Thursday, September 20, 2007

This dog's for you!



I thought I would share a really cute pic of my dog after visiting Poodle's blog. Those of you who've been to my Xanga page knows it's the same one I use for my profile photo there.

She had a funny Hank the Cowdog moment last week when she heard some coyotes howl off in the field. She started barking her alarm, but even before I could call her back into the house, she was running up the stairs toward me. Ya big, brave dawg, you. Haha!

"To be conscious that you are ignorant is a great step to knowledge." ~ Benjamin Disraeli (1804 - 1881)

And...we're off...

We all went to town together this morning. Dh had a 9:30 meeting before he took the shuttle from campus to the airport. We had piano lessons from 9:30 to 11:30.

Dh will get various things packed and ready to load onto the rental truck tomorrow, pick up the rental truck, as well as taking care of annoying little things like down-grading the cable service.

They'll be driving on Saturday and hopefully arrive here not too late Saturday evening.

Meanwhile, my sister will be arriving mid-afternoon on Saturday. I plan to have a fried chicken feast for her and our friends, JGTH, that night. Unfortunately, these won't be our chickens yet, but it'll be fried and therefore will taste good even if it's not organically grown. And then I intend to drink all day with her on Sunday to celebrate her 39th birthday!

"To be conscious that you are ignorant is a great step to knowledge." ~ Benjamin Disraeli (1804 - 1881)

Wednesday, September 19, 2007

Just wanted to add...

...dh's bro is not being a complete *sswipe. But, he is being a complete guy - totally oblivious. Maybe guys, or at least some guys, never truly grow out of the teenage brain phase (I have to thank my friend, Carol, here for recommending the superb book, "The Primal Teen").

"To be conscious that you are ignorant is a great step to knowledge." ~ Benjamin Disraeli (1804 - 1881)

Ch-ch-ch-changes

Our friend/neighbor, Ingo, had already left for Germany a week ago, and Laura and Rosa left today to join him. We're so sad because they've been good neighbors and friends for many years and we'll miss them. Rosa, who has always been adorable, is at a really fun age right now too...talking lots and so charming.

Dh's dad is coming this weekend. We've got his apartment in the assisted living facility all set to go for him. It would have been nice if he could have come sooner. He was ready to move once he discovered back in the beginning of August that he could no longer live on his own. Dh was ready to move him sooner too. But, his brother was adamant that he could only do it this weekend (and it would be easier with both dh and his brother moving their father as the 12 hour drive isn't much fun)...to hell with everyone else's schedule.

My sister had her flight booked to come visit us, arriving this Saturday, for months ahead of time. Plus, her birthday is the day after she arrives. So, she has been banished to second-class citizen due to one person. Luckily, she is not an egocentric, self-centered b*tch like a certain other SIL is, and she is fine with all this. I am royally ticked. If it weren't for the fact that I love my FIL, I'd start the voodoo doll thing on dh's bro and his family (oh, that, and I don't believe in voodoo...minor detail).

But to get away from selfish people, I'd like to mention an interesting article from the NY Times:
"I'm 75 years old, I have Alzheimer's, and I'm probably not going to be around a lot longer. So I might as well see the money do some good."
- BARBARA DODD ANDERSON, who gave $128 million to George School, a prep school in Bucks County, Pa.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/19/education/19gift.html?th&emc=th

"To be conscious that you are ignorant is a great step to knowledge." ~ Benjamin Disraeli (1804 - 1881)

Thursday, September 13, 2007

Good news on the writing front

Uh, no, I still haven't finished editing the current manuscript, but guess what I got in the mail today?! Another letter from Cricket Magazine wanting to reprint one of my poems that they had published a number of years back. $25 without lifting a pinky. Good stuff! (Well, ok, I have to lift a pinky: I have to sign the consent form and mail it back to them.)

"To be conscious that you are ignorant is a great step to knowledge." ~ Benjamin Disraeli (1804 - 1881)

Wednesday, September 12, 2007

Not a whole lot from me

I noticed that my last few posts are not my own thoughts, although I wish I had created the Vancouver one. ;)

The appraisal seemed to have gone well. The man who was here appeared to have an affinity for Lindal-style homes and thought our house was quite beautiful. He asked if we had just put in new counters in the kitchen, and was genuinely surprised when I told him those are the same counters we put in when we built the house 8 years ago. I took that as a compliment.

