Explain this, Al Gore!!

Okay, so Al Gore is a champion for global warming. His claims that the world is pretty much slowly melting from the effects of global warming have scared a lot of people.

So, if global warming were detrimental to our society, please explain to me why the majority of July had below-average temperatures. Why are the leaves changing on the trees already, and it’s only the first week of August? Why did the last winter end up so bitterly cold?

Feeling the age...

I came across this article on Yahoo! the other day and it made me feel old! But, I should have known this day would come eventually. On a radio station I used to listen to a few years back, they would introduce an oldies song by stating, "We're going way back, waaaay back, waaaaaaaaaaay back!!" In this case, the song from "way back" turned out to be a song I knew from high school! So, to read about a teenager who doesn't know how to work a Walkman makes me feel a little ancient. I guess that's how my dad felt when I asked him what an eight-track player was.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=%2Fc%2Fa%2F2009%2F07%2F01%2FBU2618GKE7.DTL&nopu=1

Midnight

My cat got a little thirsty:

Engagement announcement

Jason's and my engagement announcement:

http://www.kokomotribune.com/archivesearch/local_story_171185651.html

Engagement pictures

Here are a few pictures that Jason's friend Gerry took for our engagement announcement in the Kokomo Tribune. He did a wonderful job!

A sign of American intelligence

I came across this "Dear Abby" article on Thursday, and I just had to roll my eyes. It's unfortunate these people even made it out of school....

TOURISTS' NATIONAL NAIVETE IS CAUSE FOR EMBARRASSMENT
Dear Abby (Thursday, May 21, 2009)

DEAR ABBY: The letter from "Cheri-Ann in Honolulu" (Feb. 21), who wanted to remind your readers that Hawaii is indeed one of the 50 states, reflects the lack of reasonable preparation on the part of tourists. My son lives in Hawaii and over the years we have visited him many times. The questions I have heard travelers ask flight attendants as they deplane in Honolulu run the gamut: "Where do I go to change money?" "Which side of the road do 'they' drive on?" Is it safe here when it rains?" or "Is English widely spoken?" I think I've heard them all. --ALOHA FROM ALICE IN BERKELEY

DEAR ALICE: Some of the letters I received in response to Cheri-Ann's were surprising--and amusing. I hope she will take comfort in knowing that Hawaii isn't the only state that has been "overlooked." Read on:

DEAR ABBY: I am from Oregon and when I would to go visit family on the East Coast, some poeple did not know where my state is located. When I told them it was right above California, more than a few of them would exclaim, "Oh, you're from Canada!" --DIANE IN PORTLAND, ORE.

DEAR ABBY: My wife and I spent our honeymoon in Alaska. A girl on our cruise ship asked where we were from. When I replied, "Vermont," she asked what state it was in, "Maine or Massachusetts?" in answer to which I politely pointed out that Vermont is the nation's 14th state. --ERIC IN RUTLAND, VT.

DEAR ABBY: Twenty years ago I married a Navy man. We moved from our home state to Virginia, and I was asked where I was from. I replied, "New York." I was then asked, "What's it like to live in such a big city?" "No," I responded, "I live in upstate New York. I've never been to the city." Then I was asked, "What is 'upstate'?" and had to explain that upstate means in the middle area of New York STATE, only to hear, "There's a state called New York?!" --SANDY IN ITALY (THE COUNTRY)

DEAR ABBY: When people hear I from Kentucky's Appalachia region, they automatically ask if my boyfriend is also my cousin, if possum is my favorite dish and if I've ever heard ofthe Internet. Stereotypes still exist. Both Hawaiians and Appalachians have a long way to go before we will be accepted, in the eyes of some people, as "Americans." --KENTUCKY NATIVE

DEAR ABBY: I work for the tourism department in New Mexico and want Cheri-Ann to know she is not alone. We frequently have to respond to questions like, "Do I need a passport or visa to visit?" or, "Can I drink the water?" We even received a letter from a wedding magazine requesting information regarding our "traditional" customs for marriage so they could run an article on our "country." And yes, you CAN drink the water here. --MAX FROM THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO

DEAR ABBY: I once had to ask a bank teller here in Florida how much it would cost to wire money from my account to a bank in Minnesota. She said, "Minnesota? Is that in the United States?" The sad thing is this woman actually handled money and accounts. No wonder our banks have to be bailed out. --JUDY IN NEW SMYRNA BEACH, FLA.

DEAR ABBY: People have asked me where I'm from. When I respond, "I'm from Deleware," I am then asked, "Is that a state?" To which I casually respond, "Yes. The first one." Maybe having a vice president from Delaware will finally "put us on the map." --FIRST STATE NATIVE

DEAR NATIVE: And having a president from Hawaii may help, too.

Hello!

As this is my first post, there won't be much for me to say. Basically, it's late and I need to go to bed because I have to get up early. But I decided to post something to start it off!