Last evening, after work, my friend and I went to Cherry Hill Orchards to pick cherries. The trees are so laden with cherries that many of the branches bend down to the ground. We took Sophie with us, and she raced up and down the rows of cherry trees and had a glorious time while we picked. I now have perfect dark red cherries that were only $2.50 a pound! I love living in Lancaster where it is so easy to get farm fresh fruits and veggies at a decent price. Cherry picking will continue for about two more weeks. Later we'll return for peaches & nectarines. Oh, mustn't forget...they have sour cherries for pies too!

You are type: Blue
12

Bl
9

Gl
8

Gr
7

Or

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BLUE

Congratulations, you are a primary Blue. Your heart-felt communication style creates peace and harmony in the workplace. You know how to bring out the best in others.
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This is fantastic. I hope I do this right, so you can see it. If not, find it on Huffington Post. http://artofmanliness.com/2008/03/07/the-mechanics-of-the-man-hug/

1. Unitarian Universalism (100%)
2. Secular Humanism (97%)
3. Theravada Buddhism (91%)
4. Liberal Quakers (88%)
5. Neo-Pagan (86%)
6. New Age (71%)
7. Nontheist (68%)
8. Mahayana Buddhism (67%)
9. Mainline to Liberal Christian Protestants (65%)
10. Taoism (61%)
11. Orthodox Quaker (60%)
12. Jainism (52%)
13. Reform Judaism (48%)
14. Bahá'í Faith (41%)
15. Hinduism (39%)
16. Scientology (39%)
17. Sikhism (38%)
18. New Thought (35%)
19. Seventh Day Adventist (33%)
20. Christian Science (Church of Christ, Scientist) (31%)
21. Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons) (28%)
22. Orthodox Judaism (23%)
23. Mainline to Conservative Christian/Protestant (22%)
24. Islam (20%)
25. Eastern Orthodox (17%)
26. Roman Catholic (17%)
27. Jehovah's Witness (17%)

Four more days till my knee replacement surgery. So, what do I do? I buy myself a bike! It's a girl's bike, blue, and small enough that I am not intimidated by it. It has coaster brakes, no fancy gears or brakes to make me afraid.

The bike has two purposes. Of course I intend to ride it, once my knee has recovered to the point that riding is a good idea. The other purpose is to train Sophie to not be afraid of bikes, and eventually, to run at my side while I pedal away.

I'm pretty excited about the whole idea of getting in shape post surgery. I'm also looking forward to having some time at home to just read, watch movies, and relax. Rehab will be great.

Your results:
You are Malcolm Reynolds (Captain)

Malcolm Reynolds (Captain) 80% Zoe Washburne (Second-in-command) 60% Inara Serra (Companion) 60% Kaylee Frye (Ship Mechanic) 60% Alliance 60% Dr. Simon Tam (Ship Medic) 60% River (Stowaway) 55% Derrial Book (Shepherd) 50% Wash (Ship Pilot)

What a fantastic weekend! Friday I met two new friends, when Lisa hosted a dinner party. She served Peruvian food that was absolutely delicious! We had good conversation, fun watching her cats and playing with her Wii, and a kick-ass bottle of mead to put all of us in a relaxed mood. All in all, a thoroughly enjoyable evening. I hope to see more of the two dinner guests, both of whom were bright and interesting.

The fun continued today with a trip to the Ephrata Performing Arts Center to see the Mikado. We knew several of the cast and the director, which added to the fun. Just prior to the performance, we stopped at the Ten Thousand Villages store, which is always fun. If you aren't familiar with that store, google it and take a peek.

Tomorrow will be fun as well. I'm taking Sophie on a good long hike in the morning, and in the afternoon, my friend, Wendy, and I are going to the Reform Synagogue to see a Purim musical, "Goys and Dolls". It's free, and done in drag. Should be a blast.

I wish the weekends were a few days longer....

"Come on, mom. It's not like some social club that you can join 'cause you want to hang out with the members. They'll want you to get down with the 'G' man."

With that, dear friends, Lisa pretty much sums up my problem with religion. Last night Lisa and I went to the reform synagogue in Lancaster. Ross Wolman was the visiting cantor, and since I know his father, and knew Ross when he was a tiny little boy, it was a good excuse to go to hear him sing. I had never been to a synagogue, and was curious.

It reminded me of dinner at our dining room table when I was a kid. There was a lot of singing, of touching, and a lot of talk. The stories were interesting, and on occasion a member of the congregation would shout out something funny in response to something the rabbi said. It made me regret that I had never learned Hebrew, and I began to ponder whether they'd offer me free Hebrew classes if I showed some interest. Everyone seemed so connected to each other.

Two Sundays ago, Lisa and I went to Quaker Meeting. There, a different experience. Silence, contemplation, and once again, the friendly people who seemed so at ease with each other. Of course there is no minister, and each service is different, as different attenders feel moved to speak.

