Memorial Day

While Veterans' Day in November is to honor all those who served their nation in war, Memorial Day is primarily to honor those who died in military service. This all-American holiday has its roots in the practice of women of decorating the graves of their loved ones who had died in the Civil War, and was originally also called Decoration Day. Memorial Day was celebrated on May 30 after 1868; since 1971 it is celebrated on the last Monday in May, though a few states have kept to the May 30 date.

Commander in Chief John A. Logan of the Grand Army of the Republic issued the 1868 proclamation declaring the first Decoration Day. He credited his wife, Mary Logan, with the suggestion for the commemoration. But the idea had its roots in the decoration of the graves of Civil War dead by women, going back at least to 1864.

On April 25, 1866, in Columbus, Mississippi, a women's association decorated the graves of both Union and Confederate soldiers. In a nation trying to find a way to move on after a war that split the country, states, communities and even families, this gesture was welcomed as a way to lay the past to rest while honoring those who had fought on either side.

The first formal observance seems to have been on May 5, 1866, in Waterloo, New York -- President Lyndon Johnson recognized this as the "Birthplace of Memorial Day."

On May 30, 1870, General Logan gave an address in honor of the new commemorative holiday. In it he said: "This Memorial Day, on which we decorate their graves with the tokens of love and affection, is no idle ceremony with us, to pass away an hour; but it brings back to our minds in all their vividness the fearful conflicts of that terrible war in which they fell as victims.... Let us, then, all unite in the solemn feelings of the hour, and tender with our flowers the warmest sympathies of our souls! Let us revive our patriotism and love of country by this act, and strengthen our loyalty by the example of the noble dead around us...."

Sadly now it seems that every passing year, Memorial Day is less of a day of gratitude and poignant remembrance for our dead heroes and more of a three day holiday weekend kicking off the unofficial beginning of summer.

Regret vs. Guilt

re⋅gret
/rɪˈgrɛt/ [ri-gret] -gret⋅ted, -gret⋅ting, noun
–verb (used with object)
1. to feel sorrow or remorse for (an act, fault, disappointment, etc.): He no sooner spoke than he regretted it.
2. to think of with a sense of loss: to regret one's vanished youth.
–noun
3. a sense of loss, disappointment, dissatisfaction, etc.
4. a feeling of sorrow or remorse for a fault, act, loss, disappointment, etc.
5. regrets, a polite, usually formal refusal of an invitation: I sent her my regrets.
6. a note expressing regret at one's inability to accept an invitation: I have had four acceptances and one regret.
guilt
/gɪlt/ [gilt]
–noun
1. the fact or state of having committed an offense, crime, violation, or wrong, esp. against moral or penal law; culpability: He admitted his guilt.
2. a feeling of responsibility or remorse for some offense, crime, wrong, etc., whether real or imagined.
3. conduct involving the commission of such crimes, wrongs, etc.: to live a life of guilt.

A lot of people regret things that they have done in their lives. The things that I have done have made me who I am.
On the other hand, I feel guilty about everything. Seriously. I carry so much guilt around it's hard to stand sometimes.
How does regret compare to guilt?
Firstly, with a quick look, guilt is way more serious. Sally regrets giving Sarah that last drink. Sally feels guilty about letting Sarah drive home drunk.
They are both feelings of remorse (deep and painful regret for wrongdoing; compunction).
Side note: Don't you hate it when you are trying to figure out the meaning of a word just to have the definitions circle around one another?
Regret is remorse for an act or fault. Guilt is remorse for a crime or offense. Geez.
I think the most important part of either of these definitions is that guilt is for something either real or imagined. Regrets are real. Ben called Lucy a bitch and regrets it. Lucy got angry, stormed out the door and got hit by a bus. Now Ben feels guilty about Lucy getting hit by the bus. Ben wasn't driving the bus. Calling Lucy a bitch did not cause her hospitalization.
Who knows, maybe Ben is better off.
What is my conclusion? I suppose it would be healthier to be regretful than guilt ridden. Especially for things out of your (my) control. I don't know if anyone else learned anything in the past couple of minutes (assuming you are a slow reader) but I did. I can't say that it will help or change anything, but I certainly learned something.

Puns

Here’s another forwarded e-mail to share

1. Two antennas met on a roof, fell in love and got married. The ceremony wasn't much, but the reception was excellent.

2. A jumper cable walks into a bar. The bartender says, "I'll serve you, but don't start anything."

3. Two peanuts walk into a bar, and one was a salted.

4. A dyslexic man walks into a bra.

5. A man walks into a bar with a slab of asphalt under his arm, and says: "A beer please, and one for the road."

6. Two cannibals are eating a clown. One says to the other: "Does this taste funny to you?"

7. "Doc, I can't stop singing 'The Green, Green Grass of Home." "That sounds like Tom Jones Syndrome." "Is it common?" "Well, It's Not Unusual."

