5 Things I LOVE about Facebook

Will I follow up with 5 things I hate?  Maybe, but on the whole I think Facebook is a wonderful thing, so don't count me among the Facebook haters!  :)


1.  Reconnecting with friends:  Somehow the art of letter writing seems to have died around 1990.  I remember in high school and college having several friends with whom I would exchange long, chatty letters on a regular basis.  I loved that feeling of getting a fat envelope in the mail and knowing that it contained a letter from someone I cared about!!  But somehow after 1990 it's like we all ran out of paper.  There are lots of different things you can blame for that, but I think the biggest one is the advent of computers.  Most of us by that time either had learned or were learning to use a computer, and that was when more and more people were buying them for home use.  Why that meant no one was writing anymore I can't explain, but somehow it did.  Yet using email seemed too difficult for many people, and not as personal.  Facebook changed all that, especially once older people discovered it.  When I first heard about it, everything I heard was negative and seemed to be all about teenagers (granted it was also mostly MySpace I was hearing about, not Facebook).  When my eldest entered adolescence I decided to check it out,
and almost instantly loved it!!  It's like a combination personal newsletter, bulletin board, and virtual note passing tool.  :)  I've been able to connect with lots of old friends, people I already knew in real life but with whom I had lost touch, and it's great to feel connected again with these people whom I never stopped caring about...

2.  Being able to maintain and grow friendships.  This could probably be combined with the first, since it's all about friends, but in the spirit of my Blist format I decided to break it down a bit more.  Reconnecting is just the first step, and I'm also connecting with new friends whom I've just met.  Facebook is a simple way that we can connect in very real ways--it's like an online party or social gathering, but it never ends and there's no cleanup for the host!  Like any real party, yes sometimes there are arguments or hurt feelings, because there are still real people involved.  This is just human nature, and not something that can be blamed on Facebook.  (This is also why parents insist teens with Facebook have adult supervision--it's not about privacy; it's about protection!)  For the most part, however, it's just really fun to be able to socially interact with friends all over the globe in this virtual location!  We can laugh over jokes and funny pictures, talk about movies and books, sympathize and pray over medical concerns and family troubles, give advice about new products and new places, rejoice together over victories and accomplishments, tease about whose sports team is the best, discuss political ideas, share news and events, and best of all share lots and lots of pictures!!

3.  The Games.  Yes, I know people rant about the games, and many people hate them, but I find them fun and harmless diversions.  Most can be played absolutely free (the in-game purchases being completely optional), and you can put as much or as little time into them as you wish (unlike those online game "worlds" such as Worlds of Warcraft or Minecraft, which not only cost money to play but where player killers and griefers can destroy or steal what you build or collect, if you don't monitor it carefully and continually).  Facebook games are easy to block for those who don't play--I have lots of them blocked myself, so my newsfeed isn't cluttered up with game posts for games I don't want to play.  The trick is moderation, like most things--limit yourself to one or two, and limit the daily time you spend on each also, if necessary, but otherwise have fun there is no harm in playing games once in awhile!  Like someone said at the Minecraft convention we recently attended (paraphrased), "internet games are simply replacing television for most people, and we see that as a good thing because the games are much more interactive and mentally engaging!" 


4.  The new cultural traditions.  One of the best, imho, which prompted this very blog, is the "30 days of Thankfulness" in the month of November.  Some people joke about it, saying that the rest of the year Facebook is for griping, but it really is a beautiful thing.  :)  Other fun traditions I've enjoyed are "throwback Thursdays" where people post or re-share photos from earlier years, the occasional "weeks" that pop up from time to time (80s week, 90s week, baby week, and so on), and the 25 days of Christmas Carols in December.  Like the games, you can take them or leave them--participation is not at all a requirement of being on Facebook!  I really find those fun though, and many are so positive. 

5.  Facebook "memes."  I don't know if I'm using this modern term in the same way most people understand it, but to me the "memes" are photos or banners that people share, often amusing but sometimes inspirational!  Yes, some of them get tiresome after awhile as they seem to be overdone--the "repost if" emotional banners (if you love your daughter,love  your son, hate cancer, etc.), "most interesting man in the world" jokes, or the series of blocks put together of "what people think I do, what I really do, etc."  But even when I get tired of them, sometimes I'll then see one that genuinely makes me laugh or smile all over again!  Many times they are great fun, especially when it's something new that hasn't been done to death. 

Ultimately I just find Facebook fun, and harmless.  People rant about many of these things as being "annoying."  Some of these people just don't like change, and the new internet culture, and that's understandable.  Others are going to be "wet blankets" at an IRL party just as much as the Facebook virtual one.  ;) 


One brief postscript--the concern about privacy.  I worry a bit about privacy too, but in this day and age I truly think the only people who truly have any semblance of privacy are the amish, and perhaps the people living deep in the jungle.  In this internet world, privacy as we knew it before no longer exists, and if you are that worried about it you are probably living in the wrong Country (meaning pretty well any Nation in the "civilized" world).  I think the owners of Facebook are doing all they can to protect us and keep their virtual environment as safe as possible, and I appreciate that.  I'm not going to lose any sleep over it, or change my life around just because someone I don't know might dare to look at my picture or use my family photo for an ad in the Ukraine someday.  ;) 

What motivates people?

This is completely random, but the more I live the more I have become convinced that there are only 5 primary things that motivate the heart of mankind (as in all human beings).  These motivations are not "evil" by themselves, but can lead to either bad or good choices.  I've put them in what I feel personally are the most likely order of how often these motivators control people's actions (though this will of course vary by the person, and the situation):

1.  Wealth

This is most commonly money, but can also be a large house or a nice car or etc.  People will lie, cheat, steal, and manipulate data to create the growth of wealth.  People will also work hard, get an education, network, and create new things in the pursuit of wealth.  1 Timothy 6:10 reads:  "For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil."  Notice this involves LOVE of money, not just its pursuit, and also all KINDS of evil, not ALL evil.  There is nothing bad about wanting success, including wealth, as long as you aren't in love with it as your primary or ONLY motivation, and allowing yourself to slip into the dark paths of obtaining it. 



2.  Power

Power is a multi-headed beast with a thousand faces.  It can be political power, fame or popularity (which gives you the power to make people care what you think and what you are doing), corporate power, power within the family dynamic, persuasion (power within a group to be able to lead others into doing what you want them to do), physical power (ie, strength and the ability to best others in a fight or a sport), power to improve your lot (in this world or the next), mental power to solve problems or impress people with your knowledge, and much more.  Power in its simplest form is strength, and the ability to do things, but the real motivator is usually the ability to do things better than someone else.  Those whose primary motivation is power don't just want to be AS powerful as someone else, but always will want to have MORE power.... thus the saying "power corrupts; absolute power corrupts absolutely."

