Sophie's Story

   Hi! This is Skamp. I like to spell my name with a "K" because it is unique, like me.    Eight months ago Sophie did something really strange. She quit going to work. I was a little worried. Humans don't just stop going to work. I asked her what was going on.    She explained to me that she had decided to stop working where she was at and work someplace else. She was working many hours and it was hurting her eyes and her hand. She also said that she was spending too much time at work and it was making her feel depressed and tired. She didn't like where she worked anymore.    I could see that. She was hardly ever home. I didn't get groomed as often as I needed. I also didn't get an appropriate amount of attention.    Not too long after she stopped going to work all the time, she found another place to work. I could tell that she liked it a lot better. She smiles when she goes to work and she comes home cheerful and happy instead of crabby and tired.  

   I heard a really funny joke at Toastmaster's this morning. Arnold liked to buy a six-pack of beer and drink it while watching TV at night. One night after having finished his six pack there was a knock on the door. He answered it and found a six-foot cockroach standing there. The cockroach pushed him violently away and then left. The next night after drinking three beers, there was a knock. The same cockroach was there only this time he punched Arnold in the face and left. The next night Arnold had finished only one beer before there was a knock on the door. There was the cockroach. He punched Arnold in the stomach and left. The next night Arnold had not started drinking when the knock came again. The cockroach was back. This time he beat Arnold up, left him in the middle of his living room and departed. The next day Arnold went to his doctor. "What do I do?" he asked. "Unfortunately, there's nothing you can do, " said the doctor, "There's a na

   Normally I stay away from serious topics on the weekends. Weekends should be fun and relaxing. I also try not to write about current events unless I feel strongly compelled to. This is one of those times when I can not keep my mouth shut.    I have read many posts from people I know on Facebook regarding the recent school shooting in Florida. Some of the posts have been shared from other sites. Some were original postings. Everyone has an opinion and those opinions are pretty strong.    There are those who are asking when we will get gun control laws so these shootings will no longer happen. There are some who say that if teachers were armed then these things could be prevented. Some say that we need more money spent on mental health to prevent violent crime. People are blaming violent TV and video games for what happened.    Everyone is frustrated. Most are scared and upset. I'm sure there are some people who wonder if it is safe to send their children to school. I know a

   One of the most popular Bible verses used at weddings comes from 1 Corinthians 13. Verses 4-7 are most commonly used.   " Love is patient and kind; love is not jealous or boastful;    it is not arrogant or rude. Love does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful;  it does not rejoice at wrong, but rejoices in the right.  Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things."    Since it is so popular, I insisted that we use another reading at our 2004 civil wedding. Besides the fact that most weddings I've attended had some version of these verses included in the ceremony, there is another reason why I didn't want it. I believe it paints an unrealistic picture of what love is. Now I know what many of you are going to say. The reason why these verses are so appropriate at weddings is that this is the ideal that we all should try to attain.    I can understand that. Unfortunately (or fortunately) I'm too much a r

   One of my favourite places to buy tea is no more. They were bought out by a coffee chain that has closed them down. I'd been buying tea there for a long time. In fact, they kind of spoiled me. I don't like tea in teabags anymore. I also like to brew different kinds of tea together to get different flavours.   I had to find a new tea supplier.    A few days ago C and I went to a deli in St Paul for a lunch date. As we drove to the deli I noticed a tea shop. I mentioned it to C and told him I wanted to check it out sometime. He agreed. We found a parking place and went into the deli.    After lunch, we decided to talk a little walk. We walked about a block when I saw the tea shop on the next block. I asked if he minded us going in to check it out. He said yes. We walked across the street and over to the shop.   I liked it the minute we got inside. It was warm and cosy looking, My glasses fogged up. There were shelves lined with pots, cups and tea quilts. There were shelv

   The Superbowl is in Minneapolis this year. All this week there have been activities for people of all ages to enjoy. Lots of people who have never set foot in this state before are coming in droves. Most of what I see written about  Minnesota puts a lot of emphasis on the weather, particularly the winter weather. It seems that many people outside the state know only four things about Minnesota: snow, cold, the Vikings and Fargo.    There's much more to Minnesota then the four above mentioned items. I'd like to write about a few of them. I'd also like to get a few of the stereotypes straightened out.    The first thing I'd like to tackle is the movie Fargo. Fargo is a lovely city in North Dakota. There is no Fargo in Minnesota. The vast majority of people from Minnesota trace their ethnic background from Germany, not Norway. The people that speak with German or Norwegian accents are few and far between.    Outstate is North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, Illinois a