My Blog

F*$CKING IDIOTS

Lori — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 03:12:47 GMT

I have spent the past seven years of my life losing sleep at a crap-hole deadend job at a local gas station. I have kissed ass.....I have begged for raises.....I have busted my arss. All in the hopes of perhaps getting ahead some where, some how. Man! Was I a frickin' FOOL! After divorcing my jack ass ex husband ( an emotionally, verbally, and at times, physically abusive little man that skims through this life doing the bare ass minimum---and he thinks it is enough) , investing everything I have into a house for myself and my two adolescent sons to live in, finding a wonderful man, and returning back to Ohio State to attempt that ever illusive BS degree, My boss---in her infinite wisdom---has cut my hours in half per week!!! For some reason (prolly the fact that the most i sleep at one time is about two to three hours and then I have to go to work or school) I ended up with the flu! I actually had the so-called swab jabbed up my nose into the sinus cavities above my eye-sockets to confirm the presense of influenza A. I guess the Doc wanted make sure I was not an Avian Flu carrier (thinkTyphoid Mary here). And I was off from work for a week!! This was a crushng blow to my delicate finances!! And then when I go to return to work.....My hours are dropped in half! Sixteen meazily hours out of seven days. After tax withholdings, insurances (just vision ad dental mind you----medical woudl eat my entire check), and a laughably small 401K, this means a $100/week pay cut for me! WHY DOES EVERYONE FEEL THE NEED TO PISS ME OFF?

BIG BIG BIG!!! BELLYDANCE WORKSHOPS AND SHOW!!!

Lori — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 23:19:19 GMT

APRIL 5TH, 2008 is the day to learn some new moves....drum a new rythmm....and check out some new temp body art!! Beledi Extravaganza is right around the corner!! This year it is being held at the James F. Dicke Auditorium in New Bremen HS, New Bremen, OH!! Workshops will be held all day long (listed below) followed by a show in the evening!! Mehndi (henna) appointments are available all day long!! Beledi Workshops: (1/$30 2/$55 3/$80) 10am The Basics of Bellydance: From the Ground Up with Chandara Gamal 10am The Sword Dance with Tiani Al Shaheen 1pm Basic Beg. Drum & Zil with Hakan 1pm Sassy Saiidi: Egyptian Cane With Chandara Gamal 3pm “Goosh” with Kira 3pm Adv. Dance: Powerhouse Hips with Chandara Gamal 3pm Adv. Drum & Zil with Hakan Show at 7 pm!!!! More info can be obtained my getting a hold of the Hypnotic Hips, 419-394-0707, hypnotic_hips4@hotmail.com. If you would like to have a registration form emailed straight to you....reply to this bulletin with your email!! check this event out at www.Ohioarts.org Cash, check and credit card is welcome!!

a small break to breathe......

Lori — Mon, 24 Sep 2007 20:13:48 GMT

*sigh* Ever since i got through with my divorce, things have literally moved at the speed of light!! The kids' school stuff has gone by sooo fast.....work days come and go in lighteneing speed.....i have gone back to school....i am planning a janurary cruise.......and then there is the housing issue ( please see previous post)..... Today i feel as if i have time to actually BREATHE! I still have more than enough stuff to do.....the boys need haircuts for school pix, i have a boatload of calculus homework that is really trying my brain cells, i pulled out on the crappily done house. put in a bid on another one, it was accepted and we are scheduled to move right around the first of november. Hopefully the final few details go through without a hitch and then all will be good :D So i am thankful for the "downtime". Although i may have to go to the ER tonight....my oldest came back form a gathering with his father with 2 jammed fingers ( apparently he jammed them playing football there) and his teachers called to schedule a meeting of concern about him for friday ( oy vey!)....it is ok cuz right now...i'm relaxing!

You Want F**$ING Stress?!?!?! Here ya go!!!