The ceramics class and the co-op that ds#1 is taking are both going well. Ds#1 has also been invited to join the teen book club, thanks to the kindness of C and her son A. He did pretty well and liked it about as much after the first meeting he attended on Monday.

I think I neglected to mention that ds#1 got his results on his first exam (ever) in the Intro to Earth and Space Sciences class: he received a 94%. Not too shabby. :)

And one final thing, I am really enjoying this lovely fall weather. I love the cool mornings that warm up mid-day. I feel like having some apple cider....

"To be conscious that you are ignorant is a great step to knowledge." ~ Benjamin Disraeli (1804 - 1881)

A favor for an online friend

Someone I know has an article called My Son is My Yoga Guru on a site that pays her for views:

"You may have read some of these already because I post them here as well, but if you click on my article I get paid for every 1000 views!! Thanks friends!!

www.associatedcontent.com/article/319453/my_son_is_my_yoga_guru.html

Thanks all, please look forward to more!!!!"


"To be conscious that you are ignorant is a great step to knowledge." ~ Benjamin Disraeli (1804 - 1881)

Tuesday, September 11, 2007

Missing Kids Screensaver

This is from one of my friends at CafeMom, and I thought it was a neat idea (especially if your computer can be seen by others!):

NATIONAL CENTER FOR MISSING & EXPLOITED CHILDREN AND GLOBAL SOFTWARE APPLICATIONS INTRODUCE MISSING CHILDREN SCREENSAVER

Rotating Missing Child Pictures When the Computer is Idle

Washington, D.C., August 1, 2007 –The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children® (NCMEC) today announced a new tool for engaging the public in their search for missing children. “Missing Kid Saver” is a screensaver that will use idle computer power to display important images and information about missing children. The software is an opt-in service and is available for free download at http://www.missingkidsaver.com. Global Software Applications (GSA), a private software company based in Philipsburg, PA, developed the software.

“Nearly 800,000 children are reported missing each year in the U.S. and thankfully, most are recovered quickly,” said Bob O’Brien, Executive Director, Missing Children Services at NCMEC. “Unfortunately, there are many who don’t get to go home right away and for those that remain missing it is vital that we all get involved in the search.”

Once downloaded to a user’s computer, “Missing Kid Saver” will function like a normal screensaver, appearing when the computer is left idle for a set period of time. It will rotate images of missing children that correspond to the user’s region of the country. The images and information are pulled from NCMEC’s database.

“Almost everybody knows that in the idle mode their computers display a nice picture, swimming fish or others. Now everyone can put all that wasted computer power to work for a noble cause,” said Ron Koning, Vice President of GSA. “Think about the impact when schools, libraries, police barracks, fire stations and large offices display the missing child photos on their computers. A computer in a larger office space or at home works like an E-Billboard. Rotating pictures on a computer screen draws attention; it makes people talk, opens up discussions and in the best possible scenario reunites a family.”

“Missing Kid Saver is a partnership of NCMEC, GSA, and all those who are online and want to help search for these children,” said O’Brien. "We’re offering this new tool because we know that photos work. In fact, one in six of the children featured in our photo distribution effort is recovered as a direct result of the photo. This is an opportunity to work together to help bring missing children home.”

About the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children
NCMEC is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to helping protect children from abduction and sexual exploitation. NCMEC’s congressionally mandated CyberTipline, a reporting mechanism for child sexual exploitation, has handled more than 494,000 leads. Since its establishment in 1984, NCMEC has assisted law enforcement with more than 133,000 missing child cases, resulting in the recovery of more than 115,700 children. For more information about NCMEC, call its toll-free, 24-hour hotline at 1-800-THE-LOST or visit www.missingkids.com.

About Global Software Applications (GSA)
GSA, a privately held company based in Philipsburg, Pennsylvania, creates business center computer software (Internet Kiosk software) distributed by its dba SurferQuest. The company further specializes in custom-made software for Self-Service systems, Wayfinder and other dedicated applications.
Halfway into 2005, Global Software Applications/ SurferQuest introduced an interactive real-time publication of missing child photos on their public computers in hotels, resorts and internet cafes and was referred to by the Associated Press as “Modern Day Milk Cartons.”
1-888-733-4365.

