• what is up with this crazy weather we've had on the east coast this week? first it flattens a skating rink in alabama, where the kids only escaped a few minutes before, then it knocks out power and trees all up the east coast, then yesterday in north carolina 8 people were killed when a tornado ripped through a trailer park, 19 injured. i don't ever remember there being this kind of crazy weather around here in november... weird! my heart goes out to all those who lost loved ones in this nastiness... the weirdest part was that yesterday i looked outside one minute and it was gray and rainy, then not 10 minutes later i look out the window and it's sunny and blue! very odd.
• this article about our pursuit of happiness was interesting. i've always believed that happiness is a choice you make--you choose how to perceive things in your life and you can see the bright side or not. the more positive choices you make, the happier you'll be. at least that's my own philosophy. this article tells us that we're constantly making choices to try to make ourselves happy, but it talks of more concrete choices... like a burger or a salad for dinner, or keeping your old job or getting a new one, or buying a new car or taking a trip to europe. it says we usually choose incorrectly. isn't that nice? :) anyway, the moral of the story is that we think stuff makes us happy but it doesn't. as the old adage goes, it's the little things that count. like reading a book or taking a walk or indulging in a big fat piece of chocolate cake if you really want to. my favorite part of the article was the end:
  
  

  And if you're trying to decide between the new car and the trip to Europe, Gilbert said take the trip.

  "Part of us believes the new car is better because it lasts longer. But, in fact, that's the worst thing about the new car," he said. "It will stay around to disappoint you, whereas a trip to Europe is over. It evaporates. It has the good sense to go away, and you are left with nothing but a wonderful memory."

• speaking of things that make you happy, i think emmitt was probably pretty tickled when he won dancing with the stars on wednesday night! i don't watch this show but usually i tune in for the finale of stuff like this, so i did. i watched the recap of emmitt's and mario lopez's final dances and then watched nip/tuck on dvr, then went back to see who won. i suspected emmitt would win, and i was right! (of course. ;-) ) one thing i thought was funny during the recaps of their dances was what the female judge said to emmitt: "you have come so far! you're like the average man who has become a professional dancer." yeah, right, sister. emmitt smith, superbowl champion, nfl record holder, average man. whaaaaaaaaaaaatever.
• what in the hell is up with peoples' obsession with gaming systems like the new playstation 3? holy god. apparently people stampeded each other and even shot at people over this hoopla. unreal. it's a VIDEO GAME people! maybe i just haven't had enough experience with the newer gaming systems. i don't know. but give me my good ol' original nintendo and tetris and i'm happy.
  
• so OJ simpson is finally confessing! he is writing a book called if i did it, here's how it happened. well freaking duh. so in other words, you did kill your wife and her friend but instead of coming out and saying "i did it, and here's how it happened." you add an IF so that it's not a blatant confession. i mean, seriously, if he was innocent, why in the name of god would he do this? what a crazy mo fo.