One of the cool things about being a Lost Boy is the stuff you learn.  The learning is cool even if sometimes the lesson itself can be a bit dodgy.  That being said, here is a list of some of the stuff I’ve learned as a Lost Boy:

1.  If you're getting ready to swing across a river on a vine you should make sure it's actually connected to something before starting to swing.
2.  If you don't do #1, you should make sure there aren't any raspberry bushes, rose bushes or other things that have thorns directly below you.
3.  Right on red doesn't work if you're in the left lane.
4.  You shouldn't use bleach to clean up an area where a feline has had an accident.
5.  If you walk around the metropolitan area wearing a bear pelt, people will ask questions.  Lots of questions.  Questions to which the answers to will only result in even more questions.
6.  If a traffic cop asks you "where the fire is" it doesn't get you very far if you give him/her an address.
7.  Be wary of containers of beverage that proclaim "natural flavor" and in small print whimper "contains no juice."
8.  It's not a good idea to swing a sword so hard that you end up knocking yourself out.  This is especially true when in the middle of a pirate battle.
9.  When someone in a tiger pelt takes a great deal of time to explain that super glue doesn't work on palms and tree limbs figure that it really works very well and that you might end up suspended from said limb until someone finds some pixie dust to dissolve it.
10.  Pixie dust does not dissolve super glue.
11.  If a manatee asks you to dinner, you should bring a gift of greens.
12.  No matter how badly you throw it, a boomerang thrown when you're on the Island will unerringly come back to where your head is located.
13.  Friendship is better than treasure and you don't need to follow a map with an "X" on it to find it (usually).
14.  You cannot mend a leaking boat that's sinking with blueberries or strawberries.
15.  Being the last person in an elevator and facing the back of the car instead of the doors will make everyone very uncomfortable.
16.  Karaoke in circumstances of #15 will make everyone super very uncomfortable.
17.  Cannonballs can hurt.
18.  It doesn't bode well when you hand someone a flower and they respond by breaking out in a sneezing fit and their eyes suddenly turn red.
19.  People on buses at 6:45 in the morning don't appreciate comedy routines.
20.  Seagulls know more than they let on.
21.  There is no wi-fi in Middle-Earth.
22.  Riding waves at the beach is one of the most awesome things on earth.
23.  So is sitting beneath a tree on a sunny day and discussing important things that aren't usually discussed, such as what green tastes like.
24.  Casting a spell at a mirror is ill-advised.
25.  Pine cones aren't good to eat.
26.  If someone tells you that there is a big drop-off at a lake shore and you proceed to demonstrate it to yourself through experiencing it, you're going to get yelled at.
27.  If you're not supposed to listen to the same song twenty-seven times in a row, then why do CD players have a single song repeat function?
28.  Dancing with wolves is great until someone's tail gets stepped on at which time you start playing "running away from wolves."
29.  Little Willy, Willy won't go home.
30.  Blood may be thicker than water, but crude oil has both of them beat.
31.  It's always fun until someone gets hurt.
32.  Computers that burst into flames normally signifies an issue.

Another list o' stuff ripped off from Jean.  Well maybe not ripped off, she did send it via note in bottle.

1. You favorite thing?  Friendship
2. Your dream last night?  Nightmare
3. Your favorite drink?  Cocoa
4. Your dream/goal?  Blueberries
5. The room you're in?  Common
6. Your fear?  Forgotten
7. In 20 years?  Lostboy
8. Where were you last night?  Tree
9. What you're not?  Normal
10. Muffins?  Blueberry
11. One of your wish list items?  Selkie
12. Where you grew up?  Scary
13. The last thing you did?  Scribing
14. What are you wearing?  Pelt
15. Your pet?  None
16. Your life?  Jumbled
17. Missing someone?  Ursa
18. Your car?  Unicorn
19. Something you're not wearing?  Armor
20. Your favorite colour?  Blue
21. When is the last time you laughed?  Now
22. Last time you cried?  Recently
23. Mood?  Pondering
24. Four places I go over and over: Tree, River, Cave, Pallet
25. Four of my favorite foods:  Blueberries, Chocolate, Stew, Blueberries

Stolen from Jean :)  Thank you!

Random Nosy Questions

1. What are your plans for today?  Find blueberries and shake well before eating, avoid pirates, fall out of a couple of trees.