"To be conscious that you are ignorant is a great step to knowledge." ~ Benjamin Disraeli (1804 - 1881)

Monday, September 10, 2007

You know you're from Vancouver when...


(thanks, Rosie, for reminding me to bring more humor into the blog!)

1. Your co-worker has 8 body piercings and none are visible.

2. You make over $250,000 a year and still can't afford a house.

3. You take the bus and are shocked to hear two people carrying on a conversation in English.

4. You know what these abbreviations mean: PNE, GVRD, VPL, RAV, YVR.

5. You're shocked when it snows in the winter.

6. You've had a California roll for lunch.

7. You know more than 10 ways to order coffee.

8. You know how to pronounce Coquihalla.

9. A really great parking space can move you to tears.

10. Your hairdresser is straight, your plumber is gay, and your next-door neighbour grows weed.

11. At 8:30 AM, the guy at Starbucks wearing the baseball cap and sun glasses who looks like George Clooney IS George Clooney.

12. You car insurance costs as much as your house payment.

13. The gym is packed at 3 PM--on a work day.

14. You can tell the difference between Japanese, Thai, and Chinese food.

15. You watch the weather from a Seattle TV station because it's more accurate.

16. You pass an elementary school and the children are all busy with their cell phones or pagers while waiting for their personal rides home.

17. You're sure that you're the only one on the road with a REAL driver's licence.

18. You don't even listen when the forecast announces "chance of showers."

19. The more expensive the car, the worse the driver.

20. You can taste the difference between Starbucks, Second Cup, and Tim Horton's coffees.

21. You feel guilty when you throw paper or aluminum cans in the garbage.

22. You're not surprised to see geese throughout the whole year.

23. You can't remember: is pot still illegal?

24. If there's a day of snowfall, you consider not going to school or work.

25. You realize there are far more Rainbow flags in the city than Canadian flags.

26. You can name 10 Starbucks locations in less than a minute.

27. You don't even blink at the same sex couple holding hands on the street, but it shocks you when you meet a couple married for 40 years!



"To be conscious that you are ignorant is a great step to knowledge." ~ Benjamin Disraeli (1804 - 1881)

All's well that...oh, you know

So the dreaded event (the curriculum/book sale) on Saturday went much better than I anticipated. At least nobody went inside the house to mess things up. I was a little worried because some of the kids there have been known to be a bit destructive and I needed to keep the house tidy for the appraiser who will be coming tomorrow. The boys were off at their theory lesson so they couldn't serve as kid-police for me. ;>

Then, G was very kind and brought all my books and stuff to donate along with her stuff. Yay...it's so nice to see the floor on my art room again!

"To be conscious that you are ignorant is a great step to knowledge." ~ Benjamin Disraeli (1804 - 1881)

Thursday, September 06, 2007

More on water filters

Geez, you just can't shut me up today, can ya? ;)

Got another article on water filters today from the Green Guide. I think since National Geographic bought the site, they've been making content available for free, so you should be able to read this:

http://www.thegreenguide.com/products/kitchen/water%20filters

"To be conscious that you are ignorant is a great step to knowledge." ~ Benjamin Disraeli (1804 - 1881)

Cheap date

Tomorrow is dh's birthday and we were going to go out for dinner tonight. We usually splurge on a fancy restaurant for birthdays and anniversary, but dh just called to say that he's a bit tired and tomorrow will be another long day, so why doesn't he just pick up pizza and call it a night.

Well, we won't get a eat a really nice meal (although these pizzas at Pizza Express are better than your average pizzas...about 10 times better than Papa John's and not as greasy as Pizza Hut's), but we'll be saving probably close to $100 by not going out.

Speaking of pizzas, the BEST pizza I have ever had was a Peking duck pizza at this local restaurant called Lennie's. The best! And for a non-Chinese establishment, it was incredibly authentic tasting. I still drool when I think about it. Unfortunately, it's not something they have on the menu. It's one of those chef's whims, but usually Lennie's serves excellent pizzas and beer. Hey Epi, we should take you there when you visit!

