Funny Thoughts To Have

Sometimes we need a silly diversion from all the battle it up politics on the news at the moment. This hub is meant to be a fun break from all that.

• When you are at a boring party, paste a fake smile on your face and exclaim how this is most exciting party ever! Then imagine everyone jumping in an over-sized punch bowl and singing "Row, Row, Row Your Boat. 
• When someone cackles super loud at the movie theater, imagine a laughing hyena in the wild. However, at least you can smile with delight because you know hyenas are naturally intended to make that much noise. 
• When telemarketers call tell them they have reached Dodo's House of Pancakes and list out the special types of syrups available on the menu. Gloat about how the maple syrup is homemade in the French countryside, and let them know it will cost extra for shipping for that reason. Let the telemarketer know you would like their home phone number so you can arrange a special delivery. I have never asked for a telemarketer's home phone number, but often I tell them they have reached Dodo's House of Pancakes and give them the maple syrup spiel. If they are going to waste my time, I might as well have some fun wasting some of theirs. 
• When people gossip at a party, just imagine they are making those "waam, waam" sounds like the adults on the Charlie Brown cartoons. The next time someone makes a snide comment towards you, just imagine they are dancing and singing in an over the top musical like Aunty Mame. Visualize them singing the snarky comment to a chorus and then you will have a true smile on your face. When they ask what you are smiling about, simply reply you enjoy looking at the beautiful pictures on the wall. 
• If one of your relatives decides to tell you flying on South West Airlines is cheap and like a cattle call, just imagine yourself mooing at them. In your visualization you can excuse yourself for having to leave because it is "milking time," but in real life you might want to come up with a better excuse. Either way, the rude comment will no longer sting, and it will make you smile. 
• When a guy makes some rude comment to you on a date and cannot even manage to be a gentleman, imagine him descending the stairs like in one of those 1930's musicals. In your visualization he will reach the bottom of the stairs and he will sit near a pool to bask in his own reflection. Tell the real life Narcissus not to Bogart the swimming hole for too long, and run out of the restaurant quickly before he figures out what you mean. I have never done this, but just imagining it brings a smile to my face. 

 All of the above thoughts are simply funny ways to deal with irritated and hurt feelings. I never get angry, I just have funny thoughts.

Tell A Friend You Love Him

How do you tell a friend you are in love with him or her? This is a very hard choice because it can result in rejection and ruining a good friendship. However, the one time I told a friend I was in love with him I did not regret it because even though we did not get married, it ended up being one of the best dating experiences of my life. There is no advance preparation needed for telling a friend you love him, just drop in casual conversation and see how he responds. When I finally admitted to my friend that I was in love with him we were at a luau, so it could be anywhere and at anytime. However, if you are a true romantic you could arrange to have a romantic dinner, which might help your friend figure out what the message is trying to be conveyed. These are just a few of my suggestions because I believe in saying what I feel and sharing my emotions, but if someone does not want to say those things they do not have too. If I truly am in love with my friend I feel I have nothing to lose by letting him know.

Honestly, I hope if and when I do get married that I am friends with the man first because I feel it is easier to get along with someone when you are their friend. If you are dating a man that is not your friend, what do the two of you really have in common? This was the question Carrie Bradshaw asked herself before she went off to Europe with Alek during the last season of Sex And The City. For years she had had an on and off relationship with Big, but he had always backed away when Carrie told him she wanted more. Thus, Carrie decided to make a commitment to Alek because he offered her what Big could not, even though it is very clear that these two have nothing in common.

Yes, I know Sex And The City is fiction and this is a real life issue, but many of the issues women dealt with on this show are true to life struggles of dating as a single woman. Sometimes people are friends for years and then one day they realize they are meant to be together. This is not always the norm and I would not wait around for my friend to marry me, but there are exceptions to every rule. Many long-term friendships eventually do become relationships that lead to marriage.
Big preferred to be Carrie's friend, so they started up an unconventional friendship that lasted through several seasons after they failed romance. Although this may not be the typical friendship most women and men have, I feel Carrie and Big are representative of those people who are friends and then become lovers because in the end it does work out between them. Since Big did not want to commit she went on with her life and eventually moved to France with Alek. Carrie learned in France that Alek was too engrossed in his art work and that she would never be a priority in his life, and Big finally realized that he wanted to have a real relationship with Carrie. So even though Big had rejected Carrie in the beginning, he eventually realized that she was the one he wanted to be with. If you have enjoyed the series you might enjoy watching the movie Sex in the City because it deals with many of these real life issues, but this movie is for adults and not recommended for children.


