and a cookie to dunk in it, all in one convenient mug? No one, that's who.

I saw this little beauty on Pinterest. Just in case someone spearheading SOPA or PIPA is wondering, no, I am not trying to steal the idea, nor am I claiming it is mine. This is me, not taking credit for it or trying to sell it. Now, please don't shut down my blog.

Can you hear the irritated tone of my voice? I hope so.

Where is Al Gore when you need him, anyway? Why doesn't he explain that his invention shouldn't be reduced to modern-day McCarthyism.

End rant. For now.