"To be conscious that you are ignorant is a great step to knowledge." ~ Benjamin Disraeli (1804 - 1881)

I'm gonna go wabbit huntin'

Hunting

Or so said our fearless dog this morning. She caught what must be her 4th or 5th rabbit, and ate it with gusto. Darn dog, she is supposed to save the good meats for us. Why does she think we buy her the expensive dog foods??

Not nearly as impressive, but I sucked up a fly the size of a grape with the vacuum cleaner. Stupid thing.

Choosing

I was thinking yesterday about good choices and bad choices. One friend I spoke with yesterday had, with her husband, made some good choices, and with a bit of luck, have only 5 years left on their mortgage (whereas we will have to keep paying for another 15 years due to adding this land next to us). Another friend has made a number of not-so-good choices throughout her life and is now regretting many things, including her current job, her spouse, and her location.

I think many people do that though, make choices without thinking the decision through to the end, and then they spend many years in regret or make many equally frantic and illogical choices to change the course of their actions. I know that lucky chance is involved in some of the outcomes of our choices, but one can't depend on that to bring one to a satisfying conclusion, so one really has to be more prudent in decision making.

Anticipating

We need to tidy up our house/property a bit for the appraiser who will be here on Tuesday. This will determine how big of a loan we can get without penalty. Waiting on pins and needles is the expression that comes to mind. It's not easy to maintain a tidy homeschooling home. We were at a homeschooling mom's house yesterday (for a co-op that she is teaching) and it was gratifying to see that while they have a beautiful Asian motif place (and they have plenty of money compared to us), their house is no less a wreck...a child-friendly wreck, mind you, because she is a certified Waldorf instructor, but a wreck nonetheless. It's good that the appraiser will be here on Tuesday, and then we can let entropy take its course in our home again. (and if dh is reading this: I'm just kidding!!!)

I am also counting down the days when my sister will be here. I'm so excited even though that is the weekend dh's bro insists on bringing their dad here so dh won't be around for her arrival. But, thanks to my dear friend, G, Epi will at least have good friends to celebrate her arrival.

Being grateful

And while we're on the subject of friends, I want to mention how grateful I am to have good in-person friends like G and C and online friends like Rosie, Abby, Kimberly, etc., who humor me and let me know that I am not just blathering in vain.


"To be conscious that you are ignorant is a great step to knowledge." ~ Benjamin Disraeli (1804 - 1881)

Tuesday, September 04, 2007

Settled

That is the word on a number of issues.

We've worked out an agreement with the lessee of the land we want to buy, so now we're settled to go ahead with the purchase.

We've settled on a time for the boys' piano lessons although still have to pin the program down for a theory lesson time but half is settled anyway.

And it's also the word for what we're doing on the 'bringing dh's dad here' front. We're settling for going with dh's brother's date preference. It's not like dh is any less busy than his brother, but it seems like we are often acquiescing to his brother's (or his brother's family's) dictates and whims. I have to ask Epi if I, as the older sibling of two, always insists on having things my way.

That reminds me of another just-a-brain-fart point. I wonder if dh's brother will get his own share of cosmic justice when he's decrepit and his kids will be so preoccupied with their own kids that they will put his needs last. It'd certainly serve him right.

"To be conscious that you are ignorant is a great step to knowledge." ~ Benjamin Disraeli (1804 - 1881)

Update on my complaint about BuyTelco

I am so floored by this - I'd never heard of The Complaints Board before; I thought it was just a public whine forum - you know, no solutions, really, but a good sounding board to warn others. Well, it turns out they are amazingly effective! I highly recommend airing your grievances through them (well, I hope you'll never have grievances to air, but if you do...) I received the following e-mail today, as well as the following response on the Board itself (below below...LOL!)::

E-Mail from "Scott Shaw" to "Teresa ...." at ....@yahoo.com on www.complaintsboard.com

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Tue, 04 Sep 2007 07:17:22 -0700

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Ms. ....,

I apologize for your issues trying to get in touch with BuyTelco. We are really a software company with 40 or so employees, so it has been difficult trying to support all the customers that Wild Blue and Directv were throwing at us. The reality is that we were just holding down this function until Directv was ready to take it over. The transition has now been completed so the customer service process now has one less company involved and should be more straightforward. If you need anything from me please give me a call or e-mail at sshaw@acceller.com...I would be happy to assist you.