2. Who was the last person you talked on the phone with?  Whoever it was who had the can on the other end of the string.

3. What was the last tv program you watched?  "True Stories of Falling Out of Trees"

4. What was the last thing you ate?  Stew.  This one was a nice fish blended with some other sort of uh, protein, with acorns and something that tastes like blue lima beans.

5. What time did you get out of bed today?  The sun was up, does that count as a time?

6. What is your favorite day of the week?  Any day in which no one's trying to carve me up.

7. How do you usually wear your hair?  On the top of my head.

8. What is your favorite item of clothing?  The bear pelt, of course.

9. Where would your dream vacation be?  A place where there are lots of blueberries.  Real ones, not the plastic wax ones.

10. Who is your favorite author? book?  Peter Pan by Sir Barrie.  Yeah, I know that comes as a massive shock. 

11. Do you prefer healthy snacks or junk food?  I don't think stew is considered either one.  Of course I don't really prefer it either, but the choices are kinda limited.  I don't know if stewed oak leaf is considered a healthy snack or junk food.  I know what it tastes like it should be classified as.

12. Are you a morning person or a night owl?  "We like to sleep all day, and then at night we play."

Random thoughts and pontifications from a random Lost Boy:

1. You should never smell warm chocolate chip cookies when you're standing on your head, otherwise you'll drool up your nose.
2. Sometimes the last place you look isn't where missing stuff is because they're good at camouflaging themselves.
3. When you try to play a guitar, it's a good idea not to have eaten honey using your hands right before.
4. You might not be able to run away from your problems, but using pixie dust to fly away from them works pretty well.
5. If you're craven and really scared of the dark sometimes the sound of snoring isn't nearly as annoying as it could be other times.
6. It's apparently really scandalous if the dish runs away with a fork.
7. Some Lost Boys are just total dreamers which helps them make it through a lot of stuff.
8. Brussels sprouts don't taste as good as chocolate.  I don't think that comes as a surprise to anyone.
9. No matter what anyone says, it is possible to shoot yourself with a bow and arrow.
10. Blueberries are important.
11. Why do some places make such a big deal out of saying their food is just like "home cooking?"  Isn't the whole point so you won't have to eat home cooked food?  If I were at a restaurant, the last thing I'd order is stew.
12. If you're both the clumsiest and the biggest Lost Boy and one of the other Lost Boys suggests that you'd be perfect at tightrope walking, you're probably being set up for something.
13. Dancing with wolves is pretty cool as long as you don't trip over your own feet.
14. If opportunity rings the doorbell instead of knocking, run for your life.
15. A sword is a lot heavier than it looks.  A shield even more so.
16. It's possible to miss things you didn't even know you had.
17. If you're going to throw down the gauntlet, it's a good idea to make sure you know where your foot is before doing it.
18. Chewing the same piece of gum, or pine tar, for over six hours probably isn't a good idea.
19. You can't lick your own tongue.
20. Dancing on the stump of a hollow tree during a thunderstorm in the fall won't affect anything.
21. The preceding item really doesn't mean anything at all.
22. Putting a pillowcase on a rock doesn't make it any less hard.
23. Sometimes the absolute best place in the world to be is with a friend.
24. Bear, fox, raccoon, and tiger pelts shouldn't be dry cleaned.  It doesn't seem to bother lion pelts at all, though.
25. You can substitute a lot of stuff for Kleenex (a registered TM of the Kimberly-Clark Corporation), but Leo always gets real upset if his ear is one of them.
26. Sometimes wishing is the best you can do.
27. When you're swimming in the lagoon and see a triangular fin and start trying to attack Red for pulling such a lame joke, it's better to make sure he's not the one on the beach asking what you're doing.
28. It's possible for every path to be uphill, even if you're already at the top of one.
29. Losing your shadow can be complicated.
30. Finding your shadow can be even more complicated.
31. Sometimes, I wonder.

The other day the first hint of autumn wandered by.  It wasn't a big hint, just the way the light was shining through the trees that let me know the fall was sort of dipping it's toe in the pool of seasons.  It won't be too long until a chilly, damp wind is blowing around the Island and I'll be trying to figure out what sort of costume I need.

With the end of summer in sight, I figured (with a little nudging from someone) that I should probably come up with a list of ten things I need to get done before the summer expires.

