I have slowly been going back to being a vegetarian over the past year, and have finally been on it for about 2 months.  I eat a vegetarian diet for health reasons.  However, with doing so, it's hard not to start seeing the ethical side of the meat and fur industry. This article could be labeled as adult content due to the video that I am about to link to.  It is a video that greatly disturbs me.  It shows an animal being skinned alive for fur. If you have a weak s...

On February 12th, 2005 (just over a month ago) I purchased a Krups Pannini Sandwich Grill #FDE3 at Williams and Sonoma in Ann Arbor.  Not sure why I am giving you all those details, but for some reason it seems important. Anyway, to make a long story short: It worked well, then it quit.  No reason, just quit working...I guess making a sandwich causes it to quit...who knew?  The manual has the great troubleshooting advise of: "Check that the appliance is plugged in correctly." ...

I know a lot of people who really don't get along with their siblings.  My sister and I have always been close.  I think it has a lot to do with the fact that we are fundamentally similar in our views, but our personalities are very different. But, to the point of this story.  I have been insanely busy at work.  We're building a new office, and I have been knee deep in planning, furniture, color selections, budgeting, electrical layouts, phone systems, etc. etc. etc. ...

I got this via email from my hubby.  So, I take no credit and I have no idea where it originated. Tired of speeding tickets? Want to open up spaces between you and the cars around you? Step 1. Tie these balloons to your car. Step 2. Drive VERY FAST. Step 3. Watch people freak out. Step 4. Tell the nice officer you thought they were real.

I got this via email from my hubby.  So, I take no credit and I have no idea where it originated. Tired of speeding tickets? Want to open up spaces between you and the cars around you? Step 1. Tie these balloons to your car. Step 2. Drive VERY FAST. Step 3. Watch people freak out. Step 4. Tell the nice officer you thought they were real.

Back in December, I wrote an article called "I'm Disappointed": http://karmagirl.joeuser.com/index.asp?AID=58691 Well, here I am again with many of the same thoughts.  I will admit that I was guilty of getting a bit into past flame wars.  It's sometimes hard not to when you moderate a site and people send nasty emails to you, and you can't simply walk away from the site for a few days when you moderate.  But, I have mellowed out over the years, especially wher...

this was originally a response to Dharma's article at: https://www.joeuser.com/Forums.aspx?ForumID=17&AID=65369 But, it got too long, so I decided to post it on its own. My husband has only bought me flowers 4 times since I have known him (over 11 years).  The first time was for no reason at all when we were dating/almost engaged.  He used to be in the Merchant Marines (which, in case anyone is confused, is not part of the military.  It is governed by the coast guard, an...

Last night the President gave the State of the Union address.  I usually don't watch them, and I honestly didn't watch all of this one.  My main reason for watching it was to find out what he was going to say about Social Security. I have had a sinking feeling about Social Security for quite some time.  This feeling was based on the fact that our population grows vastly each year, cost of living increases, and people live longer.  All of those factors have given me the imp...

I have been trying to drop some pounds.  This is never easy, because I have a bit of a thyroid problem....well, I actually don't have a thyroid.  So, losing weight is a bit more of a challenge to me than to most.  That is not to say that it can't be done, because it can. I have been really good about my diet.  I have gotten back into doing Ashtanga Yoga (my daughter is now learning it).  But, my weight hasn't budged. I have a coffee addiction.  When I diet, I ...

As I get older, I start pondering odd things.  I look at my daughter and wonder what the world will be like when she is my age.  It makes me quite sad when I realize that the Earth is going to be in pretty bad shape in 26 years from now if we don't do something (just look what has happened in the past 25 years). I have began to ponder the Iroquois belief that "in our every deliberation, we must consider the impact of our decisions on the next seven generations." So, a ...

To be perfectly clear, this is a "personal" blog and is no way related to moderation. However, being that I moderate, I try to look at issues from every angle that I can, and try to see all view points. There is a current trend that makes me very sad.  I have very little faith in humans being a kind species to begin with, but lately I have been losing even more faith. What is going on?  What is with all of the oneupmanship of "he said, she said" around here?  Why are ther...

Many people celebrate Christmas with the inclusion of "Santa Claus".  But, did you ever think about how he became "Santa". Well, "Santa Claus" is an American version of two other countries traditions.  You hear "Santa" called "Jolly old St. Nicholas" and probably never even think about it.  Well, "Santa" and "St. Nicholas" really are the same, even though how that came to be is a bit odd. The name "Santa Claus" comes from a Dutch legend of "Sinter Klaas".  It appears th...

Christmas is an interesting time of year for me.   I’m not Christian.   I’m not any “religion”.   That is not to say that I am atheist, because I am not.   I just haven’t decided yet what I should believe.   But, with that, I end up questioning everything.   One of my biggest questions for winter is: “Why do we celebrate “Christmas” and why do we associate certain things with it?”   This is *not* an anti-Christian article.   It’s an artic...

Last year I wrote an article about why Christmas drives me insane.  It can be found at: http://karmagirl.joeuser.com/index.asp?aid=608 Well, guess what?  This year is even worse.  The stores are absolutely packed with Christmas stuff.  People are now following the stores and are already decorating.  There is even a local radio station that is playing Christmas music 24/7 (they used to start this the day after Thanksgiving, but changed it this year). GIVE TURKEY D...

It's hard to imagine on this lovely Autumn day that this was the day 29 years ago that the SS Edmund Fitzgerald sunk to the bottom of Lake Superior, north of Copper Harbor. She was filled with Taconite and heading to the Detroit river.  There were 29 men aboard.  They were being followed (as freighters follow routes) by the Anderson who tried to help them navigate.  Unfortunately , mother nature took all 29 men to their graves.  The names of these men can be found at: htt...