3.  Fear
Fear is another powerful motivator, though it often combines with the other desires.  Fear plus wealth equals the desire to have enough money so that you (or your children) will never want for anything.  Fear plus power equals the desire to never allow anyone to hurt you or command you ever again.  Fear plus sex equals the desperate desire to not be alone, and often results in the most disastrous of relationships.  Fear plus love is what creates over-protective mothers and over-controlling fathers.  Fear is not always a bad thing either, however.  Fear of being killed in an accident is a good motivator for always wearing your seatbelt, never texting while driving, and never riding in a car driven by someone who has been drinking (whether that someone is you or someone else)!  Fear of dying in a tornado has been the motivation for a lot of storm shelters, many of which have in fact saved lives!!  Fear of embarrassment can sometimes cause people to dress more modestly or avoid getting a tattoo that they may seriously regret in the future! 


4.  Sex
Like the others, this obviously has the possibility for negative directions--various forms of perverse behaviors, exploitation of others, immodesty, lewd behavior, etc.  But it also is a huge motivator for finding a spouse and creating children, and within the limits of marriage can be a beautiful thing.  Inside marriage it can motivate you to keep the romance alive and continue to court your spouse.

5.  Love
This should be a lot higher, though it seems it rarely is.  Love is the one motivator which is almost never negative on its own, though it certainly can sometimes be exercised in a negative way when combined with power or fear.  Love is the motivator which allows millions of parents to change the dirtiest of diapers.  Love is the choice made by a spouse who is serious about his or her lifetime commitment, staying by your spouse even when times are hard.  Love is the motivator which allows a living person to give up a kidney, or send money to orphans in Haiti, or work at a soup kitchen--love for fellow man.  Love is the motivator which sends Missionaries into dangerous areas just to tell people the good news about Jesus.

MINECON 2013 Review

We took our kids to Minecon this year, so I thought I'd do a Blist review.  Let's get the WORST 5 things over first, then move on to the BEST (in my personal opinion, of course!).  There are some truly great "bests," so don't think we didn't like it based on the "worsts"!  :)

1.  At $150 a ticket, it's one of THE most expensive "cons" out there, which is bizarre considering that it is also one of the newest and smallest.  Part of the reason it is so expensive is that they book a theme park for all attendees the first night (last year Disney Paris, this year Universal Islands of Adventure).  I say if I want to go there I can do that separately--I'd much rather have a cheaper ticket and/or a longer convention, and NOT have that be part of it!!!  The expenses don't stop there, either--the Orange County Convention center turned off all the water fountains, trying to force you to purchase their $3+ water bottles.  Food prices there are jacked up too--$9 to $10 for fast food junk like a personal pizza or hamburger (no drink or fries included, those are another $3-4 each).  Being in Orlando or Paris doesn't help either.  People will GO to this thing wherever they have it, so why not go somewhere that is less of a tourist trap?  I'm betting there are smaller towns out there with rocking convention centers and cheaper hotels & services!! 

2.  Crowd control was a problem, especially for the "panels."  I heard many many stories of people waiting in line for an hour or more only to be turned away at the last minute (including one of my own sons!).  They could easily solve this by having one of the volunteers or staff hand out tickets or stamps (on a hand or a stamp card or whatever) as people arrive to line up an hour or so in advance of each session. Once you are stamped, you can go have fun until it's time for the actual session instead of wasting time sitting in line... or if you are the 201st person in line for a panel that only has room for 200, you have time to go to another panel at the same time instead of being forced to miss both (too late for the 2nd, too far back in line for the first).  Many of the panels were led by amateurs too, so after waiting all that time people were walking out after 10-15 minutes.  There's nothing wrong with amateur panels, of course, but more information about which panels were professional and which were just for fun wouldn't have hurt either.  Many of the best panels were held at the exact same hour, or so close together that it was impossible to go to both. The most likely solution to this would be to extend the next Con to 3 days, which they may not be prepared to do yet, but that would give them time to space things out better and/or have duplicates of the best panels (like one about kids writing Code which attendees are raving about, but I was disappointed to not get into... I'm hoping Mojang or *someone* might post that on youtube at some point so I can see the presentation).

3.  Access to the "big names" was a huge disappointment for many, especially kids (close to 2/3 of the attendees were probably 16 and younger, with the biggest age group in the 10-14 range). They should have had photos pre-signed in advance to hand out or sell (inexpensively) for those who couldn't get into the meet and greet sessions. Better still, do that AND have more than one meet and greet scheduled for people they KNOW in advance are going to be insanely popular.

4.  Some of the presenters were also not very well prepared for a crowd of that size... I'm not sure what the problem was there, space or lack of information or ?? For example, there was one company with a cool virtual reality roller coaster... it had ONE game available, in 10-minute increments (8 minutes' game time plus prep).... for 7,500 people, seriously?? There were only two stores (Think Geek and Jinx), which had a lot of staff, but it still seemed not nearly enough to handle a crowd of that size.  There were HUGE lines all day both days. This could be solved several ways--selling fewer tickets, allowing more vendors to break up the crowd wanting to buy things, getting a survey of fans and/or attendees in advance to get an idea of which things will be more popular and need more space and equipment, or probably more ways that just haven't occurred to me!

5. This is a minor one, but we thought the overall presentation was just not very professional.  Perhaps we've been spoiled, or been listening to my uber-professional aunt too much, but both Dave and I commented that the main presentations (opening, closing, and the costume contest) seemed quite amateurish and slapped together.  Part of this could be the youth and inexperience of the person they hired to handle the convention, but really they could have done SO much better.  Just a couple of quick specifics:  there were "dead spots" during the major presentations where the audience was just sitting there; neither presentation started on time, nor was there any apology or explanation offered for the late starts; the sound system was erratic, sometimes MUCH too loud and other times hard to hear; the costume contest was very poorly organized.  To explain the last just a bit more, the way they did the costume contest was to tell you to wear your costume full-time for the first "couple of hours" of the convention.  There was no clear judging time or place, but just some mysterious "team" with cards to hand out to costumes they happened to see and like as they wander about.  Really?  The easy and obvious answer would have been to have a "parade of costumes" across the stage first thing as part of the opening ceremonies.  This would not only ensure the judges are able to SEE every single costume, but would also allow all their child fans who worked so hard on their costumes to at least have a few seconds to shine and show them off for everyone.  :)  Moms would have appreciated it too, because many of those awkward cube heads could be put away after that, and those who made heavy and elaborate costumes could have put them away and enjoyed the convention freely, only having to put them back on for a little while at the end of the day when they announced the top choices and the final winners (they could still use the card system, but at the end of the parade line).

