10 Things To Say About Holiday Gifts You Don't Like...

10. Boy, if I hadn't recently shot up four sizes, this would fit.

9. It would be a shame if the garbage man ever accidentally took this from me.

8. Perfect for wearing in the basement.

7. Well, well, well...

6. I really don't deserve this.

5. Gosh, I hope this never catches fire!

4. I love it, but I fear the jealousy it will inspire.

3. If the dog buries it, I'll be furious!

2. I can't accept this because, sadly, tomorrow I enter the federal witness protection program.

1. To think I got this the year I vowed to give all my gifts to charity.


Ironically, I found these helpful tips while I was working in a gift shop.

All Star Hockey Game

Recently, a few friends and I randomly decided to go to a St. Louis Blues hockey game. Because this was our first professional hockey game we had ever attended, I felt the need to photograph this exciting event. When I looked through the lens of my camera, I was surprised to see that I knew quite a few members of this professional hockey team. I'm sure if you take a closer look, you might recognize these talented individuals as well...

A Few Things To Keep In Mind

I read an interesting article the other day that might interest all of you international travelers out there, especially if you are heading 'across the pond'. Now some of these may be difficult to resist, but I'm sure you'll manage.

Britain's Most Ridiculous Laws

• It is illegal to die in the Houses of Parliament
  
• It is an act of treason to place a postage stamp bearing the British monarch upside-down
  
• In Liverpool, it is illegal for a woman to be topless except as a clerk in a tropical fish store
  
• Mince pies cannot be eaten on Christmas Day
  
• In Scotland, if someone knocks on your door and requires the use of your toilet, you must let them enter
  
• A pregnant woman can legally relieve herself anywhere she wants, including in a policeman's helmet
  
• The head of any dead whale found on the British coast automatically becomes the property of the king, and the tail of the queen
  
• It is illegal to avoid telling the tax man anything you do not want him to know, but legal not to tell him information you do not mind him knowing
  
• It is illegal to enter the Houses of Parliament in a suit of armour
  
• In the city of York it is legal to murder a Scotsman within the ancient city walls, but only if he is carrying a bow and arrow
  

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20071106/od_afp/britainlawsoffbeat

Now, for those of you just traveling with in the good old USA, here are a few more guidelines.

• In Arizona donkeys cannot sleep in bathtubs.
  
• In order for a pickle to officially be considered a pickle in Connecticut, it must bounce.
  
• In Florida, if an elephant is left tied to a parking meter, the parking fee has to be paid just as it would for a vehicle.
  
• In Minnesota, citizens may not enter Wisconsin with a chicken on their head.
  
• The penalty for jumping off a building is death in New York.
  
• Elephants may not be used to plow cotton fields in North Carolina.
  
• In Ohio, it is illegal to get a fish drunk.
  
• In Oklahoma, dogs must have a permit signed by the mayor in order to congregate in groups of three or more on private property.
  
• Any marriage where either of the parties is an idiot or lunatic is null and void in Rhode Island.
  
• In Wisconsin, cheese making requires a cheese maker's license; Limburger cheese making requires a master cheese maker's license.
  

It's interesting to think that the only reason that these are laws is because at one point in time, people actually did these things...

The Bewildering Bicycle Ride

A few weeks ago my dad and I decided to take an afternoon to ride a bike trail not far from our home. It was a hot summer, Saturday afternoon, with temperatures topping off over 100 degrees. We both had already spent most of the day out in the sun, but decided it would still be nice to take a bike ride. So after checking the air in the tires, we loaded the bikes up in the car and headed over to the trail.

Despite the high humidity, it was a wonderful afternoon in the summer sun with a refreshing breeze. We saw several people we knew and waved hello as we passed them.

The trail itself is about eight miles in distance. We usually travel five miles, making it a ten mile ride round trip. However on this occasion, that was not the case. A short distance into the trail, I noticed that it was becoming difficult to pedal, so I shifted gears and kept on going. Not too long after that, I began to feel tired and was having difficulty pedaling. We made it to a stoplight about 3 miles into the trail and while we waited for the crosswalk light to change, I took a moment to catch my breath. Soon after that Dad noticed that I was still falling behind asked me if maybe the heat was getting to me. I said I wasn’t feeling dizzy or physically exhausted, but we decided to turn around and head back just in case.

With only two miles left to go until reaching the car, I had to stop and catch my breath again. I was completely puzzled as to why I was having such a difficult time. We pulled off to the side of the trail and I got off the bike for a moment. As I was standing there catching my breath, I looked down and what did I find? My rear tire was completely flat! This entire time I had been riding on a tire with no air in it what so ever. I knew I wasn’t feeling the signs of heat exhaustion, and I had been driving myself crazy trying to figure out what was wrong with me.

I couldn’t do anything but stand on the side of the road and laugh.

My First Week

Tomorrow will mark my first week as an official blogger. As I reflect on my first week, I must admit this has been an exciting adventure...despite the fact that I have only one previous entry, an incomplete profile, and zero responses as my blog remains undiscovered. So essentially I have been writing to myself. (In response to Chatalita's question this perhaps is my most unfortunate event.)

Looking beyond these tragedies, I am thrilled to be on the slippery slope of the blogging world.

I often find myself contemplating what my next blog topic will be. Will it be funny? Serious? Sad? Or just not make any sense? Who knows? I'll leave that to your interpretation.

I have also found myself eagerly checking my blog for responses daily, like a child checking under the Christmas tree for presents. (It's sad I know).

Alas, all I can do now is wait for my humble blog to be discovered...

The Bad Blog Beginning

If you are looking for an exerienced blogger, keep looking. On the other hand, if you are looking for an Italian blogger, you're in the right spot.

Truthfully, I just learned what a blog was last night. Tonight's the night I thought I would tell my story...

One night at a birthday party with some friends. Lovely was the night. Indigo was the sky. Never will I write like this again. Eventually I will stop.

Okay, back to my story. I was at the party, when the discussion turned to the birthday person's blog. Someone, who will not be named, made a joke that I had a blog of my own. We assumed that all knew that the sketchy blog did not exist. Until a few weeks later, someone inquired about my "blog", saying that they have been searching for it and were not able to find it. I had completely forgotten about my "blog" and almost revealed the fact that the whole story was made up. So I continued the conspiracy, and made up some clues to find my "blog".
After running out of excuses as to why no one could find it, I had no other option but to start my own...