One Day until the [Supposed] End of the World

Today, I put in yet another job application (this time to a gas station that my boyfriend told me was currently hiring), released a book on the local college campus, and did some survey emails. If the world were to end tomorrow, then this will have been the last day to have done all of these things.
According to this particular site, the supposed time the world is such that I can expect it to end before my alarm goes off in the morning. (I try to get up at six.) If I wake up tomorrow, I might check the site tomorrow and see if it's still there and what has become of the timer.

If tomorrow comes and goes without the world ending, then everybody who swore by the October 21 prediction is going to look more foolish than they did back on May 21. I wonder what the explanation will be on Saturday.

My plans for tomorrow at this time consist of my usual volunteer work at a local thrift store in the day and seeing a movie with my boyfriend at night. If Saturday does come, I will likely be spending it with my boyfriend. (I've spent a lot of my Saturdays with him during these past couple of months.) Needless to say, if I update this blog at any point after tomorrow it will likely be Saturday night or later before I do.

That's where I'm at. What are your plans for tomorrow? And if Saturday does come, what do you plan to do then?

Two Days until the [Supposed] End of the World

This evening, I chatted with my boyfriend on Facebook for a while. If the prediction that the world will end on October 21 is to come true, then that will be the last time we chat on Facebook since he has another commitment tomorrow night and we will be spending time together on Friday night.
There is also a new South Park episode running as I type this. If the October 21 prediction were to come true, then this will the last episode of that show to ever run.

This was also one of my usual days of volunteer work at a local thrift store. Depending on what time the world is "supposed" to end, if the October 21 prediction comes true, then either today or Friday will be the last day I work there.

That's where I'm at with that. There are only a couple of days to vote on the poll if you have not already.

Three Days until the [Supposed] End of the World

Today, I put in an application to the Claire's that is located in the mall in my hometown, did laundry, and later met up with my boyfriend at a nearby park.  If the October 21st prediction regarding the end of the world comes true, then this will likely be the last time I ever do the aforementioned.

Right now, I'm watching a movie called The Sixth Sense on ABC Family. If the world were to end this Friday, then this will be the last time I ever see that movie.

That's where I'm at right now. I notice I haven't gotten any more votes lately on my poll. There are three more days left to do that if you have not already.

Four Days until the [Supposed] End of the World

It has come to my attention that according to Harold Camping's latest message, the end of the world will end quietly. There will be no earthquakes or anything like that, and the elect will be raptured quietly, and everyone else will die quietly, and that will be that.
So, if I were to go about my business as normal on Friday (which is when the world will allegedly end), and I'm not one of the elect, I, along with anyone else that is not amongst the elect could suddenly drop dead? Is that it?

Also, we're on Monday of our supposed last week here on Earth. So, if the October 21 prediction comes true, we will no longer have any more weekends.

Don't forget, if you have not voted on the poll, there is still time.

Five Days until the [Supposed] End of the World

I know I'm skipping a day once again. As was the case last time, I was otherwise engaged all day.

According to some professed Christian websites, the end of the world will be this coming Friday.

Yesterday, I was at the annual Homecoming parade in my hometown. If the October 21 prediction of the world ending comes true, then it will be the last Homecoming parade ever. I also saw my sister, nephew and niece. If the October 21 prediction comes true, then that may be the last time I will have ever seen them.

Today, I went to church as usual, and as is the tradition in said church we had our monthly fellowship luncheon, which we normally do on the third Sunday of the month. If the October 21 prediction comes true, then it will the the last time that both of those things happen. I also attended the memorial service of an elderly gentleman who died last weekend. As far as I can recall, I've never been to a memorial service, just funerals where the body was present. (Whether or not I'd go to the burial generally depended on the circumstances of the time.) If the October 21 prediction comes true, then this will be the last memorial service I will have ever gone to.

That's where I'm at right now. Remember, if you have not yet voted on the poll, you have five days left to do so.

Eight Days until the [Supposed] End of the World

Today, I picked up an application to the Claire's in my hometown. They're not currently hiring, but they will at least keep the application on file for a while. That seems to be a common thing in buisnesses these days.

Anyway, if it's really true that the world will end on the 21st of this month, then this will likely be the last time I apply there. (I will likely turn in the application either next Tuesday or next Thursday as I'm otherwise engaged on the other days of the week.) Of course, if the world does end, then I won't have to worry about getting a job.

Remember, there is still time to vote on the poll if you have not already.

Nine Days until the [Supposed] End of the World

Today, I mailed out a package to my dad for his birthday on my way to my volunteer work at a local thrift store. If the prediction that the world will end on October 21 of this year, then that might be the last time I ever have cause to go to the post office.

Those are the only thoughts I have right now.

(Note: This post is late being published. Sorry for the inconvenience.)

Ten Days until the [Supposed] End of the World

I forgot to mention last night that it was Thanksgiving in Canada. No, I'm not from Canada, but my stepdad is. So yesterday, my mom prepared a special dinner in honor of that. We had bacon-wrapped turkey breast, stuffing, sweet potatoes, green been casserole, cranberry sauce, and rolls. For dessert, we had butterscotch chocolate chip pie topped with whipped cream.
If the prediction that the world will end on the 21st of this month is true, then that's the last time we will have done that.

P.S. I see I have gotten two more votes on my poll, both of which were "no". There is still time to vote if you haven't already.

Eleven Days until the [Supposed] End of the World

I know I'm skipping a couple of days. In my defense, at least as far as Saturday was concerned, I was busy with my boyfriend pretty much all day. On Sunday, I guess I just didn't get around to blogging here.
Saturday, my mom and stepdad were out of town. My boyfriend came over late that morning. We were at the house most of the time but we went out for a little bit in the evening. If the prediction of October 21 being the end of the world comes true, then that could very well be the last time he is over at my place. It would also be the last time my mom and stepdad will have gone on an out of town trip together.

Sunday, I found out that someone that often sat in the row behind me in church had died the night before. Although he was elderly, it kind of surprised me as the last time I had seen him was the Sunday before that. If I can't predict someone's death, why would I bother with trying to predict the end of the world? I think a lot of major stuff happens at a time when one does not expect it to. As far as I knew, the gentleman in question did not concern himself with the world coming to an end or trying to predict it. He seemed perfectly fine with life, especially with being able to get up and go to church on Sunday. He will be missed.

Those are my thoughts for now. Remember, there is still time to vote on the poll if you have not already.

Fourteen Days until the [Supposed] End of the World

Today started off fairly well. It was one of my typical days of volunteer work at a local thrift store. I sold a lot of stuff this morning. I was also on a roll with straightening up some of the displays.
Then, this afternoon, I made a mistake that got me in trouble. I won't go into details here, but let's just say that I was feeling so guilty and frustrated with myself over said mistake that I would've welcomed an end to this world so that I would never do anything that would upset or otherwise do a disservice to someone else ever again.

If the October 21 prediction is correct, I at least have two weeks left to redeem myself and to quit doing anything wrong ever again. I hope I can stop messing up or at least stop doing anything wrong that upsets or incoveniences someone else.

Fifteen Days until the [Supposed] End of the World

Today, I put in an application for our local Big Lots. From my understanding, they keep the applications on file for 90 days before one has to reapply. I have applied there multiple times. If certain websites are correct about the end of the world being on the 21st of this year, then this will be the last time I ever apply there.

Tonight, I went to a poker game per invitation from my boyfriend. More specifically, it was Texas Hold'em. (Unfortunately, I had a bit of beginner's anxiety if there is such a thing.)  If the October 21st prediction were to come true, then this might be my last chance to do this.

(Note: I had meant to post this last night, but this must not have happened. Sorry about that.)

