Phobia of The Day

Logizomechanophobia: fear of computers

Random Fact of The Day

The first domain name ever registered was Symbolics.com.

Funny Stuff From Dave Barry

"You men out there probably think you already know how to dress for success. You know, for example, that you should not wear leisure suits or white plastic belts and shoes, unless you are going to a costume party disguised as a pig farmer vacationing at Disney World."

Stupid News Story of The Day

(Uhhh...I know I was bad, but can you help me out here?)

Carjacker crashes, gets lost, calls cops

BOCA RATON, Fla. - A carjacker called 911 and turned himself in to police after he crashed a stolen SUV twice and got lost during his escape from the crime scene. Claude King, 31, called police from a Palm Springs pay phone and confessed to stealing the GMC Envoy Tuesday night, The Palm Beach Post reported.

"Um, I committed a crime," he told the police dispatcher. "I stole a vehicle."

He asked for officers to respond to his location, but when the dispatcher asked where the vehicle was, King didn't have an answer.

"I couldn't even tell you," he said. "I don't even know where I'm at."

Boca Raton police found King waiting on a curb. He being was held without bail in the Palm Beach County Jail.

2006 - a recap

It's nearly 2007. Hard to believe this year is almost over. Where did the time go? I wish I knew. This year has brought me and my family many woes.... both my grandma and my aunt Marge passing away this year, and now I find out that my cousin Justin recently committed suicide. I just found out yesterday from my folks, and it happened back in November. It is just crazy, I tell you. The world is a strange and ever-changing place. People come in and out of your lives every day. Some stay for a while, and others disappear just as fast as they came. But the ones who really mean something to you leave an everlasting mark on your soul that brings comfort to you even when things are bad. They are the people who bring light into your dark days and happiness to you when you feel like crying and bring hope to you when you just want to give up. I thank God for those people. I really do. I don't know who I would be without them. I just know that my life is all the better for having met them. And forever glad that they stuck by me even when I was at my worst. (and I can be a beeeeyach sometimes - I have a brother who will vouch for that - lol).

This year also brought new changes to me. I was diagnosed with lupus and fibromyalgia - the doctors finally gave me a confirmed diagnosis. After all these years living with pain and fatigue, I finally found out that there really IS something wrong with me and that I am not just crazy (although, there are people out there who probably think otherwise - hehe). As bad as lupus sounds, it is almost a comfort to know finally what has been plaguing me all this time. And I know that as long as I keep taking my meds and be good to myself that everything will be just fine. I have been living with pain for so long, I have almost forgot what it feels like to be well - lol. And they always say, "no pain, no gain!"

As much sadness as this year has brought me, it still had its moments of brightness. I got to see someone very near and dear to me who I hadn't seen in a long, long time. And even though I only got to see him for a few hourse, those few hours were very, very special to me. I got back in touch with some of my high school and grade school friends (John, Robin, Brenda, Lizzy, Jane, Alvis) all thru this thing called Myspace - hehe. I got to go camping and sightseeing in some wonderful places like Yosemite, Mt Whitney, Sequoia National Park, Big Sur, Death Valley National Park, Red Rock Canyon and Valley of Fire State Park, just to mention a few. Oh and an awesome road trip this summer where I got to visit Carlsbad Caverns, a place I had wanted to go to ever since I was just a kid and saw pictures of it in a book. It was simply amazing! I want to go again - lol.

Yes, a lot has happened this year, both good and bad. Christmas was hard on me because it was the first one without my grandma. Things just seemed so wrong without her. I really didn't feel much like celebrating, but I know she would have wanted us to be happy this Christmas. I am just glad we were all able to spend last Christmas with her. It was a good Christmas last year. But if only I had known it would be her last. There were many times where I just broke down into tears thinking about that last Christmas and wishing I would have spent more time with her. But I am grateful for the times I had with her, and feel blessed to have had such a great lady like her in my life. Of all the people in the world, she was in MY life. It's really amazing when you think about it. Had my folks not adpoted me, I would have never known her. I am a pretty lucky girl

I don't think of New Year's as a time to commit to resolutions to lose weight or to get a new job or to be a better person or any of that mumbo jumbo. I think of it as more of a time of reflection and to count my blessings and be happy for the things I have and not worry about the things I don't have. I have my family and my friends and I am still alive. I have a roof over my head and food to eat. And that is a whole lot more than a lot of people have. And I feel pretty darned lucky for that.

Yep. Pretty darned lucky.

Phobia of The Day

Phobatrivaphobia: fear of trivia about phobias.

