Independence Day

Bored, bored, bored, bored.

I am supposed to be writing.  I have a few ideas saved on my "tablet," but I'm just not feeling any of them. Quite frankly, I'm just not into researching facts and figures today.  I'm leaning more toward research strictly for the sake of research.  You know, where you Google a piece of music you heard on The Glades, or you click on the most sensationally-titled articles from Yahoo!, knowing they never pan out to be as riveting as they appear, but you're zooming across the worldwide web without a map -- reckless, carefree, and using the excuse that it's a holiday, therefore reckless misuse of time is not only allowed, but encouraged.  "Relax.  Enjoy!"

So, here's to wasting time and driving under the influence (of pop-ups, sidebars, and inconsequential search suggestions).

*  I just took this quiz, and quite frankly, I am scared.  It's a religious knowledge quiz; I scored 14 of 15 correct.  I'm blaming my higher than average score on the fact Christine just studied Church History and World Religions.

*  Tinkerbell is licking my toes.  I think this is a good opportunity to share with you some of Tinkerbell's issues.  She does not like change; she will bark if I leave a clothes basket on the bed, or drape a towel or article of clothing over my shoulders in a situation she considers "unusual or inappropriate.".  She has a couple of nervous habits -- one of which is licking your feet.  Some folks don't care much for it, I recognize it as the only foot rub lasting more than twenty-six seconds and costing less than a dollar, I'm going to get.  She is a "flank-sucker."  Some dogs indulge in this behavior the same way a child sucks his or her thumb.  Typically though, dogs continue this behavior throughout their adult life.  Tinkerbell's seems to escalate when she is denied something she wants.

*  Speaking of dogs... I was walking my two brutes a couple of weeks ago, when a puppy darted toward us from it's unfenced yard.  As I stood in the middle of the street, screaming for the owner (standing right on her steps) to get her dog, Desi and Lucy did remain relatively calm -- I gotta give them that.  But the puppy only came closer, the more we tried to turn away and ignore it.  The owner did nothing -- not so much as a whistle.  I resorted to getting out the dog repellent, merely to protect the puppy.  As I sprayed a weak barrier on the ground to deter it, "mommy" finally began to call her dog.  Mind you, my dogs really were not reacting violently, but I didn't want to go there.  After what seemed like minutes, the owner came toward us, crossing our path to nab her now fleeing pup, and said, "He's just a puppy; he doesn't know."  ?????????

*  Did you happen to know, a Michigan jail inmate says he's being subjected to cruel and unusual punishment because he can't have pornography?  His handwritten lawsuit actually uses the phrase "poor standard of living."  BTW, he is serving time for a robbery to which he was linked by snowy footprints and a trail of money leading back to his apartment.

*  And, something really worth watching... a gift like no other.

HAPPY 4TH, EVERYONE!