Counting Blessings 1 - Clear Sidewalks

Walking my usual route to work, I became aware of a pleasant sight - a stretch of sidewalk I could actually walk on.

It's not a spectacular view, but in communities where there's not much parking space, it's quite often to see something like this:

As you get nearer the business area, the walkable sidewalks even become more scarce:

It could be worse, because sometimes, you can't use the sidewalk at all:

So I am thankful for that stretch of sidewalk. And although it can be annoying that sidewalks are used as parking spaces, or storage spaces, or whatever, I still like this part of Quezon City.

Favorite Places 1 - UP Diliman

UP Diliman's welcoming trees.

I was born and raised in Baguio, and most of my travel experience before graduating from college was mostly in the Cordillera - where even if the roads seem totally dangerous, I was with family and relatives. And I felt safe. Oh, our high school class had a field trip to Zambales - a few years after Mt. Pinatubo erupted - and I brought home two lahar rocks as a souvenir - I still have them, gathering dust on the divider that my father made - but still there.

Anyway, the first time I was in (UP) Diliman, was probably when I needed to get my transcript of records, just before graduation. I was with college friends and it wasn't so bad. I do not remember having memories of fear, but then I don't remember much.

The next time I was there was summer of 1999 - for summer classes - at the college of Education. I was to become part of the second batch of volunteer teachers under the Ugnayan ng Pahinungod - Gurong Pahinungod Program, and the summer classes was part of our training. I guess for many of us who were there, it was a life - changing summer. I was blessed being there with the people I was with. Diliman became for me a friend as well. I relished every corner that I discovered. I delighted in the welcoming trees that seemed to give me a warm hug evertime the jeep enters the campus. I eventually, considered it home.

I remember how Diliman became my safe haven after that, when I didn't go home and instead chose to work in Manila. I would take the hour-long commute after work, to get from Sta. Mesa, Manila where I was teaching, just so I could have 30 minutes of quiet in the Diliman grounds.

Until now, almost a decade after, it is still one of my favorite places.

Finding Sunshine in Grey Skies

Spent the last 10 minutes just trying to set up.
Fifteen minutes before that trying to open the door.

Realized I did not really know what to write about.
Checked out Twitter and decided I did not need another social networking site to log into.
I thought I'd write about the different people I saw while walking on my way to work -
A young boy with a plastic bag over his head, maybe some magic hat to protect him from the rain
With a cart of nice looking vegetables.
Had the urge to stop and look at his wares.
But moved on, thinking I don't know what sort of vegetables to buy, anyway. Having nothing in mind to cook.

Work Day Ramblings

Time wasted so far: 41 minutes

Doing what: Downloading internet explorer for Windows vista

The nice thing about being in Metro Manila, as compared to being in Baguio, is that the day seems longer. When in Baguio, 8:00 PM is already very late, and it's likely that you'd like to be asleep by 10:00 pm then wake up the next day at 7:00 am. In Metro Manila, sleeping at 11:00 PM is normal and for some reason, your body wakes up at 6:00 am.

Time wasted so far, since last count: 8 minutes

Doing what: Waiting for windows internet explorer to install

Doing this because: Everytime I use the internet explorer that I have in my computer, it always suddenly closes, after I close a tab, for example, the whole thing just disappears - and it does not even go bak to the sites I was previously on.

It is hard to type without using the left forefinger. I cut myself yesterday trying to open a pack of mongo.

Comfort Room

I surprisingly found comfort walking in the hallways of a hospital in this time of anxiety and tension.
It was familiar, the corners not daunting, the walls unimposing. But also maybe because, here, I had the experience of being cared for and of being assured safety.
Should it be strange, that a hospital incident could actually be pleasant?
Maybe.
When there are high hopes for the body's wholeness, and people who really care, then a hospital is a place of comfort indeed.

Horizontal Communication

This girl gives us a smile - Clark Kent and I, in a later conversation, thinks she's one of those fund raisers, out to ask for money - asks us, instead, if there's anything that frustrates or bothers us about the world - and if we could write and add that to the list she's holding. Clark Kent writes: Buses running late.

Because Clark Kent is curious, she answers it's part of a class project. Members of their performing arts class were to position themselves in the different subway stops, and do what she just let us do. She explains it provides a way for people to talk to each other, and people get to have a glimpse of other people's minds by reading all the rest of the items in the list. Horizontal communication, I think that was what she called it.