Random Fact of The Day

Jimmy Hoffa's middle name is, appropriately, Riddle.

Funny Stuff From Dave Barry

"Most married couples, even though they love each other very much in theory, tend to view each other in practice as large teeming flaw colonies, the result being that they get on each other's nerves and regularly erupt into vicious emotional shouting matches over such issues as toaster settings."

Stupid News Story of The Day

(Faking a cough wouldn't have been easier??)

German woman fakes kidnapping to avoid work

BERLIN (Reuters) - A 21-year-old German woman who did not feel like going to work at a fast food restaurant sent her parents a text message saying she had been kidnapped.

Police in the Bavarian town of Straubing said on Wednesday they had launched a massive search throughout the region for the woman who disappeared on December 23 but turned up unscathed the following morning, saying the kidnapper had set her free.

A spokesman said the woman was questioned over the Christmas holiday and admitted she made up the story because she owed a colleague 25 euros (17 pounds) and did not have the money to pay her debt. She now faces a fine of up to 1,000 euros.

Merry Christmas everyone!

Merry Christmas!!!

While we didn't have a white Christmas in B-Town, we did have a bright Christmas. It was a nice day. Sunny and almost warm. I think the high was around 65 or so. Not that I went outside today. I had such a bad headache today and joint pain. Figures! I didn't get the flu or anything this Christmas, but I still paid the piper in other ways. The Christmas curse continues!

So I lounged around in my pj's all day, and opened my presents this afternoon. I spent Christmas Eve at my folks' house, eating, talking and watching "A Christmas Story." I love that movie. It is absofreakinlutely hilarious! It was a nice, quiet Christmas, but it just wasn't the same without my grandma there. It never will be the same again. I guess we will have to start new Christmas traditions. One thing that is sure to NOT become a Christmas tradition is having pork roast for Christmas Eve dinner. It wasn't totally terrible (I did put bbq sauce on mine), but the my folks and my bro didn't like it one bit. It just was kinda tasteless. But the dessert was good! My mom bought caramel apple pie, cheescake and Smith's cookies. Yummm yummm yummm. Despite the lackluster dinner, Christmas Eve was pretty darned nice.

My bro gave me an iPod for Christmas, so I was up all night last night transfering songs to it. I think I went to bed around 4:30 am, which is probably the time my folks and bro woke up this morning (poor Mark had to work on Christmas). My iPod is well-stocked now - hehe. It was a pretty darned cool gift. I had been coveting my bro's iPod for quite some time, so he bought me my very own. It was supa cool of him, and very unexpected. I take back all the bad things I ever said about him. Thanks bro. You rock! Literally!

Thanks to Veronica, my feet are very happy. She got me these cool massaging slippers for my feet. They will be very, VERY useful after a long day at work, shopping or hiking. Thanks chica!I will bring em on all of my camping trips. Thanks for the Michaels gift card, too. I could spend hours in that store! Gotta love Michaels Thank you berry, berry much.

Thanks to Alicia, I will be smelling very good. I love, LOVE Victoria's Secret Love Spell scent. And she got me the body spray, shower gel and lotion. I am gonna smell soooooooooooo good - lol. And she got me a movie I had been wanting to see for a long time....Little Miss Sunshine. I am gonna watch it in a little bit. Thanks girlie. Thank you so much!! Luv ya!! Give my best to your family and Christmas hugs and kisses to Alana, too!

Thanks to Arlene, I now have a really cute candle to burn, and a handy dandy letter opener (which I always need) , and a very cute froggy. Thanks Arlene!! You are too nice.

And thanks to Cyndi, not only will I smell good after I put on that caramel creme brulee lotion she got me, but so will my apartment when I burn that yummy smelling candle she got me. That thing smells good enough to eat! And I will also be enjoying a nice cup of peppermint hot cocoa (how did you know I love peppermint hot cocoa??? you must have read my mind). Thank you soooooooo much, Cyndi. And I loved the card and how Zach and Gabe signed their names too. Too cute!!!!! Much love to you and your family. And tell your mom Merry Christmas from me, too. Luv ya bunches and bunches!!!

But the best present of all, is having wonderful friends and family to share the holidays with. So thanks, everyone. And I mean everyone. You are truly the best presents anyone could ask for.



...and I heard him exclaim as he drove out of sight, merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night.

Merry Christmas

...and a happy New Year!

Phobia of The Day

Pteronophobia: fear of being tickled by feathers

Random Fact of The Day

Almost all varieties of breakfast cereals are made of grass.