8. An invisible man marries an invisible woman. The kids were nothing to look at either.

9. Deja Moo: The feeling that you've heard this bull before.

10. I went to buy some camouflage trousers the other day, but I couldn't find any.

11. A man woke up in a hospital after a serious accident. He shouted, "Doctor, doctor, I can't feel my legs!" The doctor replied, "I know you can't - I've cut off your arms!"

12. I went to a seafood disco last week and pulled a mussel.

13. What do you call a fish with no eyes? A fsh.

14. Two fish swim into a concrete wall. The one turns to the other and says,"Dam!"

15. Two Eskimos sitting in a kayak were chilly, so they lit a fire in the craft. Unsurprisingly it sank, proving once again that you can't have your kayak and heat it too.

16. A group of chess enthusiasts checked into a hotel, and were standing in the lobby discussing their recent tournament victories. After about an hour, the manager came out of the office, and asked them to disperse. "But why," they asked, as they moved off. "Because," he said, "I can't stand chess-nuts boasting in an open foyer."


17. Two cows are standing next to each other in a field. Daisy says to Dolly, "I was artificially inseminated this morning." "I don't believe you," says Dolly. "It's true; no bull!" exclaims Daisy.

18. A woman has twins, and gives them up for adoption. One of them goes to a family in Egypt, and is named "Ahmal." The other goes to a family in Spain; they name him "Juan." Years later, Juan sends a picture of himself to his birth mother. Upon receiving the picture, she tells her husband that she wishes she also had a picture of Ahmal. Her husband responds, "They're twins! If you've seen Juan, you've seen Ahmal."

19. Mahatma Gandhi, as you know, walked barefoot most of the time, which produced an impressive set of calluses on his feet. He also ate very little, which made him rather frail and with his odd diet, he suffered from bad breath. This made him, a super-calloused fragile mystic hexed by halitosis.

20. And finally, there was the person who sent twenty different puns to his friends, with the hope that at least ten of the puns would make them laugh. No pun in ten did.

I Like Guns

RIP Art Linkletter

TV personality Art Linkletter, probably best known for his hosting gigs on People Are Funny and Kids Say The Darndest Things, has passed away. He was 97 years old. He always seemed like a classy guy. Married....for 75 years.....we will never see that in our generation or future generations....How do you loose your partner of 75 years? That alone deserves some kind of an award.
I remember watching "Kids Say the Darndest Things," and it was really funny. The thing I liked about it was the way he used to crack up when the kids said something funny.

Good Advice

ONE. Give people more than they expect and do it cheerfully.

TWO. Marry a man/woman you love to talk to. As you get older, their conversational skills will be as important as any other.

THREE. Don't believe all you hear, spend all you have or sleep all you want.

FOUR. When you say, 'I love you,' mean it.

FIVE.. When you say, 'I'm sorry,' look the person in the eye..

SIX. Be engaged at least six months before you get married.

SEVEN. Believe in love at first sight.

EIGHT. Never laugh at anyone's dreams. People who don't have dreams don't have much.

NINE.... Love deeply and passionately. You might get hurt but it's the only way to live life completely.

TEN.. In disagreements, fight fairly. No name calling.

ELEVEN. Don't judge people by their relatives.

TWELVE. Talk slowly but think quickly.

THIRTEEN. When someone asks you a question you don't want to answer, smile and ask, 'Why do you want to know?'

FOURTEEN. Remember that great love and great achievements involve great risk.

FIFTEEN. Say 'bless you' when you hear someone sneeze.

SIXTEEN. When you lose, don't lose the lesson.

SEVENTEEN. Remember the three R's: Respect for self; Respect for others; and Responsibility for all your actions.

EIGHTEEN. Don't let a little dispute injure a great friendship.

NINETEEN. When you realize you've made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it.

TWENTY. Smile when picking up the phone. The caller will hear it in your voice

TWENTY- ONE. Spend some time alone.

Sometimes

Sometimes I am not strong.

Sometimes I cry alone.

Sometimes I am tired of struggling and cry.

Sometimes I think of the past and cry.

Sometimes I think of the future and I wonder do I have a future?

Sometimes I put on a good and happy front to the world and inside I am feeling lost and alone.

Sometimes I cry because I can’t do something.