Lori — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 00:33:41 GMT

Ok!! This is the second time i have tried to post this little rant.....so hopefully i remember all of it very very well!! This of course adds to my pissed off-ness.....so i warn you now: THIS BLOG IS NOT FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT CANNOT STAND A SUDDEN BLAST OF NEGETIVITY NOW AND THEN! i firmly believe that we must all have a positive outlook to change the world! However...i will tell you that if i do not get some of this shit off of my chest...I WILL GO EXTREMELY POSTAL! You think Global Terrorism is bad??? You have not seen my worst PMS days....just ask my ex-husband...he has been the target and knows what it is like!! so now on with the venting before i explode...that woudl be fricking messy...and i would be the one that had to clean it all up anyway!!! #1--I am scared to f**king death! i am at the zero hour for returning back to college as a non traditional college student! After almost 13 years I have decided to finish my Bachelor's Degree! i have had an Associate's ssince 1996. And anyone who has a general AS will tell you....IT DON'T MEAN SHIT! No extra jobs come your way and no one really cares that you have a brain! They want to know why you didnt learn something useful while you were there..like CAD or Office Information Systems (which i have been told is just a fancy term saying that you can run office automations....sheesh...couldn't pick that up on the job could ya?? need a certificate for that one)!!!! So now I have to go back to school with kids almost half my age to take CALCULUS III! Yep! Calculus III....while i am impressed that they think i have a brain that can concieve of the notions of higher math....Y IN THE HELL DO THEY THINK I ACTUALLY UNDERSATND THIS SHIT?!?!?! I can't even rememberr how to turn on my graphing calculator!!!!! ARGH! i am soooooo screwed! #2--i have been trying to buy a house for quite some time. My divorce has been final since April and to get the kind of room that i need for me, my boys, and my home based herbal biz.....a house is the best way to spend my money! Since the divorce I am considered officially poor..this puts me in the running for a Subsidized loan thru the USDA (i live in a small small town...so no HUD). Well....after being what i THOUGHT was pre-qualified for approx 90k i went looking. And i signed an "intent" contract on the only freaking place i could get financing for! Or so i thought! Now they are upping my actual "prequalifying" to 122k!!! BUT NOW i am stuck in this contract on this house that current being held by a refurbishing company. Well...they are supposed to be doing all this work to the place! HA! In almost 2 months they have not done near what they said they would have done! in fact i was supposed to be able to move in next week!!! Thank GOD i didn't give my landlord notice!! I would be up the creek with no where to live!!! In 2 months they have managed to do a slipshot job on a lot of the repairs!! They painted the fricking front door shut.....they patched plaster over the top of wallpaper in one room upstairs and along the stairway......they dont even have all the windows replaced that they said they would.....they texturized all the damn walls downstairs....they left texturizing crap splattered on the baseboards when they "sprayed" the white paint on them.....OMG!!! If i knew they were gonna take forever and f**k it all up...i would have done it myself!! At least then i would be F**king up stuff myself and then living with my own mistakes!! These people were supposed to KNOW wtf they were doing!!!!! And now they are trying to get me to paint and almost "shove" me into this house that isn't done properly!!! #3--My main earning job at this time is 32 hours each week at the local 24 hour gas station! I work third shift and have been an employee there for 6 1/2 years. (I really do not need any comments about the dead-end-ness of this position....i am well aware of this...please refer back to the returning to college comments above!) You would think that since the ONLY employee with more seniority than myself is the store manager (yep---the assist. manager has only been there somewhere in the neighborhood of 2 years. And we have been though 4 of them while i have been there and never once have i been considered for the job) that i would get some sort of considerations. I had wanted off work for an upcoming saturday night. My fellow night shifter (there r only 2 of us and we work by ourselves ALL NIGHT!!!) also requested off for the same night. she has been there approx. 4 months (btw---she is already making plans to leave...i love her to death..but omg...i am soooo screwed). While i know she wanted this night off...i sincerely thought i had written my request "in the book"....turns out that i had written it on the wrong month! NOW---at the time of recieving my coworker's request...my manager asked me if i had requested off the same day.....THATS when i told her yes because i am on my class reunion committee and that is that night as well as a wedding reception at which i should at least make an appearance! With that being said...should i have really had to write it in the damn book?!?!?! There are only 6 employees at this location!! C'mon! Wtf is the issue on this??? So....now i don't get to go to my class reunion that i worked on and i dont get to go to a wedding reception with the new beau.....unless i can get a 2nd shifter to pick it up.....ya rrrrriiiiiiight! NOW-----am i stressed?? Do i have a right to sit and shake when people try to load more shit on top of me?? Do you all wonder WHY i have a nervous twitch that only crops up when stressful things are mentioned...like my ex-husband.....arguing with my kids......not getting off at work.....