Chloe, that was her name, then asked us if we could hand the list to another friend of hers in the subway station where we were going to get off. She said her friend will be easy to find - and we only need to look out for someone who's holding the same sign she was holding - "underground communication."

And we did see the friend, who was also named Chloe (and it was not part of their performing arts thing - they were just both named Chloe) - waving the sign frantically over her head when we got to the station where we were to get off. Chloe 2 gave us a warm thank you and generously obliged to have her picture taken.

We thought it was an interesting interaction.

Cordillera Nonsense Rhymes and Children's Songs

Credits to my colleague, Helen Magata for providing the text of the following Cordillera rhymes.
I would appreciate additional contributions so we could come up with a more definitive list and ultimately a reference. Comments on source and other information is also welcomed.

Duldullanis
Duldullanis, saluppakin utanis
Umud-udong gutib ti bado isto.

Issallat, duwallat
Tamtamang en mab-uwang
Buambayang

- Helen says this is a game that they play at home back in Paracelis, Mt. Province where they sit and an "IT" taps the players' laps. The lap which is tapped at the end of the song is retracted or hidden.


Kulunged
Kulunged tanged tange
Tanggayom nan dinuple
Dinuplen palluyapoy
Palluyapoy nungippo
Nungippon naminhula
Naminhulan katiti
Katitin bumangiwa
Bangiwaom nan bugan
Nan bugan biklayugan
Layu layu layugan

Kong Kong Kong
Kong kong kong
Pakgong ko'y mankongakong
Is-islong ko ed bakong
Ta umeyak ed num-a
Ta umeyak mensadak
Sin igtok sinan lagbak

Kong kong kong
Pakgong ko'y mankongakong
Ta nu wada'y lames na
Sin ube ay kanan da
Ta isaak ed baey
Ta way kanen ungung-a

Kong kong kong
Pakgong ko'y mangkongakong.

Bagbagto
Bagbagto, bagbagto lambik
Tolambik, tulambawikan
Bawikan, bawikalanay
Kalanay, kalana punay
Napunay, napunayagta
Nayagta, nayagta kumpa
Takumpa, takumpayaaw
Payaaw, paya-astibaw
Astibaw, astibalangaw
Balangaw, balangawisdan
Gawisdan, gawis tannabo
Tannabo, tannabugaoy
Bugaoy, buga papayos
Papayos, papayudtiken
Dyutiken, dyutika mek-en
Kamek-en, kamek chiyungas
Chiyungas, chiyung asa-as
Asa-as, asa-as binyas!

- Bagbagto is probably the most popular nonsense ryhyme in the Cordillera. Nobody has claimed yet to know what it means.

I was asked whether I am infringing the copyright properties of my ancestors by publishing these rhymes online. But I think that in this modern times where indigenous languages are facing threats of extinction, I would rather have these rhymes available - than forgotten.

One Warm Day

One winter day
The sun decided to
Shine brighter
warmer
Such that the sky
Was blue
And the clouds high














Come join me
Watch the blueness
Of water and sky
While the wind is not yet chilly














Maybe we'll have enough of a conversation
To warm us
Even as the sun sets
Or the clouds turn dark














And just maybe
This winter will not seem so long
Anymore

A Valentine Realization

I told a friend, when she bemoaned her being alone on Valentine's day, that it was a Hallmark invention and we don't have to go along with it.

The Wikipedia entry for Velentine's Day (see quoted below) all the more convinces me that in its modern context, it is a mere commercial ploy:

(Saint) Valentine's Day is a holiday celebrated on February 14 by many people throughout the world. In the West, it is the traditional day on which lovers express their love for each other by sending Valentine's cards, presenting flowers, or offering confectionery. The day was originally a pagan festival that was renamed after two Early Christian martyrs named Valentine. The day became associated with romantic love in the circle of Geoffrey Chaucer in the High Middle Ages, when the tradition of courtly love flourished.

The day is most closely associated with the mutual exchange of love notes in the form of "valentines". Since the 19th century, handwritten notes have largely given way to mass-produced greeting cards.The sending of Valentines was a fashion in nineteenth-century Great Britain, and, in 1847, Esther Howland developed a successful business in her Worcester, Massachusetts home with hand-made Valentine cards based on British models. The popularity of Valentine cards in 19th-century America was a harbinger of the future commercialization of holidays in the United States.

The U.S. Greeting Card Association estimates that approximately one billion valentines are sent each year worldwide, making the day the second largest card-sending holiday of the year, behind Christmas.