Sometimes I cry when I must ask for help.

Sometimes I cry because I am uneasy for no known reason.

Sometimes I cry because I am selfish.

Sometimes I cry because I am feeling sad for someone.

Sometimes life is hard.

I ♥ quotes

1. "You've been criticizing yourself for years & it hasn't worked. Try approving of yourself & see what happens."~Louise Hay
2. "Set your course by the stars and not the lights of every passing ship." ~ Omar Bradley
3. "I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I ended up where I intended to be"~Douglas Adams
4. “Friendship is an involuntary reflex, it just happens, you can’t help it.” ~Robin Scherbatsky
5. "bitterness is like drinking poison and waiting for the other person to die" ~Steve Ostten
6. "sometimes the smallest things take up the most room in your heart." ~winnie the pooh
7. "Don't worry about the world coming to an end today. It's already tomorrow in Australia." ~ Charles Schulz
8. "Victory goes to the player who makes the next-to-last mistake." ~ Savielly Grigorievitch Tartakower
9. "Opportunity is missed by most because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work." ~ Thomas Edison
10. "Reputation is what men and women think of us; character is what God and angels know of us."~Thomas Paine

A Wish List

• live to see human underwater settlements
• hit the road for a year in an RV
• see the ancient Khmer capital of Angkor Wat in Cambodia
• adopt a pet from the Humane Society
• fulfill my potential as a person, and parent
• go back in time and meet Coco Chanel
• live on the 30th floor
• live without envy
• be the wind beneath someone else's wings
• speak kindly to telemarketers
• volunteer
• collect dolls from many countries
• maintain courtesy at all times
• eat lobster Newburg on Martha's Vineyard and cucumber soup on Nantucket

Cliché

cliché
n. a trite, stereotyped expression; a sentence or phrase, usually expressing a popular or common thought or idea, that has lost originality, ingenuity, and impact by long overuse.
. . . . .
"Hitting where it hurts."
"Time heals all wounds."
"Absence makes the heart grow fonder."
"Out of sight, out of mind."
"There are plenty of fish in the sea."
"Actions speak louder than words."
"Back against the wall."
"Whatever doesn't kill you will only make you stronger."
"Putting it on the back burner."
"Better safe than sorry."
"This too shall pass."
"See eye to eye."
"Sound like a broken record."
"Take a step back."
"Finding yourself."
"The ball's in your court."
"Time and space."
"See the bigger picture."
"Learn the hard way."
"Make or break."
"On the same page."
"Walking on eggshells."
"Cut and run."
"It all comes out in the wash."
"Search your heart."

Little known facts

1. If you were to spell out numbers, how far would you have to go until you would find the letter "A"? -- One thousand

2. It is possible to lead a cow upstairs but not downstairs.

3. Wilma Flintstone's maiden name was Wilma Slaghoopal, and Betty Rubble's Maiden name was Betty Jean Mcbricker.

4. The combination "ough" can be pronounced in nine different ways. The following sentence contains them all: "A rough-coated, dough-faced, thoughtful ploughman strode through the streets of Scarborough; after falling into a slough, he coughed and hiccoughed."

5. A duck's quack doesn't echo, and no one knows why.

6. Any month that starts on a Sunday will have a Friday the 13th in it.

7. Turtles can breathe through their butts.

8. The US has never lost a war in which mules were used.

9. Two-thirds of the world's eggplant is grown in New Jersey.

Honest Politician

oxymoron: a figure of speech by which a locution produces an incongruous, seemingly self-contradictory effect, as in "cruel kindness" or "to make haste slowly."

locution [ləʊˈkjuːʃən]

1. a word, phrase, or expression

2. manner or style of speech or expression

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Crooked politicians

A busload of politicians were driving down a country road, when suddenly the bus ran off the road and crashed into an old farmer’s barn.

The old farmer got off his tractor and went to investigate. Soon he dug a hole and buried the politicians. A few days later, the local sheriff came out, saw the crashed bus and asked the old farmer where all the politicians had gone.

The old farmer told him he had buried them.

The sheriff asked the old farmer, “Lordy, were they ALL dead?”

The old farmer said, “Well, some of them said they weren’t, but you know how them crooked politicians lie.”