1. Float in the Little Bear River on purpose (so far they've all been because I accidentally fell in or was pushed).
2. Get hit with a practice sword.
3. Remove the rest of the mange from my pelt.
4. Find a meadow far enough away so no one can hear me and howl at the moon.
5. Get back at Tigger for managing to stuff four frogs in my pelt while I was sleeping (I can't help it if I'm a sound sleeper).
6. Play the "Don't Hit Cubby on the Head" game a few more times.
7. Spin around until I get so dizzy, I fall to the ground (it's a summer tradition among Lost Boys).
8. Try pho (there's an elf that sells it out of a non-hollow tree and it's supposed to be better than stew).
9. Learn how to count.
10. Try to find a trail that isn't always uphill (which they all are, even if I start at the top of a hill).
11. Start learning to play something musical (Ursa says grass blades don't count).
12. Single-handedly defeat Cap'n Hook in a sword fight (okay this one probably won't get done this summer but it's still good).
13. Daydream more (see #14).
14. Try to have less nightmares (they belong in the winter not the summer).
15. Wish harder (cuz sometimes it doesn't seem like it's working like it should).
16. Find out if there really is such a thing as "base" in tic-tac-toe (Tig swears there is and if you "land" on it, you automatically win the game).
17. Find fireflies.
18. Jump from the tire swing when it's way high.
19. Find a tree in a field, lie under it and just converse.
20. Ponder.

1. Even though I'm basically a loner, I love to give and receive hugs (those are two things definitely at odds with each other and I've witnessed some interesting fights between the two).
2. I like to wander the woods at night.
3. When in the 'real' world, I sometimes eat Fat Free Cool Whip by itself (okay, not tons of it.  It does help satisfy my sweet tooth and since a lot of it is whipped air it can be sort of filling, it's no strawberry cheesecake ice cream, but... *sigh*)
4. I play air guitar when doing the retail quest thing at Target by the Bose Music display during certain songs.  Haven't been 'caught' yet, although i'm probably on a security tape or two.
5. I wear a Cubby t-shirt to bed at night.

Okay, there's a few of my strange habits.  No doubt I could have done a lot more, but *shrug* I always follow the rules (well, when there's an advantage to doing it).

1. A five leaf clover found after I fell out of the first tree in Neverland (not the one in Califorinia).  I'm not sure if it's lucky or not--the jury is still out on that one.
2. The tail to a huge kite.  After a storm when we found one of Cap'n Hooks sails in the middle of the island, it seemed like a good idea to turn it into a huge kite, big enough to take someone aloft.  For some reason I was the chosen victim, er... rider, and jumped off a cliff overlooking the Great Bear River.  It was a spectacular splash, or so I'm told.
3. A few pieces of eight, a piece of three and a few shillings--stuff I've scrounged up so I can buy cocoa at the Bucking Star.
4. Bus token issued by the New York City Transit Authority--kept for those times when I want to begin an email in an unusual manner.
5. Jar with holes in the lid--for catching fireflies during the summer.  I accidentally caught Tink once when I wasn't being careful.  I've paid for it ever since *sigh*.
6. 12 ounce can of Mello Yello--from those days when I was fat as a bear and could actually drink sugared soda.  I know as long as it's still in there with the seal unbroken, I'm doing okay in that department.
7. Note pad from the Embassy Suites in DFW--I was doodling on that in the 'real' world when I opened an email that caused me a bit of a shock.  The pad suffered some damage in the excitement.
8. Elven knife gifted to me by the Elven ranger up in the pass above the North Wood.
9. The Bearskiin--it's still missing an ear (which I hope Roo still has) and looks like it's been through several types of hell, but it brings back a lot of memories, even though I wear a wolf pelt now.
10. Lint brush from Target--to remember the laugh I got when I mentioned I'd use it before giving a hug so I wouldn't cover the recipient in fur.
11. The wad of gum that was the first one I ever used while trying to walk and blow a bubble--okay, maybe that one can be gotten rid of.
12. Roo's dagger and whetstone that I use the way he did while listening to those who need to unburden themselves.  Sometimes I'll just sit and sharpen the dagger while I ponder as well.
13. Flint and steel--For those times I go exploring and think I'll need a fire.  Of course I don't think I've ever remembered it.
14. Club--The weapon I inherited from the original Cubby.  *sigh* Sometimes I wish he were still around so I could ask him some stuff.
15. James Blunt music cube from the Bucking Star--played to bring back memories.
16. A few marbles--legend is they're from Tootles who lost his.
17. Rubber pie--Biding its time until it's forgotten and I can use it on someone.
18. Rugby ball--from the last time the Lost Boys played a group of Trolls, surprisingly enough we won and set a record for contusions, bruises, sprains and compound fractures.
19. Jpeg picture of a Target Store sign located in Minnesota--Well what'd you think I was going to have, a K-Mart sign picture??
20. Most of an unlabeled bottle of castor oil that I took a big swig out of when told by Red it was sugar syrup (yeah, I have a sweet tooth)--I did get some satisfaction since I sprayed his front with it when I ummm, forcefully expelled it when I tasted it.
21. A few hairs from Buttercup's Tail.
22. A list of wishes.  Some crossed out when they were answered, a few added, and most memorized eons ago.
23. A slush ball that was thrown at me by someone this past winter during a snowball fight. *sigh* That person doesn't wander by anymore to play, but I hope she's still reading Calvin & Hobbes.
24. A ticket stub from the movie "Chronicles of Narnia" which I saw while 'stuck' in the 'real' world.  It brings back some good memories as well.
25. A pine comb--the first one that landed on my head after I arrived on the island, I sorta figured it wouldn't be the last.
26. A lot of paper that I used to longhand some of the entries in this space
27. A vial of pixie dust, just in case.
28. A vial of hope which keeps refilling itself because for some strange reason, even though I'm cynical by nature, I'm also an optimist.
29. A couple of emails I smuggled in from the 'real' world.
30. A teddy bear--I don't really use it that much anymore, although every Lost Boy is lost for a reason and it seems to help sometimes, plus it can be shared when necessary.
31. A handkerchief--Who knows, I always use my sleeve (or Red's ear if he's standing next to me)
32. Some dried mud, from some mud puddle somewhere (more likely several mud puddles actually).