And although I claim to be totally unaffected by the occasion, I remember now how it's actually a pleasant childhood memory. Growing up in a culture where affections are not openly expressed, I remember that it was probably only during Valentine's where I was able to express "I love you" to my parents through hand made cards that we did as craft projects in school during the day. I remember cutting out red colored paper hearts and pasting them into quarter folded white bond papers. I took pride in being able to make my valentine cards as creatively as I could - mosaics from tiny heart pieces, heart shaped cards instead of plain squares, pop - ups, ruffles. Because I was not into childhood crushes, the primary recipients of my cards were my parents and my friends. I remember holding the cards for my parents on my way home and handing it to them knowing it was one of the very few ways I was able to show them my affection.

I think I stopped giving valentine cards to my parents when I got into high school, but I know I continued to do something special - small notes, hand made tokens, maybe - for my friends on Valentine's. I called it "heart's day" bent on my resolve to reframe it away from it's romantic associations and just to make it an opportunity to affirm and express affection to the people that matter in my life.

And then I grew old, or probably got busy - or probably all these technology has taken the place of hand made cards and hand written notes. Now that I realize it, I should make way again to the "hearts' day" that I used to have in my life, remembering also that there is a Divine Presence in my life that loved me first even before I was in existence, even before I knew the existence of love. Happy Heart's Day everyone!

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end. They are new every morning, new every morning, great is thy faithfulness O Lord”. Lamentations 3:22-23

Missing Home

Eternal summers

Afternoon rain showers

Drifting through my mind

Rays of sunshine

Warming me

Melting the cold icicles of snow

That covers my soul.

I dream

Of roadside conversations

And walking around small neighborhoods

Where people know each other

Exchanging looks

A nod of heads

They say,

“Oh you’re back”

“Since when have you been home?”

And I would say,

“It’s been a long time.”

I smile and look around me

It’s a cold winter day.

It’s been some time

I would say.

It’s been some time.

Rut

I think
It's called
A rut.
Where I am.
It's like a black hole
But it's right where
I am standing
And it is sucking
All the life
Out of me.

It is watching
The stories
of Everyone
Around
Near
And far.
And wondering
Whatever happened?
To me?

It is.
A rut.
And I wonder.
How.
Is it?
That
I am here.

1340 1/20/09

First Snow 2009

Snow came with the morning today. Our window provided a good view of the flurry. Watching snow fall is like watching the rain - but without the sound.



On our way home, we noticed the snowflakes that got caught on my coat sleeve.

It was delightful to see the snowflake and be able to discern its shape and pattern. We spent several minutes just trying to catch snowflakes on our sleeves (and bonnet and gloves), taking pictures of the individual snowflakes.


We tried to take photos as close as we can but our digital camera's macro function could not do a super macro. We had to make do. But we still had fun! And it was a truly amazing experience.

Boston to Baltimore Trip Notes - New York 1

November 26, 2008

00:45, South Station, Boston

I'm sprawled on the floor in this part of South Station where people are supposed to take the buses out of Boston, supporting my back on a large concrete post that had an electric outlet – therefore allowing me to have my EEE PC plugged and charged. We have tickets for the Fungwah bus that leaves at 2 AM. We got ourselves to South Station at around 1230 AM – because we needed to make sure that we catch the last Red train that leaves Alewife, supposedly at 12:22 AM.

After getting off from the subway, we meandered through South Station – it being a major transportation platform – subway, commuter rail, buses to all directions – before finally getting to the bus gates. Getting as near to the boarding gate as possible, no matter how far from the departure time, is a lesson I learned from being left behind by the plane in Hongkong. I never forgot it: Get to the boarding gate first. And then maybe rest, or nap, or window shop – around the area of the boarding gate.

Getting to South Station and looking at the information screens – I realized I had so many choices of buses to take for New York. There was Lucky Star – which also had a trip for 2 AM. The other major bus lines – Greyhound and PeterPan had trips for early morning – but starting at 7 AM, I think. And there was Bolt, and Megabus. I could have tried to look at Lucky Star – it might have a cheaper ticket than the $25 that Fungwah charged - $10 more expensive than their regular rates. I guess I did not Google enough.

A security officer answers a question from a passenger: “No, taxis are the only way out now. The last T has already passed the station.” It is 00:58. About a half hour before, another security officer was going around asking passengers for their tickets – because only passengers with tickets – or those leaving after 12 AM - are supposed to be the only ones allowed within the area.

My alarm has sounded. Got to go. It is 1:22.