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If you think that you recieved this E-mail by mistake, please report it to complaintsboard@gmail.com, administrator staff.

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I work for BuyTelco (Acceller, Inc.) and handle the calls at the 786-837-6808 #. It is unfortunate that this customer has had a bad experience trying to contact our organization and i apologize for that. Last week we were in the process of transitioning the charge function to Directv to take advantage of their vast support resources. We temporarily provided this service for them until they were ready to take over charging for the equipment and providing customer support for the Wild Blue internet products. Our primary function is as a software company and facilitator of broadband services to the public. Directv partners with us to provide it's customers broadband services at a discount to the prevailing prices in the market. That transition has now been completed and customers will no longer be charged by BuyTelco when ordering services directly from Directv. Customers can expect a much easier time with technical support and pricing issues with the numerous experienced support teams that Directv maintains at it's call centers. Last week was a busy week and my Voice Mail filled up a few times. For those customers that were inconveninced because of this I am truly sorry. I would encourage those interested in Directv and Wild Blue to give the process another shot at 888-777-2454. Although equipment lead times are a little long right now, the customer care issues should be resolved...Feel free to contact me with questions...


"To be conscious that you are ignorant is a great step to knowledge." ~ Benjamin Disraeli (1804 - 1881)

Sunday, September 02, 2007

And now for something totally a waste of time...

Borrowed from a CafeMom friend:

52 Confessions

1. The phone rings, who do you want it to be? I don’t want the phone to ring because I don’t want to have to answer it.

2. When shopping at the grocery store, do you return your cart? Yeeeah! Don’t get me started on inconsiderate schlobs who don’t return carts (I make exceptions only for moms with little kids, the elderly, and folks with various handicaps who can’t walk very far).

3. If you had to kiss the last person you kissed, would you kiss them again, or not? Of course I’d kiss dh again!

4. Do you take compliments well? Not at all.

5. Do you play Sudoku? Tried it, but I like crosswords better. Ds#1 and I played a really fun crossword in a Scientific American issue a few months back.

6. If abandoned alone in the wilderness would you survive? If I were next to a source of water, possibly. I am pretty certain I could start a fire and field-dress a small animal…provided I can find and kill one. But my foraging skills aren’t terribly good; I don’t know my wild plants and fungus too well. I’d be eating a lot of dandelions, onion grass, and mustard greens.

7. If your house were on fire, what would be the first thing you would save? Dh, the kids, and the credit card...first 3 things.

8. Who was the last person you slept in the bed with? Dh...as it has been for the past 18 years.

9. Who do you text the most? I never text.

10. Favorite children’s book? Oh man, too many to list one favorite! Cricket in Times Square; Edward Eager’s "magic" books; Mary Poppins series (P.L. Travers’ xenophobia notwithstanding); Betsy-Tacy series; Little Women; Harry Potter series; etc. etc.

11. Eye color? Dark brown.

12. How tall are you? 5 ft 1 in.

13. If you could do it over again, start from scratch, would you? No; it was stressful enough the first time around, thanks.

14. Any secret admirers? If I knew, they wouldn’t be "secret," now, would they?

15. When was the last time you were at Olive Garden? Never. We don’t usually do chain restaurants that don’t sell ethnically authentic foods.

16. Favorite ex..? I have no exs; I was of the opinion that anyone worth putting time into long-term dating had better be husband material. I had some fun ex-dates, though!

17. Where was the furthest place you traveled? Farther is relative to what you consider your starting point. I was in Asia, and I was in Europe…not sure which is farther.

18. Do you like mustard? Generally; mostly Dijon.

19. Do you prefer to sleep or eat? I love both with equal passion.

21. Do you miss anyone? My sister who lives too far from me.

22. Can you do splits? Banana, yes; other kinds, no.

23. What movie do you want to see right now? The Prestige.

24. What did you do for New Year’s Eve? Probably watched a little TV and went to bed early. Yeah, I’m a party animal.

25. Do you think The Grudge was crappy? Maybe if I saw it.

26. Do you own a camera phone? Yeah, but not by choice. It sure came in handy when my friend and I were yard-saling and she needed to send her dh a photo of something she wanted to buy.

27. Was your mom a cheerleader? Heck no; what an undignified, un-academic, and un-lady-like thing to do is probably what she’d say. She and I agree on some things.

