So this past week I was reading some headlines on an Internet site and thought it would be funny to talk about these current events. Or at least the splashy way these stories were announced to the public. In case you haven’t heard, here are six must-read stories for your reading pleasure (and naturally my take on them).
Want to Buy a Space Shuttle? NASA Slashes Price to $29 Million
Daaaaaddeeeee! I want, I want, I want one! Get me one for my birthday! All the other kids are getting them! If you love me you’ll buy me a space rocket. Seriously, I dream of the day when I can see the Earth from outer space. How cool would that be?
Cookie Dough Shortage in our Future?
Say it ain’t so! Every once and awhile I hear about produce shortages when it gets cold in Florida, but cookie dough? Bummer.
French Minister Criticizes US Over Haiti Aid
Is this really news? Is there anyone on the planet that is surprised that a French person is criticizing an American? I say let them in. Something tells me the French version of an MRE (meal ready to eat) resembles buttered crepes and wine. Yum.
A Trailer Park In The Sky
It’s hard to reconcile the terms trailer park and luxury. I guess it’s the old, “don’t judge a book by its cover” cliché.
‘Star Trek’ Star Chris Pine, Olivia Munn Call It Quits
This caught my eye because it’s so sad when relationships don’t work out. Okay, I’m lying. Chris Pine is so cute I can’t help but be happy he’s back on the market. As unrealistic as a future with him is, a gal has to dream.
And aside from what’s really important, those are the things occupying the time of Americans everywhere. I’m Dawn and this has been an original post. Goodnight and keep reading!
The other day I got a ticket. First one in 15 years. I can’t say I didn’t deserve it and considering all the times I got away with stuff, I guess I was due. But there was something about this experience that was just plain wrong.
Here’s how it went down. A nice, young, good looking police officer pulls me over and says I entered an area where only the metro buses can go. I guess I got confused with all the other cars there. So I go wading through the paperwork that has piled up in my glove compartment looking for the most recent version of my registration. He says to give him a shout when I find it. Ten minutes later I hand him an expired slip, tell him it really is all up to date—I just filed the paperwork at home. He says okay.
This next part is new to me. He says, “What color eyes do you have?” To which I turned and smiled up at him and replied, “They’re brown.” Then he did it. He asked me how much I weighed. I paused. Then in total shock said, “What? Are you serious? Not-uh.” He looked ashamed (as he should) and said he had to ask. I then replied, “Reeeeaaally?” The tone of that last statement was part disbelief and part pleading. So I swallowed any remaining ounce of self-worth I had and answered him. And in three months if I try really hard, I might just lose enough to be at the number I told him.
Just now as I’m writing this, I have the horrid realization that not only did I have to tell a complete stranger—a man—what my weight was, but he WROTE IT DOWN. It’s now in triplicate filed away in some courthouse for the world to see. Holy crap.
As you can probably tell, I’m more upset about the whole weight question then getting the ticket. And I’m not sure how much that’ll cost me yet, so I think it’s time for a xanax and relaxing bath.
The incident ended with me getting “off” for not having my registration paperwork in the car but I did get the other ticket which was for “disobeying a sign.” It’s not like the sign stood in front of me pointing its finger saying, “Dawn, I’m warning you, don’t go in there or officer X is going to give you a ticket!” I didn’t stick out my tongue and willfully go by it on purpose. It was a mistake. And now I feel like some little kid who’s being punished. I thanked the officer and then said, “Wait, not thank you, I mean…” He smiled and said, “I know what you mean, it’s okay.” Hmmph. Maybe for him. Oh well, at least I didn’t drive through a mall.
When I got laid off last year I stopped watching the news because it was too depressing. I couldn’t stand to see the unemployment rate go up. And now that I’m back to work I haven’t had the time to catch up on what’s been going on. I used to be astounded at people who were completely unaware of current events.
I’m ashamed about how I’ve been living in the Dawn bubble and thinking about ways to spend my money while so many are suffering. People all over the world suffer every day but the situation in Haiti is so much worse than what I imagined. I avoided the news because it seemed to be just another natural disaster that happens frequently in our world. And maybe I didn’t want to face such depressing news.
But on Saturday I heard someone on the radio mention a death toll in the hundreds of thousands. That blew me away. And at the beginning of the weekend church service when we gathered in small groups to pray for the people in Haiti, I realized just how out-of-the-loop I was and the enormous magnitude of this tragedy.
So I apologize for recent posts in which I discussed such material things. It’s not that I don’t think people should be happy and be able to purchase things and travel, it’s just that it’s a bit tacky to be discussing them just days into such a tragedy. With that in mind, I’m going to seek out some ways to help the victims and pray for the rescuers to be able to get to the people and save as many as possible.
If anyone has suggestions on how to help or stories about how others or you have helped, please share them!