7:22 AM, Starbucks – Corner Delancey Street and Allen Street, New York

With the Chinatown buses (the general term referred to the cheap fare buses, having started operating from and to New York Chinatown) seating is always on a first come first served basis.

Make sure you “checked in” with the ticketbooth if you bought your ticket online.

Being sleep deprived, I tried to sleep during the trip from Boston to New York. For his wake up call, the driver blared loud music when we were near the New York bus stop. With Fung Wah, and I think with most of the Chinatown buses – there is no terminal – just a drop off point. You basically get out of the bus to the sidewalk. Much the same feel as going down at BGH Rotunda when coming from Metro Manila to Baguio City.

We arrived at around 5:00 AM! Our ticket for Baltimore was at 9:45 AM. So what do we do now?

“Get out of the way.” The first words I got from a New Yorker on his bicycle in a cold November morning. Still dark. Not the most pleasing welcome remarks.

The sun has not yet risen and it felt creepy walking in long tunnels – turned out we were walking in the wrong direction. But we eventually found Allen Street – the pick up “terminal” for the New York – Baltimore leg of our trip. Getting a sense of the location, the next thing to do was – find a Mcdonald's.

Funny as it may seem, fastfoods have become a sanctuary for travelers in that uncertain zone of killing time before the next bus schedule. But this particular Mcdonald's was not friendly to weary, sleep – deprived travelers. People were not allowed to loiter, so we had to pay to stay there by ordering a meal. Just as well, I was hungry and it would be breakfast anyway. The staff were not fastfood cheery though – no point telling you that you've just made their day just by entering their door. So this is New York, I guess.

Anyway, I made sure to consume the breakfast I ordered as slowly as possible. Logic: as long as there was food on the table, I had a right to stay there. We finally finished the one breakfat meal that I ordered and decided to have coffee in a nearby Starbucks, not because I am a fan, or that it is a habit – but we assumed it was a safe place where people can stay as long as they want and maybe even have free wifi access with their coffee order. Note to the uninitiated: Venti does not mean small. It is the size bigger than Tall.

So here we are. So this is New York. At least one street corner of New York. I have a good view and there are many interesting people to watch.

On the Whale Massacre at Faroe Island

I am not really sure this is Sanctuary material, but I might as well put it here.

A friend of mine sent a forwarded message about a gruesome traditional activity that happens in the Faroe Islands in Denmark. It involves killing a lot of whales. Naturally eliciting a lot of protest - and therefore a lot of forwarded emails.

So, I checked with Google just to make sure this is not just some propaganda thing that wasn't based on anything.

I looked for videos and found one at Youtube. I did not even finish it (because it really was very bloody).

But with further reading, and consulting the ever reliable truthorfiction.com - it turns out the people in the Faroe Islands have some rationale on the activity - not as a rite of passage tradition as mentioned in the forwarded email - but as a communal activity to store food for the winter.

But the activity really is not for the squeamish - as a BBC correspondent/witness had put it.

Here's a link to the objective take on the issue: A Whale of a Killing in Denmark -Truth! & Fiction!

And here's an excerpt from the BBC article that gives another perspective: Faroes' controversial whale hunt

"What, I wondered, did they think of the attempts by animal rights activists to ban whale hunting outright?"

They had no doubts. With 800,000 pilot whales in the North Atlantic and with rarely more than 2,000 a year taken in the Faroes, the whale population was not under threat.

Had I, they asked pointedly, ever gone to an abattoir in my country and seen the industrial daily slaughter of thousands of farm animals?

Ironically, rights activists and Faroese do agree on one thing.

The recent discovery of high levels of mercury, insecticides and other toxins in pilot whales means that whale meat consumption may have to be reduced. Pregnant mothers on the islands have been counselled not to eat it.

Surely, my friends pointed out, rather than attempting to block a traditional and sustainable harvest, environmentalists would better focus their energies on preventing the slow poisoning of the seas, which in the long run pose a far greater threat to the whales, and to us all.
[End of Quote]

Anyway, not that I think there is no issue, I would not personally be involved in such an activity myself - I guess I just need to take a second look. This is also related to concerns for polar bear hunting in the Arctic. Extreme conservationists would call the practice evil, but on the other hand, they forget that it is a major source of food for many of the indigenous peoples in the Arctic.

And I guess in the web of life - humans are the ultimate predators - and we are just doing our job.