Sixteen Days until the [Supposed] End of the World

I've seen the show South Park since either middle school or high school. Nobody in my household seems to care that I do.
Anyway, after having gone on a mid-season break since I guess June, they're coming out with a new episode tonight. I'm hoping to catch it.

I don't know if there will be a new episode next week or the week after that. However, if certain Christian websites are correct about the end of the world being on the 21st of this month, then South Park will only be able to do three new episodes (including the one scheduled to air tonight) at best. If on the other hand, the world continues after the 21st, then they'll be able to do all the new episodes they want until the world DOES end or until the producers of the show call it quits, whichever comes first.

Seventeen Days until the [Supposed] End of the World

I'm involved in an online bookclub called Bookcrossing. For this club, you can register books that you can get an identification number for, read (or not) and then either release in some random public place or send it somewhere, and you can help track the book's journey.
Anyway, today I released a copy of Barefoot by Elin Hilderbrand on the local college campus. This is not the first time I have released a book there. However, depending on the situation between now and the 21st of this month, if certain websites are right about the end of the world occuring on the 21st, then today's release could potentially be the last one. That is, unless 1) I finish another book and am in a position to release it within the next seventeen days and/or 2) I am able to find a book that I had finished and can release that. (I had misplaced it somewhere.)

Remember, if you have not voted on the poll already, there is still time.

Eighteen Days until the [Supposed] End of the World

There's not much to report for what has been going on in the daytime. However tonight, I've been watching Billy Madison on TV. (And by watching, I mostly mean having it running in the background while chatting on Facebook with my boyfriend.) I think the first time I ever saw it was in eighth grade.

Like any movie, this one only runs on TV so many times. If certain Christian websites are correct about the end of the world being on the 21st of this year, this might be the last night I ever see it, assuming that I never rent it on DVD or see it on TV at another time. But then, I might very well see it on TV again within the next eighteen days with THAT being the last time I see it.

But of course, we will have to wait until October 21 actually comes to see if the world will end at that time.

P.S. I noticed that there has been another vote on my blog, and it's a no. If you have not voted already, there is still time.

Nineteen Days until the [Supposed] End of the World

The church I go to has communion on the first Sunday of every month, so today was that day this month.  If certain websites are correct about the 21st of this month being the end of the world, then today's communion will be the last one that the church I've been going to will have ever had.
On an unrelated note, I noticed that I have gotten another vote on my poll. This time I got a "yes". If I recall correctly, I think I got one "yes" on the poll I had awhile back asking people whether or not they believed that Judgement Day would be on May 21 of this year. Anyway, thank you to those who have voted on the poll and/or commented thus far. There is still time to vote if you have not already.

Those are my thoughts for today. Lord willing, I will be posting more tomorrow.

Twenty Days until the [Supposed] End of the World

Well, we are officially in the month of October. If certain websites are correct about when the world will end, this will be the last month we will ever see.
Today, I took a trip with my mom to see my sister and her kids. (We were going to go last week, but my mom was sick at the time, so we had to reschedule.) If the October 21 prediction is correct regarding the end of the world, and I don't see my sister's family before then, then this will have been the last time I see them.

I see that I haven't gotten a lot of votes on my poll lately. But then, I have evidently not been getting a lot of visitors here lately. Oh well, anything can happen in the next twenty days, and there is still time to vote on the poll.

Twenty-one Days until the [Supposed] End of the World

This morning, I got rid of a few pairs of worn out slippers, a couple of purses that weren't in that great of shape, and a broken belt. That's less stuff that I have taking up space in my room at this point.
If it's true that the end of the world is three weeks from today, then whatever of my stuff I still have that has not been used up or worn out or whatever will go to waste, or maybe it will disappear.

I remember listening to Family Radio on the Monday night that followed the Judgement Day that wasn't. Someone asked Harold Camping if he was going to give away his possessions prior to October 21. He asked why he would do that. After all that is supposed to be the end of the world which would mean that everybody would be dead, so what would whoever got his stuff do with it?

I guess if the world were to end in three weeks, there'd be no sense in adding anything to my name that I wouldn't be able to use up within that time frame would there? Oh well, I might be getting rid of more stuff before then, though.

Twenty-two Days until the [Supposed] End of the World

Today, I took some stuff to a recycling bin and picked up a job application to a store I have applied to several times in the past. (They supposedly have a "Don't call us, we'll call you" policy so following up has been out.) This afternoon, I continued reading a book I had been on for a while called Angels of September. I probably won't finish it in September, though.
If it's really true that we have only twenty-two days left until the end of the world, then I have only twenty-two days left to finish the aforementioned book. But because I have less than ten chapters left to read, I doubt it'll take me that long to finish it unless I get really distracted or something.

Twenty-three Days until the [Supposed] End of the World

Today was okay. It was a little better than it was on say, Monday. I don't cook dinner very often, but I did tonight as my mom wasn't feeling that well. I cooked cheese manicotti and garlic bread. I didn't cook from scratch, but I cooked nonetheless.

If certain websites are correct that the world will end on the 21st of this year, and me cooking does not come up before then, then it'll be the last time I will have ever cooked.

Shifting gears, I see that seven people have voted on my poll so far as to whether or not they believe the world will end on the 21st of this year. At this point, six people have said "No" and one person said "Don't Care".  If you haven't voted already, there is still time. And do feel free to leave a comment regarding the poll or the subject matter altogether.

Twenty-four Days until the [Supposed] End of the World

Today was a bit better than yesterday. I didn't really do much today though. I did some laundry, took some cans and bottles to a recycling bin, and nodded off for a bit. Oh well, even if the world is to end on October 21, at least I still have time to have a productive day.
This evening, in Facebook's chatroom, when my boyfriend had asked me if I had worked on some books that I have been in the process of editing (the books in question being ones that I've written drafts of), I told him no, and that I had dozed off at some point in the day and he said it wasn't the end of the world, that there's nothing wrong with a nap in the day. That's when I reminded him that according to certain sites out there that it WILL be the end of the world three weeks from Friday. He doesn't buy it. (Not that I'm surprised.)  He, like many others, recalls the part of the Bible that says that no one knows the day or the hour. When I told him that the people who have stood by the May 21 and October 21 predictions have their ways of explaining away the "no one knows the day or the hour" part of the Bible, he said that they're just wrong. He also said that, after October 21 comes and goes with nothing happening, they'll just pick another date.

I'm still in the "we'll see" camp as far as whether or not the world will end three weeks from Friday. All I really know about that date is that either the people who have sworn to that to be the end of the world will be screwed or those that did not buy it will be screwed. That's all I'm going to say.

Twenty-five days until the [Supposed] End of the World

I won't go into details, but I made some mistakes today, so having today make up for yesterday's Facebook indiscretion did not happen.

Whether or not the world will end on October 21, I have time to straighten myself up, right? Maybe tomorrow will be better.

Twenty-six Days until the [Supposed] End of the World

Today hasn't been my best day. I copied and pasted some speculation that Facebook was going to be charging people for their accounts only to find out all too late that it wasn't true. I have felt terrible about it all day, especially given the morals and values I have grown up on. This is not the only time I have committed a lapse in judgement in what I say online or elsewhere.
Even if there was no question that the world is going to end on October 21, surely I can still start tomorrow (or the several days that follow) on a clean slate. Hopefully, the day will come when I no longer engage in such reckless behavior ever again.

Twenty-seven Days until the [Supposed] End of the World

It's been a pretty nice day. I went to listen to my stepdad's band for a couple of hours today. If it's really true that the end of the world will occur on October 21 as some Christian websites claim, then that may have been the last time for me to go do that.

I am glad to see that some people have voted on my poll. Those who have voted so far have voted no. There is still time to vote.

