It doesn’t take much to get me excited these days. All I need is a sign that says, YouTube, E-mail, Facebook and EASY, and that’s enough to get me to buy my own Christmas present. “Duke, I just purchased my own flip video camera so now you don’t need to buy me anything,” I said to my husband who has a professional camera, but makes it sound so complicated, I’m scared to touch it. He looked at the Flip box, then Googled it for reviews. Imagine what I felt when it received far more positive than negative reviews. Now I can do my own thing without asking my husband for help.

ANNOUNCING THE WINNER OF THE ORGANIZING CONTEST
My second attempt, shorter and different lighting. I cannot seem to edit the fumble at the end. Anyone know how to? The scissors thing didn’t work.

And the winner of the $15 gift certificate is: You’ll have to listen to my video. Sorry!!!! Do you tend to buy your own presents or let your husband/wife purchase them? Next time I’ll make the video shorter, and edit. I’m still learning.

Some of you may recall a posting I wrote a while back on what does number 11 mean?
I know many see this number and wonder why?

Recently, I quit seeing number 11, and that bothered me more than seeing it all the time. I felt like my friend had abandoned me. During those months, my digital alarm clock flashed bright red numbers that didn’t belong: a 3, 4, 5, 6 etc. “Maybe next time,” I whispered to myself, and quickly shut my eyes.

Then something new and strange happened. I started seeing number 1.

Every peek at the microwave clock, the oven clock, or in my car, I would see: 4:01, 2:21, 7:31, etc.

I found this explanation for # 1 which suits me just fine.

“The number 1 is connected with new starts, independence,
new opportunity, inspiration, originality, standing alone,
concentration, leadership, determination, self-employment,
courage and isolation.
Balanced 1 energy: initiative, energetic, persistent, creative,
confident, ambitious, self-reliant, dynamic, bold,
forward looking, assertive.”

A few days later, my beloved 11 came back to visit. Yes, even the the bunch of  bananas I bought had # 4011. What are they telling me?

The house my husband and I made an offer on in Naples, Florida has the zip code, 34110, the house is number 83, so 8+3=11. Perhaps good news about our offer will arrive on December 11th. At least I’m hoping, and that’s all that I read into number 11. HOPE for things to go well. It seems strange that 9/11 was all related to a horrific terrorist attack, yet so many of us, think of 11 as a lucky number.

So my clock is showing me 9:01, time for me to sign off.

Do you see the same number frequently? Please share.

We are sick and tired of being homeless. Please tell Gutsy Writer that she’s abandoned us on her dining room table for over a month. Whenever she approaches, we get all excited, but that only lasts a few seconds. She shuffles us around, scans a few lucky papers while the rest of us in the middle of the pile shout, “pick me, pick me, my turn,” and then something terrible happens: she gets distracted and boils the kettle for her umpteenth cup of coffee or tea. We think she has ADHD. She clearly has the following symptoms of ADHD:

• difficulty paying attention, 
• inability to sustain attention on tasks or activities, 
• procrastination, 
• fidgeting, 
• squirming when seated, 
• being always on the go. 

We beg you to help her. Perhaps a few suggestions on how to organize us into new homes, clearly labeled so we don’t get evicted. She’s a Virgo, or so she says. Virgos are organized perfectionists, aren’t they? If only we knew where she keeps her birth certificate.

For all you demanding pieces of paper waiting for me to file you, I have two excuses:

1. I’m a modern Virgo. According to my personality trait, “Although Virgos are described as orderly and neat in most personality profiles, the modern day Virgo may not always stand out from the crowd in the neatness department.”
2.  I have caught the Swine Flu, at least that’s what I think it is. My whole body is  achy, my lower vertebrae feel hammered and bruised, my knees don’t function when I’m upright and every time I cough, my brain shakes as though someone is punching it from the inside out.

 I need to shut the files up, once and for all. If you can simplify the process and give me tips on how you organize papers and computer documents related to writing, presentation notes, articles, conference notes, and how to make things easy to find, I have a $15 GIFT CERTIFICATE from amazon.com for the best method. Do I have to read through each paper before I file it?  Depending on how many responses I get, either I shall decide, or I’ll let everyone VOTE. Come on, lets motivate one another to get organized.

Do you ever feel like you have so many topics you want to cover, you’re bursting? The problem is none of these topics are related?

1). Why are kids in my neighborhood, (southern California) scared of saying “hello” to me? Do I look like a scary monster?

After being greeted with warm smiles and love in the eyes of Mayan children in Belize, it always shocks me how young kids in my neighborhood ride their bikes on the sidewalk and refuse to make eye contact. Have we brainwashed our kids to believe that they must NEVER MAKE EYE CONTACT? NEVER SAY HELLO TO A STRANGER, EVEN A MIDDLE-AGED WOMAN? NEVER EVEN LOOK IN THEIR DIRECTION? If so, our society is dying. I can’t believe how parents in my neighborhood, one of the ten safest cities in the U.S. have made their kids so AFRAID of human contact, that they cannot even say “Morning,” to a middle-aged woman like me, and yet the Mayan kids came running up with amazing smiles to a bunch of women.

2). Why do couples end up color coordinated?

Often, my husband and I will end up wearing the same color shirt, without even seeing what the other person put on. Does this happen to you?

3). Have you ever thought about how you and your spouse will end up in your 80’s? I want to be like the straw hat elderly couple walking in my neighborhood when I grow up.

Nearly every morning as I head to the gym, I see an elderly couple holding hands, wearing the same color jacket and straw hat. Even though the sun is asleep, they still wear their golden straw hats. I saw their faces for the first time last week and thought, “That’s what I’m looking forward to being at their age: happy, smiley, full of energy and kindness.”

4). What chemicals are pumped into my Thanksgiving turkey that I’m not aware of?

“Americans remain largely oblivious to the intrusions of the pharmaceutical industry into our kitchens. Across the pond, however, the Europeans are wising up.”

5). We have to HURRY and get our revisions done before Oprah quits her show on September 9th, 2011? What a shock, but then again, Oprah needs to enjoy her life. Who can blame her?

I know they are totally unrelated, but I can’t help it. Topics pop into my mind constantly.Please comment on whatever.