So, here is the problem: I enjoy the sense of community that comes with organized religion. I enjoy the hugging and the after the service coffee and cake. But that is it. I don't understand what else there is supposed to be, and would be happy if that were all there were to religion. Sadly, it is not. Sadly, each type of religion wants it's members to believe something in common, and frankly, I just don't.

Oh, there are plenty of things that I do believe.... I believe in myself and my friends. I believe in kindness and affection. I believe that we should care for ourselves, our families, animals (including people) and the earth. I believe that in any given situation, I should try to do what I consider to be the right thing. I believe in listening to all sides before reaching a conclusion. I believe in discussion, rational thought, and compromise. I believe that all people have the right to their differences and that we should all be able live together in peace.

No one has been able to explain to me how they get themselves to "believe" in anything. I can only deduce that people "believe" because their parents indoctrinated them when they were children. I was raised without much exposure to religion, and most of the time I am grateful for that. I believe that many of the world's problems are caused by religious strife. I believe that all churches who raise money should pay taxes just like any other commercial enterprise. I object to religions dictating a political course of action to the followers, whether that be an anti-abortion stance or Islamic jihad.

I do not know if there is one "God" or many "gods" or no god at all. Nor do I think that whether or not "God" exists is the critical question. I think the greater concern is our treatment of others. Still, I wish I had a group that would gather together in fellowship, to discuss issues and to share the coffee and cake.

I've considered looking into Wicca, but I'm really not into casting spells or believing in Magic any more than I am into believing in God. If I had more time, I would seriously consider starting my own church, a group of socially concerned people who aren't into organized religion. (Yes, I have tried Unitarianism, but that doesn't do it for me either. Unitarians still throw around the "God" word, even if many of them aren't sure what that means. Moreover, they pass a collection plate, which I find totally offensive.)

So, there is my conundrum. I see no solution. Perhaps the best course is to steer clear of all religion, and focus on taking Sophie for more runs in the woods. I wonder how many people in Lancaster feel as I do, and how they resolve their feelings?

Molly Ivins Tribute
MOLLY IVINS BEGAN WRITING HER SYNDICATED COLUMN FOR CREATORS SYNDICATE IN 1992. ANTHONY ZURCHER IS A CREATORS SYNDICATE EDITOR BASED IN AUSTIN, TEXAS, AND HE HAS BEEN MOLLY'S EDITOR AND FRIEND FOR MANY YEARS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION. -- CREATORS SYNDICATE, INC.

MOLLY IVINS TRIBUTE
BY ANTHONY ZURCHER

Goodbye, Molly I.
Molly Ivins is gone, and her words will never grace these pages again -- for this, we will mourn. But Molly wasn't the type of woman who would want us to grieve. More likely, she'd say something like, "Hang in there, keep fightin' for freedom, raise more hell, and don't forget to laugh, too."

If there was one thing Molly wanted us to understand, it's that the world of politics is absurd. Since we can't cry, we might as well laugh. And in case we ever forgot, Molly would remind us, several times a week, in her own unique style.

Shortly after becoming editor of Molly Ivins' syndicated column, I learned one of my most important jobs was to tell her newspaper clients that, yes, Molly meant to write it that way. We called her linguistic peculiarities "Molly-isms." Administration officials were "Bushies," government was in fact spelled "guvment," business was "bidness." And if someone was "madder than a peach orchard boar," well, he was quite mad indeed.

Of course, having grown up in Texas, all of this made sense to me. But to newspaper editors in Seattle, Chicago, Detroit and beyond -- Yankee land, as Molly would say -- her folksy language could be a mystery. "That's just Molly being Molly," I would explain and leave it at that.

But there was more to Molly Ivins than insightful political commentary packaged in an aw-shucks Southern charm. In the coming days, much will be made of Molly's contributions to the liberal cause, how important she was as an authentic female voice on opinion pages across the country, her passionate and eloquent defense of the poorest and the weakest among us against the corruption of the most powerful, and the joy she took in celebrating the uniqueness of American culture -- and all of this is true. But more than that, Molly Ivins was a woman who loved and cared deeply for the world around her. And her warm and generous spirit was apparent in all her words and deeds.

Molly's work was truly her passion.

She would regularly turn down lucrative speaking engagements to give rally-the-troops speeches at liberalism's loneliest outposts. And when she did rub elbows with the highfalutin' well-to-do, the encounter would invariably end up as comedic grist in future columns.

For a woman who made a profession of offering her opinion to others, Molly was remarkably humble. She was known for hosting unforgettable parties at her Austin home, which would feature rollicking political discussions, and impromptu poetry recitals and satirical songs. At one such event, I noticed her dining table was littered with various awards and distinguished speaker plaques, put to use as trivets for steaming plates of tamales, chili and fajita meat. When I called this to her attention, Molly matter-of-factly replied, "Well, what else am I going to do with 'em?"