Okay, now for our BEST and favorites of Minecon 2013!!

1.  I have to say that the people who play, write, and love Minecraft are truly amazing.  All of the above problems could have been a LOT worse had the Minecraft fans and families not been so wonderful. :D That is by far my best experience from this thing--for all the thousands and thousands of people we met and spoke with and stood in line with this weekend, there was shockingly little rudeness, cursing, pushing, or other bad behaviors that you often see at big crowded events. Almost every person we met was kind and cheerful and friendly and patient, from the staff to the volunteers to our fellow attendees.  I've been to zoos and parks designed for little children that had worse atmospheres; the atmosphere here was truly amazing, and I have to shout out a huge BRAVO to all of my fellow Mineconians.  :)

2.  The flip side of my #3 worst thing about the big names is just WHO those big names were.  We saw programmers and amateur youtubers walk on stage to cheers and applause like rock stars.  Parents have been lamenting for decades about how their children's heroes tend to be movie stars, sports players, and musicians--people who are famous for talents, yes, but talents that are rare and in fields that are extremely difficult in which to make a living.  How many parents have wished their kids would admire professionals who earn a living with their brains, inspiring them to do better in school and pursue careers with a greater chance of success?  Parents, I give you Minecon.  :)

3.  Some of the presenters and "personalities" there were really great.  I was VERY impressed with Greg Aronowitz, for example.  He is the artist and special effects guru who created all of the artwork, diorama models, statues, etc. to decorate Minecon.  His work was professional; his panel was interesting and informative; and yet he was just as friendly and approachable as everyone else we met there.  The "master lego builder" from Legoland who designed the floor art in the lego exhibit was working the booth most of the weekend, talking with people and even taking photos for us.  There was a family who spoke at the "minecraft for families" panel with whom I was also quite impressed.  So while some of the vendors and exhibitors seemed unprepared and poorly organized, others were done quite well.  And while a few more exhibitors would have been nice to aid those areas that were too popular, overall there were plenty of different things to do and see!

4.  I thought it was really great how a big section in the exhibitors hall was devoted to indie developers.  There were numerous brand new baby games to try out, all of them being produced by small independent programmers and developers, like the team my son and some friends were trying to put together at his college.  Most of them were college age or not much older, and some of the games were really really fun and creative!  :)

5. My fifth thing is how happy it made the kids, because they definitely enjoyed themselves.  :)  I'll also add here what my kids said were their favorite bits.  Both said they loved the whole thing, but Phil's favorite was being able to meet some of his favorite Youtube personalities, and see the programmers (though we didn't really get a chance to meet any of them).  Thomas said his favorite thing was to try out "occulus rift," which evidently is the name of the 3-D platform allowing the immersive virtual reality experience of being inside the game.

Worship Time!

I'll just state up front that what prompts this particular post is a pet peeve of mine--this modern trend of relabeling church music as "worship" (complete with titles like "worship time" and "worship leader").  Yes, music can be a wonderful part of the worship experience, but in my opinion it is only one small facet of any service, and often not even the most worshipful part of my Sunday morning (let alone the only worshipful part).  So here's what I see as a typical Worship Son-day:

1.  Sunday morning Worship really begins as my family and I carefully choose our clothing for Sunday morning services.  We have rarely attended churches with specific dress codes, however we strongly believe that it's appropriate to put on "good" clothes for going to church.  For us this means no sweats, shirts with collars, and rarely shorts or blue jeans (only if they are quite nice ones, or if they are necessary for "costume" for a play or reporting on summer camp, etc.).  As a woman I won't wear certain things that I feel are not appropriately modest for church (though I do prefer slacks!).  Of course some families and churches may have standards which vary from ours, but it's the act of rising to meet SOME sort of standard that is the act of Worship imho.

2.  When we arrive at church we try to "put on" the attitude of Worship as we leave our petty issues in the car and try to greet our church family with a smile and a word of joy or encouragement!  Notice I did specify "petty"--for serious issues there is no better place than the house of God, so bring it!

3.  Once we arrive in the sanctuary, (in most churches) music will start to announce that it is time to find your seats for the beginning of the formal service.  I always try to think of the words if I recognize the song, because to me much of the worship of music is in the lyrics themselves, but if I don't know the song I will just enjoy the tune and try to quiet my spirit.  (Any "special music" later would be similar to this--it's just passive listening to music, and preparing your heart and mind for what's coming next, but without any active participation.)

4.  Our current church does announcements first thing, so we Worship God by celebrating various events and functions that the church family has coming up in the future.  It's always exciting to me to see the different things going on and places where we can serve God, joyfully!!

5.  Now we come to the song time.  I personally receive the most enjoyment and depth of feeling from the classic hymns, though there are some modern "praise" songs I like very much also.  :)  For me the most worshipful songs are those with deep and meaningful lyrics.  I also really enjoy those times when the people on the sound board turn the mics down (or off) on the music leaders (with or without dropping the instruments also), so that the congregation can get caught up with the wave of music around and behind us, all singing as "one body" together (especially when there are people singing in parts!).... love that.  :)

6. Now that we're done working out some wiggles with music, it's time for the Reading of God's Word.  I've been to churches where they make you stand up for this, but personally my preference is to sit (because I can concentrate on what it's saying better that way).  But either way, I don't think anyone can deny that diving into the Word of the Living God is definitely a form of worship (provided you are focusing on what those words are saying, of course!).

7. Let's not forget worship in Prayer!  Most churches pray several times throughout the service, of course, but what a joy and privilege an incredible power there is in speaking to the Creator of the Universe.  It doesn't get any more Worshipful than that!! 

8. And of course eventually we turn to the Worship of the Pastor or speaker sharing a message with us (or lecture, or sermon, or whatever you prefer to call it).  Some sermons reach me better than others, of course, and I confess I'm also terrible about allowing my mind to wander some days.  But it's still part of the total worship experience, and after the first 7 steps of preparation even if I'm not listening as well as I ought I'm at least contemplating things that relate to my God. 