This is what is bothering me today:

1. Dining with a picky eater (they can never order off the menu without customizing every aspect of the meal).

2. People who take forever to order food while I'm in line.

3. The way people walk in flip flops.

4. Unexpected company.

5. Litterbugs.

6. People who don't dress their age

7. Retail clerks that ignore the live customer to help somebody that interrupts by phone .

8. People who put salt on everything without tasting it first.

9. No toilet paper or paper towels in public bathrooms.

10. People who don't control their bratty children.

A Must Read:

Where is America? Has anyone seen her? I know she is here because I saw her about 9 years ago when she was knocked down. We all helped pick her up, dusted her off and showed her that we cared. We flew her flag everywhere, from houses and cars to bridges and mountains. But now I don't see her. I only hear about her briefly. What happened to the days when we sacrificed for her? Did she see how empty and selfish we have become and leave? The flags are not as common as they used to be, the support for our country is fading and I am afraid that if we don't find it she may never come back.
What happened to the days when we believed in what America did regardless of what our personal thoughts were? Are the troops the only ones who still think that way? Why is it that we rush home to see the chaos and turmoil on our TVs but won't attend a flag raising ceremony or a veteran's parade? Why is it more important to know what movie star is dating what movie star than what our troops have accomplished on the war front. Why is military service looked at as a last chance escape for troubled youth? Why does it always have to be someone else's responsibility to fix a problem or serve in the military? Why do we have to get approval to be patriotic in our neighborhoods or work places? Why are there so many organizations against the military and our country and only a handful for them? Why do the media organizations only report that negative aspects of the war and not the positive?
How come in 1943 Americans worked 24 hours a day to rebuild our Naval Fleet now it takes five years just to develop a single test vehicle? Is it money or technology that has slowed it down? The World War II generation is known as the greatest generation, yet if you ask Americans from that generation what made them great they will probably tell you nothing. They just did what Americans had always done. Were they great because of the heroism they showed or was it their undying devotion that they showed to their country? How come today we care more about ourselves than each other? Does anyone remember the words John F. Kennedy spoke? "Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country."
I still believe in this country because I have seen that compassion and love we are known for. We ban together to rebuild and restore other countries when they are in need, yet while helping others while simultaneously ignoring our own. When other countries fall on hard times America is there to help in any way we can. We do it because we are America and that's what we do. When our country was devastated by September 11th and Hurricane Katrina, we did not expect any help from anyone else, because we our America and we take care of ourselves. Why does it take a catastrophic event for us to show we care?
I constantly hear how messed up our country is. If we are so messed up why do people still immigrate here? If we are such a selfish and ruthless country why do so many still come here looking for a better life? Maybe it's because they believe in America more than we do. Maybe that's why some of the other countries hate us so much, because we take our own country for granted. In my short time on earth I have seen this country do some amazing things and show more compassion than I ever thought was humanly possible. We go further and further into debt yet will not stop rendering aid and money to those less fortunate than we are. We have stepped up and defended the weak and abused of this world. We have shed blood on foreign soils all for the greater good of other countries as well as our own.
I understand war is an ugly thing, as do most members of the military. It takes the lives of our loved ones before we are ready to let them go. However, war is a sad reality of life due to the fact that there are individuals out there that have an obsession with power rather than an obsession with love. I believe in peace and think that world peace would be a wonderful thing, but in order to have that peace we must stand in front of the Sword of war and fight it until it is beaten. That can only be done if we all stand together for a greater cause and not our own individual cause.
Look around you and see how much of America you see and then think about how much you could see if we stopped worrying about trivial things that have no impact on our country. America is missing because she is out looking for Americans! Will she find you? I along with my fellow service members serve everyday knowing that it is my responsibility to protect this great country and her people at any cost. Reading this should not make you rush out and get a flag to hang up or a sticker to put on your car; it should make you proud to know that you are an American. It isn't just that sticker or flag that makes you a Proud American; it is how you show it.
Remember this, great people step up every day to serve this country and sacrifice their lives and their dreams so that we don't have to. Are you that person? Regardless of what your political affiliation is, what your beliefs are, or what you might call your greater being support your country, support your military, and love America for it is truly the land of the free and the home of the brave.
How American are you? Answer these questions and see if you are guilty of being American.
What would you be willing to sacrifice so that our troops could have more?
Would you take the bus instead of driving so that the fuel you use could be used for the troops?
Would you take a pay cut so that the extra money could be put into saving the lives of Americas troops?
What would you think if your child told you they wanted to serve in the military?
There are lots of right and wrong answers. What do your answers say about you as an American and us as a country?
GySgt Michael D. Travers
RSS Eugene, Oregon

Copied from an email.

THINGS WE SHOULD KNOW BUT PROBABLY DON'T

From an email:

1. Money isn't made out of paper, it's made out of cotton.
2. The Declaration of Independence was written on hemp (marijuana) paper.
3. The dot over the letter I is called a 'tittle'.
4. A raisin dropped in a glass of fresh champagne will bounce up and down continuously from the bottom of the glass to the top.