Perhaps the most remarkable aspect of Molly's life is the love she engendered from her legions of fans. If Molly missed a column for any reason, her newspapers would hear about it the next day. As word of Molly's illness spread, the letters, cards, e-mails and gifts poured in.

Even as Molly fought her last battle with cancer, she continued to make public appearances. When she was too weak to write, she dictated her final two columns. Although her body was failing, she still had so much to say. Last fall, before an audience at the University of Texas, her voice began as barely a whisper. But as she went on, she drew strength from the standing-room-only crowd until, at the end of the hour, she was forcefully imploring the students to get involved and make a difference. As Molly once wrote, "Politics is not a picture on a wall or a television sitcom that you can decide you don't much care for."

For me, Molly's greatest words of wisdom came with three children's books she gave my son when he was born. In her inimitable way, she captured the spirit of each in one-sentence inscriptions. In "Alice in Wonderland," she offered, "Here's to six impossible things before breakfast." For "The Wind in the Willows," it was, "May you have Toad's zest for life." And in "The Little Prince," she wrote, "May your heart always see clearly."

Like the Little Prince, Molly Ivins has left us for a journey of her own. But while she was here, her heart never failed to see clear and true -- and for that, we can all be grateful.

To find out more about Molly Ivins and read her past columns, visit the Creators Syndicate web page at www.creators.com.
COPYRIGHT 2007 CREATORS SYNDICATE, INC.

Molly Ivins' final column, "Stand Up Against the Surge," is available here. Use the calendar below to navigate through her columns from 2006.

Pushover - ISFJ

40% Extraversion, 26% Intuition, 40% Thinking, 60% Judging

Hah. Nice one. How does it feel to know that you're barely unique? Of all the personality types you could have had, you ended up with the most common in all of America. In a group of 100 Americans, 12.8 of them will be just like you.
I bet you feel sorry for that one person missing 20% of his body. I bet you want to help him out, don't you? Cause that's what you like to do, isn't it? Help people. You don't want to save the world. You just want to help people out.

Sound pretty good so far? Sorry, but you're just plain pathetic. You let people walk all over you all the time, because everyone knows that you just can't say "no." When you get time, email me your contact details. It’s always good to know where I can find another helping hand.

What the hell is your problem? GET A LIFE! Stop cleaning other people's houses and go out and have a bit of fun every now and then. Sure, you feel responsible for doing what needs to be done, but sometimes it's just not you who needs to do it.

You're dependable, predictable and practicaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa...

Whoops, that was me falling asleep on the keyboard. You're just not the most fun person. I wouldn't worry too much about it. You can go hang out with your other 12.8 mates, helping out at the soup kitchen together. Woohoo!

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If you want to learn more about your personality type in a slightly less negative way, check out this.

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The other personality types are as follows...

Loner - Introverted Sensing Feeling Perceiving
Criminal - Introverted Sensing Thinking Perceiving
Borefest - Introverted Sensing Thinking Judging
Almost Perfect - Introverted iNtuitive Feeling Perceiving
Freak - Introverted iNtuitive Feeling Judging
Loser - Introverted iNtuitive Thinking Perceiving
Crackpot - Introverted iNtuitive Thinking Judging
Clown - Extraverted Sensing Feeling Perceiving
Sap - Extraverted Sensing Feeling Judging
Commander - Extraverted Sensing Thinking Perceiving
Do Gooder - Extraverted Sensing Thinking Judging
Scumbag - Extraverted iNtuitive Feeling Perceiving
Busybody - Extraverted iNtuitive Feeling Judging
Prick - Extraverted iNtuitive Thinking Perceiving
Dictator - Extraverted iNtuitive Thinking Judging

FAREWELL, RUMMY



AUSTIN, Texas -- There's been so much in print about how Daddy 41's people are back in the saddle, I was terrified when I saw a photo of Dan Quayle among the pack. If they've called back Dan Quayle to lend intellectual heft, we're all dead ducks. Fortunately, it was just a file picture of Quayle with the old team.

It does seem that we may be going back to the typical modus operandi of Dubya. Poppy Bush has helped Junior out of the Vietnam War, his failures in the oil business and other efforts all of his "adult" life.

Unfortunately for us and for the world, the people from the first Bush administration who initially joined this administration were Dick Cheney and Don Rumsfeld. Not exactly the most diplomatic, forward-looking, helpful people to be guiding Dubya.

During the first Gulf War, Bush 41 and his administration knew what it would be like if they tried to take Baghdad -- and opted not to go in. Now, the more sober-headed people from that administration are moving in to try to clean up the mess Junior made in his Iraq excursion.