It’s so easy to put something out there on the Internet and have people believe it. On Facebook for example, there have been a number of times I’ve seen people put in their status, a comment that had been said by someone else. They just copied and pasted and passed it along. There is a name for that. It’s called gossip. And not just gossip but opinions, reviews, travel descriptions—all based on someone’s perspective. I’ve been guilty of passing those Facebook status things along. How about you?
I was thinking about the trip my parents and I took last summer to Canada. And recently I found some comments online about this place we visited—Frontier Village in Sault Ste. Marie. If you read my post on it, I stated that it was a couple of shops, a fry stand, and ice cream place with some wooden statues of Wild West characters scattered around. We missed it several times (it was right on the side of the big highway) and even asked for directions to it from a local who gave us a weird look. But, here is how two Web sites describe it.
Frontier Village vividly recreates life in the nineteenth century.
Visit Frontier Village and catch a glimpse of what Sault Ste. Marie looked like in the 1800s. There is a collection of stores, restaurants, and craft shops associated with the era. Life-size woodcarvings depict scenes from the Old West.
Nice. Makes me want to seek out this place. Oh wait. I did. Was it fun? Yes. But only because of how the reality of it compared to the descriptions. See below and you tell me.
I remember once I was writing some marketing copy for an upcoming conference and found a great quote about San Diego on some Web site. My boss asked me to confirm it and after looking for the source, found that the source of the quote had gone out of business long ago and the quote had been used over and over again by various organizations such as mine. We had each found something online and took it for granted that it was the truth because it was posted on some Web site.
I find it interesting that it’s so easy for us to believe rumors or what the media tells us and yet so many doubt or even refute the truth of Jesus. Why do we put blinders on to something so wonderful and yet accept lies and deceit so easily? It’s sad but I guess it’s just human nature. I often pray to God to help me stop and pull the plank out of my eye before telling another about their splinter.
I am a professional marketer and it’s my job to persuade people to purchase products or register for events. But I have found that I can be successful by telling the truth. If you feel like you have to stretch the truth or lie in order to sell something, then why are you standing behind it? Just a thought.
Well, I’m off to read some travel brochures. They say this place in Nova Scotia has great whale watching and that it’s the most beautiful scenery in the world. Hmmmm.
the Wild West at Frontier Village
Characters at Frontier Village
The trading post at Frontier Village
Frontier Village depicts what life was like in the 1800s
Now that I’m working again, it seems a bit hard to come home and write, especially after doing it for hours at a time and having few precious hours left in the day to hang with the Grendel dog. But enough whining. It’s been a great month back on the job. I still feel for those who are still looking for work but I have to say it’s nice to be able to think about spending a little money.
So what to buy? Part of me wants to get a big screen TV, but that’s going to have to wait. Another part of me wants to redecorate the kitchen, fix the leaks, and bring things up to date. And then there’s the part that wants to see the world. So it’s between watching the Travel Channel on a huge screen while cooking new dishes learned from the Food Network in my new kitchen or experiencing those places myself while others cook for me. Hmmmm. Me thinks we will be putting more stamps in the passport. Where to go, where to go?
Any ideas? I’m thinking Nova Scotia, Alaska, Israel, Africa (safari), the Galapagos Islands, China, Italy, and I can’t keep France off the list even though I’ve been there before. What do you think? Any special stories from places you’ve visited? Because until I get that savings account built up I need to live vicariously through other adventurers like you.
Love life, experience it, and see the world—be it in person, through books, or through the TV. Au Revoir, elalleqa, Hagoonea’, Auf Wiedersehen, Sayonara, Ciao, Shalom, Adios, Do svidan’ya, and Slan.
The Christmas tree is coming down. I hate to say goodbye to the beautiful lights and neat decorations. But, if we kept them up all year it wouldn’t be special. And people might think I’m weird.
It was a great holiday season. I really had a wonderful time with my family. I know not everyone gets along with their families and some are missing family members that are far away or no longer with us. If you’re one of those, I just hope you were (and in the future are) able to find people to share the time with and to enjoy Christmas and the New Year.
My decorations are coming down but at least I can walk around my neighborhood and enjoy the lights of those who refuse to go out without a fight. You know, those neighbors who keep their lights going through the better part of the winter (and some to the edge of spring). You go people.
My cats are a little upset. Their inside forest is going away. But at least they have a few more days to sit on the storage boxes and lick the masking tape. I don’t know why I spend money on expensive cat toys when all I need to give them is a strip of tape and rubber bands to make them happy.
So now it’s time to get back on the diet, fight the urge to eat sugar cookies, and snuggle in for a new season of Lost, American Idol, and more. Maybe I should TiVo it all and go write a book. Or volunteer somewhere. Or run a marathon. Or. Oh forget it. I hate resolutions. Do it or not. But whatever you do, have a happy 2010!