Although I do not agree with all the lifestyle choices that the women in Sex In The City make, I have always found this show to be a humorous and candid look at the life, love, and friendship. One thing I think women can learn from their friendships is that love is not and end all and be all in your life. So if you have a male friend that you love you should not be afraid to tell how you feel. If he is your true friend there is not risk involved and he will never say or do anything purposely to hurt you. Both of you will be able to work through any hard feelings and a strong friendship will remain in place if there was a real friendship to begin with. However, if this person was not really your friend in the first place that is the only time he or she would become offended or act rude. You may be surprised and it may turn out your friend has loved you for years and was just waiting for the right moment to come clean.
People should keep in mind that friendship lasts longer and "romantic love" is often fleeting. After a few years of marriage the type of love a couple shares is based more on respect, mutual trust, and friendship, which shows that in the long run a strong friendship is important in every romantic relationship. Even though I was willing to take the plunge and let my friend know that he loved me, that does not mean every woman or man should do this. Only say these words if you:

• You will have no regrets.
• See signs that he or she thinks the pair of you as a couple.
• Know that this is a solid friendship that cannot be destroyed by a disagreement or misunderstanding.

Also, it is important to remember that love is not the end all and be all in life and women can rely on their friends to be there for them and to care for them, even when they are single or married. Life does not revolve around romance, but we should not be afraid to express our feelings or romance for someone we truly love. Also, I wanted to address the comment someone made in the comment section by contending my friend was not in love with me because that was simply not the case. I never admitted he did not reciprocate the love, what I said was we decided the relationship was not going to work out. Grounded individuals are able to admit when something is not working and quit while they are ahead. If a person is your friend and you decide begin a relationship, who knows, it may turn out to be a story book ending. However, if it does not work out a true friend will remain your friend and have no hard feelings. The friendship may have some problems at first, but talking things through will resolve many issues that can arise. In the end I feel there is nothing to lose by taking the plunge and telling your friend that you love him.

The Crashing of The Waves

Another ridiculous poem about hoopskirtman:

How I long for the shores of Honolulu,

But my girlfriend wants to live in South Africa because she is Zulu.

I remember during my twentieth year wading into the waves,

And how my hoop skirt was soaked and dank like a cave.

I felt so pretty wearing my pink poke bonnet,

And how a local wahine decided to write me a Hawaiian sonnet.

Evermore I will remember the crashing of the waves,

and how I pretended to oh so brave!

I Heart Hoopskirts

I am not usually one to write poetry, but I did write some satirical poetry in honor of the satirical character hoopskirtman.

I heart hoopskirts because these set me free,

And allow me to be me.

Hoopskirts are fun to wear while twirling in the grass,

I also like to wear these while I am polishing brass.

Hoopskirts are sexy and slury,

Wearing one can make me very burly.

Some women think men who wear skirts are cowards,

But some of us are just known as Howards.

Hoopskirts are super sexy,

My name is the skirted Bexy.

Not Without My Hoopskirts

The saga of hoopskirt man continues in this silly, and very brief story:

The year was 2020 and a new country called Mini-Skirt Land had just been founded. Uncle Tom's son Jerry had grown to love hoop skirts, but unfortunately he had married a woman named Yvette who loved mini-skirts. Yvette constantly wanted to go visit the new country called Mini-Skirt Land because she felt this would be a wonderful place. Jerry was leery of going to this new country because he was a hoop skirt aficionado and heard they might make him wear mini-skirts there.

The land is filled with all mini-skirts, but Jerry only likes to wear hoopskirts.  He decides to teach everyone there how to sew both hoop skirts, and they teach him how to make mini-skirts.  Jerry does not enjoy wearing mini-skirts, but he makes a fortunate by starting a new online business that sells both beautifully hand-sewn mini-skirts and hoop skirts. 