Funny Stuff From Dave Barry

"You can always tell the Christmas season is here when you start getting incredibly dense, tinfoil-and-ribbon- wrapped lumps in the mail. Fruitcakes make ideal gifts because the Postal Service has been unable to find a way to damage them. They last forever, largely because nobody ever eats them. In fact, many smart people save the fruitcake sthey receive and send them back to the original givers the next year; some fruitcakes have been passed back and forth for hundreds of years. The easiest way to make a fruitcake is to buy a darkish cake, then pound some old, hard fruit into it with a mallet. Be sure to wear safety glasses."

Stupid News Story of The Day

(Some people just don't care if they end up on the 'naughty' list.)

"For Christ's sake, it's Christmas" stops taxi thief

BERLIN (Reuters) - A German taxi driver who shouted "Oh, for Christ's sake, it's Christmas Eve!" when a robber put a gun to his head scared the thief away.

The teenager opened the parked taxi's door in the western town of Bielefeld and demanded money on Sunday evening, police spokesman Michael Mehler said.

The driver refused and jumped out, shouting for help. The two scuffled briefly before the thief fled.

"The taxi driver's resistance and reference to Christmas evidently unsettled the bandit," Mehler said on Monday. An 18-year-old and his 16-year-old accomplice were later arrested.

Phobia of The Day

Phronemophobia: fear of thinking

Random Fact of The Day

One quarter of the human brain is used to control the eyes.

Funny Stuff From Dave Barry

"We're deep into the holiday gift-giving season, as you can tell from the fact that everywhere you look, you see jolly old St. Nick urging you to purchase things, to the point where you want to slug him right in his bowl full of jelly."

Stupid News Story of The Day

(I know who's getting coal in his stocking this year.)

Christmas brings strange seasonal crimes

NEW YORK - There's nobody nice on this Christmas list: snowman stabbers, Grinch snatchers, wreath-robbing weasels. 'Tis the season for strange crimes by even stranger people, with police blotters expanding faster than a 6-year-old's wish list of gifts.

David Allen Rodgers, 42, was arrested Dec. 3 for driving while intoxicated — at the wheel of a float during the annual Christmas parade in Anderson, S.C. According to witnesses, Rodgers sped down Main Street in the Steppin' Out Dance Studio float with 19 people aboard, ran a red light and led police on a 3-mile chase.

Police said that when Rodgers finally stopped, they found an open container of alcohol in his truck. "I made a very bad judgment on my part," Rodgers said at a court hearing.

In Chicago, 32 plastic baby Jesus dolls were stolen from nativity scenes set up in people's front yards. The kidnappers then lined up all the dolls along the fence outside a Chicago woman's home; she rounded them up and turned them over to her parish priest.

Similar creche crimes occurred in 35 cities from Fayateville, N.C., to Mission Viejo, Calif., according to The Catholic League, which tracks nativity vandalism.

In Houghton, Mich., somebody stole an inflatable Grinch from outside an apartment complex. That was just one instance in the area's rash of seasonal thievery: Two brown plastic reindeer, a baby Jesus statue and several wreaths were also stolen.

In Ohio's Hamilton County, a pair of 18-year-olds were arrested for using screwdrivers to stab an inflatable 12-foot-tall Frosty the Snowman. "Why me?" asked Frosty's owner, Matt Williquette. "And why Frosty?"

The snowman had survived two previous stabbing attacks.

Two other local teens were arrested in an unrelated incident where they allegedly smashed a car with a large decorative candy cane, causing $1,000 worth of damage.

An Oklahoma woman was arrested after she visited the Delaware County Jail with a Christmas card for her incarcerated boyfriend. Police said the card held marijuana, leading to Dawn Smith's arrest.

A real-life Grinch in Yonkers, N.Y., made off with $14,000 in staff bonuses and money from the office safe during a Christmas party, police said. Daniel Rios, 38, spent $7,500 in cash but returned about $6,500 in checks, authorities said.

And then there's the case of the Santa Claus kidnapping.

A motorcycle-riding Santa Claus with a stuffed Rudolph in his sidecar was arrested after allegedly grabbing an 8-year-old girl from outside a South Carolina convenience store. John Michael Barton, 55, was in his Claus outfit filling his bike with gas when the girl's family stopped by the store.

The girl's father then saw Barton speeding off with her. After a chase at speeds of up to 80 mph, Barton pulled over his motorcycle and turned over the girl, police said.

Barton was arrested later, hiding inside a bar.