I thought it was just me.

Did anyone see the survey of American religions that was published in the Washington Post yesterday? This "Religious Landscape Survey" conducted by the Pew Forum of Religious and Public Life, asked 35K American adults about their religion. They determined that
- 40% of Americans have changed their religious affiliation since childhood
- Both Protestants & Catholics are losing membership
- The "religious nones" are growing with people who consider themselves "Spiritual but not religious"

I live in such a diverse area that I was surprised at the low % of Jewish, Muslim, Buddhists in America. I know more and more people who are merging Buddhism with their Christianity.

Does this all mean that people are thinking more? or that we are less committed?

I should probably get a new computer. My five year old laptop is having increasing issues and doesn't keep up with my new business involving lots of photography and advertisement graphics. My kids are all campaigning for more access, and if anyone is getting a new computer around here, it's gonna be me.

Two of my main tech support allies are recommending a Mac, as is the art editor of the magazine. Everyone says I will never regret it. But will all my stuff convert? Will I still be able to network with my old computer?

I am so intimidated by new learning curves, especially where technology is concerned. Generally, I underutilize all my technology: camera, microwave, iTunes, cell phone, computers. I hate taking time to re-learn simple things on a new system. I just want to e-mail something, make an invoice, or attach a photo. I'll have to re-learn everything.

I walked into an Apple store and tried fiddling with a sample Mac laptop. No right click on the mouse. Where is all that stuff? I felt myself start to constrict, like when you call HP tech support and they say you have to call Verizon who says it is a MicroSoft problem. ack!

I walked out of the store and decided to decide later.

My home office wasn't quite as peaceful today as it often is. I am so sick of my basement flooding during a downpour that drastic measures were called for. These measures required a noisy jackhammer and a cloud of dust. The handsome young jackhammerer was added bonus.



This young man and his coworker/father have been re-siding my house for the last couple weeks, despite the cold and windy weather. My 14 year old has been bringing a friend home and working at the kitchen table, I suspect to watch the jackhammerer walking around our backyard. I wonder if he realizes he's being watched.

Tonight in Girls Scouts Lexie ate some King Cake, a Mardi Gras tradition that I just learned about this year. Apparently a tiny baby Jesus is cooked into the bread. Lexie was the lucky ingester of Our Baby Lord.
Is that transubstantiation?
Does it even count as communion if the bread is sprinkled with purple sugar and wearing Mardi Gras beads?
I think yes. I think she is redeemed of shattering Jesus last Christmas. We had a replacement Jesus made out of Model Magic that looked a little like Mr. Bill for a while.

On Thursday, I have to give a 10 minute presentation on myself to the business networking group that I joined at my sister's invitation. Next week, I'll have the same time slot to talk about the magazine. That will be easy.

Giving a 10 minute presentation on yourself is kind of a weird thing to do when you think about it. Especially since we're on the second round - and it isn't church or therapy. The first time, my sister & I went together. We invited our mom. Between my sister and my mom, I didn't have to say much, which was kind of cheating. So this time, I have to say more.

The guy who went last week did his automotive history, describing the various cars he's owned throughout his life up 'til now. It was a fun idea and got everyone reminiscing. So I was thinking of using the same approach: the history of my life through....what?
Schools I've attended?
Jobs I've had?
Bands I like?

What?

Do you believe in old home remedies or have any that work for you?

I dated a guy who said, and believed, that if you rubbed a potato peel on your wart, then threw away the peel outside and never looked back at the peel, that your wart would be gone by the time the peel biodegraded.

I ask because I went to a Naturopathic doctor about my ankle. She prescribed castor oil packs for my ankle. I'm to cut the toes off a tube sock, soak it in castor oil, pull it over my injured ankle, wrap it in plastic, and sleep in that for, I can't remember, a few weeks.

So I tried it, although it seemed real weird. Oddly, my ankle did feel better on the first morning. I think it had to do with the warmth trapped in by the plastic. It doesn't appear to be harmful, although it isn't very sexy. So I'm trying it.

What weird medicine have you tried?