9. Closing Blessing.  We pray and sing too, as most churches do, but those aspects of worship were already covered in #6 and #8 above.  My current church adds a thing I really love--we all hold out our hands and receive God's Blessing in a farewell word from the Pastor (or special speaker).  It's something my family all adores, and hope to find again when we move.  :)

10. Child care.  Yes, I see this as an act of Worship too, absolutely!!  Some churches (like mine) dismiss the younger kids right after song time, so that the small children can learn to participate in (at least part of) church services right from the start.  But smaller children and infants can't sit still or focus for messages yet, so providing appropriate care for them in another room allows them to relax and be themselves, and more importantly it allows the parents of such children to focus on the Bible reading and enjoy the message without being forced to divide their attention (which in my experience means 80% or more attention on the child!).  Not everyone participates in this part of the Worship, of course, but I believe it is still a very important part for those who do--Service is worship too!!

11.  Fellowship time.  Of course we greeted several people when we first arrived, but after the official service is over, worship still continues as we have conversations with our church family.  This is also often the time those serious needs and issues are shared, so we might pray for each other throughout the week.  We check up on how people are doing, sign up for areas of service, and of course there's coffee... coffee is worship too, right?  ;)  (Ok, kidding on that one, but I do like having some available anyway LOL.)

12.  Sunday School.  I know not everyone attends, but if you do that exercise of learning together is absolutely still part of the worship experience.  Sunday School is often where you get to have the most meaningful back-and-forth conversations with other Believers (on specific topics), and of course where there are Biblical lessons are designed for children at levels they can understand.


So, there's 12 different aspects of Sunday morning worship.  And that doesn't even get into what happens the rest of the week--that's just Sunday morning through the end of services!!  Notice that music is only 2 of the items.  I love church music, and yes of course music can be an important part of Worship, no question.  But the person in charge of music is imho better called Music Leader, UNLESS that person is in charge of setting the tone of the entire service, arranging the order of service, and taking charge over the entire Worship experience.  Clearly this is not usually the case, and in fact many music leaders appear to simply choose their songs on a whim of their own preference, not bothering to consult the topic of the sermon, the announcements, or even the suitability of the music for congregational singing.  And saying "ok it's worship time now" really puts me off center when I've already been worshipping for quite some time... I wonder where that person has been all morning, that s/he is just now joining the rest of us in Worship!  ;)

Message to *MY* Teenagers (answering an internet list)

The original list, titled "message to my teenagers (author unknown)" pops up from time to time on Facebook or elsewhere.  Some of it is good, and I think it is well intentioned, but every time I see it I cringe a bit for those biggies with which I disagree.  Now that I have this blog it's time to Blist out with my own answers:  Originals first, with my reply following.

 1. Yes, your freshman AND Sophomore years count towards your GPA for college entrance. Screw it up and you’ll work for crap wages your whole life.

Yes, your grades in high school matter for your GPA, but please don't overstress about it, my dear.  Grades aren't everything, and not everyone has to go to college.  It's more important to me that you are honest and do your very best.  The future will work itself out.

 2. No means NO. In every possible circumstance....

No means no, unless you are trying to tell me no when I tell you to do something, then you'll learn all about the meaning of no.  ;)

 3. Join every sport, every club, every after school activity no matter what the cost. It’s cheaper than bail.

Please do NOT join everything.  There is more value in doing one or two things really well, rather than overextending yourself and doing lots of things poorly.  It is also important to leave time to read and dream and pray, and just enjoy life.  If you overcommit you'll be too busy doing things to truly enjoy them!

 4. Repeat after me: I am never in that much of a hurry…I am never in that much of a hurry. Now say that every time you get behind the wheel. It will save your life and that of your best friend in the seat next to you.

Drive safely or don't drive at all.

 5. Don’t do drugs or drink - it is so not worth the trouble.

Don't do drugs, the risk is too great to try it even once.  Drinks go with meals, they are meant to be a complement not an entertainment in and of themselves.  Until  you are old enough to have friends who understand this, you are not old enough to drink.

 6. Don’t get a credit card. You earn it or you live without it.

You can't get a credit card as a minor, so why even mention this?

 7. If I yell at you, it’s because I love you. And also, because you pissed me off. To avoid the latter, don't be an idiot. And don't disappoint me. More importantly, yourself.

If you feel I'm yelling at you too much, tell me so.  And then straighten up anyway.  ;)

 8. Make a vivid picture inside your head of every great moment of your childhood. You’ll need those to get through adulthood.

You are not a child anymore.  Remember those years with fondness, but don't dwell on them because now is the time to look forward and plan for adulthood.

 9. Make snow angels as often as possible. Make a bucket list. Check it off!

You are much too young to worry about a bucket list.  But you are never too old to enjoy life!

 10. Stand up for those who can’t stand up for themselves.

Ok, this one I agree with completely.  :)

 11. Be always benevolent. Yes, that’s a word. Look it up.

It's important to have your daily dose of fruit--love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance (moderation).  (Galations 5:22-23)

 12. Call me for a ride even if you are so drunk you barely know my number. I’ll probably be mad for a while but I’ll respect you for calling and I won’t kill you. Riding with someone who is drinking will. (PS - remember #5?)

Never ever ever get in a car with a driver who has been drinking, especially if that someone is yourself.  Call me, or call someone else you trust (who is sober).

 13. Be a leader, not a follower. Unless you are following the kid with the highest GPA and (s)he is going to a study group, then by all means be a follower!

The world may push you to be a leader.  Don't listen to them.  The best leaders know how to be followers.  (John 8:12)

 14. Love your siblings, even when you don’t like them. Some day you will be trying to get them to take care of me in my old age. If they are mad at you, you are stuck with me.

Love your brothers, and try to cultivate friendships with your cousins and other relatives too.  Family will always be family.

 15. I’ve been there, done that on more things than you can imagine. I’m not stupid and I know what you are doing. I was once you (times ten).

Some things you will have to learn on your own, but I hope you can learn from at least some of my mistakes too.  I don't tell you my stories to bore you, but in hopes of saving you from some of my pain.

 16. Work hard at everything you do. Anything worth doing is worth doing well.

Always do your best, and try your hardest.  Even if others don't appreciate your efforts, good work can be its own reward.  (Colossians 3:23-24)

 17. Cover it. (Enough said.)
There's a reason that modesty is a virtue.  Value the woman who respects herself enough to cover up appropriately.  Immodest girls don't just consider themselves cheap, but you too--don't give them your heart, they don't deserve it and won't value it.