I mentioned the end of the world bit in another forum. Some people said that they are sick of that whole bit, but one or two people said that they'd welcome the end.  I don't know if I would though. On the one hand, if the world were to end, I would no longer have to worry about finding a job or paying off my student loans. On the other hand, I've got a boyfriend, a church life, books to read, and other things to live for.

What about you? If there was no question that the world would end on October 21 of this year, how would you feel about it?

Twenty-eight Days until the [Supposed] End of the World

According to some Christian websites out there, we have twenty-eight days, a.k.a. four weeks left until the end of the world.
I was supposed to go with my mom tomorrow to see my sister and her family, but that trip has been cancelled as my mom has been sick. If certain sites are right, I only have four weeks to have any chance of seeing my sister and her family. However, as we live in separate towns, and my sister's not in the best position to come see us at this time, I'm lucky if I will see her before Thanksgiving or Christmas.

But then, even if I don't get to see her in the next four weeks, and the end of the world prediction turns out to be wrong, then perhaps I will get a chance to see her, even if it is closer to Thanksgiving or Christmas. We'll just have to wait and see what happens on that.

Twenty-nine Days until the [Supposed] End of the World

As far as I can tell, nobody has been to my poll. Maybe there will be some action going on there once I get the word out elsewhere as well as if this blog should appear in search results.

That means I only have twenty-nine days at most to deal with some personal stress in my life. For one thing, I have yet to have any luck finding a job. I have become hard pressed to find places to apply to. Even when I do follow up, it often turns out that the places in question are not hiring at the time or they found someone more qualified than I am, or something else. If it weren't for certain things that I have at stake, I'd put the job search aside, at least for a while. Second, there's someone from my past that I've had trouble getting rid of for quite some time. I won't go into details, but hopefully, with some help that I had gotten yesterday, the person will leave me alone for good. Third, I received some news from someone in my life that they have an upcoming blood test that will basically determine whether they will be able to go on with life as they have been or if they will have to go into the hospital for a long time.

That's where I'm at right now. Hopefully the drama won't last too long.

One Month Until the [Supposed] End of the World

There are some alleged Christian websites out there that claim that the world will end on October 21 of this year, which is a month from now. Sites include this one and this one. These are the same groups that claim that the "Judgement Day" that was supposed to happen in May was a "spiritual one" and all of the physical stuff is supposed to happen in October.
Since October 21 is a ways off yet, I still say that anything could happen on that day, whether it's the end of the world or something else.

Back in May, I had posted a poll asking you all if you believed that Judgement Day would occur on May 21 of this year. Most of you had voted no. I no longer have that poll, but I have started a new one in regard to speculation surrounding October 21 being the date when the world is supposed to end. I am asking if you all believe that it will happen at that time.  The options for answers are as follows:

Yes
No
Don't know
Don't care

If you would take time to vote on the poll that would be great. Also, if you would like to leave a comment expressing your views on the matter, that's fine. I will likely bring this subject up for the next month as well as giving updates on the poll results.

On the Tenth Anniversary of 9/11

As you are probably aware, September 11, 2001 was the day when the twin towers and World Trade Center were destroyed.
I would have been a junior in high school when it happened, and it happened shortly after a test I had in my chemistry class that day. I still remember the outfit I was wearing, seeing lines of cars at gas stations
on my way home from school, asking my stepdad if he needed to go get gas, my sister coming over for a few minutes, and the band booster potluck that was almost cancelled.

There was supposedly some media coverage in connection to that today, but I didn't really mess with watching it since I hardly ever watch TV in the day anymore. (Most of the time, either I'm not home or I'm too "distracted" by something on the computer.)

It's mostly little things that I remember on that day as well as some of the anniversaries. For instance, on the first anniversary of that day, I watched Forrest Gump with my stepdad. On the second anniversary, I was attending community college, and a flag was displayed on at least one of the buses I was on. In the evening, my mom's then Himalayan cat was laying on my mom's dark blue bathrobe. When my stepdad saw this, he said in that tattletale kind of voice, "Mommy's gonna kill you." (She didn't really.) Last year, I was at my sister's house as my mom and I had attended her birthday party the night before. We had stayed the night because of the timing of said party. This was also the same year that a church had threatened to burn copys of the Koran. The other "anniversaries" are pretty much a blur.

I don't think much about 9/11 these days. I guess part of it is that I was very far from what had happened on that day, part of it is the amount of time it has had to go cold, and part of it is having my mind on other things. But I guess that's just me.

Two More Months until the [Supposed] End of the World

If a certain group of Christians is right, we only have two more months left until the world comes to an end. Since that is a while off yet, I'm still thinking "We'll see." However, with all that is going on in my life, I would hope that won't happen.

I recently got back together with an old high school boyfriend who, let's just say, has big plans for next year. It would be a bummer for him if the world were to end before he could follow through with said plans. Besides, did I mention that I recently got back together with him? If the world is going to end in two months, then that limits how long he and I will have to enjoy the relationship.

Also, I have a niece due to be born a week from tomorrow (Lord willing). I probably won't see her right away (since my sister's family, the one expecting the baby, lives in another town), but if the world is going to end in two months, I hope to see her before then.

I really shouldn't trouble myself with this idea of the world ending on any one date, I know. But this is one of those things that can't come to my attention and not float around my head. It probably will until October 22 rolls around.

I See London, I See France...in Chicago

I don't think I've ever been to Chicago (through it maybe), and I don't see myself going there anytime soon. However, it has come to my attention that they currently have a controversial statue of Marilyn Monroe. More specifically, it's a portrayal of her from the movie The Seven Year Itch where her skirt flies up. The way the statue is made, depending on the angle from which people see it, they can see her underwear. (In photos depicting the scene in question? Not so much.)
I wonder if the statue could've been made in such a way that people wouldn't have to be made to feel like they're violating something. After all, it's not proper to look up the skirt of a real woman, right? (The phrase "Think of the children" comes to mind.) Also, assuming that nobody could see Monroe's underwear in the movie or the photograph, how does anyone know it was of the white lace variety. For all we know, it was very plain or of another color.

For what it's worth, it's my understanding that the statue is supposed to be up until spring 2012, so people won't have to put up with the risque view forever.

What Does it Matter if Kate Middleton is the One That Does It?

A newsgroup known as OMG! decided to bring to our attention some outfits that Kate Middleton wore to multiple events, even if different accesories were involved.
Personally, I think that if Kate has been able to deem some of her clothes suitable for more than one event, good for her. What I don't get is why should I care? After all, I'm personally used to wearing ensembles that I may have gotten with one particular event in mind but will still wear again after the original event passes. For instance, there was a green dress that I wore to my sister's wedding during my junior year of high school. I later wore said dress to a school awards ceremony, another family members wedding, a speech class on some of the days when I had a speech to deliver, and to two on-campus job interviews during my second year of college. Then, the summer before my senior year of high schol there was a black suit I originally got to wear for my great-grandfather's funeral. I would later wear it for my senior picture and two mock interviews. And let's not forget the dress I wore to my senior prom. It was a blue one that my mom sewed for me when I couldn't find anything ready made that appealed to me. In college, I wore said dress as a Halloween costume twice.  Yet, there was no news story when I repeated these ensembles or any other. But then again, maybe it's only relevant if a celebrity (and I use the term loosely) does it but not when an obscure member of the general public (such as myself) does it.

For that matter, do we really need to know every detail of her life just because she's part of the oyal Family now?  What next? Are we going to have a report about what she had for breakfast the other day? Seriously, as long as she's not doing something that's say, illegal or of any particular threat to her fellow human beings, can't we just leave her alone and let her live her life without every single detail of it being reported? (At this rate, I'm not sure I could blame her if she were to say, "Report THIS!" and give the middle finger. I doubt she would, though.)