--- Excerpt of the forwarded message:
>
> DENMARK: WHAT A SHAME!!!
>
> This happens in Denmark

>
> DENMARK: WHAT A SHAME, A SAD SHAME.
> THESE PICTURES HAVE TO BE SEEN AROUND THE WORLD. THERE IS NO WORSE BEAST THAN MAN!
>
> This brutality happens every year, Dantesque, bloody slaughter in the Faroe Islands, which belongs to Denmark .
> A country supposedly 'civilized' and a EUROPEAN UNION country. For many people this cruel practice is unknown, how insensitivity.
> This bloody slaughter is just to attend Moz to 'show' entering adulthood! It's absolutely incredible that nobody dares to do something to prevent this
> barbarism that is committed against Calderon, an intelligent dolphin who has the peculiarity of approaching people out of sheer curiosity.

Autumn Leaves Collection 2008

Bring them out crayons
Color them leaves
Green.
No...
Red!
Yellow!
Orange!
Maroon!
Pink!
A girl from the tropics
Finds out
That rainbows
Grow on trees
And
then
fall
Like


Stars.

Autumn's Coming

I took a walk from the apartment to the Kendall Square station.
20 minutes
The whole length of Third Street.
Passing through blocks
And trees by the wayside

I would hear my feet
When they touch the concrete sidewalk
Already dotted with
Wonderfully fallen leaves
An exclamation
My thrilled feet
In spite of my four dollar thrift shop rubber shoes
Singing
"Beatiful! Beautiful!"

Wearing Mufflers in August

I loaded the laundry at the basement.
Then mulled whether I should return a phone that I bought spur of the moment yesterday
While I washed the dishes.
And reminded myself that I had to go back to the sink to wash the pans which I left to soak.
I opened the computer supposedly with a purpose,
But wandered to my emails
And saw a string of new mails
From my husband.
Who is sitting a few feet away from me.

It was chilly since yesterday.
I am wearing a muffler made from a shawl
From Cambodia
A gift from a former officemate.

I am made aware again of the passing planes
and the constant whirring of machines around me

It is a quiet morning
Except for all these whirring
And our clicking keyboards.

Splashing at Fountains

I watched as the kids played with glee while water spouted from the concrete ground.
It was one image that I definitely do not get to see a lot at home.
What with our concept of "init at lamig" or "basa at tuyo."
But not all Filipinos are afraid of playing in the rain, aren't they?
I am quite sure playing in the rain was one fond childhood memory I have, somewhere tucked in the recesses of my brain - which has forgotten some things.
I am certain, however, that people from the Philippines associate being wet in the rain with danger - necessitating a warm shower immediately after.
Are we afraid that the water is dirty? That it contains "germs?"

But we don't get to see kids from the Philippines playing in fountains. Our fountains are not meant to be interactive. Here, I think the water is definitely dirty.

Seeing the kids playing by the fountain, even if it is not something that I get to see at home, made me miss home.

Letter to Hotaru on Overflowing Thankfulness

So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in Him, rooted and built up in Him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.

-Galatians 2:6-7

Dear Hotaru,

There are many things that apply to me in Galatians 2:6-7, and especially in my current context. I had an essay title running in my mind even before we got here - “Yet again, in transition.” It was supposed to highlight how, yet again, my life gets to be in transition. And in a time when I feel I would like to be settled and rooted. I feel that I've had my share of moving around and seeing places and going yet again to a new environment does not excite me anymore.

But Paul's letter to the Galatians has something for me in that area – to “continue to live in Him, rooted and built up in Him.” I have sort of attributed the waning of my spiritual life to the many geographical moves I have made. I felt that if somehow I could live in a place for at least five years, I could find myself a good local church where I could build relationships, get involved in ministry, and grow in the faith. Here, I am reminded that I am to continue to live, to be rooted, to be built up – in Christ. I should know what that means, and I could possibly come up with a very spiritual affirmation of its significance in my life. But I use the next line in the verse to explain how the seemingly simple concept of continuing to live in Christ, being rooted and built up in him, is to me at the moment a practical mystery. “Strengthened in the faith as you were taught” - shouldn't this bring me back to my rationale of why I want to get rooted and settled down? Oh me, of little faith! So I conclude with that, and proceed to “and overflowing with thankfulness.”

At this particular time of the month, it is really hard to be thankful for me. At this time of the month, I am worried. I have been worried even before we got here. Here, I am reminded of thankfulness. I realize that I have not been very thankful lately because I have been worried.

