I guess I still haven't gotten it out of my system. Or the first dustings of winter snow have caused me to become a little unbalanced.

You Are Boggle

You are an incredibly creative and resourceful person. You're able to dig deep and think outside the box to get things done. You are a non linear thinker. You don't like following directions You draw your inspiration from the strangest places sometimes. You're constantly inspired.

Got this good idea from Jen at Conversion Diary. Put random remarks together under an appropriate title, and voila! A blog post.

(1) Even though it's a thinly disguised way to increase the information and profit they extract from me, I'm grateful to Amazon for giving me that little "Add to Wish List" button to stick on my toolbar. In the last few days I've added Monastery Mustard, Rosary Bracelets, an "I'm Blogging This" t-shirt, what looks like an exceptional hymnal and the collected play-by-plays of the legendary Bob Ufer.

(2) Every year I resolve to finish my Christmas shopping well ahead of time. This year would be a particularly advantageous time to follow through, because a greater proportion of my gifts will need to be mailed than usual. So why is it that finding the exactly appropriate gift for someone, a solid sense of what the budget ought to be, and the willingness to commit to one choice or another all seem to withhold themselves until December 17?

(3) I've never done this before, but I just opened a special bank account into which I intend to squirrel money for special outlays like recreational travel. Somehow it makes a big psychological difference that the money is completely separate from that mish-mash that is our main account, and all the accounting tricks, mental reservations and budget discussions in the world wouldn't accomplish what seeing that little amount grow bit by bit will do for me and my resolve. So returnable bottle revenues (unless my stepdaughter gets to the bottles first), the results of little sacrifices, perhaps my paltry but esteem-enhancing profits from doing business in Second Life -- that's where they'll go, earning me interest and a certain amount of glee.

(4) I note with some distress that my first 3 items are centered around shopping and money. Perhaps that's enough flirtation with the root of all evil for now.

Courtesy of my sister-in-law:

If your local Dairy Queen is closed from September through May,
You may live in Canada.

If someone in a Home Depot store offers you assistance and they don't work there,
You may live in Canada.

If you've worn shorts and a parka at the same time, you may live in Canada.

If you've had a lengthy telephone conversation with someone who dialed a wrong number,
You may live in Canada.

If 'Vacation' means going anywhere south of Detroit for the weekend,
You may live in Canada.

If you measure distance in hours,
You may live in Canada.

If you know several people who have hit a deer more than once,
You may live in Canada.

If you have switched from 'heat' to 'A/C' and back again in the same day,
You may live in Canada.

If you can drive 90 km/hr through 2 feet of snow during a raging blizzard without flinching,
You may live in Canada.

If you install security lights on your house and garage but leave both unlocked,
You may live in Canada.

If you carry jumpers in your car and your wife knows how to use them,
You may live in Canada.

If you know what "Hosers" and "Newfies" are,
You may live in Canada.

If you design your kid's Halloween costume to fit over a snowsuit,
You may live in Canada.

If the speed limit on the highway is 80 km, you're going 90, and everybody is passing you,
You may live in Canada.

If driving is better in the winter because the potholes are filled with snow,
You may live in Canada.

If you know all 4 seasons: almost winter, winter, still winter, and road construction,
You may live in Canada.

If you have more miles on your snow blower than your car,
You may live in Canada.

If you refer to your neighbors to the south as "North Americans",
You may live in Canada.

If you wonder why some of these surprise some people,
You may live in Canada.

Update

I forgot the most important one:

If you know in the depths of your heart that the Stanley Cup ought never live anywhere south of the Mason-Dixon line,
You may live in Canada.

Thanks to the inimitable Tom McMahon.

Blogging a Way to Connect
The Ann Arbor News, 11/9/08

Texting While Driving is Bad
Reuters

Bacon Beats Fries
The Denver Post

Defensive driving took a new twist on the freeways of Detroit.

I was feeling a little hungry, and I had finished the hat I was knitting, and, well, one thing kind of led to another.

(Hat tip: Julie at The Happy Catholic.

Update: Apparently not everyone appreciates the artistry of this.