5. Susan Lucci is the daughter of Phyllis Diller.
6. 40% of Mc Donald 's profits come from the sales of Happy Meals.
7. 315 entries in Webster's 1996 Dictionary were misspelled.
8. The 'spot' on 7UP comes from its inventor, who had red eyes. He was albino.
9. On average, 12 newborns will be given to the wrong parents, daily.
10. Warren Beatty and Shirley MacLaine are brother and sister.
11. Chocolate affects a dog's heart and nervous system; a few ounces will kill a small-sized dog.
12. Orcas (killer whales) kill sharks by torpedoing up into the shark's stomach from underneath, causing the shark to explode.
13. Most lipstick contains fish scales.
14. Donald Duck comics were banned from Finland because he doesn't wear pants.

15. Ketchup was sold in the 1830's as medicine.

16. Upper and lower-case letters are named 'upper' and 'lower' because in the time when all original print had to be set in individual letters, the 'upper case' letters were stored in the case on top of the case that stored the smaller, 'lower case' letters.
17. Leonardo Da Vinci could write with one hand and draw with the other at the same time, hence, multi-tasking was invented.
18. Because metal was scarce, the Oscars given out during World War II were made of wood.
19. There are no clocks in Las Vegas gambling casinos.
20. The name Wendy was made up for the book Peter Pan; there was never a recorded Wendy before!
21. There are no words in the dictionary that rhyme with: orange, purple, or silver!
22. Leonardo Da Vinci invented scissors. Also, it took him 10 years to paint Mona Lisa's lips.
23. A tiny amount of liquor on a scorpion will make it instantly go mad and sting itself to death.
24. The mask used by Michael Myers in the original 'Halloween' was a Captain Kirk's mask painted white.
25. If you have three quarters, four dimes, and four pennies, you have $1.19. You also have the largest amount of money in coins without being able to make change for a dollar. (good to know.)
26. By raising your legs slowly and lying on your back, you can't sink in quicksand
(and you thought this list was completely useless.)
27. The phrase 'rule of thumb' is derived from an old English law, which stated that you couldn't beat your wife with anything wider than your thumb.
28. The first product Motorola started to develop was a record player for automobiles. At that time, the most known player on the market was the Victrola, so they called themselves Motorola.
29. Celery has negative calories! It takes more calories to eat a piece of celery than the celery has in it to begin with. It's the same with apples.
30. Chewing gum while peeling onions will keep you from crying!
31. The glue on Israeli postage stamps is certified kosher. (big whoopee).
32. "Guinness Book of Records" holds the record for being the book most often stolen from public Libraries.
33. Astronauts are not allowed to eat beans before they go into space because passing wind in a space suit damages it.

34. George Carlin said it best about Martha Stewart. " Boy, I feel a lot safer now that she's behind bars. But O.J. Simpson and Kobe Bryant are still walking around; Osama Bin Laden too, but they take the ONE woman in America willing to cook, clean, and work in the yard, and they haul her off to jail.

Friday list of interesting facts

1. Vampire bats use rivers to navigate. They smell the animal blood in the water and follow it.
2. Crocodiles kill more people in the jungle than any other animal.
3. A blue whales' sound can be heard from more than 500 miles away.
4. William Shakespeare invented more than 1,700 words.
5. You burn 50% more calories watching TV than you do when you sleep.
6. A dragonfly, the fastest insect, can move up to 35 m.p.h.
7. Q: What is the fastest two-footed animal on Earth? A: The ostrich.
8. Taxi drivers and chauffeurs are more likely to be murdered on the job.
9. On average a giraffes tongue is 14 inches long.
10. 10% of Americans say it is alright for a husband to slap his wife.

It's time to laugh

Did you know that Research has shown health benefits of laughter ranging from strengthening the immune system to reducing food cravings, to increasing ones threshold for pain. Humor also has several important stress relieving benefits. Laughter reduces the level of stress hormones. It also increases the level of health-enhancing hormones like endorphins. Laughter increases the number of antibody-producing cells and enhances the effectiveness of T cells. All this means a stronger immune system, as well as fewer physical effects of stress. Some of the benefits of laughing

Physical Release: Have you ever felt like you "have to laugh or I'll cry"? Have you experienced the cleansed feeling after a good laugh? Laughter provides a physical and emotional release.

Internal Workout: A good belly laugh exercises the diaphragm, contracts the abs and even works out the shoulders, leaving muscles more relaxed afterward. It even provides a good workout for the heart.

