ATTUNE TO GOD

I read this randomly this afternoon, and just loved it.

"If we are attuned to God, we will say 'yes' to the trial we are currently undergoing, knowing it is for our growth and edification, trusting God's timing instead of our own."

TRYING TO AVOID REALITY

It has just been one of those days. I did NOT want to go anywhere, just hang out at home. So guess what? My printer got stuck to the point where I (queen of unsticking printers and vacuums and almost any computer glitch - Ctrl-Alt-Delete) took the printer apart to the point where I was becoming concerned about being able to put it back together again.

Solution? Nice guy at a toner supply place - $5 and 10 minutes - working smooth - but a 20 minute drive into town.

I did NOT want to get sunburned (which is difficult when you are as lilly-white as I am) - took the dogs for a walk and just went a little bit further... and then, gosh, the horses need water... and hey, I need to mix up some fresh fly spray (believe it or not, Listerine and baby oil - and it WORKS)...

So by the time I got back inside, yes, I was sunburned.

And I did NOT want to deal with someone who had, at least in conversation, threatened both to kill several people and quit his job. So, brilliant me, I figure, okay, I'm sunburned, I'm running late due to driving into town late afternoon - I'll take a NAP, and just be ASLEEP when someone gets home.

Okay, so I feed the horses early, make certain the dogs are okay, and SLEEP SLEEP SLEEP

And when I wake up, not certain is someone has 'arrived', I go BACK to sleep.

So guess what - when I finally get up.... no one is home. I could have had ALL that "Russell" time and I LOST it.

AAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHH

LOST AND LAST COMIC STANDING

This is sort of unreal, and yet it seems to be developing into a habit - switching between two completely unrelated shows to avoid commercials.

Lost alone is confusing enough to someone like me with absolutely no short term memory (although right now I am loving the fact that it looks like Ben is going to die slowly and painfully - keep your fingers crossed), but combine that with a wide variety of very poor amateur comedians.

Wait, it may just be luck of the draw that I switch over only when the bad comedians are on... or, again, they are just not funny.

Lost once again is simply astonishing me with how good people can look after being on a deserted island - I'd love to look that good while here in civilization.

Wait a minute, I live in Palominas - that's not anywhere NEAR civilization.

And it's just gotten MORE confusing - now I'm switching between Lost and The Office.

Do they have support groups for things like this?

OSTRICH OR NOT?

Tonight there is a television show about conjoined twins, following the surgery necessary to separate them. Another show is about depression of all shapes and forms, but especially in teenagers. The Sunday section in the newspaper plastered a story about post-partum depression and how mothers can easily consider murdering their children (although that happens even withOUT post-partum depression, I know).

Am I wrong to put in the video of the A&E/BBC Pride and Prejudice and fast forward right to when Mr. Darcy dives into the lake?

Bad things happen, I know - am I an ostrich to not want to know/view/experience them? If I could do something to change reality, then yes - but my awareness of things beyond my realm of control only serves to frustrate and discourage me.

I think I know enough about depression, with two family members in the clinically depressed category,- I don't know anyone who has conjoined twins at the moment, and my chances of getting to know anyone with conjoined twins in the near future is pretty limited - and thank God in heaven I did NOT have any post-partum depression (just the normal post-partum exhaustion that anyone with a newborn goes through).

Do I need to watch and agonize with people having to deal with these problems? I think I have an interesting enough drama and life around me to not feel the need to entrench myself in someone else's misery.

Any comments?

CATHOLIC LATTER-DAY SAINT BUDDIST

A Catholic friend/neighbor whose daughter converted to the LDS church didn't speak to her for a couple of years.

My brother and I were never able to discuss any spiritual matters until he became a Buddhist.

The so-called 'suicide-bombers' ('homicide-bombers' seems more appropriate) kill themselves as an act of devotion to God. And yet we all hold the same belief; love God and treat others as He (or She, to some people) would.

Yes, I know, I still believe everyone can hold hands around a campfire, sing "Kumbiya" (sp?) and (perhaps most importantly) make s'mores. I do understand what separates us (there is more than one reason, yes), but this entire thread of thought was prompted by an old re-run of 'Enterprise' on the boob tube last night about a civilization that had been at war for centuries over a theological argument about how many days it had taken God to create their world (nine vs. ten).

Come on, people, aren't we smarter than this?

PRESIDENT JACOBSON

Since my granddaughter is going to become the first female president of the United States (yes, Barrack is going to get the Democratic nomination and unfortunately that probably means McCain is going to win the election - I wish we were ready for Obama, but I don't think we are - and I don't think McCain is terrible or anything - if nothing else, he's from Arizona, so... okay, what was I talking about?), I must begin destroying any and/or all inappropriate photos of her, editing my journal entries to only include her witty and politically-open statements (no more "E Know" - although when printed that looks as good as E Plurium), and brushing up her family history to include much more important and politically important people than myself.

So - here is to the future President Kate Jacobson!

"ANNIE'S MAILBOX" COLUMN

DEAR ANNIE: In response to all the suggestions for what to call a man and a woman living together without the benefit of marriage, I'm surprised no one has offered the following: 'shackmates.' The word is derived, of course, from the once popular expression "shacking up. - Californian

DEAR CALIFORNIAN: The derivation makes perfect sense, but the word reminds us of two beach bums sharing a hut. In London.