 18. When I tell you to clean your room, do not point at my messy room and raise your eyebrows. I’m trying to raise you to be better than me.

Ha, I know better than to even tell you that unless I clean my room too.  :)  Remember the teamwork we have taught you, and what it means to be a part of a family.

 19. Learn to type; to budget; to spell correctly and to pray. All are equally important.

Wrong.  Prioritize.  Praying is by far the most important thing on this list.  NUTPOP (never underestimate the power of prayer)!!  Budgeting is second priority--learning to do so will make your life easier and help make your money go farther.  It's a great habit to get into!  Typing (today called keyboarding) is a useful skill, and I hope you will practice it.  Spelling is also useful, but you are lucky enough to live in the era of spell check. 

 20. Never be sedentary. Someday soon you will no longer be able to move like that. Enjoy it.

There is a time for everything; moderation in all things.  There is nothing wrong with resting and relaxing, and it really is easier to read a book when you are sitting down LOL.  But enjoy your youth and strength, and make the most of it!!  (Proverbs 20:29)

Why I Believe in Church Membership

Just a random topic inspired by Sunday's Sermon.  :)

1. Commitment, like marriage.
Of course church membership is not as serious or permanent as Marriage should be, however it still involves making a commitment, formally and in public.  It tells the world that this is MY church, and I am bound to it.

2. Accountability, like family.
Attenders only, no matter how "regular" they may be, usually don't (and shouldn't!) have voting rights, so they really have no say in leadership or procedure or etc.  Likewise, they have refused to put themselves under the authority of anyone else in the church.  Once you join, the accountability goes both ways.  Until you join, you are really just a visitor only, no matter how often you attend.  You might make friends in the church, which is great, but they aren't family.  You might be "fed" spiritually, but you aren't giving anything back or showing that it has really meant anything to you.  When you are a family, you look out for each other, as you should!

3. Belonging, like a nationality.
We lived in Germany for 6 years--it's the longest I've lived anywhere as an adult.  When I was there, it felt very much like home, yet it never truly was my home.  I wasn't german, nor did I ever think I was, not for a moment.  I enjoyed living there, had some pride in my local area, even learned a bit of their customs and language, but I was always an outsider, never really one of them.  To me this feels very much the same when you are a long-term visitor in a church (which I have also done a couple of times).  No matter how much I enjoyed it, and learned that church's unique customs and practices and terms, I never took that step of commitment and trust and full acceptance of joining, so it was never really truly my home.  Long term visitors at church, sometimes called "regular attenders," are like the expatriots who live overseas but never change their nationalities.  Most expats do this, I think, because they plan on going back to their true home eventually--we certainly did, and have.  So Christian, what are you waiting to go back to??

What is Marriage really all about?

Or in other words, Why do people want to get Married?  This has become a hot topic with the recent legal and dictionary changes in our Nation, so like many Americans I've really been giving a lot of thought.  So, fwiw here are MY top answers for what Marriage is really about (and why to pursue it), in order of importance:

1. You have compatible life goals and purposes.  For anyone of Faith, God is a key component of this reason too.  If he wants to be a Missionary and her goal is to be a punk rock star, they really have no business even dating let alone getting married.  If he wants to be a doctor and she wants to stay home and raise children, these life goals are very compatible... BUT if he is an atheist and his idea of medicine is to run an abortion clinic, while she is a pro-life Christian, then no their purposes are not at all in sync, and they should run in opposite directions.  Marriage was designed to be a lifetime commitment, a family, not just "going steady" while it suits you.  If all you want is a partner for awhile, then don't get married.  It's critical when seeking a person to be a part of you "until death do you part" that this man/woman who is becoming part of you is on the same page, at least on "the big things" that matter most to you.

2. You love each other's families.  This is a reason too often overlooked, but the more I think about it the more I feel like this is a better reason to be married than some of the others I have heard (romantic love, sex, money, etc.).  When you marry someone, you marry the entire family NOT just one person.  His brothers are now YOUR brothers (in law, but still in every sense except the fact that you didn't grow up together); her sisters (if she has any), your sisters.  You have now gained a second set of parents, and probably more grandparents and uncles and aunts and cousins and so on...  "While you were Sleeping" is imho perhaps the most romantic movie ever, because she "falls in love" with his entire family, really before even loving him.  Awesome.  Now I'm not saying that you should reject your potential spouse outright if you dislike her family, but think carefully before you proceed... you are stuck with these people, for better or worse, for the rest of your life.  Go back to #1--is she "estranged" from her family, and/or dislikes them for the same reasons you do?  Then you may be just fine, because you are together on it.  But if she adores her family and you can't stand them, NO.  Just no.  Likewise, if you meet this great family but you aren't sure about the potential love interest because she really doesn't seem like "your type" at first, maybe you should give her another chance.  :)

3. To have children.  If you are single wanting children, and you find a man or woman who you feel would be a great parent, this imho is a good reason to consider marrying said person.  :)  Spend some time together, and if you like each other and feel compatible, discover you like each other's families, and most importantly share similar life purposes (faith, goals, etc.), then by all means get married and make beautiful babies together!  But if you can't find someone and don't want to wait, there are millions of children desperately in need of even one parent.  I don't think there's anything wrong with adopting, while you are still young and have the energy!... that to me is preferable to rushing into marriage with someone solely for the sake of having children. 

But  to put it another way, in my opinion marriage is all about family:
1. Creating a new family to go through life together, hand in hand
2. Combining your original families in the 2 of you
3. Continuing that family into the next generation (even if you are unable or choose to not have children, you can still influence the next generation through your nieces and nephews, and your new family of 2 can also have an influence on children in the community (through your church, neighborhood, volunteer work, etc.)

So, what about the old "marriage for love" ideal?  I am a hopeless romantic, and had plenty of crushes in my time, and I am a sucker for mushy movies.  I could even name 3 different young men before my husband that I can honestly say I truly loved.  But love alone isn't what Marriage is all about, and clearly I disagree completely with the idea of there being only one "right" person.  The human heart has an endless capacity for love, and there are lots of people in the world worthy of our love!  Of course you should really like the man or woman you marry, but no I truly don't think being "in love" is necessary.  Long term love in marriage is a choice.  The passion comes and goes, but if you choose to commit and love that person forever, you will.  I really do believe it's that simple.  Don't marry someone just because you love them--marry them because that person is the one you feel you just can't live without (and who meets one or more of the list above!).  Just my 2c!  :)

7 Things I do NOT like about Homeschooling

Just to be fair, I want to cover the other side of the coin.  :)

1. For many homeschoolers, mom seldom or never gets a day off.  I confess there are times I envy the freedom of my public school parent peers (those without a full time job), having long stretches of free time day after day to pursue their own interests, get a part time job, or just hang around with adults! 