The FEST is coming!!!

Lori — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 12:54:41 GMT

It is that time fo year when many a village or town dons its German heritage and hosts an Oktoberfest. BUT where i live...it shoud be declared a National Holiday!! The 33rd Annual Minster Oktoberfest is to be held October 5, 6& 7 this year. My tiny town of Mnster will draw over 80,000 people in a matter of three days! And this year the Budweiseer Clydesdales will be there (amazing how some big ass draft horses draw all the oooohs and aaaaaahs!)! Yours truly will be bellydancing in the parade with my fellow Hypnotic Hip-sters!!! Parade is on Sunday!!! Check it out at http://minsteroktoberfest.com/ See You There!!!

Beledi Extravaganza coming AGAIN!!

Lori — Fri, 08 Jun 2007 06:20:00 GMT

BE ON THE LOOKOUT!! THE NEXT BELEDI EXTRAVAGANZA IS IN THE WORKS FOR OCTOBER 29TH!! MORE INFO WILL FOLLOW VERY VERY SOON!!!

NEW Ask the Herbchick!!

Lori — Thu, 24 May 2007 06:47:08 GMT

I have decided to try something new on here as a tool in my business. I get so many emails asking about different herbs or natural products! THIS IS GREAT!!! However, it can be difficult to answer all of them personally....and sometimes there are multiple emails all adressing the same issues. So I have decided to answer them via bulletins on blogger sites in order to let everyone see the answers! For those interested in submitting an email with questions, feel free to send it to herbchick@mynsp.com. All names and emails will be removed to protect your privacy (and your in box....lol). Anyone that decides to try the products that are suggested in the bulletin can contact me via this site or the email isted above. Please include the posting's number and which product you would like to try....in return I will ship the product to you at a 20% discount off of retail price... THIS IS A SUBSTANTIAL DISCOUNT!!! So....here goes: Dear Herbchick: I have a terrible problem with getting cold sores on my lips! It seems like every time I even get a little stressed out they crop up! What can I do to get rid of them or prevent them? Thanks, Lizard Lips Well Lizard Lips, The first and foremost thing is to boost your immune system! Cold sores are caused by a virus. So keeping the immune system boosted keeps them at bay! Medical doctors, which I am not, do have shots available that are supposed to help keep these pests away. I am not very familiar with that particular treatment....I only know that there is one there. What I would do is this: At the very first tingle start to take the amino acid L-lysine. L-lysine actually boosts up the defenses to help get rid of the cold sore quickly. Also....since it is a virus in the body, some type of herbal blend that works with your body's own defense mechanisms would be great! Nature's Sunshine makes one called VS-C. This is a great product! I have had a lot of success with it! Next I would work on relaxing the stresses in my life. So meditation, yoga, running, eating right, and plenty of sustained peaceful sleep (not always an easy task). My absolute favorite product is called Nutri-Calm and it helps to keep me on an even keel when my stress is high! Trust me....i can really tell when i have not taken it.....and so can my kids! They are to the point that they go get it for me....LOL!! Good luck and let me know if you need anything!! Lori the Herbchick

Exhausted Moms!!!