1. To be there for those who need me to offer a hand, a shoulder or whatever I can
2. To continue giving my monthly amount to the Great Ormond Street Hospital
3. To continue to keep exercising and eating properly (*sigh*)
4. To try that bath thing one more time after the proper precautions
5. To continue blogging about the adventures I have
6. To probably fix the moat
7. To volunteer somewhere or do something to help the real lost ones
8. To be more patient
9. To keep making those (now five) wishes on the wishing star for others
10. To sigh less and smile more
11. To go snowboarding or skiing
12. To continue answering all my email LOL
13. To be serious with those who want me to be serious and whimsical with those who need a place to escape to sometimes
14. To pay more attention to my instincts and perhaps follow their lead
15. To never stop wondering
16. To try and be less craven
17. To figure out how Ursa became a Lost Boy
18. To keep recycling teddy bears as needed
19. To crow just a tiny bit more often
20. To never grow up (much to the chagrin of the FDIC)
21. To continue to be His court jester in order to make others laugh
22. To finally finish the fan fiction story I started last year
23. To use more Microsoft products (hint, hint, MSN)
24. To patch up my differences with Red
25. To do something totally silly and nutsy

Thanks to everyone who visits, and may all of you have the most awesome year ever!  Happy New Year!!

1. There is definitely some good to be found in the ‘real’ world.
2. Magic exists in this realm (I’ve always believed that, it’s just been reinforced a few times)
3. Fairy tales do come true
4. I can handle a pink tie, next challenge is the shirt
5. Swimming is much better than bathing
6. Even being less bear sized, I still float
7. Brussel sprouts should still be outlawed
8. Akron?  Well, I haven’t learned anything about that.
9. The wishing star still works when you make a wish for others
10. I’ve apparently gained another year as His court jester, which is a good thing
11. It is still one of the most awesome feelings to make others laugh and feel better
12. My heart isn’t nearly as well defended as it should be (stupid moat)
13. I have to rethink the whole seriousness issue :P
14. I’m still basically a loner
15. I know of at least one Lost Girl
16. Laundry shouldn’t be done in hot water
17. Expect nothing and you’ll never be disappointed (okay, my cynical side I admit)
18. There are some people in the ‘real’ world who work wonders for others (especially for the wee ones) and to them I offer thanks, good luck, and the best of fortune!  God bless all of you.
19. There’s still a lot of stuff this clumsy Lost Boy doesn’t understand
20. There’s way too much stuff this clumsy Lost Boy does understand
21. James Blunt… Thank you Virgin Radio, this musician rocks!
22. A number of blog friends who’ve given me encouragement and joy and other wonderful stuff.  Thanks!
23. The fact that I wasn’t laid off from the retail quest after the holiday season (mixed emotions on that one LOL)
24. Red + white + hot water+ bargain detergent = pink small clothes (sigh)
25. Diabetes isn’t the end of the world, it’s just a major pain in the rump

