I can't say I like the potted meat, and I definately don't like the spam that fills my inbox every day. I use my hotmail address on the genealogy message boards that I post to - that way, when someone replies (sometimes even years later) they will reach me for sure. However, if I could go back, I would not use my name in the address. I get mail that is generated by random name combinations. Like Shantrisler, shannatrisler, shanontrisler, and they eventually get to my name. So there I am, with the opportunity to consolidate my debt, (possibly with an online casino), increase my masculinity(which is sadly lacking), lose weight (hey, mind your own business!), or possibly help some Nigerian banker out of a jam and make myself a cool 5 million. I probably get 10-15 unsolicited emails a day, and some are NASTY. It makes me ill and it is highly offensive. I have my junk filter on, so at least it goes there, but I still have to check that because I am afraid an email will slip through that I'm supposed to get.

Spam is RUDE RUDE RUDE. Did you know that there are email extractors, called spiders, that peruse websites and glean email addresses for spamming? How low is that? Not to mention that there is a black market for email lists and I'm sure I'm on a few of them. Here's a little trick though, that might help - at least it makes a little trouble for the spammers...

In addition to spam, pop-ups are on my bad list, too. If I have one more message from someone named "Michelle", "Jen", or "Amber" (no offense to the peeps I know with this name) who just want to talk, and get to know someone special like me, I'm going to scream! But most of the pop-up isn't from them, it's from the Stop Pop Up People! It's spam blackmail! They are basically saying, if you buy this service, then we'll stop pop-upping you!

~sigh~ I am capable of handling the spam - I try to ignore it and just discard it immedietely, but what really bothers me is that anyone with an email is a target, even kids. I will be watching very closely when my children are online.

Okay, that's my thought for the day. I hadn't intended to blog about this today, but I opened my mail today and found myself needing to vent! If you want to get it out of your system too, go right ahead! The forum is open!

You never know what you might find floating in your pool. Just ask Eric Riccardi, who woke up one morning to find Batboy floating on a raft in his pool in Las Vegas after a recent escape from a research center. This was a while back, about a year after they discovered Batboy in a cave in West Virginia.

Yesterday, in the midst of some Indian whooping, Wrenn said, "You're funny, Mama"... it was the best thing I heard all day! I was flattered and warm and fuzzy - until I remembered that she also laughed for thirty minutes at the Jell-O we had for a snack...

Jell-O can be pretty funny, though.

BTW: That link is to a Jell-O Museum... do we really need a museum for Everything??? Does Jell-O even keep that long???

No, you're not dsylexic .... I did something weird to my blog. I have to get some help, so just hang tight. (This is me learning Movable Type... please be patient!)

Update: I fixed it. I don't know how, but I'm not asking questions. Yay me!

Here's a fun little game. It's 20 questions, which I actually thought was pretty boring as a kid, but this one is played against the computer. Finally, a competitor worth my precious time!
See if you can trick the computer. I fooled him 4 out of 5 times. My conclusion: I'm smarter than all the computers in the world... nanny nanny boo boo.

You can't see me, but I am also sticking out my tongue.

Patrick is on his way at this very moment, to pick up Wrenn from a week at the grandparent's house. I know she had a wonderful time, playing with cousins and getting royally spoiled... but I'll be glad to have her home again. It's just TOO quiet without her here. Besides, our regular "Simpsons" vege-out time just isn't the same without her.

However, while she was away, we did indulge ourselves in movies, books, and other toddler-free activities. Patrick sent me to the movie rental store on Friday and his last words were: "Get us a horror movie". Ugh. Horror is pretty low on my list.

Well, I guess being a holiday, there just wasn't much of a selection, and to be honest, I didn't look REAL hard for a horror movie. What did catch my eye though, was the "New Swiss Family Robinson". It looked so tempting, with a picture of the Tree House on the cover...

I can't imagine a more exciting adventure. There is something about the man vs. nature theme that captivates us. Especially if the characters have to learn survival skills, mastering their environment, getting down and dirty with mother nature, baking biscuits from scratch... This is why I also loved "Frontier House" on PBS. They threw four families out into the wilderness with all the equiptment and skills of the average 1883 pioneer. It was miles above the present day reality shows we are all so addicted to!

I was thrilled to learn that PBS has a new similar show, called "The Pioneer Quest: A Year in the Old West". It comes on Tuesdays 8/9 central. It only has two families, and they spend an entire year on this project. It's a little different than Frontier House, but the premise is the same.

The next one is Colonial House, which follows the same format as Frontier House. They are currently interviewing families who want to do this, so if you are interested in seeing if you're up to the challenge, check out the website. If our situation were a little different, I'd jump at the chance. It sounds like an incredible experience.

Well, suffice it to say, I brought back "Swiss Family Robinson". Patrick said that was the last time he sent me to the movie store by myself. He doesn't know that he's just lucky I didn't sign us up on the wagon train!

That title sounds so gross. oh well.

Seems that once you start reading blogs, you can't resist the urge to have one! So, please welcome my sister, Ashley - she's gettin' funky with Swaying Daisies!

And by the way, have you guys registered at Blogtree? It's a blog genealogy site, where you list the website that encouraged you to start blogging, and it creates one huge "family tree". I don't know what we are going to do with this family tree, but it will probably be important. Someday. To someone. It could save a life. You never know.

By the way, if you click on the Blogtree logo at the bottom of this page, you will see my "pedigree".

Hey everyone. Have you missed me? Blogger broke up with me last week... it was painful, but for the best. Now Chattablogs and I are going out some, nothing serious, just hanging out. Right now things look a little plain here, but you know me, and I'll be glitzing it up as soon as I figure out how. For now, it's just good to be back... -sniff-sniff- ... I missed you guys...

And no, it's not a rebound thing. Chattablogs is special. I think Chattablogs is "The One", cross your fingers.

I don't know if I mentioned the fact that Wrenn is away at her Grandparent's this week, leaving us home with only the Bruiser. I have to admit, my day is vastly different without her around. It's so... quiet. I have more time than I know what to do with, so of course I've been wasting it all browsing like a mad man. The internet is way too addictive. It's like a novel you just can't put down, and it has no conclusion! Ever! It just keeps going! -sigh- I wish I could get paid to browse- that would be sweet.

I've done one other thing this week since Wrenn is gone. I've indulged in some soap operas- gasp!

I want to know what You, the people of this United Blogdom, are looking for in a blog. Is it links? Cause I got links, Baby. Here are a few for today:

Are you Sherwin Williams material? Try the Paint Game.

Get artsy fartsy with the one word project.

See what ads Google would put on your website if you wanted to make some dough.

So you can't travel the world? Well, maybe your book can.

Okay, is that enough for you people? Are you satisfied yet? No? Well sheesh, go visit Christin's blog then. I hear she's up to 65 hits a day.

Things you can do with an apple:

Put it on your head and let somebody shoot it off with an arrow
Cook up some apple fritters for your cowboy friends
Check the "girl" to make sure she doesn't have an Adam's apple
Put some poison in it and give it to your rival so you'll be the fairest in the land
Test how American someone is
Use it to keep a doctor away
Let one fall on your head and discover a law of gravity
Compare them to oranges
Get together a gang and call yourselves the Apple Dumpling Gang
Give it to a teacher
Mash it up and feed it to Grandpa or the baby
See how far it falls from the tree
Bob for it
Name your city a Big one
Put a cute little worm in it and use it as a library or school graphic
Put a pot on your head and become a tree planting legend
Make hard cider out of them to get your groove on during the Prohibition
Eat it when you aren't supposed to and damn all of mankind

Well, that was a fruitless activity. . . (tee hee) but it was fun.