Lori — Thu, 17 May 2007 13:27:48 GMT

As if being tired to the point of exhaustion isn't enough, new information is out to point to just how exhausted women really are! According to the National Sleep Foundation Women have it just a bit tougher when it comes to trying to overcome the effects of fatigue. When pressed for time, nearly half of all women surveyed say they cut back on healthy activities, like sleep and exercise, to compensate. More than a third cut out time with their family or friends, healthy eating and/or sex with their partner, according to their last poll. Three quarters of these women say they get up frequently during the night or suffer symptoms of insomnia. forty two percent of post-partum moms rarely, if ever, get a full night's sleep. Experts recommend that people unwind an hour before bedtime each night in order to get a good night's sleep. The last poll revealed that more than half of women are doing housework, and more than a fifth are doing job related work. Then there's the high prevelence of sleep disorders in women. One third snore (could be a possible airway obstruction), 2 in 10 have symptoms of restless leg syndrome, and two percent have sleep apnea. AND there is more: More than a quarter said they had driven drowsy at least once a month during the previous year; 1 in 10 say they had while their kids were in the car. 3 in 10 say the sleep aids (prescription or OTC) at least a few nights a week. Post-menopausal women were more likely to use sleep aids. Women who allow children (right around 9 percent) or pets (about 14 percent) to share their beds have the most disturbed sleep. So what do they do to make up for this? Nearly half eat sugary foods and seven percent use medication to keep them alert. And even more are reaching for yet another cup of coffee. Two thirds of women use caffeine, in some form, to stay awake. More than a third drink three or more cups of coffee (or the equivalent) each day. These facts are startling! And what is even more frightening to me is that I was one of these women! I was the one falling asleep while driving, drinking boat loads of caffeine, shoving sugar down to get that momentary rush.....I finally said ENOUGH! I still don't have the right blend of stuff going on to combat this fully...but I am working on it! In combination with making sure that I manage stress, trying to get into the habit of regular exercise, and eating more healthy foods, I have been working on developing a more regular sleep cycle. This can be pretty difficult considering That I work multiple jobs, one of which is a night shift. I have had to drop some activities and come to the realization that even though I would like to be, I am not Super Woman. Even the women that look like they are Super Women, are not Super Women. They just make things look good on the outside. They are dietary supplements that can help as well. Nutri Calm is my favorite! Nature's Sunshine make this product that helps the body to adapt to the every day ravages of stress. It is heavy duty B vitamins in a base of Hops, Valerian, and Passion Flower. It also contains Calcium, Vitamin C, and more to work with the adrenal glands, and the immune system. It doen'y make a person sleepy or more awake. It just takes the "speed bumps" out of the day by helping the body to regulate energy levels. It is no replacement for regular sleep and exercise, but it is a great tool. There are other supplements as well. For more information check out www.mynsp.com/herbchick ****this article is for self-educational purposes only.

Thanks to all of you for coming!!

Lori — Wed, 04 Apr 2007 17:26:26 GMT

The Beledi Extravaganza workshops and show were a success!! I want to thank everyone involved with this event! A special thanks goes out to all of the workshop attendees!! without you guys it would not have happened at all! (Thanks for coming all the way from Ft. Wayne too ;) ) The pic is of Miss Heidi (aka Bunny Vickalou) shakin' her stuff!! Be sure to check out other pix of Natasha and Laylia doin' their things at our lil' event!! And watch because we are beginning to plan the next one!! Bigger and better here we come!!!!

Thyroid and Stress!

Lori — Fri, 16 Mar 2007 06:19:38 GMT

*****THE FOLLOWING IS FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY AND IN NO WAY, SHAPE OR FORM DOES IT CONSTITUTE THE PRACTICE OF MEDICINE. NOR DOES IT ADVOCATE THE READER IGNORE MODERN MEDICINE!!***** So the thyroid gland, as most of you know, sits in the neck slightly above the collarbone. It has many functions, one of which is to regulate metabloism. With fifty percent of America's population reaching obesity levels, the thyroid health of each and every person has become a major concern! Most of you know that I am an herbalist by trade. I have decided to start employing this blog as a means of spreading the word! There are ways to help feed and nourish the thyroid gland using herbs, vitamins, and amino acids that can assist to possibly avoid prescription drugs. Please do not take this the wrong way! I do not advocate ignoring your health. Nor can i tell you to drop any prescription medications that you may currently be taking. That is a matter for you to take up with your doctor. I am simply passing along traditional uses of these substances in order to help increase your knowledge of natural options! Thyroid function is directly affected by iodine in the diet. Iodine is a trace mineral in the diet, but in recent years it has been processed out of our food supply. Most processed food manufacturers do try to replace the loss of this mineral by "enriching" the final product with supplemental iodine....but to no avail. It seems that this iodine is either not absorbable or not enough to feed the thyroid. Natural substances to supplement iodine without overdosing is sea veggies, like Kelp! Kelp, Spirulina, Irish Moss, Dulse.....all of these are high in trace iodine and other trace minerals too! These minerals feed the thyroid and help to balance the pH of the body so that all minerals are used efficiently! the body only absorbs certain minerals when the pH is balanced properly (a blog for the near future.....). These should only be used by those with UNDER functioning thyroids. Traumatic stresses can affect the function of the thyrois as well. Large life changes have been associated with poor thyroid functioning. These are changes like divorce, marriage, moving away, job changes, children, and other things (war...for instance....look at the soldieres returning from Iraq and Afganistan....). According to Dr. Ridha Arem in his book The Thyroid Solution, these stresses can cause the thyroid to flip to either under or over functioning. So lets's go over some indicators of each! Over active thyroid: -shakiness -inability to gain weight -unexplained weight loss despite eating large amounts of food -nervousness -hyperactivity -dry brittle hair -"buggy" eyes (long term over excitement of thyroid) -depresssion, tired easily -think of a mouse stuck in a cage running on a wheel till he falls over..... and more...... Under active thyroid: -depression/lethargy -dry skin -high cholestrol -weight gain despite reduced food intake -dry brittle hair -a feeling of a lump in the throat and more..... Both conditions have been associated with goiters (a growth on the thyroid that should be checked immediately by a doctor to rule out the presence of cancer!!!!) So if your thyroid is over active....what do you do?? think RELAXATION!!! Herbs that soothe and calm are great! Chamomile, Valerian, Hops, Passion Flower.....these are great!! Even Oat Straw and lobelia (in small quantities internally or liquid extracts applied to skin) help to relax the "nerves" and can take some stress off the thyroid. And never ever rule out the functioning of the adrenal glands affecting the thyroid function. This is just an intro to the world in which I work. More is to come !! The thyroid is only one part of the complex body that we have been given as a vehicle in this world! More will come!! -------Lori for more info on these products go to www.mynsp.com/osterlohschlater