1. I want to swim next to an orca one day
2. I do a lot of wishing on stars
3. I don't make a lot of them on my behalf
4. I have wished that A not have to worry about T anymore, that B discover L, that C finds the M they wish for, and that D is always happy
5. I have about a 70% success rate with wishing stars when I wish for others (my rate for personal wishes is about 8.21203%--there's a moral in that I think)
6. I want to hike in the Scottish Highlands
7. I love Nova Scotia
8. I can be a bit contrary because it's more fun that way
9. I tend not to live in the past, but sometimes do a lot of wondering about things I've done or opportunities I've missed
10. I use Windows XP in the 'real' world (a just dying to know statement if there ever was one).
11. I can get incredibly moody sometimes (as one poor soul who visits can probably attest to :P)
12. I normally get over #11 pretty fast
13. I get a lot of spam in my mailbox (wow, I must be the only one)
14. I believe in Santa Claus
15. I want to live on the Great Plains
16. I worked for a summer at the Post Office (yet never went postal)
17. I regularly observe the speed limit as I accelerate past it
18. I yield to pedestrians
19. I want to learn to ski
20. I love chocolate
21. I wish #20 was unrequited
22. I see live people (yeah, I know, but it fit so well)
23. I have a license plate on my car that says lostboy issued by the Department of Licensing
24. I don't get as many strange looks because of #23 as you might expect
25. I really am as happy-go-lucky as I appear to be on here
26. I sometimes wonder if #25 has caused me to lose an opportunity or two
27. I don't normally worry about #26
28. I have attached ear lobes (apparently that means something)
29. I dream in colour
30. I can run for more than 30 seconds now (and you think I'm joking)
31. I seem to be totally blind when it comes to figuring out how others feel about me sometimes
32. I hate #31
33. I have a difficult time showing how I feel about others sometimes
34. I regret #33 more than I can begin to say *sigh*
35. I am loyal (probably true, not at all sure about brave)
36. I hate public speaking
37. I can hide #36 incredibly well
38. I want to visit Austraila and New Zealand
39. I have seen the Northern Lights
40. I want to see the Southern Cross
41. I am glad Ursa showed up on the island
42. I don't know why anyone would want to take Christmas Lights out of their box (especially five boxes of the same set)
43. I think Winnie-the-Pooh rocks
44. I still wonder what my purpose in this life is
45. I figure I'll wing it until #44 comes clearer
46. I have saved two lives and had my life saved once (not on the same day though)
47. I have a BA in business (uh, I dunno why either)
48. I wish #47 were a BS in animal science
49. I have had my foot stepped on by a heifer
50. I uttered a lot of words that innocent Lost Boys usually don't know when #49 occurred.
51. I am probably not nearly as innocent as I appear to be
52. I am probably not as guilty as I should be
53. I don't know that true love conquers all (I mean even Tide doesn't get out all stains)
54. I used to use a Macintosh
55. I have a sense of humour that can be way too subtle (as evidenced by the silence greeted by something I think is hilarious)
56. I don't understand why Wheel of Fortune is so popular
57. I don't understand a lot of stuff about the 'real' world
58. I use egg substitute (okay, if anyone ever needed evidence I was nuts, including this little fact in a list like this should be all the proof needed).
59. I should never blog, email, or write letters after the witching hour
60. I want to meet a Hobbit
61. I want to know what happens to Calvin when he enters high school (and I bet Hobbes will still be there with him)
62. I tend to tear up at the silliest things in movies sometimes
63. I have never had a greeting card commercial cause me to shed a tear
64. I have had one long distance commercial jerk a tear or two (and only the first time I saw it)
65. I love summers in eastern Washington in the middle of nowhere watching a thunderstrom approach
66. I should never archive email
67. I have never ridden a rhino (well I'm listening to the radio and someone asked that question on a commercial and I figured I'd answer)
68. I am something of a loner
69. I think I've mentioned #68 before though
70. I wonder if duplication is allowed
71. I can count backwards from ten to one (hey, I didn't say these were unique exciting traits, now did I?)
72. I love blueberries
73. I think it would be cool to live in Alaska (sort of a pun intended)
74. I lived in the U.S. Virgin Islands for a couple of years
75. I hate having curly hair
76. I resemble the animated Cubby in Peter Pan (someone asked me that the other day)
77. I want to learn to play the piano
78. I would probably have been a drummer if I'd ever been in a band
79. I know one of my favourite movies is Love Acutally
80. I wish I'd know that starting all these with I could be so complicated for some things
81. I have never played tiddlywinks (and know I'm scarred because of it)
82. I really am lost in this realm
83. I don't find #82 bothersome, I just wonder a lot
84. I am very thankful for all the friends I've found on MSN
85. I know it's hard to believe that you could use thankful and a Microsoft product in the same sentence
86. I figure #85 just blew my chance at free software *sigh*
87. I have had a court issue an injunction against me for dancing
88. I won't tell you if #87 is true or not
89. I think there's only 11 more of these to go to get to 100
90. I bet you're glad of #89
91. I always 'mind the gap' when it's necessary
92. I want to hear a wolf howl
93. I have a secret
94. I think I've used #93 before too
95. I love making people laugh
96. I think I get carried away doing it sometimes
97. I don't think I've ever been physically carried away before
98. I have been carried away in other methods though
99. I think the 'real' world should slow down every other Thursday
100. I'm glad you read all 100 of these.  You did, didn't you?  No skipping!

