weekly post from December 30, 2006

Hello friends & loved ones,

It's hard to believe that 2006 is almost gone. Make sure when you write your checks in the next few days you put 2007 and nothing else.

This past week seemed like it went on forever, however, the good news is I think I've adjusted to my new hours and days. Instead of going in at 9pm I now start at 8pm and I work Mon-Fri instead of Sun-Thur. It's so nice having Sundays off. It's still unbelievable how mild the weather has been. This morning it is only 30 degrees. That does sound cold but considering it's almost January, it's a downright heat wave (ok, now I'm exaggerating).

I was truly disheartened this past week hearing about so many stories of robbers stealing Christmas gifts from families and homes for children and the couple in Indiana who stole tens of thousands of dollars in gifts from packages left by UPS trucks. These two people would follow the trucks in Illinois and Indiana and then steal the packages. Thankfully one of the drivers in Indiana caught them and turned them into the police. A raid of their home found packages, gifts, cards and other stuff purchased online with stolen credit cards and stolen from the homes of other people. Why are people so intent on taking things that do not belong to them? Why can't people respect the property of others? It's free will. People think, "I can take that." "That should be mine." And they take it; they have no respect or regard for what belongs to others. It's a sad state of our country and world today. We have so many rights and benefits of living in the US, however, we can be going along and then have something taken right out from underneath us; not just rights but also property. In the new year, may each of you be cognizant of the property of others; be kind to each other and look out for each other. Be vigilant!

Today Jim and I will have church (I'm consecrating today and, in the prelude to the consecration, my topic will be false advertising) then we will go see the movie Dreamgirls. I'll have a review up shortly.

Celebrate the end of the year and the beginning of a new one and make it a great year. Be good to yourselves. I wanted to write a poem reliving the highlights of the year but poetry is not my strong suit and I wasn't disciplined enough to sit down and do it.

peace,

paul