Distraction: Laughter brings the focus away from anger, guilt, stress, and negative emotions.
Perspective: Studies show that our response to stressful events can be altered by whether we view something as a 'threat' or a 'challenge'. Humor can give us a more lighthearted perspective and help us view events as 'challenges', thereby making them less threatening and more positive.

Social Benefits of Laughter: Laughter connects us with others. Also, laughter is contagious, so if you bring more laughter into your life, you can most likely help others around you to laugh more, and realize these benefits as well. By elevating the mood of those around you, you can reduce their stress levels, and perhaps improve the quality of social interaction you experience with them, reducing your stress level even more!

So considering the fact there seems to be so much negative going on in the world around us, we see it and read it everywhere sometimes feels like we can't escape it. We might not be able to do much to change the happenings of the world but we can do something about our selves. Laugh more, it feels good and it makes those around you feel better. That’s a very easy way to try to help make life around us a little bit better. And it’s healthy for us too!!!!!!

A perfect Life

Last evening a discussion with one of my friends gave a lot of food for thought.
For some reason she was quite irritated and frustrated with her life!

Thinking about one of our common friends who had almost everything one could desire (or so it seemed!), she told me she wished she too could have a perfect life.
This sentence made me wonder exactly what a “perfect” life could mean?
My friend replied that if she had “such and such” thing her life would be perfect….
And I guess that is what we all think. Don’t we? And when we attain “that” we have a new “such and such” thing that could make our life perfect!
In this cycle of attaining something we ignore our present and that too with no regrets!
How wonderful our lives could be if we realize that our life is NOT going to be perfect rather we would have to find perfection in what we have right now and truly start enjoying the moment rather than wanting it to be something else!
Life could be perfect if we start learning to love life while it is too hot outside; there is too much pollution in air or too many mosquitoes around…
There’s something positive in every situation. The magic perhaps, is to identify it.
Lets try making best out of the worst. Let’s not wait for life to be perfect and start celebrating the imperfection!

PEOPLE ASK, WHY I CARRY A GUN ? NOW PAY ATTENTION AND READ THE INFORMATION BELOW.

My old grandpa said to me 'Son, there comes a time in every man's life when he stops bustin' knuckles and starts bustin' caps and
usually it's when he becomes too old to take an ass whoopin.'
I don't carry a gun to kill people.
I carry a gun to keep from being killed.
I don't carry a gun to scare people.
I carry a gun because sometimes this world can be a scary place.
I don't carry a gun because I'm paranoid.
I carry a gun because there are real threats in the world..
I don't carry a gun because I'm evil.
I carry a gun because I have lived long enough to see the evil in the world.
I don't carry a gun because I hate the government.
I carry a gun because I understand the limitations of government..
I don't carry a gun because I'm angry.
I carry a gun so that I don't have to spend the rest of my life hating myself for failing to be prepared.
I don't carry a gun because I want to shoot someone.
I carry a gun because I want to die at a ripe old age in my bed, and not on a sidewalk somewhere tomorrow afternoon.
I don't carry a gun because I'm a cowboy.
I carry a gun because, when I die and go to heaven, I want to be a cowboy.
I don't carry a gun to make me feel like a man.
I carry a gun because men know how to take care of themselves and the ones they love.
I don't carry a gun because I feel inadequate.
I carry a gun because unarmed and facing three armed thugs, I am inadequate.
I don't carry a gun because I love it.
I carry a gun because I love life and the people who make it meaningful to me.
Police protection is an oxymoron.
Free citizens must protect themselves.
Police do not protect you from crime, they usually just investigate the crime after it happens and then call someone in to clean up the mess. Remember, when seconds count, the police are only minutes away.
Personally, I carry a gun because I'm too young to die and too old to take an ass whoopin'.....author unknown (but obviously brilliant)