Jerry and his friends have hours of fun taking pictures of the skirts for the online website, which is heralded as the most creative skirt store online in 2021.  Will this really happen?  Probably not, but you will just have to wait unti 2021 to find out.

Hoopskirtman Is Gone With The Pineapples

Here is an amusing and quite silly story I wrote back in 2008.

After ten years of marriage it turned out that Lonnie and Tom, aka hoopskirtman, were not meant to be together forever. Tom thought that Lonnie was acting distracted lately, but he finally realized it was all over the day he came home to to be thrown out by the sheriff. Lonnie had made up a story about how Tom's hoopskirts were causing her emotional duress, which was pretty hypocritical since she had designed and sewed each one. Actually, that night as the sheriff was escourted Tom off his own property he realized she had not made him a fancy or flouncy hoopskirt in over a year. Tom was a little sad to look back and see the last of Uncle Tom's Cabin, but he knew in the pit of his stomach it was time to move on.

The next day Lonnie started shacking up with a nineteen year guy name Ted in the cabin and renamed Uncle Ted's Cabin after her new beau. She even persuaded Ted to wear the beautiful hoopskirts and corsets Tom had left behind, so lets just say she was not very creative. Turns out Lonnie was having a midlife crisis and just wanted to prove she was still viable by having a love affair with a man half her age. Tom heard about this at the local bar as he was drowning out his sorrows in one Shirley Temple after another. Tom was so sad about the break-up he did not even stop to realize that Shirley Temples were non-alcoholic.

Tom was crying all over the bar and picked up a piece of paper to dry off his eyes. He noticed this was a brochure for a trip to Hawaii, so he decided the very next day his new start would be in the fiftieth state.

Tom packed his hoopskirts and boarded an airplane to Honolulu. Thankfully Tom had been selling yarn on the side, so he had three months income to live off of before he went broke.

Upon landing in Honolulu Tom decided to take the first job that came his way, so he went to the airport coffee bar and begged to be hired. It turned out that day the flaky high school boy at the counter decided to quit so he could make out with his girlfriend and the flight back to Seattle, so by a chance of luck Tom now had a job.

At first the customers at the coffee shop stared Tom because he was dressed to the nines as Civil War era lady, but his boss loved him for it because so many people came to buy coffee and talk to hoopskirtman. The boss was congratulated for the great business strategy of hiring a Civil War performer, and Tom played along by pretending to be a Scarlet O'Hara like type of dragqueen. Tom helped to crush the stereotype that all dragqueens are only interested in same sex relationships because Tom was very much a heterosexual. Tom just happened to be more feminine than the average man.

On Tom's days off he had so much fun driving around the island of Oahu, and eventually he found a really cute piece of land with pineapples on it. It was really windy there, so he decided to call it Gone With The Pineapples. At work they called him "Gone With The Wind" because of his hoopskirts, so he thought having a new land named after him would be good luck.

A month later Tom bought the plot of land and started at new life there. He eventually quit the job at the coffee shop and went to college. Tom got his degree in nineteenth century women's fashion,and became a Civil War era performer and period fashion expert. Tom performed in local plays starring as himself "hoopskirtman", and he volunteered at the local soup kitchen. It was at there he met fellow volunteer Elise, and the two quickly fell in love.

At this point Tom was 40 and Elise was 20, but they loved each other and wanted to make the relationship work. Elise had never dated a man in drag before, but it was a new age and she was so open to her new love. Tom had a masculine side, but he also was in touched with his girly side. Tom built them a beautiful house while wearing his hoopskirts, and Elise realized he was the one. On Elise's 22 birthday the couple married and they lived happily ever after. Ironically Ted left Lonnie and took all her beautiful hoopskirts, outfits, and crafts when she was sleeping, so guess who had better karma in the end. Four years after Tom and Elise had been married they received a call from Lonnie begging him to come back, but told her now and he had to go knit. Tom was not bitter about Lonnie having used the sheriff to get him thrown out of his own house, but he really did not want to see her again.

From that day on Lonnie became smitten once again with Tom as she had been in her late twenties and early thirties, lamenting all the hurt she had inflicted upon this lovely man. Tom forgot all about the odd call from Lonnie and lived happily ever after with Elise.

P.S. This is not the last of hoopskirtman, just wanted to let you know he had a long and happy life with his lady love Elise.