Having said all that, I have nothing more to say about her. And since meeting her or having anything to do with her is not in my future (that I know of), much of what she does is none of my concern.

July's Coming to an End Already?

After tonight, the month of July will be officially over. This month has gone by pretty fast for me. Then again, I've been keeping busy with my volunteer work, my job search, and editing my novels, and reading some books for Bookcrossing so that I can release them. I also spent Fourth of July at a nearby park and babysat my nephew a couple of times this month.
Yep, this month has gone by fast for me. I guess that's what happens when you have so much going on.

IE Users Have a Low IQ?

There's a study out that claims that people that use Internet Explorer are less intelligent than users of other browsers, such as, but not limited to, Firefox, Google Chrome, and Apple's Safari.
In that case, I must be an idiot. After all, I use Internet Explorer all the time. In fact, that is what I'm using as I write this. It's nothing against other browsers really, but Internet Explorer is what I'm used to, and well, I don't really see any reason to change. Before that, I think I was using Netscape. If I was still using Netscape, what would that make me? Mostly, I just go with what's handy at the time.

What about you? What browser do you normally use and/or are using as you read this? Do you think there's any link between intelligence and the browser used?

Been Feeling "Blue" Lately

By "blue" I don't mean sad or depressed. What I mean is that, sometime last week, for some reason, I had the urge to wear some bold blue nail polish (fingernails and toenails) that I had gotten this past Christmas and which I put on Tuesday night, and then Wednesday and Friday, days that I do my volunteer work at a local thrift store, I dressed in a way that somehow involved the color blue. Wednesday, I wore a long dress with some blue in the floral pattern, and Friday, I wore a blouse with blue stripes.
There's a tan and black dress that I normally wear to church on Sundays. However, I questioned how well my polish, which I didn't really feel like taking off, would go with said dress, so instead, I wore a black skirt and a light blue top. One man in the congregation wore a blue-and-white striped polo with his black slacks today, and one lady's ensemble involved a blue cardigan. I joked with both of them they they evidently got the "blue" memo as well. Tomorrow, I might wear a top that has some blue in it.

Thinking about all of this blue business today has inspired me to look up this song which I haven't heard in a long time.

So, what about you? Do you ever have moments where you gravitate toward a certain color or style for a while for no apparent reason?

Too Busy to Say Much...I Think

As you may have noticed, I haven't really been blogging here much. Sure there were things that have gone on in the last couple of months I could've talked about such as the Casey Anthony trial, the demise of Amy Winehouse, the trend of some restaurants and other public places in becoming child-free zones, or even something along the lines of the heat wave that has been occuring in my hometown.Yet, I haven't blogged here much since May 21, the predicted Judgement Day, came and when without incident (at least where I live anyway).
It's not that I would not have had anything to say about any of the above subjects. Rather, I think it's been because I've just been so busy. As of June, I started making it my business to accomplish certain things every day, such as spending some time (more specifically fifteen minutes) editing each of my three novels that I have on my computer and reading a chapter of whatever book I've been reading. On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, I still do my volunteer work at a local thrift store. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, I often have job applications to pick up and/or drop off, cans and bottles to take over to the college campus recycling bins, surveys to fill out in hopes of earning some cash (especially since I STILL have yet to find a job), laundry to do on one of those days, and depending on time, cleaning out one of my inboxes.  Then evening will roll around, and I'm lucky if I can get myself to do something besides hang around Facebook.

On top of that, I have recently re-connected with an old boyfriend from high school. Ever since he accepted my friend request on Facebook, he and I have chatted a few times. That's taken a couple of hours at a time usually, and this coming Thursday we're planning on getting together in person for the first time since we had broken up (which was a little over eight years ago).  Where things between us will go from there has yet to be seen.

Maybe things will get less hectic for me further down the road. Or maybe I need to get myself motivated to say more here. Whatever the case, I just know I haven't said much here latey, but I really ought to try harder to keep this blog updated so that it doesn't go cold.

Three Months Until the (Supposed) End of the World

It's been two months since the day when the day that was "supposed" to be Judgement Day consisted of a "spiritual" judgement rather than a physical one.The latest I had heard about Harold Camping, who was behind the May 21 prediciton, was that after his stroke in June, he moved to a nursing home and his show "Open Forum" was cancelled at the end of the month. Whether or not he will be around to even see October 21 remains to be seen.

If we only have three months until the end of the world, then I only have three months to worry about looking for a job (which I have yet to have any luck with), three months to clean out my gmail box (some of which I did today), and three months to read all five books that I have in my reading pile, including the one I'm currently on. (I currently read one chapter per day, except during end of the month read-a-thons.) And that month will be my last chance to have any of the novels that I'm currently in the process of editing published. (I generally do fifteen minutes per draft per day.)  In short, I have a lot to do.

But that day has yet to come, so it remains to be seen whether or not it will truly be the end of the world.

Four Months Until the (Supposed) End of the World

It has been a month ago today since the rapture and earthquakes which were predicted would happen as a prelude to the end of the world didn't happen. Supposedly, God had come in "spiritual" way rather than a physical one, and the prediction for complete destruction of the world on October 21 of this year still stands.

Believe it or not, Harold Camping, who is behind all of these predictions, suffered a stroke earlier this month. As far as I know, he's still alive though. I don't know whether or not he saw said stroke coming. If he didn't (which is what I'm assuming), then it would seem that there's little point in trying to predict the end of the world or anything else that is probably a long way off if you can't even forsee more immediate crises. And besides, if he is still alive when October 21 comes and goes, and it turns out nothing happens then, I'm sure he will be more embarrassed than he was a month ago.

I won't really talk as much about the end of the world stuff as I did during the week leading up to it. However, I might say something in regard to it when the 21st of the next four months rolls around.

Paying in Pennies?

Let's say you had a bill to pay, say, of $25 (or whatever amount you wish to imagine) and you opted to pay "cash". Would that include paying in pennies? If you were on the recieving end of the payment, how would you react?

A story I came across in Yahoo today was one about a guy in Utah who was fined after trying to pay his medical bill in pennies. According to the article, the guy owed a medical clinic $25. He didn't agree he owed that much but came to pay the bill anyway. After it was confirmed that the clinic staff accepted cash payments, he dumped $25 worth of pennies on the counter "and demanded they be counted in front of him."

After that, the clinic called the police, and he was arrested on the charge of "disorderly conduct" for which he faces a fine.

As someone with cashier experience, I'm kind of split on this. On the one hand, counting all of those pennies probably would've been annoying (not to mention I'd worry about losing count), and I'd hope that a long line does not form as I do the counting. (I'd probably form groups for every ten pennies or something, though.) I don't think I would've called the police, though unless, say, a gun was involved. I would've just counted the pennies and been done with it. Depending on how many pennies are there, they may not all fit into the register, but depending on how many are there, they can always be cashed. Plus, there have been times when I or someone else on register has run out of pennies or some other currency. (There's a reason some businesses, depending on their nature, will not except anything higher than a twenty.) Whereas, there are ways to get around running out of dollar bills, for instance, there's no way around running out of pennies. So, if I had been on the recieving end of a bill paid in pennies,  that would solve or prevent one problem, provided that the bill is paid in full. (THAT's the important part.)

As for the customer, aside from creating an annoyance by insisting on paying in pennies, surely so many of them would make the jar, bag, or (fill in the blank here) they are kept in heavy to carry. A Coinstar commercial I saw awhile back  comes to mind. It's where the tooth fairy falls after trying to carry a bag of coins. While she's buying band-aids, she sees a Coinstar machine. She puts the change she still has into that machine and walks out with cash (which the voiceover refers to as "lightweight") and an empty sack, but I digress. Looking at the aforementioned article, I have to wonder if the guy couldn't have stopped by a coinstar machine and exchanged the pennies for cashed. Not only would it have been easier on whoever was on the recieving end of his bill, but surely it would've been easier on him. (I doubt that all 2500 pennies would've fit into his wallet, so I'm assuming they were in a bag or jar. And seriously, who walks around with a bag or jar of change unless they are going to cash it out?) 

