RUAFRK?

Our neighbor has a license plate that reads "RUAFRK2."  Every time we walk by it, I have to wonder if the driver realizes how ambiguous this seemingly clever message really is.

Perhaps it means, "I have another car in which I am a freak.  This is an additional freak car."

Or does it mean, "I'm a freak, and I hope you're one as well"?

If both answers didn't frighten me so much, I'd ring the bell and ask.

Our Christmas Conundrum

The longer we live in Maryland, the more I feel torn between two homes.  Never is that more evident than at Christmas.  Matt and I have spent the last few Christmas mornings in our own house, which is wonderful.  All the while, however, we find ourselves missing our friends and families back in Minnesota.

In other words, part of us sings "Crabs for Christmas"


...while the other part sings "Rusty Chevrolet"


We are a people torn between two Christmases.

Simple Gifts

Dear Santa,

I don't need anything fancy this year.  A few days away from teenagers and in the company of my dear family (both two- and four-legged) is all I really need.

And maybe some new socks.

But that's it.

Pearls of Teenage Wisdom

There was an article in Washington Post Magazine not long ago entitled "What Is Your Teen Thinking?"  It said that the part of the brain that thinks ahead and considers consequences hasn't yet been developed in teenagers' brains.  In other words: nothing new.

A few days later, I brought the magazine and much of the rest of my newspaper to school.  My speech students wrote storytelling speeches inspired by something they found in the newspaper.  One young man found the magazine article and said, "'What Is Your Teen Thinking?'  Is this all about sex?"

I told him, "It's actually about the fact that your brain doesn't consider the ramifications of stupid decisions."

He thought for a moment and said quietly, "C'mon.  You and I both know that's the same thing."

Opposites Attract

I read a study recently which found that siblings are more likely to be different than alike.  Scientists think it has something to do with expanding the gene pool. 

I heard an interview on Thanksgiving with the creator of Modern Family who said, regardless of how different they are, siblings are always bound together.

Happy birthday to someone with whom I have hardly anything in common, but whom I love and adore...like a sister.

Good dog

When he's not terrorizing my stuff, Barley loves to help out around the house.  Just this week, he helped me decorate the house for Christmas.

He tested the outside lights to make sure they were all working:

And he warmed up a nice place in the corner for the Christmas tree:

What a good dog.