1. The other Lost Boys that are their friends.
2. The things that the future may hold.
3. Faith, trust and pixie dust.
4. Not growing up.
5. Stew.
6. Sunrises over the eastern bay of the island.
7. Summer afternoons by the river when a warm breeze is blowing and the drowsy hum of insects fill the background.
8. Winter evenings snuggled by a fire.
9. Places to explore.
10. Those times of peace, contentment and fellowship.

There are a lot of things that this Lost Boy has to be personally thankful for.  Once upon a time I read something in which the author stated that it seemed like God was blamed for a lot of stuff (how could He let this happen) or asked for things through prayer, but that it seemed like few took the time to thank Him for stuff.  The author didn't mean the major things that occur, but the small everyday things.  I sort of took that to heart because since that time I usually manage a prayer of thanks for some of the small things that come my way (the fact that I woke up in time even though the alarm clock didn't go off, that the truck started this morning even though it's been letting me know it resents it, that sort of stuff).  Here's a partial list of five things that I am Thankful for:

1. For the friends I've made, including: --a person who has shown me what true strength and spirit is in order to overcome the obstacles they face and find the happiness they deserve when it would probably have been much easier for them to have simply gone status quo.  --a person who has, without doubt, the most generous of spirits and one of the most giving natures I have ever seen even though there were some tough times in the childhood of thier life.  --a person who has learned to become more open, can be optimistic when others would give up, and is willing to provide a second chance to those who can use one.  --a person who never fails to move me with their faith and the words they scribe, who finds wonder in those things that too many take for granted and who will hopefully share with us the wonderous events that occur in December.  --a person who is a wonderful story teller (even though I end up looking stuff up because of them) and makes me think, who helps me take another different look at some of the tales I've woven and asks questions that make me ponder and come up with new directions.  --a newer friend who has taken on a role that isn't really a part of their job description, but because they have has no doubt helped some not to become as lost as they otherwise would be.  --a newer friend who, along with their family, has shown awesome resilience in the face of challenges while providing normalcy where and when it's needed most, educating those around them, and giving somone a chance to grow when it would probably be all too easy to smother instead.
2. The fact that I appear to have the ability to make others laugh, smile and perhaps forget for a little bit.  This is one thing that I never fail to thank Him for giving me.
3. My imagination and the fact that I usually have the ability to turn it loose and see what happens.  This is the second gift that I thank Him for providing me with.
4. Being able to go from Bear to Wolf.  It sometimes causes me some confusion in feelings, but it's all good.
5. Being a slightly less than human creature of the night who loves the woods :)

Thanks for visiting my space and reading the words I've scribed.  May you and your family have a truly wonderul Thanksgiving!