Then again, it was my understanding that this guy did not agree that he owed $25, so the penny thing could've been a protest. If it were me, and I didn't agree with a bill I owed, and yet, I lost the dispute, I'd just pay the bill in the reasonable manner and move on. If he was really upset with those people, didn't agree with the bill he owed, but was losing the dispute, couldn't he have just gotten the payment over with in actual bills and refuse to do business with them again rather than cause a scene.

The other possibility is that he didn't have access to a Coinstar machine (or other means to cash out the pennies in question) and therefore had no choice. In which case, a polite "You might want to count that to make sure it's all there" or something along those lines would've sufficed, rather than "demand" that it all be counted.

In closing, to be paid strictly in pennies, however annoying, should not be a reason to call the police. And while it is more convenient to pay a mult-dollar bill with actual dollar bills, if you must pay it all in coins, at least be polite about it.

Hopefully, There Will Be Less Drama in June

Today is the last day of May.  There has been some drama going down this month.

This month, there was the scare about there being a rapture and a worldwide earthquake on the 21st. Obviously, that didn't happen. The same guy behind that prediction is now saying that those things will happen on October 21 of this year. Um, yeah, we'll see.

The day after what was supposed to be Doomsday, Joplin, which I live up to maybe an hour away from as far as driving distance is concerend, got hit by a tornado which killed and/or injured a lot of people. One of the injured people was someone I knew since middle school. As far as I know, she's still alive, but her house and car have been destroyed. From my understanding, it will take months, if not years, for Joplin to get everything back in order. The controversial Westboro Baptist Church had planned on picketing in Joplin on Sunday, saying that the tornado was God's judgement on Joplin, but it's my understanding that their plan ended up not working out. (That reminds me, some of you reading this might be interested to know that yesterday, when they were protesting at Arlington Cemetery some members of the KKK were part of the group of counter protesters. And no, I don't generally care for the KKK either.)

Also, last week, someone from an online book club that I was in had been going through a lot and had mentioned wanting to die. It has been five days since said person has posted on any of the forums, and I'm hoping they're okay.

I'm hoping that this month, there will be less drama. Here's hoping for no natural disasters, no more end of the world scares, or anyone getting depressed or anything like that.

A Lot of Drama Going Down

First off, there was that whole controversy about how the beginning of the end of the world was supposed to end on Saturday but didn't. I didn't clear out my possessions or anything like that (but I heard some people did), but once the prediction had come to my attention, I couldn't not have it float around in my head.

Second, Joplin, which I live maybe an hour or two at most from, got hit by a tornado. I've never lived in Joplin, but I have taken the occasional shopping trip there. The mantra in my family was if we couldn't find what we wanted/needed in our own hometown, there was always Joplin. Now, with all that has happened over there, I won't be able to look at that town the same way again.

 This morning, it came to my attention that someone in an online bookclub that I'm involved in has been through a lot lately and wants to kill herself and has asked us about painless ways to go about it. Those of us who have begged her not to kill herself, to get help, etc. This person is, from my understanding three years older than me and one year younger than my sister. I don't know her personally, but the thought of her resorting to such drastic measures scares me. If I lived closer to her, I'd maybe ask her for her number so that I could check up on her and/or in case she needed to call someone and vent. I might ask one of the other members to check up on her. I am hoping that she is simply blowing off steam at this time, but I've heard stories of people threatening suicide and following through (at least one anyway; the guy was 19 at the time and did it via an online telecast even).

Hopefully, all of the this will pass. It is all a lot for me to process at this time.

So, I Listened to Family Radio Last Night

I wanted to find out what the explanation was for the failed prediction of May 21 as Judgment Day. (I was unable to listen to the whole thing as a thunderstorm going on in my area prompted me to shut down my computer.)  If I understand correctly, God had come spiritually rather than physically, and the earthquakes, rapture, etc. will occur on October 21 of this year. You can read more about it here.

Personally, I cannot forsee every little thing that will happen tomorrow, let alone on a day that is barely less than five months away. As Proverbs 27:1 says, "Boast not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth." Thus, I cannot bring myself to confirm or deny that the world will end at that time. As had been the case with May 21, I'm taking this one with the "we'll see" mentality.

Finally Some Answers, I Hope

Over the past week, I've been blogging about the controversy of May 21 being the predicted date of the Second Coming of Christ to prelude the end of the world. Of course, May 21 has come and gone with no rapture.

Yesterday, I dropped Harold Camping, the man behind this prediction, an email in regard to this. I asked him what had happened as well as whether or not he has learned to stop trying to figure out when the end of the world shall be. It turns out that tonight, on his radio show (which will be at 7:30 PM my time; I'll be listening online) he plans to talk about his failed prediction. If I'm able to, I'll give you all the link to it when it becomes an "archive". And I will be taking notes as well as hoping nobody calls me tonight. (I do not want to have to tune out of the program, but if someone calls, if only to chat, I will have to accept.) I'll give you all an update tomorrow or later in the week, Lord willing.

First Day After the Judgement Day That Wasn't

Family Radio had said that the Bible guaranteed that May 21 would be Judgement Day, that there'd be earthquakes involved, and people would be raptured. Yet, there was no earthquake where I live, and I'm still here. (And I'm sure everyone at church is as well.)  It's a good thing that I didn't clear out my possessions or anything like that. I've heard that there were people who quit their jobs, cleared out their bank accounts, etc. I wonder what they're going to do now that the anticipated Judgement Day has passed.

This past Monday, I had posted a poll (which is now closed) asking you all if you believed the whole May 21 thing. Most of you said no, and you were right. But regardless of which answer you selected, I thank you for doing so.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to finish getting ready for church. When I get home, I think I'm going to write to Family Radio asking them what happened. After I've done that, I will let you all know what, if anything, they say.

I'm Going to Call it a Night

So far, no "Judgement Day" stuff has happened, at least not where I live. I had thought of staying up until midnight for my final update, but I'm getting tired, and I need to get up in the morning to go to church.

If the "Judgement Day" prediction for today is to come true at all, it has little more than an hour and forty-five minutes to do so, at least in my time zone. Since it looks like I will be waking up to another ordinary day tomorrow, I'll be sure to give you all more of my thoughts on this stuff tomorrow, even if I have to wait until I get home from church.

Lord willing, I will see you all tomorrow. Have a good night.

Six O'Clock Update

It's a little after 6 PM where I'm at. I've already eaten dinner, but not dessert yet. There's been no earthquake, and I'm still here. (If I wasn't, why would I be writing this?) Unless things are supposed to happen later, I get the sneaky feeling that tomorrow is going to be rather embarassing for certain people I could name but won't this time. I have a feeling that when they are asked about the Rapture that was "supposed" to happen today but didn't, the words "no comment" will be involved.

Then again, the day is not over yet. If I can get myself to stay awake long enough to do this, I will let you all know if anything happens by midnight. (I'm thinking probably not.) In the meantime, I think I will go have some dessert and possibly have a "so far so good" stroll. I'll talk to you all later, Lord willing.

Today's the [Supposed] Day and Someone's Going to Be Screwed

Over the past week, I have written about what some religious groups claim to be Judgement Day, which happens to be um, today. I'm up and dressed, have had my breakfast (scrambled eggs, toast, grapes, coffee and orange juice), and have VH1 in the background as I write this. So far, nothing out of the ordinary has happened. Then again, I guess things are supposed to happen at 6 PM in one's time zone, if they happen at all.