It Is Cool To Be Politically Aware

There has been a long standing tradition with many about how you should never discuss politics or religion in polite company, but let's be honest: people do it anyway! People who are into politics or current events are often made to feel like they should be ashamed of this interest, or tone it down around those who do not share their passion. Well, I am going to stand up and say it is okay to be politically aware, and even discuss politics, too. I know a lot of people hate all the campaign talk and just want it to end, but some of us actually follow politics out of interest. For instance, I would rather watch clips from the Young Turks on YouTube or read a news article on the BBC than watching a sporting event, or playing one of those popular virtual reality games. Just because my interest happens to be politics and current events does not make this less valid.

Faux Political Discussions Are Boring

I prefer a heated and real political discussion any day of the week over a faux political discussion. I am not afraid to say hey I am voting for Obama on November 6, and this is my choice even though I would have preferred him to be a bit more progressive on many key issues. I have no problems with arguing about policy positions that Romney supports that I think are not in the best interests of the American people, and I really do not have to be ashamed of admitting this. It is okay and encouraged to root for a sports team, but heaven forbid we have an intense debate about foreign policy.

Faux political discussions are not satisfying for many of us political junkies because the people who engage in those are only interested in saying "everyone should vote," but balk if any real positions are discussed. For instance, a few days I was on a certain company's Facebook page when they posted a message on their wall about how everyone should vote on November 6, and several of us posted our reasons as for why we might vote for Obama or Romney. All of the comments stating who we would vote for and why were deleted, but only the pc comments about "go vote" were kept there. Yes, I know a business does not want perceived as if it is taking sides, but a lot of people were not pleased about having their opinions deleted, especially since the company had brought up the issue of voting.

So the bottom line is if a group of people or a business brings up an issue like voting, do not turn it into a faux discussion about politics that just says something generic about how voting is cool. One particular Facebook political interchange on a business wall was civil, and a lot of us did not feel like commenting on this company's wall anymore after they deleted anything that was remotely political in leaning. I have a lot more respect for people I disagree with me and put their opinions out there and back it up rather than just having a feel good faux discussion about politics just to keep the peace. I think yes we need to be civil and not call names, but having seen how Julia Gillard called out her opposition in the Australian Parliament, I often wish American politicians in particular, and Americans in general would not clam up every time a person has remotely political opinion. 

It is okay for someone to be passionate about a basketball team they like, but heaven forbid an American show passion for a certain politician. Oh my goodness, you might not want to be my friend anymore because I am a liberal. Oh well, you probably were not my real friend anyway since you did not understand we are not all carbon clones of each other. I am still friends with conservatives, and I like that I know where they stand on things, actually.  In my book, faux political discussions are boring.

Get Past Hurt Feelings And Mean Blog Comments

Sometimes when someone writes something that hurts your feelings, well it is just so hard to get past it. Why should I care, it is only their opinion. When people have gone out of their way with politics to let me know their way of thinking is vastly superior, in the past I used to think it would be impossible to find any common ground with those people. I notice some people who vastly disagree on politics and religion can still be friendly with each other, but this did not come as easily for me. I actually do not regret that I am this way, but when someone says something that truly hurts my feelings, I just find it harder than others to get past it. Sometimes it is just an opinion on politics or something of the like, but often I see they express hurt when someone questions them, but what if their comments hurt you?

Seriously, who cares about the man personal attacks as comments? Wow, what a big guy to use the Internet to insult others. I have learned to get past caring, but it still hurts. I see others talk with ease with those who write things that are hurtful, but say they can find common ground with them in other areas. I am not saying I can never find common ground with someone, and I do not have to agree with someone a 100% of the time, but once someone is very adamant on presenting their superior way of being, well I just begin to block off possibilities of friendship. Of course I will continue to be a happy person and nice to people, but I will not go out of my way to be friendly with them. Hardly expect anyone to agree with much of what I say, but I am not really looking to find common ground with people that want to challenge me on a myriad of fronts.

After I received mean spitired comments, I felt well maybe I am not supposed to write about my opinions regarding politics and climate change, but why is that so? I am trying not to care about people that need to be so highly contentious with me, but I feel no need to be fast friends with them either. This is just the authentic me speaking: once you decide to broadcast something I find selfish and hurtful I just do not consider you a friend. Maybe I am rigid that way, but this is just me.