2. When things go wrong (and they will), there is no convenient scapegoat to blame (teacher, school system, etc.).  It's all on you.  As pointed out in my prior list, we do have the ability to make immediate changes to try to correct what went wrong, but this doesn't help when you are feeling guilty because Johnny still doesn't know his times tables!!

3. There are some things that are difficult or impossible to do at home, and they are not always available in the community.  My eldest was dual-enrolled with the public school for this reason, and he was able to do Band, woodshop, and lab sciences at the school (among other things).  Now that we don't live so close to a school, this isn't as feasible for my younger two.... and not all schools are friendly to part-time students (who homeschool for the core classes).  Many homeschoolers have to fight to be included in group classes like Band and Sports, and some don't win that fight so the kids just have to miss out on those activities.

4. Curriculum and supplies can be expensive, and there are no tax dollars or fundraisers to help with home education!  Sometimes we have to compromise on what we would like to buy but can't afford.

5. There is often little or no backup, and very little thanks.  This relates to never getting a break, but it's more than that... institutional school teachers have a principal, a school nurse, special needs teachers and/or aides, and a school counselor to help them out if they have a difficult or injured student.  If they need time off (for any reason), they can get a substitute to teach the kids that day.  School teachers also receive a salary, of course, and generally have paid vacation days also!  When you teach at home, it's all you all the time, bad days and good days, sick days and healthy days, no pay and often little or no appreciation.  This can be discouraging at times!!

6. In spite of the continuing growth of homeschooling, there are still a lot of people who don't understand or appreciate it, so you are constantly being asked to defend your choice.  Many people just ask out of curiosity, but some are very negative, often complete strangers.

7. Although we do get lots of socialization, there is more work involved in maintaining friendships than there would be if (in theory) if the kids were in school with the same people all day every day.  This is actually much more like adulthood, since few people are best buddies with their co-workers but actually have to work at finding and maintaining relationships, but it can be a bit of a bother, especially for military homeschoolers who move frequently (so the pool of potential friends is constantly changing!). 

7 Reasons Why I Love Homeschooling

I could make lots of lists about this topic, but here's my list for today:

1. We start when we are good and ready!  There have been times where schedules are tight and we have a set start time for our schooling day, but even then if there is illness or appointments or we were just up late the night before, the morning start time is completely flexible!  Our typical start time is around 8:30 or 9, but with no bus and no dress code that means the kids can easily sleep until 8 daily if they wish.  Love it!!

2. Like our daily schedule, our calendar is 100% flexible also.  My goal is to do a minimum of 180 days of school each year, and most years we exceed that considerably.... but we start the year whenever works for us and take vacation days whenever we like.  Many years we have taken 3 weeks for Christmas break, which I love!  With eldest in college, homeschooling means that we can set our schedule here to better match his college schedule, maximizing the limited time his brothers can spend with him.  Military families especially love this flexibility, because they can take vacation around dad's deployments and trips, without the hassle of obtaining "permission" from anyone else, or doing makeup work, or having grades penalized.

3. We study what we want, when we want (for the most part).  Eldest had an interest in the World Wars, so we devoted a semester to focused study on just that topic.  When we lived in Japan, we did a semester of Japanese history.  We aren't limited to class offerings by the local school--granted anyone can do "after school" lessons in outside topics too, but we do it as part of our regular school.  And we can repeat topics or focus on skills as much or little as is necessary... at home every single child has his own "individual education plan" automatically!

4. The kids have so much more time to pursue their individual interests when they are not spending hours each day on the bus, in lines, and doing pointless busywork.  Granted my kids are pros at wasting time sometimes, LOL, but free play time is important too imho!  And when they do take fire to build something or join a group or volunteer, they are almost guaranteed to have the time to do it.

5. We eat what we want when we want.  I remember the year my elder son took several classes at the public school which put him in the school every other day.  The high school set the lunch period for 1 p.m. (on a school day that began at 8!).  That was his hardest year food-wise, when he was rushed for early breakfast, and stuffing granola bars in his pockets to eat in the hallways.  Thankfully we lived next door to the school at that time, so he could come home for a good lunch.  That year really made him appreciate what he had on the alternating homeschool days, being able to eat a hearty breakfast and lunch when he got hungry instead of when the institution told him he could!  I know well the argument of "well, when he has a job he'll be on a schedule and be rushed for eating too"... but he'll also be an adult then, without the greater hunger (and nutritional needs) of a growing teen!!

6. If something isn't working, we can throw it out (or pass it on) and get something else.  Granted this does up the expense at times, but that freedom is something many of my teacher friends have wished they had!  It's nice to have the freedom to customize around each child's learning style and ability.

7.  We aren't tied to a school building, but education goes with the child.  With increasing expenses and sometimes decreasing budgets, many school systems (both public and private) have had to severely curtail field trips.  Of course finances and availability limit us also, but we have multiple field trips every year--and even a trip to the store can be a field trip (math, nutrition, economics, etc.)!  Best of all, if we need to move during the school year or take a long trip to help family, our education doesn't stop or falter--the books just come along with us!  Same teacher, same curriculum, same classmates (siblings), just a new location! 

Why Living in the USA is Better

From the Crawford County Fair, PA

(Last one from Facebook, originally published October 2, 2010... would my answers be the same if I wrote these today? Perhaps not entirely, but I didn't see the point of re-inventing the wheel on these, and thought these blists were as good a place to start as any!)   :)

Ok, ok, the one you've all been waiting for (ha), why living right here in the good old USA is best (again, in no particular order but just as my mind wanders and I think about things)...

1. We are still one of the free-est Nations on Earth

2. Many many more choices of fast/cheap food (you knew food had to come in there somewhere, LOL)!!

3. Almost everyone here speaks english (or american, or something)  ;)

4. NO exchange rate headaches!!  :)-

5. This is my native home, where I was born and raised and my family has lived since the Mayflower (and even before that if you count my grandmother's great-grandmother from the Seneca tribe!)