Most of you who have voted in my poll seem pretty confident that Judgement Day will NOT happen today. If you have not cast your vote already, you have until midnight tonight to do so. (After all, there won't be much point in doing so once this day has passed.)

From my understanding, 6PM has come and gone in some places, such as  Singapore without anything happening. (See the comment section on that link.) The day is not yet over, so anything could happen at this point.

Regardless of how today actually plays out, someone's going to be screwed. Those who have dismissed the idea of today being Judgement Day will be caught off guard if it does happen. Those who haven't been saved will be left behind to face destruction. Those who have given up their normal lives, cleared out their bank accounts, etc., in anticipation of today are going to be in a very awkward position if nothing happens. At the very least, people that have been going through the trouble of spreading "the word" about today and have no question in their mind about today being Judgement Day will be quite embarassed if today were to come and go without anything happening. If nothing happens tomorrow, I hope groups like Family Radio will be prepared to explain themselves.

I'll try not to say any more until 6PM my time. God willing, I will be sure to give you all an update then.

Less Than Half an Hour Away from "Judgement Day"

In my time zone there is less than half an hour left until May 21, the "Judgement Day" predicted by some religious groups out there, such as Family Radio. (The last time I tried to access their site, I didn't have much luck with it. I'm hoping it's just a temporary burp of sorts.)

I'm not sure if anything will happen tomorrow or not. Family Radio had said that the Bible guarantees that the rapture and the earthquakes will happen. I was unable to find this on the site, but some people had said that the earthquake/rapture business is said to supposedly happen at 6PM in whatever time zone one is in. These people refuse to consider the possibilty of tomorrow coming and going with nothing happening.

I'm thinking tomorrow, I will have a hearty breakfast, catch up on email and Facebook requests, and do whatever else I need to do tomorrow, and let whatever shall happen happen. I may be in tomorrow to do one or two posts. If May 21 comes and goes with nothing happening, I plan to post some more here (as well as my other blogs.) I do wonder though, what kind of explanation those in the "May 21 is definately Judgement Day; there's no question" camp will have IF the earthquake, rapture, etc. do not happen at any time tomorrow. Hmm. Maybe I should tune in to the news all day tomorrow just in case anything does happen.

Proverbs 27:1 and Tomorrow's Alleged Rapture.

In the King James version of the Bible, Proverbs 27:1 says, "Boast not of tomorrow for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth." (I'll admit, I googled that one. In some churches that version is considered the only acceptable version.)

If you've been following this blog lately, you know that it had been predicted by some Christian groups that May 21, which happens to be tomorrow is Judgement Day. Earlier this week, I posted a poll asking visitors if they believed that Judgement Day is May 21. Of the 25 people who have voted so far, only one said yes, one said don't know, one said don't care, and the rest said no. I felt that it would have been cheating if "I" had voted on that poll. However, if I had voted, I would've voted don't know. Not only would this be because of the whole thing about not knowin the day or the hour (something stressed by many people who do NOT buy into the May 21 business) but also because I don't know what the next day will bring forth. Tomorrow may or may not bring forth the rapture and the earthquakes that Family Radio had claimed would happen. (And there is NO question to these people about this date.)

What sorts of things will you all do tomorrow, whether Judgement Day occurs tomorrow or not? As for me, I plan to eat a good breakfast and take care of some other stuff and let whatever shall happen happen.

Doing Laundry for the Last Time?

Today is Laundry Day for me. (I generally do it once a week, either on Tuesday or Thursday depending on my stepdad's schedule.) I've done two loads so far and have one going in the dryer as we speak.

IF Judgement Day is this Saturday, and I'm one of the people raptured, this will be the last time I do laundry as well as the last time I change my sheets. (I have two pairs of sheets that I rotate between each week.) I'll have left behind a couple of unwashed items. I think I will write a note stating that in the event of Rapture on Saturday, I want all of my clothing, shoes, and bedding donated to the thrift store where I volunteer (whose proceeds go to the Humane Society). Failing that, I would want it donated to the Salvation Army, sold at a garage sale, or sent to someone still on Earth who could use those things. Same goes for books, miscellaneous, and other things that I may leave behind. I will specify that any clothing I have that is unwashed be washed prior to donating it or whatever is done with it.

If there was no question in my mind that Judgement Day would in fact happen on Saturday, I would already be in the process of clearing out my wardrobe (which is rather extensive, espeically the sweaters). However, it could very well turn out that nothing will happen on that day and thus I will be around long enough to wear everything out. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go take care of my last load of laundry for the week if not for good.

My Last Weekly Weigh-In?

As some of you reading this may be aware, I'm involved with an online book club called BookCrossing. In the "Chit-Chat" forums on that site, someone will host a Wednesday Weigh-In. I will generally take part in those if I have access to a bathroom scale.

I've already left a post there. You know, if Judgement Day is in fact on Saturday, and I am one of the people raptured, then that is the last one I will ever post. Of course, if there's going to be a big earthquake on May 21 like Family Radio had said, then the site will probably be down, at least for a while.

I know I really should stop obsessing over this Judgement Day/end of the world stuff, but it's one of those things that can't come to my attention and not float around in my head for a while. As I may have menitoned before, I probably will keep bringing that subject up here until Saturday has passed. I should probably also stop listening to REM's "It's the End of the World as We Know It" so much on YouTube.

I'm going to stop talking about this, at least until tomorrow.

Current Poll Results, Song Addiciton,and Potentially Last Dinner With the Family

For those of you who have voted so far, thank you. At this point, 16 people have voted altogether: I've gotten one yes, fourteen nos, and one don't know.

In light of claims of Judgement Day being this Saturday, I've become somewhat addicted to the REM song It's The End of the World As We Know It. I played that song on YouTube a bunch of times last night and a couple of times this morning. I've got my volunteer work at a thrift store today, like I normally do on Wednesdays. I'll try not to think about that song too much.

Tonight, I have plans to go out to dinner with my mom and stepdad. It's his birthday today. Normally, my mom likes to cook birthday dinner for people. However, as they need to make final preparations for their trip tomorrow, we are going out for Chinese buffet (stepdad's idea). IF this Saturday is in fact Judgement Day, then this will be the last time I will have dinner with them, let alone at a buffet or anywhere else. On the off chance that Judgement Day turns out to occur on Saturday after all, I will not take tonight for granted. But I will not say anything about Judgement Day or the end of the world or anything like that at dinner or anything like that. (My mom and stepdad may or may not have heard about it. I'm guessing they haven't.) It's going to be a nice, pleasant dinner.

Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go prepare my lunch for today and do whatever else I need to do before time to head out the door.

To Show That I Think Judgment Day Might NOT Happen on May 21.

Today, I picked up an application to the Big Lots in my hometown. I have filled it out, signed it, and dated it for May 24 (next Tuesday), the date I intend to turn it in. This is after the alleged Judgment date of May 21. Would I have done this if I thought for sure that Judgment Day would occur on May 21? Even if I were to be left behind on that day, there would be the earthquake that Family Radio claims will happen to deal with. Chances are, a lot of places would be ruined by this, no? If so, then Big Lots will probably not be in the best position to accept my application for a while.

Actually, my getting the job application had nothing to do with Judgment Day. I've been in the process of looking for a job for quite some time, to pay off my student loans if not to save up to eventually be out on my own. So far, I've been able to defer on my student loans. However 1) I can only do that so many times and 2)  during whatever deferment period I'm on I have to make at least six attempts towards seeking employment in order to get an extension. I generally make more attempts at that. I'm not just making the attempts in order to defer on my loans. I really do want to get a job, and I hope I can one day get the student loan payments over with. Then again, IF not only will the rapture that will happen on Saturday as Family Radio claims, but so will the end of the world altogether five months later, I won't have to worry about paying off my loans, will I?