What Type of Attention Do You Seek?

Are you looking for negative attention? Many of us enjoy attention from our family and friends, but do we want to seek out attention from people we do not know? If you are an online writer, then you are probably looking for one type of attention or another, but what kind of attention are you seeking? I have come to acknowledge I myself would not be blogging if I did not want people to read my writing, and I think the majority of people are looking to make a positive impact. People do not knowingly seek a certain type of attention, but occasionally their comments can result in one type or the other. Everyone writing is seeking one type of attention or another, and it is up to the individual to determine whether this is good attention or bad attention. Some people open threads or write hubs to discuss others by name - in not so positive ways - and to me that is a form of negative attention seeking behavior. I love the hubs and threads where people are supporting their fellow bloggers, but I think we can all do without the less than positive ones.

Recently I have also seen forum posts where people discuss others, and label others "weird". Honestly, I just do not think it is kosher to open forum to mention someone by name, well not unless you have something positive to say. To me is screams of I want attention because I think I am doing something better than such and such a person, but others may not agree. What is the point of that type of attention? In high school people pass around notes trashing students they do not like, which is almost the exact same thing when you have to do it on a forum. Is it positive energy? Not really, or at least not in my book. Of course I am more of a sensitive type of person, but I wish to continue to stay that way in a cyberspace world where poking fun of others or going on a superiority trip is the modus operandi for a few. I think the majority of bloggers are not that way, but opening a thread or creating a hub to discuss someone in public in a negative way is less than kind.

It is not the best type of attention one can seek either. Also, creating a blog post and naming someone just in the hope to get traffic to a website that you have a vested interest in comes across as overly promotional. So what type of attention is the positive kind, and what kind can we live without?

Is Wanting Attention Bad?

It is not bad to want attention, but it would be more conducive to be a bit more mature about it. For instance, do not simply complain on Twitter about your life. Why not tweet a few posts that you find interesting, instead. If you enjoy reading books then help out a new author by posting a review of the book. Not only are you helping others this way, but people will pay a bit more attention to what you have to say because they will not consider you to be completely self-centered. Of course you can tweet about your successes and blog posts, but just remember to share the limelight with others. When we connect with people who are passionate about the same topics as we are, then we will automatically increase our audience overnight. Wanting attention is not a bad thing, but you need to be a bit more diplomatic and thoughtful about how you go about attaining this for yourself.

People Find Support In Chat Rooms

Most people do not like large chat rooms with silly antics, but smaller chat rooms where you can socialize with friends with similar interests are very welcoming and inviting. Although I do not use chat rooms anymore, years ago I used to enjoy going on several smaller chat rooms where I knew I could talk with few close friends and express my thoughts freely. Some of my real life friends live far away, so I used to chat with them on small chat rooms or on the instant messenger. I also used to talk to several online friends I have met over the years via instant messenger or on small online chat rooms. Chat rooms can be a support system in many different ways that people would not think of right of the bat. There is more to chatting than meets the eye. There have even been some people who made very good friends in chat room and then went on to date and get married. Thus, chat rooms can be a great way to meet people if you are looking to just meet a new friend, causally date, network or more.  Facebook can also operate like a chat room, but I wrote this piece awhile back, when chat rooms were still a big thing.

1. Chat rooms can save lives:

If someone is ill or in danger they can message their online friends for help. One lady messaged her friends in a chat room to let them know she was having a stroke, which allowed them to contact 911. If she had not been online it might have been awhile before anyone had found her, so being in the right place at the right time is often very fortuitous.

2. Stay in touch with family and friends:

Chat rooms are useful for staying in touch with long distance family and friends. The number of minutes on a cell phone plan are limited and long distance calling plans can be expensive, so talking with family and friends on a small chat room could be an affordable alternative. Personally I still like to call my long distance family and friends, but we all have a grand old time when we get together and have a chat. We can share pictures and catch up and all of our lives simultaneously. Gathering with friends and families in a chat room is like have one big virtual family reunion without paying for airfare!