1. I'll never grow up, but will become older and will get more responsible (the three aren't necesarilly related to each other)
2. I hardly ever take myself seriously
3. Although I do take others seriously
4. I still climb trees and walk through mud puddles
5. I love the ocean, but like the Atlantic better than the Pacific
6. I don't believe that not accomplishing something means you've failed (although not trying something you want to accomplish usually does)
7. I'm the biggest Lost Boy, which has never bothered me, but becoming smaller has left me a bit more lost (and played havoc with the syntax of this sentence)
8. I tend to keep a lot of stuff inside when it comes to myself
9. I do believe in magic (how could you not when you see a sunset over the mountains)
10. I'm not afraid of death (note the small d LOL)
11. Probably because I don't think it will ever happen to me
12. Although I'm old enough to know that #11 is going to happen
13. When #11 does occur, I will no doubt have the most surprised look on my face
14. I always choose the "wrong" queue in any situation
15. My purpose in life is to make others laugh and feel better
16. I normally am not overly concerned about what others think about me
17. However, there are a few people who's opinion of me matters a huge amount to me (although I suspect they may not know it)
18. There are a couple of people for whom I have major feelings for.
19. I think one of the #18 might know, but not suspect how strong and the other #18 probably doesn't have any idea
20. I love the snow
21. There are a number of people who suspect I'm nuts because of #20
22. Hiking and camping in the snow can be just as cool as doing it in summer (yes, there was a pun intended of course)
23. I do believe in God, after all, I'm his court jester
24. I never intend #23 as disrespect, I just think He has a great sense of humour, after all He made me
25. My soul contains a lot of empathy
26. I tend to leap before I look, but thus far have managed to avoid the shallow end
27. Eeyore is one of my heroes
28. I keep the promises I've made and even some that I haven't
29. Pondering is something I do a lot of
30. I don't dance very well
31. Which is why I don't do #30
32. I do believe in fairy tales because I've seen a number of them occur (all fairy tales don't end in happily ever after, but that doesn't mean they aren't just as good)
33. There's a bit of a romantic in me when it comes to other people
34. I'm a loner
35. I'm a hugger
36. I've sat and read novels while #34 and #35 went to war over each other
37. I procrastinate like there's no tomorrow (hmmm, there's a circular statement if I've ever seen one)
38. My astrological sign fits like a glove (which should be scary I guess)
39. One of the absolute best jobs I've ever held was managing a bookstore
40. Worst job was delivering an afternoon paper by car (245 subscribers in a metro area)
41. Second best job was delivering an early morning paper by car (160 subscribers in a rural farming area)
42. Although I normally take interstate highways when going, um, interstate, I prefer two lane US Routes
43. I like to daydream (I know that comes as a shock)
44. I'll never be a knight, but do make a passable squire
45. Spontaneity rocks
46. Halloween and Christmas tie as my favourite holidays (I don't even want to think of the theological ramifcations of that statment)
47. Science fiction and fantasy is my favourite department in the bookstore
48. Mystery is a very close second
49. I hardly watch television at all
50. Movies on the other hand...
51. The best comic ever written is Calvin & Hobbes (Cheers, Summer ;)
52. In school I played soccer, we didn't win a single game, all of us had the best time ever
53. I also played baseball after school, we won a fair number of games, most of us didn't like it
54. I've been told when I run, it looks more like I'm galloping--I take a perverse sense of pride in that
55. I'm a night person (or as the lyrics go:  "we dream all day and play all night, swing in the trees 'til we wake the bees)
56. Listening seems to be something I'm good at
57. To the best of my knowledge, they haven't come up with an employment pre-screening psych test that I can't make say exactly what I want
58. Once upon a time I gave my last $10 to a gal on Boylston Avenue in Boston who said she needed it to feed her kids--I wasn't sure I believed her tale, but I'm glad I gave it to her
59. The FDIC is here to help (don't ask)
60. Being Lost is a lot more fun than living found in my case
61. I don't think #60 would hold true for very many people
62. In the huge grocery store of life, I'm the one wheel of the four on the shopping cart that tries to go "somewhere" else
63. The guardian angel I have probably doesn't get paid enough
64. #63 is a job I wouldn't mind having one day
65. That is if the assumption I'm making for #64 comes to pass
66. The best soda came in returnable bottles
67. I miss the Bell System
68. I like to go horseback riding (although I'm not sure how the horse feels about it)
69. All children should have a childhood
70. I have strong withers
71. I've used #70 a lot to help others with their concerns
72. I wouldn't change #71 for anything since its helped me as much as them
73. Laughter and teddy bears can work miracles (used separately or together)
74. My paws always get cold in winter
75. Sometimes I think I can be awfully needy at times
76. #75 usually passes fairly quickly, but it's a pain when it visits
77. I was able to sail through most of my classes in H.S. with little effort
78. #77 screwed me up big time when I went to university
79. I think everyone is their harshest critic, except in my case when I know my critcism of myself is completely accurate, balanced and fair (wow my self criticism is like Fox News!--I am so doomed)
80. The worst thing I ever heard at university was a prof who mentioning road construction that had torn up campus said that we were all at uni so we wouldn't have to do things with our hands like that--uh, really?
81. Even better was that #80 was said at a state university which was also the agricultural land grant university
82. I started my academic career as an animal science major
83. I switched to accounting/business when I figured up how much in loans I'd owe when I was done and what my prospects were of paying it back in one lifetime if I continued and the price of farm land kept skyrocketing
84. #83 is probably the stupidest thing I've ever done, stupid analysis
85. I'm an introvert
86. Sometimes I wish I worked at a Disney theme park as "Eeyore" or "Pooh"
87. My creditors are glad I don't
88. More often I wish I worked on a dairy farm
89. See #87
90. This is as far as this particular list is going to be listed :)

