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It really is a drug

I had my birds fed, my dog snuggled in for his morning nap to get over the rigors of his long night’s sleep, my latte in hand and my computer turned on.  Life was good. Then I hit the sign on button and found out my Internet connection was down. It was as though I was jonesing for a crack fix and someone accidentally spilled the contents of the spoon…ok, I may be mixing metaphors there since I don’t know if you actually cook crack the way heroin gets cooked but give me a break. I’m old and it’s hard

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Seriously, what is our problem?

In a world full of AIDS, war and neo-cons, why is anyone interested in a baby made by two B (at best) level actors who have done little to deserve the hysteria that seems to be surrounding the birth of their child.  Unless, of course, you know something I don’t about this child being the next coming of god on earth. If so, I think it’s appropriate that this time around She’s showing her feminine side.

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Is this an old joke

There is an old joke about a certain southern state that will remain unnamed. According to the joke, the state has a new license plate motto that reads, “Ten million people, ten last names.” Here in Alaska, we have a Murkowski running against a Knowles, we have two Stevens, a Murkowski, a Young and a Begich in political office and I have to wonder. These are the same names I’ve heard for thirty years.  Is Alaska the state of six hundred and fifty thousand people and six politicians?  Do these families meet at some secret location and divy up the

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Columns 2006

The cost of a gallon of gas

My parents were part of the generation that weathered the Depression, WW II and the Lawrence Welk Show. In the 1960s, they watched as the cost of living inched inexorably upward, eating into their American Dream and making them even more cautious with their money.

Every holiday we would drive from Atlantic City to Philadelphia to celebrate with family.  My father would go to the gas station and ask for a very specific amount of gas – maybe $2 worth, maybe $10 later on.  You never said, “Fill it up”.  My mother explained that if you said that, the gas

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Memorial Day

And once again we are reminded of the sacrifices of those who make our lives possible….all those people working the holiday during the one day only Memorial Day sales.  What would we do without them?  Who would be there to remind us of the true meaning of the day?  It’s kinda like Santa Claus being the symbol of Christmas and reminding us of its real message – which, I believe, is “Buy yourself into tremendous debt now, regret it later”.

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I’m late but I’m back

There was a time in my life when the phrase, “I’m late” would have held a wholly different meaning. But now it just means I”m late with today’s posting beause I am just getting back from the wedding. The bride was beautiful, the groom was handsome, the parents-in-law were all wonderful. So I find myself asking why I am so cynical at these affairs anymore.  Is there truly no romance left in my life or am I just tired from the drive to Seward?  Thank God for Captain Mal in Serenity or I would definitely think the answer was the

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It’s her wedding day

My housesitter will arrive a little later this morning and I am off to Seward for the wedding of my cousin’s daughter. I was a bridesmaid at my cousin’s wedding. Now I’m driving her daughter, the bride, down to her wedding day. Why does that song “Sunrise Sunset” keep playing in my mind?

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Screw up the sequence, mess with my mind

My friend’s daughter just had a baby named Erin.  Nice name but out of sequence which means for the rest of that child’s life I will look at her and think her name should begin with a D. The first grandchild is Aiden. The second is Brenna. The third is Connor.  Are you seeing the pattern here? And suddenly we skip D and go to E.  It’s just not right to mess with my head that way. D is a perfectly good letter and should not be ignored by those who would show prejudice against it.

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