3. Brainstorm about writing topics:

Most of the ideas I have for writing come out topics I chat about with family and friends. Since I enjoy writing as a hobby I like to write about a topic that strike my interest at the moment, so writing about current discussions with family and friends is very conducive and therapeutic. Sometimes when something has been bothering me I can get the anguish out on paper and feel a world better because I thought things through and saw a solution. However, for the most part it is just enjoyable to let my mind flow and to speak from the heart.

4. Special people come into your life:

If you have ever seen the movie 84, Charing Cross Road, thisis a story about a used book salesman Frank (Anthony Hopkins) who sends books through the mail to the New York writer Helen (Ann Bancroft). This is a nostalgic movie for writers to watch in general, and for people who love to correspond/chat can relate to in particular. Ann and Frank become pen-pals and close friends, and this movie was one of the reasons I wanted to start writing to people overseas in the first place. Now I mostly chat online, but these conversations via email, instant messenger, and small chat rooms all help to make not such fun days more bearable. Chat rooms are places where you can make new friends, and stay in touch with people you care about.

Funny Things People Do In Public Places

At The College Library?

Really do not want to know why these students decided to get it on in the stacks, but I assume they thought it would be an inconspicuous place. When I was a college student I was working at the campus library, and we were moving part of the collection from one floor to another. The stacks were now desolate and empty and no one was really there, except for a lady that walked by and asked if I was okay since I was up there alone. Anyway after she left I continued to collecting book ends, and I suppose I was somewhat hidden, but the stacks were barren, so I am not sure how this couple did not see me. The couple that walked by were about to liven up what I thought was the ever day task of just collecting the abandoned book ends.

I see a couple walk past me and I do not think much about it because I thought maybe they did not realize all the books had been moved to another floor. Then I hear a male voice announce "Do you think this is a good place to do it?"

Well as you can imagine they did not go up there because they wanted to dust the library shelves and be good Samaritans.

There was lots of heavy breathing and moaning involved, and I am not sure if they went all the way, but I do know that if what they were doing was visible on TV it was probably have a TV 14 Rating. What was I going to do I thought to myself because this was making me feel uncomfortable, so I started making lots of noise with the book ends, and even let a few clank and drop. After awhile the couple noticed they were not alone and left, which was a relief for me. Really do not want to know exactly what they were doing that day, but all I can say is never assume you are completely alone in a public place, no matter how deserted it may seem.

At The Local Lake?

It was the last day of sixth grade and our entire class went on a walking field trip to the local lake, but it was not so much fun since the water is too polluted to even dip your feet in. Some of the kids who did not know how to listen filled up their water guns and shot us, which was gross since the water has many chemicals in it. I have even seen tourists fishing from this lake, which is actually worse because I am afraid they might eat those fish.

I was talking with my friends when one of them pointed out a couple on a blanket. What they were not doing looked like a scene from a PG-13 movie, and the guy sure had wandering hands. I am not sure if they were just so completely out of it that they did not notice there were quite a few sixth graders watching them, or if they just did not care. Anyway after awhile one of the teachers noticed the amorous couple had an audience, and he went over to talk to them about excessive PDA so to speak. Well the guy had really wandering hands and whereas we could not see any nudity, I would definitely say what they were doing in public would shock many conservative parents with kids on that field trip. My friends and I  thought it was hilarious, and it makes you wonder again whether people engage in these acts in public places because they really think no one will see them, or maybe they like the thrill of getting caught. 

Forums Are Not My Cup of Tea

I prefer blogging, and tweeting these days, so I really do not have a lot of time for online forums. Do not get me wrong, some online forums can be fun, but there are still many things that happen there I really have no desire to read. The other day I realized I went months without posting on a forum and I do not miss it. However, it is very disheartening when I see people making blatant personal attacks in forums. There is one person that implies Mexicans do not speak English and they need to assimilate in to the American culture. Never mind that this sounds like a racist rant from a 1930's propaganda film, but how out of touch with reality must this person be?! 

Forums get too silly, but there are others who continue to berate and badger each other every day without any recourse. I am not talking about every forum, but any forum about religion, politics, and other debatable subjects are pretty much impossible to read. However, I am now beginning to see offensive comments being made in mundane forums such as crafting, hobbies and the like. Yes there are a few trolls in the world that get their kicks off making offensive, outlandish, and down right ridiculous comments in the forums, but they need to be given warnings or disabled from posting if they continue their antics. I am not talking just about the forum here, I am talking about many other forums actually.