It is so hard to be encouraged so quickly by a verse when you are struggling with faith, recognizing that you have been taught – but your faith has not been strengthened. And it is not because I moved so much, I guess. I have not taken it to myself to do my part to be rooted, to be built up, to be strengthened in faith. I have limited God to geographical comfort zones - “If I could just stay long enough in one place, I would probably have more faith.” And realize quickly how such a bad excuse it is.

I am reminded that faith can only grow when it is used. This is my little step of faith today – thankfulness. I may not be overflowing with it right now – but I'll get to that. “Count your blessings one by one...”

One by one.

You, included.

Yours,

Kulibangbang

How-to forward emails appropriately

I stumbled upon a blog by a Don Kishote which he actually got from an email that was sent to him by a friend. I am not an email forwarder, and I have to admit that I do not really open forwarded emails even from friends - except when I really don't have anything to do.

Anyway, when I do get to read a forwarded email, I check it with http://truthorfiction.org/ or http://breakthechain.org/. I have made it a point to call the attention of the forwarder to make sure they first verify information that they forward. And that long list of previous recipients is really annoying - and also dangerous - because it becomes a great source of email addresses for spammers. So think about it first when you forward email because there are two things that you might be doing:
1. You are perpetuating the spread of lies and untruth.
2. You are putting your friends at risk by exposing their email addresses.

Below is the post for those who don't want to follow the link.

Pasabilis: How-to forward emails appropriately

Every time you forward an e-mail there is information left over from the people who got the message before you, namely their e-mail addresses & names. As the messages get forwarded along, the list of addresses builds, and builds, and builds, and all it takes is for some poor sap to get a virus, and his or her computer can send that virus to every e-mail address that has come across his computer. Or, someone can take all of those addresses and sell them or send junk mail to them in the hopes that you will go to the site and he will make five cents for each hit. That’s right, all of that inconvenience over five cents!

How do you stop it? Well, there are several easy steps:

(1) When you forward an e-mail, DELETE all of the other addresses that appear in the body of the message (at the top). That’s right, DELETE them. Highlight them and delete them, backspace them, cut them, whatever it is you know how to do. It only takes a second. You MUST click the ‘Forward’ button first and then you will have full editing capabilities against the body and headers of the message. If you don’t click on ‘Forward’ first, you won’t be able to edit the message at all.

(2) Whenever you send an e-mail to more than one person, do NOT use the To: or Cc: fields for adding e-mail addresses. Always use the BCC: (blind carbon copy) field for listing the e-mail addresses. This is the way the people you send to will only see their own e-mail address. If you don’t see your BCC: option click on where it says To: and your address list will appear. Highlight the address and choose BCC: and that’s it, it’s that easy. When you send to BCC: your message will automatically say ‘Undisclosed Recipients’ in the ‘TO:’ field of the people who receive it.

(3) Remove any ‘FW :’ in the subject line. You can re-name the subject if you wish or even fix spelling.

(4) ALWAYS hit your Forward button from the actual e-mail you are reading. Ever get those e-mails that you have to open 10 pages to read the one page with the information on it? By Forwarding from the actual page you wish someone to view, you stop them from having to open many e-mails just to see what you sent.

(5) Have you ever gotten an email that is a petition? It states a position and asks you to add your name and address and to forward it to 10 or 15 people or your entire address book. The email can be forwarded on and on and can collect thousands of names and email addresses. A FACT: The completed petition is actually worth a couple of bucks to a professional spammer because of the wealth of valid names and email addresses contained therein. If you want to support the petition, send it as your own personal letter to the intended recipient. Your position may carry more weight as a personal letter than a laundry list of names and email address on a petition . (Actually, if you think about it, who’s supposed to send the petition in to whatever cause it supports?&nb sp; And don ‘t believe the ones that say that the email is being traced, it just aint so!)

(6) One of the main ones I hate is the ones that say that something like, ‘Send this email to 10 people and you’ll see something great run across your screen.’ Or, sometimes they’ll just tease you by saying something really cute will happen. IT AINT GONNA HAPPEN!!!!! (Trust me, I’m still seeing some of the same ones that I waited on 10 years ago!) I don’t let the bad luck ones scare me either, they get trashed. (Could be why I haven’t won the lottery??)

(7) Before you forward an Amber Alert, or a Virus Alert, or some of the other ones floating around nowadays, check them out before you forward them. Most of them are junk mail that’s been circling the net for YEARS! Just about everything you receive in an email that is in question can be checked out at Snopes. Just go to http://www.snopes.com/

Its really easy to find out if it’s real or not. If it’s not, please don’t pass it on.

So please, in the future, let’s stop the junk mail and the viruses.