"Drawn forward by debt, desire, or both, Americans are emerging as the first addicts of the technological age, driven still by some ancient instinct for self-preservation that in our time of affluence is misplaced...It is in this blind pursuit of material prosperity that Americans have begun to push the boundaries of human adaptation, as is evidenced by rising levels of greed, anxiety, and obesity. From American Mania: When More is not Enough by Peter C. Whybrow M.D. pub. by W.W. Norton & Co Inc.

This has reminded me of another great little book, Not Harry Potter. It's Mr. Grabbit The Rabbit by Virginia Hoff. Somehow I think it would be such a better read for our babes. It begins, "Once upon a time there was a greedy old rabbit, because he liked to have lots and lots of everything. He had lots of shoes, and lots of coats, and lots of toothbrushes." It ends with his carrying 4 umbrellas when a big gust of wind carries him high up on a church steeple where he has to be rescued. He then decides that he only needs one of everything & has a huge sale.He drank 1 bottle of milk when thirsty. He wore 1 coat, 1 hat, & 1 umbrella when he went out.

We don't have stuff; stuff has us. We all know from our moves to new homes & apartments and, I know, sitting in my room surrounded by papers, magazines, & cd's, dvds--clothes everywhere. Where or where to put them! C, my daughter, has always lived by the principle of Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without; yet, even she is buried in stuff. I was proud to see the boys, trying to repair their own leak. I get the impression that they are careful shoppers, even though I have read journals about all their computer equipment & the collection of wires and connectors. LOL Now, what is the point? I guess I am just reminding us that all of these possessions are adding to the stress in our lives; weighing us down & costing us financially. I'm tired just managing my space; maybe that is chronic fatique syndrome.

Ben Franklin said, "Hereby, too, I shall indulge the inclination so natural in old men, to be talking of themselves & their own past actions: & I shall indulge it without being tiresome to others, who, through respect to age, might conceive themselves obliged to give me a hearing, since this may be read or not as any one pleases."

That is why I will Journal. I am a novice computer user & it has captured me. I am the child who has found the candy store with money in my pocket & it closes in 10 minutes. I'm getting old & I have this new exciting world ahead. Will it be lost to senile dementia or a stroke? Why couldn't this all have been here when I was young? Am I wrong to feel robbed? I've made such great discoveries about myself, I've changed my politics, & horror of horrors I like to shop. I get my hair spray from drugstore.com, my cheaper prescriptions from cvs. com & my news from the New York Times. Poor Judith Miller, sitting in jail, protecting the likes of Kenneth Rove.

Dr. Phil has said in Life Strategies that in order for me to meet someone they would have to pull a chair up in front of my tv. And , I thought, yes, that is true. But, why don't I have friends. I am a fun-loving gal! I now know that in order to have a friend you have to be a friend & I am lazy. I now have friends who don't have me. I have mstephens. com on Flickr. He has two yellow labs, a beautiful boat on Spider Lake. I don't know where that is. I have Souther Yankee who was kind enough to say hey when I came to Elmwood Strip. She was atAllegheny Park with Holly, my daughter; but, I don't know her. For an agoraphob such as me these are friends & I love them. They are real to me. I have always known I was an observer & not a doer & I think I am no longer going to feel guilty about that; so there!

I am so excited! Every time I log into the strip I am enlightened, the photos are so great & I, in a vicarious way, feel like I am on the vacations. Now, I have even seen the Taste of Buffalo! I have seen the aquarium & your gardens. Today was so beautiful and my daughter, cj, has started building my porch. I have dreamed of going out early in the morning with my cup of coffee & watching all the morning shinnagans. All things come to those who wait. I am very tired & actually joined so that I could comment on Paul's being chased by a BUG. I have been sorting through piles of newspapers today & clipping bits I wanted and in new words was arachnoleptic fit (n.): the frantic dance performed just after you've accidently walked through a spider web. That's Paul's dance.

Gosh, I forgot to watch Guns, Germs & Steel on PBS tonite at 10:00. Did anyone see it?