It was either a horoscope, a story that’s only half finished or a list (yeah, I could have chosen to go to my pallet early too, but what would be the fun in that?).  When I became a Lost Boy and went from the “real” world to the other realm, I was old enough to know a fair amount of how the “real” world operated and figured when my “exile” from the island landed me back in the “real” world it wouldn’t be any big deal.  Okay, maybe there were a few things I forgot or didn’t know or suppressed.  Anyway, this is a hodgepodge of stuff I have re-remembered, learned, and otherwise had knocked into that space under my red shaggy mop since becoming “stuck” in the “real” world.

1.       The light at the end of the tunnel may not be a train, it may be some guy on a moped trying to scare the heck out of you.

2.      There is no such thing as a "minor motion picture".

3.       A cloth that measures 1 foot by 1 foot which is taken out of a box measuring 3 feet by 3 feet by 3 feet cannot be replaced in the box without crushing the cloth and causing the box to bulge all out of shape.

4.       No one will ever believe you when you tell them that Crayola markers really do make good eye shadow

5.       They will, however, wonder why you believe #4.

6.       If you wear a bearskin on most domestic flights, you can pretty much count on having a row to yourself (unless you’re flying Southwest in which case they’ll tell you that you need to buy another seat).

7.       Wal*Mart is not a hell spawn company (even the devil is afraid of them).

8.       Stomping through mud puddles (especially if doing it in the rain) will actually cause looks of envy from grown-ups.

9.       Cocoa is definitely underrated in this realm.

10.    Tea is massively underrated in this country.

11.    No one outside of the South really understands ice tea.

12.    The rotten branch will always be the last one you step on when climbing trees (I know, it’s so philosophical).

13.    When you put the double chocolate Seattle’s Best coffee in the coffee machine at work instead of the regular Folgers blend, no one will notice if you do it before 7:30 a.m. (I don’t even drink coffee and I could tell the difference—someone did ask if the coffee machine had been cleaned recently *sigh*).

14.    No one wants to spend money in a retail establishment until you announce that the store is closed.

15.    The most popular answer we gave at our uni help desk—Have you tried rebooting the machine?

16.    The least surprising fact at the uni help desk—99% of the time it worked.

17.    Most interesting question at the uni help desk we got (well one of them)—I can’t run PC programs on my Macintosh.  Is it broken?  (Response given:  user error).

18.    One of the more wonderful things to see in the “real” world is the Northern Lights.

19.    You can’t fix everything no matter how hard you try

20.    Lost Boys never give up which means in this realm #19 drives me bonkers (okay, there wasn’t far to go).

21.    If you fling a cardboard box lid into the air in a grocery store backroom, the chances of breaking a fluorescent light tube with it are directly proportional to the importance of the management member coming through the door.

22.    You can spend hours trying to find a book that appeared on Oprah only to be told after you’re numb and exhausted, oh wait, it was on Geraldo.  I’m sorry, I always get those two mixed up.

23.    Mind the gap.

24.    One of the coolest places to explore is northern Maine when you reach the place where the townships suddenly have numbers instead of names.

25.    There is an insane amount of power in the average teddy bear.

26.    If you never take chances, you may be safe, but you’ll always regret it.

27.    When there’s a power failure, it seems people can’t resist flicking the light switch on and off a few dozen times as though it would cause the power to come back on.

28.    Tempting Fate is fun until Fate notices.

29.    I can’t divulge this, it’s a secret.

30.    You can ask for questions on your blog, but no one ever asks them (heck even comments are hard to get sometimes :P).

31.    Cricket music rocks!

32.    When you have a fight in the produce prep room, you get more distance with the water sprayer but better control with the crushed ice (and you wonder why the lettuce looks wilted all the time).

33.    Seasonal dept. is a euphemism for hell on earth.

34.    I’ve run with scissors before and survived.