6. At Disney you don't have to look for the english-language headphones or listen carefully for the english-language instructions to come up after half a dozen other languages  ;)-

7. I understand the culture and it's lingo, so I don't have to worry about accidentally insulting someone or giving an unintended rude gesture (of course that also means that if I flip you off, I really mean it and can't say oops LOL)

8. Shopping is easier, since I can easily read the phone book, ask for directions, etc., and again back to #5 it's easy to find chains I know and don't have to guess which store sells what (or not as much, anyway!)

9.  The U.S. also has lots more discount and thrift stores than anywhere else I've seen.  :)

10. As long as both you and they are in the Conus 48, it's much MUCH easier, cheaper, and faster to visit family  :)

11. Little worry about time change for phoning--again, as long as you are Conus the most you have to consider is 3 hours' difference!!  Also it may be cheaper or easier to call from state-to-state, even on the cells (without need for computer-based phone)

12. NO MORE annoying "sorry but you aren't in the U.S. so you can't watch this show or access this web site or enter this contest or join this club" messages!!!!  :-p

13. MAIL!!!  My 10 year old twins have both already said that is the thing they love by far the most in the US--they get mail almost every day in the box RIGHT in front of our HOUSE, wahoo!!!  :)-  No more trips to the post office, customs forms, etc.

14. Also regarding mail, we don't get the "sorry we won't ship to APO" or insanely excessive "handling" fees for APO... plus we can get furniture and books and etc. shipped to us through UPS and other land-based carriers

15. The walls are NOT made of concrete!!  ;)  (my germany friends will appreciate that one LOL)

16. I can see movies (in theory, LOL) when they first come out, without waiting for the european or AAFES release

17. American stores and companies are much more likely to offer military discounts to American servicemen and their families  ;)

18. I can wear things with flags on them without fear of offending someone or risking attack, standing out as an "ugly American"

19. I can visit Christian book stores and listen to Christian radio  :)

20. I can VOTE again!!!!!  (We gave up trying to vote from overseas nearly 5 years ago when the first 5 years overseas we tried every election and only once did either of us actually get a vote through the mail to the recording center, ugh)

21. I never have to even think about darkening the door of stupid AAFES   :-p

Why Living in Japan is Better

(Second cut and paste from Facebook Notes, original published September 28, 2010)


Beautiful Sakura (on Yokota AFB)

Second in my three-part "series" applauding nations in which I have lived.  :)  While I'm not getting into State differences, I do want to point out that my Japan experience will likely be completely different than someone who lived on Okinawa, or even Sapporo.  We lived on Honshu, in the suburbs of Tokyo, the world's largest city (in population).  This is a much shorter list than Germany, but each item is longer... I've not lived there in 6 years, so it's harder to remember the little details.

1. Food, glorious food!!  In Tokyo you can get about any kind of food you want, but like the United States Japan has it's own "take" on italian, mexican, etc.  Their italian is light and fresh--better in some ways than food in the actual Italy!  :)  My favorite Pizza Hut (Japan) pizza was the eggplant, and my favorite McDonald's sandwich there was the chicken tatsu--flattened and grilled and covered in fresh cabbage.  The teriyaki burger was yummy too.  ;)  And of course I can't even begin to describe how fantastic the chinese, thai, and japanese food is there... I'm getting hungry just thinking about it, and I just ate lunch!!  :)-

2.  Public transportation!!!  Yes, there are trains in Europe, but we never found them as convenient and NO ONE beats the japanese record for being on time!  I'll never forget the time we tried to take a train in to the city during a typhoon (aka hurricane), and they apologized profusely and humbly over the loudspeakers for the train being 5 minutes late because one blew off the tracks... really!!!  And of course people walk and bike everywhere around Tokyo too.  :)

3.  World's best customer service.  My husband has been to several dozen Nations and has visited every continent except Antarctica.  My Aunt and others I've met have been to just as much or more.  I have yet to find a single person who can include Tokyo in their history who does NOT rant and rave about how fantastic the service is there.  :)  Yes, there are individual places that are great elsewhere, but in greater Tokyo it is everywhere you go, from the humblest drug store to the fanciest hotel.  Even most people in the street will bend over backwards to help you if you ask.  It's truly amazing, and humbling when you come from an ambivalent place like the U.S.  A couple of "only in Japan" examples:  the garbage men handscrub each garbage can when they empty it, and the maintenance people (even on the military base) would tell you "we'll be there between 4 and 4:05 tomorrow (yes you read that right--a 5 MINUTE window, not 5 hours or more as elsewhere... and they would actually show up on time, too!!!).  A lot of japanese worked on base too, so the on-base services were approximately 50 billion light years better than anyplace we've ever been also.  :)-  (Warning: may be very slightly exaggerated)  LOL

4.  Safety.  Unless you get on the bad side of the mob (yes, they do have one there), Tokyo is amazingly safe.  Random violent crime is almost non-existent, and a theft is huge news that will be talked about for weeks.  Yes, this is the world's LARGEST city in the World, and yet statistically I would not be the least bit surprised to learn it is also the safest.  We would go to city parks with my twin toddlers and leave cameras, bags, even wallets just sitting on a bench while we chased the boys around.  NO ONE steals there--you see this everywhere (people leaving valuable items lying around and no one bothering it).  Oddly, the one exception was bicycles, those were always locked up tightly LOL.  People from all over the world were talking about how safe it was during the World Cup, I remember, because it was such a surprise to so many from other Nations.  :)

5.  So much to do and see.  This may be a "duh" kind of thing, but being the world's largest city there was a LOT to do.  :)  Besides cultural and historical things Tokyo also has two wonderful zoos, a Sesame Place, and Disneyland (plus the world's only DisneySEA park!).  Some of their city playground/parks were truly wonderful and unique too--one had giant areas of rubber (like a moonwalk) for jumping that the americans called "mushroom mountain."  Another had a bizarre giant slide with rubber strips all down it that you went on by sled that the americans called a "spaghetti slide" LOL.  The base services were fantastic there too, with horseback riding and camping and fantastic family-friendly and inexpensive bus trips all over the area.  It is also designated as an area which qualified for "morale leave" (we never could fathom why, unless it was simple distance from the U.S.), so we could take 2 "hop" trips per year if we wished.  We never really took advantage of that, but a lot of people I met did, going shopping in Korea and Singapore, hopping over to the beaches in Guam and Okinawa, etc.