Meanwhile, let us bid farewell and adieu to Brother Donald Rumsfeld, who is so full of wisdom he does not seem to be able to apply it. As a parting gift, here are some of his classic quotes:

1. "If you develop rules, never have more than 10."

2. "Don't think of yourself as indispensable or infallible. As Charles De Gaulle said, the cemeteries of the world are full of indispensable men."

3. "Needless to say, the president is correct. Whatever it was he said."

4. "I don't do quagmires."

5. "I don't do diplomacy."

6. "I don't do foreign policy."

7. "I don't do predictions."

8. "I don't do numbers."

9. "I don't do book reviews."

10. "Don't divide the world into 'them' and 'us.' Avoid infatuation with or resentment of the press, the Congress, rivals or opponents. Accept them as facts. They have their jobs, and you have yours."

11. "Don't say, 'The White House wants.' Buildings can't want."

12. "If I know the answer, I'll tell you the answer. And if I don't, I'll just respond cleverly."

13. "I believe what I said yesterday. I don't know what I said, but I know what I think, and, well, I assume it's what I said."

In fact, I'm rather going to miss Rumsfeld's Zen-like nuggets of wisdom, the most famous of which is probably about the known unknowns and the unknown unknowns:

"As we know, there are known knowns. There are things we know we know. We also know there are known unknowns. That is to say we know there are some things we do not know. But there are also unknown unknowns, the ones we don't know we don't know."

According to Newsweek, Air Force Secretary Jim Roche went to Rumsfeld early on and said, "Don, you do realize that Iraq could be another Vietnam."

Replied Rummy: "Vietnam? You think you have to tell me about Vietnam? Of course it won't be Vietnam. We are going to go in, overthrow Saddam, get out. That's it."

I don't know what happened to that excellent plan, but I would like to know who knew it was unknowable.

To find out more about Molly Ivins and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate web page at www.creators.com.

AUSTIN, Texas -- Right to the end, this insane conversation between reality and Not Realty. The president of the United States STILL says we are reducing terrorism by fighting in Iraq; STILL says we are creating democracy; STILL says we're preventing the spread of nuclear weapons and making Israel more secure; and, shoddiest of all, STILL not allowing that our fallen have died in vain.

The vice president, meanwhile, has announced that, all things considered in Iraq, "if you look at the general, overall situation, (the Iraqi government is) doing remarkably well." And now he's gone off to hunt in South Dakota, thus demonstrating a perfectly balanced sense of reality. South Dakota is so sparsely populated, it's really hard to hit another hunter.

Meanwhile, in case you hadn't noticed, Iraq is in a state of full collapse. And Afghanistan is not far from it. Baghdad is worse off for water, sewer, electricity and infrastructure than it was before the war. The R's have taken care of the whole problem with the brilliance we have come to expect from them -- they have decided to abolish the Office of the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction (which has previously exposed bribery, contracts to cronies, shoddy work, lost billions of dollars, the failure to track hundreds of thousands of weapons shipped there and more). You must admit this is big, bold and brainy. This is Karl Rove problem-solving at its best.

This campaign has been like getting stuck in Alice's Wonderland for three months. "There is no use trying, " Alice said, "one can't believe impossible things."

"I daresay you haven't had much practice," replied the White Queen. "When I was your age, I always did it for half an hour a day. Why, sometimes I've believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast."

Every time you turn around, you run into the Jabberwocky or the Frumious Bandersnatch -- Richard Perle in penitence -- or some other equally fantastic sight. The great Skywriter in the Sky has positively run amok with irony and has been splashing it all over the campaign like Jackson Pollock. Fortunately, it is not my duty to lend dignity to the proceedings. I do make it a rule to skip talk of sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll -- but when Mark Foley turns out to the chairman of House Committee on Missing and Exploited Children, you know you just have to sit down like a tired dog and scratch for a while.

While this perfectly insane dialogue has been taking place, Congress stands before us so hopelessly corrupt that the stench has washed all over the country. Perhaps my least favorite excuse for cheating is, "Everybody does it." NO, everybody DOESN'T do it. Nor does the system make you do it, or alcohol or drugs or Jack Abramoff. I do not want to hear one more excuse -- apologize and go.

On the other hand, I am really going to miss the stories this Congress provided. Remember Terri Schiavo? I mean, you wake up one morning and there it is, kind of like finding Fidel Castro in the refrigerator. And you listen to these people who do hold high elective office having this debate -- as though they know, as though they have any idea, as though they have any right. And then there are some of the troops, like Randy "Duke" Cunningham, semi-owner of the houseboat "The Duke-Stir." Some days you couldn't wait to get up to find out who'd been indicted. I miss watching Katherine Harris from Florida wear less and less blue eye-shadow as she went through her Senate race.

Well, it's been rank -- racist, sleazy, lying and full of insinuating scare tactics. Thank God it's over.

To find out more about Molly Ivins and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate web page at www.creators.com.