Most Of You Don't Buy The May 21 Prediction...You're Not The Only Ones

First off, thanks to those of you who have voted so far. The poll results so far show a total of nine votes: one "Don't know" and eight "No's".  If you haven't voted at all, you have until after Saturday to do so.

For those of you who voted "No", you're not alone. While some professed Christian groups believe that Judgment Day is this Saturday, others do not. One such group is King James Bible Online. They also conducted a poll regarding Judgment Day. However, the question was when one thought it was. The choices were "May 21, 2011",  "December 21, 2011", and "No one knows but God". All but two people chose "No one knows but God" while the remaining two chose "May 21, 2011".  The article that discussed the poll even mentioned a couple of people (in the "No one knows but God" camp) who have plans for that weekend whereas one of the people who was in the "May 21" camp did not have any kind of "special" plans for that Saturday.

Also if you look at the picket schedule of the controversial Westboro Baptist Church, it would appear that they either 1) Did not get Family Radio's memo or 2) Do not buy the whole May 21 business as they not only have two pickets scheduled for that day, but they have other pickets scheduled for other days after it. (And no, I haven't been to any of said pickets nor do I live anywhere near the areas they plan on picketing.) From my understanding, they do believe that the Rapture will happen at some point, but they have made no claims as to when it will happen.

As for me, I will likely be at a meeting with someone on that day if we're able to arrange it. Otherwise, I will probably be doing things like catching up on email, doing Facebook, and/or otherwise keep busy and let whatever (if anything) shall happen on that day happen. IF May 21 comes and goes without a rapture, earthquake, or anything like that, I will go to church on Sunday and when I get home seek out an explanation from the May 21 crowd.

So, what about you? If you believe that the Rapture will happen on Saturday, what will you be doing up until that point. If not, or you don't know or don't care, what are your plans for that day and the days thereafter?

A New Poll

I don't normally post polls on my blogs, but in light of a claim made by some websites that Judgement Day will occur on May 21 of this year (which so happens to be this coming Saturday), I've made an exception. There are some who would say yes and some who would say no. There are people like me who can't say for sure, some who might not even care, and some who might not even know what Judgement Day even is.

Please find on the side bar with a poll which asks "Do you believe that Judgement Day will occur on May 21, 2011 as some websites claim?" The choices for answers are:
Yes
No
Don't know
Don't Care
What is this "Judgement Day" that you speak of?

If you would do me a favor and select your answer, maybe even leave a comment here, that'd be great. I will be in at different times to check the results. Thank you.

Okay, Getting Nervous Here

A group called Family Radio claims that Judgement Day (when Christ will make his second appearance on Earth and take all true believers to heaven) will happen on May 21--which just so happens to be this coming Saturday--and the world and all who are left by then will be destroyed altogether exactly five months later. In their FACTS about May 21, 2011, they say that one of the things that will happen on that day is that there will be a worldwide earthquake. They also dismiss any possibility that May 21will come and go without anything happening. Another thing they say that those who are not saved by that time have no chance at salvation. So basically, those that are not in Heaven by this Saturday will die sometime within the five months that follow and will go straight to Hell. At least, that was how it sounded to me.

I know that I shouldn't let this kind of stuff get to me, but I can't help it. If the Bible says that God is the only one that knows when Christ will return and the world will end, then I would think that there IS the chance that the rapture, earthquake, etc. might happen at some point on that day. Then again, it might not.

My plan is that, IF May 21 comes and goes and no earthquakes or anything like that happens, then I will drop those people a message asking them what happened (and encourage anyone reading this to do the same). That is, unless they have information on their site after that date to reflect lack of anything happening. If I end up having to write to them or end up finding information after May 21, I will let you all know here. In the meantime, I should probably calm down and go about my business.

Do We Really Have One Week Left Until Judgement Day?

If you have been raised on any school of Christian thought, you were probably taught that "Judgement Day" is where Jesus will make his second appearance on Earth and take those who have been saved to Heaven. Everyone else will be left behind. (Ever read the "Left Behind" series? I've read the first ten books of the kid version.) Following that will be destruction and the end of the world altogether. What I was taught was, yes, this will all happen at some point, but it was my understanding that only God knew when this would happen.

However, there is a religious group that claims that Judgement Day will happen on May 21 of this year, followed by the end of the world altogether exactly five months later. It just so happens that the date that Judgement Day will supposedly happen is a week from today.

 I don't tend to quote the Bible very often in my posts if ever. However, Mark 13:32-33 clearly states, "No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when the time will come." (NIV).  In other words, we don't know when it will happen. Maybe it will happen on that day. Maybe it won't.

I for one will take a "we'll see" approach to this and just go about my business as planned for that day (including a meeting I have with someone depending on whether or not that date works out for them). After that day, I will check back in on the site to see if it's still up, and write to the people running it to please respond if they are still here on this earth with the rest of us. After all, it will mean that either they made a mistake about the date or they were not saved. I may also write to them again on October 21 of this year if that day comes and goes and I'm still here and so is this world. With the latter date, I'll ask them what happened. I'll let you all know when and if I get a response.

Bin Laden? I Thought We Forgot About Him

Some of you may have heard the news that Osama bin Laden is dead. I heard it on the radio, and maybe it was because I was still waking up, but I didn't react strongly, one way or the other. To be honest, I thought we had forgotten about him. After all, it's been nearly ten years since 9/11 (and yes, I STILL remember where I was at the time), and if I recall correctly, the amount of talk there was about him eventually went on the decline.

I don't know what his death is going to mean for us or Al-Qeada. One of my thrift store colleagues thinks that there will be retaliation on the terrorists' end, and it'll be World War III for us. We'll just have to wait and see.

So, for those of you who heard about the death, how did you react? Did you have strong feelings either way, or did you, like me, pretty much forget about him?

It's Good To Be Home

I'm finally home from helping out with a family situation. Though it took a while to be resolved, it has been resolved nonetheless, and I can finally resume my regular routines as well as go in and out of the house on my terms. (The nature of what I had to do outside of my hometown limited when and under what circumstances I was out of the house I was staying in.) What's more, it's in time for Easter, so I'll get to go to church tomorrow. Yay!

Something I Might Have To Try This Summer

For roughly two months, I've been at my sister's house. One of the things I've done recently was help my nephew pick dandelions to give to the family rabbit and guinea pig. (We ended up picking more than was actually needed though, so some are currently on reserve.)

The only pet at my house is a dog named Layla, and I'm not sure how receptive she would be of dandelions. However, the dandelion picking got me thinking about what I could do with dandelions in my own hometown in case I don't have anything else to do this summer and decide go pick dandelions (at my own home or at a local park).

So, I looked on the Internet for some things to try. Some of the ideas were cooking-related, but I don't have that much experience with cooking, at least not from scratch anyway. However, something that I did find was a recipe for dandelion lemonade. It doesn't look very hard to make. I'd simply need 2 quarts worth of dandelions, certain containers (a one gallon jar and something that will help me measure out the right amount of dandelions), some lemons, and to make sure there's enough space in the fridge for a one gallon jar (not to meniton permission from my mom and/or stepdad). The recipe mentioned "add[ing] fresh honey to taste", but I think that part's optional.

I will likely be in my hometown this summer, and I plan on filling most of my week up with the job search, volunteer work at a local thrift store three times a week, and church on Sunday. However, I might have a day or two when I could take a go at gathering dandelions for lemonade. It'll be a new thing for me and give me an excuse to be outside for a while.

