I start tonight's post with a few housekeeping issues. First, why has it become necessary in our society to provide instructions for leaving a message? Answering machines and voice mail have been around for years with no apparent confusion. Now when I call someone and they don't answer, I'm instructed by the voice of the person I called to leave a message. After that, a computerized voice tells me to "press 5 to page this person now." Then, to "please record your message. When finished, you may simply hang up (well, DUH!) or press pound for more delivery options." By the time all this has gone on, I'm ready to simply hang up without taking the time to leave a message-I've already been on the phone forever listening to instructions! Okay, all you phone companies-we've been leaving messages for years! Stop complicating it!


And now, an update on "Elevator Etiquette." People-yes, you. I cannot stress strongly enough the importance of being ready to exit the elevator when you reach the GROUND FLOOR. It ain't goin' any lower, people...this is IT! Why must you hide in the corners nearest the exit door? I'm carrying a 30-pound tub of mail and walking from one end of the row of three elevators to the other to get to the open elevator...is that really too short a time to step out from the corner and exit the elevator?? They're just not that big! Get out! No, really, Get Out!!

And the final housekeeping item for the evening...stress. Yes, you know who you are. You thrive on stress and you're not happy until you can pass it along to others. We live in the richest country in the world. Most of us work in buildings without holes created by bombs...most of the time. Most of us have some loose change somewhere-in a car, our bedside table, couch cushions. Most of us have family or friends, TV, telephones, running water, bathrooms that work, streets that are comparatively safe. Yet executives, bosses, supervisors and Those In Charge insist that we all be stressed out. Today my boss asked me if I could clean out the storage room. It's a simple question, and of course I can clean out the storage room. I'm an able-bodied relatively young person who likes to organize things (well, at work anyway). What I can't do, though, is say to my boss, "okay, I'm cleaning out the storage room and these have been sitting here with the same dust pattern since I got here. They're never used. We are out of space. We need to get rid of them" because if I do, well then, of COURSE we can't get rid of them. Someone might need them. Someday. Somewhere. When last I checked, the laws of physics were still in effect and two objects cannot occupy the same space at the same time. If we can't get rid of anything, then I can't clean the storage room. It's simple.

Michael Moore should never be President. He's too important doing what he is doing. The fact is, folks, we have too much fear-mongering in this country. Do you realize that many, many people in Canada do not lock the doors to their homes? Ever? I heard this tonight and was floored--I can't imagine a scenario like this. In a bunch of different countries the yearly death toll from guns is in the low hundreds-under 500 per year. Way under, usually. (yes, that's YEARLY, folks)In the United States it's over 11,000. Eleven Thousand. CNN and the news media have created a problem, and that is that they need viewers. They don't get viewers by covering happy stuff (which, by the way, happens all the time). They get viewers by covering murder, car chases, people running from police, bombings, killing, etc. Viewers equal ratings, which of course equal dollars. And it's all about the money here in the U. S. We need to realize that everybody is afraid, and we're all afraid of each other. If we just quit being afraid, lots of the nonsense will go away.

Canadians were appalled recently to hear that people in the United States don't automatically get health coverage. In Canada if you're sick, you go to the doctor. When asked why, the Canadians on the street said "because they're people, and everyone has the right to live." We don't care about people in this country any more. It makes me very sad. We've become a cold, hard, dollars-focused nation. To let people without insurance die is criminal, and since so many people are for the death penalty and believe in the right to life, well then, let's apply the death penalty to those who alllow this travesty to continue.

While we're at it, let's apply the punishment for any crime committed with a gun to the owner of the gun (unless it's stolen by an adult criminal). That way we won't have hordes of people calling for harsh punishment for a six-year-old who doesn't know any better, brings a gun to school and kills a fellow six-year-old. This has to stop. If you're too stupid to lock up your guns, you're too stupid to own one. Turn off the TV and get a clue, folks! It's 10:00-do you know where your firearm is?

I have been on a soapbox tonight...thank you for your patience. I recommend any Michael Moore movie or book to any person reading this. Trust me...try it. It's not illegal, not immoral, and might bring up new points you haven't yet thought of. Also, watch the movie "Crash." There were two-you want the one made in 2004 about people in L.A. I am a total movie-weenie and I can watch it. It's extremely well done. I will tell you now that there is harsh language, but it will change your life and how you look at people. I will probably mention it again; it's that important. And now, I leave you and take my children to look through a big telescope at beautifl things worlds away. Back on Sunday. Have a good weekend!