A LITTLE GUN HISTORY
In 1929, the Soviet Union established gun control. From 1929 to 1953, about 20 million dissidents, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.
------------------------------
In 1911, Turkey established gun control. From 1915 to 1917, 1.5 million Armenians, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.
------------------------------
Germany established gun control in 1938 and from 1939 to 1945, a total of 13 million Jews and others who were unable to defend themselves were rounded up and exterminated.
------------------------------
China established gun control in 1935. From 1948 to 1952, 20 million political dissidents, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated
------------------------------
Guatemala established gun control in 1964. From 1964 to 1981, 100,000 Mayan Indians, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.
---- ------------- -------------
Uganda established gun control in 1970. From 1971 to 1979, 300,000 Christians, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.
------------------------------
Cambodia established gun control in 1956. From 1975 to 1977, one million educated people, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.
-----------------------------
Defenseless people rounded up and exterminated in the 20th Century because of gun control: 56 million.
------------------------------
You won't see this data on the US evening news, or hear politicians disseminating this information.
Guns in the hands of honest citizens save lives and property and, yes, gun-control laws adversely affect only the law-abiding citizens.
Take note my fellow Americans, before it's too late!
The next time someone talks in favor of gun control, please remind them of this history lesson.
With guns, we are 'citizens'. Without them, we are 'subjects'.
During WWII the Japanese decided not to invade America because they knew most Americans were ARMED!
If you value your freedom, please spread this anti gun-control message to all of your friends.
The purpose of fighting is to win. There is no possible victory in defense.
The sword is more important than the shield, and skill is more important than either.
The final weapon is the brain.
All else is supplemental.
SWITZERLAND ISSUES EVERY HOUSEHOLD A GUN!
SWITZERLAND'S GOVERNMENT TRAINS EVERY ADULT and THEY ISSUE them A RIFLE.
SWITZERLAND HAS THE LOWEST GUN RELATED CRIME RATE OF ANY CIVILIZED COUNTRY IN THE WORLD!!!
IT'S A NO BRAINER!
DON'T LET OUR GOVERNMENT WASTE MILLIONS OF OUR TAX DOLLARS IN AN EFFORT TO MAKE ALL LAW ABIDING CITIZENS AN EASY TARGET.
I'm a firm believer in the 2nd Amendment!

?

• When I buy a new set of measuring cups where do half of them disappear to a year later? Is there some measuring crisis in another room of the house that I don't know about?
• Why are my cheeks always pink even when I'm not having a hot flash. As someone who was perpetually pale, this seems odd...
• Why does oatmeal look so bad but taste so good?
• How big does a grape have to be to make a "jumbo" raisin?
• Why do my 60,000 mile tires need replaced at 45,000?
• Why doesn't my "to do" list ever get smaller?
• How did I get so old?

Happy Mother's Day

Random act of kindness.

One day this week some kind and thoughtful friend pulled all the weeds in my flowerbeds. No one will admit to it. It is this random act of kindness that confirmed my sincere wonderment at the goodness of people. It touched my heart in a way I will never forget.
Your thoughtfulness was genuine and very much appreciated. I will pay it forward.

Things I DO care about:

• All our sons and daughters fighting wars on the other side of this planet.
• All those who are unemployed or underemployed.
• All the want and hunger in this country.
• Finding a cure for cancer.
• The health and well-being of all those I hold dear.
• The people in Tennessee and Nashville in particular.
• The Haitian people who are still suffering.
• Sonny Bono for reasons I can't/won't put on here.
• 
  

My Pet Peeves for Today

1. When you genuinely ask someone what's wrong (when there obviously is something wrong) and they respond half-heartedly, "hmmm? oh nothing..."
2. The noise people make when they rub their fingers on balloons.
3. People who push alcohol at social functions.
4. When you open the DVD case and it is empty or a different movie is in it.
5. Explanations that begin with the word "Again".
6. Sick people who cough near you.
7. Having to use more than one remote control (one for TV, dvd player, cable box, TIVO, etc.)
8. People who say "It's always in the last place you look".
9. People who blow their horn at you the nano-second the light changes to green.
10. People sitting at a red light and continuing to sit there when the light turns green because they're on their cell phone.

Online Friends

I just want to say how very much I love my computer. Through it I have met some of the nicest people. Where else could I have met such awesome people? It is really nice that once in awhile in life we meet some really awesome people that make us just so happy that at that moment that we at the right place at that time and they crossed our path. And in the short time I've been blogging I've met a some really kind people and I just wanted to say it is nice to know that there are still some really good people in this world we live in. And I’m glad that we just happened to cross each others path.

Drivel

Why is it that we have to nail the coffin shut.....???

Am I the only one who doesn't understand all the stuff on the Healthcare Bill?

If everyone is thinking alike, then somebody isn't thinking

In order to hear from Heaven, one must first shut the Hell up

When prosperity comes, do not use all of it

The highest reward for a person's effort is not what they get from it, but what they become by it.

Life is not a dress rehearsal. Quit practicing what you’re going to do, and just do it.

We can not change the cards we are dealt, just how we play the hand

An opinion should be the result of thought, not a substitute for it

Where ever you go, no matter the weather, always bring your own sunshine.