These days I just focus on my blogging because I quite simply can live without many of the topics and slurs contained in forums. Most forums are getting better at moderation, but there are still a few individuals here that could learn to moderate themselves better. We are all adults and putting one another down is not flattering or humorous. It is almost like one big middle school note being passed around for the world to see. Grow up and cut out the personal attacks people because after ninth grade it is not cool to treat people like second class citizens. By the way, the majority of intelligent and savvy middle school kids think this type of behavior is just trolling. Unfortunately there are a few adult bullies who get their kicks out of acting out by putting other people down. This type of behavior will never go away completely, but I will not grace certain forums with my presence because of it.

I have grown bored of most forums and almost never post on these anymore. Sometimes I post comments on news articles, but beyond that I really do not get the point of using forums all that much. These can be useful, and I met some great people using forums on various websites, but now with Facebook I just do not see the point anymore. Facebook is much better for my social networking because I am able to add people I am interested in chatting with, and have online conversations about topics such as American politics without having to worry about the trolls coming along.

Vegas Vacation Can Be A Bore

I have to admit: I just do not understand the allure of Vegas vacations and road trips. Vegas vacations are exceedingly popular in the winter, especially when people have time off after Christmas. What if you hate to gamble? There is a wide variety of entertainment for people that do not enjoy gambling, such as the many shows. There are malls for those who love to shop, and the one thing you must watch is your money in Las Vegas. So people love to go to Las Vegas, but have you ever had a bizarre Vegas trip experience? I had stop at the Vegas airport one time for a connecting flight to Kansas, but unlike many other Southern Californians, I have only ever been to the city for one vacation. I am sure most people have a grand old time if they go with good family or friends, but I ended up going with someone that I thought was a boyfriend, but by the end of the trip we ended up having a very annoying argument. As I travel back to a weird Vegas vacation in the year 2003.

Many Americans fly to Vegas because the drive would be a little too long, but for my one vacation I actually drove with my then boyfriend. This three to four hour drive from the cities near Los Angeles can be very manageable if you go with someone you enjoy spending time with, but I would not recommend going with a person you have only been dating for a few months. When he planned this trip to Vegas we had only been dating for two months, so granted we had really not spent that much time together. I actually had a few reservations about going, but he talked about how much he cared about me at the time, and how close he was feeling to me. It turned out I was the very first woman who had ever agreed to date him, so at the time he was very excited about that, but deep down I was really not the type of girl he wanted to date. A few months before I had just broken up with my first long-term boyfriend, and I was using this relationship as a way to get over the hurt of that rejection. Looking back I was very insecure in this way in my early twenties, and placed way too much importance in being in a relationship. A few more experiences would make me realize being single is actually best, for me anyway.

The Vegas Boyfriend (as I will refer him for this story) suggested that I bring some music along for the ride, but I was apprehensive about that. For some reason I was always too shy to have people listen to the type of music I enjoyed, especially since I had been taunted in sixth grade for bringing a Jethro Tull tape in to share in our music class. Even though I liked a lot of the music from the eighties, I ended up liking a lot of the songs of my parents generation. The Vegas Boyfriend was the type who listened to hip hop, so I knew right off the bat he would not understand my penchant for the Moody Blues or Boston. Even though he had been adamant about me bringing some of the music I enjoyed, I refused too out of shyness.

The Wednesday morning when he picked me up and we began the four hour drive out to gambling mecca. Vegas Boyfriend acted sort of aloof, and made some curt comment about my new hair cut, which was disconcerting since my mom and friends had loved it. By the time we were about twenty miles from my house, I realized I had forgotten my cell phone, but I refused to make him go back and get it. The funny thing is he was willing to accommodate me, but for some reason I was too apprehensive to make any hassles. I have never liked people making a fuss over me, and I often defer to what others want and need in socials situations. That is just the way I am, but it turns out he held it against me that I did not make him go back to get my cell phone.

On the ride to Vegas we listened to some of his music, and soon after driving through Barstow he assked me if I would like to play one of my CD's. I told them mine were packed away and I had never bothered getting them out since I had moved back to the mountains, and I could tell he did not quite buy this statement.