ChAnGeS

Lori — Tue, 09 Jan 2007 20:55:21 GMT

It is a new year and with that comes new changes!! Right?? So i have recently moved out of the house i so dearly loved, and into a small 2 bedroom apartment in the nearby town. My kids are taking it very well....at least as well as can be expected. I am trying to get the ball rolling on a Disolution/Divorce and am having many, many anxiety attacks thru all of this! In the middle of this mess....i think i have found a wonderful man! A strong man! A man that knows my situation and is there for me! He is golden...the kind of guy that is a rock in my time of struggle and need! i love him dearly!! i just cross my fingers that all goes well! I really love him......

Beledi Extravaganza

Lori — Tue, 19 Dec 2006 13:38:29 GMT

Tickets for the Beledi Extravaganza show go on sale January 1st!! The cost is $10 for pre-sale tickets!! They can purchased via these means: Art's Place-St. Mary's--419-392-0707 Lori-Herbchick@mynsp.com-419-628-4230 Christina-xina21@hotmail.com-937-417-2305 Check, money order, cash---all very awesome.....Paypal is also available!!

Disordered

Lori — Sun, 26 Nov 2006 07:13:28 GMT

OK....i can put this on here cuz i won't ever really meet a lot of you. And those that i will meet...will probably NEVER remember that this is me. Well----you kno what i mean---right? So here it is: I have an eating disorder. I am bulimic and a binge eater. I do not weigh 80 pounds (although i dearly wish i did, and i have tried terribly hard to get there-to no avail). I do not look like i have any disorder except that i do not know when to stop eating. But my point for posting this issue is this: I am in the process of trying to write a book about different tactics and treatment options available to bulimics and binge eaters, from the point of view of one of the disordered. Most of the time people only think of anorexics as being in danger of hurting themselves. Binge eaters are looked at as stupid and lazy and bulimics are just stupid girls looking for a way out of having to diet normally. BUT---this is FAR from the way it is and there is a multitude of underlying causes. I am looking for others that suffer from this type of behavior. I would love to find a couple of people that have been through in-patient treatment...as i have only done out patient therapy. I want to include stories of all kinds.... Anyone interested in helping me out??

MONEY as a WEAPON?!?!?!

Lori — Mon, 30 Oct 2006 12:31:26 GMT

Why is it that some people (usually men) find that they must use money as a weapon (usually against women)? Is there some unwritten rule that no one has clued me into that says that one's economic standing makes them any more or less viable in this world? Why must it come down to an issue of money? And why must one's attempt to finance their own life must be belittled when it does not pan out quite as lucritive as they once thought it would? shouldn't the victory come from the whole "at least I didn't go in the hole" thang? I feel as if my eyes have been openned to the double standard in this world. I mean I have always known it was there....but I guess I just chose to believe that at some time someone would realize my artistic worthiness and i would be justly rewarded <?> . It is ok for a college student to be broke and struggling....it is not ok for anyone that has been forced by various circumstances to quit college (ok....i like to think of it as an extended leave of absence) to hold on to dreams and keep on trying to make them happen??!!??!! Now that i know this....I must re-evaluate my life, i presume? So I guess there will be no more painting. No more bellydance (EEEEGADS---NO!! its the only dancing i am good at!!). No more writing. No more trying to carve (i am working on it....so far the attempts have been "eek" but hey---self teaching can be a bitch!)! Because none of these pursuits are worthy?? AAAARRRRGGGHHH!! Alas---I am left disgruntled and....of course....unfortunately broke.