6.  Wonderful friendly people.  Unlike Germany or the U.S., the japanese are thrilled when you make an effort to learn their language, and they will help you whenever they can, being very patient and kind with your mangling of their words.  (The Americans are notorious for shouting at people, of course, and in our experience where we lived most germans would just growl at us and switch to english, refusing to even try to listen to our attempts at german.)  Of course my experience is also probably colored by the fact that I was walking around with adorable and VERY blonde twin toddlers (and later preschoolers) during our years there.  ;)  They would constantly stop us to take their photo, pat them on the heads, etc.  The twins were quite disgruntled with the lack of adoration they received in Germany LOL  ;)-

7.  Not as much living adjustment difficulties as in Europe.  I went to public school and learned virtually nothing about Asia, so when we got orders there I felt like I was going to the moon and was really worried!!  What a wonderful surprise to learn that almost everyone in Tokyo speaks at least a little english (and will try to help you even when they don't LOL).  The signs around Tokyo are usually in "romanji" (roman letters) and not just the 3 asian script sets they use, and in fact a great number of signs were also in english!  The electric and video is the same, so no worries about transformers or dual-system TVs, etc.... and the japanese believe in A/C LOL!!!  :)- Plus at least when we were there the exchange rate was almost one-to-one, so it wasn't difficult to translate yen to dollars.  :)  The japanese also love thrift stores and have "100 yen" stores (equivalent to $1), so it wasn't terribly expensive like we expected.  Of course it helped that almost everyone lived on base--but my brother lived off base in Yokosuka (south of Tokyo), and so we got to share a bit of his experiences.  His biggest adjustment was the japanese concept of size.  He and his wife rented a one-bedroom home of perhaps 800 square feet, and all his japanese neighbors were shocked that they would want such a gigantic home with only the two of them!

8.  NO tipping!!!  Ok, this may be selfish on my part LOL, but I loved loved loved the fact that we didn't have to worry about whom to tip for what and what the percentages were and etc.  In Japan tipping is considered an insult, because their honor requires them to do the best job they possibly can already.... to tip would be like saying you are helping them get by while they find a new job, because they really stink at the one they have now!!

9.  Being on the opposite side of the planet gives you a nice cushion from family drama.  ;)-  Ok, it's far... even though I'm trying to keep these all positive, I thought it only fair to mention that small fact.  However, it's not all bad.  Granted we were very lucky having my brother stationed there at the same time we were, and it does make seeing family a challenge being so far away!  But in this day and age we have internet chat and email and facebook, so it's not so bad.  And truly, we would often hear about family squabbles after they were completely over and resolved already LOL.  And no one gets mad when you say you just can't make it for Christmas this year.  ;)  Besides, we were a day ahead of everyone else so could tell them that there really is a tomorrow.  ;)-

Why Living in Germany is Better

(Copied and pasted directly as originally published on Facebook, September 27, 2010)

The first in a three part series, one "why it's better" for each Nation in which I have lived!  :)-  Maybe it's time I got a blog after all LOL...

Hohenecken, Germany

 For my dear friends currently still living in Germany... I know some of you are lamenting the future year or years that you are scheduled to remain there, and I do completely understand--btdt!!  :)  But in spite of my belly-aching there were many things I loved there (as I've told my boys, noplace in this World is perfect, but all have good and bad points!), and it really did feel like home to me (esp. since David and I lived longer in that house on Vogelweh than any other place we have ever lived, a full 1/4 of our 20 years of married life!!).  :)  In brief, here are 30 advantages to Germany that I miss the most now that I no longer have them (not in order of importance, but just as I think of them):

1.  REAL mayonaisse (made from rapeseed oil, yummy!), not soyonaisse like all the american companies have gone to, YUCK
2.  Best chocolate in the World (Europe in general)  :)
3.  France (just an hour's drive, whoohoo!)  :)-
4.  Ants that DON'T bite/burn (ie, no fire ants!!!), and in fact few insect issues (compared to most places I've been!)
5. Luxembourg City (2 hours' drive)
6.  The Autobahn, which in Germany is a beautiful thing  ;)
7.  Practical approach to speeding (for those who don't know, in Germany a typical speeding ticket is almost like a road tax--as long as you pay the fine, you are done, no points and no insurance penalties, just pay and keep on truckin')
8.  the Bergshanke in Hohenecken  ;)
9.  At least a dozen *fantastic* italian restaurants in the area (making the Macaroni Grill on base seem like ChefBoyArDee)  :)-
10.  Sweater weather (I love sweaters, grin)
11.  Belgium & Holland & Switzerland & Poland (also easy drives and great weekend getaways!)
12.  Ryan Air!!  :)
13.  Bakeries in almost every teeny little town, all fantastically delicious!  :)
14.  German beer (ok, I don't like it, but I still confess it's light years away from most american beers)
15.  Cheap european wine  :)
16.  Kaiserslautern Schools, who were great to work with and very accepting of my boys as part-timers (mostly homeschooled)
17.  Best Boy Scout Troop in the world
18.  Furniture that costs no more than in the U.S. but is about 20x better quality
19.  Cheap cell phones (our pay-as-you-go phones cost us maybe 15 euros per month, the equivalent of about $20-25)
20.  Amazing history to see all around you (castle ruins, etc.)
21.  Worms, Idar-Oberstein, Heidelberg, Mainz, etc. etc.
22.  Legoland and Paris Disney  ;)
23.  Eidelweiss (military)  Lodge & Resort
24.  Tons of storage (cupboards, closets etc.--in my base house)
25.  Friendly chatty local yahoo groups
26.  Ramstein yard sales (while I found it kind of annoying at the time, it's a million times easier to navigate than Craig's List, IMHO)
27.  Best Cub Scout Pack in the world
28.  Great neighborhood (hi Susan, wink, but I'm talking the year we lived off base too--we were blessed with great neighbors all around)
29.  Pomme Frites (yes I really really miss the food)
30.  Beautiful scenery (esp. on those rare days of sunshine, LOL)
31. German windows (open like doors instead of slide like guillotines, and also will crack open at just the top for a breeze!)
32. ROLLADENS!!!!!!!!!!!!

You may have noticed I don't include friends in my list... not because I don't miss people, but many of our friends left before we did, and we do make friends everywhere we go.  :)  I'm trying to keep it Germany specific, things that are there no matter what

ABOUT

What is a Blist?  As the header says, it's just a blog that is a list!  When I decided to create a blog, I decided to do it in List form, just because I can.  :)  I'm almost famous among family and close friends for deciding things with my pro/con lists, LOL, and planning things with my plot/calendar lists, so why not?  My goal is to eventually get on a set schedule, where I blist regularly about not only things that are on my mind, but current events and such.  But to start off I'm being rather random, and sharing some old lists I originally posted on Facebook.  :)