He made some odd comment about "Well it is nice you could come," and then tuned the radio into one of the high desert stations people can pick up on the drive between Barstow and Baker.

The ride was very monotonous, but at least the high desert oldies station was better than the hip hop stations Vegas Boyfriend had been listening to before we reached Barstow. Yes, I know many people enjoy hip hop Vegas Boyfriend liked to play. I liked certain hip hop songs, but overall it is just not my favorite type of music.

The one plus to the trip was some of the magnificent desert scenery, and I was in awe to see that Joshua Trees growing out of the boulder laden hills surrounding Baker. These tend to grow at higher altitudes, which indicated we had increased in elevation since leaving Barstow. Unfortunately, Baker is in the middle of nowhere and all there is a Del Taco, a few restaurants, a couple of gas stations, and many mobile homes. This is not a place I could even consider living, so traveling through here is quite a phenomenon.

The people of Baker have to drive a hundred and fifty miles to either Vegas or Barstow if they want to shop at a real grocery store, unless they are happy with the small amount of food carried in the small store there. Baker has a large thermometer that recorded the record temperature of 140 degrees Fahrenheit in 1912 for North America, but there is no other reason to stop there. Like so many other towns in the California high desert it is just a place to stop on the way to or from Vegas, but no one ever really thinks about the people living there.

The drive buzzed on like a dull root canal, except for Vegas Boyfriend making some banal comment about how there is no excuse for modern women to have acne. Not sure how this topic came up, but when mentioned something about how proactive was a sham, he insisted everyone should go to a dermatologist if they were prone to flare ups, especially since his uncle belonged this profession.

The Coupon King

Vegas Boyfriend had booked us a room at the Holiday Inn because he could get a discount with his mom's AAA card. When we got there it was very boring, and then he suggested we go shopping around at the mall. Of course he was in the search for coupons to get discounts on things to do.

He found some coupon which entitled two people to a free video game, and insisted we go try it out. Vegas Boyfriend prattled on about how his family always saved money with coupons, but I was really bored at this point. I wanted him to like me, but at the same time I was just not having a good time.

I Hate Smoking At Concerts In Las Vegas

When we arrived in Vegas I was already missing the California laws against smoking in public venues. One of the things I hate about Vegas people were always smoking at concerts, restaurants, and in other public places. Third Eye Blind was definitely not my cup of tea, but the standing floor seats were even worse. The people up on the balconies let the ashes from their cigarettes fall on us below,and by the end of the night I felt sick. At twenty-four I had only been to one other concert, and that was one with Match Box Twenty in San Diego, which had been a much calmer venue. Vegas concerts are for wild young party kids, and I was never into the club scene.

I was beginning to realize that my deciding to try new things like Vegas was just not for me. We spent the rest of the week going out to eat at bargain places. The weirdest thing we did during the whole trip was sneak into the pool at the Tropicana because Vegas Boyfriend thought it was better than the one at the Holiday Inn. He even brought a cooler with sodas along so we would not have to pay for drinks there.
By the third day of our trip I was so sick of people smoking in public, and I just wanted to go back home to California. I was preparing to start a new job the next week, and I highly regretted having taken the time to come with Vegas. We really did not seem to have much to talk about, and the icing on the cake was when he broke up with me by stating he just did not find me attractive.

On the way home though I did get my revenge by finally speaking my mind, and letting him know what I thought about ever little snippy thing he had said. At the Del Taco in Baker I definitely scolded him, which probably was the entertainment for the week. People waiting in line to get their food seemed very intent on what I had to say, even though I was not screaming at him.

Even though I was not having the time of my life in Vegas, I had hoped that he would at least make more of an effort. However, gambling was not really my thing, and he seemed to enjoy going to old town Vegas to play the dollar games. I had not really been sure what to expect on my first trip to Vegas, but that has been the first and last one I have been on.

Ever since then I have never felt the inclination to go, and gambling is not my thing. One of the good things about Vegas is the buffets, but you can get these at the local California casinos if you want to stay home. All these years later I chuckle when thinking about my Vegas vacation, but I really have no deep desire to go again. As I said people would probably have a grand old time if they actually go with people they like, or if they enjoy gambling. Vegas is just not my thing. Tahiti or Hawaii are much better places to go on vacation.