The Snow We've Been Getting

We had snow since the beginning of the month. It has been last Monday since I had consistent access to a sidewalk. Not only are the sidewalks covered to where I can't find them, but the piles are too high for me to walk through them without getting more than a minimal amount of pant leg wet. Needless to say, a lot of commutes I have had to make had me walking on the street but as close to the curb as possible.

Last Tuesday and Wednesday, the office where my mom works was closed. My stepdad had to work Tuesday, but the store ended up closing early, and he had the day off on Wednesday anyway. Wednesday is also one of the days when I do my volunteer work at a local thrift store, but last Wednesday it was closed and today, the weather was too risky for me to go over there without at least arranging a ride.

Things that were supposed to happen this month ended up not happening because of the weather. The fashion show that my mom and I were supposed to participate in this past Sunday had been postponed by a month. The work night that the aforementioned thrift store (for anyone, staff member or not, to come in if they wished in order to help further things along) that was scheduled for tomorrow ended up getting cancelled because of the weather.

Then, there's my job search. I have not been able to turn in a single job application last week because of the snow and the very bitter cold. I have one filled out that I hope to turn in tomorrow, and I'm hoping to seek out more. (Unfortunately, I will have to walk on the street for longer distances than what it takes to get to my volunteer work.) The snow does not change the fact that I've got student loans to pay off and not to mention I want to minimize my dependency on either of my parents (in addition to not wanting to let them down).

As a kid, I enjoyed the snow, especially if I got a chance to play in it. I remember various times when I've even built snowmen. As an adult, I've found it hard to enjoy. For one thing, it's keeping me from doing things I need to go out and do or at least making it difficult. Another is that I feel I have to much "indoor stuff" to do that I don't feel right about going outside without having any business calling me there. Also, while it'd be one thing to be out playing in the snow if my nephew 8-year-old were around, it seems silly for me to be playing in it by myself at 25 (especially given, again, the "indoor stuff" there is for me to do; but if I run out of it, MAYBE I'll consider going outside).

I will say though, it is pretty to look at. I'll sometimes look out the window at it. (And to think in the last couple of months it didn't look like we'd get any.) Being out in it is just a different matter. I'm hoping it doesn't become too much of a problem for me this month.

The Empty Seat

Since October of 2009, when I had returned to my mom after nine-and-a-half months of living with my dad when he had to have surgery and go somewhere to recover from said surgery, I had been attending a Baptist church in my current hometown. There was an elderly whom I would often sit next to. She and I would talk a bit before the service. One of the things that would come up was my job search. She'd ask how it was going, and I'd admit that it wasn't going so well. She was sympathetic of this. (She knew the economy was making it hard to get a job.)

Last week, I had heard that she was in the hospital. I think it had something to do with a hip injury. If the weather had allowed, I maybe would've gone to see her. I found out today that she died on Thursday, and her funeral was this afternoon. After church, I went home basically just long enough to eat some lunch and then headed over to the funeral home where said funeral was taking place. (The burial is set to be a private family one to take place on another date.) I was hoping that today, I'd maybe get some clarification from the pastor as to the details of her condition and maybe find out what part of the hospital she was in so that I could perhaps go see her. But obviously, it was too late. She lived to be 79.

We could all be confident that we'll see someone again or that we'll get to do xyz only for death to change all that. Will I live as long as my friend did? I don't know at this point. On the one hand, I regret not seeing her one last time before her passing. If I knew earlier specifically which part of the hospital she was in, I would've maybe toughed out the weather we had been having to go see her.

Church won't be the same anymore without her to talk to before service. Perhaps the empty seat next to me is symbolic of the void that her passing has left. Will someone else fill the seat next to me? Who knows? All I know is that I should never take for granted the people in my life (in my family, at church, or anywhere else). After all, one day they could be gone for good.

A Research Project Of Sorts

I had a professor in college who once said, "Sometimes you have to do homework in order to do your homework." This was in reference to an assignment in that class that was set up in which answering certain questions required more research than the format and instructions suggested. I have not been in school since December 2008. However, even in "real" life I have found truth in that statement.

Take for instance my volunteer position at a thrift store in my hometown. For a while, our manager wanted to be the only one to price clothing. However, it became necessary for her to authorize someone else to do it. When things at the store became such that said person could not take care of the pricing either, the manager delegated the task to me.

One of the factors I have been taught to take into account when pricing something is brand. For instance, a blouse of a brand that could be found at JCPenny would be worth more than one of a brand found at Wal-Mart. It's easy to price an item with the brand in mind when I have seen/heard of the brand but not so easy when I haven't. (Being the kind of business that we are, there's no telling what will come in on any given day, so there's always the chance of coming across an item of a brand that neither I nor the manager has ever heard of. In a case like that, I'll go by other factors, such as condition of the item, design, and/or what comparable items that have been priced are going for.)

The way it is at this point, I'll generally price one or two items at a time and then put them out. While stuff is at least getting out, I feel bad that it's not getting out as quickly as it normally does when I'm merely putting stuff out that someone else has priced. So, in an attempt to be more efficient, I have decided to look up some brands to see which ones are expensive and which ones aren't so expensive. (So far, I've done most of my research on the respective sites of JCPenney and Wal-Mart. I might look up comparable stores as well.) I've made lists of both. I may study them a bit so that I won't have to look at them a lot and I can get stuff priced faster.

I never thought I would ever need to do research for a position like this. But if that is what is in the best interest of the business, so be it, especially if it pertains to a responsibility that I have in it.  Hopefully, my "aim" for the right price will get better as I go along.

Turning Down Time Into "Do" Time At Home

First off, I'm sorry I haven't been in here lately. I don't know if it's that I haven't had much to say here or what.

Second, I have a confession to make. You've heard the saying, "Idle hands are the Devil's workshop" or something along those lines, right? Basically it means that if you don't have something to do, you'll cause trouble or something. In my case, if I'm not engaged in something and I'm bored, I'll do something dumb, like pace around my room or (if no one is home) the house. I don't know where I get that habit from. All I know is that it's a wasteful habit and not to mention annoying to those around me if I get caught. This is not a habit I want to pass down to my future children. It's also a behavior that would not fly at any job,including my volunteer work at a local thrift store; then again, there's almost always something for me to take care of there, even if it's simply wiping something down or reorganizing a display to make it more presentable. (And I can't speak for everybody, but in my case, if there's nothing to do whatsoever, and I'm not the one running the register, I could always just leave.)

 Anyway, I've made a post-New Year's resolution to have something planned for when I'm going to be home to help lessen the temptation for aimless roaming. For instance, last night, I determined that, when I got home from church, I would spend this afternoon reading a book of which I had gotten through the prologue so far. I would spend however much time I needed to get the book finished (barring any calls I needed to take or any requests to help with something of course). That ended up knocking roughly four to five hours out of my day, I believe. Even if my mind started to wander (and my body did once or twice), I made sure to get right back to the reading.

Tomorrow night, I think I'll plan on reading two books still on my reading list  (The Little Book of Stress and The Little Book of Crap).  After that, I'll grab one of my sudoku books (which has white rings) and finish the puzzles in that. If I finish that book before the evening's up, I'll grab the other book and finish the puzzles in that. If I finish that book, I'll do more of the puzzles in one of the calendar sets. (I have a black one and a red one. They're the "tear the page off" type of calendars.) If I have time after that, I'll take surveys that have been emailed to me and clean out my inbox.

I don't expect myself to get all of these done tomorrow night per se. However, maybe if I know I have an agenda for the evening, I won't feel so bored, and I won't be as tempted to move about needlessly. I think I'll try to do this every night and on the weekends (unless of course I do end up with a night or a weekend day where I need to be somewhere). I'll let you know how that turns out.