Shimmering Sands does the Parade

Lori — Tue, 10 Oct 2006 17:21:40 GMT

Octobe 1st, 2006 the Shimmering Sands dance troupe based at Art's Place in St. Marys, Ohio "did" the Minster Oktoberfest Parade! Wow! I have heard some wonderful reveiws of the event, too!! This pic is of me with the DJ from T102 (Lima, OH). His name is Spark Simon! If anyone else out there has pix of this event....please please....let me know! I would love a copy!!

To answer the ever present question, "Lori, just what exactly do you DO???"

Lori — Wed, 27 Sep 2006 13:40:43 GMT

I have a lkot people ask about what I "DO"....."Lori just what do you really DO?" I know that the concepts can be difficult for most to grasp, but here goes: I am a consultant that uses Iridology, Tongue and Pulse analysis, Muscle Tesing, Interveiws, and my "gut feelings" (read as: INTUITION) to suggest what I would do if I were you! I do what needs to be done and I use reiki (healing energy) to clear blocked energies. I am a Reiki Master and I do teach and offer attunements. I also write for an herbal publication called "The Herbal Information Series". I hope to put all of my experience together and apply for professional membership and certification through the American Herbalists Guild. I have many people ask why I still keep my job at the gas station if I have all of this experience. you know, I wish I could tell you! Other than the obviuos entertainment factor of the job, I guess I have to change the ways in which I conduct my business because I do not make as much money as my counterparts in this industry. So....that is the place I am in right now. I am in the process of re-evaluating my business techniques. I will be using this site as well as others, to further promote my business, as well as my bellydancing goings-on.

Month-end Reflection

Lori — Fri, 01 Sep 2006 04:31:20 GMT

In the last month I have seen a variety of highs: Two close friends were married; I played in my High School Alumni Softball tournament; my kids competed at the county and state fairs; I attended my first official bachelorette party (yep---i m sheltered); my kids started another year of school; and I got to belly dance at a really cool Hafla for Laylia! But I have also had some incredible lows: i broke my wedding ring; I caught my stove on fire, resulting in a short circuit so we had to find another quick-like; and I was in a car accident on the way home from a wedding in which I participated as a bridesmaid (ever spend your night strapped to a backboard in a formal?? lmao!!). So---hmmm---very interesting!!! But I am still here man!! Still shakin' it!! so bring it on world!! I ain't goin' down!!! PS: I am the bridesmaid in the front left, sitting on the floor....in case u didn't recognize me!!! I clean up pretty well!! :D

Finally!!!!

Lori — Thu, 03 Aug 2006 12:58:23 GMT

I know i just posted an entry yesterday.....but i really think i need to post this! Today i went to the chiropractor after work. I know...you are thinking "so?". Well...i have been super uptight lately. Financial issues, health issues, marital issues, work issues, etc. have had me in a huge ball of twisted knots! Finally this monring, after i returned from the chiropractor, i think iam finding a plateau in this madness....now i can focus. I can say that although i seem to be stuck on constant melancholy mode, and feel as if i could cry at the drop of a hat, it is all ok. It will all be ok. Because it has always been meant to be ok. ok?

A day off

Lori — Wed, 02 Aug 2006 17:53:28 GMT

i am feeling abit odd....i actually took my two boys to the babysitter today so i could just have a day to sleep....relax....and do nothing! I really ma feeling a bit like a poor mom....but i soooo needed this break!

bored....i think

Lori — Mon, 10 Jul 2006 13:33:45 GMT

so i am lying here in my bed, with my laptop, of course....and i am contemplating life! And blogs, in general. I mean why? why do we post these things? We pour our hearts out on a keyboard. We try to be philosophical and "deep", but why? Does nay one ever actually read these postings???? hmmmm.....what a ponderance!