$h*t my dad said:

1. Wish in one hand and $h*t in the other see which fills up first.

2. A skunk smells his own hole first.

3. Opinions are like a$$holes every one has one.

4. When I would say I’m tired or I’m hungry he would say Hi I’m dad nice to meet you.

5. If idiots could fly this place would be an airport.

6. If I complained I did not feel well, he would put his hand on my forehead and say I felt fine to him.

7. I would fall asleep with the radio playing. Dad would come in and yell that I wouldn’t be able sleep with all that noise.

8. The usual clean your plate there are starving children in China.

9. I’m not bossy I just know more.

10. Pull my finger.

There were many, many more that are just not suitable for a blog. What did your dad say?

10 Things I have Learned:

1. Pity parties end early when celebrated alone.
2. Not all doctors wash their hands before they eat.
3. First impressions aren't always right.
4. Ten almonds a day is supposed to improve my memory. I wonder if twenty a day makes me a genius?
5. The happiest people don’t necessarily have the best things. They simply appreciate the things they have. 6. I cannot drive and sneeze at the same time.
7. When the elderly say, "huh?" and put their hand to their ear, it's not because they can't hear you...it's because they are trying to start a conversation with you.
8. The older you are, the more stinky the perfume.
9. It's much easier to laugh than it is to cry. The only thing crying accomplishes is smeared makeup, red eyes, a runny nose and no Kleenex to be found!
10. Sometimes its worth being called the wrong name instead of correcting someone. Today I was called Naomi -- twice. Whoever Naomi is, I hope I do her name proud!

Retire where??

Here are a few choices:

You can retire to Phoenix , Arizona where...
1. You are willing to park 3 blocks away because you found shade.
2. You've experienced condensation on your hiney from the hot water in the toilet bowl.
3. You can drive for 4 hours in one direction and never leave town.
4. You have over 100 recipes for Mexican food.
5. You know that "dry heat" is comparable to what hits you in the face when you open your oven door.
6.. The 4 seasons are: tolerable, hot, really hot, and ARE YOU KIDDING ME??!!

OR
You can retire to California where...
1. You make over $250,000 and you still can't afford to buy a house
2. The fastest part of your commute is going down your driveway.
3. You know how to eat an artichoke.
4. You drive your rented Mercedes to your neighborhood block party.
5. When someone asks you how far something is, you tell them how long it will take to get there rather than how many miles away it is.
6. The 4 seasons are: Fire, Flood, Mud, and Drought.

OR
You can retire to New York City where...
1. You say "the city" and expect everyone to know you mean Manhattan.
2. You can get into a four-hour argument about how to get from Columbus Circle to Battery Park, but can't find Wisconsin on a map.
3. You think Central Park is "nature."
4. You believe that being able to swear at people in their own language makes you multi-lingual.
5. You've worn out a car horn. (ed. note if you have a car).
6. You think eye contact is an act of aggression.

OR
You can retire to Maine where...
1. You only have four spices: salt, pepper, ketchup, and Tabasco.
2. Halloween costumes fit over parkas.
3. You have more than one recipe for moose.
4. Sexy lingerie is anything flannel with less than eight buttons.
5. The four seasons are: winter, still winter, almost winter, and construction.

OR
You can retire to the Deep South where...
1. You can rent a movie and buy bait in the same store.
2. "Y'all" is singular and "all y'all" is plural.
3. "He needed killin'" is a valid defense.
4. Everyone has 2 first names: Billy Bob, Jimmy Bob, Mary Sue, Betty Jean, Mary Beth, etc.

5. Everything is either "in yonder," "over yonder" or "out yonder." It's important to know the difference, too.

OR
You can retire to Colorado where...
1. You carry your $3,000 mountain bike atop your $500 car.
2. You tell your husband to pick up Granola on his way home and so he stops at the day care center.
3. A pass does not involve a football or dating.
4. The top of your head is bald, but you still have a pony tail.

OR
You can retire to the Midwest where...
1. You've never met any celebrities, but the mayor knows your name.
2. Your idea of a traffic jam is ten cars waiting to pass a tractor.
3. You have had to switch from "heat" to "A/C" on the same day.
4. You end sentences with a preposition: "Where's my coat at?"
5. When asked how your trip was to any exotic place, you say, "It was different!"

OR
AND You can retire to Florida where.
1. You eat dinner at 3:15 in the afternoon.
2. All purchases include a coupon of some kind -- even houses and cars.
3. Everyone can recommend an excellent dermatologist.
4. Road construction never ends anywhere in the state.
5. Cars in front of you often appear to be driven by headless people.
SO MANY CHOICES . . .

(thanks Joe for the email)