28. What’s the last letter of your middle name? a

29. Are you Hispanic? No, but we’re all related if you go far enough back.

31. Do you like care bears? A resounding No

32. What do you buy at the movies? The rare times that we go now, nothing. In my youth, usually popcorn.

33. Do you know how to play poker? Yes, but I need my cheat sheet or I wouldn’t know a full house from a flush.

34. Do you wear your seatbelt? What do I look like, I have a death-wish on myself? Of course I do!

35. What do you wear to sleep? Flannel in the winter, tank top and shorts in the summer. Oh, and a frown, of course. ;) I don’t know why I frown in my sleep because I love to sleep.

36. Anything big ever happen in your CITY? It’s just a medium sized town, but sometimes we get in the news. Like when John Mellencamp does anything or when some racist goes through a mid-west killing spree, and takes out some innocent person on the street (and ironically, the “Church of the Creator” nut killed someone outside of a Methodist church).

37. Is your hair straight or curly? Straight, but it curls at some of the stuff I read on the news.

38. Is your tongue pierced? What? Nothing touches my taste buds that doesn’t enhance it.

39. Do you like Liver and Onions? Oh boy, do I ever! We once went to this family-style restaurant (that term makes me cringe; I’ll just call it an ethnic-midwest style restaurant) in Starlight, IN, I think that’s where it is, that had a really tasty liver and onion dish which, I kid you not, was about four times the size of a meal I would eat (which would explain the obesity problem of America).

40. Do you like funny or serious people better? Funny is usually better.

42. Who is on your mind right now? My poor sis who had a fall on Friday.

43. Any plans 4 tonight? Dh is making his wonderful version of borani; I plan to eat lots.

44. Whats your fav. song at the moment? Voi che sapete

45. Do you hate chocolate? If chocolate were god, I’d be religious.

46. What do you and your parents fight about the most? De-cluttering (their home).

47. Are you a gullible person? Sometimes when my guard is let down. Mostly I’m a skeptic with a capital S.

48. Do you need a boyfriend/girlfriend to be happy? Nope…well, dh and my sis make me pretty happy, and the kids sometimes as well. But, mostly I just need me and the crazy voice inside my head. Hah!

49. If you could have any job what would it be? An astronaut on a one way mission to another galaxy. Or a portrait artist with as much talent and fame as Everett Raymond Kinstler.

50. Are you easy to get along with? If you ask me, I’d say yes. If you ask dh, he’d roll his eyes. If you ask my sis, she’d say yes too. So, I guess the general consensus is yes.

51. What is your favorite time of day? When I’m sleeping.

52. Are you generally a happy person? I’m more so now, but I’ve always been a smiley person, happy or not. As the quote by Cynthia Nelms goes: Nobody really cares if you're miserable, so you might as well be happy.

And I just noticed that it's missing #20, 30, and 41. Maybe I'll just make up something...

20. What did you name your cat, or if you don't have one, what would you name your cat? I used to have cats. One was named Euclid (as in geometry), and the other was Willow (as in Pussy Willow).

30. What's your favorite charitable organization? Southern Poverty Law Center.

41. Do you know Newton's laws of physics? I only remember the ones about inertia, and force equalling mass times acceleration.

"To be conscious that you are ignorant is a great step to knowledge." ~ Benjamin Disraeli (1804 - 1881)

And no dreams of curry even

...but I am definitely on the easily irritable side today. Darn dog keeps whining for no reason. Darn kid plugged the toilet. Darn ragweed is making my breathing life miserable (as opposed to my non-breathing life?? Haha!).

Waaaitaminute, aren't I supposed to be happier? Heh heh

Actually, writing this out has made me happier. Holding things in does rot the insides. Who said that? No matter; our mom should learn that lesson too, eh, Epi?

I think I'll be even happier when 1) the boys get settled into their piano and theory lessons, 2) dh's dad has moved here and settled into the assisted living facility, 3) when we have closed and settled on the land, and last, but certainly not least, 4) when my dear sister arrives! Notice "settle" occurs in 3 of the 4 conditions. I guess I just like being settled. I really am a dull, no-surprises-please person.

"To be conscious that you are ignorant is a great step to knowledge." ~ Benjamin Disraeli (1804 - 1881)